In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete Second Season: Episodes 6-10 (26 page)

Armando could see fear in the face of the mortal and knew Ryan grasped the reality of the situation. Dealing with the vampires gathered to mourn Roman would be a more difficult proposition.

The back door clicked shut behind the mortals.

Taking out his cellphone, he called a familiar number.

"I need you to double the people watching the mansion by day," he said when call went through.

"Vanora just returned," the voice on the other end said in surprise.

"It's starting."

"I see. Consider it done." The call ended.

Armando glanced out the kitchen windows at the remains of the abandoned party. Roman's vampires were running amok on the grounds, trying to find Lorelei. They were foolish children.

The security firm that had watched Vanora throughout her time in Austin would also watch over the mansion by day. There was no way the humans could provide adequate protection during the night. Aeron's vampires were far too powerful to be dealt with by humans, which meant Armando needed to get the sisters out of the city. He'd prefer for them to leave immediately, but he doubted either of them would listen to him. The Socolis were irritatingly stubborn.

Returning to the staircase, he found Angel and Zachery had been joined by Ben, and his partner, Tracy. Ben was the tallest and most muscular of all the vampires. He'd been turned into a vampire in the years following the Civil War. The former slave been a railroad worker and his powerful physique was the result of hard labor. Tracy, a newer vampire of mixed heritage, had slightly-tilted eyes, a cloud of dark auburn hair twisted into spirals, golden brown skin, and tall, lean frame. Armando had heard her rattle off at least eight different ethnic backgrounds that covered all the human races when questioned about her unique look.

"We got here late and just heard the news," Ben said, his big hands flexing at his sides. "Show me where this Lorelei bitch is and I'll rip her head off."

"More likely she would rip yours off. She's very old, very powerful," Armando answered. "Also, she's drinking human blood, so that automatically gives her the advantage over you."

"Over
us
you mean?" Tracy asked meaningfully.

"No. I mean
you
." Armando tucked his hands into his coat pockets and regarded the four vampires with a coldness they were not used to. Zachery visibly shuddered while Angel took a step back. "Since I became aware of the threat against Roman I've been imbibing human blood. I’ve not been killing, but drinking from various...donors. I knew I had to be strong enough to defend Roman and his sisters."

"But Lorelei killed Roman." Tracy gestured toward the study doors. "He's dead. How did drinking human blood help him?"

Guilt reared its head, but Armando fought it into a retreat. He had to remain focused. "Sadly, I wasn't aware of the attack until it was too late. That will not be the case the next time."

"The next time?" Zachary's freckled face paled even more. "You mean Lorelei is coming back?"

A brief nod was Armando's answer.

"So what are we going to do?" Angel asked.

"I'd like for Roman's core group to stay here tonight. All the rest need to leave." Armando gestured toward the vampires clustered in the foyer at the end of the hall. "The core group is the one the old vampires will target first. Then, tomorrow night, we all leave Houston."

"Bullshit," Ben exclaimed. "Bullshit!"

Tracy was obviously in agreement. "You can't ask us to leave everything we built up here in Houston."

Armando's golden gaze flicked from one face to the next. “Yes, I can. The purge is coming. The old vampires will kill all of us now."

"How do you know they're not coming right now?" Angel folded his arms over his chest and glared at Armando.

"Because this is how the purge works. They kill the leader first. That always sends the survivors into a panic. They quickly lose cohesion and scatter. It makes it far easier to kill off the vampires if they're not organized." Armando caught sight of Vanora's pale form moving around in the study and was briefly distracted. He wanted to usher her upstairs as soon as possible. It bothered him to see her covered in blood.

"So...we're like a snake with its head cut off flopping around on the floor?" Tracy asked.

"A chicken with its head cut off." Zachary frowned. "I like my head."

"Roman was the head, Zachary," Ben said, sighing. "We're the flopping body."

"Oh."

"The older vampires are infused with human blood. They're more powerful than you are," Armando explained. "Far, far more powerful."

"If we start drinking human blood, we can fight back, right?" The hardness in Tracy's eyes was fading. "Right?"

"It would take you a few weeks to be at full power. The reason why you’ve been able to live the life Roman advocated is because you weakened yourself on animal blood. You lost most of the powers that would have been accessible if you'd been drinking human blood. The more human blood you drink, the more powerful you become, the more blood you
must
drink." Armando wearily ran his hand over his curls. "You were more human because the animal blood made you weaker. If you drink human blood, the temptation to lose your humanity grows much stronger."

"Which is why we came to Roman," Angel said sorrowfully. "So we wouldn't be monsters."

"So what do we do?" Tracy wrapped her arms around Ben's big forearm, leaning into him.

"Stay here tonight. Tomorrow we leave." Armando lifted a shoulder. "It's all we can do."

"I'll clear out the noobs." Zachary straightened his narrow shoulders and moved toward the crowd of vampires.

"I'm going to take Vanora upstairs to get cleaned up. She's still covered in Roman's blood." Armando motioned to Ben and Tracy. "Do you mind helping Angel with security?"

"We're on it." Ben gave Armando a curt nod.

"What do we do for weapons?" Tracy asked.

"Knives and stakes for now," Armando replied.

Angel pulled a wicked-looking obsidian dagger from beneath his jacket. "I'm good."

"Shouldn't we have been more prepared? Fully armed?" Tracy tilted her head and gave Armando a hard stare.

"Yes, but Roman didn't believe in the threat."  He didn't want to speak ill of the dead, but Roman's stubbornness still angered Armando. Of course, his inability to tell the whole truth due to Aeron's edict had contributed to Roman being doubtful. At least now that Lorelei's name was revealed and both Carlotta and Lorelei had spoken of their Master and the coming purge, Armando could at least discuss that much. He could still not speak of Aeron directly, but it was progress.

"Roman was too good." Angel lowered his head in reverence. "He was the best of us."

Ben and Tracy also inclined their heads.

"I will come down and check on things once I know Vanora is all right." Armando slipped away before there were any more questions.

Inside the study Alisha was sweeping up the last of Roman's remains with Alexander's help. The artist was meticulous in trying to save every last mote. The sprouted rose stake sat on Roman's desk, lethal and cruel in its beauty. Vanora lingered near the desk studying it.

"Can we burn it?" she asked Armando when he drew near.

"Yes."

"Should we?" Vanora angled her head to gaze up at him. "Or should we make more stakes out of it to kill our enemies?"

The vampire was briefly taken aback by the brief spark of anger he saw in her eyes, but that reaction was swiftly replaced with pride. The beautiful woman he loved was much stronger than she appeared to be. Then her lavender eyes filled with sorrow and the look upon her face became tormented as she watched Alisha.

"I don't want him to be dead," she whispered. "I want to wake up and find him and Rhonda alive."

Daring to slip an arm around her shoulders, Armando inclined his head. "I know, Vanora. Let's go upstairs so you can..." He reached toward the blood caking on her hands.

"No, don't!" She jerked her hands away. "It's his blood. I don't want you taking it."

Armando was aware that everyone in the room was observing their interaction. In his periphery he saw Zachary escorting the last of the vampires out of the room leaving Sheila, Alisha and Alexander.

"I don't have any desire to do that, Vanora, but you can't leave his blood on your hands forever. Can you?"

Vanora blinked, tears abruptly filling her eyes. "It’s all I have left of him."

Armando motioned toward the ornate box that now held her brother's ashes. "Roman wouldn't want you clinging to his blood. He'd want you to cling to your love for him and his love for you. Am I right?"

Vanora's lavender gaze shifted to her sister. The connection between the two sisters was a tangible thread in the air. Armando silently pleaded with Alisha for her help.

Holding the box that contained her brother's ashes tenderly in her arms, Alisha gave Vanora a sad smile. "You know Armando is right, Vanora. Roman would order you upstairs to get washed up."

Shoulders sagging, Vanora relented. "Fine."

Careful not to touch any place where Roman's blood still lingered on her clothing or skin, Armando gently guided her toward the door.

"Armando, stay with her," Alisha said in a tone that sounded very much like Roman's. "I don't want her alone with Lorelei on the prowl."

Regarding Alisha thoughtfully, Armando noted that despite the anxiety and sadness in her eyes Alisha's stance was one of courage and dignity. Had Roman's blood imbued her with some of his traits, or was it a Socoli trait to be strong in the face of adversity?

"I'll stay with her," Armando answered finally, then slightly inclined his head to Alisha.

She gave him a tight, sorrowful smile that was reminiscent of Roman.

It both reassured and frightened him.

Without Roman's presence, the mansion felt like an extension of the mausoleum that haunted her dreams. The lights barely constrained the gloom that was thick with menace. The vampire beside her didn't appear to take note of the threat she perceived, so it was possible it was just her imagination getting the best of her.

“She can get in, can’t she?” Vanora warily glanced toward a darkened doorway belonging to a guest room.

There was a hesitant silence, then Armando said, “I'm not certain. Magic is complicated.”

“Roman invited her in.”

“It doesn’t matter if he did or not. Vampires can enter the haven of other vampires without invitation.”

Stopping abruptly, Vanora whirled toward Armando. “So you could have come into our house that first night?”

“Yes, but I waited for your brother’s invitation out of respect.”

“But I live here. I'm human.” Or was she? Vanora thought about how she had repelled Lorelei. Could a human do that? The answer was obvious, but to accept that she was something
other
than human frightened her.

“The house is technically the haven of your sister and brother. You don't inherit the house until Alisha is...”

“Dead.” Vanora fought to keep the tears that brimmed at the terrible thought from slipping free.

Armando regarded her solemnly. “Exactly.”

“You said you're not certain though.”

“You're now living here, so maybe the supernatural laws that are imposed on the vampires will acknowledge that fact. Maybe they won't be able to enter.”

“Maybe?”

“Maybe.” Armando sighed. “I'm not certain.”

Vanora wearily continued to walk in the direction of her room. Shaking her head with annoyance, she said, “Is there a book somewhere that explains all of this?”

“Yes, but the person who possesses it is not someone you'd ever wish to meet.”

“Of course. Nothing is simple is it?”

“No. It's not.”

Vanora hesitated at the door to her bedroom, not wanting to use her blood smeared hands to open it. Recognizing this fact, Armando turned the knob and pressed open the door. Slipping inside, he flipped on the lights and searched through the room while she waited in the doorway. Vanora glanced toward the large window at the end of the hall. The night loomed beyond the glass panes and she shuddered. When she returned to observing Armando’s search, he was checking the closet.

“Check under the bed. Vampires tend to hang out there.”

Armando gave her a short, wry smile, but obeyed. “It’s fine in here. Come in and shut the door. I’ll check the bathroom.” After a swift search, Armando summoned her into the bathroom with the flick of his hand. “It’s clear.”

Vanora stepped into the bathroom and stood waiting for him to leave. Without her instruction, he turned on the shower, then stood awkwardly in the center of the room. His golden eyes settled on her and he exhaled slowly while sweeping his hands through his hair. “You should shower now.”

Vanora leaned her hip against the counter and ignored the mirror behind her. She didn't want to see herself covered in her brother's blood. She gestured toward the bedroom. Vanora wanted to be alone with her thoughts. She waved her hand, dismissing him. “I’d like a little privacy. If anything happens, I'll scream.”