Reign

by Alaska Angelini

  I paused. “Maybe you are Satan, and maybe I’m already in hell.”

  I swept back the curl that was sticking to my wet face and stood. In three strides, I made it to the door, slamming my fist against the metal. “I hate how this has played out! Perhaps I shouldn’t have held such loyalty to you, but I did, and now I pay the price. We all do. But no more. You’re dead, and I will have faith for no one except myself from now on. If Marko strays …”

  I pressed my fingers into the cold door, hitting it once again for all the anger that was surfacing. “I am a fool for no man. I am a warrior and I will learn to lead in case the time comes when I have to. You will regret the day you pushed me away for another. This is all your fault Aetas. You failed by making the wrong choice, but I will fix it for you. I will become the leader you doubted me to be. When my fears prove right, it will be my reign. And I will be ready.”

  Chapter 17

  Hunter

  “Wait!”

  My voice carried through the large opened room I had once ran through to escape this place. I hated being within these walls, but my concern over my location faded as I rushed toward Marko and the men in black who were leaving his side.

  They froze, turning to look at me as I slid to a stop in front of them. Tessa’s need of revenge over the humans was my own. Her pain was mine, and all I knew was pleasing and avenging her in the moment.

  “I want to go. I want to fight.”

  Marko laughed and I glanced at him before turning my attention back to the man with long red hair. He was their leader, I could feel his power.

  “You are not trained. You’re but a baby.”

  I growled, getting in his face. “I’ve been a killer since I was legally old enough to own a gun. I’ve taken both human and vampire lives. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I’m well aware of who you are Prince Hunter Moretti. I know everything about you, but I’m saying you’re not ready. Besides, Aetas had plans for you that didn’t involve being on the front lines. Your path is not that of an enforcer. You are to lead Dallas.”

  “I make my own path and I’m telling you I want to fight.”

  “Colin.” Marko eyes went from him to me. “If The Black Prince wishes to fight, who are we to deny him? Will it not make him a better leader when he takes his place as a ruler?”

  The man’s face turned hard.

  “Your Highness, he is not equipped to keep up with us. It’s not like we’re driving to get there.”

  Marko’s eyes narrowed. “Are you so weak that you can’t take him with you?”

  Colin stiffened. “I am not weak.”

  “Then stop making excuses. I’m ordering you to take him. Teach him. He is yours now. We will both train him in the ways of our world.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  Although there was rage present, Colin bowed, turning to rush away. “Thank you.” I threw the words at Marko, running to catch up with the lead enforcer. Tessa’s emotions were flaring, going from sad to angry. It twisted my stomach, feeding my adrenaline. “You won’t regret this,” I said, catching up. “I can fight. I’ll show you.”

  Pressure gripped around my wrist. “Let’s go!” The order was directed at the awaiting men. One minute we were headed toward the front doors, the next, darkness. The shock hit hard and gravity became nonexistent for only seconds before my feet hit ground. My knees buckled and I tried to catch my breath as I was jerked to stand. “Try to keep up.”

  The tunnel I was in lost the blur as my eyes focused. The familiar smell registered and I suddenly knew where I was—in our underground city—in Austin. But I didn’t get to think on it for long.

  Enforcers took off running, rushing through the tunnel. They faded in and out, becoming almost nonexistent shadows with their speed. And Colin and I were trailing behind them. The sight triggered my vampire, feeding the challenge he needed as I became in tune with my own powers. My legs began moving faster. So fast that I could barely feel them.

  We turned left, and then right, jerking to a stop only when we were feet from the light that brought us to the great room.

  “I speak to them here,” Colin said, tapping my temple. “To be an enforcer, you must tie with me. They will never speak out loud to anyone outside of their circle. Never, unless addressed, and only to one person.

  “The leader,” I whispered.

  “Correct. We are ghosts. We do not exist to anyone but the people we kill, protect, or serve. Even then, they rarely see us. Do you understand what you could be getting yourself into? If you take this route, you have an oath you will follow. An oath you will die by while you serve.”

  “I understand. But the choice is not mine to make alone.”

  “You are bonded, I feel it, and that makes you unqualified, but our king makes the rules so it is his decision. We will talk on it later. Stay behind me. You are here to watch and learn. Nothing else tonight.”

  My jaw flexed, but I gave a stiff nod.

  More silence. There was no signals, no hand gestures. One by one, the enforcers vanished into thin air. Colin grabbed my wrist and all color faded from my vision. We were running again, right into the heart of the city. A large group of men stood surrounding a huge mountain of bodies in the center. My heart dropped as we raced closer. Something within told me the humans wouldn’t see us. With the change in my sight, it was a clear indicator that we’d done exactly as the enforcers had who had stood before me and Colin. But in this black and white, I could see them now as clear as day. They weren’t invisible to me anymore.

  They took their positions behind the men, waiting for Colin’s orders. We came to a stop behind a human in all black tactical gear and my pulse was exploding with anticipation. They couldn’t see us. We were right on them, and they didn’t have a clue.

  “Hunter? Hunter, where you are?”

  Tessa’s voice broke through and I went rigid. I could feel heat igniting in my core and I didn’t understand it. It was as though I was tapping into my powers, like I was ready to use them, but I wasn’t doing it. She was. Jesus, was she searching me out?

  Colin’s eyebrow rose at me and I tried to slow my breaths as the blaze within grew.

  “Tessa, you have to stop. Give me a minute.”

  “Marko says you’ve gone with the enforcers. Where are you? Are you in the city?”

  At the fast pace of her words, my head shook. “I’ll be back soon.”

  Lava boiled within me and my knees buckled, hitting the ground hard as an unexplainable thickness pushed through me. It forced my lips open and I gagged as black smoke began pouring from my mouth.

  Colin’s grip nearly snapped my wrist as he held to me. Whether it was a warning or out of panic, I wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t coming from me. Not intentionally.

  Darkness gathered above, only to drop before me, collecting as Tessa began to take shape.

  “What the hell is that?”

  The human’s voice had Colin ripping me to my feet. The smoke lightened to what I knew was color I couldn’t see because of my invisible state. I reared forward, my only need to protect her. She had her back to them and they were all watching with their weapons trained on her.

  “Tessa, no!”

  Colin’s grasp broke at my force and Tessa spun, throwing her hands up just as shots rang out toward her. Bullets fell to the ground, but from the jerking of her body and the pain throughout my chest, I knew she hadn’t been fast enough. Her body swayed, but she righted herself, staring down.

  “Queen!” Colin yelled.

  Bullet’s continued to fall to the ground and she looked over her shoulder, glaring as I came up to her. The tips of her fangs were exposed and she slowly spun, pointing.

  “You, show yourself.”

  Colin appeared, his head angled down as he walked forward at a fast pace. Just as he approached, he kneeled. “Your Highness.”

  “The king gave you orders to come to this city?”

  “He did.”

  “Stand.” Tessa v
oice was deeper than normal as she began to walk around her shield that trapped the humans. Murder was written in her blackening eyes while she took in the men who had killed our kind. And then the mountain of bodies. Her pain was my own as her fists clenched repeatedly and she tried to catch her breath.

  “Tell me,” she continued. “What do you call a ruler who does not protect or rule his city?”

  Colin’s eyebrows drew in as he rose to his feet. “I’m not sure, my queen.”

  “Dead,” she said, flatly. “A ruler that does not protect what is his must be dead because he would never turn his back on his people.” Tessa pointed to our dead. “My Marie is in there and I want her back. I was told she has passed. She is close, but she still lives. I’m dropping this wall. I want everyone killed but the one who hurt her. He is mine. Find him and bring him to me.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  Tessa dropped the wall and tears came to her eyes as she threw herself into my arms. Her voice pushed into my head as I held to her tightly. “My dear friend. I do believe we may be in trouble.”

  “What do you mean?”

  A sniffle left her and she drew back, wiping the tears away. “I don’t know, but I feel it. Marko wouldn’t do this. He would have tried to avenge his city. He was one of the best leaders I knew. He loved his people. This new Marko.” Her lids lowered the smallest amount with her thoughts. “Something is not right. Aetas’ blood was not a good match with his. I fear … he may never return to the person he was before. I see him, but I don’t know him. Why do I feel this way? It’s not just our broken bond, it’s his actions. His behavior. It is as though he has died with his change.”

  “No. He’s not dead. You have pulled back from him, too. Maybe the two of you need to try to reconnect. Maybe your love will bring him back?” What the fuck was I saying? Was I trying to help her win Marko over? I was. I feared who he was becoming too, and I couldn’t push the worry away. This new Marko wasn’t good. I could feel his evil. Tessa was the only one who could stop him from making the wrong decisions.

  “Perhaps you’re right.” Her hand came up to stroke my face, but Colin’s voice had her spinning around.

  “I believe this is who you’re looking for, my queen.”

  Tessa rushed over, glancing at the man, but ran to the pile of dead vampires. “Hold him,” she yelled. “Marie?” Her eyes scanned over the bodies while her palm hovered before her. She took a few steps, only to back-track and start throwing bodies out of the way. I rushed to her side, helping her sort through our dead.

  “She’s here. I can feel,” Tessa breathed out. “She’s barely alive. Her energy is almost gone from me.”

  The ends of dark hair had me throwing a male vampire behind me. At the soft groan, I moved faster.

  “Got her.” I rolled an older woman over and cringed at the blood smearing her pale face. It was coming from her mouth and nose and her eyes were closed. I reached forward, pulling her into my arms. “Come on, Marie.”

  Tessa was glued to my side, already cutting her wrist as I eased Marie to the cement floor.

  “My qu—een?”

  “I’m here. I’m here. Shh, don’t talk. Just open your mouth for me. I’m going to make you better.”

  Soft sounds of pain followed Marie as she slowly shook her head. “I’m … gone.”

  “Nonsense,” Tessa snapped. “What did I tell you about that? You are not weak. You will fight. You will not leave me.”

  Blood was soaked through Marie’s dress. The large gash in the material across her chest told me someone had used a blade. The skin had begun to heal, but not nearly fast enough from whatever had been used on her. Her heart … I took in where the cut had been. Fuck, her heart was damaged.

  “Here. Open.” The order had Marie obeying, but the coughing at Tessa’s blood was automatic. Crimson sprayed from her lips and she heaved, crying out as she gasped for breath.

  “Look,” she whispered, trying to pull Tessa closer. “You have…to see.”

  An aggravated sound left the queen, but she wrapped her hands around Marie’s face leaning in to peer into her eyes. Seconds went by while Marie’s pained features only grew tighter. When her body jolted and went limp, Tessa’s fingers tightened.

  “No. No! Marie. Marie!”

  My throat constricted at the words that had to come. “She’s gone, Tessa.”

  “No.” The fast flicker of Tessa’s eyes told me that her mind was racing, trying to sort through this new tragedy and whatever she’d just seen.

  “Tessa?”

  “No.” She leaned over, placing her lips against Marie’s. French poured from her mouth and a good minute went by while Tessa held and talked to the vampire’s lifeless body. Tears stained her cheeks when she finally took a deep breath and looked up to me.

  “I’m sorry. I know it makes no difference, but Marie loved you. I could tell that when she came to see you.”

  “See me?”

  “Yes, the night of Aetas’ death. She felt your distress. She was worried about you.”

  A sniffle had her wiping more tears. “I loved her, too.” Tessa stood, turning her sight on the human who was already cowering. The men he had accompanied were dead, laying sprawled across the floor where the enforcers had left them.

  “You killed my friend.”

  “I …”

  The man’s words died off and he scanned the room in panic.

  “I could return the gesture, right this second, if I wanted. You would be dead so fast you wouldn’t even know it until your body hit the floor. But I don’t want it to be that easy. I want you to suffer like I do.” Her claws extended just the smallest amount. “And I suffer, human. So great your measly, little heart and mind wouldn’t be able to bear or comprehend it. Do you know what it is to lose someone you love?”

  Pause had him shaking his head.

  “Lucky you. Let me show you.”

  Tessa hand locked on his chin and his eyes shot up to hers. Trembling immediately began to shake his limbs.

  “Do you feel my pain? Do you feel what it is to suffer? See what I have seen. Feel the anguish and physical agony I have had to undergo. Live it with me, if only for this moment.”

  Saliva foamed at the man’s mouth while his face turned red.

  “The pain of my change was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. But that was only the beginning. Raped, raped, raped. How about that. Can you feel the burning? The way my body was ripped and torn at the intrusions? How about the knife piercing my heart? Can you feel that? Now lose your best friend as he kills himself in front of you. Almost die, yourself.” Her fingers inched up as she held more secure. “Now lose someone you love. Who do you love? Can you see them? How shall we end their life so you will understand my pain?”

  “Pl..ease. Please, no. Don’t kill her.”

  “Can you not bear it anymore?” Her hand came back, slapping him across the face and breaking their eye contact. “Neither can I.” She glanced up at Colin. “Let him go. He’s going to fight me. No gifts, no weapons. Nothing fancy.” At Colin’s pause, she growled. “That’s an order! Let him go and don’t interfere no matter what.”

  Colin’s fingers slowly unwrapped from his arm. I swallowed as I debated on arguing. Killing with her gifts were one thing. Hand to hand combat was another. I couldn’t take the thought of her getting hit.

  “If you want to live, you have to beat me. I give you my word, if you win, you can leave this room without fear of being killed. No one will touch you.”

  The man didn’t so much as look our way. His arm reared back, swinging right for Tessa’s face. The connection to her cheek had her head jerking to the side at the impact. The sight was enough to make my vision flicker red. I was moving … fast, and my fangs were down.

  A hand grabbed to my arm, but I was still pulling, focused solely on the man who was hitting her again. And again.

  “The queen gave us an order. We are not to disobey,” Colin yelled in my ear.

&nbs
p; Words wouldn’t come as Tessa’s face lifted. He swung and she did nothing to defend herself. She was letting him beat her. Letting him pound into her features.

  “Let. Go.”

  “This is nothing for her. She could crush his skull with her bare hands. What she is doing is for her, not him. We stay back.”

  “What is going on here!”

  Marko’s voice roared through the room like a cannon. Colin’s grip tightened on me the smallest amount, only to drop completely as Marko’s eyes went right to us, then to Tessa. Blood poured from her nose and mouth, and her eye was already swelling shut.

  “Ma minette, what are you doing?” The pain and sincerity in our new leader’s tone had my stomach twisting with jealousy.

  “This man killed Marie. He will pay.”

  “He? Look at you. He is not hurting here, you are.” He walked up, angling her so he could see the damage. “You want him to pay? I will make him suffer the worst death imaginable. I can do that for you. I would do anything for you.”

  “Would you?” Tessa tone softened toward the end. “I don’t feel that from you anymore.”

  “I’m adjusting to this new me, but I am still the same. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel that way. I love you,” he said, pulling her into his body. “I love you more than anything. Let me take you home and show you.”

  Marko dropped his arms and lunged to the human so fast that he was but a blur. In one yank, he ripped the man’s head free of his shoulders. Blood shot across Marko’s angry face and some emotion I couldn’t quite decipher flooded Tessa. She looked angry, yet … transfixed by Marko’s action.

  “Home,” he repeated, tossing the head to the cement ground. “It’s time to focus on us. Just us.”

  Chapter 18

  Marko

  Every breath, every constriction of every swallow, was a like a lighter being held to my throat. Aetas may have been keeping me alive through some machine, but it wasn’t the same for my vampire. The need to bite and suck was ingrained in who I was. It was a necessity for the monster within. Every minute that passed where I didn’t soothe the torture only triggered the insanity even more. My body was in a constant state of unsettlement. My legs slid from side to side the inches they were allowed and my fists repeatedly clenched. And my jaw … it kept the motion that needed to come. It open and bit down in reflex, repeatedly. The only thing that kept me holding on was Tessa.