Page 22 of Vampire Claus

It was his demon,speakingto him. Its rage gave voice to its passion.

Paul rolled onto his knees, then stood shakily. He wasn’t running. What was he doing? Looking for a weapon.

No, Paul, don’t! You won’t survive another attack like that!

Give me dominion.The demon’s words were clearer, echoing with its desperation.Before it’s too late, surrender to me.

Taviano thought furiously at it,When I gave in to you before, you killed everyone in that village. I can’t let you.

You must or it all ends. I end, you end, your familiar ends.

Taviano bellowed as the woman scored a swipe across one eye, blinding him. Already he heard bones crunching in his arms as the vampire behind him pulled. At any second the ligaments in his shoulders would give way. The one at his neck got his fangs in place and punctured the skin.

The demon raged in his head.I promise I will spare him. Give me command and he will be safe. Before it’s too late, surrender to me.

No one but these vampires must die,Taviano pleaded with it. Swear and I will give you my body.

I swear.

And so Taviano surrendered.

It was as if he shrank inside his own head. He barely heard the howl of challenge and fury that ripped from his body. His demon claimed control of limbs, eyes and ears. Fangs. His bones and tendons, his eye, his neck healed instantly. The magic that he tried hard to keep contained whipped out and a wild gale threw the vampire at his neck across the roof.

His head smashed back against the one pulling at his arms, connecting with its nose. The blow stunned the creature enough that Taviano’s demon broke free. Whirling, his demon grabbed the woman so quickly she never saw it coming. Her body burned in his grasp but he barely felt the pain.

Rip rend tear consume

The words pulsed around Taviano in his cocoon. His consciousness lay muffled somewhere far down inside his own body. Yet he shared the moment of triumph as his demon plunged its fangs into the woman’s neck and drained all of her essence. She shrieked and twisted but was helpless in its unrestrained grasp. Taviano felt the bloodbeast that had inhabited her get sucked into his body. His demon devoured its magic and its puissance, and its awareness faded to nothing.

Then it turned on the vampire that had tried to rip off his arms and returned the favor. Ichor leapt from the man’s exposed shoulder socket and swirled in the night air instead of splashing to the ground. His demon sucked in the streaming ichor, draining the vampire before his body could heal. That vampire too died as the growing mass that was his demon consumed the other bloodbeast.

And his own demon waslarger. Even from within his nest Taviano could tell that. It took the magic of these other creatures and grew more dangerous, more powerful.

The two remaining vampires rushed away but they hadn’t even crossed the roof when his demon commanded, “Stop.” Thunder rolled across the shingles and rumbled loudly in the night air. There was no arguing with a voice that powerful and they must have feared they weren’t fast enough to escape. Both came to a halt, quivering with their panicked need to flee, knowing they had no choice but to obey.

The demon spoke with Taviano’s mouth, in words resounding with the roar of a hurricane. “I claim this territory. Leave every inhabitant of the North End unmolested and you may live. Touch as much as a rat and I will know. I will consume you as I did these hosts. Spread the word.” The vampires hesitated until it shouted, “Go!”

They went.

His bloodbeast basked and glowed and preened. Its pride, its power, were glorious. It could bide its time but one night it would take to the wind again. It would consume and grow greater still.

“Taviano?”

Paul’s voice drew the creature’s attention. It could see him pulsing with life and blood and all the delicious things that Taviano had felt when his prick was inside. The ichor that had saved Paul’s life was almost spent but traces still shone in his eyes and resonated in his voice. Paul asked, “Are you all right? Please, what’s happening?”

Deep inside, so far he couldn’t even tell in which direction Paul stood, Taviano heard the question. He felt his bloodbeast’s hunger.You swore, he thought furiously at it.He’s mine. Dammit, you swore.

He sensed his demon ponder. Its desires were alien to Taviano, its plans inchoate. Yet Taviano bore it some kinship. The thing had been inside him for nearly two centuries. Though they had never before communed in words, it had let him know its demands and its hungers.

Taviano struck out in the same way. He imagined his hands were claws tearing free of the cotton that swaddled him. He roared his passion for Paul, his loneliness, his will to protect that fragile man. His emotions throbbed against his demon’s mind while he wrestled for command. He fought to tear through the cocoon and regain charge of his body.

His demon was vast, far greater than it had been before, certainly larger than Taviano’s little body. Even as he railed and fought, he knew the battle was hopeless. It had grown too big, too powerful. He despaired.

But the most shocking thing happened. It turned all of its attention on Taviano and what poured back through their link felt like affection. Amusement. Maybe respect. His mind emerged from its nest and he became aware again of hands, feet, blinking eyes, a beating heart.

I keep my word, his demon told him.I have achieved my goals for now. The rest will come in time.

What do you mean?