One night while making love, we opened a new link that created a bond. I tried not to think about the one Alexis and I had created or the brief stay at our beach house. It sometimes seems as if it never happened. One day when I was feeling particularly sad, I realized I could use the links that connected me to those I cared for to see them. I knew this was like spying or looking through someone's open window, but I told myself that my only purpose was to make sure my family was safe.I began with Paul because I figured he would not know that I was spying. I could tell that he was alive and well in a distant land. I ended the connection before he could detect me. I linked with Tige long enough to sense he had fallen in love with a human who had come to stay in one of the safe houses that he protected.And then I dared to follow the link that belonged to Alexis. Why I had not thought to do this before I can't say, but I felt him turn toward me the instant I touched our connection. We
If you kill a Vampire in a fair fight, all of his or her property reverts to you. I owned Johan's house, his blood donors, and his seat on the Vampire Council. I'd gone from a lowly Third Generation illegally turned by a Rogue and set to be put to death to become a Master Vampire and a Council member because of a broken piece of wood. But we don't talk about that …A year after Johan's demise, Tyler was transformed. Gone were the revealing dresses that Johan had forced his women to wear. She had worked out until her tall slim body was taut with wiry muscles. She kept her black hair short in a boy cut and mainly wore T-shirts and black leather pants. She looked like a biker chick gone Goth, especially when she tooled around on her motorcycle. I don't know much about bikes, but Tyler rode an old school bike that I hear is supposed to be pretty uncomfortable. Women seldom chose the bike because it left you wide open. The driver has to sit with his or her legs splayed out in front and has
Tony cleaned up and left shortly thereafter. Since I was going to a Council meeting I showered again. Vampires were notorious for smelling sex on you and then telling you about it. I dressed in red. The Council had no sense of style so I liked to show them a thing or two. I wore a red, sleeveless turtleneck and red pants that were super tight over my ass and thighs but flared out gradually at the knees until they showed only the tip of a red snakeskin shoes. A red duster completed the ensemble. I wore a gold watch encrusted with rubies and two of my favorite rings.Of course I also wore my crucifix hidden beneath my shirt. I wasn't going into the Council house without a weapon.I donned black, framed glasses that had red lenses. They were so dark that I don't think a human would have been able to see out of them.I walked out of the bedroom to an appreciate audience of three—Tyler, Karen, and Monica. "Ooh, girl," Karen said. "You look good!" Karen was one of my human donors. She
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah," I grunted.We both stood. Tyler tilted her head to expose the long line of her neck. I placed my hands on her shoulder and put up a mental wall to shield me from unwanted feelings or sensations. Vampires could do this naturally, but being a Third, I had to learn this talent in a different way. Paul, my confidante, my protector, and my friend taught me the trick. It works really well for me. But Paul was not someone who I wanted to think about when I was trying not to think about lust. I concentrated on Tyler's neck. I first sensed and then saw the pulse there. Hers always beat rapidly. My teeth lowered because I had the desire to eat. And there lies the source of the control. You didn't really make the teeth do what you want. It was like looking at your hand and saying "flex." You had to have a desire that would bring the teeth, like a desire to eat, a desire to fight, or a desire to intimidate. That was the big secret that took me so long to understand.
She pulled me back to her, and I was thankful. "Kim …" "I thought Alexis loved me." I then told Tyler about the place Alexis took us to in the spirit world while my punishment was taking place in the real world. I described the little beach house nestled between the rocks on that beautiful, isolated beach. I described how he picked me up to carry me across the threshold by making up some story about how the rocks were sharp. I described how he had returned us to a completely human state while we were in the spirit world, how he revealed that we were married, and how he told me he was in love with me. He had even told me something that I wasn't ready to admit—that I was in love with three different men, but no one man had to possess me. I was my own master, and it was my decision if I wanted to be with one, two, or all three. I told Tyler about the months of playing in the ocean and barbecues on the beach and making love in front of the fireplace. I told her how he cooked breakfast fo
I leaped over the couch and lunged for him, clawing him cleanly in the chest and snapping my fangs inches from his throat. He blocked me with a forearm and held my head away from him with his hand. I screamed as my fangs met nothing but air, and it was really pissing me off.Tony sent me flying backwards over the couch. He looked down at the claw marks on his chest. "I liked this shirt," his voice sounded incredulous.I picked up and threw the couch against a puke green loveseat. "I hate it!" I leaped at him again, but this time he caught both of my wrists and held me fast. "Kim!" he shouted.The crucifix slipped out during the struggle, and Tony grimaced with a growl and turned away. I kneed him in the balls, and though he doubled over, he still held on to my wrists.Gigi, the wench, sneaked over and ripped the crucifix from my neck.Stupid, stupid move.I twisted out of Tony's grip and leaped for Gigi's throat.Tony snatched and held the back of my neck, squeezing tender ski
I materialized in the lower level of the Council house where we usually held our meetings. It wasn't a formal meeting, so we didn't have the long table out. Everyone present was lounging on the modern furniture talking like old friends.Tony was conspicuously absent.I'm sure he had to change his shirt.Malarias, Alexis' replacement, stood alone by the fireplace with his old, stooped shoulders. He was at least a thousand years old and looked every bit of it. Someone had turned Malarias when he was eighty, and with his long white robe, he would have looked more at home in a monastery than a Vampire Council house. I didn't care for Malarias at all, because when Alexis had been trying to fight for my life, he was the one who resisted saving me.All eyes were on me when I approached."Where is Tony?" Cyrene asked me coolly. No one on the Council liked me. Cyrene thought I was too low class. Keada didn't like how I got on the Council. Frank wanted to have sex with me. Kaniji still bl
Then I knew she wasn't lying. Alexis had used his mind to bring me to climax. For me, though, he had made it most enjoyable."The last time that I tried to help 'myself,' Alexis pulled my tongue out of my mouth," Kaniji continued. "Of course, you know this because you were standing there watching him do it."My husband has been a very bad boy."Where is Alexis?" I asked. I had seen a different side of an evil man. I knew that there was more to him even if Kaniji didn't."He's been exiled," Kaniji said.I tried to hide my surprise. I didn't expect her to tell me anything. "What does that mean?""It means that he has to leave all he knows, his place on the Council, and … you."My breathing grew ragged. "Why is he being punished?"Kaniji smiled. "Now that's the million-dollar question.""A million dollars is nothing to us," I said. "What do you want in return for this information?""You have nothing that I want.""Not even Tony?"Her eyes flashed at me. "You would bargain away
"Are you ready, my love?" Alexis asked."I'm not sure," I said. "She's still so little."Alexis kissed the dark curls at the top of our daughter's head. "Tiye is strong enough to travel back to our realm. We've been here a year. Don't you miss home?""Yeah, but a year here is only like five minutes in the Above," I said."More like a few weeks," Alexis said. "The Ladies are anxious to meet their new niece."He gently lifted his sleeping daughter, tucking her blanket carefully around her body. She had just turned three months old and was as round and plump as a melon. Her thick, curly hair was sure to be as wild as mine was when I wasn't wearing the plaits that Oni put them in. She looked like us—my brown skin with Alexis' nose and Mona Lisa smile.Alexis had named her after an ancient Egyptian Queen who was the deity of light. Leave it to him to name his daughter after an angel and a queen.He carried her outside and stood on the porch staring out at a vast sea made by his own h
Paul smiled and relaxed. I led him to the study where Alexis was waiting. Alexis nodded in greeting."Alexis, thanks for agreeing to this meeting," Paul said.Alexis gestured to a throne. "Please, have a seat."Paul looked at the throne and sat. "Mmm, comfy."Alexis moved the other two thrones to form a triangle, and we sat."We saw the gathering video," Paul said. "We didn't know we were being filmed," I said."I figured as much," Paul said. "But you made a good point when you said that one supernatural group cannot rule over another. My Werewolf Council has been meeting for the last few days. We don't want a war with the Neratomay.""And we do not want a war with the Werewolves," Alexis said.Paul nodded. "We have been in discussions with the Alliance of the Supernaturals, and I expressed King's beliefs that if we do not work together then we will all fall together.""That's right," I said."After a lot of negotiation, the Alliance would like to extend an offer for you to
Ran continued. "We asked the Wolves to coordinate their attacks with ours, and that is all they agreed to do.""But what about the carnage that occurred in Epic Cu?" The Councilmember asked."Are you for real?" I asked in irritation. "There were hundreds of Rectors at that gathering! All it would have taken was for one of those Rectors to snap Alexis' neck before he could summon King to close the portal to the Underworld. We had to take out the Rectors and luckily the Alpha aided us or—well we wouldn't be here and you'd still be kissing the ass of your demon master!"Alexis put his hand on mine but Ignacio smiled in amusement. Will you be quiet! Cyrene snapped silently in my head.When has that ever happened? I snapped back.Ladies, Alexis interrupted. Now is not the time. My love, try to be more…diplomatic.Fine, I replied."We won that war by any means necessary," Alexis said, his voice annoyed. "We don't appreciate your line of questioning. Do you want to go back to the way
The Neratomay flashed themselves away once they were outside of Epic Cut. The Supernaturals carried away their dead and injured, and what was left inside of Epic Cu was blood, gore, and ash. Paul left with his pack, and Ran, King, Alexis, and I flashed back to our villa where King fell in an exhausted asleep.Alexis and I watched him with pride. "It could have gone so much different," I whispered."No." Alexis continued to gaze at King's small sleeping form. "Not if we understand King's true potential—this is the way it was meant to be."It was time discover the fallout so we turned on the radio and television. Many countries were in a state of emergency based on what had happened over the last several hours. News outlets and radio stations made announcements that people should stay indoors because there were reports of wild, strange beast attacks. Videos of humans turning into Vampires and using impossible speed to attack the beasts clogged the Internet. Supposed experts in the s
I moved from zombie to Wraith, pushing them through the portal and trying not to think about those they had possessed.The Wraiths will take you…Oni had said.I saw Alexis keeping King in the light flowing from the portal, but the portal had grown smaller.It was working!King was closing the portal to the Collective!As I zapped zombies and Wraiths, I noticed with surprise that the Supernaturals were fighting with the Neratomay to kill the zombies! When they ganged up and killed a zombie and the wraith left the zombie's body, I was able to zap the Wraith and send it back where it belonged."Aleawdat 'iilaa alealam alsuflii!" I chanted loudly along with King. Although I didn't understand the words, I could repeat them exactly.Then Ran, who still stood sentry beside me, began repeating the words. Alexis joined our chant, and that portal began shrinking even more.The larger Wraiths became bottlenecked trying to squeeze up and out of the shrinking portal. They were so freaking g
I stared at the center of the pentagram where so much power was streaming through to seek out vessels, as if that power was a thinking, conniving being. It infused its targets with power so they could fight for it. And Alexis thought that my son should face that? My little boy?"Alexis, he's just a baby!""He is a demon!" he said sternly. "He only pretends to be a baby because that's what you need, Kim. You have to know that it has been many years since our son was a baby."The way King talked to the Wolf Council, the way he seemed to understood so much and so easily, the way he commanded attention whenever he spoke. I didn't want my child to fight this battle, but Alexis and King both knew this was what King was meant to do.Alexis released me and turned toward the pentagram. He raised his hand and began pulling power from the portal in the center, pulling so much that he glowed with the unnatural light that the energy emanated.Paul squinted and stepped in front of me, preventin
Alexis raised his hand. "We learned the truth, secrets that have enslaved us all!" Alexis' nose began to bleed. He stumbled and swiped at the blood angrily and then raised it to show everyone. "Secrets that prevent me from speaking these truths. But you see! You see!"Ran glared out at the group. "We know, even if we can't speak it. But if you can read it in our heads, you will know this secret, too!"The pain was so sudden that I could not have taken a step. I couldn't even see! Buzzing filled my brain as instead of a dozen bees, hundreds of them seemed to fill my head. I had expected it and thought I was prepared, but there is no way to be prepared when someone is inside of you filling your brain to bursting!"Kim!" Paul shook me.I tried to open my eyes then realized they were open. I couldn't see!"Build your wall!" Paul shouted. "Build it now!"I tried to imagine the bricks—white bricks. White…but I could only see black vapors!Then Alexis was inside my head cutting through
I smelled Alexis and Ran, but so had Paul. He was already heading toward them. When we finally met up, I dropped Paul's clothes on the ground before him. He changed quickly back to a man while I stared up at the castle where more Neratomay than ever attempted to enter Epic Cu."Once we're inside we cannot flash ourselves out," I said.Paul narrowed his eyes. "You'll be trapped inside?"Alexis frowned, but Ran and I nodded.Paul slipped his shirt over his head and peered at the castle. "We can blow this bitch up.""Blowing up Neratomay won't kill us," Alexis said. "Not unless our heads are severed or our hearts pierced.""Why does this castle remind me of Hogwarts?" Paul asked.I smiled. "That's what I thought!""How do we enter?" Paul asked. "That entrance is a hopeless bottleneck." "You could enter through the front door once we're inside," Alexis said, pointing at the opening four stories up. "That's how we exited."Paul licked his lips. "I can make that jump.""Not as a
"You're behind this, aren't you? Somehow—"His head exploded. I flinched at the spray of gore. When it turned to ash, I brushed it off me."Which one of you did that?" I asked."He searched my head," Alexis replied."Well, warn a sister next time," I said.Then I felt a loud buzz in my head, and across the room another Elder's head exploded.This created more bedlam and screaming from Council members who flashed themselves away or who sought the aid of another Elder."Do you feel that?" Ran asked."I don't feel anything because these people are screaming and hollering so loudly," I said.They were the most cowardly individuals I had ever seen. These powerful Vampires sat here crying like wusses! The very Council members and Elders who had tortured and murdered other lower level Neratomay could only hide and cry when they met a foe they couldn't overpower. They were the very definition of bullies!Ran turned to me. "It's Paul.""Paul? How…?""I can still hear him from my tim