Chapter 1

Chapter

One

Rasputin

I am alive.

Shifting my form into the slain vampire's, I draw a long breath of night air from this rooftop. Once again, the demon has extended my life.

The longer I can maintain this set of flesh and bones, the better I'll be able to control it, so I plan to stay in this vampiric form as long as possible.

While commanding this bloodsucker's dead body, I possess the strength of a hundred horses, even without the demon's magic.

Power! Not magic!

The demon's voice spikes inside my head, but this physical shape is better able to withstand the pain. I am growing stronger, with or without the demon.

You will not ignore my needs! You live only because of me.

My body stiffens, every muscle seizing as I fight the pain and struggle to maintain this form. Once I gain full control of it, I will find Anastasia. I have waited over a hundred years, and at long last she will be mine.

"Diederik, what the fuck is going on?" One of the vampires addresses me, and I remember the name of the creature, whose form I'm maintaining. Other vampires stagger around the rooftop, disoriented as they regain command of their own bodies and minds.

"Where are we?" A vampire turns toward me. "What the fuck is going on?"

I leap onto the top of a large square metal box, landing with a resounding clang.

"Leave," I tell the group. "Your services are no longer required."

Nor are yours, if you don't obey me! The demon screams inside my head. You live to serve me.

Gathering my body's strength, I force the demon deeper inside my mind, down to a place where I can barely hear him, barely feel the pain he's rendering inside my organs and limbs. This is not the first vampire body I've used, but this time I have much more control. The demon is gaining power, but so am I.

Rasputin! This is your final warning! Obey!

"Shit," says one of the gathered vampires, "Francis got staked. So did Enoch."

"And Alaric. And Henny!" someone else calls out.

"What's going on?" asks one. "Who attacked us?"

These creatures are looking to me as their leader, and power surges inside me. "I have neither the time nor the patience for your questions!"

"Fucking hell," says one of the vampires. "Diederik's lost it. I'm taking command. Everyone. Let's get out of here. Carry the dead. Clean this up."

Fine. I don't need them. Looking toward the night sky, I consider my next move, as the surviving vampires gather their dead comrades' bodies. Using the small, cage-like elevator, they descend the side of this half-built structure.

These creatures and their dead are of no consequence, so I keep my focus skyward as they rid the rooftop of bodies. Using this vampire's powerful eyes, millions upon millions of stars are visible. Even with the lights of this infernal city, the night sky contains more stars than I remember, even in the small country village of my youth.

The night's events swirl through my mind. The dark-haired vampire they call Crusher tricked me again. He lured me to this rooftop with the promise of Anastasia. Once I was near, I knew that he'd lied, and, with the demon's power, I commanded my team of vampires to slay one of Ana's protectors and capture the other.

During the battle, Crusher vanished, cowardly leaving the body of his massive red-headed comrade lying on the rooftop to rot. These creatures have no souls.

But his lack of loyalty is my gain. Now one of them is dead, I will take his form to lure Anastasia.

"Which one of you managed to stake Phil?" asks one of the vampire soldiers.

"Is he really dead?" asks another.

"Better question," the first soldier asks. "Who's going to carry that massive fuck off this roof?" The last three vampires chuckle as they gather around the inert body.

"Leave him!" I shout.

"Who the fuck are you?" asks one, and I realize I lost the illusion and have slipped back into my own form.

The gathered three glare at me, but then one of them shrugs and gestures to the side. They leap into the elevator, leaving me alone on the rooftop with the dead vampire.

Using the big redhead's form will gain me Anastasia's trust. I may even stay in his form while I'm ramming inside her, something that will no doubt cause her pain all on its own, given the size of him. No need for a silver cock cage this time. At least not at first.

This vampire's body looks even more powerful than the one I'm currently using.

The demon has grown quiet in my mind, but perhaps I can shift into the vampire's form without the demon's assistance.

The dead vampire yanks the bolt from his chest.

Startled, I stagger back