Free Decatur the Vampire by Amarinda Jones

gotten kicked out of heaven. Vulcan wondered if she knew the full reason and just not the sanitized version they had given her. Probably not. Sumerian was too passionate to look below the surface. Her deep green eyes only sought out injustice as she tried to save her precious innocents.
     
     
    “Vulcan.” Sumerian was not surprised to see him. Vulcan always had a plan. She had followed Decatur as she followed Amory and Morphos wherever they went. She needed to know what was going on. However, neither of them did anything like come to a mortal’s place of work on the pretext of fixing a machine. From what she knew about vampires, they rarely helped anyone or fixed anything. That alone made Decatur’s movements suspicious. And that Vulcan was here? Doubly suspicious.
    “Always a delight, Sumerian.”
    Although he was dressed in a simple, bland business shirt and trousers, Sumerian knew the outer façade he projected was a hoax. Once, a long time ago, she thought she had seen a glimpse of the real Vulcan. It was the real reason they had gone their separate ways. Even though she was no longer an angel, Sumerian had her principles and honesty was paramount to her. However to Vulcan it belonged on a sliding scale of what suited him at any given time.
    “The spectacles are a nice touch.” She saw his eyes glow in amusement behind the glasses.
    “Well, you know humans, they tend to believe what they see.”
    “Whereas we both know nothing is ever as it seems.”
    “Very true, my dear,” Vulcan responded, his eyes never leaving hers. “You’re wondering why I’m here.”
    Sumerian nodded, all the while knowing the ancient demon before her was unlikely to tell her anything but a lie. “I know you never do anything without a reason.” Sumerian had already seen the woman leave. That a vampire was pursuing a mortal woman was nothing new. That he struck out was. How strong was this woman? Was that why she was caught up in this mess they found themselves in?
    “Maybe I’m a romantic at heart.”
    The look Vulcan gave her made her jump slightly as Sumerian remembered a time not so long ago when she might have believed that of Vulcan. “And maybe you’re a liar.” Before the fall, Sumerian had believed in so many things. Archimedes was not the only one she had been foolish over. She had always been a pushover for a demon, wanting to believe that she could turn a bad boy good. It was madness of course but that was her nature. Vulcan had carved a notch in her heart that she thought she would never get over—and she hadn’t and he knew it. Sumerian stiffened her spine. There was no point dwelling on the past. “What are you playing at?” Vulcan was very good at games.
    “You were always so suspicious, Sumerian.”
    “As are you.” That was one trait they had in common.
    “But you are rash,” Vulcan added as if he knew what she was thinking.
    Sumerian knew she would never be allowed to forget what had happened. “He had to die. I do not regret that.” She almost bit her tongue as the words came out. She did not want Vulcan knowing any more than he had to.
    “I’m not talking out him. I’m talking about us.”
    She took a quick, shallow breath to strengthen herself. This was typical of Vulcan to remind her of the past and try to lead her off track from his true intentions. “There is no us.” Vulcan had made that only too obvious. The day he betrayed her was the day they ceased to be.
    “Once there was, after Archimedes. Maybe I even led to your fall.”
    Sumerian had no one to blame but herself for the fall. Maybe, she should not have acted as rashly as she had but that was in the past as was her relationship with Vulcan. “I know you like games, Vulcan, but I’m not playing with you today.” The lessons he taught were too painful.
    “You used to like to.”
    There was no response that Sumerian could give that would not incriminate her. He has used her feelings and he would again. Remember that. Remember