A Vampire's Bane

by Raven Steele

  The midnight hour called. Lynx had had her fair share of alcohol and was currently dancing with a younger shifter with grabby paws. I might’ve interfered, but Lynx didn’t seem to have any qualms. Maybe this was her way to release pent-up rage. I preferred to kill. She may prefer to mate. Briar? I glanced at her sitting on Luke’s lap, holding a blade playfully to his throat. She liked to do both.

  I would’ve left a while ago, but Faithe hadn’t wanted to. We’d even gone as far as the front door, but night’s darkness had stopped her.

  “Not yet,” she said, her eyes fearful. “He’s out there.”

  “No one’s there.” I knew because I’d patrolled it myself. I also knew Gerald and his men were taking shifts running the perimeter of the property.

  She sat in the corner on a recliner, her arms curled around her bent knees, rocking gently. A few shifters had tried to interact with her earlier, but now everyone left her alone. Lynx, however, tried multiple times to connect with her, even managing a short conversation at one point, but Faithe’s fear prevented her from warming to anyone.

  I needed to get her out of here. Once I had her safely behind the walls of the Blutel Estate with the Ames de la Terra, she would feel much better. I hoped.

  “You look like you’re ready to bolt,” Briar said.

  I whirled around. Briar set a wine bottle on the counter. Lynx appeared and picked it up.

  “I really should be leaving with Faithe to the Blutel Estate.”

  Lynx lowered the bottle of wine from her lips. “Can I go, too? I’ve always wanted to, but my mother forbade it.”

  Briar looked from me to Lynx. “If she’s going, I’m coming too. I picture it like some fancy resort spa with mani-pedis for monsters.”

  I opened my mouth to counter her when a wave of dark and powerful energy slammed into me. I gripped the nearby counter for support, my head spinning. I slowly looked up at Briar and Lynx. By their pale faces and fearful eyes, they were feeling the same thing.

  An eerie quiet blanketed the room.

  Faithe’s soft voice broke the silence. “He’s here.”

  Chapter 33

  “Sober up!” Briar called, blanketing the order with a wave of Alpha strength. “We have company. Bring everyone inside!”

  Luke was the first to respond, followed by Gerald who had just returned from patrol. Gerald rushed outside the backyard to gather shifters into the mansion, while Luke sprinted up the stairs to find any stragglers.

  Lynx and I moved to the front window and peered into the darkness. Smoke crept toward the mansion in great billowing waves. I stared in amazement as it broke off into several pieces, then began to take shape into massive beasts. They resembled enormous hyenas with long, sharp teeth and six-inch claws on furred feet. Two horns protruded from their red scaled heads, and glowing red eyes watched me intently.

  They all wore thick, unyielding rhinoceros armor and their misty forms faded in and out, only to reappear a moment later in a different location.

  The Hellhounds of the First Hierarchy.

  Ice filled my veins and fear like I’d never known before gripped me.

  “What the hell is that?” Briar asked over her shoulder.

  I’d seen these beasts one other time, and what had followed had killed hundreds if not thousands of people. I straightened, thinking hard. There wasn’t enough time to ask the Witches of Rouen to come help or even Eddie and his kind. And as strong as Mateo and his coven were, vampires couldn’t fight this. No reason to expose their true allegiances prematurely.

  “Get everyone downstairs,” I said. “Tell them to lock themselves inside. It might save them.”

  Briar gripped my arm. “From what?”

  “From the Legions of Hell.”

  She didn’t ask any more questions. She raced around the room, rushing everyone into the basement. Several asked to stay with her and fight but she wouldn’t hear of it. At one point, she had to call upon her Komira powers to give orders. None of them could disobey those. The only two she didn’t order to the basement were Gerald and Luke, but she did give them a choice. They both chose to stay with us.

  I lowered next to Faithe, who was rocking even more erratically. “I need you to go downstairs with the others.”

  She shook her head frantically. “I’m staying with you.”

  I almost tossed her over my shoulder to make her go, but stopped myself. She’d had enough of people telling her what to do. I’d keep her by my side and somehow find a way to keep her safe.

  “Something’s happening,” Lynx whispered.

  Returning to the window, I stood side by side with her. Briar joined me on the other side just as the fog began to part. Emerging from within, two forms strolled out, their strides long and purposeful. With every footfall, I felt myself and all those I cared about come one step closer to death.

  I sucked in a breath at the two men coming toward us, the dark mist flanking each side of them. “Korin and the Phoenix.”

  The Phoenix, tall and thin, held an indifferent, stony expression, but Korin, his face pinched and eyes seething with rage, looked ready to kill anything that moved.

  They stopped at the end of the long, brick walkway leading to the front doors. The mist separated behind them and began to circle the mansion. The two men stared forward, eying everything about the huge home as if searching for weaknesses.

  “I’m going to watch the back doors,” Gerald said, fear unmistakable in his voice.

  Luke rested his hand on Briar’s shoulder. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Get me a fresh pair of panties,” she whispered.

  Lynx pressed her palm to the window. “What are they doing?”

  I stepped back. “I’m going to talk to them.”

  Briar and Lynx both turned to me in horror.

  “I’m just going to see what they want,” I said. “Maybe they can be reasoned with.”

  Briar pulled her shoulders back. “This is my home. I’ll talk to them.”

  “We’ll go together,” I said.

  Lynx gripped both our hands. “We’ll all go.”

  Luke opened his mouth to probably say he was going to come too, but Briar stopped him. “Stay with Faithe.”

  He nodded.

  While Lynx and Briar slowly walked toward the door, I glanced at Faithe. Her already pale face had turned pasty white. Words appeared in my mind: She’s already gone. A ghost. I shook my head, tossing them away. She was going to be fine. I would make sure of it.

  “I’ll be right back,” I said. “I promise.”

  She didn’t answer.

  Briar and Lynx waited for me to reach them before they opened the front door. We inhaled a collective breath then stepped outside. Shoulder to shoulder, we walked toward the two most powerful beings I’d ever encountered, who were backed by the Legions of Hell. To say I was scared shitless, to use Briar’s expression, would be an understatement.

  At the sight of us, Korin smiled. “I thought I was going to have to come in after you, Samira. How very brave of you to join me.” His gaze flickered to Lynx and Briar. “And look, you brought some friends equally as stupid.”

  “What do you want?” I snapped. I kept a watchful on the Phoenix. His unnatural stillness had me on edge.

  “You took something of mine. Return Faithe to me.”

  “She’s not here,” Briar said. “So turn your vampire ass around and leave. Take slender man with you. He’s scaring the children.”

  A line of fire materialized from nowhere and rushed toward us. Lynx’s hands shot up and blocked it with an invisible wall.

  Korin’s hands lowered, and he chuckled at Lynx. “Do you feel strong, young witch? If you keep using baby magic with the grownups, you’re going to get killed. Run back to your mama’s tit. We’re not here for you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she growled.

  Briar moved a protective hand in front of Lynx, more to protect Lynx from herself. Looks like I wasn’t the only one worried L
ynx might do something foolish. She was in over her head with these two. We all were.

  Briar kept her voice even and controlled when she said, “You need to leave. This is Silver Claws property.”

  Korin’s nostrils flared. “Give me back Faithe!”

  I stepped forward. “Take me instead. I’ll do whatever you want.”

  Korin’s eyes narrowed, as he considered my offer. “Come here.”

  “Samira, don’t—”

  I held a hand up to Briar to silence her. If my leaving with Korin would save the others, I’d do it. My body numbed as I walked toward him. With every step, I mentally buried all the emotions I had been feeling during the last few days. Fear, anger, sorrow? Gone. And love? I added an extra layer of will and determination over that one, too.

  By the time I reached Korin, I felt nothing. This was how it had to be. Otherwise I feared he would somehow manipulate me into using the Kiss of Eternal Night. That was what he wanted from me, for nefarious purposes I didn’t want to uncover.

  I stopped in front of him. He grabbed my chin with a vulture-like grip and stared into my eyes, searching for something he wouldn’t find.

  “I’m here,” I said. “Take me. Wherever you want to go. I’m ready.”

  He pretended he didn’t hear me and stepped back. The Phoenix took his place and lifted his long arm. He caressed my face with the back of his hand. I flinched as the contact left an ice burn across my skin in its wake.

  I peered into his eyes. Dark, endless pits that bled misery, pain, and suffering. Every part of me screamed to look away, but I refused to let him see any sign of weakness. An invisible, cold finger touched my mind, trying to gain access, but I mentally pushed back at the intrusion.

  The Phoenix tore his gaze away and said to Korin, “She’s not ready.”

  Korin groaned while the Phoenix flicked his wrist in my direction. An invisible force slammed into me. My arms windmilled through the air as I flew backwards. Briar tried to catch me, but the momentum was too great. She crashed to the ground, with me landing on top of her.

  “Give me Faithe,” Korin repeated, “or I’ll kill every last one of you.”

  Lynx began to mumble, whispering foreign words. A sudden gust of wind swirled at her feet and twirled around her, rising higher and higher and gaining strength. The sound of it grew louder, a storm of epic proportions. It snatched small rocks, leaves, and dirt and spun them through the air. Lynx’s red hair lifted and whipped violently around her face.

  “Lynx, don’t!” I cried.

  But she couldn’t hear me over the roaring of wind and debris crashing together in the raging tempest. She shoved her hands forward. The storm raging around her exploded outward toward Korin and the Phoenix. Just before the debris crashed into them, it parted and sped past them, leaving them completely unscathed. The fog behind them absorbed the blow. More monstrous shapes appeared, holding their corporeal forms longer than before. Her magic only seemed to strengthen them, like they had the ability to siphon it.

  Lynx continued her momentum pushing as hard as she could, but the two men weren’t fazed by what I thought was a big show of power. Korin glanced lazily at the Phoenix. The Phoenix lifted his arm and opened his hand, palm up. His fingers slowly curled inward. The storm followed the motion and sucked itself into his large hand. Dirt, pebbles, grass. He absorbed it all and then some.

  When nothing was left, Lynx gasped, her arms dropping to her sides. Her wide eyes stared in horror. She realized she was no match for him.

  The Phoenix opened his hand and raised it to his lips. He blew in Lynx’s direction.

  “No!” Briar and I shouted at the same time.

  We lunged for her, but were too late. Her body lifted several feet from the ground and flew through the large front window. Glass shattered everywhere. I rushed to help her, but found my body frozen in place. Briar, too, stood motionless next to me.

  Korin strolled toward us, his gaze flickering towards Briar. “The witch must die now, and it will be by the Alpha’s hand.”

  Chapter 34

  Briar began to panic, thrashing against her invisible restraints. I had to end this. If Briar killed Lynx, she’d never come back from that. It would mentally shatter her.

  Korin was almost to her, when a figure emerged from the broken window. Faithe, her bare feet bleeding from broken glass, glided toward us. Her long white hair hung lifelessly on each side of her face. Again, the image of a ghost entered my mind.

  “Go back, Faithe!” Where was Luke? He should’ve stopped her.

  She opened her mouth and barely whispered the words in my direction, “Thank you for trying, Mother, but I can’t be responsible for any more deaths.”

  Her eyes, full of sadness and defeat, met mine before the emotions were replaced with bored indifference. Exactly how Korin liked her.

  “I’m here, Master,” she said, her voice deep and throaty, not a hint of the terror she had been feeling moments ago.

  Korin’s back stiffened at the sight of her. “You’re bleeding, pet. This is what happens when you leave me. You know you can’t take care of yourself.”

  She lowered her head. “You’re right. Please forgive my insolence. I had a moment of weakness.”

  “Don’t touch her!” I snapped at Korin. “I swear, if you do, I’ll kill you.”

  His head jerked my direction. “I’d like to see you try. In fact, I encourage you to.”

  “It’s time,” the Phoenix said. He glanced to each side of him as if giving a silent command. The hordes of beasts hidden within the fog began to retreat.

  Korin grabbed Faithe’s arm, squeezing tightly until she flinched. “Let’s go home. You’ll need to be punished for a very long time. I’m thinking I’ll make it a coven punishment. Lots of fire. Weapons. Whatever they wish. It will last for days.”

  “Whatever you wish,” she said, her voice flat.

  “Please, Korin,” I begged. The mental wall containing my emotions cracked. Rage leaked through the opening, a dark, inky creature slithering inside my heart and mind.

  Korin turned on his heel with Faithe on his arm. The Phoenix stared at me, the corner of his mouth twitching upward as if it could see this new thing worming its way through me. He spun around and joined Korin and Faithe. The heavy mist surrounded them, then quickly sucked into itself until it disappeared altogether, taking the three of them with it.

  The invisible grip on my body disappeared. I sprinted down the brick path and onto the driveway, my head on a swivel. Where were they? Using my super speed, I darted all along the property, desperate to find them. But they had vanished.

  I glanced back at the mansion. I could hear Briar inside, attending to Lynx. I recognized Lynx’s voice when she moaned. She was alive, thank goodness.

  I returned to the mansion, breathing heavily. It took great effort to hold back the growing darkness inside me. Instead of fighting against the rage, desperation took its place. I had to get Faithe back. If Korin did to her what he said he would, she would not mentally recover. It would break her so thoroughly she would never return to her old self.

  I ran back to the house, determined to find a way to get Faithe back, but the sight of my friends gave me pause. Lynx was hurt. She had cuts all over her body. Luke leaned against the wall, rubbing his head as if someone had hit it with something.

  Briar’s hands shook as she helped Lynx, and she was abnormally quiet. It had probably terrified her to have such power come this close to her pack. Had the Phoenix decided to use the Legions of Hell, we wouldn’t have stood a chance. Not as we were now.

  “Are you okay?” Briar asked me, her voice quivering.

  “I have to save her.”

  Briar straightened, her expression darkening. “You’re not going near either one of them!”

  “I will save Faithe.”

  “Sure. When the time is right.” She walked over to me, studying me closely. “Your eyes. They’re doing that scary color thing again. Knock that shit off!” She l
ooked around and pointed to a chair. “Sit down right there and wait. We need you with us. You can’t go off the rails now.”

  I inhaled a long slow breath, barely containing the rage simmering inside me.

  “Mateo and Angel are on their way here. Together, we’ll figure out what to do.”

  Mateo. I nearly stumbled at the sound of his name, barely making it to the chair. I needed him, needed his strong hands to steady me, his heart next to mine to calm its erratic beat, and his mind to burrow inside me and take away these dark thoughts threatening to take over.

  I wanted to help Briar with Lynx and the others, but I found myself doing what she said. I sat in the chair, staring at the wall, struggling to contain the Kiss.

  Korin had Faithe. I had promised her she was safe with me. I was going to free her. And now her life was made even worse. I tried not to think about all the horrible things he was doing to her right now because of me.

  On and on my thoughts cut through me, the crack leading to the heart of the Kiss of Eternal Night widening. More of it leaked out. I gripped the edges of the arm chair until my nails dug into it and ripped apart the upholstery.

  Voices were behind me, muted and dull. I couldn’t decipher their words over the ringing in my ears. I had to get Faithe back! Why was I just sitting here? I moved to do just that when a shadow stepped in front of me, large and powerful.

  “Samira.” I sucked in a shaky breath. Mateo pulled me to my feet and crushed me to his chest. He hurried me out of the room, down the darkened hallway and into Briar’s office. The door closed behind us. His back to the door, he held me tightly and whispered into my ear with breath that warmed the coldness inside me.

  “Briar told me what happened. I swear to you, we’ll get her back. I will do everything in my power.”

  He smoothed my hair all the way down my back, as if to swipe away the darkness inside me. Over and over, his hand caressed me while his calming voice grounded me to him.

  I focused on the rise and fall of his chest. On the steady beat of his heart. On his scent, musky and earthy. After a while, I began to calm down and my body relaxed into his.