Nimravid (The MacFade Chronicles Book 1) Read online

  “Too bad he never mastered that wiping thing,” came a different voice accompanied by another gale of laughter. OK, that was a good one. This was getting humiliating, which wasn’t my intent, Reggie could dig in and then we would be back to square one. It was time for some good cop. “That’s just what I was thinking.”

  “Alright, that’s enough guys. Nobody wants to make any enemies tonight. Call me for the next game and just buzz me in.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack, Mack.”

  “Ooooohhhhh,” emanated from the peanut gallery. “Somebody is wearing their big boy pants tonight.” Reggie was unfazed. “Good night, Mack. Please make an appointment in the future.” Archie’s voice from the background sounding disgusted. “You’re such an ass hat!” My patience was starting to run out. “Look Reggie, I have been trying to be nice and polite here. I was really hoping I wouldn’t need to DEMONSTRATE my resolve, if you catch my meaning.”

  “Are you actually threatening me, Mr. Walker?” Reggie sounded stunned.

  “It’s more of a friendly warning, Regg. Does the phrase ‘you’re sitting on a powder keg and playing with matches’ mean anything to you?” Archie’s voice sounded in the background again, “Better listen to him, dude.” At least he was trying to be helpful and I appreciated that. I decided to give Reggie one last chance. “Tell mummy dearest I threatened you. I’ll take responsibility. Otherwise one of two things is going to happen here. Either I’m going to come in and talk to Kolann or ALL of you’re coming out here to talk to me, you savvy?” Archie’s voice broadcast through the speaker after what sounded like Reggie being pushed out of the way. “Uh… Mack what are you doing?” He sounded concerned. “I need to talk to your pop, Arch and it can’t wait, lives and careers are at stake. My warning stands.” Archie exhaled in what sounded like frustration. “Mack, there’s nothing I can do. The guys out front are Svetlana’s personal guard. They are loyal to her even over my father. Just come back tomorrow night when his Douche Bagged-ness is not on watch,” Archie whispered into the speaker. I lowered my voice to match. “Not one of my proposed options, Archie and I’m a man of my word.” Then I raised it again. “What’s it going to be, Douche—Reggie? Friendship or foolishness?”

  “Just buzz him in, you dick! If he was going to go on a rampage he would have just blown through the front gate.” Hmmm… this kid catches on quick, must have done his homework. “Not with mother’s wards activated he wouldn’t, isn’t that right, Mr. Walker?”

  I heard Archie laugh in a pure loss for words. “You activated the wards! Are you on crack? Father said no aggression! He rings the door bell and you arm the photon torpedoes? That constitutes AGGRESSION, dumbass!” The kid had a point which I could use to my advantage “It certainly does. One could almost say, Reggie threw the first punch. Wouldn’t you agree, Archie?” Archie laughed with a weary air and I could hear him walking away. “Dude! You fucked up! That violates the pact that they JUST made. I’m out man! You’re on your own, Lone Wolf.”

  “Anything you do, Mr. Walker, violates the pact also. Now leave or you’ll be forced off the property!”

  “Now what, Alex?”

  “Now, we knock louder.”

  “Fine, Reginald. You win. Just give me a minute or two to back this monster up before you shoot it full of holes. They don’t exactly turn on a dime you know and these things cost a pretty cooper or two.” The com link crackled again. “Of course, I am a gentleman after all, take what time you need.”

  “Humph! Gentleman he says, I got your gentleman right here, little boy,” Mai groused. “Relax, Mai, every douche bag has his day and his…is today,” I muttered.

  Pulling the Hummer to the other side of the street, I got out and seated myself on the curb, gathering whatever energy was available through the rod as it rested beside me on the ground. “What ARE YOU DOING?”

  “I’m meditating and gathering up my resources.”

  “Why?”

  “I already told you. We are going to knock louder.”

  “And super charging the rod with Earth energy does that how, exactly?”

  “Bigger knocker…”

  “Shit! Alex seriously, tell me you’re not going to do what I think you’re planning to do!”

  “OK, I won’t tell you.”

  “Alexander MacFade Yoshida! You’re inexperienced with Earth Magic! This is incredibly dangerous!”

  “I’m just going to get their undivided attention, that’s all.”

  “Last chance to let me in guys.” I called from my seated position across the street. The Guards favored me with derisive laughter. “What are you going to do, Walker? Picket us?” They all threw up mocking peace signs. I stood up, morphing the rod into a Viking style war hammer and Focused on a spot just in front of the house. I willed a very precise measure of power to the surface of the weapon. It glowed like an oversized fire fly. I swung the hammer down in front of me with all my might shouting “SEISHIN CHIKYŪ!” Something equivalent to a sonic boom rang out, as the hammer slammed into the street in front of me, throwing asphalt in every direction.

  “TAKE COVER!” shouted a panicked guard. The pavement in front of me rippled, as a shockwave raced through the ground and towards the house. The whole area shook violently, knocking everyone off their feet. “Not bad, I’d say about a 4.2 on the Richter scale.”

  “More like a 3.2.”

  “Just let me have one, occasionally, will ya?”

  Lights came on all over the neighborhood, burglar and car alarms alike blared everywhere, as the Rayner mansion blazed to life with flood lights. Several people came running out of their houses, Kolann and Svetlana among them. “What in blue blazes was that?” demanded Kolann of his security detail. Several fingers pointed in my direction as I leaned on the hammer, smiling and waving to him. “Evening, Kolann, I understand you’re indisposed at the moment.” His features darkened as he blew through the gate, tossing his guards aside with a single gesture and stomped over to me. Grasping my right arm, just above the elbow, he almost lifted me off my feet, dragging me a few yards away from the others. His grip was like iron!

  “Think he’s pissed, Mai?”

  “I think that would be a rather safe assumption. I hope you have a plan.”

  “No, just winging it. I hadn’t expected to be turned away.”

  “Would you kindly mind explaining your actions, young man?” He said in a stern, almost paternal tone. The vampire chief’s fangs flashed in annoyed hostility. It wasn’t unintentional. I spread my hands in a helpless gesture. “I apologize for the shockwave door bell, Kolann, but it was the only way I could get your attention. I was being blocked at every turn.” His eyes narrowed. “Blocked? How? By whom?” I nodded toward the house. “Reginald mostly, claimed to be acting on Svetlana’s orders. Your mobile isn’t picking up and your home number isn’t listed. When I rang the bell he flipped on the wards, and set the dogs on me.” Kolann looked furious. “I see…come inside and we’ll talk.” I walked beside him up the drive and almost made it to the front steps when I felt another set of wards power.

  Slipping out of range, I drew my Berretta and shot out all three of the elaborately carved medallions, mounted along the roof line. Kolann’s security just stared at me with weapons half drawn, seconds too late to protect their chieftain, had I been a real threat.

  I picked up one of the ruined carvings and tossed it to a guard with intelligence in his eyes, taking him to be the leader of the group. “You might want to get those looked at.” He stared at me with a stunned expression. “Another one of your demonstrations, I take it,” murmured Kolann. “You could have just as easily moved out of the way and waited for deactivation.” I shook my head. “The wards were preparing to discharge. The energy would have come from three different directions in a cross fire. They would have taken you and at least two of the guards out before you knew what hit you.” Kolann took a second to allow my words to sin
k in. He moved in a flash, to the front door speaker box and violently jabbed at the button. “REGINALD!” he barked.

  “Yes, Father?” a cowed voice came from within. “If you value your hide, boy, you had better make sure every one of those wards is deactivated, exterior and interior or I am going to put you and Mr. Walker in a locked room and WALK AWAY. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “And did I not make it clear that Mr. Walker is to be considered a welcome guest in our home?”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Kolann turned to the security force and barked at them. “Who authorized aggression against this man?” They immediately came to attention and the intelligent one spoke up. “Mistress Svetlana gave orders that Mr. Walker wasn’t to be allowed on the premises, under any circumstances. We were authorized to use any force necessary.” Kolann’s eyes narrowed to slits. “And did this not contradict MY orders, Mr. Dent?”

  “Yes, Lord Rayner. Begging your pardon sir…she spoke with such confidence that we assumed you had—” Kolann interrupted him in a challenging tone. “Come to my senses?” He was glaring at Dent with barely contained fury in his eyes. “No, sir. I was going to say ‘changed your mind’.”

  “I see. Archibald!” The com link crackled and Archie’s cheerful voice came through the speaker. “Yes, sir?” Kolann still looked angry but the sound of Archie’s voice seemed to temper it. “Why was I not informed that these orders were given regarding Mr. Walker?” There was a hesitation. I could just picture Reggie on his knees begging for mercy and Archie giving him none. “I wasn’t informed myself, Father. It only came to my attention when this altercation began. I tried your office phone but there was no answer. I would have come gotten you but I didn’t want to leave the scene AS THE ONLY VOICE OF REASON.”

  “Was that a shot at me?”

  “Duh!”

  Kolann seemed satisfied, “We’ll discuss the rest of this later. In the meantime, Reginald, you’re to turn over the control amulets to ALL our wards to your brother.” Ouch! That had to sting. “Yes, sir” came a dejected voice. I heard metal clinking together. Archie’s voice returned, “Father, we have a problem. There are only 7 out of the 8 ward controls here.” That’s not good. Kolann looked fit to be tied. “Which one is missing?”

  “The master control.” Kolann drew his hand over his face in a gesture of frustration. “I want that amulet found within the next hour. Is that understood?”

  “Three guesses who’s got it and the first two don’t count.”

  “Yes, sir.” Kolann nodded to Dent. “Have Svetlana escorted to my office immediately.” Dent looked uneasy about his newly assigned task. I couldn’t blame him there was no way she was going to come quietly. “Yes sir.” Kolann turned to me and smiled, trying to seem at ease and failing miserably. “Mack, my good man, can you Sense any activated wards if we run across them?” I shrugged. “I can, do you expect that to be a concern?”

  “It had better not be,” he growled as he stalked into the foyer, taking my arm, in a very European style. “Walk with me.” I eyed him speculatively. “We must present a united front to the staff. Svetlana has undermined my authority here. The stories of your encounter with Dominic and his men have made their way around the clan community and they get scarier and more impressive with each telling. At this time they believe you’re some sort of cross between Merlin and The Flash with a little Darth Vader thrown in.”

  “Huh… that’s pretty close. So the arm and arm thing means mess with me and you mess with him?” He nodded once and looked straight ahead. “Precisely.”

  After a minute or two we arrived at the back of the house. Kolann gestured to an open door. “My office, please make yourself comfortable.” We could hear Svetlana’s screeches of protest echoing for some distance off the marble floors. “I’m sure it’ll be short lived, but do the best you can, my boy.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  “No kidding…let’s just see where this is going, Mai. That “boy” thing is going to have to stop soon.”

  “Not tonight, Alex. Pick your battles.”

  Kolann’s office was basically an English library. Every wall covered in bookshelves of what looked like red mahogany or cherry, complete with the little wood and cast iron step ladder that could be positioned at any shelf. A large desk made of the same wood, dominated the center of the room with a small fireplace lighting a good half of the space. “Cozy” I commented as I took a seat in one of the armchairs with a full view of all the windows and doors.

  “Well Mai, we may be in the spider’s lair now. Keep your eyes peeled.”

  “Way ahead of you.” With an almost casual thought my Sight activated. There were two secret exits. One, was a book case on hidden hinges and the other, appeared to be the fireplace itself. Several weapons were concealed throughout the room. A sword, a couple of knives, something that looked like an over-sized pair of tree loppers (I didn’t even want to know) and a few medium to high caliber hand guns. There were thick metal panels within the walls above each entry point and behind the stationary walls, floor and ceiling as well. It seemed like this was his safe room.

  “I’m glad you like it Mack, because in a minute or two it’s not going to feel so very COZY.” I smiled and shook my head. “Right, cold front moving in…Have you called her to the principal’s office often?” Kolann grimaced. “Only twice before, and I assure you the torrent of verbal abuse that followed, made me reconsider the decision each time.” I gave him a wry smile. “The Great Kolann Rayner, is whipped?” His face took on an expression of sour annoyance. “Hardly Mack, some battles, especially with the opposite sex, need not go to the death. Are you old enough to know what I mean?” I smiled to myself and sighed. “Yeah, I am.”

  “Besides you’re hardly one to talk.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I saw you interacting with the lovely Ms. Barnes. There was a significant amount of submission I observed.”

  “You saw that?”

  “Several times.”

  “As you said Kolann, some battles…”

  “Svetlana has always been a strong willed woman, but for quite a while now she has been generally dissatisfied and combative. I wish I knew what went wrong.”

  “Get your hands off of me or I’ll have my husband take your head for this indignity!” Kolann watched the door to his office with a pained expression. “Ah, the guest of honor is arriving.” I sat up a little straighter and shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe she’ll behave herself with a guest in the room,” I offered as a morsel of encouragement. The vampire chieftain cracked a slight smile. “You couldn’t possibly be that naïve.” I grinned, “The power of positive thinking Kolann, never underestimate it.” He grunted his acknowledgement as Svetlana swept into the room. Shortly behind her I Sensed a Shrouded individual slip past the closing door. I watched as the foot prints made their way across the thick luxurious carpet, to stand in an unoccupied corner. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Amateurs…”

  Svetlana’s smile vanished when she noticed me. I gave her a broad smile and a nod.

  “Evening, Luv.”

  “What is the ABOMINATION doing in my house?”

  Kolann bristled at her blatant disrespect, “What is MR. WALKER doing here? You’ll need to clarify the question, my sweet. Are you asking why Mr. Walker is in our home or are you asking why he’s not lying burned to a cinder on the front lawn, IN FULL VIEW OF THE GOD DAMNED NEIGHBORS!” Kolann struggled to calm himself, leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he less than patiently waited for her reply. Svetlana turned up her nose. “I am quite sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her countenance hummed with an unnatural power.

  I placed one of the ruined ward medallions on the desk, in front of her. “He’s talking about how these have been altered to target me, specifically.” Kolann craned his neck to peer over the front of his desk. “What? How do you know, that?” I kept staring straight at Svetlana. “I know a li
ttle something about wards.”

  Kolann’s brow furrowed, not seeing the subtle alterations, “I’ll have to take your word for that, Mack. You’re the only expert in the magical arts, I know.” I raised my eyebrows and looked from him to Svetlana. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Kolann.” Kolann’s eyes narrowed. “How’s that?” I nodded at Svetlana. “The master control is in her pocket.”

  Svetlana’s hand instinctively went to her side. “Gotcha!” I said, turning to look at Kolann, when I heard him move suddenly. He was furious, almost totally vamped out: all white skin, blue veins and hollow white eyes. Svetlana looked terrified and with good reason. I could feel the raw rage-driven power within him. This guy was one major bad ass. Fortunately, so am I. Slowly standing up, I placed myself between Kolann and Svetlana.

  “What are you doing? Don’t turn your back on her! Let him kill her. She deserves it for what she did to Casey!”

  “That may be true but we need whatever information she has and we won’t get it if he rips her throat out. I get the feeling the secret use of magic is a no-no in this family.”

  Kolann got up from the office chair and started to walk around the side of the desk. “Move aside, Mr. Walker, this is a matter of clan LAW. She has violated our pact, having been fully informed of its terms. Her life is forfeit.” His claws fully extended, 3 inch razors extending from each fingertip. I moved to intercept him. Stopping, he gazed at me with blazing white eyes. “I said move aside, Mr. Walker, I have no quarrel with you.”

  “Think fast, Alex. He’s going to pounce any second now, and He isn’t anywhere near rational.”

  My mind raced through possible solutions and outcomes. I wasn’t sure I could take him. Maybe long enough for Svetlana to escape but where did that leave ME? That’s it! “How dare you, sir! This insult will not be tolerated!” Kolann hesitated, his utter confusion defeating his anger. Color returned to his cheeks as he sputtered. “I beg your pardon?” I tried to look taken aback and offended, not sure I pulled it off or not. “I believe in most societies that the kill, if desired, is reserved exclusively for the offended party in such matters. Does your society not honor such conventions?”