The lead Vamp leaned back in his chair and laughed. “You and your human partner gonna do all that?” “Seriously bad move man.” Eve heard Jake say. Lighting fast, Eve moved in to the first of the four Vamps nearest her on the left, grabbed him with one hand and punched him in the face with the other, blood exploded and she yanked him out the chair threw him onto the floor. He was out cold. Eve turned to face the other three. “Next.”

  They clambered over the table to get at her. Eve kicked out the nearest one on the right sending him over the table next door into the wall, she turned and back handed the next on her left sending him back into his seat and threw a right hook into the leader who came at her head on. He staggered to the side, confused at the contact. Eve grinned, “did I forget to mention I’m not pure human?” She could hear Jake laughing “man I need popcorn.” The leader charged her again, his men with him. Eve clicked up a gear. She struck and hit, moved and hit again, they caught her several times and that spurred her on. She was faster, but they were fast too and working three to one, she hit them harder and hammered them into submission.

  James got around the club in time to see Eve taking out three Vamps. Brad moved in with him and took up point with Jake. “Having fun there Eve?” James called out leaning back against the rail observing her work. “How about leaving some for us?” Eve had her hand on the jacket of the leader and turned to James, “you snooze you lose.” She told him dragging one out onto the floor then peered into his face. “ID asshole and you’ll be paying for these trousers.”

  Back up joined them and created a perimeter. Throwing all five Vamps together they checked their IDs. Nothing registered. The leader looked at them. “You will forget you saw us and let us go. And you female will come with us. You will serve us well.” Several of the Vamps started to move away the humans too. Eve could feel it then, the age, the power, he’d hidden it well, she leaned forward and punched him hard knocking him out. Her people came around. “What the hell.” Called out Brad shaking his head. “Compulsion. You need to train more. This one’s old.” “Well that explains how they got in.” James told her none too pleased. “We need older better trained Vamps on the door.” Eve nodded clicking her coms. “Luce we have five to be picked up as well as the eight we knew about. One’s old tried using compulsion to make us forget they were here and let them go.” “Acknowledged, John will be with you shortly.”

  The leader came too shaking the fog from his head. Eve knelt down and stared at him. “Try it again and I won’t be so gentle.” Jake snorted behind her. A strong tall Vamp came towards them slowly. “I’m the manager,” he held out his hand. “Drake, I work under Arturo.” Eve got up and shook his hand. He held it for longer than necessary and giving her his appraisal. “Everything go to plan?” he asked. “Yeah thanks for the open door, these are not supposed to be here, you need better trained on the door. They didn’t know they were in or failed to mention it when we arrived.” He frowned, not looking happy. “I’ll sort it. May I ask, you are Lord Marcus’s child?” Eve nodded. “I would like the opportunity to call if I may.” Back up started taking the other four along with the eight they had earlier outside into the black security van, specially made to carry Vamps. Silver shackles. James stepped forward. “That, would be unwise.” He told the Vamp. Eve shuddered at the chill James was projecting. In the meantime, back up finger printed the leader and took his picture. A better one would be done in security. “You can’t hold me.” The leader told her wiping his hands. “No? guess we’ll see.”

  John arrived with Pierre and several of their men. “No problems?” He asked her. “Nothing we couldn’t handle. None of them have permission. Not known to our IT. This one’s old. Hid it well till he lost his cool. Not a talker now it seems but I’m guessing you can deal with that.” John turned a cold smile at the leader. “Take him,” John told his people. “See you at de-brief.” Pierre looked at her trousers. She had several slashes in them. “He will be paying for that.” She told him. Pierre grinned. Her team nodded to him and Eve watched John and his team drag the leader with them. Those partying barely registered their presence. Eve shook her head. These people had no clue. She gazed around the room and headed for the door. One down one to go. They headed out into the night.

  ***

  “Did I tell you how much I love this fucking job.” Brad called out stomping on an unknown Vamp who had tried to leg it. Her’s had long ago given up the fight. Jake head locked another. The Vamp still trying to kick him off. “Would you stop playing with the Vamp and get a move on.” Eve told them. The Vamp under Brad cried out. “Done it.” He called. Eve rolled her eyes. Jakes started snarling. “Shut the fuck up or I’m going to fill that hole.” He told the Vamp. Eve sighed and clicked her coms. “Another three at Blanes Luce, unknowns we need a pick up.” “Acknowledged 15 minutes out.” Eve caught sight of Blane and his security coming towards them. Blane held out his hand to her. “Lady Evangeline I see you and your team enjoy your work.” Eve shook his hand, laughed and bowed. “My Lord Blane, we found them where your men said. Thanks for the heads up.” He nodded. “My men will assist awaiting pick up. Anyone else we need to worry about?” Eve shook her head. “No so far, James is still checking IDs if someone could support him?” “Chris follow up on James.” The Vamp took off in James direction. “Drink?” Blane asked her. The Vamp next to her paled. Eve snorted and ignored him. “Not in this lifetime cowboy. Cranberry juice would be nice it’s been a long night.” “Boys?” “Soda.” “Water.” Blane sent someone off to get the drinks.

  A shout across the club grabbed her attention, two Vamps were running with James giving chase and Chris behind him. Eve thrust her Vamp to Blane. “Be back.” She told him and headed for the door to cut them off. She pushed her Vamp speed to max and got there first diving to the floor and cutting the legs out from under them. They all went down. James followed up quickly and grabbed one, she held onto the other when Chris leaned down and pulled him off her. Eve got up. “2 for 1.” James told her with a wink. Eve patted him on the shoulder. “Good boy. You get a treat when we’re done.” James wiggled his eyebrows and his eyes flared, “Really?” He bounced around all too eager. “what do I get?” Eve smiled sweetly at him. “You get to live.” Chris burst out laughing. “She had you. Too easy man.”

  Back up came into the club and Eve handed off the two vamps and indicated the three with Blane and walked back to get them. “Quite the night Eve.” Blane told her as she reached him. “How do you stand this noise? Its driving me nuts.” She asked him not waiting for a response. “I hope we’re not going to be here a lot or for long, the words out now so they will be more careful. We need to get information from this lot.” Blane smiled at her. “You get used to it. Pierre and John are on that at the warehouse.” Eve watched back up take the Vamps off them and out to the van. They were done. “I’ll have that drink now thanks.” They walked back to where the drinks were. Blane indicated the tray of drinks and Eve picked hers up. “Hay, no one ordered for me?” James asked looking at her. “You were so busy dancing over there I wasn’t sure you’d make it.” She told him seriously shrugging. He ignored her and turned to Blane, “any chance of a coke, I need the caffeine, otherwise I’m gonna be tempted to kill something.”

  It was shortly before 5am when they drove into the warehouse. Someone was already screaming. Someone was having a crap night. Eve smiled. John came out to meet them. “My office in 20. Eat.” They moved off to the kitchen area, it was already busy with fellow teams coming off shift. Eve picked up one of the meals Alice had prepared and had been transported over to the warehouse for all the teams. Checking the heating requirements. She grabbed some fruit and coffee and moved over to a spare table and took a seat. “Need that heated?” Eve looked up to James standing with his own meal. “Yeah please.” He picked her’s up and walked over to the microwave. Eve picked up her apple and munched on it. Brad and Jake joined her tucking into their own food. She was sipping her coffee by the time James came back. Eve tucked in.

  ***

  “Ok well you guys had the busiest night.” John told them. “We released a few of them. Here visiting not sticking to protocol, their houses got a call from Arturo. As you can imagine that didn’t go down so well. Now they won’t do that again. And the message was clear, we’re upping security all round and its get on board or live somewhere else. The other’s we’re still working over. How was the new equipment?” Eve looked over at Brad and Jake and raised an eyebrow at them. The ‘well’ was clear. “It was very good My Lord, it responded well, engaged equally as well and did give us an advantage, I’d say it was a success.” Jake told him. Brad nodded. “And the guns?” “Didn’t get to use them.” Eve answered. John nodded. “Could be a long day. So, write up your reports and get going. See you back here tonight. And good work. It set the standard.”

  Eve and James headed back to the mansion. Eve’s phone starting pinging. She took it out her pocket and checked her messages. She must have looked confused. “What’s up?” He asked her. “I’m not sure, I’m getting requests to join our team.” It pinged again. “That’s the fifth one.” “You’re not thinking of changing out Brad and Jake are you?” He asked equally confused. “Nope they’re our boys.” “So what’s with the requests?” He asked. “I think there coming from individuals it’s not a leadership request.” James started laughing. “Holy shit, we’re the team to be on. They all want to be us.” He told her with a huge grin pulling the car into the driveway and going through security and heading up the drive to the parking area. “You know what this means right?” James asked her turning towards her as he parked. Eve looked over at him confused. “Not really.” “It means we’re shit hot and they all know it.” Eve turned her phone off and got out the car. “I’m going to bed. See you tomorrow.” “Its early have a drink with me.” James asked closing his own door.

  Eve wasn’t sure what made her agree to the drink but she found herself waiting for James to come back standing on the back terrace overlooking the garden. And when he did he’d clearly raided Arturo’s brandy. Handing over a half full tumbler of crystal glass. Whirling it around, Eve took a deep breath, it did smell delicious. Walking over to the terrace she took a seat. Regin had left the garden lights up after their garden party some weeks back. The garden looked amazing. So pretty. Pretty wasn’t a word I used often, not in her life anyway. “Do you miss your old life?” James asked as if understanding the conflict going on inside her. She’d nearly forgotten he was there. That felt so strange. To let her guard down for someone else that was not her family. The calming effect of the garden must be getting to her. Eve turned towards him. James was sitting forward resting his elbows on his knees holding his own brandy staring out in front of him. “I miss what I know. The life we had. Our compound, our friends, our extended family and I don’t like the uncertainly this feud with Arturo and the European Council has dragged us into.” He nodded. “Your victims in this.” He told her quietly. Eve took a swallow of her brandy and leaned back in her chair looking up at the stars. So similar to those back home. The heat of the alcohol burning down her throat.

  “My father is waiting for a challenge James. He is weak now. He knows this, we all do. He will never be the man he once was but we would never voice it, although father knows this himself and has talked of it often to us lately. If, no when, a challenge comes for our territory he will have to fight, or leave our people to their fate which he will not do. So if he fights, he will die we all know this, unless I take the challenge for him. They fear me and my father thinks that it is this, that is keeping the status quo. It is difficult to see the future but we cannot leave our people.”

  “Isn’t that the Vampire way?” He asked her. Eve smiled and closed her eyes listening to the night. “It is and his first already made his move and died for it. I’m a Vampire Lords born daughter. Do you know how rare that is? It’s rare, really rare and to top it off, I’m dhampir. That’s even rarer. I know the Vampire way. What I bring in power to a house is … far more than can be calculated. In the old ways and normal status quo, other houses would ask my father’s permission to court me. With a view to adding my strength and abilities to their own house and when my father passes, knowing I would take that as well and bring them together. Making them even more powerful. My parents hid me as well as they could growing up, they feared kidnapping so much. Ironic isn’t it that the one they should have feared for was Ang. They waited until I showed the skill to defend myself before going public and once news spread, every few months or so we would receive a request. A visiting Lord, a promise of land, a suiter. We hoped to live quietly so they would forget me. My father refused many. Some made threats, some brought war to our door, others tried for my affections. Our people fought for us. Many died for us. If it come’s down to that, my choices are limited. An alliance that is binding can save many.”

  She could feel James concern. “This isn’t medieval times Eve things have moved on.” Eve opened her eyes and laughed dryly then took another large sip of her brandy. “Your Vampire James you know better than that. Traditions are strong with our kind. Here maybe. But in Europe, nothing moves on fast. There will be challenges. Marry or fight or both will be my options. Either way, they will set out to break me. A puppet they can use, a dominant dhampir is of no use to them.” “What if there was a strong allegiance already?” He asked her. “They won’t wait for Clavius to claim Ang when she comes of age. That’s more of a threat than a peace offering, and once they know it’s a possibility that would bind our family to the King, we’ll become an even bigger target to the politicians. Gain a sister in law to the head of the European Council?, that would be hard to pass up.” She laughed and spread her arms wide. “It’ll be open season.”

  James felt the protectiveness rise within him. His beast struggling with the information she’d just given him. That was no choice. When the Vamp earlier had asked for permission to call. James was close to ripping his throat out. The thought of another male clawed at him. Eve knocked back her brandy and got up. “Thanks for the drink. See you tomorrow.” James watched her leave. Then heard the patio doors open behind him shortly after. Arturo walked around him and took the seat Eve had vacated. “Did you hear that?” He asked Arturo. “Yes.” “It true?” “More than likely. It’s a different world there. You know this.” “They would try and break her?” Arturo let out a breath he did not need. “They would want to be dominant. Few Vampires can tolerate a more dominant partner and a female at that. It would not be welcome. They would want the puppet and the connections.” James fought to control his temper. He felt his beast rise, his power lick at his insides. “Maybe it’s time you showed your true-self James. We both know you have abilities you hide. I always believed there to be good reasons. Eve needs old school and so will her father. Something to think about.” Arturo told him. “I think she’s gay Arturo.” Barely able to get the words out. “So?” “Do you want to help or not?” Arturo slapped him on the shoulder and walked off into the gardens.

  CHAPTER THREE

  James had considered the words for a long time after the early dawn. “Do you want to help or not?” Arturo had asked him. He did. He truly did want to help. He’d kept a tight lid on his power and emotions for so long he wasn’t sure what to expect if he opened that door. And that scared him. He had left the Vampire world and lived amongst the humans. Taking pleasure in who they were, how they lived their lives. He knew and understood them. Coming to work for Arturo had closed that door permanently. Or so he thought. One thought of Eve and that door rattled to be open again. He didn’t care that she maybe gay. His body hard and aching for her. What the hell was wrong with him? She wouldn’t want him even if it was possible. Maybe he could provide the protection without her being with him? In frustration, he’d drank himself to sleep. His head now pounding. He could tell it was early evening and he felt like shit. Dragging his ass into the shower he was determined to make a decision.

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me Marcus.” Arturo held out his hand to his former enemy and indicated a seat by the fireplace. He’d decided this conversation was best done in a more relaxed setting. Marcus shook his hand then sat. “Drink?” he asked. “Thank you.” Marcus nodded. Arturo poured out two brandy’s and handed one over. They both took a slug of their drinks. “Serenity and the girls finding their accommodations suitable?” Arturo asked. Marcus nodded. “They do thank you, your hospitality has been very kind.” “And how are you feeling?” Marcus took another drink of his brandy. “Your blood has aided me greatly, I fear it will be many years before I regain what has been taken from me. I will never be Lord again Arturo that is clear to me and my family and I must find our way to live and soon. I fear we are overstaying our welcome.” He smiled sadly at Arturo. Arturo swirled his brandy around in his glass. “Before Clavius left he asked me a favour. He asked that I help protect Ang as a possible mate to him. I gave my word. It strikes me that anyone who wishes to get to you or your territory will make a challenge and either you or Eve would have to respond taking Ang back to the old country where I cannot protect her. “ Marcus nodded. “It’s our way.” “Yes and yet, I wonder if we cannot pre-empt that move by one of our own. Ang will be a target when word gets out that she is a possible mate to Clavius. They will use the family to get to her once again.” Marcus lifted his glass and took a large gulp of brandy. “I cannot protect them but I will die trying.” Arturo stared at this man that had been used by his enemies and brought low before his time. “I think we need a formal alliance Marcus, your house and mine with the strength of both houses keeping everyone safe. We bring in Alex’s house as well. It will rival the Council itself and we will create our own here.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11