Last Call: Vampire Territory, #6

By Allie Ritch

Victor Rafe is built for war, not love. He has sworn to fight for Alex and Lucas—the master vampires he serves—but this battle is personal. Taspar Tong murdered his human family long ago, and now the Eastern vampire is plotting to take over Lucas's territory. All Victor can think about is revenge…until a certain vampiress distracts him.

 

Cierra refuses to play the fool for any man, even for the sexy warrior who makes her long for his kiss. She wants Taspar dead as much as anyone, but she won't sit back and watch vengeance destroy Victor. The stubborn vampire is willing to fight for everything else. Why won't he fight for her?

 

Get caught up in the exciting finale to Allie Ritch's paranormal romance series and find out who is left standing when the battle ends.

 

(Previously published by Loose Id. This work has been re-edited.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allie Ritch
• Release date: Jun 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386815150

Allie Ritch

Allie Ritch is a multi-published author of sizzling sci-fi and paranormal romance. She has an active imagination and enjoys entertaining others through storytelling. Allie lives in her own little world in the Southeastern United States, where she spends time appreciating the ocean and sunshine. Follow Allie at https://allieritch.wordpress.com or on Twitter https://twitter.com/AllieRitch

Book preview

Prologue

Victor listened to the patter of rain against the roof and tried to let it distract him from the labored breathing of the woman lying on her deathbed. Serafina’s dark hair had turned gray with age. As he held her hand, he noticed how fragile her fingers felt and how her olive skin had paled as much as his had. When he looked into her eyes, though, he could still picture her as the fresh young girl he had married.

He had known Serafina was the one he wanted since the moment he’d grown to manhood. She had become his wife, the mother of his children, and the woman he had returned home to after spending far too long away at war. It had been during the last battle on foreign soil that a vampire had turned him, ensuring that Victor would remain forever young and fit but would never again see the sun. He had been stripped of life as he’d known it, but he had never stopped loving Serafina. Now he was here watching her die, while he would continue without her.

I can turn you, he told her. He refused to beg, but he was sure she heard the plea in his voice.

She let out a stuttering cough before she answered. No, this is meant to be. I was born human, and I will die human. At least I get to leave this world looking at your handsome face.

I’ve never been handsome, he retorted. My features could have been carved with an ax.

She sniffed at that, as he knew she would. You’ve always been the most handsome man to me. Promise me something.

Anything. It was a dangerous word, but he had never been able to deny her.

Look after our babies, she said.

He smiled then, even as his heart was breaking. Their children hadn’t been babies for a long time. They were all grown and married and had children of their own, but they were still blood of his blood.

I promise, he told her. They contain the best parts of us, don’t they?

She returned a tight grin, though her eyes were clouded by pain. Find peace, my love.

Those were the last words she spoke before her hand went limp and her breath left her on a sigh. Her heart slowed and stilled until even his vampire hearing couldn’t detect it. He bowed his head and cried.

It was one of two times Victor wept. The second wasn’t until many years later, when a born vampire named Taspar Tong cut a swath through the country. Victor was too late to stop Taspar and his men when they went from village to village, raping and killing. He was greeted by the cold bodies of his great-grandchildren and their progeny. Taspar murdered every last descendant Victor had, destroying all that was left of his lovely Serafina.

Victor had failed to keep his promise to his wife. He hadn’t protected their babies. And he lost all hope of ever finding peace.

Chapter 1

Victor spun, narrowly avoiding a blow to his spine that could easily have crippled him. He then used the momentum to deliver a backhand, but all he caught was the whip of his opponent’s ponytail against his knuckles as she ducked.

You’re getting predictable. His foul mood made his tone rougher than usual.

The vampiress who faced him didn’t even blink. Alexandra Gage was the master of the Southern Territory—his master—which meant she was tough and fast and cunning enough to take whatever he dished out. As her chief enforcer, it was Victor’s job to help her keep her lethal edge.

Sometimes the old tricks are the best tricks, Alex retorted.

Faster than he could blink, she moved behind him again. He turned to deflect another hit and saw too late that it wasn’t her fist he needed to worry about. With a sweep of her leg, she knocked his feet out from under him, laying him out on the dojo mat. She followed up with a foot stomp that only missed his head because he rolled away quickly enough.

He didn’t stay down for long. With a quick flip, he was back on his feet and looking for an opening.

What’s the matter? she taunted him. You didn’t predict that?

He growled and bared his fangs, though he didn’t let her goad him into an impulsive move.

You’re surly tonight, she remarked.

Try frustrated.

Taspar Tong—the vampire he hated above all others—had finally come to the New World and had declared war on this household. The bastard’s aim was to take over the Mid-Atlantic Territory, which was currently ruled by Alex’s husband, Lucas Thane. After that, Taspar had his sights set on the vampire-free states to the west.

Twice now, Victor had gotten close enough to engage the Eastern vampire in combat. Both times, the coward had managed to slip away. Now Taspar was hiding, and for months, none of the bloodsuckers they’d interrogated had been able to tell them anything. Add some sexual frustration to the mix, and Victor was spoiling for a fight.

Alex slipped under his guard and delivered a rapid series of punches to his face and ribs. He deflected most of them and got in a few licks of his own before she danced back.

Is the job getting to you? she asked. I knew being my chief enforcer would keep you busy, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.

Victor grunted. It’s not the job.

He had served as a general in his human life and was used to command. The first time he’d met Alex, he’d planned to challenge her for leadership of the Southern Territory. He had even eliminated the competition in order to take a shot at her. There was no telling how that battle might have ended, because she’d offered him the chief enforcer position instead.

You sold me on the job when you promised I could avoid the political crap you master vampires have to deal with.

It’s one of the perks, Alex said.

She cracked him in the jaw before he saw her move. He had to rely on his own quick reflexes to grab her arm as she followed through, and then he kicked her across the stomach hard enough to lift her off her feet an inch or two. Although he heard her breath slam out of her lungs, she didn’t remain stunned for long. She used the split-second opening to tangle her leg with his and brought him to the ground. He rolled to pin her, but she was swift enough to escape him. They both sprang up and began circling again.

I’ll give you another promise, she said. "We will nail Taspar Tong."

I know. He would make sure of it.

We might not have gotten anything out of his lackeys, but Drew’s body gave us some clues.

Andrew Johnson, known to the household as Drew—or more recently, as bastard, prick, and several other disparaging names—had been a traitor twice over. While he had been living with them, he had secretly been working for the Human Rebellion, a group whose sole mission was to terminate all vampires. When Drew had decided his fellow Rebels weren’t giving him what he wanted, he had then double-crossed them and had become Taspar’s accomplice. He had even convinced the Eastern vampire to turn him and had become more dangerous than ever as a bloodsucker. Victor had been part of the fight that had ultimately killed Drew, but it was Alex who had been clever enough to check the traitor’s pockets. She had come up with a wallet, keys, and a cell phone.

You already used Drew’s phone to lure out a few of Taspar’s stupider bloodsuckers, Alex reminded him. Mel and Cierra are working hard to track down what the keys go to.

Victor had grown to respect Melody, who worked as Alex’s personal assistant. As for Cierra, Lucas’s chamberlain, the image of green eyes flashed through his mind. In his fantasies, she gazed up at him from his bed, and her light brown hair was spread across his pillow.

His gut tightened, and he nearly took a fist to the face. This was exactly why he’d fought his feelings for Cierra for so long. She was a distraction he couldn’t afford—not when Taspar Tong was so close. And since he had kissed her a couple of weeks ago and finally tasted her lips, his hyperawareness of her had only grown stronger. That kiss had been a tactical error—a moment of weakness he shouldn’t have allowed himself. He’d recognized the danger, yet he had been the one to initiate it before he’d come to his senses and pushed her away. Since then, the tension between him and Cierra was palpable.

I think our message to the Human Rebellion worked, Alex told him, and he scrambled to follow the change of subject. The Rebels haven’t given us any more trouble. She barked out the last word as she avoided his roundhouse kick.

You know that won’t last, Victor warned her.

The Rebels were focused on killing all vampires, good or bad. There were few laws they wouldn’t break to accomplish that objective. Of course, Alex knew the Human Rebellion better than anyone. Back when she and her brother were human, they’d been raised as Rebels.

Yes, but I’m enjoying it while it lasts, she retorted. At least we’re getting a breather.

Dividing their attention between two enemies had strained their resources. They had taken heavy losses, the most recent and painful of which was the death of Nicodemus. Nico had been one of six guards directly under Victor’s command and a man he had regarded as a friend. Now only five guards served Alex directly: Eryx, Jaide, Graham, Istvan, and Kody.

Speaking of a breather, Alex said. As much fun as this is, you and I both have other things to attend to.

She called a halt and dropped her fighting stance, forcing him to do the same. He would have preferred to keep sparring to work off his aggression, but he knew she was right. Duty came first, especially when a single mistake could mean losing another one of their people.

The dojo—or gym, as some of the vampires referred to it—was located in the finished basement of the Tudor-style mansion Alex and Lucas called home. A few of the residents lived on this level, including their in-house scientist, Natalia. The vampiress had a large laboratory down here and lived in an attached bedroom with Wess Gage, Alex’s recently turned brother.

Two stories rose above them, offering plenty of room for the vampires who made up the household. The property was situated in the Metrolina area of the Carolinas, on the border between Alex’s and Lucas’s domains. Most of the main guards lived on the top floor, closest to the pair of master vampires they had sworn to protect. Victor headed up there now, nodding in acknowledgment to those he passed. He took a few minutes to clean up and change clothes in his room, and he was fully armed again when he descended to the main floor.

Victor headed to Mel’s office to confer with Alex’s assistant. Though their jobs were very different, the two of them were their master’s left and right hand. In addition to keeping them well stocked with bagged blood, Mel did a lot of research. She monitored the online news feeds for any sign that vampires were breaking their master’s human rights laws, and she oversaw the census that tracked the bloodsuckers in the area.

He was surprised to find her alone when he walked into her office. If one of the other residents wasn’t in here asking for something, usually Eryx was close at hand. Sweet-natured Mel and merciless, dark-eyed Eryx were an unlikely match, but the couple clearly held each other’s hearts.

Anything new? Victor asked.

Mel looked up from her computer and gave him a thin smile. The good news is nobody appears to be misbehaving. The bad news is I don’t have any new leads on Taspar.

What about the keys we found in Drew’s pocket? Alex reminded me you were working on tracking where they go.

Cierra and I are tag-teaming it, she said. I’m tackling the car key. If Drew registered a new vehicle anywhere along the Eastern Seaboard, I hope to find it. For all I know, though, Drew stole the car or registered it under a false name. Or bought it but didn’t register it, considering he might have already been a vampire by that time. The Department of Motor Vehicles doesn’t stay open after dark.

If we find where he was staying, we’ll probably find the car, Victor pointed out.

At that point, she said, you can hit the electronic button and see which car’s lights blink. I know the manufacturer. Based on what I can tell about Drew’s taste and the models that are most popular with young men, my best guess is that you’re looking for a Corvette.

That gave him a tiny spark of hope. Assuming it’s not hidden in a garage, that shouldn’t be too hard to find.

It would help if we at least knew which city to search, Mel told him. Cierra is working on the house keys. You can check with her to see if she’s made any progress.

Did I hear my name? Cierra’s voice came from the hallway and made Victor stiffen in more ways than one.

If you’re discussing what headway I’ve made uncovering the location of Drew’s bolt-hole, she said, I’m afraid that’s going to be—

Cierra stopped talking the moment she spotted him through the open doorway. He could tell she hadn’t expected to find him here. She had probably assumed Mel was speaking with Eryx.

Victor could do nothing but absorb her effect on him. Everything about Cierra was feminine, from the flare of her hips to the thick sweep of her eyelashes. She always wore her brown hair unbound, and her lips were glossy pink. Although she was average height, she seemed taller because of the way she carried herself. Tonight the thin black slacks she wore highlighted her long legs, and her merlot-colored blouse had cutouts that revealed her bare shoulders. Her green eyes, which were currently fixed on him, weren’t emerald or jade. Instead, her irises reminded him of sea glass.

He was riveted by the sight of her tongue darting out to wet her full lips, which was how he saw the exact moment she set her mouth in determination. She stepped fully into the room and turned her attention to Mel.

It’s going to be complicated, she finished. What we have here are two cut keys that correspond to one of the most popular brands of residential locks in the United States. In fact, the company that manufactures the locksets has a facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.

So the locks for these keys could be almost anywhere, Mel said.

Yes, Cierra told her, but I’ve been concentrating my efforts on Charlotte. Not because of the manufacturing, of course, but because we keep running into Taspar and his men there. I don’t see them commuting too far. I’m also focusing on apartment buildings and condominiums, as opposed to separate houses. Even if Drew had the authority to order some of Taspar’s soldiers around, none of them would have been the type to handle the chores necessary to keep a house in order. A condo or apartment requires less maintenance.

There must be thousands, Victor pointed out, forcing her to look at him again. Are you going to scour the whole city?

Not without direction. I like to make a plan before I act. Her arched eyebrow made it clear that was a dig at him for his impulsive kiss. I compiled a list of apartment buildings and condos in the area, and yes, there are thousands of them. To whittle that down, I’ve given top priority to properties with multiple units for sale. Our own neighborhood is proof that when vampires move in, many of the humans move out.

Alex said she had the same thing happen at her condo in Atlanta, Mel said. The building was still occupied, but the neighbors closest to her unit all left.

Cierra nodded. I’ve called a lot of the places on my list to ask about their lock systems, so I’ve been able to eliminate many of them. For the rest, I’ve organized some of our people to check the buildings in person, and they’ve already covered a lot of ground. We’re looking to see if the buildings use the same brand of lock, and then we can determine if any of the units aren’t occupied by humans. Once we find a place that meets those criteria, of course, it’s just a matter of testing the keys.

Victor had to admire her methodical approach, though he still thought the chance of success was slim. Try the penthouses, he suggested. Drew was spoiled and would have wanted the best.

I’ll keep that in mind, Cierra said without inflection. I’m heading out now to join the hunt.

He scowled. What do you mean you’re going? You said you assigned men to do the search.

"Yes, and it will be faster with extra help. Mel is here to oversee