There's Always a Morning, page 24
“So am I,” Ramsey said.
Mark looked at their hands, their fingers entwined, and he said. “When I saw you last night, I had no idea who you were, but you still made me want. I didn’t know what I felt, but it was more real than anything.” He looked at Ramsey’s face. “But I’m still human, Ramsey. I’m still going to die someday.”
He didn’t know why he brought it up now. They had thought they had time, when he was Mathew, and they hadn’t. Their time together was ripped from them by a rebel hunter’s needle. It could be a drunk driver or a burglar or a mugger in this life. He couldn’t take the time they had for granted.
“I’ll find you in your next life then,” Ramsey said, his eyes burning intense. “As you said, you’re stuck with me.”
Mark smiled at that. That Ramsey should have remembered was no surprise. “I guess,” he said. “There’s always another life, another day.”
“There’s always a morning,” Ramsey said, his fingers lacing with his tightly enough to bruise now.
“There’s always another morning,” Mark agreed.
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From
T
he ringing of the telephone jolted Ray out of deep sleep. He stared balefully at it for a moment before grabbing it. The number was unknown, but it was 3 am and who was going to call at this hour unless it was urgent? He still didn’t feel fully awake, and he wanted to reject the call and go back to sleep, but what if? He accepted the call, saying, “Whoever you are, I hope you have a good enough reason for waking me up at this hour.”
“Raymond Haspel?” It was an unfamiliar voice, and Ray suppressed a groan.
“Duh,” he said. “Wasn’t it my number that you called?”
“I’m Magnus.”
The soft-spoken words effectively banished all sleep, and explained, at least in part, the reason for the hour of call. “And what does the head of the Vampire Council want with me?”
“We need your help,” Magnus replied.
“A vampire wants a hunter’s help.” Ray didn’t try to hide his disbelief.
“It is your skills as a hunter that we need,” Magnus said as if he hadn’t noticed Ray’s disbelief. “I’m outside your house right now. I-”
“Is that a threat?” Ray interrupted.
“Mr. Haspel, let us not insult each other’s intelligence or abilities. I’m here because I wish to meet you in person. I’ve sent something to your phone.” Ray’s phone chimed. “Please look through them. I’ll wait.” The line went dead.
Typical vampire arrogance. He opened the message Magnus had sent him and stared at the photographs. Four of them, with dates and places.
“Fuck!” he muttered.
He dropped the phone on to the bed and started getting dressed. Magnus certainly knew how to get his attention. He picked up his phone and put it in his pocket before leaving the room. He opened the front door cautiously. Only a fool would trust a vampire blindly. Magnus was standing outside the gate. Small, thin, almost reedy and bespectacled, he looked nothing like what anyone would take the head of a vampire council to be. He looked like an accountant which was what he was in his day job. Quite helpful in staying off the radar.
Ray stayed in the porch and beckoned him to come closer. Magnus approached the house, stopping short of the steps. Ray stayed on the top step.
“I’m assuming you don’t plan to invite me in,” Magnus said.
“As you said, let’s not insult each other’s intelligence.” Ray took out his phone and showed Magnus the images he had sent him. “Rogue vampire?”
Magnus nodded. “I’ve kept it out of the media, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to do that. If he’s not found, the entire vampire community is at risk of exposure.”
“And that is my problem how?”
“It isn’t, but I would have thought you’d be concerned for his victims. Aren’t you hunters bound by an oath to protect the innocent?”
Magnus had a point. Rogue vampires were always dangerous. More so to humans than to vampires who often managed to use their mind control to escape attention. “Not since the treaty between vampires and hunters, as you know,” Ray said calmly. “Rogue vampires are your responsibility.”
“Usually, yes, but,” Magnus looked at him, and sighed. “We are unable to identify or trace him.”
That surprised Ray. Vampires had their unique ways of tracking their own. And if they couldn’t, it meant, “He’s killed his sire,” Ray murmured.
“That seems likely. Or he’s so old that he knows how to mask the bond between him and his sire or he’s grown powerful enough to break it. Either way, it’s not possible for us to find him.”
“And you think I can?”
“You’re a hunter.”
“And what do you think I’m going to do to him once I find him?”
“Hand him over to us as per the terms of the treaty.”
Ray chuckled. “No. The treaty says we’re to hand over any rogue vampires we may come across accidentally, it doesn’t say we should hand over a vampire we’ve hunted.”
“He has to face our justice,” Magnus said, his tone insistent.
“Then you find him yourself.” Ray turned to go.
“Don’t you care for the people he may kill?” Magnus asked.
Ray half turned. “I do, which is why I’m going to hunt him down and kill him. I’m a hunter after all.”
“You don’t understand!” Magnus said. “You know why the treaty was made. Do you want a war?”
“And as I said, I won’t be violating any of the terms of the treaty. If you don’t want me killing him, then I suggest you find him before I do.”
Ray was beginning to be angry. What the hell did Magnus think of himself? Ray was a hunter, and this was a vampire attacking humans. Did he honestly think he was going to hand him over to them? Did he think Ray didn’t know what vampire justice entailed? Or that he didn’t know what the treaty actually said? A vampire attacking humans meant that hunters could take him out, and they had killed a fair bit over the centuries, with never a fuss made. Yet, here was Magnus, trying to fool him.
“Name your price,” Magnus said as he reached the door.
He whirled around. “What the fuck!”
Magnus removed his glasses and his eyes met Ray’s, all the intensity and power of the vampire boring down on him. “Everyone has a price. Name yours.”
“If you think-” Ray started, furious.
“Don’t give me platitudes,” Magnus interrupted. “There has to be something you want that we can give you.”
Ray stared at him. “You bastard,” he said softly.
He was still angry, but it was tinged with a grudging respect. Magnus knew. Of course he did. The only thing that was in doubt was how much influence he had over Alistair who was more of a lone wolf. But what had he to lose? After all, Magnus wouldn’t have offered if it was an utter impossibility.
Magnus’ face remained impassive.
“All right,” Ray said. It might not be the best decision, but it was going to be worth it. “Alistair. I want him to break the bond between us. Once it is done, I am ready to swear to hand over the Rogue to you. No provisos, no conditions on either side.”
Magnus nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“You better do it before I find your rogue,” Ray said.
Magnus inclined his head slightly before vanishing. Ray stood there, watching the spot where the vampire had been. He shrugged and huffed out a laugh.
“Damn vampires!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
An author and editor, Niranjan’s biggest ambition is to have a character named Garth in every book they write. Niranjan writes books rooted in mythical worlds, and their stories are often a combination of magic and futuristic technology.
When they are not writing or editing, Niranjan can be found cooking or just lying on their couch watching or rewatching C Dramas and writing fanfiction.
More about them may be found at https://authorniranjan.in/
ALSO BY NIRANJAN
SERIES
BLUE
BLUE
OUT OF THE BLUE
THE ELITE AND THE ROGUES
THE ELITIST SUPREMACY (BOOK ONE)
RISE OF THE RESISTANCE (BOOK TWO)
FRACTURED ALLIANCES (BOOK THREE)
LINGERING DISCORD (BOOK FOUR)
THE FINAL CONFLICT (BOOK FIVE)
DEEPER CHAOS (FREE PROMO BOOK)*
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STANDALONES
SPACES OF SILENCE
THE DEATHLESS ONES
THERE’S ALWAYS A MORNING
WHISPERS IN THE DARK
LIFE REMAINS
BLEEDING GOLD
MAGICAL MAYHEM
THE BANISHED SECRET
THE MANSION
THE DRAGON AND THE MAGE (FREE BOOK)*
THE EXILE AND OTHER STORIES (FREE BOOK)*
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NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
THE FINAL CONFLICT (BOOK FIVE OF THE ELITE AND THE ROGUES)
When George is taken by an Elite, Alexander finds his resolve to leave the Resistance behind tested. A new secret about Alexander comes to light, but the Resistance have no choice but to put their faith in him again.
A mysterious illness among the children leads to a dark secret Thaxter has buried, forcing the Resistance to do whatever it takes to unseat him from power. Yet, they soon realise it may well cause the destruction of Helios and its entire population. Are they prepared to pay the price, or will they allow Thaxter to win again?
COLLIDING FORCES
Undercover missions are one of Barry's favourite things. Getting in deep and completing a dangerous mission has always brought him a sense of pride -until this latest task. Now it's just personal.
Given the job of going undercover to bring in Mortimer, Barry’s mission is going to be difficult. The man, if he can be called that, is Barry's biological father: a disgusting fiend with a sketchy past.
When Barry starts to dig more into Mortimer, he learns a complicated truth. Mortimer is an alien with magic in his bloodline that is fatal to humans. Barry’s clock is ticking and the only ones who can help are the aliens who consider him an enemy. Can he convince them to help before it is too late?
THE SOUL OF MAGIC
In a world where magic is passed down bloodlines, Duncan Ferost is a bastard who cannot lay claim to his birthright. The wild magic abundant to everyone without a bloodline marks him inferior. All his life, he's yearned for acceptance, to be noteworthy. He finally gets both when he becomes a knight of Abertil and bodyguard to its prince.
When Duncan meets Will Gaislet, cousin to the prince, he recognises him as his magic soul, a magical soulmate bond blessed by the Gods themselves. Though the people of Abertil disregard it, Duncan has always believed in it.
When Will is abducted, Duncan must find a way to save him. That means returning to his father and Whitecrest, the very kingdom laying siege to Abertil. Their price: join them. It means leaving Abertil and the life he's built, forever forsaking his vows as a knight, and sacrificing all that he has fought to achieve.
Duncan has survived war, pain, and humiliation without flinching, but the decision he faces now is harder than the rest combined. Protect his honour or save Will's life? No matter what he chooses, the consequences may outweigh the rewards. After all, what soulmate would want a traitor in his life?
CHANGES IN THE WIND
Gavril has had to hide most of his magical gifts for all his life. Even in a world where magic is common, some gifts are best hidden, especially for an orphan. He has also been part of the rebellion against the Emperor Zathrian since his student days. The lies propagated by the empire and the truth the rebels want to perpetuate make his choice easy.
When he gets the appointment of a lifetime as a chronicler of the Empire’s history, he sees it as an opportunity to help his cause. Everything looks as if it's going according to plan until chance brings about a meeting with the Emperor himself.
Zathrian is the immortal tyrant whose regime is covering up every truth Gavril wants to bring to the light. When an ancient, arcane magic deems the two soulmates, intertwining their destinies together, Gavril is sent reeling. He may refuse the bonds of predestination, but he is drawn to the emperor all the same.
How far can he fight fate as well as feelings?
THE FLAME OF THE DRAGON’S OATH
When Adrian accepts his appointment as the Lord of the town of Remint, he expects a quiet life with occasional trips to the capital to visit his friends. Little does he expect to stumble upon an injured man and to strike up a friendship with the wizard of the town immediately on arrival.
Evan is in Remint for more reason than one with a secret or two. When Adrian discovers dragons in the nearby forest, Evan finds he must hold back on how dire things actually are. As a plot comes to life, dragons are just as much a part of the problem as they are the solution.
Faith has assisted the healer in Remint till his death, and all she wants is to go to the capital and learn to be a healer. The last thing she expects is to become friends with a wizard and to be drawn into a world of dragons, magic and more danger than she had ever faced.
With a wave of revenge and destruction ready to crash down, the fate of the entire Edaloa is suddenly resting in the hands of a few. Nightmares stirring both past and present come to mix with the waves, haunting both Adrian, Evan and Faith. Will they find a way to help push back the tides and save Edaloa? Or will they stand, frozen in fear, as the tide comes ashore, ripping all they value apart?
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Niranjan K, There's Always a Morning
