Thorns of Fate

by Hayley Todd

  A sandy-blonde head appeared over Kellic’s, joining our group in the hallway. Lucas smiled at me, his red eyes not as intimidating at the moment. “Good to see you up and around, princess,” he greeted. I released Kellic and turned to him, remembering his appearance in the Coliseum.

  “Lucas here brought his troops with us to the Coliseum. He single-handedly took out dozens of forces so we could get to you,” Damien explained, clasping Lucas in a friendly hug.

  Lucas looked up, almost sheepishly. “I did what was necessary for a dear friend and his family. Kyra,” he said, turning directly to me. “That was some of the most impressive displays of magick I’ve ever seen. And I’ve been alive for over a millennia. Plus, I’ve seen your dad do some pretty impressive stuff.” He feigned privacy, cupping his hand around his lips. “I think you might be scarier than he is,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows and I laughed.

  It felt good to laugh, like a weight was shifting off of my chest at long last. “I’m glad to see that you all made it out okay,” I responded, looking them all over. There were smiles on each of their faces and I realized how relieved I felt. Will’s death would hang over me forever but at least the rest of my family and friends had walked away unscathed.

  “For the record,” my mother said, stepping close and grabbing my hands to her chest. “That is exactly what I meant about overtaxing yourself. You nearly killed yourself with all that magick.” Her words were chastising but her eyes danced with joy and awe and excitement.

  I smiled down at her. I had never had the opportunity to make my parents proud but I was glad now that I did.

  “You scared us half to death,” Gabrielle said. The smile on her face was soft but weary and I understood how she felt. It was hard to be happy with so much pain still resting in your heart but she was giving it her all.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, to all of them, looking them over one by one. “Henrick called me when we got back to the mansion and told me that if I didn’t manage to slip away without alerting you, he would…he would…” I found that I couldn’t force the words out. He would kill Will. I wanted to say. But he had hadn’t he. It stole the wind from my sails.

  Gabrielle nodded and stepped forward, pulling me into a hug. “I know,” she whispered in my ear. “I’m proud of what you did. Thank you for trying to save him.”

  I nodded as we separated, feeling some of the judgment I had worried about slipping away. They didn’t hate me for what I had done. Actually, it seemed that they understood. I had feared that I would be alone in that. My heart swelled. This was my family. These were my friends. They knew me. They knew that Henrick had used exactly the right pressures on me. They didn’t fault me for what he had done. I could never thank them enough for that.

  “Your...display at the Coliseum eliminated nearly all of Henrick’s forces. We’ve heard rumors of others, especially witches, working underground. They’re still fighting the vampires but you eliminated their main source among us. It’ll be a bit yet before they mount another rebellion. And next time, we’ll be a little better prepared,” my father said. His expression was tight but he wore a smile for me.

  I recalled the thick wall of lightning that had stretched down from the sky and obliterated Henrick’s forces. Hell, it had obliterated Henrick himself. I thought I would feel bad about that loss of life but then I considered what they may have done to my family and my regret washed away.

  “Are you ready to head home?” Carson asked, taking my hand in his.

  I nodded, ready to look after the club like I had always expected to. I needed a break from excitement and I would love to feel the thrumming house music in my bones right now. He glanced up at Damien who nodded.

  “I’ll call you if anything comes up,” Damien said. He stepped forward, pulling me into his chest and wrapping his arms around my back. He pressed a kiss into my hair and turned, pulling my mother close. “I love you, my daughter, and I’m so so proud of you.”

  I beamed up at him, warmth welling in my belly. “Thanks, dad,” I replied. He smiled, nodding to me, then he, Lucas, my mother, and Gabrielle exited the waiting room.

  Anton and Kellic exchanged a look. “Ready for a club night?” Kellic asked, a jubilant grin across her lips. Anton took her hand in his and glanced up at me.

  “Absolutely,” I replied and we headed down to the parking garage. We seemed to be in an actual hospital this time, unlike the physical therapy facility where I had recovered before. Maybe there had been a need that was only suited to staying here?

  Carson led me by my hand, Anton and Kellic chatting happily behind us, following along. We sauntered up to a spot and a quick glance showed my McLaren, shiny and freshly washed and waxed awaiting us in the parking place. Carson fished in his pocket, pulling out my keys. I wasn’t sure where he had found them but I was suddenly eager to get behind the wheel.

  I took them from him and opened the door, letting Anton and Kellic climb into the backseat before lowering myself into the driver’s seat. Carson sat in the passenger’s seat and with a happy glance at my friends, we headed into town and towards the club.

  The club was filling with activity as we pulled up. My space on the street was clear and I pulled into it, throwing the car into park and climbing out.

  Carson had lent me his coat which I tugged around my hospital gown. The four of us swept past the crowd already formed around the block waiting for entry, headed right to the front doors.

  Isaac and Tony flanked the doors, their incredible statures shadowing the entrance. The both looked at me, grinned and nodded, holding the doors open for us to flood in. We bee lined for the back of the club, taking the door that would lead to my apartment. It felt like it had been years since I had set foot in the building.

  Once upstairs, Kellic and I darted into my bedroom, swinging the door shut behind us. I pointedly did not look over to the opposite side of the room where Will’s door stood closed.

  Kellic rifled through my closet, tossing clothes about until she pulled a knee length, bright red dress from a hanger. She brought it to me and I gave her a quick glance.

  “Really?” I asked her, taking the dress from her. She nodded excitedly and went back to grab a pair of shoes.

  I shrugged and headed to the bathroom, showering quickly and pulling on the dress. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, stunned at what looked back at me.

  I had been premature to decide that the spirit and I looked nothing alike. We were actually nearly identical. My eyes had lightened to a much bright blue than what u had been born with. My long dark hair cascaded in curls down my back. My cheeks were flushed with excitement, my skin flawless.

  The dress I wore made me look far more voluptuous than I felt. It hung off my shoulders and cut across the tops of my breasts making them look much larger than they’d ever been. It tied down my back leaving an open square where my skin shone through. It went to my knees, clinging appealingly to my figure.

  I didn’t look as skinny as I once had. My body had filled out in all the right places, leaving me in awe. I was beautiful. I was also certain I had never had that though appear in my mind. But there was no denying it. I looked stunning.

  I left the bathroom and Kellic waited by my bed, already dressed in a lovely golden dress that accented her amber eyes. The color worked on her, hanging from her curves.

  She handed me a pair of black stiletto pumps and I slid them on, making the height difference between us even more pronounced. She already wore heels but was still several inches shorter than me.

  We walked arm and arm out the door. Carson and Anton had both changed as well. Anton wore a golden shirt and khaki pants, matching the color of Kellic’s dress. Carson wore a red shirt that matched mine and a pair of black slacks.

  They both looked handsome and surprisingly well rested considering the short time that had passed. A glance at an open trash can in the kitchen made it obvious why. Six empty bags that used to hold blood rested there.

  “Damn, princ
ess, you clean up nice,” Anton chimed playfully, resting his arm across Kellic’s shoulder. She beamed up at him, looking over the way his shirt, tight across his chest, exposed his muscles.

  Carson sauntered up to me, crushing me with a kiss as he eyes fell over my body. “You look gorgeous, my love,” he said with a smile.

  I beamed at him, unable to quash my joy in that moment. Will would want me to be happy. He would be pissed at me for letting my life pass me by in his absence.

  I clutched Carson’s hand and we ventured down and into the club for a night of carefree enjoyment.

  Epilogue

  I woke up shortly after falling asleep when Carson’s phone rang on the bedside table. He leapt up from his slumber, grabbing the phone and answering it without a word.

  I could hear my father’s voice on the other end of the line telling Carson to get us together and meet him at the mansion. Carson agreed and started pulling his clothes back on. He had stripped down to his boxers as he always did but quickly donned a t-shirt and jeans by the time I had rolled out of bed.

  I glanced at him, confused but he only shrugged in response. He left to wake Kellic and Anton while I pulled clothes from my dresser. I found a dress shirt and tugged it over my head, sliding jeans up over my waist and met the three of them in the living room.

  It had only taken minutes for us all to get ready.

  Anton went to the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee while we chatted.

  “What do you think he wants?” Kellic asked, and I could hear the dread in her voice. Our lives had become far too eventful over the past several months. We had needed the night in the club, dancing and drinking and enjoying the evening.

  The club, as it turned out, managed to mostly run itself. Tyler fortunately knew what he was doing and had advised me that we’d already taken in quite the profit. The money we made was mine and it felt odd to have something totally to myself. It wasn’t part of the trust and went into an account that was solely mine.

  “I have no idea,” I said, having the same sense of anxiety.

  The coffee was finished in short order and the four of us shared two mugs each before deciding we couldn’t put the trip off any longer.

  The club had been shut down for the night, the revelry coming to a close. It was eerily quiet without the pounding bass and din of hundreds of overjoyed patrons.

  We made our way quickly to the Mercedes and Carson drove us to Damien’s mansion.

  It was quiet when we arrived which was odd with the urgency of Damien’s call. He met us in the foyer, along with my mother and Gabrielle who looked exhausted.

  “What’s going on?” I asked my father, my hand clutched in Carson’s.

  Damien had a cheery expression on his face which seemed out of place there. He was always pretty serious and a smile was a rarity. He looked surprisingly refreshed as well and was dressed to the nines in a silk black shirt and black slacks. He always looked like he was ready to walk into a boardroom meeting.

  “I’ve been...working on something,” he replied, and glanced over as Lucas entered the room. He came down off the balcony, smiling calmly to us.

  “Good morning,” he greeted, sidling up to Damien, his hands clasped behind his back. “It’s not entirely customary but your father and I have been working on a coronation gift for you.” They traded an eager glance.

  “A coronation gift?” I asked, confused.

  He nodded. “Whenever you’re crowned as queen, it is tradition for each vampiric leader to provide you with a gift. An item of goodwill if you will,” he explained. “But when I found an opportunity to give you something, your father agreed that it would be a great idea and allowed it. I wasn’t sure how it would work out so I didn’t want to tell you about it until it was a sure thing.”

  Kellic, Anton, Carson, and I exchanged thoughtful gazes.

  Damien and Lucas started walking down one of the halls off of the foyer. The building was eerily quiet, no servants in the area. It was just us.

  We followed through the bowels of the mansion, the halls still looking the same to me, even after all this time. Evidently mazes were not my strong suit.

  “Your mother and father have told me a bit about you and your family and friends,” Lucas continued as we walked, clutching his hands behind his back.

  I had no idea what bearing that had on the current events but listened eagerly.

  “What do you know of Vampyres?” he asked me.

  I considered the question. What did I truly know? They were the fastest and strongest of the vampires and were undead, having to die for the transition to begin. Lucas didn’t seem much different than any of us but that was pretty much the extent of what I knew.

  “You’re undead and faster and stronger than the rest of us?” I said, unsure of what else he might be looking for.

  Lucas nodded. “There are other things as well but that’s a pretty good summation. We can see better in the dark, we’re faster and stronger. We don’t really have any power to us like the succubus and incubus do, nor like the power wielded by Magicks such as yourself. We can alter the minds of humans through compulsion and you’re correct, we are technically undead.” He said the words excitedly, as though he were thrilled at the concept of introducing me to Vampyre life.

  “What is compulsion?” I asked, genuinely curious. This was new to me. I hadn’t heard of anything like it thus far in my exposure to the vampire races.

  Lucas breathed deeply, as though he were gathering his thoughts on how exactly he wanted to explain it.

  My father gestured to Carson who kissed my cheek and left my side to discuss something quietly with him as we walked. They were hunched near each other, walking ahead of the rest of us for some semblance of privacy.

  “Compulsion is like...being able to alter someone’s will,” he said, trying to explain though the words didn’t exactly make sense. “With direct eye contact, I can urge someone’s thoughts to change. Perhaps I could make them forget someone had been there. It’s especially handy when feeding. I can take a human, bite them, then make them entirely forget the encounter.”

  I nodded, understanding a little better now and also seeing how much that could be a benefit.

  “You really impressed me back at the Coliseum, Kyra,” he said, somewhat changing the subject. He watched me carefully, as though awaiting my reaction.

  I couldn’t stop the warmth that flooded my cheeks at his praise. “Thank you, I think,” I replied, unsure of where he was going with all this. Kellic and Anton were watching us, their hands clutched together and my mother and Gabrielle had their heads dipped in quiet conversation.

  Gabrielle looked exhausted. Her shoulders were hunched which was odd. I had always seen her posture rigid, her head held high, but she seemed to be bearing a weight that had just become too much.

  I felt for her, my heart aching for her. I understood her pain to a point, but could I ever really comprehend a mother finally getting her family back together only for one of them to be killed soon after? I had never really questioned the reunion, just eager to have my aunt and mother back in my life. But truly, she and Will had spent very little time catching up before he had been kidnapped. I felt her pain to my soul and still knew it wasn’t an accurate comparison.

  Lucas chuckled but whether it were at my understated thanks or my blush, I wasn’t certain. I hadn’t truly seen him fight yet but I had seen what Vampyres could do. They were insanely strong and far faster than myself which was almost frightening. Their hand to hand combat skills seemed to outweigh that of Damien’s Magick forces.

  “We do get stronger the older we are, much like Magicks, though our strength is physical where yours is magickal,” he continued, jumping back to the topic of Vampyres. I appreciated the explanation but my head was spinning. I kind of felt like I had whiplash from his sudden change in topics.

  “I couldn’t imagine what a Vampyre could possibly offer a Magick that would be an accurate gift,” he said, continuing down corridor
after identical corridor.

  For a moment, I wondered why my father had built this house the way it was. At one point, Damien had explained to me that this had been the headquarters of the Magick council for centuries. He had had the building constructed hundreds of years ago and I had to wonder if the maze of hallways was a sort of defense mechanism.

  Each corridor looked so much the same. The heavy wooden doors were nearly identical though some did sport peepholes, while others had names affixed on plaques on the wall outside. “Storage” read some, “Office” said others. There were metal sconces hung on the walls in between doors, lending guiding light down the halls.

  I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to navigate the building alone. Maybe I could have Damien or Carson draw me up a map. Though I had been to the holding cells twice now, I still couldn’t have found them on my own. Let alone the numerous offices and suites that I knew the building held.

  I nodded to Lucas, trying to keep my thoughts trained on his words but finding it difficult in all of my confusion.

  “Well, after seeing you fight in that arena, I realized that my gift would have to be an amazing one to match the lovely young lady it was being given to. You already had a mate, so I couldn’t exactly offer you any of my people in that regard.”

  He had considered giving me someone as a mate? I shook my head subtly to myself. What was this world I had become a part of?

  “You already seemed to have extensive hand to hand combat training,” he continued.

  Kellic looked up then, interested in the conversation once more. She scoffed, but not in a condescending way. “We’ve had way more than just that,” she supplied.

  Lucas looked at her. “Oh?” he asked.

  Kellic nodded. “Our grandmother had given us the best trainers that money could buy. We’ve been trained in hand to hand combat, sword fighting, gunplay, all sorts of things. If it was a worthwhile lesson, we’ve had it,” she explained.