Shapes of Autumn (Boxed set, books 1 - 5)

by Veronica Blade

  I could feel Zack staring at me, but I didn’t move a muscle. Cedric’s lips twisted as he rolled his shoulders. “I don’t love the idea, but it’ll do.”

  Crap. I’d get to be the sacrifice. Yay me.

  Chapter TWENTY-ONE

  Autumn

  I braced myself when waves of anger radiated off Zack and coursed through me.

  “Not going to happen,” he told Cedric. He’d stepped into my line of vision, his spine rigid. “No one’s using Autumn as bait.”

  For us being broken up, he was being awfully protective. And bossy. Love for him swelled within me, and I fought inwardly to ignore how dry my mouth went just laying eyes on him. I couldn’t allow his protectiveness to sway me. I was about to tell him to give it up when Kayla held up a hand.

  “Relax, wolves.” She sent us each a look that had me closing my mouth and leaning back into the settee. “Your Majesty, the dissidents want what you have—power. The most efficient way for them to accomplish their mission is by gaining control of your wealth and interests, information on witches and werewolves, as well as our database on every vampire in the world.

  “But the thing they need most is Dathan’s location so they can eliminate him before he’s brought out of slumber. Once Dathan is out of the picture, the crown would be ripe for takeover. And right now, the main thing stopping them from having those things is me. I’m your bait.”

  “Well said, Kayla.” Cedric’s eyes darted to mine and gave me a tiny nod as if to silently tell me I’m off the hook.

  “But ultimately, I’m the one standing in the way, the one they fear most.” Dathan rubbed the corners of his mouth, as he contemplated. “Even if they managed to take possession of the palace, they can’t be sure of absolute rule over vampires so long as I’m alive.

  “I was last seen in Australia seventy-five years ago. Two days is reasonable enough time for Kayla to locate me there, then transport me here. If word should get out of my arrival by helicopter tomorrow evening, we could set a trap on the roof for anyone waiting to attack me.”

  Regis nodded. “We can hint that we haven’t yet awakened you, because we wanted you in a controlled environment for the process, rather than risk you biting anyone. They’ll all rush to kill you before you have a chance to wake.”

  Tony rubbed his hands together as he scooted forward in his seat. “While they think they’re hijacking you, we’ll be hijacking them.”

  “That’s the plan.” Dathan sent us a devious smile. “It might even buy us more time to observe the palace occupants and collect more intel on the traitors.” Then, as if finished with us, Dathan turned his back on everyone and faced the window.

  We had ten in our army total—three werewolves and a shape-shifter, plus the vampires: Dathan, Cedric, Braulio, Regis, Kayla, and Tony. I figured we stood a pretty good chance. I raised my hand. “If they’ve lost six of their men and no one can leave the premises or enter, they’re probably outnumbered. We can take ’em.”

  Dathan swiveled from the window to stare daggers at me. “That kind of optimism is what loses a crown.”

  “At least I’m not so negative all the time,” I mumbled. Man, Dathan was a crabby-pants. “I can see why everyone lets you slumber.”

  One side of his mouth curled up before he turned away again.

  “We have some serious disadvantages,” Cedric began. “We can’t identify the enemy, nor do we know how many there are. We can’t be sure when they’ll strike or how many others might storm the castle, so to speak. All those factors leave us vulnerable.”

  “Right,” Zack said, “but they’re expecting four wolves and three vampires. We have the element of surprise on our side—three extra they don’t know about.”

  “True,” Cedric said. “But I’d prefer to take every precaution.”

  “On that note…” Renzo pushed off the wall. “I thought I’d educate my wolves on the enemy. As in strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps you can provide anything I’m missing.”

  Dathan spun and like magic appeared in front of Renzo, the fire in his eyes promising violence and daring the werewolf to cross him. “Centuries-old vampire law forbids revealing that kind of information to any other species.”

  Dathan came off quite terrifying when he wanted to be. And I knew he could back it up with real power. At that moment, gratitude swirled inside me that he was on our side. Sort of.

  Renzo stretched taller, going toe-to-toe with Dathan. “And who makes the laws?”

  The light in Dathan’s eyes grew malignant. “Cedric and I.”

  “Then change the law, and allow me to protect my own.” Renzo’s voice gentled. “Cedric asked us not to leave. Help us stay alive so we can fight for you.”

  “Dathan,” Cedric said. “After being around a few centuries himself, I doubt we can tell Renzo anything new. This information is for Autumn and Zack who saved my life. It’s the least they deserve.”

  Dathan growled and returned to staring out the window. I assumed that meant he was giving in.

  Cedric leaned back in his chair. “Our weaknesses, let’s see… Only the extremely old can withstand the sun and it affects even us, however slight. Amplified emotions but then that’s normal for your kind as well.” He scratched his chin. “Vampires have a tendency to go mad and kill themselves. That’s why truly ancient vampires are rare.”

  “It’s why some of us go into slumber for long periods,” Dathan added. “Keeps things fresh.”

  Hopefully Dathan’s recent slumber would keep him good for a while. We didn’t need someone that scary taking a ride on the crazy train. “Can you control humans, like the way we’re able to put an idea into their heads?” I asked.

  “Yes, but not like werewolves or shape-shifters.” Cedric glanced at Dathan who nodded. I guessed this was sensitive information. “While you merely plant concepts or urges, we can make them do anything we want, believe anything, or forget all of it.”

  “The trick, though,” Dathan added, “is that we must make a physical connection. We can only glamour them if we’re feeding off them. Are we almost done here?” He scowled at me.

  Why direct that my way? Whatever. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me and blow my opportunity to learn more. Who knew when I’d get another chance to pick their brains?

  “No.” I zeroed in on Cedric and tuned the others out. “How does one turn into a vampire?”

  “The human must be drained to the point of death then fed vampire blood within a couple minutes to resuscitate them,” Cedric replied. “They’ll still appear dead while they are changing. The more blood ingested, the faster the process.”

  “Which is how long?” Zack asked.

  “Anywhere from a few hours if you indulge or a full day if you’re limited to a few sips.”

  So far, they weren’t telling us anything we could use. “Do garlic, crosses, and holy water do anything?”

  “No, nothing at all.” Dathan spun to stare at us. “Are you finished with the Q and A yet?”

  “Not quite.” I held up one finger then shifted to Cedric as a low hiss emanated from near the window. What if Dathan turned someone? Would they inherit some of his strength? “Does it matter who turns you?”

  “Yes, the strengths and weaknesses of the master are inherited by the fledgling,” Dathan answered, spinning to face us again. “Works the same when you’re turning a werewolf. If the master is cruel and uncaring, anyone he turns will have that tendency as part of him. It’s that much more difficult to control the bad impulses.”

  Ah, that explained why my ex, Daniel, became so much more violent and creepy after William turned him. “That makes a lot of sense.”

  “It’s why so many werewolves are mean.” Tony flinched and averted our gazes. “Not you guys, but you know.”

  “It’s okay.” Zack grinned. “We don’t care much for the species either. Which is why we’re here.”

  “One more question.” I focused on Cedric, knowing this was sensitive info and if anyone would g
ive up the deets, it was him. “If vampire blood heals you, then in theory, a human could live forever on it without ever being turned, right?”

  “Only in theory, because he’d be hunted and killed. In the end, anyone who was hijacking vampire blood would end up with a much shorter life than if he’d remained one hundred percent human,” Cedric answered.

  “So that’s a thing?” I asked. “There are people out there who hunt you?”

  “They never hunt us for long,” Tony said with a harsh tone. “They’re called Betweeners since they aren’t vampires, but they’re not exactly human anymore either. Not while they’re amped on vampire blood.”

  “If you ladies are finished chatting, let’s wrap this up,” Dathan said through clenched teeth.

  Since I couldn’t think of any more questions, I rose with Zack and we made a beeline to our bedroom door. That information wasn’t nearly as insightful as I’d hoped it would be.

  True, but we have no idea what might come in handy up the road, he said.

  “Uh, Zack?” Cedric glanced up from his cell screen. “You have a visitor.”

  Who would visit him here? God, I hoped Trevor or Maya hadn’t tracked us down. I didn’t want my human friends anywhere near a palace full of vampires, especially the ones who were trying to kill us.

  “I thought no one was coming or going until this was over,” Zack said, a confused look on his face.

  “Extenuating circumstances. We’ve been expecting this one.” Cedric vacated the chair and stuck his phone in his pocket. “If everyone would retire to Dathan’s room and give Zack some privacy, I’m sure he’d appreciate it. You too, Autumn.”

  “Werewolf?” I asked.

  “No. Vampire.” Cedric motioned for me to get up.

  Obeying, I glanced over my shoulder at Zack, wondering who the mysterious visitor was. Apparently Cedric felt comfortable having this vampire in the palace, but what could he want with Zack?

  Kayla and Tony returned to their post in the hallway outside Cedric’s suite and I followed King Cedric, Renzo, and Alura to Dathan’s room. “Are these walls soundproofed too?”

  “Dying to see who it is, aren’t you?” Cedric chuckled, then lowered his voice. “Yes, all the walls are soundproofed, but we may hear something through the cracks. If not, you’ll find out soon enough.”

  I sat on a chair closest to the adjoining wall and concentrated on the sounds in the next room. Whatever was going on, it was going to be interesting.

  Cedric grabbed a book and settled into an overstuffed chair. A moment later, he sat the book on the end table and rubbed his chin as he studied me. “He loves you.”

  Renzo flinched.

  “Zack?” I lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  One side of Cedric’s mouth sloped up. “He does.”

  “We have chaos at the throne and you’re discussing puppy love?” Dathan scowled. “You dogs are already invading my suite. How about not compounding your sins with insipid talk? Perhaps not talk at all.”

  “Even if you two had the real thing,” Renzo told me, as though Dathan hadn’t said a thing, “doesn’t mean you both can’t find someone else.”

  “Also doesn’t mean it can’t last.” Alura rolled her eyes. “Guys, leave her alone.”

  Good idea since I didn’t need to think about Zack’s feelings for me after I’d already dumped him. It was easier to believe his affections for me hadn’t run that deep. “He’s never said the words. Not once.”

  “Does he need to?” Cedric asked.

  I sighed. “Only a man would ask that.”

  “Doesn’t change the facts.” He pressed his lips together, suppressing a smile.

  I found myself torn between hoping I hadn’t hurt Zack and hoping I had. Because if I had hurt him, then that meant he cared deeply for me. But if he cared that much, what was I going to do about it?

  Chapter TWENTY-TWO

  Zack

  Curiosity was eating me alive. Aside from the vampires I’d met at the palace, I didn’t know any others. But Cedric knew my visitor or he wouldn’t have allowed him to come up. And he’d been expecting him. So who the hell could he be and what did this stranger want from me?

  I leaned against the arm of the settee, ready for anything, when the patter on the plush carpet outside the suite had me zeroing in on the door leading to the corridor. Soft footfalls, like a woman’s.

  Kayla opened the door, then slipped out as the guest slipped in. I sucked in a lungful of air. My jaw dropped and my eyes stung.

  It couldn’t be. Her skin was fresh and young, her color healthy as though she’d never been sick a day in her life. She’d filled out, no longer thin and frail. I shot up from my seat, then froze before approaching slowly. “Mom?”

  The younger, more vibrant version of my mother beamed. “It’s me, Tesoro. I’m okay.”

  But she’d died. I’d felt it. Positive this couldn’t be my mother, I stopped in the center of the room a few feet from her. “That’s impossible.”

  “Yes, impossible.” She smiled. “Like werewolves and vampires?”

  I inhaled, long and slow. She smelled the same as Cedric and all the other inhabitants in this place. “You’re a vampire? Why?”

  Her face fell and her cheeks flushed. “Because it was better than dying.”

  If this wasn’t my mother, who could it be? A doppelganger? “It’s been six days. Where have you been?”

  “In transition. He could only give me a small amount of blood or I’d come back to life and the doctors would have too many questions. So I lay dormant in the morgue for more than a day. When I finally got out of there, I spent the next several days attempting to control my hunger and learning how to be a vampire.”

  My heart soared at the possibility that I wasn’t an orphan after all. I wasn’t one hundred percent convinced though. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “My sire wouldn’t let me.” She held her palms open at her side. “It’s not uncommon for vampires to be destroyed within the first few days because they can’t adjust. I couldn’t tell you I was alive and risk you suffering my death all over again. And I couldn’t be trusted near humans yet anyway. The more effort I put in controlling my thirst, the sooner I could see you. And then today, I had to wait until the sun went down.”

  Right—new vampire. No sunlight. I so badly wanted to believe this was my mother and she was alive. “A few weeks ago, you gave me a black box. What was in it?”

  Her mouth widened to expose her teeth, her eyes shining. “Your future without me. Money, bank account numbers, credit cards—everything you’d need if I didn’t survive. You didn’t want to take it, but I insisted. And then you blackmailed me into going to the doctor.”

  Sold.

  I launched myself at her, picking her up off the ground and spinning her around the room. “I can’t believe it!”

  She laughed, pushing against my shoulders. “Put me down, silly.”

  I allowed her feet to touch the floor, but couldn’t release her all the way. Not yet. My hands gripping her arms, I leaned back to examine her. “You look amazing. Perfect.” Not dead at all. Relief flooded through me. “Yep, being a vampire is way better than dying.”

  “In most ways.” She raised one shoulder. “Took me some time to adjust to the whole blood thing.”

  I took her hand and tugged her to the settee. Unable to take my eyes off her for fear she’d disappear and I’d discover her being here was a dream, I laced our fingers.

  “Who’s your sire? And how did he get the task to turn you?” Wait… did she know about me, that I was a werewolf? “How did you find me?”

  “Well…” She averted her eyes and licked her lips. “Remember how vague I was about your father’s death? I kept the details from you because I couldn’t stand the thought of the real images in your head.” Her palm covered my cheek. “He was attacked by a bear and dragged away.”

  However he died, what did it matter now? “What does your sire have to
do with Dad being killed by a bear?”

  My mom swallowed. “He arranged for an old vampire called Magnus to turn me.”

  I nodded slowly, not sure if I understood the sequence correctly. “So before he died, he made sure this Magnus vampire would turn you?”

  “Uh, no. The bear—shape-shifter—left him for dead, but he survived.” Her smile grew wider. “He’s alive, Zack. And he saved me. He stood by me through the entire transition.”

  I froze. Breathe in. Breathe out. Neither of my parents were dead. Which was unbelievable and I couldn’t wait to meet him. Except… “Why did he wait so long, Mom. Why?”

  “He was badly injured and it took him years and years to heal. By the time he was well enough to blend with humans, you’d already grown up. And I still couldn’t be turned into a werewolf because the werewolf virus would’ve killed me.”

  “Vampire blood heals. He arranged a vamp to turn you. Why couldn’t he use the blood to cure you, then make you into a werewolf instead?”

  “Vampires are stingy with their blood, as you can imagine. They’d choose just about any other option before giving their blood to a werewolf. And they rarely make new vampires. But your father was able to get Magnus to glamour my nurse Winnie into putting a few drops into my IV over the years. The vampire blood helped keep me alive, but wasn’t enough to totally cure me.”

  My dad had found a way to save her. I inwardly shuddered, trying not to think about what would’ve happened to my mom without those drops of blood. No wonder she’d lived beyond the doctors’ expectations.

  “Yeah, but he’s close by. Why couldn’t he contact us?”

  “Making his presence known to me would mean explaining why he was still alive and what he was. That would put me in danger of being killed since humans aren’t supposed to have knowledge of werewolves and vampires.”

  “Why couldn’t he tell me, though?”

  She hesitated, biting her lip. “He couldn’t do that without exposing himself to me. And he couldn’t take you away, not without forcing you to abandon me. He didn’t want me to lose my child or you to be without your mother. So he spent the last few years searching for a vampire who didn’t hate werewolves and would change me. In the end, it was the same vampire who’d given him the original vial.”