Erlking

Four

The father shudders, he rides swiftly, he holds the groaning child in his arms.

Erlking song English translation.

"Lady Gloom, I am Doctor Loch. May I have a word, alone?" I turned to study the short male with a long neck and fins in the doorway. I nodded once.

"My little Upir, look to me," I ordered softly. I waited until the eyes of the young female clashed with mine. 

"I am listening, Aunty Gloom." She whispered. 

"I will be by the door. I am not leaving until your parents arrive." I assured Erika, releasing her hand. My niece fought her need to reach out to me once more. I was proud of her restraint as I crossed the room to the doorway.

"Doctor."

"My lady, your niece has several fractured bones. I would like her to stay for several days. She has no major damage to her lungs; I am pleased to report. However, I fear the psychological ramifications of her ordeal will be far-reaching-."

"She can not stay here. Erika must return home. Injuries such as this require the comfort, safety and healing qualities of her bed. Modern medicine will not heal her; she needs blood and her family." I motioned toward the end of the hall. Five vampires in full elite armour strode in our direction behind a fast-moving female, my sister kissed my cheek and slipped into the room, sweeping her daughter up in her arms. I held up my hand, stopping the males advance.

"This is Doctor Loch. Erika will need blood; she has several fractured bones. There is no dirt in her lungs-."

"Why would my daughter have dirt in her lungs, Amity?" Balis, my brother in law, demanded.

"Doctor, will you excuse us?" Kerm asked calmly.

"Of course." Loch left us to see his patient and her mother. I sighed. This was not going to go well, I thought.

"The Erlking took Nok,  and he buried Erika beneath the mud in a willow grove when she tried to stop him. I have been commissioned to hunt the male. Taking the children, changed the rules of engagement the Glooms have lived by for millions of years. Now you have arrived. I am going to retrieve my nephew. First, Erika needs healing." I turned to my niece, watching me from the bed with fearful eyes and crossed to her side. I held out my arm. Everyone in the room gasped in shock I never offered my blood.

"Are you sure, Aunty Gloom?" Erika whispered, sinking her teeth into my vein. I spoke casually as she drank. 

"I would not have offered my arm to you, had I not meant for you to take my blood. You are the next generation of Gloom females. An inexperienced fledgling, weak, untrained, and I saw you stand up to the Erlking and fight for your brother. You wounded one of his daughters. I am proud of you, my little Upir. I have programmed my number into your phone. You will contact me if you are afraid." I told her as she closed the twin holes in my skin. I nodded once and strode out of the room. Firebrand was waiting, leaning against the wall.

"I got us an audience with the Queen." He drawled following me from the hospital. He reached around me, opening the door when I stopped beside a marked police cruiser. 

"Thank you." I ground out, climbing into the passenger seat. Firebrand took his place in the driver seat; I covered my face with one shaking hand. 

"A penny for your thoughts?" Jackson asked, pulling into traffic. I settled against the seat and rested my head on the leather.

"In all my years, an Erlking has never taken a Gloom. I thought there was something different about this case, and I was right. This Elf is new. Honestly, Jackson, I am thrilled by the prospect of hunting him. At my age, you jump at any change thrown at you."

"At your age? What do you mean by that?" Firebrand demanded. My chuckle was slightly sinister.

"Everyone, including Commander Live, think I am a decedent. I am not. I am the original and only Amity Gloom." Jackson cleared his throat.

"Since we are being honest. I knew who you were before I called Commander Live. Unlike most within our society, Dragons are naturally long-lived. I remember when you joined the Elite. It was a huge scandal." He replied with a smirk.

"Oh yes, gods forbid a female to be able to kill something. It's not rocket science. You run a people with a pointy object and stab it into them." Jackson laughed with genuine mirth.

"I am sure Commander Live would love your analogy on the elite," I smirked, shaking my head at the male navigating his way through traffic.

"What time is our appointment with her majesty?" I asked glad to see my hand has stopped shaking. I was going to need to feed again soon. The blood I had taken at the crime scene was a mere drop, to what I needed to sustain myself.

"We are on our way there now. Her aid said she has a small window to see us. There was a family emergency, and she did not want to be away long."

"That emergency was Erika injured one of her daughters. You cannot know how proud I am of her."

No less than five hundred courtiers noticed our arrival at the palace. We left our weapons in the car, even though we knew, we were the weapons and did not need the little bits of metal the department and army declared we required. 

"How recognisable are you?" Fireband's soft voice nearly heard over the mutterings of overdressed elves vying for the attention of the queen.

"We are about to find out." My dry tone caused the males lips to twitch, whether in irritation or amusement I did not know. The queen sat on her throne, the chair beside her empty. Firebrand arched one brow.

"He is not allowed at court unless it is a preplanned even he is required via tradition to attend," I whispered, turning around to make it seem if I were studying the room.

"Huh, no kidding. Well, this should be interesting. Who are they?" My gaze was resting on the three female elves standing to the right of their queen.

"They are her daughters. Do not let her fool you, the royals always and I mean always, give birth to quadruplets. Oh, look, one is missing. I wonder where she is?" I muttered as we stopped before the raised dais. Firebrand bowed his head. I did not.

"Detective Jackson Firebrand, your majesty. I have some questions for you regarding your mate." Jackson's voice filled the suddenly quiet room.

"Detective, we welcome you. Now is not a good time, perhaps you can come on another day. As you can see, one of my daughters is not present. She is injured-."

"While she was burying a female vampire this evening. Yes, we know." I interrupted smoothly. The queen's eyes narrowed, her gaze resting on my face for the first time. She gasped, springing to her feet. 

"Dear Gods!" She cried as I advanced.

"Your mate attacked a child, a male. His name is Nok. His sister Erika tried to save him, and she was subdued and buried alive by one of your daughters. Erika managed to stab her with a willow stick. It is my understanding; willow can be somewhat toxic to elves if ingested, is that right? The reason I am so interested in the actions of your family is that the male who was taken is none other than Nok Gloom." My voice echoed around the room. The queens green face grew pale, her shaking hand touching her lips.

"The Glooms have demanded the return of the male within the hour, unharmed, breathing and unspelled," Jackson called. The middle Princess stepped forward with a humorous little smirk on her face.

"Whyever would-."

"Telith, silence!" The queen shrieked, recognition flashing through her fear-filled eyes. Before either could move, I grabbed Telith, jerking her head to one side, my fangs ripped into the flesh of her throat. Elf blood pouring down my throat. Glowing red eyes locking on the gaze of the quaking monarch. I released her daughter, dropping her shrivelled husk of a body to the marble floor. I licked my lips casually and used a finger to wipe the blood from the corners of my mouth.

"Fetch my nephew, now!" I commanded almost pleasantly. The queen lifted one shaking hand, motioning to one of her aids to do as I bid.

"Impossible! All the ancient vampires are shrivelled old men." Princess number two cried.

"You have much to learn about my race if you ever desire to be queen in your mother's place. You also need to do a better f*****g job than your current monarch. What possessed your mate to take a Gloom?" I asked, allowing her to hear my bafflement. 

"Aunty Gloom!" Nok screamed, running as fast as he could across the floor. I caught him up in my arms, stopping him from looking at the corpse on the floor. I studied his young face carefully, looking for any injuries or spells. 

"Are you alright, little Upir?" I murmured. 

"They hurt me and killed Erika!" He wailed, bloodied tears rolling down his young face. I hushed him softly.

"Your sister is well. She is safe with your parents, where you will be in a few minutes. Let us go home." I turned my back on the Elf Queen and her daughters, ignoring the byplay going on behind me.

"AUNTY!" Nok screamed in terror. I tossed him to Jackson and spun around low, sweeping out with one foot, the guard fell to the floor with a thud. I slammed my fist into his chest and ripped out his spine as his friends attacked. Using the bones of their comrade, I slashed and stabbed the males coming at me. Arterial blood arched all over the floor, courtiers slipping in the bright red pools as they scurried out of the way. Fangs flashing and eyes glowing, I laughed as I slaughtered the guards with ease, their bodies falling like dominos. Within moments I stood before the dais, covered in blood in icor, smiling with glee at the destruction ringing me.

"Well, that was bracing. I thank you for the sport. If you will excuse me, my sister will want to see her son. I will return for your mate soon." 

"He is not here! He escaped." The queen cried horrified. 

"Your majesty, that is the best news I have heard this century. Have a lovely day." Winking at the guards standing between me and their monarch, I turned on my heel and followed the form of Jackson, carrying my nephew out of the palace.

"Aunty Gloom, are you hurt?" Nok whispered. I looked down at him sitting beside me in the backseat of the cruiser. It was the first thing he said to me since leaving the palace.

"I am not, I thank you little Upir," I replied, catching Firebrands knowing gaze in the mirror. I had not gone unscathed. 

"Mr Firebrand, what are you?" Nok asked with the tact of a six-year-old. Jackson laughed.

"I am a dragon, Nok. What are you?" Firebrand answered as bluntly. Nok grimaced, realising how rude his question was.

"I'm a vampire. Aunty Gloom calls Erika and I Urpyr. It sounds cool, but I don't know what an Upir is."

Balis was standing on the sidewalk, surrounded by his brothers as Gail carefully placed Erika into the car. I opened the door and reached for Nok. 

"NOK!" Erika cried out, holding one hand out toward her little brother as he ran to his parents, scaling his father and holding tight to the huge male's neck. Balis wrapped his arms around his son, tightly. Kerm placed one hand on his shoulder, grinning. Gail kissed her son and turned to face us. Her eyes were popping wide at the state of my appearance.

"Take them home. They are not to leave. You will be told when it is safe once more." I called. Balis nodded, refusing to release his only son.

"Aunty Gloom killed forty guards with a spinal column Pappa; it was awesome. I want to be like her when I'm older." Nok chirped happily sharing my exploits with his parents. Gail shot me an exasperated look.

"In Amity's defence, they attacked her while her back was turned. She was holding her nephew at the time." Jackson reported. Balis nodded sliding into the backseat with his children, Kerm drove while the other three climbed into another car.

"So, do you like Imp?" Firebrand asked casually. I arched one brow.

"I do, yes."

"Good, get in. I know a place." He stated. Taking the passenger seat in the cruiser once more, we drove in silence to a farmhouse, half an hour from the city. I opened my door and stepped onto the dry gravel drive.

"Your house?" I asked, closing the door and coming around the side of the car.

"Yes." He waved me up onto the front covered, wrap-around veranda. Using a key from the chain clipped to the pocket of his pants, he unlocked and pushed the door wide. I hesitated on the threshold. Firebrand turned, arching a brow at me. Sudden understanding rocketing into his gaze.

"I invite you in, Amity Gloom." He drawled. With a shudder, I stepped over the threshold and into his house. I looked around. It was large, open with exposed wooden beams and old polished stone made up a grand chimney connected to an impressive fireplace. Secretly, I always wanted a place just like this one. 

"Gloom?" I turned around to find Firebrand staring at me. I shook my head to clear it.

"What did you say?"

"I asked if you were hungry." He replied with a serious tone. I shook my head.

"No, I am still full after drinking the Princess. However, I need a shower. I am starting to itch. Elf blood is slightly acidic." I told him, shrugging one shoulder. Jackson motioned for me to follow. He led me down a flight of stairs. I found myself in the cool caverns under the ground and his house. Stopping beside a door, he opened it to reveal a bathroom.

"Toss me your clothes. I'll put them in the washing machine." Firebrand ordered. I shrugged and stripped the blood-soaked material from my skin. I handed them over, turned my naked back on him and stepped into the shower. I could still feel his eyes on me several minutes later. I turned my head. Jackson's eyes were glowing, and his scales flashed slightly with little gold lights. He was aroused by me and fighting it! I was torn between amusement and shock I'd not been with a male in a long time. 

"Jack," I called opening the door. Unable to help himself, Jackson looked up. His glowing green gaze was roaming over my wet, naked form.

"Amity." He growled. I grinned taking a step back; I pressed myself against the wall. Undulating against the slick tile. His Addams apple bobbed as he watched. I cupped my breasts in both hands, massaging firmly. I moaned softly, never dropping his gaze. His breath hitched as I trailed one hand down my body, the water sluicing off me to pool around my feet. I stopped at my bare mound, slipping only one finger through my lips to the bundle of nerves hidden there. Reaching out with my consciousness, I moved into his open mind easily. Being this far away from him was making it hard to touch his body. Though within the halls of his mind. I could do anything. I sent him the sensation of my tongue swirling over his scale-covered neck and down his chest. My mouth was drawing the little buds of his n*****s into my mouth. Jackson leaned back against the door, his breathing becoming more pronounced. Unseen hands unclasped the button and zip on his pants, the material parting to reveal the top of his c**k peeking through the split fabric. I licked my lips; Jackson felt it as though I had wrapped my mouth around his member and sucked him into my throat.

"f**k, Amity." He growled striding across the room. He kicked off his boots and stepped into the shower, lifting me against the wall. I wrapped my legs around his waist and reached for his c**k, only to not find anything.

"Where did your c**k go!" I demanded. Jackson chuckled.

"I'm a dragon; you want it, you find it." He drawled, leaning closer. I picked up one of my breasts, holding it up to his mouth. Firebrand sucked my n****e into his mouth and sucked hard. I arched into him, my wet core rubbing against the exposed scales of his groin. I suddenly remembered my Dragon Physiology and reached between my legs. I ran my hand down over the smooth scales of his groin until I found a small unguarded patch of skin. I pressed into it. Jackson growled, a low rumble in his throat as his c**k sprang free from within the armoured casing protecting it. I rocked against him once more as his mouth skimmed up one side of my throat. He nibbled on my ear lobe as I stroked his wide girth with one hand. Jackson's fingers found their way to my core, checking my readiness before he slammed into me. I cried out, a mixture of pleasure and pain. My core stretched to almost impossible proportions as the big male pistoned into me. He changed positions suddenly, pushing me to the floor, where he continued to pound into me, using the floor and one of my legs over his shoulder as leverage. I could feel something within me building. I began to shiver and buck at the sensations he called up within me until I exploded on a wave of silent screams. I lay back, the water pooling around the back of my head. Jackson peered down at me. He moved, a slight shift toward me as though asking permission. I leaned up into him, pressing my lips lightly to his. Firebrand kissed me softly, unabashed by what transpired before. He disengaged his body and helped me to my feet.

"I promised you an Imp. Come with me."

"Oh, I already did, thank you." I teased, shocked at the levity within me. Jackson laughed, spinning me around, he speared into me once more, taking me hard and fast from behind as I watched us in the vanity mirror. My hands clamped on each side of the sink. Jack slid his hand over my hip and between my lower lips. I cried out as he began to press it, with little circles.

"That's it, that's it, come on." He growled. My o****m came on so hard; I needed to lay down. I was incredibly tired; my lids were beginning to drop. Firebrand swept me into his arms and carried me down the hall, where he placed me into a bed. I rolled onto my side, sinking into a deep sleep.