Rogue Prince

by Cameron Drake

  “Sophie?”

  “It’s okay. It’s… him.”

  An arrogant chuckle came down the bond.

  You can’t even say my name?

  Why bother? Lying, conniving snake takes such a long time to say.

  You wound me, Princess.

  Good. You deserve to be wounded.

  I crossed my arms and glared at nothing. I noticed the shadows were rolling away. Bernard was watching me with a wary look on his broad face.

  Maybe I do. Seeing you in that dress is the worst form of torture. Feel free to torture me any time you get the urge.

  I bristled in annoyance and shouted ‘pig’ in my mind. He only laughed. The sound was so achingly familiar that it was like a punch to my gut.

  Okay, thanks for the smokescreen, but go to hell.

  Already there.

  I snapped the door shut, ending the conversation. I was too annoyed to even think about the concept that he now had me on speed-dial or that he could command the darkness like I could.

  “Sorry.”

  “Want to fill me in?”

  “Maxim says we’re in danger. The cameras on the security car were… looking for us.”

  “And he could block it?”

  I shrugged.

  “I guess he got… something more out of the transfer than we thought.”

  Bernard cursed loudly and dialed Caleb. He pulled out and started driving, faster than he should.

  “You got everything?” Caleb answered the phone without greeting. I frowned. He wasn’t going to keep Bernard happy if he kept that up. Where was the romance? I would have to speak to him about that. Just because he’d been alive for a millennium didn’t mean he knew how to have a balanced relationship.

  “Yes. But there’s been a development. An unwelcome one.”

  “Tell me at home.”

  “On our way.”

  Bernard ended the call and gripped the steering wheel. He took the spiral ramp at top speed.

  “B. It’s okay. You can slow down.” He didn’t. “’Nard! You are going to get us caught! There are other cameras, you know.”

  He exhaled and slowed a bit. He still had to screech to a stop at the booth. He paid the elderly attendant and nodded.

  “Sorry,” he muttered as we pulled out into traffic.

  “It’s okay. Let’s just get home.”

  He only nodded, his earlier happiness gone. I could tell this was going to be a big deal. I slumped in my seat and focused on keeping the damn garage door shut.

  Damn you, Maxim.

  Chapter 3

  I’ve created a monster.

  “He what?”

  “He could, um, control the darkness? Like I can?”

  “And he knew you were being watched? Searched for?”

  “They don’t know where I am. They’re using face recognition software, according to Maxim.”

  “But they don’t know what you look like.”

  Not so fast, Princess.

  “I guess… maybe they do? Hold on.” I listened and frowned. “Maxim is saying that they have a sketch. It’s not exact, but it’s pretty close.”

  Caleb stared at me, a muscle ticking in his clenched jaw.

  “You are communicating with him right now?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “I was not aware that he could speak to you this way.”

  I pulled a face.

  “Neither was I. Apparently, his powers are stronger than we knew. Or they are growing.”

  Caleb paced back and forth in his office. Then he looked around and back at me.

  “He can see what you see?”

  I nodded.

  “Unless I shut him out like you taught me. That’s getting harder and harder. He keeps managing to slip through the cracks.”

  Be honest with yourself, Princess. You don’t want to shut me out.

  I growled and slammed the mind-door shut. Hard. So hard that the living room windows rattled. Caleb spun to look at me.

  “Did you do that?”

  “Sorry.” I stared at my feet. I was feeling like a child who had been naughty. I didn’t like that Maxim could get to me so easily. I didn’t like that he had some of my powers. And I didn’t like that the New Leaders had a picture of me. “I didn’t mean to.”

  Caleb slumped in his chair.

  “I assume he’s gone now.”

  I nodded.

  “You know, I never believed that he would betray us.”

  “I know.”

  “What do you believe, Sasha? What does your heart tell you?”

  I looked at him, momentarily surprised out of my cranky mood. Those simple words made me feel like an almost-adult again. Like I had some say in what was happening to my loved ones and myself.

  “I believe… I don’t know if Maxim came here with the intention of undermining me. Maybe it was more a sense of curiosity combined with self-preservation. But I don’t think he wanted to once we… became friends.”

  “Those are also my thoughts. It was my impression that he never truly wanted to rule. But his followers may not have given him a choice.”

  I closed my eyes.

  “He doesn’t want to hurt me.”

  “Well, that much is obvious, even to someone as obtuse as Caleb,” Bernard offered, leaning in the doorway. “That boy is in love with you.”

  Caleb raised an eyebrow but didn’t counter the comment.

  “That boy is barely a hundred years younger than you.”

  Bernard shrugged.

  “Human conventions are hard to let go of.”

  “He’s not in love with me,” I whispered. It was a lie, but I wasn’t ready to hear other people say it aloud. “Don’t say that.”

  Bernard rolled his eyes and slung a dish towel over his shoulder.

  “He’d die for you, give up his own claim to the crown. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”

  “We don’t know that he would do that,” I murmured, “give up his own crown.”

  “He said he would, and I, for one, believe him.”

  “So do I,” offered Caleb.

  I hung my head, a picture of abject misery. I didn’t want to think about this. I didn’t want to forgive Maxim, or Nightfall forbid, sympathize with him. Centi slithered up the chair to curl around me, her glowing tentacles tickling my skin like feathers. Bernard shivered.

  “Can’t it stay in the basement?”

  “She has a name,” I teased, stroking my thousand-legged friend. “Centi. Besides, it wasn’t long ago that you had to sleep in the basement too.”

  He shivered again.

  “Don’t remind me.”

  Caleb resumed pacing as I stroked the massive centipede draped across my lap. Centipedes were a highly intelligent insect species even before I’d supersized her. Now she and Spidey were two of my closest companions. We even trained together. We had to. I knew that when it came time to fight, they wouldn’t allow themselves to be left behind.

  In fact, getting them to stay home when I was at school was getting increasingly difficult. If I went for a walk or run in the woods, they trailed me. And they’d been hiding in the woods waiting for me some days when I came home from class.

  God forbid I stayed late for cheerleading practice.

  I gently set Centi on the floor. She looked up at me, not unlike a faithful dog. I knew what she wanted. She wanted to play.

  “Soon. Get your sister and meet me in the back.”

  I rose and stretched. I strode from the room. Caleb shouted after me that we were in the ‘middle of an important discussion!’ Since Caleb rarely raised his voice, I had to hide a smile. I knew he was upset, but there was nothing we could do about Maxim short of severing the bond.

  And that was 100% Caleb’s department. I was reading as much as I could, but I could never match Caleb’s knowledge and familiarity with his enormous collection of arcane texts. I hoped he got around to figuring it out soon. But for now, I wasn’t going to dwell on it. I
wanted to get outside. Move. Do something I actually had control over.

  I also wanted to get as far away from my grumpy elder guardian as possible. Not that I didn’t love him. I did. But he was making me crazy today, and Caleb couldn’t come outside until after it was dark.

  “Thanks for the shopping trip, B.” I winked at Bernard as I walked up the stairs to change. “Oh, and tell Caleb he has good taste in gowns.”

  Chapter 4

  You always hurt the ones you love.

  I crouched as low as possible then sprang into the air. I was working on moving without momentum, and it was harder than it looked, even for me. But I needed to be able to pivot, attack, and defend in a millisecond. Less than that.

  A nanosecond.

  I had a fighting stick in each hand. I tossed them as I flipped in the air, landing in another crouch. I looked to the side to see Centi galloping toward me on her thousand glowing legs. Above me on a branch, Spidey had already spun her stick into a glowing sack of thread.

  I nodded and decided to try it the other way. I stood perfectly still and tried to leap backward without even bending my legs. I managed a double with a twist, but the landing was a little unsteady.

  Keep going, Maxim’s voice drawled lazily in my mind. You can do better.

  Shut up.

  Not ladylike, but it worked. He was right, though. I needed to be able to evade better than that. And to remember that the Vamps I would be evading were just as strong as me. If not stronger.

  For now. Don’t you get your full powers soon?

  Dylan’s voice was soft and reasonable. He lacked Maxim’s arrogance. Him, I did not mind chiming in. And yeah, he had to ability to speak to me now, too. Maybe the bonds were changing somehow. Growing stronger.

  Soon. I hope.

  I could almost see him smile.

  We will have to do something special for your birthday. Isn’t that prom night?

  I groaned.

  No. No prom. What if I go all blood crazy again?

  It was a concern. My reaching full Vamp maturity might be dangerous. For me, and for everyone around me. I barely had control of my powers as it was.

  I’ll be there for you to feed on if you do. Plus, I’ll bring cake.

  “So, I guess no one believes in texting anymore,” I muttered to myself.

  Dylan went quiet, but Maxim’s low chuckle grated on my nerves.

  You blocked my number, Princess.

  That’s right. I did.

  I pulled off a glove, running my hand through my hair. I felt like garbage. I wasn’t training hard enough. I wasn’t making forward momentum with anything.

  You need blood.

  I don’t drink from humans anymore.

  I’m more than happy to provide it.

  Me too, Dylan offered.

  No! I shouted and then added with a side helping of guilt, But thank you.

  I turned and came face to face with Caleb. After an hour of fruitless training, it was just dark enough for him to come outside. His eyes widened as he stared at me.

  “Sorry. You are the only one who can still sneak up on me.”

  “You were distracted.”

  “Very,” I said with annoyance. Having Dylan and Maxim in stereo in my head was overwhelming, to say the least.

  He tensed and looked down. I followed his gaze. I was touching him. Without my glove.

  “Sasha…” his voice was weak as he whispered my name. He staggered slightly. I realized he was about to fall. I tried to pull my hand away, but I couldn’t budge it. It was fused to his forearm. I tugged frantically, screaming Bernard’s name.

  He ran outside and was by our side in a moment. I heard Caleb shout at him to stay back. I heard a loud sound like running water rushing past.

  And then just like that, Caleb fell to the ground. I stared at him, holding my hand away from me. I crouched and then pulled back, belatedly shoving my hand back into my glove.

  Caleb was as still as death. Bernard was there, lifting Caleb and carrying him inside. I followed them in. Bernard gently lay Caleb on the couch and looked at me.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…” I was close to becoming hysterical. Why had I taken my stupid glove off? I was a menace to everyone I cared about. What if he didn’t wake up? “I couldn’t let go. Why couldn’t I let go? Nightfall, what have I done?”

  Bernard sat on the couch beside Caleb and touched his face. I watched as he checked under his lips. Caleb’s fangs were out. That was good. Vamp fangs usually disappeared when they died. Unless they were decapitated with the fangs already out, of course.

  “Did I end him? Nightfall, please!”

  “Stop it. You can cry later. We need to help him now. He needs blood.”

  I sped to the kitchen to grab blood from the refrigerator. I grabbed two packs and was back in the time it would take a human to blink an eye. Bernard took one and opened it, holding it to Caleb’s mouth. He squeezed the bag slightly so that a thin stream trickled between the elder Vampire’s lips. I held my breath, watching and waiting. My companions slithered into the room but held back. They knew better than to interrupt.

  They could feel how worried I was.

  Nothing happened. I nearly fell to the floor. My guardians were all the family I had. I loved them more than life itself. I would never be able to live with myself if anything happened to the man who had been a champion for all these years.

  More than that, he was my surrogate father.

  “That’s it! Drink, Caleb!”

  I shot over to the couch to watch. Caleb was drinking. His hand shot up and gripped Bernard’s wrist, holding it in place while he sucked every drop from the blood bag.

  “The other bag! Quickly!”

  I handed it off and watched as that one was drained just as rapidly.

  “Should I get another bag?”

  “Wait.”

  We stared down at Caleb’s pale face. He seemed even paler than before, but he was still here with us. I sent a fervent prayer to Nightfall that he would be all right.

  Please let him be okay. Please let him be okay. Please let him be okay.

  Caleb’s eyes snapped open.

  Bernard sagged in relief. So did I. I grabbed the back of a nearby chair to keep from falling.

  And then the room filled with darkness.

  Chapter 5

  After the darkness comes the dawn.

  “Is this Maxim? Are we in danger?” Bernard’s voice came from the darkness. I could not have said how far away he was, even though I’d seen him only a moment before. It could have been an inch or a mile, the darkness was so complete.

  “No!”

  I reached out, realizing I could not even see my hand when I wagged it in front of my face.

  Use your light, Maxim’s low voice urged me down the bond.

  I exhaled and brought my palms together, summoning light. A ball of light glowed brightly in the pitch black, but it did not penetrate it.

  You can do better, Princess.

  I groaned at his smug tone, knowing that he was trying to piss me off to focus me, to take the edge off my fear.

  It worked.

  I held my arms out to the sides, my hands spread wide so that the light could pour out of me into the room. It formed a cocoon around me. The darkness was so dense that my light was like a bubble of clear oil in an ocean of squid ink.

  Nice metaphor. Now I’m hungry, Dylan offered.

  I choked back a laugh. Bernard must have heard me.

  “Sophie?”

  I stepped closer and there was his dear face. My bubble of light grew to envelop them both. It wasn’t easy. It felt like I was pushing out against something thick and solid. Caleb’s eyes were still open. He blinked when he saw me. He opened his mouth to speak.

  “I—”

  The darkness vanished so fast that I fell backward, the resistance to my light gone. I was at his side in an instant.

  Bernard put his arm around me as I gripped Caleb�
�s cold hand. He was like ice. I had hurt him. I had done something to him.

  “Was that… you?” Bernard softly asked. I glanced at him then back to Caleb. I had been afraid to even think it, but… was it possible I had given Caleb power over darkness just as I had given Bernard power over light?

  Caleb frowned then shook his head, waving us back. He sat up and glared at us in confused consternation. Then he gave the same withering look to his hands.

  “I think so.”

  “Try. See if you can do it again.” Bernard looked at me in shock. “We have to know,” I added.

  Good girl, Maxim cooed.

  Shut up, I responded.

  Two pools of darkness seemed to leak out of the centers of Caleb’s hands. He snapped his hands shut, staring at us in alarm. I exhaled and sat back on my knees. Bernard started soothing Caleb, telling him we would fix him, that everything would be okay.

  But Caleb’s eyes were on mine. I nodded. I hadn’t meant to, but I had just given him a tremendous gift to use in the upcoming war.

  The gift of darkness.

  “Get that boy over here now,” Caleb’s voice rasped.

  “Who? What?”

  Dylan, we need you.

  Be right there.

  “He’s on his way.”

  Bernard stood and stared at us.

  “What in Nightfall are you two talking about?” he roared in frustration.

  I stood and faced him. “We have to see if his darkness will work.”

  “On whom?”

  “On humans.” I nodded at Caleb. “And Fae.”

  I waited on the front porch. The porch swing beckoned but I was too tense. The possibilities of what had happened, of what I had done, were daunting.

  Daunting and exhilarating.

  Caleb’s powers seemed like a condensed version of some of mine. I could create a darkness that moved like smoke. Caleb’s moved like mud. If Caleb could blind all the Vampires we faced… Dylan, or someone like him, could destroy our enemies while they were incapacitated.

  We could win this.

  For the first time, I really thought we could win this.