It was time to do my job. And this time Alex and Ant were coming with me. So were a lot of other people but Alex was by my side, and there was no fucking way I was letting him out of my sight. And I knew he wasn’t going to let me go either. That meant even if I ordered Ant to take him away Alex wouldn’t go. But there was a power dynamic I was pretty sure Alex wasn’t 100% cognizant of, Ant was his master, and I was Ant’s. The bond could be used to compel the lesser – the servant.
I had never compelled Ant and I expected Ant would never compel Alex, but it was there. I heard Alex grumbling next to me as he listened in on my thoughts. “I’m sorry.” I said out loud.
Alex shook his head. “Just something I hadn’t thought about.”
Ant chuckled, “I won’t. It’s a promise I make to you. On my honor and on my life.”
Alex laughed. “Doesn’t have to be so serious.” He sighed, “I trust you. Just like you trust Nox.”
Ant gave Alex a fanged grin and we moved in silence through the streets of New York. The side walks flowed with us, and parted around us when traffic dictated otherwise. It was the magic of the supernatural at work. If you saw from above it would look normal and natural and everything would feel in place, but we were a current in a river heading to one location.
I didn’t know how many therians and wiccans were with us. The vampires were all under ground save the day lighters and Ant. Who now with our bonds completed was walking under the sun for the first time in his long life.
“I’m still having a hard time with that realization.”
Ryan laughed as he put his arm around his friend, “Me too. It’s like seeing your pasty white skin wasn’t enough.”
Alex blinked at Ryan. Ryan laughed, “It’s a vampire joke. Ant can’t walk in the sun and should have no tan even with his Mediterranean blood, but he’s half primeval so he does – sun be damned.”
The lot of us – every single one in my little army was heading for the front door of Sal’s little hideaway in New York. After Cari had fed for the early morning, she told us where he’d be. Said few know of the place because this is Desmond’s land and the council is particular about their guests. And no council members serve the same locations – not ever. This was the first time in vampire history that the council was in one place at one time for any extended period of time.
Not that a week or so was considered an extended period of time, but it was a first. And with three traitors among the council the council was likely in for a change.
Sal’s hideaway was a simple building in Harlem. Away from Armande’s safe haven. And far from Desmond who stayed in the CCB V&M building with Marshall. Their dynamic was odd, Desmond being a master vampire but it was Marshal who usually took the lead. But it didn’t matter the CCB was hardly an issue. They were being good little therian. Though I expected something from them with the New World Order staking claims in their territory.
We surrounded the building – the vampires swarming the cellar entrances and the rest of us top side. I raised a veil more massive than I had before. I gave the world exactly what they expected to see – a building standing here with no one home. Nothing was going down.
I knocked on the front door. Why the hell not? Ant and Alex stood a step behind me with the rest of my army standing around that with Ryan, Seraph and Jae right behind my love and bodyguard. Needed a better name to call Ant – he was so much more than that.
Stay on task. Alex warned me in my head.
I gave him a happy smile and nodded my agreement. Though my mind might still wander it did that most of the time.
No one answered the door. Not that we expected them too. I knocked again. And when no one answered again Ant stepped up and knocked harder. He shouted. “We are coming in under the vampiric law. Kidnapping and murder being the least of the charges against you.” It covered the vampires against any council repercussions though the rest of us answered solely to the Venatori of which I was no longer part of.
The statement was made and Ant kicked in the door. There was a brief flash of magic and light. The lingering magic was fear. Soul sucking, immovable fear. I glanced around at the army cowering. I felt the fear but the rune on my hand glowed softly in the light. It was balancing me out. I grabbed Alex’s hand and then Ant’s and they shook their heads. “Keep touching me.” I said as I put their hands on my chest. They listened as I turned and Alex reached for the person next to him.
Touch was the key for now. I wanted one of each race – And Jae and Seraph would do the trick with Ant and Alex, with Ant’s hand on Ryan I reached out to my two body guards and they came through and they moved to go through me but I stayed them easily. It wasn’t even a command just a thought and I closed my eyes and sent the rune through all my people under my protection.
I felt the magic flow through those present and then I felt it move past them and into the City. It reached far and wide to anyone who I had touched. I felt the magic spread out. And when I let go of the two in front of me they stared back at me in awe and fear of a different kind. Jae muttered, ‘what are you.’ But I didn’t have an answer for him so I pretended I didn’t hear it.
Alex pulled the gun from his holster and Ryan and Ant did the same. We all moved forward as planned.
The Mind of Nox 