Rule (2 page)

“I’m out of here,”
I said, stepping back, wiping the blood on my shirt.
“My shift’s over. See you tomorrow.”
The concern over the human was outweighed by my hope that I could catch a glimpse of the Axis woman again. All I could think about was how rich her blood must have been.

“Wait… What am I supposed to do about him?”

I glanced down at the soldier whose reputation had made its rounds in our city. My head shook in disappointment. There was such talk about whether or not he’d last in our world. The majority hadn’t thought so. Guess they’d been right.

“You heard the Axis woman. Let him die. Nothing you can do anyway, guy blew his fucking brains out. He doesn’t want to be alive no more, anyway.”

“Shouldn’t we, I don’t know, put him out of his misery?”

My loyalty pushed through, filling my chest with love for the kind who took me in. Who gave me what I needed. “
Nah … let him suffer. Bastard deserves it. He hurt our Master.”

I pulled back, breaking from the collector’s memories and neck, gasping for air. The man crumbled in my arms. I’d taken too much blood.

“Thank you,” I said, breathing heavily. “Your loyalty has earned you a reward.” A smile tugged at the man’s lips, even though he could barely open his eyes. “I will send Demetrius. He will take care of you.”

Although the old me would have dropped the man to the ground without regard for his safety, I wasn’t him anymore. I was Austin’s Ruler. That changed things. Changed me.

I lowered the collector to the ground, taking care to lay him down without letting his head drop to the cement. As I headed back to leave, I gave one last look to where they cremated the bodies. Hunter was dead. And he’d gone out as painfully as he could. That was enough for me.

Chapter 3

“What do we have?”

As I looked around the table at the other eight members before me, I could see their nervousness. Although another week had gone by, I hadn’t gotten much better in the stability department. I wasn’t sick anymore. I did more than my fair share of killing and feeding, but there was a wildness that had imbedded itself inside me. A recklessness that was beginning to spiral out of control. I’d always been one to love a fight. Now, the battle was within myself. It left my power projecting itself like a poisonous curtain, blanketing everyone within a twenty foot radius.

“Marie has sent a message.” Bufar’s hand was slightly shaking as he held out the fancy sealed envelope. I took it, clenching my jaw as I let my claw extend and rip through the expensive material.

Dear Master Marko Delacroix,

I am sad to inform you that I won’t be returning to Austin for quite some time. Although I have held court with Master Aetas, there are still things he wishes to know. I’m not sure when I will be allowed to leave.

My deepest condolences.

Mistress Marie Bardot

P.S. My heart is broken for you. Please take strength in knowing Tessa loved you until the end.

I crumbled the paper, clenching it in my fist as pain squeezed my chest, making its way through every inch of my body. Bufar and Anastasia, the closest members to me, shifted uneasily. The need to scream or break down was there, but I couldn’t let them see me like that. Somehow I managed to get myself under control.

“What else?” Irritation was in my tone. Anastasia took a deep breath before she placed her interlaced hands on the table.

“The riots are spreading throughout the states. The humans are starting to rebel worse than ever. There’s talk of martial law going into effect.”

“Martial law?” My eyebrow rose in surprise. “Is this decision from our people within?”

She nodded.

“Do they not know the action will start an uprising worse than the fights or attacks going on already?”

“I assume they’ve taken it into account.”

My breath came out in a large exhale. Did they not see the power behind these mere humans? They were willing to fight for what they believed in. Their government might have thought they had a handle on things, but I’d seen what passion for a cause could do to a person. It would be a war within an already building one. Earth would be a mess. Why not allow us to continue to let things play out? Some of us would die, but more of them would. Surely they could see that?

“I will write and inquire more information on their plan.” A few nods followed and I sat up straighter in my chair. “I want to talk about something else I recently discovered. Something that I’m not happy with.”

Hard stares were cast my way, but I could see their underlying fear.

“Someone is bringing humans underground and killing them here. I came across four bodies. From what I learned, the bodies are burned every two to three days. That means those humans were brought down here on a regular feeding basis. Does someone want to tell me anything? I know it wasn’t a commoner. They wouldn’t dare disobey the rules. It had to have been someone with power. Someone who has forgotten their place. One of you.”

Stares were cast around at each other.

“You know I’m going to find out. If I have to go to each of you to do so, it’s only going to make the consequences worse. Out with it.”

Silence stretched while I waited. Still they looked around. I could feel their walls come up. No one wanted me to see their secrets.

“Well?” Beatrice snapped. “Who was it?”

Still no one answered. My lids began to lower with each minute that passed by. The disrespect and lack of honesty was something I couldn’t have.

“Let’s start at the end. Zachariah, come forward.” I didn’t bother standing. I felt no threat from any of the members here. They were powerful, but they didn’t hold a candle to what I was capable of.

The blond vampire stood. Long hair was tied back, barely reaching past his shoulders. Light green eyes stayed on mine as he approached. The moment he got next to my chair, he kneeled, keeping the contact. Visions gave way as I pushed into his mind. The vampire jumped, clutching to the table as I rushed through his memories—hard. Aside from some rapes here and there, nothing.

“John.”

The dark skinned man shook his head, stiffly. My eyes widened in surprise. I felt myself slowly rise. I was ready for a fight. Ready to tear someone to pieces and his response was triggering my need. “Are you disobeying a direct order from your leader?”

“John,” Demetrius hissed. “Go to him.”

Again the man refused.

“Aright.” My voice was calm as I eased the chair back enough to make it around the table. The man rose and tried to sidestep away, but I held him locked with my gaze. I was already pushing through, already seeing the beginning of his life unfold before me. By the time I made it to him, he was vampire. The time fast-forwarded even faster, until it was but a blur before me. Regardless, I knew everything I was barely seeing. The information was pouring into my mind, registering with extreme clarity.

“Master, you scared me. I didn’t see you there.”

One of the collectors skirted away, ducking around the far side of equipment as John tossed a human body to the pile. It wasn’t one of the ones I’d seen before. Internally, I shook my head. When John began to turn away, my stomach dropped at his vision settling on Hunter. Amongst the pile, Hunter rested on the far side. He was in a different location from where I’d seen him before. Further away, at the very back.

Closer, John moved, cocking his head as the essence of Sayer wafted through. It turned my stomach the moment it had become clear to the vampire I held hypnotized.

“Holy … shit.”
He said, pausing in his advance.

Hunter groaned and his head turned the opposite way. Something told me it was the following day after the attack …. and Hunter wasn’t dead. No, he looked …
better
. Healing.

John turned, taking big steps back toward the furnace area where the collector had went to hide.

“You! Come out.”

There was dread in the way the man shuffled forward.

“The human in the back, the one who killed the princess, were you aware he was still alive?”

“No, Master, I just got here.”

John glanced back at Hunter, only to return to the collector.
“Well, he is. Take care of him first thing. I don’t want this getting out.”
With one last look, the vampire headed for the door.

I broke away, shaking him with everything I had as he came back from the fugue.

“You kept information from me?” I roared. “You knew he lived and you didn’t kill him? You left it up to a collector?” So many questions were pouring from me as heat blistered my insides. I had to find this man who was given the order. I had to see Hunter thrown into the flames myself. Sayer’s blood within him was obviously enough to prevent him from dying completely. With time…

Hands gripped tightly to my clutched grip and I nearly latched onto his throat. The need to choke him until his windpipe gave way under my hands was almost unstoppable. My mind screamed the word,
no
.

“You better hope the human was killed, or so help me.” I drew John closer. “Lockdown will pale in comparison to the hell I’ll put you through.”

I let go, spinning for the door. “Meeting is over. Bufar, Anastasia, please escort Master John to his cell.”

I didn’t turn to look behind me. I rushed through the door and kept my composure all the way to the waste room. Talking ceased as I broke through and four men straightened at my arrival. I scanned over their faces, pointing to the one I saw John talking to you.

“You. Come here.”

Hesitancy had his steps starting out slow, but he picked them up, not meeting my gaze. When he finally came to rest before me I snapped my fingers. His stare cut up and I didn’t say anything as I pushed into his memories, wading through them as though they were nothing. Time passed and I slowed as he watched John begin to leave the room. The roll of his eyes as the door shut had my stomach turning. The man shook his head and headed further into the back. Resting next to some pipes lay a bottle of liquor. He took the bottle, unscrewing the lid, and gulped down the fiery alcohol. It burned my insides and I quickly realized he wasn’t going to obey John. I sped up time, going through hours of him sitting there, drinking his sobriety away. Finally, he stood, walking back to the front. Voices rang out with laughter following. He walked toward it, coming to an abrupt stop as he went to glance toward Hunter and realized he was gone. Panic flared and he rushed to the bodies, pulling them to the sides as he searched.

“Where’s the soldier?”
he asked, throwing the other two collectors a glance.

“The soldier?”

“Yes,”
he exploded.
“The soldier. Did you put him in the furnace?”

The two gave each other confused glances and shook their heads.
“You’re the one on duty, why would we do that?”

“Oh, God.”
He raced for the exit, his adrenaline crashing as the door came open in his hand. It was unlocked. Something I knew from his thoughts wasn’t normal. Wasn’t allowed.

The barrier came flying open and he grabbed a flashlight from the shelf along the wall, sprinting through the darkness. The tunnel didn’t go far. The ending appeared and he looked up, coming face to face with the removed grate.

I broke from his thoughts, roaring as I brought my claws down over the side of his face. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. Blood …. murder, it ruled me. Skin shredded beneath my blows and I grabbed to his neck, holding to his hair with my other had as I tore his head from his shoulders.

The room came back into focus and the collectors were bowed, cowering as I headed for the exit. The sun was still up, blocking my possibility to go to the outside world. If I had thought myself uncontrollable before, it didn’t compare to the frenzy that rested within now. A bloodbath waited ahead. There was no stopping the carnage that my vampire wished to release, and I’d let him. Hunter couldn’t hide from me. I’d burn Austin to the ground before I let him disappear somewhere in the cracks.

Chapter 4

Hunter

It was laughable that I’d awake here on earth when I had every intention of being sent to hell. Was this God’s way of making me pay for my sins? I knew it was. Why would he send me to a fiery world full of demons when there were more than enough roaming the streets here?
This
was hell, and I’d be forced to roam amongst them the rest of my days.

My arms crossed my chest, hugging the black hoodie to me tighter as I sat in a fetal positon. My thighs pressed into my forearms, pushing them into me harder. The sadness welled within and tears escaped as I went over the scene for the millionth time. I had killed my best friend. Murdered the woman I loved. True, she wasn’t the real Tessa, but weren’t there moments when I could almost feel the old her?

I tried not to think about her calling my name after I slid the dagger into her heart. Her voice, the one I’d fallen in love with, haunted me. I could hear her calling to me in the dead of night. Even in the light of day.
“Hunter…don’t.”
It was always there. Always, pleading to me. It lit the fuse to my anger even more. The defensive part of me roared to the forefront as I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t really her. That what I had done was for the best. And it was. I knew that, even if my mind wouldn’t let me believe it.

Trash blew around the dim alley, pulling my attention from the daze I’d been in. Soon, it would be dark. I was unprotected and I didn’t care. Maybe someone would kill me for good this time. I had no wish to live. No drive to try to connect with anyone in this forsaken place. I was done and resentful that I had somehow lived. That I continued to. It had to be vampire blood. It was in me and I couldn’t stand it.

Weak and disoriented, I had stumbled into the light for the first time in months
. Alive.
Even trying to bleed myself out later that night hadn’t worked. It just set me back a few more days.  Now, more than two weeks later, I was stronger, healed completely, and past the point of suicide. I was adjusting to the depression. Letting it process. For days I nearly drowned in it, but I was numbing out. I could be killed, or not. Whether I lived or died didn’t matter. Something would eventually happen. So what did I do in the meantime? The answer wouldn’t come and I had no urgency to make it.

A sigh left me as I leaned my hood-covered head against the wall. The longer hair was gone. One couldn’t walk around with only half a head of hair. The back where the damage had been from the gun, healed—bald. Now I looked like I did during my military years and I didn’t so much like that either.

Groups of people walked past the alley, heading toward the restaurants. My stomach growled at the thought, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten in days. The realization had the side of my lip lifting in distaste. The appeal wasn’t there. I only craved one thing and I wouldn’t even let myself think about my rapist. Even with as much as I hated Sayer, an odd addiction for more of his blood tugged at my core. It was pointless, he was dead, not that I would have given into the yearning.
Fuck, I hated my life.

I pushed to my feet, keeping my head down as I turned onto the street. I had a few dollars left from the man I’d robbed, but the amount wouldn’t last after today. The majority of my cash rested in my bank account, but I was dead to this world. I wouldn’t touch a dime of it. What I had on me would have to hold me over until I came to a decision on what I was going to do next.

The scent of food wafted through the air and I sidestepped groups waiting to go into the crowded places. I couldn’t afford anything from there. Not even close.

I broke around the corner, turning toward the fast food restaurant that I knew was a few blocks away. Shouting and chants had me slowing as I approached the next block. People, as far as the eye could see, crowded the street. Height gave me advantage, but I couldn’t see the source of what everyone found intriguing. I scanned further, squinting to read a sign someone was waving around. Only one word was noticeable enough for me to read.
Vampire.

My heart jumped in rhythm and I began to try to push through the mob. Inexplicably, people began to step back, away from me, staring as if I were some sort of monster. I caught their curiosity and fear before I looked more toward the front. One by one they turned, before I could even get to them. My feet slowed. God, was something wrong with me and I just couldn’t see it?

Whispering began and I forced myself to continue. A voice grew louder, yelling as it spoke to the crowd. The closer I got, the more I recognized it. Faster, I went, almost running by the time I entered the small park.

“Allowing these vampires into our society was the biggest mistake our government has ever made. As a soldier with the US Army, I’m putting my foot down and saying, no more. We have to stand together. We have to—”

Johnson stopped speaking as his eyes followed the parting sea of people and he settled on me.

“God… Holy shit!” He stepped down from the small podium where he stood on, rushing toward me. He stopped short as if he hit a wall. My eyebrows drew in and I closed the distance. Although Johnson tensed, he didn’t step back.

“What the hell is going on here?” I asked, looking around. “Where’s Gomez?”

“No, man, what the hell is going on with you? Where have you been? We thought you were dead.”

I shook my head, not knowing what to say. People were beginning to step closer. It made me uneasy. “We need to talk.”

“Damn right we do,” he mumbled. “You got vampire blood in you. Strong fucking blood. I feel the fear, just like with them.” He stepped back, climbing on the podium long enough to announce another man who immediately began to stir up the people watching. When he came back to me, he led me deeper into the park, away from the crowd. “Now tell me what the fuck happened to you? Did you find your girl?”

I bit my lip, feeling what only could be described as a knife through my heart. It was too ironic given that’s what she had probably felt, but worse.

“It’s a long story. Where’s Gomez?” I asked again.

“Dead. Vampires got him during a hunt outside of Fort Hood.” He gave me a sad look. “I’m sorry for your loss. I know the two of you were close.”

My head dropped and I couldn’t stop the sorrow I felt for my friend.

“Where you staying?” he continued. “Not at the other house. I’ve been back more times than I can count. Already has new renters staying there.”

I nodded, remembering the couple I saw walking from the front door when I’d tried to return to get my things.

“I … don’t have a place. I’ve been sleeping a few streets away in an alley there.”

“Fuck,” he said, letting the word drag out. “You’ll come back to my place. You’ll stay with me.”

I immediately rejected the idea, shaking my head. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”

“Sure you can. Why not? You worried about that vampire finding you? The one whose blood you carry?”

“No,” I whispered. “I killed him.”

“Then come with me.”

I took a few steps back. “Can’t. Death follows me wherever I go. Unless you’re looking to die, I’d suggest you stay away.”

I turned to leave when he made it to my side. “I’m not taking no for an answer. I want you to come. You can help us.”

“Do what? Kill vampires? No, thanks. I’ve done my fair share. I’m finished.”

“Moretti.” His hand grasped to the arm of my hoodie as I began to walk away and I didn’t think as I lunged out, slamming him over and down. The strength and speed I held had my eyes going wide. Johnson’s mouth opened while he tried to get oxygen from the impact. I dove down, pulling him to stand as I tried to calm his panic.

“I’m sorry. Breathe. Just …. fuck.”

A deep inhale sounded, followed by another.

“I’m sorry. See, you have to stay away from me.”

Johnson’s hand shot up, even as he fought to breathe. “We need you, Moretti. Did you see yourself? You’re like one them, but you can come out in the light. We could use you. With that kind of speed and strength you can find your girl. We can save her.”

The enthusiasm in his voice made me flex my jaw repeatedly. “No.”

“Don’t you want to find her?”

“I
did
find her! I found her and I made her turn into a vampire so we could be together. She wasn’t herself anymore. She was like them and she tried to warn me. She…” A frustrated, desperate sound left my lips. “I fucking had to kill her. She told me to. She said if she got too…” A sob was next, breaking through my numbness as I walked backward. “She’s dead, just like everyone who gets close. Stay away, before you’re next.”

I gave him my back, walking toward the restaurant at a fast pace. I heard his footsteps before I knew I should have. My fists tightened and I pushed from my feet into a fast run. But it wasn’t just fast, it was humanly impossible. It was as though my feet were barely touching the ground as I blurred past everyone. My pulse spiked and my mind raced. I might actually stand a chance against those bastards. Like … really stand a chance in a fight without a weapon.

I slowed, already blocks away. I took the long way around at a normal pace, not even winded as I came to a stop outside the double doors. My appetite wasn’t there, but I went forward, ordering a hamburger. As I sat in the corner and ate, I took in everything. People stayed a good distance away, displaying what I used to feel when confronted with one of those creatures. They didn’t even seem to recognize they were doing it. Aside from a few giving me weird looks, they went on their way. A smile pulled at my lips and I couldn’t deny that I wanted to test out my skills.

Darkness was coming quickly. While I stared out of the window, I plotted what I should do. Where I should go. There was only place I knew vampires would be for sure and I had every intention of heading there. No weapons. No stakes. Just me. If I was meant to live for some reason I couldn’t understand, then it was God’s will. But if I died … I’d go out with one hell of a fight.