Crown of Smoke and Blood

by Sadie Jacks

  I laughed. “Good. Because I’ll take them.”

  Her mouth twitched. “Good. See that you do.” She turned to face the Council. “Sorry, guys.”

  Hector wiggled his eyebrows. “I do not mind a good show usually. And you and Koehn definitely put off some sparks. But now is not the time. And I respect you too much to watch your intimacy.”

  A loud knock at the throne room doors sounded.

  “I called for the women to be brought here,” Ambrose said.

  My brows winged up. I must have been very focused to have missed the mental hail that he sent out to the coven as a whole. “Come,” I called out loudly.

  “I was working on it,” Vari mumbled beside me.

  I burst into laughter as the women we’d rescued came into view. “Keep the good thought, Little Warrior.”

  The women were clean, and it was amazing how different each of them looked. Gone were the bruises and the grime. Their eyes were bright under the haze of compulsion. I could almost see the life bubbling deep inside them.

  Dismissing the men who had escorted them, I waited for Vinnie to make his way to the front of the room. He was going to be necessary to drop the grip he had on Catriona’s mind. A tall, slender man, he was quiet and enjoyed books more than he enjoyed the majority of people. But his power was strong. If there was ever a threat to my throne, I had no doubt it would come from him.

  Luckily, he was happy as long as I kept him in books and a quiet, sound-proofed library.

  He stepped forward, his long dark hair very reminiscent of his time in Regency England where he had grown to maturity as a human. His soulful, dark eyes saw every detail and his mind catalogued it all.

  “My King.” He dipped his head. “It pleases me that you are not fully dead.” One corner of his mouth quirked up. “I’m expecting a new shipment of first editions and would have been sorely pushed if their arrival had been interrupted.”

  I chuckled. “Then I’m glad to be back among the undead living, Vinnie. Thank you for taking care of Catriona in my absence.”

  His flash of humor dwindled quickly. “I was happy to be called upon, My King. She is a gentle but fierce soul. I am happy to help bring these monsters to their inevitable end.”

  Vari stepped up beside me. “Thank you, Sir Vinnie. If you could lift your magic from Catriona’s mind, I believe she will be the best candidate for my proposition. Koehn’s remarks of her behavior when he rescued her gave me hope.”

  Vinnie turned, studied Vari for a long moment. “Yes, My Queen.” He bowed low.

  Vari opened her mouth, but I elbowed her softly before she could speak. She was my queen. In all the ways that counted. In the coming days and weeks, I had a feeling she would earn the title in her own right. She might as well get started becoming accustomed to it now.

  Vinnie straightened and moved to the women. Sorrow rested on his Byronic face. He crouched down in front of Catriona. Lifting a hand, he laid it gently on her cheek. “Catriona, come back to me. You are safe and you are protected. No harm will come to you.”

  It took less than a heartbeat for her vivacity to spring back to life in her eyes, in her body. Her black hair and brilliant green eyes shone like gems under the bright lights of the throne room. Like rising from a long slumber, she became animated. Stretching and yawning as she looked around the room. When she looked up, she smiled at Vinnie. “Thank you.”

  Vinnie rose to his feet and stretched out a hand. “My queen has something to ask you.”

  Catriona settled her hand into his and allowed him to help her to her feet. Her cheeks dusted with pink as she swayed to the side. “Sorry, luv. I’ve been having a lie down for what feels like ages.”

  Vinnie patted her hand. “You’ve nothing to apologize for, my rose. Simply be yourself. Your courageous self. No harm will come to you here.” He turned and presented her to Vari and me.

  Catriona jolted for a moment when she saw me. The last time I’d seen her, her green eyes were bloodshot and weary. Under Hayes’ and Vinnie’s care, though, they were sharp, direct, and guarded. “Ye’re the one who saved me.”

  I nodded. “Aye.” The rhythm of her Irish accent called forth the one I’d learned from Tavis. “Ye’re also the strongest of the women we rescued. My queen has a question to put to ye. Are ye able to hear it?” It felt right calling Vari my queen. That’s exactly what she was. And would always be.

  Catriona shifted her gaze to look at Vari. A slight smile on her face. “A bit tiny fer a queen, aye?”

  Vari chuckled. “Only until my beastie comes out. Then I’m quite fearsome.”

  Catriona tipped her head to the side as she considered Vari’s words. After a moment, she smiled and nodded. “I’ve no doubt about that, my lady. Ask yer question.”

  “I can offer you a new life, if you’re so willing. One where will you be stronger and mightier than you’ve ever been. It will take hard work and training, long nights and a bit of suffering. But I can give you the ability to fight off vampires as if they were nothing but dandelion fluff on the wind.”

  “Aye. I accept,” Catriona said immediately. “Do what ye must, my lady. I’ll bear the pain and suffering if it will make me strong enough to never be at the hands of monsters again.” She squeezed Vinnie’s hand.

  “Do you have a family or anyone who is worried about you?” Vari asked.

  Catriona shook her head. “No. I was a whore in the city when I was whisked about. I’ve no one but meself.”

  Vari nodded. “A strong woman then.”

  Catriona’s cheeks flooded. “Not strong, my lady. Merely a survivor.”

  Vari’s smile was hard and bright. “Exactly. Strong.” She looked at the other women. “What do you know of your fellow warriors?”

  Catriona smiled. “Two are too soft for what ye suggest. At least to my way of thinking. Pampered lasses who need family and coddling. Nothing wrong with that type, but not fighters of any sort. The other two were too new for me to gauge. Georgie would be the one I would ask, though. Of the last two.”

  Gideon stepped forward. “I can bring her out. Vari can put the same offer to her.”

  Vari nodded. “Thank you, Gideon.”

  Gideon moved to the four remaining women. I heard him start murmuring to the side of us.

  Catriona didn’t bother to watch him, but instead kept her gaze locked on Vari. “What are ye that ye can offer such fantastical things?”

  Vari shifted to look at Catriona. “I’m many things. The least of which is a fighter. If you choose to go through with this, I will consider you one of my family. A sister. I will call upon you to fight in a war that is coming. Think on this while I get Georgia Mae up to speed.”

  Catriona nodded as Vari met Georgia Mae nearer the other women. I heard her say essentially the same thing to the other woman as she had Catriona. Almost word for word.

  “Yes. I’ll agree. I could never face my family after this. And if this will allow me to help other women who have been beaten down and brutalized, then yes. A thousand times, yes.” Her thick American accent drawled and weaved through the room and brought to mind sweltering heat and oppressive humidity with the slightest breeze to make you yearn. It was both relaxing and slightly terrifying. The promise of violence to those who might seek to harm was evident.

  “Georgia Mae, I put to you the same question: which of the remaining women do you think would be willing to join you?” Vari asked.

  Georgia Mae smiled. “Please, call me Georgie. I always look for my Grams when someone calls me Georgia Mae. And to answer your question, none. It was me and Cat who kept the others sane. Me and Cat who schemed and fought. If the last three know what retribution is, then it is just a word to them. Not a state of being.”

  Vari looked back at Catriona.

  The other woman nodded. “Me and Georgie.”

  Vari nodded. “There is a war coming. The man who made me into what I am is building his forces to try to take Earth. I know there is much you don’t currently un
derstand, but we will explain in time. For now, know that I am unique. I can gift you some of my abilities. In small doses, since we don’t want to overload your systems. If you are open and willing to the process, there should be minimal pain. But the training will bring suffering and heartache.”

  Both women reached out and grabbed the other’s hand in unison. “We’ve been through suffering with no ability to change it,” Georgie said.

  “If you can give us the ability to fight back, then we will stand by your side until we die,” Catriona said.

  They both looked at each other and smiled. Nodded.

  Vari called their attention back to her. “To make this work as easily as possible, I need your blood oath. For my kind, blood oaths are serious things. You cannot break it, even if you wish to end it. There will be dire circumstances for attempting to break it.” She let that sit on the air for a couple moments.

  Both women nodded. “I accept,” Georgie and Catriona said together.

  Vari dropped her head low onto her chest. When she raised it again, her eyes were a startling white. Her fingers lengthened into claws. “Step forward.” Her voice was closer to Roarke’s than I’d ever heard it.

  The women stepped towards Vari.

  “Lift your hands. I will cut you across your palm. Not too deep, but enough to bring blood to the surface.”

  The women did as they were told.

  Vari kept her word as well. With a shallow scratch, both women had a thin line of blood raised up in the palms of their hands.

  I sucked in a breath at the scent of live blood. Not quite as enticing as Vari’s, but it definitely called to me.

  Vinnie took a step forward before he stopped himself.

  Catriona looked at him, the edge of fear on her face. “Vin?”

  He shook his head. “No harm, my rose. You are safe, even from me.”

  She turned back to Vari. “Please hurry, I don’t like to see him in pain.”

  Vari nodded. “Repeat after me. I, state your name, do vow by my blood to stand by Vari’s side. I will learn to wield my gifts and use them only in defense of the innocent.”

  Catriona and Georgie spoke the words together. The magic swelled as their eyes went a little hazy.

  Once they had finished their vows, Vari leaned down and swiped her tongue over both of their wounds in turn. Once she swallowed, the haze left their eyes and the magic dissipated. The cuts also healed as if they’d never been there.

  What was Vari that she wielded such power?

  “We will leave these men to settle the other women as they would. I will speak with both of you in private. We can discuss the gifting.”

  Catriona and Georgie nodded.

  Vari turned to me, her brows raised. “We’re ready.”

  I smiled at her before I turned to the women. “We need a couple of names of any other victims of Michael’s. We have a way to search out his accomplices, but we need your help to do so.”

  “Agnes Richards,” Georgie said immediately.

  “Bethany Carstairs,” Catriona answered.

  I looked back at Vari. Saw her weave on her feet slightly. But she steadied herself and nodded. “I’ll summon Anouk.”

  I reached out a hand. “We’ll do that at home. You’ve had enough. And you need to eat.”

  Vari glared at me. “I’ll tell you when I’m ready to do something. Not the other way around.”

  Georgie and Catriona leaned back for a moment. Their eyes wide.

  “Yes. But your health and wellbeing are more important to me than your sass or your pride. So we’ll do it at home where I can be sure you’ve eaten your fill. Besides, we need Magda. And a private place for you to talk to your new warriors.” I swept a hand in their direction.

  They both smiled fiercely at the titles.

  Vari snarled, got right up in my face. “Fine. But only because I want chocolate and they deserve more than just an abrupt shift.” Her face cleared and she kissed the tip of my nose. Thank you, Koehn.

  Anything for you, My Queen.

  Her brows puckered into a frown. Not you, too!

  My laugh boomed through the room.

  Chapter 37 – Vari

  We made plans to leave Gideon at the mansion with Vinnie. Which meant Ambrose, Hector, the girls and I all traveled with Koehn back to his home. We piled into one seriously plush car that seemed to stretch the length of the entire street. It even had a cold storage appliance that held water and bags of blood.

  Tavis met us at the door. His giant frame filled the threshold. He smiled as he backed up and led everyone into the kitchen.

  “You replaced the granite,” Koehn said.

  Ambrose nodded. “If we had to sell your home, we wanted it not to be a barrier to getting the most for it.”

  Koehn nodded even as the corners of his mouth tightened. “It’s not to be sold. It will go to the coven’s Council. Everything is already set up.”

  Ambrose and Hector both shot him looks of surprise. They looked at each other. “I call the master suite,” Hector shouted quickly.

  Ambrose sulked, but nodded. “Fine. But I get the third floor all to myself.”

  Hector dipped his chin. “But of course.”

  The women just gaped at them all.

  Magda came in from the sitting room just off the kitchen. Her white hair and crepe-like skin put me in mind of a kindly grandmother. Or at least what I assumed a kindly grandma would look like if she were ancient.

  Magda smiled. “I’m glad you’re back safely. I did tell them not to worry, but vampires don’t really listen to me these days.” She shot me a wink while the oldest vampires looked sheepish.

  “His mental connection was gone. As was the link of his blood. None of our kind have traveled to the Underworld. How were we to know?” Hector whined. He sounded a bit like a petulant child repeating the same tired excuses over and over again.

  Koehn laughed. “To be honest, Magda, I’m not sure I would have believed you either. But having seen it with my own eyes, I’m sure we’ll all be more willing to listen to your excellent guidance.”

  Magda nodded, took a seat at the middle counter. “I hear there is a feast in order first. Considering Tavis had to hire deliverers to get all the food here, I’m glad to see more than just Vari will be eating. She’d have a terrible case of collywobbles if she’d attempted to eat even a fraction of the food by herself.”

  I snorted. The old woman didn’t know me by half. “As long as I get my chocolate, I’m more than happy to share the real food.”

  “You have chocolate?” Georgie whispered. “Real, honest to goodness chocolate?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “I’ll give you close to immortality, but I’m not sharing my chocolates.”

  Tavis laughed. “I got more than enough chocolate to share, Vari. And share ye will if ye want me to show ye where I’ve hidden it.”

  Georgie’s whole face lightened up, and a sparkle entered her cornflower blue eyes. “Truly?”

  Tavis nodded. “Aye.”

  I pouted. “Fine. But once you go through your share, mine’s off limits.”

  Georgie nodded. “Of course, my lady. I’d never think of stealing from you.” Her lashes batted up and down a couple times as her voice went to pure, unadulterated sugar.

  I snorted and laughed. “Try pedaling that shite elsewhere, sweets. I’m not buying it.”

  Cat burst into laughter. “As well ye shouldn’t. She fantasized about chocolate. Hershey, Mr. Goodbar, Three Musketeers, 100 Grand. If it had chocolate on it, I heard about it.”

  Georgie smiled. “Can I help it if chocolate keeps me going?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been willing to kill for less, so no. I don’t see that as a problem at all.”

  “And let’s get the famished females feasting, eh?” Hector said with an overly bright smile. A trace of fear rested in his dark eyes.

  The poor man.

  **

  It didn’t take forever, but I was pretty close to
chewing my arm off by the time the middle counter was piled high with food. Magda, Tavis, Georgie, Cat and I all sat at one end of the table. The vampires occupied the other end.

  “So tell us the stories of how you came to be here in our great country,” Hector asked. His dark gaze was centered on the girls. He had a non-creepy avuncular smile on his face as he watched all of us eat.

  Georgie dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “I’m here for college. I’m working on a master’s degree in history at Trinity College.” Her cheeks went pale. “Rather, I was working on a master’s degree.”

  Ambrose smiled softly. “That is still possible for you to achieve, my dear. And depending on how Mistress Vari gifts you, you’ll have quite a bit of time at your leisure once the war is done.”

  Georgie looked shocked for a moment. Nodded. “That’s true. I could still do that.” She smiled at Ambrose. “Thank you, sugah.”

  Ambrose dipped his chin. “My pleasure.”

  “How did you come about choosing Trinity College? That seems a bit far removed from…Mississippi, I’m guessing?” Magda asked.

  Georgie’s smile was brilliant. “Yes, ma’am. Natchez, in particular. The home I grew up in was built in the mid-1700s. I just love the romance of the architecture. The grand porches and separate rooms for each little task. The antebellum homes in my Mississippi are just to die for.”

  She smiled again, bumped a shoulder in the air. “I started studying those time periods. What about them led to such grand designs for homes for the arrogantly wealthy. Eventually, it led me to studying all history. If it happened in the past, I wanted to know about it. The good and the bad.”

  Georgie grimaced. Gave her head a little shake. “Those who can’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, is a saying I take to heart.”

  “Truer words,” Magda said with a nod. “Much of the debacle we find ourselves in now is due to history repeating itself.”

  The room went quiet. I could only hear the sound of my chewing. Once I swallowed, I took a drink. Cleared my throat. “Let’s start with that fun and exciting statement, shall we?”