Vampire Thirst (4 page)

Yara picked up a towel from the bathroom and started drying her spiky-short hair. “I don’t know. Who
is
this guy?”

Sam sat on the bed and crossed her legs. “I only met him once. We were at that mission in Manchester, remember? The murders in the fae community?”

“Yes, that’s right!” Yara said with her typical Latin fervor. “I stayed behind and you and Z flew to Geneva to meet an informant.”

Sam smiled. Yara’s enthusiasm was so contagious. “The meeting happened at a popular BDSM nightclub there. The whole thing was so surreal.”

“How come?”

 Sam pursed her lips and tried to define Phillip. Hmm, quite impossible. “I think he makes me uncomfortable.”

“Hon, the whole male gender makes you uncomfortable.”

Sam gave her a knowing look. “Very funny. What I mean is that he’s very charming and seductive, but his eyes are cold as ice. You know there’s a double-crossing viper behind the alluring façade.”

“So, don’t go meet him.” Hikuro’s low voice came from the door, which was now open.
How did he do that?
 

“You know, it’s impolite to eavesdrop,” Sam snapped.

“I don’t like the sound of this. It seems this Phillip is untrustworthy,” Hikuro announced, ignoring her protest altogether.

“Z says he has an infinite network of connections. If anyone knows what Yerik was doing here, he does,” Yara pondered.

“And he did give us the info that took us straight to the killer’s den when we were in Geneva,” Sam added.

“But didn’t he also sell your whereabouts to the killers?” Hikuro asked.

Sam’s wide eyes met Yara’s.
How did he know that?
 

“We also have an infinite network of connections,” Hikuro said, answering their unspoken question.

He took a few steps in. The room suddenly felt too small.

Sam lifted her head up. She would not be intimidated by him. “I don’t care what you think; I’m going to meet with him.”

Hikuro’s eyes flashed red. That was the only hint of annoyance on his stone face. “Let me wire you then.”

“No need. I can take care of myself.”

“You’ll need back up.”

“I said I can take care of myself.”

“I’m not leaving you unprotected.”

“I’m not wearing any wire.”

“Children!” Yara shouted. “Let’s take a deep breath.”

Sam crossed her arms. In the corner of her eyes she saw Hikuro do the same.

Damn him! Sam knew Yara had hit a nail. She
was
acting like a child but Hikuro drove her insane sometimes.

“OK, let’s ponder the pros and cons, shall we?” Yara said in a level tone that was so not her usual. “If you go with the microphone, Sam…”

“I said I’m not…”

Yara lifted her palm. “Just hear me out. If you’re miked up, we can back you up if things go sour. It’s just a precaution.”

Sam took a deep breath. Damn it, they were right – but she was so not giving Hikuro the satisfaction of knowing it.

“I’m going to check on the meeting request,” Sam said and walked out the door.

For the third time that night, Sam felt her heart race. She was losing it again. She needed air. Now. She sped down the long corridors, then out the door and down the street to Hackney Wick tube station, where she caught the first train out. The carriage was empty and the constant sound of metal on the rails soothed her in a weird way. She had grown up travelling on those trains. She knew them; she could cope with them.

A while later, the voice on the intercom announced that Kentish Town West was the next stop. Zoricah’s home was in Camden Town; that’s why she had chosen a specific public bench in Kentish Town for the “go ahead” signal. Sam grimaced. Zoricah’s home
used to be
in Camden Town. It had now been blown up and burned to ashes. Sam would miss their time there. It had been her first home after Zoricah freed her from the mental asylum.

Sam went up the long flight of escalators, then left the station. Crossing Dalby Street, she entered Talacre Gardens. It was quite dark and there was no one around. After just a few feet, she spotted the bench she was looking for. A small cross had been drawn on one of its legs. Her heart accelerated. Phillip had agreed to the meeting. But he didn’t know that she was attending it, not Zoricah.

Right. Time to prepare and meet with the dragon.

Sam turned on her heels and started to make her way back to the station. Two bulky men appeared a few feet away, blocking her path.

Shit.

Sam looked around and saw two others, just on the edge of the children’s sand pit.

Shit, shit, shit.

She turned on her heels and walked in the opposite direction but the muffled thumps on the ground told her they were coming after her. There was no way she could simply escape them. She took a deep breath and ignited her energies. She felt the familiar electric charge run along her arms, then down her legs. But instead of staying put, the surge burst out, covering every single part of her body.
What in Hiad?
She stopped and forced her mind to focus, but she couldn’t think properly.

Feeling the men on her heels, she turned around and pointed her hands toward the closest pair. May Apa Dobrý help her take control.

White thunder shot out of her arms and hit both stalkers in the chest, propelling them into the air. Sam was thrust backwards with the impact and crashed down onto the wet grass. Her head swayed. It felt like she had drunk a bottle of vodka in one gulp.

Crap, too much energy. She should have known better. Every time she charged too much power, her body sagged afterwards. But she had no time for a nana nap now; in the corner of her eyes, she saw the other two men running toward her. Sam swallowed dry and pushed up off the ground. Her legs buckled underneath her, and back down on her ass she went.

Oh, fuck.

She needed to call Yara. Call for back up. She patted her pocket but no cell. Damn it! They had thrown all their cell phones away, hadn’t they? Sam forced her limbs to obey and tried standing up again. Too late. She felt a tight grip on her arms, then she was airborne. Golden eyes met hers and she heard the two men talking but her fuzzy mind couldn’t register the words. Her head wobbled downward and she realized the man was holding her up off the ground by the shoulders, as if she were made of feathers.

They weren’t human.

Panic kick-started her brain again. She lifted her left foot with everything she had and kicked the guy’s groin. It worked. He grunted and let go of her. This time around, her legs obeyed and she managed to land on her feet. She lifted her fists and punched him in the face.

He simply smiled.

Sam didn’t think twice. She ran for her life. But after just a couple of strides, large hands grabbed her ankles, propelling her face down onto the grass. She turned around and kicked her attacker, but he was faster and stronger. The more she kicked him, the tighter his grip on her other ankle got. A second pair of hands grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up. An unbearable pain shot up her already aching head. She grunted and kicked even harder, but now both her legs were restrained by heavy hands.

This was it, Sam thought. This was her end. There was no way of escaping these men.

Out of nowhere, she felt her ankles go free and her hair tumble over her shoulders.

What the…?

Sam sat on the ground, completely flabbergasted. Her two attackers were down on the ground, their throats slit. Dark red blood oozed out of their dead bodies.

A tall, lean figure towered above them.

“Hikuro!” Sam shouted. Rage suppressed what would otherwise have been gratitude. “Did you follow me here?” she growled, getting to her feet.

“Yes.”

She looked at him, waiting for an explanation. It never came.
Unbelievable!

“What in Hiad were you following me for?”

“You left without telling us where you were going.”

“And that’s a good excuse for you to tag along uninvited?”

He just looked at her. His expression was as readable as a statue’s.

“I told you before, Hikuro, I can do this by myself.”

“It didn’t look like it a few seconds ago,” he replied in the most annoyingly even tone.

Sam felt her limbs shake with rage. She knew she was acting like a ten year old, that he was right – if he hadn’t arrived in time, she’d have been in big trouble
–
but his presence, his inability to trust her, his judgmental stone face made her forget all her years of training, and her good reasoning went flying out the door.

“Stay away from me,” she growled, then turned on her heels and walked away before she fried his pompous ass to Hiad.

Chapter 4

Wyvern angled his wings and landed swiftly on top of the clearing. A shower of shooting stars lit up the dark skies above the Far East Mountains. He turned around and saw several other leathery wings approaching. He stretched his long neck, lowered it to the ground – the traditional greeting amongst dragons. One by one, his visitors flew past him and crossed the threshold of the sacred cave. It had taken him a long time to assemble this extraordinary session, but the situation had become much too serious to be ignored. As the external liaison for the Draconian Senate, it was his duty to report any potential threats to their race.

He followed the other members down into the deep alcove and poised himself on his hind legs. They were all there
–
Long-Chi, the Chinese dragon lord, Evren, lord of the seven seas, Balaur, the Romanian dragon lord, Lindworm, the Scandinavian dragon lord, and himself, Wyvern, the fifth member of the Draconian Senate, and lord of the British territory.  

“Gratitude, my fellow members, for answering my call on such short notice.”

“This is awfully unprecedented, Wyvern,” Lindworm replied. “We meet only once every decade to avoid surprise attacks from our enemies.”

“And this is the second summit we’ve had this year alone,” Long-Chi added. “I don’t care much for these disruptions.” As one of the oldest dragons alive, nearing his second millennia, he had long ago lost interest in the outside world.

“Apologies for disturbing your resting season, Long-Chi, but there are pressing matters to discuss.”

“So let’s get this over with,” Long-Chi grumbled, then stretched his long, scaled wings on the stone floor.

“I have unsettling news from the west,” Wyvern said. “My sources have informed me that the draconian demigoddess and the vampire king have forged an alliance.”

“Dragons have associated themselves with other species in the past, Wyvern,” Evren stated with a yawn. “This is hardly breaking news.”

“And we must remember it was your idea to send Zoricah to the new world in the first place,” Balaur growled.

“From memory, I suggested we hire the demigoddess to find Lindworm’s missing daughter,” Wyvern retorted. “Only the Soartas knew Deirdre was being held inside the vampire king’s territory.”

“And I am grateful for that,” Lindworm said with a slight bow. “My daughter has returned safe and sound to our home.”

“I never trusted those blood suckers. For all we know, they could’ve kidnapped your daughter and tricked us into their web of lies.” Balaur’s stern voice echoed in the cave.

“Yes, yes, Balaur, we are very much aware of your dislike toward the vampires,” Evren replied. “You made it very clear when you dragged us all into war two hundred years ago.”

Balaur huffed in reply. His black scales lifted as a short flame left his nostrils.

“What sort of alliance have they forged?” Lindworm asked Wyvern.

“There are rumors that they are to be mated.”

“Excuse me?” Evren asked, flabbergasted.

“That’s impossible,” Lindworm snorted. “No vampire king would be stupid enough to choose a dragon as his queen.”

“My source is very reliable.”

“I’ll get my boys to confirm it then,” Balaur snarled.

“Are you implying I perjure?” Wyvern lowered his nozzle and glared at his fellow senator. He knew his news was not going to be welcomed, but he would not stand to be called a liar.

“Calm down, you two. There’s no need to get aggravated over this small matter,” Evren said, hoping to placate the others.

“Small matter?” Balaur raised his voice and his large trunk. “This vampire kid is even more devious than his father. And only the Soartas know how unpredictable that demigoddess is.”

“What proof do you bring us, Wyvern?” Lindworm asked. Always the pacifier.

“I have witnesses who claim they have…fallen for each other while working together to rescue your daughter.”

Silence descended in the cave.

“If this is true and the vampire king is in accord with Zoricah…” Evren pondered.

“It can mean only one thing,” Balaur finished Evren’s sentence. “Tardieh plans an attack on us.”

“This outcome may not be his true intention,” Lindworm deliberated.   

“Why else would he want to get tangled with a draconian whore?” Balaur bellowed. “I’m telling you, she’s relaying our secrets to him, helping him to win the Romanian territory his father lost two hundred years ago. We must strike before he does.”

“And start another bloody war over a rumor? I don’t think so,” Lindworm replied.

“What say you, Long-Chi?” Wyvern asked their oldest member.

Long-Chi stretched his wings and huffed out a long breath. As always, he had been silent the whole time the others quarreled for common ground. “Three millennia ago, we all lived harmoniously in Apa Sâmbetei. Consumed by greed, the vampires stole the sacred chalice of life and hid it on this mortal plane, Terhem Viahta. Apa Dobrý held us all accountable, for we were all brothers and sisters, creations of the divine quintet. And as such, we were condemned to live here until the chalice was restored to its birth place.”

Wyvern, like the other dragons knew the old tale well, and like the others, he stood in silence, in respect for one of the oldest dragons alive.

Long-Chi looked up. A crack in the ceiling provided them a glimpse of the starry sky above. A lonely shooting star dashed past. “Showered skies. Bad omen of unsettling times.”

“With respect, Long-Chi,” Evren said with a bow, “after the Great Treachery, the vampires have not been the only ones to blame for the discord in the world.”