Blood Life Seeker (5 page)

He took three long strides towards me, making his broad chest butt up against mine. I could feel the heat coming from him. He was hot, so hot, and it wasn't even nearly
Rākaunui
yet. His breath against my face scalded, I tried not to pull away and blink, but it stung my eyes and I could feel it almost blistering my cheeks. I didn't step back, but I did lean back, just a bit.

“Consider this your warning, Lucinda Monk, Vampire Hunter, Nosferatin,” he practically spat the last in my face. “I will hunt the vampires to extinction in this city and if you get in my way, I will hunt you too.”

I stared up into those deep brown eyes, which had been so familiar for so long, and didn't see a trace of anything I recognised there. He was gone. Rick was gone. My Rick was gone forever.

I swallowed and tried desperately to think of something to say. He leaned in and pressed his mouth to my ear and whispered, “Run.”

“What?”

He pulled back and gripped my shoulders tightly, I could feel his nails digging into the flesh there.

“I said RUN!” And then he growled, a real honest to goodness Taniwha growl. His face began to elongate, his jaw jutting out at the base, his forehead falling back, his lips peeling away to show long fangs. Taniwha fangs, with drips of saliva dangling off the end. He raised an already clawed hand in front of my face. I couldn't stop staring at the two inch sharp nails, no claws, protruding through the flesh of his fingers. There was a smattering of scales on the back of his hands. Shiny, grey, slick.

I've seen Rick shift before, but he made it seem so elegant, swift and surreal. This was something altogether different. He was using his shifting ability to scare me. It was working. I couldn't move. He said run, but for the life of me my legs would not obey. I wanted to run, I
wanted to hide, hell, I wanted to curl into a little ball and whimper, but I couldn't get past the fact that this was my friend. Threatening me, scaring me and he meant every word, every action as it was intended to be received.

Before I could pull myself together, his hand pulled back, the claws flexing in the light of the room and he slashed out towards my face.

Several things happened at once. Josh and Joe jumped on the back of Rick, trying to pull him away. Mikey stumbled over whilst trying to get his big bulk up off his chair and ended up in a heap of snarling fury. I fell over backwards with my heart in my throat and the breath stolen from my lungs. And then I also heard Michel's voice shouting out in dismay in my mind.

Lucinda!

I scrabbled backwards from the melee of arms and legs and bodies flying around on the mat in front of me. I could hear yaps and snarls, growls and curses, a combination of animal sounds and human swearing. Rick, Joe and Josh were a furious ball of energy, blurring in front of me, tumbling over each other.

I've seen Taniwhas play fighting before, I've even been involved in the odd one. They are rough and play for keeps, but I had never seen this before. This depth of destruction. They weren't play fighting here, they were out for the kill. And I was still too close to that action to be safe.

Mikey came to stand by my side, where I had backed up against the rails of the kick-boxing ring. He squatted down in front of me, trying to get me to look at him. I was staring at the mess of fury where I had almost been slashed to pieces, I couldn't move or think. Everything else had just faded away to nothing.

Mikey reached out to touch my shoulders and I nearly jumped out of my skin in fear. He looked concerned, but was also thrumming with energy, not anger, but fear. I finally pulled my gaze away from the fight and looked him in the eyes. He'd been saying something to me, maybe even yelling it, trying to get my attention over the loud noises coming from the Taniwhas.

“You've got to go, Luce!” He glanced over his shoulder at the battle. “They can't hold him for long, he's too strong. He's an alpha. They will hold him as long as they can, but you have to run now. Run, Luce! RUN!”

It finally sunk in and I found myself struggling to my feet, staggering a few paces, before getting my balance and then I was off. I didn't care that there were humans in the hallway, come to see the show. I didn't care that they were in danger, as I was. I didn't care that they could see I was faster than any person on this Earth could possibly be. I dug deep into the part of me that is Nosferatin and ran like the wind.

There was a time when Rick could have beaten me in a race. Easily. But with my new speed that was impossible. Even if the others couldn't hold him long, I would be gone, faster than they could even blink.

I came out into the late afternoon, early evening sunshine and was momentarily blinded. I stopped in my tracks for fear of running in front of a vehicle and getting squashed by a bus.

Come to me, ma douce. You will only be safe here.

Shit. Michel's voice in my head was right. Rick would follow me home. I saw it in his eyes. I didn't want to believe it, but it was there. He had issued a challenge, a warning and by Hapū law he was honour bound to carry it out. My friend, my one-time
best
friend, had signed a death warrant on my head.

I ran. I don't think the humans would have recognised what they saw. A blur, a streak of colour, a figment of their imaginations. It took me mere minutes to make it to
Sensations
.
The door stood ajar as I raced towards it and shut immediately on my entry.

The room was full of vampires.

They didn't waste time securing the front of the building behind me. They seemed to know exactly what they were doing, what needed to be done. How many battles had they faced in their lives that made this moment so natural to them?

I collapsed onto my knees in the middle of the club floor. Michel was beside me in an instant.

“What happened,
ma douce
? Tell me.”

I whimpered slightly against his chest, my breath was coming too quickly, I couldn't see properly, everything was blurry. I realised it was tears, filling my eyes to overflowing, spilling down my cheek, hot and wet and so very much unwanted. He stroked my head and waited for me to calm. I couldn't stop seeing Rick's face as he changed, still holding on to me, still within centimetres of my nose. His claws, how they burst out from the edge of his flesh, so red and raw around them, how long they were, how they looked as they came towards my face. How close they came to marking me.

I let a loud sob out, somewhere between a cry of anguish and a moan. It wasn't very attractive, it was gut wrenching and unrefined. Natural but so alien to my ears. I couldn't calm myself, I couldn't stop my heart bounding in my chest, it ached against my ribs, it pounded in my skull. I was going to pass out if I didn't slow my breathing down, but I had no idea how to stop this. This naked and raw fear, hurt, surprise and anguish.

Michel pulled my face around to look at him. His eyes blazed a deep amethyst and blue, the colour didn't move me, but the look in them did. He was feeling everything I was. Every emotion, every thought. My mind was crashing against his and he was taking it all in. The only evidence a slight creasing around his eyes, an intensity to his stare.

“Let me help you,
ma douce
. Lower your shields.”

I wasn't sure if I could concentrate enough to lower them, everything seemed to be getting more distant, harder to see or control. Like I was swimming through thick sludge, barely able to keep my head above it. It took three efforts, but finally I felt my shields fall away and a cool, calm sea breeze flooded through me, chasing away the fear and anguish and hurt and pain. Replacing it with a fresh smell of sunshine, candied apples, honey and spring. It was my scent he was returning to me, trying to centre me, bringing me home.

I relaxed against him and felt his arms curve around me a little tighter, his head on top of mine, his chest rising and falling a little too quickly.

There was a thrumming energy in the room, the vampires were all on high alert, waiting for instructions from Michel, but eager for a battle. It's in their natures, they can't help it. It's what makes them what they are. Vampires thrive on conflict, on confrontation, on dominance. This was a chance to prove their dominion over those who came against them. They could not ignore that part of them even if they tried.

Michel recognised my breathing and heart rate had returned to nearly normal. He stroked my face, but didn't move me from the curve of his arms or the warmth of his chest.

“Tell me,
ma douce
. Why are we at war with the Taniwhas?”

I pulled away to look at him then. “The Taniwhas? You mean all of them?”

“Yes. We have just received an ultimatum from the Hapū. Hand you over or they will attack tonight.”

What the fuck? Rick was mad at me, Rick had issued a challenge, a call to fight, but
all
of the Taniwhas?

“Did it come from Jerome?” I couldn't imagine that Jerome would go for this. Not that level headed, down to earth man. Not a chance.

“No. From their Beta. Jerome is out of the country on business.”

What business did Jerome have out of the country I didn't know, but Beta? I didn't even know who that was. Some Hapū groupie I was.

“Who is their Beta, Michel?” I think I already knew the answer.

He sighed. “I thought you already knew,
ma douce
. He has always been an alpha in training, one day he will lead the Hapū. Rick.”

Holy crap. I just shook my head. “This is all so wrong. This isn't happening.”

“It is and you need to tell me why.”

He hadn't said it firmly, but it was definitely more of a command than a request.

I let my breath out in a huff and told Michel about Celeste's phone call that morning and my visit to the gym. I even managed to keep my voice level, not a crack in sight.

“So, he plans to usurp your position as hunter then? I can imagine how you feel about that,” Michel said dryly.

“Are you smiling, Michel? Do you think this is funny?”

“Not at all,
ma douce
. I just know you.” He looked at me innocently, all wide eyed and beautiful curves to his lips.

I rolled my eyes, even in a crisis Michel could make light of things, try to pull a smile out from behind my mask.

“How do we stop this?” I asked, to get him back on track.

“Let me make a phone call. It may not be as bad as we feared. There is still an hour before dusk and I am sure they would not attack until well dark. They risk too much exposure, even for Rick.”

He stood up then and offered me his hand, pulling me lightly off the floor and then flashing me a wicked grin and pulling a little firmer until I slapped against his chest. His arms encircled my waist, trapping me, his lips brushed mine. In my ear he whispered, “I think you should stay here tonight, do you not agree?”

“You mean right here in your arms?” I gave him a scolding look, how could he even think of things like this right now?

“Of course. Where else would I want you?” He flashed that wicked smile again and spun away, walking in a languid glide towards his office. Leaving me slightly bemused and then belatedly realising I had a smile on my face. He'd done it. He'd made me smile despite all the fear and heartache I was feeling. He'd made me, for an instant, forget and he hadn't even used his powers to do it.

I gathered he wanted privacy for the phone call, if he had wanted me there, he would have taken me with him. I turned to look at all the vampires gathered in the bar. Michel's line had recently almost doubled. So, there were a lot of vampires I didn't immediately recognise around me right then, as they were part of the new influx, but there was one I did.

I walked over to Bruno as he sat at the bar. More like, propped against the bar. Bruno is Michel's second. He's big and strong and like most vampires, striking to look at, but that's not what you notice when you look at Bruno. It's his eyes. They scream evil. Before I got to know Bruno better, I really did think he was better kept at arms length, hell at a barge pole or longer length if possible. But it's all for show. Bruno used to bounce at the front of the many bars and clubs that Michel owns, he took great delight in scaring the Norms. He doesn't scare me quite so much any more.

Bruno is also one of only two vampires I have ever glazed. Another Nosferatin power, one I don't think had emerged before me. I feel rather protective of him now, like I have violated him somehow and I need to make it up to him. Vampires glaze as a standard, it's their way of controlling the Norms and keeping themselves hidden. I don't approve of it. I never have. So, when I realised I could glaze a vampire, it was a mixed blessing. It's got me out of a tight situation before and helped me get to Michel when he needed me. But, it's not something I'm proud of and I refuse to use it unless it's a last resort. Me or them kind of deal. If my life is on the line then I'll use it, but otherwise, I'm on my own.

It's just the kind of girl I am. I have standards. Someone's got to.

“Hey, Luce.” Bruno's voice is always gruff and low, a bit gravelly.

“Hey.” I slid into the seat next to him and Doug, the barman, came over to pour me a drink.

“It's a bit early, isn't it Doug?” The sun hadn't set after all.

“I think you could do with one, Luce. You look a little pale.” He poured me my usual, a
Bacardi and Coke
,
pushed it across the bar and went down the other end. Doug's a man, or vamp, of few words. You'd think being a bartender he'd have better communication skills, but he doesn't. I don't mind, I didn't really feel like talking anyway.

Bruno was nursing his own drink, swirling the ice around the bottom.

“It's always entertaining to be around you, Luce. Never go a week without someone after your arse. The Master's got his hands full with you, that's for sure.”

“I don't think he truly realised what he was getting himself into, do you?”

He laughed. “Hell no. But it's fun. Michel always did like to have a bit of fun.”

That was a bit too tempting to pass up.

“How long have you been with him, Bruno?”

“He turned me, I thought you knew that.”

So, that would be over 200 years, a long time for a vampire of Bruno's
Sanguis Vitam
to remain under another. I'd always thought there was more to Michel and Bruno's relationship than met the eye. I've never asked. I'll wait for the right opportunity, but first things first.

“What kind of fun has Michel had in the past?”

Bruno stilled slightly, but smiled at me, giving me the full force of his evil eyes. I have to be careful around Bruno, he's glazed me twice before, under Michel's instructions. I'm not usually that easy to glaze, but he caught me at a bad moment. The thing is, once you've been glazed by a vampire, it's easier for them to get a hold of you again. Like they've travelled the road and no longer need a map.

“Five hundred years is a long time to live, Luce. A long time. You get to experience everything. Nothing seems all shiny and new again. You have to find ways to keep you enthused, alive. Michel is a master at finding new ways to satisfy his hungers.”

I felt a little chill go down my spine. “Are you trying to scare me or warn me, Bruno?”

“Neither. It's just a simple fact.”

I stared at him, but all I could see was self assured knowledge. He wasn't pulling my chain, he was simply stating a fact, just like he said.

“Better I don't know the details then,” I said almost to myself.

“Luce. He has never, in all the time I have known him, ever felt for someone the way he feels for you. He may be experienced in many things, but when it comes to you, the Master ain't got it all sussed. Sometimes I wonder just which of you is the one in control.”