Iron Maiden (Ravana Moon #1.5) Read online

  On occasion, she would sit and watch the kids in the square splashing in the fountain to cool from the day’s heat. She watched the farmers herd animals through town to the countryside. Eventually, she longed for the life she would never have and left the village. A life of normalcy was not for her.

  Before long Ravana didn’t recognize her surroundings anymore. Finding solace in the bottom of a bottle, she spent one night after another indulging. Men and drink. Finding a way to live without meaning became an unbearable task. So, she found a way to make it bearable. Until the world changed and she along with it.

  Chapter Five

  After nearly a hundred years she finally felt like she was living. Time changed for the better. New things meant room for improvement, for the world and for her. However, the world still held all the nightwalkers it had in the past. The one she longed to find was still elusive. Ravana decided to live her life without the knowledge of what was. Whoever she left behind would have been long gone. However, she still had a debt to pay. Finding the Ancient One had less and less to do with her past life and more to do with the fact that he’d abandoned her. Left her for dead. Yet, he could have been dead himself for all she knew.

  Her red hair, a new trait she acquired when the human blood entered into her system, made her well known. Long gone were the mousy brown locks from when she woke and the skin and bones girl who could only take a beating, and never knew how to dish one out. Gone was the meek flat chested girl who cowered in pain and waited for the healing to make it stop.

  Ravana stepped into the empty street. The lamp overhead brightened the pavement below and made the leather of her shoes shine back against the night. Sébastien had been a new acquaintance in the early twenties. No matter how much she traveled she always found him lurking nearby. Whether it was of his doing or pure coincidence she didn’t know, nor did she care. He had knowledge she would be crazy not to value.

  When the air around her shifted, Ravana held her stance. Her sword ring ready to lash out at anyone who got too close. She dipped the heels of all her shoes in iron flakes and had a silver dagger on her person at all times.

  “That won’t be necessary.” A slim, petite woman came from behind the lamp-post opposite the street where Ravana stood. Her hair hung to her jaw, black as night, but her eyes glowed blue under the light of the lamp.

  “I think I’ll be the judge of that.”

  “Take a long whiff.” The woman held her empty hands out to her sides.

  She did as she was instructed. The smell of iron and copper permeated the air. The woman took another calculating step into the light so Ravana could see her alabaster skin, and the light shade of pink moving to her cheeks.

  “Human. Why would a human want to sneak up on a vampire?”

  “You’re not a vampire, any more than I’m human.”

  “No, then what are you?”

  “I’m a hunter, just like you.”

  “Yes, but unlike me, your living.”

  “Semantics.”

  Ravana didn’t ease her stance. She stiffened her backside and kept her feet apart, ready to run if she were about to be ambushed. “What do you want with me?”

  “I’ve been sent to recruit you.”

  “Recruit? By whom?”

  “Ever heard of the Order?” Ravana shook her head, and the woman lowered her hands moving closer. She started to speak low, but Ravana made no attempt to move. “We’re a small organization, set up by the paranormal sector. One that seeks out those who can’t be tried and punished as humans are; such as yourself.”

  “And you want me to what, work for you?”

  “It’s either work for us or take up residence in one of our lovely cells.”

  “I don’t think so. And I wouldn’t be too quick to think a cell would be enough to hold me captive.” She turned her back on the woman. Her heels clicking against the pavement echoed in the night. The woman was standing in front of her before she was able to take the first step away. “What?” Ravana asked as the woman tried to posture her way into being frightful.

  “I told you. It’s one or the other. There is no third option.”

  “I doubt that very much. What reason could this organization have for locking me up?”

  “You’re a danger to everyone around you. Why else?”

  “I’ve never harmed a human in almost a hundred years. So, you have no reason.”

  “Be that as it may, I am authorized to bring you in…by any means necessary.”

  “I don’t think so. You’ll have to find the night’s quota elsewhere.” Ravana side-stepped the woman, but was knocked back a few steps when the small framed assailant put up a hand to block her.

  Ravana noticed the small tattoo on the woman’s collarbone; a crescent moon with an elaborate ‘H’ drawn overtop of it. A status of what and who she was. Ravana moved again, only this time she turned to head in the opposite direction, but the small dark-haired girl was again in her path.

  “I will hurt you if that’s what it takes. Now, get out of my way.”

  “I figured you’d say that.”

  Before she had a chance to move again, Ravana felt a jolt hit her body. She convulsed and twitched as the scene before her faded to black. When she woke the pavement was the first thing she saw. The lamplight was gone, as well as the wind, but the pavement was there. As was dirt and stone.

  Her hand moved to her head. The faint pounding alerted her that something was off. Being who she was, she didn’t feel pain, but she did then. It was like a faint thrum behind her left eye. Her shoulder twitched as another jolt of current ripped through her. Ravana screamed and moved her hand to the pain in her shoulder, feeling for the wires that protruded her skin she yanked them free.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” she spit the blood from her mouth and let it coat the pavement. “Not very nice at all.”

  “Well, something told me you didn’t want to come quietly.”

  “No,” she spit again then looked back at the petite girl with a taser in her hand. “I didn’t want to come at all, but since you pushed.” She moved in a blur behind the woman. One hand against her chin, the other held her throat. “Why did you bring me here?”

  They weren’t in the open night any longer but in a basement room. The pavement was the floor, dirt and stone-lined the outer wall. A small window the size of a microwave sat above their heads, and behind them was an empty staircase.

  “My superior wants to speak with you.” The woman managed to get out with the pressure of Ravana’s hand against her throat.

  “Why?”

  “Why don’t you ask her?”

  A faint clicking of shoes descended the stairs. Ravana moved the woman so they were facing the stairwell as a tall, slender woman with long brown hair came into view.

  “Ester, what did you do?”

  “She fucked up. That’s what she did. Who are you?” Ravana asked spitting more blood from her mouth.

  “You’re losing blood. Why don’t you let her go and we can move upstairs? Get you a blood bag?”

  “I can wait. Tell me why I am here.”

  “Very well, as you wish. My name is Amanda. I was sent by the Order to arrange a business deal with you.”

  “Really? So, what’s with the taser and kidnapping? Is that how you conduct all your business dealings?”

  “No. Ester has her own unique methods. One I asked her not to employ.” She said giving the smaller woman a hard look.

  “What’s the Order anyway?”

  “The Order is an organization created to take down the creatures that walk the night and feed off of the innocent. Aren’t you a protector of the innocent, Ravana?”

  Ravana loosed her grip on Ester and shook her head. “No, I protect no one.” She pushed the girl away from her and held the heel of her hand to the wound on her shoulder.

  “You should let us get you some blood.” The tall brunette said moving forward.

  “No. Tell me what I’m doing here, and I’ll
go get my own blood.”

  “My employer would like you to lend a hand. Work with us to free the world of monsters. We’re also in the market for a new benefactor. One without ties to vampires.”

  “I am a vampire.” For emphasis, she bared her fangs.

  “But you're so much more. Aren’t you?”

  Ravana only looked at her. She adjusted her stance, forgoing the pressure against her wound since she began to feel the skin pull together.

  “You’re a hunter. More hunter, rumor has it, than vampire. You don’t feed, you eat human food, you employ humans, and you stalk creatures of the night. You could become a force to be reckoned with. We could help each other.”

  “I already am. I don’t need your assistance.”

  “You need our knowledge.”

  Ravana’s interest peaked and the woman knew it. She saw the rise of her eyebrow and the shift in her face. “What knowledge?”

  “The Ancient One. We have texts. Many in fact, that mention him, who he is, his whereabouts, and why he made you. Over the years we’ve met and documented all kinds of valuable information. You need our knowledge and we need your backing.”

  “You want money?” She laughed.

  “Yes, why is that so hard to believe?”

  “I assume you’re an organization backed by the government. Would they not contribute funds to your cause?”

  “If we accept their funds, we have to abide by their rules.”

  “Would you not assume I’d have some as well?”

  “We’re offering you more of a trade. You become a silent partner, work within the Order and we offer you unlimited access to what we know.”

  “Why would that be enough for me?”

  “Because, you can come and go as you wish, and get your answers. Maybe settle in you a bit of bloodlust.”

  “And what do you get in return, besides my money?”

  “The ability to take down the bad guys. That’s all we’re after.”

  “I highly doubt that.”

  She’d been moving little by little until they had switched positions in the room. Amanda and Ester now stood with their backs to the little window with Ravana in front of the stairs. Her access to leave granted.

  “Go ahead. Go home, sleep on it. We’ll find you. When you’re ready to give us an answer.”

  Chapter Six

  Does not work well with others, was something Ravana felt should have been tattooed across her chest. She couldn’t have ever imagined working with anyone, let alone with a secret organization. Yet, she was given the opportunity to fund one, and use them to gain access to the information she’d long since given up on finding. The elusive Ancient One and his reasons for being still occupied a small area of her mind. She’d almost given up hope of ever finding him, yet she kept looking not knowing if it would ever pay off. She didn’t know if she was just given the key to her answers or more disappointment.

  She wanted to know why she was made and abandoned. She wanted to know who she’d been before, and if she’d left behind a family, though it didn’t matter much anymore. They’d be long dead. What other reasons could she have to find him, that was good enough to do what they suggested?

  Ravana spent the morning going over the idea of saying yes and having the resources to do with what she wanted. She didn’t just want to survive the world, so she could find one man. She wanted to survive and take down all the corruption. Not necessarily the evil of the world, but corruption was kind of the same thing. She could let them think she was just in it for the answers. Use them for her own benefits, but what would those benefits be? She’d done some digging, and what they wanted her for, she couldn’t understand.

  If she went back to Amanda and Ester she was sure to make herself off limits where the Order was concerned. The PCI too. The government controlled the Paranormal Creature Investigations Unit, but the Order was an underground organization dependent on the private sector for funding. If Ravana backed them, she would become head of the organization, but that was something she wasn’t interested in. Paperwork and politics were not her style. She’d rather break a few necks.

  Their previous benefactor had been a rouge. A vampire with a bank account that far exceeded her own, but not by much. He’d met the end of a pointy blade, and as all vampires tend to do, he floated away as ash. His funds were then given to a benefactor of his own, not leaving the Order with a dime. They were desperate and mere days away from closing their doors. No wonder they needed an affiliation with someone a bit more stable.

  Ravana found the girls were true to their word. They met Ravana when she was ready to talk. Amanda didn’t keep her distance. She sat across from Ravana at a small table, but Ester found it best to linger out of reach of the blazing red-heads grasp. She kept a watchful eye on Ravana as they hashed out the details, choosing to meet her on a very public street, just outside of a small café. Ravana ordered a skinny cappuccino, for no other reason than to make Ester flinch. Ester obviously didn’t take the time to learn much about Ravana. She kept giving her idle looks. Almost as if she were assessing her.

  “Can I ask?” Ester started while Amanda was mid-sentence. “Are you a natural red-head?”

  Ravana turned in her chair and tilted her head. She wanted to laugh but thought better of it. Instead, she gave her a curt glare and turned back to face Amanda, as if she were dismissing the question altogether. Then she crossed her legs at the knee and looked back over her shoulder.

  “No. I bathe in the blood of my victims every night before bed. This is the result.”

  Amanda laughed so loudly the old couple sitting nearby became offended, and Ester scowled at them and stood. She seemed to think better of a response before she took off.

  Amanda got herself under control and looked back at the old couple offering an apology. Then she moved back to her table with Ravana. She spoke low and acted as if she were cooling her coffee.

  “Relocate, to where?”

  “Seattle. I’m not a fan of New York. It’s dirty and loud here. I want to try my hand at the west coast.”

  “Okay. I think I can get them on board with that.”

  “You’re going to have to. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  “Why the urgency?”

  “I’m not sure, but I have a feeling I’ll find out when I get there. Don’t worry. They’ll have their money. Once they agree to a few details I’d like to discuss with your employers.”

  “Any chance you’d like to share?”

  “Now, where would the fun in that be?” Ravana stood and adjusted the collar of her jacket. “I have a feeling this will be a great new venture.”

  Chapter Seven

  The move came with surprises Ravana could have done without. For instance, her demands were met by the Order; keeping her off the letterhead, giving her access to all the knowledge they had within their organization, giving her free reign to come and go as she pleased, and making her their top agent in charge. Unfortunately, they failed to mention, until after the paperwork was signed, that all agents were assigned a Keeper.

  “So, what…you're smarter than my smartphone?”

  “Essentially. I’m a knowledge bank. Keepers have studied since a very young age. We are the intellectual lovers of knowledge.”

  She was a tiny package, her long brown hair was almost as long as she was tall. She couldn’t have been more than four-foot-nine, though the amount of sass and bark in her was worse than any bite Ravana was able to dish out. Her name was Gabriella, and as much as Ravana wanted to dislike the girl for what she was, she couldn’t. She for one would never have been confused for a small child. She had more cleavage than Ravana in her best push up bra and showed more skin than Ravana was ever comfortable with.

  “You’ve never been with a man then?”

  “Of course, I have. Why would you assume that I haven’t? Am I ugly by American standards?” The girls English accent made Ravana giggle.

  “Oh, no. Definitely not by my standards. I just tho
ught all you intellectual types where more or less married to your work. Glad to see I’m wrong.” She gave Gabriella a sly grin and left her with her books.

  The number of books delivered with the Keeper was more than enough to fill a small library. The Order hadn’t been kidding when they said the wealth of their knowledge would be at her disposal. Ravana used an entire wing of her apartment to create a library to house and protect the leather-bound relics. Most of which looked as if they would fall apart if the wrong hands were to touch them. So, Ravana left the research to Gabriella. Her job, while assigned to Seattle was to help Ravana identify and apprehend anyone that caused trouble. Once in a while, she’d found a reason to leave town in search of a demon or two, but the Keeper remained behind.

  “So, with the information granted us, I’d assume you are someone very important to the Order.”

  “Why would you say that?” Ravana was lounging in her apartment with her Keeper. They’d spent the majority of the day unpacking and organizing new texts that had been delivered. The remodeling of the building had concluded and others from the Order were due to arrive in a few days.

  “Well, they don’t normally send first editions. Nor do they usually offer agents the ability to choose to be marked. The Order is more of a slight of hand organization.”

  “Slight of hand? Like, do this for us or else?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Ravana laughed and set a book down, then looked back at her Keeper. “What so you mean…marked?”

  It was a standard for most agencies. Jailers liked to keep track of those who worked under them, so other organizations couldn’t take advantage. The tattoos became a thing with the Order, but unlike the PCI, they didn’t mark their people with barcodes and serial numbers. Not that she enjoyed the idea of the tattoo, but she had to be a team player. Being offered an option didn’t really mean she was being given one. The small crescent moon with an elaborate V overtop of it was little more than a way for them to brand her. To mark her as compliant. She was beginning to want nothing more than an easy way out. Once she had her information, she doubted they’d very much be willing to allow it. Even if she continued to fund them.