Blood Lust (13 page)
“You’ll die for this!” One of them, his face now twisted with rage, lunged at Alex.
Jason swung the butt of the AK at the guard’s head, laying him out cold. The other tried to turn and run from the room, but Tommy’s quarterback frame was blocking the doorway.
He delivered a punch that should have had the guard on his back, but the man merely staggered back a step and would have been on Tommy in an instant, if Alex hadn’t cracked him over the head with the butt of the AK he was holding.
“Whatever they’re doing to these guys sure makes them tough as nails,” Tommy said, grimacing and rubbing his knuckles. “The guy’s jaw was like a rock.”
“We have to get outta here,” Alex said. “If we’re the only ones out of the thrall like this one said, we could be in a lot of trouble!”
Dakar whirled round as Andrew entered his quarters, his expression one of comic surprise, quickly overtaken by suspicion. Then, not to Andrew’s surprise, a gleam of lust appeared in the demon’s eyes.
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Andrew gazed at the tall, imposing figure before him. Dakar was handsome without a doubt. His long golden hair framed a face that many would consider beautiful were it not for the malicious set of his mouth, which even when stretched in a smile, as it now was, retained an impression of evil.
“Well, well. To what do I owe this pleasure?” Dakar asked, unable to hide his smirk of satisfaction.
Andrew knew that demons had only a primitive form of mind reading, but he was careful to close off his thoughts as he replied, “I read your thoughts when last we were together,” Andrew replied, his voice low and sensual. “I’ve had time to consider them, and must agree they are more than flattering. Of course, then I was not aware of your beauty, being as you were in the form of my mortal lover.”
“Ah…” Dakar took a step closer to Andrew. “And what of your mortal lover?”
“I have left him. He no longer interests me.”
“Is that so?” Dakar grinned and reached out a hand to brush Andrew’s cheek. “Then you will not be upset to know he has joined my army.”
It took all of Andrew’s powerful self-control to not show his dismay at Dakar’s words.
He paused for only a split second to steady his voice. “Upset? Of course not. It was inevitable, I suppose. My being vampire was not enough for him. Being possessed by you gave him illusions of something he wanted more.” Andrew wasn’t quite sure where those words came from, but they seemed to please Dakar.
“Then he is a fool and unworthy of you,” Dakar said, spreading his arms wide in an arrogant pose, “while I, as you can see, outmatch him in every aspect. In looks, in power, and as you will soon discover, my sexual prowess is without equal.”
Andrew forced his expression to remain impassive even though he wanted to laugh out loud at Dakar’s hubris. Did he really believe what he’d just said? The demon took a step nearer and slipped a hand behind Andrew’s neck, pulling him in close. Their bodies touched and Andrew could feel the hard arousal at Dakar’s crotch. He strove to control the shudder of revulsion it brought him and fought even harder to disguise it when Dakar’s thick lips covered his in a hungry kiss.
He almost sagged with relief when a thunderous knocking sounded at Dakar’s door and the demon sprang away from him with a snarling curse. Left alone, Andrew hurried over to a large plate-glass window and peered through it. Below him, he could see a huge www.total-e-bound.com
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area, with a large number of men and women in military uniforms. Some were engaged in some kind of weapons drill while others showed off their martial arts skills. Behind him he could hear voices raised in anger, and the name Arturo.
They must have found his body
…
He turned away from the window as Dakar strode back into the room. “One of my men has been found murdered,” he snapped with a deal of impatience. “I must confer with my officers. They expect it.”
“Of course.” Andrew stood motionless as if waiting for Dakar to say more.
“You will wait here.” Dakar’s smirk was back. “We will continue when I return.”
Andrew nodded and smiled, the smile vanishing as soon as Dakar turned to leave.
Tommy. Gods, but I must find him before I try to release the humans from Dakar’s spell. He mind melded with Marcus. “
They have Tommy captive, and there is a strong force field
surrounding the humans
.”
“
I think it
’
s time we came in
,” Marcus replied. “
Keep Dakar occupied for as long as you can
while I try to shut down the force field.
”
Andrew shuddered. “
Marcus, you don
’
t know what you
’
re asking
…”
“
I think I do
.”
Andrew swore he could detect a chuckle in Marcus’ mind.
Surely not
. He flinched as Dakar strode back into the room, but the demon was too caught up in his purpose to notice.
“So now, Andrew…” Dakar stripped off his shirt, exposing his muscled torso, “I would like to see you naked.”
“What about the murdered man? How did it happen?”
Dakar made a gesture of impatience. “My officers are investigating. I have no time for that—better things await me here.”
“But he was one of yours—”
“Bah! He was of no significance. Now…” He reached out and tore Andrew’s shirt open.
“Yes, as I thought, perfection. I will enjoy fucking you, vampire, and you will enjoy my dominion over you.”
“Sorry.” Andrew placed his hands on Dakar’s hard chest and pushed him back. “You are working too fast for me. I don’t fuck within minutes of meeting someone—even someone as handsome as yourself,” he added, thinking he should stroke the demon’s ego, if not his body. “You could start by offering me a glass of wine or—”
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“We have no time for that!” Dakar glared at him. “Tonight my army will stage an assault on the forces led by Lord Kardis. The plan to open the portal to the Underworld is underway even as we waste time here!”
Is it now
…
?
“
Marcus, did you hear that?
”
“I did. We are inside and have met with no resistance so far…”
“Any sign of Tommy or Alex?”
“Not yet…”
“What’s going on?” Dakar threw Andrew an ugly look. “You are preoccupied with something other than myself. How can that be? What are you up to, vampire?” He grabbed Andrew in a powerful bear hug, their bare chests slapping together with considerable force.
“You think you can play me, eh? I know what you want, and there’s no one who can give it to you better than I.”
“So sure of yourself?” Andrew pushed his way easily out of Dakar’s embrace.
The demon grinned at him. “While I had possession of your lover’s body, I was privy to his thoughts—scrambled though they were I detected remnants of a conversation you and he had about immortality. You wished to reverse it, to live your life as a mortal man, to share that life with Tommy. Is that not so?”
“It was so. It matters not at all now.”
“I think you’re lying. What if I told you I know how this can be done?”
“Then I’d think you were lying. Even Marcus said it was impossible. How is it possible for you to know the secret, and not Marcus?”
“Marcus!” Dakar spat out the name with contempt. “He who thinks he knows all—yet in reality, knows nothing. He would keep this secret from you to keep you at his side, regardless of your wishes.”
“Then tell me how it can be done.”
Dakar chuckled. “The secret lies with the Talisman of Ardocan. Have you heard of it?”
Andrew shook his head. The Talisman of Ardocan? Surely Marcus would have heard of this if it existed…
“It has the power to reverse all things, even time itself,” Dakar continued airily. “With it in your grasp you could become human again.”
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“The Talisman of Ardocan is a myth…”
Andrew recognised the whispered words inside his mind as coming from Marcus.
“Do not believe Dakar, Andrew. He is merely trying to keep you
at his side. Joseph and I are inside…stall him for as long as you can.”
“And where is this talisman?” Andrew asked, side stepping Dakar’s attempt to reach for him.
“After I fuck you, vampire,” Dakar said, smirking. “After you suck my cock and give every part of yourself to me. After I have feasted on your blood and tasted the essence of the blood lust, then I will tell you the location of the talisman and how it will help you regain your mortality.” He reached for Andrew, his mouth open in readiness to claim Andrew’s.
Sorry, Marcus, can
’
t do this!
Andrew wrenched himself from Dakar’s embrace, this time showing his vampire strength, ready to beat the demon senseless if necessary. Dakar’s growl of annoyance was cut off by the sound of a screeching alarm and once again there came a thunderous knocking on the door. This time, though, the room was suddenly filled with armed men—all of them demons—and all of them showing their amazement at Dakar’s and Andrew’s states of undress.
“Dakar!” One of them, a big burly demon with long black hair and wickedly small eyes, glared at his leader. “Our defences have been compromised, Arturo has been murdered and you—you are pleasuring yourself with this…this
vampire
! What are you? Our commander or a misguided fool?”
“You dare speak to me in that manner, Bazul?” Dakar grabbed his shirt and pulled it on quickly. “I will deal with your insolence later. Right now you will inform me how we came to be compromised and by whom!”
“We don’t know by
whom
,” Bazul yelled, his piggy eyes fastened on Andrew. “But who is this vampire? He could be a spy, someone who helped breach the force field.”
“Impossible,” Dakar snapped. “He was here with me when the alarm went off and when you reported Arturo’s murder.”
“Shouldn’t you all perhaps be investigating this breakin?” Andrew said. “Suspicions and recriminations can wait, surely, until whoever has broken in has been captured.” He moved towards the door as he spoke, the demons gaping at him with surprise.
So Marcus was right
—
demons
are
slow-witted
.
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Bazul pushed him out of the way as he blundered into the corridor behind Andrew.
More men were running towards them. “Sire!” one breathlessly addressed Bazul. “There are three renegades among us. They overpowered two guards and are armed.”
“This is your doing,” Bazul yelled at Dakar, spittle flying from his lips in his fury.
“Dallying with this vampire instead of staying alert and in command. You are not worthy of our support!”
He turned to stride away, but Dakar pulled a knife from his belt and flung it with deadly accuracy, the blade striking Bazul between his shoulders blades. The big demon screamed then fell forward and lay still. Andrew guessed the knife blade to be poisoned for it to have killed the demon so quickly.
“So die all traitors,” Dakar hissed, glaring at the others who stood staring at Bazul’s lifeless form. He bent to retrieve his knife from Bazul’s body. “Now, we will gather our forces together and take the throne from Kardis. If anyone else wants to challenge me, let that”—he gestured with contempt at the fallen demon—“let that serve as a lesson to you all.”
Silently the demons and human guards followed Dakar, Andrew tagging along behind.
Earlier, he had been aware of Tommy’s cry for help, but had been unable to respond without giving away the real reason he was in Dakar’s stronghold. He knew without a doubt that Tommy was one of the ‘renegades’. Now he had to make sure he could reach him before Dakar took his army through the portal.
“Andrew, the Vampire Council has been successful in gaining Kardis’ cooperation.
When the portal opens, Dakar has a surprise awaiting him.”
Marcus’ message was welcome. It looked like Dakar’s plans would come to nothing, but uppermost in Andrew’s mind now was finding Tommy, and hopefully Alex, and getting them to safety. For if Kardis’ army surged through the portal, not only would Dakar’s demon soldiers be in the line of fire, but the human recruits also.
Ahead of him Dakar’s guards threw open two massive doors revealing impressive lines of uniformed men and women, human and demon, all armed and standing to attention, obviously awaiting Dakar’s orders. He could sense vampire presence near him and new it to be Marcus and Joseph, cloaked in invisibility. Roger and Micah, not yet having attained that particular power, would be waiting somewhere nearby for the right moment to join them. As Andrew watched, a group of guards marched in escorting three men within their ranks.
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Tommy, Alex and a man Andrew did not recognise were dragged in front of Dakar.
Tommy must have put up a fight. His face was bruised and his arms bleeding.
Tommy! Marcus, they have beaten him…
“Steady, Andrew…”
Marcus’ warning sounded loud and clear in Andrew’s mind and he forced himself to control his desire to smash Dakar’s head to a pulp then rip out his throat.
Dakar turned and flashed a vicious smile at Andrew. “See, vampire, how your ex-lover scorns not only your affection, but also my commands.” He waved a hand at the guards.
“Kill them, all three.”
“No!”
Any vestige of the control Andrew had steeled himself with disappeared as he launched his power at the guards, knocking all of them off their feet and sending them tumbling into the ranks of the waiting soldiers. Marcus and Joseph revealed themselves and were joined by Roger and Micah, the four vampires sending out waves of power that freed the humans of Dakar’s thrall. Confusion erupted as the bewildered humans milled about trying to figure out where they were and why they were wearing uniforms.
