by R. L. Perez
I fell forward, and my palms met concrete. The sun beat down on me, scorching my skin. I gritted my teeth, groaning in agony. My hair fell forward in front of my face. Slowly, I raised my gaze to find myself in the courtyard of the Castillo de Coca. I glanced around to see who had summoned me.
Of course. I should’ve known.
A familiar figure approached me, crouching down to my level. She cocked her head. “Hello.”
The smugness in her voice made my blood boil. I tried to meet her gaze, but the intensity of the sun made me drop my head again. I managed a weak chuckle. “What have you done to me, Little Nightmare?”
The girl shifted, and I sensed her blood pulsing in irritation. She hated the nickname.
Good, I thought with pleasure. I’ll keep using it then.
“I’ve summoned you here,” she said. “I have some questions for you.”
I wanted to look around, but the brightness of the area burned against my eyes. Instead, I focused on my sense of smell. An oddly familiar metallic scent reached my nose.
My blood. This girl had my blood. It must’ve been how she’d summoned me.
Then, something else, something more lethal burned my nostrils. A sharp, foul stench. I recoiled, sucking in a rattling gasp. Garlic. A circle of garlic surrounded me. “Lilith, are you trying to kill me?”
“It’s only a precaution,” the girl said. “To make sure you cooperate.”
I lifted my face just enough to glare at her. “Have I not been cooperative until now?”
The girl snorted. “Hardly.”
I laughed again and dropped my head. My whole body throbbed with pain, and it took all my strength to keep my voice level. “Ask your questions, Little Nightmare. I will answer.”
“What do you know about Lilith’s cursed witch?”
I grew very still. The silence between us was only punctuated by my rasping breaths. Though I didn’t need to breathe, it was an innate habit of mine—especially when I was weak. “Lilith’s cursed witch?” I repeated slowly. She knows, I thought in a panic. She knows about Lucia. Why else would she ask about this?
“Yes.” She sounded impatient. “You come from a long line of demons. I know you’ve heard the story. What do you know about it?”
I sucked in a breath. “We call them Nightcasters. Or brujas de la noche.”
“Why?”
“Because when Lilith takes hold of her witch, she starts slowly when the witch is most vulnerable—at night when she sleeps.”
The girl froze, and I sensed the thrumming of her blood responding to my answer. For some reason, this struck her. And frightened her.
I peered at her through my long hair. “Why do you ask, Little Nightmare?”
The girl said nothing. She remained frozen.
An unfamiliar voice interjected. “Is there a cure? Can a cursed witch resist Lilith’s influence?”
My eyes shifted to the second voice. Another girl. I recognized her. She had a strange accent and stark white hair.
“According to legend, no,” I said. Though this wasn’t entirely true. In working with my sister, I had found several possible cures. But I wasn’t about to share this with the two who held me captive.
The first girl—the Little Nightmare—sagged lower to the ground, and I felt the agony pulsing in her blood. The devastation.
I frowned. No, this wasn’t about Lucia. This was personal for the girl. She was desperate.
I wasn’t sure what possessed me to speak—pity perhaps—but I added, “There are rumors that a Nightcaster can survive Lilith’s curse . . . through the monster.”
The girl straightened. “The monster who attacks this city every year?”
My blood chilled. “Every year?” I whispered. What in Lilith’s name is she talking about? There had been whispers of a fiery monster emerging, but no one had been attacked. Yet.
The girl avoided my question. “Do you mean the monster that’s threatening the city? How is that supposed to help a cursed witch?”
I shook my head, and my locks swayed back and forth. “I don’t know. The rumors are . . . unclear. They only say the monster and the witch are one. But usually the witch is powerless, and Lilith takes over completely. Controlling the monster for herself.” I lifted myself up on my hands and knees. My arms trembled, and sweat dripped down my face. The fire burning along my skin was too intense. “Please,” I rasped. “The sun. It—” I choked on the words, swallowing down the burning ache in my throat.
The Little Nightmare didn’t move at first. Her blood reeked of suspicion. Did she honestly think I was trying to trick her?
“Brielle,” the second girl hissed.
Brielle. The name sounded French and yet the girl spoke Spanish? How peculiar.
The girl called Brielle sighed and uttered a spell.
“Magic above, shield this light.
Cloak us with the dark of night.”
Brielle’s hands glowed blue, and a shadow fell on us, blocking the sun like a parasol.
I glanced up, my eyes wide. A large, black oval hovered in the air, perfectly shielding the three of us from the sun. Slowly, I shifted my gaze to Brielle. “Incredible,” I murmured. Something within me pulsed with excitement, but I was too weak to pinpoint why.
“It won’t last long,” Brielle said. “But I have one more question.”
I sat up and brushed the hair from my eyes. Then, something stung my nose. A familiar scent of cinnamon.
Jorge.
The coven was close. I had to keep Brielle and her friend distracted. I leveled a gaze at the Little Nightmare and said, “Ask it.”
“What is it you’re looking for in the Institute?”
I cocked my head at her. “Institute?”
She sighed. “The Castillo de Coca.”
I watched her, my skin prickling with suspicion again. This girl knows too much. I just can’t tell what she knows. “Why do you ask?”
Brielle scowled and brandished a dagger toward me. “I’m asking the questions here. Answer me.”
Though I knew she was a capable fighter, seeing her try to appear intimidating made me laugh. “You don’t frighten me, Little Nightmare.”
Her blood boiled from my condescension. She lunged forward, swiping her dagger so it nicked my cheek. I hissed and raised a finger to the blood dripping down my face. But still I smirked at her, knowing it fueled her anger.
“You are fierce,” I admitted. “And strong. But not frightening.”
She blinked, clearly taken aback by my compliments. Good. Her confusion would muddle her senses and keep her preoccupied. Jorge’s scent grew even closer, mingling with the lavender smell of Guadalupe and Miguel’s familiar rainy leaves scent.
So close.
Suddenly Brielle whirled, sensing the disturbance. Miguel barreled into her, knocking her backward and shoving a dagger into her shoulder. The rest of the coven advanced, all wielding weapons. Pride soared within me at the sight of their fierce expressions and eyes blazing with determination. My family.
Jorge reached me first. He looked over me, no doubt assessing any injuries I had. Then, his gaze fell to the circle of garlic, and his jaw went rigid.
“I’m unharmed,” I said.
The fire never left his eyes. He brought his hands together, summoning a wave of black magic that dispersed the garlic, creating an opening for me to pass through.
I hobbled forward, my skin still hot from the sun’s touch.
“Liar,” Jorge growled, grabbing my arm and hefting it over his shoulder.
I shook my head. I was a Second Tier vampire—meaning I had performed a specific blood ritual to access a higher power of dark magic. It strengthened me against small, offensive magic like garlic and sunlight. But those things still weakened me.
If I’d been a First Tier vampire, I would’ve burned up immediately.
Brielle and her friend were busy trying to extract the blade from Brielle’s shoulder. Jorge moved as if to whisk me away into the forest, b
ut I stopped him. Waving my hand at the others, I gestured toward the two girls, indicating they surround them. My men obeyed, forming a tight circle so the girls had no way out.
With every ounce of effort, I straightened to my full height, ignoring the trembling in my limbs. I had to appear strong in this moment.
The white-haired girl summoned fire to close Brielle’s wound. Brielle screamed, but it wasn’t the shrill, pitiful sound I expected. It was raw and angry. Somehow, it made her sound stronger.
Brielle’s friend helped her to her feet, and they both faced me. Fear struck the white-haired girl’s face, but Brielle clenched her teeth, glaring at me.
This girl has such spirit, I thought gleefully. I would almost regret parting with her. “As always, Little Nightmare, it’s been a pleasure.”
“You never answered my question,” she snapped.
A few of my men shifted and grunted. Jorge summoned a ball of black magic in his hand, and I knew he would hurl it at her.
“Jorge,” I said sharply, shooting him a warning glance.
Jorge dropped his hand, and his magic faded. But he stared at Brielle with hatred in his dark eyes.
“I’ve answered plenty of your questions, my lady,” I said softly. “Despite the, uh, inhospitable circumstances of our conversation. Should you have any further questions for me, you are more than welcome to call upon me in my home. My coven will be eager to host a feast in your honor.” I grinned widely, revealing my fangs. Several of my comrades chuckled.
Brielle’s blood raced with fear, but she didn’t even flinch. Her nostrils flared, and she whispered, “Go to hell.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Adios, mi amor.”
In a burst of black magic, I shifted into a raven, unable to shift into bat form in the blinding light. I flitted in the air, circling above the girls before taking off toward the mountains. I sensed a few of my men shift as well, including Guadalupe and Jorge. The rest of them sprinted forward on foot toward the cover of the forest, just beyond the courtyard of the castle.
21
Brielle
AFTER LEO AND HIS FELLOW demons left, I finally relaxed my arms. The magical shade hovering above Izzy and me vanished, and the blinding sun took its place. My arms trembled, and I slumped sideways into Izzy.
Izzy shifted her weight to hold my arms steady and cleared her throat. “That was fun.”
But I wasn’t listening. My eyes narrowed as I watched the demon coven flee from the castle grounds. Izzy fidgeted next to me, but I didn’t move. I just watched. And waited.
There it was. A bright green glow that burst in the air for only a moment. Like a tiny firework. They’d made it through the Count’s wards.
In a flash, I took off after them, ignoring Izzy’s shout behind me. The demons ran farther and farther away until they were nothing more than specks like ants on the ground. But still I hurried after them, ignoring the ache in my shoulder and the throbbing in my head from the exertion.
This is it. This is my chance. Izzy and I had been lucky enough to slip outside due to the Count’s absence. Wherever he’d gone, he’d taken most of his guards with him.
Which meant as soon as he returned, my opportunity was gone.
I ran through the gardens, weaving through hedges like a maze until I slammed against the same invisible force I’d hit my first night here.
I stumbled backward, eyes wide, and glanced up and down as if I could see the top of the ward. Then, I dropped my gaze to my shirt, which was covered in scorch marks and blood. I found some blots of blood that were still wet, and I dipped my fingertips in them like I was finger-painting. Then, slowly, I lifted my bleeding fingers to the invisible ward.
A green glow burst against my eyes, but this time it encompassed my hand just like my normal blue magic did. I felt it thrumming through me like electricity. I held my breath, waiting for the power to shock me as it had before.
But it didn’t. It pulsed through me like an invitation.
Waiting for the spell to break the enchantment.
Swallowing, I said the first thing that came to mind.
“Magic above and powers that be,
Remove this ward in front of me.”
A bolt of electricity shot through me, knocking me off my feet. I tumbled backward, rolling in the grass. My limbs felt numb. I stared vacantly at the clear, blue sky and just lay there on my back for a moment.
Idiot, I thought. Of course the Count would use a spell in Spanish to break his ward. I stood up, brushing the dirt and grass off my clothes, before stepping forward to try again.
“Brielle!” a frantic voice shouted behind me.
I turned and found Izzy, her eyes wide with panic. Panting, she pointed behind her and said, “The Count. He’s back.”
Izzy and I sprinted back toward the castle. Outside, a grand carriage pulled up, flanked by half a dozen horses and footmen.
“Come on.” Izzy tugged my arm away from the entrance and toward the ballroom where the mages were. When I looked at her in confusion, she muttered, “We have some time. It takes forever for him to climb out of that stupid carriage.”
We approached Ignacio and asked him to heal me, claiming Izzy and I had had an accident with her fire. He looked a bit shocked at my appearance but readily agreed.
Soon after Ignacio healed me, His Excellency strode through the front door, flanked by an entourage of servants and valets. The Count’s deep crimson robes swept behind him with all the elegance of a king.
I had to refrain from rolling my eyes.
On the staircase I noticed Riker, his hand on the banister and his mouth set into a grim line. His eyes flicked to me. I tried offering him a smile, but he looked away before I could.
“Abernathy, Wilkinson, St. Clair, Petrov, and Arévalo, come with me please,” the Count said curtly, waving his hand. He strode past me and Izzy without a glance.
“Your Excellency—” one of the Douchebags came forward. It was Chris, the wrestler-looking guy.
“Not this time, Mr. Knox,” the Count said, brushing past him.
Chris’s face reddened. Another Douchebag—Wes Cunningham—stepped forward.
“You stay as well, Mr. Cunningham,” the Count muttered before he vanished down the hall.
Riker, Jacque, Alexei, and Juan quickly followed. I stared at Riker, who flashed me a brief smile before he left.
Then, it was just Izzy, Armin, Elias, the Four Douchebags, and me.
Eager to get away from the others, I dragged Izzy by the arm into the library.
“Why—” I started.
“Did he leave Wes and Chris behind? Sometimes he alternates. From what I’ve seen, Alexei and Jacques have been making great progress with their magic. Maybe this is a test for them.”
“And Juan?”
Izzy shrugged. “He and the Count have been really chummy lately. Dunno why.”
My stomach dropped as I remembered Juan’s refusal to keep my secret. If he and the Count were getting so close, Juan certainly would’ve revealed my demon parentage by now.
“Miss Gerrick?” a soft voice asked.
I jumped and turned to find Ignacio and the other mages standing in the open doorway. A chill of foreboding rippled through me.
“Yeah?” I said.
“Can you come with us please?” Ignacio bowed his head as if this made his request less threatening.
It didn’t.
I swallowed and shared an uneasy glance with Izzy. “Why?” I asked.
“There is another routine examination we need to administer.”
I glanced at Izzy again, and she shook her head, her brows furrowing slightly. If she was confused as well, that meant she had no knowledge of this ‘routine examination.’
My body refused to move. Though the mages’ hands were clasped and their heads inclined in submission, I knew they could easily overpower me if needed.
“Miss Gerrick is still recovering from the incident she suffered,” Izzy chimed in. “Ca
n I come with her for support?”
“I am afraid this examination must be conducted in private,” Ignacio said.
An awkward silence passed between us. I took a deep breath and nodded, forcing my lip to tremble just a bit. “I, uh, let me just say goodbye.” I turned to Izzy and embraced her.
Izzy made a startled noise, but I clutched her close and whispered, “If I’m not back in half an hour, come get me. Please.”
I released her. She met my gaze, her eyes wide, and nodded slightly.
I swallowed and turned to the mages, following them out of the library with a sense of numbing dread.
The mages’ cloaks whispered on the floor as we walked down the hallway. We passed the ballroom where we conducted our usual training. I clenched my fingers into fists, trying to control my breathing. In my mind, I recited a few spells I kept handy in case of emergencies.
“So, the Count left here pretty quickly,” I said nonchalantly.
“He has uncovered some developments from the demon coven,” Ignacio said. “It was prudent to act immediately.”
I frowned. What developments?
Then, my insides froze. I’d abducted the coven leader, and his friends had come to rescue him.
Had that left their home defenseless? Had the Count found out they’d all left and decided to seize their territory?
An uncomfortable feeling wormed its way through me. Though I despised Leo and his condescending smirk, I’d never meant to turn him over to the Count. Leo was an asshole, but at least he was open about it. The Count, however, kept secrets—too many secrets. And to me, that was far more dangerous.
“When will they be back?” I asked.
“I’m not sure, Miss Gerrick,” Ignacio said.
“Shouldn’t we wait until His Excellency returns before conducting this examination?” I asked. “Won’t he want to know the results?”
“He has authorized me to conduct this in his stead.” Ignacio stopped in front of an open door and spread his arm, gesturing I enter first.
I swallowed and stepped into the small room. It looked like a tiny study, which was unusual for a castle this size. A desk sat in the corner along with a high-backed armchair and a set of small shelves stacked with papers.
