"This is a mistake Logan. You know that." Michael insisted as he watched his lover prepare to leave.
"The boy needs me." Logan replied, putting on a heavy coat.
"The boy needs to be sent away or better, given over to Alex. There is more at stake here than your own self interests."
"But!" Logan protested.
"I know there is a lot of loathing between our House and Alex's. I myself would like nothing more to keep them from getting what they want if just to annoy them. But to face the wrath of all the other Houses... that's insanity."
Logan, ignoring his lover, walked into the kitchen, opened a drawer and took out a half dozen candy bars which he stuffed into his pockets. "What are you trying to say Michael? Are you going to go behind my back and tell that piece of shit where James is?"
Michael reached over and took Logan's hand in his. "I am asking you Logan not to force me to make such a choice."
Logan shoved his lover away. "Damn you Michael! I am head of House Worth. Not you. You have no right to tell me what I can or can not do!"
"Loyalty to ones House always supercedes any other." Michael replied coldly.
"Fine... do whatever you want. Throw away your life with me. I don't care!"
"So you really mean that Logan? Is this boy really so important that you will throw away me so easily?"
"I am asking you not to force me to make that choice." Logan said with deep sarcasm as he reached for the front door.
"You will lose everything you know... title, home, servants, myself. You go out that door and you will become a fugitive." Michael threatened.
"If that is the way it has to be then so be it. Just be sure to watch your back Michael. One day someone is likely to stick a knife there." Logan replied before leaving.
Logan knew that the moment he left the house there were at least a half dozen pairs of eyes following him. Two of them were even from his own House, men loyal to Michael. Losing four of them was not hard. Logan did not become leader of House Worth without being fairly gifted in the talents. As he drove towards the city Logan let that special part of his mind drift towards his targets. Sending a blinding pain into each of their minds Logan caused them to lose focus, to release the strings they had tied on him that allowed them to trail him.
The other two were a little trickier. Both were almost as talented as Logan was... most likely from House Vox itself. To rid himself of them, Logan entered the mind of a human who was driving in a car behind him. With a sudden mental jolt, Logan had the driver slam on his breaks, causing the car trailing him to veer off the road, into a metal light pole.
Hearing the hard crash of metal slamming into metal, Logan gave his rearview mirror only a short glance, smiling at the chaos he had just caused.
Two hours later, just before sunrise, Logan was asleep in a service tunnel, confident he had shaken all his pursuers off.
Jason could not remember the last time he had such fun. Lord Worth had not just proven himself a worthy challenge, but an amusing one as well. Of course Jason, with his peerless talent, had easy masked his presence from Logan, allowing him to follow. No... what had given Jason such joy was watching the others fumble about.
The only disappointment for the heir of House Vox was the anticlimactic ending to the chase. Whatever Jason had assumed, it had not been for the Lord of House Worth to curl up on the concrete floor of a tunnel beneath the city. That is what Logan did however.
With the sun now lighting up the sky above him, Jason found himself trapped with Logan. For a brief moment this annoyed him greatly. Here he was, the most powerful of his kind, and where was he? Not in his comfortable soft bed but in a subway tunnel, trapped with a man who would soon be the former Lord of House Worth.
"So the mighty have fallen." Jason chuckled, not so much at Logan but in reference to himself.
The moment James feet touched the first step leading to the subway tunnel his eyes scanned the afternoon rush crowd for Logan. "Where is he?" He asked Stephanie.
"We are not even inside yet. Be patient James. I am sure he's already waiting for you."
On reaching the bottom of the stairs, James face took on a worried expression. "But I don't see him."
"It is a little crowded around here." Stephanie admitted. Seeing an empty space next to the rows of broken public telephones Stephanie headed for it, holding James' hand tight.
When she was finally free of the crowds, Stephanie turned around to look down at James, the color of her face draining when she saw the hand of another man holding James' other.
"Well hello my dear... I take it I am not the man you are looking for," the man chuckled. "I'm sorry, Logan is a little preoccupied at the moment."
"Who are you?" Stephanie demanded as she tried to pull James away from the man.
Letting go of James' hand, the man made a flourishing bow. "Jason Vox my dear. I take it you have heard of me?"
Pulling James behind her, Stephanie walked back, pushing James into one of the phone booths. "What do you want from me?"
"You know it is not you whom I am interested in." Jason said as he peered over the woman's shoulder to look at James' wide open blue eyes.
Spreading her arms wide, Stephanie tried to block Jason's view of James. "He's only a boy. Why can't you leave him alone?"
"He's more than a boy. He is the last male member of the family Morgan... an ancient line that has been the property of House Vox since its founding." Jason replied as he tried to reach past Stephanie to touch James' short brown hair.
Just at that moment a transit authority officer reached over and took hold of Jason's shoulder. "What is going on here?"
"Nothing officer." Jason replied, elbowing the man in the neck so hard that even James could hear the snapping sound. "Now see what you had me do?" he said, turning his attention back on Stephanie as the people behind him began to scream. The woman and the boy where not there however.
Carrying James in her arms, Stephanie rushed through the panicked crowds, racing toward the open doors of the subway cars. Once the doors closed behind her, she let out a sigh of relief, letting James' feet return to the ground. "You're safe now."
Looking down at the boy Stephanie saw James' eyes were as frozen as the rest of his body. "What did that monster do to you?" She sighed as she gently shook the boy.
Finally James moved his mouth, saying a single word. "Vox..."
"Yes... it is the Vox family who has been searching for you. Don't worry. I won't let them have you. We will find Logan and..."
James placed his hand over his heart and whispered; "Tor..."
"Tor?" Stephanie asked confused as the subway car came to a stopped.
Seeing the doors open, Stephanie hid James' face against her breasts, as a broad shoulder man stepped in, his clothes stained red with blood.
"Stephanie." Logan said as he stumbled in, his face all torn up.
"My Lord... what happened?" she demanded as the remaining people in the subway car ran out in fright.
Grabbing his servant by her neck, Logan opened his mouth wide, his eyes glowing a fiery red. "Forgive me."
"No my Lord..." Was all Stephanie was able to say before she felt Logan's sharp teeth biting into her flesh.
The horror of the sight shook James out of his trance. Seeing Stephanie drained dry by the one man he trusted, he crawled underneath a bench just as the doors shut, the car continuing its journey.
Stephanie now lifeless body fell to the floor, her dead eyes still open, staring blankly at James. Closing his eyes James tried to block out the animalistic hunger coming from Logan.
The Lord of Worth, not yet fully recovered from the wounds Jason had given him still felt the blood lust burning inside him... made all that stronger by the rich smell of fear in the air. Before he knew what he was doing, he reached under the bench and pulled James out from under it, the boy trembling in his arms.
Logan could feel James' heart beating wildly, his neck pulsating with every beat. Letting out his ling tongue he licked to soft smooth flesh.
"Please Logan don't..." James' begged as he felt the skin of his neck being pinched by Logan's sharp teeth.
It was already too late. Logan, his nose so close to James' flesh could smell the boy's fear enriched blood, a sweeter smell he had never experienced. His teeth broke James' pale white skin, letting the boy's red fluid of life stream out into his mouth.
From the first taste Logan only desired more, pressing his lips hard against James' neck least a single drop escape. With each ounce of blood he drained away Logan felt himself become stronger, more powerful, greater than he was before. The more he took, the more he wanted, blind to the paling of James' face, deaf to the weakening sound of the boy's heart.
He consumed the boy's life blood almost to the point of death. Only a single thing stopped Logan, the burning sensation of one hot tear falling from James' right eye onto Logan's cheek.
Removing his mouth from the gaping wound on James' neck, Logan looked into boy's almost lifeless eyes. "James?" He asked, his voice unsteady.
"..." James did not respond.
"James!" Logan shouted, shaking the boy in his arms.
James opened his mouth just a crack. "Logan..."
His blood lust now gone, Logan lowered the boy down on one of the benches. "I didn't mean to James. I lost control. Please don't die."
"Logan..." James whispered again as the subway train came to a stop.
Loganheard the pair of heavy footsteps approaching from behind him but he could not take his eyes off James' pale face.
"You couldn't even resist for just for a few moments." Jason Vox clicked with his tongue.
"It was an accident. I didn't know what I was doing. I was just..." Logan said as he cried, his thick fingers stroking James' face.
Raising a trembling hand, James reach out past Logan. "Vox."
Taking the hand, Jason squeezed it tight. Before he knew what he was doing, a single word whispered past his lips. "Tor..."
"What did you say?" Logan demanded
Letting go of James' hand, Jason shook his head clear of the spell that had cloud it. "Nothing."
"But..." Logan replied.
"Are my mumbling really that important! Because of you the boy is about to die."
"If Alex had not been hunting James down and if you had not ambushed me none of this would have happened!" Logan said defensively.
"Regardless of whose fault it is can we both agree that neither of us want to see James die?"
"But I took too much. His body is quickly starving." Logan replied.
"Then there is only one thing that can be done." Jason said as he pushed Logan aside, going down on one knee in front of the boy.
"What are you going to do?"
"What I must." Jason replied as he moved his lips closer to James' mouth.
Realizing what Jason was about to do, Logan tried to grab the man's shoulder to pull him away only to be knocked over by a sharp blow of Jason's elbow to his stomach.
"You left no other choice." Jason insisted. Leaning down he kissed James, giving him the blood kiss. His lips only touched the boy's for a brief moment when Jason felt his legs kicked from under him, causing him to land on top of Logan.
The two men rolled back and forth across the narrow aisle, hands around each other's throats. Both looked at each other with hate filled red eyes as they battered each other against the metal legs of the benches. Each one only cared about one thing... killing the other.
During it all James watched, his body too weak to sit up. He wanted to stop them both... stop them from hurting each other. Taking as deep a breath as he could manage, James opened his mouth to speak. "Please stop," came his voice, a weak a dying whisper.
With the racket both men were making in their attempt to destroy each other neither of them heard James' plea, not with their ears at least. In their minds however James' thoughts were screaming at them, causing both men to stop cold.
Jason, who happened to be on top of Logan at the moment, gave the man a final punch to the jaw before standing back up. "James?"
"Get away from him!" Logan demanded, kicking one of his legs up, hitting Jason in the groin.
Taking another deep breath James spoke again. "Stop it..."
Jason raised a foot and slammed it down on Logan's stomach. "I will if he will."
"Logan..." James begged. He needed both men to stop and soon. A darkness was creeping in on him.
Logan, bent over in pain, had a stream of fresh blood running down his chin. Nodding his head he let out a low grunt.
"Everything is going dark..." James sighed as he watched Logan struggle to stand up.
"You need to rest. Let the darkness enfold you." Jason said in a soft voice that was not characteristic of him.
Obediently James closed his eyes and fell asleep.
"You've sentenced him to death," Logan accused. "He is too young for the blood kiss. It will burn in his veins until it kills him."
"As I said, you left me no choice. The kiss will sustain him until we take him to a hospital. If he is given a blood transfusion soon enough..." Jason said, not fooling either one of them that there was much hope. "Do you know where the nearest hospital is?"
"The closest one is an emergency clinic. We should only be half a block away from it at the next stop." Logan replied, still clenching his stomach.
Jason arched and eyebrow. "And I suppose it is own by your family?"
"No... it is not own by any House but controlled by the research conglomerate call Gen-Corp." Logan replied.
"We've heard of them. They have rebuffed the attempts by my House to incorporate them."
"The same with us. It is probably for the best. You most likely would oppose me taking James to a place I control as much as I would oppose you taking him to one controlled by the other Houses'."
"You're right I would. So shall we consider this a truce... at least until we know what is going to happen to the boy?"
"Yes." Logan nodded, the pain in his gut dissipating enough for him to straighten up.
That was not as simple as both men wished it was. The police, alerted to the disturbance on the subway were waiting at the next stop. It was then that Logan caught a glimpse of Jason's power.
The three waiting officers stepped into the subway car the moment the doors opened, their guns drawn. All Jason had to do was look at them and snap his fingers to cause all three men to fall down unconscious. At least Logan hoped that was all that happened.
Stepping over what he hoped were just sleeping bodies, Logan carried James in his arms, Jason following after him. At first the people crammed at the terminal did not notice the blood covered trio. One by one however, a few New Yorkers saw beyond their hectic lives. A few just stood still, their mouths agape. Others quicken their step to hurry away. The few that screamed however were the ones who started the stamped.
By the time the three reached street level the autumn moon had already risen. With the aid of the surrounding shadows and flashing lights they were able to melt away into the crowds, Logan leading the way toward the emergency clinic.
Almost the same instant they passed the automatic doors, there was a nurse rushing toward them, a look of concern on her face. "What by god all mighty happened to you three!" The woman demanded as she snapped her fingers at the man standing at the front desk.
"I..." Logan stuttered. He did not know how is was going to explain what had happened to James.
"There was a stabbing on the subway, half a block from here." Jason said his face relatively serene compared to Logan's.
As a gurney was rushed into the lobby, the nurse took James away from Logan before placing him down on it.
"I guess you are the parent?" The nurse asked Logan as James was wheeled away.
Logan, his arms outstretched as if he were still holding the boy shook his head. "No... no I'm not."
"Are you the father?" The woman asked, turning her brown eyes on Jason.
"Don't I look a little young to have a kid?" Jason chuckled.
"You're his brother?"
"No... he's of no relation of mine."
"Then..." The woman left trailing.
"As far as we know the boy was traveling alone when he was attacked. It was my friend here who saved him." Jason said, seeing Logan was incapable on answering for himself.
"And the attacker?"
"Took the boy's wallet and ran away." Jason replied.
Logan, his guilt and fear consuming him, finally spoke. "What are you doing with James?"
"Right now I am sure the doctor is busy examining him."
"Can I see him?" Logan asked in an almost begging tone.
"Since neither one of you is the parent our policy clearly states..." The nurse stated to say but was cut off by Jason.
"Miss... Miss Gordon." Jason started, glancing at the woman's name tag. "Considering that my friend risk his life to save the boy, I think it would only be fair for him to see that he is ok."
The nurse, her eyes making contact with Jason's, went into a daze. "I will see what I can do," she said in a flat voice.
"See to it then." Jason nodded.
Once the nurse was gone, Jason took Logan to one of the lobby chairs and sat him down. "You need to get a hold of yourself Logan. You are not doing you or James any good acting this way."
"It's all my fault." Logan whispered, still in shock.
"That's old news. We need to move on."
"How... I've most likely killed the boy."
"Wow... considering what we are, this is a strange time to develop a guilty conscious over it." Jason smirked.
Logan gave Jason a hateful glare. "But you said."
"I know what I said my dear Logan. So you let your blood lust get away from you... it happens. Why should this time be any different from the dozens if not hundreds of times you have killed?"
"James is special to me. I thought... I thought I could have a normal life with him. I wanted to raise him as a son... a mortal son."
"You are right. James is special. Even while you are talking like old friends right now, if he dies I will kill you Logan. Don't think I won't." Jason said, the charm gone from his voice.
"If he does die I will let you kill me." Logan replied.
Jason reached over and patted Logan on the back. "For both our sakes lets hope he doesn't."
************************************************************************** Thanks to all of you fans out there for all the kind emails, they really brighten my day. You all take care and have a happy holiday.
Well folks it took about a year but finally the third book in the Centurion Series has finally been published and is now up for sale on Amazon. If you haven't read any of these amazing books you'll find The Centurion and The Academy both up for sale now also on Amazon at 32% off the original price. Believe me you won't be disappointed as honestly feel these books reflect some of the best of my works. If you do get the books and enjoy them as much as so many already have please leave a review on the Amazon page so that others might see what sort of treat they're in store for.
On one of my other projects, work on a new series 'Mir' are proceeding well with the first book "Sons of Mir" almost in it's final form. Right now the rough draft version of the book temporarily titled, Children of Mir, is still up on the yahoo site but will soon be taken down as the final draft, which is already twice as long as the origin one on the yahoo site, gets ready to be submitted to the publishers. So if you are interested in reading a rough version of one of my books I hope to have published in the future join up on the yahoo site and read Children of Mir for yourself.
Well that's pretty much it. Take care and have a wonderful holiday.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/
http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Ascending-Book-Centurion-Cycle/dp/1934625949/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228840623&sr=1-4