by Wendi Wilson
“Piper, look out!”
Warren started towards me, but it was too late. Hands grabbed me from behind, yanking me back and pressing me to a large male body. Before I could react, I was being swept off my feet and dragged through the trees.
“Warren!” I screamed, as greenery passed at a terrible speed.
Oh, shit. No.
I was jostled back and forth, as my abductor adjusted his hold to smash me against his chest. I tried to push and claw out of the arms that held me, but they were like steel. He smelled like loam and rot, and his face was no better. Scars carved up and down his cheeks, making him look like Frankenstein’s monster on a good day, and his eyes were black tar pits with no life in them. He was a vampire no doubt, judging from his fangs and incredible speed, but the ugliest one I’d ever seen.
He leered at me as he ran, his tongue slipping over one fang. “You’ll be mighty tasty.”
“Put me down!” I punched his chest, but it was like hitting a brick wall. It did nothing to stop him as he dodged around trees and sped faster and faster away from Warren. Away from rescue.
But I didn’t need rescue. I had the knife.
I reached around and pulled the bag forward. Shoving my hand inside, I gripped the blade and tried to pull it out but it snagged on the fabric, which began to tear.
“Hey, whatcha doing there?”
The vampire skidded to a stop and dropped me to the ground. I hit hard and rolled, feeling my body bash into logs and rocks. Then my head collided with something hard. Stars exploded in my vision, and the world went dim.
Dizzy and disoriented, I tried to stay awake. To fight. A weight pressing down on me drew every ounce of life I had to the surface. The vampire was on top of me. Hands pinned my wrists to the ground as he dug his lower half into mine.
“Was going to wait,” he grunted, “but I’ll take just a taste now.” Then he lowered his mouth and brought his teeth to my neck, letting them sink into my flesh.
I felt the pull as he sucked the first gulp of blood. I felt him grind into me as the pleasure of it overtook him. I felt his hands go slack on my wrists.
I took the blade that was still in my fist and plunged it into his back as far as I could.
Chapter Twelve
“Piper!”
Warren’s voice rang in my ears, but I couldn’t see past the stars in my eyes or the dust cloud swirling over me. I breathed in some of the particles and coughed as the taste of ash coated my tongue.
My scream lodged in my throat behind the rising bile as I rolled over onto my hands and knees and gagged. It wasn’t dust. It was the residue left behind by a dead vampire. And I’d breathed it in. Tasted it. Swallowed it. Dry heaves wracked my body over and over, leaving me feeling weak.
Or maybe that was the blood loss.
Fingers grabbed at me, and I slashed out with the dagger as I rolled back over onto my back. A wild banshee wail rang in my ears, and it took me a second to realize it was coming from me. I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision so I could see my attacker.
“Piper, stop. It’s me, Warren. You’re safe.”
Some of the tension drained from me, but I still held my knife at the ready. “Warren?”
My head was foggy and, even though I could now see him standing over me, I felt like I needed some kind of further reassurance. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I groaned.
“What’s wrong with me?” I mumbled, rubbing my head with my free hand.
“The rogue bit you before I could get here. I need to inspect the wound, Piper.”
“Okay,” I answered, my hands dropping to my sides as I turned my head to give him better access to the bite. “Does the blood bother you?”
My words were light and slightly sluggish, like I’d been given a dose of narcotics, or something. I felt… carefree. Like I would just float away on the slightest breeze, soar through the clouds, and slide back to earth on a brightly colored rainbow.
That sounded nice.
“Piper, stay with me,” Warren ordered, snapping me back to the present.
“Why are you yelling at me?” I pouted.
“I need to get you back to the estate. The rogue vampire did a number on your neck, and you’re still losing blood.”
“Am I going to turn into a vampire now?” I asked.
“Is that what you want?” he replied.
“Ew. No,” I answered, making a face.
“I don’t see any sign of venom,” he said, ignoring my scrunched nose and downturned mouth. “But if it would make you feel better, I could suck the wound just to make sure.”
His voice deepened with that last part, turning seductive. Anger rose up inside me, clearing my head a little.
“No,” I said, my voice steadier than it had been before. The conversation I’d had with Levi after Sarah bit me came back to me in bits and pieces. Hadn’t he said something about a person’s blood needing to be drained almost completely if they were to be turned?
Warren was obviously messing with me. Or looking for an excuse to get his fangs in my neck. I tried to sit up, but it made my head swim.
“Put that away, and I’ll carry you,” Warren said, nodding at the dagger still clutched in my fingers.
I wanted to protest, to tell him I had two legs that were perfectly capable of walking, but I held the words in. I refused to let pride be the death of me. I slid the knife into the bag that was still somehow looped over my shoulder and tried not to flinch when Warren slid his arms beneath me and hefted me up against his chest.
I tried to stay awake, but as warm blood oozed down my neck to soak my shirt, the edges of the world grew dimmer and dimmer. Warren was whispering something in soft, soothing tones, but my brain couldn’t comprehend the words.
The velvet cadence of his voice lulled me, and with a soft sigh, I surrendered to the darkness.
“PIPER, CAN YOU HEAR ME?”
My lashes fluttered a few times as a bright light attempted to burn through my corneas. At least, that’s what it felt like.
“Too bright,” I rasped, my throat feeling as dry as the Sahara when I tried to swallow.
The light dimmed, and I hummed with relief before forcing my eyelids up. Everything was blurry at first, and as things swam into focus, my eyebrows lowered in confusion.
“Dean Purty? What happened? Where am I?”
“Everything is okay, Piper,” the dean said, his baritone voice gentle. “Warren called me, and I got here as fast as I could. What do you remember?”
“I don’t know,” I groaned, my head starting to pound as if the mere act of thinking was painful.
“You’re at the Thornberry Estate,” he offered.
“Training,” I sighed, relief coursing through me as the memories came back. I sat up, letting my legs dangle over the edge of the table I was lying on. “I came here to train with Warren and ask him about—uh, my vision.”
I didn’t know why I stopped myself from saying witches. It felt like if I said it out loud, it would somehow be cast in stone as my fate. I hadn’t had time to really think about it and decide if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.
Badass Piper—good. Bubbly Piper—not really real, but still good. But Witchy Piper? I just didn’t know.
“Right. Then we went out by the woods to spar.”
I glanced over the dean’s shoulder, seeing Warren there for the first time. There was a large bloodstain smeared across his shoulder. My eyes froze there, scene after gruesome scene playing out in my head.
Blood dripping on my face from the floorboards above.
Wounded, bloody cows.
Sarah, her blonde hair gleaming in the lamplight, laughing as I noticed the wound on my mother’s arm.
Teeth ripping into my flesh.
The taste of ash coating my tongue.
“Oh, my God. Oh, my God,” I chanted, my heart pounding as everything else I’d forgotten rushed back in one big tidal wave of information.
Strong arms,
snatching me away. The ugliness of the strange vampire. His words. His teeth. The pain.
And finally, my fingers gripping the dagger and driving it into his back.
“I killed him,” I panted. “The vampire was biting me, and I killed him.” Just like Sarah. What have I become?
My eyes rolled around wildly as panic threatened to pull me back into a dark oblivion. Warren pushed past Dean Purty, bringing his face close to mine.
“Piper, breathe,” Warren said, making a show of breathing in and out slowly.
Do vampires need to breathe? I thought as my breathing slowed to match his. I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen one of them take a breath. I’ll have to ask Levi.
I shook the random thoughts out of my head and refocused on Warren’s face. His expression was kind, with a hint of concern etched across his features.
“What you did was self-defense. No one here holds you accountable for the act, and no one outside this room even knows it happened. We’d like to keep it that way.”
“You can’t tell anyone, Piper,” the dean added, his hand reaching out to grasp mine where it lay in my lap.
“Not even Levi,” Warren added, giving me a firm nod.
I cocked my head, looking right into the count’s dark eyes. “I’m not keeping any secrets from Levi,” I said, my voice firmer than it had been since before the attack. I looked back at the dean and asked, “Have you heard from him? Warren said he talked to him last night.”
The dean turned a questioning look on Warren, who shrugged. “My men called and said they were fine.”
“You made it sound like you talked to Levi,” I accused.
“I assure you that was not my intention, Piper. I only wanted to ease your troubled mind.”
He sounded so sincere, his face the picture of earnestness. But I knew a few things about Warren Thornberry. And the number one thing I knew for certain was that he’d do and say anything to get what he wanted.
And, apparently, what he wanted was me.
I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the dean. He still wore a concerned expression on his dark umber face. I returned his gentle grasp, squeezing his hand to reassure him.
“I think I’ll be okay. It’s just been… a lot.”
“I’m going to take you back to camp, now,” he said, releasing my hand after one last comforting squeeze. “Warren had his medical team patch you up, but Nurse Barbara wants to take a look at you, just to be safe.”
The dean’s eyes cut over to Warren, who arched one eyebrow at his words. “You don’t think I’d make sure my team took good care of her?”
“No offense,” Dean Purty threw out, then turned back to me. “Can you stand?”
I climbed down from the table, gripping the edge with both hands as a wave of lightheadedness washed over me. I ground my teeth together until the sensation passed. Giving the dean a nod, I allowed him to help me from the room as each beat of my heart pounded in my temples.
“I can ease your pain with a few simple words, if you’d like,” Warren offered as he trailed behind us.
“No, thank you,” I said firmly. “I refuse to let you compel me again, even if your intentions are good this time.”
“Again?” Dean Purty hissed, his eyes darting over to meet mine as he ground to a halt.
I gave him a small shake of the head and stepped forward, encouraging him to start moving again. The sooner we got out of here, the better. Just before we reached the door of the main entrance, I stopped. Looking down at my hip, I realized I was missing something. Something very important.
“Where is my bag?” I asked, looking back at Warren, who’d followed us to the foyer.
“It’s here,” he said, his expression offended like I’d accused him of stealing it. “You left it on the bed in the infirmary.”
I took it from his grasp and dug through it, making sure everything was there. My wallet, a bottle of water, a couple of ponytail holders… And most importantly, my dagger. Breathing a sigh of relief, I met Warren’s eyes.
“Thank you. For everything.”
Despite being the reason I was here and inadvertently the reason I was attacked in the first place, Warren had helped me. He’d carried my unconscious body to the infirmary, made sure I was well taken care of, and hadn’t let anyone steal the knife Levi gave me.
“You are most welcome,” he replied. “Shall I come to you for our next session?”
“Yes, please,” I said as Dean Purty replied at the same time, “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
Warren looked at him expectantly, and the dean seemed to have some sort of internal debate before heaving a sigh. “Give her a week to heal, at least.”
“Done.” Warren said, nodding at both of us.
Once we were settled in the large SUV, I opened my mouth to speak, but the dean shot me a warning look. I snapped my mouth shut and stared through the windshield as we drove. Finally, he relaxed his rigid posture and glanced over at me from the corner of his eye.
“What did you mean by Warren compelling you again?” he asked.
I tried to wave it off with a nonchalant flip of my hand, but I knew it would do no good. He wasn’t going to be happy, no matter how harmless and superficial Warren’s motives were.
“He used his power to figure out what I find attractive, and to make me feel drawn to him… physically.”
“What?” he shouted, slamming his foot down hard on the brakes.
My heart stopped as I braced my hands against the dashboard. The seatbelt I was wearing bit into the wound on my neck, making me mewl in pain.
“Oh, Piper. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said between clenched teeth.
I patted the bandage gently, but didn’t feel any blood seeping through. I looked over at the dean and gave him a nod, reaffirming that I was fine. He shook his head, and looked back at the road as he pressed the accelerator to move us forward once more.
“How do you know he compelled you?’ he asked, the edge in his voice not quite as sharp as before.
“I confronted him, and he admitted it,” I said simply.
“Huh,” he said, and I could see him chewing on the inside of his cheek.
“What?”
“Why would he admit to such a thing?” he asked.
“Well, I… uh… may or may not have threatened his testicles with my magical-vampire-killing dagger.”
Dean Purty barked out a laugh, and, for the first time that afternoon, I smiled. I’d been scared he might be angry with me for revealing my possession of the knife to Warren, which was why I hadn’t told him about the altercation in the first place. But if the smile that remained on his face was any indication, he wasn’t too mad.
He cleared his throat, letting the smile drop. “Okay, that makes sense. But what doesn’t make any sense is how you realized he’d done something of which to be accused. Warren is a very old, very powerful vampire. His magic is on a whole different level. You never should’ve been able to detect it.”
I pinched my lips, thinking about my thought process when I realized what Warren had done.
“First, I noticed he was wearing different clothes than usual, like what he had on today—an outfit guaranteed to catch my eye. And when I saw him that day, I immediately started thinking about how scrumptious he looked.”
“Scrumptious?” he asked, arching a brow.
“Exactly. Not a word I’ve ever used, out loud or otherwise. That’s when it hit me. Warren had used compulsion to find out what I like, then ensured I would react to him the way he wanted me to—with desire.”
Dean Purty’s head whipped around, his eyes wide as a frown pulled down at his lips. “Desire?”
“Don’t worry,” I said, shaking my head. “I set him straight.” I patted my bag where the dagger rested. “Besides, Levi claimed me, right? Like, I’m his... mate or something in the eyes of the vampires?” I swallowed hard, realizing how strange it felt to say it out loud. Hi
s mate? What did that even mean in the grand scheme of things?
“Yes,” he said, “that is true. But Piper, you must remain vigilant around Warren.”
“I will,” I replied. “I promise.”
After several moments of silence, the dean spoke again. “I still don’t understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Warren Thornberry is the most powerful vampire in The Society. You should not have been able to detect his use of compulsion on you, no matter what ridiculous thoughts he implanted.”
“So, what does that mean?”
“It means he deliberately made the compulsion weak so you could poke holes in it and discover the truth.”
“Or?” I asked, hearing the question in his tone.
“Or you are much more powerful than any of us thought.”
Chapter Thirteen
You are much more powerful than any of us thought.
Dean Purty’s words echoed in my head as I walked from the parking lot next to his office toward the cabins. I was supposed to head back and help True with the girls, taking them first to dinner and then to another campfire, but that task seemed nearly impossible given how much my head was spinning. I’d been through too much, learned so much in the last few hours that returning to semi-normal life seemed… wrong.
I might be a witch. My dad might have been a warlock. An evil rogue vampire tried to kidnap and kill me. I killed him…
So much.
But the girls needed tending as was evidenced by the flying object that nearly took my head off as I walked into Saka’am.
I ducked as the missile sailed past only inches from my face before smashing into the wall with a thud. The thrower was named Hannah, and she stared at me with wide, brown eyes as I contemplated what in the hell was going on.
Then, she reached back and got ready to chuck the remaining shoe—apparently the first projectile was its partner—in my direction.
“Oh no, you don’t.”
True came speeding in just in time and snagged the shoe from Hannah’s hand before she could launch it at me.
“That’s it,” True said, taking the girl by the shoulder. “You are going to see the dean, and I don’t care who your foster parents are, there are going to be consequences, young lady!”
