Immortal Embrace (Vampire Magic Book 5)

by Sela Croft

  “Logan, you are deluded,” she said. “I see you there, but you are unharmed.”

  Callie smiled at me, but it was a grim look. “My father has gifted me with extraordinary power,” she said. “If only you knew, you would thank him and not fear him.”

  Seth leaned closer to her like a proud father, while I stared in disbelief.

  “I have allied with my father for a good cause,” Callie said in an even tone. “You will see, and ultimately you will join us.” She paused. “You will have no choice. The power we’ve gained…will change the world.”

  My perceptions of Callie were askew. She wasn’t herself, and worse, she appeared to have lost her humanity. Vampire and sorceress, she may be, but part of her was human and always would be. Or so I’d assumed.

  Had Seth found a way to blot out her very nature, the humanity that made her what she was? The idea struck fear into my heart. I might have lost my love, for good.

  That couldn’t be so. I’d fight for our love. Yet gazing into her eyes, I wasn’t sure if I could reach her.

  But then I looked deeper, peering beyond the obvious to see into her soul. There I recognized the woman I loved. She wasn’t gone, only submerged. All I needed to do was appeal to the Callie I knew; she would respond to me.

  “Callie, my love,” I said. “Gaze into my eyes and tell me that you know me well. I am true and loyal. We are bonded for all eternity. That is not to be taken lightly. I love you with all my heart.”

  Instead of responding in kind, Callie laughed at me. “That is in the past,” she said with a glance at her father. “The weak human girl of whom you speak is gone.” Her eyes were like glowing embers. “The girl who is no more, is the one you claim was bonded to you. She was nothing compared to what I am now, with my father’s supreme blood swirling through my veins.”

  Undaunted, I continued to press. I had to fight for the love I knew was inside her. All I needed to do was reach her heart. “Have you forgotten what we mean to each other?”

  Callie’s gaze met mine, but she didn’t appear curious.

  I was willing to do whatever it took to revive her, to reach her goodness, and make her remember. “Do you not know, deep inside...that I would sacrifice anything for you?” I held my breath. That question seemed to arouse her, causing her expression to shift, if ever so slightly.

  Chapter 39

  Logan

  Callie appeared intrigued by my offer. “I have a question for you, vampire prince.” There was a spark of life in her eyes. “Would you sacrifice Shadowland for me?”

  I’d abandoned my kingdom once before to aid her, as she well knew. There was nothing that I wouldn’t do for her. If she realized that, then she couldn’t deny how much I loved her.

  Callie waited for my reply, and I saw a slim chance. There was hope of getting through to her. Maybe she only thought to gain an advantage for her father by making me acquiesce. Yet when I spoke, my words were truthful. “Yes, my love, I would sacrifice even that, by giving up my role as the future king. I would walk away from it for you.”

  Like flipping a switch, Callie’s eyes changed. They glowed due to her vampire state, but the strange, eerie light had dimmed. She hesitated before replying, as if unsure how she felt.

  “I don’t deserve that kind of sacrifice,” Callie said in a softer voice. I sensed the connection between us, and it seemed as if no one else was in the room. “I’m the daughter of a sorcerer, who is absorbing so much power from those around him, no one will be capable of defeating him.”

  Callie looked deep into my eyes. “And more than that: in time, I will become just like him, as all his offspring must.” Then she glanced at Rosamon. It was as though she hadn’t noticed her sister before.

  Rosamon leapt to her feet in protest. “No, Callie, don’t say that.” She looked up at her father. “Please…father…stop. This is all crazy. It’s not right to destroy all, merely to satisfy your craving for power.”

  Seth merely smirked.

  “I beg you,” Rosamon said. “This is not the way. I came to the Fae kingdom willingly, in the hope of swaying your decision. It is my greatest desire that you diverge from the path you are on.”

  Furiously, I tried to figure out a way to get through to the real Callie. I’d made a start, but she still believed her father’s propaganda. Seth was on the verge of controlling all he surveyed, using the immense power he’d managed to possess. His goal of becoming the dictator over all seemed within reach.

  In the furthest recesses of my mind, I discovered memories of long before. When I’d been newly turned into my vampire state, my parents had given me instruction about power attainment. They’d explained why the power given to vampires was shared among them. Too much power bestowed solely to one was lethal.

  Too much power was dangerous. And Seth was a demonstration of that.

  When I turned back to Callie, I perceived the internal struggle within her. She fought for good, yet the lust for greatness was mesmerizing. It opened the door to impossible achievements and negated the damage done to others along the way.

  My only chance to save her from herself was to ramp up my confessions of love. For only through love, could she escape the fate that awaited her like the maw of death. “Callie, you must trust me. I will not betray you,” I said fervently. “I love you with every part of my being.”

  Callie’s eyes widened.

  “I swear to you,” I said, pouring all the emotion I felt into my vow. “I will do anything for you. You are my only true love.”

  Whether is was the confession of love or the strong emotion that got through, I wasn’t sure. But Callie suddenly appeared to be her real self again. I was relieved that she’d snapped out of it. Her trance had been broken.

  Chapter 40

  Callie

  Logan had spoken the truth. I recognized his love for me, and it reignited mine for him. Not that it had ever been gone—such was not possible. I rushed down the steps from the throne and into his arms.

  I’d broken free, but I wasn’t sure it would last. I’d been in the grip of something I’d fought against yet had been unable to resist.

  As Logan held me tight, I took control and was able to keep the other side of me away. I wished for that moment to last, for as long as possible. In my love’s embrace, I was whole again and safe.

  When I looked into Logan’s emerald eyes, he took my breath away. His strong jaw and handsome features were as I remembered. He was strong and trustworthy. Most of all, he loved me.

  “Logan…” Tears welled in my eyes. “I love you so much.” I considered the magnitude of what he’d offered and the urge to do the same filled me. “You give your all to me, my love. I will give all I am to you.”

  I meant every word of it. Yet I wasn’t saved yet. I was horrified by the power coursing through me, and wanted it gone. My other self hadn’t disappeared for good; she was only temporarily placated. That bad side would recharge and return stronger than ever.

  Logan had my heart and I couldn’t let him sacrifice everything for me. With the little control I had left, there was one thing I could offer to him, even if it meant the end of me. I must save him, and the others. It was my only salvation.

  I’d been so afraid. I’d been all alone under the dark cloud of my sorcerer father and drawn into the void by the side of me that wanted the same craven outcome. I’d been debased and whatever goodness I had inside had been submerged.

  It could happen again, but I couldn’t let it. Yet I was unsure how to do anything about it. I wasn’t clear on a way to not only stop my father but to stop myself. It seemed an odd battle to fight, but it was the hardest I’d encountered.

  If I could get myself unified, whole again, then I stood a chance. But how could I do to so?

  My biggest strength, the one thing I had that my father wanted, was my power. That was the weapon that I must use against him. It was the one thing standing between the realms and my father’s total domination. He sought my power, because it
was the only barrier to his goal.

  I should have seen it before. There was a reason that I had been important, all along. I had value, and if I used it to my advantage, then I might be able to destroy the evil sorcerer whom I reluctantly called father.

  But I didn’t have to do as he commanded. I had an idea about how to turn the tide and wipe his evil from the world, though I wasn’t confident it would work. Yet in the seconds I had with Logan, a brief respite away from my father’s overbearing influence, it was the best plan that I could come up with.

  My strategy was simple, if tricky to execute. I would make a clever deal with my nemesis. She hungered for power in the extreme, her biggest vulnerability. She wanted it so badly that she was blind to all else. I could use that weakness against her, then defeat Seth.

  I intended to give her my power as she desired and hoped she wouldn’t perceive my real purpose. My alter-ego was prideful and overconfident like my father. So, I’d bargain—offering my power in exchange for her help—to have a chance of conquering the almighty Seth who’d created her. And to take back the power that wasn’t rightfully his.

  How would this work? I’d have to convince her of my plan. Plus, I prayed that she retained enough of my real self to have a bit of compassion and love in her. If she had those qualities, she’d be less of a monster than Seth. Even while holding the power, she would be more merciful.

  Chapter 41

  Callie

  While Logan was distracted, looking into my eyes and loving me, I embarked upon my plan. There was so little time, just a tiny window of opportunity. Whatever I did, I had to be fast.

  I got in tune with my power-hungry side. She might eat me alive before I got halfway through my proposition, but I prayed she wouldn’t. I offered her all my power, what she’d wanted from the start. She was distrustful, so it took a bit of convincing.

  Yet I was desperate. She had to believe me and agree to do as I asked, which was to accept all I flowed to her. The potential power in her possession was a strong incentive, so it didn’t take long to sway her to my way of thinking. Then I made an additional plea to spare those I loved—that in the power surge and takeover, she be merciful.

  My baser self was clearly frustrated with what remained of my humanity. She scoffed at my request but agreed. After all, she was getting what she wanted. What she didn’t know was that after the feat of destroying Seth was achieved, I intended to take control back from her. Then I could save the others.

  Fully aware that my father was near his limits in the absorption of power, my scheme could work. He’d informed me when I’d arrived at his palace and sensed the flow of currents beneath the city, that my tolerance for energy was more than I’d imagined.

  Yet, in that statement, he’d given me a clue that my strategy hinged on. All physical bodies had limits. There was only so much energy one could absorb. Thus, power could be overdone. Although, my father wouldn’t admit to that.

  When his leather-gloved hands had held mine, the current between us had been heavy. It had frightened me, but my father had reassured me. He’d said that I had the potential to absorb much more energy, so I need not fear.

  But did he have more potential, or was he already close to maximum? Because the way I saw it, he had amassed so much power that he verged on expanding beyond his physical capability to handle it.

  If that was true, then I’d push him even further, beyond what was natural. I might not survive in the process, but I was willing to take that risk. I would sacrifice myself to save the rest. By relinquishing my power to my lustful side, then in one united effort attempt to explode Seth, I might lose my real self forever.

  Yet I had to take the chance.

  Logan whispered in my ear. “Callie, what are you doing?”

  He must have noticed my concentration and perceived that I had concocted a plan. He feared for me and I understood that. But this was my time to sacrifice not his. So, I ignored him.

  Standing at the foot of the stairs to the throne, I gazed at Seth. “You have waited patiently, my father. I was wrong to resist you. Your desire must be satisfied, so I willingly bow to you.” I took a deep breath. “My power is yours, as you wish.”

  Dramatically, I opened my arms to my father, playing to his oversized ego. “I am your daughter,” I said, “take what you will.”

  Logan stepped to my side. “Callie, my love…don’t do this.” But he couldn’t get any closer. My father put up a force shield, as I’d known he would.

  I was inaccessible to all but Seth. With my eyes wide, watching the mad sorcerer, I prepared for the consequences of my actions. The results were unpredictable, but it didn’t matter. Making this offering was the only way.

  I could think of no faster alternative, and that might be the one moment the overload of power could be achieved. I prayed that any loss of my own ability would be temporary, and that my good self could rein things in. Yet there was no guarantee.

  The irony was not lost on me. I intended to explode my father with the very power he craved. That outcome depended on many aspects, including the cooperation of my bad side. That side of me had been so poisoned by a taste of power, that she was consumed with a craving for more.

  Her agreement to accept my power, to let all I possessed flow into her, was because she wanted to eliminate the ultra-strong Seth. He was the only obstacle to taking all the power for herself. I just hoped that I’d made her believe that was my sole intent. And she didn’t suspect that I wouldn’t let her keep the power once Seth was defeated.

  The logic was twisted. Thus, I might be quite as mad as my father. Yet, if the deceit of my other-self worked, I could execute my plan. It was the only hope for all of us. I held my breath as I realized that all of me was united, operating in unison instead of divided, in what I was about to do.

  With my arms opened to my father, I allowed the power to flow from me to him. The current began to ebb from my body then gained momentum. The power exchange grew stronger and stronger. And my power-hungry side realized too late what was happening, so she was unable to curb the flow.

  The more power I flowed to my father the less I possessed, and the weaker the power-hungry version of me became. When she realized the deception, she railed against it and wanted to stop it, before all my power belonged to Seth. But as the seconds ticked by, she was further weakened so hadn’t the strength to fight it.

  Chapter 42

  Callie

  With my power-hungry side drained of energy, my good self was back in control. My father had been incapable of refusing the power I flowed to him. He hadn’t resisted what I’d offered, and he assumed he’d won our little power game.

  Seth appeared confident that he could contain any amount of power I sent his way. When he caught onto my deception, well-aware of why I’d given in, he laughed at me. “Your trick won’t work,” he said. “It is all for naught.” His eyes flared with an evil gleam. “Pretending to feed your power side, letting go of your good side and any humanity you retain, will not achieve what you intended.”

  I didn’t give him the courtesy of a reply. It remained to be seen if my trick would work or not.

  “I will have all the power,” Seth said. “You will have none. Realize, my daughter, that I will prevent any goodness in you from prevailing. It will not be possible for you to function independently of me. I will control all.”

  But I didn’t withdraw; I continued to flow power to Seth.

  In my peripheral vision, I noticed the others including Logan trying to get to me. I understood their desire to save me, but I had already placed myself beyond rescue. My father kept an energy field around me, so that no one could interfere.

  The growing intensity of Seth’s magic had an ever-widening sphere. My power added to his was creating a force burgeoning toward explosion. I perceived Seth’s gradual instability, because even he could not handle that much energy.

  His body began to violently shake, yet he did not cut off the flow. Hungry for more, he strug
gled to take as much as I would give. I’d anticipated what was about to happen.

  Seth had overdone it, like a druggy overdosing because of an uncontrollable addiction. He was about to reach critical mass, since he’d absorbed more energy than any physical body could tolerate without being destroyed.

  Pride was his weakness. He was overconfident, which would be his undoing. Yet he’d reached the limit of energy that he could hold. I anxiously waited for the end.

  But he wasn’t so easily defeated. Seth lifted his hands and chanted in an ancient language. Bolts of energy shot from his fingertips. He was attempting to release the excess power, so directed it at the creatures around him.

  The building shook and Fae buckled from the strike. Yet Seth continued to bleed off energy as I flowed it toward him. The forms of the Fae became twisted, and they writhed in agony. The very ground underneath us shuddered with the force he released.

  Fearing utter destruction, I attempted to pull back. The unforeseen consequence of my tactic was intolerable. I couldn’t let others suffer the agony he expelled toward them. I’d have to pull back.

  Only I couldn’t. My arms wouldn’t move, and I was unable to stop the flow. Each time I tried, my father reacted by emitting dangerous currents at a more rapid rate. It was clear to me why he refused to let me go, even though he had more power than he needed.

  If he released me, he feared that my good self would gain the advantage. Despite his claim otherwise, I was sure he considered my humanity unpredictable and threatening. He was compelled to control that part of me but lacked certainty that he could.

  I clung to that knowledge, and gave another push toward overloading the sorcerer fiend I’d locked onto. I didn’t want the others involved any more than Seth did. It was their safety that I was most concerned with.

  I shouted, “Stay back! Do not interfere! This is the only way to stop him.” Since I couldn’t withdraw, I had to see my plan through—and hope he didn’t destroy the kingdom before the power flow terminated.