Decatur the Vampire (4 page)

His mouth left her neck. “You are mine.” He thrust long and hard into her.

At that moment Marduk completely believed it and she grabbed hold of a man she could not see and put her total faith in him to make her feel something she never had before. As the orgasm hit, Marduk stiffened as an unfamiliar feeling took hold of her body, making her shake and cry out over and over. “I love you.”

Chapter Three

“You are making no progress.” Archimedes’ voice was low and unforgiving.

“Fuck off,” Decatur responded as he walked past him.

Archimedes arched his eyebrows at his tone. Vampires were always pissy when trapped. Decatur was no different. “Marduk Howell is supposed to be with you.”

“I don’t have to be with her though.”

“But you will be.” Archimedes had not come this far to fail. The attitude of the blond vampire would not be his undoing.

Decatur stopped in his tracks, his shoulders tense as he turned to meet the eyes of his nemesis. “So your plan works? I’m tired of whatever your plan is.”

Baring his fangs, while impressive, did little to intimidate Archimedes. He’d been alive too long to be scared by anyone. “You owe me.”

“You should have let me rot like the others. I did not ask you to save me.”

No, he hadn’t. None of the four had. “I had my reasons as you know.” And Archimedes had no intention of being thwarted by a display of attitude now.

“I don’t care about your reasons.” Decatur glared at him.

There was such hatred in his eyes. That sort of passion was something that Archimedes could use. “You do. If the woman was of no consequence to you, Decatur, you would have taken her and used her like all of your other discarded victims.” Vampires were so obvious. They sucked and they fucked and then moved on for fresh blood. That Decatur was hesitating indicated he was aware there was more at stake here. “One week has passed.”

“So what?” Decatur’s teeth were gritted in fury.

“You are too slow with the woman. I thought vampires never let any desirable woman pass them by. Is it that she doesn’t interest you?”

“Go to hell.” Decatur turned his back on Archimedes and continued on to where he had been heading.

“Been there, done that, and not about to go back,” Archimedes called after him. “The truth will out, Decatur.”

“You know what? Stick your truth.” Decatur’s voice echoed back down the long corridor.

Archimedes smiled. He did so enjoy playing with the four of them. They were all filled with rage to find themselves trapped in this situation. Archimedes had not saved any of them out of the goodness of his heart. He didn’t have one of those. His thoughts focused on another of the captives. Sumerian. She was another he had saved against her will. She would vouch he was heartless. Sumerian had called him that many times. Not that her opinion mattered anymore. Archimedes would never allow that to happen again.

The great war of the immortal world had taken most by surprise but not Archimedes. He had long expected it. Too many factional powers all vying for control was a recipe for disaster. Hell wanted to rule, heaven wasn’t about to let them and the vampires just wanted to do what they had done for centuries without the interference of others. The others—the witches, goblins, fairies and the like—could be swayed by greed to follow one group or another. Their survival was different. They knew they could never rule but their loyalty could be bought. So with so many conflicting agendas it was only a matter of time before the immortal world imploded. Archimedes had made his move before that happened and in doing so he was stronger than any of the other survivors.

Humans would never know or understand the full-scale destruction that had occurred. When the immortals fought each other neither group cared for the damage they inflicted. And, while it was true that an immortal could not die, they could be horribly wounded and suffer those wounds for eternity. Everyone, despite genetic make-up, had weaknesses. It was just a matter of finding and exploiting them. Archimedes had done that and survived the war. Few immortals took him on. It was smoke and mirrors on his part. He was no stronger than anyone else. But those who loathed him, feared him, and none of them were game enough to band together to take him out. They could have done that so easily. But not now. It would be impossible and foolish of anyone to challenge him and they knew it. The immortal world was in tatters and Archimedes had kept his power intact.

“And now I have these four…” He was almost invincible. Archimedes smiled. Immortals hated to be indebted to anyone, let alone another of their kind. He wasn’t silly. Archimedes knew they were each plotting to thwart him. He would have been surprised if they weren’t. It was probably the first time in history that a vampire, a demon, a warlock and a fallen angel had to consider the merits of banding together. Not that they particularly liked each other. It was more they were stuck by circumstance to rely on the small group they had been thrust in.

The four immortals themselves were not that important. They were merely the conduits to greater power for Archimedes. His plan was to use them and discard them. Archimedes knew they were aware of that and that the end battle would not be easy but he was determined to win.

Archimedes’ thoughts turned to the mortals who were to become important to his plan. Normally he preferred not to deal with humans as they were so silly and weak. But deal with them he would as their offspring and who they would become was the key to his plan. It was amusing to think that the militant immortals were destined to mate with and produce greatness that Archimedes would then exploit. Of course none of them knew his plans. They were trapped to do his bidding and if they didn’t comply? Each of the four knew the cost of that. Killing an immortal could be very difficult, but was not impossible. Unlike other immortals these four were unique. They could be killed easily if one knew their weakness—and Archimedes did.

To his knowledge, no one else was aware of the medieval prophecy of the children of the ankh. It had fascinated Archimedes for centuries. Over the five hundred years he had walked the planet, he had searched for those with the ankh symbol tattooed on the left side of their neck. There was said to be only four of them, each unaware of the other or why they were branded with this symbol. But Archimedes knew. That’s why he had collected them together. It was all about power and the giving of eternal life. While Archimedes was immortal and unable to die, there were those that he wanted to see live again. The prophecy was that the offspring of those branded with the ankh, though part mortal, would be able to resurrect the dead. There were many mortals who Archimedes wanted to see life breathed back into. They were those who had led, beaten, terrorized and entranced the world. He wanted the power of life and death, to pick and choose who lived in the mortal world. Archimedes couldn’t do that now but through his immortal prisoners and those humans they were fated to be with, he could. Once those children were born, he could dispense with their parents.

So he saved the vampire Decatur, Amory the warlock, the belligerent demon Morphos and the feisty and flawed fallen angel, Sumerian. Each was marked with the ankh. Each was plotting to overthrow him and escape. But he would not allow that to happen as he knew their flaws. That was what gave him strength. While the authority of the tattooed ankh made them powerful, it also made them weak. Nothing, in whichever universe one came from, was ever bestowed without a price. Archimedes did not want to destroy any of the four just yet. That would destroy his plans. While each of them knew he had a goal in mind, they were also aware that Archimedes could destroy them. Like anyone who had lived for centuries and knew no other life, they were not about to give that up. So they went along with him until they could find the chink in his armor to free themselves.

“I just saw your vampire. He looks rather peeved.”

Archimedes looked at his assistant Vulcan. He liked to understate things like that. It amused him. There could not be anyone who looked less “Vulcan”-like than the demon beside him. His thin frame and weak features gave him the look of someone who was a pushover. But Vulcan was anything but. Few immortals, Archimedes included, knew what he really looked like.

“He’ll get over it. Decatur knows he has no choice.” Unlike Vulcan. Archimedes was still not sure why he was his assistant. That the fair-haired, bespectacled man had an agenda was undoubted. What it was, no one knew. But like the old saying, Archimedes believed in keeping his enemies close.

“They’re an angst-ridden bunch,” Vulcan observed, his eyes never leaving the other man’s face.

Archimedes was unfazed at the intensity of his bright, blue eyes. They were meant to intimidate but he was not one to ever allow himself that emotion. Vulcan had been alive longer than most immortals. No one knew exactly how long. Some said thousands of years. Most would never know. Vulcan played his cards very close to his chest.
So why are you with me, ancient one?

“Too bad.” The emotional well-being of his four puppets was not Archimedes’ problem. They were a means to an end. Besides, immortals never broke down as humans did. They just destroyed other immortals to disperse their rage.

“What about Sumerian?”

Archimedes’ smile was thin lipped. He knew what Vulcan was trying to do. He would not allow any perceived weakness of his own to thwart his plan. “It is pointless loving someone you cannot have, Vulcan. I’m sure you know that only too well.” That Vulcan flinched slightly was all Archimedes needed. Everyone had a weakness to exploit.

* * * * *

Decatur kicked a chair across the room. That he was stuck in this position made him madder than hell. He was trapped. He knew it and Archimedes was enjoying every moment of it. “Bastard.”

“You allow him to get to you,” said a deep, knowing voice.

Decatur turned to see the warlock, Amory. He had the ability to appear without a sound. It was unnerving and Decatur knew he should have been more watchful. He never normally let anyone approach him without his knowledge. But then, these were not normal circumstances. They hadn’t been since the war.

It had not surprised Decatur that war had erupted in the immortal realm. But then he was a vampire and very little, if anything, shocked them. Vampires by their very nature were selfish, contained individuals who only did what they wanted when they chose to. They lusted after two things. Blood and sex. The petty factional wars did not concern them. But Decatur expected the war, the chaos and the smell of death. He was ready for it. He took no sides but his own. Then Archimedes came along.

“I will save you,” the man with the glittering, golden eyes and skin had told him a month ago before war had broken out.

“I don’t need saving, Archimedes.” Everyone in the mortal world knew who he was. He was a skilled manipulator who used and abused anyone who was in a position to aid him in his quest for more power. The problem was, Decatur was neither a team player nor sycophant and he looked to no one for help.

“This war will kill many.”

Death was not an issue Decatur ever contemplated. That happened to others. The Hollywood stake-through-the-heart killing of his kind was as funny as it was incorrect. “I am as immortal as you are.”

“Yes, in theory, but I happen to know that which would kill you, vampire.”

It took every nerve in the vampire’s body not to flinch. “You’re bluffing.” Yet even as he said that Decatur knew by the tone of Archimedes’ words he wasn’t. How did he find out? Only two people knew his weakness. One was dead and the other had sworn a blood oath not to tell anyone. But then everyone had a price. Mortimer clearly had his.

“Yes, it was your friend Mortimer. He expected a lot of gold in payment.” Archimedes nodded his head in confirmation. “Problem for him was his greed was his downfall and some goblins who wanted payback for a crime he had committed on their queen. Sucking and fucking their sovereign lady is a big no-no. They were happy to take half the gold to maim him so terribly that he can never walk or speak again. As for his cock, the goblins have that in a nice little jar in their temple.” Archimedes shivered in mock terror. “Goblins are such nasty little bastards—but useful.”

Yes, they were. Decatur had seen their deadly handiwork on other victims. They liked long, sharp knives that could cut through tendons and sinews leaving their victim alive but wishing they were dead.

Archimedes continued. “Do you want me to tell you your greatness weakness? It’s actually quite funny when you think about it. Fancy a mean-hearted vampire being scared of such a small thing.”

“Go away and bother someone else. I’m busy.”

“Oh, but I can’t. I need you for my plan.”

It was then that Decatur felt the invisible noose around his neck. “I plan for no one but myself.”

“That has now changed, Decatur, and I believe you know it.”

And Decatur had. This was not about saving him from a war. It was about Archimedes using him to gain something. But what? Decatur was no better or stronger than any other vampire.
So why me?
Decatur had cursed inwardly as he watched Archimedes. He looked pleased with himself. He knew Decatur was cornered and for the first time in the three hundred and fifty years he had been alive, someone else knew his weakness. That was unacceptable. Decatur liked his life. He loved being immortal. To have that threatened by this man made him feel pathetic for the first time ever. Of course he would never betray what he felt. Letting your enemies know any more than they had to was asking for even more trouble. It galled Decatur that Archimedes had him over a barrel. And he wasn’t the only one. He soon found out about the other three. They were as screwed as he was. But that was their problem.

Unlike Amory, Decatur was not there to make friends. Decatur was out to survive and destroy Archimedes. No one used Decatur like this without penalty. He knew it would take a while but he would bring the golden-eyed man down.

Decatur surveyed the tall, auburn-haired man before him. He looked ordinary and average yet Decatur knew warlocks were anything but. They often pretended otherwise to gain the confidence of their targets. Decatur would never stand still long enough for that to happen. “Did I ask your opinion, warlock?” There was no point baring his fangs as it did little to deter another immortal as it would a human.