“I hunt and kill creatures ten times faster than you,” she said and closed the distance. “You’re outclassed, outgunned, and outmatched. Why not surrender and let me end your pitiful existence?”
“It must really suck to be a vampire hunter and have one of the most powerful vampires escape right in front of your face,” I said as she feinted. “Must make you feel like a rank amateur. A noob, even.”
“Your vampire didn’t escape.” She slashed down as I barely sidestepped. I unleashed a kick to her midsection, which she blocked with a forearm. Peaches launched himself at her and she swatted him away. He rolled away from the blow and stalked back, growling. “I tasked Esti with ending her. Your vampire should be dead by now.”
“Not quite,” said a voice from the doorway.
Esti’s body flew into the center of the atrium and slid across the floor. I could tell right away that both of her arms were broken. Several stiletto blades were buried in her legs and only her ragged breathing gave any indication she was still alive.
Michiko stepped into the atrium, followed by Dex. I gave him the stink-eye. “I thought I told you to keep her under?”
He shrugged at me and shook his head. Michiko picked up the fake kokutan no ken, hefted it in her hand, and nodded. “This will be adequate,” Chi said, never taking her eyes off Anastasia. “Simon, I will need assistance with this Blood Hunter. Do you feel up to the task?”
“Like I have a choice?” I muttered.
“You don’t,” Chi answered. “If I fall, she will kill you, your mage, your creature, and the old man along with his deranged bird. Together you and I can stop her.”
“Hey,” Dex said in an offended voice, “I’m not that old.”
“Go find Monty,” I said, still giving him attitude. “The defenses are coming back up. You can ‘bring the power’ all you want now.”
He left the way he came, and Anastasia smiled at us. “A vampire and her thrall?” Anastasia said, circling around and keeping us in front of her. “This is insulting. I have eliminated entire clans of vampire filth.”
Michiko moved then. She slid forward and evaded several thrusts. Anastasia blocked her attack and launched several daggers at me. I parried them away and they exploded when they contacted the wall. Michiko leaped away from a flurry of attacks. I slid in and face-blocked a backfist that slid me across the floor. I was holding back and it was going to get me killed.
I had to let go and let Ebonsoul take over. I ran at Anastasia and ducked under a swipe from her null sword. I managed to slice across her leg, but her armor protected her from the cut. She spun into a back kick and buried her foot in my ribs, cracking a few, and launched me into a wall.
Michiko pressed the attack, but I could tell through the haze of pain that she was in trouble. Anastasia was exceptional and Michiko was recovering and fighting during the day. This could only end one way and Anastasia knew it.
She launched an attack and forced Michiko into a defensive position. It was only a matter of time before Chi made a mistake. Anastasia closed the distance, driving a fist into Michiko’s midsection. Michiko doubled over and immediately reversed direction as Anastasia kneed her in the face, sending Michiko into a wall.
“Hey,” I said through clenched teeth, “come pick on someone taller.”
I staggered to my feet and felt my body flush with heat as my ribs reset into place, the pain astounding me into breathlessness. As the agony washed over me, something snapped, and I released the rage. Ebonsoul came alive in my hands. I saw the runes flare to life as Anastasia closed in on me.
“Impossible,” Anastasia said as she lunged at me. “How did you bond to it? You’re not worthy. You’re vampire-loving scum. You deserve to die just like the rest of them!”
I parried her lunge, rotated around her, and slashed across. Ebonsoul cut through her armor, bone, and muscle in one stroke. She fell forward, clutching her throat with a look of surprise as she bled out.
I collapsed just as Monty and Dex entered the atrium. In the distance, I heard the whirring of helicopters and I knew the NYTF would be all over the scene in minutes. They’d have questions. Questions I couldn’t answer right now, especially with a building full of dead and broken Blood Hunters.
“We need to go—now.” I stumbled to the exit. Monty held me up as we made it to the car. “No way I’m driving,” I said, lying in the back next to Michiko and Peaches, who refused to give up more than half the back seat, the selfish mutt.
Monty started the Goat and floored the gas. Two seconds later, we screeched to a stop. I squinted through the windshield and saw a man dressed in a black suit and gold tie standing in the center of the bridge. He held an immense orb of red energy, easily the size of the Goat, over his head.
“Oliver sends his regards, Tristan,” the man said with a self-satisfied smile.
“That doesn’t look friendly,” I said and grabbed my mala bracelet. “Is that a Ghost?”
“Oh, bugger,” Dex said and began gesturing. “This is going to hurt.”
Monty floored the gas as the man released the orb. We raced across the bridge as the angry red orb of energy crashed into the Goat. For a second, time stood still and held its breath. I looked around the inside of the car. Monty held the steering wheel in a white-knuckle death grip. Dex gestured furiously, as green trails of energy followed his fingers.
Next to me, Michiko gripped the handle of the door, an expression of controlled fury on her face. Peaches had shifted into ‘pounce and obliterate’ mode and moved closer to me, sensing my agitation. I pressed the main bead on my mala bracelet as the Goat launched backward. The shield materialized and I faced the rear, expecting the worst when we landed. Time exhaled and it was violent.
The inside of the car was a runic spectrum of color as we sailed back onto Ellis Island. The Goat landed, bounced, and rolled several times before coming to a sudden stop against the main building.
Pain squeezed my body as we opened the doors and tumbled out. I looked in wonder as the Goat sat there unscratched and intact.
“How the hell—?” I stumbled to my feet, still dazed from the rough landing.
“Move, boy!” yelled Dex as he grabbed me and shoved me out of the way. Another orb, this one black, crashed into the Goat, which bubbled and steamed as it started to dissolve.
“What the hell was that?” I asked, shocked that anything could damage my beloved car. “It’s destroying the Goat.”
“Ach!” Dex spat. “They sent a dark one. This is going to be nasty. We need to get off this island.”
“How did he…?” I looked at the rapidly disintegrating car. “He killed the Goat!
“He overwhelmed the defenses and then exploited the weakness,” Monty said and withdrew the swords from his back—the Sorrows. Dex gripped his staff. In the distance, the man on the bridge began walking toward us at a leisurely pace. Dressed in a dark suit and gold tie, he reminded me of Ian, the recently deceased Arbiter.
“This is a bad idea.” I looked at Chi, who was wobbly on her feet and having trouble dealing with the sun. The Daystrider Armor protected her, but I could tell she was getting weaker. “She needs medical attention—we all do.”
“The boy’s right,” Dex said and looked at Monty, who nodded. “We need to slow the bugger down.”
“I’ll deal with the bridge, you handle our exit,” Monty said and raced to the edge of the bridge. The man, seeing Monty run, picked up his pace and started advancing on us. Dex stepped to the side and slammed his staff into the stone, burying it halfway.
“This is going to turn your insides out, but it can’t be helped,” he said with a gesture. A large green teleportation circle formed around the staff as he extended an arm. “Herk!”
The raven swooped in and perched on his arm, digging its talons into his forearm, drawing blood. Dex muttered in concentration under his breath as the blood pooled in the circle.
I helped Chi into the center of the circle, both of us unsteady. I saw Monty reach
the end of the bridge and drive the Sorrows into the ground. A keening wail began to fill the air. I saw Monty slam his hand on the ground and a blue wave of energy raced across the bridge.
The man on the bridge stopped and crouched. He threw up a shield as the wave washed over him. Monty pulled out the Sorrows and the bridge began to shudder as he raced back to where we were. Shockwaves rocked the bridge as it started to break apart.
Dropping the shield, the man took several steps toward us and then turned and ran in the opposite direction. The bridge disintegrated behind him until he reached the Jersey side. He turned to face us and formed another large orb of black energy.
“That looks incredibly painful.” I pointed at the orb sailing our way. “Can we avoid the angry disintegration orb?”
Monty ran into the circle and looked at the blood. “A blood circle?” he whispered, looking at Dex. “You can’t. The backlash will kill you, Uncle Dex.”
“It’s a risk.” Dex nodded, pushing on the staff with a grunt. “If I don’t, the lovely orb the magistrate is greeting us with will certainly do it.”
Monty gestured and a series of orange runes settled over Dex. “Now.” Monty looked up at the incoming orb of death. “Do it now!”
Dex placed his bloody hand on the staff. “Hold on to your knickers!” Dex yelled and slammed the staff the rest of the way into the ground. A green flash blinded me, and the island slipped away.
THE END
CAST OF CHARACTERS FOR THE MONTAGUE & STRONG COLLE...
ALLEN MONTGOMERY-MEDICAL Examiner for the NYTF. Specializes in supernatural autopsies. Liaison for the OCME and the NYTF. If Allen hasn’t seen it, it doesn’t exist.
Anastasia Anyxia Santiago-Leader of the Blood Hunters known as the most effective, zealous, and ruthless group to hunt down vampires.
Andrei Belyakov-Olga’s eyes and ears at The Moscow. He handles the day-to-day affairs of the building and reports to Olga.
Angel Ramirez-Lieutenant of the NYTF and friend to Simon Strong. Cannot believe how much destruction one detective agency can wage in the course of one day.
Beck Sinclair-Negomancer who works for the Dark Council. Responsible for erasures-magical and physical.
Cathain Grobjorn-Hel’s brewer of Valhalla Java. Producer of the Odinforce blend-drink of the heroes of Valhalla. Any mortal that drinks this blend has Death Wish since it is fatal to humans.
Cassandra Rott- Daughter of George Rott. Lieutenant in the NYTF under Director Angel Ramirez.
Cecil Fairchild-Owner of SuNaTran and close friend of Tristan Montague. Provides transport for the supernatural community and has been known to make a vehicle disappear in record time.
Chaos-(AKA the chasm, the gap) Entropy personified. The ultimate undoing of order and balance in the universe. Wants to end it-ALL. Known to crash parties and events bringing them to a swift end.
Charon-(AKA The Ferryman) carries the souls of the newly deceased across the river Styx into the Underworld. Most senior of the psychopomps, occasionally given special projects to fulfill. Would really prefer a week off-with pay.
Claude-An accomplished mage and world-class assassin trained personally by Julien
Connor Montague-Father to Tristan and Elder of the Golden Circle.
Corbel Nwobon-(AKA the ‘Hound of Hades’) Enforcer of the Underworld. Occasionally smells of fire and brimstone from frequent visits to the Underworld.
Davros Dahlech- One of the Ordarum. Mage of the Golden Circle who was erased and incarcerated for war crimes and mental instability.
Dex Montague-Uncle to Tristan, brother to Connor. One of the most powerful mages in the Golden Circle.
Erik Rothsfeld- Director of the Hellfire Club in NYC. Sitting Mage Representative on the Dark Council.
Estilete(Esti) Second in command to Anastasia Anyxia Santiago, leader of the Blood Hunters.
Ezrael-(AKA Ezra, Azrael-the Angel of Death, Death, Thanatos, Big D) the personification of Death. Feared, disliked, and respected by human and supernatural alike. Loves pastrami on rye and sitting in his favorite deli on 1st Avenue studying when he isn’t out “collecting” or in his office at Arkangel Industries.
Georgianna Wittenbraden-Vampire of a powerful clan who is currently shunned and being assisted by the Montague & Strong Detective Agency.
George “Rottweiler” Rott- Retired NYTF Special Ops leader. Father of Cassandra Rott.
Gideon the Envoy-messengers sent to escort rogue mages back to the Sanctuary
The Hack-Cybercriminal, security expert, and friend of Simon. He is feared and hunted by every three-letter agency on the planet. If it’s digital it’s at risk.
Hades-Ruler of the Underworld. Rules the dead and is generally seen around funerals and wakes. Favorite song by the Eagles is ‘Hotel California’-especially that part about checking out, but never leaving.
Hel- Norse version of Hades with a mean streak and extra pain.
Ian Macintyre-Arbiter. Similar to Mage Police, which means they are some of the most powerful mages. When sent on a recovery, they are judge, jury, and executioner.
Julien Durant-Arch Mage of the Fleur de Lis. Owner and overseer of the Foundry-which exists as a de facto sovereign state within the city.
Ken Nakatomi-Michiko’s brother and elite assassin for the Dark Council. If you’re his target and you see him-it’s the last thing you ever see.
Kali-(AKA Divine Mother) goddess of Time, Creation, Destruction, and Power. Cursed Simon for unspecified reasons and has been known to hold a grudge. She is also one of the most powerful magic-users in existence.
Karma-The personification of causality, order, and balance. She reaps what you sow. Also known as the mistress of bad timing. Everyone knows the saying karma is a…some days that saying is true.
Michiko Nakatomi-(AKA ‘Chi’ if you’ve grown tired of breathing) Vampire leader of the Dark Council. Reputed to be the most powerful vampire in the Council.
Noh Fan Yat- Martial arts instructor for the Montague & Strong Detective Agency. Teacher to both Simon and Tristan. Known for his bamboo staff of pain and correction.
Olga Etrechenko-Simon’s landlord and current owner of The Moscow. She has an uncanny ability for tracking Simon down when the rent is due. You never cheat Olga.
Peaches-(AKA Devildog, Hellhound, Arm Shredder and Destroyer of Limbs) Offspring of Cerberus and given to the Montague & Strong Detective Agency to help with their security. Closely resembles a Cane Corso.
Piero Roselli-Vampire and owner of Roselli’s-an upscale restaurant and club that caters to the supernatural community. If Piero doesn’t seat you, you aren’t staying.
Quan Toh-Mage of the White Phoenix sect. Master healer and past ally of Tristan. Shares an umbra mortis bond to prevent Tristan going dark. Dangerous, deadly and slightly deranged.
Robert Bellamy-Driver for SuNaTran and Cecil Fairchild. Formality is non-negotiable.
Roxanne DeMarco-Director of Haven. Oversees both the Medical and Detention Centers of the facility. Is an accomplished sorceress with formidable skill. Has been known to make Tristan stammer and stutter with merely a touch of his arm.
Simon Strong-The intelligent (and dashingly handsome) half of the Montague & Strong Detective Agency. Cursed alive into immortality by the goddess Kali.
Slif- Ancient Dragon working to undo the spread of magic among non-dragonkind.
Tristan Montague- The civilized (and staggeringly brilliant) half of the Montague & Strong Detective Agency. Mage of the Golden Circle sect and currently on ‘extended leave’ from their ever-watchful supervision.
Yama-Assigned bodyguard to Georgianna. A personal guard of Michiko Nakatomi. He is known to exhibit dizzying heights of eloquence in grunts and stares.
William Montague- Brother to Tristan Montague. Reported deceased-location unknown.
Yama-Assigned bodyguard to Georgianna. A personal guard of Michiko Nakatomi. He is known to exhibit dizzying heights of eloquence in grunts and stares.
ORGANIZATIONS
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CHRISTYE, BLAHQ, &DOIL-Law firm that shares the same floor with the Montague & Strong Detective Agency. Never seem to be open, but always ready for business.
New York Task Force-(AKA the NYTF) a quasi-military police force created to deal with any supernatural event occurring in New York City.
SuNaTran-(AKA Supernatural Transportations) Owned by Cecil Fairchild. Provides car and vehicle service to the supernatural community in addition to magic-users who can afford membership.
The Dark Council- Created to maintain the peace between humanity and the supernatural community shortly after the last Supernatural War. Its role is to be a check and balance against another war occurring. Not everyone in the Council favors peace.
White Phoenix-An ancient sect of Mages comparable to the Golden Circle. Emphasis on physical magic use and healing.
AUTHOR NOTES
THANK YOU FOR reading this collection of the first three books in the world of Monty & Strong. With this set I wanted to introduce you to different elements of the world Monty & Strong inhabit, slowly revealing who they are and why they make the choices they do. If you want to know how they met, please read NO GOD IS SAFE, which is a short story detailing Tristan and Simon’s first case.
There are some references you may get and some…you may not. This may be attributable to my age (I’m older than Monty or feel that way most mornings) or to my love of all things sci-fi and fantasy. As a reader, I’ve always enjoyed finding these “Easter Eggs” in the books I read. I hope you do too. If there is a reference you don’t get, feel free to email me and I will explain it…maybe.
You will notice that Simon is still a smart-ass (deserving a large head smack) and many times he’s clueless about what’s going on. Bear with him—he’s still new to the immortal, magical world he’s been delicately shoved into. Fortunately, he has Monty to nudge (or blast) him in the right direction.
Each book will reveal more about Monty & Strong’s backgrounds and lives before they met. Rather than reveal a whole history, I wanted you to learn about them slowly, the way we do with a person we just met—over time (and many cups of javambrosia).
Montague & Strong Detective Novels Box Set: Montague & Strong Detective Novels Books, 1 through 3 (Montague & Strong Case Files) Page 54
