Chapter Seven. #2
When rumours reached me of a summoning gone wrong, I’d paid little attention. What did fools messing with seances and summonings mean to one such as me?
I was immortal, and I’d long outlive this present version of the human race.
Destructive and cruel as they were. What did I care if a demon wiped several of them out before being recaptured?
That was the way of life in this modern era.
Everyone thought they knew best, and yet nobody had common sense.
Old values were ridiculed and gone. So yes, I’d ignored the murmurs.
Until one claimed this was an ancient evil, summoned from the bowels of Atlantis.
Again, I’d heard such sensational stories before, but this time the demon had a name.
Claudias. D’vid’s brother, who’d been behind The Great Experiment that had turned me into a Vam’pir.
Betrayer of our kind. He’d been believed lost when Kaltos, known as Atlantis in today’s tongue, sank.
Claudias reappeared long after we thought him dead and had murdered D’vid, as we then believed.
Now we know differently. D’vid lives, and I outed him to the world, to our fellow Vam’pirs, and to the current plague of vampires alive today.
He is also the leader of the Tai’moriee, who watch over the supernaturals and record our lives.
Sometimes they interfere, although that’s frowned upon.
The rumours grew, and I couldn’t believe Claudias had returned until I received a message from D’vid.
He’d fought his brother again as Claudias tried to drain D’vid of life.
Already weakened for another reason, D’vid had barely survived.
I had a duty to D’vid. He was my brother in all but blood.
I’m sure you can understand that. Even though you treat family like they are a commodity nowadays.
Claudias led us a merry chase, but we had him trapped here.
Tonight, Claudias must sacrifice to survive, and that I would not allow. Eden and I had a task, and we would ensure we succeeded.
Claudias vapourised and vanished into a locked room. That didn’t stop me as I burst in after him. An infuriated howl met my eardrums as Claudias disappeared once more into a secret passage.
Without hesitation, I continued the chase and flew through the closing panel after him. Claudias would not escape!
Half an hour later
I growled in annoyance as I hunted Claudias.
He’d faded away, cowardly as usual, and I currently searched the basement looking for him.
As of yet, Claudias could only materialise into a solid shape for mere seconds.
Enough to kill someone, and then his strength fled.
Twice now he’d tried to steal one of the lives above our heads and failed.
Claudias was getting desperate. He had until sunrise to claim the flesh and blood he needed to become alive again.
Otherwise, he’d be sent back to the depths of hell.
While foolish, those who’d summoned him had ensured a time limit.
Claudias had a year to regain a mortal body.
At first, he’d been too weak, but he had managed to kill.
Those he’d murdered kept his sorry existence ongoing, but Claudias needed a pure soul to feast upon.
And above me were at least eight sincerely pure souls, and should Claudias claim one, he’d be alive again as a demon.
But worse, he’d recover a Vam’pir’s abilities.
A sudden motion made me jump, and I spun around, and my hand shot out, grasping Eden by the throat. I released her instantly.
“Daniel?”
“Alive. He retained his soul… barely. He is with his friends. Claudias was too close this time,” Eden hissed.
I couldn’t disagree. “Ensure they stay together.”
“You wish us to split up? Jacques, Claudias is dangerous!”
“Eden, no more than I am to him. I know how to vanquish Claudias. Should that fail, just denying him a soul until dawn means he will be returned to hell,” I replied.
“Then shield them with me,” Eden begged.
“My darling, we trapped Claudias within these walls. But as long as we hunt him, Claudias remains off balance and can’t make a solid plan to claim a soul. No, this is best.”
Eden sighed. “Jacques.”
“Protect them, and yourself. You’ve a pure soul too,” I murmured. Eden nodded and moved away.
While it hurt to send her to look after them, Eden could defend herself. She had the strength of two Vam’pir’s in her veins. Mine and Julia’s. Eden was a worthy match for Claudias, as I was.
Tonight, I’d end the backstabbing, conniving bastard and ensure he could never be called again.
Lucian
I was worried when the others didn’t return with the mattresses in a timely fashion. Where were they? Had something happened?
James and I swapped glances, worry in both our expressions. Sabine was pacing back and forth when she suddenly stiffened.
“Oakwood!” she gasped softly, and everyone’s heads turned.
“What?” Kate asked, confused, but I understood.
“Daniel,” I gritted out, and Sabine nodded. I’d not been able to link to Wollscombe for several hours, even though I still sensed my home.
Maggie hurried over to Sabine and wrapped her in an embrace.
“What’s wrong?” James demanded.
“Daniel’s in trouble,” Sabine responded, pure worry in her voice.
“How do you know?” Chance approached.
“I can sense it,” Sabine replied, her shoulders going back as she straightened. She clearly expected ridicule, and that was the one thing Sabine wouldn’t get from me.
“I’ll go search for him,” I offered. Sabine sent me such a grateful look that I felt ten feet tall.
“On a gut feeling?” Calamity asked, with mild interest in his voice.
“Yes.”
“Seriously?” Chance demanded.
“Stay here, but I’m going,” I retorted and headed for the fireplace. Above it were two crossed rapiers. I climbed onto a chair and took one out.
“You’re not going alone,” Calamity said after escaping a glance with Chance.
Chance appeared bemused but nodded towards the younger man. “Agreed.”
“Are you armed?” I asked Calamity. He showed me his gun.
“Bullets didn’t work,” Nanci said.
“No, but cold steel might,” I replied and handed Calamity the second rapier. He held it and looked at it strangely.
“Stab with the pointy end,” I instructed helpfully, and Calamity scowled.
“I’m not that much of an idiot,” he retorted and then fell over his feet. He straightened and sent me a dour look as if daring me to say something.
I shrugged and headed for the door.
“Lucian, bring Daniel back,” Sabine called out, and I nodded.
“Always, my lady.” As much as I couldn’t stand Harrington, I’d not leave him to suffer. The Rakehell Six had suffered enough, as had the Nortons, my family. We were thirteen men and women, three hundred years out of our own time. We had to stick together. That was common sense.
Drake
I wasn’t returning to the sitting room without Daniel. No way was I informing Daniel’s wife we’d lost him, and the creature had eaten him. I knew what Daniel had done. He’d created a diversion so we could escape. It’s what I would have done, but Daniel had beaten me.
Using a single phone because our batteries were fading, I led the way while the others saved theirs for when mine died.
Upstairs was a maze of corridors and rooms. The cobwebs here hung in heavier and thicker curtains, the air was damp and musty, and the entire level gave me the willies.
The storm continued to rage, and I was worried.
No storm lasted this long. Although there was thunder and lightning, this wasn’t a simple thunderstorm.
A flash lit the sky and briefly illuminated the hallway we were in. I nearly jumped out of my skin as I confronted a suit of armour.
“Shit!” I exclaimed as Inglorious weakly chuckled.
“Creepy fuckin’ thing,” he agreed.
“Yeah,” I replied and continued. We moved on and hit a dead end again.
A clanking noise surprised us, and everyone stiffened. Worried, we turned around, and my torch hit the suit of armour. Its arm was raised, pointing us in a different direction, and I cursed.
“I’m sure I’m freaking sober,” Inglorious muttered.
“Yeah, you are.” I nodded as the arm fell slowly back to its side.
“May I suggest we head in the direction it pointed at?” Vladimir said, and we nodded.
Skittishly moving past the armour — okay, we plastered our backs to the wall as we passed — and headed back the way we came. We’d find Daniel; there was no other option. We weren’t returning without him. I wasn’t telling his gentle wife we’d lost her husband. Not for anything.