Blood Sacrifice

“What are you doing?” Ari asked, annoyance coloring her voice. She was laying in a large bed. Her boots were caked with mud and filth as they sat in the extravagant tent, made for a princess.

The front of the tent was closed securely, though the wind howled against the fabric. The outmost rim of the Tombstones had the nastiest wind and the nastiest amounts of mud and trees grown right in the middle of old roads. It looked like a condemned city in the middle of a forest in some places. Humans who were too poor for the Cage hid in the old buildings though most of them no longer had roofing or walls. Vampires that refused to submit to ruling lurked the buildings as well.

“I’m untying your shoe.”

Ari gave Tyler a dull stare as he grinned at her. He was shirtless but still covered in mud from having to slip under a fallen entryway turning a rainstorm a few hours previous. It caked the top of his neck, but the rest of his body was free of it. Ari eyed the rest of his body, once again in awe of the black spiraling tattoos down his arm. So few of the vampires had them, and his were beautiful, done with skill by a friend when he was human.

Every muscle in Tyler’s stomach flexed as he leaned back. He was sitting on the floor with his back pressed against Ari’s bed, arm propped on along the side of the mattress, pressed against her leg. His finger finished the lace and he dropped it absently. His hair was still filled with sweat and dirt, but Ari wanted to run her fingers through it.

It wasn’t often they had these moments alone. Currently everyone else was asleep- at least, the state that came closest to sleep for vampire. Sleep for them consisted of somewhere between rest and alert, a place where dreams could be had but surroundings were easy to keep track of at all times. It had taken Ari a long time to get used to resting while being aware of who was coming and going at all times.

Tyler didn’t always slip out of his tent into hers. Technically speaking, it was a horrible and dangerous idea. Thankfully for the two of them, they were close to the vampires in Tyler's unit. They were her soldiers and she was their general. They were Tyler's brothers.

All the same, it was dangerous.

“Will you sleep here tonight?” Ari’s voice was soft like a hum. She rarely spoke so gently, but with the tents so close together, she tried not to let her volume attract attention. “Or will you return to yours?”

“Rarely do you ever invite me to stay.” Tyler turned to look at her. He was tired, she could see it. It had been three days in the Tombstones and little had happened. Staying still with little work made vampires lethargic, especially because they were drinking from blood bags. “So I’ll stay.”

Ari’s smile was faint and genuine. The same smirk that she often wore didn’t appear this time. She never spent a week on patrols and she was tired. Vampires were beings who could last forever in endurance, but being in the sun exhausted them immensely. A day’s worth in blackout gear- as to not burn and die- working their way through the city to make sure that vampires were not murdering humans (unavoidable at best) and making their own covens took a toll. Every hour they spent in the sun, despite the protective clothing could only be fully healed by two bags of blood. They couldn’t waste that.

Pushing himself up, Tyler stood to his full height. Ari admired him. He was broad and had muscle rippling in his arms and chest. A thick scar ran over the right corner of his chest, the only imperfection. He had received it when he was human, and it survived the transition from human to vampire. Ari had touched that scar with her fingertips, had run her tongue along the marred flesh. There were few parts of Tyler she hadn’t tasted.

Gently, he bent down and pushed Ari to the side of the bed and made room for himself. He was the only person in the entire world who would dare move her. She let out a little growl but it was only half of one. She was not in the mood to inform him that she liked her spot perfectly fine. She also secretly enjoyed that unlike everyone else, Tyler didn’t ask her permission to do things. He just did them.

When she thought about it, Ari was sure that’s when she started loving him. Tyler had stopped treating her like she was a Dimitrikova and started treating her like she was Ari, the vampire-woman who fought viciously in the training room, killed mercilessly, and who wasn’t afraid to lead units of vampires into the gritty parts of Manus Dei.

It was also the fact that even though he came from nothing, Tyler never once expected anything from her. He didn’t want a higher rank, he didn’t want special treatment. All he was interested in was her, and though sometimes he overstepped his boundaries, Tyler had always respected where he came from and who he was.

Settling next to her, Tyler put an arm around Ari. She leaned into his side, smelling his skin. He smelled like blood, nature and sweat. It was not the best smell, but to Ari, it was fine. His own scent lingered beneath the others and the was good enough for her. It even prompted her to press a small kiss on his chest, settling her head in the crook of his neck, letting her eyes flutter shut.

Affection like this was something they had only done a few times before.

“You must be tired.” His voice was low and rough and he pressed his mouth to the top of her head, leaving it there in a prolonged kiss on her hair. Ari wanted to sleep exactly like that, pressed against his side. If she could feel warmth, she knew that she would feel how warm his skin was. Instead, she felt every fiber and molecule that made up Tyler’s skin. She felt the electricity and his makeup and it was making her head foggy. “You never actually lean into me.”

“That isn’t true.”

“You’ve maybe done it three times.”

“Have you ever considered that it’s because you remind me that I never do it?”

Her head shook with his laughter. His fingers began to trace a pattern on her hip. She purred, similar to a cat, into his neck. Her skin twitched where he touched her, the feeling intoxicating. “It’s worth pointing out when you do it. I always stop and wonder what I’ve done right today?”

“What you’ve done right every other day.”

“Oh? And what is that?”

Ari opened her eyes. He leaned away from her so that he could see her, his brown eyes searching hers. His normally tan skin had a slight pallor to it from scouting for 72 hours without rest or sleep. “You shut your mouth and you had really hot sex with me.”

Tyler almost looked disappointed that she hadn’t something else, but Ari didn’t give him the time to be unhappy for long. She rolled on top of him, both hands on his shoulders to pin him down. Her hair was a silk curtain hanging over one shoulder as she leaned down, kissing him roughly, her tongue controlling every aspect of the kiss. Ari drank him in.

Hands clutched Ari’s waist, fingers pressed into her bone. Her fingers followed the edge of Tyler’s jaw, mapping the veins down his through, connecting to the space between his shoulder and base of his neck. She felt the hard muscle underneath his skin, jumping at her touch.

Following the path her fingers made, Ari kissed him. His eyes closed and Tyler tilted his face towards the ceiling of the tent. Ari felt his jaw flex underneath her harsh kisses, trying to clench his teeth to keep quite. Though Ari and Tyler were typically passionate lovers, they had perfected the art in keeping their moans to a shallow breath or violent shudder, their curses to gasps of air and their volume to nothing but the sound of the wind outside.

At his shoulder, Ari sank her teeth in. She was careful not to bite down hard or make a mess that would leave a bruise. Vampires healed at incredible speed, but the bruise would take an hour to heal if she wasn’t careful, and she could leave no marks for fear of having to be called into action.

Working off her shirt while Ari straightened up, Tyler threw the shirt. It landed on the table with holographic maps and several handguns with clips out, filled with bullets. Neither of them paid attention to any of that now as Tyler leaned forward, hands pressed into Ari’s back as he held her in his lap, chests pressed together.

Fingers quick and fluid, Ari undid the fastening on Tyler’s pants. He rolled them, making her growl lightly looking up at him. He smirked at her, shutting her up by kissing down her chest, kicking off his pants. One hand held him over her while the other snapped off the back of her bra, all but ripping the material off of her smooth, exposed flesh.

Tongue tracing patterns on her skin, Tyler moved his mouth over her breasts, giving them his full attention. His tongue circled one of her nipples before closing his mouth around it, air hissing out of Ari’s lungs as his thumb brushed over the other. He repeated the process with the other, Ari pulled his bottoms off, her fingers stroking along his smooth, warm shaft, making him shudder.

Shifting, Tyler moved to thrust into Ari but she growled, rolling them over and hovering about him, grinning. “You know better,” Ari purred. Tyler’s lids were half-lidded, his teeth digging into his lips as he admired her body, languid and like a storm over him. “I’m in control tonight.”

“You’re always in-" Tyler was cut off when Ari sank down on top of him, her head falling back as she inhaled deeply. He filled every inch of her and her body was vibrating with the feeling. Slowly and hypnotically she rolled her hips forward, long hair falling down her back, spilt like dark oil paint on a soft canvas. “Are you going to go at that tantalizing pace all night?”

Ari was angled with her upper body away from him, rolling her hips forward to meet Tyler’s slowly. Tyler’s hands were on her waist, attempting to control her speed and quicken in, but Ari was firm, grinning at him. “If I so please.”

Tyler’s hips buck forward, hitting her spot team and making her head swim for a moment. “Ariadne,” Tyler hissed. Having enough of her antics, he rolled them- nearly off of her bed- instantly slamming into her deep and with force that made Ari gasp. “Enough of that.”

Ari trembled every time that she felt Tyler thrust into her, going to the hilt each time. She leaned up until she pushed Tyler back far enough, sitting in his lap and rolling her hips to meet his. She slammed her mouth against his, kissing him hard.

Blood flowered in Ari’s mouth. She identified it as Tyler’s and she ran her lip across his, lip, not letting a single bead escape. A storm began building within Ari as she sped her movements, growling into Tyler’s mouth. She clawed at his back, breaking the skin. Tyler gripped her hips, slamming her into him and bruising her bones. They were bruising and scratching and hurting but none of it amounted to what Ari felt every single time.

Fluidly wrapping her legs around Tyler, Ari brought him as close to her as she could. She was shivering, thighs clenched and her breath coming less frequently. Not breathing wouldn’t kill her, but it made everything feel different when she couldn’t breathe. Tyler’s breathing was in her ear, it’s warmth on her skin. Ari’s head tilted back as everything inside of her clenched, breath coming out in a sharp hiss.

He kept pumping, Ari’s small frame taking it easily. She was durable and strong, even for an immortal vampire there were few things that could hurt her. Tyler was not one of them. He would never hurt her, though sometimes he brought her to her knees. Ari didn’t care.

Hitting her high, Ari continued the roll of her hips. Tyler took control of the movement and she let him. She had already met the end of her experience and he was about to find his, face buried in her hair laced blood until his entire frame vibrated, one growl escaping through his teeth.

Pace sloppy and slowing, Tyler lifted his head and found Ari’s lips. Her legs were still holding him in place, kissing him slower than she had before. Now she wasn’t trying to smother him, to kiss him hard enough to draw blood. She was kissing him slowly, pulling his bottom lip lightly and running her fingers gently through his hair. It wasn’t the ferocious pulling that she had done earlier, rather soft strokes as he rolled to the side of her, bringing her half with him.

Side by side, Ari traced the angles of his face with her fingers. Neither one of them were out of breath anymore- vampires didn’t really get winded, though during sex it felt natural. Everything was very quiet and Ari smiled lazily at him, no trace of her infamous smirk in the curve of her lips.

“I like when you let me stay.” Tyler kissed her hand as it passed his mouth. It was just a brush of a touch, not meant to draw her too him or to get a reaction. It was more like a natural instinct to place his lips on her skin when it was near. “Just so you know.”

“I like it when you ask to stay.” Her hand paused near his forehead, moving a strand of the dark brown hair from his face. His hair was a mess, which was odd for him. Tyler’s hair was normally put together, pushed back out of his face and gelled. He always had at least one strand of hair falling out of place somewhere; just one. “Just so you know.”

His smile was just a twitch. Tyler kissed Ari’s hand again and muttered, “Rest. Sunset is soon and we’ll have another double day.”

“Vampires don’t sleep.”

“No, but we dream.”

“What do you dream of?”

“A world where you aren’t avoiding that resting period, Ariadne.” She shifted slightly. Tyler’s eyes were closed so she could study his face. It was peaceful and beautiful. She felt the urge to kiss him all over again but restrained herself. “Ari, sleeping next to me isn’t gonna kill you.”

“I know that.”

“Then stop thinking about it.”

Ari smiled. “Okay.”

Void filled Ari’s rest. She had no dreams, no snippets of memory. It had taken years for Ari to stop having versions of her past slip in and chase her through her daze. Half of Ari was on mute, her muscles lose and her breathing slow. Everything was calm and collected as she felt at peace. The other half was acutely aware of the wind shifts outside of the tent, or Tyler’s breathing beside her. She could feel every time he let out air, and hear every time his heart beat.

Vampires didn’t need sleep. But rest was something vital to any creature, no matter how strong it was. They needed time to regenerate, for wounds to heal and for the blood they drank to run it’s course. Vampires were not completely untouchable. Days without blood could send them into prolonged comatose-like unconsciousness, or it could send them into frenzied hallucinations. Blood was essential to the process a vampire’s vitality.

Rest deprivation could also drive them into a sort of sickness. The longer they went without a cycle of rest, the more blood their body craved, and the faster their body burned off the blood. It was a vicious cycle and though it was hard to throw a vampire’s bodily functions off kilter, it could happen.

When Tyler stirred, Ari opened her eyes. He was already on the other side of her large tent. Her temporary living quarters were better than the other’s, of course. Nikolai had insisted that this was a form of punishment for not taking her job as diplomat and ruler seriously. Nikolai was also under the impression that Ari kept sending Tyler to the Tombstones because she was interested in something out there and he was someone she trusted; he was only half right.

Yet Ari was never uncomfortable. The bed that they unfolded to rest was large and comfortable, made out of foam that conformed to fit her shape. It was easy to bundle back up and stow away. There was also a popup table that had built in hologram maps, computers and communication applications. In the corner was a washing basin that didn’t do much except wash the sweat and blood from her face, neck and arms.

“I’ll see you at moon rise,” Tyler murmured quietly.

Tyler slipped on all of his dark gear. His pants and long sleeves were all black and he pulled over his leather jerkin that was made of black as well, the front of it ribbed to conform to his shape. Over his sleeves he pulled on black gloves, hiding his hands. The final addition to the outfit was the long, hooded cloak that hung open, falling down to his knees. He pulled the hood over his face and pulled the loose fabric within the hood across his face, only leaving his eyes free. The fabric was pinned securely, made to hide his face. The hood protected his eyes from the sun, though when they went out, they typically had sunglasses on as well, the glare of the sun painful.

Tilting her head to the side, Ari grinned. Even in all the shadowed gear and with none of his features showing, Ari knew it was Tyler. Weather it was the way he stood or simply because she knew his scent, Ari would always know it was Tyler. She could be blind, deaf and dumb and identify him from a mile away. The thought made her wary but she sighed and rolled over as he quickly and quietly left.

With alert ears, Ari listened for him to get back to his own tent. The men had their own private ones, tiny squares with a cot and a weapons table. That’s all they required. Tyler’s was three away from Ari’s, so when he made it there without conflict, she closed her eyes and continued to rest lightly.

As the sun began to vanish, Ari got up. Her instincts could tell her when the sun was going down, besides the different sounds outside. The tent let in no light but vampires were hardwired to feel when the sun was going down, a natural alarm clock in time with nature.

Dressing in a similar outfit to Tyler’s with a form fitting black outfit and a hood that hid her face and identity, Ari folded the bed easily. Technology was more advanced than it had ever been, making Ari’s cleaning easier when everything folded with easy movements.

A knock on the canvas of her tent door brought her to the front zipper. She moved it easily, opening the flaps of her tent as Jax stepped in. He was in the same gear as Tyler had been, pulling his hood back to reveal bright blue eyes and dark skin. Jax was absolutely beautiful, his eyes bright enough to look like stars. His lips were full and his face was sharp and angular, perfectly structured.

“Your highness,” he bowed his head slightly. “Seems like a calm night. Perhaps we’ll just be walking around again.”

Ari grinned. “You know how boring that gets.”

He returned her smile. Jax was a steady friend, a competent captain of his strike unit and level headed. He had been with Nikolai since before Ari existed, a consistent fighter and a loyal friend. “Wes picked up movement to the east but the chances are that it was just a few humans finding places to hide for the night. Nothing to worry about.”

Ari made a sound of affirmation. She picked up the sword she used faithfully. Most vampires didn’t use swords but it was custom among royals to be trained in the art of all weapons. Those with swords were similar to death angels, for only the most skilled could use them to severe heads of enemies.

The sword Ari spun easily in her hand was fine and elegant. The pommel was nothing fancy, made of black metal and fitted to her hand. The blade itself only had one sharp edge and a lethal point at the tip, made for cutting in one clean sweep. It looked more like a razor than it did a sword, and with the fluid movement it made as an extension of Ari’s arm, it was lethal.

Sheathing the weapon on her back, Ari looked at Jax. He was waiting for her response. “It’s the humans that don’t hide that are the problem.” She holstered a gun in her thigh holster, putting the extra clips on her belt. Some clips had wooden bullets; others were made of metal shape but glass tips, holy water filling them. Even the most ancient of prayers spoken over water by human priests had an effect, proving that there was something damned about vampires. “It’s the ones who don’t hide that put humans who give us blood in danger.”

Jax shrugged. “The humans within the Cage are safe. They are provided protection as they always have been.”

“For now.”

Jax nodded. “Just so.”

“Collapse the tents. Can we leave in ten?”

“Sooner if you wish it.” Ari nodded again. Jax opened the flap of the ten for her and she stepped into the cool night are. The sun was gone but the moon had not yet risen to its full height. The stars were not yet prominent in the sky. “Just so, Your Highness.”

While their temporary campground was being packed up and put into the SUV, Ari busied herself by climbing into a nearby tree. It was grown against a brick wall that had crumbled after years. The single wall that was all that remained, a strong branch punching through one of the windows that had once existed. She climbed to the very top, careful not to step on any thin limbs that could not bare her weight. The fall would not hurt her, but it would certainly be embarrassing.

The moon was just beginning to rise. It was waxing and silver against the sky that was growing darker. The city lights from the Cage were quite visible, the sounds of cars and nightlife mute this far out. Ari knew that there would be humans going home from work or having dinner. Some of them would even go to the nightclubs where vampires hung around, the two species mixing.

Humans had such ordinary lives. Ari herself didn’t go to the city. Not anymore. She had seen and done enough in it in her first few years as a vampire to know that nothing good came from music that caressed her ribcage and blood that was laced with drugs. She wouldn’t fall into that, not again.

Later, when Ari had climbed down the tree and they had driven forty-five minutes and stopped the SUV near the Tombstone limits. The east stretch of land faced flat road that led out of Manus Dei. Overgrown trees stretched on either side of the road and out. Ari knew that the further one went, the fewer the trees became, turning into nothing but a stretch of burnt plains from one war or another over the years.

The east and southern most part of the Tombstones had the most buildings in tact. Graffiti and the smell of human and human living spaces were prominent as Ari stepped out of the vehicle and shut the door. The road didn’t allow them to drive through the buildings. They either needed dirt bikes or needed to walk on foot. Because it wasn’t a job specifically set to scour the slums, they had only brought vehicles.

Skyscrapers cut in half were visible, windows long gone. Builds that were made of stone, metal and brick were all leaning against one another. Some of the buildings contained people who peered from their hiding spots, while others housed no one but empty air and trash.

Blood was prominent in the air. Not the split, fresh kind of blood, but the kind that let Ari know there were plenty of humans in the area. Humans knew that they were safe from the praetors dressed in black, but they remained inside all the same, perhaps watching or even asleep in drug induced slumbers.

Moving along in no formation, the team of six not counting Ari as their lead made their way through the narrow streets. Building parts crunched under her boots and she kicked aside several empty cans, labels long gone. These parts were riddled with trash and the smell of some sort of decay she couldn’t place. The humans here made their own way of life, only receiving little help from the humans inside of the Cage. There were shipments of supplies every few months, but Ari doubted it ever made it this far.

“Dead silent out here,” Wes commented. Ari glanced at him with a gently amused expression. Wes had blond hair that hung down to his shoulders and green eyes that scanned the street they were crossing. “Maybe that’s why they call it the Tombstone.”

“Figure that out yourself, did you?”

He grinned at her. “Us Draks have brains sometimes, Your Highness.”

“I’m glad for it. Couldn’t be surrounded around a bunch of total idiots, right Tyler?”

Tyler was walking in front of her. She imagined he was rolling his eyes at her when he shook his head, not turning around to face her as he said, “Agreed, princess. It would be a real shame, though I’m pretty sure Wes can’t count to ten.”

“At least I can read.”

Tyler made a sound of annoyance. “What do I need to read for, Wessy?”

“For fun! There are plenty of enjoyable books in the library at home.” Wes winked at Ari and she grinned, rolling her eyes at him. The praetors always made her smile, something that happened around Draks. They were easy and light hearted, rarely rigid like royals or members of the Stats.

“And what kind of books do you read, Wes?” Ari asked. “The great epics? Romances? Religion?”

He leaned over and whispered for effect. “Pop-up books.” Ari’s laugh echoed down the road. They passed by a narrow hut built between two buildings. A metal gate was pulled in front of it, keep out what Ari realized served as a sort of soup kitchen. She could smell stale bread and broth. “Nothing like a good pop-up book with the pictures and-"

Wes twisted with the impact of the bullet. Ari ducked instantly, the gunshot echoing back and forth between the buildings. She hadn’t seen or heard it coming and she rolled towards Wes who was on the ground hissing in pain as steam rose from his shoulder, fangs extended and eyes wide in pain.

Behind Ari gunfire was being exchanged. She turned her head and barked, “Cover us for a second.” They did as Ari grabbed a knife, digging the bullet with the knife and her fingers. She snarled in pain, feeling the holy water that had burned it’s way into Wes’s flesh. She pulled out the metal casing, tossing it and trying not to think about her burnt fingers. “Alright, it’s coming from the top of that building. Cover us and light them up.”

“Us?” Wes asked, confused and looking at Ari, who ducked as a bullet went by her head.

Tyler grabbed Wes and hauled him to his feet, giving his fellow praetor a clap on the shoulder. “Not you,” he looked at Ari but she wasn’t looking at him. She had turned and pulled back the slide of her gun, loading a bullet and squeezing the trigger as she fired at the building. “Me. Let’s go.”

Jax and the others fired relentlessly at the building. Ari saw one person fall from one of the open windows, but as the gunfire continued she knew there was more than one. She stepped into the street where Tyler grabbed her by the waist, spinning her away from a spray of bullets. She didn’t say anything but she kissed him on the cheek as she hurried along, turning and running towards the metal gate that was keeping people out of the soup kitchen.

In single leap, Ari cleared the gate. She landed inside of the entrance to the open building, Tyler landing behind her. They started a few humans who were hiding in the building but the two vampires moved through the shallow building to the back wall. Ari stuck out her hand, feeling the old, unstable brick. She looked at Tyler and nodded.

Rolling his shoulders, Tyler shifted his feet before lifting his leg and striking the wall hard. The kick sent half of the wall tumbling. The humans behind didn’t make a single sound as both Ari and Tyler ripped away the old brick before slipping through the hole.

Trees and a narrow back road lined the backs of the building. They ran along the tree line to the back of the building that the shooters were in. It was open and ruined, made concrete. Wrought iron stairs were still there and Ari shot for the stairs, Tyler grabbing her and pulling her back for a second.

“What?”

He smirked a bit. “Be smart.”

“You too.” She couldn’t help but smile slightly. “Ready?”

He kissed the top of her head. “I will follow your lead, princess.”

“Oh shut up.”

Ari and Tyler bolted up the rusted stairs. Not a sound was made, the two vampires moving light and quickly as they could. It moved in a boxed spiral, one flight after the next. Ari was leading, suddenly stopping at the broken edge of a platform. It seemed there was a chunk of metal stairs missing. She looked up, the next set leading to the top floor several feet up. Grinning at Tyler, Ari rolled her shoulders and crouched lightly. Tyler backed up, giving her space as she launched upwards like a cat, her fingers grasping the edge of the metal stairs.

For a few moments, Ari dangled, her dark form swinging back and forth. The next second, she shifted all her strength shifting to her upper body as she pulled herself onto the platform. She lay on her stomach and pulled forward before getting her feet close enough to gain purchase.

Standing, Ari moved back a few feet as Tyler jumped up. He pulled himself up much quicker, very fluid and graceful. He smirked at Ari and she made a growling sound in the back of her throat as she ran up the rest of the steps, entering the top floor of the building.

It was an old apartment building, one of the taller ones still standing. The stairs had to have been a fire escape leading into a hollow room. There was no wall facing the trees, but there was still wall intact closing the pair in. Ari walked through what once may have been a living room and opened the dry-rotted door. It was chipped and she made a face at the termites nesting within the old wood.

The hall was empty and dark. Ari felt the wind howl through it like a tunnel. To the right there was a dark empty hole in the wall, a black shaft from which an elevator may have run through once upon a time. Ari turned to the left instead, following the hallway to where it turned to lead to the front of the building.

No numbers were on the front of the doors. Ari could smell that there were no humans on the top floors. There was no way for them to get here. The stairs were too ruined in the back and the elevator was long gone from the empty shaft. The shots ringing were definitely vampires. Ari knew this with certainty if she hadn’t before.

Pressing her back against the wall, she waited to turn the corner. She listened intently, gun against her chest. She rounded the corner, extending her arm with her finger ready to squeeze the trigger. It was just another empty hall, leading to the front of the building where it turned into another hallway.

“The hall is a square,” Tyler said quietly. He was right behind Ari, she could feel him there as a solid presence. It all connects and they’re in the rooms on that side of the building that face the street.”

“Which rooms?”

“We’re about to find out.”

Tyler followed Ari’s lead. It was not a question. He was a praetor, not a captain or a monarch. He was a solider in a ground unit, and no matter his skill and experience, he would always follow the leading command unless asked to do otherwise; Ari never asked him to take the lead.

Moving quickly, Ari skirted the hall. The shots were more infrequent, but she could still hear them firing off. When she came to the conjoining hallway, she paused, holding her breath. She peeked around the corner. It was empty, but a door opened and someone came out, causing her to whip back around the corner. With her pistol in one hand, she reached behind her back and gripped the hilt of her sword.

Licking her lips, she looked at Tyler. A understanding was exchanged between them, so Ari moved with blinding speed. She went from the wall to halfway down the hall in half a second. It was impossible to see the actual act of her unsheathing the sword and swiping it as she slid down to her knees, momentum sliding her across the hall, sword cutting clean through the knees of the vampire standing in the hall, who was reloading.

It was obvious he never saw it coming. He let out a soundless scream as he fell to his severe knees. Ari had already twisted her sword over her head by the time he fell to connect the edge of the blade with the back of his neck. His head toppled towards the floor, Tyler there to catch it so it didn’t hid the floor with a loud sound. Ari had caught the back of the headless body, not allowing it to fall over and draw attention.

Discarding of the body that was now in parts, the two stood together. Voices came from two rooms. One was the room the unknown vampire had come out of and the other was right next to it. Ari stood. She held the sword in one hand and the pistol in the other, knowing how to wield them at the same time. Tyler had similar weapons, looking at her. She knew that he was more comfortable with a shotgun and open ground, but the tight space meant swords and handguns.

Wordlessly, she gestured to the door next to hers. He nodded and took his place. Without warning, both of them kicked doors in, surging into their respective rooms.

Aiming, Ari squeezed the trigger, taking out the person who was standing in front of her. He wasn’t facing her, dressed in all black and firing out of the window. His body fell forward towards the street as she turned and ran towards a conjoining room with a doorway. She ducked as a spray of gunfire came through the thin wall.

There was no where to hide so Ari rolled, careful not to slice herself with her sword and entered the room standing, firing with one hand and cutting down a man near the door with the other.

Three vampires in black and with faces hidden turned to her. Ari twisted to the edge of the doorway to use the edge as a screen, but one of them yelled, “Royal!”

At first, Ari had thought it was a strange thing to yell. Royal? The word rolled around in her mind and she wasn’t really sure why it was something one would scream. But the three men in the room ran for the windows and jumped clear through them. Ari was so bewildered that she just stood there for a moment.

Someone entered the room behind her and she turned, gun raised. Tyler held up his hands, blood darkening his gear. “Well don’t stand there,” he snapped, running towards the window and jumping. Ari hesitated only a second before going after him, knowing he was right.

Ari jumped.