by Ariel Marie
A knock at the door drew his attention.
“Come in,” he growled, attempting to wipe all pain from his face. He swallowed hard as a wave of nausea overcame him.
“Your Grace, I apologize for the intrusion,” Watson said as he entered the room and stood by the door. Watson, the family butler, had been with the Olaru family for over a century. The king himself had turned Watson when he had been found on the brink of death.
“What is it?” he snapped, leaning back into his chair.
“There is a young woman here who claims she has information on the missing Miss Shamus.”
Nicu straightened in his chair at the announcement. Who the hell could it be?
“Who is it?” Nicu looked away, glancing out his office window. Who would have information on his mate that he hadn’t already looked into? He had used all of his resources, and the necromancers had once again vanished from the face of the Earth.
“Juniper Onyx, sir. She represents the witches’ council.”
During the entire war between necromancers and vampires, the witches had remained silent. They were the Switzerland of the war, staying neutral and hidden as the war continued on for centuries.
A knocked sounded again. This time, Nicu was prepared for Watson to enter with his guest. He stood from behind the desk, more in control of his pain as Watson entered with a small woman with thick black hair following behind him. She wore a dark lace dress that Nicu remembered being in style over a century ago.
“Will there be anything else?” Watson asked, poised by the door.
“That will be all, Watson,” Nicu answered with a nod. The sound of the door shutting filled the air as he turned his attention to the witch in the room.
“If it isn’t the mighty Nicu Olaru,” she said in greeting. “It is an honor to meet you.” She floated across the room with her hand stretched out.
“Please, forgive me, Miss Onyx, but times are not pleasant,” he returned, gripping her smaller hand in his. “Please, have a seat.” He motioned to one of his high back chairs near the windows.
“I can see the pain in your eyes, vampire,” she started, her face filled with sympathy. He didn’t need anyone to overanalyze him.
“If I wanted a shrink, I would have hired one.”
“Forgive me, Your Grace. But, as I’m sure your butler has told you, I am here because of your mate.”
“What do you know of Samara?” he growled, unable to control the venom seeping into his voice. He leaned back in his chair, trying to calm down.
“We can help you find her.”
“We? As in, you and your witches’ council?” he inquired.
“Yes. We are willing to help in any way that we can,” she said, leaning forward. “My high priestess has sent me to assist you and your family with anything you may need. We have sat too long by the sidelines of this war. But now, we cannot sit idle any longer.”
“Is that so? How and why? This isn’t your fight,” he replied, his anger rising. “What do you want? Witches have stayed out of this war since the beginning. Why all of a sudden are you getting involved?”
“How? By telling you where the necromancers are located.” She calmly sat back in her chair. “And as for the why? Because Samara Shamus is the granddaughter of my high priestess.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nicu
The Olaru mansion was in an uproar. Once Nicu had alerted his father to the information that Juniper had shared, the king began contacting the council to inform them of the new information. The queen alerted the house staff to prepare for the impending battle.
Juniper had proven to be very useful. She’d shared with Nicu the exact location of the necromancers. The past few hours had been spent preparing for what Nicu considered the last battle between the vampires and necromancers.
It was time to end this. With the help of the witches, they would put an end to the necromancers, once and for all. Even his sister-in-law, Bella, had called in her Valkyries to come fight in what would be the finality of this war.
Nicu was prepared to die on this night, if it meant getting Samara and the babes back safe.
“Do you trust the witch?” Toma asked, walking alongside Nicu.
“They have never given us reason to doubt them before. They should not be held accountable for Rowena and her following,” he advised as they walked into the weapons room.
“But they sat by and didn’t do a damn thing to stop Rowena,” Toma snapped. Nicu paused, knowing that his brother grew angry at the thought of the evil witch who’d had it out for their mother.
“We cannot hold what one evil bitch did against them. Bella and the Valkyries handled it before they could have done anything. The local witch covens are not trained warriors. The Valkyries did all of us a favor. Right now, I’m desperate for any help that could bring Samara back.” He grabbed a few steel daggers from the wall and clipped them to his belt. “And, if Samara is really who they are claiming her to be, then I have no doubt they will honor their offer of assistance.”
“Do you think Samara knew her mother’s family?” Toma asked.
“I doubt it,” Teague answered, entering the room. Nicu turned to stare at the youngest Olaru brother.
“Why do you say that?” Nicu asked as he grabbed his sword from its perch on the wall and slid it into the scabbard on his back.
“Now, don’t go getting mad,” Teague implored, holding his hands up. “I did some digging into Samara, and from what I could tell, it was just her, her brother, and their mother. Their father walked out on them when she was young. I think the mother purposely kept the twins from her family. There is no documentation of any other family members. After their mother’s death, they only had each other.”
Nicu nodded, hating that he didn’t know the little details of his mate’s life, since their relationship was still in the infancy stage. It didn’t matter that they had created life together, they still had much to learn about each other. He actually felt a deep sense of gratitude toward his brother for looking into Samara’s background.
“Thank you,” he said. Glancing back at his brother, he found a look of surprise on his face. “That information alone will solidify the high priestess, Athena’s claim to be the grandmother of Samara. Good job, Teague.”
“Did anyone else just hear the great Nicu Olaru? I’m not dreaming, am I?” Teague feigned shock, holding his hands over his heart.
“Cut it out,” Nicu growled as the other members of his unit entered the room. He rolled his eyes as he stomped over to his locker. Teague barked out a laugh, just as the rest of the team filed in.
“Do I even want to know why he’s laughing at a time like this?” Adrian groaned. Phaelyn, Gadiel, Viktor, Ronin, and Khalid began gathering their needed items for the mission.
“Don’t ask,” Toma muttered.
“I have sent you all the coordinates that Juniper gave me. She and her coven will meet us there,” Nicu instructed, turning to his unit. He looked each of them in the eye, for tonight’s mission was probably the most important mission they would ever go on together. “Tonight, we end this. This war has gone on too long and it ends tonight. You are to fight as if our future depends on it, because it does. Your future kings, my legacy’s lives are at stake. We are to bring Samara home, and tonight, I promise you this, Sodan will die by my hands.”
Nicu got out of the truck and stood beside it, puzzled. They were at the location that Juniper had given them, and it was just an empty field next to a small wooded area on the outskirts of town. The moon was high in the sky, providing plenty of light for them to see a field of nothing.
“What the hell?” Adrian muttered, getting out of his side of the truck. The sounds of doors slamming echoed as the Dark Shadows gathered around him.
“I hate to ask, My Prince, but are you sure she gave you the correct coordinates?” Phaelyn asked as she and Gadiel came to stand by his side.
“She was very specific—”
“Please,
don’t be alarmed,” a voice called out from the woods.
The sounds of weapons being drawn filled the air as their attentions turned to the woods. It was unheard of for someone to sneak up on one Dark Shadow warrior, much less the entire unit.
Out of the woods, Juniper suddenly appeared, walking out of the shadows and into the moonlight. More figures began to appear behind her.
“Juniper.” Nicu nodded his head as he walked toward the witch and what appeared to be her coven.
“Nicu,” she greeted, as he stopped in front of her.
“There is nothing here,” he growled, waving his hand toward the field. Anger began to rise at the fact that she may have led him on a wild goose chase.
“You are only seeing what you want to see,” she said, as a teasing glint appeared in her eyes.
“No, there is nothing there,” Adrian, stated, coming to stand by Nicu. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this is an old cornfield.”
“Patience, vampire,” a woman said, coming to stand by Juniper’s side. She looked to be in her mid-seventies, her dark hair streaked with gray. “You vampires are always running headfirst into situations. We are dealing with one of the most powerful mystical beings. You will need an open mind tonight.”
“Is that so?” Nicu snapped, irritation lining his voice.
“Nicu Olaru.” The woman gave him a somber look. “Of all the years that you have walked this Earth, you should know that there is always more than what the eye can see.”
“Nicu, please allow me to introduce you to High Priestess, Athena La Rouge,” Juniper introduced, waving a hand to the elderly woman.
“We have met before,” Athena stated. “It was a long time ago. I believe fifty-two years ago, to be exact.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nicu
Fifty-two years ago…
* * *
“The local witches’ council has agreed to use their magic to shield our army against the necromancers,” the king informed the waiting vampires who were ready to run off into battle.
They had tracked the necromancers to the Andes Mountains in Peru. It was a perfect place to hide a mystical palace. The locals were descendants of the Incas, and were a simple farming community that lived a peaceful life. Being descendants of the great Incas led the local people to fear the necromancers. They understood that powerful beings lived among them and stayed far away from the region of the mountain that harbored the necros.
Nighttime had fallen, which meant that the vampires would be at their strongest. Even the slight chill in the air did nothing to calm the heat of battle that waited for them. The mountainous backdrop would provide cover from the local communities. Humans had no place in this war. When the vampires passed through the villages, the people scurried away, knowing that a war was on the horizon.
Nicu stood by his father’s side as hundreds of vampires listened to their king as they prepared. The sounds of swords being unsheathed echoed through the mountain air. This had been a long time coming, and Nicu ached to kill any necromancer he could. Tonight’s battle would not be a battle of the Dark Shadows against the necromancers. No, it was a battle of the vampire race against the necromancers.
“We will be able to infiltrate their lair—”
“Your Grace, can I have a word with you?” Nicu turned to find a small witch with jet black hair standing beside him. Her eyes were wide with fear as she looked up at him.
“What is it, witch?” he growled, irritated to be disturbed at a time like this. He needed to hear what his father was speaking of. He was the leader of the Dark Shadows, and it was important for him to listen to the plan.
“Please,” she whispered feverishly.
“I don’t have time for this. We are at war.” He moved to walk away from her, but a hand on his arm caused him to pause.
“This is life or death, Your Grace,” she begged.
“Fine,” he snapped, taking a few steps away to follow the witch. “Out with it. What is so important—”
“This battle will go down in the history books, Your Grace,” she began, cutting him off.
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“My coven will do everything in our power to help you vampires, but you must heed my warning. The necromancers are powerful, but there is a way to ensure that they never return to this realm. But I would need more time.”
“We don’t have more time, and they are not going anywhere but to hell where we will send them. Just cast your spells to cloak us as you agreed, and we will do the rest. We will destroy them.” How dare this witch try to tell him, a seasoned warrior, how to fight battles. “Our warriors are the best at what they do. We can handle the necros. Just wave your hands and chant your words, but leave the battle to us.” He turned and stalked away.
“Heed my warning, vampire!” she called out. “You may win the battle tonight, but war will return in the future.”
“How did you know?” Nicu turned to Athena.
“I tried to warn you, but you were too cocky and headstrong to hear the warnings of a young witch. Hopefully, now, you will listen to what this old witch has to say.”
“I’m all ears,” he said, nodding his head. The weight of the world began pressing even harder on his shoulders. Had he listened to the younger Athena then, would his world be different? And if he had, would he have ever found Samara? If not for the necromancers, would any of his siblings had found their mates? He knew the answer.
No.
“This time, I came prepared. Back then, the necromancers jumped into their portals, into the alternate universe and lived there, gaining more power as the years went on. Here, on Earth, you assumed that you had defeated them, when in reality, you were living life on borrowed time. The necromancers have waited for this day,” Athena said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Why do you think they were always a step ahead of you? They planned this. Losing Xalak, I’m sure, wasn’t a part of the plan, but destroying the vampire race has been the ultimate goal for centuries.”
“What would you have us do?” Nicu asked.
“Keep your original plan. Kill as many as you can, but I will need the blood of a powerful necromancer to complete my spell.”
Chapter Thirty
Samara
Samara sighed as she glanced around her bedroom. Sodan had kept his promise that no harm would come to her or her children. For the past couple weeks, he had moved her into her own space and provided everything that she and the babies would need. She even had a nursery attached to her bedroom for when the twins arrived.
She rubbed her larger mound, still having a hard time wrapping her head around how quickly her pregnancy was progressing. She hadn’t even come up with names for them yet. Her heart still ached at the loss of Nicu. Her children would never know their true father. She promised herself that she would never tell them of how he shunned her and let her be taken by his mortal enemy.
No, she wouldn’t do that. She would dread the day that they asked about their vampire father. She walked over to her desk that was placed in front of the massive windows that displayed a beautiful forest region. She didn’t know where they were, but the sight of the forest always seemed to calm her down.
“It is so peaceful,” she murmured as she sat down and reached for her diary. She had begun a daily pregnancy log, in which she would share with her boys someday. It was therapeutic for her to think of the future with her boys. She was still unsure that the choice she made was best for her boys, but as long as they were safe, she would pay, whatever the cost.
Today, you boys must have had a kicking match, she began writing, wincing at the memory of the hard kicks they gave her this morning.
A loud explosion sounded off in the distance. The room vibrated, causing her to grasp onto the desk to keep from falling to the floor.
“What the—”
“You must come with us!” two necro guards shouted as they stormed into her room.
“What’s go
ing on?” she asked as they grabbed her by her arms and rushed her out.
“We are under attack,” one guard snapped as another explosion rocked the building.
“In here,” the other guard shouted, pointing to a portal in the wall. She hesitated a second before she was pushed through.
“We don’t have much time. The king wants you by his side,” the first guard said, stepping through behind her.
“Come, my child,” Sodan called out from his throne chair. “It would seem that the vampires were able to somehow sneak past our wards of the property.”
“Yes, sir.” She rushed to his side, not sure what was going on. She stood slightly behind his throne, as another blast shook the building.
“There will be nothing to worry about, my dear,” Sodan murmured as more necromancers entered the throne room, surrounding them. “Your vampire is coming to destroy me and my kind. He will want to take you.”
“I refuse to go with him.” Even if Nicu killed the necromancer king, she would run far from him. She would take her children and get away. She wouldn’t want her and her children to be a burden to him. That sick, sadistic smile of his remained embedded in her memory.
Anger burned in her at how easily she was duped by him. Her powers had failed her. She had thought she felt acceptance from him regarding the babies, but she was wrong. No longer would he and his kind dupe her, making her feel as if she belonged when she knew deep down, a human could never really mate with the future king of the vampires.
“They are getting closer,” Sodan announced to the room. All the necromancers in the room began muttering in another language. Samara watched in awe as a clear force field was erected in the room, surrounding them, just as the doors burst open.
