Revolution (The Risen Series Book 2)

Chapter 20 ~ A bit of B&E

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Chapter 20: A Bit of B&E
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It didn't take me long to pack. I had next to nothing to pack. A change of clothes had been left out for me on the bed, all in vampiric black. I would have left them there if whoever had left them hadn't managed to pin down my style so well. The underwear was new, thank the gods, the white labels tugged off gratefully. Even the jeans smelt too clean to have been worn before. I slid on my combat boots, reattached my knife holster around my thigh, then put Padraig's glittering gem encrusted blade safely in place.

The leather jacket looked worn but fit eerily well as I slid it on. Nosing the collar, I inhaled deeply but the only scent I caught was cigarette smoke which brought a small smile to my lips. Yup, just as I thought. Patting the pockets revealed someone had snuck in a lighter and pack of cigarettes for me. Titus? Surely not. And Atanas would have asked for thanks for letting me keep my bad habit.

So who...

A loud crash that reverberated beneath my feet snapped me from my thoughts. The racket of the fort was near deafening as we prepared to leave, the rumble of car engines and wheels over stone crunching up the drive. Too many voices all muffled together, and I found myself needing to pause and take a few deep breaths with my back to a wall.

Out of all who were here, who would return? How many would be leaving to face their death? If only I could believe the responsibility I felt for everyone wouldn't crush me later. Even if I didn't know them, they were here because of me.

"It's just war," I said to myself. "It's just the safety of every human being in the world. Nothing to stress over."

Zipping up the jacket made me feel more protected, and I grabbed the bag of blood on the bedside table before stepping out and down the stairs.
Vampires crowded the halls, more than I thought were even here. Men and Women had to shove their way through the throng, sharing clipped words and irritated glances when their path was blocked. Swords of all ages and styles glinted in the candlelight, some even carried bows and deadly looking knives. Hardly any were armed with guns, which I was happy to see after having experienced exactly how it felt to have a bullet tear through you. We could count on our enemy being armed much the same; twenty first century weaponry wasn't exactly our style as a species.

I didn't need to elbow my way through like everyone else though. As soon as my presence was noted, a space was cleared and silence fell. I did my best to walk with my head held high despite the mass of eyes on me. Men and women bowed their heads as I passed while some openly stared with curiosity. I began to feel self-conscious on my own until someone cleared their throat on the other end of the hall. Life broke out once more, vampires rushing to get back to their tasks.

Catching sight of Kincaid near the door, I rushed over and gripped his arm. "Who is staying behind?"

"I am, Your Majesty," the blonde woman beside him answered.

It took me a minute to place her dainty features, but how could I forget such strange violet eyes? "I remember you. You helped me after escaping Airell's dungeon. Cammi, isn't it?"

She seemed pleased I remembered, standing taller under my gaze. "Yes. Is there something I can do for you?"

"I just wanted to make sure Seth will remain guarded. Even imprisoned, there's no telling what he's picked up on and could pass on to our enemies. Beware Titus' vampire's to. I imagine he won't want the fort looked after by us alone."