"Hey," he said with an air of caution that Zac didn't like. What had Regulus told them about him?
"Rob is a newborn," Regulus looked the next vampire up and down. "He was a cage fighter, so he will hit you where it hurts, then bite your ear off." Rob was a tall, muscled man with a shaved head and an arm of Japanese style tattoos. It didn't matter one iota that the man used to fight for a living. He was a vampire now and that meant a whole new set of rules.
"He replaced William after he was cut in half," Maddox said, not elaborating any further.
Regulus continued down the line, gesturing towards a tall, slim woman. Her hair was covered by the hood of her jacket, but from the coloring of her skin - pale and freckled - Zac guessed she was a redhead. "Holly is your token female, but she fights dirty and that's what I love about her. She'll bite and scratch you to death if that's what it took." As she pulled off her hood, wild red curly hair tumbled out and her hazel eyes glittered at him in the gloom. She obviously liked what she saw, but Zac's hostile glare didn't falter.
"This one we call Pyke. Simply because he used to stick heads onto pikes outside the Tower of London after the executioner chopped them off. He's macabre and sick," Regulus said.
Pyke was broad shouldered and tall, dark haired and wore a chin full of stubble. He had an air of nonchalance, but anyone could sense the underlying malice about him. He, along with the other five, all had a skill that was useful in some way. They were all exploitable to some extent and Zac wondered how often they were left alone to their own devices. This lot was trouble. Rob seemed to be a loose cannon just by the look of him.
Regulus was watching him look the Six over. "They're loyal, skilled and know how to get things done. Which is what I expect from you," the Roman said, the warning in his voice not going unnoticed by anyone.
Zac raised an eyebrow at the founder. "And what do you want me to add to the mix?"
"You were a military man, were you not? And I understand you had some very specific training."
"Is that what they call it?" he snorted, not liking where the conversation was going.
"Victoria had great hopes for you. She was foolish, but her eye was accurate, I'll give her that. You, Zac, are our next greatest player. We are going to do great things together, you and I." Regulus seemed extremely pleased with himself.
Zac snorted, surveying the six vampires. "Be more specific."
Regulus laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "What do all evil predatory bastards want? Blood, sex and power. And we will start with your girlfriend."
Deep down, Zac knew that he would be used against Aya. The Roman was smart in pitting him against her so soon after her betrayal. Strike while the wound is fresh. The Roman was hoping it would make a spectacle. Everyone was looking at him as if they were waiting for a reaction, but they weren't going to get one.
Regulus snorted, obviously disappointed. "Do what you want. Work with them, tell them to do your bidding, I don't care as long as I get results. Now, get out. I'll be in touch when I need you."
"C'mon, Zac," the vampire that was introduced as Nye gestured towards the door. "We've got a place not too far way."
The Six filed out of the front door into the cold night, Zac trailing behind. He supposed he would just go with it; there was nothing else to do for the moment. Regulus would use him soon enough and then he would have to be ready. Who knew what would go through his head when he laid eyes on her again. Would he still find himself loving her? Of course he would. Falling out of love with Aya would be one of the hardest things he would ever have to do.
Following the Six through the streets, they soon came to a populated area. A rail bridge spanned across the road, between the old brick buildings, painted with the words, ‘Camden Lock’. Zac remembered this part of town. Camden had always been a little bit of an underbelly and now seemed no different. It was still early evening, but most of the markets and shops had closed for the night, though the bars and clubs were only just starting their trade. The streets were alive with people and movement, everyone was out looking for a party.
They passed pubs and live music venues, touts standing outside looking to buy or sell tickets for a profit. Tourists and locals milled about, searching for a club to spend the evening at. There were walls plastered with gig posters and a booth advertising the latest things to do in London. It was covered in it's own array of advertising - ghost tours, days away to Stonehenge and Bath, walks detailing the 'secret' London and Jack the Ripper tours. Watching the tourists and backpackers picking up leaflets, Zac idly wondered if Jack the Ripper was a vampire. It would make sense.
Pyke stopped beside him, noticing the posters. "His name wasn't Jack," he declared. "It was Arthur. And he was all the bad things about being a vampire. Arthur the Ripper doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it?"
Well, there was that question answered. As Pyke moved off Holly slunk up beside him, running her hand suggestively along his lower back.
"C'mon, Zac," she purred.
Annoyed, he pushed past, making her stumble back a step. Descending from street level, they made their way past the lock, away from the markets and pubs, and continued down the path that ran beside the canal. This time of night there were few people, those they passed seemed to be locals with homes backing onto the water, using the path as a shortcut.
A few minutes later they entered a block of apartments and climbed the stairs to the top floor. It appeared that the entire building was empty, except for the top levels where the vampires lived. The apartment was quite large, with enough space for the seven of them, spread out over two floors. From the look of the place, they had been living here for quite some time. There was no inbuilt human security system to keep other vampires out, but Zac suspected there were other safeguards. Besides, Regulus wouldn't leave him alone with a human in the house for obvious reasons.
"Make yourself at home," Maddox said, gesturing towards a door down the hall. "You can have that one."
Nye handed him a new cell phone. "When he wants something, he'll let us know," he said. "Until then, we can do whatever we want except leave town, kill in public, kill an ally, or kill ourselves."
Zac slid the phone into his pocket and said, "Understood." Without another word, he went into the bedroom Maddox said he could use and shut the door behind him a little too forcibly. He needed some alone time.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next evening, Nye found Zac sitting on the roof, staring out over the grey city. He'd had no inclination to go and socialize with the Six, preferring his own company than that of six potentially psychopathic vampires. He didn't need his downward spiral to go any faster than it already was.
"Come inside, mate," Nye said, leaning against the door that lead into the stairwell. "No one likes a sad sack."
A light misty rain had begun to fall, little droplets of water beading against the coat he'd stolen from Garrett. Sighing, he said, "Only because it's raining."
As he passed the older vampire, he thumped him on the back. "That'a boy."
Returning to the apartment, he found the others sitting around the lounge, at least a dozen bottles of alcohol on the coffee table. Nye picked one up and handed it to him. "Get that into ya. Looks like you need it."
Taking the bottle from him, Zac opened it and took a draught, the soothing burn of the liquor calming.
"We're on the same side now, Zac," Rix said. "Your shit is our shit."
His only answer was to take another long draught from the bottle.
"Don't you wanna know about us?" Pyke asked. "After all, it looks like we're going to be working together for a while."
"Tell me what you want," Zac sighed, slumping back into a chair.
"We've all worked together in one way or another over the past few hundred years," Maddox said. "Except for Rob. He's new."
"He replaced William after he was chopped in half," Rix said, grinning. Maddox had already told him this, and obviously Rix'd been a witness.
"How'd that happen?"
"Scyth. Very medieval if you ask me," Maddox said, shuddering.
"We were after some vampire Caius had sent after us," Pyke began. "Arturius wasn't the only Roman Regulus was pissed with."
"They all hated Katrin in one way or another. Caius was trying to find a way to break her hold over him," Nye explained. "We were sent to kill off his witches and his thugs, but he sent someone after us before we could think about laying a finger on his little network. Will got chopped in half, but that was nothing compared to the other guy."
Zac understood completely. Regulus felt he was the only one who was allowed to operate outside of Katrin's influence and had done all he could to stamp out the other Roman's efforts. Aya had completed that job for him.
"And before you ask," Nye waived the knife he'd been playing with at him. "The last time I saw the Hunter was in 1790-something. Paris, if I remember correctly."
"She snapped Victoria's neck," Maddox said.
"She's definitely a piece of work," Nye, rolled his eyes.
"Quite brilliant, actually," Pyke grunted. "You know her, Zac. What's she like?"
The six vampires looked at him expectantly like he was about to tell the most horrific story ever. He just didn't have the stomach for it. "What else is there to tell?" he said, glancing at Holly, who had been staring at him appreciatively since he had sat down.
"A lot," scoffed Maddox.
"There's a hell of a lot of stories out there about her. I want to know if they're true or not," Pyke said, a gleam in his eye.
"Well, they're all true," Zac shrugged. "I've been told I'm bloodthirsty when I lose it. I have nothing on her."
"What kind of level are we talking about here? Ten being the highest and one being the lowest," Maddox quipped.
"I just kill them. She tears them into tiny little pieces."
"Cool," breathed Rob.
"Cool until it's you," Nye scoffed.
"She must be something," Holly purred from her corner, her eyes sparkling.
Zac narrowed his eyes and looked away, not liking what she implied.
"Somethin' else," Pyke winked at her suggestively.
Nye was watching Zac with a strange expression, the knife still in his hand. "Shut it," he said to the others, pointing the blade at each one of them. "Our objective hasn't changed. Capture, not hero worship."
Regulus told the Six what to do, but Zac suspected that Nye was their unofficial leader. What did the Roman say he was before? A spy? Someone who dealt with manipulation and information was sure to establish themselves on top as soon as possible.
"Why do they call you the Six?" he asked, changing the subject.
"The Avengers was already taken," Nye stabbed the knife into the table top.
"There's six of us," Maddox stated.
"Seven, now," Rob added.
"Naaa," Nye said, looking at Zac with a raised eyebrow. "We're still the Six. This one's in a league of his own."
Zac grimaced. "I don't know whether I should be offended by that or not."
"I would take it as a compliment, mate. Take note of it, cos I don't give 'em out that often."
He didn't doubt it. Zac dropped the empty bottle on the floor beside him with a sigh. After his little killing spree two nights before, he had become bored. He didn't know what he was meant to do, but sitting around drinking wasn't high on the list.
"What the hell do you do when he doesn't want anything?" he asked.
"All kinds of things," Holly said with a sly smile. "I'd be happy to show you."
"All kinds of things, Zac," Maddox made a lewd gesture at Holly, who flipped him off.
"Regulus will have something for us soon enough," Nye said.
And that something would no doubt have everything to do with Aya, who was lurking somewhere about the city even as they spoke. Looking for that mysterious Coven and whatever it was they were hiding. Regulus wanted it bad and Zac was his link between himself and Aya. How the Roman was going to exploit that was anyone’s guess. Zac didn't have the strength to think about it until he had to. Without a word, he got up and disappeared down the hall, the Six watching him go with an air of acceptance.
They had obviously been warned about his behavior and his recent conversion. Zac still had his humanity, but that was slipping away a little more each day and soon it would be gone entirely. And that was the thing in all his long years he had never done. Let go. It would be either sweet relief or eternal torture when he did. And then he would know once and for all what he was meant to do.
Life or death would claim him and he didn't care which.
Holly only waited another day before she made her move.
She found Zac in his room, sitting on the edge of the bed staring out the floor to ceiling windows that opened out onto the balcony. It was much too cold to sit outside. Besides, he wasn't looking at the view. He wasn't looking at anything.
Holly came up beside him, trailing a finger along his shoulder. He didn't bother to lift his gaze to meet hers, even when she stood in front of him, her sickly scent washing over his senses. She straddled him, his expression still darkness as she trailed a hand along his jawline, tilting his head towards hers. Kissing him roughly, she pressed herself into his body, trying to make him respond.
Annoyance and anger seared through him as he felt his hand snap closed around her neck, wrenching her away. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she struggled for breath.
"Never touch me again," he snarled, his eyes boring into hers and pushed her to the floor. He hardly registered the moment she left. He couldn't touch anyone like that anymore, not even for his own amusement, not after her. She'd destroyed him.
Abruptly, he pushed the door open, the bang it made as it collided with the wall silencing the five vampires that were seated around the room. Holly was nowhere in sight. Stalking across the room, he ignored their knowing looks. He had to get out of here and go do something destructive.
"Where you going, Zac?" Nye asked, when no one else dared speak.
"To kill something," he spat as he opened the front door.
Nye jumped out of his chair and grabbed his coat, motioning for the others to stay. Zac groaned at the obvious need Nye felt to tag along to babysit him. Regulus had warned them he was prone to going off the deep end and he wished he could just lose himself already. All this anger was unnatural.
Striding into the hallway and down the stairs, he felt Nye shadowing his every step. "Do you have to follow me?" he hissed, pulling the collar of his coat up.
Nye, raised his eyebrows. "Eat who you want, Zac. I'm just here to stop you from doing it in public or not coming back." He wasn't condescending about it, that was a bonus.
Turning without another glance he disappeared into the night, the spy trailing him as he wandered from district to district, Camden to Soho, Oxford Street to Hyde Park. They walked the length of Marylebone and Kensington High Streets. He wandered so far that he lost all track of where they were and where they'd been. He passed so many humans, so many that would have satisfied his hunger, but he didn't touch any of them. If Nye found this odd, he didn't say a word.
Zac didn't know where in the city they were, but the buildings were old and lined the streets in long banks of dreary grey stone. He let out an annoyed sigh. He couldn't see anything from down here. The city stifled him. They stood in a deserted laneway, the sounds of traffic washing over them from the adjacent street. Satisfied that no one was around, he jumped as high as he could, perched on a windowsill halfway up the facade and jumped again, coming to rest on the edge of the roof. Nye was beside him a second later.
"Regent Street," he said, eyeing Zac. "Piccadilly Circus is that eye bleed over there."
Zac's vampire eyes were offended at the neon glow that the billboards off to their left cast into the night. Night busses passed them on the street below, black cabs darting through the mist that had fallen at some unknown point. He felt better up here away from the monotony of the humans and
their dreary city.
"Want to talk about it?" Nye asked, when he knew Zac wasn't going to be forthcoming on his own.
"No." He sensed the words building up in Nye's throat regardless.
"Holly is a stupid little girl who thinks vampires should fuck all day long," he laughed. "She can fucking fight, though."
Zac snorted. "You slept with her, didn't you?"
Nye laughed, slapping him on the shoulder, "Who hasn't?"
"Rix."
"Yeah, that man is ugly," his eyes sparkled wickedly until his expression relaxed and fell into a frown. "You're still into her, aren't you?"
"Who? Holly? Please," Zac scoffed, annoyed at the conversation.
Nye laughed, trying to hide a note of nervousness, "No, I'm talking about the Hunter."
Zac's expression darkened. "She betrayed me."
"Did she?"
"Nye," his voice was full with warning. "Who's side are you on?"
"Mine," he grinned. "Look, she's not what she seems. That we can use to our advantage. I don't believe she intended to use you."
"And you know this, how?"
"I knew her when I was human," he said, looking out over the city. "She may not remember me, but I remember her. I was a spy in the service of one Sir Frances Walsingham, under Queen Elizabeth the first. It was my business to know everyone. It was 1588 and she was lurking about, sticking her neck where it didn't belong. I remember the year, because it was when the Spanish were set to invade England. She pulled me from one of the fire ships that decimated the Spanish Armada. Me and Captain what's his face. Raleigh. I wouldn't have made it, my face had been split open by some brute of a Spaniard." He ran a hand over his scar, scratching the stubble that he'd neglected to shave off for a few days and scoffed, "She compelled Raleigh but left me. Probably thought I was too out of it to understand what was happening or thought I would probably die anyway. I was trained to hold onto my wits, so I remembered quite a bit. If I didn't, then I'd be as good as dead. I was a spy. For a long time I was right under Mary Stewart's nose. My head would have been on the block if they found me out, not hers."