Blood Rider

Lee was tired, drained and just a little hungry. More than anything she was grumpy. It seemed to her, she was beginning to associate with the Clans more than she desired and almost suspected they were changing their strategy of doing so. Her job was to get rid of their rampaging vamps and the source and it was what she needed to focus on. So that meant she needed to call in the troops to help her, while she sought more information from this creator of a line.

She chose the meeting place; an old style pub that catered to all races, but humans. A bar where you walked into a pleasantly dim environment, down some stairs to the main floor and could relax in peace, without having to apologize for being a monster, unless you tried to eat someone’s face off. It was run by a sharp-witted ruthless wizard. Since he followed the shady gray line of magic, it meant he was more than willing to use force when needed, magical forces of course. He had enough spells wrapped around the place that her skin tingled with the power and gave her a constricted feeling as her aura was literally restricted. A vampire’s aura was like a second skin and so it felt like she was being hugged too hard. Spells to determine who was entering, to prevent certain people from entering and extensive buffering shield. Considering his patrons, it was hardly surprising he went to the effort.

It was frequented by any sort of magic user, mortal or otherwise. However, Jimmy, more than welcomed clanless vamps, or Council workers, as in his mind we also rode the gray line. He didn’t want Clan vampires, gang like groups, in his joint. And the rest of patrons, well they didn’t want to piss Jimmy off. A high class wizard he was, over a century old, battle honed and had a strong natural ability to tap into the unpredictable ley line forces. Lee didn’t have the fine-tuned senses a wizard had for ley lines, but even she knew there was a darn good reason Jimmy chose his location and it wasn’t because it was in neutral territory either.

She was the first to arrive, finding a table near the back. She ordered herself a jug of dark brewed beer and one glass. On her third drink Tia arrived, looking especially feisty and sexy. She pulled up a chair yelling to Jimmy for some sort of fruity concoction. Lee could tell from the flush on the werewolf’s cheeks she had been running with the packs again. There was something about the Quarter City pack that attracted Tia. If there wasn’t, then Tia wouldn’t stick around, she would be running with the packs in the Rocky Mountains. Lee had to wonder how the Council hoped to hold her or perhaps she also feared to repercussions of leaving.

“So, how did the meet and greet go?” She had been less than pleased with the vague details Lee had given her regarding her bargain. While Tia was all for hunting rogues, she didn’t like Lee’s insatiable curiosity over her nature, or willingly meeting with Eric’s Sire. She also didn’t like the fact they had to follow these chaotic little bleeders around, while they caused havoc and injury, just waiting for more information. Tia wanted to hunt. To eliminate the immediate threats and worry about the Maker later.

“Well, I bit him.”

“You bit Eric? Is that some sort of kinky foreplay?”

She smiled mischievously. “Wouldn’t you like to know. But in this case, no, and it was Lucian, his Sire.”

“That’s a bad start,” Tia said slowly and Lee could almost hear the lecture she was storing up and ready to spew out. Tia knew so little of vampire affairs and rules that she likely could think of nothing to say. She had to know it was a bad sign Lee was associating with them more frequently, being pulled into their conflict because she had a desire to know her being. Lee knew it was a bad sign, just having meetings with anyone above Eric was tempting fate by drawing attention. But what could a werewolf understand about doubting her own nature? They were all about being in the moment. Maybe in the past, or at least mythically speaking, some shape shifters had been able to pass on their ability by biting. Maybe that had been a sort of genetic disease. Whatever the case, shape shifters were a breed apart from humans now. Tia couldn’t understand Lee’s desire to remember her own human past, to grasp that thread of humanity, when Tia had never been human. To mistake a shape shifter of any sort to be human was never a good idea. Just like waving a bloody hand in front of a vampire was not a good idea. Both had undeniable instincts and motivations that were so very not human.

“Not so much, actually. He seemed to understand why I did it, sort of, or part of him did.”

“And why did you? Suicidal much?”

“No, not much,” she said dryly. “And I have no idea. That would be the confusing part.” She couldn’t explain her reaction to those of Master and higher in power. It would make her seem weak and the Council would demand she not associate with the older vamps. She took a few sips of her beer and then said, “I had a reaction to him. An instinctual reaction.”

“Like a territorial reaction?”

She smiled slightly. She guessed in werewolf terms that might work as an analogy. It certainly had felt very aggressive and primal. It frightened her a little that her rider could cause a reaction Lee couldn’t control, that blindly swept her away like that. For no logical reason.

-He deserved it.-

Why? Because he’s as crazy as a loon? Because his rider doesn’t like you?

-He deserved it.-

And that’s all she was getting from Charlie. Grumbles and emphatic but vague statements. Really, she didn’t know one vampire who didn’t deserve a good beating, including herself. Unfortunately, no one could beat the demon out of someone.

“You’re zoning out here.” Tia waved a hand in front of her face.

“You try having two separate but unconnected conversations. Anyway, it was more like a lesson in dominance. Doesn’t matter. It was a futile operation on many levels. The point is he will let me meet with another who may be able to cast some light on these particular bleeders. Or at least if it is possible to purge them of their demons.”

-We should not.-

“I don’t think messing with their high end members is a good idea. I mean I get it. They’re your kind. But you could get in loads of trouble with your Handler.”

Ignoring the both she continued, “Or at least if it is possible to purge them of their demons. He did mention that if the rider, who was mature, took a human that was weak of mental energy, it would create a vampire like the ones we have seen. He said they didn’t take hosts like that. But if it happened they would always in the blood lust. Theoretically if so, as free agents, they wouldn’t be grouping as they are. So what we have is a case of impossible vampires in a frenzy and grouping together on their killing sprees.”

“I can see that,” Tia said. “Master level vamps, by aged power alone, are like alphas in a pack. They want to claim a territory and keep their offspring in line. That is their primal instinct. And if a newborn had no control over their nature, then they would be antagonistic to all others.”

“Precisely. Which leaves us nowhere. An unknown Sire. Bleeders not bonded with riders running them. Or something screwy with them and their turn.”

“They are diseased,” Tia said. “Whatever their Maker is doing to them he is doing it intentionally and releasing them into the city.”

She nodded. “There is that.”

Tia bared her teeth. “Which is why I advocated putting them down.”

Lee put up her hands in a stop gesture. “Whoa. Preaching to the choir, sister. Eric doesn’t care how I find the Sire, but the Council runs the show, you know that. They said we could do the job but we had to follow the bleeders, maintain a distance and see where it leads. I said we only needed one to follow.”

Lee saw Richard enter the room and look over to them. He was hard to ignore. Her eyes were automatically drawn to him. Wizard’s vibrated with energy. Vampires had impressive auras and it was very noticeable when his energy sparked up all around him touching hers. Yet, appearance wise, he didn’t look like a wizard at all. No long flowing white beard or robes stitched with mystical designs. She had been oddly disappointed when she had first met a wizard; at least witches had the decency to act witchy.

Rather he wore slacks and a tee-shirt and had spiky blond hair. He looked younger than he was, and so his style helped him blend with those who were that age. At least in a retro-Creation sort of way young wizards sported. The leather overcoat, much like a duster, was the only mismatched thing on him, although it would work if he also wore a cowboy hat. The jacket was actually handmade and special ordered. It had many pockets and some of the things in those pockets packed a powerful punch. Lee should know, white wizards hated vampires. Vampires consumed energy while they used natural forces. That made her kind evil and should be destroyed. That made their kind annoying and should be smacked around until they smartened up.

Fortunately, Richard also rode the grey line, was unaffiliated with the White Wizard Council and thus did as he pleased, what he felt was right, for causes he believed were right. And so he worked like Lee did, for the Council that watched all the other racial establishments and took out those that didn’t work within the rules. Like her, he worked on the outskirts, doing jobs that he preferred to do and staying in the city of his choice. She had asked him why this city and she got the answer about vortex points and ley lines. She learned to effectively tune him out when he went into details.

He was her roommate for certain, but also her occasional bite mate. He had no problems being a donor, so she wouldn’t ‘prey’ on others, but also because he really enjoyed it. He really enjoyed it. It was a bit of a guilty pleasure for him. He would likely love a dominatrix for a girlfriend, but as it was he liked the biting, the feeding and the hunger of a vampire. Even if everything about him screamed food, which made him pissy. But it did, every little reaction he had when she wanted to feed made her feel like a predator. The very fact that she could go too far, bleed him too much, excited him.

As he came closer she was reminded of the force of his aura. The intensity of his blue eyes that even she preferred not to look into too long. Those eyes could suck you inside and spit you out feeling as though you had been read, tested and judged. It was hard to say what a wizard saw with such eyes. She never had asked, but she felt in her very essence it was a soul deep gaze. His sharp hawk like features added to the intensity and you didn’t want to have him staring at you with the full power of his gaze. He was also an assassin, a killer and a warrior wizard. And for that reason she liked him well enough. He gave out pain as much as he liked having it inflicted on him. She got that about him because just like everyone else he was strongest in his broken places. Unfortunately, he also made a fine Council snitch. She would never trust him and could never count on his loyalty.

He grinned at her widely and she was reminded of the odd contrast of his personality to his job. His eyes held the knowledge of how dangerous he was; eyes always did and it was hard to lie with your eyes. The energy of them though made her just want to dance on into trouble with him. “My lovely ladies,” he said sitting down. “How I have missed you.”

“It has only been a week,” Tia said, but smiled, because Richard could make anyone smile. Bizarre that they didn’t see the ruthless edge to him. A reckless ruthless edge. It was fine to be ruthless; Lee worked with some of the most ruthless people in the Council on a regular basis. It was the almost manic reckless part, which people seemed to mistake as an electric enthusiasm, which was dangerous on a job. Lee didn’t know what was the cause of it, whether it was an addiction to the danger, adrenaline high or maybe even a self-destructive side but whatever it was there was always a bit of a risk pulling Richard into a job because he might dive right in, not follow orders and screw the game right up. Nevertheless, he had the power and the tricks to back him.

“It seemed like an eternity,” he said, his eyes lingering on Lee. She smiled slowly, her hunger beginning to thrum in her.

“On the Hunt Guard were you?”

“Not at all. Up in the Changed Quarter, to see if they have created anyone else with our talents. The talent needs to be cultivated quickly. Quite a bit more common in their gene pool. Of course their Queen would like to keep them and so there I go to lure young wizards our way. Then spent some time on beer bar lane.”

The Northern Quarter of the Changed was in fact the entire city across the river. It was rapidly becoming a country of its own. Certainly they thought of it as such. Big on the monarchy over there.

“Well, while you were traipsing around in the north, we have developed a problem. A vampire problem, but also a Council one. We got some rogues of a new sort. The rider seems to be in control of them. The vampires want to find their nest and destroy it. Find the Maker more. My Handler sent a note to say the Council partly agrees but they want a living sample,” she said. She had made a report to her Handler, sans some important details. He had suggested some initial observations and reports before action, but she had no intention of following that, since out of control bleeders could be a very big problem especially if the Maker continued to turn people.

“I know what you’re going to say about that,” Richard said with a grin. “So sorry, no live samples survived.”

“Damn right. They may want to study him to learn more about the Rider-Host relationship, but they likely want to know if it can be controlled. And since that’s not a game I play with them, I only promised information. Eric suckered me into this one, but I would appreciate the backup. A little more than a girl can handle. These are all fledglings; all turned under a decade ago. I assume they don’t have the strength to turn anyone, intentionally or otherwise. So the hunt is truly finding the Maker. The sooner the better really. He‘s screwing up each turn and obviously doesn‘t care about how many he turns or teaching them any control. We‘re not authorized to move on any of the fledglings, least we alert the Maker. When we find him or her then we move on them all at once.”

“You know I’m game for that sort of fun,” Richard said. “I would be insulted as to have no invitation.”

Well and true, and since he worked for the Hunter Guard, he would take a rogue grouping to be a threat to the University Quarter. More a threat to the Human Quarter really, but humans welfare was a concern of the Council. Their contract with the Human Quarter, known as Town, depended on the Council protecting them from all the scary beasties. Since the Council had a treaty with the were-wolf pack and a tentative treaty with the Changed, that meant vampires were seen as that out of control factor the Council used to ensure Town needed them. Rather meant the Council wanted vampires to be the monsters in the dark. The monster that could always be counted on to scare the locals into needing the Council.

“What needs to be done?” Tia asked.

“A good romp, like the old days. You found where they rest?”

“We found where they were going, but explored no further. They are on the border of the Vamp Quarter. Not sure that will sooth the master vamp though, perhaps he would have preferred they were in his territory. It’s a warehouse that has seen better days, but has been recently fortified.”

Tia spread out a map that had been sketched out by the team of the unclaimed territory with tracked movements of the bleeders. As Lee had suspected the bleeders movements had been erratic, but never strayed far from the radius of the area marked where the warehouse was. “We narrowed the area down and focused our efforts in exploring the terrain,” Tia said. “While maintaining surveillance on the bleeders we had located. Once we had some pack in the area we found more of the rogues in the area of the warehouse. We also happened follow one of the nine to ground in the morning. Lee was right; they are using the underground to travel during the day back to this district here until night. Then they meet back at this warehouse early in the evening before going back out to hunt.”

“Any sense of the Sire?” Lee asked.

Tia shrugged. “Hard to say. We don’t have a sense of that. The wizard the Council lent us did do a scan but it really didn’t come up with much. Too much interference from being so close to the Vampire Quarter for one. If he is there he hasn’t come out. We didn’t get a scent trail of any strong aged vamps and they do have a scent to them.”

Lee wrinkled her nose. She didn’t ask and didn’t want to know.

“We know there are more than the few we tagged for certain. Well over twenty by what the mage said. Likely feeding on the humans all over the slums in all directions and not just near University City. I think it is very likely they have some captive in the warehouse and that is why we have not seen as many active bleeders roaming around. I think we’d notice more of them.”

“You’d think,” Richard said. “But then what goes down outside of the Quarters isn’t exactly noticed.”

“Especially in winter,” Lee added. “The death count in unsecured areas is always high and no one pays much attention, since they take the risk in squatting outside of secure areas.”

“Well, they’re fair game either way. They may be preying on people who are outside of the Quarters protection but they are also outside of Clan protection. I say we make a raid of it, see what sort of resistance there is. Kill as many as possible. And then get out of there. Whether the Sire is there or not, clearly they are nesting there. We can kill a great deal of them, weaken whatever base of operations he is creating and nab a few for questioning,” Lee said. Enough screwing around. Tia nodded in agreement. These vampires were not organized by any means so assuming the peons of the group would be reporting to the Master on a regular basis was skewed thinking anyway.

“A little tentative,” Richard complained.

War wizards. Couldn’t have a simple scrimmage without debating strategies.

“We don’t know enough of how they come into existence. Who is daring to break vampire law by turning them? And more laws by not bonding them properly and then another for letting them feed to the kill. If we don’t find him, he will simply make more. And with these rogues being as volatile as they are, I doubt their Master would enjoy their company and likely has better accommodations. This could be a coupe in the making. Someone strong enough to use the Rider-Host link to his advantage. In the end, that is the one we want to eliminate. If on the other hand it is not an organized action and this is just a bleeder on the loose accidentally turning others, then we find him there. Either way, we can assume he has some Master link to them because they have some bond to each other, therefore to him, broken as it and they are. That means if he keeps making them, and they keep feeding as ravenously as they are, he is gaining strength just being connected to them. We cut off a few of his limbs he‘ll be weaker when we do get to him.”

“Yeah, if we keep pissing around about it he just keeps getting stronger and the potential problem larger. When their food supply runs low, or the humans in the slums and gutters smarten up and go to ground where do you think they will go next?” Tia said. “University City is secure as all hell, but the outskirts aren’t and the human walled Town Quarter is only secure as the humans like to think it is, not to a vampire for sure.”

Richard nodded. “So we could have a strong bleeder, making fledglings he doesn’t control, because he doesn’t know it or care. But, he gains strength from having them. Or we could have someone trying to make a press for territory and is using these poorly turned ones to raise trouble for the local Clan, while he personally turns and recruits. Lot of unclaimed territory he could be wanting to take ownership of, if he could manage to hold onto it.”

“Maybe someone borderline Master classed,” Tia speculated. “If he could turn but not bind them to him as normally is done, or didn’t turn them right.”

An interesting thought. Being as Lee was of the race she should know, but she knew nothing of the turn and Eric hadn’t been specific enough on it. She assumed a failed turn was fatal. She also had the impression when someone wilfully turned a human, this drawing of the rider through oneself, the binding of Sire to fledgling was inevitable. Lucien implied otherwise, if Lee had in fact been turned, wasn’t bound to her Maker and the turning had been incomplete in some way. She and Charlie were not exactly one, but where instead bound together and yet separate entities. The rogues could be something similar, only with more rider and less person.

“Or something else,” she said, worrying about what she had seen in these rogues so far. They had just felt so wrong to her in a way she couldn’t explain. That is why she wanted to get in there and get rid of them as soon as possible before more of them came into existence. Take one or two of them alive would be a priority sure, but the rest would go down.