Hunting Innocence : Vampires of Blood and Bones Vol. 6 Read online

  Hunting

  Innocence

  Vampire of Blood and Bones

  Vol. 6

  B.A. Stretke

  Copyright © 2020 by B.A. Stretke

  Published by Superiorland Publishing

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person (living or dead), place, or event is purely coincidence.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The man walked into the gas station convenience store, acting as if he owned the place. Looking around sharply and demanding service by pounding on the counter. Joe was stocking shelves but had watched the man walk in and knew it was not going to be a pleasant experience. Some people had the belief that clerks were there to serve them exclusively, not anyone else, only them and immediately and to hell with the rest of humanity.

  Joe had worked at the Gas and Service Station on the edge of Mt. Pleasant since he graduated from high school, and that was five years ago. He thought he would work at the station for a year or two and then find something more suitable for the long term. Unfortunately, all he found over the past five years was a series of other minimum wage jobs that weren’t any better than what he already had.

  There wasn’t much opportunity for a man like Joe in Mt. Pleasant, but he lacked the courage to leave. His friends were here, his connections were all here how do you just pick up and start over? It was scary to think about, but as the days became a blur of drudgery and dismissiveness, he began to gather his courage. He was going to leave this town, and he was going to find something better, he just had to figure out where and what.

  He had to admit that life had improved immeasurably since his best friend, Eddie Boone, married Robert Alden, one of the Palace Guards at Coven DuCane. Yep, Coven DuCane, Joe was privy to one of the biggest, oldest, most important secrets of all time, which was that a vampire coven existed just outside town and ran pretty much everything in the state. They had a power that Joe could not even grasp, and they trusted him with their secret. It was that little bit of importance and standing that kept Joe from completely hating his life.

  He was allowed on the Palace grounds to visit Eddie and had met a number of the guards and soldiers. He hadn’t met Master DuCane, but he’d heard plenty about him and was just as satisfied keeping a distance. He didn’t go there, often instead opting for Eddie to meet him in town. He didn’t want to wear out his welcome or inadvertently say or do the wrong thing and have his right to visit rescinded. He needed to hold onto the fact that he was welcome there whether he went there often or not.

  The man at the counter grew more irritated by the second. Joe dropped what he was doing and hurried to the front counter. All in all, the man had only been there for about thirty seconds, so he didn’t have a right to look so angry or put out.

  The man tossed his money on the counter, and as Joe went to gather it up, he grabbed Joe by the front of his t-shirt and fisted it so as to pull him over the top of the counter towards him close almost eye to eye. This guy was surely pissed about something. He stared into Joe’s eyes for a moment then spoke with a tone that was quite hostile. Joe just remained still not wanting to irritate this very large man any more than he apparently already had.

  “You saw me walk in.” He barked. He had an accent that Joe didn’t recognize; he thought it was European, but he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was French or Spanish. It would have sounded sexy on anyone other than this asshole.

  “Yes, that’s why I stopped stocking the shelves and came up here to the counter,” Joe answered carefully.

  “Could you have moved any slower?” He said in the same sharp and cutting tone.

  “Yes, but you looked like you were in a hurry.” The fist holding Joe’s t-shirt tightened, pulling Joe closer to this man’s reddening face. He twisted his fist, and Joe felt the t-shirt tighten even further around his neck. He felt a tingle of actual fear shoot through his mind, and as it did, the man loosened his hold.

  “I’d wipe your mind clear and leave you a babbling idiot if I didn’t think it would be an improvement.” He shouted the last part of the sentence and tossed Joe back against the wall behind the counter. Joe slammed against the shelving knocking it over and landing on his ass on the floor.

  The man turned on his heels and stormed out of the station but gave a canned pop display by the door a kick knocking it over and spreading cans all over the floor. It was going to take Joe all afternoon to fix the shelves and restack all the cans. He looked down at this elbow and saw that the corner of the metal shelf had given him a deep gash. His white t-shirt was now covered in blood. Not a good look for a gas station attendant.

  Joe was used to a little bullying. He was five foot two inches and one hundred and twenty-five pounds, so sometimes people tried to push him around. He learned to back them off by not backing down and being ready to get physical. He may not win, he rarely did, but they were guaranteed to leave with a few marks from the encounter.

  This man, though, was a different story. This man looked like he could have killed Joe and probably wanted to. He was tall, muscled, well dressed, and furious about something. Joe doubted his thirty-second wait at the counter was the source of his anger, but it turned into his release. Joe wasn’t about to challenge the guy because he doubted that he’d survive if he did. Joe had learned to pick his battles, and he never picked the ones where he was likely to die.

  The wound on his elbow was getting blood everywhere. He grabbed a utility towel from under the counter and held it over the gouge to stop the flow. He looked up when the bell over the door jingled. He really wasn’t prepared to deal with another customer at the moment, not with this mess. Thankfully it was Eddie, what a lucky break.

  “What happened here?” Eddie asked as he walked over and around all the pop cans strewn on the floor.

  “Some asshole came in and decided I wasn’t working hard enough, so he made more work for me.” Joe didn’t like looking weak, and to tell Eddie what really happened would have made him look pathetic.

  “How did you hurt your arm? That looks bad.” Eddie came rushing over to him, but Joe stepped back.

  “I’m okay just fell against the shelves back there. It’s nothing to worry about, you know I heal fast.” It was sort of the truth. “Would you keep an eye on things while I go in back and clean up?”

  “Sure, and here, you’ll need a clean shirt.” Eddie took off his button-down and handed it to Joe. He still had a t-shirt on underneath, so he was good.

  “Thanks.” Joe grabbed the shirt and headed into the back of the station. When he finished and headed back out front, he found Eddie cleaning up the pop cans and attempting to restack them. He was doing a pretty good job.

  “Thanks, man, I appreciate the help and the shirt.” Joe moved behind the counter and began gathering up the stuff that had fallen from the shelf and attempted to get the shelf back on the wall. It was heavy and awkward, but he managed to get it back in place, and the area straightened up about the same time Eddie finished with the pop display.

  “What time do you get off?” Eddie asked as he crossed his arms and leaned a hip against the counter.

  “Five o’clock, I came in at eight this morning.”

  “Want to have dinner with me at my place?” Eddie dropped his voice in case anyone was listening,
but the place was empty, so it wasn’t really necessary. “There’s some big wig visiting, so Robert has guard duty in the main hall. He’ll be tied up all evening, and I’d like for you to come and . . .”

  “Entertain you?” Joe finished for him with a grin.

  “Yeah, we could have dinner and watch a movie or two and have some fun.” Eddie sweetened the offer.

  “That sounds great.” Joe quickly accepted. “What time do you want me there?”

  “I’ll be expecting you at six. Is that okay?”

  “Perfect.” Joe was looking forward to it. Dinner at the Palace was always an event, and he enjoyed spending time with Eddie.

  …

  “Baylen’s finished at the gas station and has rejoined us.” Yuri’s driver, Andre, announced as they began once again to make their way from the airport to the Palace of Coven DuCane. Master Yuri Petrov, leader of the Loire Coven in the city of Orléans, had traveled from France on a diplomatic mission to meet with Master Louis DuCane.

  A prominent member of Yuri’s coven and her guard had attacked Master DuCane and put his beloved in mortal danger. That individual was currently on ice, literally, and now Yuri was tasked with the duty to set things right, politically speaking. Louis DuCane was a force for certain and not someone you wanted as an enemy, so it was necessary to make formal amends for the affront to him and his beloved.

  Like Louis, Yuri was of the old ways, having served under Master Charles for seven hundred years before rising to Leader of the Loire Coven upon Master Charles’ departure. He understood that some things required personal care and attention, and this was one of those things.

  If Aldessa had been successful and Louis had lost his beloved, the fallout would have been unthinkable. Louis would have laid waste to the entirety of France in his desire to quench his pain and suffering at the loss of his beloved. Hell itself would have quaked in the aftermath. But thankfully, the outcome favored the innocent, and now all that was left was to atone through restitution.

  The meeting had been set several months ago, and now the day was here. They would meet and set in motion their relationship from henceforward. Yuri brought a gift, which followed protocol, to present to the Master in hopes of a swift reconciliation.

  “Master DuCane is expecting us at three.” Yuri reminded in a tone that made it clear that anything beyond three was unacceptable.

  “Yes, sir.” The driver responded and increased his speed slightly, as did the car behind.

  The stop at the gas station had not been planned except Baylen, the guard in the other car, had failed to check the gas level in his vehicle before leaving the airport. Fortunately, the matter had been handled quickly. Yuri had no time or tolerance for mistakes or misunderstandings. He wanted to tend to the business at hand and return to France as soon as possible.

  Yuri tried to relax and sit back, watching as the town disappeared into farms and woodlands. This was a pleasant area, and he could see why Louis had settled here, although that had been centuries ago. While this was a formal visit, with added elements of pressure and tension, he also looked forward to seeing Louis again.

  He’d fought with him a few times many years ago before Louis had moved to the New World and had found him to be ruthless but also masterful and controlling with both enemies and friends. He could compliment you while in a rage or kill with a smile. With Louis DuCane, you were never sure what was coming.

  “The gates are ahead, sir,” Andre announced, pulling Yuri from his thoughts. Tomek, Yuri’s second in command, remained in Orléans defending his coven in the event things didn’t go well in Mt. Pleasant. He smiled at the thought of Louis possibly igniting a vampire war that spanned continents, it wouldn’t be the first one he started. Although no one suffered any permanent damage from Aldessa’s foray into world domination, so hopefully, war was not currently on the table between them. He would find out very shortly.

  They pulled up to the large wrought iron gate and were then led into the property by a car that had been waiting for them. They were brought to the front entrance of one of the most illustrious looking structures Yuri had seen since leaving France. It very much echoed the image of Versailles, and Yuri knew that was no accident. Louis had made no secret of the fact he loved the Palace of Versailles, and the vision of beauty Louis XIV had created there.

  Louis’ guards left their vehicle and waited for Yuri and his men to follow. This was the beginning of what he hoped to be a favorable understanding between the Loire Coven and Coven DuCane.

  …

  Joe pulled up to the gate just before six, and the guard just waved him through. Eddie told him that he’s the only person, outsider, that doesn’t have to have an escort when entering the Palace grounds. Joe wasn’t sure how to take that because it was either he was completely trustworthy, or he was too simple to be dangerous. Eddie jokingly told him it was probably a little of both, and Joe had to agree.

  He parked by the back door that opened into the kitchen area. It gave a direct route to the back stairs that he always took when visiting Eddie. He preferred to keep a low profile while at the Coven not wanting to come across Master DuCane or any of the upper-level leaders because he didn’t know how to act around them.

  “Hey, come on in,” Eddie answered the door on the first knock. “I have pizza, beer, and your favorite movies, all comedies.

  “You’re the best,” Joe told him with a big smile.

  “I know.” Eddie grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into the room, and when he did, the collar of his shirt opened wide and Eddie saw the angry bruising on either side of Joe’s throat.

  “What the hell happened here? Did someone choke you?” Eddie started pushing the shirt open, but Joe stopped him and slapped his hands away.

  “No, the guy grabbed my shirt, and it tightened around my neck. He didn’t mean to choke me.” Joe quickly turned his attention to the Pizza and beer, grabbing one of each. “Come on, let’s get comfortable.”

  Joe saw Eddie watch him suspiciously but didn’t pursue his questioning. They’d been friends for a long time, and Eddie knew there was more to the story, but like a good friend, he let it drop for now. “Okay, let’s eat.”

  “It’s just me here tonight, so why don’t you have a few beers and stay the night.” Eddie pressed. “Robert’s working and won’t be home till tomorrow sometime after twelve.”

  Joe accepted after a slight pause. “Yeah, thanks, I will.” He’d get out of there before Robert got home tomorrow. He didn’t have anything against Robert; he just didn’t like getting in the way of a committed couple. It made him feel awkward like that proverbial third wheel.

  He was happy for his friend, and it was obvious that Eddie and Robert were crazy for each other, but that didn’t mean Joe had any place in their lives. Joe was Eddie’s friend, and Robert seemed to accept that, but he didn’t want to push the issue by getting in the way too often.

  “Do you think we could get up early and walk the flowerbed garden? It’s so fragrant in the early morning. The last time I was here, the smell was fantastic, and the design is so intricate. I love it.” Joe appreciated good landscape design.

  He’d taken a few courses in landscape design online and hoped to one day pursue it as a career, but in the meantime, he loved to study Master DuCane’s splendid gardens. They were massive and perfect on their own and, as a whole, they were magnificent.

  “Sure, and if you want, we can go after we eat and check out the hedge garden. The landscaper has been busy sculpting, and I think you will be impressed.” Eddie offered

  “Sounds good.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Yuri and his men were brought to their rooms upon arriving, allowing them time to freshen up before the formal meeting and dinner. Yuri had the larger suite, and Andre and Baylen were together in an adjacent room.

  Baylen paced his room, clearly feeling the stupidity of not checking the gas tank before leaving the airport, which could have caused a hold up in their arrival at the Pa
lace. But the fact that he’d taken his anger out on that kid at the gas station seemed to be affecting him even more.

  “You handled that stop in record time.” Andre chuckled. “I think you were in and out of that place in under a minute.” He laughed outright at Baylen’s sour expression.

  “Yeah, but I’m not proud of the fact that I took my anger out on the young guy behind the counter,” Baylen admitted regretfully.

  “Did you hurt him?” Andre asked in a more serious tone.

  “I didn’t mean to, but he got smart with me, and I pushed him, and he fell. I smelled blood in the air when I was leaving, so yes, I hurt him.” Baylen told Andre and then added. “What’s worse is that he was about the size of a small bird not much more than five feet and probably a hundred pounds. I feel like a bastard right now.”

  “The fact that you feel like a bastard proves that you’re not, but I would classify you as an asshole.” Andre cocked a half-smile, and Baylen faked a swing at him.

  “Let’s go, Master Yuri is meeting with Master DuCane in twenty minutes,” Baylen said as he changed his suit jacket and straightened his tie.

  “Have you ever met Master DuCane before?” Andre asked as he too straightened his appearance.

  “No.”

  “You know all those stories about him that most people think are exaggerations?”

  “Yes.”

  “They’re not, so be prepared.”

  …

  The meeting appeared to be a success with arrangements, settlements, and agreements set in place. Yuri was welcomed like an old friend which set a more relaxed tone for the gathering, but still, no one let their guard down. Apologies and assurances were accepted, and then came the moment for restitution. The choice had been made with great thought and consideration towards putting their Covens back on good terms with one another.

  Before the start of dinner, Yuri stood and made the presentation. “The people of the Loire Coven would like to present to you as a token of restitution and atonement, for the crimes committed against you by Aldessa Foix, a former member of the Loire Coven, this gift.” Yuri indicated for his guard to come forward. Andre handed him a gilded box in deep blues and golds five inches square and about six inches deep. Andre then returned to his position near the door next to Baylen.