The first thing we did was decided was where Valentina mostly likely was stashed during it all. The primary goal is to keep your master alive. As Sage would say it’s their prime directive. I groaned at my own thought – stupid fucking TV shows. I don’t know which one it was from, didn’t really care but I was starting to use his catch phrases. Both of them.
Tony’s hand was on my shoulder. “It’s like that.” He said.
Tony was a strong empath and apparently he was in my head even with my shields up. A simple thought slipped through. Your connection to my son is the reason. It is passed up like powers are passed down.
That was good to know. I wasn’t sure I liked it, but it was what it was.
Tony laughed. “You and I will sit down and discuss it.”
I nodded. “Okay.” I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. Talking with an ex-lovers father. Though he was hardly a threat. But he was Ant’s father, and Cari’s love. I couldn’t offend him.
He chuckled again. “You know I can hear you right?”
I sighed. “Yes. Mind getting out of my head?”
He lifted his hand and ran his fingers lovingly through my hair. “Ant doesn’t have many friends. At least he’s got one who isn’t tied to his mother.”
Vincent spoke softly, “No he’s just time to Magistrate Death. No big deal.”
Everyone laughed but me. “Can we go now?”
And that’s what we did. We all entered the warehouse from different points in pairs. Me and Ant, Ryan and Tony, Vincent went with Henry, and Francesco took Isabel. It was our job to get all of Valentina’s people out. Hopefully they had more fighters otherwise we’d be at a disadvantage.
The room we entered was large, and while we were at differnt locations it hadn’t matter there was no one there. At least not from the initial glance around the room to check for enemies. It wasn’t until we had relaxed that I started to feel the power around us. Alec felt it too, he stepped out into the middle of the room and shouted. “Valentina, It’s just me. Stop, we are here to help.”
But a fight broke out.There was a clash of swords and I turned around to see Ant and Ryan fighting. Neither looked angry. Tony and Francesco had their hands on their heads fighting whatever Valentina was doing. Isabel and Henry were grappling. The vampire should be winning but he was not. Maybe he was holding the tiny wicca away. Alec and I were the only ones unphased by the mental assault.
I threw walls of air up between my friends and pushed them apart. I sent into the rafters of the room a ball of light, so bright I could smell the burning flesh of lesser vampires. It wouldn’t kill them, but it would burn. There was a small scream and five vampires dropped to the ground.
Alec ran to a pretty little blonde. “Call them off Val, my love. He doesn’t want to hurt them.”
“He’s hurting them all. You, me, everyone here.” she almost sobbed it out.
“Call them off, Valentina.” He looked at me, “Please, Nox.”
I sighed and let the sun dim above and then it winked out. “Next time, I won’t be so nice.”
Alec nodded, “Understood.” He turned back to Valentina and tended to her. For being a master vampire she was aweful burnt. She wasn’t healing quickly, “When was the last time you fed?” He asked.
She didn’t answer as I was down at her side offering her my wrist. “You try to drain me and I will kill you.”
She stared at my proffered wrist and then at the tattoo on my temple. “Why would you risk death for me?”
“I am not afraid of dying, Valentina. But unless you drain me there is no risk.”
Ant mumbled. “I don’t think that would kill you.”
No one looked at him. No one questioned his words. Even I didn’t deny it. I really had no idea what would or would not kill me.
“Just drink. We have to go.” Valentina sank her fangs into my wrist and there was an intense pleasure then faded to a dull ache. The same ache I had anyway so what was a little more added to it. I spoke slowly through the sensation. “The rest will have to find food later. With your master stronger you should heal faster. We need to get out of here so my guys start taking them out. Don’t leave us without one Shadow Walker just incase we need a quick exit.”
Ant stood at my back. “I won’t leave you.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard Ant.”
He grinned at me. “I know. But I am.”
“Thanks? I think.” I said.
Valentina broke free of her feed and looked at me. “It would be so easy to drink all of it.” She looked better. Her skin a pretty rose underneath that porclean skin. She was beautiful. She smiled at me. “It is hard to hear you, but thank you.”
“The connection will fade within moments Valentina, and then his shields will prevent you from hearing him again.” Ant said.
I stood up and looked at him, “You mean you can hear my thoughts after you feed.”
“Yes. Your magic stays with us for a little while. Then fades into our bodies. I can hear you now all the time if I try. You’ve tied Valentina to you, but one blood sharing won’t tie the bond. You must drink from her.”
I looked at Ant and thought about what he’d said. Our first night we’d shared, he’d feed from me. I opened my mouth to say I’d never drank from him but I clamped my mouth shut. During sex I had. I bit his lip at the precise moment he decided to thrust hard inside of me. His lip bled, I sucked on it till it healed soothing away the pain. I sighed, “Why didn’t you say anything then.”
“It shouldn’t have worked the way it did. In order for you to become my Chevalier, I’d have to say words to invoke the magic. Your magic didn’t work that way. It bound the moment we shared blood. It was Nick who noticed the new bond. He is a path finder among his empathic abilities.”
I nodded. “Dev’s a path finder as well. I think it’s tied with the mental abilities of humans.”
“Dev must have a long line of wicca in his family.” Isabel said. “To have so many talents. He’d have been a seer among our people.”
“I don’t think Dev would much care to be a seer.” I said. “But maybe we can look into his history a little, his dad was a telepath. But we have other things to deal with at this present moment.”
Alec helped Valentina stand and the rest of her vampires looked better. “Are there anymore of your people?” I asked Valentina.
She shook her head. “We are all here. What’s left of us.”
I sighed. “Alright…” There was a loud crash and a wall crumbled in behind us. A fireball streaked past and I threw a wall of air around us. But one of Valentina’s people wasn’t quick enough and they screamed as the fire engulfed them. “I’m sorry.” I said as I pulled Damnation from its holster, aimed and pulled the trigger. The vampire stopped screaming. It wouldn’t kill the vampire, but the fire would.
Valentina looked at me with sorrow but gave a nod. “Thank you.”
“Least I can do. No one should die like that.” I looked around and there were vampires pounding on the wall of air. In the background I saw a man standing in the newly formed archway in the warehouse wall. He had piercing blue eyes and his ears stuck out far from his head. He was well kept and wearing a tailored suit. He stared at me.
I gave him a little wave as I erected a stone casing and a ball of light to create a false shadow. Ant laughed, “God I love you.” He kissed me hard on the lips and grabbed my hand and dragged me through the shadows.
The Mind of Nox 