Stolen Sun (The Juliana Lucio Series) (16 page)

“Did you get slower or something?” I asked her.

“Hardly.” She replied snidely.

I came up and gave her a strong side kick into the gut, as William had taught me, catching her off guard and knocking her into William.

“No, I think you are getting slower,” I said mockingly.

Ana pushed up off William and came running toward me with her fist raised, just before she reached me she jumped up
and gave me a swift kick to the side of my head. I was knocked
off balance and into the floor mats landing on my stomach and face.

“Still slow? Speed isn’t everything you know. You need to be ready to anticipate anything. Now get up.” She was circling me like a wild animal.

I put both hands on the mat pushing myself up, determined to prove myself to her. We circled each other for a second, and I could see her muscles tense. I knew she was coming for me
.
I blocked all her punches just as quickly as she threw them. Soon our hands were nothing but a blur, but I could tell she was slowly moving me backward. She was gaining the upper hand, and I
wasn’t
sure what she was going to do with it.

“You think you’re strong enough to take on a 400 year-old vamp?” she taunted me, jumping up, and
landing behind me. I spun around and blocked her kick with my forearm before it had time to land.

“Okay, this is enough!”

William was trying to break us up. I needed this though it was the only way I was going to learn, and the only way I would be able to prove myself to Ana.

She bared her fangs, eyes black. I couldn’t
tell if it was
from the adrenaline of fighting or if she was
losing control, either way I knew I couldn’t
let her beat me. I dropped back a little then jumped to give her a hard kick that caught her under the chin, knocking back her head.

She spun growling at me, I went to hit her but she grabbed my arm pulling it back behind me
while her other hand held my neck. She had me pinned. I could tell she was using most of her strength to hold me, I was about to pull away when I felt her fangs on my neck. She hadn’t broken my skin, but I could sense that she wanted to.

“Ana, you win alright. Let me go,” I said in a low, calm voice.

William was standing before us. I could tell he was trying to calculate a way to get me away from her, without getting my throat ripped out in the process.

“Ana, babe, you’ve proved
your point. You won. Let her go,
” William said in a commanding yet low voice. She didn’t seem to be listening to either of us.

“You know they are going to take your son and most likely drain him dry. What do you plan on doing about it? Watching?” She said darkly, pressing her fangs firmer against my neck.

“They aren’t going to ta
ke him,
” I retorted, “We’ll get to Nathaniel before they get him.” I tried to pull my arm away but she just yanked it back that much tighter.

“Oh, and tell me what are you going to do about it if they do?”

“Ana, let her go!” William was about to do something, he couldn’t
stand there much longer.

I put as much force of my will behind my words as I could muster, I didn’t know if it would make a difference or not, but this posturing was wasting time.

“Ana, look at me. Now.” 

She seemed to sway then tilted her head to look me in the eye, keeping her fangs as close to my neck as she could she still manage.

“Jules . . . what are . . .” William started whispering.

“Shut up Will,” I snapped back in a hushed whisper.

Keeping my eyes locked on Ana and not sure what I was really doing, just knowing I had to mean it, like my life depended on it.

I commanded
her
, “Ana, let go of my arm
,
and slowly move away from my neck, keeping your eyes on me. Now.” She paused. It looked as if she were fighting trying to obey me.

“Do it now!” I yelled, putting all my force behind it.

This time she obeyed me instantly, it was like she was
a puppet at my will. Straightening, I looked her over. I hadn’t given her any other commands, but I hadn’t released her either.

“Stay there and don’t move,” I commanded her. I waited to see if she would try to fight me, when she didn’t
I turned to the wall of weapons.

“Jules, what are you doing?” William asked nervously.

“A little experiment William, you’re the one that wants to use me for a weapon, let’s see how well I really work.”

I pulled a pair of leather gloves from the rack and slid them on and let my eyes roam over the weaponry before me.

“Jules, what are you doing? I can’t let you hurt her.” William was next to me pleading with me to stop this.

“W
ill, I am not going to hurt her.
Trust
me.” I smiled at him and went back to stand before Ana.

“Ana, I release you.”

The instant I said it her features grew angry, her muscles tensed, I could see she was about to lunge again.

“Look down.” I said nonchalantly.

As soon as she did
,
she saw that I was holding a silver stake less than half an inch from her chest, if she would have lunged for me she would have inadvertently impaled herself.

“This is what I would do to a 400 year-old vampire that tries to touch my son, only I wouldn’t stop,” I told her chillingly, lowering the stake.

“I’m glad to hear it
,” she said with a smile. “That was good, but if you ever pull that crap on me again, I’ll rip your fucking head off. Understood?”

“Understood. Just keep your fangs away from my neck,” I countered.

“I think I need a drink. For the first time in 150 years, I need a drink, dammit, and I can’t have one.” William sat down on the mat not really believing that everything was okay.

I realized he really did trust me. He let me go up to his best friend of more than 100 years with a silver stake to her heart
,
while she was defenseless, and he trusted me not to hurt her.
What had I done to earn that kind of trust? I thought only love could do that.

“Juliana, there’s a reason I came home when I did and why I pushed you so hard tonight. I needed to see if you really could compel another vampire; a child has never before been able to compel their maker. Not until tonight. I did research on it after talking to William, I checked all the archives, and there are no records of it anywhere.”

“Are you sure?” This news had William’s full attention.

“Yes. This means that if others find out you can do this
,
they will try to come after you as well. Nathaniel isn’t the only one that will want to use you against other vampires, do you understand?”

“Yeah, don’t let anyone know. You guys are the only ones I know, so who am I going to tell, and soon enough Nathaniel and Victoria will be dead, right?”

“That’s the other reason why I came when I did. I’m glad you can fight as well as you do, and why I needed to know if you could use compulsion under duress,” She paused, I knew she didn’t want to go on. She was hiding her emotions well tonight, but not well enough.

“Tell me Ana.” I demanded in my normal, demanding, non-compulsive way.

“Nathaniel and Victoria  . . . they took Christian tonight.”

“What do you mean they’ve taken him? When did this happen?” I asked her angrily.

“About an hour ago, while I was watching Christian he met up with Victoria again. Only this time Nathaniel was there as well, they all climbed into the back of the car and left. I followed them to an abandoned fire station at the end of town. They’re waiting for you, Juliana.”

“Did they hurt him?”

“Not that I could see, but I could sense that he was definitely frightened. I didn’t smell any blood though.”

I turned around and headed to the weapons, I wasn’t
sure what I was grabbing I was just pulling down whatever looked as if it would cause the most damage.

“Juliana, stop. We need to make a plan.” William started toward me.

“The plan is staking those two in the heart and getting my son back,” I retorted.

Ana intercepted William’s path to me stopping my seizure of all the weapons, “If we run in there unprepared, guns blazing
,
then none of us will be coming back alive, including your son. Let us get armed properly and make a plan so we can all come out of this. This is not a request; I am commanding it as your Sire. Understood?” 

She wasn’t
trying to compel me, but she was putting the force of her power behind her words. She would knock me into the wall if I argued with her and that would just delay getting to Christian.

“Fine, let’s make it quick.”

Ana went to the clothes, and William pulled down a duffle bag and started loading it up with stakes, knives, and a
couple of the guns that were in their stockade. Ana was pulling down a pair of leather pants and a leather jacket for both William and I. She was heading toward
the shoes when I stopped her.

“I don’t need to change clothes,
let
’s
just get the weapons and go.”

“Don’t you get it? This is what we do. You really think William spends all his time just chasing after you? You really think we can afford all of this, or need it for that matter, as a medical resident? Juliana, vampires don’t normally have a warehouse of weapons under their houses! It’s a cover--you’re smart enough to have figured that out by now.”

“Ana, enough!” William yelled at her.

“We don’t know how well her ability
to resist compulsion is going to hold up against Nathaniel. We can’t tell her anything until this is done, it’s too risky, and you know it.”

He was in her space and looked very imposing; I didn’t
think she was going to defy him any further.

“I’m impressed
,
William, with the way your scents are covering each other, I was sure she would have gotten you to tell her anything she wanted,” Ana quipped back at him.

“Yes
, well,
I can manage to do my job and still fall for someone at the same time. Go finish getting her clothes. I’m almost done here; we can take the Range Rover.”

“I don’t need to change,” I started.

“Yes, you do Jules! If you want to go anywhere near Nathaniel tonight, you will put on what Ana gives you and stop arguing. She was right when she said that we know what we are doing. You are the one wasting time.” I had never seen William so commanding before. I just gave him a nod of acquiescence, and he went to start changing into the clothes Ana had pulled down for him.

“Here, put these on,” Ana said quietly, handing me the clothes. “The leather pants and jacket are not only stab resistant, but they are also lined with a fabric specifically engineered to resist all UV rays from the sun. They won’t keep the sun from killing you, but they will get you a little extra time to get to shelter without burning to a crisp. They only protect the skin that they cover though. The gloves we use to hold the stakes are lined with the same material so keep them on to protect your hands.” I started to change clothes, and it
looked like we were
ready
to go.

“Ana, I pass out the instant the sun rises, these clothes aren’t going to help me get to shelter because I won’t be able to stay awake long enough to get anywhere.” I was frightened at the thought of passing out and burning to ash.

“It won’t come to that, they are just a precaution. Besides
,
they are stab resistant as well, which is going to protect you if someone tries to stake you. We copied a human model and tweaked it to resist a vampire’s strength--I hope. But Nathaniel doesn’t want you dead, it isn’t you we have to worry about keeping alive, it’s Christian.”

W
e loaded up into the Range Rover driving toward
the shut-down fire station. It had closed a few years before because the city had built a newer, larger one, just a block away. I personally loved all the older stations in the city; they gave it some character and nostalgia from a time other than our own.

I was strapping a severely sharp, silver knife, to my right ankle; it was sheathed
in black leather and couldn’t
be seen at all.

“So who’s in charge here? I’m guessing it’s you William, but don’t tell me if you’ll have to kill me,” I asked a bit sarcastically.

“Cute Jules, and yes, I’m in charge here. The plan is for you and me to go in and confront Nathaniel distracting him for a few minutes while we try to get a layout of the area, figure out where Christian is
,
and exactly what it is Nathaniel wants. There has to be a bigger picture here. Ana will hold back until we need her, giving us the upper hand. Nathaniel thinks she has left town.”

“Won’t he just sense that she is around just like I knew that he and Victoria were coming the day at the diner?”

“I can mask my presence. It’s why I can always sneak up on you,” she said a little sheepishly. “It’s a bit harder to do around Nathaniel, but I have been doing it for years and neither of them has been able to sense me. The only reason Nathaniel knew I had turned you was because I hadn’t known he was in town, and my guard was down, otherwise I would have been completely masked from him then as well.”

“Alright, we confront him, find Christian, then what? Just attack him? That seems a little transparent doesn’t it? I mean, I don’t do this all the time, but won’t he see that coming?” I was beginning to believe this plan was implausible at best and sure to kill us all at worst.

“Exactly, he’ll be expecting us to just walk in there and attack him, but we need to talk to him. You must compel him. Jules, when you start to use your compulsion we can feel it, you need to walk in there already at full strength so Nathaniel won’t be able to sense any change when you compel him. He will be less likely to fight it this way. The sooner you compel him to back down, the sooner we can get Christian out of there. Do you understand?”

“Yeah
—
I guess. What exactly am I compelling him to do? Put his hands in the air and give up p
eacefully? I mean come on, Will
he’s going to come back after us once he snaps out of it.”

“I’ll take care of him once he’s under, but Jules please, just compel him, and get yourself and Christian out of there. I don’t want you involved any further.”

I met his eyes in the rearview mirror, “Will, I don’t want to leave you.” I leaned between the seats taking his hand in mine, kissing his fingers, “I can get Christian safe then help you with Nathaniel, what if the compulsion wears off once I leave him. We don’t know enough about it yet.”

“No, Jules. I only need a moment, then I’ll meet you back outside at the truck. I promise, I will explain everything when this is all over.”

“I trust you William, with my life and my son's. I know you’ll tell me when you can.” I did trust him, he gave me his absolute trust when I had Ana under compulsion, and I was going to give him all of mine.

“Stop here. The station is just around the corner, I’ll be on top of this building where I can have a clear view through the window,” Ana said adjusting her jacket. I could sense that she was uncomfortable.

William parked the truck behind the building with Ana climbing out before we had even stopped, heading for the roof.

“Ana wait!” I called after her.

“Look, I’m sorry you had to find out about William and I the way you did, but that doesn’t change how I feel about him. It also doesn’t change that I want to make a real effort at this sire/child thing when this is all said and done. I understand why you did what you did, and I guess I’d rather be a vampire than be dead. That is if you still want to teach me, of course.”

“Of course I do, I just don’t want to see you get hurt Juliana. He broke my heart once, and I don’t want it to happen to you as well. Did he tell you that? It was a few decades back, but still, there is something a little disconcerting about having the vampire you want to be with sleeping with the one you used to be with.” At that she just turned and headed to the roof.

I stood there for a moment taking in the revelation she just dropped on me.

Ana
and William . . . together?

I turned back to William who was strapping on a few knives attached to a holster under his jacket.
I knew he had heard everything that was just said, but this was not the time.

“Ready?” I asked in faux cheerfulness.

“Jules, I can explain,” he said looking up at me, shutting the back
o
f the truck.

“Oh, I know. You have a lot to explain and you will. Just not right now. Let’s go.” I was back to my usual demanding self.

“Wait, you need to start using your full power before we go in there, it’s less likely that Nathaniel will sense any change when you try to compel him.”

“The only way I know how to be in my full power is to compel someone; what do you want me to do, compel you?” I quipped back frustrated with everything.

“If that’s what it takes, then do it.”

“Just like that? You’ll let me compel you?” Ana had threatened to practically kill me if I ever tried this on her again, and he was acting like it was no big deal.

“Jules, I trust you, just do it quickly so we can get in there. I want to make sure I can get you home safely before daylight.” He came over to hold my face in his hands, easing my tension as he did.

“Will . . .”

I was looking him directly in the eye, putting the full force of my power behind my words. My mind was racing with what to compel him to do, I could get him to tell me anything, tell me about him and Ana, tell me what was really going on with the secrets they kept.

“. . .
tell me your full name.”

He hesitated, then I pushed the full force of my strength into him making his eyes widen and causing him to stumble a little.

“William, Duke of Kent.” He carried an expressionless look to his face. I was a little stunned at this, I had no idea William was royalty or at least related to royalty.

“Where did you live when you were turned?”

“London, England.”

“William, Duke of Kent from London, England stand on one foot, pat your stomach with your right hand, and rub your head with your left,” I told him with a smile.

He complied immediately, and I couldn’t
help laughing out loud
despite what we were heading into.

“William, I release you back to yourself,” I said on a laugh.

I was trying to maintain the feeling I had while I was compelling someone. Once I found it, I realized I could hold it easily without letting go. I would be able to instantly compel someone; just imagining it was a little scary.

“You could have asked me anything, yet you asked me something you already knew? Why not find out the answers you’re dying to find out?” He was utterly serious as he asked me, facing me with his hands on
his
hips.

“You trusted me
,
Will I wasn’t going to violate that. Besides
,
seeing you hop around was much better than anything you could have possibly told me. Speaking of, why have you never said anything about being a Duke before?” I laughed grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the fire station.

“Because that was my old life, I’m not really that same person anymore, and it’s for the better.”

“Jules,” William started disengaging our hands while we continued to make our way around the building, “we can’t let Nathaniel know that we care for each other. It will just be another tool for him to use to hurt one of us with. You must also prepare yourself for the possibility that Christian may be in the room when we get there. You have gotten acclimated to seeing your son, but he thinks you are dead, there is no way of telling how he will react if he see
s
you. This is another reason to get you two out of here as soon as we can, the sooner you compel Christian into forgetting all of this, the better the odds are that he will forget it ever happened. You’re strong enough that he might not even dream about it.” William was talking incredibly fast.

“Slowdown, Will
what happens if I can’t make him forget?”

He wouldn’t
look at me. “
Remember;
do not let your guard down. I will have your back, but you must always know where everyone else in the room is. Do you understand me?” He was looking at me now; he wanted confirmation that I was going to be safe.

“What will happen if I can’t make him forget?”

I tried again calmly and steadily. I didn’t
want to compel him, I didn’t
want our relationship based on threats of my taking whatever I wanted, but I would do it for my son, especially my ‘human’ son who could be permanently damaged.

“It’s the law Jules. Humans, other than servants, are not permitted under any circumstance to know of the existence of vampires. Should a human become aware of our existence, the matter will be taken before the Council—who then makes final judgment of killing, turning, or enslaving the human as a servant. I’m sorry love, I really am, that’s why compelling him has to work.”

“You’re telling me that even after saving him from Nathaniel, I can be forced to kill or turn my own son?” It was incredulous, how many people did I have to go through!

“Yes, or make him you’re human servant.”

“Who is this Council?”

“We’re here,” William said nodding before us, and not-so-subtly changing the subject.

We were finally standing before the old fire house, and I
could see why they replaced it. It was old red brick and built back in the mid-1800s, there was an old alarm bell attached to the side of the station bay garage door. Some of the bricks had begun falling from the roof and sides of the building, most of the windows were either broken or boarded up. It looked as if it had been strong and beautiful in its day, now it just looked decrepit.

I pushed my senses out around me and could sense two vampires and one human in the building. The heartbeat was strong and rapid telling me that Christian was uninjured, or at least not bleeding. The station was three stories tall. I could faintly hear his heartbeat coming from somewhere on the third floor. Both Nathaniel and Victoria were on the bottom floor. Just as I had started thinking that maybe Ana could mask herself and sneak in to grab Christian while we distracted the two, one of their signatures fled to the upstairs room.
So much for a grab and dash.

William and I
entered through an old wood rotting door into what was once the lobby of the fire station.
It had small, white antique tiles with the fire shield and station #1 in a black mosaic. Several of the tiles were cracked
or missing altogether. In the far corner was a pole that connected all three stories via a hole through each floor, next to it was a door leading into the fire truck bay. The entire place was dark and dusty, the remnants of furniture left behind indicating a past better left to nostalgia.

“Come out, come out, where ever you are!” I sang out into the echoing darkness. I wasn’t
sure why they were hiding; it wasn’t
like we could hide from each other.

William and I
walked further into the room, peering around corners, and looking into cupboards as we went. There was
an old paramedic kit in a cupboard, it amazed me that any of this stuff had survived years of vagrants coming and going, but especially this. There had to be needles in it. I continued keeping my guard up and my compulsion right on the edge of my psyche. As we came into the living room area
,
we found Nathaniel sitting in an old, dusty chair just off center of the room.

“Hello Nathaniel.”

“Juliana, you’re looking as lovely as ever this evening. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised it didn’t take you long to notice your son missing or to find him for that matter.”

“What are we doing here Nathaniel? I told you to stay away from him.”

“Yes, I do recall that wonderful evening, but I also recall giving you the opportunity to give yourself to me in exchange for him, and seeing as you are here
,
I can only presume that you have taken me up on that offer?” He was speaking in a very reasonable tone, and it irked me to no end.

“Of course, I wasn’t including Mr. Bancroft in that
proposal, but if that is what it takes to get you to come with me amicably, then so be it. I can share.” He tacked on with a predatory glint to his eye.

“I am not an object to be passed around and ‘shared’ Mr. Retta, and I can assure you that you will not be having any part of me, under any circumstances. Do you understand me?” I told him with an unwavering glare.

“Yes. I understand you are not an object to be shared.” His voice was monotone, and he
appeared to not really being seeing me.
Holy crap, I’d just compelled him without even trying!