Retribution a vampire ro.., p.1
Retribution: A Vampire Romance Series, page 1
Retribution
Book 2
By S. L. Baker
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed are of the authors imagination or used fictitiously.
Retribution. Copyright © 2021 by S. L. Baker. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States
Dedication
For all the fans of the first book I thank you for continuing to read the great adventures of Codi and Elric. I appreciate that you have dived into the characters and story like I did while writing this. This is also to my family and those I love.
Table of Contents
Retribution
Copyright
Dedication
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Book Series
Evolvement Blurb
About the Author
Contact Me
Chapter One
My name is Cordelia Ann Marie St. James, I may be a seventeen-year-old high school student but I am far from a normal teenage girl. Mind you, it was very normal until about one month ago.
Here’s a quick recap on the last month. Girls started disappearing, and with my dad being a police chief and my own ambition, I set out to conduct my own investigation. To do so I convinced my friends, Jamie, Daniel, and Andrew to go to the club where the girls start vanishing.
There I apparently caught the eye of a vampire named Elric Reyes. Now, most would think that I would be on the menu, but that was not on his agenda it seems. Instead, he started showing up everywhere and tried to court me. You think that would have scared me off, but I feel this pull from him that I can't seem to deny or explain. I never told anyone about him either.
People I am close to started getting hurt, killed, or disappearing. With Elric’s help, I managed to find my missing friend, and apparently, he avenged the death of my old boss and the attack on my best friend.
Here’s the twist. After my friend, Jamie was attacked and my boss was murdered, I became a vampire hunter with my dad and his Lieutenant, named John. He was my trainer, to get me prepared to hunt. After my friend Andrew disappeared, Jamie and Daniel joined the fight. My group of hunters managed to kill the one responsible for the kidnapping of Andrew.
From the time, I found out that my father was a hunter on I knew Elric was a vampire, though I never told him I knew, and it seems that he found out what I was too. Yet we still come to this moment.
I'm currently in his car, I just lowered my hand that contains the garlic mace, which was aimed directly in his face. We both just admitted to each other that we knew of each other’s secrets.
Now I have given him five minutes to explain his side.
“This better be good.”
“Here is what I know. When we saw each other at the club something occurred, did you feel anything weird?” he asks looking into my eyes.
“I felt some sort of pull, but I was told that it was a form of mind control.”
“In some instances, it has been said to have a similar experience, but answer me this. Do you feel the pull now?”
“Yes, but I keep fighting it. I refuse to give in. I don’t know what you’re trying to do but it won't work,” I state as I look away from him.
“It is not me doing it intentionally, plus I feel it too. When mind control is used, we do not feel it ourselves. What is happening between you and me can be explained, it is called the Awakening. It is said that when one of my kind comes in proximity of their one true mate, or as you may say love, they will be overpowered with feelings towards them. The ones affected will be unable to not think of the other and have a fierce need to protect the other. Has that happened with you, the thoughts or even the protection?”
“Maybe,” I say while looking shyly down at my hands. I am reluctant to let him know that it has been occurring since the first time I have met him, which is why I kept him for the knowledge of my father and the other hunters.
“Ok, we can come back to that in a bit, if you wish to. I just wanted you to know my need is to protect you from all harm. Now you would have been protected on the Awakening grounds, but your friends would not have been, but I demanded they be protected as well. Unfortunately, this happened after your boss was murdered.”
He paused for a moment letting this information he just gave me soak in. he was patient before he continued a minute or two later when I relaxed from my tense position and nodded.
“What I was feeling towards you from the very beginning caused me to lash out at the vampire that attacked your female friend.”
This put a shock through me as my eyes widen while I think for a moment then, “Her name is Jamie, and I know James told me all this,” I say with aggravation in my voice.
“Did he mention Geneviève, my second hand, how I murdered her for murdering your boss?”
“Yes.” I quietly reply when I realize I am being somewhat petulant towards someone who has avenged me and those I care about.
“How do you feel about me due to those actions?” He asks as he turns his head to look into my eyes. I notice his expression calls out to be understood, to be accepted and there is a hint of conflict.
“Surprisingly those situations are not what I'm having a problem with. It’s the fact that I know you were in charge of the kidnapping and blood retrieval from those innocent girls. Then five were murdered, one of the five ended up in the river, four were cremated, poorly but none the less.” My anger increases as I speak.
“The girl in the river escaped and fell in so I was told. I was not there. As far as the conditions you stated for the girls, I had no knowledge of the situation. Had I known I would have changed something. They were to be well taken care of until they meet their end peacefully. I am not a monster anymore. I was before you, but now things have changed. I managed to order a halt on the whole organization”
“How am I supposed to believe all that? Aren’t you in charge of them? Didn’t you go and check to see how the ‘business’ was going? There are other means of going about this.” My anger peaks as my fists ball up in my lap and my eyes throw daggers into his.
“I got caught up in running the club and making sure the killing in the streets was under control. I know that does not make me sound any better but I am a vampire. I had thirty-one vampires in my coven, I killed two and you, and the others killed nine. Some happened before you found out about vampire existence I assume.” I nod.
“So what does this all have to do with me, and you changing, not sure I'm grasping that concept?” I hate being out of the loop when vital information is needed to make a proper decision. This is infuriating, get to the point already.
“The Awakening. It is a cellular bond between the both of us, making us destined to be together.”
“Are you freaking serious? How am I supposed to run off into the sunset with someone who kills people?” I notice he slightly jumps at my rise in volume all of a sudden, he has a look of hurt on his face that he quickly removes to hide from me.
“That is the thing, I don’t anymore. I have not killed a human in the past month. I know to you it is not much but to me, it is an eternity of going against my nature. I found killing no longer tasteful. I fed but not enough to cause any harm.”
“How am I to believe that, I mean I want to, but still.”
“I do not know how to prove this to you but time. Unfortunately, we do not have time. If you said one of the vampires escaped then we are all in danger. They will come after all of you and make me watch you all get brutally murdered and save you for last or they will start picking you all off one by one until there is just you and me left. Then in my grief, they will kill me,” he says with sorrow in his eyes as he grabs my hands. “I cannot let that happen to you or the others. I am fine with losing everything, but not you. Moreover, I know that if you lost anyone close to you, I would lose you. You would blame me for everything.”
“So wait a minute. You only put out the protection detail to protect the others because you didn’t want to lose me, not because you actually care what happens to them?” My frustration starts to flare once again after I managed finally to relax again with him. I need to stop letting my emotions cloud my judgment and just listen, but that is easier said than done.
“That is not what I meant. I know you care for them so in extension so do I.” I notice a sincerity in his voice and I never pictured a vampire to be capable of such a thing as compassion. Though I know there are none like him that I have seen as of yet.
“Ok, let me think for a minute here.” I sit there looking out the windshield and think of what he just told me. I'm destined to be with him, seriously? What am I supposed to do with that? Plus there are twenty vampires set out to kill us all unless we get to them first. One thing at a time. “So, what is the first thing?”
“I have to go into hiding.”
“Really that is your solution, hide? When there are people who need to be protected?
“You are right. I need to be able to keep tab s on all of you, but how am I to do that, there are too many of you and so far stretched in distance.”
“My dad already has us on red alert, we each have a way to protect ourselves, but it will only work on one maybe two vampires at a time, any more than that I think we will lose people.”
“At least you have some way of defense. I am going to remain close to you.”
“You said I would be the last, am I right?”
“Probable. Why?”
“I need the others under more protection. Now my dad and, the other leader I shall not name, can fend for themselves, but Jamie, Daniel, and Andrew. He’s in the ICU because of me.” I start to tear up, I must not cry in front of him.
“No, dear Cordelia, he is there because of me. The one, who took him, Antonio, was the lover of Geneviève. It was revenge on me for killing her. It had nothing to do with you, I promise.”
“So, I need you to watch out for them. Andrew has a hunter watching him, so I hope that may be enough until he gets out, but the others.”
“They will not try anything in the hospital, to public. Therefore, he is safe for now. You still have school, correct?”
“Monday thru Wednesday, in the mornings and they get shorter each day by one class, why?”
“I figured you and your friends can remain together as long as the day allows.”
“I can try; it might not work every day though. They do have lives.”
“Anything is better than nothing at this point.” He runs his hands through his hair he looks stressed.
“I guess we will just have to hunt them down one by one to prevent them from harming us, including you. You have helped me, well us. You found Andrew and avenged atrocities that were done towards those I care about. I owe you.”
“You do not owe me, but I think you may be right. Unfortunately, it will not be that easy. They will now be on guard. Now they know where my alliances lie- with you. Your alliance is with the hunters. So, therefore, I am betraying my very being, but I can live with that. Can you? Will you be at my side and be with me?”
“How about we get through this mess and then figure that out. For right now I will try my best to work with you to find these others, if that means just you and I hunt them down then that’s what it will be. Can I trust you to watch my back no matter what?”
“Yes. I will do everything include die to protect you.”
“Let’s not go that far, ok.”
“Sure.” He looks saddened by that statement. I can't focus on that right now. “So I guess I will head home, you are welcome to join me until my dad gets out of work, or whatever you wish to do.”
“I will go and watch over your friends for a little while then I will come back tonight if you want. If so leave your bedroom window open, I can't have the alarm going off.”
“I'll turn it off right before I open the window then turn it back on.” He nods. “So I will see you soon. Text me updates.”
“I will. Let me drop you off closer to the house. Have the alarm set and a weapon always at the ready. Is the alarm set currently?”
“Yes, it’s set. I will always have it set, even when I'm home.”
He drives around the block and drops me off at my house. He looks on with worry in his eyes. He must really care what is going on here. I'm grateful he’s willing to look after my friends. Maybe there is hope for him after all.
Four hours pass and it is officially dark outside. My dad has been home for an hour and we decide that it’s time to turn in. So he heads upstairs and I wait until I hear the bathroom door close, I quickly turn off the alarm. I take the stairs two at a time and head to my window and open it all the way. I turn and exit my room closing the door and quietly head downstairs to turn it back on.
I head back upstairs very quietly and enter my room. I turn and there he is. He really is beautiful. His dark hair falls just the right way over his forehead and his brown eyes are light and vibrant, and that smile. He has a slight scuffle that kind of reminds me of Ed Quinn from the show Eureka, and it suits him very well. It makes him look…authoritative, older than his young age. I shake my head; I need to get it together.
“So, how was everything?”
“Quiet so far. I am not sure if he told everyone yet, or if he had, they are probably formulating a plan. I may have to form a meeting with them, just to find out.”
“Are you sure that’s a wise choice? I mean what if they try something there?”
“I do not know, but I need to try something. I will form the meeting tomorrow evening and come back here when I know the coast is clear for me to do so. The last thing I want is for one of them to follow me here and see where you live.”
“I agree with that. Even if they do, I have an alarm. I would know and be able to prepare immediately. I would also get ahold of my dad if he’s not home. He’s only five minutes from here, two if he speeds.”
I grab my sleepwear and excuse myself for a minute to change. I come back into the room and he is looking at all of the books that I have on the shelf.
“You seem to have a variety of books here. I notice that you do have Dracula. I figure you threw that into one of our conversations to see my reaction, am I right?”
“Yes, I threw in a few things here and there, just to see if you would come clean.”
“Did not work. I refused to give you a reason to run from me. Although it almost happened with my little side business. Which as I stated, never meant to go that far.”
“I'm sure. So what is the plan then? You’re calling a meeting, and then I guess we will go from there?”
“Yes, that is the plan.”
I sit on my bed and bring my knees to my chest. I rest my chin on my knees and I get lost in thought, thoughts of how things got so messed up and how they are about to get worse.
“What should I tell my dad and the others? They know nothing about you, so the information given from you to them will be questioned.”
“If it is at all possible to keep them out of this, it would be better. As much as I do not want you in the line of fire, it would cause more problems bringing them in. It needs to be between us, but if they need to be brought in-which I am sure they will get involved- you will come up with something. You are very smart and intuitive.”
Elric
Things have gotten crazy. My world is falling apart. I stand here in my beloved’s room and look on to her and see strength and beauty. She is not becoming intimidated by this situation, whereas most people would.
She is very tempting in those bed shorts with the way she is sitting. I have to avert my eyes or the inner me will win over the stable me. If I act too soon on affections, I will definitely lose her, for good. At least she has not run from me when I explained our situation.
Cordi
“So, are we really supposed to be together? Like romantically involved?” I ask as he sits on the edge of my bed. He looks me in the eye with a faraway look on his face.
“How our history and myths go, yes. However, I will never force you to. All I ask is that you allow me to protect you. If you wanted me gone I would go, but I would remain close enough to protect you. Although, I would never directly contact you anymore.”
“Hypothetically, say I were to choose that route, what would it do to you and me?”
“If I was told correctly it would feel as though a piece of who we are was ripped out of us, that something would be missing and nothing would be able to fill it. A few in history had that happen to them. The human turned to vices and the vampire became ravenous and tore through villages.”
“Oh my. That’s not good. In our current state, I am pissed at you, but I also am smart enough to know that those things happened or at least started before me. So I guess I can't completely fault you for those things unless you are lying to me to make yourself sound better.”
“What I say is the truth. I will not lie to you. It hurt me to keep this all from you this past month. All I wanted to do was tell you the truth. Even back when we went to the mall.”
“That seems so long ago to me. So much has happened since then.” I down my eyes as I go over in my head everything since we first met until now. My world has been turned upside down from that day and it is going even more topsy turvy as the days go on.
