Revelations Coming (The Dark Truth Novel Series) (11 page)

“Describe her for me Richard.”
“Short, small frame, dirty blonde hair, green eyes.”

“Would you describe her as beautiful?”

Richard’s eyes darted to Arias’ face. “She was my foster daughter,” he retorted angrily. “She was beautiful like any son or daughter is to her father.”

Arias threw the knife and smiled when he heard it slide juicily into Richard’s right bicep. The man let out a shrill scream, his lungs heaving from the burning pain.

He shook his head as he approached Richard. “I thought you were a smart man Richard but it appears you cannot follow the simplest of instructions. Shall we try again?”

Arias yanked out the knife and wiped it clean on the man’s chest.

“Was she beautiful to you?”

Richard gagged and gritted his teeth. “Yes, she was the most beautiful fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Is that why you raped her?” Arias growled.

The man’s jaw dropped and denials formed on the tip of his tongue. “She wanted it, I know she did. I didn’t have sex with her because she was beautiful, I did it because I wanted to feel like something so beautiful was mine.”

Arias backhanded the man, scattering teeth and blood onto the floor.

“You sick fuck…a poor excuse for a man. She didn’t want your pathetic self. And what you took from her was mine. She is mine.”

He hit the man again but restrained himself so he wouldn’t knock the human out.

“Please,” the man begged his mouth full of blood. “I am a weak man. I couldn’t resist the temptation.”

Arias grabbed the sharpened wire cutters and approached the man. The human screamed as the dark price cut off his fingers and toes. He squealed like a girl when he impaled the man with a stake up his anus. When he spoke lies about his Queen being a whore, he cut out the useless man’s tongue. Not until the human was stripped of his skin and dignity did Arias feel a wave of retribution. He needed to get to France…to his Queen. He withdrew a dagger from his belt and took the human’s manhood in his hand and with a downward swipe removed the vile thing that violated his woman. Giving Richard a few minutes to realize the depth of his destruction, Arias plunged the knife through his slowing heart.

8

Venus bagged up a few more clothes and scrounged around for things that may become weapons. Finding very little, she snuck downstairs. Neither Riken nor Michael were anywhere to be seen. They had to have some sort of weapons room or something, she thought in frustration. She cautiously poked into rooms but found nothing out of the ordinary. The last door was locked when she tried to turn the knob. She backed away, her hopes sinking. As she turned to leave, the door flew open and Corbin stood there in the doorway looking arrogant and fearsome as always.

“Did you need something My Queen?” he asked in harsh English.

“Weapons,” she said softly not knowing if he would help her or not. Corbin quirked up an eyebrow, surprised at her request.

“Planning to stake my Prince in his sleep?”
Venus smothered a laugh. “Not at all. I'm going hunting.”
Corbin considered her for several long moments. His look was assessing, not perusing. She thought that he was figuring out if she were telling the truth. He looked around, gave a short nod and disappeared back into the room. She took a step toward the room when he reappeared his arms full of smaller weapons that would be useful in her hands. She opened her backpack and he dumped them in holding onto an assortment with which he began strapping all over her body. After the last weapon, a 5 inch long knife was safely tucked into an ankle sheath, he stepped back and appraised her.

“I never saw you,” Corbin muttered in guttural German.

Venus nodded playing along and before he could turn away, she wrapped her arms around him.

“Thank you Corbin,” she whispered and she jogged silently down the hall.

“Where would she have gone?” Riken pushed out between gritting his teeth. He paced back and forth behind his large desk.

Michael watched him absently, thinking the same question in his head. She knew no one here but he didn’t think she feared being homeless. She definitely wasn’t thinking about how grave of danger she was in. She was a beacon to the rogue Talmidim, her power like a tempting light just waiting to be snuffed out.

“Michael, you need to go track her,” Riken stated stamping his foot and crossing his arms in front of his chest reminding Michael of a two year old spoiled little boy throwing a tantrum.

Michael gave a long sigh as he pulled himself up out of an old leather chair near Riken’s desk.

“The mental state she’s in right now Riken,” Michael said slowly shaking his head. “She’s not going to listen to anyone, especially not me.”

Riken growled low, his power level flexing and twisting in frustration.

“Summon Drake,” he spat as he turned back towards the large window overlooking the forest.

A cold misting rain blanketed Paris as Venus crouched on a narrow fire escape hidden in the shadows. Five marks were directly below her feasting on a poor young man. The glow of their red eyes in the dark always creeped her out. She wished she could save the handsome man from his fate but if she intervened now she would be another blood donor in a matter of seconds. One of the Vampyre, a small framed female Talmidim sat up from the body first, temporarily sated with her bloodlust. As the female walked in a drunken stupor Venus dropped down silently from her hiding spot. Landing two feet behind the female, Venus wasted no time plunging and then running for another hiding spot. Now tucked neatly among the overflowing garbage dumpster, Venus swallowed heavily with relief that the other Talmidim hadn’t even noticed her. Two more stood up from the body, wiping their mouths on their sleeves and starting towards the direction that Venus lay in waiting.

“Where did Cherry go?” one asked.

“Who cares?”

The first one grunted and took a few more steps toward Venus. She quietly raised her arm in which she had a loaded crossbow. She squeezed the trigger and watched as her arrow thudded through her mark and he crumpled into ash. She hurried to load another arrow as the other Talmidim squawked in surprise. She squeezed again and the arrow pierced his body but Venus had been trembling bad enough that she didn't hit the heart. She cursed herself mentally as she scurried to load another arrow. As she raised it again to fire a death blow, a heavy hand clamped around her throat. In the next instant she was slammed hard enough against the brick building behind her to cause particles of brick to rain down upon them. Two piercing red eyes filled her vision. Her eyes dropped to the still bloody fangs that were outstretched and coming closer to her. Venus slid her hand down her thigh where she carried a slim stake. Palming it in her hand she raised it behind the Talmidim and threw her body against his, feeling the satisfying pierce and then nothing as he vanished with the wind.

She cursed and looked around. The others were gone. Three, she killed three. There should have been two others. Her breathing hitched as this was the most dangerous part in the game she played. If she played mouse, she would be dead. She slid quietly from behind the dumpster and started toward the front of the alley toward the street. Venus heard a shuffling to her right. She threw her body down into a roll, hand still clenching the slim stake as she looked over her shoulder. Everything was moving in slow motion it seemed. Her hand came up with the stake, preparing herself to shove it through this one's heart. The Talmidim launched himself at her. When he crashed into her, everything sped back up and she screamed as his fangs ripped through her throat. The stake tumbled from her hand. The other Talmidim slunk out of the shadows, sneering and baring his fangs. He knelt down on her other side, lifting her dainty wrist and plunged his fangs into her as well. She screamed again, thrashing about on the cold damp pavement. She struggled in vain to call the stake back to her hand. The pain clouded her mind, though. She cried out in despair. A whisper of movement caught Venus’ attention before she started to drift away from blood loss. Someone, or something was circling them too fast for her to see. The shadow figure darted forward and the Vampyre at her throat disintegrated into ash. The other Vampyre raised his head from her wrist and snarled into the darkness.

“I see you,” he snarled, his fangs dripping with Venus' blood.

A figure stepped forward into the dim light. He was Mashiach, she thought with relief. In his hand he clutched a silver stake and was smiling pleasantly at the Talmidim. One second he was standing there and the next second he was standing behind the Talmidim sliding the sharp point through his back to the heart.

“Do you see me now?” he snarled at the ashes that fell to the alleyway.

Venus struggled to a sitting position, blood still running in a stream from her throat. Her hand darted to her throat, trying to press the torn skin together but all she felt was a gushing stream of heat.

“Hey don't move,” her tall handsome savior murmured quietly.

His hand cupped the back of her head and he lowered her back to the ground. He bit down on his own wrist and held it to her lips.

She lapped like a kitten unsure if its affects would be any different than ingesting Riken’s. His blood pulled her to him immediately and filled her with the knowledge that he was of her bloodline. She guessed he was of the Rex Deus, his coloring and facial features were much like Riken's. The strength of the blood coursed through her and she found herself taking harder pulls, her tongue flicking back and forth across his skin. It tasted warm and coated her throat, it was sweet and tangy and the warmth grew and spread throughout her body. The man groaned softly, his eyes that were gazing intently into her face slowly fluttered down. When she no longer felt the pain of her torn throat and wrists, she lifted her head. She eyes were heavy and her entire body sluggish in response. The stranger lifted her into his arms with ease, cradling her head against his chest. Venus breathed in his scent, something comforting, relaxing, vaguely familiar and then she drifted off.

Drake paced the dark room lit only by a sliver of moonlight that shone through the wall of windows. He was angry with himself for bringing her here. This was his sanctuary. No one had ever been here before, not even Riken. His duty to his prince dictated that he call Riken and tell him he found her. Drake would do so...eventually and make sure to leave out the details about her nearly dying of course. God, she was beautiful he thought as he watched her sleep on his sofa. And she was also Riken's, he reminded himself. Drake had been dispatched by Riken to find her and bring her back to his estate. Drake had not been told that she had gone after the Talmidim as a huntress. It shocked and impressed him. It didn’t take him long to find her. The Angel was right, she was a beacon of light. Her power billowing out even as the Talmidim were draining the life from her. He had been perched on the top of a building as he watched her off those three Vampyre before she got herself caught. It was a rookie mistake and she had been extremely lucky he was there. What would make her go after the Talmidim? She was a treasure to the bloodline, a Queen. Drake was surprised Riken didn't have her tethered to his bed. The thought sent a surprising twinge of jealousy through him which he shook off. A soft moan that stirred his blood escaped Venus' parted lips and he glided over to her. Her eyes slowly opened taking in the room and then finally meeting his.

“Where am I?” she asked softly.

Drake swallowed hard as he came closer to her. “You're at my place,” he said while lifting her chin to examine her newly healed throat.

He already knew it was healed and really just wanted an excuse for touching her again. To finish his examination, he lifted her wrist and ran his thumb smoothly across the unblemished skin.

“What's your name?” she asked her innocent eyes making his heart flutter as fast as a hummingbird's wings.

“Drake,” he told her in a deep voice.

While it was not his given name, it was one he had used for the last two hundred years. When Riken was born, he had given up his royal name and his hold on the throne of the Rex Deus. Knowing his brother would be a better fit for the role of a prince, Drake had chosen to become a hunter, a hired hand by his bloodline to police the Talmidim. Drake wasn't even sure Riken knew who he truly was and it was going to stay that way.

“Thank you for saving me,” Venus said, tearing his thoughts back to the present.

He bowed low. He wished she knew how much that meant he respected her. He bowed to no one, not even Riken.

“You were doing quite well until the end of course,” Drake said with a touch of amusement in his voice. Venus smiled and shook her head.

“When I couldn't find those last two, I knew I was in trouble.”

“May I ask you a question my Queen?” he said his curiosity winning out over etiquette.

She nodded, her eyebrows lifted, her lips still curved into a smile.

“Why do you hunt the Talmidim?”

She averted her eyes from his, focusing on the city lights that shone through the windows. She got up from the sofa in a graceful move and went to the nearest floor to ceiling window. She wrapped her arms around herself and was silent for a few more seconds. Drake waited patiently as she arranged her thoughts.