The Chalice (Luna Vampire Series) (31 page)

             
Sensing my irritation, Lucien pulled back from Dawn slightly.  "It's not safe for any of us to leave, girlie, unless it's absolutely necessary."

             
"Yeah, I know.  But whatever, I'm going out."  I strode over to the window in their room, brushed the drapes aside, and pointed across the street.  "See down there, on the corner, the bar?  That's where I'll be."

             
Immediately frowning, he made a halfhearted attempt at extricating himself from Dawn's arms.  "It's unsafe," he muttered.  "I should join you."

             
"Look," I grumped, planting my hands firmly on my hips.  "I'm not a little kid.  I'll wear one of the stupid wigs Amelia got yesterday.  And if anything bad happens I'll freeze time." I had to make him understand that I required some privacy to screw my head on straight. 
A few drinks and a bit of space would work wonders.

             
"Oh, let her go, Lucien," Dawn purred, rubbing her face along his bare chest.  She looked noticeably better from earlier. 
Less heroin addict, more sex kitten.
  "She'll be alright."

             
"I realize we got a tad sidetracked," Lucien admitted.  "Yet, before Dawn arrived we were discussing the possibility of leaving.  Remember, the stuff that went down at the club?  What if the vamps discovered our location?"

             
"If any of 'em perceived where we were, they'd have been here hours ago," I groaned, echoing Amelia's logic. 
Tsedaka's vengeance wouldn't squander a second.
  "I'll be fine and I'm going alone.  That's final."  I wasn't meek and helpless.  I had power, last night proved it.

             
"Come on, let her do what she wants," Dawn swooned, batting her eyes up at Lucien.

             
Sighing, he slumped his posture in defeat.  "Seems like I've got no choice.  I must follow your orders, girlie.  Nevertheless, it should be known that I strongly disagree.  You'd be more protected if I went with you."

             
Oh well.
  "Look, if I'm not back in an hour you can come looking.  Seriously, quit stressing, everything'll be just fine."  And with that, I abruptly turned and marched into my bedroom. 

             
Haphazardly, I shoved my hair under a platinum blonde wig and added a pair of seventies style sunglasses, even though it was the dead of night.  After which, I threw on a nondescript outfit consisting of jeans, a white t-shirt, and the black pea coat I'd worn during our escape from high court.  Amelia must've sent it off to be cleaned because it hung, plastic-covered and spotless, inside my closet. 

             
Before marching out the door, I popped open the briefcase and shoved a stack of bills into my pocket.  I wanted to ensure I'd have enough cash to really tie one on. 
Screw sobriety
.  And yeah, I didn't actually need the money.  I could've used my mind mojo, but my soul craved the solace provided by the ordinary world. 
The world I used to describe as boring.

             
And so, I kept my head down while I rode the elevator to the lobby, envisioning myself blending in with the other guests.  Nobody appeared to notice me, as expected, which helped my edginess decrease.  Upon crossing the street, a slight breeze from the crisp night air soothed my frazzled soul.  And, as I walked, I inhaled cleansing breaths, each exhalation dissolving more of my inner tumult.

             
I opened the heavy wooden doors of the bar to be accosted by rock music, cigarette smoke, and the constant conversational buzz created by twenty or so customers.  Several bikers, who were playing a game of pool in the far corner, shot me flirtatious grins while a pair of makeup spackled thirty somethings by the juke box gave me a competitive once-over.  It was the usual bar experience, like I figured.
No vampires hunting me.  No assassins trying to catch me off guard. 

             
So, I flopped onto an empty barstool in hopes of starting my evening with a bang and ordered a shot of tequila.  Unfazed by my request, the bartender's tired expression remained vacant as I swallowed it and asked for another. 
He must've been used to this type of thing.
  A couple shots later, I ordered a rum and coke, desperately needing a chaser to mellow my stinging taste buds. 
Ahh, the life of a boozer.

             
Just then, as the alcohol was beginning to kick in, a leather clad arm squeezed around my shoulders from behind.  "Cousin," a memorable voice crooned softly in my ear.  "Uncle's been extremely worried.  Why'd you go and run off?"

             
Accordingly, I almost jumped out of my skin.
  Shit!  Shit!  Shit!  Really fucking bad!
  I tried to maneuver away from her grasp, but she held onto me tighter than a vise-grip. "Isabella, um, is Tsedaka here?"

             
"Oh no, he's not coming," she whispered seductively.  Struggling, I somehow twisted aside enough to take in her ponytailed hair and black leather getup.  It was an extreme change from the prissy, blueblood vibe she sported at the crowning ceremony.  "Little cousin, tsk-tsk, don't you see?  This is between you and me."

             
In one fell swoop, she unsheathed a sword from her hip and secured it tightly against my throat. 
Crap!  "Lucien, I need you!  Now!"
  I shoved a mental picture of my predicament in his direction, praying he'd hear me amidst his disgusting love-fest with Dawn.

             
"Um, uh, what's
between you and me
?" I stammered, praying I'd buy Lucien the time to come to my rescue.  "For real, as far as I'm concerned we're cool."

             
"Oh, how naive!" she sneered, discharging a dark chuckle.  "I intended on eliminating you at high court.  And, although you ruined my plans, I found it absolutely amusing when everyone accused Adrian.  That sap doesn't have the balls to make a move anywhere close to this."  She dug the sword into my skin, spurring a moist trail of blood droplets. 

             
"Um, I, uh..."

             
"And this wig," she ranted, yanking it from my head and throwing it onto the floor.  "It's hideous!  I can't believe you thought a disguise would hide you from me.  How asinine!"

             
"Ma'am, we ain't gonna have no fightin' in here," the bartender drawled, cordless phone in hand.  "I'll be putin' in a call to the cops if you don't get goin'."

             
"No, you will go sit down and be quiet," Isabella ordered firmly as she spun me off my barstool to a standing position.  Promptly, my eyes darted around the room to see a motley crew of half-drunken patrons encircling us.  "And the rest of you, ridiculous humans, take your seats along with the bartender.  Ignore us.  Act as though we aren't here."

             
Like kindergartners following their teachers orders, everyone silently shuffled to their respective tables.  And, within a few moments, the only people standing were three muscle-bound men, apparently Isabella's guards.  They wore black leather and carried swords in hip-holsters similar to hers.
  Damn, this situation worsened by the minute.  I was so freaking stupid!  Why didn't I listen to Lucien?

             
"Now, cousin, I assume you've already called for your wiry young guard.  Therefore, you're going to suspend time.  Since I'm touching you, we'll both go atemporal which will allow us to have a fair duel."

             
As if on cue, her companions unsheathed their weapons and moved toward me.
  Frozen, heartbeat pounding in my ears.  I was consumed with the realization that I had to do something or I'd die. 
Lucien wouldn't be able to reach me if I complied, but it'd level the playing field.  There was no way I could take on all of 'em, Isabella and the three guards, at once.  Still, with just her, there might be hope.

             
Depriving me of another second to weigh my options, she dug her sword deeper into my throat.  "I don't intend on playing dirty seeing as uncle won't appreciate that.  Nonetheless, if you refuse, I'll take your life right now.  The decision is yours."

             
Shit!
 
I had no choice.
  Acquiescing to my fate, I willed all the guards, the people, and the cars outside to a grinding halt.  Everyone and everything stood motionless before me, except for Isabella. 

             
"All this power, little cousin, too bad you're not going to live long enough to learn how to use it," she sneered, emitting a snarling laugh.  "I plan on giving you a weapon.  Take notice, though, I won't tolerate you
sneakily
restoring time and then stopping it again with the intention of freezing me along with everybody else.  My guards are under strict instructions to kill you on site if you're alive when the flow resumes.  And they can move extremely fast.  Your only hope is to kill me and leave prior to its restoration which is a highly unlikely."

             
My mind raced.
Could I go against her, successfully restarting and refreezing the world?
  I mean, it was my best bet if I pulled it off, a clean getaway.  Yet, if I moved too slow and her guards attacked me it'd be a lethal fumble.
  I'd most assuredly die.  Too much of a risk.  Damn.

             
With a stiff shove, she released me, the bulky sunglasses flying off my face as I toppled onto my hands and knees.  "Why in the hell are you doing this?" I screamed at her in frustration.  "If you want Adrian, you can have him.  I'm not about to get in a cat fight over a guy."

             
Glaring down at me, her mouth twisted into a grimace.  "Our Adrian's been manipulating his own path toward the throne, has he?  Tsk-tsk-tsk.  Oh, little cousin, you're so very gullible.  He's merely interested in your station; you'd be able to see the signs if you were more mature."  She paused, contorting her snarky face in mock concern.  "And, apart from that, I wanted him for nothing more than a fling three hundred years ago and my inclinations haven't changed."

             
Picking myself up off the floor, I wiped at the blood collecting on my neck with my shirt.  "Then why are you trying to kill me?  What did I ever do to you?" 

             
"Are you truly that daft?  I should be next in the line of succession, not a lowly half breed," she rebuffed, leering at me in the midst of pulling a short sword from the sheath on her back.  "Here, your weapon.  Fair is fair."

             
A blink of an eye later, it was soaring in my direction with the speed of a bullet.  And thank heavens for my new vamp reflexes, because I managed to catch the projectile before it pierced my abdomen.  Regardless, I still injured myself.  I missed the handle and grabbed the super sharp blade instead, slicing a nice-size gash in my left palm.

             
Upon seeing the mishap, Isabella's eyes glistened with excitement.  "Oh, this is going to be too easy!"

             
Angry as all get out, I channeled the sharp pain into my meanest glare. 
I'm gonna kick your ass for this you fucking bitch!
  Hastily sucking in breaths, I desperately attempted to curb my anger, aware that I needed to keep her talking until the bleeding lessened.
  The sleazy, underhanded cunt!
  In spite of my fury, I stiffened my resolve and refused to lose my cool. 

             
"So, how'd you find me?" I eventually growled.

             
"All the foul language isn't very ladylike," she clucked, lips curling into a smile.  "You're not the only one who's armed with the gift of telepathy.  The other night, after I blocked you from my mind, I entered yours and surveyed a portion of your memories.  The one of you checking into the hotel was particularly helpful.  Once I had that, well, I merely waited until you were alone."

             
Crap!  How was I supposed to fight somebody who possessed the ability to hear me think of my next move?
  Plus, it didn't make sense.  Adrian'd said his telepathic abilities were the strongest among basically all the vampires. 
If he couldn't see into my memories, how could she? 

             
"I'm more gifted with telepathy than many of my counterparts think."  She hesitated, laughing again.  "You're so naive!  It's the first lesson within the vampire world, never reveal all your cards."  Then, without a word of preparation, she lunged at me.  Her sword was a blur as it expertly sliced a gash along my right shoulder.

             
Blinding pain.
 
Confusion.
 
Vision swimming.
  And before I had the chance to react, I felt myself flying through the air; the result of an unbelievably strong kick Isabella'd launched at the center of my chest.  Wind knocked from my lungs, I crumpled to the floor.  Meanwhile, my temples pounded their familiar hum alerting me to my power's decline.
  Time would have to resume soon.