you
and Tegan’s mate.”
“Ah,
yeah. If there had been another way.”
“I know, friend.
If it could have been avoided you would have. Unfortunately, we needed Oman’s
Seal at any cost. I’m just sorry you were forced to do something so against
your nature.”
“Lately, we all
are called to do things we would never dream ourselves capable of.” The regret
in his voice hung like a heavy pall in the silence between them a moment before
Lucien cleared his throat. “You think this Lemurian had something to do with what happened to Zeke in Atlantis?”
Temple gave a
humorless laugh. “You can bet on it.”
“From what I’ve
been told things were touch and go with him for a while.”
“Getting stabbed
in the heart can do that to a person,” Temple remarked drily. “Look, be
careful, Lucien. Whatever Amari has planned it’s going to be deadly, and I
would hate to have you in the crossfire.”
“You know me,
I’m always expecting trouble, and when you put a female in the mix it’s always
guaranteed.” Lucien barked out a humorless laugh. “I’ll try to keep upwind of
the woman.”
“I wish I could
order you out of the city, but I need you too much at the moment.” As Temple
disconnected the call, a heavy dread settled in his stomach like dead weight.
He knew something bad was brewing. He wondered for the first time in his long
two hundred years of living, if he would be around when the debris settled.
Chapter Seven
The clang of
steel echoed in the deserted parking lot as two men fought within a pale circle
of light from the streetlight above them. A chain-link fence surrounded the two
combatants as they circled each other looking for any weakness they could
exploit. The hum of humanity underscored the sound of battle adding a surreal
quality to the war raging within the small circle of light. Fremont Experience
may still be in full swing several blocks away, but at that moment it was a
world away from the deserted streets and derelict buildings on this part of old
town. Even the homeless stayed far away from the area when darkness fell,
leaving it to the monsters that stalked the night.
Cody lunged at
the feral vampire, his body a blur as he twisted, angling his sword in a deadly
arc aiming for its throat. “Time to die, asswipe .”
The
feral jerked back, barely missing the blade. He hissed,
showing fangs dripping with green poison, eyes glowing with red fire. “Don’t
think so, youngling. You’re barely into your fangs, and you think you are a
match for me?”
Cody snarled at
the feral, letting his own fangs lengthen. “I’m so going to kick your fucking
ass.”
“You can try,”
he taunted, swinging his own sword toward Cody’s throat. “Older ones than you
have died in the attempt.”
Ducking under
the blade, Cody rolled to his feet gripping the sword tightly he swung with all
his strength, only to have his blade blocked by the feral’s weapon. With a grunt of effort Cody shoved the vampire away from him, wrinkling
his nose in distaste at the stench of rot coming off the feral.
“Dude, haven’t
you ever heard oral hygiene? You smell as foul as you look.”
The feral
sneered, enhancing the hollows and sharp angles of his pasty face. Greasy
clumps of dark, lank hair hung to his narrow shoulders. His t-shirt, stained
with what could only be blood, matched the spots on his threadbare jeans. His
boots, strangely enough, were the only thing that could be considered clean,
and the sickening odor of rancid meat clung to him like a second skin.
With a guttural
growl the feral leapt toward Cody, madness glinting in his burning gaze, his
sword raised for a downward strike aimed for his neck. With lethal grace Cody
leapt out of the way, turning with lightning speed, sword arcing out in front
of him as he connected with the feral’s torso,
cutting though flesh, bone, and muscle with little effort.
Surprise
registered in the feral’s eyes as he fell to his
knees, his weapon clattering
and Tegan’s mate.”
“Ah,
yeah. If there had been another way.”
“I know, friend.
If it could have been avoided you would have. Unfortunately, we needed Oman’s
Seal at any cost. I’m just sorry you were forced to do something so against
your nature.”
“Lately, we all
are called to do things we would never dream ourselves capable of.” The regret
in his voice hung like a heavy pall in the silence between them a moment before
Lucien cleared his throat. “You think this Lemurian had something to do with what happened to Zeke in Atlantis?”
Temple gave a
humorless laugh. “You can bet on it.”
“From what I’ve
been told things were touch and go with him for a while.”
“Getting stabbed
in the heart can do that to a person,” Temple remarked drily. “Look, be
careful, Lucien. Whatever Amari has planned it’s going to be deadly, and I
would hate to have you in the crossfire.”
“You know me,
I’m always expecting trouble, and when you put a female in the mix it’s always
guaranteed.” Lucien barked out a humorless laugh. “I’ll try to keep upwind of
the woman.”
“I wish I could
order you out of the city, but I need you too much at the moment.” As Temple
disconnected the call, a heavy dread settled in his stomach like dead weight.
He knew something bad was brewing. He wondered for the first time in his long
two hundred years of living, if he would be around when the debris settled.
Chapter Seven
The clang of
steel echoed in the deserted parking lot as two men fought within a pale circle
of light from the streetlight above them. A chain-link fence surrounded the two
combatants as they circled each other looking for any weakness they could
exploit. The hum of humanity underscored the sound of battle adding a surreal
quality to the war raging within the small circle of light. Fremont Experience
may still be in full swing several blocks away, but at that moment it was a
world away from the deserted streets and derelict buildings on this part of old
town. Even the homeless stayed far away from the area when darkness fell,
leaving it to the monsters that stalked the night.
Cody lunged at
the feral vampire, his body a blur as he twisted, angling his sword in a deadly
arc aiming for its throat. “Time to die, asswipe .”
The
feral jerked back, barely missing the blade. He hissed,
showing fangs dripping with green poison, eyes glowing with red fire. “Don’t
think so, youngling. You’re barely into your fangs, and you think you are a
match for me?”
Cody snarled at
the feral, letting his own fangs lengthen. “I’m so going to kick your fucking
ass.”
“You can try,”
he taunted, swinging his own sword toward Cody’s throat. “Older ones than you
have died in the attempt.”
Ducking under
the blade, Cody rolled to his feet gripping the sword tightly he swung with all
his strength, only to have his blade blocked by the feral’s weapon. With a grunt of effort Cody shoved the vampire away from him, wrinkling
his nose in distaste at the stench of rot coming off the feral.
“Dude, haven’t
you ever heard oral hygiene? You smell as foul as you look.”
The feral
sneered, enhancing the hollows and sharp angles of his pasty face. Greasy
clumps of dark, lank hair hung to his narrow shoulders. His t-shirt, stained
with what could only be blood, matched the spots on his threadbare jeans. His
boots, strangely enough, were the only thing that could be considered clean,
and the sickening odor of rancid meat clung to him like a second skin.
With a guttural
growl the feral leapt toward Cody, madness glinting in his burning gaze, his
sword raised for a downward strike aimed for his neck. With lethal grace Cody
leapt out of the way, turning with lightning speed, sword arcing out in front
of him as he connected with the feral’s torso,
cutting though flesh, bone, and muscle with little effort.
Surprise
registered in the feral’s eyes as he fell to his
knees, his weapon clattering
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