“Like hell they will,” Logan growled.
I agreed with my vampire. The Russian vampires would be killed to test the humans’ reactions.
“Could Ernesto be trying to draw us out?” Kellen asked. “I agree with AJ. Jack isn’t stupid. He must know this will backfire. The government will dismiss it and say it’s a cult acting like vampires. Unless Ernesto forces the ogres or trolls to join the fight, it can be covered up. Especially in Mexico.”
Silence filled the car for several moments.
“It’s possible,” Otto finally said. “Jack wants to know what he’s facing. There are many rumors about our little mage.”
I heard the humor in the vampire’s voice. How could he find this amusing?
“We need to decide how to react,” Kellen said, glancing at me again. “Let’s find out what your father has to say about it.”
“I agree. I don’t want to make a rushed decision if we don’t have to,” I stated. “Otto, do you know if there’s a timeline for this attack?”
“A couple days at least, a week at most,” he replied. “Sergey’s men scattered when Jack summoned him to Braden’s estate. Not all of them will answer the elder’s call now.”
“What of Braden’s clan?” I asked, thinking of Gordon.
“I’ve heard nothing, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Otto replied. “I’m inclined to agree with your partner that it’s a trap for you.”
It made more sense than a test run to reveal them, which made me think of my theory about my dad’s blood oath.
“What do you two know about blood oaths?” I asked. “Is it strictly a vampire thing or is it binding for other magical species as well?”
“What do you know about them?” Logan asked. I didn’t miss the accusation in his voice.
“I’ve learned a lot in the last twenty-four hours,” I replied, trying to keep my own voice neutral. “Braden’s library is, or was, extensive. I didn’t have time to get to the vampire collection, though.” I hated the thought of all that knowledge being destroyed. Maybe Gordon was wrong and it survived.
“He took you to his estate?” Logan exclaimed, his voice rising.
“Please answer the question,” I replied. “We’ll talk about the rest later.”
I didn’t miss the low growl from my vampire.
“As far as I know, it’s a vampire thing,” Otto replied. “But I’m only slightly older than Logan and have never been interested in getting tied up in one.” He paused and I looked at Kellen, who stayed focused on the road. “They’re dangerous for both parties involved.”
“I agree and I’m glad they’re just a vampire thing,” I said.
“Be careful, princess, and stay with Kellen.”
“I will,” I responded. “Stay safe and keep us updated.”
There was so much more I wanted to say, but not with so many ears. I missed him terribly and wanted nothing more than to have his arms around me. Nothing brought me peace like my vampire, not even the Mediterranean Sea.
Chapter 5
We arrived at Fadil’s manor an hour later, just as the morning sun gave way to afternoon heat. Kellen stopped to let me change clothes after our phone call with Logan, and we’d spent the rest of ride in silence. My mind mulled over all the possibilities but didn’t come up with answers. I suspected Kellen had the same problem or he would’ve voiced a solution.
The sparse greenery at the coast turned into desert as we moved south. Seemingly out of nowhere, a large stone wall came into view. The tops of palm trees peeked over the edges in stark contrast to the shades of brown. I had to assume there was a water supply nearby or a mage. I smiled. Probably a bunch of mages.
Zahur greeted us at the gates to the estate. “Father decided it would be best to have some privacy and is offering our oldest training area,” he said, getting in the back seat of our rental car. “But I’d like to be present when you talk to your elementals, if that’s acceptable.”
I held my tongue. It wasn’t like we had a choice, and I couldn’t come up with a polite way of saying so.
“Of course,” Kellen replied. “You’ll have to give me directions anyway.”
Our guide pointed to the west over Kellen’s shoulder. “See the outcropping of rocks just there? That’s our destination.”
As in all deserts, the distance was deceiving. Having grown up in Vegas, I wasn’t surprised when we arrived less than ten minutes later. Kellen pulled the car under a metal carport and we all got out. A hot wind whipped across my face, blowing sand into the vehicle before I could close the door.
“Niyol, that better not be you,” I warned, not amused by the tiny grains sticking to my already sweaty body.
“That is just the desert winds,” his disembodied voice replied. “I would never harm your delicate skin.”
“Liar.” I scowled, knowing that wasn’t true. He blew human ashes all over Thomas’ dungeon which was much worse than sand.
“What was that?” Zahur asked, his voice trembling slightly.
“My wind elemental,” I replied. “He has an unusual sense of humor.”
“I see.” He shifted uncomfortably at the back of the car. “Should there be one more person with us?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I imagine he’ll show up when it’s convenient for him.”
“That’s not very nice, daughter.”
I jumped and spun around at the sound of Cedric’s voice. He stood in the shadows of the awning with a smug look on his face, like he’d been there the whole time. Apparently, he’d found time to change into blue jeans and a gray t-shirt that actually fit his broad chest.
“Let’s go,” Kellen said, interrupting the caustic remark about to slip from my mouth.
“Um, yes,” Zahur said, his voice still shaking. “Follow me.”
I felt bad for the guy. He had no idea the circus he was about to witness. I couldn’t seem to be civilized around my dad. If Kellen’s elementals showed up, which I assumed they would, Fire would add to the chaos. I shook my head and followed our guide into the cool interior of a sloping passage in the rocks.
The difference in temperature greeted us immediately, its coolness a welcome relief after the sun’s heat. After a few seconds, my eyes adjusted to the growing darkness, and I watched in awe as Zahur turned a curved mirror just inside the doorway. It reflected the sun’s rays down the passage, lighting more mirrors along our path. The simplicity was brilliant and required no electricity or magic.
“This cave has been used by our family for generations,” the young man said, starting our procession. “There is only one training room, but several smaller alcoves that are used for storage and private meetings.”
His voice became more confident as he talked about the age of the cave and how it was built. It was interesting, sort-of but not really. My mind wandered as it usually did, and I ran my hand along the smooth stone walls. A gentle breeze caressed my face bringing with it the smell of fresh water. I sighed, feeling its pull.
Kellen’s hand on my elbow stopped my forward progress, and I looked up at him. He nodded over my head with a smile, obviously sensing I hadn’t heard a thing his cousin said. He guided me through a stone archway into a small, round room with six chairs arranged in a circle. I sat in the one closest to the door and Kellen took the one on my right. Cedric dropped into the one on my left and Zahur sat across from us.
“So, what is it we need to do today?” Zahur asked crossing one leg over the other.
“None of you can be present for what I need,” Cedric said, reclining in his chair and crossing his ankles.
“And you are?” Zahur asked.
“None of your business,” my father replied.
“That’s not helpful,” I interceded, scowling at the man next to me. “He is kind enough to allow us to use his space, you could at least try to be civilized.”
“I don’t need his space,” Cedric said. “I could take you anywhere and activate your magic.”
I tried to hide my
irritation but was pretty sure I failed. Deep breaths, I reminded myself.
“This is my father,” I stated, turning to Zahur. “We’re here to activate my fae magic, and my elementals will be joining us for training.”
Kellen’s cousin opened his mouth but nothing came out. His eyes darted from Cedric to me then my partner.
“The intelligence of mages,” Cedric sneered. “Can you and I do what needs to be done while your partner explains the rest to his cousin? We don’t have time for this.”
The bitterness in my father’s voice made my skin crawl. Did he consider himself above everyone else or was he really concerned about the future? Maybe he was just an ass.
I turned my attention to Kellen. “What do you think?” I asked, trying to push my uncertainty towards him. I was scared to be alone with my father and even more afraid to be without my partner. I’d already proven my inability to make good decisions.
“I don’t want you alone with him,” Kellen said.
“She will not be alone,” Niyol interjected, appearing with his typical gust of wind.
“Will you stop me from making stupid decisions?” I asked, turning on him.
“If you wish,” he replied, circling around behind me and nudging my father’s chair. “The fae is bound by his oath, though. He’ll behave.”
Great. Another oath. I really hoped to be wrong.
“I’ll join my brother,” Kellen’s fire elemental hissed, rising from the stone floor like molten lava. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure of the fae’s company.”
The two elementals brushed by each other circling the room. If I didn’t know Niyol better, I would say they were trying to intimidate us. It worked on Zahur. He bolted out of his seat when Fire drifted towards him, but my father pretended to ignore the two.
“I’ll let you know when we’re done,” I said, standing.
Kellen grabbed my hand and stood, pulling me into his embrace. I welcomed it, needing his strength.
“Please be careful,” he whispered. “I can’t do this without you.”
I laced my fingers around his neck and stood on my tiptoes. “No, I can’t do this without you.” I kissed his neck and quickly stepped away, my face flushing with the tenderness I felt coming from him.
“Let’s go,” I mumbled, turning my back on the room and trying not to race down the stone hallway that ended at a large wooden door.
As expected, five symbols were carved into the dark wood. My fingers traced the outline of the spirit elemental’s wings, and I thought of Logan. What was Braden’s blood doing to our bond? Hopefully nothing.
“Do you know what that one is?” Cedric’s low voice asked from behind me. I never heard his footsteps on the rocky floor.
“Yes,” I replied, reluctantly pulling my hand away.
“I’m surprised,” he said. “I thought the mages had forgotten him.”
I pushed the door open, ignoring his comment. I wouldn’t share my knowledge with the man who had yet to treat me like a daughter. He didn’t even pretend to like me.
The smell of earth and water greeted me first, quickly followed by a faint trace of smoke. I looked around and smiled. It was an exact copy of Kellen’s, only bigger. I instinctively kicked off my shoes and dug my toes into the cool, dark soil, then made my way to the center of the room. Without thinking, I sat cross-legged and placed my hands on my knees. Everything about it felt right.
“At least your partner has taught you the basics,” Cedric said, sitting in front of me. He drew in a deep breath and mimicked my pose, placing his hands on his knees.
“So, it isn’t just a mage thing?” I asked, studying his face while he did the same to mine.
“You look exactly like her,” he mumbled, not answering my question. “I loved her as much as I hated her.”
I didn’t know what to say. All the snide comments at the edge my tongue disappeared. He continued staring at me, but the pain in his eyes removed anything creepy about it.
“I have so much to tell you and so little time,” he continued. “Can you listen and hold your anger until the end?”
“Probably not,” I replied. “But I need to ask one question before we start.”
He raised an eyebrow at me, and his lips twitched into a smile. “Honesty is so rare. Ask away.”
“Who is your oath with and what are they giving you to cooperate?”
He chuckled and leaned back, resting his weight on his hands. “My queen will give me freedom in exchange for my cooperation.”
It wasn’t the answer I expected, and it must have shown on my face. “Why are you a prisoner?”
“You said one question. I already gave you two.”
“I suppose I did.”
“I’ll answer because I intended to tell you anyway,” he said. “First, I’m a male. I think you read all about that.” He paused and I nodded. “Second, the darkness that plagues you came from me. Normally, we can find our calming force in the fae forest and willingly stay within our kingdom.” He looked away from me, his smile fading quickly. “Mine is not in the forest, nor is it anywhere else in the kingdom.”
“Did you find yours?” I asked, thinking of the way the water calmed my anger.
“Not at first,” he replied, sitting up and brushing his hands on his blue jeans. “I found your mother, who gave me an outlet for my darkness. Her own rage mirrored mine, giving me the release I needed.”
His cheeks darkened, but I understood. I felt the same thing with Braden. Well, maybe not the same. My mother had to be more fragile than an elder vampire.
“She didn’t initially tell me she was pregnant,” he continued. “In hindsight, I don’t think she ever would’ve revealed it to me. She tried to shut me out of her life, but I refused to go away. She was the only thing keeping my darkness at bay.” He shifted uncomfortably and met my gaze. “Do you know what she intended for you?”
“I’ve heard a rumor,” I replied. “She wanted to take my immortality?”
“Yes,” he looked away again and took a deep breath. “At first, I agreed. I thought I could convince her to come home with me and live in the luxury of the fae kingdom, but she refused. No matter what I offered, she refused.” He stood and walked away from me, approaching the water fountain at the edge of the room. “It didn’t take long for me to realize she only wanted my seed. She cared nothing for me or my pain. When you were born, I put your mother into a deep sleep and stole you away.”
I stared at him from my spot in the middle of the floor. Was that compassion? He hadn’t shown any before, so why now?
“Why?” I asked. “You didn’t keep me. Why did it matter?”
He ran his fingers through the water, still not looking at me. “You are my peace,” he replied. “I felt it as soon as you took your first breath.”
If I was his peace, why did he give me away? I didn’t even try to stop my fingers from twisting into the fabric of my shirt.
“Why didn’t you keep me?” My heart cracked as I whispered the question.
“The queen wouldn’t allow it,” he replied. “She wanted you dead.” He slapped his hand in the water and turned to me. “We had a rather unpleasant altercation about it, and she agreed to let me bind you, hiding you from the magical world. It was the only way I could keep you alive.”
My head spun. I wanted to hate him. He acted like an ass right up until this point, but he saved my life. Unless he was lying now. Sure, my childhood sucked, but I was alive.
“Why was the binding meant to kill me then?” I asked. “If you wanted to keep me alive, it seems counterproductive.”
His jaw clenched several times and I wondered what caused it. Did he not want to tell me, or was the truth that unpleasant? Maybe both.
“I wasn’t given a choice,” he said, between his teeth. “She wanted to ensure your death if I was unable to renew the binding.”
“Why does she hate me so much?” I asked, tears welling in my eyes. “I’ve never even met her.
”
He crossed the space between us and knelt next to me. “She fears our blood magic and for good reason. I’m not allowed to mate with just anyone because of it.”
“And she’s going to allow you to activate mine?”
He sighed and took my hand in his. I didn’t resist, needing some reassurance that my life wasn’t about to end.
“Someone else has bargained for your life, daughter,” he replied. “I don’t know who, but they’ve convinced the queen that you are needed to stop Jack’s plans. We never interfere with the lesser beings, so whoever it is has offered her something extremely powerful.”
My mouth fell open, and I snapped it shut. It made no sense to me. Who else would value my life? Kellen and Logan, but they didn’t have anything the Queen of the Fae would want, did they? I still owed Braden my blood oath, but that didn’t really count, did it? Did he have something he could offer the queen? Possibly. He was old enough and knowledge was his thing. But he didn’t value my life.
Cedric released my hands and settled back into his spot in front me. I searched his face for any sign of deception, not finding what I was looking for. Did I want him to be lying? Not really. His story explained so much. But what did it mean for my future? Would the queen still want me dead?
“What do you have to do to me to gain your freedom?” I asked, rubbing my hands on my knees.
“Train you and release the elder vampire,” he replied.
“The elder?” I asked, frowning.
“Yes, but don’t ask why because I don’t know. I was commanded to activate your magic and train you, then find a way to get Braden away from his brother.”
“Okay.” I rubbed my palm over my face several times. What does the queen gain from releasing Braden? I had no idea, but it’d be a topic of discussion between he and I. Maybe even a bargaining chip: his freedom to satisfy my curiosity.
“Just okay?” His question drew my attention. “I expected more questions.”
“My brain hasn’t caught up yet, but you filled in a bunch of blanks,” I replied. “Let’s do the thing.” I held my hands out to him, not knowing what to expect.
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