The Rediscovered Ally

Chapter 29

Kalen stepped out of the shower and pulled one of the soft towels around her wet body. She quickly dried off and then reached for the plush bathrobe. The wet towel was secured around her dripping hair. She reached for her make up bag and applied some eye shadow, liner, mascara and gloss. Satisfied that her face looked presentable, Kalen reached for the hair dryer and moved to plug it in.

As she leaned over the sink there was a slight sound that caught her attention from the sleeping chamber. Kalen froze and tilted her head as she listened closely. The sound did not repeat itself but Kalen suddenly was overcome with a sense of dread. Rolff had been working with her in listening to her gut instincts so she did not try to dismiss the feeling.

Kalen stood alertly staring at the door but did not move. She glanced at the hair dryer out of the periphery of her eye and on impulse turned it on. She left the dryer on the counter as she continued to monitor the room for sounds.

As she was about to let her guard down and resume grooming, a slight noise came again, this time closer to the bathroom door. Kalen grabbed a pair of scissors that were on the counter and clasped them in her left hand ready to use them if necessary.

She then caught site of her phone and with the hair dryer still going quickly sent a text to Rolff asking him to come ASAP.

She had just hit "send" when the door burst open and a blond maid had her by the throat against the wall.

Without a second thought Kalen thrust the scissor into her attacker's face which caused just enough pain for her woman to release her. Kalen kicked her leg out hitting the blond behind the knee cap and she fell to her knees. Kalen bolted from the bathroom but was tackled from behind. She felt the sharp sting of fangs ripping into her neck and in that moment she realized that she would need to fight for her life. Kalen didn't hesitate to use all her strength to flip herself and her attacker over. She gouged the eyes of the vampire who let out a blood curdling scream but continued to fight.

Kalen panicked as a stake flashed in the vampire's hand. She rolled quickly out of the way but the stake still impaled itself into her chest barely missing her heart.

Kalen growled as she felt herself shifting into her wolf form. She felt the stake being pulled painfully from her torso and she pounced on the vampire not letting her get in another attempt with the stake. They rolled around on the ground for what felt like an eternity trading swipes. Kalen could feel herself weakening and beginning to lose the battle.

With one last herculean effort she moved to tear out the vampire's throat but Kalen only managed to latch on to the outer skin. The vampire was much stronger than she was and Kalen was now tiring quickly.

The vampire had her pinned and Kalen braced herself for the end. She closed her eyes as she felt the air shift slightly from the stake being raised again but the blow did not come.

Suddenly the weight of the vampire was no longer upon her and Kalen's eyes snapped open to see Rolff standing on the opposite side of the room with his hand around the throat of her attacker. Her feet were dangling over a foot off the ground and she was flailing about trying to get free.

Kalen shifted back into her human form and quickly drew the bathrobe around her bleeding body.

"Who are you?" Rolff growled at the vampire just loosening his grip enough for her to answer.

"Fuck you" the vampire spat instead of answering.

"Her voice sounds familiar" Kalen spoke up finally finding her voice.

Rolff didn't take his eyes of his prisoner. "Who is she?" he asked Kalen.

"I'm not sure" Kalen answered as she moved closer to study the vampire's face.

There was something very familiar about the vampire's face but Kalen couldn't place her.

"Use your sense of smell" Rolff prodded knowing that Kalen still relied mostly on her vision as humans do.

Kalen's eyes widened and in a flash she ripped at the attacker's hair. With the blond wig on the floor, Kalen whispered "Nora" and stepped back.

"This is Eric's vampire sister, Nora" Kalen whispered as she moved behind Rolff.

"Why did you attack Kalen?" Rolff yelled.

"She is a hybrid and needed to be ended" Nora replied with an evil smirk.

Rolff's response was to snap the vampire's neck and have her fall to the ground in a heap.

Rolff whipped out his cell phone and demanded more guards immediately to Kalen's room.

With the vampire incapacitated, Rolff took a moment to gaze at Kalen. "You are injured" he stated.

"It's not too bad. I'm just glad I was able to get a text off to you and didn't blow off the noise I heard as being nothing".

"Always trust your instincts" Rolff said as he kicked the vampire who was now beginning to heal and writhing on the floor. Rolff then stepped on her neck and broke it again.

Kalen stiffened as she heard the sounds of the guards approaching rapidly. The door was thrown open and the head of the guard looked stunned. Rolff hastily filled him in on the attack and that Nora had managed to sneak in to the palace.

The head guard, who was vampire, visibly paled which was no easy feat. "We will correct the breach immediately" he said as he bowed to the king's child and then cast a piercing look at the vampire behind him. That vampire sped from the room.

"Are you injured? Do you require the doctor?" another member of the guard asked of Kalen noting the blood that was seeping through the bath robe.

"I'll be fine" Kalen said as she glared at Nora.

"Come, let's take the prisoner to the king" Rolff instructed as he stepped aside to allow the guards to cuff Nora in silver and drag her still limp body down the hall.

"I'm going to throw on some clothes" Kalen said to Rolff.

"I will wait for you but be quick".

Kalen sped into her closet and pulled on yoga pants and a matching jacket, not worrying about undergarments. She left the bloodied robe on the closet floor and was back at Rolff's side at the blink of an eye.

They walked silently down the hall, Kalen walking quickly to match pace with Rolff's long strides.

They quickly caught up to the guards and they descended as one into the dungeon. There was an interrogation room and the king was already awaiting them.

"Explain" the king demanded addressing the head guard but it was Kalen that answered. She quickly told her story, adding that Nora was Eric's sister and a member of the Authority.

"I have failed to protect you" Gus stated remorsefully.

"I'm fine" Kalen began but the king stopped her.

"My guard has allowed an intruder to enter and attack you. I have failed".

Kalen opened her mouth to protest but Gus' glare stopped her.

Gus turned his attention back to Nora. "The Authority has no jurisdiction here. Kalen is not a threat to anyone yet you risked an international incident to attempt to end her?"

Nora snarled in response but kept otherwise silent.

"You will answer my questions" the king bellowed. "Why are you here?"

Nora glared at the king in defiance.

"She's all yours" the king said to his head interrogator. "Summon me when she is ready to talk".

The king took Kalen by the elbow and led her from the room. Rolff followed behind the pair along with two of the king's private guard.

The king led them into his private bed chamber. He dismissed his guard and motioned for Kalen and Rolff to sit on the small love seat. Gus sat in a winged back chair across from the pair and brought his hands together in front of his chin as he studied Kalen closely.

"You are certain that you do not require the court physician?" Gus asked.

"I'm already almost healed" Kalen reassuerd him.

"Then what do you know of this Nora?" Gus questioned.

Kalen sighed and shared her limited knowledge of Eric's sister including her displeasure at Eric being with Sookie and her anger that the Authority's edict was not followed.

"I do not believe that she is acting in her capacity as a member of the Authority" Gus said when she was done speaking.

Gus stood and pulled out a cell phone. Kalen and Rolff watched silently as the call connected and Gus put the phone on speaker.

"We have a problem Eric" Gus said as soon as Eric answered.

"What is going on?" Eric said the worry evident immediately in his voice.

"Nora unsuccessfully attempted to end Kalen shortly after sundown".

"What?" Eric yelled in the phone. "Is Kalen alright?"

"I'm fine Eric" Kalen piped in knowing that the vampire would feel reassured hearing her voice.

"Tell me everything" Eric demanded.

The king brought the sheriff quickly up to speed.

"The Authority is definitely not aware of Nora's actions as they have been in contact with me searching for her" Eric answered.

"Seems to me that she is acting as a woman scorned" Gus said.

Eric was silent as he pondered the king's words.

"Eric, I am sure that you are aware that I am calling you as a courtesy. I cannot allow an attack to stand in my own home. We are interrogating Nora now but she will be ended" Gus said forcefully.

"I wouldn't expect anything less" Eric replied instantly.

"Do you know of any possible contacts she might have had in Sweden. It is doubtful that she breached my security without assistance".

"I will think on this and call you back" Eric answered.

Gus went to disconnect the call but Kalen yelled "wait!"

Gus moved his hand away from the phone and nodded to Kalen to continue.

"Eric, will you please tell Alcide that I'm OK?" Kalen begged.

"Of course" Eric responded and then the call was ended.

Kalen sagged into the seat and closed her eyes. She began to tremble slightly as the reality of the evening began to sink in. She felt Rolff's arm move about her shoulder and he began to rub her upper arm reassuringly.

"You did very well in defending yourself" he began. "Nora is almost as old as Eric and you kept your wits about you and fought her off until I arrived".

"If you hadn't gotten there when you did, it would have been over for me" Kalen whispered.

"From hence forward you will have your own guards assigned to you" Gus interjected.

Kalen nodded feeling slightly better.

"Come, lets get you some blood and food and pay a visit to the doctor to be sure that you are heeled" Rolff said as he stood pulling Kalen up with him and not allowing her a moment of protest.

Rolff through a knowing look to his maker and exited with the little hybrid.

***000***

"What's wrong Eric?" Sookie asked when she found her Viking with his head in his hands at his desk.

"There was an attempt on Kalen's life tonight".

"Oh my god! Is she OK?"

"I have been assured that she is fine".

"Then why do you look like that?"

"It was Nora that tried to end her".