Page 43
Story: The Vampire King's War
Fiona, who had been studying the ground where the gate had been, popped up from her half-crouched position and hustled over to them. It was interesting to see her and Balthazar so aligned. Christian was glad for it, but he did wonder what their past was like together this life and the one before it.
“Of course,” she said and prepared to teleport them back to Earth.
But Daemon held up a restraining hand. “Julian is not yet asking for assistance, but he does not wish to distract me from our main goals.”
“Julian would rather gnaw his arm off than disturb you,” Balthazar said with an affectionate eye roll. “And, besides, he is the hero-type. Throwing himself into danger to deal with things alone is sort of his thing.”
That was a very good description of his best friend though Christian hastened to add, “Julian can deal with most things. He really is quite capable.”
“Exactly,” Daemon agreed.
“Which is why you want to let him face a zombie horde alone?” Balthazar’s eyebrows rose up into his hairline.
Daemon’s lips twitched. “Now I know how Christian felt earlier. For when you phrase it that way it appears me leaving Julian to face this alone would be wrong.”
“Can Julian face this alone?” Caemorn asked.
He hadn’t offered to go face the zombie horde, Christian noticed, but he had been willing to, which was new for the former Preceptor.
“He is doing quite well, actually,” Daemon said and there was pride in his voice. “Besides, he is not altogether alone. There are quite a few Vampires there. But if I were to go…”
His eyes went unfocused again.
“You’re definitely seeing the future, aren’t you?” Fiona asked.
Daemon moved his head to the side as if his neck were bothering him. Christian guessed that there was no physical ailment he was suffering from.
“I see many paths. All lead to one conclusion,” Daemon admitted. “I merely wish to pick the best path for Julian.”
“The zombie horde is going to cause a panic and reveal us unless it is dealt with immediately,” Balthazar said with a rather amused and horrified look on his face. “You’re really going to put that all on Julian’s shoulders? The boy’s great, but he’s new. Let me go, at least, and use mind control on the crowd and--”
“You have a job to do here,” Daemon said with a nod towards Kaly’s two forms.
“That can--”
“No. It cannot wait, Balthazar,” Daemon said. “The reason the zombie horde and the police are at the museum is because--”
“Kara killed all those people?!” Balthazar’s eyes widened.
Christian saw a flood of images from Daemon’s mind as he shared what happened at the museum to both of them in detail he had not before. Cold sweat popped up on Christian’s brow as he realized what Kara had done and how she could be simply the point of the spear unless Kaly’s people were stopped.
“We cannot delay dealing with Kaly, Christian, or there will be plenty of bodies for Kaly to puppeteer,” Daemon said.
Balthazar reluctantly nodded and turned to look back at Kaly’s other forms. “I need to do this, don’t I?”
“Yes, unfortunately, and it will help you to work through some things,” Daemon said.
Balthazar’s eyebrows rose again and he had a rather puckish look on his face. “You think I have Master issues?”
Daemon squeezed Balthazar’s shoulders. “I think, in time, you will realize that you have me and all those others do not matter as much.”
“You know on other lips those words might sound arrogant. Sort of like your I am king schtick.” But Balthazar didn’t sound--and did not believe--that they were. “Funny, how you happen to be right about all of that.”
“Funny.” Daemon nodded.
“Then I will go,” Caemorn said as he stepped forward. “There is none better than me--save yourself, my king--to deal with the dead.”
But Daemon shook his head again. “No, Caemorn. You must locate all of Kaly’s other forms and find Julian’s parents. I would urge you to return to the Spire and meditate. Julian will be far more grateful for you to do that.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43 (Reading here)
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88