by Tamara White
Is this why she called me here? To punish me with the scent of blood, which I cannot have?
“Oh, how rude of me, my love. Would you care for a taste?”
Maria moves into my view and runs a small dagger over the already bleeding man. She stabs into his thigh and pulls the knife out just as quickly. The man whimpers in pain, but doesn’t scream again.
Blood immediately wells and runs down his leg in a slow stream. My fangs descend, ready to feed, but I don’t give Maria the satisfaction. I can still feed off animals. She didn’t ban me from them yet, since only human blood is to be denied.
She sighs softly and licks the blade clean. “Fine, you wish to be stubborn, then we will discuss why I brought you here.” She sheathes the dagger, looking up at the human intently. “This young man happens to work the front desk where your children and soul-tie decided to stay. Now, Larry here, came to me and told me of some interesting news. Tell me, Talon, how is it Emerald has the ability to come back from the dead?”
My whole body relaxes as overwhelming relief floods my system, and Maria is quick to pick up on it.
“Interesting. You’re relieved, but not surprised, which would mean this is not the first time she has died. Yet, when I told you of her poisoning, you were distraught.” She purses her lips as she mulls over whatever she’s thinking.
I remain silent, not wanting to risk saying anything. I know she will force the blood bond, but I have to remain strong. If Emerald is alive, then I will die before betraying her.
“So that leads me to believe that something changed, which made you think she could truly die. Maybe when her soul-ties were connected, she was unable to die a true death, and then they were broken.” She takes slow steps closer, her eyes pinning me to the spot. “But if she died after your ties were broken, and yet still came back to life, it’s safe to assume those ties are not completely broken then, maybe just inactive, waiting to be reformed.”
Sweat breaks out on my skin, the possibility of restoring my soul-tie causing both hope and fear to suffocate me. If Maria truly believes my soul-tie can reconnect with Emerald, she will do something drastic, of that I’m sure.
Maria tuts, obviously coming to some conclusion. “Well, then, this won’t do at all.” She walks to the door and pops her head out into the hall. “Summon Nikole to my rooms at once.”
She doesn’t direct the order to anyone in particular, knowing someone will run to get who she called.
Maria comes over to me with a smile, brushing her hand against my cheek as I remain still. “I thought I would have you to myself and that you would realize, one way or another, that I’m the one you are meant to be with. Sadly, it means my plans must change,” she murmurs, sighing as if I’m the one personally inconveniencing her.
Before I get a chance to ask her what plans she had, the door opens and in walks a witch. The magic wafts off of her in waves, smelling strongly of burnt cinnamon. I’m immediately wary of what’s about to happen. The scent coming off her is the distinct smell associated with witches who dabble in dark magic.
I unconsciously take a step back. Maria’s gaze snaps to mine, the hidden anger from earlier flaring in her eyes. “Do, not, move.” I feel the order lock my body in place and know this is not going to end well.
“Nikole, I trust you have what I need,” Maria purrs, leaving me stuck in my place as she approaches the witch.
The witch in question grins maniacally. “Why yes, I do. It took some time, but I managed to concoct a potion powerful enough for what you need. Not only will it erase memories, but it will extinguish feelings as well.” She reaches into the front pocket of her jeans and pulls out a small vial of purple, shimmery liquid. “He must drink the whole vial, then he will be back to the man you once had.”
Maria claps her hands giddily like a child, before reaching out and taking the vial. She turns to me with a wicked grin. “If you would have simply loved me as you once did, worshipped me like I was the only woman in the world, then this wouldn’t need to happen. But with your soul-tie still alive and in my territory, this must be done.”
She holds the potion out in front of me, her eyes glowing as she pulls on the power she holds over me. “Take the vial and drink every last drop.”
All my willpower is stripped as I take the outstretched vial and pop the cork. Maria watches in anticipation as I lift it to my lips and let the overly sweet mixture pour down my throat.
When finished, I crush the vial in my hand as anger pulses through me, even as my head begins to pound.
“Someday, I will kill you for this,” I growl, not caring about keeping quiet. Words are all I have right now, and I want Maria to know just how much I hate her.
She pats my cheek tenderly. “You’ll never be able to kill me, Talon. That’s the joy of the sire bond. You will always be my servant, my toy to play with as I please. And there is nothing you can do to ever change that. After my ball, I will let you see just how much of a puppet you truly are.”
Twenty-Three
Training Begins
Emerald
Britt’s been out for an hour now. Shortly after I’d gently placed her on my bed, I instructed everyone to leave.
But has anyone budged from their vigil? No.
Hunter, Alistair, and Chase are sitting in the corner of the room, their eyes on Britt like she is the sun, the moon, and the stars. The three of them opted to sit on the carpeted floor and give her husbands as much space as they could, rather than crowd Britt like I knew they wanted to.
Blaine, Meron, and Torie are over by the wall next to the bed. There’s only a small gap between the bed and the wall, but somehow all three of them are able to lean against the wall comfortably, and keep watch over Britt. I don’t miss the gazes they swing my way too. Or the subtle glances to the Eternal Guardians in the corner.
I’m sitting at the head of the bed, my body perched on the edge, with a leg hanging off the side. Even unconscious, Britt is a bed hog.
Kellan is pressed against my leg dangling off the side and he’s playing on his phone. I think he’s uncomfortable in the tense room, but he doesn’t want to leave either. When he started shifting uncomfortably next to his friends where they stood stoically, I offered him a place at my side while Nik and Dev filled in my grandmother on what happened in the short time she was downstairs. Linc, meanwhile, offered to make me some wolf appealing food. He knew I had fed the vampire side and wanted to ensure my wolf side was fully satiated also.
While his gesture was very welcome, I knew the main reason for the offer was because my grandmother had started reaming out Nik and Dev. Linc had offered me a kiss on the head and quickly bailed from the room. So much for the big bad Alpha wolf who’s afraid of nothing. Turns out my grandmother scares even him.
To say Jeannie was pissed at the news would be an extreme understatement. She looks ready to kill my soul-ties at any moment. I could help them out and tell my grandmother to leave them alone, but there’s this little evil part of me that says let my grandmother scold them.
“I can’t believe none of you told me Emerald had died! What the hell were you thinking? What if someone killed her on purpose to weaken you all and then attacked?” she rants, throwing her hands up in the air as she paces angrily. She pauses in her stride and turns to scowl at the two men, her eyes demanding an answer. The fire in her gaze is deadly enough to strike them to the core. “Well, what would you have done if someone had attacked while you were in here having a little pissing contest with those Guardians over there?”
A gleeful smile takes over my face. That’s exactly what I thought! My being killed could have simply been a distraction to hurt the rest of them.
“My granddaughter is not only your soul-tie, but she’s also royalty. A threat to her life in another coven’s territory is serious business,” my grandmother continues, chiding them like children. “Do you know what the vampire Elders would do to you if they found out about this? What Sierra and Axel would do to you if they f
ound out that Emerald died, yet again, and no one informed them? You could be stripped of your honor as a guard and killed for disloyalty to the coven. How do you think that would affect Emerald? Having you two taken from existence simply because you didn’t stop to think or call for aid?”
After God knows how long of her ranting and wearing them down, I finally intervene. It was fun when she was simply pointing out the same things I had thought, but when she’s talking about them possibly being killed, well, it doesn’t sit well with me.
“Jeannie, just stop.” I rub my temples to stave off the headache that’s building. “I died, got some new information, and I came back. If the French coven queen had anything to do with it, she will soon see that her attempt didn’t work and she’ll be shaking in her pretty little heels.”
My grandmother flashes me a look of annoyance. She holds the expression for a moment before a smirk appears and she lets out a soft chuckle. “Oh yes, Maria won’t know what to think when she sees you alive and well. I thought the rumors of your death and rebirth would have traveled far and wide by now, but obviously not if she’s willing to try something as stupid as Hemlock.” My grandmother’s face suddenly goes very serious. “Unless it’s a test and she’s not aware of how true the rumors are. It’s been a while since I’ve been in her company, but she always was a conniving bitch when it came to those she deemed as an enemy.” My grandmother seems to be mulling something over when a resolve settles in her gaze. “Get up. It’s time to start training.”
“Now?” I ask incredulously. “You can’t be serious? We’re in my bedroom, and my best friend is unconscious on my bed. This is not the time nor place to be training.”
My grandmother unsheathes her sword, which until now I didn’t realize was hanging at her hip. Does she just carry that thing everywhere?
“Either get up and fight, or die for a second time today,” she declares, then lunges at me, her sword at the ready. I scramble to my feet, accidentally kicking Kellan in the side of the head in my haste.
When I’m upright, my swords are summoned on instinct alone. I only just manage to bring them up to block my grandmother’s attack.
Holy shit, she really wasn’t going to stop!
“Come on, Emerald. Fight back as if your life depends on it. If Maria challenges you as a potential royal that has come in to usurp her territory before being coronated in your own territory, well, then you will have no option but to fight her on your own.” My grandmother twirls on her feet and I stare in complete awe, barely dodging the swipe of her sword to my ribs.
I jump back and stumble into Blaine. He steadies me by my shoulders, and tries to move in front of me, ready to defend me with magic, but I shake him off. I offer him a smile to take the sting out of the rejection, but my grandmother is right. This is my fight. I won’t have their help if I’m challenged.
“Why would she challenge me? Especially if she knows I’ll come back from death?” Using the methods of defense Talon taught me, I block my grandmother’s attacks. When she starts to get frustrated, I add in offensive maneuvers to force her back toward the middle of the room. The limited things Talon did teach me in such a short time are actually quite helpful. I wish it was him here training me though.
“Because you’re a threat,” she states simply, her sword cutting across my arm and drawing blood.
“Son of a bitch,” I hiss, glaring daggers at my grandmother who smirks back.
Jeannie tuts as she walks in a circle around me, her sword lowered as if to appear less threatening. “Maria doesn’t need to kill you in a challenge, but if you concede, then she will win. The queen will challenge you because you are the only thing standing between her, and her most prized soldier and lover.”
Lover? He used to sleep with the queen? Then again, she is his maker so I guess it’s not totally out of the realm of possibility, but still.
My grandmother uses my emotional weakness to her advantage as she lunges at me. My swords come up together to slow the momentum of her strike, but I’m still forced to one knee by the strength of her attack.
I push back up angrily, my ears ringing from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Rather than get hurt by Talon not mentioning his relationship with Maria, I channel my anger at my grandmother who looks way too cocky in light of the circumstances.
The sound of ringing steel can be heard as we battle it out like there is no one else in the room. What pisses me off the most is the fact that she doesn’t even sound winded. Like this is nothing but a game to her. Even over the sound of steel, I hear every word my grandmother speaks as she tells me more about Talon’s life with the queen.
“When Talon lived by Maria’s side, before he created young Nikoli, he was the one in charge of training her army. He scouted human camps for soldiers she could turn, finding the most vicious warriors his queen could turn. When he brought back a particularly skilled fighter, Maria made sure to reward Talon with any sexual favors he desired. It was a long time before he ever entertained the thought of leaving her. If he hadn’t had Nikoli when he finally did leave her, I’m sure he would have returned to her eventually. As it was, Talon surprised Maria.” In the blink of an eye, my grandmother’s sword breaks through my defenses, leaving a small gash on my upper arm before retreating. “Maria thought her thrall on Talon would be strong enough that he would never be able to contemplate leaving her.”
I’m panting as I fight, trying not to let her words distract me too much, but there is so much I don’t know about Talon that her words have me completely and utterly intrigued. And I bet she knows it, which is why she keeps going.
“We were visiting one of the churches where it was rumored my sword was buried, but we happened upon Talon. He was trying to kill himself by attacking a group of rabid wolves.”
I gasp and freeze, my grandmother’s sword nicking my cheek. I don’t even flinch from the pain, too shocked at this revelation. My gaze seeks out Nik and Dev, and their eyes both hold sadness, which tells me they, too, knew this.
“Why would he try to kill himself?” I ask, my sword hanging at my side.
My grandmother smiles sadly and lowers her sword too. “He had no other option, Emerald. The connection between a vampire and their sire, it’s everything in our world. Most sires are kind, letting their children do as they please. But a select few, they want their children to be at their beck and call, to be under their control.
“For someone like Maria, she expects every one around her to love and worship her. So when Talon asked to travel, to explore away from the coven, she grew enraged. Why did he not blindly devote himself to her? Why did he seek more when in her mind she gave him everything?”
Holy craziness. This Maria chick is sounding more and more insane by the minute.
“So he tried to kill himself?” I query, completely confounded. My grandmother smirks, raising her sword. It’s the only indication I get before she attacks me again and I’m forced to defend myself.
“Not at first,” she begins, thrusting her sword toward my heart. It misses thanks to my quick reflexes, but I don’t get out of it unharmed. Her sword grazes my ribs and the pain is instant. Still, I know that if I’m in a fight for my life, my opponent won’t stop because I’m injured, and something tells me my grandmother won’t either.
“When he asked to leave, to travel the world, she said no, making up some excuse to keep him there. He stayed with her another five years before asking her again. Only that time, when she said no, he requested a reason. When she couldn’t give him a valid one, he threatened to go to the leaders of the coven and seek their permission if she wouldn’t give hers.”
I frown in confusion, not liking the foreboding tone in her voice. I don’t quite understand what the going to the leaders of the coven would achieve.
At the sight of my clear confusion, Nik hurries to explain.
“The leaders of the coven are the only power higher than a king or queen who can intervene with a maker and sire bond. If the king or
queen of the coven is biased in their decision making, the leaders are called on.”
“Oh.” That makes sense, I guess. My grandmother however still appears frustrated by my lack of knowledge on the subject but it’s not like I can help it.
Vampire secrets are highly guarded and I was raised as a wolf. How on earth would I know most of this if it’s not explained to me?
My grandmother backs off, lowering her sword. Her gaze goes to Linc who has appeared in the door with a tray of food that makes my mouth water.
She smiles wickedly as she beckons him into the room. “Come here, wolf. You can be my second attacker. Emerald, get rid of one of your swords.”
Linc sets the tray of food on a dresser just inside the door, then turns to me with a grin before happily joining my grandmother’s side. Oh, now he’s happy to be in the room.
“Uh, say what now? I can’t fight Linc, he’s my mate.”
My grandmother levels me with a stern glare. “Vampires live in covens, Emerald. You will always have more than one attacker coming after you and I need you to be aware of that. The reason I asked Lincoln is simple. He’s an Alpha wolf who knows his mate needs to be able to protect herself. Whereas Nikoli and Devin are older and should have that drive too, sadly, their vampire side is going to err more on the side of protecting you than attacking you. I would have ideally asked the three Guardians in the corner for their help, but I have a feeling everyone in the room would object to that level of trust.”
An agreement is heard from the majority of the room, and I’m starting to feel bad for the poor guys here to win Britt’s heart. It’s not their fault that she doesn’t remember them.
My grandmother ignores the grumbling from the room, and continues, “In some battles between royalty, the queen or king can call someone to their aid. Or as champion. And the queen has the entire coven at her disposal, including Talon. You need to be prepared in the off chance she decides to enlist him as her champion. Without your soul-tie intact, he will have no choice but to fight for her.”
