I held my wooden pike against the vampire's throat. I saw he had the marks of Cal's inner circle on his neck- a tattoo of a dagger just above his shoulder. The leech fought under me almost with enough force to throw me off.
"Where can we find your master?" I asked.
Alistor was a few feet away watching my back so that we weren't attacked by another member of Cal's coven.
"Where?" I growled.
"Depends who's asking," he said trying to move his throat away from my pike.
It wasn't lethal to him, but the closeness of the wood would burn his skin. The only way it would kill him was if I stabbed it straight through his chest through his heart.
"We're some long overdo friends of his," I said.
The vampire under me was a boy- most likely no older than eight or ten when he had been turned. This was the only reason I was able to keep him down. I had no idea how old he was now. He wasn't bad looking- innocent looking in fact, with looking so young. His hair was a pale sheen of gold and fell in ringlets just below his ears framing his rounded, boy like face. His eyes were an illuminating sheen of green- like emeralds with flecks of red and he had dark, sunken, black circles under his eyes. His skin is an ashen gray and cold to the touch. He wears tattered clothes and boots. At first glance you would mistake him for a young farmhand.
"Somehow I'm having trouble believing that," he said. "I smell your angel blood from here, Guardian."
I mentally cursed that part of my blood. Dark Bloods easily picked up on it and it made it hard to go undetected anywhere we traveled. It also gave me a headache if they were strong, but somehow Cal had learned to mask his presence.
"Who says we're not seeking him out to be blood donors?" I asked.
The boy under me laughed. "I wasn't born yesterday and neither was my master. We know that there are guardian's seeking him out to destroy him."
I pushed my pike against his throat harder, drawing blood this time. We were getting nowhere with this leech.
"I say we take him for further questioning- we're getting nowhere with this joker." The boy hissed under me. "You are begging for death by taking me."
We were used to death threats, but this one made me falter slightly. With my recent nightmares of Alistor dying, I was slightly worried. Alistor touched my shoulder, making me jump a bit.
"Everything alright?"
I nodded. "Help me restrain him."
"I wouldn't do that," he growled.
"Then give us some answers," I said. "And I'll let you go back to your master."
Alistor helped me restrain him and we took the feisty vampire with us back to our room. He stopped fighting Alistor half way back figuring out it was futile. We dropped him on the floor.
"Why don't you charm speak him?" asked Alistor. "You always forget that tool."
I sighed. I tried not to use it because I hated the look my victims got when they spilled their guts about what I was asking- they looked like they were either in pain or in love with me and it was sickening to say in the least.
"No," growled the leech. "Don't you dare. You don't understand, he will kill me! If I leek our new coven grounds he will kill me!"
So they had moved again.
"Why don't we start small then," I suggested. "What is your name?"
I was using charm speak now and Alistor knew I was. The leech tried to fight me, but his tongue loosened.
"Vincent."
"How many are in your coven?"
This time there was no hesitation. "Fifteen- counting me."
I looked back to see Alistor in a type of trance.
"Alistor?"
He didn't move.
"Alistor!"
He blinked once.
"Aye?"
"Go to your room," I said.
He did and that was another reason I hated charm speak. It affected Alistor as well.
"Is Cal in this town?"
"Aye," he said through a clenched jaw.
"Where can I find him?"
"No!" he cried. "Please no! He will kill me! You don't understand!"
How was he fighting me still?
"Vincent, please. I will protect you."
"No," he growled. "No one can escape my master's wrath."
"Vincent, where is he?"
I growled feeling myself losing my hold on him. He clenched his jaw.
"Please- please be merciful!"
I knew I had lost my hold on him and I sighed. "Just this once."
Vincent went limp against the wall, sweat trickling down his face. I wiped my brow feeling slightly tired. Charm speak always took a lot out of me. Alistor stumbled back into the room holding his head in his hands.
"Tell me… what exactly just happened?" he asked.
I felt my knees buckle and Alistor caught me just in time.
*****
I awoke sometime later to a damp cloth on my head covering my eyes. I moved it, hearing Alistor chuckle and found myself with my head in his lap. He was so stunning, but looked slightly worried.
"What happened?" I asked, feeling my head poundind.
"Your charm speak," he said simply running one hand gently through my hair.
I let out a groan and forced myself to sit up.
"I hate using it," I said, grimacing.
Alistor wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. "I've never seen it affect you so badly."
"I've never had to fight so hard for control," I admitted. "Even when I should have had full control, he fought me. You were affected worse than usual as well."
I relaxed against him finding it easier and easier to allow him to comfort me. I knew it was wrong, but I was tired of fighting what is easier than breathing. This is how our relationship should be- easy with no wall.
He held me a bit tighter. "What did you find out?"
"Cal is here," I said. "He one of the larger covens we've been up against ... and that's about it."
"I was thinking," said Alistor.
I peered up at him.
"That's a scary thought," I teased.
He smirked and pulled me closer, breathing on my neck. "Oh really?"
"Yes. We all know I'm the brains and you're … the moral support."
Alistor laughed and poked my side. "Who's the muscle then?"
"Me obviously."
He chuckled and moved so quickly that I didn't process what was happening until he had me pinned against the bed, looking down at me.
"If you were the muscle I don't think this would've have happened."
I smiled. "Get a kick out of pining down defenseless girls now to prove a point, Alistor?"
He smirked. "I wouldn't quite call you defenseless, my little mouse."
He let my arms go and lay down beside me. I moved curling up against his side, smiling. I enjoyed our time together, and unlike what most people thought, we had yet to grow sick of each other … In fact, all this time together seemed to have the exact opposite effect.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, petting, through my hair.
"Tired," I admitted.
I could hear the steady rain outside and I didn't want to get wet and cold.
"We'll rest tonight then and continue tomorrow night."
I nodded not wanting to argue.
"What were you thinking though?" I said after a moment, remembering he had thought up an idea.
"We could just follow the next vampire we encounter instead of interrogating them."
How would that work? They would smell my scent before we even got too close.
"I don't think it will work that easy. They can sense me."
"I know of a warlock here who may have something to help with that."