Chapter 26 - Cammon
Cammon
XXVI
I could barely see straight, there was so much blood rushing through my cock that my head felt light.
But the threat in front of me left no room for distraction, so I set aside all thought of Glory’s body draped across mine and the taste of her desire.
The way I longed to bury myself inside her and hear my name on her lips right there in the fucking mud.
Instead, I focused on the woman stepping out of the darkness. I sank into my demonic power, letting it fill my muscles so I took up more space, and ensured Glory was safely tucked behind me.
She was more than capable of taking care of herself, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t do whatever I could to protect her. It was my role on this mission, and I didn’t see that changing, bond or no bond.
My resolve remained steely when I caught the whiff of vampire coming off the stranger. More of them poured out of the shadows, until three women and two men stood in front of us. I bared my teeth, warning them of the danger if they came any closer.
Were these the people behind the mutts? Since we knew someone had to be controlling the creatures, their arrival so soon after the attack stank of association.
Never in my life had I heard of vampires and mutts working together, but I’d never heard of a human king wanting to marry a fae princess, either.
The woman in front, dressed entirely in black leathers with her ash-blond hair pulled back in tight braids, smiled as though I amused her, and my hackles rose higher.
We could fight our way out. There were five of them against two of us.
They were well rested and probably well fed, so it wouldn’t be an easy battle, but I’d take those odds. I flicked my tail and planted my feet.
The vampires flew at me, faster than I could brace for them.
I raised my arms and flapped my wings to fight them off, but something landed on my back even as a hand grabbed my arm.
They were all over me, more than five of them.
My knees struck the earth when they brought me down and no matter how hard I fought, they were too strong.
“Wait!” Glory shouted, her voice rising above the hisses. “We’re no threat. Just kin looking to cross your territory.”
I jerked my head towards her in horror as she pulled her lips back to reveal her fangs. If I could have stepped in front of her to block her from view, I wouldn’t have hesitated. What the fuck was she doing? She should have run while they were focused on me.
Although the others kept me pinned, the leader crossed her arms and jutted her hip as she scanned Glory over.
“The only way forward takes you through dragon territory, and by the looks of you, your passage so far hasn’t exactly been peaceful.
I can’t take the risk you’re looking to cause trouble for my fury. ”
The vampires’ grip on me tightened, ready to tear me apart, and Glory’s fear lashed out over my tongue.
The leader’s excuse for attacking us was good, more than plausible given their outlawed status in this country.
Their fury was breaking all kinds of Golthwainian laws by existing within Evaniel’s borders.
If word got out that they had claimed this territory, every self-proclaimed vampire hunter would be out here trying to track them down.
But I wasn’t buying it, not with those mutts so close on our heels.
I wracked my brain trying to see how to escape but saw nothing.
“We hail from the capital,” Glory rushed to say. “On a mission from the king that has nothing to do with you or yours. Allow us to pass freely, and no one need ever know you’re here.”
“Or we could kill you both right now and enjoy the same guarantee,” the woman said.
“Lay a hand on her and I’ll snap the arms off your lackeys to get to you,” I growled, angling my horns in warning.
Instead of being intimidated, the twinkle in the leader’s eye grew brighter. She looked from Glory to me, canted her head, and assessed Glory again. “You’re the child of a mated bond?”
The flicker in Glory’s eyelashes gave away her surprise, but she raised her chin. “I am.”
I had no idea how this woman knew that. Was there a scent? A physical trait that gave Glory away? Or maybe it was simply the fact that Glory lived in the city as a half-vampire, meaning she’d had parents who’d loved her enough to teach her how to hide.
The fury leader dipped her chin, and her grey eyes darted towards me. “What of this one?”
“He’s my…” Glory hesitated before choosing, “guide.”
The corner of the vampire’s mouth quirked, and more than one of the vampires near me snickered.
“I see,” the leader said.
Tension hummed between us. Finally, she nodded, and in a blink, the rest of the vampires were gathered behind her and I was free. I rose to my feet and resumed my place beside Glory. My wings fluttered in a sharp wind that heralded a return of the storm.
“I’m Thorn,” the woman said. “You’ve entered my territory, and it would be under my authority that my fury destroys you.
” She pursed her lips. “But I find myself inclined to believe you don’t come with ill intent.
Any half-vampire from the capital must have good reason to be out here—and be incredibly skilled at keeping secrets.
As long as you hold your guide to the same standard, you may join us, though I reserve the right to revoke your invitation should you prove to be unworthy of it. Your name?”
I shot Glory a warning look. Her fear continued to waft around her, touched with uncertainty and a warmer flavour underneath I’d never tasted before. Gratefulness?
“I’m Gloria, and this is Cammon, but we don’t need to join you, we’re simply—”
“We can discuss what you’re simply later.” Her gaze flicked upwards. “The storm is circling back, and you seem to have lost your belongings. Unless you want to drown at the base of the mountain, I suggest you come along.”
Her tone was friendly, but there was no mistaking the ultimatum: either we went or they’d make us go. Not that I intended to go. If we followed, we’d be easy prey.
Movement in my periphery let me know the nine vampires already visible still weren’t the extent of them.
Most furies I’d heard of were made of ten to fifteen vampires at most, living and working together to keep themselves safe.
I didn’t know how many Thorn had brought with her, but if it was a full group, then besting them would be more than I could handle.
Unless I flew us out of here. It would be tough, my wings exhausted and the wound from that fucking hawk still burning, but I could do it.
I looked to Glory, hoping to warn her before I grabbed her, but she was staring at me with her big eyes, pleading with me not to resist. Terrified of what would happen if we tried and failed.
She had cause for concern. I knew it. But if we went with them, I couldn’t protect her. We would be at the mercy of this strange woman with her smirks and veiled threats.
But at least we’d be together. Glory and I had proved we could solve any problem when we combined her knowledge with my experience. We could find our way out of this.
So I gave her the subtlest nod, and although the zap of her nervousness tingled over my palate, her shoulders sagged in relief.
When she walked towards Thorn, I made to fall in behind her, but the vampires closed in, separating us.
Fuck.
Before I followed, I couldn’t help but look up the hill we’d so unceremoniously rolled down. All around us, mutt corpses lay smoking, and I regretted that none had survived long enough to give me answers about why they were after us. There had been so many, and their focus had been so targeted.
On me, which I found curious. If they were after the amulet and had finally been ordered to come after the notebooks—which would have disappointed them given we’d lost them—why had they come after me?
Had they believed me to be the greater threat? If so, they’d been mistaken.
Unless their purpose had nothing to do with the amulet, in which case where did that leave us? Because the only people I could think of who might want me dead were my siblings.
The thought stayed with me as I fell into step with the vampires, aware of every movement of this new danger. The shifters, the mutts, the vampires. We were racking up enemies on this journey, and if my siblings were involved, then trouble surrounded Glory on all sides.
I kept a wary eye on the vampires, feeling more trapped by the moment as we approached a low-rising mountain.
“Throwing us to the dragons as a midnight snack?” I asked Thorn.
“Hardly,” she said over her shoulder. “It’s not even close to midnight.”
I scowled, but my suspicions that they were leading us to our deaths weren’t assuaged when I caught the curl of another vampire’s lip. Wherever they were leading us, none of them appeared concerned by any danger, which either meant there was none or they knew how to control it.
“I’m Kalla,” a smiling, red-haired vampire addressed Glory. “Can I ask what you’re doing way out here? We don’t see many people this far from nothing. We especially don’t see many of our own. From the city, no less.”
“You have a lot of questions for someone who won’t tell us where we’re going,” I cut in before Glory could answer.
Glory shot me a look, and I narrowed my eyes in response. She wanted me to placate them, to play along and play it safe. But these were vampires looking to defend their fury. They would be ruthless in protecting their secret, and the only way we’d be safe was if we got away from them.
Kalla grinned at me, flashing a hint of fang.
“You’re her sexy bodyguard, are you?” She nudged Glory with her elbow.
“Lucky you. Sorry we had to interrupt. Looked like you two were about to get down and dirty in the muck back there. No judgement. When the mood hits you, you go for it, right? Why suffer all the pains of being a vampire if we don’t enjoy the perks? ”