Antithesis: The Vampire Alliance Book Three - FIRST DRAFT COMPLETED

Antithesis Chapter 9: Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan May 2013

Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan, May 2013

We’ve only just climbed into bed when all three of our phones beep, the synchronised receipt of text messages indicating Johan has an emergency for us to deal with. When I look at the screen of my Samsung Galaxy SIII my heart sinks at the message. “Urgent Response. Briefing Room. Come armed.”

“Urgent response,” Tul repeats, “someone under Alliance protection must be in trouble.”

“I thought only those on Johan’s security team had to respond to those calls?” I grumble as I pull myself to my feet and scramble to find clothes. An Alliance hoody and jeans will have to do as dawn is far too late in the night for me to be concerned with looking good. I certainly don’t mind going to help people in need but I wish I’d had some warning that I could be called.

“I guess you’ve been promoted.” Tul grins as he too throws on a branded top and jeans but is expression darkens as he starts strapping on knives. It’s not an easy task one handed.

Part of me wants to help him. Part of me hates his frustration and wants to ease it. It’s horrible that despite how he’s coming on, despite his ability to fight, there are still simple tasks which he finds difficult. I’m not convinced he’ll appreciate my assistance though. When I glance at Rob it’s to find him frowning at Tul with concern. His eyes flick to me and I shrug, not sure what to do. Offer help and we could start an argument, let him be and we could be here for some time.

Rob sighs and steps forward, pulling the sheath Tul’s currently trying to strap to his arm from his hand. Tul’s reaction is one of outright indignation, unsurprisingly. For his part, Rob manages to keep his cool and refrains from answering with an order for compliance.

“Look, this is an urgent response call,” he states, his tone neutral. “I know you can do this on your own but it’s taking you longer than it used to. If you want Johan to rely on us then let me help you when we have to be fast. You can fight and I don’t want to have to leave you behind because arming yourself takes too long. Let me help. Let us persuade Johan that we can respond to urgent calls quickly. That’s the only way we’re going to prevent him deciding you aren’t fast enough.”

There’s a tic in Tul’s jaw and I can hear him grinding his teeth but he’s not stupid; he knows Rob’s correct. While speed isn’t essential for pre-planned missions it is for response calls and Tul knows it. He nods and while his discomfort and resentment at not being as capable as he had been is clear, so is his gratitude.

While Rob helps Tul, I buckle my katana at my side and check our guns are all loaded. I make sure we have spare ammunition and by the time we leave our room I’m confident we have everything we need to do battle. I’d like know who we’re doing battle with and why but I’ll have to wait for Johan to explain. Unfortunately there’s no floor plans or objects to guide any exploration of the future and I’m not experienced enough to use Aemiliana’s gift to discover the truth on my own. I need practice but I’m too scared of what the future might hold to foray into it without direction.  Having visions is one thing, forcing them is another.

Johan’s waiting for us when we reach the Briefing Room, his expression grim as we enter. He doesn’t wait for us to take our seats, choosing to launch straight into an explanation. “There’s a group of human vigilantes at Delectable.”

I can’t help but growl at Johan’s mention of Dominic’s... well, I suppose I’ll call Delectable a ‘boutique’. Dominic had been responsible for making all of my costumes while I worked for Van at Rosa’s Desire. He’d also made both my wedding dresses. He has a real skill for clothing, while working in leather and creating corsets for courtesans or while working in satin and silk and designing beautiful gowns.  Dominic is also human. He has a vampire partner but he himself is as mortal as the vigilantes raiding his business. I guess someone must have told them he’s a vampire sympathiser; why else would they be there?

“Is there any news from Dom?” I ask, remembering how much the group of humans I’d faced with Rob had loved torturing those they targeted.

“He’s been on the phone. The group have gotten into the ground floor of Delectable but as of yet they haven’t gotten into the main shop. Apparently Dominic is very protective of his collection and had the door to the first floor reinforced. He’s safe there but obviously we need to get him out. He’s a Harker, he works for vampires and he pays the Alliance for protection so we need to go for him.”

“Any idea of how many there are in the mob?” Tul requests, getting down to the important details.

Johan shrugs slightly and admits, “Dominic thinks there’s a handful, no fewer than five but not as many as ten. As he’s human and vulnerable he decided to lock himself away at the first sign of trouble so he didn’t really get a great look. There could be more by now and if there does seem to be a crowd you need to call for back up. I’m hoping that the group is small enough the three of you can handle it without risking anyone who doesn’t have your unique strengths.”

“Where’s Delectable?” Rob asks and we all stare at him, momentarily confused as to how he doesn’t know. Then the penny drops.

“Dominic didn’t have the shop in two thousand and nine, did he? When he made my wedding dress he was still working from home. You don’t know... You missed... Crap.”

Rob quirks a brow, “We’re going to rescue Dominic the dress maker?”

Tul snorts and I sigh. If we have to get into Delectable Rob’s going to see Dom’s stock. That would raise questions I don’t want to deal with mid-battle. Not quite meeting his eye, I admit, “Dom diversified into other lines. Erm,” I pause, flushing scarlet with embarrassment. “He supplied costumes to Rosa’s Desire... including my costumes.”

Rob’s expression heats as his eyes flatten and a disgusted scowl forms. “We’re going to rescue Dominic, the man who dressed my wife as a whore?”

I flinch visibly at the disgust in the last word. “Dom’s a nice guy Rob, he’s done what he’s had to do to survive this world. It isn’t exactly an easy place to be when you’ve come too far into it to go back to the human world but you aren’t a vampire either.” Folding my arms across my chest I add irritably, “Van prefers ‘courtesan’, I finally understand why. Thank you for calling me a whore, I really needed the reminder.”
He blenches at my snapped retort, stuttering a hopeless explanation, “I didn’t... I said dressed as. Evie, I didn’t mean-”

“Whatever.” After interrupting him, I have to force myself to calm my irritation as I turn back to Johan. “I’ll drive, I know where Delectable is, being a whore an all. Do you want Dominic brought back here?”

He nods but the scrutiny he directs at Rob and I is intense, “Rosalina is already on her way, she’s asked for him to be brought here. You’re going to be able to work together without putting Dominic at risk?”

“You don’t have time to worry about it.” The statement is the simple truth and I meet Johan’s inspection with a defiant glare. “We’ll be fine.” With that I spin on my heel and stalk towards the door.

When I climb behind the wheel of one of our Range Rovers, Rob wisely takes a back seat, letting Tul ride shotgun. He can only keep his peace for so long though, and as we pull out of the gates and head down the track to the main road he finally speaks up. “Evie, I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I was just surprised. You know, the man who dressed you to marry me has dressed you to bed others as well. That came as a surprise. I’m sorry.”

It takes me a moment to answer as I wait for cars to pass us at the junction then ease our vehicle out onto the main carriageway. When I can finally find the words there’s a good deal of regret in them. “I know. I also know I messed up when I started working. I’m not asking you to be happy about it, I’m not asking you to forgive me for it or change your views so you find prostitution acceptable employment. I just want you to realise that every time you say ‘whore’ like that, loaded with so much disgust, it stings Rob. If it revolts you so much then part of me revolts you, and even though that’s my own fault it still hurts.”

“You don’t revolt me,” he argues, “you’ll never revolt me.”

There’s a stab of pain in my chest as I remember just how much he hated me when I first brought him back and made him ‘Rob’ rather than ‘1352’. I don’t remind him of that, what would be the point? “It doesn’t matter. We have a job to do, just focus on that.”

Rob clearly isn’t happy but he does fall silent and we’re almost in Newcastle city centre before my irritation finally overflows again. “Every time I start thinking I can be happily married something happens. Someone dies, someone’s arrested, the connection gets in the way, my stupid past gets in the way. I worry about the Senate, I worry about humanity. Hell, I worry about my humanity. I’m now seriously concerned about Tess March and quite frankly I’m tired of worrying about us on top of that. This is all just so exhausting, and not just because the sun’s rising, it’s been a long night and I need some sleep.”

Silence meets my tirade and it’s only when I pull into a side street near Delectable to find a parallel parking spot that Tul finally speaks, “Do we have a plan for rescuing Dominic?”

The question almost makes me laugh as we once again shelve our relationship issues.  This is what we do, switch between marital drama and political or civil drama. I suppose we have no choice. True to form I focus on the task at hand, pushing down my other troubles and considering the layout of Delectable.

“Well there’s not much downstairs. The main shop is on the first floor as the ground floor of the building is actually a separate unit, mainly. All Dominic has downstairs is an office next to the staircase. The entrance hall is a tight space, not really big enough to swing a sword which will benefit us. Sure, it means my katana’s useless but I don’t think killing humans would be a good idea anyway. I’d rather scare off the mortals without doing any permanent damage to them as that’ll only solidify their opinions of us further. What the confined space does ensure is that they won’t find it easy to swing a sword in there either and as we can only be killed by decapitation that’s nice to know. If we go in that way.”

Rob listens in silence but anxiety gnaws at him. “If? The front door isn’t the only way in? I’d rather avoid direct engagement if possible.”

Tul watches me curiously, “It’s the only door. Do you think we can get in another way?”

Biting my lip I consider a moment. “Well we know Dom’s currently safe upstairs so rather than charging in I’d prefer to try the back first. There’s a yard at the rear of the building which technically belongs to the owner of the ground floor unit. However, the back of the building has a ground floor extension, so from the yard we could get onto the roof of the extension and gain access to Delectable via the windows. That way we might be able to bypass the humans altogether.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Rob admits but there’s uncertainty in his tone.

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?” I ask, my emotions still irritable enough to add an edge to the question.

“I think it’s a great idea. Just... At times I still wish you’d never had to start coming up with such ideas.” He drops his gaze from mine, making a show of checking his gun even though I know it’s fine. “You were innocent. You were happy. Now you’re... you’re incredible but I should have been able to protect you from this.”

“Life intervened.” That truth doesn’t change that I’m not the same Eve he married. Prostitute, killer, soldier, that’s definitely not what I’d been before his death. We’re all so worried about my emotions making them want each other but maybe I should be more concerned that 1352 had been right. Maybe Rob only loves me now because Tul’s emotions are bolstering the feeling. If Rob couldn’t feel Tul’s love would he still want me, as different as I now am?

“Come on,” I say, re-focussing all of us, “let’s go save Dom.”

Together we make our way through the silent streets which are blushed orangey-red in the early morning glow. It’s too early for many humans to be out and about and too late for most vampires but as we draw closer to ‘Delectable’ I can hear the shouts of angry men and women as they call out threats and ransack Dominic’s office. Rather than face the violent mob, I guide Rob and Tul into a side street which runs behind the row of buildings where the ‘boutique’ is located.

The yard gate is locked but the six foot surrounding wall is easy enough to jump. Landing is more difficult and my ankle twists agonisingly as my foot lands between to wooden pallets. Yanking it free I grit my teeth as ligaments knit back together. Rob and Tul are lucky not to land on any of the obstacles littering the yard. It’s a mess, filled as it is by Sita bins and discarded pallets and cardboard boxes. It smells or rotting food and vermin and I’m pleased it’s not Dom’s responsibility. It doesn’t give a good impression of the owner of the ground floor unit, however.

Utilising my vampiric ability to go without breathing I try to block out the stench as I look up at the parapet of the extension.  “Let’s hope that’s well maintained. Wait until I’m up before you follow me, just encase I go through the roof.”

“Do you think that’s likely?” Tul asks, looking up at the roof in concern.

“It shouldn’t be,” I say with a non-committal shrug, “but look at that extension. Does it look like it received planning permission or building regulations approval to you? I think the owner of the ground floor unit’s done a bit of a DIY job here, so anything’s possible.  I’ll be careful.”

With that assurance I make the jump, launching myself briefly into the air and landing smoothly, safely on the roof. I look back down at my husbands, giving them the thumbs up. Within seconds they land either side of me and together we edge towards the windows. Peering through the dirty glass I look into Dominic’s workshop, the room where he makes his creations. Benches filled with thread and sewing machines, fabric and beads run around the perimeter of the room but there’s no sign of Dom.

“Hopefully he’s in the shop, expecting us to come through the front door,” Tul suggests and I nod, knowing that’s likely but still concerned he may have been taken by the vigilantes already.

“I’ll be right back.”

With that I jump back off the roof to find one of the broken pallets. Having done so I return to Tul’s side and use the wooden pallet to smash the workshop window.  “I’ll ask Dom’s forgiveness later.”

Climbing through the opening I’ve created I carefully avoid the broken glass and splinters from the smashed frame. Being cut wouldn’t do me any lasting damage but I’d rather not sustain any injuries if possible. Having safely entered the back room I pause, listening intently. While I can hear the sound of smashing furniture below and the noise of fists banging on the reinforced door to the staircase, the shop itself sounds quiet apart from the nervous percussion of one human heartbeat.

Having reassured myself that no imminent attack is waiting beyond the workroom door I push it open, stepping into the bright light of the main shop. Dominic spins towards me as the door opens, his eyes wide with panic. I can’t help but laugh at the sight of him stood there with a stool leg in one hand and a flogger in the other. I guess they were the best weapons he had available but I’m not sure they would have helped him in the long run, if the vigilantes had gotten to him before we did.
“Firecracker,” he breathes his nickname for me, “thank God.”

“Dom baby, need some help?” Grinning, I step into the boutique. In spite of myself I still love the opulent decor and rails of silk outfits. You can take the girl out of the brothel but you can’t take the brothel out of the girl. Maybe that’s Rob’s problem.
“Baby?” Rob grouches as he passes me, entering the room with silvered eyes and fangs clearly on display.

“Ooh, there’s my possessive vampire husband,” I murmur bitterly but seeing Dominic’s expression growing even more fearful as he shu ffles back, away from Rob, I shake my head. “Rob, behave. We’re here to help him not scare the hell out of him. Cool it.”

Still, when Tul follows Rob into the shop Dominic’s scent turns sour with fear. I guess he knows enough about vampires to be painfully aware of how much these men, my men, could resent him. “Sullivan,” he acknowledges nervously.

Tul is far better at controlling his dislike of Dominic, or rather, of what Dominic had dressed me in. He nods his head in greeting. “Dominic,” he replies placidly, “need a ride out of here?”

“Will I get out alive?” Dominic asks and I chuckle at the snark in his response. He’s braver than I’d thought.

“Johan’s given us orders to take you back to base hale and hearty. They won’t hurt you.” My reassurance seems to ease his tension somewhat and while I don’t know why he’d put his faith in me I’m pleased to be of service. “Come on.”

“What about my work?” He protests and I shake my head, trying to control my disbelief that he’d even ask the question. I’d cried for my wedding rings even though I’d saved my husbands, sometimes possessions matter.

“Dom, wouldn’t you rather be alive and designing new pieces than dead because you wouldn’t leave your old work?”

He sighs but concedes, walking towards us. “Put like that...”

That’s exactly the moment an ear-splitting boom reverberates through the building which vibrates with the force of the grenade blast. The force of the explosion knocks Dominic over as the steel entrance door falls in over and flames leap up around the frame. What type of vigilante mob carries grenades?

I barely have time to clear the ringing from my over-sensitive ears when humans stream into the room, swords and stakes in hand. This group are more prepared than those I’d faced with Rob and when one of them raises a gun I recognise the Senate logo engraved in the side. The Senate shield? They have Senate sponsorship? I guess that explains why they’ve targeted a human but seem to know he has vampire connections. The Senate must have realised Dominic has Alliance support in order to target him. I wonder what they’d offered these humans in return for their assault on Delectable.

Distracted by my surprise I don’t move in time to avoid the garlic round that slams into my heart. These people have obviously had weapons training and I’m truly lucky I have better genes than the average vamp. If I’d been normal I would’ve died the moment the silver and garlic entered my heart.

“Get Dom out!” I yell at Rob, drawing my own gun. Injuring humans has never been something I wanted to do. It’s not something I enjoy doing, even as a blood drinking predator. I need to protect Dom though, the very human Dom who hasn’t had the training these Senate funded mercenaries have. If I need to fire my gun then I’ll do so.

As Rob crouches beside our target another bullet finds him, entering the back of his neck and momentarily severing his spine. His fiery pain, brief numbness and then the burn of healing are reflected in my body and I growl against it. Tul’s reaction is anger, strong anger, and before I can do anything he returns fire. He could kill the humans easily but I’m grateful when he doesn’t. Rather than falling silent in death our attackers scream in pain as bullets enter their wrists and knees, making sure they’re out of action without causing death.

Following suit, I open fire too as I get between the vigilantes and Rob and Dominic. I wince every time one of my bullets finds its mark but an enemy is an enemy, no matter what species they are. Thankfully there aren’t many attackers and while their weapons and the matching tattoos on their arms make me nervous they’re still fairly easy to overcome.

Briefly I glace at one of the tattoos, trying to write the design to memory as Tul and I follow Rob and Dom back into the work room. The image of a wooden cross piercing a heart is worrying symbolism, even if crosses have no affect on us. Underneath each emblem the acronym ‘A.V.R.U.’ stands out, dark against the skin of our attackers. What the hell is A.V.R.U? I don’t have time to worry about it and I only just manage to escape without receiving any further injuries.

Unfortunately, when I get back out onto the extension roof I can smell Dominic’s blood. While my first reaction is deep concern I’m thoroughly embarrassed when my fangs drop. I guess I should have eaten when I was at Van’s girly night. Or maybe my hunger is down to having recently healed yet another heart injury.

. “Is he alright?” I ask Rob as he ties a scrap of silk over the bullet would on Dom’s bicep.

“It’s shallow, nothing Franklin won’t be able to stitch back together. Provided we get out of here.”

Without further ado he lifts Dom and jumps off the roof, using his abilities to protect the mortal from sustaining injuries falling off the roof. Tul and I follow quickly after them. When I break the padlock off the yard gate and open it I’m pleased to find the back lane is still devoid of life. No doubt police and fire crews are already on their way but we have a window of opportunity in which we can escape. Thank goodness for small mercies. The authorities aren’t exactly going to be on our side, especially once they discover we’ve cause grievous bodily harm to humans.

When we reach the Range Rover I let Rob drive, finally overcome with exhaustion. It’s been a very long day. It feels like weeks since Tul woke me up and as I climb into the back seat beside Dom all I want to do is close my eyes and sleep. Instead, playing the role of caring rescuer, I turn to the man who’s just lost his shop rather than snoozing. “You alright?” I enquire gently although I already know he can’t possibly be.

“I’m alive,” Dom answers wearily, “I guess that’s all we can ask for these days.” After a short pause he adds, “You know I came into this world wide-eyed and enchanted by it. Then the longer I’ve been around vampires the more... dangerous? The more dangerous everything’s become. I saw the risk, I was aware of the possible repercussions of living the nightlife, but for some reason I never thought the trouble would actually get to me. This shit happens to other people. To you,” he chuckles bitterly. “But not to me. I didn’t think it’d get to me.”

Forcing myself to smile I take Dom’s hand, squeezing comfortingly. “I remember that feeling. Just. Sadly the Senate seem determined to give everyone shit. You’ve had a bad night but you’ll get through it. You’ll see.” It takes far more willpower to make those words sound assured than I like. Faith is hard to come by these days.

He nods and looks down at the blood soaked silk wrapped around his injured arm. “I think it’s time I took Rosalina up on her offer, even if the Senate have made it illegal.”

“You’re going to join the fanged and fabulous?” My enquiry is met with a grin at least, which had been my intention.

“She’s offered to do it, conversion and marriage together, that’s the deal she wants.” Dom picks at his bandage, peeling away fraying threads.

Turning to study him I frown, “She’ll only turn you if you marry her?” Wow, what a way to blackmail a guy.

Dominic laughs, amused by my assumption. “No Firecracker, she’ll only marry me if I agree to be turned. I proposed to her years ago but I wasn’t ready to be ‘fanged and fabulous’ as you put it.  I can’t help but feel immortality may be a useful commodity now, though.” He pauses, deep in thought before he admits, “Anyway, I want to marry her before anything can happen to either of us. If I have to give up my mortality so what? I love her and being with her is what matters. Even if it means drinking blood.”

Laughing at his ‘ick’ face I let my curiosity get the better of me. “You’re grossed out by the idea of blood?”

He shrugs, “Yes and no, I’m happy to be bitten but not thrilled at the idea of drinking.”

As I lean back in my seat, finally closing my eyes and letting my body relax, I remember my own feelings on the matter. I hadn’t been enthused by the idea of biting or blood at first either. “You’ll get used to it once the vampire’s in your system. Well, you might. I admit that bagged blood is seriously icky but currently it’s also safer.”

“You’re a biter.” I can hear the smile in Dom’s observation and I look back at him again, curious. His smile widens at my perplexed look and he adds, “It doesn’t surprise me. You’re the sort I’d imagine would take to that.”

Nervous and curious I tilt my head as I consider his implication. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Please don’t take offence?” He requests and I’m not sure if he’s asking me or my husbands. “You’re built for hunting. You’re seductive and you know how to make men fall at your feet. Even the ones who hate you want you as well, and that’s a useful attribute for a hunting vampire. Goldilocks would’ve been outstanding.”

His mention of Beth causes an ache in my chest and I have to swallow down the lump in my throat. It’ll be a long time before I don’t feel responsible for her death, if I ever manage not to feel responsible.

Dom squeezes my hand and winks, “But you do well enough. You’re strong, but you appear fragile, breakable, as well as defiant. You can be the delicate rose, the temptress, and apparently the sexy-as-hell warrior. Do you actually have to hunt your prey or do they throw themselves at you?”

“They throw themselves,” Tul butts in, no doubt thinking of my first attempt at using vampire allure. My prey hadn’t thrown himself at me but he had come willingly enough, despite Tul’s doubt.

I roll my eyes and Dominic laughs before growing serious, “See, you three have what it takes to be seductive supernatural predators. You’ve got the hot-heroine-with-a-sad-back-story thing working for you, then there’s dark and dangerous over there and the brooding but loyal hero. You all fit as mythical creatures. I’m just me.  I’m the weird, lanky, fashion graduate who everyone thinks is gay. I’m never going to pull it off.”

Truthfully all vampires can use allure, it’s just one of our skills, but I don’t want to point that out when Dom clearly needs a confidence boost so instead I point out, “You got Rosalina.”

He smiles warmly and nods. “That’s true, I did, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy. Even if that’s becoming a vampire. If you can’t fight what’s happening you might as well embrace it. Right?”

Silence meets that assertion and when I look up I can see Rob frowning at me in the rear view mirror. Not everything can be embraced.