Daysider

Chapter 10

Alexia swung around, bringing the rifle to bear on the new arrival. He grinned, a flash of bright teeth in a pale, handsome face. His hair was drawn back in the traditional Nightsider style, framing his features like a crown of snow and starlight.

“Put down your weapon,” he said. “I mean you no harm.”

“Don’t...trust him,” the first vampire warned. “It is their doing. Tell Damon...the colony, the drugs—” He cried out as the blast hit him square in the chest, leaving a smoking hole where his heart had been. The second Nightsider holstered his weapon and shook his head.

“Traitors to the Council must be eliminated,” he said. He regarded Alexia with great interest. “Why are you alone, little Half-blood? The Zone is a dangerous place. Where is Damon?”

Alexia didn’t answer. She had been stunned by the sudden killing, but her thoughts were clearing rapidly. And once she could think again, she was extremely grateful that Damon wasn’t with her.

For whoever this leech was, he exuded a threat that utterly belied his words. It wasn’t just that he’d murdered the other vampire so callously. Nightsiders often killed each other; they were vicious, amoral creatures, predators without compassion, constantly maneuvering for rank and power.

But now two Nightsiders had appeared in the area very soon after someone had tried to kill her and Damon. That couldn’t be coincidence, and both of them obviously knew she and Damon were working together.

This vampire clearly meant to imply that he was with the Council, at least nominally on Damon’s side of the fence. Damon had admitted there were probably other Council agents in the area; maybe one of the two Nightsiders, the living or the dead, was working for the same faction he was.

But it wasn’t as if the leeches openly advertised their internal conflicts to their enemies.

And why would any Nightsider so blatantly slaughter one of his own kind right in front of an Aegis operative?

Alexia could think of only one good reason. And that was because he had to stop the

“traitor” from telling her something he didn’t want her to hear.

She had to be very, very careful. Careful to show suspicion and mistrust, but not enough to seem as if she wanted to kill him.

“Who are you?” she asked the Nightsider coldly. “Why did you kill this man?”

He clasped his hands behind his back as if he meant to show just how harmless he was.

“As I told you, he was a traitor.”

In spite of her resolve, Alexia’s fingers twitched on the trigger. “‘The colony is not what we believed,’” she recited. “‘They want to destroy it.’ What was he talking about?”

“You don’t know?” he asked, eyes narrowing. “Have you not been observing the colony?”

“It has been a little difficult with someone trying to kill us,” she said.

“Indeed?” the Nightsider said, lifting both brows as if he were genuinely surprised.

“There are, unfortunately, many who would do anything to prevent cooperation between our peoples.”

As hard as he tried to express sincerity, the Nightsider couldn’t pull it off. She was dead certain he had already known someone had tried to kill them.

“We assumed it was the colonists who attacked us,” Alexia said. “They must have known we were watching.”

“They have protected themselves well enough so far,” the vampire said. “But then again, certain parties in Erebus would wish to prevent anyone from providing the Council with intelligence that might create obstacles to their plans.”

“What plans?” she asked, pretending ignorance. “Whose?”

The Nightsider glanced down at the body. “He meant to put you off your guard by confusing you, but there was much truth in his words. He merely twisted them around so that it seemed he was referring to others instead of himself.”

He met Alexia’s eyes again. “The colony is not, indeed, what any of us believed. This traitor did intend to report back to the Expansionists. We believed him to be one of our operatives, but in fact he was a double agent, as I recently discovered. I am certain he was hoping to persuade you to kill me when I caught up with him, and then eliminate you before returning to his true masters.”

“So he worked for the Expansionists,” Alexia said, continuing to play along, “and you work for the Council, like Damon.”

“Didn’t he tell you? The Council would hardly make the mistake of sending only one operative on such a crucial mission. And now that I know you have been attacked, the wisdom in that policy is apparent.”

“What did this man mean when he said ‘they’ wanted to destroy the colony? Why would the Expansionists turn against the settlement when extending the Citadel’s reach into the Zone is exactly what they’re after?”

The Nightsider sighed. “This traitor,” he said, “was about to tell you that the colonists, whom his masters secretly hoped to control, were determined to keep their independence and refuse to cooperate with any party in Erebus.”

His candidness caused Alexia an uncomfortable moment of doubt. Would he admit all this if he was with the faction most hostile to the Enclave?

He might if he planned to kill her after he made her think he was on her side. “Why would the colonists’ lack of cooperation be enough for the Expansionists to want the settlement eliminated?” she asked.

“They will brook no possible threat to their ambitions,” the Nightsider said. “They could create considerable trouble if they attacked the colony, and turn that trouble to their advantage. Of course, the Council would wish to prevent any action that might suggest bad faith in their dealings with Aegis.”

All very tidy, Alexia thought. But this Nightsider had said that his victim hadn’t yet made his report to the Expansionists. How could he, or the double agent, be so sure what the Expansionists intended to do after they received that report?

Because they already knew. The supposed “traitor” was going to tell the Council that an attack was coming.

Was that what Michael had been trying to tell her when he’d given her the strange communicator and spoken those few, ominous words?

Coming. Signal. Attack. Warn.

War.

Instinct told her to run on the chance she might actually escape and get the message to Damon. But she knew she had to keep the vampire talking in case he carelessly revealed the nature of the Expansionists’ plans. And what the other vampire had meant about the

“drugs.”

“That makes sense,” Alexia said belatedly, lowering the rifle. “But how did your double agent get caught in the sun?”

The Nightsider shrugged. “Once I learned what he was, I detained him. He escaped and was severely burned, but obviously not enough to prevent him from trying to provoke your sympathy and catch you off guard.”

Alexia kicked at the dirt with the toe of her boot. “Considering that Damon and I have been attacked several times by Nightsiders, why are you so sure I would have believed he was on our side?”

“Because both you and Damon have strong prejudices that would make you inclined to believe exactly what this one told you. The Expansionists want war, and they despise Daysiders more than any other faction in Erebus.”

“And that’s enough to make Damon discard his training and all common sense?”

“Perhaps you have observed that he is of a passionate nature, not unlike humans or your kind. He also has an inordinate amount of pride.”

“Like Opiri?” she asked.

The vampire ignored her mockery. “He is even more driven by irrational impulses than most of those you call Daysiders. That is the very reason he was sent to work with you.

But it also makes him, shall we say, more apt to act according to emotion rather than intellect.”

“And to believe a man who tells him what he wants to hear. But you still haven’t told me what that is.”

He hesitated very convincingly and sighed. “The colony,” he said, “was founded by a Bloodmaster named Theron. Theron’s philosophy—” he nearly spat the word “—

encouraged the concept of full equality among all citizens of Erebus, from Bloodmaster to the lowest vassal. It seems he has put this idea into practice.”

“And that’s the real reason the Expansionists want the settlement destroyed.”

“Perhaps,” he said.

She wasn’t going to push him. He’d given her a great deal more information than she’d expected to get already.

“That sounds like internal politics to me,” she said. “Once I get back to the Enclave, I’ll advise that we should continue to observe from a distance unless it becomes imperative that we interfere.”

“You ‘advise’ your superiors?” he asked mockingly.

“My opinion, as well as my partner’s, counts for something, yes,” she said. “In fact, I was on my way to rendezvous with my partner when I stumbled over this man.”

“I will gladly stand by to protect you until he arrives.”

Sure you will, she thought. Now that it was down to the wire, she had very few choices about what to do next.

“I’ve been wondering,” she said idly, as if she were reluctant to end a pleasant conversation, “how do you think the Council will stop the Expansionists?”

“I am not privy to their decisions. In any case, you and your partner need no longer be involved.” He reached inside his sleek black jacket. “When I located Damon, I was to present him with his new assignment, which is to escort you back to the Border and return to Erebus for further instructions.”

His new assignment? This guy said he’d just found out about the double agent and had been chasing him, but he’d had time to return to Erebus and get new orders for Damon before Damon had reported back himself?

She frowned slightly and met the vampire’s gaze. “I think you’d better come back to camp and repeat all this to Damon,” she said. “You wouldn’t want him working in the dark.”

The Nightsider grimaced at her weak joke. “Of course,” he said, bowing like a courtier.

“It’s that way,” she said, pointing east.

He hung back with a knowing smile. “Please. A lady should always go first.”

“I didn’t know women had any special privileges in Erebus,” she said.

“I merely defer to your human customs,” the Nightsider said, pressing his hand to his heart as if he had wounded her. “We regarded males and females as equals long before your kind dreamed of giving your women the right to vote. Equals,” he said, showing his teeth, “in their freedom to compete for rank and power.”

“And you really think that we humans—” She broke off, sensing Damon long before the Nightsider was aware of his approach.

She didn’t know why her senses were so much keener than a full vampire’s, but she wasn’t about to question her unexpected advantage.

Unfortunately, Damon made no attempt to sneak up on them. As soon as he walked out from between two bigleaf maples with her VS in hand and saw the Nightsider, he began to run toward Alexia. He stopped between her and the vampire, his anxious gaze raking up and down her body. He glanced at the dead Nightsider and turned to face the living one, head slightly bent and shoulders tensed to repel attack.

The Nightsider didn’t move. “Damon,” he said.

“Lysander.” Damon’s voice was so utterly cold that Alexia could almost feel ice crystals form in the air between him and the vampire. “What are you doing here?”

Lysander looked at Damon’s ragged clothing, his bare chest under the dirty jacket and the shadow of a beard on his jaw with unconcealed contempt in his deep purple eyes.

“The same thing you are,” he said.

“I doubt that very much.” Damon glanced again at the body. “Who is this Opir? What happened to him?”

“Lysander killed him,” Alexia said.

Damon’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t seem surprised. “Why?”

Alexia spoke before Lysander could answer. “He said the man was a traitor, a double agent working for both the Expansionists and Independents.”

Damon’s eyes narrowed. “But to whom was he a traitor?” he asked.

“The ruling faction, of course,” Lysander said, glaring at the Vampire Slayer. “Put that abomination down, Damon. You know such weapons are forbidden in the Zone.”

Damon set the VS on the ground, still within easy reach of both him and Alexia. “I never heard that you’d gone to work for the Council,” he said.

Lysander shrugged, a consummately human gesture. “You do not hear everything,” he said. “Or do you think you should be consulted in every matter that comes before the Council?”

“If it enables me to complete my mission, yes.” He stared into Lysander’s eyes. “You knew what I was sent to do?”

“Of course.”

“How long have you been out?”

“I left Erebus soon after you did,” the vampire said.

“Have you been in contact with the others?”

Shifting his weight ever so slightly, Lysander managed a sneer with a fractional twitch of his upper lip. “So many questions. I have not seen the others since I left with him—” Lysander gestured at the body “—and discovered he was working for the enemy. I was tracking him when this female—”

“Her name is Agent Fox,” Damon said sharply.

“She was nearly taken in by the traitor’s lies. I put an end to the conversation.”

Lysander raked Alexia with another disdainful glance. “I was told you had been shot at.”

“You didn’t know?” Damon asked, nearly growling.

“It was not in my purview to watch over you,” Lysander retorted. “You should have been prepared to deal with any opposition.” He smiled with some secret satisfaction. “Or have you become so incompetent since Eirene died?”

Eirene. Alexia flinched on Damon’s behalf and watched tensely for his reaction. But Damon didn’t move a muscle.

“You said you were with him, ” Damon said, indicating the dead Nightsider. “Council agents work alone. Or are you an exception?”

“He was already under suspicion. I was to observe him until he made a mistake and revealed himself for what he was.”

That wasn’t what he’d said before, Alexia thought. “He wasn’t suspicious?” she asked.

“He was not as clever as he believed himself to be,” Lysander said.

Neither are you, Alexia thought. “Lysander was very surprised to hear about the attack on us,” she said to Damon, emphasizing the adverb.

Some subtle change in his expression convinced her that he had picked up her hint.

“He must have been very intent on his work to miss the noise,” he said.

“Yes,” Alexia said with a glance at Lysander. “We assumed the shooters were from the colony, but Lysander suggested they could have been Expansionist agents.” She shook her head. “And you thought that wasn’t possible.”

“It makes little difference now,” Lysander said with obvious impatience. “You will be pleased to know that neither of you will be at further risk.”

Alexia felt the abrupt change in Damon as ice melted and nascent fire took its place.

Anger was more than a description of an emotion to dhampires. She could taste it, smell it, sense it in a way indescribable to humans. Damon’s hatred overwhelmed her senses.

“It would not have been a good thing if Ms. Fox had been killed,” Damon said, his muscles so tense they were almost trembling.

“But she is alive,” Lysander replied. “And now we can move to prevent the Expansionists from destroying the colony.”

She could see Damon’s mind racing behind the unnatural stillness of his face. “Why would they do that?” he asked. “We know they secretly support it. Its establishment furthers their agenda, and they hate the Enclave. Destroying the colony would only please Aegis.”

“Ask the little Half-blood,” Lysander said.

Damon glanced at Alexia without letting his attention waver from Lysander’s face.

“It wouldn’t please Aegis,” she said, wondering why Damon had even suggested it.

“Any precipitous action in the Zone could be considered an act of hostility against the Enclave.”

“Then perhaps they want to start a war,” Damon said, bringing up the same possibility he and Alexia had so thoroughly discussed before.

“That isn’t the motive Lysander suggested earlier,” Alexia said, addressing Damon as she carefully watched Lysander’s expression.

She told him about the vampire’s claims that the colony had chosen not to cooperate with the Expansionists as they had expected...and that the colonists wanted equality for all Nightsiders, no matter what their rank.

Damon’s eyes flashed with genuine surprise, but he didn’t let the emotion cross his face. “How do the Expansionists plan to attack?” he asked.

“Their plans are no longer any concern of yours.” Lysander’s jaw flexed. “I have new orders for you. You are to escort Ms. Fox to the Border and return to Erebus.”

“Indeed?” Damon said through his teeth. “When did you receive these orders?”

“You question me? ” Lysander asked, his deceptively thin body drawing taut with offense.

“You’re an operative and a Freeblood, not a Bloodmaster.”

Lysander stewed silently for a moment and then seemed to relax. “I told you I had left Erebus soon after you did. The Council reconsidered its original orders and planned to recall you soon after you were gone.”

“Why?” Damon asked.

“Your only duty now is to obey. You are to leave immediately.”

“But I haven’t received any new orders,” Alexia said, moving up beside Damon. “I’m — We’re not going anywhere until we can make a full report to Aegis.”

She could see Lysander assessing her statement, comparing it with her earlier, more cooperative attitude. “That would be most ill-advised,” he said. “The dangers of remaining are too great.”

“I doubt that either Agent Fox or her partner will consider that sufficient reason to abandon their mission,” Damon said.

“That is your problem.” Lysander removed a folded sheet of paper from inside his jacket and offered it to Damon, careful not to touch his fingers.

Damon opened the sheet and read the brief sentences with a frown. Alexia could just make out some of the words of the Nightsider’s script before he folded the paper again.

“Clear?” Lysander asked.

“Very clear.” Damon tucked the orders inside his jacket. “You make an excellent messenger, Lysander.”

The Nightsider smiled tightly. “See that the Half-bloods return safely to their territory.

And you had better move quickly. You will need blood soon, and you would not want to rely on them for nourishment.”

Damon took Alexia’s arm in a firm, possessive grip. “Watch your tongue, Lysander,” he said. “She is not a serf.”

“I take it that you have an attachment to this Half-blood that is not only foolish, but forbidden,” Lysander said. “I would have thought you’d learned your lesson.” He smiled condescendingly at Alexia. “But she is a pretty thing. And spirited. Just like Eirene.”

Damon’s bone-deep trembling passed from his fingers into Alexia’s arm, through flesh and muscle and nerve. Her body shivered in answer. Damon had disregarded Lysander’s previous comment about his former lover, but Alexia knew Eirene was somehow at the heart of Damon’s all-consuming hatred of the Nightsider. Had Lysander had something to do with Eirene’s last mission and eventual death?

“Did you know, Agent Fox,” Lysander said, turning to her with a vicious smile, “before the Armistice your breed were considered the finest prizes an Opir could obtain?

I wonder how much a Bloodlord or Bloodmaster in Erebus would give to own you?”

Before Alexia could ask him what he meant, Damon had released her and thrown himself at Lysander. The Nightsider staggered back, too startled even to put up his hands.

Damon lost no time. Ignoring the knife at his belt and the VS130 at his feet, he slammed his fist into Lysander’s face and pummeled him to the ground, hitting and kicking with a fury meant not to disable, but to kill. Alexia saw just enough of Damon’s face to realize he was no longer in control of his reason.

In a matter of seconds, Damon had reverted back to the volatile creature he’d been before he had left on his mission with Michael. That time he had reacted to her lack of will to survive, but this wasn’t the same. It wasn’t her words that had ignited him. Now that simmering animal rage had become a weapon whose only purpose was to destroy.

“Damon!” she shouted.

He didn’t hear her. He had Lysander on the ground and was locking his hand around the Nightsider’s throat, his incisors exposed in a violent grin.

But Lysander had begun to fight back. He hurled Damon off and leaped after the Daysider before he could regain his footing. Lysander drove Damon down, his greater strength evident in the relative ease with which he held Damon pinned to the earth. The Daysider bucked and twisted, clawing and striking every part of Lysander’s body he could reach. The Nightsider opened his mouth, stretching his jaws so wide that every tooth in his mouth was exposed.

Whatever reason Lysander had had for presenting Damon with the supposed “orders” from the Council, regardless of his original intentions, he was obviously ready to kill Damon without the slightest qualm.

Alexia lunged for the Vampire Slayer and brought it her shoulder. “Stop!” she shouted. “Get off him, or I’ll kill you!”

The Nightsider barely glanced at her. “Remove all your weapons and throw them out of reach,” he said, “or I will drain every drop of blood from the Darketan’s body.”