by F. J. Gale
She let out an involuntary gasp and stepped back.
“Are we clear now, slayer?” he asked, dusting off his hands in front of her.
He watched her move to speak, but the words didn’t come. She just stared at him, incredulous. He stepped into her and his hand brushed her thigh. He felt her flinch at his touch. Their eyes met and the unsettling sensation that had assaulted him back in the parking lot resurfaced. Touch her, it beseeched him. There was such power to it, such heat that it arrested his movements for a few seconds. He felt it trying to violate his rational thought. He fought to regain control even as he leaned into her. Stop! The mission! He summoned every ounce of sanity that he could to break the spell. He looked away and gripped the knife in the holster at her thigh. He withdrew it abruptly and placed it in her hand.
He moved away quickly and studied her. What had just happened? He cleared his throat. “Wield that instead,” he instructed, reemploying his brusque demeanor.
She glared at him and gritted her teeth to suppress her ire. “Fine.” She didn’t take orders from anyone. He was trying her patience.
He grunted with impatience and turned back around, focusing on the task at hand. They made their way into the next room.
And what a room it was. Huge intricately carved bookcases lined every wall of the massive space. A small bar sat off to the left and a large seating area in front of a fireplace took up the rest of the room. White leather wraparound couches and matching over-sized chairs surrounded a rectangular marble coffee table. She noticed two tall windows at the rear of the room. She looked closer and caught sight of a doorknob, realizing quickly that they were patio doors. Heavy cream curtains covered them, hiding the gardens beyond.
Mathias’ eyes were drawn to the clothing and blankets thrown across the back of one of the couches and the glasses of clotted blood atop the coffee table. He drew closer and reached for a red silk robe that lay crumpled on the floor.
“I warned her not to come here,” he muttered bitterly.
“Who?” Jenna asked, as she continued to scan the room.
“Gabriella.”
“Girlfriend?” she asked over her shoulder as her attention was drawn to something over by the patio doors. Ashes.
Mathias scoffed at her assumption.
She looked back at him for a second. “I see. One of your groupies.”
Mathias shook his head. Did she have to keep using that terminology?
“Just company.”
“You don’t have to defend yourself to me.”
Mathias caught himself. Was that what he was doing? Defending himself? Gabriella wasn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the armory. Perhaps he didn’t want a reputation of screwing bimbos plaguing him. Yeah, that had to be it.
His thoughts were rudely interrupted by Jenna calling him to her. He moved to where she knelt over a pile of ashes. She held a folded note.
“Looks like this is what’s left of your girl,” she said, handing him the note.
Mathias eyed the ashes and shook his head. “She was a fool.”
He opened the note and read:
Brother,
The youngling has revealed your true whereabouts. Stand down. Should you fail to do so, Immortalia will come at you full force. No mercy for my enemies. The choice is yours.
S.
Mathias balled up the note and tossed it into the fireplace.
Jenna climbed to her feet. “He doesn’t want you dead,” she said, surprised. “The two of you must have been close. Brother?”
Mathias nodded. “Brothers in arms until he created Immortalia. And then…”
Jenna looked at him expectantly. “Go on.”
“We should get going,” he said, scanning the area anxiously. “He has spies everywhere.”
“We will. After you tell me.”
Mathias heaved a heavy sigh and looked down at the dirtied marble floor. “He killed my wife.”
“What?” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know vampires married.”
“They don’t.”
Oh my God. “She was human?”
Mathias cleared his throat and looked at her. “Yes.”
“Human?”
He bristled with annoyance. He’d forgotten how black and white slayers were. They couldn’t comprehend any in between. Vampires were one thing, humans another. They did not mix, at least in their eyes. The battle lines were clear. The fact that this one had initiated their alliance had caused him to assume that she did not see things so narrowly. But her reaction to what he’d just told her seemed to negate that theory.
“It just happened. I loved her. She loved me. It didn’t matter what we were. It never did.”
“Is that why Silas killed her?”
“No. He didn’t approve, but it wasn’t enough reason for him to murder her.”
“Then, what?”
Their eyes met and he couldn’t look away. “There was a child.”
He heard her breath catch in her throat, her eyes widen with disbelief. She adjusted her weight and stared at him, dumbfounded. “That’s impossible. How?”
“She was a scientist. Her research explored the inner workings of the supernatural, chiefly, vampires. It was how we met. Silas had gotten word that a human was meddling with the vampire condition. He was worried that the findings could compromise our species. I tracked her down and went there to—”
“Kill her?” Jenna finished for him.
“Yes, but I changed my mind. We became involved.”
“And she discovered a way for you to conceive a child?”
“We kept it a secret, but one of her lab techs betrayed us. He went to Silas. One night, I returned home and found her…ripped apart.”
“Can you still…reproduce?”
He shook his head with bitter sadness. “Not without her research.”
Jenna ran her hands through her hair, disorientated by the information he’d revealed. It was far beyond her vampire expertise. There was so much she didn’t know, even after so many years of hunting them. She knew how to kill her enemy, but that was all.
“How is he still alive?” she asked after a few moments of excruciating silence. “You never tried to take him out for what he did?”
“Once.”
“And?”
“I failed.”
“Your reputation is infamous. Your abilities in battle are legend,” she argued, not buying his explanation.
“I’d been retired from that life for decades. I was no longer the warrior that you’ve read about. I’d lost my thirst for the fight, for spilled blood. My rage was the only thing that fueled my attack that day. But it only got me so far. I managed to escape and Silas spent the next few years searching for me. It’s only been a short time since he gave up—his obsession with subjugating the human world saw to that. It’s all he sees now.”
“I’m sorry about your wife and child,” she told him sincerely.
He shook his head, willing away the painful memories that had surfaced. He didn’t want her pity. He didn’t want anyone’s.
“Let’s head to the armory,” he said, brushing past her towards the basement stairs at the far side of the room.
As soon as he reached them, a rush of adrenaline hit, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand at attention. He whirled around. Jenna had felt it to; she readied her knife, scanning the room. In a fraction of a second it had left her hand. It ripped through the air so fast, that he could barely even see it. It plunged into the neck of the vampire that had been preparing to jump her from behind.
He fell back and gripped his neck, choking as he fought to pull out the blade that was embedded so deeply.
Mathias watched as she just reacted without even checking her surroundings and rushed the attacker. Where was her defense? His senses screamed at him and he watched her stiffen a second later as she felt what he did. Another vampire. She was in an exposed position.
Jenna spun around, drawing a stake as she went and bracing herself for
a brutal attack that she could feel was almost upon her. She was going to have to take a hit or two.
But then the blade of a sword blocked her view. Mathias. He swung his broadsword at her attacker in a seemingly effortless motion, decapitating the second vampire in a split second. He eyed Jenna, shaking his head with disapproval. She stared at him, floored that not even a second had passed from her sensing the attack to him taking him out. He was faster than any vampire she had ever crossed paths with.
“Know your surroundings,” he chastised her. “There’s rarely just one. You—” He caught sight of the first attacker struggling to his feet. He pushed past Jenna, making no apologies and gripped the vampire by the collar of his leather hooded trench coat and hauled him off the ground. “Are there more?” he demanded in a low throaty rumble.
He didn’t answer.
Mathias adjusted his grip, digging his fingers into his wounded neck.
The soldier seethed with agony. He looked past Mathias, his eyes drawn to Jenna, “Slayer!” he hissed.
Mathias clocked him across the side of the face with his free arm. The soldier groaned as his head snapped to the side.
“Answer. Now,“ Mathias ordered.
“No. Just two of us.“
“Good,” Mathias hissed. He looked at Jenna and nodded at her.
She understood his meaning and approached the vampire.
“Jenna,” the vampire said.
Before the vampire could get in another word, she drew her stake from her holster and plunged it into his heart. She stepped back and shielded her face from the ashes that quickly spewed.
“How did he know your name?” Mathias asked.
“What?” she said, turning back to him as she holstered her stake.
“How did he know you?” Mathias pressed. What is she hiding?
She shrugged her shoulders. “My job is to hunt vampires; we must have crossed paths at some point, I guess.”
Mathias scrutinized her. She was lying. He’d felt her pulse quicken as soon as he’d asked the question. She looked away before he could catch her eye.
“Let’s get these damn weapons and leave,” she insisted.
Fine, but we’ll talk later, slayer.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mathias eased the car to a stop in the parking lot of Cain’s Tavern. The tavern doubled as a cheap motel which took up the two floors above ground level. It was just off the highway, but its dilapidated appearance deflected any desire passersby might have to make a pit stop there, and that was the intention. All the windows were boarded up. Stray fragments of tiles tumbled from the worn roof, pulled loose by the ravaging wind.
“An old friend of mine owns this place,” Mathias said, as he killed the engine and eyed the familiar sanctuary.
Jenna scrutinized the building. It didn’t take her long to realize what it really was. “This is a vamp safe house.”
Mathias nodded. He saw the hesitation in her eyes. “They won’t touch you.”
Jenna scoffed. “I disagree.”
“You’re with me. Trust me, they won’t lay a hand on you,” he insisted as he opened his door and climbed out of the car. He slammed it behind him and called over the hood to her. “Besides, this is the only place for miles. Daylight’s almost upon us.”
“Then I’ll drive. Just give me the directions to this supernatural scientist friend of yours.”
“No. We’ve been driving for eight hours straight. We need to rest.”
With that, he led the way towards the tavern and she followed.
“I swear, if I so much as smell trouble—”
Mathias stopped abruptly. The last thing he needed was her going into a vamp safe house all riled up and ready for a fight. They would sense it on her the moment she planted her feet on the rotting floorboards.
“You’re young. You’re a woman. I get it, okay?”
“What does that mean?” she demanded.
“You’re a recipe for overreaction. And you don’t have the age old wisdom to summon a level head.”
“Because I’m a woman?” she asked, incredulously.
“And, young. What are you, twenty?”
“Add on another decade and you’re there,” she said, stepping towards him angrily. “Watch your sexist comments around me, vampire,” she seethed.
To her surprise, she watched a smile creep across his lips. “Good. Your fear has dissipated,” he said, holding out his hand. “Ready?”
She batted his hand away. “Let’s get this over with,” she mumbled as she followed him into the tavern. She thought she heard a brief laugh but couldn’t be sure as the sudden cacophony of abrasive sounds from inside the tavern assaulted her senses.
She glanced around the bar. Immediately, all eyes were on her, leering at her, studying her curiously, hungrily. More than two dozen vampires, all wearing their demon faces, sat in booths and tables drinking strange-looking concoctions. Blood fused with alcohol, no doubt. She’d heard the stories of vampire safe houses, but she’d never ventured inside one, for obvious reasons. Seconds after noticing her, all conversation had halted. Everything froze. She stood her ground and narrowed her eyes in a warning as she waited for Mathias to say or do something.
“Old friend,” Mathias greeted a middle-aged vampire with a protruding beer gut behind the bar.
The man started at the sound of his voice. His eyes lit up as he saw Mathias. “Long time.”
He glanced at Jenna and shook his head.
“I need a favor, Cain. You owe me,” Mathias said off his look.
Cain leaned closer and lowered his voice to a sound only audible to those with supernatural hearing so that Jenna couldn’t hear, “You bring a human here?”
“Daylight is coming. There’s nowhere else for miles.”
“Let her drive.”
“We’re both tired.”
Cain looked Jenna over. He noted the stakes protruding from the pockets of her cargo pants, the dagger strapped to her leg.
“Please tell me you’re kidding. She’s a frigging slayer.”
“She only kills Immortalia soldiers. I’m sure you’re on board with that.”
“Like a lot of slayers these days. You’re going after them?”
Mathias nodded.
“Good. Those sons of bitches think they can embezzle me and try to take away my inn? They’re like leeches. Cockroaches.”
“No disagreement here.”
Cain owed him for blocking Immortalia’s path to him and his tavern. He’d used his personal connections with a certain witch to conjure a powerful Threshold Barrier spell around the establishment to keep Immortalia out. Now, they could not cross the threshold.
“Fine. But you need to keep her alive while she’s here. I won’t be able to keep them out. The scent of human is overpowering. A lot of the younger ones have yet to master self-control.”
“Thanks,” Mathias said and moved away from the bar.
“So, we’re even now?” Cain called.
Mathias smiled. “Almost.”
He approached Jenna and wrapped his arm tightly around her. She tensed at his sudden contact. “Just trust me,” he whispered in her ear as they walked down the gangway towards the stairs at the back of the bar. All eyes were on them. On her. Mathias saw the hunger in those eyes.
They made their way up the stairs and Mathias led them into the first open room. He shut the door behind them and glanced around the dark dingy space. A boarded up window protected those inside the room from the sun’s smoldering rays. A double bed was situated in the center of the room. Off to the far side, adjacent to a small bathroom, was a tattered beige couch pointed at a television. It was luxury compared to some of the places that he’d slept in. He was sure the same could be said for Jenna. The life of a slayer and a vampire. It wasn’t like the movies made it out to be.
“We should lock the door,” Jenna said.
“It won’t make a difference.”
“I’ll just make sure I sleep with one eye
open then. And a stake in my hand.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his joke. She scanned the room briefly and nodded to herself with satisfaction after a few seconds. Then, abruptly, she headed into the bathroom, her duffel bag still slung over her shoulder. She shut the door and locked it behind her.
Mathias eyed the door with amusement. She’d gone in there to change out of her street clothes, away from his prying eyes. It was odd given the tough demeanor she projected. He certainly hadn’t expected to see this side of her. She was shy? It didn’t make sense.
He crossed to the couch and shed his leather jacket, draping it carefully on the seat, mindful of the drug samples that were tucked away in the inside pocket. He stripped off his shirt and jeans and laid them neatly beside the jacket.
He was about to climb into the bed when he heard the sharp clank of the bathroom door lock, followed by the creak of the door. He stopped short as she emerged.
Wearing purple sweat pants and a matching strappy tank that somehow managed to hide the nakedness of her now unsupported breasts beneath it, it was a stark contrast to her other look. Soft and sweet. He sensed a vulnerability from her that he hadn’t before. He caught her checking him out. Her eyes lingered on his chiseled abs, his satin boxers. He watched her bite her lip and abruptly look away. He decided to let it slide and climbed onto the bed.
“You can’t sleep there,” he called as he watched her drop her bag and approach the couch.
“Why?”
“You need to sleep with me. They won’t hesitate to bite you otherwise.”
She hesitated. He didn’t know the full extent of her abilities, of her power. Part of her wanted to tell him so he’d realize that she didn’t need protection from anyone. But she wasn’t sure how he would react if he knew the truth. It could jeopardize their partnership and their mission against Immortalia. Instead, she just nodded.
“There’s too many of them. Even for a slayer.”
She forced herself to swallow her ego and utter, “All right.” She eyed him lying in the bed, wearing just boxers. “This is strictly business, okay?”
