Token Vampire (Token Huntress Book 2) (10 page)

              At first, my body was thrilled at the threat and challenge; but this was exactly what Yolo was talking about, this inexperience of mine. I gulped down that sensation, which too quickly came to the surface. He had every right to state so. “I understand, but I won’t lose control.”

              Yolo looked at me for a moment thinking, entertaining an idea. “Okay, well we need a safety word or something. If you are fixating on their military sector, while getting a feel for their function, to see it is safe for your Hunter friends; we won’t be together most of the time. You can like mind read and stuff can’t you?”

              “Sort of. I can communicate to Chase fluently. However unless in a dream I can’t speak to others in such a way, only if they permit me and open their mind to me I can do so.” Yolo gave me a pained face. Obviously, the thought of him opening his mind to me, scared him. “Besides that, I can send influential thoughts and such, but in a subtle way so they don’t know I am manipulating them.”

              “Well, that’s kind of quirky. Just slam it into me. If something happens, find me and hit me hard with something so I know. Can you send me like a brief panic signal; so like I will be overcome with panic, and know that you are in trouble or something?”

              Implementing the idea, I focused on Yolo’s mind, like I would all others. It surprised me how everyone’s mind was very different, so I could decipher them. It was very interesting that their mind vibe was in a way, the same feeling I had of their personality. Yolo’s was goofy but kind; experimental but practical at the same time. He wasn’t the most level headed person, but he was dependable. With a huge rush of panic and sensations of torture, I pressed them onto him hard. Yolo’s eyes widened in fear. I dispelled the sensation. I now felt slightly connected to Yolo. What an odd experiment. Yolo took a few breaths and then began laughing. He scratched the back of his head.

              “Holy shit woman that is terrifying. Could you imagine if you like did that to a whole hoard of people. People would freak the fuck out,” he laughed. “That would work. Can you do that from long range, without looking at me?”

              “I think I have a feel for you and can decipher you from others now,” I admitted. I was still not fluent in my gift, only that of which Chase had shown me. I scanned over into the next room and was instantly connected to Dillian. Perhaps those that I had already connected with or had an implied impression of through their personality, I could easily find. I had never used my ability on Julia, yet I had the sense of her warm innocent self, it definitely represented her personality.

              “Okay, sweet ass. Well, meet me at the same spot that Tythian had teleported you from this morning. You remember how to get there?” I almost tsked at his imprudence. I was a Token Huntress; of course I was mapping out the place and sense of direction.

              “Yes.”

              “Okay, so eight hours? I know there is no clock, but when you are a vampire, you kind of have a sense of the day and when the sun begins to rise and then-”

              “I will find my way, Yolo. Thank you for allowing me to come. I understand the hardship you have faced to get into that position, I won’t fail you,” I said confidently. I wanted to rest for a time and be left alone in silence.

              “Okay, sweet, see you then baby sis.” Yolo smiled, before walking back within the dark tunnel. I slipped down the door, resting against it for a moment and listening out for any other footsteps. I had to practice and remember my contact with humans, and to decipher how to actually
act
as if I were a human.

C
hase laughed the entire night at my practice of impersonating a human. I slouched, stumbled and tried to slow my pace and speech. He enjoyed it far too much. He constantly asked me questions, where I had to respond as a person who had no recollection of whom they might be. He laughed at my obvious discomfort in trying to be the very creature I despised. Humans were so defenseless and vulnerable. That was never something I had been exposed to, and trying to reflect that characteristic was frustrating. He didn’t mention what he and Tythian spoke about. I was relieved he came back, without any other vampire attempting to attack him. He mentioned a few vampires who watched him from afar, but none approached. For now, Cesar’s threat and orders were indefinite to this coven.

              We even mock fought. In the likelihood that I was attacked by another human, I had to belittle my strength to match theirs, so it wouldn’t be questionable. It felt to the equivalent of being air, instead of using any of my force. I had to pretend to be human when Chase brought me to the Council, but it didn’t seem as difficult there, or so I presumed. I simply had to restrain myself. This was entirely different and I didn’t know what to expect.

              “Are you thirsty? If even in the slightest, you must drink before you go or the temptation will be too great,” Chase warned seriously. I was now slightly. Chase smirked, knowing that I had given and accepted his advice. He grabbed a bottle of distasteful blood for me and watched me as I gulped it down with dissatisfaction.

              “It tastes horrible,” I admitted.

              “Better you getting used to it bottled than fresh. Come here, you messy eater,” Chase smiled. He grabbed my hand and tugged me towards him. He sat on the edge of the bed, his legs either side of me. He wiped away the smear of where the blood must have dripped.

              “Chase how do you view me now?” I asked. It must be very different for him, to see me now as this. Had he become comfortable with my Hunter self?

              “I think you are as sexy as always, and that I want to piss you off even more, now that you have the power to match me. I like the fight,” he winked. “Or I could convince you simply.” He grazed his fingers up my abdomen as he stood up and looked down at me. His eyes held such pure passion, that I knew I was entirely ensnared and his. He cupped the back of my head and licked the edge of my mouth where the blood had been. I parted my lips to match his. The fire he swelled inside of me was unmatched to any other sensation I could compare to. He pulled away and smiled wickedly. “Very simple, Esmore, I am the one person you need not worry about judgement from. I will always be yours and your first line of defense. I will protect you no matter what, not even just you, but what we have. You are now, my only focus and entirety. So today, please be safe.” He kissed my forehead and took the empty bottle from my hand. “Now go, it is time. I will watch over the others. I trust that you won’t blow your cover and hurt yourself. Come back to me, okay?”

              “If you’re lucky,” I teased. He smiled cockily at the response and grabbed my hand, placing it on his belt.

              “Or do I need to convince you in another way, to make sure you come back to me,” He teased, arching an eyebrow. Before I was tempted, I pushed him away.

              “I don’t have all day to tease and play, Chase. When I will have you, let me assure you that a few minutes will not be too my liking. We will need all day,
dear,
” I teased as I walked away and out from Cesar’s room.

              I was very aware of other vampires as I walked through the tunnels. I walked past a group who fed off a human, her eyes were glazed and almost near to death. They fought over her like ravished animals. “Stop, you don’t want to kill her,” one of them said and pulled her away and into the shelter of his arms.

              “I am still starving,” the other growled, but looked content as he patted his belly.

              “Oh, hey Esmore, watcha doing?” One of the vampires asked me. I recognized him. He had been from Cesar’s elite team I lead yesterday. The other vampire looked between us with uneasiness.

              “Nah she’s cool man,” the other vampire said with a childish beam. “I’m telling you what happened yesterday, is the truth. She ripped one of their spines out and crushed it in front of him, she’s bad ass.” I ignored the praise and continued walking, as if I had seen or heard nothing. That was something I didn’t need to reflect on, however there was a part of me internally that smiled from within from the comment ‘bad ass’. That obviously mused my vampire self, how egotistic it was.

              Footsteps approached me from behind. I stopped and turned, waiting for this familiar and unpleasant vampire to seep from the shadows.

              “They praise you as if you are some kind of leader now,” Thomas snarled from the darkness. The short, black haired vampire, walked out of the shadows. Lydia and Thomas were very different in approach and manner of speaking.

              “Oh, you are still alive. What a shame, what a shame,” I purred. “Did you come out to play childish games or do you have something to say, that actually concerns me?”

              “You’re a smug little bitch aren’t you,” he snarled, his fangs bearing. But I wouldn’t mirror the image of him; I would not resort to my own inner vampire, no matter how much I wanted to resort back to it. It begged me to let that sense of me free. I had to prove to the others, that I wasn’t like this; exactly what Thomas looked like, an uncontrollable, furious and dangerous vampire.

              “I am a factual Huntress, who looks for results. I pity you, if you are envious of what I achieved.”

              “I am not envious,” he spat sharply.

              “Oh good, because everyone took a liking to how I ran things. It seems that your presence is easily replaced, so it makes me feel at such ease to know that this doesn’t disturb you. Have a nice life,” I said and turned my back on him. Already he had leapt for me. He was fast. But I was strong too and at my full health again. Not of a vampire, but of a Huntress. This is the part of myself I had to rely on.

              I avoided his grasping hands, and kicked him to the wall. Before pouncing on his position, he too had already moved. He reevaluated me again; it would not be the same outcome as last time when we had fought.

              “How long do you think you can keep up your little pretense, of being in control of your vampire self? You’re a new baby vamp, you have no control of this. And when you are in a frenzy eating the very people you swore to protect, nothing will give me greater pleasure but to watch. And then when you are at your absolute peak, I will destroy your familiar in front of your very eyes and I will slit your throat and behead you.” I remembered my father’s training of counting to ten, which quickly calmed me. I had to remind myself of those tactics and take his threat lightly.

              “I will kill you; I just don’t have time for you right now. You see I have a list of priorities, and you, Thomas, you will always be at the bottom. Like you are right now, within this coven.”

              He lunged for me again with a wicked snarl, but I avoided him.

              “I will kill them all, your smug mother, I will rape and devour-” My insanity turned off within the moment of my mother being threatened. Before I could delve into that darkness that would be pleased in nothing more than to savor his blood and torture him to death; a hand caught Thomas’s before he threw the knife he unsheathed from his belt.

              “Is that a direct threat to your coven leader’s familiar, Thomas?” Tythian asked. His grip was firm around Thomas’s wrist. Behind him, was Yolo in female form, with her arms crossed over her bountiful chest.

              “You put her up to killing me, didn’t you?!” Thomas barked at Tythian. Tythian kept his composure, looking like a proper gentleman.

              “My dear Thomas, when you play a game, you play it tactfully and elegantly. And, you move your pawns at the right time. Esmore, is not one of my pawns, but a very purposeful piece on the board. You are not. Your simple presence is an embarrassment to this coven. But don’t worry; our father still has use for you yet, like a dog almost. Maybe that is why he hasn’t killed you yet. But I don’t know, if after such an open threat,” Tythian began to tsk. Thomas’s expression continued to flicker between anger and composure. He understood his position here. “See, denying your true intentions until the very end of the game is how someone truly plays. So as to your previous accusation, I have no idea what you are talking about, and if you dare speak to Cesar with this assumption, I might comment with your open threat of his familiar. Somehow, I dare say that won’t end well for you,” Tythian said. He threw Thomas’s hand out of his grip with repulsion. He grabbed a silk handkerchief from his chest pocket and began wiping his hand.

              “What’s going on here?” Lydia came from the tunnel where Thomas had entered, looking at the situation and briefing it. She was very analytical, but relied on facts first.

              “Nothing,” Thomas snarled. “Let’s go Lydia.” Thomas walked past her and waited for her to catch up. Lydia looked between us all and followed him. Their presence was no longer felt. I wavered over Lydia’s loyalty. Which would she chose, her coven or her blood relative?

              “Take his threat seriously,” Tythian said, still wiping his hand. “But don’t be alarmed. He won’t do anything now. He is not in a position to, but Thomas is tactful and he is clever and has a lot of say over other coven vampires within these tunnels. Try not to get too involved with him. Know that your mother is safe; she is the last person within these walls any vampire would dare to touch. Besides you, she is our top priority to protect, until she has been properly introduced into the coven.”

              “She wants to be a part of this?” I asked, surprised.

              “I don’t know. I take orders; I don’t take particular interest in one’s feelings. You can ask her yourself when you return. But for now, know that in here, your main priority is protecting your Hunters and Chase. Now let’s go.”

              Tythian held out his hand to both Yolo, in his beautiful womanly form and me.

              Yolo held out his hand to me, his beautiful smile was very charming. It was hard to remember it was the same person as the goofy male Yolo. “Are you ready, Ellie, to be introduced to the human convention?” Her voice was silky and endearing.

              I grabbed Yolo’s and Tythian’s hand at once, being sucked into the darkness and into a new place that I had never known or knew what to expect. I was Ellie, the human – I wonder how smoothly this would go.