by Sela Croft
Chapter 23
Callie
Logan carried me away, as if I was light as a feather. I closed my eyes and rested my head against his solid chest. I felt safe in his arms, although I had every reason not to. It had taken inner fortitude not to show weakness.
Instinctively, I realized that vampires preyed on vulnerability. I dared not expose mine. As a mere human in a world run by supernatural creatures, it was vital to use whatever advantage I could muster. Appearing strong was one thing I could do, even though I was shaken to the core.
The stench of the man who’d captured me lingered. I couldn’t seem to escape the smell and wished for a hot bath. The cleansing would be for more than his unwelcome scent. It would wash away the blood, and hopefully some of the horror.
Each time I thought I’d experienced something awful, an even worse thing happened. Having befriended my cell mate, some sense of security had invaded my being. At least, we’d had each other, and Sienna was familiar with the surroundings.
With her by my side, I hadn’t been utterly lost. Now she’d been ripped away, leaving me alone again. Terror over what had occurred filled my soul. When that horrible brute had grabbed me, I’d feared for my life. The lack of knowledge about where he’d take me, or what he’d do when we got there, had catapulted me into a pit of fear.
Poorly equipped against such ferocity, I’d been a victim unable to guide my fate. That was the part that I hated most. If only I’d had a weapon, or allies who would rise to defend me, I might have righted my course without the aid of a vampire.
I vowed to correct that oversight, as soon as possible. I’d been in Shadowland long enough to realize that I needed some defense, and fast. My future was wholly unpredictable, making my gut roil with anxiety.
As if that hadn’t been enough, Logan in his valiant attempt to save me, severed the head of my human abductor. The sudden and violent event was like a scene from a horror movie, the type I’d made a point not to watch.
I tried to block the sight of the headless man from my mind. Yet I knew it would be a long time before I’d cease seeing the cruel act. I suppose a vampire couldn’t be expected not to kill. Even I knew that they thrived on blood. Yet I was rattled by what I’d seen.
Logan stopped moving, and I opened my eyes. “Where are we?”
“This is a medical bay. I’m taking you in to get cleaned up.”
The door slid open to a high-ceilinged space with private cubicles. The white walls and pristine floors were signs that the place was for medical care. There was a lot of activity, with a variety of medical equipment around.
Passing by a reception desk, Logan carried me straight to a private room. He was the prince, so it didn’t surprise me that no one questioned him. I was relieved to see that the nurse was human, and that she wasn’t frightening. She nodded at Logan, then gave me a kind smile.
“You’ll care for her,” Logan said, then set me on my feet.
I wobbled, but managed to stay upright. The nurse took my arm. “Yes, my price. She will have the best treatment.”
Oddly, Logan didn’t leave. He gazed at me, and his emerald eyes glowed with a hunger I couldn’t place. He didn’t move away, but just stood there. He was so formidable, his chiseled form a feast for the eyes. The vampire might be a brute, but he was certainly a handsome one.
“I’ll wait,” he said.
I stared at him, hoping he’d take the hint. But he didn’t. “I’d like to be alone with the nurse,” I said. “I’ll need to change into something clean.”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight. Look what happened the last time I did.”
“That’s a bit different.” I frowned, but Logan didn’t budge. “Okay, but you have to turn around when I change out of these bloody garments. And no peeking.”
The nurse smiled at me, then began tending to my face, wiping away quite a lot of blood. A wave of nausea hit, seeing so much of another man’s blood covering me. When I was cleaned off, the nurse checked for wounds. She found a few cuts and scrapes that had bleed, so she covered them with bandages.
I was fortunate not to have any worse injuries. While the nurse took care of me, Logan stared. He appeared stiff and uncomfortable. That hungry look didn’t leave his face. Although, once I was bandaged, he seemed to relax more.
It gave me the creeps to think that he wanted my blood. For all I knew, he would give in to his craving. He might drink every drop of my blood, and that would be the end of it all. I couldn’t allow that. After the nurse tended my wounds, my body calmed a bit.
She gave me a white capsule and some water. “This will ease any pain, and help you recover from the trauma.” After digging in a cupboard, she handed over clean garments. It wasn’t a designer outfit, by any means. But the items were clean and close to my size.
I waved at Logan, who turned to face toward the door. I would have preferred that he leave, but didn’t suggest it. Having known him for such a brief time, I already knew he was stubborn. Arguing with him about leaving would most likely incite him to do something even more annoying.
When I was ready, I stood in front of Logan. “I’m starving, you know. If you harbor humans, you must realize that they eat food.”
“That was going to be our next stop.” He opened the door and I followed him out. When we were outside, he strolled beside me.
“I know you can fly, so why are we walking?”
“I think you’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
“If you say so.” But he was right; I’d had more than enough strange things happen. I breathed the outside air, and tried to settle my nerves. Walking was better than being locked in a jail cell. For the moment, I was free—sort of. Yet I had no idea how long that would last.
Chapter 24
Callie
The bistro was for humans, because I didn’t see any other vampires around. Outside, several guards milled about. I guessed they were stationed for Logan’s protection. Although from what I’d seen, he didn’t need any. So maybe they were there for me.
It wasn’t likely that I’d escape, since I wasn’t about to leave the realm without my sister. And I didn’t know how to get out, anyway. Possibly, Logan was taking extra precautions against some other crazy human coming after me.
I perused the menu and ordered spinach quiche. There was a wide variety of selections, and my stomach was like an empty hole. But I was queasy over the events of the day, and still a little shaky. I didn’t want to embarrass myself by throwing up, so I selected lighter fare.
The water was delicious. “This is so much better than that sludge served in prison.”
Logan raised his brows. “I’ll have to mention that.”
“Please do,” I said, then gulped more water. “Just because a person has been detained, doesn’t mean they deserve unclean conditions. From what I could tell, people end up there for many reasons. And they should be released, if the detention is unjust.”
Logan’s expression revealed little. “You seem to know a lot about it.”
“I’m learning.” Maybe Logan wasn’t pure evil. He listened to me and didn’t automatically dismiss my concerns. Also, he seemed to take pleasure in seeing me eat. And he had made sure I received medical care. Making sure that I stayed alive might suit his purposes though. I wasn’t too anxious to give him the benefit of the doubt.
After I’d eaten some of the quiche and drank three glasses of water, I pushed the plate away and leaned back. “I went so long without eating, that’s all I can handle for now.”
“I’ll have to see that you are regularly fed,” Logan said, looking me over. “You’re thin enough.”
“Is that an insult or a compliment?” I held up a hand. “No, don’t answer. It doesn’t matter.”
After a beat, Logan said, “I would like to know how you ended up in my kingdom, and what it is you want?”
Of course, he did. But I wasn’t ready to bare my soul, even if this vampire was behaving. His motives were suspect. “T
hat is a long story,” I said. “And one that I’m not sure I’m ready to tell.”
The anger in his eyes couldn’t be ignored. “You will tell me, whether you want to or not. When you enter my realm without being invited, you agree to follow my rules.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything.” I lifted my chin, feeling a bit tougher with food in my belly. “And I won’t until I decide to. That’s just how it is.”
Logan glared, his green eyes burning holes in my forehead.
“I’ve come here for a very personal reason, about something that is important to me. I’d like to trust you, I really would.” I took a breath. “But you have to admit that your reception hasn’t been all that reassuring.”
When there was no response, I continued, “I was roughed up by your guard, unjustly thrown in prison, hauled off by some criminal, and witnessed a murder. How would you feel?”
“You act as though you are a guest. You are an intruder.”
It would do no good to argue, since I hoped to make the vampire my ally. “I have a question for you. I want to know where Sienna has been taken.” Tears threatened, but I pushed them back. It wouldn’t do to reveal my sense of loss.
“Who?”
“My cell mate,” I said. “You are in charge around here. Surely, you can find out where my cell mate has been taken.”
“That wasn’t my doing. Whoever orchestrated your kidnapping took Sienna. How would I know where she’s been taken?”
“I need you to find out.” My gaze locked with his, but I didn’t budge.
“Enough of this,” Logan said. “Let’s go.”
Since I had no alternative, I followed him out. But I wasn’t about to forget Sienna. I only hoped that something awful hadn’t happened to her. There was no question that she’d been whisked away, because she’d been my cell mate. I’d make it my business to get her back, along with my beloved sister Rosamon.
Chapter 25
Natasha
Perhaps I hadn’t done the right thing. My visions had revealed more than I’d divulged to my beloved brother, so maybe I should have told him more. The weight of guilt sat firmly on my shoulders.
I wandered out into the gardens, letting the soft breeze blow around me, taking with it my worry and anguish, if only just slightly. There was still an odd sort of tinge in the air—the taste and scent of smoke. It washed away whatever momentary relief I had experienced.
I spent a great deal of time in my gardens, confessing my fears to nature, bearing my soul in my tranquil escape. I needed this place. With everything that had happened and everything that would happen, I needed the serenity offered there.
My inner thoughts were in turmoil. It was the curse that came with my gift. Seeing into the future was a great ability. And as such, it was a great burden. Knowing what would come was tantalizing and exhilarating. There was something thrilling about exploring what should remain unknown. The temptation to dive deeper into my visions, to let them manifest, was strong.
“At times, knowing too much is dangerous.” My mother Raphina had warned me.
She, like myself, was a seer. She was judicious with her gift, using it only when necessary, and teaching me to do the same.
“The future is not set in stone, Natasha,” she’d said. “What we see is a premonition. It is meant to guide, not dictate. Revealing too much could change it, and it almost never changes it for the better.”
She’d been right.
I was not as strong as my mother. I’d given into temptation in the past. It hadn’t ended well. It had cost us so much—friends, family. Lives that hadn’t needed to be sacrificed, had been.
The breeze continued to blow. The rustling of the leaves and the soft, melodic sounds of the river’s babbling soothed me. I inhaled deeply, ignoring the smoke in the air and focusing instead on the scent of the flowers, then looked up to the dark, star-speckled sky. The glow of the city behind me cast a blue hue over everything. There was still peace to be found.
I padded my way across the stone path, dragging my hand over the soft petals hanging down from the trees above. I had made the correct decision. Telling Logan more than I had would have caused him to react. That was how he was—reactive. He always had been. It was a good quality, when balanced with a clear mind. Logan lacked that at times, though. He could be rash and volatile.
That is not what he needs; it’s not what the city needs. The violet-eyed visitor will bring with her what she will. It has already begun. Logan will discover it in his own time. It should not be rushed.
Still I felt a shiver run up my spine. Memories of past turmoil filled my thoughts. Will it happen again? Will we lose more people? We had lost so many already. The vampires couldn’t stand to lose more. Our numbers were weak, and our forces stretched thin. Perhaps, I should warn him.
My time in my gardens would have to be cut short. There were more important matters to be addressed. I’d suspected one of my servants. One of my visions had revealed that betrayal was imminent. I sensed the servant’s arrival and went inside to have a confrontation.
This was my opportunity to gain insight into what was truly plaguing my realm, my city—my home. I could not let it pass. I needed answers, if my own servant had allied with enemies, then I’d discover what was behind that.
I walked through the sitting room, the large windows lining the walls letting in soft trickles of light. I scanned my surroundings, assessing where would be the best place to deal with the servant. The kitchen would put more weapons at my disposal, in case the encounter turned ugly. But the space was small and didn’t lend a quick escape, in the event one was needed.
The bedroom below the surface presented the same problem, with only one way in and one way out. The study, the library, the dining room—I considered them all carefully. All the while, the shivers of warning slithered up and down my back.
Rounding the couch, I finally spoke. “Here is as good a place as any, I suppose. You can show yourself now.”
At first, no response came. There was no movement. I held my ground as I waited, pushing a strand of hair from my face, making sure that my vision would not be compromised.
I heard footsteps shuffling forward, and out of the shadows appeared a figure. The man wore the traditional garb of human servants allowed inside the city—a thick, dark shroud hanging loosely over brown pants. A hood hung over his face.
“Show yourself,” I said.
He took another step into the room. The light fell across him, but his face was hidden.
“I will not ask again,” I said.
I reached for the knife I carried. It was a precautionary measure my brothers had insisted upon, one I didn’t reject. It came in handy at times like this. The man remained still and silent, showing his indigence by holding his ground.
In one swift, rapid movement, I let the knife fly across the room. It hurled in his direction, its path leading to the point between his eyes. The man stepped to the side quickly and the projectile zipped past him, plunging into the wall, and coming to an abrupt halt.
With a menacing laugh, the man pushed back the hood from his face. His features were sharp—dark black hair and deep brown eyes that seemed to stare at me with a level of understanding humans didn’t possess. Taking another step in my direction, he let the shroud fall from around his shoulders.
I stifled a gasp and forced my feet to remain planted in place. Below the servant’s garb, he wore the typical gear of a vampire hunter. Slung across his back was a cross-bow. Wooden stakes were holstered across his chest, and at his sides he carried two silver blades. They shimmered in the light, drawing my eye to them immediately.
I’d had plenty of experience with vampire hunters like him. I knew their tricks and I had outwitted them on countless occasions—alone or with allies to defend them. Those that I had not killed had been taken captive. I wasn’t sure which was a less terrible fate.
“Who sent you to infiltrate?” I said.
“What makes you think I was
sent?”
I thought back to the way he had moved, the way he had side-stepped the knife that flew at him faster than the naked eye could perceive. At least, faster than the human’s eye could perceive.
I took a step to the right and spoke again, my voice firmer than before. “You will tell me. Whether it is of your own volition or not, that is your choice.”
He stepped to his left. “It’s so kind of you to give me a choice. And I heard that the royal family was cruel and heartless.”
He was mocking me.
“You will remember whom you’re speaking to,” I said.
I took another step to my right, which he matched with one to his left. We were locked in a slow dance that would end with dramatic flair.
“I know about you, princess,” he said. His eyes fixed on mine, sending another shiver running up my spine. This one was out of fear. There was something in the way he spat my title that told me he meant what he said—in more ways than one.
“I know you well,” he said. “All of you. And while I admire your confidence, I warn you, it is unfounded.”
He didn’t speak like a human. He spoke with authority and assuredness the mortal beings living in our realm were not afforded. When he moved to his left again, I saw him shift his weight. It was a slight movement but not one that went unnoticed.
“You will tell me who employs you,” I said. “You will reveal your secrets in time. Save yourself the pain and surrender.”
It would be my last warning.
He threw his head back and laughed. The sound bounced off the walls and slid up my arms, spreading the goosebumps that had already formed there.
“I’m afraid it will be the other way around, Natasha. You will be the one telling me what I want to know. Your kind will be gone before long. You should save yourself the misery and accept that fact now.”
