by Ashley McLeo
“I know we don’t always see eye to eye but I wanted to wish you luck tonight. I wish I was coming, and not just because I want these monsters finished and my life back. That could have been any of our families,” Evelyn said, reaching out to pat Lily’s shoulder awkwardly.
“I wish you guys were coming, too,” Lily said, grabbing Evelyn and pulling her into their first hug. Now—when death seemed like a real possibility—was as good a time as any to drop misgivings.
Out of nowhere, a third pair of arms encompassed them, and Lily felt her and Evelyn’s mutual tension soften. “Next time, we’ll fight together, Lil. We won’t let them hurt you or your family ever again,” Sara said, her usually cheery voice thick with emotion.
Lily felt a lump in her throat threatening to rise. Months ago, she hadn’t even known these girls. A day ago she’d barely been on speaking terms with one of them. Now she was offering up her life for theirs.
“Not just our lives,” Evelyn said, a sheepish grin on her face, “We’re in it to save humanity, remember?”
Lily grinned as her mind barriers, so prone to slipping since she’d heard of Em’s abduction, clicked back into place. “All of them, too.”
The Vampire Twins
They arrived at Empusa’s mansion as the last of the sun’s rays fell upon the horizon. Bahiti split off down the street leading the emergency rescue crew along the outskirts of the house. With any luck they’d find a hiding spot near the grand hall, a large room Bahiti felt certain Empusa would receive visitors in.
“It’s like a ballroom. She’ll want to impress you with her power and influence. Why else would she have bought such a monstrosity? She may have even bought it for this exact moment.”
Lily had never seen a home so large or luxurious. Four stories high, the mansion glowed like a white limestone cliff in moonlight. Stone lions five feet high were set on each side of the staircase leading to the front door, their teeth bared in welcome.
Aoife guffawed as they walked past them. “The gaudiest,” she muttered, shaking her head.
Brigit turned to Lily. “Em may be in bad shape. Are you sure you can you handle seeing her that way? There’s still time—”
“There’s no way I’m leaving Em in there with those monsters,” Lily said, reaching past Brigit to lift the heavy brass knocker before she could change her mind. It fell with an ominous thud.
A distinct click of heels, followed by the turning of a deadbolt, and a dim squeal of door hinges revealed one of the most beautiful beings Lily had ever seen. Tall with lean muscles, vibrant emerald eyes, light caramel skin and contrasting yet pleasing dark auburn hair, the woman smiled to reveal two rows of perfectly white, straight teeth with pronounced canines.
“Ahhhhhh, Brigeeeet,” the woman purred in what Lily guessed was as a light French accent. “It has been so long. I always had a feeling about your family, you know? Such talented, strong witches and wizards, all of them. Follow me into the hall. We’ll speak there.”
“Empusa,” Brigit said, her face stoney, as she stepped over the mansion’s threshold after the vampire.
Empusa? Where are the servants? The ambush? The display of power and fear mongering? Empusa’s treating Brigit as if they’re old friends.
Careful, Lil, she’s lulling you into a trap. Lily started at the sound of Aoife’s voice in her head.
“No magic,” Empusa turned, her green eyes flashing. The predatory hunch of her shoulders contradicted the sing-song tone of her voice. She caught herself and straightened. Then the gracious smile reappeared. “It’s disrespectful to those of us who are not as gifted.”
Message received, Lily thought. Empusa could change tack as easily as Aoife could light a candle.
The tapping of the vampire’s stilettos upon the white marble floor echoed through the cavernous hallway. With each closed door they passed, a vision of Em drained dry behind it flashed in Lily’s head. What would Empusa do if I opened one to check? She had nearly built up the courage to turn the next doorknob when a shaft of light from an open doorway twenty paces ahead caught her eye. Instinctively, Lily knew Em would be in there, starving, perhaps beaten, or worst of all bitten. Empusa would have left it open for Lily to see. Waves of nausea swept over her as they drew closer and low moans pinged in her ears.
Then they were there. Lily gasped and bile rose in her throat. Dozens of people filled the room, each of them standing at attention and salivating as Empusa strode by without so much as a glance.
Lily couldn’t stop herself from staring back at them: thin, pale to the point of death, with hollow eyes. Blood smears ran up their arms, failing to disguise the track marks and vampire bites marring their skin. Bottles, pills, and needles littered the floor beside filthy mattresses, which were a vile sort of common area occupied simultaneously by some sleeping off their poison while others engaged in more carnal outlets. Paintings of a lewd, seductive nature hung from the walls, inspiring the sexual fervor within. Here was Empusa’s feeding grounds. A den of sin where she could prey upon the weak by providing the intoxicants and flesh they were unable to deny themselves.
“I trust you’ll excuse the poor manners of my guests, I’ve been too busy to provide them any attention lately. They’ve become quite needy,” Empusa said, her eyes trained on Lily.
“I hope that’s not how you treat all your guests,” Lily growled, her nausea flinging itself into fury.
“Oh no,” Empusa said reassuringly, reaching for the handles of the elaborate French doors at the end of the hall. “Certain people get VIP treatment.”
The doors swung inward and Lily gasped as she set eyes on a room larger than all of Fern Cottage. Dozens of crystal chandeliers hung from the high, domed ceiling. A magnificent red tiled aisle led up to the sole pieces of furniture in the room, two velvet covered thrones. Dozens of strong, attractive bodies stood at attention before them like soldiers awaiting command.
“I was wondering when we’d meet your cronies,” Aoife said with a sneer as the sea of beautiful people parted for Empusa.
“You can’t expect my children to mingle with my guests, can you? There’s not enough of them for all of us to share.”
Her children? Oh shit. A hard lump formed in Lily’s throat. She had been prepared for Empusa, Amon, and a handful of other vamps, but there were at least fifty people in here. Maybe not all of them were vamps, but from what she could tell they weren’t human either. Empusa, it appeared, subscribed to the belief that humans were only suitable for food and the occasional pleasure of the flesh. Striding down the aisle, Lily felt an increasing urge to vomit. What the hell have we gotten ourselves into? And where is Em?
“Unfortunately, we don’t have enough seats for everyone at present. We just moved in, as I’m sure you’re aware,” Empusa said. She looked anything but sorry as she claimed a throne, leaving Lily and her aunts to stand stupidly before her. “And now, where is my brother? Amon?” Empusa’s voice was silky, unconcerned, as she scanned the crowd.
“Coming, sister,” a velvet baritone voice slid from the crowd seconds before a man walked out, guiding an old woman by her elbow.
Lily’s heart wrenched open as all the air left her lungs. She swayed on the spot, only half aware of the hands that caught her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed it to be a hallucination, a mirage. No, no, no. It can’t be real, she thought, trying to calm her racing pulse. She opened one eye, then the other, and found two stormy beacons with bright flecks of violet boring into her.
“Hello, Lily,” Liam said with a devilish smirk.
Liam, her Liam, was Amon, a bloodthirsty vampire. And Amon was holding Em. Terrified, frail Emily. Her heart, still a little broken from the breakup, solidified as the depth of Liam’s . . . Amon’s betrayal set in. Her magic sprang to life within her and her blood began to boil.
“What have you done to her?” Lily snarled, shifting her gaze back to Empusa.
“Don’t give ‘em anything, Lil! I won’t let you! I’m not worth it!” Emily’s v
oice, thin as paper, cracked as she attempted to pull herself from Amon’s firm grasp.
“Didn’t I tell you to remain silent?” Amon asked scowling at Em, who glared back with narrowed eyes. “I can tell we won’t be getting any talking done with you around, now will we? Georgina, would you show Ms. Harp to her chamber?”
A petite blonde with a southern belle air floated out of the crowd. She bestowed a slavish, seductive smile on Amon before taking Em by the elbow and yanking her toward the door.
“I swear, if you hurt her—” Lily’s threats died in her mouth as Georgina spun round to face her, fangs bared.
“Do be gentle with our guest, Georgina,” Empusa commanded.
Georgina stood down reluctantly.
Lily watched, her body vibrating with anger, as Emily vanished through a crimson door at the far side of the grand hall.
“As you can see,” Empusa said, as Amon ascended to the throne next to her, “we’ve kept our end of the bargain. Emily is alive. No one will lay a finger on her gray little head unless we say so. That much could never be said for any other human staying in our home. Despite my stipulation that humans in the house are off limits to all but myself or Amon . . . well, accidents happen.” Empusa shrugged.
“We’re well aware of the ‘accidents’ that seem to happen when you’re around,” Gwenn sneered. “Is that how you’re getting your fill now? Bring people into your home and lavish them with drugs and sex so they don’t mind that you’re sucking their life right out of them?”
“I had little choice. As you are well aware, most of the covens in the larger cities limit our hunting. They seem to think we overindulge. Those people came here on their own free will.”
“We are not here to discuss your feeding habits. We are here to collect Emily,” Brigit said, bringing the conversation—and Gwenn’s wrath—back where it belonged.
“Where’s the book? I see you have no bags in which to carry or protect it.” Empusa leaned forward, studying Brigit with an intensity that made Lily’s skin crawl.
“We don’t have it. We never have.”
“Lies!” Empusa screamed.
The crowd hissed behind them as the first sign of Empusa’s unbridled rage bubbled up to transform her face from poised to monstrous.
“Spare us your witches’ tales. We know the prophecy exists, Brigit. I heard Hypatia weaving the spell to hide the book until the three that met its specifications were born,” Amon said, meeting Lily’s eyes.
Lily glowered back, her repulsion for the man she once thought she loved clear on her face.
“You murdered her, you mean. I’ll bet you set fire to the Great Library as well. You’re why it’s lost and why human knowledge is lacking. You’re why we know nothing of our fate,” Aoife growled, breaking their standoff.
Amon’s chiseled features softened disturbingly into an expression of joviality. “It is as much our right to read Seraphina’s words, the story of one of the first fata on Earth, as it is yours. Is it not? All Earth’s magical creatures are descended from the same noble race. We’re all family.”
“You are nothing like us! Seems to me Seraphina didn’t want you to read it, and you don’t deserve to read it even if we had it.” The words tumbled out of Lily in a blind rage.
Amon’s face darkened and his fingers gripped his throne tighter as Lily fought back for the first time.
“I do not see how it matters what Seraphina wanted thousands of years ago. Especially when we hold such precious cargo at present,” Empusa responded, having collected herself from her previous outburst. She rolled her shoulders back and stretched her neck out luxuriously. “I’ve always loved the taste of empaths, haven’t you, brother? So much vitality in each drop of blood.”
Lily seethed, but she knew it was no good. They would never convince the vampires they didn’t have the book.
Lily knew Aoife felt the same when she shifted her slight frame to hide behind Lily and Gwenn. Aoife was implementing plan B. Time for a distraction.
“What do you think you’ll learn in this book that you haven’t managed to figure out in two thousand years?” Lily said lunging forward. Her anger would incite Amon the most and keep his eyes off Aoife. Already she could smell Aoife’s familiar pepper and ginger scent intensifying as she used her power covertly. The diversion wouldn’t need to last long. “If you don’t know whatever it is you’re seeking by now, you never will. I mean, how fucking thick are you two?”
Hisses, growls, and gasps arose from the crowd behind her only to be silenced with a flick of Amon’s hand.
“Now, now, Lily love,” Amon’s words were laden with seduction, but for the first time Lily could hear the danger below the surface.
Her hands and shoulders tightened. How could one mention of his pet name for Lily have her feeling so disgusted and aroused all at once?
“You don’t mean any of that, do you, baby?” Amon said descending the steps, his eyes narrowed and lips pursed. “You would never have said such a thing six months ago. Back then I had all the answers, didn’t I?”
The crowd’s mood shifted from provoked to gleeful. Sniggers rose as Amon swayed his hips and licked his lips.
Brigit stiffened and Gwenn gasped in horror. Lily’s face burned red hot as Amon turned and ascended the steps. Taking his throne once more, he raised two fingers to his lips and blew a kiss in her direction. It was happening again: Liam, Amon manipulating her feelings for his own enjoyment. I am so over this shit, Lily thought.
“Times change, Amon. I’ve learned some things in the past few months. Like who I am. You always wondered that, didn’t you? You knew I had secrets, power, inside me. Turns out it was just another thing you were too dim to find.”
Amon’s face tightened.
“Well, guess what? I’ve managed to figure out quite a few of my own secrets. Look what I can do.” Lily raised her hands high above her.
Amon and Empusa shot up from their thrones at the motion, and the crowd leaned back.
Amon sneered, his shoulders relaxing as he took in the skin of her hands glowing dark blue, the color radiating off Lily like ocean waves, all the way out to her fingertips and dissipating into the air. “Is that all you have to show us? A useless party trick? I had hoped that your family was able to teach you—”
“NOW!” Aoife screamed, as two infernos burst from her palms. The fireballs arched high above the heads of the crowd, shattering the windows and soaring through the gardens until they fizzled out of sight.
Vampires hissed and sprinted down the hallway at an unbelievable speed, out of the way of the deadly missiles Aoife spewed from her open palms.
“Find Em!” Gwenn commanded.
Lily felt a sharp tug and turned to see Brigit racing toward the crimson door.
She caught up easily, fighting her urge to turn around and help Aoife and Gwenn with every step. A crash of glass sounded and Lily glanced back to see Bahiti, Mary, and Fiona leaping through the windows. Reinforcements had arrived. Lily stumbled over a charred body and swung her eyes forward once more. If all had gone as planned outside, Morgane would be stationed up a tree, waiting to incinerate any vampires fleeing into the darkness.
Chaos reigned. Aoife’s idea to scare off the vampires, the strongest fighters in the supernatural world, with fire—one of the few infallible ways to kill a vamp—had been spot on. Empusa and Amon had vanished, and only a dozen or so of their followers remained to fight in the grand hall.
A flash of movement registered in her periphery. Lily’s head swiveled to see a man, six feet tall with teeth filed into unnatural points, rushing at them.
“Brigit! Watch out!” Lily screamed, jumping away from the man, her face covered by her hands.
“Arma!” Brigit cried, shooting her arm to the right without breaking step.
Lily watched the man crumple to the ground mid-stride, a victim of Brigit’s well-placed shield charm.
“I’m so sorry,” Lily panted when they reached the crimson door. “I kno
w that one, I should have—”
“It’s your first conflict. Losing your head is to be expected. Come, now, let’s find Em,” Brigit said, wrenching the door open and pulling her inside.
Blood and Ash
Brigit shut the door and muttered a charm Lily knew would prevent anyone but those with their blood from following them. The silence behind the crimson door was deafening. It was clear no one had thought to seek sanctuary here. Lily scanned their surroundings and saw this hallway was shorter than the one Empusa had led them down. There were only four rooms total, two on each side, each with its mahogany door resolutely closed. Paintings in the same lewd vein as those in the drug den hung between the doors. Unable to help herself, Lily moved closer to get a better look. She gasped. The subjects in these paintings were not only stark naked and in suggestive poses. They were also being tortured. The artist’s ability to capture his subjects mid-scream, yet somehow still make them seductive, was unsettling and, Lily had to admit, a tad intriguing. Her eyes fell to the floor, ashamed by her animalistic reaction. She gasped again and lowered into a squat. Sprinkled along the marble were small drops of dark red blood.
Brigit bent down next to her. “It seems the person was struggling. It’s far too random for me to get a clear read on the trail,” she whispered her voice grim. “We’re going to have to search each room.”
Lily never thought she’d find herself hoping to see another orgy or drug den. All her instincts were screaming that this part of the house was the vampire twins’ private domain. Why else would their followers avoid it? If she was right, whatever they found here would likely be far more disturbing than a drug den.
“Nothing,” Brigit whispered, placing her ear on the first door to listen. Slowly, she turned the knob and peered around the corner.
