Page 14 of Orion: Galaxy Huntress

Vexlel stopped in front of Bex, gaze unforgiving, his order even more so. “Bring her to me or I’ll do worse to your skull if you return empty handed,” he ordered the two resident idiots. I didn’t understand why he put so much stock and faith in his only children when they were morons.

Vanguard shifted uncomfortably and I felt an objection coming on.

“We’ll need back-up. She was very strong and had a wolf shifter with her who kicked Vanguard’s ass.” Bex threw his vampiric brother under the bus.

Ahh. Explained his fractured skull, cracked open like an eggshell. Vanguard’s agony and embarrassment pleased me to no end. Cold and dead inside, little brought me amusement, satisfaction or comfort, except the blundering of these two imbeciles. Their lies had caused the death of two of my mother’s offspring. My brother and sister. Deaths I’d never forgive them for.

The rest of the coven hissed at the introduction of the wolf shifter to the conversation. Our enemy. Deadly bites that slowly and excruciatingly killed my mother and three former coven members. We kept well clear of them for this reason. Their territory bordered the east toward Lithgow, the next largest town, while ours rested on the west heading for Orange.

“She beat you up pretty good.” Vanguard tried to cling to his lost manhood with a stab at his idiot friend.

“Silence!” Vexlel’s stony tone echoed throughout the room. “Need I remind you that failure is punishable by death?”

Both Vanguard and Bex cast their gazes to the floor.

I longed for the day our leader ended the lives of his idiot offspring. Nothing would bring me more joy. Sad to say, but my life was nothing but an endless misery. Hell, after she was taken from me. Instead of being welcome into death’s arms to be with her, death had kissed me, cast me into its shadows, holding me hostage. Immortality cursed me to bear her memory. Punished me because I had failed to save her. Death rejected me, and every time I’d tried ending my existence, life captured me and threw me back into the darkness, refusing me mercy. No clemency would be granted to me.

The only reprieve I could hope for was to break the bond tying me to the coven and depart. Ideas took shape in my mind, a plan hatching out. I’d make sure I was the one to capture the fallen star and bring her back to my leader, bargain for my freedom, and obtain it. Then I’d finally be a free agent to travel as I pleased and not be at the will and mercy of my leader and coven.

After my sire passed, I longed to be able to make my own decisions without always having to consider the coven. Five hundred years with a family was enough to steer me away from another for the rest of my immortality. Freedom called to me after so long of living and relying on others. Free of the coven, I could do as a I pleased, live where I chose, feed when I wanted, and be free of all the other bullshit politics of a coven.

Sure, staying with a coven bolstered my safety, but I’d already lived ten mortal lifetimes and didn’t care if I perished if I went out on my own. In fact, I welcomed a fight from another Umbra, tearing me in two. Or a bite by a werewolf, the venom ending me like it did my mother. Peace would finally be mine. Then I wouldn’t have to endure another day separated from her.

“Bring her back to me and do not fail.” Vexlel wouldn’t risk going up against the fallen star himself. Valued his life too much. Any time we had disagreements with adjoining covens, he sent his muscle in to deal with it. Useless coward.

Coven leaders came and went over the centuries. Power play coups caused regular shakeups and leadership changes. That was where Vexlel was smart and cunning. He never sired beyond Vanguard and Bex to preserve his strength in case of anyone that challenged him. The reason he’d survived so long when just about every member of the coven wanted him dead.

Bex and Vanguard slinked away from our ruthless leader, but I was about to put a stop to that. I’d not have those two fuck-ups lose the starlight like they had earlier this afternoon. She was mine. My treasure to bargain for removal of the coven link.

“Leave her to me.” My snarl reverberated through the cave and every eye landed on me. As the eldest vampire in the coven, I was technically the strongest, most respected, and feared besides my leader.

“No fucking way!” Bex challenged. “We found her. We earned the right to catch her, and we get first dibs on tasting her.”

An icy laugh slipped past my lips. Vexlel wouldn’t share. Over his dead body. “You fools lost her once!” I thundered, prompting the coven members to step back and give me space. “Forgive us if we don’t trust you won’t lose her again.”

The resident idiots hissed at the shade I’d thrown them.

Our leader stared me down with a look as cold and punishing as a blizzard. I was the only one who got away with insulting his precious children. Younger than me by one hundred and twenty years, he was weaker, slower, and less agile. If I’d wanted the position, I could have easily challenged him and won, but I had little interest in ruling. Petty squabbles between coven members, external conflicts, and bullshit vampire politics didn’t feature on my agenda. Period.

Shadows loomed over Bex as I stepped into his personal space. I could slash his throat out if I wanted to. Snap his neck and tear it from his body. Rid the damn coven of this fool for good. But then I’d put my own life at risk, and I didn’t care to be on the run from Vexlel for the rest of my miserable days, however long they may be. I wanted to fucking retire and go on vacations to damn Hawaii or something. Anything but this fucking depressing and boring coven. Maybe redeem myself so I could finally go to the afterlife with her.

“Agree to my request and I will return the starlight, Vexlel,” I entreated, staring down at our leader with the threat of contest. “That you can be assured of.”

He would grant me this despite loathing me for it. I’d make him. Contesting him would have threatened the safety and lives of my mother’s children, a promise I made on her death bed to protect. Killing him outright was considered dishonorable amid my kind, especially those of the ancient variety. Not that it stopped younger, power-hungry fledglings from stealing positions of power all the time. Regular occurrences among the other supernaturals species as well.

Although, that was one hundred years ago, and circumstances had changed. Living with the coven made me feel strangled and contained. Freedom beckoned me. After five hundred years of vampirism and rules, I wanted out for good and would be glad to see the back of Vexlel’s coven. To fulfil my mother’s wishes, I’d leave her family safe, sheltered, and fed with the coven, then wash my hands of family, blood promises, and being owned for good.

“Bring her straight to me.” Vexlel’s voice, hard, solid, and unbending as stone, told me this had better be the last time I offended my leader or I wouldn’t live to see another day if the coven descended on me as one.

An act I didn’t fear. Life wouldn’t release it grasp on me so easily. Proven by the many times I’d tried to defy her and depart this world. No, I’d end up injured badly, pained, healing, regretting my decision as I had so many times before.

I bowed my head and departed before he changed his mind. The starlight would be mine. My bargaining tool for liberty. I wouldn’t bring her back to the coven. No, I’d keep her from his clutches until he agreed to sever me from my mother’s binding contract and permit me my freedom. Only then would he get what he wanted, and no sooner.

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