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SEBASTIAN HAD BEEN mulling over what Jardine had told him during their impromptu meeting. She’d mentioned an artifact that could be used against Lord Kreaton and he was intrigued by it. It would have to be powerful to harm a master vampire as ancient as his rival. He knew it was risky to form an alliance with his kin when he didn’t know any of them, but they would need allies to help them fight their war.
He’d found the fire already lit when he sauntered downstairs after waking up. The living room where he spent most of his free time was cozy with the flames dancing away. He sank down onto an armchair and decided he needed to speak to his fellow triumvirate members. They hadn’t had any contact with each other during the past month. He figured Kade and Raum were both busy searching for a suitable partner to become bonded to.
“I need to send two letters,” Sebastian said. Two sheets of paper and a pair of quills immediately appeared in front of him. “I require Kade Sinclair and Raum to meet me on the rooftop of the insane asylum in the Night Cursed District in an hour’s time,” he said. Words in magical black ink appeared on the paper, then they became wrapped in envelopes and fluttered away. It would only take them a few minutes to reach their targets.
Sebastian knew his allies would be able to get to the asylum well within the specified timeframe. Kade could teleport and Raum could fly. Sebastian was the only one who would have to travel on foot. It would take too long to get there by carriage. A glass of blood appeared on the coffee table and he drank it down, then stood up. He was wearing his usual outfit of black clothes and a black hooded cloak to blend in with the shadows.
The master vampire left his mansion, then raced through the Vampire District in a blur of movement. He took a bridge to the Night Cursed District and came to a stop at one of the many compounds that had been created to house the drained cursed beings. A high stone wall surrounded the complex, keeping the withered bloodsuckers penned in place. A huge steel gate was the only entrance. Sebastian peered through some barred windows in the gate to see tall brick buildings that were barely more than hovels. He could hear Night Cursed vampires huddled in their apartments, moaning in hunger and misery.
A stab of pity for the poor wretches hit the master vampire. No one deserved to suffer a fate like this. The Immortal Triumvirate had used these former humans, then they’d locked them away so they wouldn’t have to look at them. The cursed folk would spend the rest of eternity penned in like animals if the trio were allowed to continue their reign of evil.
Sebastian continued his journey and crossed to the east side of the Night Cursed District. The asylum was just as creepy as the last time he’d been there. He could hear feet shuffling around inside the building as the feeble guards and inmates restlessly moved around. An occasional moan or shriek sounded as he climbed the fire escape to the rooftop. Wind ruffled his cloak, plucking at it like a mischievous ghost as he waited for his allies to arrive.
Kade Sinclair teleported to the roof right on time and Raum arrived moments later. The gigantic midnight blue demon dropped to the roof, transforming into his human form before he landed. “Gentlemen,” Raum said, straightening his cuffs and inclining his head in greeting.
“Bonsoir,” Sebastian said, reverting to his native language out of habit, then nodded at Kade in greeting. “I spoke to a master vampire who mentioned an artifact was smuggled into Nox some years ago. She believes it can be used against Lord Kreaton.”
“What is her name?” Raum asked with one eyebrow raised.
“Jardine,” Sebastian replied.
Kade jerked in surprise. “Xiara Evora mentioned her,” he said. “She gave me a box and said Jardine would know what was inside it and what it would do. I opened the box and found a silver tablet that’s covered in runes that I can’t read.”
Raum became thoughtful. “Hmm,” he mused. “I heard about an artifact that Lord Kreaton was frantic to locate quite some time ago. I wonder if the Guardian of Nox possessed this tablet all along?”
“Did Jardine tell you how to use the tablet?” Kade asked.
Sebastian shook his head. “Non. She wants assurances from us before she’ll tell me what she knows about it.”
“This should be good,” Raum said sardonically. “What assurances does she want?”
“She and the other master vampires who will side with us want better living conditions for our kind,” Sebastian informed them. “The lesser vampires are starving. They’ll turn rogue like the alpha-less shifters if they don’t get enough blood to sustain them.”
“Everyone is starving,” Kade pointed out. “Why should the vampires get preferential treatment?”
“The rich aren’t starving,” Raum said. “Only the poor are suffering from a lack of food. They toil themselves into exhaustion while their betters glut themselves with food and wine.” It was no different in his District, but he wasn’t about to divulge that information to them.
“The only way to fix this is to reestablish balance,” Kade figured. “I’ve heard Nox used to be able to provide enough magic for everyone before the Drain. We need to work out a way to take the power the Immortal Triumvirate stole from the Night Cursed beings and distribute it to the whole city again.”
“I’m afraid that isn’t possible,” the demon said regretfully. “The spell wasn’t intended to be reversed.”
“So, if we kill the Immortal Triumvirate, their power will die with them?” Sebastian asked.
Raum nodded and spread his hands wide. “If it were possible to return the energy to whom it belongs, I would be only too happy to facilitate it. However, Crowmon was instrumental in drawing the essence out of the Night Cursed creatures. As he has now been stripped of his olde-worlde magic, the task will be beyond him to duplicate.”
“We’re at a stalemate then,” Kade realized in despair. They needed allies to fight their enemies and the master vampires would have been a good start. He didn’t trust the leeches, but Sebastian would have kept them in check.
“Let’s not give up just yet, gentlemen,” Raum said chidingly at their glum expressions. “We simply have to come up with another solution.”
“Such as?” Sebastian asked doubtfully. “Magic is needed to run Nox so that it can provide for everyone. The Energy Tax is the only thing keeping the city alive. Once the Immortal Triumvirate have been overthrown, the city will die with them.”
His allies looked at him in alarm. “How do you know that?” Kade asked.
“Xiara Evora told me what the result would be if her rulers were to perish,” the master vampire explained. “Once the Immortal Triumvirate are dead, Nox and the Night Cursed will cease to exist.”
Raum smiled widely enough to show his teeth at that news. “Well, then,” he said in a pleased tone. “I believe we’ve just found our bargaining tool.”
Kade looked at the demon in confusion, feeling very young and naive next to these two sly and ancient monsters. “What are you talking about?”
“We’re all trapped in this city without any hope of ever being able to leave,” Raum reminded him. “Once we kill the Immortal Triumvirate, the uncursed beings will be free to leave, since the City of Night will no longer exist.”
Sebastian and Kade exchanged glances, then mulled it over. “Nox was supposed to be a haven for supernatural creatures,” Sebastian said. “Instead, it’s a prison where most beings are oppressed. The Immortal Triumvirate promised that the city would be a utopia, but that’s only the case for the rich and powerful. Everyone else is now weak and malnourished from the annual Energy Tax. From what I’ve heard, most citizens would rather return to their original countries and homes than to remain stuck here.”
“That’s the bargaining chip we’ll use to gather allies, then?” Kade asked. “We offer freedom for everyone if they help us to destroy the Immortal Triumvirate?”
“It sounds like a fair deal to me,” the demon lord said with a charming smile and a twinkle in his eyes. “If our allies pledge their loyalty to us and agree to assist us however we require, we’ll ensure they will escape from their oppression.”
“We can’t guarantee we’ll win,” Sebastian refuted.
“Yes, well, it might be best not to mention that fact,” Raum said sardonically. “You should take our proposal to Jardine. With luck, it will be enough for her to inform you of what she knows about this mysterious tablet. Kade and I should search for allies of our own, along with suitable females to become bound to.” He cocked his head to the side. “Have either of you found anyone yet?”
“No,” Kade replied. “I have to be careful approaching anyone in the Magic Guild. They could be spies for the Immortal Triumvirate.”
Sebastian hesitated before he replied. His thoughts had immediately gone to the half fae woman he’d rescued several times. “I haven’t found anyone suitable yet,” he said.
“We’ll have to keep searching,” Raum said. “Time is ticking, gentlemen.” With a smirk, he transformed into his demon form, then took to the air.
Sebastian saw a flicker of gold eyes far in the distance as another winged creature went in pursuit of the demon lord. It was probably a demon guard keeping its distance while guarding Raum’s back. Kade nodded to him, then teleported away. Sebastian turned to examine the Night Cursed District. Magic was scarce here and the few buildings that shed any light were inhabited by the undrained beings. The rest of the District was dark and bleak. Soon, the entire city would be as dismal as this area was.
