Once Lost Lords (Royal Scales, Book 1) Read online

  Something about this was wrong. Western Sector didn't only hire humans. Not one of these people had displayed anything above the standard reactions. No speed, no strength or heightened reflexes. Nothing.

  A few minutes later and I was out of the new housing project. It was difficult not feel like a fish on land as I gulped for air. My body had worked up a bit of a sweat. Pausing for breath, I slumped against a wall and tried to figure out what to do next. Kahina and her rain of gunfire was a lot further away now.

  “Well, Jay, you don’t disappoint.” A voice came from down the way. My refuge was useless already.

  “Crummy.” The redhead was hard to make out in the darkness. There was no doubt as to who else it would be.

  “I’ll let you go, Jay, but you need to find me Arnold. Do you understand?” He didn’t have his surfer accent and that was strange. “I don’t care about you, Julianne, or Kahina, I don’t even care about the elf, bring me Arnold.”

  “Why is he so important?” Arnold was the son of a rich family, but this was ridiculous. I started walking towards Daniel.

  “Listen, I’m your friend right?” He asked.

  “I’m not sure about that,” I responded. Today had put the topic of our friendship into a ‘maybe’ category.

  “Trust me, we’re friends, otherwise you would never have gotten out. I need you, as my friend, to find me Arnold Regious.” Daniel was trying hard to stay calm. I could see the shift in his face, he wanted to yell at me like he yelled at his men.

  He knew better. Now that I wasn’t chained to a chair.

  “He’s the key to all of this, he’s the heir,” He said.

  “The heir to what?” There was more to this than a lump of money. Another guard appeared behind Daniel, this one resembling all the other ones I had seen.

  “Sir, you need to test him.” The new guard stepped close. His voice was deep and loud. The very sound of it made me skin itch as it rippled through the area.

  “I have tested him, it came back normal,” Daniel stated firmly.

  “You heard the…” The nameless guard started to say something.

  “Quiet,” Daniel said. I almost raised an eyebrow at Daniel but, something told me not to. Now wasn’t the place or time.

  “Are you sure, sir?”

  “I’m sure. There are none left, and this man is a vampirism survivor, now tell the others to pull back.” Daniel was defending me from something.

  “Sir.” The guard nodded and drew back a ways. I watched the other armed man back up to leave. He was whispering something into a microphone on his shoulder.

  “What was that about, Daniel? What is this all about?” Someone needed to give me some damned answers. Why did some random guard think I needed to be tested? For what?

  Daniel had an object in his hands and he pressed it. His facial complexion changed for a moment.

  “Man, do you know how many bullets I’m trying to dodge in letting you go like this? I can’t tell you much, but there’s a lot to this.” His surfer accent was back and it sounded frustrated. “Find me Arnold and I’ll tell you what I can.”

  Daniel tossed a second item to me. I caught it out of reflex and rolled my fingers around a small pouch made of velvet. I looked down at it and back up. Daniel was already halfway around the corner. His angry, tanned face from earlier put back in place.

  “Hey!” I shouted at him.

  “Open the package, Jay.” He waved at me over a shoulder. In his hands, he held a green glowing disk. Daniel slapped it against a wall and it illuminated the area.

  Then he rounded the corner. I started after him. The green disk blinked once and let out a sharp noise. Alarm bells went off in my head and I back peddled quickly. Ten steps later there was a click.

  An explosion threw me into the packed earth. I clinched both arms in front of me and tried to twist in order to land on my side. It didn’t prevent the impact from rattling me. My ears rang as I scrambled to look where Daniel had been. There was no sign of the agent.

  That one explosion hadn’t been alone. Back in the housing project there was an entire series of them. A crimson glow illuminated the night sky, making the raging fire impossible to miss. I hoped everyone else had escaped by now

  “Jay, we’ve got to go.” Kahina was beside me. Her face was dirty and smudged. She either ran out of people to shoot or had been closer than I thought. I mumbled something back to her then gradually stood up. Daniel’s package was in my hands as I stumbled away.

  “The others made it out,” Kahina said. “And we should be safe. Daniel’s men pulled out after that last explosion.”

  “We should still…”

  “Yes. We’ve got a few minutes before the police get here. Human law enforcement will be harder to deal with than Daniel’s men.” She was tugging at my arm. I lost focus for a second distracted by her arms. They were thin but well-toned. “We’ll leave here, and tomorrow night we can find your elf.”

  “Who?” I blanked.

  “I swear you’re dense sometimes.” She gave a short-tempered response. “The elf.”

  “Evan?”

  “Yes, Julianne said his old location might be the safest place right now.” She shook her head. “Though we should have left him behind.”

  “Why didn’t you?” I asked. Kahina kept pulling us forward. She hooked one arm into mine and we walked down the street like any normal couple in the world. In the middle of the night with burning buildings behind us. It made perfect sense. I was tired and perplexed.

  “You were listening to Daniel, he doesn’t want the slant ear,” Kahina said.

  “He wants Arnold Regious.”

  “Why would he care about Arnold?” She asked. It almost felt like we were on a date of some sort. Only this one involved escaping a hostage situation.

  “The elf and he were friends,” I responded. My free hand was still running across the outside of Daniel’s velvet container. The fabric felt like one of Julianne’s hunting pouches.

  “Somehow I doubt it’s that simple.” She sounded, happy? I looked over at her for a second then back to the pouch. Tonight wasn’t a night to quibble about our past. Not after that. If I did get into an argument with her it would make things worse.

  “Nothing ever is.” Only this time I wasn’t talking about Evan or Arnold. I was talking about us. Whatever we were, or weren’t. Even now I could see Kahina’s eyes drifting to the wound on my face. The one I had picked up after slamming into the ground from the explosion.

  My mind thought about her anyway. Her obsession with my blood was enough on its own. No one dated a vampire and skirted the topic. How had she managed to have enough control to drag me home after the fight with the wolf? My pants practically soaked in blood from all the damage. Maybe she hadn’t had control. Maybe that’s why I had nightmares then.

  “What is it about me, Kahina?” I asked quietly as we turned down another street. She didn’t respond right away, to the question or anything else. Finally, Kahina uttered something.

  “It’s almost dawn, I need to get home,” She said.

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “I’m on a schedule, Jay. Maybe tomorrow night I’ll have the luxury of answering, provided you stick around.” Her statement was a painful reminder that most of the avoidance had been on my end. Starting with me leaving four years ago.

  “Let’s get you home then.” I agreed. She would be much safer at home versus being comatose here on the street.

  Maybe we could sort something out if I crashed at her place for the day. Kahina still had her cell phone for some reason. A quick phone call and an awkward twenty-minute walk was all it took for a ride to show up. I sat on the other side of the car and tried not to feel sick at the passing scenery.

  An eyeblink later and we were at her house. A flurry of activity greeted us at the door. Well-dressed people all wearing the same style of clothing were at the forefront. Behind them seemed to be businessmen of some kind. They held papers and chatted away a
bout things that required her attention.

  The ones all wearing the same outfits seemed to be servants. They provided a change of clothes. She picked out a nightgown from a row of clothes that a pale young girl had draped across her arms. Then there was a slimy voice that I recognized as her second. The same irritating man who answered the phone last night. It belonged to a snobby looking man in a white suit though there were dashes of purple in various places.

  “My Lady, we were worried when you didn’t check in.” The second said.

  “We had a small run in with a sector agent,” Kahina said.

  “Oh goodness, shall I check with our contacts?” The snobby male said. I mean who says goodness anymore?

  “Yes, find out if this was a legitimate operation or not, we’ll act accordingly from there,” She answered. Her eyes were busy looking over the latest pile of papers to be put into her hands.

  “And your guest?” The man asked.

  “An old friend, he will be staying the day with us I believe.” She didn’t look up at me. Her hands flipped through papers and nodded. Seconds later she had a pen out and was signing away.

  For my part, I felt overwhelmed by everything. This wasn’t the Kahina I had known, not this house, not this sort of business mogul she had become. Some of the items in this house that I saw on display were making me drool. Maybe she wouldn’t mind if I added one to my collection.

  The male second, a partial vampire judging by his mannerisms and speed, was standing next to me. I stepped away slightly and tried not to punch him in the face. Tonight had set me on edge.

  “Sir?” He seemed to take in the dirty condition of my clothes as an indication of my character. There was distaste to the way his nose lifted.

  I glazed over for a moment until I heard a pen slap against the clipboard Kahina held.

  “Sir, will you be staying the day?” The second asked.

  “Sure.” I gave him my most infuriating grin.

  Maybe Kahina would let me stab her second in the heart while he was comatose during the day. Maybe I could bind some crosses into his room and leave them there. I really, really didn’t like how he was in my personal space.

  “I’ll ensure someone is available for you, and perhaps some other minor alterations as well.” The man said.

  “That sounds like an excellent idea. Make sure you behave.” I wasn’t sure which one of us Kahina was talking to. She padded softly off down the hallway. Another servant motioned to me. We went in a completely different direction.

  Walking down the hallway was a daunting experience. There were more doors in this place than one might expect. Some went to bathrooms and bedrooms along with servants quarters. Some doors went to kitchens and tiny laundry rooms.

  “How big is this place?” I asked.

  “Big, sir.” The person escorting me was the same person that had held the nightgowns for Kahina. I saw her lift one finger and brush at a table top in the hallway. It took me a moment to realize she was checking for dust as we traveled.

  “This is a lot different than what I remember,” I remember Kahina had owned a condo in a high-rise downtown. Not a mansion. Her servants seemed mostly human, though, they needed to be. Being a vampire came with too many downsides for any of them to survive making a living as a maid or butler.

  “The home has been in her family for generations.” My escort seemed distracted. She didn’t look at me, only at our surroundings.

  “What?” My brow scrunched up.

  “Lady Rhodes’ father passed on a few years ago. The home was left to her.” The next few tables didn’t seem to meet her expectations. There was a look of vague annoyance on her face. “There are no other heirs and the Lady is dedicated to her family’s legacy.”

  “Dedicated? Like turning vamp?” I asked.

  “Indeed.”

  Was that the reason she had made the change? The desire to keep her family name strong was a good reason. It was far less shallow than wanting to stay young and strong forever. We stopped at a single door near the end of the hallway.

  “This is the eastern guest room, the view is lovely in the morning.” She walked into the room and checked the pillows before nodding. “I would suggest enjoying the dawn then pulling the curtain closed. The drapes are heavy enough to block out the sunlight completely.”

  “Thank you,” I said. This was beyond my depth.

  “Not a problem. I’ll be up with a light breakfast for you if you wish.” The maid somehow managed to turn her question into a passive statement.

  “Uhhh….sure,” I answered. The maid nodded and walked off.

  This room was larger than my entire house. Kahina was turning into a big name vampire. I shouldn’t be surprised. I had seen this house in my visions when first looking Kahina up. Even at night it had seemed grand, from both the outside and brief snips of the inside. Seeing it in person was no less intimidating.

  The light breakfast came in while I was trying to conquer the top of the room. My bulky form was balanced carefully on the sturdiest chair I could find with a hand reached out towards the ceiling. She didn’t even bat an eyelash and set food onto the table. Moments later she was back out the door.

  I rocked the chair backwards and walked over to the small platter. It had a slice of toast along with half a peeled orange. Spices were mixed into the eggs and built a wonderful aroma. That meal was my only company as I watched the sunrise and tried not to think of Kahina.

  Chapter 14 – Employee Fitness Day

  Eventually, the muggy heat from midday stirred me. Only the thick curtains kept light from shining in. I woke up and slowly made it to the window, peeking outside. It was far too bright. A minute passed while I stood there blinking with only half my brain working.

  This room was unknown and clearly not secured. Someone had come in during my rest and left a change of clothes on a chair facing the bed. My back itched, the thought of some stranger sneaking by while I lay passed out didn't sit well with me. Vampires had it rough. My discomfort didn’t stop me from putting on fresh clothes. The shirt fit well and the pants didn’t constrict my waist.

  Next I started wandering the hallways. It only took a few twists and turns before I ran into one of the servants from the night before. Male this time, but with the same business-like air that the others had last night.

  “Can I help you?” He asked.

  I shrugged.

  “Did you need something?” The man said.

  “Am I allowed outside or did Kahina lock the doors?” I spoke slowly. The world was moving at full speed as my muddled mind tried to catch up.

  The man looked at me for a moment. One lip curled up with a hint of a smile. “They’re not locked, no.”

  “Can I go out, or do I need permission?” Not that I had a clue who to ask. Kahina would be out for hours yet, and her second needed a punch in the face.

  “I’m sure there’s plenty to entertain a man of your nature around here somewhere. I’ll see if we have someone free to guide you.” He said.

  “Just don’t make her cute, Kahina is the jealous type.” I tried to sound playful and failed. There was no reason for me to let Kahina’s employees get in trouble over me.

  “I doubt that will be an issue,” He said. Clearly he thought my charming factor was pretty low. What did he mean by a man of my nature? Like I was some mindless thug. Never mind. “Head to the main entrance. Someone will be along shortly.” His arm waved out to give guidance then he left me alone.

  By the time I found my way to the front the little maid was there waiting. Same red hair, same freckled face. She was shuffling her foot from heel to toe and back again. It was difficult to tell, but she seemed to be looking around the room for somebody. Probably me. I stepped down the stairs.

  “Sir?” She stopped rocking.

  “Are you my tour guide?” I asked.

  Her head bobbed.

  “Breakfast was good.” My first attempt at conversation had fallen flat. My people person skills needed
a lot of work.

  “It was nothing special.” She shrugged off my compliment. “Come on, we’ll tour the house and the grounds. Then I have an appointment at six, you may join us if you wish.”

  “Join what?” I wasn’t all together yet.

  “You’ll see.”

  The tour itself didn’t do much for me. We did a pass of the outer property edge. Everything inside was the same anyway. It was basically an endless series of rooms with names and general descriptions. The few non-staff we did see were promptly avoided.

  “Where’s this appointment?” I tried to broach the subject again.

  “I will show you once it’s time,” She said. And the tour went on. A few hours had passed before I noticed and the girl eventually led me into a larger room deep in the mansion.

  “Basement?” I asked.

  “Part of one.”

  I liked basements. They felt more comfortable then other types of rooms. It brought a sort of happiness, being underground made me feel at home. Secure.

  “The Lady suggested that you might want to see how we pass our time during the day.” My tour guide said. I assumed they all worked like normal people. There were certainly enough folks fluttering around the hallways.

  I shrugged.

  “She believed you might find it interesting.” My guide sounded disappointed at my lack of enthusiasm.

  “Suitable to a man of my nature?” I said.

  “Perhaps.”

  She opened the door and showed me inside, where I saw something that didn’t match what I expected. My expectation had been either a theater with a lot of cheap violent flicks or a line of girls eagerly waiting. Both would have been suitable for my nature.

  Once again my inner male was disappointed. There were twenty or so people kneeling on the ground. Each one wore a plain white set of loose pants, with a folded shirt bound by different colored belts. The only redemption was the two people in the middle. They did give an air of cheap violence.