by Amy Patrick
She was asking questions, at least feigning interest in why her daughter had returned. Apparently Abbi and her friends had escaped the Safety Center somehow and several humans had been killed in the process. Now the girls were wanted by federal authorities.
Imogen seemed to find it all very amusing. She smiled. “So... you’ve come back to my court to beg for my protection. Perhaps you have a better understanding now of my feelings toward humans—and my disdain for my sister’s approach to dealing with their species.”
“In spite of what happened to me, I still believe in Sadie’s teachings,” Abbi said. “I still believe in peace.”
Oh no. Wrong answer.
Now my hand did grip my dagger blade, anticipating Imogen’s kill order.
5
Small Alteration
Reece
Grabbing one of her guards’ daggers, Imogen stabbed him with it, plunging the blade into his thigh.
“How can you still be so naïve?” she yelled at Abbi. “They locked you up, hunted you—my daughter. It’s an outrage. There can be no peace with them.”
Still trembling with adrenaline, I eased my hand away from my weapon before Imogen took notice. She was angry with Abbi, but she’d taken it out on the poor soul suffering in silence beside her instead of on her daughter.
As for Abbi, she was clearly shaken. Her eyes were wide and dark, and her voice quivered.
“They’re not all bad. There’s a human boy who risked his life to help us get here. Shane. He took a bullet for me.”
It was my turn to be angry. There was only one reason the human would have done that. He was in love with her. I couldn’t prevent the low, involuntary growl that came out.
“Yes, I’m aware of that too,” Imogen said with apparent amusement. “In fact, when I was informed you brought him with you—to my court—I almost didn’t believe it. You’re still capable of surprising me, little one. I’m told you actually asked our medical personnel to save his life.”
When she told Abbi how pointless it was, that she couldn’t allow the human to leave here alive, Abbi said, “You’re going to have him killed?”
She actually seemed shocked. She really was still naïve and innocent.
“Unless you’d prefer to turn him,” Imogen said.
Ah. That’s what this was about. It was the reason Imogen had stabbed Ciprian with his own dagger instead of stabbing Abbi. She saw this as another opportunity to get Abbi to accept her destiny.
If Abbi accepted, the human male would be connected to her for eternity. They’d share an unbreakable bond, and he wasn’t Bloodbound.
Another growl surfaced.
Abbi wore a tortured gaze, begging Imogen not to force her into turning Shane. So she didn’t want that kind of bond with him. For a moment, I was happy. Until she spoke again.
“I’d rather die myself.”
No. The last thing she should have been doing was putting homicidal ideas into Imogen’s head. Or challenging her orders. But she had done it, and the queen appeared all too ready to take her up on her challenge.
“Very well,” Imogen said. “It will sadden me, but my primary responsibility as queen is protecting our people against any and all threats. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
She turned to Mason, the uninjured guard. “Seize her. Put her in a holding cell. We’ll have a public assembly in the Great Dome tomorrow night.”
She was going to kill her. In front of everyone.
Before I even realized what I intended to do, my feet moved, and I stepped forward.
“No.”
Realizing I’d directly interfered with the queen’s order—a deadly offense—I dropped to one knee and bowed my head. My brain scrambled for a way to save Abbi and myself.
“My queen, I think I may have a better solution, if you’ll allow me to speak.”
I felt her fingers on my head, the long nails delving beneath my hair to my scalp. A shiver of disgust went down my spine as it always did when she touched me.
If Imogen was aware of it, she didn’t care. Her tone was equal parts loving and menacing. “Of course you may speak. You are my favorite queensguard. You may rise.”
I stood and presented the strategy that had popped into my mind fully formed. “I see this as a great opportunity, my queen. Abigail could be useful on the mission you’ve assigned me.”
She smirked. “You mean the mission you proposed and I approved. Yes, go on.”
“She can get close to Sadie like no one else. Spare her life, and I will personally supervise her to make sure she follows your orders and doesn’t get into more trouble.” And I can get her away from here, far from your reach. “You can keep the human male here as... motivation.”
“Wait,” Abbi said. “What is this ‘mission?’”
Imogen and I both ignored her. I knew the queen regarded the human male’s life as disposable, but he was clearly important to Abbi. Which Imogen now realized, thanks to my suggestion. Hopefully she’d consider him a strong enough bargaining chip to let us leave together.
Imogen turned to Abbi. “Reece has suggested, quite wisely, that there is strength in numbers. We are strong here at the Bastion, but there aren’t enough of us to wage war on the entirety of the human race. We need to bring vampire-kind together under united leadership. Even before the attack on the VHC, Reece volunteered to go to my sister and convince her of this fact.”
Now she glanced back and forth between us with a calculating gleam in her eyes. “He’s quite right. Sadie’s fondness for you will make her more receptive to meeting with him and listening to what he has to say. I’ll allow it.”
The battle-ready tension drained from my body, leaving my limbs shaky and suddenly fatigued.
“Thank you, my queen. I believe that is a wise choice.”
“Let’s hope Abigail is wise in her choices. Remember, little one, as you go out into the world again tomorrow and reunite with your beloved ‘leader,’ that I have your friend Shane.”
Abbi looked ready to cry. “Please don’t hurt him,” she begged. “He doesn’t deserve it.”
Imogen dismissed us, and I escorted Abbi to the secure chambers where she’d spend the day sleeping before we left tomorrow night.
Once she was safely inside, I returned to the throne room.
“I’m surprised to see you back here. And so soon,” Imogen quipped. “I would have thought you’d be guarding every step the little princess took to make sure she didn’t stumble.”
I bowed. “My duty is to you and only you, my queen.”
The truth was I hadn’t wanted to leave Abbi, even behind a locked door. There were grumbles among some of Imogen’s loyalists that the “traitor” should never have been allowed to take a step inside the stronghold ever again. I was worried someone might take it upon himself to prove his devotion to the queen by taking her out.
But the greatest threat to Abbi’s life was standing in front of me. I’d be a fool to let her know I had any remaining feelings for her daughter.
“When I said you were dismissed, I meant for the rest of the night,” the queen clarified. “You’ll need to rest and prepare for your trip. I am glad you’ve returned for the moment, though. There’s something I wanted to discuss with you in private before you leave.”
“Yes, my queen? What is it?”
“There’s been a small... alteration to your mission. Send everyone else out of the room, and I’ll fill you in on the details.”
6
Fantasies of Bloodshed
Reece
I spent the rest of the night and daylight hours outside the entrance to Abbi’s room.
Imogen had sent me away to get some sleep, but after what she’d told me, sleep wasn’t going to happen. I slumped to the floor, resting my back and the top of my head against Abbi’s door, listening to the slow and steady rhythm of her breathing.
Why did she have to come back?
Well, I understood why, but things were hope
lessly complicated now, and it was partially my fault. While my spontaneous plan to keep Abbi alive had actually worked, the result was I would be spending at least the next few days in exquisite torture, alone in a car—or a hotel room—with her.
And there was no way this was going to end well. Even if I did manage to pull off my mission, keep from breaking my Bloodbound vows along the way, and return to the Bastion with Abbi, the “victory” would be short-lived.
Imogen still wanted what she wanted—world domination and Abbi as her heir.
And Abbi wanted... him.
I had the chance to meet the human sonofabitch that night. Much to my annoyance, Abbi insisted on going to check on him at the clinic before we left.
During our walk to the medical wing, she’d referred to Shane as a “friend,” but when we got there, she wanted to go into his room alone.
Fat chance. I went with her, promising to stand back and say nothing.
That was easier said than done. She approached his bed with such compassion and concern on her face I almost wished I was the one who’d been wounded. And when she reached out and stroked his arm, it took everything in me not to rip the limb from its puny human socket.
The guy woke, looking around in a daze before focusing on Abbi’s face. He looked like he’d been given a prize.
“Abigail. Hi. Are you okay?” he asked.
She inquired about his condition, his pain level, and told him he was not in a hospital but in the vampire stronghold, which of course he should have known nothing about.
How much had she told him? Was it enough to eliminate him for “security reasons?”
No. He was supposed to be Imogen’s insurance of Abbi’s cooperation on the mission. And Abbi would probably hate me forever if I eviscerated her “friend.”
The momentary satisfaction might be worth it, though.
“We’re in the vampire place?” the guy asked. “It looks like a hospital room... without windows.”
“It’s a medical clinic. They treated you last night. They’re going to make sure you heal properly and keep you safe until I get back,” Abbi said.
At which point, I will make it my next mission to get rid of you, Shane old boy.
“Where are you going?” Shane asked, looking like a kid who’d lost his favorite toy.
“I have to leave for a while. I’ll be back soon, I promise.” Her tone held such warmth I had to fight down another growl.
The human sat up in bed, touching the area of his healed wound. “It doesn’t hurt at all.”
Obviously Dr. Coppa had treated him with vampire blood. Unless Abbi had given him hers.
If that was the case, he was about to need another infusion—a big one. I started toward the bed but stopped short as the stupid human lifted his shirt, showing off his abdominal muscles.
Ha. His physique was nothing compared to that of a vampire male’s. To mine.
And yet Abbi had chosen him.
I missed the next part of their conversation. My mind was too occupied with fantasies of bloodshed. I tuned back in as Shane took Abbi’s hand inside his. My hand moved to my dagger belt.
“I’d never do anything to endanger you,” he said in a sappy voice. “You know that.”
I snorted in disgust, and Abbi pulled her hand away from him, letting it drop to her side. “I know. And I’ll make sure you stay safe, too. That’s why I have to leave. I have to go and talk to Sadie.”
The human got out of bed. “Great. I’ll go with you. When do we leave?”
So he knew about Sadie too? He and Abbi must have spent considerable time together if he knew all the players in the vampire world. Either that or they’d gotten very close very quickly.
Neither possibility made me happy.
Abbi pushed the little upstart back to the bed. Not hard enough in my opinion.
“You can’t,” she said. “And you shouldn’t get up yet. Wait for Dr. Coppa to clear you. You can trust him, by the way. He won’t hurt you. He’ll keep an eye on you until I return.”
Finally Shane seemed to notice my presence. He turned my direction and scanned me up and down, taking in the uniform and the weapon at my side.
That’s right buddy. You’re going nowhere with her. And I am.
“They won’t let me go with you, will they? Am I... I’m a prisoner.”
Abbi apologized, and I moved toward them again as he grabbed both her hands. “You could have turned me. You still could. Then I could come with you. I could help you if you turn me.”
She said, “No,” before I had a chance to.
“Why not?” he whined. “Think about it. It would be safer for me. I’d be like you—and my parents. And they’d have no reason to keep me prisoner here. I’d be free.”
Abbi shook her head. “Shane... if I turn you... you’ll never be free. You don’t know what it’s like. You would regret your decision.”
“Not if I got to stay with you. And it would solve that whole I-can’t-date-a-human-guy problem.”
I let out another loud snort. This guy was pathetic. There was no way she was romantically involved with him. In fact, she’d apparently given him a lame excuse.
She wasn’t attracted to him—she felt sorry for him. I stepped back and leaned against the wall again.
Shane twisted around, following my movement. “You wanna mind your own business buddy? I realize you hate humans, but this has nothing to do with you. Just do your job.”
I was off the wall and chest to chest with him in a heartbeat. “My job—is keeping the princess safe. I won’t let anything get in the way of that—certainly not her pity for a weak human.”
“Princess?” Shane recoiled from me and looked at Abbi.
“My mom’s not only the ruler here, she’s sort of... a queen,” she said, sounding embarrassed.
“Oh. Wow. Well, I guess that explains your reaction when I kissed you the first time.”
Kissed? This pipsqueak had kissed her? Outrage rolled through me like thunder before an approaching storm.
Abbi placed a soft hand on my bicep, which was quivering with suppressed energy. “Please. Could you give me a minute to say goodbye? Then we can go.”
I stared him down another good five seconds then went to wait at the door for the sickening farewell scene to end.
Shane lowered his voice to a near whisper, but of course I could still hear every word. “You’re traveling with him? I don’t like it.”
“Join the club,” Abbi said. “He’s leading the mission, and I’m going along to assist. Believe me, you don’t want to go on this trip, and you don’t want to turn. You shouldn’t get any more involved with this world than you already are. I promised to let you return to your life, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep that promise.”
I smirked at my own reflection in the metal door. Good. She was planning to send him packing when we got back.
Apparently old Shane had other plans. In the reflection, I saw him reach out and hold her face. “You’re part of my life now. A big part. I don’t want to lose you.”
I whipped around just in time to see him kiss her. If the door handle hadn’t been made of heavy-duty stainless steel, it would have turned to powder in my hand.
Abbi didn’t slap him, and she didn’t resist. “Why did you do that?”
“You really have to ask?”
“You said you were content with being just friends.”
“‘Content’ is a strong word for it,” he said. “‘Resigned’ is more like it. Go do what you have to do. And when you come back, Abigail, I think we should give it a shot.”
I’d heard enough. “Time’s up. We need to go.”
Abbi twisted to look at me then back to Shane. “Goodbye—for now. I will come back and free you.”
“I’d rather you came back and kept me.” He gave her a dopey smile. “Be safe. I’ll be waiting.”
I congratulated myself for not hurling all over the pristine stone floor, and Abbi and I left the medical clin
ic together.
7
Toughen Up
Reece
Abbi didn’t mention the kiss, and I didn’t intend to, but after several minutes of complete silence I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“So you are interested in him.”
Clearly she was, which had to be why she was so quiet. Probably reliving the dreamy moments of tenderness with her wonderful human boyfriend. Gag.
“What does it matter to you?” she snapped. “You knew when you joined the Bloodbound, I’d find someone else eventually. Or did you think I’d stay alone forever, pining away for you?”
Ouch. Of course that wasn’t what I’d expected of her. Well... not forever anyway. A few decades might have been nice.
“No,” I muttered. “But that guy? Really? A human?”
She gave me a duh expression. “I work for the Vampire-Human Coalition. We’re all about vampires and humans getting along.”
There it was again, that smart mouth, just begging to be kissed quiet. And not by Shane. I resisted the urge and grunted a sullen reply.
“There is no Vampire-Human Coalition anymore.”
Abbi looked around, apparently just now noticing where we were. Not heading for the exit but in the tunnel leading to the throne room.
“I thought you were in a hurry to leave,” she said.
“I am. But Imogen wants to speak with you first.”
“What about?”
She sounded panicked. I wasn’t all that comfortable with it myself. Imogen hadn’t said why she wanted to see Abbi before we left. The queen didn’t take kindly to her guards asking questions—not even me.
“I’m not sure. In spite of your accusation that we’re ‘close,’ she rarely explains herself to me.”
“So how many Bloodbound is your queen sending along to protect her ‘favorite soldier?’” Abby asked in a mocking tone.
Maybe she was just nervous and trying to distract herself. Or maybe she was trying to get a rise out of me. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. I’d already embarrassed myself once today by getting up in the human guy’s face.
