Moonlight Calls (Demon's Call Series Book 1) (10 page)

Ailis
rolled down all of the windows and punched the gas, letting the wind in her
hair dispel her bad mood.  Carrying out the coven’s dirty work always left her
in a foul mood.  Today it had only been threats, but it would lead to more. 
When her master was tired of toying with the fool who had been stealing from
him.  Deceit and treachery were as common in vampire society as they were in
human society, but there were no courts and jails among the vampires.  When you
got caught, you were dead.  If not, you probably wished you were. 

When Ailis
arrived at the huge Victorian monstrosity Argenou called home, she noticed an
unfamiliar car in the driveway.  Slipping from behind the wheel, she picked up
the scent of a strange vampire, someone she hadn’t seen at the coven house.

She made her way
to the old library where her master waited.  She flowed into the dark room
without knocking, and made her way straight to Argenou’s desk.  Although she
could sense other vampires in the room, she kept her gaze focused straight
ahead on the master.  To look around would show weakness and a lack of
confidence.  It would also be an affront to master Argenou.  One was expected
to focus their attention on the most powerful monster in the room.  She
resisted the urge to look into the blue eyes of the stunning blond man standing
behind Argenou’s chair.  The other vampire was powerful, but Argenou was master
here.  Dominic was just another of Argenou’s servants.  His right hand man,
true, but still a step or two below the coven leader.

She sank down on
one knee, bowing her head briefly before rising to address Argenou. “The
warning has been delivered, sir,” she said formally.

The soft light
that filtered in through the window glinted on the distinguished streaks of
silver in his fine, dark blonde hair.  The thin man smiled briefly in
anticipation of the kill, his eyes turning silvery.  “We have more pressing
matters now Ailis,” he said, bringing himself back to the matter at hand. 
“I’ve just heard a rumor that concerns you.”

He gestured to
the other vampires, the strangers lurking in the corner of the room.  “Please,
make yourselves at home gentlemen.  Your services are no longer required.”

The unfamiliar
vampires, thus dismissed, left the room.  Dominic remained, silent and watchful
as ever, in place behind the master.  Argenou leaned forward in his chair.

“I’ve just
learned that a clutch of rogues are planning to abduct your ward.”  Ailis
pressed her lips together in a grim line. 
Mya
.

“Of course, I
expect you to prevent them from taking my property.  I know you won’t
disappoint me in this matter,” he said gravely.  “I am confident that you can
handle a few worthless worms like this on your own.  Besides, we wouldn’t want
to draw attention to your pet just yet.”

Ailis knew that
Argenou hoped she would make Mya follow her.  Humans were much easier to
control when they were under sway.  But she continued to defy him in this one
small way.  Apparently, taking care of this alone was her punishment.

He held out his
hand, dismissing her.  She stooped and kissed the large ruby on his ring, then
turned on a heel and left the room.  She couldn’t believe the coven leader was
willing to risk Mya just to test her.  No.  She could believe it.  It was
exactly like him.  Anger bubbled up inside her, and she took a few deep
breaths.  Lashing out at him would hardly help matters.

If Ailis failed
to protect Mya, Argenou would punish her.  And he really enjoyed punishing
her.  She shuddered in revulsion.  Last time she’d disappointed him she hadn’t
been able to walk for a week.  Dominic had asked for the pleasure of
disciplining her, but his request had been denied.

Argenou didn’t
really care what happened to Mya.  She was just a potential tool.  If Mya was
attacked, her powers might jerk into play automatically, helping him to better
understand what, if anything, she was capable of.  If the rogues did manage to
take her, he would get her back, eventually.  The rogues were unaware that Mya
didn’t know how to use her powers yet. They would be annihilated by Argenou’s
men, and Mya would be back in his hands in a matter of hours.

Argenou was just
being practical; the rogues wouldn’t kill Mya because they intended to use
her.  But Ailis knew that wouldn’t stop them from having fun with her, and God
only knew what sick things they would do to her before Argenou got her back. 
Young vampires were notoriously lacking in control.  Ailis had seen newly
turned vampires kill their entire family.

 
One of these
days
, she thought fiercely, as she threw her gun in the car and peeled out
of the drive,
I am going to drive a stake through that non-existent heart of
his
.

It was past
eight by the time Ailis managed to get to the house.  Mya should be home by now
and the thought of the fiends waiting for her quickened Ailis’s steps as she
headed for the door.  She sensed the clutch of rogues as she approached. There
were six of them and they were all young.  The eldest- a short dark haired
youth, was no more than five or six years past turning. The fact that they were
still here was a good sign.  If they had taken Mya and run, she would have had
to waste precious time tracking them.  She tucked her gun into the waistband of
her pants as she approached the house.  There was no sense in rousing the
suspicion of the neighbors by firing shots unless absolutely necessary.

As she made her
way up the paved walkway toward the door, there was a soft scuff of sound. 
Ailis could feel the vampire’s aura rushing at her.  Her fangs elongated in
response and she felt her own aura grow, coating her in power.  She dodged
deftly and delivered a roundhouse kick to his kidneys as he sped by.  She felt
something crack under her foot and a low laugh spilled from her as she spun to
face her opponent.  Amateurs.

The shadow sped
at her again and she stood still, allowing him come.  He caught her from
behind, leaning close to tear out her throat.  She rabbit kicked him as hard as
she could, feeling the spiked heel of her boot sink deep into his thigh.  He
shrieked and dropped to the ground as she withdrew her foot.

 There was a
gratifying spray of blood across the sidewalk and she laughed again, high on
the rush of power and strength that made her what she was.  She’d hit the
femoral artery.  He would heal, but would lose a lot of blood in a short time,
making him weak.  She felt the other vampires approaching from inside the
house.  She had to wrap this up and move on.  It would be easier to take on the
others in close quarters.  Out here in the open, they would be able to surround
her.

Ailis pulled on
her powers and sped to the vampire’s side in a blur.  She delivered a vicious
punch to his diaphragm, knocking his breath out and shattering his sternum,
before slamming the heel of her hand into his nose, destroying it.  As he sank
to one knee she grasped his head, cupping her palm around his chin and twisting
viciously.  He crumpled lifelessly to the ground.  He could heal the broken
neck, but it would take time, and in the meantime he would be out of
commission.

She flowed into
the house in a blur.  Another vampire came at her and she felled him with one
swift kick to the chest, her heel penetrating his heart.  He dropped to the
floor twitching and she turned away.  The remaining four vampires fell on her
at once.  One picked up a long piece of wood from the broken bookshelf,
smashing it across the side of her head before she could dodge.  A wave of
dizziness washed over her and her vision blurred.  In the few moments it took
her to heal the damaged blood vessels in her brain, she was vulnerable.

She spun,
striking at one, then another, but they had her surrounded.  One vampire, a
blonde youth, managed to wrap an arm around her waist from behind, and as she
dealt a lethal blow to one of his companions, he sank his fangs into her neck. 
Her knees buckled briefly as a wash of pleasure followed the pain.

Luckily, Ailis
was old enough to keep her head under the onslaught of his power.  That one of
these worms would dare try to feed from her pissed her off, and her will surged
back.  She went limp and the surprised vampire dropped her as she sank to the
ground.  She planted her hands on the floor and swept one leg out, knocking him
off his feet. As he hit the ground she dove onto his body, viciously ripping
out his jugular vein, leaving him to bleed in a stupor of ecstasy as she dealt
with his two remaining friends.

They backed away
slowly as she crouched to spring.  “Where is Mya?” she growled, her rich alto
tones emanating power. 

One of the
vampires hissed and came at her.  She stood, driving her hand completely
through his chest, her fingers pointed like a spear.  As she flattened her hand
and drew it back, he bent his head and dug his fangs into her arm, ripping her
flesh in one last futile attempt as the life left his body.  She kicked his
body aside and flexed her fingers, satisfied that he hadn’t damaged any
tendons.  She grinned at the last vampire- the brown haired youth that seemed
to be their leader- and he retreated.

“We don’t have
her,” he hissed as he flowed to the door.  “The wolves beat us to it.”  Then he
was gone.

She heard a
shattering sound and peered out the front window.  The vampire with the broken
neck had healed and was trashing the yard in a rage.  He must be very new to
have such a lack of control.  His companion grabbed his arm and they blurred
into the night as they hurried away.

Ailis grimaced
and swayed where she stood.  She’d lost quite a bit of blood from the bites. 
She brushed a hand across her forehead and it came away bloody.  Sighing she
dragged the three bodies to the end of the driveway, dumping them in a heap in
the road before calling the coven house for a pick-up.

I was right. 
Christian didn’t take me to a ritzy French restaurant.  It was a ritzy Italian
restaurant.  Ailis called as we were being seated.  Against my better judgment,
I took the call.

I excused myself
to the entryway and swiped the talk button.  “Yeah, what?”  I answered
sulkily.  “I’m kind of busy right now.”  I heard her sigh on the other end.

“Mya, we really
need to talk.  How long have you been seeing this guy?” 
Oooh
I thought
snidely, now she’s jealous.

“Actually, I
only met him today.”  I said in a breezy, devil-may-care voice.

  “What?” she
snapped.  “Mya this isn’t a good idea.  I need you to come home right now.” 
Her voice caught.  She was getting really worked up over this.  “You have no
idea who he is.  He could be one of us, for God’s sake.”  The
us
of
course meaning vampires. What a marvelous thought.

 “Ailis stop
being paranoid.  He’s not...like you.”  I couldn’t bring myself to say the word
“vampire” in public.  She started to speak, but I cut her off.  “Look, I’ll
probably be out late tonight.  We can talk tomorrow, but right now, for once in
my life, I am going to enjoy myself.  And
I don’t
need your
permission!”

I heard her draw
a breath to try again, but I didn’t give her the chance.  “My date is waiting
for me.  I have to go.”  I hung up on her, and when she called right back I
resolutely put my phone on vibrate and tucked it away into my purse.

Christian was
waiting for me at our table, a troubled look on his handsome face.  “Is
everything well?”  He asked in concern. That little bit of lilt in his words
started a little glow inside me. 

“Fine.”  I
replied.  “My roommate was just calling to check in on me.  She’s insanely
paranoid.  I think she might have a personality disorder.”  A look of worry
crossed his face, and I frowned.  “Uh… that was a joke.”

He smiled
softly.  “It is good that she looks out for you.”  He was thoughtful for a
moment, as if considering his words carefully.  “You and your roommate are only
friends?”  He asked slowly.  I stared at him for a moment, my cheeks growing
hot.

“Um... yeah.”  I
said awkwardly.  “Just friends.”  What kind of question was that anyway?  I
shook my head.  If he only knew.

After stuffing
ourselves with the most wonderful food I’d ever tasted, we just sat and
talked.  He seemed in no rush for the night to end, and neither was I.  Once he
relaxed a bit, his cocky attitude seemed to flow away, leaving behind an
intelligent, easygoing personality that drew me to him like a magnet. We talked
for hours and I lapped up the attention like a kitten with a big saucer of
milk.

“You have just a
little bit of an accent,” I said, studying his features for some hint of his
heritage.  “Where are you from?”

He smiled, and
his green eyes flicked downward.  “Iceland, originally.  But I’ve lived in
America since I was very young.”  I grinned, thinking he must have some Viking
in his family tree.

My phone
vibrated in my bag and I started to reach for it but Christian took my hand,
stopping the motion.  He’d become more intense.  I looked into those deep green
eyes and felt little ripples of excitement curling through my stomach.  I found
myself wondering what it would be like to run my fingers through that long
black hair, what it would be like to have that wide mouth and those huge hands
caressing my body.