Read Online Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dianne Duvall
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minutes.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll also have a new Hayabusa here within the hour and will get it to you as soon as the paint dries.” Marcus preferred solid black vehicles.
“Great.”
“Listen, while I have you on the line, you should know that Lisette has been coming up against vamps in groups of three and four every night in Raleigh instead of once every week or two. Étienne has encountered the same in Fayetteville, as has David in Durham.”
Because of the madness wrought by the damage the virus did to their brains, vampires normally tended to hunt and live alone.
“I took out eight in Chapel Hill a few nights ago, then two more near Carrboro.” Marcus refrained from mentioning Ami’s aid, since she wanted to keep that hush-hush.
Chris swore. “Word must not have gotten out that Bastien is on our side now.”
“ Is Bastien on our side now?”
Bastien had somehow escaped Seth’s detection when he was transformed in the nineteenth century and had, until recently, lived his entire immortal existence amongst vampires. From what Marcus had heard, Seth’s attempt to reform Bastien was not going well.
A long pause ensued.
“I don’t know,” Chris answered honestly.
“Could he be up to his old tricks again?”
Believing himself a vampire, Bastien had assembled an army of nearly a hundred vampire followers and over a dozen human minions before launching an attack on the immortals a year and a half ago, beginning with Roland.
“I don’t know how he could while he’s under Seth’s thumb.”
“Then why are the vamps still swarming here and congregating in groups?”
“That’s what we’re all trying to figure out. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
“Let the others know the packs are growing. Eight at once wouldn’t pose a threat to David. But Étienne and Lisette may want to start hunting together.”
Younger immortals weren’t as strong and fast as the older ones, and Lisette and her brothers were only two centuries old.
“I’ll call them as soon as I talk to Marion.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
As Marcus returned his cell phone to his front pocket, he heard the faint hum of a car engine and looked in the direction from which it came.
It approached very quickly. Far more quickly than was safe for mortals.
A shiny black metal body flew over the top of a distant hill, then disappeared from view. Tires squealed as the vehicle took a turn too quickly. No red lights reflected off the trees, so the driver must not have even tapped the breaks.
Glancing down, then to the left, Marcus visually measured the tight curve of the road, the speed of the oncoming vehicle and winced at the imagined crash to come.
Perhaps it would be prudent to retreat to a safe distance in order to avoid being further damaged by shrapnel.
The car soared over the last hill, tires leaving the pavement briefly, then accelerated into the straight stretch that led to Marcus. A Prius identical to his own, it plowed forward at speeds Marcus himself traveled. Were he to remain in the road and try to flag the driver down to warn him, the car would be upon him before the headlights illuminated his black-clad form enough to see it.
Pivoting on his heel, Marcus left the blacktop, crossed the narrow dirt and gravel shoulder, and let grasses and weeds envelop his legs as he descended into the adjacent field. Pain arched through his ribs when he leapt over a small ditch. Once he had achieved a good fifteen yards distance, he turned and faced the oncoming imbecile.
The shiny black missile continued to charge forward. Marcus was already cringing in anticipation of the clamor and carnage when brakes screeched.
The scent of burning rubber suffused the air as the driver executed a perfect 360-degree turn, spinning in a complete circle, then a bit farther. Gravel sprayed and dust rose in a cloud as the car skidded to a halt on the narrow shoulder, its headlights illuminating Marcus.
The trunk popped up. The driver
“Thanks.”
“I’ll also have a new Hayabusa here within the hour and will get it to you as soon as the paint dries.” Marcus preferred solid black vehicles.
“Great.”
“Listen, while I have you on the line, you should know that Lisette has been coming up against vamps in groups of three and four every night in Raleigh instead of once every week or two. Étienne has encountered the same in Fayetteville, as has David in Durham.”
Because of the madness wrought by the damage the virus did to their brains, vampires normally tended to hunt and live alone.
“I took out eight in Chapel Hill a few nights ago, then two more near Carrboro.” Marcus refrained from mentioning Ami’s aid, since she wanted to keep that hush-hush.
Chris swore. “Word must not have gotten out that Bastien is on our side now.”
“ Is Bastien on our side now?”
Bastien had somehow escaped Seth’s detection when he was transformed in the nineteenth century and had, until recently, lived his entire immortal existence amongst vampires. From what Marcus had heard, Seth’s attempt to reform Bastien was not going well.
A long pause ensued.
“I don’t know,” Chris answered honestly.
“Could he be up to his old tricks again?”
Believing himself a vampire, Bastien had assembled an army of nearly a hundred vampire followers and over a dozen human minions before launching an attack on the immortals a year and a half ago, beginning with Roland.
“I don’t know how he could while he’s under Seth’s thumb.”
“Then why are the vamps still swarming here and congregating in groups?”
“That’s what we’re all trying to figure out. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
“Let the others know the packs are growing. Eight at once wouldn’t pose a threat to David. But Étienne and Lisette may want to start hunting together.”
Younger immortals weren’t as strong and fast as the older ones, and Lisette and her brothers were only two centuries old.
“I’ll call them as soon as I talk to Marion.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
As Marcus returned his cell phone to his front pocket, he heard the faint hum of a car engine and looked in the direction from which it came.
It approached very quickly. Far more quickly than was safe for mortals.
A shiny black metal body flew over the top of a distant hill, then disappeared from view. Tires squealed as the vehicle took a turn too quickly. No red lights reflected off the trees, so the driver must not have even tapped the breaks.
Glancing down, then to the left, Marcus visually measured the tight curve of the road, the speed of the oncoming vehicle and winced at the imagined crash to come.
Perhaps it would be prudent to retreat to a safe distance in order to avoid being further damaged by shrapnel.
The car soared over the last hill, tires leaving the pavement briefly, then accelerated into the straight stretch that led to Marcus. A Prius identical to his own, it plowed forward at speeds Marcus himself traveled. Were he to remain in the road and try to flag the driver down to warn him, the car would be upon him before the headlights illuminated his black-clad form enough to see it.
Pivoting on his heel, Marcus left the blacktop, crossed the narrow dirt and gravel shoulder, and let grasses and weeds envelop his legs as he descended into the adjacent field. Pain arched through his ribs when he leapt over a small ditch. Once he had achieved a good fifteen yards distance, he turned and faced the oncoming imbecile.
The shiny black missile continued to charge forward. Marcus was already cringing in anticipation of the clamor and carnage when brakes screeched.
The scent of burning rubber suffused the air as the driver executed a perfect 360-degree turn, spinning in a complete circle, then a bit farther. Gravel sprayed and dust rose in a cloud as the car skidded to a halt on the narrow shoulder, its headlights illuminating Marcus.
The trunk popped up. The driver
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