Caramel: Book 3 of the Lord Emperor Vampire Series

Chapter 120: By the light of the silvery moon…

I leaned against the small ledge of the building and lit up a smoke. Shade looked over at me and huffed.

/That’s going to kill you./

“Not for a while.”

/It will if I push you off the roof. That stings my eyes./

“Get down wind.” I turned and squinted over the side of the building. The office I was interested in was still vacant.

Kitty grousing sounded in my head as the Queen moved from my right to my left. /Well a hell of a lot has happened since the last time we were just sitting around doing nothing. I so believe I had a promise of cable./

I took another long drag then butted the cigarette out. I blew the smoke up in the air and looked up at the sun. Oh yeah, a hell of a lot has changed. “I heard you the first time, Shade.”

/Well, I haven’t heard when installation is going to commence./

“Are you at me wanting something too?”

The gravel shifted as the kitty morphed into a black sleek panther. My blue jean clad leg flopped over as she headbutted me. I was glad I changed into something a little more casual and durable. The gravel was dimpling my ass. /Don’t lump me in the ranks of those who look at you with their hands out./

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve actually missed you.”

/You’re not the only one with responsibilities. Some problems have arisen and I had to take matters into my own paws as it were. Your brothers want to talk to me. I am bonded with you./

“So they could just write their name in blood on you.”

The black tail flicked past my face. /Hello, did I not just get through saying I am bonded with you. You used to have a brain behind that pretty face./

“And I said, I missed you.”

/I missed you too, Xavier. I would never have left if I didn’t trust your Pup. I just never expected to come back and find out that he got you your own Lycan Imperial Pack. Loyal little Lycan. His grandmother had plans for him./
“Do you know them?”

/He hasn’t told you?/

I held up the cigarette, “I’ll light up again.”

/Haley was to be the next leader of the Northern Pack. When he got old enough. If he survived to Alphahood./

I stilled. Haley? My naked furry little brother who keeps shoving food down my throat? That Haley?

/Haley Dennings Saitou has a destiny, Xavier. You are a part of it./

“You been hanging around Lanseng?”

/Lanny’s a nice guy./

I flicked my eyes back to Shade. “et tu brutus?”

/That’s were I got all this stuff about Haley. You left him alone out there, X. Haley stepped in when you dropped the ball. I can see why you did though. That tall boy puts out some serious vibes for you./

“Well he’s picked Azrael as his running mate.”

/Speaking of running mate, how many are you planning on marrying? Jees, you’re starting to become a joke. Anything the Blood Emperor sees, he mates.”

“Vladimir was Sex’s mistake.”

/Ignorance doesn’t make you less guilty. Movement in the window./

I shifted over onto my knees and searched for my target. Reporter with the Daily. Too many stories with a supernatural – BLOOD penchant. Hitting too close to home for someone’s liking. Shadoe had been referenced a couple of times and there had been a veiled reference to a secret society of death.

/Confirmed?/

/Confirmed./ I reached for the rife case and began to calmly assemble my weapon of choice.

My cell phone vibrated. Scared the crap out of me. I looked over at the apartment and saw the target pace back and forth with a phone to his ear. I pulled it out and looked at the display. My office. “Yes, Paul.”
“I have a man on the telephone who says that he is calling about an extremely urgent matter, Sir.”

“I’m working here, Paul.”

“Yes, Sir. It’s a David Saunders….”

I stilled. I glanced back over the ledge and saw my target, David Saunders stop his pacing and stand against the window looking out across the street. “Is he on the line now?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Connect us. Thank you, Paul.” /Keep an eye on him…tell me if he moves./

I waited until Shade morphed down into a cat and leapt up on the ledge. /Got him./

“Mr. Saunders. What do I owe you for the pleasure of this call?”

“Someone is trying to kill me.”

“What have you done to warrant that?”

“I wrote articles about Shadoe Incorporated.”

“I haven’t read anything.”

“Before the take over. Mr. Von Drachenfeld…I need protection.”

“I’m not in the protection business. Mr. Saunders.”

“There is something going on. I’ve stumbled into something…my articles have been squashed. I got fired…now I know someone is after me.”

/All animals know when they are hunted Xavier. Humans are animals, they ignore their instincts for the most part but they are animals. He knows he’s a dead man./

“Don’t you know Mr. Saunders, I’m just another pretty face.”

“I know you’re a vampire, Mr. Von Drachenfeld. A pretty damn important one to have Ancients like Hades bowing to you.”

“And if I am what you say I am, what makes you think that I would offer you protection?”

“I call sell my stories…”
“You said you were just fired.”

“I’m not above the tabloids. They sell more than the regular presses. Your face would be spread across the country.”

“Been there, done that…gone international now. You do not impress me, David.”

“I saw them…I saw them kick in a door and slaughter everyone inside. They were in cages…they killed them while they were in cages…” The reporter’s voice trailed off. I concentrated. He was close to my outer limits of mindfucking.

I stood behind him as his memories played through of that full moon night eight days ago. He had watched the house for weeks, knowing something was a little spooky about it. He stood in the shadows with night vision binoculars and watched the horror unfold. Five men came dressed like black ops. They kicked in the door and starting shooting, stabbing, beating anything and everything that moved. And they kept doing it through the howls and the screams. David was drawn forward almost unwillingly out of his hiding spot. The five killers were still inside but David walked up the front stepped of the old house, old but well maintained. The five had taken off their balaclava and were toasting each other for another successful campaign. I could feel the human’s absolute horror at the sight before him. The werewolves had returned to their human form. Men, women, boys and a few children not more than ten years old were…crushed.

I just felt a coldness settle over me. These were the same five faces I had taken from the Alpha Pack out in woods. A werewolf groaned near the front of the house and as one all five turned toward the reporter. He ran like the demons of hell were after him. They didn’t give chase. He was just a human. They had another way of taking care of him.

Give him to the white demon of death.

“Von Drachenfeld?”

“What do you want David?”

“I saw what I saw. I didn’t imagine it.”

I set the cell phone in the crook of my neck and reached over for the magazine. I snapped it into place. /Shade?/

/Still against the window. He wants to get shot./

“You saw what you saw.” I rose to my feet and held the rifle against my leg.

“Can you help me?”

“No one can help you now David. I can show you mercy, if you want it. Look 10:00.” I watched as his eyes turned and shifted until they were locked with mine. The color just drained out of his face.

“You’re not a vampire…”

I willed my white wings out. They jingled merrily in the slight breeze that came off of the buildings. “What….what are you?”

“I am your salvation, David. You are marked for death. There is no escaping it. I will be merciful and I will make it quick and painless. You will not get a better offer.”

Tears began to stream down his face. “Do you work for them? Those things that killed that family?”

“I’m no friend of theirs. I can make you a promise, David. I will hunt them. I will find them. They will not get any mercy from me.”

“What are you?”

“The Angel of Death. Do you want me to be merciful?”

“Yes…” I watched as he set the cell phone down on the window sill and clasped his hands together in prayer.

“The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

I flipped my phone closed. I could hear him just fine. I brought my rifle up across my chest. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. I chambered a round. I sent my thoughts out searching for a happy moment or a peaceful one. There was one of a calm blue lake that reflected the mountains and sky like it was a mirror. So peaceful and natural. I took sight at his heart. I felt that big breath as he began to sigh and I pulled the trigger. The window glass shattered as the bullet passed through and buried itself in warm flesh. David Saunders toppled over backwards. He was no more.

“…the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.” I finished his prayer.

I folded back my wings, dismantled my rifle and packed it back in the case. I held out my arm and kitty Shade ran up my arm to perch on my shoulder. I peered over the side of the building and found the company limo. I tossed the case over the side aiming for a loaded garbage bin. Shade leapt off my shoulder and scurried down the fire escape. I jumped over the side using my wings to slow my descent and I lightened my weight. I touched down lightly on the roof of the limo then dissolved them in a shower of light. I jumped off the roof as the chauffeur held the door open for me. I climbed in and he shut the door behind me. I watched as he headed back to the dumpster, retrieved the gun case then stored it in the trunk. He pulled out my gym pack and brought it back to the door. Shade hopped in as I got handed the bag.

I stripped off my ruined shirt.

/You truly are the Angel of Mercy, Xavier. Whoever was supposed to kill that man would not have done it so quickly./

I pulled out a green tee and slipped it on. I pulled my mullet tail out of the neck and threw myself into the corner of the limo. “They’re out there Shade. They are out there somewhere right now enjoying life Every full moon they slaughter another family of werewolves and no body is doing anything about it!”

/Haley tried./

“They are still trying to kill him because he spoke up for the werewolves. Just because they are crossbreds no one seems to care.”

/That’s were you are wrong. The future leader of the Northern Nation cares. The Blood Emperor of the Vampire Nation cares. That is more attention that they could have ever wanted./

I stopped at that. True. I had all their faces. “Sir?”

“29th and Riverline”

/What’s there?/

“That is the last house they killed at. Maybe there are some clues, or trace essence.” I called maintenance for a clean up with a stress to pick up the cell phone. I really didn’t need to be the identified as the last person to be called by the deceased.

/How’s the rest of your life?/

“Just peachy. Marcus is a psycho again. Azrael punched his ticket and kicked him to the curb. That’s got me freaked out. I had a panic attack because my jukebox starting playing a violin solo.”

/How are you?/

“What do you want to hear, Shade? I’m frightened but holding it together.”

/As long as your honest with yourself./ Shade climbed into my lap and laid her head on my thigh.

Well I learned that lying to yourself didn’t really change the situation. It just made it worse when it came back and tore a chunk out of your ass. Case in point, my lacking Lycan and werewolf knowledge. I grew up in a house of Hunters and not just any Hunters, the Top of the Regency. The chunk out of my ass was called my White Russian. My head thumped like a melon as I dropped it back on the seat.

/It’s not a mullet./

“Well you pissed off Edna.”

/Nobody can take a joke anymore. It looks cool, X./

Shade rubbed her head along my leg and I reached down scratching behind her ears. She closed her eyes and let out a groan then leaned in heavily against me. /Ooooh, that’s it. Harder. Faster…Do it…do me….Oooh, yeah./

I shoved her away from me. “Your sense of humor stinks.”

/Now you know what it sounds like all hours of the day. Filter, my boy. Filter./

“I am not having sex all hours of the day.” An image of Armor’s face formed in my mind’s eyes. The way his face would flush as he held his weight off me on his forearms. The sweet grunting that escaped his throat as he….

/Damn it!/ Shade scrambled off my reacting erection. /You’re thinking about him again. You got that silly smile on your face./

“Don’t ask me to apologize for loving Armor, Shade. He makes me happy.”

/I know he does. Be careful Blood Emperor./

I popped my eyes open. “What do you know?”

/The Black Death is correct. You can’t lie to save your life. You wear your hearts on your sleeve. Those that can’t get to you, will go after your loves…anything to hurt you. Especially your little ones./

“Anyone comes after Claudia or my children, they’ll know the meaning of ‘white demon of death’ before they die.” My tone was chilly.

/Good./ Her tail when tap, tap, tap on the leather seat. /I had to know./

“Do I come off as a stone cold bastard toward my Intended?”

/You’re not exactly welcoming. Think about it, X. You will be the only man in her life once she marries you and you can’t bring yourself to touch her. She is walking into this union with her eyes wide open and she knows that she will have to face an eternity of loneliness. She can’t go out and mark a Lycan as her mate. She is the Nations broodmare./

I ran a hand down my face. “I’m not out trying to be a jerk. The last time, the only time I was with a woman was traumatic for her and myself. I wouldn’t wish that on Claudia.”

/You know what you’re doing now./

“I’m not wired that way, Shade.”

/You take a blue pill…/

“Claudia deserves more than chemical stimulation. I respect her too much to do that to her. She is the mother of my children.” I glanced up as the limo slowed and came to a stop. I looked out the window. Bastards. The killing house was burnt to the ground. “Ready?”

/I ever tell you, I respect you?/

/I don’t think so, you were too busy whacking me with your tail./

/Well crap, you needed it./

/Thank you, Shade. You probably saved my life that first year./

/Probably? I did! I’m not asking for much. Hello, cable?/

“You sound like a broken record.”

The chauffeur opened the door and I slipped out. Shade jumped out as a panther and landed as a cat. She tore up the walkway ahead of me. They killed everyone then torched the place to hide the evidence. The fire had been hot to burn this effectively. The size of the building in Saunders memory was a three story. There was nothing but a few standing charred timbers. And it rained since this atrocity occurred. If there was any lingering essence, it had been washed away.

/There is absolutely nothing here, X.”

“They’ve been doing this for a while. They’re good at it. They would have to be, otherwise it would be all over the Nation.” I thought I saw something glitter on the burnt floor. I lightened my weight and tentatively took a step forward.

/Be careful./

I made my way to the middle of the house and picked up the object that had caught my attention. The stench of the smoke was enough to make me gag. It was a photograph. A fire and watered damaged photograph. I shifted my vision and the image seemed to snap into clarity. Mom, Dad, two teenage boys and a little boy and a little girl. Six? I ran Saunder’s gruesome memory again. There were five bodies. A teenager was still alive. Somewhere out there, probably running in terror.

“Shade.” I turned and took a step. The floor collapsed beneath me.

/X!/

I hit the basement hard and covered my head as more debris landed around me.

/X!/

Dust rained down on me. I sneezed and another section of the floor collapsed. My wings ripped out and arced over my head. A support beam collapsed on me. I grunted as it hit hard and squished me down to the left.

/X! Damn it, answer me./

“Blood Emperor!”

I gritted my teeth and forced my wings up to lift the beam off my back. I brought my hands up and shoved at the pillar. It didn’t fly backwards, but it shifted enough to get me out from underneath it. “Fuck.”

“Blood Emperor!!”

/I’m okay. Keep him back, the whole thing is coming down./ I was filthy but uninjured. That teenaged werewolf was out there in the streets somewhere hiding in terror for the past eight days. I had no doubt that those rogue vampires knew they missed one. This would just extend their game out longer. They would be hunting this poor kid. Not if I got to him first.

/There isn’t way of getting out of here, Shade. I don’t think it is safe enough to Phoenix. Too many people around. I’m going to have to flap my way out of here. Tell me when it’s clear./

/Wait…car…wait…okay, clear./

I stared at the wall close to the entrance where I came in. I ran toward it and did a Gene Kelly except I ran right into the floor. I used the hard elbow of the leading edge of my wings to slam into the brittle floor. It splintered and I broke my way back into the light. I dissolved my wings and ended up hanging on the edge of the concrete basement wall. Panther fangs ripped into the back of my shirt and hauled me back over the side.

Wooop, wooop. I glanced up from the sidewalk and saw a cop car roll up. /Get the hell out of here, Shade. They saw you./

/See you at home./

The black panther turned and loped away. The chauffeur came forward to help me to my feet. “On the ground, hands behind your head now!”

The chauffeur hesitated. “Get down, before they shoot you.” I hissed at him.

“Be advised we have a wild animal on the loose. A black panther. That’s what I said, a black panther. We need a second unit down here.”

Riding in a cop car this time was just as humiliating and frustrating as it was the first time. I stank of smoke and my jeans were all smudged black. Actually it wasn’t that humiliating until we got to the station and the paparazzi went absolutely nuts. What was the point in hiding? I nodded toward them and smiled. That should be back to Shadoe Inc or Von Drachenfeld before I got access to my one phone call.

After booking, I ended up in holding. Unlike the last time, I must have radiated a-touch-me-and-die vibe because I didn’t get any gooses or hands between the legs unlike the last time. It could have been the mullet too. The chauffeur wasn’t a Loyal but he was a righteous employee of Shadoe Inc. Once he joined me, he made it his mission to keep the riff raff away from me.

“What is your name?”

“Smithson, Sir.”

“You can sit down. It is unnecessary.”

“I’m sorry sir. I failed in my duties. You should not be in a place like this.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve been arrested. At least it’s for something I did, this time.” I brushed an officer’s thoughts. They knew who I was. They were going to let me stew here for a while. I made him check his watch. 12:30. I had that 2:00 meeting.

I blew out my breath. I was going to have to force them to move it along. “Smithson, I want you to take a seat, and stay in it. No matter what happens.” I pushed myself to my feet.

The biggest guy in the place had locked on me like a scud from the moment I got tossed in here. He was about the size of Armor but wore a keg around his middle. I locked my green gaze with his and started doing a little belly dancing hip swivel. Oooh, I got everybody’s attention real quick. They took my hair ties and my shoe laces when I got frisked so my remaining hair, which was still quiet a lot, got whipped around as I offered up a tantalizing view of my ass. He took the bait. I got an arm wrapped around my waist and the other crushed my throat.

“I got what you need, slutty.” He emphasized his remark with a cock grind into my ass.

“I bet you say that to all the boys.” I struggled a bit.

“Leave him alone…”

“Butt out, unless you want to take his place.”

“I said, leave the kid alone.”

Keg took his hand and rammed it right into my jeans. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. He grabbed me roughly. “Get off.” I hissed at him.

“I took you for a cock tease the moment I laid eyes on you. I don’t tease…I take.” He started to stroke me. I grabbed at his choke hold when we went flying. I hit the concrete hard and smacked my head on the bars.

Keg and my would-be-saviour were scrapping in the middle of the cage. Well that worked a little too well. The boys in blue came in to break it up and I got my ass hauled out of there. Smithson watched visibly concerned as I was taken away to a private room. It almost went as planned. Except for the goose egg on the back of my noggin.

I got handcuffed to a metal chair in an overly lit room. “When do I get my phone call?”

“Whenever the Detective says you can.”

He shut the door behind him and left me in blessed stinky silence. I smelled like I had been hung in a smokehouse. I looked at the cuff. I could break it off…my eyes focused past my cuffs to the floor of the interrogation room. It couldn’t be. Four parallel grooves moved from the center of the room toward the far left corner. This is the same room Armor came for me in when I was arrested for prostitution. Where he laid me out on the table and fucked me to relaxation to get my wings to disappear. I groaned as the memory sent my body into a feedback loop.

I brought my feet up on the seat of the chair and buried my face into my knees. Think unsexy thoughts…think unsexy thoughts. My groin was pulsing to life. Damn it.

/Little One?/

I stilled, /Marcus?/
/Armor is on his way to your location. He is not happy./

/Just tell him to hurry up./

The door to the interrogation room opened inward and my favorite snack of a detective walked in. I could smell his coffee essence from here. Hmm, missed lunch. “Good Afternoon, Detective Nolan.”

He stood there and looked at me. I’d changed since the last time we met, aside from the pale complexion and the white hair. I accepted I was a Vampire. He came further into the room and set down a thick manila folder. That couldn’t be mine.

“I hoped never to see you again, Edward. Or should I call you, White Demon of Death?”

Crap.