Invincible (A Centennial City Novel) (9 page)

I should know.

“Not on my watch,” I said, sword held out in a defensive position. “You’re not killing him in front of me.”

Jason fell with a thud on the floor, but at least he was off the bed and out of the way.

“Not bad,” the vampire muttered as he hurled the dagger away. “I should have known. They warned me about you. But I have fought many like you. Most of them were not worth the breath spent on extolling their many virtues. Let’s see how good you are.”

I didn’t even want to dignify that with an answer.

“Who sent you?”

Dressed in skin-tight leathers, he pushed his light hair back past his ears and grinned. “Can’t tell you. Not worth my life.”

I shrugged. “Have it your way, then.”

They say that when two masters meet each other on the field of honor, neither of them will move. For one wrong move can end the battle and reap an unacceptable outcome.

This particular vampire didn’t seem to care.

Launching himself over the bed, he pulled out a blade from a back sheath, its point centered over my heart and I parried it, taking a step back as his strength almost sent me stumbling through the open doors.

I would not win the battle this way.

I would not survive.

And as much as I hated using the particular gift that enabled me to battle those far stronger than I, there was no longer any choice.

Not if I wanted to live.

I blinked and the world faded into shades of gray and black, the vampire before me turning into a mass of shadows, each movement made and to be made, pulsing to the beat of my heart.

Red for movements past.

White for movements to be made.

He dodged to the left, intent on spearing me in the side with his rapier-like blade.

Or rather…he would.

A human and a vampire can’t possibly fight on equal grounds.

Not when the vampire possessed inhuman strength and supernatural speed.

But with my split second precognition, it was possible.

I could fight him.

I could win.

I deflected the blade, but hadn’t taken into account the long length of the blade. The tip scored up my rib cage, bringing forth searing heat and blood in its wake.

But I was still alive when it was meant to be death blow.

I grinned widely, let him see the expression on my face. “Is that all?”

The vampire’s dark eyes narrowed and he took a step back, but by no means lowering his blade. “The rumors. They were true. You can --”

Didn’t let him finish. “My turn.”

The hwan-geom caught the moonlight and glinted once in the darkness as I brought my right hand up, let it slide down the edge of his blade, bringing sparks that brought a sudden wash of light in the room.

“What —”

He reared back, one arm over his eyes. Light affects everyone and vampires are not immune to sudden changes in brightness.

An idiot.

They had sent an idiot to eliminate Jason.

And now the idiot would die. A second time. A final time.

I thrust deep into his unprotected left side, shoved the sword between his ribs.

Watched the vampire’s mouth open in a silent cry, watched his unnatural black eyes widen, watched the rapier fall his nerveless fingers.

I stepped into the thrust, leaned into him, smelled the fetid, coppery breath on my ear. “Good bye.”

A low gurgle left his crimson speckled lips and his weight forced the blade up and out.

They say death makes a body weigh lighter.

They are wrong.

My head began to pulse as I pushed my shoulder into his and slid the sword out of his body.

The sound of applause caught my attention and I turned around slowly, afraid of what I would see. What if the vampire had a friend? In modern terminology, I would be SOL.

But no, it was just Jason, propped against the wall, a wavering smile on his lips.

He clapped once more and then dropped his hands into his lap, as if he was too weak to do anything more.

“You are everything I thought you would be,” he said quietly. “Truly, I commend you. Ran, I didn’t know you could…Ran? Are you hurt?”

Upstairs, a door opened. “Jason? Ran? Why is it so dark? I smell blood.”

Reiko.

She was up.

Thank Gods.

I struck the blade back into its scabbard and saluted messily. “You are very welcome.”

The pain in the back of my head, like someone was repeatedly clubbing me at the top of my spine, was too much to bear.

I closed my eyes and knew nothing.

Knew nothing but the all-compassing darkness.

The welcoming darkness.

It called me and I followed.

7

“It’s not normal.” Reiko’s voice brought me out of the warm, soft darkness, the only darkness I liked. “Are you sure she wasn’t hit in the head? I’ve seen cases of this on TV. Maybe she’s in a coma.”

Someone sighed. Jason. “And I’m telling you you’re wrong. She was not hit anywhere remotely near the head. The vampire sliced her on the side, but it’s barely a scratch.”

The dull aching on my chest wanted very much to disagree with him. “It’s not a coma. Don’t worry.”

Steeling myself for the inevitable sharp pain that would come when I opened my eyes, I let my eyelids flicker open.

No pain.

The lights were out and only one candle burned on the nightstand.

I was back in bed. My bed.

Who put me here?

Reiko leaned into my vision, a grim look on her ten year old face. “Are you fine? You look sick.”

Slowly, I levered myself up, back against the headboard, all too aware that the slightest sudden movement was liable to put me under again. Or hurt me so much I wished I was. “I’m okay. I’m still alive, anyways. Which is more than I can say for the vampire.”

I did not ask about the body. I didn’t want to know.

Jason sat at my other side, looking down at me with his enigmatic black eyes. “What happened?”

“I passed out.”

He gave me a disgusted look. “I can see that.”

My mouth felt mossy. “Can I have some water, please?”

Reiko exchanged a glance with Jason and straightened up. “I’ll get it. Don’t tax yourself too much, Ran. You don’t look okay.”

Wiser words were never spoken and I nodded slowly. “Thank you, Reiko.”

She flounced out in a cloud of lavender scent, the pale blue skirts vanishing around the door a second after she did. I didn’t think I was ever going to get used to a bloodsucking child-like doll walking and talking.

“How long have I been out?”

He didn’t bother looking at a clock. “An hour, give or take a few minutes.”

That probably explained why the lights still weren’t on. Ah well, all the better for my recovery. “That’s pretty usual. Still, better to ask than be sorry.”

He leaned in closer, almost too close for comfort. I could smell blood on him. Whose blood?

Automatically, my hand flew up to my neck and he let out a short laugh.

“Fear not,” he said quietly. “Your blood is safe from me. Reiko found a willing…donor.”

But I could not answer him until I brushed my hand over every square inch. No puncture marks. Good. Very good. I let out a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding. “Habit. I told Reiko I didn’t want to give you blood.”

“Quite understandable.”

Honesty prodded me to add, “Although, I did agree to giving you blood when you woke up.”

I never noticed the single dimple digging deep into his left cheek. “I don’t think I could have forgiven myself if I’d taken your blood while you were unconscious.”

“How very…polite of you.”

Again, that flash of a dimple. Why hadn’t I noticed it before? “Thank you.” He paused and the smile faded away into something more serious. “I knew you were a formidable warrior. But I’ll be honest. Against a vampire assassin? Vampires who have trained for centuries and perfected their art? I must admit, I didn’t have a great deal in confidence.” He sighed. “Then again, I didn’t expect to be targeted so soon.”

I didn’t know what to say. “He wasn’t that good, actually.”

He gave me a level stare. “Be that as it may, there was something about the way you held your weapon. The way you moved. Even for me, the assassin was almost too fast to trace. But you’re human, not vampire. How is it you managed to meet his every blow? How did you kill him? And why did you faint afterwards?”

Hearing my time of weakness labeled as “a faint” made me wince. “It’s…” I took a deep breath. Only two people were aware of my precognition. Everyone else was dead. “I suppose you can call it an ability.”

An eyebrow quirked. “So that’s what the rumor was. I paid dearly to learn there was a special fighting ability that was unique to you and only you.”

Reiko came in then, carefully balancing a plastic jug of water and a glass on a small wooden tray. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the moisture condensing on the outside of the jug.

“It’s precog,” I said.

His brow went even higher and I reached out for the cup of water Reiko held out to me. “Precognition?”

I couldn’t remember the last time water had tasted so good. Sweet, cold, refreshing…I didn’t stop drinking until I drained the glass.

Taking an explosive breath, I held out the cup and watched Reiko pour me another glassful. “Yes. I can read movements a couple of seconds before they are executed. It’s the only way I can fight vampires and walk away alive.”

Reiko’s eyes never left me, a petulant tilt to her crimson lips. “I wish I saw you fight. I do so enjoy watching battles.”

“Maybe next time,” I said and drained the glass again, this time slower.

Jason rubbed at his jawline. “How interesting. Well, this does change things.”

“Does it?”

Reiko lifted the jug but I shook my head. I was starting to get brain freeze and I was already in enough pain as it was.

He didn’t answer, only smiled and got up in one fluid, graceful movement. I wished I had half the mobility he did. “I think you and I will make an excellent team, Ran.”

I locked gazes with him, didn’t flinch when the corneas turned black, turned his eyes into a sea of impenetrable darkness. “For the time being.”

He took a step back and I could breathe better. “For the time being.”

This close, it was easier to appreciate the beauty in his simple and clean features. I might be apathetic to him, but I’m certainly not blind. A lock of dark hair fell over his eyes and he shoved it back impatiently. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head and immediately regretted it as sharp, sudden pain coursed through the back of my mind. “Nothing. Never mind.”

Reiko sat down at the right hand side of the bed, her head to one side. “Will you be incapacitated for long?”

“Shouldn’t be. It usually goes away within a couple of hours, if not sooner,” I said. “Why?”

She crossed her arms and I wondered what it would be like to be a child forever, without any choice in the matter. It probably wasn’t the best idea to bring it up.

“This is only the first night.”

The implications made my head ache even more, pulsing like an angry, infected wound. “So you’re saying there will be other vampires trying to kill him.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “There is a chance, yes. But maybe not. Perhaps when the absence of the assassin is discovered, perhaps they will consider a different approach.”

“One can only hope,” I said, voice dry. “And what are the chances of that, do you think?”

Jason let out a slow breath and stood up, hands on the back of his neck. “It doesn’t matter. I will be prepared now. Already I am beginning to feel…remarkable.”

“Remarkable,” I repeated. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged. “Take it as you will. I only meant to say I am no longer a walking target. If another is sent after me, I will not take it lying down.”

“You?” I scoffed. “I don’t think so. This is only your first night. You might be stronger than a human, but against another vampire who is more trained than you are, you wouldn’t be able to hold on for more than a few seconds.”

Reiko coughed. “Ah, Ran?”

“What?” I might have glared at her harder than I meant to. “I’m sorry, Ran. What did you need?”

She coughed again and her round cheeks colored. “Well, that is to say…do you remember what I told you when I came out of Jason’s room last night?”

I blinked. “You said a lot of things. Which one are you referring to?”

She let out a soft sigh. “I told you Jason would not be like any vampire you have ever encountered.”

I stared at her. “What are you trying to say?”

Jason cleared his throat. At this point, I felt about as intelligent as an apple. Was I missing something? Why couldn’t anyone tell me anything outright rather than subtly hinting at clues I never knew existed?