Of Angel's Blood (Chronicles of The Order Book 2)

by Martyn Currill

  Any man in that position who isn’t aroused is either lying or dead.

  Hell, I was aroused, and I am dead, technically speaking.

  If Lorelei was aware, thankfully she paid no attention. She simply laid there, curled against me, an arm around my waist and her face pressed into my neck.

  Right up until the moment she moved her head and kissed me.

  It wasn’t a lover’s kiss, just a slight touch of her lips against mine, but it was still a shock.

  “Ish’ta savahn vithahdis ke’vahs, Eyathehn,” she said drowsily, and I wondered if she knew what she had just called me. Then I remembered her declaration several months before, given in Vampiric, when she offered to stand for me in a duel. She was as fluent in Vampiric as I was, if not more.

  She had told me ‘I owe you more than can be repaid,’ but what worried me was that last word. Eyathehn. It was an ancient Vampiric term of endearment, most often used between lovers. The last person to use it when speaking to me had been Corvina, one of the few words she’d learned in Vampiric.

  It meant ‘cherished heart.’

  As I felt Lorelei’s body relax in sleep, I prayed to any gods that listened that she meant it in a purely platonic regard. I didn’t think I could face another relationship, especially not with my dead wife’s closest friend.

  Despite having fresh concerns to worry about, I still found myself falling asleep shortly after she did. Regardless of my worries, her presence was immensely comforting.

  I awoke to find Lorelei still curled up against me, and I was surprised neither of us had shifted. Well, not by much, anyway. We didn’t have the room to.

  “Hey,” I said, gently shaking her into wakefulness. She frowned and made a small noise, like some teenager forced to get up for school, and I chuckled at the sound.

  “Come on Lori, we’ve got work to do,” I told her, trying to wake her again. “Besides, you need to go back to your room to get changed.”

  “Spoilsport,” she muttered, trying to press closer to my neck. I gave her a prod in the ribs for her efforts, and she made the annoyed-teenager sound again. It was actually quite adorable.

  “Time to get up,” I prompted, and she sighed.

  “Your room, you go first.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” she asked irritably, and I attempted to shift my leg.

  “Because your leg is wrapped around mine.”

  She looked in the direction of her legs, then back to me.

  “So it is.”

  “You mind?” I asked pointedly. She shook her head.

  “No, it’s quite comfy actually.”

  I glared at her until she clicked her tongue, sighing in defeat.

  “Fine, I’ll move,” she complained. “You’re still a spoilsport.”

  Eventually she disentangled herself and got out of bed, bending down to retrieve her trousers.

  It took me slightly longer than it really should have to realise I was staring, and I pushed myself out of bed. That kind of behaviour was unacceptable, both because of my position and because of Lori’s status as a trusted friend.

  I dressed in shamed silence, and again Lori gave me a hug before leaving for her own room, holding on just a little longer this time.

  I agreed to meet her in the mess hall for breakfast, before we eventually left to meet Kara Silvaine.

  It was at last time for me to get some answers.

  I sat silently at a table, sipping a glass of blood in order to maintain my strength. I still couldn’t get used to the taste or consistency, but I had little choice about drinking it.

  I was becoming mildly concerned about how close Lorelei and I were becoming, although she didn’t seem to have any such reservations. I tried to work out exactly how I felt about the idea, and I simply couldn’t contemplate it - the idea of another relationship almost sickened me.

  “Mornin’, My Lord,” someone said warmly, breaking me out of my reverie. I looked up and saw Kelly, a glass of juice in one hand and breakfast plate in the other. “Mind if I sit?”

  I gestured to the chair opposite me, and she sat down and began eating.

  “So, some of the guys were talking on the ‘plane-”

  “I heard,” I told her, and she nodded in concession.

  “Right. Now, I hate gossip-”

  I laughed at that statement.

  “No you don’t! You were one of the first spreading the rumour about me and Corvi!”

  “Which was less rumour and more little-known fact, wasn’t it?” she countered, and I had to concede her point. “Anyway, I was just wondering...is there something going on with you and Lorelei?”

  Suddenly my instinctive reply of “not at all” seemed a lot less definite. I wasn’t sure how to answer, because I wasn’t sure what answer was true.

  So instead, I went with the answer that was, at least, less false.

  “No, we’re just friends,” I said, reminding myself that it was a fact Lorelei herself had expressed at great length.

  “Fair enough,” Kelly said plainly. “I know it’s none of my business, especially with your promotion an’ all,” she added, dropping any pretence of formality, “but as your friend I worry. I want tae be sure you’re alright.”

  I nodded in appreciation. A lot of people knew Corvina in some fashion or another, and she had been highly respected. If anyone thought I was betraying her memory, they’d want my blood.

  It probably never occurred to them that I already felt like that.

  Eventually Lorelei turned up, greeting Kelly with a curt nod and me with one of her rare warm smiles.

  “So, is everyone ready to have a nice friendly chat with a murderer?” she asked jovially.

  “Don’t look at me, we’re just guarding the doors,” Kelly protested with a grin, and Lorelei looked at me.

  “Just you and me then, boss.”

  “Some honour guard you are,” I told Kelly with mock disgust. “That’s you right off my christmas list.”

  “By the way, can we go soon?” Kelly said, suddenly looking around a little nervously. “I...may have made Sabine a promise I can’t keep.”

  “That you’d have her children?” Lorelei offered, and I almost choked with laughter.

  “No, you know, just the ‘I’ll quit and move over here for you’ kind of promise,” she admitted, and I looked at her in feigned horror.

  “Kelly, you deceitful harpy!”I gasped, and she swore at me.

  “Fuck off, you arse,” she said, “I was drunk and horny, okay? I’m sure you’ve been there.”

  “Nope,” I answered candidly. “I had a very sheltered life, remember?”

  “Born vampire,” Lorelei added, “can’t get drunk. Looks like you’re on your own there, sweet-cheeks.”

  Kelly looked at both of us, apparently mortified.

  “Well, you both suck.”

  After everyone had eaten, we gathered in the vehicle park for a quick briefing before we left. Setra had kindly loaned us two of her luxury sedans, so that we didn’t draw too much attention to ourselves while in the city, and with nothing else to keep us we got into the cars and headed into Toronto itself.

  At last I could see what was so important about this strange woman.

  CHAPTER 4

  I always wanted to say that

  Toronto has often been described as “like New York, but cleaner.” I honestly can’t comment, since I still haven’t been to New York, but Toronto is a stunning city. The skyline dominated by the CN tower and the SkyDome baseball stadium, it had a personality all of its own, and being on the shore of Lake Ontario it had some beautiful scenery around it as well.

  It made me wish we could stay longer, but I knew business wouldn’t let me.

  As it happened, Kara’s apartment was in a block that overlooked the lake, and we pulled up outside the building. No sense in running across the road if we got into a firefight.

  We approached the main door cautiously, Kelly ordering two of her squad to wa
tch the entrance as we made our way inside.

  Lorelei pulled a pistol from inside her suit jacket, my honour guard brought their UMP sub-machine guns up, all of them moving ahead of me, sweeping the area.

  I didn’t have a weapon. I didn’t need one. Besides, I was there to talk, not threaten the woman.

  “Which apartment did Setra say she was in again?” Lorelei asked, finger poised over the floor buttons.

  “Three-oh-one,” I told her, and she thumbed the button for the third floor. “By the way, that’s a nice suit you’re wearing.”

  It was, too. Although it was a plain black ladies suit, it was clearly expensive due to the expert tailoring and the perfect fit. She coupled it with a deep, emerald green silk blouse that matched her eyes.

  “Thanks, I was kinda inspired by ‘The X-Files.’ That woman wears a suit damn well.”

  I shook my head blankly.

  “Never saw it. Just before my time, I’m afraid.”

  “Seriously?” Kelly asked incredulously. “You’ve never heard of Netflix?”

  “Sheltered life, Kelly,” I told her as the lift began to slow. “Try and remember that, huh?”

  As we exited the elevator, two more of Kelly’s men broke away and stood guard near them, and we were eventually joined by the two who had been tasked with scouting the stairs.

  “Stairs clear ma’am,” one of them reported with a crisp salute.

  “Good work,” she told them, “stay with us until the apartment, then hold the door. I’ll be going in with His Lordship.”

  “Thanks Kelly,” I told her, and she scoffed at me.

  “Well, I figure if I get killed in there I don’t have to face an awkward conversation with Sabine when we get back.”

  “You’re heartless, Kelly.”

  “I’m efficient. Now let’s go...My Lord.”

  We found the apartment easily, and as I pressed the intercom button everyone stood to one side of the door. If she was going to start shooting, at least injuries would be minimised.

  I was about to press it again when an irate voice sounded from the small speaker.

  “What?”

  “Miss Silvaine, I’m-”

  “Fuck off, I already spoke to to you people this week,” the woman on the intercom snarled, although I couldn’t tell if that was her or the terrible sound quality.

  “We haven’t sent anyone to see you lately, Miss Silvaine,” I told her. “We’re here on behalf of The Order, I just wondered if I could have a few words with you.”

  “Hmph. Make it quick.”

  The intercom clicked off, and shortly afterwards the door itself clicked, indicating the lock disengaging.

  I stepped inside first, keeping up my psychic ward that I’d become so adept at the year before. Just one of many things I could do with my new abilities.

  The other two followed me in cautiously, weapons raised and ready as we examined the apartment.

  For someone who was borderline insane and a potential murderer, Kara’s apartment was very well-kept. The living room to my right was clean and tidy, the kitchen, visible ahead of me, seemed equally free of blood and corpses. I hadn’t seen her bathroom, and honestly had no wish to.

  I also had no need to, because Kara Silvaine was sat cross-legged in a chair by the window, a glass of blood-tainted whisky in one hand and a shotgun in the other.

  She seemed to be about an inch or so shorter than my own 5’ 11”, although I couldn’t tell since she wasn’t standing. She was narrow-framed, her face gaunt and pale. Her hair was a stark contrast to her skin tone, dyed a bright vibrant red, but her eyes were the truly interesting part.

  Once, I’m sure, they were simply a deep, sea-green in colour, but now her condition had laced her irises with streaks of red. It was an interesting effect, and a constant reminder that she was dangerous.

  “You came armed,” she said casually, her voice carrying only a trace of a Canadian accent. “Wise move.”

  “Miss Silvaine, I presume?” I asked, and she looked ready to shoot me for that alone.

  “Urgh, stop being so fucking pretentious. My name is Kara, and yes I am Kara Silvaine, world renowned psychopath, murderer and lunatic. You are?”

  “Deimos Black, head of The Order.”

  She frowned at me, and I could already guess what she was going to say.

  “There’s two things wrong with that statement,” she said, cocking her head at me. “Firstly, if you’re one of those Blacks you’re on the wrong side of the little war that’s raging, so I’m calling bullshit. Secondly, last I heard, Sharriana Grey was head of The Order, and she isn’t the kind to step down, so again, I call B.S.”

  “Well, it’s something of a long story, but yes, I am one of ‘those Blacks’ - my family are all vampire hunters, with the exception of myself and my sister. You could say I saw the hard way that I was on the wrong side.”

  “Bet that’s a fun story,” she replied, sipping her drink. “The other thing?”

  “Sharriana Grey did not step down. I killed her myself, and nearly died doing it. For my sins, I inherited what was hers, including her title and rule of The Order.”

  “I’m still not convinced, but I’ll play along for now. Why are you here?”

  Well, at least she was efficient.

  “I understand you requested to join The Order a while back?”

  “Yes, and your girlfriend over there was part of the assessment team.”

  “Lorelei was here, yes, but for the record she isn’t my girlfriend.”

  “Of course not,” Kara replied with a sarcastic smile. “Anyway, what of it?”

  “Despite your request being denied, you were still mentioned on a list of ‘Persons of Interest’, with capital letters and everything. I’m trying to work out why.”

  Kara seemed to think for a second, sipping her drink again as she did.

  “You’ve been told what I am, right?” she asked abruptly, “been told about my condition? What it drives me to do?”

  I nodded silently.

  “That is why I requested to join. I could never be safe out here in the world, never be free of persecution. I wanted help, I wanted to be rid of this damned affliction, and that bitch denied me!”

  “Just so I’m understanding you correctly,” I began slowly, “you wanted to join The Order because you wanted a cure?”

  “Yes,” she growled, her temper rising. “And like I said, I was denied.”

  I couldn’t understand why that would have been the case - although Sharriana was a bit mad by then, so anything was possible.

  But then, as I thought about Sharriana and her methods, something occurred to me.

  “I think she was planning to use you somehow,” I told Kara, and her eyes burned with anger. “I think she intended to manipulate you into doing what she wanted, by telling you we had a cure when we didn’t.”

  “And what exactly do you want with me?” her voice was still a low growl, and my experience with Skadaen a couple of years back told me she was close to losing her control.

  I avoided the question for a moment, turning to Lorelei instead.

  “Lori, how many Revenants are there, worldwide, at the moment?”

  She shrugged.

  “I dunno, couple of thousand?”

  “Three thousand, nine hundred and forty-two, at last count,” Kara offered, and I wondered where she got that information from.

  “Just think Lori - nearly four thousand vampires, saved from a crippling affliction, and thus saved from mortal retribution.”

  “And they’ll owe it all to you, am I right?” Kara asked, and it was clear she was cynical about the idea.

  “No, Kara,” I answered, smiling at her. “They’ll owe it to you.”

  She stared at me blankly for a second, before her scowl returned.

  “You expect me to believe that you want me to join The Order - which you now run, apparently - so that I can help cure myself, plus the other Revenants, and then I’d get the credit for i
t?”

  “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.”

  She laughed, a chilling, unpleasant sound that sent a shiver down my spine.

  “I’ve heard some bullshit in my time, but that takes the cake. I don’t trust you, Deimos Black, and you want to know why?”

  “Do enlighten me,” I told her, walking casually around the half of her living room in which I stood.

  “Like most of our kind, you are surrounded by death,” she began, and I wondered if she was a prophetess like Sharriana, or if she could see something that wasn’t visible to normal people. That happened too, on occasion.

  “The thing is, most people I’ve known, death is a burden to them. Everyone they ever had to kill, it weighs on them. They carry it like their own crucifix, but you?” She shook her head. “No, you don’t. You wear death like a cloak, a badge of honour. It clings to you as much as you cling to it, neither of you prepared to let go. You are an interesting kind of evil, Mister Black, but you are evil, make no mistake.”

  “I prefer the term ‘morally flexible’,” I told her, examining one of her books (‘Immortal Body, Mortal Soul’, by Viska Nedariin - interesting ideas, but a bit pretentious for my liking.)

  “Still, I can’t force you to trust me, and I can’t force you to join us.” I left a business card on her bookcase, propped against the books. “You change your mind, that little card has the contact details of me, at our headquarters, and Setra Giardin, commander of the local base. You want to leave, we won’t follow. You want to join, we’ll welcome you to the family with open arms.”

  She scoffed again.

  “And what exactly is the shelf-life on this oh-so-generous offer?”

  “Until you choose to accept it. We’ll be waiting, Kara.” I bowed to her courteously, because manners never hurt anyone. “Good day to you.”

  She watched me in shock and confusion as I led the way out of the apartment, and I could feel an equal amount of confusion coming from the people with me.

  As soon as we were in the elevator, Kelly finally made her opinion known.