Eve Langlais - Toxic

“Well, bully for you. I guess I should count myself lucky you came to my rescue earlier then. That was you with the sword right?”

He nodded. “It was necessary to save your life.”

“Ooh, lucky me.” And had he not seemed so reluctant about doing it, I might have even perceived it as hot. No one ever came to my rescue, except the queen that one time. Now, I came to everyone else’s rescue. Screw the knights in shining armor. This beauty of the night came to your rescue with pointed fangs and skin tight leather, then as a thank you, sucked your blood in payment.

“It’s not easy for my kind to take a life or even injure another, no matter how heinous they are.”

“No, of course not,” I taunted. “You and so many others would rather sit on your high fucking horses and look down on those of us willing to dirty our hands. Then condemn us even as you reap the benefits.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “It’s not like that.”

“Really, then let me ask you, will your people join us in rebuffing the daemons?”

He shook his head and I snorted.

He looked pained. “It’s complicated.”

“There’s nothing complicated about fighting to survive.”

“It’s not our battle.”

“Well, it is mine, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure I and my kind survive, which also means saving the humans. And as far as I’m concerned, anyone who doesn’t join us in our fight for survival shall feed us to keep us strong.”

“You make it all seem so black and white.”

“It is.” Live or die, could the choice be any more basic?

“If you understood what I was-”

“I really couldn’t give a rat’s ass what you are. You could be a purple people eater or a fucking mythical unicorn. I’d still expect you to step up and be a man. To fight against the daemons and the certain death they’re promising.” A nasty idea floated free. “Unless you’re a different type of daemon? Is that why you can’t fight?”

He looked horrified. “No, most definitely not.”

“So you’re just a pussy.”

“Would you stop that,” he snapped back. “This has nothing to do with courage.”

“Or a lack thereof. Sure, whatever. Get out.” I waved my hand dismissively at him. I never could abide cowards.

“I can’t leave yet.”

I faced him and met his troubled blue eyes with my dark ones. “Oh, yes you can.” Attraction or not, I wouldn’t betray my people for a man who hid secrets and refused to fight. I called my people through my mental link with them. They flooded into the room and at my silent commanded gripped Rafe’s forearms.

He sighed with resignation. “This isn’t over, Ellie.”

“That’s Countess to you. Only my friends may use my real name.” I turned my back as my people escorted him from my home and life. The door slammed shut, but the expected elation at getting rid of him didn’t materialize.

I didn’t understand the gnawing pit in my stomach. Feeding didn’t banish it. Sleep merely helped it grow.

And alone once again, annoyed, horny and frustrated, I did what I did best. Caused havoc.

For the next couple of days I kept myself busy. It didn’t stop me, however, from thinking about Rafe. Is that even his real name?

I watched his press announcement to the humans where he glossed over some of my bloodthirsty habits to present us as human beings albeit with a specialized diet.

His calm reassurance, though, did nothing to stop the fanatics from sharpening their stakes. Apparently, no matter how benign we were painted, the humans just weren’t quite ready to accept us. Churches found themselves bursting at the seams as thousands returned to the religious fold and sermons preaching intolerance for the evil creatures-like me-ran rampant.

News reports from around the world held disturbing tales of humans stabbing people with wooden spikes. The ironic part was none of those killed were actually vampires.

And while a loud rabble of humans clamored for our annihilation, muddying the media with their rabid venting, the daemon incursions spiked.

Through my worldwide network, I received reports from cities all over citing new daemon sightings and atrocities. I sent out double squads, teams of eight vamps or more to take care of the problems, but with our limited population and resources, I was finding it harder and harder to keep up.

Hence my current meeting with the queen. I’d flown by private jet to Calgary, then hired a car to drive to her castle hidden from human eyes in the Canadian Rockies. A pretty place if you didn’t mind the cold and isolation.

I wasted no time upon my arrival, immediately seeking my queen out to establish a new plan of action.

I paced her throne room, my heel boots clacking on the marbled floor. “We need to bring the humans into the fight.”

“They’re not ready.”

I whirled to face Lily-a name I used to address her only in private-where she sat slumped in her throne. Her usual proud bearing wilted under the growing pressure. Never before had I seen her so defeated, and this before the battle was fully engaged. “I don’t give a crap if they’re ready to handle it or not. If we don’t tell them, they’re going to die. Besides, don’t you think they’re about to start noticing that more and more people are dying? It’s kind of hard to hide bodies torn to pieces and eaten. Has it occurred to you who they’re going to blame first?”

Lily sighed. “I know we’re about to get tarred, but truthfully, I’m more concerned about the widespread panic once we announce the daemons are coming.”

I flung my hands up, my tone and body language beyond exasperated. “Coming! They’re already bloody here.”

“And so far, you and the army have managed to take care of them.”

“For how much longer? I’m stretched thin. Too thin. We need numbers to bolster our ranks or they’re going to wipe us out even before the main forces arrive.” If only fledgling vampires weren’t so damned blood thirsty, I’d go on a creation binge and increase the ranks of the army myself. “How are the talks with the shapeshifters going?” With them at our side, we’d have the strength and numbers to stall a while longer.

Lily’s eyes sparked. “Stubborn animals. I had them this close,” she said holding her fingers a half inch apart. “Then, wham. All of a sudden all the alphas started beating their chest like the primates they are and claiming they needed to choose one leader to hold sway over all the clans.”

“So they hold an election and choose one.”

“I wish,” Lily sighed. “They’re holed up in my guest quarters right now trying to decide who will battle who for control of the clans. They claim it could take weeks for a final decision.”

I slumped onto the steps leading up to the dais and lowered my head to my knees. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

“What about Dr. Angelus? Have you thought about approaching him again? Ask him to speak to whoever is in charge of his people.”

I growled in reply. I’d of course told Lily that Rafe wasn’t human even as I hid how he’d affected me. Some humiliations didn’t bear repeating. I also didn’t mention the fact that Rafe had called me daily asking to meet since I’d booted him from my house and life. I had no interest in speaking to him. Lying jerk. He’d made it clear he and whatever group he belonged to wouldn’t be making a stand with us. “Rafe and his people are a dead end I refuse to waste time following. You know our only choice is to tell the humans. They need to arm themselves and prepare for the apocalypse.”

“Just give me a little more time,” my queen pled.

It angered me to see her acting so helpless. Over the years while I’d grown harder, she’d gone in the opposite direction and grown softer. No, that wasn’t the right word, she’d become more diplomatic as she prepared us for the day of our eventual outing. Turned out she needn’t have bothered. Movies and books had done to our reputation what actual acts couldn’t. Well, the acts that came to light that is. “Fine, handle the humans whatever way you like. But I want it noted that as your general in charge of your protection and that of our people’s, I think the time to arm the humans is now.”

“Duly noted.”

“In the meantime, may I talk to the shifters and reiterate the need for speed in their decision?”

Lily eyed me with trepidation. “Ellie, you’re not going to do anything crazy are you?”

“Who me?” I smiled at her, and not reassuringly judging by the frown knitting her brow.

I left the throne room with the sound of my queen’s resigned sigh drifting along with me. I thumped down the halls, the clacking of my heels and the vicious scowl on my face scattering those in my path. I loved my queen, but I really felt she was putting the petty fears of humans before common sense. Yes, what we had to say would freak them out, but it wouldn’t get any better a day, or two, or even a week from now.

Frustrated, I made an executive decision and headed towards the wing housing the guest quarters where the alpha leaders of the shapeshifters were residing with some of their people while negotiations occurred. I had a simple solution to our current problem with them. Sorry Lily, but in some cases, talking just isn’t the right route to take.

The vamp guard I had posted outside the guest wing stood up straighter at my approach.

“Don’t interfere no matter what you hear,” I instructed, striding past him into the gathering area for guests. My eyes quickly scanned the space, taking in details. The ceiling stretched above me almost three stories, the upper levels ringed with balconies where a few faces peered down at me with curiosity. The main floor contained scattered couches and chairs filled with a few human types who also didn’t look upon me with the right level of respect-or fear.