She peered up into the tree canopy. There, high above her, were crude dwellings scattered throughout the tops of trees.
She had finally found the Forest Clan.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Morgana felt the vampire’s presence falling toward her before she saw him. Their presence was weakened by the wolfsbane, but the vampire was still there. She rolled out of the way as the vampire landed on the forest floor. He snarled, advancing toward her.
She growled back at the bald vampire. Were they all bald in the Forest Clan? Pulling a stake from her holster, she crouched into a fighting stance, bracing herself for the oncoming attack.
The presence of another vampire descending behind her caught her attention. The bald vampire had been a distraction. In one quick, fluid movement, Morgana grabbed the vampire’s leg while he fell, twisting his chest around, plunging the stake into his heart. She swung the dead vampire around, knocking the bald vampire to the ground. The bald vampire moaned in pain before she plunged another stake into his heart. His body convulsed before remaining still. Morgana only had a moment to look up, other vampires plummeting toward her.
Morgana cracked her neck from side to side in anticipation of the oncoming attack. She hadn’t been in a vampire onslaught since the cave lair event back in Australia. About time, she thought, grinning from ear to ear as the vampires surrounded her.
***
Ragnorok surveyed the scene below. He smiled as he watched Morgana killing off his vampires one by one.
“Beautiful,” he murmured.
The blonde female vampire next to him hissed, her green eyes glaring at the fight below. “She iz not that beautiful.” Her Russian accent heavy. “And she iz killing our people down there. Shouldn’t ve go down and stop her?”
“Not beautiful in her appearance, my dear.” Ragnorok turned to his companion. “Beautiful in the way she moves, in the way she fights. So graceful, so elegant. I didn’t get to see her in action last time. No, we won’t stop her. I want to watch her more. Observe how she moves. I want to find her weaknesses, then use them against her.” He narrowed his eyes, his right hand making a fist. “She’s our key… our key to overturning that retched Council and my taste of revenge. Once I have used her to unlock all the secrets of The Council and drained her of her blood, then and only then will I kill her.”
The blonde vampire smiled with glee.
***
Morgana slid on her knees over the ground, a stake in each hand ready to be plunged into another Forest Clan vampire’s heart.
A vampire came at her on her left, but she was ready for him. Her senses were on hyper-drive tonight. She was going to get what she came for. Ragnorok’s head on a spike, or maybe a branch would be more fitting, him being the leader of the Forest Clan and all. She had let this vampire get away with too much already, and her so-called romance with Gareth had distracted her far too much. But she was Morgana Van Wilden, daughter of a Primus.
She was not going to fail today.
The vampire lunged at her while she was still on her knees. She leaned back onto her heels and plunged the stake into the vampire’s heart as he soared over her. His dead body skidded with a thud to the ground. But she had no time to admire her kill, the presence of another vampire watching her from the darkness was getting closer. He was not the only one. There were even more vampires behind him.
She rolled her eyes. “Is that all they’ve got?” she huffed, propelling herself to her feet, drawing another stake.
She battled her way further into the wolfsbane-entwined trees, picking up on a vampire presence above her she was all too familiar with now. But she still had no memory of him from before. It felt like she had been doused in icy cold water, the hairs on her neck rising.
Ragnorok.
He must be hiding in one of the crude dwellings above, letting his men do all the fighting for him. Well, not today. She was going to bring the fight to him. She concentrated while she fought, trying to pick out which dwelling he was in. She stabbed a stake into another vampire, sensing Ragnorok was right above her in the largest dwelling directly center.
A brown-haired vampire came toward her. She jumped up using his broad shoulder as a step to launch herself onto the tree trunk above where Ragnorok’s dwelling was built. She climbed up the trunk with speed, then scrambled through the sturdy branches to reach the entrance. Morgana charged into Ragnorok’s dwelling. The roof was thatched, the walls made of sticks held together with twine. The space was illuminated with bright lamps. In the middle of the room on a large wooden chair sat the strange vampire she’d been encountering, watching her intensely.
She gritted her teeth, racing up to him, stake in hand, she pointed it toward his chest. When she reached him, she placed the tip of the stake to his throat. His pale gray eyes seemed to smile at her. He stood, brushing the stake away from his neck.
“Ah, the infamous Morgana,” Ragnorok said, backing away from her, his arms wide, talking loudly, “daughter of a Primus, agent for the self-righteous Council of Order,” Ragnorok spat the last two words out.
She stood there, remaining silent, her breathing heavy as she stared him down.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” His eyes narrowed, full of hatred.
“Of course, I do from the café and the campaign rally,” she taunted him.
“I guess I’ll have to re-introduce myself. I am—”
“Ragnorok,” Morgana growled.
“Yes, I am.” Ragnorok bowed. “So, you do remember?”
Morgana snorted. “No, but I have my sources.”
“Of course, you do.” His top lip curled.
“Where are my parents?” she demanded.
Ragnorok just laughed.
Once again, she had been distracted. In her haste to find Ragnorok, she had forgotten to feel for the presence of any other vampires. Maybe it wasn’t the romance distracting her, but Morgana just failing to do her job properly. Morgana realized her mistake when a blonde female vampire placed her own stake to Morgana’s throat.
“I don’t believe you’ve met Svetlana?” Ragnorok spoke, his voice calm. “She’s my second-in-command. Svetlana, meet Morgana Van Wilden. She’s come here to kill us.”
Svetlana pressed the sharp tip into Morgana’s skin. Morgana slowly backed away from Ragnorok, Svetlana still behind her. She dropped her stake and held her hands up in defeat.
“If I killed you right now, Ragnorok,” she snarled, “I wouldn’t know where my parents are.”
“Oscar, the mayor electorate, and Vivienne, his doting wife?” Ragnorok stepped toward her. “I don’t believe I have had the pleasure of seeing them recently. Let alone keeping them here. I wish I did,” he added. “But your visit is a bit ahead of schedule.” He sighed.
“Oh, quit with the dumb routine,” Morgana growled, ripping Svetlana’s arm away from her neck, much to Svetlana’s surprise. “I’ve read the note. I have it right here.” She pulled the note from her pocket, waving the paper in Ragnorok’s face. He looked over at Svetlana who shrugged. Now looking bored, she began to clean her fingernails with the stake.
“May I by chance have a look at this note I seemed to have written?”
Morgana’s eyes narrowed. She was confused by his request but handed the note over to him.
Ragnorok scanned the piece of paper. “Well, now, this just isn’t even my writing. Look at the signature, it’s quite ridiculous.”
Morgana’s eyes widened. “Give me back the note.”
Ragnorok handed it over with a smug smile.
Morgana groaned inward as she examined the signature, especially the R. Of course, she had been so filled with hatred at the idea of Ragnorok abducting her parents, she didn’t even pick up on the R. There was only one vampire she knew who signed their name with an R like that.
Randalf.
She thought back on their conversation over the check Randalf had given to her for the mayoral campaign. “The bastard set me up. He made me think you ha
ve a vendetta against us.” Morgana turned to leave.
Svetlana blocked her path.
“Oh, but I do, Morgana.”
Morgana turned back around, raising an eyebrow.
“Let her pass, Svetlana,” Ragnorok commanded.
“But she’s right here,” Svetlana hissed. “Don’t you vont to kill her?”
“Not now.”
“Vy not?”
“Because I want all three of them,” Ragnorok snapped.
“But she will kill you,” Svetlana protested.
“You’re not going to kill me right now, are you, Morgana?” Ragnorok asked with a playful tone.
Morgana sighed, stopping at the doorway, grabbing the frame, splinters digging into the skin beneath her fingernails. She ground her teeth, turning back to Ragnorok. “Not today, I’m afraid.”
“Ah, see,” he said to the blonde. “It’s because she can’t, can you? The Council hasn’t given you permission yet, have they?”
Morgana let go of the wall and stomped back to Ragnorok, her face inches from his. “If your bitchy little blood-lusting girlfriend doesn’t back the hell off, I’ll happily end both of you right here and now and say it was self-defense.”
Ragnorok put his palms up, “Ah, but I haven’t even touched you. Technically, it was Svetlana. What would The Council say if they found out?”
“A pile of worthless ashes can’t speak, so I’m pretty damn sure they’ll take my word over yours.”
“Oh no, vampire killer, I know the rules. You like to work alone, don’t you? The invincible Morgana Van Wilden, who has no weaknesses. If I’m killed by their star agent before they’ve sanctioned the action, and there are no witnesses to corroborate your story, they might just take it out of your dear Father’s hide. He could even lose his seat on The Council, am I right?
Morgana narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, but I do.” He leaned forward. “More than you know.” His eyes had a cold glint, hinting mischievously.
Morgana backed away from Ragnorok. There was truth to his words, but she smiled slyly instead. “The Council will let me kill you. And when they do, I’ll show you no mercy.”
“Tut, tut, all this chit-chat. Don’t you have your parents to save, Morgana? Please, I’d much prefer my plans to include all three of you.” He held up three of his fingers, a silver ring on his middle finger, his tone mocking.
Morgana eyed the ring. Did Ragnorok know? She nodded, looking indifferent. If he didn’t know already, she couldn’t let on about her weakness to silver.
“Now run along and save your parents from the jaded, pencil pusher. For the fate I have planned for all of you will be far worse.”
Morgana shook her head. “So, kind of you to let me save my parents, so they can be part of your twisted plan for revenge. The truly amusing part is you really believe that.”
He shrugged. “Either way, it works out for me.”
Morgana gave Svetlana a cold, hard stare then spun on her heel, leaping to the ground from the entrance of Ragnorok’s hut. After she finished rescuing her parents, she was going to have to look into The Council’s archives and find the file on the mission regarding Ragnorok’s original clan. She needed to know what they had done to make him hate her family so much.
She shook the thoughts away, looking around to see the number of dead vampire bodies had declined. They must have started to revive while she was with Ragnorok and had scurried into the woods to hide.
She lit the stakes on each of the remaining ‘dead’ vampires. She could feel Svetlana watching her as she raced around to each vampire, but she made no move to stop her. Morgana was a bit perplexed by this, but she had bigger things to worry about now, like rescuing her parents from Randalf.
She would need one of the hawthorn stakes hidden securely in the bottom of her wardrobe back home. Once satisfied the bodies were burning beyond the ability to be revived, she headed off through the forest toward her home.
Deep in thought, planning to defeat Randalf, she didn’t sense Gareth in front of her until she crashed into him. The impact sent them both flying backward. Morgana slid on the ground, sending dirt flying into the air. Gareth smacked into the trunk of a tree.
“What are you doing here?” Morgana winced, holding her rib cage. The pain would subside in a few minutes after the cracked ribs healed.
Gareth groaned, pulling himself away from the splintered tree trunk. He checked himself over for any pieces of wood piercing his skin before answering.
“I came here to find you. Randalf has your parents, not Ragnorok.”
“Yes, I know. I have just seen Ragnorok.”
Gareth glanced at her sharply. “You took on Ragnorok by yourself?”
“Of course, I did. I thought he’d taken my parents hostage.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No. He’s still alive.” She fiddled with one of the stakes in her holster. “I didn’t even fight him. But I did kill most of his men. Five of them are burning right now.”
“What the fuck are you thinking, Morgana? You were just in the Forest Clan’s lair. You should have killed them all. Ended it.”
“I can’t.” Morgana lifted her head and gawked at Gareth. “The Council hasn’t—”
“Fuck The Council. Who are they, anyway? Some self-imposed organization who thinks they rule over vampires? I say who cares if they give you permission. These vampires are killing people in my town. They must be stopped. We have to stop them.”
Morgana’s eyes focused on Gareth. “You’re right. The Forest Clan needs to be stopped. We finally found them. And I should end them once and for all.” Then Ragnorok wouldn’t have a chance to enact his so-called revenge on her family. Strike at him first. But right now, she didn’t even have a family for Ragnorok to enact revenge on.
“And we will go back and get them. But right now, saving my parents is more important.”
His head dropped to his chest. “Rescuing your parents from Randalf is more important.”
Morgana nodded. “We need to go back to my place and re-supply on stakes, you know, the special stakes. Then you and I can hunt down Randalf together.”
“No need, I saw Randalf carrying Oscar and Vivienne into your house.”
“Well, let’s go get the bastard.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Morgana and Gareth burst through the doorway of her family home. They could sense Randalf in the living room.
When they reached the entrance to the living room, they stopped in their tracks. The heavy smell of wild rose and garlic hung in the air. In front of the fireplace, Oscar and Vivienne were sprawled out unconscious across the intricate gold and red floral rug. Both looking deathly pale.
A third body lay slumped to the side.
Alastor.
Gareth growled. Alastor’s neck had been broken, his head dangling against his chest at a peculiar angle.
Randalf turned to greet them, dressed in a black tuxedo, his face eerily calm, and a glass of brandy in his left hand. He swirled the liquor around in the glass.
“Oscar always kept the good stuff,” he said, taking a sip.
“Randalf,” Morgana hissed through gritted teeth. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. Her heart was still racing from the encounter with Ragnorok.
“It’s good to see you again, Gareth,” Randalf sneered.
Morgana scowled.
“I’m glad your little boyfriend…” he spat the word “… brought you home, Morgana. Honestly, this was all a very spur-of-the-moment thing. I hadn’t really thought it all the way through when I sent you running off into the forest looking for that Ragnorok fellow. I’m glad I didn’t have to wait too long for your return.” Randalf took another sip of brandy.
“I sensed Gareth spying on me down the road, and I knew he’d dutifully follow your scent and bring you home. Problem solved. And here you both are!” He smiled grandly, waving the brandy balloon toward them.
“Yes, Gareth.” Randalf sighed. “I’m a first-generation Primus. Of course, I could sense you lurking behind the tree, from thirty feet away. I see you didn’t heed my warning to leave town, either.”
“Is that why you attacked Alastor?” Gareth asked.
“I did warn you. Yes, I broke his neck.” He pointed to Alastor’s body. “So this is all on you, Daywalker.” Randalf laughed. “The poor sod turned up expecting to go on some sort of scouting mission. Like you two weakling Daywalkers are even ready,” Randalf scoffed.
Gareth bared his teeth, stepping forward, but Morgana placed a hand on his chest, stopping him.
“Enough of the small talk,” Morgana snarled. “Why would you want to harm my parents?”
Randalf turned his attention to her. He took a step forward, his eyes gazing at her intently. “To get you to listen to me and bend to my will.”
“You’re a monster,” snarled Gareth, stepping around Morgana and rushing to attack Randalf.
“Gareth, no!” Morgana screamed, watching the two vampires collide. Randalf would have the advantage over Gareth. She had to do something before Gareth got himself too injured.
While the two fought, Morgana watched for her chance to intervene. Her chance came when the two briefly separated. She positioned herself in between Randalf and Gareth before either could make another move toward the other. With the heel of her right hand, she struck Randalf’s chest, sending him flying backward. His body splintered the wood panels.
“Morgana, what are you doing?” Gareth’s nostrils flared. “I had him.”
“He’s no match for you,” she replied, knowing she’d wounded Gareth’s ego by stepping in, but she couldn’t just stand back and watch him get hurt or worse.
The Van Wilden Chronicles Box Set Books 1-3 Page 20
