They sat in silence as Cain drove. Whatever happiness they had enjoyed at Oscar’s cabin quickly dissipated. It had only been a temporary escape from the outside world. The somber mood inside the vehicle reflected the severity of the situation. Millions, if not billions, had already died in the wars and nothing could be done. The vampire council had planned their scheme out so well that no one realized who was truly behind the destruction.
By midday, they reached the city and Oscar directed them to a small highway that bypassed the city and went into the country. Black smoke could be seen from the city limits. Everyone was glad to take the back roads.
Jess looked out the window of the SUV as they drove down the long driveway and pulled into view of the country mansion. Like Oscar’s fishing cabin, the mansion seemed to be part of a different reality. The yard was clean and organized, with well-tended lawns and gardens. Whatever chaos was happening in the cities was as far removed from this place as it had been from the cabin.
As soon as Cain pulled to a stop in front of the mansion, a woman and man came out to greet them. The man was as tall and broad as Oscar and had the same kind, smiling eyes, and Jess knew immediately he must be Oscar’s son. He went over to Oscar and hugged him affectionately.
“Dad, I’m so glad to see you.”
Oscar returned his hug. “It’s good to see you too, Jeffery.” Oscar turned and made introductions. “Jeffery, you know the Butler brothers, Cain and Jaden, and these lovely ladies are Jess and Mandy.”
“Hello, everyone. This is Erica Duvane,” Jeffery replied.
Jess looked at Erica. She was a beautiful woman, with dark hair and classic features. Her warm smile welcomed them.
“Hello, I’m glad you all made it here safely,” said Erica. “Welcome to Sanctuary.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Erica. Is Brad here as well?” asked Jaden.
“No, I’m afraid he is not. He went back to get April, they are going to work from the farm now. The cities are too dangerous. With any luck they will be her tonight.” said Erica. “Come inside. We’ll find you some rooms.”
“April?” asked Jaden.
“His assistant? I don’t know what to call her actually. She was helping him with computers, doing some of Tomas’s work. But she doesn’t give of a secretary vibe.”
“If it is the April I’m thinking of she is no secretary. Scott must have sent her to him. That is good. She has spirit that one. Perhaps she can bring some of that fire to Brad.”
Erica raised an eyebrow. She looked ready to comment on that when a handsome, dark-haired man came downs the front steps and stood beside her. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Dante.”
Dante smiled and greeted them. “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Jess could see by the way they stood next to one another that Dante and Erica’s relationship extended beyond the professional. Interesting, thought Jess. I wonder if Dante is a vampire or a shifter, or just a human? “It’s nice to meet you, Dante.”
Helping them with their bags, Erica, Dante, and Jeffery showed the group into the mansion.
Erica showed Jess to her new room, and she found the place to be simply beautiful. Thoughts of staying in Oscar’s cabin vanished as she decided staying in this beautiful house in the country would be no sacrifice.
“It’s amazing that you’ve opened your home up like this. How long have you been doing this?” Jess asked Erica as she surveyed her new surroundings.
“I’ve only been here a few months now. And it was never really my house, so I have no problem with doing it. It’s been good for me.”
“Not your house?” asked Jess.
“Technically, the house was originally Dante’s. Brad used his company, the one my husband was part of, to buy it and bring it to America. They hoped having me here would wake Dante.”
Jess suddenly understood that Dante was the gargoyle. That was something she had certainly not expected. “Dante is your…?” She trailed off and waited for Erica to fill in the blank.
Erica smiled. “Dante is my protector, my best friend, and my lover. And yes, he is a gargoyle.”
“So, he’s the gargoyle. Somehow I wasn’t expecting him to be so easy on the eyes.” She flashed Erica a smile and added quickly, “Sorry if I’m being nosy.”
Erica laughed. “That’s okay. I don’t hide our relationship. You should also know I am a vampire.”
“Oh,” said Jess, surprised by the revelation. No one had made mention of the fact that Erica was anything other than human. “I thought you were human.”
“I used to be. A vampire recently attacked and bit me. Dante stopped him before he could bleed me dry and kill me, but I was already infected with the vampire virus. In order to save me, they had to allow me to become a vampire.”
“That’s scary. I was involved with a vampire attack as well, but they were trying to kill Cain. I would’ve been killed as well for being a witness, but thankfully, Jaden showed up in time to rescue us both.”
“We’re glad to have you here.”
“Thank you, Erica. Do you mind if I ask you how you’ve adjusted to being a vampire? I’m having a hard time with this whole new world of vampires and shifters. It just seems so weird that everything I thought was make-believe is actually real.” Jess shook her head in confusion and continued, “Cain doesn’t frighten me, I trust him and I’m attracted to him, but I wonder if it’s a good idea. It’s all just a bit overwhelming.”
“I only learned about vampires and shifters a couple months ago myself. It’s been a difficult adjustment, but Jeffery and Brad have been great. And then I met Dante,” Erica said. Jess noticed her smile when she said Dante’s name and couldn’t help smiling in return. Erica continued, “I couldn’t help falling for him despite the fact he’s not human. My old human life seems so long ago now. I’m much happier now, and I wouldn’t go back. I hope the world doesn’t end or anything crazy like that, and I’m sad for all the death surrounding us, but I am happy to know the truth.”
Jess thought about it. Would she want to go back? She’d been depressed and living in an emotionless void for so long. The future seemed scary, but she wasn’t afraid to face it. Maybe the fear that the end of the world could come at any minute was finally allowing her to live. “You know, I think I’m happier now too. The truth is scary, but I feel safe here. Something about this place makes me feel safe.”
Erica raised an eyebrow. “Does a certain vampire have anything to do with that?”
Jess felt her face grow warm. “Perhaps.”
Erica smiled and said, “I think you probably already know in your heart whether or not Cain is a good idea. It’s just going to take a bit of time for your head to accept that.”
“Yes, you’re probably right. I need to stop over-analyzing everything.”
“There’s no rush, just take your time.” Erica stepped forward and embraced Jess in a warm hug. “I’m going to let you get settled, I know you’ve had a long couple of days. Feel free to wander around and familiarize yourself with Sanctuary. Tomorrow, we’ll meet and discuss what role you will take on while you’re here.”
When Erica left the room, Jess sat down on the edge of the bed and stared out the window, thinking about the woman she had been that night when she’d almost been raped. She’d been living in a fog and was desperate to feel something that night, even if it were just for a few brief moments. Now the world was in chaos, she was running for her life, and possibly falling for a vampire. And she couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt so alive.
58
JADEN
“Thank you, Jeffery,” Jaden said, shaking the large hand of the shifter. He closed the door after Jeffrey left the room and then turned to take stock of his new living quarters at Sanctuary. The room was a decent size and simply but elegantly furnished with an antique dresser, a desk, an overstuffed chair next to the window that overlooked the well-tended fields, and a large, comfortable-looking bed. The walls were decorated with three
oil paintings in ornate frames that looked very old, and Jaden thought that perhaps they were original to the house, judging by the scenery they depicted.
He set his belongings on the bed and went to the window. He could see that Erica and Brad had spared no expense when setting up the operations at Sanctuary, the farm equipment was state of the art and the fields looked like they would yield abundant crops. He wanted to talk to Dante about the security operations, but felt confident that he wouldn’t find anything lacking should the vampire council send more hunters after them. The country mansion was far removed from any major centers that would be vulnerable to military attacks. They would be safer here than any place he could think of.
Serena. Now that his brother and the two human women were safe, Jaden allowed his thoughts to again return to her. She was part of the organization that was responsible for plunging the world into an apocalypse. Millions had already died and millions more would meet their death before the dust settled. The world would never be the same because of the vampire council. He knew he should be angry with her, should want her dead along with the rest of the vampire council, but instead found he was concerned for her safety.
Shaking his head, Jaden turned from the window and began unpacking his things, still thinking of Serena. She had risked her life, he admitted to himself, on more than one occasion as of late, when she’d warned him of impending attacks by the vampire hunters and Nickoli. Cain and Jess would have died at the coffee shop had it not been for her. Of course, the hunters wouldn’t have been there in the first place had it not been for her as well, he argued with himself. Vladimir wouldn’t hesitate to rip her heart out himself were he ever to find out she’d warned Jaden about his pet killing machine coming after him. And the thought of Serena’s heart being ripped from her chest tore a hole in his.
“Damn that woman to hell,” Jaden said, and started repacking the clothes that he had just unpacked.
…
“I’m leaving in the morning,” said Jaden as he walked into the library, interrupting Jess and Cain. They were sitting next to one another on the sofa, heads bent together in intimate conversation. Jess was smiling at something Cain had just said.
Jess looked up at him with a surprised expression. “Why would you leave now?” she asked. “We just got here.”
Cain studied Jaden carefully for a moment before saying, “You’re going after Serena, aren’t you?”
Jaden nodded. “She may work for the council, but her warning saved you and Jess. I’m going to get her and then I’m going to pay the council a visit. They deserve a little retribution for the havoc they’ve caused.” Cain simply nodded once and said nothing further. Jaden had been prepared to have an argument with his brother and was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t get any opposition. He wondered if Cain’s developing relationship with Jess made him more understanding of his reasons for leaving. He probably understands my motivation better than I do, Jaden grudgingly acknowledged. He had seen his brother chase after human women countless times, but there was something different about Jess. She wasn’t scared or repulsed by what Cain was, and Jaden could see that she made him very happy.
“But how will you find her?” Jess asked.
“She won’t be hard to find. The council is located in London and Vladimir won’t be letting her stray too far at this point in their game.”
“London? Are you sure that’s safe?” Jess said.
“No, it’s not safe, but I have to go. And besides, I don’t usually let thoughts of my safety stop me from doing something.”
“No, I guess not. I’ve come to notice that since we met,” Jess said, smiling. She got up from the sofa and walked over to Jaden. “But try be safe anyway,” she said as she kissed him on the cheek and embraced him. The display of affection caught him off guard and he returned the hug automatically, feeling awkward and uncomfortable as he did so.
Cain came over to them and Jaden saw he was stifling a laugh. He scowled at him over Jess’s shoulder and disentangled himself from her. “Yes,” Cain said, his face growing serious. “Take care of yourself, Jaden, and bring her back safe.”
“Thank you for understanding and not fighting me on this.”
“You should have known that I would understand,” Cain said as he moved closer to Jess and put an arm around her waist.
Jaden suddenly recalled the night Cain had insisted they follow Jess out into the alley with her two assailants. “Yes, you’re right, I shouldn’t be surprised,” he said, looking from Jess to Cain. “I must go make my preparations, I will be back within a week. Take care of each other until then.” He turned on his heel and left the library, his mind on Vladimir and the vampire council, and the visit he would pay them.
59
JADEN SERENA
Jaden looked over at Agent Weber. “Thanks for the lift, commercial flights are difficult these days.”
Agent Weber chuckled. “Anything for you old friend. Besides, if these bastards are the ones behind the attacks they deserve what they have coming. But are you sure you don’t want some help?”
Jaden looked down at the bag in front of him. It contained two silenced handguns. Both contained silver bullets. There was also two wicked looking silver and carbon knives. “No. I work better alone. Besides, you have provided everything I need.”
“Almost everything,” said Scott before handing Jaden a company ID card. “This will get you past the bottom floor security. After that it is all up to you.”
Jaden nodded. Agent Weber had been tremendously helpful. Without him infiltrating the corporate headquarters of the Vampire Council would have been much more difficult. “Thanks again.”
“Just don’t be too messy. Call me when you are done. I have British Secret Service on standby ready to come mop up the mess when you are done.”
“They in the loop?” The Guardians often worked with parts of world governments, usually law enforcement or spy agencies.
“Yes. I made sure they were agents who’ve worked with the Guardians before. With all that has been going on, a lot more agencies and branches of the government are being brought into the circle, but it will probably be too little too late. Most won’t believe that all the strange things going on right now could be contributed to a species they never knew existed. It is far easier to believe Russia, China and North Korea are run by crazy people who want a war.”
“That is believable at the best of times. But this goes far beyond a few countries. Just make sure your agents are prepared for anything. It could be a hornets nest in there.”
Agent Weber nodded. “They have a full tactical squad ready to go and their munitions are same as yours, silver hollow points.”
Jaden slapped Agent Weber on the shoulder. “See you in a bit.”
Jaden walked across the street and into the building. He walked through a security station, showed his visitor badge and walked through the metal detector. The weapons Agent Weber had provided were all composite material, a CIA special.
After passing through the security station, Jaden walked to the elevators. According to the CIA, the offices were all on the top two floors of the buildings.
Jaden entered the elevator and pressed the top floor. Luckily, no one else was in the lobby at that moment. He had the elevator to himself. Keeping his head down so that any camera’s in the elevator wouldn’t be able to get good facial recognition on him. When the doors opened, Jaden glanced around the room. One large lobby area with several small offices surrounding it, a large board room and the main office of Vladimir. Jaden could smell them. The secretary at the lobby desk was a vampire. The two security officers standing beside Vladimir’s office doors, vampires and the two guard hiding beside the doors to the elevator were also vamps. Good. No humans meant not having to worry about collateral damage.
Reaching into the bag, Jaden slipped the knives into his belt, he then took the two guns and let the bag drop to the ground. Stepping out of the elevator he raised both arms and fired into the he
ads of the security guards monitoring the elevator. He stepped forward and turned his attention to the guards at Vladimir’s door. Both were pulling guns out. Jaden hit both with headshots, not risking that the might be wearing body armor.
The secretary jumped up holding an Uzi. Jaden kept walking towards her, firing one shot into her shooting hand and then three shots to her chest. She slumped back down into her chair.
A vampire wearing the uniform of a Chinese general, hearing the commotion, opened the door to the board room.
Jaden ran forward, and as the Chinese general realized what was going on, jumped into the air landing a kick to the generals chest sending him sprawling back into the boardroom. Jaden closed the door behind him as he entered the boardroom. Four other vampires were sitting in the board room with the general. They looked up from the desk in shock.
Jaden wasted no time. He fired shots into each of the vampires. The vampires were so stunned to see an enemy in their office that they didn’t even try to defend themselves. These were not warrior vampires, but bureaucrat vamps. Vampires who manipulated humans to gain power. In some ways they were far more dangerous than warrior vampires, but against Jaden they were nothing.
Closing the door behind him, Jaden started going around to each of the small offices. Step in and two shots to the chest. Each office was the same. A vampire on a phone or sitting at their computers. Each looked as shocked as the last as they stared down the barrels of his guns.
The last two offices were Vladimir’s and Serena’s. Thanks to the CIA, Jaden didn’t have to worry about which office she was in. Their spy cams had given a detailed preview of the upper floor offices. Jaden opened the door to Vladimir’s office. The vampire was standing at the window looking out at the city.
The Shadows Awaken (Guardians of the Night Book 1) Page 29
