Very few times would you ever see Isabella react the way she did over the news that Vlad Tepes was in the US. You could see the fear etched into her face as she fled the room for her own suite. Jason would find her clutching the window sill, her body visibly trembling. One hand was up and holding a key that was on a necklace that she wore. As Jason came up behind her to ask her what it was that troubled her so, she actually jumped a little as though he had scared her to death.
“Dearest who scares you so….and would you mind telling me of your past?”
Jason drew her onto him as he sat down and the Queen did so without a fight. Swallowing hard, she was about to explain a great deal about herself, and the key to all the mysteries that surrounded her.
“I was once a favored of the Great Vlad Tepes, many centuries ago in Europe. It was a different time, and for vampires it was a golden time. Much easier to blend in then now. One of his own…Vincent decided he wanted to start his own coven but across the Atlantic and in doing so, he took me….and the Count’s greatest prize. Stole them right out from under his nose. The only reason I have been able to avoid an untimely demise is because, I wear part of it.”
She then showed the key necklace, that she was wearing. An antique to be sure. “It’s charmed like the rings. One of my blood dolls tried to kill me once. Stake me through the heart. Little did he know that the necklace I wore and still do, meant that I did not die.”
Isabella then looked up at Jason with a worried expression.
“I fear that if Vlad Tepes is here….he wants his prize back. The rings. I don’t know where Vincent hid them, all I do know is that he needs the key to open the box that they are kept in.”
The key…that she wore.
<3>
As Jason sat comforting Isabella he would look to the windows before his brows furrowed as he caught sight of a figure in the distance with moon silhouetting his form before vanishing into the nights embrace. Slowly Jason would stand up before looking to Isabella before hissing softly and allowing his fangs to distend into their full vampiric state while his form rippled. Slowly Jason’s skin became leathery and a pair of wings slid from his back tearing off his shirt in the process. His hands where now rending talons as his fingernails had distended to a length of five inch’s. As Jason’s form shifted he would walk towards the door out into the night before spreading his leathery wings and taking off in hot pursuit of the male that had dared to trespass on Jason’s perceived territory. Oh yes Jason was annoyed and most definitely angered. As he flew in pursuit his eyes would narrow to slits while his wings thrashed the air with mighty motions of sinewy muscle. The one thing Jason refused to have was a threat about when he had to deal with one already and that was Vlad Tepes. Then with a sudden flash Jason was driven to the ground as another vampiric being came down from above and drove him into the ground with a keening hiss. As Jason was driven into the other vampiric being would stand up and shake his head solemnly. The male would then turn away from Jason long enough for Jason to swing his left booted foot about and bring the male to the ground where Jason in a flash had him straddled and raised his talons for the kill aimed for the jugular. However though Jason paused long enough for the other male to throw him off and into a tree hard enough to cause Jason to grunt in discomfort. The male then struck like a flash of lightning as Jason hissed in pain when the males talons ripped through his chest leaving a trail of red in their wake. Jason then struck back with a left cross followed by a right handed jab with both connecting with the males face breaking his nose and his jaw. As the male reeled back Jason would rush forwards in a blitz that would put a professional football player to shame which bore the other male into a tree and then through it as the two vampires went at it. As Jason’s left shoulder slammed into the male’s stomach the male would bring his talons down to carve through Jason’s back leaving the same red trails in their wake which caused Jason to hiss in pain. It was then with a definite crack the two vampires would crash into an olden brick wall causing it to come tumbling down atop them knocking the male out but giving Jason a massive concussion. Slowly Jason would get back to his feet before rubbing his temples to assuage the pounding he felt thanks to the concussion. As Jason looked at the male he would raise a brow wondering what he wanted before shrugging and kneeling down long enough to rip the males throat out and walk back to the mansion to shower and clean up the gash’s in his chest and his back.
No sooner had Isabella explained to Jason all she knew about the artifacts and her history with Vlad, her mate rose from the seat and hissed violently as something outside the window had garnered his attention.
“What is it?” she asked, her head turning towards the view from the window and that of an image that was illuminated by the moon. Could it be that Vlad had already found them? Jason did not say a word, but took off out the door to see for himself who was playing peeping tom. Isabella clutched her key necklace and let out a gasp of fright. What would happen if Vlad found her? Would he take the necklace back and then kill her for her misdeeds? Being a traitor was not something that he ever let his charges get away with.
Rising off the seat herself, she was left alone in the bedroom; her mind racing over the last few decades. Thoughts went back to Shane, the one that she had her last run in with. She had murdered his family all for her own ends, and this was to backfire on her in the worst way. Had she not been charmed by the necklace, she would have been brought to her end.
Waiting for Jason to return with answers, she paced her room. Her eyes glowering with a sickly red sheen. She may have had power over many but there was one above all that she feared the most.
Should she dare venture to Vincent’s ruins herself and risk detection? Or should she find a way to return to Europe to keep from becoming caught up in Vlad’s plans?
<3>
Jason walked back into the bedroom and made a beeline for the bathroom to clean the gashs in his chest and his back. Then with that done he would walk back out smelling like a fresh morning dew upon the grass. Gingerly he would sit upon the bed before wincing as the motion caused him some discomfort while the bandages where starting to show hints of red through them already. When seated Jason would look to Isabella before speaking calmly and sedately. “Come sit in my lap Hun and don’t worry it was only a renegade without a coven judging by his appearance.” As he waited for Isabella to come sit in his lap he would look over to his beloved Isabella and smile gently and protectively. Silently he would wait as he mulled over the the recent news Isabella had given him and the possibility of an all out war before long which made Jason frown as he had no want for more warfare if it could be helped. As he mulled this possibility over he would take a hand through his hair and fast his gaze over to the night sky with the moon shining bright in the sky which quickly soothed his ill thoughts and sense of foreboding. Though little did he know that one vampire was the least of his worries as there was an elder watching over the duo though they had yet to see or encounter him for he had no reason yet to make his presence known.
Carmen could tell she’d gotten to Shane with what she was wearing. She didn’t miss the way his gaze grew hot nor when he had to adjust himself in his pants.
Oh the power of a sexy woman.
They headed out to the garage and he opened the door to the car for her to slip inside. She got the sense he was staring at her ass and resisted the urge to smirk.
Again, he couldn’t help but stare at her breasts, very nearly visible as low as the zipper was on her outfit.
“How I am going to keep my hands off you and concentrate…I don’t know.” he sighed as he started the car and pulled out of the garage.
“We figure out this scroll and box thing and get home in one piece first. Then you can do whatever you want to me.” Carmen grinned. “I might even…let you tie me up and spank me…cause I’ve been a very bad girl.” she murmured in a husky voice, guaranteed to make him hot under the collar. She watched his fingers clench tight around the steering wheel and chuckled with sensuous delight.
The sexy woman wins every time.
Neither one were aware of the fact they were being followed.
“Sir…that man you were looking for…he’s just left his house with a woman. Sir…he has the box and the scroll with him.”
Vlad’s Mansion
Vlad sat in the darkness, the phone to his ear as he listened to his driver relay his news. He held a glass of red wine in his hand, swirling it slowly.
“Follow them. Tell me where they end up.”
“Should I approach?”
“No…leave them alone…for now…I will deal with them myself.
“Yes, sir.
Vlad hung up without another word and stared at the portrait of Isabella he’d taken from the burnt remains of Vincent’s mansion. He had been furious when he’d gone there and found the safe empty. He had colored the air blue with curses, kicking burnt remains of the mansion and throwing large chunks of rock and earth every direction. Once he’d calmed down, he stared at the painting, a slow burning rage suffusing his being. He had ripped the painting from the hinges and carried it back to his mansion, hanging it on the wall in the front parlour.
He picked up his phone again and dialed.
“Emilia. You and Rheksas are to return immediately. I have a job for you.” he stated before hanging up once more. He stared at Isabella, glaring. “You will pay with your life for what you have stolen from me.” he snarled, throwing the glass. It shattered against the painting, spilling the liquid against its oiled surface like blood…
The Night watchman for the night was punching out his time card, when he noticed the pale light that was coming from Miss Reece’s office. Ambling past he poked his head in the door. The young archaeologist seemed caught up in her research and rather than bother her, he merely smiled and left her to her work. No doubt she was putting in an all niter and with the new guard taking over shift in an hour, she should be fine so long as she didn’t leave her office. All Candy heard was the shuffling of an old man’s shoes fading to the distance before a door slammed shut, probably the trade entrance. Taking up her tea cup, she took another sip, before bowing her head down and returning to her studies.
Outside the Museum.
Parked across the street from the Museum, Shane had pulled up and cut the ignition before easing back in his leather seat. He watched with a certain amount of curiosity as the night watchman was leaving the building. You could see in many parts of the Muesum windows that the lights were off with the exception of one area down the back. This could well be the curator or at least someone burning the midnight oil.
“And that is our cue.” Shane said, undoing his seat belt and then exiting the vehicle. He waited for Carmen to join him before giving her a sly wink and then using vampire speed he dashed across the road, then crawled like a spider up the side of the building till reaching the top. Along the top of the Museum was many alcove windows that were easy to access.
When Carmen caught up with him, he would unlock one of the windows, and using his climbing abilities gain entry to the museum, crawling across the roof, then dropping down with a light clack of his heels on the second floor. It wasn’t the Egyptian exhibit area, but more for the Wild west era of the United states. Watching his love follow him, his eyes glowered as he spun his torch.
“Isn’t this fun?” Sounding like they were on some sort of adventure, rather than trying to rough someone up for information on an old scroll.
Down in her office, Candy raised her head when she heard the odd sound of a window on the second floor create a din as it closed. “What the hell was that?” she thought to herself, actually getting up from her seat and going to her door. She sung out for the night watchman, who had left the building already.
“Mister Myers?”
The silence in return had her shiver with fright. Had he gone home early and left her alone in the Museum? Taking up her flash light, she left her office and then went in search of the sounds she had heard above. Could it be true that something was lurking in the Egyptian exhibit? That was where she was heading to first.
Shane urged Carmen to follow him as he made his way down the stairs, and could see a large Egyptian statue leading the way to the exhibit. They were getting close. Creeping along he looked every bit the the theif, till suddenly a bright light came from the other direction. It was Candy.
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
Little did any of them know, that one of the Egyptian statues had come to life, hiding behind one of the blue curtains. The returning of the scroll to it’s rightful owner had magics that no one knew about.
Rheksas and Emily’s Truck
Coming back from a night out to feed, the pair were the to get a call from their Lord, Vlad Tepes.
“Emilia. You and Rheksas are to return immediately. I have a job for you.”
“Yes M’lord” Emilay answered, switching off the cell and pocketing it. Rheksas was driving and glanced at his General asking.“What did he want?” Easing back in her seat as the truck sped down the old road she replied. “A job. I take it he has found part of what he is seeking.” Rheksas grinned maliciously at the thought they were finally going to be put to good use, instead of running simple errands.
“I hate to be in their shoes.” He joked, while Emilia sat stony faced. So far this trip to the Havens had brought up nothing to find the artifacts, and the Count was doing a lot of his own undercover work. She sometimes wondered if they were even really needed. Rheksas noticed this as her body language always betrayed her.
“Smile….you are prettier when you do.”
“I would…if I had reason too.”
She was just another pawn in the Count’s plans.
<3>
