A Gate of Night (A Shade of Vampire #6)(22)

Sam’s eyes searched for Vivienne’s, while Ashley’s searched for mine. Both spoke in unison. “We’ve got trouble.”

“Yuri just attacked one of the hunters. It’s chaos out there,” Sam explained.

“He was trying to protect Claudia. Some of the hunters were apparently coming on to her,” Ashley added in defense of the vampire.

I stifled a bitter chuckle when I saw Vivienne’s and Arron’s faces. What a great way to kickstart this experiment of getting hunters and vampires to work together. Yuri Lazaroff, one of the most level-headed vampires I know, lost his cool and attacked a hunter. We’re creating history indeed.

Chapter 14: Vivienne

We arrived in what used to be the town plaza in the Vale to find a stand-off between the hunters and the vampires. Several of the vampires held hunters hostage while the other hunters had UV guns or wooden stakes pointed at the vampires. Several of The Shade’s human citizens were standing in the middle of both sides, attempting to ward off a full-on fight. Gavin, Ian and Rosa—three of Sofia’s most trusted among The Shade’s humans—immediately caught my eye.

I walked right to them, Xavier, Aiden, Sam and Ashley following behind me. The way several stakes and guns pointed toward us as we walked by didn’t escape my attention.

“What is going on here?” I demanded in as authoritative a tone I could manage. “Who started this mess?”

All eyes turned toward one side. Claudia hovered over a wounded Yuri, several stakes lodged into his body, one in particular barely missing his heart. Right behind Claudia was a dead hunter—heart ripped out.

“One of ours for one of yours, princess.”

The words sent shivers down my spine.

Arron.

I slowly turned around to face him. By my comrades’ faces, none of them were going to allow this to happen.

“A life for a life, Vivienne.” Arron shrugged a shoulder. “It only seems fair.”

“Who’s going to tell me what happened here?” I screamed out.

Gavin stepped up. “The hunter”—he pointed at the lifeless corpse—“recognized Claudia from when she was held captive at hunter headquarters. He began taunting her as she and Yuri were passing by. Yuri lost it. There was nothing anyone could do to stop him.”

“Your hunter went too far.” I glared at Arron. “He had it coming.”

“Nonsense. We had a truce. No one was to be hurt.”

“My people have been harassed ever since you hunters took over the island. Enough is enough. None of us are going to take it anymore.” I let my claws out.

Every other vampire surrounding us bared their fangs and extended their claws.

Arron didn’t even flinch. He just smirked in response. “Your people, Vivienne? Is that what you think you monsters are? People?”

I was both offended and intimidated at the same time. I tried to recall the confidence and strength I’d had before the hunters had succeeded in breaking me.

Xavier’s hand gently pressed against the small of my back. A show of support. I drew from his strength and tried to reach some form of calm.

What would Derek do?

Derek intimidated people by the sheer force of his very presence—one look, one frown, one growl. When that didn’t work, he had brute force going for him.

I didn’t have the kind of power he had and everybody knew it. I had to exert my own authority in my own way.

One thing Derek did that I could also do, however, was to not back down. I looked Arron in the eye and gave him my sweetest smile. “I don’t care what you think we are, Arron, but trust my word on this. Push us too far, and we can be monsters. We’ve killed and bled for this island many times over the past five centuries. Don’t think that we’re not willing to do it again.”

Arron calmly walked toward me. “You, princess? Is it not true that you have never shed blood? Didn’t you tell us back at headquarters while we tortured you again and again and again that you have never even fed on a human? You were simply too innocent, too precious. Your brother went through great lengths to keep you from ever having to turn into the monster that he became, and now, he might just die under the hands of the Elder… all because you refuse to cooperate with us.” The moment he was close enough, he pulled out a wooden stake and directed its point right to my heart.

Half a dozen vampires stood ready to attack him—Xavier included. I raised my hand to stop them. “Don’t.”

“Arron, enough.” Aiden spoke up. “We need to figure out a way to work together. This isn’t it.”

“My men cannot work with these monsters until our man has received the justice he deserves.” Arron pointed at Yuri with his free hand while the other pushed the wooden stake ever so slightly—just enough to press against my skin but not to break it. “I demand his life in exchange for the life that he took.”

Nostrils flaring, blonde curls running amok, Claudia stood to her feet, her petite form not intimidating, but the manic look on her face showing that she would kill hunters—and vampires if needed—should anybody take even a step closer to Yuri.

I tried to remain calm, keeping my stare on the head hunter. “Go ahead, Arron. Push that stake into my heart and earn the ire of every vampire on this island. You need us. I don’t know why exactly, but I know that you need us much more than we need you. If you didn’t, we wouldn’t still be alive, would we?”