Always the Vampire

Ironic, since we were on the way to create one.

As we hustled toward the exit, I kept pulling the Void’s and Starrack’s energy. The Void’s was more filling, but then the oil-slick taste was more noticeable.

Saber, we’re near the gate. Where are you?

Silence.

Saber?

More silence. My fear flared so fast, I grabbed Triton’s arm and stumbled to a stop at the open fence gate.

“Wait, Triton. Saber’s not answering. Do you see him?”

Triton stepped in front of me and scanned the area. “No Saber, but evil wizard is following. Halfway down the vendor aisle.”

I peered around him, spotted Starrack, and took a big sip of energy. A sip so big, I would’ve had brain freeze had I been sucking on a milk shake. No brain freeze, but something far worse, far more confusing hit me. The energy I took in didn’t taste like ash. It felt hollow, like I was sucking a shell. As if Starrack were there, but no one was home.

Shit, the Starrack chasing us was a damn decoy. An illusion.

Saber, please answer. I listened to dead air. Lia, Cosmil, Pandora, is anyone there?

I heard the faintest of whispers, but it wasn’t Saber’s voice.

“Did he answer?” Triton asked, still looking over the crowd.

“No, and neither did the rest of the crew.” I clutched Triton’s wrist, dread crashing in waves. “God, could Starrack have snatched them all?”

“You track Saber, I’ll track the others. Wherever Starrack has gone, we’ll meet up there.” Triton laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Now focus. Where’s Saber?”

I closed my eyes and sent my senses in all directions searching for Saber. His laughter. His touch. His love. Two seconds passed. Five. Then I felt it. That core of his essence.

“The fort. Starrack’s taken Saber to the Castillo.”

“They’re on the grounds?”

“No, inside. In the courtyard. But Saber’s energy is barely there.”

“Then go save him, tyranoulitsa. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

I wheeled and dashed across the street, running at vampire speed through the west entrance of the parking garage, and dead on through the pedestrian entrance on the east side. Then I flew, straight up and fast. Screw bugs in my face. Screw being spotted. Only Saber mattered.

I flew over the Huguenot Cemetery, over Castillo Drive, over the Green. At the San Pablo Bastion on the northeast corner of the fort, I banked a hard right to skim along the inner wall of the terreplein, the gun-deck. My vampire vision sharpened as I searched the inky darkness of the courtyard more than thirty feet below. The near-full moon had risen close to three hours ago, but it’s pale light barely breached the Castillo parapets, and Saber’s energy signature weakened by the moment.

There. Movement in the shadows. Two figures in the center of the courtyard. One standing, one prone. The urge to dive-bomb Starrack was strong, but caution won out. I zipped down the long, wide stairs, touching down at the south edge of the courtyard, and willed my vampire vision to adjust to the gloom.

In seconds, it did, and I faced Starrack from no more than twenty feet away. He said nothing, but his expression was one of pure, evil glee as he gestured to the body on the ground.

It took my brain a stuttering second to make sense of what I was seeing, and then I staggered in horror, a low, anguished wail rising from the gash in my soul.

Saber lay wrapped in a black chain from neck to ankles, his eyes closed, his arms pinned to his sides, barely breathing. And as I watched, each link of the chain writhed and shot out tiny, skin piercing thorns.

Dear God. The black chain and the Void were one and the same, and it was eating Saber alive.





TWENTY-FIVE




Power burst up my spine as a river of rage, and only the pulsing amulet in my left pocket kept me from rushing Starrack and tearing him apart. He would die, but we had to kill him right.

“You sick son of a bitch.”

I hadn’t spoken loudly, but my words echoed off the courtyard walls.

The wizard clicked his tongue. “What coarse language coming from such a proper little vampire princess. If you wanted your pet human safe, you should not have left him alone.”

Do not let him bait you, Francesca, Cosmil said in my head. Take the energy of your enemies. Distract Starrack.

Hearing Cosmil’s voice steadied me, and cold, controlled power flooded my limbs. I took slow steps toward Starrack, sucking his aura and the Void chaining Saber with every tread.

“Why are you doing this? What do you want?” I demanded.

“Fortune, fame, and the amulets. Not necessarily in that order.”

“Why the amulets?” I asked, buying time.

“Did I not mention the fortune and fame? Certain parties will make me a god when I deliver them.”

“These parties want to destroy darkness? That’s what the amulets do, or didn’t you know? You’ll be first on the hit list.”