Immortal Embrace (Vampire Magic Book 5)

by Sela Croft

  While Seth struggled to get free of the sword, I poured more focus into keeping him where he was. If he escaped the wall, the madman would destroy us all. Callie and Rosamon wouldn’t have a chance to get their hands on him. He’d kill his own daughters, as surely as he’d kill the rest of us.

  Crazed with a need for his own survival and heady with the power he yet held, Seth clearly hadn’t thought through his actions. For if all were gone, who would he have to rule over? Who would do his bidding and crawl at his feet with reverence?

  If the sorcerer was let free, he would destroy all. It would be amazing if he didn’t destroy himself in the process. He was crazy. Thus, his actions would be those of an insane man—which gave me an idea.

  My mother Raphina, the reigning queen of Shadowland, had remained in hiding all these years. In my mind’s eye, she was as real as the day she’d left. I could see her, clearly. My sister had her honey-blond hair. I had her striking green eyes.

  We’d both be lucky to inherit her wisdom. That was one thing I missed. My mother was a seer, and wiser than most. Her words came back to me. She’d told me, “Powerful allies are all around you.”

  She’d been right. All I had to do reach out. My mother was my most fervent ally, and even in her absence she offered protection. It had been very clever of her.

  My mother had given me the opal ring and advised that it would protect me. Then I’d gifted the ring to Callie. She wore it on her ring finger. Glancing at her, I saw the gem sparkle in fire-orange light of the palace room.

  It beckoned me, as if it was a conduit to my dear mother. How had I not seen that before? In a time of need, all I had to do was rub the stone in the ring. My mother had assured me of that.

  Telepathically, I communicated to Callie. Even with her eyes on her dangerous father, she received my thought. I conveyed the urgent message to rub the gem in the ring I’d given her. She trusted me, so didn’t ask questions or appear confused.

  My love raised her hand and the blue-pink opal glowed in its gold twig-and-leaf setting. I stared, spellbound. The ring appeared to hold powerful magic. Its brightness was not dulled by the gloom that filled the room.

  Seth glared at his daughters, challenging them to defy him further. He fully intended to take back control, and I dreaded to think of the consequences. Then Callie rubbed the delicate stone in her ring.

  Instantly, my mother appeared through an unseen portal. She hovered high above, like a lovely ghost. Yet the astral projection looked very real, as her essence positively was. She might not have been in the room in body, but there was no doubt she was there in spirit.

  My mother shouted, causing Seth to falter. She held out her arm and pointed a filmy finger at the evil sorcerer. “You dare to attack my son, the vampire prince of Shadowland. And you betray your own daughters?” Raphina radiated with incrimination. “You…evil sorcerer…defame all that is good in magic!”

  The unexpectedness of Raphina’s appearance and her command of the room, threw off Seth’s concentration. In that fraction of a second, the force field weakened.

  Callie grabbed Rosamon’s hand and raced forward. Though imbued with magic, each of the twins was human by nature. And it was the humanity that was the ultimate weapon against their father’s betrayal.

  Before the evil sorcerer could strengthen his defense, both of his daughters grasped the bare skin of his arms. As their hands pressed against him, Seth cried out.

  Yet no words came from his lips. The sorcerer yelled in abject pain and the vibration rattled the stone walls of the room. The floor beneath us shook as he growled like the animal he was. But his daughters did not release their grip despite how he railed against humanity, desperate to be released from his fate.

  I had no need to maintain force against Seth or the sword that pierced through him. He wasn’t going anywhere. Before my eyes his magic disappeared. The heat in his eyes vanished and the radiation in the room settled down. I sensed relief among the Fae he’d intimidated. Even his guards held back, likely hoping for the cruel taskmaster’s demise.

  “You will not harm anyone, ever again,” Callie said, moving back then taking Rosamon’s hand. She guided her sister to step away without taking her eyes off her father. Her job was finished; her aim had been achieved.

  Seth’s eyes stared blankly, merely vacant, soulless orbs. And blood dripped out where the blade pierced through him. The man was flesh and bone. The sword in his belly had killed him. He fell limp against the wall…dead.

  Chapter 48

  Callie

  After leaving the high court in King Jabari’s capable hands, I departed the Fae kingdom. The king was still sick with an incurable illness, but his strength had been amazingly restored upon hearing the news of Seth’s death. He would surely put things in order.

  Disaster had been averted and the Fae realm had been freed of its tyrant. My father had died, taking his evil with him. Any spells he’d cast had held no force after his demise.

  Amalia’s power had been restored, and her lovely face was as it had been before. The Fae were their former selves with all disfigurement gone. And the wall had vanished as if it had not existed, leaving no barrier to separate the magical realms.

  Logan and I returned to Shadowland, bringing Noah and Rosamon with us. Even Florian arrived home, safely, and told his tale of being knocked unconscious by the furious sorcerer. He hadn’t been killed, only put out of action.

  Without evil breathing down my neck, my thoughts were of a peaceful existence between realms. Natasha and Valter had kept the kingdom defended, while their prince had been away.

  It was only a matter of time until Logan became the king. With Crystal City secure, he planned to bring his mother Raphina home. The war that had ravaged the land for centuries had abated, because everyone had united in a single victory against a more powerful enemy.

  I didn’t know how long peace would last but embraced it while it did.

  Logan’s floating penthouse had been a welcome sight. It was home, and I’d missed it. We returned, much to the relief of his servants. Henry and Bernadette had been worried sick, and rightfully so. It was quite the reunion.

  Although, Logan held back from hugging. I did not, so clung to Bernadette with tears in my eyes. I was where I wanted to be, where I belonged.

  That first night, I sat on Logan’s lap with my head on his shoulder. The terrace was beautiful. I’d have to thank Henry, for the additional ceramic pots along the wall. The flowers bloomed brightly under the night sky, with a magic all their own.

  Logan held me in his arms and I nestled against his strong chest. “My father tried to pull me into his world, because he knew that my human side was his greatest weakness.”

  “And you realized it, just in time.”

  “He couldn’t have impregnated my mother, even if he hadn’t been in the Fae prison,” I said. “It would have required human touch…the one thing he could not survive.”

  Slipping from Logan’s lap, I took his hand to guide him to the pool. I sat on the edge then dangled my bare feet in the cool water. “It was quite a struggle,” I said. “But I won.”

  Then I smiled at my vampire prince. “I developed an immunity to the lust for power. At least, the world is safe from me. I intend to use any ability that I possess for the good of all.”

  Logan brushed his fingertips along my jaw, then kissed me tenderly. With his lips brushing mine, he whispered, “You are my one true love.”

  *****

  There was one matter that remained unresolved. And for that, I needed Morrigan’s assistance, one more time. Logan and I traveled to her castle, accompanied by Noah and my sister.

  I had saved my sister, as I’d intended. Yet she had no more desire to live in Oregon than I did. Each of us had found our path in life. There was so much, yet to be discovered. And the magical realm was our new home.

  Fortunately for us, time passed more slowly in Shadowland than in the human world. All that had recently taken place which se
emed like an eternity, had happened in only hours of Oregon time. That brief period could be accounted for.

  Morrigan ushered us into her sitting room. Then she retrieved a spy globe. It was a special instrument that would suit our purposes. “This globe can be called upon to perform a unique task. It can be used very rarely. And only for a good purpose.”

  The sorceress guided us on how to proceed. Through the magic globe, Rosamon and I saw our adoptive parents. Ian and Emma were worried about where we’d gone. It seemed as if we’d vanished into thin air, which was close to the truth.

  But we needed a way to put them at ease and restore their happiness. I loved them, and my sister did to. They’d cared for us, raised us, and loved us as their own. We proceeded to give our wonderful parents closure on our disappearance.

  Our intention was conveyed through the globe. Our parents were reassured, then their memory was altered. Our disappearance had been reported to the police, but when we changed the course of past events it was all made right.

  When the police came to check, Ian and Emma assured them that nothing was amiss. They apologized for alerting the authorities. As it turned out, their daughters had been lost in the forest. She told the officer, “After some hours, Callie and Rosamon staggered out, confused but fine.”

  To complete the process, Ian and Emma were given memories of their daughters going off to college on the East Coast. They had completed high school and were off to pursue their futures. It was a bit of a trick altering the community’s memories too.

  It wouldn’t do to have other students at our high school recall something differently. Morrigan gave us an extra boost of her magic so we were able to fix all that. Memories of those in Astoria matched our cover story. The whole incident about us vanishing, finishing school then leaving, was a bit hazy for many. But no one recalled anything that wasn’t in support of our make-believe end to school.

  When it was done, I hugged Morrigan before leaving. “I’m indebted to you,” I said.

  “I’ll remember that,” the sorceress said with a smile.

  Noah and Rosamon climbed aboard their dragon, one of Valter’s more docile ones. With a wave, they took off and headed home.

  Logan hopped onto Kaida’s back, then pulled me up behind him. “Did it go as you expected?” the shimmery dragon said.

  “Oh, yes,” I said. “It’s all taken care of. And we can even visit our parents sometimes, if we want.”

  “Wonderful,” Kaida said, then spread her wings and took off.

  With my arms around Logan, I gazed at the landscape below. It was as gorgeous as I remembered, with its rolling green hills and lush farmland dotting the scenery. The air was fresh, and the sky was blue.

  Yet I couldn’t wait for Shadowland to appear beneath Kaida’s wings, and to gaze upon its beauty. The magical realm was my home, and I was with the handsome prince I loved with all my heart.

  If you enjoyed Callie and Logan’s adventure, you don’t want to miss Rosamon and Noah’s fantasy tale – in Season Two of Vampire Magic.

  Rosamon has a premonition that could rock the Shadowland kingdom. She must act quickly to protect her sister, if she can. Noah is the only one who can help her.

  You’ll find the details about all my books at: MyFantasyBooks.com

  Vampire Magic – Season One is a 5-book series:

  Twilight’s Spell

  Night’s Deceit

  Gloom’s Whisper

  Enchantment’s Trap

  Immortal Embrace

  Don’t miss Season Two of Vampire Magic!

  Connect and see announcements on Facebook: FACEBOOK.COM/SELACROFT

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Immortal Embrace by Sela Croft ©2018 All Rights Reserved

  Published By Camden Lee Press