Angel of Death

Chapter 6

As they drove through Northwest Industrial Estate, Natalie indicated for Mikhail to enter the shipping yards.

“I don’t like this.” He grumbled.

“I told you not to come…”

“Is this what you do?”

“This is my job…yes.”

He clenched his jaw but said nothing.

“Stop here.” Natalie said as she saw a lone figure standing a few yards away by a container, in the gloom. She turned to Mikhail. “Don’t think to use the gun in your glove compartment…do you know how to fight?”

Mikhail looked shocked. “You snooped through my car?”

Natalie smiled. “Can you fight?”

“Of course I can.” He snorted.

“I’m not talking about bar room brawls.”

“I’m a black belt in Jiu jitsu…satisfied.”

Natalie raised her eyebrows and smiled. “You’re growing on me.” Mikhail grinned. Natalie got out of the car. “Stay here…” She took her hoodie off and threw it on the seat. She was wearing a tight black t-shirt and leather pants, as she walked off she put her hair up in a ponytail. She wandered over to the lone figure as Mikhail watched her ass and growled.

“What do you want, Calem?”

The vampire grinned. “Come closer…” He leaned on the side of the container.

“Ah…I’m fine out here in the daylight, now it’s clearing up…” Natalie grinned.

“No matter to us…” A voice said from beside her.

She turned slightly to see two other figures step out from between two containers and into the light. She snarled and turned to Calem. “You set me up.”

“No, he did as he was told...” The other guy said for him. He was bulky and clearly had two short horns sticking out through his thick burgundy red hair. His partner was tall and lean with large lower canines that protruded from his mouth. Demons. “Who’s that in the car?”

Natalie ignored the question. “Told by whom?” She fixed a baleful stare at Calem who cringed under the scrutiny.

“Mazacain.” A third guy said.

“What the fuck.” Natalie turned to see another figure step out of the gloom. He was also tall with long flowing black hair, he had long curling black horns that came down round his ears like a ram. He had a nasty looking chain whip in his hand. She reached up into the back of her t-shirt and drew her swords from the magical tattoo on her back. “Seems we have a problem then people…”

“Natalie!” She heard Mikhail yell. Damn I told him to stay in the car.

“Come closer, Natty Cat.” The third guy said provokingly as he lashed out with the whip, she easily knocked it aside with her sword.

“Ha! I can see your traps…” Natalie settled her gaze on the third guy, who seemed to be the one in charge, as her eyes glowed purple making the magical traps all light up around them. “How did Mazacain find me?”

“Some little demon at a bonfire.”

“Damn it.” Natalie muttered, that was probably the beach house gone…she hoped Londo and Daniel were okay.

“So he sent three level threes and a vampire to capture me, I’m insulted.”

“We’re not here to capture you, sweetheart…just to confirm that you are who Mazacain is looking for.”

“Well, it’s not like he could send a level four or higher now is it…there’s none in the city.”

“There is now apparently, smart bitch.”

“What?”

“Ha! You didn’t know?”

“I’m beginning too…fuck…” She frowned, surely not.

“Yeah, but he’s a rogue so lucky you…his identity isn’t known by the Princes yet. He’s just been sensed around the city.”

“Yeah, lucky me…” Natalie looked over her shoulder at Mikhail who was standing in front of the car with his arms folded, looking very menacing.

The level three demons both followed her gaze, she grinned. “You talking about that Level four?”

“f**k, he works for you?”

“Not quite…” Natalie indicated for Mikhail to come over.

He was at her side in the blink of an eye using demon speed. “So now you want my help?” He said with an amused expression, one eyebrow arched as he appraised the demons before him.

“No…but these guys were talking about you.”

“Were they.” The look he settled on them made everyone take a step back, as his green eyes turned red.

“If you’re the Level four rogue they mentioned.”

Mikhail clenched his jaw and said nothing.

“No matter.” The level three in charge said. “You’ve confirmed what we needed to know.”

‘And, you think you’re just going to leave…” Natalie said ominously.

Natalie suddenly noticed out of the corner of her eye the Vampire Calum trying to back away. She grabbed him with her power and slammed him into the dirt and dragged him by his throat, using a tendril of power, to her feet. She placed a boot on his throat and looked down on him.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Calum started steaming as the sun hit him as he struggled against her power. Natalie laughed and sent him slamming into a container back in the shade wrapped in tendrils of shadow magic holding him in place. He collapsed in a heap groaning. “Stay there…” She said.

The main level three was looking at Mikhail. “Mazacain will be interested to know about you too…what’s your name?”

Mikhail growled. “None of your or Mazacain’s f*****g business.”

The Level three’s started casting fire and ice but Natalie sent them flying back into the containers behind them. “You think you can cast faster than I can use my power? Don’t make me laugh.”

She walked over to one as the others scrambled to their feet. She grabbed him by the hair and slit his throat. As his life gurgled away he burst into flames and vanished into dust. When she turned she found Mikhail holding the other one, with one hand held high, by the throat off his feet. He was struggling against him, Mikhail’s fangs were showing in a hideous smile. She rounded on the one with the rams horns. He was on his feet and dropped the end of the chain whip as he grinned at her. She knew it was a Morningstar, so had to very careful. As he whipped it out at her she jumped away, rolling on her shoulder and coming up a few feet away, he whipped it out again and she managed to wrap it round one of her swords. She dropped the other sword and grabbed the chain, pulling against the demon in a tug of war, wrapping the chain around her forearms. She gritted her teeth, she didn’t have the strength for this after dealing with the spirits before. She glanced up and saw Mikhail was still toying with the demon, using his power making the guy scream by licking fire around his body. She frowned, he must be a high level four to sustain that protection from the level three’s attempts at trying to use his own ability and stop him. “Any time now, Mikhail…” She called out to him through gritted teeth.

He smiled and placed the palm of his hand on the demon’s forehead. The demon screamed as fire burst from his mouth and he vanished into dust. Then he turned and saw that Natalie was struggling against the third demon. He roared and sent a blast of fire straight at the demon from the palm of his hand, who quickly tried to raise a shield of ice to protect himself from it, as the fire hit the ice, it evaporated creating a massive swirl of steam. As the steam dissipated the demon hissed to find Natalie gone and the chain wrapped around Natalie’s sword buried into the earth. Natalie whispered in his ear from behind. “Gotcha!” As his eyes went wide he felt her sword cleave through his back and into his heart. He burst into a shower of ash. Natalie looked across to Mikhail with a grin. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” He smirked back folding his arms.

Natalie walked over to the vampire who was still being held by her magic, grabbing the sword from the ground as she went and also wrapping the Morningstar whip around her arm. She crouched down in front of him and slammed his back into the container so he was sitting up.

“That just leaves you…” Natalie said to Calum “Is what the demon said true?” Calum nodded. “Why did they use you?”

“They knew you don’t come to demon calls, and I owed Mazacain something.”

“Damn Calum…you’re an i***t!” Natalie replied coolly. She raised her sword.

“If no one goes back to report anything Mazacain will send more…” He said hurriedly, seeing his fate.

“True, but you can’t be trusted.”

“I can…I swear…I’ll say the demons came up against some high level wolves or something.”

“It’s not going to work.’

“Bite me…I’ll be yours…you will know if I deceive you.”

“Oh, I intend to bite you…after the bloody day I’ve had…but I intend to drain you dry.” Natalie said ominously.

“No, please…” Calem whispered.

Natalie grabbed his hair and pulled his head back and bit his neck. After the power she had used today she needed blood more than anything.

Mikhail watched as Natalie drained the vampire of blood. All his inner demon kept saying to him was to bite her like that and claim her. He shook his head and turned away with great effort. He walked slowly back to the car, with troubling thoughts on his mind.

Natalie drained the vampire and then stuck her sword into his chest and watched as he turned to dust. She got up, picked up her other sword and they disappeared back into her flesh.

She walked back to Mikhail’s car and got in, dumping the Morningstar whip on the floor at her feet. She looked at a speck of blood on her knee and wiped at it.

“So what now?” Mikhail asked.

Natalie really didn’t know. “I’m going to have to go dark for a few days.” She took her phone out and went to message Vince the same thing. She hadn’t received any messages from him or the others so she was guessing they were fine…she hoped.

“You can stay with me.” Mikhail said and started the engine.

“Wait? What? Was that a question?”

“No” He said as he drove out of the shipping yard and headed back into the city. “My place is secure and unknown by anyone you know so they can’t give you up.”

“They wouldn’t and I need to let Vince know.”

“Vince?” Mikhail growled.

“The hero on the Ducati.” Natalie said factiously.

“Hmm.” Mikhail snorted. “Not a good idea right now.”

“No true…I’ll do it later.”

“Turn your phone off…”

Natalie looked at him with a snarky expression. “Thanks for that…I was just about to…”

“Good.” He glanced at her when he stopped at some lights. “I’m surprised you didn’t argue with me.”

Natalie smiled and looked out the side window. “About staying at your place?”

“Yeah…”

“I told you…you’re growing on me.”

Mikhail grinned as he drove on.

“Don’t get carried away…” Natalie grumbled.