Page 42 of You Will Obey

Survive, Sagi, that is what you can do for me, I told him.

Yes, my King.

With that, I disconnected from him and reconnected with my children.

Make sure every vampire under your charge who can rise during the day prepares for battle. And for those too weak to rise, we need to make sure they are protected, I said.

Some who could afford it have installed safe rooms strong enough to withstand a supe attack. They will be safe,Henry said.

And for those too poor for such luxuries?Miguel stated.

Those are the ones I am very concerned for, I said.The most vulnerable of my army who are helpless during this attack.

Father, we need the wolves to give us aid, Nolan said.

Théoden is contacting Josef. I will be contacting Kendrick. You have your orders and you know the protocol, now go,I commanded, and disconnected my link. I could still feel vampires of my line dying, but not in the numbers they were before.

I gripped my chest over my heart as another ten more of my vampires died at once. The ache inflamed me for a few seconds, then began to dull. I couldn’t leave my home as the sun was high in the sky. It was eight in the morning here, the timing would leave my entire army vulnerable in my India and Greece territories as well. My New Haven territory was the only one where my vampires were awake, as it was still eleven at night there. But the sun would be rising in a matter of hours.

How in the hell did Alexander achieve these feats? To be able to fly, to have his army immune to fire, and to be able to produce multiple venoms? How did he do it? And for the sun to no longer pose any danger to him? I had to know, Ihadto. In the meantime, I had to prepare for what was coming. Now that I knew he was behind this attack, I had no doubt Alexander wanted to eliminate my entire army. I grabbed my cell phone, scrolled through my contacts, and found Kendrick’s number. I called it and he didn’t answer. I called again, still no answer. I contacted Hexon at this point and he answered on the third ring.

“Greetings, King Ara,” Hexon said, then moaned.

Considering he was a dragon, I could imagine what he was doing. “I need to speak with your king, this is an emergency. I am under attack,” I said, getting to the point of my call.

I could hear a rustling noise, and I assumed Hexon was pushing whomever he’d been fucking off him. “Either I or my King will call you back,” he said, then hung up.

I took the time I waited to get dressed and then I went into my weapons room to prepare. The vampires I had in my home, five were too young to rise, and they were safely sleeping in protected chambers. If we were to survive this, I would make sure none of my vampires would ever sleep without protection. All must have sleeping chambers, regardless of whether or not they could afford it. This would be a worthy expense in order to protect my investment, which was my army. This was something I should have done before, but there was no way for me to fathom an attack of this magnitude, not with the alliances I had solidified in my corner.

My cell rang three minutes later and it was Kendrick and he was breathless. “Hexon told me that you’re under attack? By who?”

“A rival vampire Royal named Alexander. Somehow, he and his army have been able to acquire immunity to the sun and dragon and werewolf venoms. They also can fly and have the power of fire. There was a sneak attack, and my army is nearly decimated in Japan. I must call on our alliance for your assistance,” I said.

“I see. I will need to confer with my council.”

“We have an alliance, Kendrick,” I reminded him.

“And I still need to confer with my council, Ara. Tell me, does Théoden speak for you as he did the night he made the alliance?” Kendrick asked, which gave me concern. Was he planning to renegotiate the terms of our alliance?

“Is there something you want to ask me now?”

“I may have… stipulations, and will need to confer with my council. If Théoden speaks for you, I will also have him in the meeting to negotiate on your behalf.”

“Or you can put me on a conference call, and speak with me directly at this meeting and allow my son to prepare my army on his end,” I suggested. I really didn’t have time for any of his bullshit.

“Very well. I’ll get back to you,” Kendrick said.

“I don’t have time to waste, Kendrick.”

“And still, you will have to wait for my call.”

He ended the call, rudely so, and I had to fight my rage as it boiled within me and not throw my cell phone against the wall. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this irate. I wanted to kill Alexander and anyone who even remotely resembled him. I’d chosen my favorite sword, which was made with a dragon bone blade with a silver edge. I entered my living room to wait with other vampires who were strong enough to rise during the day, but the windows of my home were all blocked with titanium shutters to protect us from the sun. I went over the protocols with them, as I expected them to use the underground tunnels to travel to other safe houses to protect those. Only two would stay in my home to protect the vampires sleeping here. The others left, taking the secret passageway from my home to the tunnels to carry out my command.

My best defense now were the vampires sired through Théoden. Those who were as powerful as Alexander’s vampires and I only had six of Théoden's sons and four of his grandsons. Had he not become bound to Kendrick, they wouldn’t be as strong. I contacted them, Michael and Tyler first, to see how they were preparing as they were both Lords in my territory.

My Liege, right now, we’re going to the homes of vampires who are vulnerable and gathering them. We’re going to take them to locations that are protected underground. So far, I haven’t spotted our enemy, but we are cautious, Michael said.

Are your brothers and nephews doing the same?