Devil’s Royalty

The Night Before

I leaned up against the shadow wrapped wall waiting for the camera to pan away from my location. My black gloved hands inching closer and closer to the keypad. I heard the camera whine as it started to pan back. It was an unaudible sound for humans, but for me it was like nails on a chalk board. I dropped back behind a case as it completed it's pass again. I could see the key pad only inches away. I pressed the code in, it blinked twice and the low house lights came to life. I blew a kiss at the camera as i slinked past case after case. My ear piece cracked to life.

"That was a close one sweetheart, starting to feel your age? " the cameras, one by one, powered down as i made my way unscathed through the museum.

"Not one bit, just testing your ability. The security guards must be eating i haven't seen any one yet. "I stopped at a guard station and after a few key strokes the motion detecters on the cases go down one by one. I heard foot falls approaching fast, smiling i knew what was coming. Three giant black Tibetan mastiffs happily greeted me. " How have my good babies been? Doing your jobs? " I was almost knocked to the ground and covered head to toe in doggie drool. "Now where am i heading to Nikola darling? Before Oscar, Loki, and Kallie lick me to death. I reached down and scratched the guard dogs ears as I walked unscathed through the exhibits. A black shadow slipping through the glass display cases, with a trail of happy dogs following me. He spoke in my ear again.

"Your looking for the ancient Spartan armory they have the dagger displayed in there. Can you believe these uneducated heathens, placing a clearly french ceremonial dagger in with the greeks." I rolled my eyes and scoffed.

"Well my darling, not everyone can be as versed as you are in vampire artifacts. I'm sure they didnt know what they had." after a tiny bit of poking around I found the offending dagger. "Ah here we are." I stopped at the case gently running a claw along the glass. The dogs ran into my stopped legs causing them to roll and play at my feet. "Now have you disarmed the cases or is it going to be messy?" I gently tapped all ten black lacquer claws on the glass.

"Just a moment my sweet one you can't rush genius." the sounds of furious typing filled my ear." And there, your delicate little hands just have to open the door." I opened the case with ease and reached for the simple dagger. Just as I grasped the hilt one of one of the dogs started to growl. They moved infront of me and Oscar, the biggest, turned started to move to the door.

"Niki I think we have company and it's not the welcoming kind. " I slipped the dagger safely onto my person and closed the case. "Nikola, i need to know where they are." The dogs had all disappeared towards the noise. I had a general idea of which way they were coming, but i didnt want to confront them.

"A little busy, right this second, it seems we weren't the only ones that wanted something here tonight." I heard a crash followed by the dogs barking. "Our new friends aren't as sauve as us my darling, almost all the alarms were triggered. It is time to go, " I hurried my stride across the gallery, and saw them breaking the cases in the Egyptian exhibit. Taking a deep breath,

"I'll be right along get to the car," I crept along the entrance, I could smell them. A low growl passed my lips as i watched.

"Christina don't, we got what we came for, leave them." I slowly started to inch into the room. The dogs had attacked the men. The girl howled in pain as one of the men kicked her.

"You heard that, they aren't leaving in one piece. I'll met you at the car in five minutes tops." I turned sharply past a few cases filled with weapons. I smiled and picked up a staff. The dogs had huddled near this case. I bent down and checked to make sure there was nothing seriously wrong with them. With a few more pats and reassurances they were okay I moved into the shadow of one of the exhibits. The men were just grabbing anything gold they could get there hands on, laughing. There were three of them all together and none of them knew what was coming. I dropped the staff i had picked up and let it drag on the floor as i moved to them. I let my claws drag along the marble of the wall.

"I cant believe the boss just wants one thing, when all this gold is just sitting here. " one of them said as he shoved priceless necklaces into his bags.

"I know even the thing he wanted was plain and worthless, why anyone would want a greek butter knife ill never know." The third was inches from the alcove i was waiting in.

"I'll go grab that thing while you two finish cleaning out this room. " I walked into the room and let a low growl out. "and would one of you finish off these dogs before they get back up." I slammed the staff down on the ground as soon as I heard his footsteps disapper.

"Well boys, what do we have here." They turned around quickly drawing their guns

"What the f**k, where did you come from." I leaned up against a case playfully swinging the staff.

"That's not important, what is important is that is not yours. " I motioned to the gold. They laughed and closed the distance between them and me keeping their guns on me.

"You move one inch and we'll blow your pretty little head all over this room. Dillon we have about a five foot six leather clad problem back here." one of the men said into his walkie . It crackled back to life,

"Search it because our butter knife is gone and ten to one, the problem has it." i leaned on the staff and smiled.

"Who wants to try first?" I swung the staff knocking one to the ground with out a fight as the second pressed the gun to my head. "Now, now gentlemen, buy a lady a drink first, " i held my hands up, as he started to feel down my arm. I snarled and used the heel of my hand breaking his nose. He doubled back holding his nose loosely holding the gun. I swung the staff catching his knees taking him down. i took his gun and reached for the other's. I walked over to him and slammed the staff down on his stomach. He doubled over in a ball moaning. I took both guns emptying the shells. I crushed them with ease and tossed them at the feet of the men. One of them managed to whisper.

" What the f**k are you" I smiled dropping the staff, extending my claws.

" Your worse nightmare" as i turned running right into man number three. " You should have left the dogs alone." I grabbed him by his coat lapels and threw him towards the other two. "Now none of this wasnt very nice of any of you." I moved closer to the jumble of men on the floor. I ran my claws along the cases leaving deep scratch marks.The glass cried out as I closed the distance. "You were some bad bad boys...." eyes glowing as I lept into the pile and started tearing and ripping at them. I threw one man into the closest case redending him unconscious. Then turned to the one called Dillion, he started to back paddle out of the Egyptian exhibit. "Who are you working for," I growled. He stammered,

"I dont know his name. I just know his money was good. He paid half before the job and the rest when we delivered. " he had backed up into a case and cowarded away from me. I slammed my clawed hand into the case, shattering the glass around them. The sound of sirens brought me back to the present. I took a deep breath and said,

"Tell your boss to stay the hell out of my museum." He slumped down shaking and nodding. Satisfied, I turned to make sure I checked the dogs before disappeared right before the cops came busting in. When they entered the room all they found where the three nearly unconscious men babbling about a crazy clawed woman and the three dogs.

I slipped out of the back of the building completely unknown to the police that swarmed the front. They followed the path where the men had come in. One by one, as I passed the security cameras they clicked back on. Each showing everything in its place and no sign of the shadow that slipped silently out.I clicked the loading dock door shut and smiled warmly seeing the black SUV waiting. It pulled up with its lights off and the window rolling down, " Going my way, Sweetheart and do i have to pay extra for you to keep the leather on." I rolled my eyes and walked around to the other side of the car climbing in. The man on the driver's side had medium length rust colored hair just greying at the temples and emerald eyes sprakling like a child on Christmas.

"It depends handsome, is a warm bath and dinner included" I waggled my brows at him as I pulled my pony tail down. He smiled at me as he turned out on the road.

"Darling not that i mind playing the hacker theif, but why did we break into our own museum." He turned his attention completely to the road.

" You want the long version or the fun version?" I ran my hands through my mane untangling it. He pulled up to a stop light and looked at me.

" Do you really need me to answer that?" I giggled softly and smiled.

"Because we need to keep the committee on their toes. Good job hiring those thugs i would have never thought about doing that for you." I pulled the dagger from my leather body suit.

"I didn't hire them sweetheart." he looked at me, " they were there for dagger on their own. " he nodded to it. "apparently someone else knew about our little lady." i scrunched my face as i slipped the dagger into the the center console.

"Well then the plot thinkens and we have a leak somewhere. " I leaned back in my seat and watched out the window. The trees sped by as we drove on the darken highway. We were silent as i slowly started to try to get comfortable. I pushed the chair back and stretched out. I felt the car swerve and perked at brow at him.

" Was there an animal in the road, Nikola?" I smirked knowing that he was looking at me and not the road.

"I've been thinking of who the leak could be." He kept his eyes forward as he spoke. I propped my head up waiting to hear his answer. "I think it was Edna, the President of the Home Owners Association our sentinel." I just started to laugh.

"Are you serious Nikola. I mean, i know you have ups and downs with her, but that sweet old lady who makes you cookies, who hid you in closet from me. There are so many other people it could be." He slowed the car,

"It's not that far fetched, Christina we have seen weirder. Plus you, I and the committee are the only ones who knew. So unless you sold us out, or our own employees did, I don't see another option. " I shrugged, he was right, and in a strange way it did line up. She had been at the house when Nikola had left the research on my desk. She was a little fidgety when i questioned her interest in the museum.

"Alright, lets say that i agree with you. What is the plan." He smiled his fangs showing.

"I thought we would make a complaint." he stepped the on the accelerator. The SUV roared along the road. The lush green woods slowly shifted to dark woods seemingly going on forever. The leaves wistfully shifted from deep greens to the bright reds, yellows and oranges of fall. They danced along the black top as we neared our destination. We were nearing home, and it knew we were hunting.

We approached the gate on the outskirts of the lakeside village. At first glance, it was a beautiful sleepy gated community, nestled along the shore of the lake and protected by gently rolling hills and a forest fortress. We stopped at the entrance. Two massive sea serpent statues entwined at the gate. We punched in our code, and the beasts split to reveal the way. The monsters seemed to ripple as they moved almost whispering welcome home, as Nikola drove up the road. The homes we passed were big lazy lake houses with wrap around porches and giant well kept planters. Most were dark with just the outside lights on.

"Are you sure you want to do this Nikola? She has served us well over the years. Kept our secrets and helped to keep this place under the radar." I looked at my mate, and already knew his answer.

"Christina, if i am wrong, I will run all meetings for the next month." I looked a little surprised.

"Willingly, no fighting for a month? Oh i hope you are right too. " I turned to look out the window, we had arrived at her house. It was dark which was odd for her. She was a night owl, and a busy body, up all hours of the night to make sure her little kingdom was to her liking. We got out of the car, i scented the air. I smelled her scent everywhere, i ignored ours, and another. It was at the museum tonight. The one named Dillion. I looked at Nikola, " I smell one of the men from the museum. " He nodded as he walked to the front door, he pushed it open and called out.

"Edna, are you in here? It is the McConnells we just want to talk." He was answered with a buck shot of salt to the face. A little woman no taller then four feet came walking out of the house with a shot gun pressed up at him.

" What do you want you hoodlums, do you know what hour it is." she didnt wavier the gun.

"Edna it's us Nikola and Christina, your employers." I tried reasoning with her. " We have a few.questions about tonight." I took a step towards her. She shifted the gun to me.

"Now Edna this is crazy, you just saw us earlier today. You know who she is and you know me. " he reached forward to try to grab the gun without hurting her. She side swiped him, it was just long enough for me to make my move. I pinned her carefully against the wall, and Nikola managed to wrestle the gun from her. That was went i caught a glimpse of it. She had a set of matching bone hair combs in her hair.

"Nikola, the combs in her hair. " I grabbed one as he grabbed the other.

"Christina, Nikola, why are you here, and why do you have me pinned against the wall." I released her and sighed softly.

"Edna, what is the last thing you remember. " She looked at me funny and furrowed her brow.

"I had just stopped by the mansion, and brought some of my cookies. You had mentioned something about about a new exhibit opening in a few days. I left, returned home and my grandson stopped by and gave me a gift. Those combs give.them back. " I looked at Nikola, and he back to me then continued.

"Edna honey, that was a week ago, and these aren't a gift you'd give a love one. I think your grandson was using you to get to us. " She looked madder and then sighed.

" These are bone charms, used to make a person a puppet, and not know it. So either your grandson made a grave mistake, or he intentionally gave them to you to get to us. I think you have been unknowly compromised. " I took her hands, and she looked scared.

" What are you going to do with me. This is my home, i love it here. You have been so kind to me over the years. I can't... i can't leave." I smiled as i rubbed her hands. Nikola answered.

"Nothing Edna, You have been our sentinel for years, its time for you to step down. " He handed her the gun back.

"You have one remaining duty and that is to select your successor. After a short trip, you are welcome to stay here as long as you wish." she held my hands tightly.

"I am so sorry this happened. I would have never thought he would used me like. I didn't get you hurt did I?" I smirked softly.

"Now Edna, look who your talking to, we dont bruise easily. Unless it's a point blank salt shot. " I nodded in Nikola's direction. She laughed softly and apologized to Nikola. He was less the thrilled about his welt. Once we had her settled and safe we returned to the car. With the promise of sending someone over to keep watch.

"Well I think someone needs to get.up bright and early tomorrow to take care of the meeting." I crossed my arms.over my chest looking at him. He started the car and shook his head.

"I was right it was Edna, just because she was being controlled doesn't change that fact. So as far as im concerned it's still your job." i rolled my eyes.

" Fine, let's head home and get out of these clothes. I could kill for a hot meal and a hotter bath. " He nodded and we were on our way.