Clove : Book 4 of Lord Emperor Vampire Series
folder
Vampire › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
22,839
Reviews:
795
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Vampire › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
22,839
Reviews:
795
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Cull of the Wessel
Whoot! I do believe all the well wishes and virtual bunny sacrifices have worked. I got a promising email from Yaoi House LLC. Cake just might be coming down off of AFF. And the meaning is….oh my gawd, I’m on the verge of being published! Happy dance, happy dance. Happy happy happy. After the past few months, something positive has come out of this.
Okay, back to the present. Happy dance, happy dance….big happy smile. I’m just excited. I should be able to get a computer with my severance so everything should continue. I already have had contract offers, so everything is back to coming up millhouse….at least it looks like it.
So thank you Loyal and true for the words of encouragement and R&R. Once again, my crappy connection is limiting my kudos…I will update my thankies when I can.
As always, ENJOY!!
(BTW Clove is the longest of the series so far. I am up to 521 pages!)
___________________
Thankies update: XD
Crimson Vixen: lacvea; Rosemary; lone_child; Laur; Duelriel; steph291; Rosei; meadows_peak; spirit; milkxness; darastarelf; k; Blaze (welcome); Marin_Liliz; Twitch; J42; Berlin (welcome); sesshomarunaraku and shiden
Sesshomarunaraku
Q:
"Her name is Katherine Williams…well Fieldings now." CH 42
but shouldn't be the other way around??? i mean the females werewolf(lycan) are dominant one. So shouldn't the husband take one the name of the female???
A: The only reason that Haley took Ping’s last name was that he was branded outcast. To give Ping the last name of Dennings would also make her an outcast to the rest of the Northern Lycan. The Eastern Pack could give a rat about the last name but Haley was willing to take hers. They are Pack animals anyways and running in a family is their chosen perferrence. Ronan and Katherine Fieldings are good, and they are werewolves (both natural not bitten).
Next chappie: ‘blueberry luvin.’
Chapter 180: Cull of the Wessel
Daggers? Who the hell needed daggers. I had metal wings. If I shivered and flicked a certain way, I shot out razor sharp feathers like a porcupine. Orel Wessel didn’t like that. Some Hunters didn’t either. I guess you could call it friendly fire. When I had the chance, I yanked out the feather and hit the downed Hunter with a bit of healing light. My feather blades were more like shrapnel than a directed strike. I had to remember that.
Endellion was hungry but she paced herself like she was at an all you can eat buffet. I had a steady stream of power from her. She found Orel Wessel souls tasty.
If I was close to a Loyal or a Hunter that fell, I healed them with a touch. Still too many of us died in the basement.
There was no communication with the outside world. All the Loyal had been posted had been over run and were dead. Suddenly there was a lull in killing. I turned and found Hades finishing off a grey uniform. We needed to know how many more were coming.
/Hades, we need your eyes and ears. Take Liam and get to your wall of sound./
The little menace just grabbed the blond bombshell and dragged him off toward a hidden staircase the rest of the fledglings had scurried up. /Shade! Where are you?/
/Trying for the roof. They’re cutting…/ The power to the building died and the red eeriness of emergency lighting. /the power./
/Hades!/
/Oh, please…remember who you are yelling at!/ The red lights flickered and power returned. Well, I guess I should remember who I was yelling at. Who would dare to attack the former king in his own castle. This was sheer stupidity? What did Orel Wessel think would happen? Or was it that because each cell seemed to work independently as a sovereign entity they didn’t share information on a regular basis. Could that be why they were running around rather unprepared? They thought it was just a coven gathering? Surely they knew that this building was Hades lair…or did they?
Orel Wessel was proving to be an enigma. They were a deadly force, but they didn’t have competent or accurate information. A slow smile crossed my face that was fine for me.
/Alpha Pack, to me!/ I sent a silent hunting howl out to my pack.
It was an open broadcast to all the Lycan in the area, but some what I understood, Ping had effectively wrested the city from Britta the Elder and held it under the Von Drachenfeld glyph. There were pockets of Lycan who had swore to her hubby, he had been heir to the Northern Lycan pack after all.
Claudius came up to me and stared at the blue hilt and black blade of Endellion. “Do you know what you are doing, my youngest?”
“For once, yes. I am rending asunder all that we have known.” I glanced around at the corpses of Vampire and Human. “We are building a new House and we are doing it on with the mortar of Orel Wessel blood.”
“And Loyal.” Claudius returned looking at the few fallen Vampire.
“And Hunter.” I turned toward Shayne. She looked at my metal armor and wings. “I never thought I would really meet Hashmalliam.”
/On the roof./ I held up a hand and silenced Shayne as Nightshade ran in my head. /It’s not looking good. We’ve got shock troops up here on the roof. All the fledglings are up on the third level. It won’t be pretty if they get in./
“What about the street?”
/Hold on…/
Shayne looked cockeyed at me. “Recon report.”
/The street is crawling with grey. All exits are covered. They are taking up positions across the other rooftops. There is about three hundred. We got vans blocking the streets. They are getting ready for another assault./
“Any Generals?”
/Out of harms way as usual./
“Keep an eye on them, Your Majesty.”
I turned and willed everything away. Endellion pulled back her power spike. My knees unhinged and I crashed to the floor. Claudius caught my shoulders and kept me from falling on my face. Endellion fell from my hand.
“No!” Shayne halted about a hand’s width away from touching the katana. “She belongs to Hashmalliam. She will steal your soul if you touch her.”
Shayne yanked her hand back. “Eddie!”
Claudius pulled me back upright until I was resting heavily on my hip. “You know I’m not Eddie. The building is surrounded. There are probably more tracking devices in the heads of our lost ones upstairs. We are out numbered more than three to one.”
“Not good.” Shayne sighed.
There were probably about thirty Hunters left, not including the five council members. I had twenty-five Loyal and a hellcat. Five Alphas were on the way. The number One, and Two of the ranked assassins ans well as the current and former Head of the House. And there were two blue line Vampires here. I say odds were even.
“Do you think Hades has a panic room?”
“This is a fortress.” Claudius returned calmly
“Maybe the Regency Council would be better off in a safer location.” I was plotting out loud.
“Maybe you should remember who you are talking to. I changed you and your sister’s diapers, young man.” Steel Bun came up beside us and looked down at me. I was feeling stronger but not strong enough to try and stand up without staggering around like a newborn colt. “I had reservations about getting involved but as you said, we have been painted with the same brush. Fledgling abuse is the worse thing I have seen in my years. What Orel Wessel did was akin to ripping wings off of newly hatched butterflies. You need to straighten out your House, Blood Emperor. This ‘Golden Army of the People’ are human and they are Hunter concern. Ends do not justify the means. They never did and they never will.”
Steel Bun reached out and touched my head. “While you have a rare talent on the battlefield, your healing ability is amazing. You know, you should fix your Mother’s heart.”
“Its been offered.”
“Your Mother always was a pain in the ass. Good Lady Regent though. It is gratifying to see her strong character in both of her children.”
She turned and walked away. I waited until she was out of earshot. “Who the hell is that?”
“Head Councillor, Ellen Barnswick. Gees, she was at your high school graduation.”
“I’m Skell. I’ve never been to high school.”
“Well you’re handing out impressive cans of whoop ass like nobodies business.”
“Put Endellion away for now, Skell.” I grimaced and nodded. I touched the hilt and she connected with me again. I didn’t draw on the power she offered. I was weak as a kitten, so her skill demanded something in return. I thought as much, considering how much Liam was freaked out by her. She flashed back into the ether. She was singing with victory. She was free and she had a master.
Claudius took a hold of me under my arms and pulled me to my feet. I was ever so grateful he didn’t let go. I would have crashed. I had a head rush. This wasn’t as bad as the memories of a hellcat high but it was ranking pretty damn high on the ick-ometer.
A disembodied voice floated over the basement. I suspected that Hades would have everything covered and communicate-able. “We are online and everything is up and running. The most obvious of cameras have been ripped off the outside walls.” One of the Loyal brought over a walkie talkie.
“Hades?” Claudius took the device. I just concentrated on keeping my knees locked.
Liam answered. “We’re reading you.”
“Shade is on the roof.”
“About 300 grey. Our Loyal that were outside are down. We have the Alphas on the
way.”
Claudius relayed the information. Out of all of us, Liam and Hades, Claudius and Marcus had seen war. They had seen it move from horses to tanks to push button Armageddon. Five year old me trying to tell them what to do was ludicrous. A chest about the size of a fridge halted in front of me. I glanced up…and up. Damn, this body attracted tall boys. I straightened up completely. “Armor?”
“Yes. You are un-injured?”
“I’m good.” Damn this Vampire was huge, and based on what Xavier told me on the beach, they did the horizontal bop on a regular basis. I swayed a bit. He reached out and caught me.
“Lanseng is up with the fledglings.”
“I know. I saw him book upstairs.” I frowned. The residual happy that lingers was so strong. I looked back at him. He was massive.
“You have a question?”
“You’re so big! Don’t you hurt him?”
A slight flush wrapped across his face and colored the tips of his ears. “This is not the venue to discuss this.”
“True…”
“With enough time and effort, you can accomplish anything.” He leaned over and whispered into my ear. I felt my chest flush with heat. Holy moly.
“Enough of that please.” Claudius turned back toward us. “Marcus is needed upstairs. There are two Generals who need to swept and mangled. Skell and I will head to roof and cause a little mayhem. Lady Regent, you command the combined forces within. We will wait until the next wave then Hades will slam the club shut. You kill what is inside. We will take care of what is outside.”
“Sounds like a plan.” A hand landed on my shoulder. I looked back at our sister. The memories that floated were shared and a little disjointed. She loved me but she tormented the hell out of me…us. “You remember, little brother. I can make your life a living hell you all I want; nobody else does. Right?” She gave an evil eye to both Claudius and Armor. “And that goes to that tall tanned dude. I take it he belongs to you?”
Did he?
“His name is Lanseng. He’s been waiting for Skell to arrive for years.” Marcus grinned down at me then excused himself. There was another punch in my chest as I watched those buns of steel walk away. That was Azrael. I touched my forehead. This was just so…odd. I looked at Claudius and just got nothing. No heartache, no longing…Sex had locked everything down. He made his feelings private.
“Movement. Get your ass to the roof. Once I hit the blast doors, the only way they are coming up is by inner force. You’ll be locked out Claudius, Skell.”
Claudius tossed the walkie talkie to the Lady Regent. “Apparently, Hades has forgotten who he is speaking with as well. Come. We have stairs to climb.”
I could appreciate Carnage’s aura. It was black. It was death. I didn’t need to see his eyes, it was in the way he moved. Claudius was a predator. Hades club was a maze. After a while I was turned around but Claudius kept up his steady pace and we broke through an unmarked door to the roof. He caught it to keep it from slamming into the wall and alerting Orel Wessel where we were.
A fat black cat suddenly appeared and wove around my leg. “Your Majesty?”
/Fat?/
“Cuddly?”
/I’ll rip you open later. We have guest appearances in the adjoining alleys when Wessel breaks ranks. The going price is the usual. Hellcat souls go to you, Blood Emperor. Not that sword./
I nodded. Carnage dropped his blades. I reached for my Glocks. I peered out into the night and saw about thirty of Orel Wessel’s finest on the roof, fully geared up. They even have night vision. I blinked and got my own crystal vision on. They had congregated around a fire door and they were just awaiting orders to go in guns a blazing.
I had roughly a hundred and fifty broken and battered fledglings huddled below me. They have seen things and endured more than any one, human or blood should have. I would protect them until they could fend for themselves. We would protect them. The pod would.
Carnage motioned that he was on the move and then he just vanished into the night. I guess all that black hair made it easier. I would probably work best in snow.
Liams voice sounded between my ears. /Skell…Marcus has made connection. Get ready, he going to send in the attack over before the rest of the teams are…..go, go, go!/
Well, I could be the decoy and distraction then. I whipped out my Glocks and ran forward. I flipped the safety off and dropped Orel Wessel soliders were they stood. I emptied a clip before they began to react. Carnage stood up in the middle of them and did his impression of a black death painting. Everyone he touched just crumbled at his feet. I reloaded and watched as Carnage finished off the last on the shock troop. I could here gunfire below our feet.
There was a whine of a ricochet as a bullet whizzed past my head. I blinked another vision down and could easily see the heat trail of the bullet. I sent off three round in that direction then continued to move. I was a pretty tempting target and pretty damned visible. I turned just as Carnage throw a knife in my direction. I froze. I past over my shoulder and I heard a death gurgle then the crunch of a grey hitting the roof. Another whine of a bullet caught my attention. I holstered my Glocks and called on the Hand of Light. A bow and came easily. I drew back and formed an arrow. I could feel the heat as Carnage mirrored me.
“Three, two, one…go” We loosed at the same time. I watched as the blue hand of arrow broke a window. “Explode.”
The whole of the floor of that building exploded outwards. Shards of glass rained down into the streets dropping more of the Grey. The whole club rocked from the concussion. Hades took that as the sign for a lock down. Every window, every door, every exit was hit with a door of steel. Not only was the doors made of the finest steel, they were magicked. You didn’t have to be around Mages to know the feel of that power. Who ever did it was powerful. I crossed to the fire door and just pressed my hand to the metal.
It warmed to the touch. It flowed over my hand like warm bath water. It welcomed me.
“Lanseng.”
I let my hand run lingering down the door then regretfully pulled away. I could feel a pull back towards the door. Kitty Shade moved past me at a run. I broke away and followed her. Claudius leaned on the ledge and looked down at the street. There were a lot of dead. The way the two buildings had exploded and the way Lanseng’s ensorcelled building shielded itself, there was nowhere for the debris to go but down. I didn’t do a happy dance, but I felt nothing but contempt for the dead and dying Orel Wessel.
/Breaking ranks…/
“No survivors.”
“None, my son. Watch your back.” I ducked as Claudius jumped up on the short ledge them dived off. His great black wings unfurled and he dropped down towards three fleeing greys like an eagle on a fish. You could hear the skull fractures from my position as he drove them into the asphalt.
“It’s the killing moon.” I glanced up at the bright moon then down at the little kitty queen. “Care to dance?”
/Drop me and I’m so ripping you a new one./ I gathered Nightshade in my hands and stood on the ledge. A runner at two o’clock. I unfurled my feather wings then took a header off the roof. The wind ripped past my face and pulled my mass of whiteness out behind me.
Yyyyyeeeeooooowwwwww! Well I guess hellcat’s don’t fly much. I leveled out and kept my eye on the running Wessel. /Yours?/
/Mine./
I angled my flight up a bit then waited until Nightshade was ready and I let her go. It was just like dropping a bomb. Her majesty changed from a kitten to a red panther and she hit the human with all her weight and my speed. His face when thunk and skidded on the rough alley floor for about seven feet. /I’m good. Go kill something./
I think my killing for the night was over. Any greys wandering the streets were already targeted. Hellcats were all over the place. If it wasn’t a hellcat it was a Lycan. I ended up wishing my wings away and walking back toward the club. I was surprised that fire trucks weren’t on their way with their ear splitting siren blazing away. Hades multi-tiered club was in a crappy part of town and it seemed for the most part surrounded by warehouses, but still….two explosions in two separate buildings
Once in a while I would hear a faint scream. I think this was the end of the Orel Wessel faction on the east coast anyways. At least I got the Hunters to agree to take these sons of….fuck.
My knee dropped out from under me. Damn it. I tried to reach up to grab the epi-pen. I fell forward on my shoulder. /CLAUDIUS!/
“That was too easy. Keep your eyes and ears open.” I felt a sharp prick as the dart was yanked out of the back of my upper thigh.
“Are you sure this is our target?”
“The white hair is a dead give away…but” I was laying with my cheek on the cool pavement. I watched stupidly still as two Orel Wessel incapacitated me. A bag landed by my face and one dug into it. A thin wand, something like an airport metal detector was pulled out then waved over the back of my head. There was a loud beep.
“Test Subject Alpha 24601”
“This is him.”
I had an implant in the back of my skull. Oh crap, they could have tracked my movements. They knew about Von Drachenfeld. They knew about the farm. I couldn’t physically move. Spark….spark come on. I felt the warmth of healing light flare up in my chest. I centered it around my heart. Let the poisoned blood come to the light. Burn off the impurities.
“I think we might be it. I’m not getting any response from any other post. Get the truck.”
“It might be easier to drag him.”
“Don’t argue with me. There’s Lycans and big cats out here and they are working for the Vampires. HQ needs to be told that. We’re scrambled. I can’t even get a cell phone signal. The faster we move the better.”
I heard boots running away.
My cleansing was working but not fast enough. I had to concentrate really hard to keep the healing light burning. A cold metal collar closed around my neck. No…not a submission collar. I succeeded in groaning out loud.
“Good, you remember this. You try anything demon, I’ll turn it to max and walk away. That’s my brethren lying dead around us.”
There was a low growl off to my right. I couldn’t see anything. I still couldn’t move. It was a Lycan but…I was helpless. Gun fire sounded. I could hear the nails on the asphalt. There was a gurgle then the wet smack of a body hitting the ground.
There was the familiar sound of a Lycan in transition. “Well, well. Look at what we have here.” That voice…
A hand grabbed my shoulder and I got pulled over onto my back. Brother’s memories assaulted me. “What you have no greeting for me, Lord Emperor?”
Bruce. Alpha Bruce from the Northern Pack. Britta the Elder’s envoy. “You know if you had just been a good vampire way back, you might not have this around your neck.” His finger jiggled the submission collar. “You’ve been summoned, again.”
He took hold of my shoulders and began to jerk me up off the ground. I could barely keep the healing light burning now…I was able to mumble weakly but that was it. A calico shadow slammed into us and I ended up flopping on the pavement on my back. I barely could see as Bruce shivered back into an Alpha Lycan as he kicked his way free of the attacking….Haley.
Listening to dogs fight is a horrendous thing. Haley ripped into Bruce hard and without mercy. I thought Bruce big but it was just as the little Lycan had always claimed. As a full grown adult, as an Alpha Lycan, Haley was massive. They rolled and ripped into each other.
The black and the calico Alphas were highlighted as the Orel Wessel truck light shone on them. The truck screeched as he driver gunned the engine. I was going to be run over!
A black shadow hit the side of the truck in the driver’s door. The truck swerved and slammed into the building wall about twenty feet from the fight. Bruce went flying landing hard on his back. The black shadow landed over top of me. Claudius. His black wings slammed down on either of me, sheltering me from the night. His blue eyes glared at the Lycan fight but his hands ripped an epi-pen out of his jacket. I got shot in the neck. He pulled another one and jammed it into the other side.
Fuck! I hissed and brought my hand up to the submission collar. “Get it off! Get it off me.” Claudius reached down with both hands and dug his fingers into my flesh of my throat to get a good purchase. He grunted and yanked. The collar snapped open.
There was a loud yelp. Claudius dragged me up against him, sheltering me in his great black wings. It was Bruce who was slowly getting up. He shivered back down into human form. Haley positioned himself between Britta’s Envoy and us. “Who are you?”
Haley raised his head and howled. The rest of the Imperials tore into the alley. They were in Alpha form and then ranged around us and backed up Haley. Bruce narrowed his eyes. “Haley?”
The calico Alpha shivered back down to my little Haley. His eyes blazed with the feral gold of the hunt. Even in human form, Haley growled his anger at Bruce.
“Your Highness.” Bruce lowered his head to the pavement. “Your grandmother needs to be informed that you have reached the Age of Change.”
Bruce jumped to his feet and bolted down the alley. In three steps he morphed down to a black wolf and disappeared into the night.
“No. Let him go.” Haley raised his hand as Manu and Potyr took a few running steps in pursuit. “Lord Alpha needs our protection.”
My neck burned from where Claudius had to force his nails against my flesh. “Heal yourself, my son.”
I brought my hand to the back of my head where they had waved that scanner. “You’re going to have to disable it. They got something in my head. Short it out.”
“Skell…”
“Xavier made a tazer with Hand of Light. Do it. I don’t know how strong it is but I don’t want to be tracked anywhere.”
Claudius gathered me to his chest and I set my head on his shoulder. “Do it.”
I wrapped my arms under his wings and took a few deep breaths. My brain exploded as Claudius hit me with his best shot. Bright light wrapped me and I fell into it. I would be free when I woke up. Orel Wessel would no longer have a hold on me…ever.
* * *
Okay, back to the present. Happy dance, happy dance….big happy smile. I’m just excited. I should be able to get a computer with my severance so everything should continue. I already have had contract offers, so everything is back to coming up millhouse….at least it looks like it.
So thank you Loyal and true for the words of encouragement and R&R. Once again, my crappy connection is limiting my kudos…I will update my thankies when I can.
As always, ENJOY!!
(BTW Clove is the longest of the series so far. I am up to 521 pages!)
___________________
Thankies update: XD
Crimson Vixen: lacvea; Rosemary; lone_child; Laur; Duelriel; steph291; Rosei; meadows_peak; spirit; milkxness; darastarelf; k; Blaze (welcome); Marin_Liliz; Twitch; J42; Berlin (welcome); sesshomarunaraku and shiden
Sesshomarunaraku
Q:
"Her name is Katherine Williams…well Fieldings now." CH 42
but shouldn't be the other way around??? i mean the females werewolf(lycan) are dominant one. So shouldn't the husband take one the name of the female???
A: The only reason that Haley took Ping’s last name was that he was branded outcast. To give Ping the last name of Dennings would also make her an outcast to the rest of the Northern Lycan. The Eastern Pack could give a rat about the last name but Haley was willing to take hers. They are Pack animals anyways and running in a family is their chosen perferrence. Ronan and Katherine Fieldings are good, and they are werewolves (both natural not bitten).
Next chappie: ‘blueberry luvin.’
Chapter 180: Cull of the Wessel
Daggers? Who the hell needed daggers. I had metal wings. If I shivered and flicked a certain way, I shot out razor sharp feathers like a porcupine. Orel Wessel didn’t like that. Some Hunters didn’t either. I guess you could call it friendly fire. When I had the chance, I yanked out the feather and hit the downed Hunter with a bit of healing light. My feather blades were more like shrapnel than a directed strike. I had to remember that.
Endellion was hungry but she paced herself like she was at an all you can eat buffet. I had a steady stream of power from her. She found Orel Wessel souls tasty.
If I was close to a Loyal or a Hunter that fell, I healed them with a touch. Still too many of us died in the basement.
There was no communication with the outside world. All the Loyal had been posted had been over run and were dead. Suddenly there was a lull in killing. I turned and found Hades finishing off a grey uniform. We needed to know how many more were coming.
/Hades, we need your eyes and ears. Take Liam and get to your wall of sound./
The little menace just grabbed the blond bombshell and dragged him off toward a hidden staircase the rest of the fledglings had scurried up. /Shade! Where are you?/
/Trying for the roof. They’re cutting…/ The power to the building died and the red eeriness of emergency lighting. /the power./
/Hades!/
/Oh, please…remember who you are yelling at!/ The red lights flickered and power returned. Well, I guess I should remember who I was yelling at. Who would dare to attack the former king in his own castle. This was sheer stupidity? What did Orel Wessel think would happen? Or was it that because each cell seemed to work independently as a sovereign entity they didn’t share information on a regular basis. Could that be why they were running around rather unprepared? They thought it was just a coven gathering? Surely they knew that this building was Hades lair…or did they?
Orel Wessel was proving to be an enigma. They were a deadly force, but they didn’t have competent or accurate information. A slow smile crossed my face that was fine for me.
/Alpha Pack, to me!/ I sent a silent hunting howl out to my pack.
It was an open broadcast to all the Lycan in the area, but some what I understood, Ping had effectively wrested the city from Britta the Elder and held it under the Von Drachenfeld glyph. There were pockets of Lycan who had swore to her hubby, he had been heir to the Northern Lycan pack after all.
Claudius came up to me and stared at the blue hilt and black blade of Endellion. “Do you know what you are doing, my youngest?”
“For once, yes. I am rending asunder all that we have known.” I glanced around at the corpses of Vampire and Human. “We are building a new House and we are doing it on with the mortar of Orel Wessel blood.”
“And Loyal.” Claudius returned looking at the few fallen Vampire.
“And Hunter.” I turned toward Shayne. She looked at my metal armor and wings. “I never thought I would really meet Hashmalliam.”
/On the roof./ I held up a hand and silenced Shayne as Nightshade ran in my head. /It’s not looking good. We’ve got shock troops up here on the roof. All the fledglings are up on the third level. It won’t be pretty if they get in./
“What about the street?”
/Hold on…/
Shayne looked cockeyed at me. “Recon report.”
/The street is crawling with grey. All exits are covered. They are taking up positions across the other rooftops. There is about three hundred. We got vans blocking the streets. They are getting ready for another assault./
“Any Generals?”
/Out of harms way as usual./
“Keep an eye on them, Your Majesty.”
I turned and willed everything away. Endellion pulled back her power spike. My knees unhinged and I crashed to the floor. Claudius caught my shoulders and kept me from falling on my face. Endellion fell from my hand.
“No!” Shayne halted about a hand’s width away from touching the katana. “She belongs to Hashmalliam. She will steal your soul if you touch her.”
Shayne yanked her hand back. “Eddie!”
Claudius pulled me back upright until I was resting heavily on my hip. “You know I’m not Eddie. The building is surrounded. There are probably more tracking devices in the heads of our lost ones upstairs. We are out numbered more than three to one.”
“Not good.” Shayne sighed.
There were probably about thirty Hunters left, not including the five council members. I had twenty-five Loyal and a hellcat. Five Alphas were on the way. The number One, and Two of the ranked assassins ans well as the current and former Head of the House. And there were two blue line Vampires here. I say odds were even.
“Do you think Hades has a panic room?”
“This is a fortress.” Claudius returned calmly
“Maybe the Regency Council would be better off in a safer location.” I was plotting out loud.
“Maybe you should remember who you are talking to. I changed you and your sister’s diapers, young man.” Steel Bun came up beside us and looked down at me. I was feeling stronger but not strong enough to try and stand up without staggering around like a newborn colt. “I had reservations about getting involved but as you said, we have been painted with the same brush. Fledgling abuse is the worse thing I have seen in my years. What Orel Wessel did was akin to ripping wings off of newly hatched butterflies. You need to straighten out your House, Blood Emperor. This ‘Golden Army of the People’ are human and they are Hunter concern. Ends do not justify the means. They never did and they never will.”
Steel Bun reached out and touched my head. “While you have a rare talent on the battlefield, your healing ability is amazing. You know, you should fix your Mother’s heart.”
“Its been offered.”
“Your Mother always was a pain in the ass. Good Lady Regent though. It is gratifying to see her strong character in both of her children.”
She turned and walked away. I waited until she was out of earshot. “Who the hell is that?”
“Head Councillor, Ellen Barnswick. Gees, she was at your high school graduation.”
“I’m Skell. I’ve never been to high school.”
“Well you’re handing out impressive cans of whoop ass like nobodies business.”
“Put Endellion away for now, Skell.” I grimaced and nodded. I touched the hilt and she connected with me again. I didn’t draw on the power she offered. I was weak as a kitten, so her skill demanded something in return. I thought as much, considering how much Liam was freaked out by her. She flashed back into the ether. She was singing with victory. She was free and she had a master.
Claudius took a hold of me under my arms and pulled me to my feet. I was ever so grateful he didn’t let go. I would have crashed. I had a head rush. This wasn’t as bad as the memories of a hellcat high but it was ranking pretty damn high on the ick-ometer.
A disembodied voice floated over the basement. I suspected that Hades would have everything covered and communicate-able. “We are online and everything is up and running. The most obvious of cameras have been ripped off the outside walls.” One of the Loyal brought over a walkie talkie.
“Hades?” Claudius took the device. I just concentrated on keeping my knees locked.
Liam answered. “We’re reading you.”
“Shade is on the roof.”
“About 300 grey. Our Loyal that were outside are down. We have the Alphas on the
way.”
Claudius relayed the information. Out of all of us, Liam and Hades, Claudius and Marcus had seen war. They had seen it move from horses to tanks to push button Armageddon. Five year old me trying to tell them what to do was ludicrous. A chest about the size of a fridge halted in front of me. I glanced up…and up. Damn, this body attracted tall boys. I straightened up completely. “Armor?”
“Yes. You are un-injured?”
“I’m good.” Damn this Vampire was huge, and based on what Xavier told me on the beach, they did the horizontal bop on a regular basis. I swayed a bit. He reached out and caught me.
“Lanseng is up with the fledglings.”
“I know. I saw him book upstairs.” I frowned. The residual happy that lingers was so strong. I looked back at him. He was massive.
“You have a question?”
“You’re so big! Don’t you hurt him?”
A slight flush wrapped across his face and colored the tips of his ears. “This is not the venue to discuss this.”
“True…”
“With enough time and effort, you can accomplish anything.” He leaned over and whispered into my ear. I felt my chest flush with heat. Holy moly.
“Enough of that please.” Claudius turned back toward us. “Marcus is needed upstairs. There are two Generals who need to swept and mangled. Skell and I will head to roof and cause a little mayhem. Lady Regent, you command the combined forces within. We will wait until the next wave then Hades will slam the club shut. You kill what is inside. We will take care of what is outside.”
“Sounds like a plan.” A hand landed on my shoulder. I looked back at our sister. The memories that floated were shared and a little disjointed. She loved me but she tormented the hell out of me…us. “You remember, little brother. I can make your life a living hell you all I want; nobody else does. Right?” She gave an evil eye to both Claudius and Armor. “And that goes to that tall tanned dude. I take it he belongs to you?”
Did he?
“His name is Lanseng. He’s been waiting for Skell to arrive for years.” Marcus grinned down at me then excused himself. There was another punch in my chest as I watched those buns of steel walk away. That was Azrael. I touched my forehead. This was just so…odd. I looked at Claudius and just got nothing. No heartache, no longing…Sex had locked everything down. He made his feelings private.
“Movement. Get your ass to the roof. Once I hit the blast doors, the only way they are coming up is by inner force. You’ll be locked out Claudius, Skell.”
Claudius tossed the walkie talkie to the Lady Regent. “Apparently, Hades has forgotten who he is speaking with as well. Come. We have stairs to climb.”
I could appreciate Carnage’s aura. It was black. It was death. I didn’t need to see his eyes, it was in the way he moved. Claudius was a predator. Hades club was a maze. After a while I was turned around but Claudius kept up his steady pace and we broke through an unmarked door to the roof. He caught it to keep it from slamming into the wall and alerting Orel Wessel where we were.
A fat black cat suddenly appeared and wove around my leg. “Your Majesty?”
/Fat?/
“Cuddly?”
/I’ll rip you open later. We have guest appearances in the adjoining alleys when Wessel breaks ranks. The going price is the usual. Hellcat souls go to you, Blood Emperor. Not that sword./
I nodded. Carnage dropped his blades. I reached for my Glocks. I peered out into the night and saw about thirty of Orel Wessel’s finest on the roof, fully geared up. They even have night vision. I blinked and got my own crystal vision on. They had congregated around a fire door and they were just awaiting orders to go in guns a blazing.
I had roughly a hundred and fifty broken and battered fledglings huddled below me. They have seen things and endured more than any one, human or blood should have. I would protect them until they could fend for themselves. We would protect them. The pod would.
Carnage motioned that he was on the move and then he just vanished into the night. I guess all that black hair made it easier. I would probably work best in snow.
Liams voice sounded between my ears. /Skell…Marcus has made connection. Get ready, he going to send in the attack over before the rest of the teams are…..go, go, go!/
Well, I could be the decoy and distraction then. I whipped out my Glocks and ran forward. I flipped the safety off and dropped Orel Wessel soliders were they stood. I emptied a clip before they began to react. Carnage stood up in the middle of them and did his impression of a black death painting. Everyone he touched just crumbled at his feet. I reloaded and watched as Carnage finished off the last on the shock troop. I could here gunfire below our feet.
There was a whine of a ricochet as a bullet whizzed past my head. I blinked another vision down and could easily see the heat trail of the bullet. I sent off three round in that direction then continued to move. I was a pretty tempting target and pretty damned visible. I turned just as Carnage throw a knife in my direction. I froze. I past over my shoulder and I heard a death gurgle then the crunch of a grey hitting the roof. Another whine of a bullet caught my attention. I holstered my Glocks and called on the Hand of Light. A bow and came easily. I drew back and formed an arrow. I could feel the heat as Carnage mirrored me.
“Three, two, one…go” We loosed at the same time. I watched as the blue hand of arrow broke a window. “Explode.”
The whole of the floor of that building exploded outwards. Shards of glass rained down into the streets dropping more of the Grey. The whole club rocked from the concussion. Hades took that as the sign for a lock down. Every window, every door, every exit was hit with a door of steel. Not only was the doors made of the finest steel, they were magicked. You didn’t have to be around Mages to know the feel of that power. Who ever did it was powerful. I crossed to the fire door and just pressed my hand to the metal.
It warmed to the touch. It flowed over my hand like warm bath water. It welcomed me.
“Lanseng.”
I let my hand run lingering down the door then regretfully pulled away. I could feel a pull back towards the door. Kitty Shade moved past me at a run. I broke away and followed her. Claudius leaned on the ledge and looked down at the street. There were a lot of dead. The way the two buildings had exploded and the way Lanseng’s ensorcelled building shielded itself, there was nowhere for the debris to go but down. I didn’t do a happy dance, but I felt nothing but contempt for the dead and dying Orel Wessel.
/Breaking ranks…/
“No survivors.”
“None, my son. Watch your back.” I ducked as Claudius jumped up on the short ledge them dived off. His great black wings unfurled and he dropped down towards three fleeing greys like an eagle on a fish. You could hear the skull fractures from my position as he drove them into the asphalt.
“It’s the killing moon.” I glanced up at the bright moon then down at the little kitty queen. “Care to dance?”
/Drop me and I’m so ripping you a new one./ I gathered Nightshade in my hands and stood on the ledge. A runner at two o’clock. I unfurled my feather wings then took a header off the roof. The wind ripped past my face and pulled my mass of whiteness out behind me.
Yyyyyeeeeooooowwwwww! Well I guess hellcat’s don’t fly much. I leveled out and kept my eye on the running Wessel. /Yours?/
/Mine./
I angled my flight up a bit then waited until Nightshade was ready and I let her go. It was just like dropping a bomb. Her majesty changed from a kitten to a red panther and she hit the human with all her weight and my speed. His face when thunk and skidded on the rough alley floor for about seven feet. /I’m good. Go kill something./
I think my killing for the night was over. Any greys wandering the streets were already targeted. Hellcats were all over the place. If it wasn’t a hellcat it was a Lycan. I ended up wishing my wings away and walking back toward the club. I was surprised that fire trucks weren’t on their way with their ear splitting siren blazing away. Hades multi-tiered club was in a crappy part of town and it seemed for the most part surrounded by warehouses, but still….two explosions in two separate buildings
Once in a while I would hear a faint scream. I think this was the end of the Orel Wessel faction on the east coast anyways. At least I got the Hunters to agree to take these sons of….fuck.
My knee dropped out from under me. Damn it. I tried to reach up to grab the epi-pen. I fell forward on my shoulder. /CLAUDIUS!/
“That was too easy. Keep your eyes and ears open.” I felt a sharp prick as the dart was yanked out of the back of my upper thigh.
“Are you sure this is our target?”
“The white hair is a dead give away…but” I was laying with my cheek on the cool pavement. I watched stupidly still as two Orel Wessel incapacitated me. A bag landed by my face and one dug into it. A thin wand, something like an airport metal detector was pulled out then waved over the back of my head. There was a loud beep.
“Test Subject Alpha 24601”
“This is him.”
I had an implant in the back of my skull. Oh crap, they could have tracked my movements. They knew about Von Drachenfeld. They knew about the farm. I couldn’t physically move. Spark….spark come on. I felt the warmth of healing light flare up in my chest. I centered it around my heart. Let the poisoned blood come to the light. Burn off the impurities.
“I think we might be it. I’m not getting any response from any other post. Get the truck.”
“It might be easier to drag him.”
“Don’t argue with me. There’s Lycans and big cats out here and they are working for the Vampires. HQ needs to be told that. We’re scrambled. I can’t even get a cell phone signal. The faster we move the better.”
I heard boots running away.
My cleansing was working but not fast enough. I had to concentrate really hard to keep the healing light burning. A cold metal collar closed around my neck. No…not a submission collar. I succeeded in groaning out loud.
“Good, you remember this. You try anything demon, I’ll turn it to max and walk away. That’s my brethren lying dead around us.”
There was a low growl off to my right. I couldn’t see anything. I still couldn’t move. It was a Lycan but…I was helpless. Gun fire sounded. I could hear the nails on the asphalt. There was a gurgle then the wet smack of a body hitting the ground.
There was the familiar sound of a Lycan in transition. “Well, well. Look at what we have here.” That voice…
A hand grabbed my shoulder and I got pulled over onto my back. Brother’s memories assaulted me. “What you have no greeting for me, Lord Emperor?”
Bruce. Alpha Bruce from the Northern Pack. Britta the Elder’s envoy. “You know if you had just been a good vampire way back, you might not have this around your neck.” His finger jiggled the submission collar. “You’ve been summoned, again.”
He took hold of my shoulders and began to jerk me up off the ground. I could barely keep the healing light burning now…I was able to mumble weakly but that was it. A calico shadow slammed into us and I ended up flopping on the pavement on my back. I barely could see as Bruce shivered back into an Alpha Lycan as he kicked his way free of the attacking….Haley.
Listening to dogs fight is a horrendous thing. Haley ripped into Bruce hard and without mercy. I thought Bruce big but it was just as the little Lycan had always claimed. As a full grown adult, as an Alpha Lycan, Haley was massive. They rolled and ripped into each other.
The black and the calico Alphas were highlighted as the Orel Wessel truck light shone on them. The truck screeched as he driver gunned the engine. I was going to be run over!
A black shadow hit the side of the truck in the driver’s door. The truck swerved and slammed into the building wall about twenty feet from the fight. Bruce went flying landing hard on his back. The black shadow landed over top of me. Claudius. His black wings slammed down on either of me, sheltering me from the night. His blue eyes glared at the Lycan fight but his hands ripped an epi-pen out of his jacket. I got shot in the neck. He pulled another one and jammed it into the other side.
Fuck! I hissed and brought my hand up to the submission collar. “Get it off! Get it off me.” Claudius reached down with both hands and dug his fingers into my flesh of my throat to get a good purchase. He grunted and yanked. The collar snapped open.
There was a loud yelp. Claudius dragged me up against him, sheltering me in his great black wings. It was Bruce who was slowly getting up. He shivered back down into human form. Haley positioned himself between Britta’s Envoy and us. “Who are you?”
Haley raised his head and howled. The rest of the Imperials tore into the alley. They were in Alpha form and then ranged around us and backed up Haley. Bruce narrowed his eyes. “Haley?”
The calico Alpha shivered back down to my little Haley. His eyes blazed with the feral gold of the hunt. Even in human form, Haley growled his anger at Bruce.
“Your Highness.” Bruce lowered his head to the pavement. “Your grandmother needs to be informed that you have reached the Age of Change.”
Bruce jumped to his feet and bolted down the alley. In three steps he morphed down to a black wolf and disappeared into the night.
“No. Let him go.” Haley raised his hand as Manu and Potyr took a few running steps in pursuit. “Lord Alpha needs our protection.”
My neck burned from where Claudius had to force his nails against my flesh. “Heal yourself, my son.”
I brought my hand to the back of my head where they had waved that scanner. “You’re going to have to disable it. They got something in my head. Short it out.”
“Skell…”
“Xavier made a tazer with Hand of Light. Do it. I don’t know how strong it is but I don’t want to be tracked anywhere.”
Claudius gathered me to his chest and I set my head on his shoulder. “Do it.”
I wrapped my arms under his wings and took a few deep breaths. My brain exploded as Claudius hit me with his best shot. Bright light wrapped me and I fell into it. I would be free when I woke up. Orel Wessel would no longer have a hold on me…ever.
* * *