Free Bliss (The Custos) by Melanie Walker Page B

in the van, that Preacher is working with you and that you’re not guarding her now because your here with me."
     
                  I ripped his head from his shoulders before I let him finish. Fucking Nex and their traps. Unaware of how many Nex were watching the van I rushed back and within seconds seen Preacher about to give a Vamp his last rights.
     
                  Another soldier of the damned bum rushed the van and jumped meeting the Vamp in mid air. He was older a couple hundred years and he was giving me a fight. Fine I didn’t mind, too often they coward down and cried like bitches, fights were nice for a change.
     
                  I reached for my dagger, my fighting hand free I palmed the blunt end of the steel and hoisted the wooden end clean into the heart. Another wives tale about vampires is that we fade to dust, which is true but only when left in the sun. Both sides in the war were courteous of this rule because if a body some four hundred years old is left on the side of the road to be found the CSI'ers would be busy for a century. Common courtesy or just the simple laws of war you left the body in the open, but hidden from traffic and let the sun do the dirty work. The Custos never left a man behind, The Nex left them where it was convenient.
     
                  I spun looking for another attack but none came, so I leaned back and watched Preacher work his magic.
     
                  "Tell me lad, any secrets you need to confess, I’m collection' sins before I send yar arse to hell." Every time, he was so theatrical he knew it too the fucker got off on it.
     
                  "I just want it over." The vamp was about to have that wish fulfilled, but it was Nex like these that Preacher showed Mercy. He read the boy his last rights and staked him fast and cleans.
     
                  "Not more n' a year old that one." Preacher said his voice sad.
     
                  "At least he saw the error in his ways."
     
                  "Only God knows." And aint that the truth.
     
                  "What the bloody hell happened Cash?" He asked half laughing.
     
                  "It was a trap for London. This is way deeper than Walter Chase, the Nex want her."
     
                  "Fuck me." Preacher said knowing our fight just got a lot stronger."Guess we get more creative."
     
                  I laughed knowing it was a true statement but we needed more help. "I'll call Leushus tomorrow and tell him what went down see if we can get a little help." Leushus was the Dominus, the leader of the Custos Nex, oldest Vampire known to fight for his soul like the rest of us and he was fucking bad ass.
     
                  I opened the back of the van and looked into the eyes of one seriously pissed off woman.
    *
     
     
    London
     
     
                  "You son of a bitch." I spat and jumped from the back of the van. I knew I had a shot in hell at killing him but I was mad enough to try. "I know it's been like a thousand years since you were fucking human but let me tell you what happens when you lock one in a van in the dead of summer in an empty desert for over an hour." I used the end of my black tank top to dab at my face as I lifted the hair off my neck. My body was covered in sweat and I was aching for some water.
     
                  I watched both Cash and Preacher stare at me like idiots. "Get me fucking water!" I screamed completely hysteric and god bless him and I mean that but Preacher ran like his ass was on fire and came back with water from inside the bar.
     
                  I gulped it down and took the second glass he offered. Finally a speck of hope that I may have calmed down Cash spoke. "Princess, it was my fault I was angry and-"
     
                  "Oh don’t, 'Princess' me. I called you on