Nimravid (The MacFade Chronicles Book 1) Page 15

  “Good point, she’s just a child and tonight she’s going to have to grow up, all at once.”

  “Let’s hope not.”

  “That’s enough, Archibald, behave yourself,” Kolann chastised. I burst out laughing. “Archie and Reggie?” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “What? Does that make the two out in the driveway Jug head and Moose?” Shelly looked at me like there was something wrong with me. Archie and Reggie clearly didn’t appreciate the joke, either. Kolann and Svetlana on the other hand, did. Svetlana gave me a snotty sneer and Kolann just kept smiling. “I suppose it does. It was their mother’s idea because of the difference in hair color. Now, your Glamour, Mack? I would like to see whom I am talking with.”

  I turned to Shelly, as her finger started poking my cheek, “What are you doing?” I said in an exasperated tone. It was a damn good thing Kolann wasn’t looking for a fight. Shelly was turning into a real distraction. “This isn’t make-up…it’s something else.”

  “Yes it is and you realize that’s my FACE you’re poking.”

  “Sorry, whip it off.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “We’re all waiting, chop chop.” Kolann grinned from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling. “I can see why you adore her so much!”

  “Leave off with the love talk, mate. You’re going to swell her head.”

  “Too late, Alex.”

  I could certainly put a stop to that. “I’m sorry, at what point did you become an equal participant in this conversation? Sit down and be quiet, young lady.” Shelly gasped, and then scowled at me, sitting down heavily and crossing her legs. Archie leaned over from his side of the couch. “Get used to it, it never ends, father does it to us all the time and we’re almost 61.”

  "Bloody hell! These Dhampirs really enjoy the longevity,” I murmured. Shelly pulled out her smart phone and started typing at high speed. “Ah, Mack?” Kolann’s voice was wary.

  “Hmm? She’s not calling for help, she understands the situation, right Shelly?” She frowned at me and stuck her tongue out.

  “At least she’s being quiet, that’s ALMOST an improvement.”

  “Not helpful, Mai.”

  I sighed deeply. “I reckon I might as well get this over with.” The typing stopped, Shelly watched me intently. I turned toward her keeping Svetlana solidly in the corner of my eye. She immediately started to move forward. “SIT!” I barked. She sat down on the arm of Kolann’s chair. “Good girl.” I warily turned back to Shelly; I owed her this. “Are you ready?” She nodded her head vigorously moving to only a few inches from my face. I placed my hand over my forehead. “Keep an eye on them, Casey”

  “Check! I’m watching.” I slowly slipped my hand down over my face and whispered “Houshutsu,” the Glamour’s energy released into the rest of the room, creating just the slightest sparkling around my face. “That’s amazing!” Shelly sat back and raised the smart phone to her face. “Dhampir,” she announced to the room. “A Dhampir is the offspring of a vampire male and a human female. Although rare, due to their pariah status amongst both human and vampire cultures, legend has it they possess the supernatural abilities of the vampire but are not vulnerable to sunlight or silver, henceforth they are referred as ‘day walkers’.” I smiled at her and held my finger to my lips. I turned back to Kolann. “Satisfied?” He shrugged “That remains to be seen. I wanted to discuss how we are going to coexist now that we know about one another. The Community is quite concerned about security in these times.”

  Svetlana rose and began to crouch, “Stop wasting time, Kolann. The law is the law. We kill both of them and dispose of the bodies.” Shelly looked a little frantic. “Mack! What do we do?” I pushed back into her mind. “The plan hasn’t changed, Shelly. You have to stay put. I have a very strong feeling she doesn’t speak for the group.” I rose positioning myself between Svetlana and Shelly. The boys looked to Kolann for guidance. Holding up his hand, he motioned them over to him, getting them out of the line of fire. “Bring it on bitch!” I chuckled, allowing my pupils to glow and fully exposed my fangs, a loud guttural growl issuing from my diaphragm. Picking up the cane, it morphed it into the Katana, while I pushed my sleeves up for emphasis, consequently exposing the bracer.

  Every Rayner in the room froze. Kolann’s eyes darting between my face, the bracer, the sword and back again. “SVETLANA, STAND DOWN! YOU’LL GET US ALL KILLED!” His eyes locked with mine, the unspoken request fully understood. “Kolann? Would you like to excuse your boys from the rest of the FESTIVITIES?” I offered. Kolann looked to Shelly and back to me. It was a gesture of honor between two warriors. “Thank you, Mack, that’s very generous of you. Would it mean anything, if I were to have them take Ms. Thompson out with them, with my personal guarantee of her safety?” I looked to Shelly, making it her choice, to which she vigorously shook her head.

  “Shelly, go into my bedroom and lock the door. Take this with you.” I handed her one of my weapon-ized amulets. “This is a storage amulet, 6 days worth of PURE SUNLIGHT. If anything other than myself comes into the room, you point the symbol at them and shout ‘Houshutsu’ with everything you’ve got.” I looked pointedly at Svetlana as I fingered an identical amulet hanging around my own neck. She wasn’t looking so confident anymore. “Go, I’ll be OK. I will come get you in a little while. Reggie, Archie out, tell Moose and Jug Head not to try entering this house un-welcomed.”

  I placed my hand on a very special stone just above the fireplace mantle, channeling an enormous amount of energy into it, “Seishin Denki,” Electricity arched between the stone and my hand as I removed it. “The one-way wards are now active. They’ll fry anyone like bacon if approached. You’re perfectly safe leaving; just don’t change your mind half-way. Go.”

  The boys turned to Kolann. “Do as the man says. Your being here, is not an advantage anymore, I suspect it never was.” Reggie adopted a look of protest. “But Father, if you get into trouble, there will be no way for us to help you.” Kolann was touched. “Boys go. I need you out of here. I’ll join you shortly.” The boys gave me a look promising grievous bodily harm if anything happened to their father. Respecting that, I nodded and gestured to the front door. They left after giving Kolann one last chance to ask them to stay. “I’ll be fine boys, go.”

  “Shelly, go.”

  “Are you sure, Mack?”

  “I’m sure that I can get through this one, without your protection.” I winked, kissed her forehead and walked her through the bedroom door. Pulling it tightly closed, I listened for the steel reinforcements to lock into place. Svetlana, took this opportunity to lunge at my back. Oh, so predictable…

  I spun, dropping to one knee and lashed out with the gauntlet’s Manriki form. Shining black chain wrapped around her throat, hoisting her into the air. In a split second, Kolann was on his feet and speeding at me. I stood, raising the cane and morphed it into a short spear, its broad head stopping just beneath his chin, as he skidded to a stop. He hadn’t drawn his sword. “Would you like me to escort your mate outside, Kolann?”

  “I’m not going anywhere, abomination,” Svetlana strained against the chain. Kolann’s eyes flashed with anger. “Yes, you are! We have not been productive since you arrived. Now, get out! Mack, if you would?” He used a fingertip to redirect the spearhead away from his throat. I unceremoniously dropped Svetlana in front of the door. Slowly climbing to her feet, she hissed at me. “You cannot allow him to live. You know what he is!”

  “That remains to be determined. Now GET OUT!” He looked back to me. I nodded to the chairs. “Yeah Svetlana, don’t let the wards zap you in your pretty little arse, on your way out.” I turned to Kolann. “Shall we?” He hurled a severe look at Svetlana; she scrambled out the door, slamming it behind her. I snorted, “You’ve got your hands full with that one.”

  “I could say the same, Mack.” He nodded at my bedroom door. “Doesn’t the girl have any parents?” I smiled and sighed. “She does, good people but they spend a great deal of time away
from home. I do what I can with her. She needs a big brother. You realize of course that you have an arse kicking coming, for swelling her head with all that love talk. She’ll be absolutely impossible now.” He chuckled. “I would have thought we were even.”

  “No, your boys had it coming, for entering my home uninvited and Shrouded,” I said a little coldly. Kolann couldn’t disagree, it was inexcusably, impolite. “So, am I going to survive long enough for us to be even?”

  “What?”

  “I know who you are now, Mr. Walker, and I know what you do.”

  “Do you now? This ought to be good, go ahead, fascinate me.”

  “You’re a vampire hunter.” I burst out laughing. “What? Where did that come from?”

  “Uh, Alex? I think there is something you should know.”

  “This is going to upset me, isn’t it?”

  “It might.”

  “What, Mai?”

  “A good friend of your mother’s was killed by a vampire, shortly before she died. She didn’t take it well and decided vampires should be wiped off the face of the Earth. She killed hundreds of them, in the most brutal and horrifying ways you could imagine.”

  “AND YOU’RE JUST TELLING ME THIS NOW? GREAT TIMING, MAI! GREAT BLOODY TIMING!”

  “I didn’t want you to know, if it wasn’t necessary.”

  “Nice work, Mai.” I decided to play dumb. “And what makes you think I have that kind of time, Kolann?”

  “I don’t understand. You command the Spirit Stone, you’re a Nim and you have your mother’s eyes. You even have the same color fur. You are the son of Che An Yagul.”

  “Alright, points for general knowledge, Kolann. I’m the SON of Che An Yagul. I am not my mother and have no interest in attempting to exterminate the vampire race, unless you all make it necessary, like say, hunting in my city. The bodies stop piling up tonight, Kolann.”

  “I agree, Mack. Since the bodies don’t pile up, we shouldn’t have a problem there.” He was smiling. I smiled myself, his smile was contagious but I couldn’t allow him to distract me. My smiled faded to a dark intensity, “I don’t like innocent lives being taken for sport.” Kolann continued to smile. “Once again, I agree. My clan members haven’t killed a human for sport or food in decades.” I could tell he wasn’t lying but I needed to know what he was talking about. “Sounds like a long story; do you drink anything other than blood, Kol?”

  “Of course, it doesn’t do anything for us but we can enjoy a beverage from time to time. What did you have in mind, Mack?”

  “How about some 10 year old homemade mead?” His eyes lit up. “Ale or wine?’

  “Don’t insulting, wine, of course, I’m not a bloody barbarian”

  “Mack, I think I’m going to like you. Pour at will, my good man!”

  Chapter 13

  Kolann explained to me about how his clan determined decades ago that crime investigation was getting too sophisticated, to continue killing for food and be able to maintain secrecy. They supplement their diets with donations and animal blood if absolutely necessary. Vampires have to drink live human blood a couple times a month to maintain their “Health”. This is accomplished through a network of voluntary thralls. A thrall is someone enchanted by a vampire and historically under their control. The definition in this case, is a little loose. Whether they be vamp love connections or vampire fetishists, the network is quite large.

  The clan has a mandatory thrall orientation program that governs vamp reproduction, i.e. turning a thrall into a full vampire, which is strictly controlled and requires a full psychological work-up prior to approval and majority vote from the ruling council. They even have a rehab center if the addiction becomes too much for a thrall to handle. They also provide training and counseling to assist thralls in managing their family life and relationships around the thrall life style. I must have been sitting there with my jaw dropped most of the time, because Kolann laughed frequently, offering proof of his word several times.

  We came to a truce agreement or a non-aggression pact, if you will. Something he could take back to the clan elders. We still didn’t completely trust each other but this was better than having to watch two households or me having to go to the hassle of killing enough of them to drive them away. They weren’t killing, it was true, but it was only for practical purposes, there was no altruism involved. I agreed to stay out of his way and assist him when needed, if we have mutual interests and he agreed to the same. In other words, “Don’t bother me and I won’t have to kill you.”

  Shortly after the agreement was made, casual conversation began which was then preceded by laughter. Shelly walked into the living room, her hands on her hips. She wasn’t very happy with me. “Are we enjoying ourselves while I was worried sick in a dark bedroom?” We both looked at each other like “Oops! Mummy is home!” This drew another round of laughter. Shelly scowled and looked annoyed. “I would like to go home now,” she said tightly. I poked my head out the front door. Everyone stopped what they were doing when I whistled, “Archie, Reggie, got a job for ya.” I motioned for them to come inside.

  The two of them entered cautiously. “Yes?” Archie asked me. I put my arm around Shelly’s thin shoulders. “Your pop wants the two of you to escort Ms. Thompson home, under his PERSONAL guarantee of safe passage.” Archie raised an eyebrow and looked to his father. Kolann nodded, “Mr. Walker’s word is good with us from now on.” Archie looked at me appraisingly with those unearthly eyes. “You must have really impressed the old man, Mr. Walker. Not easy to do.” He held out his hand and I shook it. Reggie rolled his eyes and looked disgusted. “Really, Father? We are babysitting mortals now?” His brother shook his head. “We’ll make sure your ward gets home safely.” Archie backhanded Reggie in the shoulder. Reggie growled at him but Archie didn’t back down. We know who the Alpha in this pair is. My ward? These guys really were in their sixties.

  “Reginald that will be quite enough of that. Be sure to tell Andrew and Colin that if Svetlana attempts to molest Ms. Thompson in any way, they should feel free to sit upon her, until she expires.”

  “Man! They get all the fun jobs,” quipped Archie. “Oi!” I grasped Archie’s shoulder and turned him to face me. He turned his head and meaningfully eyed my hand. I removed it. “No matter what, she’s still the only mum you’ve got. Disagreeing with her attitude is one thing, but now you’re just dissing her to be a wise guy. Show her at least the measure of respect she deserves as your clan chieftain’s wife. She’s misguided I agree, but it seems clear she has been trying, understand?”

  “I do, Mr. Walker.”

  “Mack. It’s Mack to my friends and family.”

  “It’s clear there’s history between you and my stepmother, so this advice does comes as a surprise, but point taken. We won’t dis Svetlana in front of Shelly, if that’s what you’re concerned about.” I started to open my mouth to correct him but he cut me off. “Sorry Mack, but this is the best I can do right now, you understand.” I couldn’t even imagine what was required to put up with Svetlana as a member of the family, let alone stepmother. I patted Shelly’s shoulder and told her to get some sleep.

  “That was unforeseen,” Kolann looked thoughtful as I closed the door and sat down again. “Meaning?”

  “What you said to Archibald. How do you know Svetlana? She didn’t seem to recognize you until you exposed the armor.”

  “Svetlana killed a friend and business partner of mine.”

  “I see, your anger is understandable. May I assume the truce we have forged tonight extends to my mate?”

  “You may—for now.”

  “Svetlana turned your friend? That surprises me, she’s not had permission to turn anyone since we wed, 32 years ago. How recent was this?”

  “Casey was murdered not turned, several years ago.”

  “Casey is not a vampire?”

  “No, Casey is the ghost, of a fourteen year old boy.”

  “May I ask what happened?” I gave him a w
ary look. “Maybe another time, Kolann.” It wasn’t exactly a story for two tentative friends to bond over.

  Chapter 14

  My cell rang as Kolann and I were wrapping things up. It was Shelly confirming she was home safe. “Good night, Shelly. I’ll try to explain everything tomorrow.”

  “I’m holding you to that, Mack.” I disconnected the call. “You need to get going, Kol. You’ve got a long night of explaining to the council ahead of you, I suspect” I gave him my card and a scry crystal. I briefly explained how to use it, to find me. “Thank you Mack, here is my card. Please do call first; I’ll let you know if things do not go my way with the council. They rarely don’t but…”

  “You never know?”

  He smiled like a predator. “I can be quite persuasive and truly do appreciate your open mindedness. Your mother would have killed all of us, on sight. She wasn’t nicknamed ‘The Scourge’ for nothing.” He held up his hands to stifle my protest. “I realize the two of you never really knew eachother, but never the less, you’re being a great sport and I respect that. I’ll make sure the council realizes this also.”

  “Thank you, Kolann, I would appreciate that. And I’ll see what I can do to keep Casey and Svetlana separated. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “I dare say not, my boy. Your hospitality has probably already put me in the dog house. Thank you though. Is there anything you need from me, at this time?”

  “As a matter of fact I do. I am looking into a situation here in St. Louis. Police are being picked off by a serial killer and I think it would be in both our interests to see to it that this ceases.”

  “I agree. It draws too much attention to our city. The FBI could become involved and they have a few members that belong to a rival clan. It would be a perfect excuse for them to make some trouble for us. My non-killing policies are not popular, outside this city. What do you need from me?”