Chapter 8
Temporary Camp, Saturday, January 12, 2013, Morning
Alone in her tent in the makeshift camp, Ash used the moment of privacy to think about everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours and planned what to do next.
Walking away from Luca was one of the hardest things Ash had ever done. She knew her tasks were essential to their future, but she wasn’t ready to leave him again. They’d been forced apart repeatedly, but her soul screamed that she needed to stay with him.
Having whatever was waiting at Nadya’s compound effortlessly slip into her head had unnerved Ash. She longed for her mate”s comforting presence and advice, but she was a queen in her own right, and this was her problem. Luca had enough to manage for the moment.
Ash had directed her group to land twenty miles from Nadya’s compound. Gathering everyone around her, she explained why they’d made a detour. “There is a Power at the vampire compound, and I mean that with a capital P. It slipped into my head as we were flying, and I’m not sure it was intentional. You can bet it will try again. I sensed a male presence, but I could be wrong.”
“Those rat-assed, bloodsucking, dumbshit bastards! That blyat Nadya couldn’t just sodding die, could she? Merde, no! The sha bī left her pinche dumpster fire of a monster godverdomme mosquito for us to handle the shitschturm!” She paused to draw a deep breath. “Cào ni māi and everybody else, apparently. That vlakas bitch wanted to watch the whole world burn! Fan ta dig, you nijemkorinthenkacker! Chtob tebe deti v’sup srali!” She screamed the last part at the ground.
Viktorija’s rant lasted a solid thirty seconds. Ash timed it. She hadn’t repeated herself, and Ash made a mental note of several of the epithets she used. She collected creative insults and expletives for her Dungeons and Dragons bard to hurl later. When Viktorija finally stopped, Ash eyed her with respect.
“That was a spectacular display of multilingual profanity, dear sister, but do you have anything constructive to add?”
Viktorija growled. “It has to be the halfbreed. She managed to find and turn a half-blooded Therian.”
The dragon devolved into another spate of cursing, and Ash turned to the others. “I’ve only heard rumors about that. When Nadya died, she said, ‘Maksim.’ Maybe our newest baby vamp woke up. Sitting here speculating isn’t going to get us answers. We need scouts. Who has the most skill with stealth and surveillance?”
As the sun rose, Ash waited anxiously for word from her scouts. Zia had extensive training from her time in the military, and the three people she took with her had experience with surveillance. Hopefully, they would return shortly and give her an idea of what awaited them at the vampire stronghold.
They still had the rest of the vampires to convert or kill after they conquered this challenge. Vampires needed leadership, and she wouldn’t let anyone else fill that void. They didn’t need another Nadya, hell-bent on revenge.
Ash had seen enough deaths to last a lifetime, and her immortality had barely begun. It was long past time to put an end to the evil machinations. She needed to return the world to the balance it had known before Nadya unleashed her minions to plague the night. She didn’t know if that was just who she was or if it came from the spark, and it didn’t matter.
Her musings were interrupted by Zia waltzing into the tent. “Good morning, Your Highness. We have information for you.”
“Fantastic. Are you all okay? Was anyone injured?” Ash jumped up and ran outside, eager to hear the scouts’ reports.
Zia grinned, pleased by the queen’s concern for those under her care. “We’re all fine. We were not spotted.”
She followed Zia to the cave that served as their command station, and the other scouts greeted her with grim expressions. Even as her guts roiled with the hollow weight of dread, Ash was confident she could navigate whatever they faced with the people she had at her side.
Zia stepped forward. “They’ve all briefed me, so I’ll deliver a consolidated report. We each went in from one of the cardinal directions and got as close as we could.” She held up a small camera. “Eiko asked for photos so she could observe the area with magic, and I’ve got those.” She passed the camera to the diminutive witch, who had joined them a moment ago.
“It’s as bad as we feared. Luckily, we were a stealthy bunch with excellent hearing, and the vampires gossiped like teenagers. We overheard quite a bit. To condense it, Nadya did find a half-blood Therian, the son of an exiled dragon. His name is Maksim, and Nadya turned him into a vampire-Therian hybrid. We heard some nonsense about Nadya pretending to love him and claiming that vampires have been targeted by Therians for eons when she only wanted peace. From the way they were talking, he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, so he is hell-bent on revenge for you killing his love.”
“Well, shit!” Ash exclaimed.
“Unfortunately, there’s more,” Zia continued. “He can shift into a vicious black and red dragon, and the spines on his back and tail are projectiles. He can wield Nadya’s shadow magic, too. This isn’t going to be an easy fight. He’s bloodthirsty, and he ate some of his own people.”
Ash sighed. “Walking in unprepared is just asking to fail. I don’t see any choice but to wait until we are ready. I won’t risk all your lives on a fight we aren’t certain to win.”
Viktorija scoffed and stepped forward to confront Ash. “Do you truly think so little of us that one bloodsucking dragon could stand against thirty with the support of fifty vampires and twenty Therians of various species? How many vampires did your people spot at the compound, Zia?”
“Hundreds. A lot are on missions or were recently lost to battles. Most are lesser vampires, many newly changed by force with no wish to fight. They are hiding in the three bunkers on the property with those who can’t withstand the sun. The zealots who crave death and vengeance are sticking close to the main house. There are four master vampires called the Horsemen. I’ve never seen anything like them.”
Viktorija insisted, “This is what we set out to do, Ash. Every one of us signed up to go into battle for this worthy cause, and we are prepared now that we have the scouts’ report. This is what it means to lead, little sister. Your orders might send some of us to our deaths, but we will prevail.”
“We don’t know what kind of draconic power he can wield with Nadya’s fucked up genetics. Fire, lightning, acid. Hell, he could shoot thunderbolts out his asshole,” Ash protested.
Viktorija snorted. “We don’t know what kind of power you can wield, either.”
Ash’s shoulders slumped. She would have to order them into a battle with the unknown. Damn it. It was much easier to be confident and badass when she wasn’t sending people she cared about and had vowed to protect into a fight they might not survive.
She was surprised by the compassion and insight Viktorija had offered, and it pleased her. Luca’s sister had grown during their short acquaintance, and Ash now admired the other woman. “I don’t like the idea, but you’re not wrong. We can’t just leave Maksim to his own devices. The sooner we confront him with the truth, the sooner we can move past this drama to whatever future lies ahead for vampires.”
“So, are we going in stealthy or making a racket?” Niletean asked.
“Both, I think,” Ash replied. “I will send a team in to quietly extract the vampires holed up in the bunkers. Those who wish to join us should have the opportunity, but you’ll have to kill anyone who refuses so they don’t sound the alarm. They only get one chance today. I will go in through the front and call Maksim out for a chat, which should be an effective distraction.”
Viktorija nodded. “That is an effective plan. I recommend you send Zia to recruit. They will not trust a Therian.”
“I agree. Fifteen of our people can peel off for that team. Zia, you have your pick of the vampires, but I need all the dragons.”
“I’m on it, boss.”
They planned to approach around sunset in case they brought some of the night-bound over to Ash’s side. Plans made, her people ensured that everyone knew where to be and what to do. Ash just stood back, watched, and smiled. Her team worked like a well-oiled machine. She was anxious about facing Maksim when they knew so little about him, but she believed in the people by her side and at her back. Whatever happened, they would handle it.
When it was time to attack, the dragons shifted and accepted their passengers. She waited until they were all in the air before she climbed Niletean’s back and found a secure spot. Twenty miles wasn’t much for a dragon, so the flight took only minutes. The silhouette of thirty enormous dragons stood out starkly against the sky as they approached the vampire compound.
At the head of the formation, Ash reached out to Maksim. We need to talk.
The response was instant and angry. You dare intrude on her home? You, who ripped the heart from her chest?
Why don’t you come out? There’s a great deal you don’t know about Nadya.
The mental roar she received in response made her wince. I don’t want to hear your filthy lies! I want you to bleed!
I’m right here, Maksim. If you want my blood, come and get it!
Vampires poured out of the mansion, but most halted at the sight of so many dragons ready for battle. If the dragons breathed fire, the vampires and the mansion would burn, and their best tools for bringing a dragon down couldn’t take on this many at once.
A tall, dark-haired man strode out the front door, and the others watched him with deference. This must be Maksim. She could feel the darkness inside him clawing to get free. Ash watched him walk across the snowy yard and stop before he entered attack range. His expectant crimson gaze focused on her.
I admire your bravery for facing me, Ashlynn, but it says nothing about your intelligence,Maksim snarled.
Ash stifled a laugh. If you only knew how completely Nadya used you, Maksim. She was not who she pretended to be.
You keep her name off your tongue!Maksim snarled. You are not fit to speak it.
She was a vicious, murdering monster. Ash was not bothered by his outburst. He thought he was defending the honor of the woman he loved. Don’t let her deception destroy our race.
Maksim was in no state to listen. He saw just red as the bitch besmirched his beloved. I’ve had enough of your lies! He ran forward and leaped into the air, shifting between one blink and the next. His shredded clothes fluttered to the ground.
The red and black dragon glared malevolently at the hovering invaders and exhaled a stream of obsidian flames at them.
Sensing the danger to her people, Ash pulled magic from within, then pushed it out, conjuring a brilliant shield of golden light, willing it to protect those in her care. It blocked the black flames and absorbed them.
“We don’t have to fight,” Ash’s tone and expression were confident, but her insides quaked with relief that it had worked. She’d pulled that magic out of her ass or wherever it came from. “If you choose to do so, you cannot win.”
Murderer! How dare you speak of peace!Maksim flung into her mind.
I didn’t start this war,she countered calmly. ButI sure as fuck can end it.
The black dragon shot spines at Ash and her soldiers, but they didn’t make it past the barrier. Ash waved her hands, and tendrils of golden light snaked up from the ground and wound around the dragon’s feet. Maksim didn’t notice initially, but he started thrashing when the ropes crept over his wings, binding them to his sides. He crashed into the lawn.
The hostile vampires backed away when it looked like the enemy had captured their new king, but Ash reached out with her newly expanded mental willpower. Stay where you are! she ordered, sending the command into their minds. I’ll deal with you later.
Several tried to keep moving but were unable to.
Let me go!Maksim shouted telepathically. I will kill you!
That’s not a very cooperative attitude, Maksim. I’m trying to stop the deaths and end this pointless fucking war.
The dragon struggled against his bindings, writhing and thrashing to no avail. Ash realized they might not know what Maksim could do, but he didn’t either. He must not know much about his powers if she could bind him this easily.
There will never be peace while you live!
Ash felt Maksim’s fury and frustration boil over, and she braced herself, pouring her energy into the shield. She felt the mental explosion before any visible sign of the magic appeared. Power radiated from Maksim in a wave of darkness that blasted Ash’s golden ropes into dust.
The black dragon glared at Ash. This isn’t over. I will eat your heart before we’re done. It flew in the opposite direction.
“You’re just going to abandon all your children?” Ash shouted at the retreating dragon, ensuring everyone could hear.
I’ll make more, you traitorous bitch.
Ash shook her head. How could Maksim hope to lead vampires when he considered them disposable?
The dark dragon fled, resolved to establish a stronger position and learn how to use his powers before he went head-to-head with Ash again. He hated the cowardice it showed to flee the fight, but it was crucial to defeat her. He would likely only get one chance, and he didn’t want to waste it when he wasn’t at full strength. Until then, there was only one other place he knew to go. Home.
Eiko-sensei, can you put a tracking spell on him?
Yes, Ash-sama. It’s already done.
She watched Maksim’s outline disappear and let him go. He was alone, and Eiko could track where he went. Ash’s main concern was the vampires, and she spoke to them.
“There is a better way to live, and we can end this war. I killed Nadya and have taken the title of vampire queen, so you work for me now. I will give you one chance to make this choice. Join me and work in cooperation with the Therians and humans, or die. Nadya is gone. Don’t die with her.”
She urged Niletean to land so she could face them directly. Ash turned to a group of five vampires frozen in place nearby, walked over to them, and released her hold on the first one. When he tried to attack her, Niletean bit his prey in two. Without missing a beat, Ash moved to the next in line.
“How about you? Feel like dying today?” she asked.
The vampire stayed still, making no moves. “I didn’t want this. Please don’t kill me!”
Ash pointed at the black and silver dragon who’d just landed. “Go over to her and wait for further instructions.”
Most of the hundred vampires on the lawn died, but ten chose to side with Ash. When they went into the mansion, they found several dozen more who were unable to move. It felt like a dirty trick, but Ash wouldn’t give up the advantage. The fewer she had to kill, the better.
Ash didn’t have the bloodthirsty nature so many of her kind shared. She could and would kill if the situation called for it, but ending a life wasn’t her first resort. She hated the need for this brutal alternative, but she’d given them a choice.
They got another ten vampires in the mansion, and in the three bunkers, they hit the jackpot. Ash was relieved after all the senseless deaths. The first bunker contained a hundred and thirty-three daywalking vampires, all turned in the past few months, and every one wanted to join Ash.
The second contained two hundred and ten nightwalkers. They mainly had been turned a year ago when Nadya began her frenzy of creation, and half of them had chosen to become vampires and didn’t want to adapt to a way of life that limited their brutality. They were swiftly dispatched and taken to the funeral pyres. Those who chose to join Ash were sent to Viktorija to be introduced to the new vampire order. In the final bunker, of one hundred and fifty-six night-bound vampires, seventy-two chose to follow Ash’s way.
When they’d cleared the compound, Ash was weary of killing. While her people lit the pyres, searched the mansion, and interrogated the surviving vampires about Nadya’s holdings and plans, she wandered off, desperate for a moment of solitude so she could process her emotions without an audience.
When she was sure she’d gone beyond their extended hearing range, she sank against a tree. Niletean followed her to stand guard, but she didn’t mind. Gasping, she let go of her tight hold on her emotions, which felt like she had ripped open her chest again. Her mask cracked, and Ash mourned for having to kill so many. Those deaths had been necessary, but that was little comfort to her abraded soul. Ash recognized that her guilt was misplaced, but she was buried under its weight.
Ash gave herself twenty minutes to indulge in gut-wrenching sobs before she packed her feelings away, dried her eyes, and stood to finish handling her business here. She didn’t see crying as a weakness. It was cathartic, and it had relieved the pressure that had built up within her. The feelings didn’t go away, but acknowledging them had taken the edge off, so they didn’t control her. She would talk through everything with Luca when she returned home.
Home. That was a comforting thought.
Niletean said nothing as Ash returned to the others, who were bathed in the light of the pyres. She was sick at the evidence of so much death while experiencing an equal measure of pride at what they’d accomplished and all the vampires they’d managed to save. She hadn’t lost any of her people and had increased her forces considerably, so all in all, it had been a win.
Zia and Eiko were supervising the arrangements to transport their recruits to the palace until they had permanent accommodations. Zia smiled when she saw her queen approaching.
“All good, boss?” Zia asked, amused by Ash’s willingness to answer to just about anything. Her monarch’s relaxed attitude toward formal titles made her much more relatable, in Zia’s opinion. Ash felt like one of them, though she was orders of magnitude more powerful and wasn’t, strictly speaking, a vampire.
Ash nodded. “As good as I can be.” She looked at the burning corpses in despair. “Why is it so hard to not be a dick? This isn’t what I wanted.”
Eiko looked at Ash like she’d grown another head. “Why on Earth do you think they care what you want? Would you care if they had killed Luca?”
“Touché. I should quit whining about it and be grateful that we saved as many as we did. Sorry. My emotions are all over the place.”
Eiko smiled kindly. “That is to be expected, Ash-sama. You have experienced spectacular changes to your body, mind, and soul over the past few months. I imagine it will hit you in waves.”
“They gave you no choice,” Zia added. “You can’t fix stupid, and you shouldn’t feel bad about that.”
Ash chuckled, and her burden lightened. She called the team leaders who’d gathered information and heard their reports. They could now get into Nadya’s financial holdings, as well as a safe that contained deeds to properties all over the world. Most vampires who knew Nadya’s plans had chosen to die rather than help Ash, but they had taken her Horsemen prisoner, including Jean-Pierre. Under heavy guard, he was waiting to be interrogated in one of the parlors.
“I might as well get this over with.” Ash sighed. “Who’s in there with him?”
Zia grinned. “Viktorija and Euan. We separated the master vampires.”
Ash nodded. “Perfect. Wish me luck. I’m off to interview Jean-Pierre.”
Zia laughed. “Good luck. He’s no Louis.”
Ash walked through Nadya’s home slowly, wondering if she’d chosen the décor or just murdered the house’s occupants and taken over. It didn’t matter. She wanted to clear her mind and focus on the task ahead. Her reports had all said that Jean-Pierre was Nadya’s right hand, and he had taken on that role for Maksim.
She knocked on the door, and Euan opened it, smiling at Ash. “It’s good to see ye, lass. He’s a wily tosser. Dinnae trust him.”
She nodded as she entered the room. “I wasn’t planning on it, but I appreciate the warning.”
A handsome vampire in an impeccable three-piece suit sat on a chair at the center of the room, unbound. He looked up with interest when Ash entered.
“I expected you to be taller.” His English carried a thick French accent, and he had a pleasant demeanor.
“I expected you to be angrier,” Ash pulled a chair over to sit across from the other vampire.
Jean-Pierre shrugged. “I am a survivor. You were strong enough to kill Nadya and formidable enough to send Maksim fleeing, probably back to his pathetic father. Crossing you is not in my best interests. I would rather adapt than meet the true death as so many fools did this night.”
“I can’t argue with your logic. What can you tell me about Nadya and her plans before she died?” Ash asked.
Jean-Pierre smiled, aware of how useful he could be to this new power in the supernatural world. “Anything you want to know. I have managed her affairs almost single-handedly for the last decade. She killed all my predecessors in frustration. I survived by being indispensable. Like so many of us, I follow the power, and that’s you now.”
“You don’t seem upset about Nadya’s death,” Viktorija remarked.
“I’m not,” Jean-Pierre stated bluntly. “She was a heinous bitch, and I found her playacting with the mongrel disgusting and demeaning. You can’t deny it was effective, though.”
“I believe we can find a place for you, Jean-Pierre, if you’re willing to forego the murder and cruelty Nadya seemed to require,” Ash suggested. “We earn trust, and you’ll have to show that you are genuinely working toward a stronger alliance and peace between vampires and Therians before you are free to do as you like.”
The vampire nodded, offering a cheeky grin. “I’ve got nothing but time. I have always been an ambitious man, and I would like an opportunity to regain my former position as the leader of the Horsemen.”
“As in, of the Apocalypse?”
Jean-Pierre nodded. “That is what Nadya called her four generals. We oversaw the day-to-day operations. Nadya had no patience for the administrative work required to organize a picnic, let alone a war. I am willing to help you convince the others to cooperate. We can remotely access and operate the entire vampire empire between the four of us.”
“Which one are you?” Viktorija asked.
Jean-Pierre smiled proudly. “Conquest. I was a captain of industry, running companies worth billions when Nadya took me.”
“Come on, then. Let’s go talk to them. This is only the first stop on our little tour.” Ash gestured at the door. “Euan, Viktorija, would you accompany us to visit the other Horsemen?”
Russian Countryside, Sunday, January 13, 2013, Morning
Jean-Pierre and the other Horsemen were valuable resources since they knew the locations of other sizable vampire nests. They all shared Conquest’s attitude and chose survival over a pointless death. They had been taken for their skills rather than an inclination toward evil.
Death was a witch named Arien Shuska, who’d been renowned for her skills with necromancy when Nadya had turned her. Sabine Michel, a woman with a skeletally thin frame, had been a famous fashion model with an enormous following before Nadya made her Famine. War was named Hale Beaumont, and he’d run a weapons company that made shady deals before he was changed. They’d all pledged to Ash’s service and jumped into being helpful.
The first nest they’d led Ash’s crew to was a bust. The vampires had attacked when they saw Ash, and they were put down. After that, they let one of the Horsemen take point. The next three stops were far more productive, with another forty-seven converted to the new vampire regime.
As they traveled to the fourth nest, six vampires stepped into the road and flagged them down. In a coordinated movement, they dropped to their knees and held their hands up in surrender.
“What is this?” Ash asked in Russian.
“You are the new queen, da?” one of the vampires asked.
“I am,” Ash responded.
“You set us free. Killed the evil bitch who slaughtered our families and stole our lives. She forced us to feed on our loved ones. We want to burn her from history so she is forgotten.”
Another nodded, looking devastated and angry. “We were new and didn’t know what was happening. It didn’t even feel real. The hunger…”
“Stop,” Zia ordered. “You don’t need to explain. We understand the horror of what Nadya did to you.”
Ash growled at the atrocities Nadya had committed for her amusement. “I’m so glad I ripped that monster’s heart out of her chest. She sure as shit wasn’t using the damned thing.” Turning to the six kneeling vampires, Ash smiled. “Get up. You’re welcome with us. I can provide a safe place for you to live and the resources to help you control yourselves.”
“What are the rules, please?” another of the vampires asked.
“Animal blood or a willing host. No killing. Never take more than a pint in a session. The war’s over, and we’re allied with the Therians,” Ash recited. “There will be more, but those are the basics. I’m working on establishing a base where our kind can seek shelter and gather to meet with other species. We are moving toward a lasting peace.”
“As long as you continue to defend those who can’t stand up to the monsters, we will follow you wherever you go,” the first vampire agreed.
Zia made space for the recruits in their convoy, and they continued toward their next objective. By the time Ash finished out the week and opened a portal to take them all home, she expected her forces to number over a thousand vampires.
She hoped they found an appropriate property quickly. Ash needed a place her people could call home and feel safe.