Was that the reason for my fear of Logan? Did this other vampire replace my image of the man who had become a complicated friend? No. Seeing my complicated friend’s red eyes and primal urge to bite me solidified my fears. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the image of Logan’s battered body from my brain.
“What’s next for us?” I asked, moving away from Logan and vampires.
“We still have to meet with Mr. Smith,” he replied. “I’m surprised he isn’t blowing up my phone with calls and messages.”
“He probably knew about the attack on Victor,” I said. “I imagine he was also watching your house, so he knew we ran.”
“Most likely.”
“What are the chances he’s waiting for us at the gate?” I asked.
He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. “I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re probably right.”
Twenty minutes later, the front gate came into view. Kellen cursed like a sailor. The iron hinges had been torn from the stone wall, and the gate itself lay to the side, leaving the road to his home wide open. He stopped the SUV and jumped out, walking back and forth across the road several times looking at the ground, then getting back in the car.
“The vampires don’t normally use vehicles, but there are several new tire tracks leading to the house.” He put the car in drive, then looked over at me. “We’ll have company.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Mr. Smith was a huge anomaly and potentially a huge risk. He hadn’t helped us defend Victor’s home, and if he were really a player in this, he would’ve known about it.
As we crested the low rise just before Kellen’s estate, the sun reflected off the metal sheeting covering his house. The blinding glare forced my eyes closed.
“How can you see where you’re going?” I asked, feeling the SUV continue down the road.
“I’m not looking at the house,” he replied.
“Smart ass.”
We drove around the side of the house to the garage, where one black sedan waited.
“Well, shit,” my partner mumbled.
I followed Kellen’s pointing finger to the garage doors. A gaping hole in both the metal and the garage door greeted us. Not large enough for a vehicle, but just the right size for a person.
“Let’s see if Mr. Smith is still in the car, or if he let himself into my house.”
Kellen left me in the SUV and quickly approached the sedan. The driver’s window slid down revealing a woman’s face with large, dark sunglasses. I exited the car and jogged the few yards between the two vehicles. The back window rolled down and an older man’s deep, blue eyes stared at me.
“More than one vehicle has been here,” Kellen said, drawing my attention. “Don’t tell me you only just arrived.”
“We’ve had people patrolling for the last twenty-four hours,” the man in the back seat said.
Kellen turned to him, and his eyes narrowed. “Has anyone else been here since the vampires?”
“No, and I don’t believe they breached your house. We should all have defenses as effective as yours.”
“Let’s go inside.” Kellen didn’t wait for them to agree, and I hurried after him. He crawled through the hole in the garage door and jogged across the large open space.
“I didn’t realize the metal sheeting covered the door to the kitchen as well,” I said, gaping at the protective barrier still covering the door to the kitchen.
When I reached him, he’d just finished punching numbers into a panel on the wall. The metal panels retreated like a pocket-door, and I tried to contain my amazement. Kellen sighed, relief rolling off him in waves.
“I would love to have the name of your engineer,” the older man said from behind us.
“Not happening,” Kellen replied as he disappeared into the dark kitchen. I followed on his heels and flipped the light switch next to the door. The lights above my head flickered on, and I sat next to Kellen at the bar.
“Jonathan Smith,” the man said, holding out his hand to me.
I looked at it, not sure why I hesitated. Something about him felt weird. Magic buzzed around him, drifting towards me, almost as if it wanted to touch me. That wasn’t going to happen. He nodded and dropped his hand. “This is my assistant, Ms. White.”
She nodded but remained silent, removing her sunglasses and putting them in the breast pocket of her jacket.
Kellen and Mr. Smith stared at one another for several moments.
“What do you want, Mr. Smith?” Kellen finally asked.
The man glanced at me, then back to Kellen. “This young lady has the means to stop your Magister from creating an army for the vampire council. I want to make sure that happens.”
“And you think kidnapping her and forcing her to fight against her will is the best path?”
Like Kellen hadn’t just done the same thing? Sure, he also saved my life a couple of times, but in the end, he wanted me to be a weapon against my mother.
Smith scowled at Kellen, and that strange buzz drifted towards me again. “No. My sources tell me that you are allied with the shifters north of here, along with a small group of mages at your Magister’s palace.” He shifted his weight where he stood, but Kellen didn’t offer him a seat. “My own allies include a small group of vampires and the European mages.”
Kellen’s eyebrows rose, and he tapped the granite counter with his forefinger. “I thought the Europeans wanted nothing to do with us.”
“That has been true for some time, but the Magister’s latest antics have changed their minds. None of them want to be revealed.”
I glanced at him. It made sense there were other mages across the globe, but I assumed there was only one ruling party. How was Mr. Smith connected to the European group? He appeared to be American, with no noticeable foreign accent.
“What are you proposing?” Kellen asked.
“Can we move to a more comfortable setting?” Smith asked in return. “I’m not young and have no desire to stand here while you question me.”
“Follow me,” I said, sliding from my stool.
A single lamp was the only light in the large living area, besides what spilled over from the kitchen. The metal sheeting still covered the windows and glass doors, preventing the sunlight from illuminating the space. I sat down on the nearest chair, while our guests sat on the sofa across from me.
“Thank you, Alisandra,” Smith said.
I didn’t correct him. “You’re a mage, aren’t you?” I asked.
“Sort of,” he replied. “I’m a cross-breed of mage and shifter.”
“Really?” I didn’t try to hide my surprise. I didn’t realize it was possible, but all kinds of people fell in love. I found it interesting that none of the mages or shifters I’d met gave off the buzzing magic coming from Mr. Smith.
“Only the royal families are bound by arranged marriages or pairings.” He smiled, softening his wrinkled features. “But I’m not accepted by either of my parents’ families. As far as most are concerned, I’m an outcast doing a job no one else wants.”
“And what job is that?” Kellen asked from behind me. He hadn’t sat with our group but remained standing behind my chair.
“I gather intelligence for the supernatural families and provide a place of belonging for those like myself.”
That was an interesting revelation. How many people did Mr. Smith have in his employ? It must be quite a few if the families were scattered across the globe.
“You work for our Magister?” Kellen continued.
“No, not anymore.” His gaze drifted back to me, making me uncomfortable. “When she killed her partner, I left.”
I once again wondered how many people knew Logan wasn’t technically dead. That would also make Mr. Smith really old. Logan had been a vampire for forty years.
“And you will share information with me and my allies if we help you overthrow the Magister,” Kellen stated.
“Yes, but the European mages will also recognize the princess
as the rightful heir to her mother’s throne and you…”
“Why would they do that?” Kellen interrupted. “They’ve been looking to implant one of their princes for years.”
“They would have called for a marriage between their prince and Alisandra had it not been for you.” Smith tilted his head and flicked his eyes between me and Kellen. “They assume you are uniting the Middle Eastern and North American mages.”
I suspected Kellen wanted me to take over, but I hadn’t put two and two together when it came to his role.
“I haven’t spoken to my uncle in fifteen years,” Kellen said, his voice barely above a whisper. “He knows nothing of my partnership with AJ.”
I twisted in my chair and looked up at him. He avoided looking back at me. Yet another secret he didn’t share.
“I imagine he does know, just like everyone else. Word travels quickly nowadays,” Mr. Smith stated.
“You’re royalty and didn’t bother to tell me?” I asked.
“I’m not royalty,” he replied, looking down at me. “My father was the fifth son, and my uncle has three of his own. I have no claim to his throne.”
“But you carry your family’s blood line,” Smith interjected, “which satisfies the royal’s requirements for your princess.”
“You and I will talk about this later,” I stated, feeling the command in my voice. I turned back to our guest. “I’m not very good at having my decisions made for me, and the last several days have stretched that to its limit. If you’re telling me to raise an army and overthrow my mother, you’ve lost your mind.”
“Your army is already raised,” Smith replied. “You merely need to present a strong front and tell her to leave. It’s possible to do it without bloodshed, especially if you meet her at the palace. Her vampires cannot use the portals, so the only resistance will be those at the palace. I can’t imagine there are many who will support her.”
“You obviously know nothing about me,” I argued. “A week ago, I was barely keeping myself from being homeless. Now, you expect me to lead a group of magical people who have no reason to trust or follow me.”
“They have every reason,” Smith countered. “Your Magister’s destruction is first and foremost. You’re gifted with both air and water. And your partner’s bloodline ensures the continuation.”
How did he know about my dual powers? I’d only found out about my magic in the last few days, and nobody had known about my existence before that.
“That’s ridiculous!” I rose from my chair and stared down at the older man. “None of those qualify me to be a good leader. My social skills suck. I can barely think past my own needs and selfish desires. What makes me any better than my mother?”
“Your elements would not have chosen you if you had any of your mother’s traits,” he replied, remaining seated and much calmer than me. “Do you really think they rejected her because of your grandmother?”
I stared at him. I said the same thing two days ago. But how did he know all of this? Were his contacts embedded that far into each supernatural society?
“How would they know she was a bad person as an infant?” I asked.
“They didn’t.” He leaned forward in his chair and looked at his hands. “Her anger and hatred of her parents prevented the elements from accepting her fully. Water and Earth refused her before she was five. Even at that young age, she was cruel.”
“Why did the wind stay with her?” I asked, sinking back into my chair.
“Because of her partner,” he replied. “They found each other in their early teens. I think she was twelve or thirteen.”
I thought of Logan, dedicating his life to helping his friend, only to have her betray him.
“Was she upset about his death?” I asked quietly, my anger subsiding with the thought of Logan’s life with my mother.
“Not the way you would think. She was angry that his element abandoned him. She raged through the palace, cursing all the elements.” He looked over at me, sadness crossing his face. “If she mourned his loss, she didn’t show it.”
“You know what really happened to him, don’t you?” Kellen asked.
“Yes.”
“What?” I asked, not hiding my surprise. “How do you know so much?”
“Thank you, Mr. Smith, for your candor and your offer,” Kellen interrupted. I scowled at him. I wanted answers, but he continued. “We accept the offer from the European council and will make plans for our Magister.”
“When can we expect your arrival at the palace?” Mr. Smith asked.
“I need several weeks with AJ,” he replied. “She cannot take her mother’s place without being prepared for a challenge. Right now, she is not the least bit ready.”
“She’ll be ready in a few weeks?” he asked.
“Possibly, if we can remain undisturbed,” Kellen replied. “The last few days have been a whirlwind, and everything she’s learned has been haphazard at best.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” He stood and extended his hand to me once more. I took it tentatively and a surge of power rush through me with our contact.
“What did you just do?” I asked, pulling my hand away.
“Confirmed your heritage, princess.”
Chapter 29
I stood outside the ruined garage door as the sedan drove away, plumes of sand following in its wake.
“I’m going to seal the front gate,” Kellen said, leaning his head out the window of his SUV. “I’ll be right back.”
I turned my back on his retreating vehicle and made my way into the house, heading for my room. My head swam with the new information thrown at me, but two things stood out in my mind. Mr. Smith knew Logan even though our vampire claimed ignorance when Mr. Smith made his first demands. Was Logan really an ally, or was he working for both sides?
And Kellen’s family ruled the mages in the Middle East. It explained his heritage, but what did it mean for me? I knew nothing about the people who ruled the mages or how the supernatural races were governed. Beyond the vampires, shifters, and mages, I didn’t even know who the others were. Were there others? Kellen suggested there were, but he liked to keep secrets from me.
I stopped in front of the of large wooden doors leading to Kellen’s training room. “Seriously? This was not where I wanted to be.”
Maybe it was. Would my elements have answers about my family? Would Niyol explain what happened between my mother and her wind elemental?
I pushed open the door and let the warm air surround me. Sheet metal still covered the high windows, leaving the room almost completely dark. A small fire burned in the hearth, illuminating the space a few feet from it. I sat down on the bench and removed my shoes and socks, digging my toes into the cool dirt.
“What am I doing here? Am I really supposed to lead a group of magical people? Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t even believe all of this existed.”
“Your destiny has already been written, child,” Water’s voice replied, seeming to come from everywhere.
“Shouldn’t it be my choice?” I asked. “I want to have some say in what happens. My whole life has been dictated to me. For once, I’d like to have the final say.”
Water’s fluid form coalesced in front of me, reflecting the flames from the small fire. “You are destined to take your place within your family’s heritage. You cannot avoid that responsibility.”
“But I don’t want it. Can’t I just give it to someone else?”
“You could, but you would be abandoning the people who need you at a time when they cannot be abandoned.” Water slid to my side and sat on the bench beside me.
I didn’t understand why it had to be me. Governments changed leaders all the time. If it wasn’t my mother or another tyrant, why did it matter? Good rulers had qualities I didn’t possess.
“Why does a dual mage have to lead them? Why can’t it be a single mage?”
“Do you know why we speak to you in this form?”
I s
hook my head. I had no idea. And what did its question have to do with mine?
“I am one of many. The others are the same. We work together because we must, or the consequence is unthinkable.” Water lifted a hand towards me and touched my shoulder, sending a soothing warmth throughout my body. “We speak to you because of your connection to Kellen. The link between two dual mages can allow us to take this form. It has been that way, always.”
“But it doesn’t explain why a dual mage has to rule,” I insisted.
“The mages and elements are strongest when we are paired together that way,” it replied. “Do you really want a weak mage governing those with the power to destroy everything around them?”
It made sense. I was trying to compare normal human politics to magic, and maybe it wasn’t the same.
“Kellen didn’t know about the connection between dual mages and our ability to speak with you,” I said, letting go of my question about politics. “Is it because he has been away from his family?”
“He knew it as a gift to your family, but his parents did not share that it extended to all the royal families.”
“But his mother was also a dual mage,” I said, remembering she had earth and water. “Who was his mother?”
A rippling laughter surrounded me as Water slid to the other side. “You miss very little, child. His mother was from Australia and also carried royal blood. Her line is nearly gone, as is yours.”
“Who rules the mages in Australia?”
“No one at present. Kellen or his sister could, if they would accept.”
I was surprised and worried. Would Kellen go to Australia if he knew? “They’re all that’s left?” I asked.
“There are others in Asia who also carry the line but do not realize it.”
“How don’t they know? Are they not dual mages?” I looked at my element, tilting my head to the side. Shouldn’t a dual mage expect to have royal blood and wonder where it came from? How could they leave an entire area without leadership?
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