Wringing her hands, Elena’s voice cracked with trepidation. The delicious aroma of her terror made my mouth fill with saliva. “I … we—meaning my family and I—tried to keep Jusztina hidden. A man found her. He sought her out specifically, went door to door ransacking homes in search of her.”
Tipping my head, I sniffed the air a second time.
“Dorian,” his name rumbled from my chest in a thunderous boom of hate.
“There’s more.” Elena risked a step forward, her hand shooting out to halt my charge. “She had the baby, Vlad. You have a son. He is up there, with both of them.”
Driven by wrath, my form exploded into a wall of fog. Swooping and spiraling, I rode the wind, climbing the face of the castle’s tallest tower. I entered through the balcony of the bed chamber Jusztina and I shared, solidifying next to the bed.
“Jusztina?” I breathed her name into the darkness.
“What a beautifully theatrical entrance,” Dorian chuckled. He emerged from the shadows, gripping Jusztina’s upper arm. Cradled in the crook of his elbow rested my bundled newborn son. Face morphing into a sneer, his eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “You’ve done it. You’ve given yourself to The Dragon. I can feel the pulse of its influence radiating off of you. How … enticing.”
“You can’t imagine what this feels like, Dorian.” Seeing an opportunity, I battled back my bubbling hatred and fought to maintain a steady, neutral tone. “The lure of raw power lying in wait for me to tap into. It’s an endless realm of unfathomable possibilities. You say you have no need for it. I wonder if that’s so.” Holding up one hand, I turned it over in a pantomimed cursory inspection. “It’s all you ever wanted, and now it’s mine. Of course, we could discuss a trade. You let my family go, and I will give myself over to you. You can plot, scheme, and experiment on me all you like in order to draw The Dragon out, just as soon as they are safely released.”
Tears slipped from Jusztina’s lashes, zigzagging over her ruddy cheeks. “Vlad, please don’t let him hurt the baby.”
“Hush, floare,” I softly soothed, my stare locked on the man who literally held my heart in his hands. “Dorian and I can handle this like gentlemen.”
“You drank of the sacrament and pledged yourself to the beast,” Dorian deliberated, dragging his tongue over his top teeth. “You belong to it as long as you walk this earth. The only way to part you from Drákon now would be by his choosing.”
I pulled my sword from its sheath, and tossed it aside. It landed on the wood floor with a sharp clang. “I make this my vow: allow my wife and child to leave, and I will let you run whatever trials you deem necessary until you’ve claimed what you seek.”
Sucking air through his teeth, Dorian tilted his head. “Ah, Vlad, you always have been all brawn and no brain. You are right about one thing, I do still long for The Dragon. However, as I said, the choice to be expelled from you now lies with Drákon. I do think I could sway his interest,” a vindictive smile coiled at the corners of his mouth, deadly as a pit of vipers, “… with the right sacrifice.”
My fangs lengthened from my gums, earning a frightened gasp from my trembling bride. “Hear me, Dorian Gray. You will not harm either of them.”
The baby beginning to fuss, Dorian clucked quietly and bounced him. Him. This malicious man comforted my son, whose face I had yet to see. “Oh, I have no intention of hurting anyone.” Peering up from under his brow, he offered me a mask of faux innocence. “Ultimately, that decision lies with you.”
“Vlad, what’s happening?” Stare locked on her crying newborn, Jusztina’s voice cracked.
“Everything will be fine, my darling. Won’t it, Dorian?” The words were slathered in threat. Bending my knees, I sank into a low crouch. “We’re not going to play games with lives of the innocent.”
Dorian stepped back toward the edge of the balcony in wide strides, dragging my family along with him. “Oh, but the games are just beginning. I would draw in those shiny new teeth of yours, Vlad. Especially considering I am currently in control of all you hold dear.”
“Vlad?” Jusztina pleaded, stumbling back at Dorian’s insistence.
Biting my tongue hard enough to taste a metallic hint of blood, I forced my fangs to retract. “How does this end, Dorian? You tell me.”
Throwing his head back, his bawdy guffaw echoed through the valley below. “It ends, my old friend, with a choice.” Laughter dying on his lips, his vicious glare snapped in my direction. “You can save one. The other will be sacrificed in the name of Drákon.” With a shift of his upper body, he dangled the baby closer to the precipice, then Jusztina. “Who will you spare? Your bride? Or, your baby?”
“I’m not going to choose.” Knowing my strength and speed were now heightened, I scanned the space between us, calibrating the proper route of attack to ensure the safety of my family.
Eyebrows raised, Dorian challenged me with another bold step toward that drop-off into oblivion. “My game, my rules. Pick, Vlad. Elsewise, I march all three of us right over the rail. I’ll walk away from the plummet. How do you think they’ll fair?”
Jusztina’s red-rimmed stare lobbed from Dorian to me. “Vlad, you must keep the baby safe. Promise me!”
“It seems the lady has made her selection,” Dorian tsked. Yanking on her wrist, he tugged Jusztina back until the rail pressed against her hip. “Will you honor her request, I wonder? I mean, if you save her you two could always make another child. That is, if she ever forgives you for allowing your son to die.”
“No!” Fighting to free herself, Jusztina struggled against his hold. “Vlad, you mustn’t let any harm come to our boy!”
Moving in a licking tendril of fog, I scooped my sword off the floor and held it at the ready before me. “Dorian, enough! You want me? I’m right here! Let them go and fight me like a man, you despicable coward!”
Dorian’s head cocked as if genuinely perplexed. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? I don’t want to fight you. Knowing of the evil that roosts inside you, I want to see what happens when it’s unleashed on the world. You see, you once stole everything from me. The power that was to be mine, and the glorious reign that would have followed. Now, I plan to return that favor. The stalling ends now. Make your choice, or I shall make it for you.”
All of the power The Dragon bestowed on me, and I stood crippled by indecision. Could I take Dorian out before he forced either over the edge? Unsure of my new strength and abilities, that was an unsolvable riddle. Not when it meant life or death for one I held dear.
Teetering the baby over the cut-stone ledge of the balcony, gleeful lunacy flashed in the depths of Dorian’s gaze. “Time’s up. Who shall it be?”
“No!” Shrieks tearing from her lungs, Jusztina threw her weight into Dorian’s shoulder. His body twisted in the opposite direction, pivoting the baby away from harm. Unable to pull back from the momentum of her strike, Jusztina hurdled over the bannister. Falling from view, the fabric of her gown snapped in the wind behind her.
“Jusztina!” Not knowing if I could survive such a fall, I had no choice but to leave the baby behind as I hurled over the rail. Throwing myself into a steep swan dive, the world zipped past in a whistling blur.
Even with her raven hair lashing her cheeks a brilliant pink, a peaceful stillness stole over Jusztina’s features. One delicate hand reached for me. Not out of desperation for a savior, but in the sweet sentiment of goodbye to all that should have been. Frantically clawing at the air, I tried in desperation to close the gap of space between us.
Our fingertips touched … at the same instant her body slammed into the cobblestone ground. While I landed in an easy crouch, the impact rippled through Jusztina in a gruesome crackle of breaking bones. Her porcelain skin drained ashen, a pool of blood stretching around her.
“Vlad?” She managed in a weak croak, her breathing a labored medley of rattling wheezes.
> Taking a knee at her side, I brushed the hair from her face. Even that tender touch elicited a pained wince from my crumbled angel. “Yes, floare. I’m here.”
“I … named our son Mihnea Rau.” Lids growing heavy by the pull of eternal sleep, Jusztina’s lashes fluttered against the apples of her cheeks. “Take … care of each … other.”
One final breath whispered over her bluing lips, and she stilled.
My love.
My life.
My purpose.
Gone.
Delicately lifting her from the ground, I folded her into my arms and showered her with blood-tinged tears. How long I sat there, rocking my broken beauty, I couldn’t say. Lost in the nightmare of a world without her, the sound of a door creaking open drew me back to the horrifying here and now. Elena and her family emerged from their modest cabin within the square. Each held a bushel of wildflowers cradled in their arms.
Easing Jusztina to the ground, I stood as they neared, fully expecting them to cast me out for the demon I had become. To my surprise, I found no trace of accusation etched on their faces, only genuine compassion.
“The men who descended upon this village were not kind,” Elena’s tear-filled gaze fixed on her fallen lady, her chin quivering. “They claimed whatever they desired with brutal force.”
Standing at Elena’s elbow, the lass I guessed to be her younger sister cast her stare to the ground, a plum-colored bruise shading her jawline.
Their father cleared his throat, his narrow chest puffed with purpose. “We watched you single-handedly drive their armies into retreat. T’was like nothing I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what you are, lad.” Before my lips could part to attempt an explanation, he held up one arthritic hand to halt me. “Mind you, I’m not asking. As far as me and my kin are concerned, you’re an avenging angel sent to protect us. You must be. We only wish your kindness didn’t come at such a steep price.”
Freefalling tears traced paths of sorrow down Elena’s face, dripping from her chin. “Your wife was a kind, caring spirit. Please, m’lord, may we honor her in a fitting fashion?”
Dumbfounded, the closest I could come to a response was stumbling back with a brief nod. Crouching down alongside Jusztina, Elena laid the armful of flowers next to her face. Her sisters and father mirrored the act, spreading the arch of colorful blooms over my bride’s head in a halo of beauty befitting her life and spirit. Their mother shuffled forward to set a flickering candle next to Jusztina’s shoulder. Doors throughout the courtyard opened, spilling more townsfolks into the square. One by one, they added their offerings of love to the vigil. A wreath of adoration stretched around my selfless wife, stolen from the Earth far too soon.
“Get the hell out of here, you traitorous snake!” Hearing our somber moment interrupted by such a gruff command, I swiveled to find Renfield—Commander of the Transylvania Guard—rooting himself in a wide stance to block Dorian’s path.
“Call off your dog, Vlad, or, I won’t hand over your consolation prize.” Ignoring Renfield completely, Dorian lifted his arms to remind me of the precious cargo he was still in possession of.
“Let him by.” Hands curling into fists at my sides, I stalked straight for Dorian. While grief momentarily distracted me from my newborn copil, ensuring his safety became paramount. “Give me the boy, or I swear to you I—”
“Calm yourself,” Dorian interrupted, unceremoniously dropping the baby into my arms. “No need for pointless threats. I have no use for your smelly, squirming larva. At least … not today. Even so, this kindness comes with a warning. Your loss today bought you time, only. One day, when you think I’ve long since forgotten, I will take great pleasure in ripping apart what remains of your family. Perhaps then you will unleash the full power of The Dragon on the world. Hold him tight, papa. Your days together are numbered.”
A gust of wind swelled, and Dorian vanished.
Chapter Twenty-six
Vinx
Eyes snapping open, I bolted upright. Odd flecks of emerald danced through the room, causing me to blink hard to focus. Glancing up, I found the source was a stained-glass window designed in the shape of a willow tree.
“This … isn’t my room,” I muttered to the walls.
“I brought you back to my bed chamber to watch over you.” Vlad’s frame filled the adjacent bathroom doorway, a glass of water cradled between his palms. “I felt it was best after all that transpired.”
Clarity snapped back with an electrifying jolt. Curling my legs under me, I sprang to my knees, ready to dart for the door. “Carter! Is he okay?”
Vlad crossed the room on silent steps, and set the water on the mahogany bedside table. “Your friend is with the Court. We will know more soon.”
“Know more? So, he’s … not dead?” I dared to hope.
In place of an answer, Vlad’s face folded with compassion.
An inhumane sob choked from my throat. “I did it. I killed him.”
“He had vampire blood in his system,” Vlad explained, rubbing his hands together to dry the perspiration from the glass. “They are watching, and waiting for him to wake.”
Dragging my fingers through my hair, my feeble mind raced to keep up. “That’s not possible. He’s a recovering addict. He wouldn’t voluntarily feed off of someone. I can’t believe after living with two vampires and managing to avoid temptation, he would slip up with some rando.”
“He fed from no one, of that I am certain.” Picking back up the glass of water I had yet to touch, Vlad placed it directly in my hands. “He drank of the magi wine. It’s laced with—”
“Vampire blood,” I finished for him, recalling Carter’s explosive reaction after treating himself to the bottle in his room. “But, this is a good thing, right? He died with Nosferatu blood in his system. He’ll wake up a newborn vamp I owe a huge apology to.”
Vlad waited to speak until I dutifully took a sip of water. “Many years ago, rules were put into place for all those that lived and served at Castle Dracul. When a potential—which you know as the magi—died in service of a royal, it was left up to the Court to decide if they were worthy to take a seat amongst their ranks as an Elder. Carter served you, the future queen. The Court is deliberating now on if he will be allowed to rise again.”
“And if they vote against it?” Dreading the answer, I gripped the midnight blue bedding in white knuckled fists.
“A silver stake will be driven through his heart.”
“Of, fucking, course it will.” Chin dropping to my chest, I ground the heels of my palms into my eyes. “What about the reporter and the camera crew?”
“All were influenced. As far as they know, it was a lovely interview. Unfortunately, the X-ray machine at the airport mysteriously wiped away all of their footage. They have already called to schedule a phone interview in attempts to salvage their story.”
Gnawing on my lower lip, I shook my head. “How the hell did we get here? I never meant to hurt anyone.”
Vlad plunged his hands into the pockets of his slacks, and began pacing at the foot of the bed. “I … must tell you something you will likely find upsetting.”
“More so than me killing one of my best friends?” Eyebrows hitched in disbelief, my shoulders sagged. “Now I get why people feared you. That is straight up terrifying.”
“Your actions were incredibly out of character. I worried you would harm others, or yourself.” Reaching into the breast pocket of his button-down shirt, Vlad extracted a brushed-copper ice pick with a dangerously sharp point. “While you slept—”
Lips pursed, I bobbed my head to signal I caught up. “You drank my blood to learn the truth. Well, thanks for not biting me without consent. That would have been really intrusive. I mean, by etiquette standards, a quick stabbing is far more chivalrous.”
“I apologize for taking such liberties.” Rolling the ice pick o
ver the back of his knuckles, Vlad flipped it point down and tucked it safely away. “However, when you hear what I’ve learned, you will see a far more egregious offense has been committed.”
Talons of dread tightened around my throat. “We’re up to murder and assault. Too many more big reveals and I’m going to need a fake passport and a new identity.”
Taking a seat beside me, Vlad rested his elbows on his knees. Chin tipped in my direction, he swallowed hard before speaking. “Somewhere in the midst of your journey, Dorian Gray bewitched you.”
Unsure of how to respond, I brought the glass to my lips and gulped down the remainder of its contents. I wanted to argue that it couldn’t be true, that I never met the guy. How, then, could I explain recognizing his voice at the studio? Or, how its silky cadence paralyzed me. “How … is that possible?”
“I told you of his dark magic. You met him once, where he coerced you to drink of his blood as part of a binding spell. He forced you to do his bidding, and erased your memories when he was through.” Tangible hatred brewed in the depths of Vlad’s stare, bubbling like a cauldron of poison.
Hands shaking, I set the empty glass aside. “What did he make me do?”
“It wasn’t you.”
Lacing my fingers in hopes of steadying them, I dropped them in my lap. “It can’t be worse than what I’m imagining. Just tell me.”
Bed squeaking under his weight, Vlad shifted to face me. “He made you kill for him, Vincenza.”
“Who?”
“I could pick up very little about him, only the zing of magic in his blood after you fed. From what I could tell, he was a necromancer.”
“Jeremy.” Uttering my brother’s name drove the dagger of guilt deeper into my gut. “I must’ve killed the man who brought him back.”
Stare traveling over my face, Vlad’s expression was a portrait of empathy. “Through your exchange of blood, Dorian can draw you under his thrall whenever he chooses. That is what transpired today. You mustn’t blame yourself.”
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