Birth of a Vixen (Shadow Faith Book 1) Read online

  Brutus lay on the ground next to me. Bloody bites and scrapes covered him from top to bottom. Jazz and the mastiffs had torn through his thick jacket and pants.

  Kaelanna was unaware of our location under the hatch. Exiting backwards, her feet landed on my stomach. She pushed her hands off of Brutus’ face and rolled away. She steadied herself on one knee, poised to shoot.

  Brutus lay there half dead. In the dogfight he had lost his sword but gained a .45. He aimed the gun at me. "Back off or she gets it."

  "Go ahead shoot her. You've killed everyone else."

  "I said drop it bitch."

  "You first asshole."

  I hoped she was trying to call his bluff and wouldn't really let him shoot me. I closed my eyes. A shot rang out, loud and clear. My muscles jumped, though I didn’t move. I froze. A quick mental check over my body revealed no new holes. My eyes popped open and what I saw will haunt me for the rest of my life, no matter how short. Kaelanna's body teetered headless then collapsed to the ground.

  Brutus' gun rested at his waist. I looked up. The other Maarten stood over me on the Winnebago and held a smoking shotgun.

  “No!” Rage took me over. Without a second thought I raised Brutus' limp armed hand at his Housemate. I slid my finger over his and together we pulled the trigger until the clip clanged empty.

  Kaelanna's shooter's head jerked back from the impact of each and every bullet. The shotgun fell next to me.

  Brutus' hand slid from the gun. He elbowed me in the nose. Then he sped over to the shotgun. In my stunned state of mind I hadn’t noticed he reached the shotgun until he pulled the trigger. The chamber clicked empty. "Shit."

  I climbed to my feet. Like I'd seen Kaelanna and Guillermo do a hundred of times I circled wide, stepping over my friend's corpses. I covered my bases while Brutus tried to find more ammunition. I think if Jazz hadn’t hurt him as much as she had he wouldn’t have needed the shotgun. It took a lot of power to heal and attack at the same time.

  Ransack and John lay dead in a puddle of their blood. Slashes stretched the lengths of their broad chests. Weakened, Jazz shifted back to human form. Naked as the day she was born, she crawled toward the Winnebago. Two gashes, similar to those on the hounds, marred her pale chest. She only made it a couple feet before she collapsed and died. Dark blood spilled from a bullet wound in the back of her head.

  I planned on avoiding their fate. I went around to the front of the Winnebago. Off in the distance was an old farmhouse and barn up on a hill. I chanced a quick glance to the last place I saw him. He was fumbling with the gun. I set my sights on the barn and did what I did best. I ran.

  I pounded each step harder and faster than the last as I crossed through the grassy knoll before he fired his first shot. I ducked behind an oak tree, as the shotgun’s bullet hammered away at the trunk. Splinters flew into the air. The shrapnel made for a quick cover. I bolted towards the barn.

  Brutus stopped at the oak tree. By the time he fired again I reached the barn. His shot blew a hole in its side.

  I kept running around the barn. I stopped short on the dark side of the building, out of Brutus’ line of sight. A man stood there, waiting, bathed in the shadow of a weeping willow. My chest tightened. I was a dead vampire. But then the man sidestepped from the shadow. Only he didn’t actually step out of the shadow, it was as if the shadow birthed him into the world.

  "Shhh," He reached through the thin curtain of branches and placed a finger to my mouth. His finger was soft against my lips. I got lost in the stranger’s eyes. They were hazel eyes so rich with deep greens and greys dark enough to match the far corners of the very shadow that he came from. Long golden blond hair framed his sculpted face, and those eyes, like curtains hugging the wings of a theater, a perfect match.

  "Angela?" He whispered my name between full lips above a square jaw. He beckoned me to him with that one question.

  "Yes." The word came from me. I knew I said it, but all I took in were those eyes and his velvet touch. There was no danger with him.

  "Close your eyes." He said. His voice echoed through my head like soft wind chimes tossed about in a gentle breeze. My eyes closed without question.

  The warm night transformed into a harsh cold. The softness of this mystery man clung to me. I held onto him like a life support raft. I reached out, eyes still closed, till I found all of him. I wrapped my arms around him scared I might drift away into the cold nothingness that surrounded me. Then as fast as the cold came it retreated from the sudden warmth of a fire. I heard the crackle of the burning wood and smelled the musky aroma before I saw it.

  "You can open your eyes now."

  I opened my baby blues and saw I was in someone's lounge. A white and grey stone fireplace stood in front of me. Its dark cherry wood mantle held an assortment of burning candles, some white, and some gold, all in matching brass holders. Cherry bookcases lined both walls on either side of the fireplace. There was a door that separated the shelves to the right of the fireplace. Two, dark auburn, leather recliners faced the blazing warmth. A small round brass table with a glass top was between the set of chairs. A black, plush rug laid in the center of the room over hardwood floor.

  My mystery hero took a step back. Once he stopped touching me I came to terms with what had happened. "Where, where am I?" My voice came out shakier than I liked.

  "You are in my house. Well, one of them anyway." He sounded confident, not cocky or condescending. He crossed to the fireplace.

  With the increased level of light, in comparison to the shadowy dimness of the farmyard, I truly saw him for the first time. He wore a silk black shirt with three buttons open at the neck. The shirt was tucked into black slacks and matching black padded dress shoes. Laughter bubbled up inside me from the sight of him. I could not help but let it out.

  “What's so funny?” His brow turned down and a curious frown played at his mouth.

  “I'm sorry.”

  He looked even more confused. Here I am laughing in the face of the man who just saved me from certain death. I needed slapped upside the head. Either that or I’ve been slapped one too many times already.

  “It's nothing. It's just that I was thinking my life was just saved by the proverbial man in black. I have no idea who you are or why you did what you did. No matter how grateful I am for it. It's just kind of funny to me.”

  “Ah, I see.” His frown turned upside down into a quizzical smile that lightened his face.

  “I would like to thank you properly. But I kind of need to know who you are to do so.” I stepped closer to him.

  He locked eyes with me as before. His small smile lightened those intoxicating, dark eyes of his. This time I fought the urge to close the gap between us. I never felt such a pull to any one before. The feeling of security he projected almost overwhelmed me. But it was more than that, just not sure what though.

  “I’m Lucian. I am the leader of the grand army you were sent to stop.”

  My sense of joyous relief came to a crashing halt. It was replaced with a small feeling of dread that landed in the pit of my stomach. “Oh.”

  Chapter 3

  The world got a little fuzzy around the edges. My legs trembled. I closed my eyes to find some sort of balance in this precarious position. I was in the house of a handsome homicidal maniac set on vampiric world domination. Hundreds of our kind had fallen before him and his army.

  Then everything snapped into place. The realization that my friends were dead, left me to finish the very mission that led to their death. But he saved me from annihilation. Why?

  His warm, strong hands held of my upper arms. “Here sit down Angela. It’s been a busy night. That’s it, here we go.”

  Lucian guided me to one of the recliners. He was being too kind to me. Why? That nagging question begged for an answer. If I was with the person sent to kill me I wouldn’t be as hospitable.

  “Why?” I choked out. My throat felt tight and sore. I touched my neck. Brutus’ sword slashed more of m
y throat than I thought.

  “Drink this. It will make you feel better.” Lucian offered me blood in a tall, thin glass.

  A petite Chinese woman stood behind him with an empty, ornate silver tray. I hadn’t heard her come in the room. Her brown eyes, cloaked with lavender eye shadow and mascara, were wide. Long, straight black hair flowed down her back. She fidgeted with concern in her black and blue catholic school uniform.

  “No.” I turned my head away from Lucian. The world swam once again. I teetered back in the seat. I let my head rest against the soft cushion.

  “Don’t worry it’s human. It’s fresh from one of my servants.”

  I avoided drinking blood. Thais controlled that particular thirst. I shook my head in a weakening battle of wills that made my body ache.

  “You need to drink something. Would you prefer to take it from the source? It’s still warm.”

  “No.” I said, though I knew I lost the battle. The smell was intoxicating in my weakened condition. My hunger forced me to concede.

  I turned back to Lucian’s offering. The sight of the blood incited an icy burn in my veins. I snatched the glass from him, closed my eyes and drank the warm, wonderful liquid. It was the best thing I’ve ever tasted. The blaze that roared with me lessened to a low simmer. My mind slowly relaxed. My nerves calmed with each gulp. I opened my eyes without worrying about the world spinning out from under me.

  “There you go. Thank you Sasha.” Lucian took the empty glass from me and handed it to the vampire behind him.

  “No problem boss. Is she gonna be okay?” Her voice sounded light as a child’s, innocent and sweet.

  “It’s a start. Ready a bath and retrieve a fresh set of clothes for our guest.” Lucian said.

  Sasha waved at me. “We’re gonna take real good care of ya, sweetie. You just try and relax.” She sashayed out the door by the fireplace.

  I stared at Lucian. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

  “You mean why am I being so nice to a younger vampire?”

  Lucian might be trying to get me to relax but I was not in the mood for games. “No, why did you save me and treat me so well when you know I am here to kill you?”

  He laughed at me. It was a joyous laugh. I didn’t think what I said was funny. But he laughed his way over to the other recliner. “Angela, you couldn’t kill me.”

  He was right. I was still a newly sired vampire by comparison, my three years to his possible hundreds. I had no weapons other than my fledgling powers. “Why didn’t you just let Brutus kill me back there? For that matter how did you know who I am or where I would be in the first place?”

  “So many questions. Do you always think this hard?”

  “I try not to.”

  He let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay, little miss over thinker, I will answer your questions.”

  “Why did you save me?”

  “That is not a simple question to answer.”

  “Try.”

  “The people I work for want to change how things have been running for centuries. They’ve put their trust in me to accomplish what they haven’t been able to because I can get people from both sects to follow my lead, like you.

  “Me? In the grand scheme of things I am a wee little vampire, as you pointed out so eloquently a couple seconds ago”

  “In some ways, yes you are, but not in all.”

  “I don’t follow.” I wished he wasn’t referring to Thais.

  He crossed his legs, set his elbows on either armrest and he interlaced his fingers across his chest. “I am in need of someone with your… ‘special expertise’. I believe we can come to a beneficial arrangement. After all we do have a common enemy.”

  “We do?” He had me intrigued, but I remained cautious.

  “The great citizens of Kent have turned their backs on you. I want to over-throw the very system that ordered your friends to be slaughtered.”

  “Stop trying to sell me and simply ask me what you want.” I slouched back into the seat.

  “I’m asking for your aide in the war against the Cabal Ministry in Kent. I want you to help me the only way you can. Infiltrate the city. Watch their every move and report back to me should something arise.”

  “And how does my ‘special ability’ help you spy on the locals?”

  “If I have you in the middle of the battle, but not in any direct conflict, you can see how they may react to things or foresee what they’re planning.” He was serious. Lucian actually thought I could help him.

  “There’s a slight flaw in your logic. I can’t just waltz back in there. They just tried to kill me.”

  A mischievous grin spread wide as if he hoped I would bring this part up myself. My naïveté made me putty in his hands. “That is where your payment comes into play. I can promise to make you look like yourself again.”

  The nightmarish night twisted into a dream come true. I dreamt of the night when I no longer fear a mirror, to see me, not Thais staring back at me. It hadn’t happened the way I planned, but here it was; the answer I searched for presented itself. “How do you know who I am?”

  “An old friend of your family told me you would be in town.”

  There was no one from my family that knew I was here. I didn’t stay in contact with anyone from my past and for good reason. “Who?”

  Those hazel eyes held a deep longing as he looked at me. He knew more about me than he let on to make him look at me that way. Or perhaps he felt that same pull I felt earlier? “Does it matter?”

  Did I want to be me again? Absolutely. This also provided the perfect opportunity to keep my vow against Brutus. An obvious perk was that it gave me the chance to get to know Lucian better, and perhaps I might understand these sensations of wonder between us.

  I shook my head. My eyes moistened. Bloody tears of joy flowed down my cheeks. He could have made me promise to do a million other things to be me again. This night started so wrong and became so right. “Please make me look like me again. I’ll do anything.”

  Chapter 4

  Dried blood covered my skin. Caked on blood peeled in thin, flaky sheets under my nails. The blond hair was a hard brittle mesh riddled with knots with chunky bits of flesh from the Maarten I shot.

  The delicate, pastel green sundress was stained with blood creating various colors of sluggish brown and black. Patches of the original pastel peeked through. It clung to me like a second skin, at least what was left of it. Large pieces of fabric were missing. I squirmed out of the dress and dropped it on the floor.

  I saturated myself in the triangular Jacuzzi tub full with piping hot water. The blistering liquid felt wonderful against my cold skin. I rested my head on a porcelain headrest and got lost in pure bliss.

  The bathroom was immaculate. From where I was lying I saw a tall, glass shower held together with matching brass rails up the sides. His and her porcelain sinks, with brass faucets, rested on cherry cupboards. A mirror ran the length of the sinks. Studio lights protruded from wood trim above the mirror. A vaulted ceiling with a pair of open skylights allowed the crisp night air to filter down into the room.

  In time the water cooled to a comfortable lukewarm temperature. The weight of tonight’s events flowed from me into the water and my eyes grew heavy. I relaxed for the first time in ages. After a few minutes there was a knock at the door.

  “Isn’t that the way it goes?” I scooted over to the wall of the tub. I hid my naked, little body out of habit. I assumed the knocker was Lucian, but Sasha stepped into the room.

  “Hi. Hope you don’t mind me barging in like this.” She had changed into skin-tight, grey, sweat pants, a white men’s tank top, and a pair of fuzzy, black slippers. In her small, well-manicured hands she held a set of clothes, two, fluffy, black towels and a piece of paper I couldn’t make out.

  “No, I don’t mind at all. Thank you for the towels. Are those clothes for me?”

  “Yup. I got the clothes Lucian requested for when we finish in here.” She set every
thing between the sinks.

  “What are we doing? You’re not going to bathe me are you because I can do that myself?”

  She giggled. “No silly, I’m here for our slumber party makeover.”

  “Our what?”

  She acted like we were a couple of teenagers about to do something naughty long after our folks had gone to bed. Of course, growing up like I had, I never got away with doing anything after my mother went to bed because by then it was time for school.

  “You can’t have a slumber party without one. So I am gonna make you look pretty again. Think of it as a bonding moment.”

  “You’re going to change my body?” There was no way to discern what House a vampire belonged to by looking at them, unless they were Gancheru. I knew Lucian was a Ravanian.

  “Don’t sound so grumpy. Of course I am. You didn’t think Lucian was going to do it, did ya?” She kicked off her fuzzy slippers one at a time. She giggled again as the shoe bashed the wall above my head.

  I sank lower into the water.

  Sasha forced a fake pout. She ducked down to my level and spread her arms across the edge of the tub. Her fingers tapped the top of the faucet. “Don’t get me wrong Lucian may know how to handle himself with a woman, if you know what I mean, but he doesn’t know shit about what makes one pretty, and you sweetie, are going to be beautiful when I am through with you. So let’s get started.”

  Sasha slapped my head back against the porcelain pillow and hopped into the tub. “Now this is going to hurt a bit. But you know what they say, ‘pain is beauty’.”

  “I’ve never heard that before.” Sasha grabbed my legs with the strength of a bear and pulled. The last word I said crescendo into a scream of excruciating agony. I reached for anything to keep me steady. I found the edge of the tub and gripped it with all the strength I had in me.