Crimson Dreams

Hayden's arms squeezed me tightly and very possessively in his sleep. A feeling of unease settled into my stomach as I tried to figure out what had woken me up. Vlad meowed loudly and then there was a thump coming from the living room. It sounded like someone was knocking on the door quietly. I opened my eyes and pulled away from Hayden reluctantly. I didn't bother to put clothes as I made my way the living room. Walking made me become aware of the distant pain between my legs and up into my pelvis region. Had I been just a little more human I wouldn't have been able to walk. The thumping became more urgent as Vlad's meows became louder.

"Who is it?"

There was a whine from Satan and then I saw the image of a man with dark blonde hair entering the apartment complex at a slow walk. Even through the mental image I could tell he wasn't human. I looked at the clock on the wall as I walked to the door and opened it. Satan came through the door and nudged my leg towards the bedroom. I shut and locked the door before running to the bedroom. I could still see the image of the man coming closer to my apartment.

I kneeled on the bed and placed my hand over Hayden's mouth. His eyes opened and with one look in my eyes he got up and started dressing. I also got dressed quickly while putting all my weapons back on. I checked the guns chamber to make sure there was still a round in.

"How many?" Hayden whispered to me as we waited in the room.

"Satan only showed me one."

"Satan showed you?"

"I'll explain later."

"What does he look like?"

"Dark blonde hair. Not really long but not short like yours. There’s a tattoo on his wrist."

Hayden's body stiffened under my hand. "That sounds like Raphael."

"Alex would not have let him in so he must have snuck in."

"That may be why he tried to call you the other night. Have you been able to get in touch with him?"

"None of them."

The sound of Satan and Vlad growling made me look up. The man must be close to our door for them to be acting that way.

"Does your demon have a power yet?"

"Pyrokinetic and the power of suggestion."

"Use them. He won't be expecting it."

There was a loud knock on the door and Satan started barking. I heard Vlad hiss before the knock sounded again but more urgent this time. Hayden placed a kiss on my forehead as he motioned for me to stay in the room. I listened as he unlocked the door while holding my breath. I was back to being the secret weapon so I couldn't go with him to open the door.

"Cal? What a surprise."

I could tell from the mans voice that it wasn't a surprise.

"Come to kill me master?"

"Unless you make a blood oath to join me. There's a lot in it for you."

"I won't be part of raping and killing women."

"You can protect the offspring after it is born. It will be a babe and need a strong vampire to protect it until it is old enough to reproduce. I will even let you have the honors of mating with it."

"No." The answer was simple and final and the air grew thick as Hayden's power reached the surface.

I could feel that little part of me with him like cord holding us together. His aura brought mine up slowly and I closed my eyes. I reached into me with that metaphysical hand and caressed my demon. The coolness swept through my body as her power rose and broke the surface. I felt my skin change in to the jade and sapphire marble. I saw the glow from my ruby eyes even though my eyes were still closed.

There was a loud crash and the sound of glass breaking from the living room. I heard Satan bark and then it was drowned out as another crash sounded. It was time for me to show them what they were looking for.

I walked out the bedroom while still caressing my demon. I fed my fears to my demon so that there was more power to her. I thought one word as I made my way to the living room. Burn. My body grew warm and when I entered the living room my heart sank slightly. The crash and sound of glass had been Satan going through the window. He was trying to pull himself back in through the window. I could see the broken glass cutting into his paws and stomach and the sight made my stomach lurch.

I forced myself to look away from Satan and too the fight going on in the middle of the living room. My TV was ruined and most of my furniture was destroyed as well. Raphael had Hayden pinned to the floor while he tried to sink his fangs into Hayden's throat. Vlad was on Raphael's back with his claws sunk in and chewing a chunk out of the vampire's neck. If I tried to set him on fire than Vlad and Hayden would burn with him. If I shot him then I would risk killing Hayden.

"Look at me." I pushed my thoughts to Raphael while pulling my gun out.

Raphael pulled back from Hayden to look at me. His eyes met mine as I pulled the trigger. I seen him move but not fast enough. The shot pierced his neck and he flung Vlad off him. At the same time Hayden pulled a blade out and sliced through Raphael's leg. I heard the blade hit bone as Raphael turned with a round house kick to Hayden's face before pulling the blade out of his leg. He turned to me with a hiss that revealed his fangs.

Just as he charged me I pulled the trigger two more times before he changed direction and threw himself through my door. I heard him scream as Satan jumped him and I ran to the hole he had left in my door. I fired another shot into his leg as he pulled back to kick Satan. He stumbled down the stairs before running into the woods at a limp. I saw Satan disappear into the woods after Raphael before I turned to find Hayden.

Hayden was holding Vlad's head to his wrist and the cat was licking blood off of him. I kneeled beside them and ran my hand through Vlad's fur as I checked Hayden for injuries.

"I am fine. I will heal. If it wasn't for Satan I would be an eight hundred year old corpse."

I listened to Vlad's heart beat as it grew strong. The sound calmed me down as I pushed my demon back into that dark inner spot. The sound of footsteps brought my attention to the door. A woman appeared in the doorway and gasped. It was the girl who lived across the street from me and I had barely stopped myself from pulling the trigger. I clicked the safety on and set the gun beside Hayden.

"Have you called the cops already?" I asked her.

"They are on the way. I wanted make sure you and Ethan were okay." She said.

"Thanks. Sorry about pointing a gun at you. I thought that guy was coming back."

"Are you a cop? Or did I do the wrong thing by calling the cops?"

"I am licensed to have a gun and you did the right thing." I really didn't want to get the cops involved but it looked like I had no choice.

I leaned against Hayden as I heard the sirens coming closer. Hayden tensed beside me as he set Vlad down. I wasn't supposed to have animals here and now it was plain as day that I did and I couldn't even close my door. I looked at the girl again. She was leaning against the door jam.

"I would ask you to come in and sit but I currently have no furniture."

"I am fine. Thank you though. The cops are going to want to talk to me since I called them so I figured I might as well stay here."

I heard Satan coming through the woods. He was slow because of his injuries and he was limping. I felt his pain as if it was my own and a tear slid down my cheek.

"Please don't tell the manager my boyfriend brought his pets with him."

"I won't. I rather enjoyed that dogs company last night. Though he scared me at first. He's really big for a dog."

"Everyone is afraid of him at first but then they learn he is very loving."

Satan bumped the girls hand before coming to me. I couldn't heal him with her standing there so I wrapped my arms around him and tried to comfort him until she left. The cop cars came to a screeching halt and there was the sound of multiple footsteps running up the stairs. The girl turned towards the cops with both hands in the air.

The first cop cleared the door way and I smiled. I knew that face. It was Julian. He came to me quickly and grabbed my gun. He pulled my clip out and stuck in his pocket before slipping a different clip in. I was betting the clip he slipped into the gun was a normal one. When the second cop cleared the door Julian took the clip out and set it on the floor before checking the chamber. He then set the gun on the floor and turned back to me.

"Do you have a permit for this gun?" He asked in that authoritive cop voice.

"I do. It's in my room in the top drawer of my nightstand."

"Michaels." He barked and an officer came through the door that I recognized again. He was the man that had played my father the night I went to Patrick’s house. His first name was David but I guess the other officers called him by his last name. "Watch the man while she takes me to get her permit."

Julian grabbed my arm and roughly pushed me towards my room. I went to the nightstand and pulled out my permit. I had another certified copy in my car and another that I carried in my purse. Just in case. He didn't bother reading over the permit. He had helped me get it. Instead he spoke in hushed quickly tones.

"Alex had me listening for the call to get your dead body. He thinks you're dead. When I heard this address I made it a point to come myself. I can't get a hold of Alex but they have Ethan. Alex's home was ambushed and they got Ethan. What happened here?"

"Raphael came to pay a visit to kill Hayden. He got away though."

"I will clean this up. There will be no case report and your finger prints will be lost again. Do you have another gun or do I need to give it back?"

"I don't have another gun."

"I am going to take you guys to the car before placing a few calls to get this whole thing cleared away. Come with me."

He pulled me back into the room and set me down beside Hayden again. Hayden put his arms around me in a quick hug before pulling away. I was close to tears and he had heard everything Julian had said. Julian was talking to officer Michaels in hushed tones.

When they came back to us it was with handcuffs. Hayden and I complied as they handcuffed us and took us down to their cars. The officers were whispering to each other low enough that I couldn't hear them. We were both pushed into the backseat of an unmarked car before Julian and another officer got in the front.

Julian drove us about six miles towards the police station before pulling behind a church. He got out the car and opened my door. I got out just as the other officer opened Hayden's door.

"Sorry for having to be so rough with you two earlier but we couldn't risk them seeing us be nice to you and suspecting." The other officer was un-cuffing Hayden.

"No problem." Hayden replied as he rubbed his wrist. "Thanks for not giving us away."

Julian un-cuffed me and handed me my gun back. "This won't go on any record. We owe you undercover officers a lot."

"I appreciate it. Check local hospitals for gun shot victims. I got him in the leg for sure."

"Will do." Julian jerked his head toward the car and the other officer went and got in the front seat. "If I hear from him I will let him know you are alive." He pushed a card into my hand. "If you need anything else call me. I am sorry about Ethan but I don't think they have killed him. They are going to try contacting you."

I nodded as I stuck the card in my pocket. Hayden was standing close to my back so the other officer wouldn't see me pocketing the card. I was betting this wasn't standard protocol when dealing with undercover officers.

"Good story by the way." Hayden said lightly.

"Alex had already come up with it long ago just in case she turned up dead or publicly killed someone."

"I wasn't aware he had friends in the police force." My voice cracked slightly as I tried to contain my tears over the knowledge Ethan was dead or being tortured again.

"Take care Alex. I really don't want to be bagging your remains."

I nodded to him and he walked back to his car as Hayden and I started in our direction. I waited until the car pulled away before I fell to my knees and started crying. Hayden pulled me up roughly.

"Don't do it." He shook me to emphasize his words. "Now's not the time for breaking down. We have to go find him and rescue him. He isn't dead yet. Raphael wants to draw Alex to him and he thinks Ethan is his human pet. Raphael wants Alex to give up his reign on the city. We are going to give him Alex but not the city's master. You are going in there with me and we are going to get him."

"How do you know he is still alive?" I asked through my tears.

"Because I saw what Raphael wants. He wants this city but he is too weak to fight Alex and win."

"I don't understand. I thought only a few masters held a city."

"There are only about a few city masters in the world. To be a city master you have to swear to protect all the humans and you're own people in that city. Only the really strong ones can make that promise without dying. If anyone nonhuman starts killing people in this city then Alex has to defend it. Most of us don't kill to feed. We take enough to nourish us and then we send the human on their merry little ways. Raphael thinks he is powerful enough to hold this city and he is a master so he wants to grow in power. He thinks Alex will give his hold over the city to him and gain him that power."

"Doesn't he know what it takes to be a city master?"

"Yes but once you take that blood oath to protect a city the city’s natural energy becomes yours and you double in power. That rise in power will make him strong enough to hold it."

"What natural power of a city?"

"Every city is teaming with life. Life is power but the humans can not harvest it. Vampires can because it is what we feed off of. A human starts giving off life the moment they take their first breath. Once you swear to protect that life source than it feeds itself to you so that you can keep your promise. It makes you more and it is not picky about where it goes."

"So it's kind of like being the president? You win and you make an oath to protect people. Taxes fill your pockets and the soldiers loyalties lay with you there fore making your army strong so you can protect it?"

"Yes. It's a little deeper than the president considering he has armies to go fight for him and vampires fight for themselves but the concept is the same."

"So Raphael thinks Ethan is important to Alex and that Alex will just give him the city?"

"Yes." He looked at me seriously. "I don't mean to sound jealous or angry but what is
Ethan to you?"

"He is like a brother to me. He knows what I am and what I do. He is my room mate, my best friend, and apparently the best weapon against me."

"So you two weren't dating?"

"No."

"Will he tell them what you are?"

"No. He has already gone through this before. They tortured him for days trying to find out who I was and he wouldn't say. That’s when I had him move in with me."

"Let’s go back to Alex's house. Maybe they left something there for him so he would know where they are."

"Okay."

He pressed his lips to my forehead in a soft kiss before taking my hand and leading me back towards Alex's house. "Trust me?"

"Yes."

"We'll get him and kill anyone who has hurt him."

"Thank you for helping me with this."

"No thanks needed."