Kellen’s eyes widened, then he shook his head. “Follow me.”
We went into the next room. A queen-sized bed and two night tables filled the opposite wall. A tall wardrobe and another door were to my right and a panel of windows to my left. A large writing desk took up the space beneath the high windows.
“What’s wrong, Logan?” Kellen asked, standing in the middle of the room.
Logan glanced at me. “Her life is tied to mine,” he whispered.
My partner’s anger and possession washed over me as he took a step towards my vampire. “What do you mean?”
“If she dies, so do I,” Logan replied.
“And if you die?” Kellen asked.
Logan nodded.
“What the hell?” Kellen hissed, his face contorted in anger. “How could you do this to her?”
“I didn’t know,” Logan said defensively, his voice rising.
“But you suspected. I can see it in your eyes.”
“It was that or death, Kellen, and I couldn’t let her die any more than you could! She’s too important.”
My partner turned his back on Logan and pulled out the chair at his desk. He dropped into the wooden seat, rubbing his temples. “Who else knows?”
“No one.”
“Not even the one who explained this to you?”
“No.”
An uneasy silence filled the room. I fidgeted with the paper towel wrapped around my sandwich; my appetite evaporated with Logan’s news. How was this possible? Drinking a little of his blood shouldn’t do that, should it?
“What does this mean going forward?” I asked. “Other than the obvious: avoid dying.”
“I don’t know,” Kellen replied, his voice grating in the silence. The wall that had been growing between us since the incident at Victor’s lodge grew again.
I looked at Logan, who avoided my gaze. “What else did your buddy say?”
“Nothing. Just don’t die,” he replied.
I could feel the deception. He was holding something back. I closed the space between us and looked into his hazel eyes. “Tell me.”
He flinched, and I realized I commanded him without trying to.
“There is nothing to tell,” he whispered, his gaze meeting mine and drawing me in.
Again, I knew he was lying. Was he lying to protect me or himself? Was there even a difference anymore? “Is there any way to undo this connection?”
“I haven’t found that out yet,” he replied. “That’s my next stop.”
“Don’t you think you should stay with us?” Kellen asked, rising from his chair.
Logan’s gaze flicked from Kellen back to me. “I can’t.”
“What if something happens to you? Her life will also be in danger,” Kellen persisted. “There’s safety in numbers.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Logan asked, his voice rising again as he turned towards my partner. “I need answers, and I won’t get them by staying here.”
Again, he lied. Guilt and anger flooded our connection, but I wasn’t sure which emotion belonged to which man.
“I will not risk her life, but I can’t stay here either,” Logan said. He reached into his front pocket and pulled out an old-style flip phone. “Take this,” he said, handing it to me. “In case something stupid happens. Mine and Kellen’s numbers are already programmed in it.”
I took the phone and looked up at him. “Why does this feel like goodbye?” I asked, a lump forming in my throat.
“It’s not,” he replied softly. “I’ll be back with answers.”
An overwhelming urge to hug him made me step forward, but he was gone. The bedroom door stood open, and a warm desert breeze fluttered through the patio door.
“What the hell was that?” I asked, tracking Logan across the desert until he faded in the distance.
“I’m going to do some of my own research,” Kellen replied.
“Do you know what happened that night?”
“Only that he had to give you some of his blood to keep you alive.” He moved past me into the sitting room, pushing the glass doors closed. “That in itself would not create a bond. There had to be more he isn’t telling.”
I knew Logan was hiding something. Could Kellen feel it through me? Why didn’t Logan want to tell Kellen? They were friends and trusted allies in this mess. What could be so bad that he wouldn’t share it?
“What creates that kind of bond?”
My partner remained silent, staring across the desert. His rigid posture and motionless stance kept me from approaching him.
“Kellen?”
“I only know rumors about vampire’s magic, not facts. But I think I know someone who can tell me,” he finally replied.
“Mr. Smith?”
“Yep.”
“Do we really want him to know that Logan and I have this thing?” I asked. I knew I didn’t want anyone else knowing; it would be so easy to use it against us. Logan wouldn’t be that easy to kill, but I was an easy target.
“No, I don’t trust him not to sell the information,” Kellen replied, turning around to face me. I could see the questions in his eyes and feel them through our connection.
“No, Kellen. I don’t remember what he did to me.”
“He’s been my friend for years. I’ve trusted him with everything dear to me.” He crossed the space between us and ran his fingers through my hair. “I have to believe he wouldn’t hurt you.”
I leaned against his hand and let him draw me into his stiff embrace. “The alternative is pretty unpleasant.”
Chapter 34
“Explain the plan again.” I stared at a swirling portal, the one that was supposed to be broken. Everyone else was sleeping and assumed we were, too. I still didn’t understand why we had to go tonight. What changed to make this so urgent? Even after the arrival of our guests, Kellen hadn’t planned to make this visit for a few more days. The only change was my connection to Logan.
“As I said earlier, I would very much like to go in unannounced,” he said. “The Magister hasn’t always been unreasonable. It’s possible we can talk to her, convince her to step down.”
“Obviously, you know her better than I do,” I said with a snort. “The woman I met will never back down.”
He held his hand out to me, and I took it.
“What time is it at the Palace?” I asked.
“They’re in the same time zone as us.”
“Will anyone be awake?”
“Possibly, but very few. And I know how to get around the palace without being seen.”
I looked down at my all-black ensemble. “Hence our dark clothes?”
“You got it.”
“Let’s get this over with.” I took a breath and let him pull me through the portal.
I stumbled through the other side, but Kellen kept me from falling. We quickly side-stepped to the right into a nearby shadow. The open courtyard appeared empty. Faint moonlight filtered through the tree tops, and a cold breeze pulled against my long sleeve shirt. I shivered, and Kellen squeezed my fingers. I could barely see his outline in the shadows.
He pulled me along a stone wall to the right, moving slowly and methodically. He paused several times to point out stone benches and thorny shrubs. I tried to be quiet but knew I failed miserably. Luckily, we met no one on our trek to the palace doors.
Rather than go through the large wooden doors at the front, we entered a narrow corridor on the right side that ended at a metal gate. To my surprise, it wasn’t locked. Kellen pushed it open, the metal whispering a moan. We darted through.
Wall-mounted lamps barely brightened the narrow hall in front us. Kellen led the way, passing by numerous doors. After several minutes, I noticed the floor sloped upwards in a long, winding spiral. I tried to picture the outside of the palace and where this might be, but I couldn’t. My single visit didn’t give me a good layout of the building.
I blindly followed my partner until the hallway ended at yet another
door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob.
“This opens into a foyer in front of the Magister’s chambers,” he whispered. “There should be two guards posted at her door. I’ll immobilize them, then we’ll have a chat with the woman.”
I nodded. It sounded like a good plan to me, but I wasn’t a planner.
The door opened soundlessly, and Kellen peered into the next room. He grunted and pushed the door open, revealing an empty chamber.
“I thought there were supposed to be guards?” I whispered.
“Her room isn’t supposed to be unprotected.”
“So, where did they go?”
He shook his head and crossed the space. Two doors engulfed the other side. A large circle painted in gold crossed both doors. Symbols for the four elements stood out against the dark wood, evenly spaced around the circle. A strange shape that reminded me of bells with wings or maybe intertwined, wispy clouds, centered the art. I stared at the wisps, trying to decide what they were, when the doors opened.
A tall, pale woman with long hair and icy blue eyes stood in the doorway. My mother. Instead of the fitted black dress she wore the last time I saw her, a deep, red fabric covered her body. It almost looked like a bathrobe, but not quite.
“It’s rude to linger, Kellen,” the Magister said. “Come in and chat. We have a great deal to discuss.”
Something didn’t feel right to me, and I was certain Kellen felt it too. Somehow, she knew we were coming.
“Don’t make me ask again.”
The Magister disappeared into the room, and I looked at my partner.
“We should leave,” I said. “This feels like a trap.”
“Or it’s her unorthodox way of conceding. She hates to be wrong and will never admit it. Without the guards here to witness us, she can have an honest discussion without losing face.”
“But how did she know we’d be here?” I asked. “We didn’t even know.”
“I don’t know, but we won’t get this chance again.”
He started towards the open doors, and I shook my head, knowing this was a bad idea. Kellen was normally the smart, level-headed one. How did he not see the trap?
I followed him into the room, and my mouth dropped open. Dark pink wallpaper dotted with tiny white cherubs covered the walls. The Magister sat across the room in a narrow chair upholstered in purple striped fabric. A matching loveseat sat opposite her with a low table in between. Tall, slender windows covered in thick, ivory drapes framed the seating area.
My shoes squeaked across the glossy, white tiled floor, and a sneer formed on my face. I expected something more elegant and refined, not tiny cherubs and colors meant for five-year-old little girls. A bitter aroma hung in air like recently burned incense. I sat on the edge of the sofa and stifled a snort. It must have been fabric stretched over wood for all the comfort it provided.
“What brings my second-in-command back to the fold?” the Magister asked.
My head snapped to Kellen, not bothering to hide my surprise.
“I see my little girl has not been informed of your place here.” The woman leaned back in her chair, drawing a deep breath. The rings around her eyes darkened, and I swallowed hard. “I brought Kellen into my care after his parents died. He and his sister needed someone to look after their affairs. His talents won him a place at my side.”
I looked over at my partner who avoided my gaze, but he didn’t look at my mother either. Another secret kept from me. How many more were there? This was something I really needed to know before we walked in here.
“He still refuses to look at me,” she said, clicking her tongue. “He used to admire me a great deal.”
“I used to trust and respect my leader,” Kellen said between gritted teeth, “both of which you threw away.”
“We didn’t come here to talk about Kellen,” I said, drawing another deep breath filled with the bitter stench I suspected came from my mother. Had she allowed herself to be turned into a vampire?
“And why did you come, daughter?” she spat out the last word, a snarl on her lips as her attention turned to me.
“Will you step down as Magister?”
The ring around her irises darkened again, confirming my suspicions. We walked into a trap, but I feared it wasn’t one we’d survive. She wouldn’t be the only vampire here, and the others would surely be the new mages-turned-vampires.
“Why would I do that?” she asked with disbelief. “The mages are in a place of power and control.”
“Even I know a mage without her partner will become unstable,” I replied. “I hoped you would prevent your people from seeing you that way.”
“They will never see me that way, silly girl.” She tilted her head back and laughed over-dramatically, her platinum hair billowing out behind her.
I glanced at Kellen, who still refused to look at her. He couldn’t see her blue eyes changing to red. His stupid arrogance was going to get us killed. “Kellen, do you not see what she’s doing?” I asked, forcing my anger and frustration towards him.
His sharp intake of breath fueled my rage. He finally looked at the damn woman. Fury flared through our connection, and he jumped to his feet, towering over her. It was about damn time.
“What have you done?” he demanded.
“What needed to be done,” the Magister replied. “Single mages without partners can now be strong, without fear of losing themselves. I’ve given them a future, which is more than my parents ever did.” A deep red now replaced her icy blues, and the tips of her fangs peeked out from her upper lip.
“No, you have ensured their death,” Kellen replied. “How can you not see that? The vampires will throw them on the front line for cannon fodder. They will use our people to win their war, then throw us away so we aren’t a threat.”
The Magister stood as well, and I rose with her as she closed the space between herself and my partner.
“You have no vision,” she hissed. “We will win the war for the vampires, and then destroy their council. I will lead them into the new dawn that will rise with us!”
I didn’t have to feel Kellen’s disgust. It was written all over his face in his narrowed eyes and curled lips. Unfortunately, I could understand my mother’s reasoning. I didn’t necessarily agree, but I understood.
“You’re batshit crazy,” I said, stepping closer to my partner. “The vampire venom enhanced your instability, making you stupid.” I knew I was poking the bear. I just hoped she would react before her help arrived. We might be able to defeat one super vampire, but I wasn’t sure about more than that. Despite my efforts, I still couldn’t catch Logan. These people would be no different.
Before I could blink, her hands wrapped around my neck.
“Back off, Kellen, or I will kill her,” she growled.
“Your death is guaranteed regardless,” he said. “Release her, and I’ll make it quick.”
Did he just seal my death or hers? I wondered.
“You’ll be too busy fighting for your own life to worry about my precious daughter.”
A myriad of smells assaulted my senses, and I cut my eyes to the side. Six people appeared in the open entry, all of them with red eyes. Pain and regret flared through my connection with Kellen. He must have known some or all of them. A line of fire raced across their path, preventing them from getting any farther into the room.
Niyol, I could really use your help right now. I struggled to draw air into my lungs as my mother’s grip tightened on my neck. No amount of clawing on her arms would loosen it.
It would be my pleasure, he whispered back.
“Don’t make me kill them,” Kellen said in a low voice, unaware of my conversation with Niyol.
“You have to, or they’ll return the favor.”
A strong wind whipped through the room, consuming Kellen’s line of fire and creating a fiery tornado. Kellen tackled the Magister, forcing all of us to the floor. Niyol rampaged through the other vampires, but even he wasn’t quick en
ough to prevent them from charging into the room. Two of the six collapsed in a smoldering death, but the other four evaded it.
I jumped to my feet and whipped my hands into the air, tossing the men into the farthest wall just before they reached the fight between my mother and partner. Niyol picked up another of the mage-vampires in his fiery cyclone while I struggled to hold the last three against the wall. One of them stayed, but the other two broke free, heading back towards the Magister. A man with bleach-blond hair and blood-red eyes focused solely on me, and my resolve faltered. I couldn’t release the monster on the wall, or I’d have all three within seconds. Proving my fear, blondie’s strong fingers were suddenly gripping my bony arms, and his hot breath lingered on my neck.
“You smell delicious, little girl,” he whispered in my ear.
I froze, remembering the last time one of them was this close to me. “Niyol,” I whimpered, feeling my grasp on the other vampire weakening. I wasn’t made to battle these things. Why was I here? My elemental spat out a charred husk, its body shattering the low table and loveseat beside me. Wind and fire separated from one another, taking on their humanoid forms. Fire pressed the farthest vampire back against the wall, and a piercing scream shattered what remained of my pitiful courage. I closed my tear-filled eyes as the vampire’s fangs scraped across my skin. His grip on my arms suddenly vanished, and I stumbled forward. My eyes popped open, and I choked back a hysterical laugh. My attacker floated in a whirling tornado, his rage-filled eyes still directed at me. If looks could kill. Luckily, Niyol had saved me again. What would I do without him? Die a horrible death at the hands of every vampire who wanted to kill me, probably.
A low rumble shook the floor, and I turned to the opposite side of the room to find the Magister wrapped in a large stone hand. Kellen dangled inches off the ground with the last vampire’s hands clawed around my partner’s neck.
“No!” The harsh scream erupted from my throat, and I pulled my pointed javelin from the heated air around me. Without thinking, I charged the vampire, sinking my weapon into his wide back. He howled, dropping Kellen to the floor. The vampire reached back over his shoulder and grabbed my wrist. I tumbled over his head and crashed to floor, my head smacking against the hard tiles. Pain exploded through my skull, and my vision clouded with bright flickering lights. I rolled to my stomach and forced myself to my hands and knees, struggling to keep the room from spinning around me.
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