Ashlynn Monroe: Vampires and Mistletoe

The vampire put his feet up on Victor's desk. Insolence! If he didn't need the arrogant creature he would order an immediate execution. Gideon smiled, and Victor knew that the vampire knew he was safe for just that reason. Clearing his throat, Victor spoke with barely restrained anger.

"Vampire… Gideon of Burning Side, I called for your assistance and will tolerate your insolence only so far. You are to return my daughter, Tessa, home, and will receive a handsome payment when you have completed the task. She is using her magic to cloak herself. Human demon hunters have their sights set on her and are determined to end her life. If she dies or is harmed in any way, it will be you I call my vengeance on."

"Why should I drag some spoiled demon Royal home? It's not my concern if hunters get the foolish girl." The vampire's eyebrow rose mockingly.

Victor could feel his horns growing long and curled and his fingers became claws at the disrespect to his daughter. His current worries left him absolutely no tolerance for arrogant vampires.

"My child is not a spoiled girl. However, she is stubborn and independent, and needs to be here at home. I expect you to take this task seriously. If she dies I will kill every female vampire in the realm in retaliation. Your choice; save my child or watch your species become extinct."

Gideon felt shocked. Had the bigot actually stated he was going to kill his people's women? Could he actually do that? For a moment, he just stared at the Grand Master in silent disbelief. It was obvious that he meant what he said. Frowning, Gideon realized there was no choice. His reply held every ounce of his disgust for a man who would threaten a species to get his own way.

"I will bring your daughter home."

Levelly they stared at one another. Both men held their pride before them. With a slight jerk of his head, the Grand Master nodded in dismissal. Gideon wondered how the man could casually return to paperwork after threatening genocide. His scowl never left his face as he got up and left.

Late Afternoon, December 23rd

After an entire day of staying on the move and looking over her shoulder, Tessa felt exhausted. Reasonably certain she wasn't being followed; she decided to go to the last place her father would ever look for her in the human realm. He knew how she thought, his goons didn't. She felt sure he would give them a list of potential locations where they could find her.

It was irrational, but Tessa had a terrible fear of lakes; an instinctual side-effect of her demon nature. Of the six of them, only she had inherited that particular fear. One year her father had booked a beautiful resort near Mary's Lake in Estes Park, Colorado, as a change for them. Tessa had remained in the comfortable and quaint room with the curtains drawn, hiding from the lake, until the trip ended.

In anger she'd reminded her father that if he loved her he would certainly know her greatest fear. Just one more argument in a lifetime of anger and misunderstandings. Tessa's reaction certainly ensured he MapQuested any area's geography to avoid lakes after that disastrous Christmas vacation. The same experience ensured he would never think to look for her at the lodge and resort on Mary's Lake. Taking a deep breath, she held in her fear and snapped her fingers, hoping she had enough energy for one more jump.

Several ATMs across the country had given her access to the modest nest egg she had in the bank, and bouncing around kept her paper trail confusing. She'd made a point of using several in Florida to confuse her father's goons. She had enough money to stay at the resort for a week. The day after Christmas she'd be broke and homeless, but she'd have one last Colorado Christmas before she left to escape her father.

Without her sisters it wouldn't be the same but she felt safe, and that mattered most at the moment. After a short registration process she took her room card and single suitcase to her room. Smiling, she noticed the strange look she received for wearing only a sweater on such a cold winter night. It was solstice; the longest, coldest night of the year, and Christmas was four days away.

Her continual expenditure of magic had exhausted her, and after a quick cloak of magical protection and invisibility over her room she stripped off her clothing. Lying down under the covers in just her adorable yellow and pink bra and panties, she immediately fell asleep.

A rustling noise, as if something had brushed the drapes, startled her out of her deep sleep. Sitting up and gasping, it took Tessa a moment to remember where she was. A strange bed always left her feeling frightened for a moment upon waking. Rapidly rewinding the memories of why she was there reminded her that she needed to get used to the sensation.

Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and tried to see in the darkness. Her demon blood gave her keen night vision, but it was so unnaturally dark she couldn't tell what had made the noise. For a moment, she felt tempted to call out into the darkness to whoever had woken her. A dark blur suddenly grabbed her and pulled her to the floor. Since Tessa had rejected her demon nature, she'd never properly learned to morph to her stronger demon form without having to concentrate. Fear trapped her in her human form. Now someone choked her, and she was helpless. Gasping and coughing for air, Tessa slapped out futilely at her attacker. Unconsciousness threatened; if she allowed herself to pass out she knew her attacker would easily and quickly kill her.

Suddenly the bliss of unexpected freedom left her fighting for breath like a fish out of water. Confused, she realized her assailant was under attack. Vaguely, she realized how quiet the scuffle was. She listened in terror, unsure what she should do. Someone must be using magic in her room, to make it so disorienting. A cracking noise put an end to the battle. Having heard the sound before, in the Other World, Tessa knew it was the sound of someone's neck being broken. But whose?

Even as the darkness lightened slightly, the adrenaline-fueled fear remained, and as a tall form approached her and Tessa cringed, terrified. Was her attacker coming to finish the job, could she trust her rescuer?

Gideon's vision was perfect in the darkness he'd created; even the demon couldn't see him. He looked down at her; she was exquisite. When the hunter had silently broken the lock to her room Gideon had followed him in and called the darkness to them. It slowed the attacker down enough for Gideon to gauge his best options for attack as he glanced around the room for his charge.

His first view of the sleeping woman had made him catch his breath. Her long black hair had spread across the pillow, highlighted by the ivory perfection of her skin. Long lashes lay peacefully on her checks. Her perfect bone structure and small cute nose made him wonder if she was really the biological daughter of the Grand Master, because this woman was beautiful. One small hand curled innocently under her face, and she sighed restfully in her sleep.

When the hunter had grabbed her, Gideon felt an unusual wave of protectiveness toward the woman the Grand Master commanded him to rescue.

Having dispatched the human hunter easily enough, Gideon hovered over the girl. So this was the one who never appeared in public; the heir no one ever saw. The demon who wanted to be human. It was certainly a conundrum, but he just wanted to get her home and be done with her.

Terror shimmered in her bright blue eyes. He'd never seen a demon with blue eyes and it took him aback for a moment. She looked delicate and fair, except for the thick lush mop of black hair. For an irrational moment he wanted to bury his face in it. Coming closer he smelled her blood, it smelled very human. A piecing moment of hunger surprised him. Her blood should most certainly be demon, but something very human ran through her veins. Vampires could not drink from a pure-blood demon because it was poisonous to them. But this girl was most assuredly appetizing! The scent of her blood confirmed it would be safe for consumption. Involuntarily, his fangs lengthened. Stepping back, he almost tripped over the body of the hunter.