Chase almost laughed in his face. “You’re a fucking vampire!” he shouted. Sir Marcus’ careless attitude infuriated him. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why she didn’t come home last night.”
Chase almost screamed aloud as he felt the vampire’s power rip through his mind. He gritted his teeth against the pain. “If she’s still alive, just let her go, please she’s just a kid,” he gasped weakly. It was not in him to beg, but he was desperate. There was no way that he could fight against this creature. “You can do whatever you want with me, just let her go.”
Marcus’ face was a terror to behold. His lips were curled, his teeth bared in a ferocious snarl. His eyes burned with a deadly light.
Chase dropped his sword and fell to his knees. The vampire’s power swept over him. It was no longer blood that coursed through his veins; it was fire.
A large wolf bounded into view, its muzzle coated in blood.
“No! Elizabeth!” Chase managed to cry out before he was pulled down into the raging sea of Marcus’ fury.
Chapter 7
“No doubt,” Demetrius said as he unchained Elizabeth. “Reginald has told you all about him and Anya and me. He probably wove one of his charming tales of love and passion that conveniently glossed over some of the more unpleasant details.”
Elizabeth did not reply. She massaged her wrist and flexed her fingers, relieved to finally be able to lower her arms. She wanted to stand up, but she didn’t trust her legs to support her at the moment.
“Tell me,” Demetrius said. His voice had become gentler than Elizabeth would have thought possible. “Was I the villain in his story?”
Elizabeth’s every instinct told her to lie, but she couldn’t.
“Yes, you were,” she said quietly.
“I thought as much.” Demetrius’ eyes flashed with sudden anger.
Elizabeth flinched; her cheek burned as if it had been slapped.
Demetrius took a deep breath; his voice became gentle again. “What did he say that I did, little Elizabeth?”
“You’ll hurt me again,” Elizabeth said, desperate to stall this clearly insane vampire until Romulus could return with help.
“I’ll hurt you anyways,” Demetrius said with a shrug. “And then make you answer all the same. You might as well save yourself the trouble while I’m in a generous mood.”
Elizabeth swallowed nervously. “He told me that you tried to seduce Anya and then tried to scare her into leaving him. When that didn’t work, you threatened her family and then left the clan to join Laila and start a war against the Wolf Clan.”
“And of course you believe him,” Demetrius said.
“I have no reason not to,” Elizabeth replied
She flinched as Demetrius crouched down so that his face was level with hers. His cold eyes chilled her to the core, but his voice was friendly.
“Why would Reginald, the mighty lord of the Wolf Clan lie to a sweet little thing like you?”
“At least he didn’t attack me and chain me up in his basement,” Elizabeth said. She could feel Demetrius’ pressing against the walls of her mind, trying to find a weakness on her defenses. It made her feel violated and sick to her stomach.
“You know they’ll find you,” she said.
“Yes, yes, and save you and rain destruction and death or whatever on me,” Demetrius said with an impatient wave of his hand. “I’ve heard it all before, and it’s gotten old.”
Elizabeth struggled to her feet. She wanted more than anything to get as far away from her captor as possible, but her knees buckled underneath her. Demetrius caught her and held her up.
“What do you want from me, Demetrius?” Elizabeth asked. She hated feeling this weak and helpless.
There was something almost like pity in the vampire’s eyes as he looked at her.
“I want you to know the truth,” he said.
“I don’t want to hear whatever your version of the truth is,” Elizabeth said. She glared angrily at Demetrius and wrenched herself out of his grasp. “I want you to let me go.”
Demetrius’ expression was unreadable as he stared at her with a faraway look in his eyes.
“You think I’m a monster, don’t you?” he asked at last.
Elizabeth did not have to answer; it was written clearly on her face.
He smiled suddenly, his teeth flashing in the gloomy basement.
“Well, little girl, listen carefully, and I’ll tell you about the real monsters.”
Chapter 8
“Enough!” Chase heard a deep voice cut through the darkness that surrounded him. The pain began to recede, and his blood began to cool. He found that he could breathe easily again.
As his vision returned, he saw that another vampire had joined Marcus. Chase could tell that this vampire was even more powerful than any that he had ever encountered. He could feel his skin crawl at his mere presence.
“Forgive me, father,” Marcus’ voice sounded far away as he spoke to his companion. “I lost control.”
“It’s miracle that you didn’t kill him. It is never wise to kill a hunter without provocation.”
“He attacked me first,” Marcus protested.
“After you taunted him,” the older vampire said calmly. “He is no threat to us.”
“He’s a liability,” Marcus said with a scowl. “He could be a threat to Elizabeth.”
“He’s her friend, you know that.”
“He doesn’t know what she is. And he’s no mere hunter. He’s a descendant of the Silversmith, and he was powerful enough to slay Lord Godfrey.”
Marcus’ father raised his eyebrows. “Intriguing,” he said looking down at Chase. His grey eyes seemed to be able to pierce into the depths of his soul. There was something about his gaze that was vaguely familiar. “He could prove to be useful to use.”
Unbidden, memories began to come to the surface of Chase’s mind as the vampire’s power washed over him.
He watched in horrified fascination as he saw his fight with the fierce Rat King play out before his eyes, like watching a film, but far more real. He could hear the clash of steel and the crack of gunshots and the wailing of dying men and beasts. The smell of blood and fear and smoke and death filled his nostrils. He remembered the feeling of hot blood running down his sides where his foe’s sharp claws had ripped into his flesh. He tried to cry out in anguish at the sight of his father’s broken body, but no sound came out.
He fought with all his might against the swirl of haunting memories that threatened to swallow his whole. The ancient vampire was not trying to kill him; he was trying to take over her mind. Chase did not know if he had the strength to resist. Even as he felt the last vestiges of himself begin to slip away, a single image floated through the chaos and solidified before his eyes.
It was her face.
He suddenly realized why the vampire’s gaze had seemed so familiar. There was the same look in her gentle brown eyes. He gasped as he at last understood what she really was. So the legends were true.
Chapter 9
“I don’t believe you,” Elizabeth said, tears staining her face. It was too painful to think about.
“You should know that you can’t lie to me,” Demetrius said with a smirk. “Even if you want to lie to yourself.”
Elizabeth shook her head. Her mind was in turmoil as what she thought she knew and what Demetrius had told her tried to reconcile themselves with one another. She could feel the vampire messing around inside her head, twisting her thoughts and memories until she couldn’t tell where the truth ended and the lies began.
“Don’t you see,” Demetrius’ voice cut into her like a dozen razors. “He was supposed to unite the clans once and for all and lead them to victory over our ancient foes, but instead he slaughtered his entire clan and caused the other Great Clans to turn on
one another and rip each other to pieces all for the sake of a lowly mortal woman. And then that bastard son of his could have wiped the Silversmiths off the planet once and for all. There could have been peace if he hadn’t been too weak to fulfill his vow.”
Elizabeth said nothing. She had known already that Lord Reginald and Sir Marcus had indeed done these terrible things, but some part of her had somehow been able to justify their actions. There was no changing the past, but when Demetrius spoke of their actions, the atrocity of their deeds made Elizabeth sick to her stomach. It sickened her that she could forgive them, but no, it wasn’t forgiveness that she could give; all she could do was accept what they had done and move forward.
Something within her stirred suddenly. With some effort, she pushed Demetrius out of her mind and shook herself free of his influence.
“That lowly woman you’re speaking of was my ancestor,” she said angrily. “And how dare you try to twist an act of mercy into an act of weakness.”
Demetrius reacted as if he had been slapped in the face. His eyes widened in shock.
Elizabeth felt strangely warm. She clenched her fists and stared at Demetrius. She could see straight through him. He was afraid. He was being manipulated by something that was far darker and deadlier than he.
The moment passed in an instant. Elizabeth blinked in surprise. Part of her was certain that she had imagined it. She shook her head and looked at Demetrius.
The vampire returned her gaze with a slight frown. “You are not like the others, Elizabeth Morden,” he said after a moment’s contemplation. “Perhaps you will succeed were others have failed.” He turned and began walking up the stairs to the house above, leaving Elizabeth standing alone and perplexed.
As he reached the door above, he turned and looked down at Elizabeth. “Come with me, little girl,” he said, there was a trace of reluctance in his voice. “There’s something I want you to show you.”
Elizabeth was genuinely surprised to find herself obeying him without hesitation.
Chapter 10
Before Elizabeth’s eyes could adjust to the light of the house after the gloom of the basement, she heard a growl beside her. Demetrius grabbed her and forced her in front of him, holding both her hands behind her back with one hand. She felt the cold steel of a knife pressed to her throat.
She blinked as the room came into focus. It was a neat little sitting room. A couch and a loveseat with soft floral prints and dark wooden legs sat on opposite a sparkling clean fireplace. There was a faint smell of cinnamon and potpourri in the air. It looked almost cozy except for the trench coat clad man standing in the middle of the room with two swords held casually at his side. Blood dripped slowly down both blades onto the thick carpet.
“Chase!” Elizabeth gasped. She hadn’t recognized him at first. It wasn’t merely the change of clothes or the weapons that he held; there was something in his expression that was very different. His normally warm eyes were like cold, deadly pits.
She was almost more afraid of him at this moment than of her current captor. A horrible thought that he was working with Demetrius rushed through her mind. It quickly vanished when she realized that the vampire was just as surprised to see him as she was.
“Stay back,” Demetrius snarled. He tightened his grip on Elizabeth. “I will kill her.”
Chase seemed to hardly even notice Elizabeth. He gave her a slight nod before addressing Demetrius with a careless shrug. “Kill her if you want, vampire, but I have a message that you might want to hear first.”
“Speak your piece, hunter,” Demetrius’ voice was filled with contempt. Elizabeth was surprised that Chase didn’t so much as flinch his words. It was as if he was somehow immune to the vampire’s power.
“Lord Reginald Wolfrick demands that you release his descendant at once you will suffer his great displeasure.”
Elizabeth gritted her teeth as the knife began to bite into her neck. A thin line of blood welled up along the blade. She could feel Demetrius’ anger flow over her like a cold flood as he replied. “Reginald is no Lord of mine, and why does he not address me himself instead of sending some pathetic excuse of a hunter? It is an insult. Does he fear me so much that he will not surrender his power in order to come face me?”
Chase raised his eyebrows. “Would you?” he asked.
“No,” Demetrius said with a snort. “But I have no reason to.”
“Neither does Lord Reginald,” Chase said. Elizabeth got the distinct impression that he was enjoying himself. She just wished that she wasn’t in the middle of it. “He has a hunter, and you’re about to lose yours.”
Elizabeth could feel the soft trickle of blood down her neck. She knew that Demetrius was restraining himself, and that if he lost his temper, she would lose her head. She could feel the vampire’s will clashing into Chase’s with the force of a speeding freight train, but Chase was unshaken.
“Where is Elaine?” Demetrius’ voice had become dangerously soft and velvety.
“Oh, she’s fine,” Chase said with a crooked smile that chilled Elizabeth. She had never seen anyone look so deadly, except maybe Marcus. “At least for the moment,” he added darkly. “When I left her there was a big wolf eyeing her, and he looked hungry.”
Demetrius trembled with fury. The knife bit deeper into Elizabeth’s throat. She closed her eyes and tried to prepare herself for the inevitable.
“If any harm should come-” Demetrius started to say.
“Yeah, yeah,” Chase interrupted. He sounded completely unaffected by Demetrius’ anger and Elizabeth’s increasing peril. “Whatever. Will you stop trying to hypnotize me already with your voice and just let the girl go already? You have no power over me. I was invited.”
Elizabeth opened her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as Demetrius pulled the knife away from her throat.
“You alright, Lizzy?” Chase asked; a hint of concern had crept into his voice and eyes.
Elizabeth nodded, unable to speak through the lump in her throat. Her eyes burned with tears.
“Now let her go,” Chase said firmly to Demetrius. “And Lord Reginald will spare you and Elaine.”
“Do I have the Wolf’s word on it?”
“You do,” Chase replied. “No one from the Wolf Clan will be permitted to touch either of you without provocation.”
“Very well,” Demetrius said. He released Elizabeth and nudged her towards Chase.
Elizabeth side stepped awkwardly and stood beside the fireplace. She didn’t particularly want to be near either of them right now.
“Now, hunter,” Demetrius said. His voice was velvety smooth, but Elizabeth could hear the turmoil beneath. “Tell me where she is.”
Chase shrugged; the side of his mouth twitched upwards as he spoke. “I haven’t the faintest idea. I figured I’d deal with her after I’m done killing you.”
“Save your threats,” Demetrius said, his eyes narrowing. “You are under Reginald’s power and bound by the honor of the Wolves.”
Chase laughed. “I am under no power but my own,” he said. “The Wolf Clan might not be able to touch you, but I am free to do whatever I wish with you and your human whore.”
“Who are you?” Demetrius said; his eyes kindled with sudden flame. The fury that radiated from him almost knocked Elizabeth off her feet, but seemed to have no effect on Chase.
Chase raised his bloodstained blades and said in a voice that took Elizabeth’s breath away, “I am Chase Brennan, slayer of the Rat King. The blood of the great hunter that flows through my veins and the blood of the Wolf Clan upon these blades protect me from you power. Now prepare yourself, for your final death is at hand!” The coldly confident expression on his face filled Elizabeth with awesome dread.
Demetrius’ face twisted into a mask of hatred mingled with fear. In a blur of movement, he flung his knife at
Chase’s heart and rushed towards Elizabeth with his arms outstretched and his teeth bared.
Elizabeth instinctively dropped to the ground and kicked his legs out from under him.
Chase, who had easily batted the knife away, laughed triumphantly and leapt at Demetrius, swords flashing.
Hot blood splattered onto Elizabeth and the spotless fireplace as the sword in Chase’s right hand sliced through Demetrius’ neck, cleanly decapitating him while the sword in his left hand pierced through Demetrius’ chest.
Elizabeth rolled away from the vampire’s body and retched onto the carpet. She was shaking like mad when Chase knelt beside her and put a warm hand on her shoulder.
“It’s okay, Lizzy,” he said. “It’s over. His voice was as gentle as it had been when they first met.
Elizabeth looked up at him and shook her head. There was no way in hell it was over. She knew in her heart that it had only just begun.
Chapter 11
“Thanks, Chase,” Elizabeth said as she touched the bandage around her neck. She had been too emotional to speak while he had patched her up, but now the silence between them had become too much.
“You’re welcome,” Chase said stiffly.
“You’re a hunter?” Elizabeth asked. She hated feeling like the easygoing friendliness between them was gone forever. She hardly knew how to feel in his presence.
Chase walked across the room and picked up Demetrius’ knife from the floor. He brought it back to Elizabeth and placed it in her lap without a word.
Elizabeth stared down at it. Her own blood was drying on the blade into a rusty brown. She swallowed nervously and looked up at Chase.
“I’m a Slayer, Lizzy,” he said. He sat down beside her on the couch and started to clean the blood off his swords. He seemed a little more like himself, but Elizabeth would never forget the expression on his face when he had killed Demetrius. He seemed to have enjoyed it far too much.
“Do you know what the difference is?” Chase asked as he sheathed the swords across his back.
Elizabeth shook her head.
“Slayer is the title given to a hunter who has killed a Master Vampire,” Chase said.
Elizabeth bit her lip and carefully lifted Demetrius’ knife from her lap. She was not sure how to respond. Ever since she had met Sir Marcus, she had felt like she was living in two separate worlds. Now those worlds had collided, and she hardly knew what to think. She looked down at Demetrius’ body sprawled out on the ground. That could have been her if it hadn’t been for Chase.