Vampires Dead Ahead

FORTY



“Let’s go, honey.” Colin wrapped his strong arm around my shoulders and helped me to my feet. “It’s all over.”

I didn’t know if my legs would hold me as I rose and looked down.

All the evil, all the pain associated with Volod, over.

It didn’t seem real, but there he was at my feet. That cold lifeless face with a permanent look of surprise. I didn’t think it had ever occurred to him that he could lose. That I could kill him.

“We should take him back to the others.” Desmond walked up to the opposite side of me. “They need to see that he’s dead.”

I nodded slowly. “Yes. They do.”

“Grab my arms.” Colin glanced from me to Desmond before he crouched and gripped Volod’s ankle with his hand.

The moment Desmond and I each had a hold on Colin, we flew through the transference. In a breath we were back at the spot where Volod had slit Nadia’s throat and lined up my family and friends.

Devastation.

A bloody battlefield. Beheaded and staked Vampires were lying everywhere. But not just Vampires—a couple of Trackers and Vampire paranorms were also dead …

Desmond having jammed their guns obviously stifled what little firepower the Vampires had possessed over paranorms. The Vampires were no match for us without their weapons.

But there were no Vampires still living. They were all dead. Volod had no chance when the Vamp paranorms turned on him.

No mercy to the Vampires. They had deserved none.

I saw my father and brother with the Drow warriors. I was never so grateful as I was at that moment to see them okay.

It occurred to me then. The Great Guardian had said my blood would be sacrificed. It was. I was now a Vampire. My people are my blood, and their blood was sacrificed also. Rodán’s blood. Nadia’s.

With my heart in my throat, I turned to Colin, buried my face in his chest, and cried. I cried real tears.

Other Trackers started coming up. Angel touched my shoulder and I turned and hugged her. “Volod is dead, Nyx,” she said.

Then Angel turned to the Trackers walking among the bodies and repeated loud enough that her voice carried across the battlefield. “Volod is dead!”

A shocked silence was followed by cheers. Applause and shouts so loud that goose bumps broke out along my arms.

Through the sadness I felt, there was an overwhelming relief. We had won. We stopped the great evil, and miraculously there were few of our own who had fallen in the last battle. I had to focus on the victory. We won. We won.

I hugged Colin again. He knew it was best just to hold me. He needed to say nothing. The strength of his touch said it all.

With the back of my hand I wiped the tears from my eyes then turned to Desmond, Ice, Joshua, and Penrod. And hugged each of them.

Colin, Desmond, and I stepped away from Volod’s body so that anyone who wanted to could come up and see.

“Yes.” I released my hold on Colin and raised my hands for quiet. “Volod is finished. He’ll never terrorize humans or paranorms again.”

More cheering. I rubbed my arms as chills continued to roll over me.

Everyone who still lived started hugging. At first paranorms and Vampire paranorms stood separately, but eventually they joined and embraced, too.

A lump rose in my throat when I saw Max take Lawan into his arms and hold her close.

Olivia came up in front of me and I hugged her. “Never thought I’d be even partially related to a Vampire.” Olivia rubbed her neck where Volod had bitten her. She patted me on the shoulder. “I’m ready for steak, bloody rare.”

I appreciated her attempt at a little levity in the midst of so much tragedy.

The crowd grew quiet and I turned to see that Leticia had joined us. She had been regal as a paranorm. As a Vampire paranorm, she was even more so. She had her hands raised and motioned for quiet like I had.

“Thank you for your trust in the Vampire paranorms,” she said. “We wish only to coexist with our brethren.”

Murmurs traveled through the crowd, mostly of approval.

“Vampires have been able to survive on synthetic blood all of these years,” she continued. “Vampire paranorms will do the same. We do not wish to drink the blood of our brothers and sisters. We wish only to be accepted for what we were made to be, which was not of our choice.

“We of the former Paranorm Council will surrender our positions to paranorms who will vote in new leaders. We ask, however, that you allow Vampire paranorms one seat on the council, to represent those who wish to live in peace with our brethren.”

Leticia stepped back and Armand took her place.

“Vampire paranorms have proven they have a place among paranorms.” Armand swept his gaze from one fighter to the next. “We will work closely with our brothers and sisters.”

The paranorms and Vampire paranorms across the battlefield applauded.

Armand looked to me and said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “You may fight on my team anytime, Nyx Ciar.”

I inclined my head. “It will always be my pleasure to serve with those like you who keep our world safe from evil.”

“As for Volod,” Armand said to the crowd. “We shall burn what is left of him.”

Armand began giving orders on disposing of the dead. Not only would we set fire to Volod’s body, but we would burn all of the other Vampires as well.

As everyone set off on their tasks, I hurried to my father’s side.

“Father.” I flung my arms around him and he wrapped his own around me.

“I am so proud of you, my princess.”

“Thank you for coming.” I kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

“I could not see you hurt anymore.” Father looked around at the paranorms working side by side with Vampire paranorms. “Your people fought well.”

“They did,” I said. “As did you and your warriors.”

“Of course,” Father said in Drow. “For I brought only the finest.”

I kissed Father then hugged my brother. “Thank you, Tristan.”

“I did no more than anyone else,” he said. “You are the one to be commended for all that you have done.”

“No.” I shook my head. “These people are the reason why we survived and ultimately why I was able to kill Volod. It is they who deserve praise.”

Tristan kissed my cheek and hugged me again.

For a long time I walked through the battlefield, talking with Trackers, paranorm and Vampire paranorm alike. A heaviness weighted me down as I thought about all that I had loved and lost because of Volod.

I tried to think of Nadia how I’d known her. Radiant and beautiful, full of life and love. And not to think of her as Volod had left her.

When my thoughts turned to Rodán, I remembered all of the good times we’d enjoyed since he had recruited me. My former lover, friend, confidant, mentor, and Proctor. He had been so many things to me. The emptiness he left behind would never be filled.

The two of them had left an indelible stamp upon my life and I would think of them always.

Later, when it was getting close to daylight and time to burn Volod’s body, Colin and I met up again and he put his arm around my shoulders. We didn’t talk at all for a long time as we watched Volod’s body burn to ash.

“He almost had victory but he got too greedy,” Colin said.

“And evil.” I shook my head. So much evil I didn’t even want to think about it.

After a while I sighed and looked up at him. “I need a vacation.”

He touched the tip of my nose with his finger. “You deserve one.”

“Where do Vampires and Dragons go on vacation?” Olivia said as she walked up to face Colin and me.

I lightly punched her arm. “Anyplace that doesn’t involve other Vampires of any kind.”

Colin tilted his head to the side. “I think I might know just the spot.”





Rain pattered on the windowpanes of our New Hampshire cabin. It was dark outside, branches scraping across the panes as a late-spring storm whirled its way through the country.

Colin and I snuggled up under a blanket in front of the fireplace. I rested my head on his shoulder.

“Demons, Werewolves, Vampires, Zombies, and more Vampires.” I sighed. “I’ve had enough excitement in the last year than most people face in a lifetime.”

“Just Zombies and Vampires were enough for me.” Colin stroked my hair, the feel of his fingers sending delightful shivers through me.

“Nice of Armand to give us a two-month paid leave of absence along with a nice fat bonus.” I tilted my head up to meet Colin’s beautiful gaze. “And I want to spend all of it with you.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He continued to run his fingers through my hair, soft and wonderful. “I wasn’t about to let you go off without me.”

“Olivia should be having fun with her boyfriend in the Bahamas,” I said. “Wonder if they brought the whips and chains with them.”

Colin snorted with laughter. “Knowing Olivia, I am sure.”

I snuggled deeper in our blanket, enjoying the warmth of Colin’s body. Loving his scent, loving everything about him.

“Do that little bite thing you do,” Colin murmured, his words rumbling in his chest. “I love it.”

“I thought you would never ask.” My fangs dropped at the mere mention of biting him and I licked his neck then scraped my fangs along his neck.

He hugged me tight. “I love you, Nyx.”

“Mmmmm …” I moved my lips to his ear. “I love you, Colin,” I whispered. “I love you.”