“He was Princess Karina’s mate?” I asked, since love was the most common reason why vampires turned humans.
“He was.” She nodded and turned a corner, leading me down a less crowded hall.
“Interesting,” I said, since technically, Princess Karina was engaged to Prince Jacen. But Princess Karina had fled the Vale soon after Queen Laila had been killed, and she hadn’t been heard from since.
There was only one reason I could think of why that might be.
“Is Princess Karina here in the Haven as well?” I asked.
“I don’t have the authority to answer that question.” Elisa smiled and opened the door at the end of the hall. “Now, if you’ll please wait here, I’ll go fetch Mary…” She trailed off, staring into the room in shock.
Mary was already sipping on a cup of blood in the colorful tearoom, apparently expecting our arrival.
Camelia
“Have a seat.” Mary motioned to the couch across from her. “I’ve been expecting you.”
I glanced at Elisa, hoping to get a read on her to find out what she knew—if she knew anything at all.
The vampire merely shrugged and stepped back, closing the door to leave me alone with Mary.
I left my suitcase against the wall and sat down where Mary had instructed.
“I had some coconut water brought in for you.” Mary glanced at the pitcher full of cloudy liquid in front of me. “I hear it’s one of the best things one can drink while pregnant.”
“What?” I backed into my seat, shocked. I hadn’t told anyone about my pregnancy. “How did you know…?”
“I have my ways.” She smirked, although it miraculously didn’t come off as smug. “I also know that your intentions for coming to the Haven are pure, although I don’t know what those intentions are. So please, would you care to enlighten me?”
She crossed her legs and took a long sip of blood—apparently the floor was mine.
I poured myself a glass of coconut water and took a sip, making a conscious effort not to wince at its taste. I hated coconut water. But I was a guest here, and the last thing I needed was to appear ungrateful, so I smiled like I enjoyed it.
“War is coming to the Vale,” I told Mary, swallowing down sadness as I spoke about the possibility of the only home I’d ever known being destroyed. “The wolves outnumber us, and for reasons unknown to us they want their land back, even though they have to break the treaty they signed with us centuries ago to do so. It’s not looking good for the vampires and witches that live there. I would have stayed and tried to find a solution, but…” I set my glass down and placed a hand lightly upon my stomach. “I’m not just looking out for myself anymore. You know how difficult it is for a witch of my strength to get pregnant—this might be my only chance to become a mother. I needed to do what was best for my child. Which meant coming here—to the Haven.”
“You’re safe here,” she said. “But tell me—who’s in charge of the Vale now that Queen Laila is gone?”
“You know?” I shouldn’t have been shocked—everyone who’d been in the throne room during Laila’s murder knew that Annika had commanded Geneva to bring her to the Haven.
“Annika told me everything,” she said.
“Of course,” I said, since I’d figured as much. “Is the Nephilim still here?”
She eyed me up as she took a sip of her drink, saying nothing. “Like I said, I have valid reasons to trust that you’re telling me the truth about why you’re here,” she said. “And I believe that a powerful witch such as yourself will be an asset to the Haven. However, if I’m to be fully up front with you about the goings on around here, we’re going to have to make a blood oath.”
Finally, we were getting somewhere.
“What are your terms?” I asked.
“You’re to tell no one of what I’m about to tell you today unless I give you permission to do so.” She studied me, her fierce gaze giving a glimpse of how she’d become a leader of one of the biggest supernatural kingdoms in the world. “Do we have a deal?”
“Yes.” I nodded, my answer a no-brainer. I needed to do whatever I could to protect my child, and that meant acquiring as much information as possible from whoever was willing to offer it. “We have a deal.”
Camelia
Mary told me everything she knew about the wolves—about their Savior preparing to rise, and that He required all the vampires of the Vale to be gone before that would be possible. She also told me about Rosella and her prophecy.
“Annika and Jacen have left for the Tree of Life so they can acquire the Holy Grail,” she concluded. “I don’t know why they need it—not even Rosella knows why—but we know it’s imperative to ending this war.”
“It’s true, then.” I sat back, taking everything in. “Jacen was never on our side to begin with.”
“He is on our side.” Mary’s gaze was sharp. “He’s fighting for peace on the side of the Haven.”
“Right.” I shook my head, internally cursing my slip-up. “I’m sorry—before this moment, I lived in the Vale for my entire life. The adjustment to a new home will take some getting used to.”
“I understand,” she said. “But as long as you follow the rules of the Haven—which I trust you’ll do, given what’s at stake…” She paused to glance at my stomach. “Then I promise we’ll take good care of both you and your child.”
“Thank you,” I said, more grateful than I could ever express. “I’m in your debt. If you ever need anything from me, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Trust me, I won’t.”
I held her gaze with mine, feeling a sense of understanding forming between us. There was also something more than understanding—there was respect.
That was more than Laila and I ever truly had with each other. There was only one thing that was important to Laila—power. She would do whatever she needed to maintain that power, even if it meant hurting those close to her.
While Laila and Mary were both leaders, the two couldn’t have been more opposite from one another if they’d tried.
But even though I should have felt safe in the Haven, I still worried for the Vale. Like I’d told Mary, the Vale had been the only home I’d ever known. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to it or to those within its walls.
Without me there to uphold the boundary, the Vale was more vulnerable than ever before.
There was only one thing I could think of that could protect it.
“Geneva’s sapphire ring,” I said. “Does Annika still have it?”
“Do you think the Nephilim would give up the ring so easily?” Mary raised an eyebrow, apparently amused by my question.
“No.” I chewed on my lower lip, trying to think of another solution for the Vale. “The vampires need to leave the Vale,” I said, the solution dawning on me instantly. I hadn’t seen it earlier because I hadn’t wanted to see it, but it was the only thing that made sense. “There needs to be a mass evacuation, and it must happen without delay. It’s the only way they’ll have a chance to live.”
“I agree.” Mary smiled, as if glad that I’d been the one to say it and not her. “But would their acting king support such a decision?”
“No.” I knew as well as anyone that “King” Scott was just as stubborn as Laila—he’d never back down from a fight. “But I know someone who might.”
“Who?” Mary watched me curiously.
“His brother,” I said. “Prince Alexander.”
Annika
“The Holy Grail.” I stared at the magnificent golden chalice in Emmanuel’s hand, unable to believe that I was looking at the mythical object itself.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “May I please borrow your sword?”
I removed my sword from its sheath and handed it over to the angel.
He used it to slice open his wrist. He didn’t even wince from the pain, and he handed the sword back to me as if nothing abnormal had just occurred.
I expected blood to emerge fr
om the wound, but instead I saw liquid gold. It was the same consistency as blood, but it had a magical glow to it, like the aura of the angel himself.
Emmanuel lifted his wrist above the Grail and let his blood to flow into the chalice. Then he handed the chalice to me.
It was heavy, although with my new strength, I was able to hold it.
“Drink,” he said.
“Your blood?” I peered into the chalice, the outline of my reflection staring back at me in the golden liquid. It was the same color as Emmanuel’s eyes. “Why do you want me to drink your blood?”
The first time I’d drank Jacen’s blood—back when he was helping me escape the Vale—he’d let me know how it would affect me beforehand. I had no idea what would happen to me from drinking angel blood. Despite angels being holy creatures, the thought of drinking any type of blood without knowing what it would do to me made me squirm.
“I cannot tell you that,” he said. “To have the full support of the angels, you must have faith that we have your goodwill at heart. All I can ask is that you look inside yourself and do what feels right. Your angel instinct won’t help you here—this decision is meant to be yours, and yours alone.”
“Okay.” I nodded, still staring into the chalice, and looked back at everything that had led me up to this moment. After getting kidnapped to the Vale, all I’d wanted was to escape—and to become a vampire so I would never have to be a victim again. Then, after fate had chosen me to journey into the Crystal Cavern and retrieve Geneva’s sapphire ring, I’d realized that I couldn’t let all of that power go to waste. And so, I’d ventured into the palace in disguise with the lofty goal of killing Queen Laila and setting the blood slaves of the Vale free.
I’d thought that killing Queen Laila would be the ending… but little did I know that it was just the beginning. Not only were the blood slaves still not free, but the entire world was in danger from the demon that I’d accidentally unleashed from that sword.
Even though I hadn’t unleashed Samael on purpose, I still felt like it was my job to fix it. And one big lesson I’d learned along this journey was that great things—truly great things—weren’t accomplished alone. I wouldn’t be here without Jacen, Mary, Rosella, and even Geneva. Trusting them and accepting their help had made me stronger.
Now, an angel wanted to help me. A literal angel.
I would be a fool to say no.
And so, I lifted the Grail to my lips, and I drank.
Annika
Emmanuel’s blood traveled through my system, burning through every vein, from my head to my toes. It felt like my entire body combusted from the inside out.
It happened so quickly that I didn’t even have time to scream. The next thing I knew, I was flat on my back, staring up at the never-ending sky.
Emmanuel stood before me, watching me. I had no idea where the Grail was—I must have dropped it when I fell.
“What did you do to me?” I asked, immediately assuming the worst.
What if he wasn’t truly an angel, but a demon? What if I’d been being tricked this entire time?
But no… my angel instinct recognized Emmanuel’s spirit. It was like a magnet, but instead of pulling me toward him, it gave me a feeling of warmth and safety.
“Stand up,” he commanded.
I did as he said. The pain was gone now—I felt stronger than ever.
From the intense way he was studying me, I had a feeling he was about to answer my question. So I just stood there, waiting.
“By drinking angel blood from the Holy Grail, you have become an angel,” he said simply.
“What?” I blinked a few times and flexed my hands, recalling the intense burst of pain that I’d experienced before hitting the ground. “Did you kill me?”
“Of course not,” he said. “Like I said earlier, those who die go to the Beyond—they don’t come to Heaven and become angels. Angels can only be created in one of two ways. The most common way is to be born of another angel in Heaven, although this happens rarely, because the more powerful a species is, the harder it is to reproduce. The second way is what just happened to you—a Nephilim drinking angel blood from the Holy Grail. The change is painful, but you survived it to become an angel.”
“What did you mean that I ‘survived’ the change?” I eyed him warily. “Was there a chance that I wouldn’t have survived?”
“There was a chance,” he said. “But that’s not what happened.”
“I trusted you!” I screamed—I couldn’t help it. “And you nearly killed me!”
“I didn’t kill you,” he said. “I turned you into an angel. You’re immortal now.”
My mouth dropped open. I was so not prepared for this.
“And you’re not just any angel—you’re an Earth angel,” he continued. “There hasn’t been an Earth angel for thousands of years. Not since the last one turned on Heaven and was killed for his sins. But with the Hell Gate ready to open, there was no other option except to create another. You are Earth’s only hope at having a chance to fight the demons.”
“What about you and the other angels in Heaven?” I clenched my fists, doing my best to rein in my instinct to panic. “Why can’t you stop the demons?”
“Angels born in Heaven are not meant to leave Heaven,” he said. “But you—an Earth-born Nephilim who was turned into an angel in Heaven, will be able to walk both Heaven and Earth. Thus, making you an Earth angel.”
My mind swam with all of this new information. I’d barely been getting used to being a Nephilim, and now I was an angel? An immortal?
It was too much to take in at once.
“Are there Earth demons as well?” The question sounded ridiculous, but I had to say something.
“No,” he said. “The demons would need the Holy Grail—or the demonic equivalent of the Holy Grail—to create an ‘Earth demon,’ and that doesn’t exist. Although, demons do have an equivalent to Nephilim. They’re more commonly known as shifters.”
“What?” I gasped. “The shifters are demons?”
“They have demon blood,” he said. “But unlike demons, they have a soul—which makes all the difference in the world. They’re constantly battling with their demonic side—their animal side—but they’re not evil like demons. In fact, like the tiger shifters have shown by protecting the Haven, they’re quite capable of using their abilities for good. Never assume a shifter is an enemy just because they have demon blood. That would be a great disservice to their entire race.”
“Just like one can’t assume a Nephilim is good because of their angel blood,” I said, remembering the death and destruction that Mary had told me the previous generation of Nephilim had brought to the supernatural community.
“Exactly,” Emmanuel said. “It’s important that you remember that, always.”
“But in a way, the demons could be considered the wolves’ saviors, right?” I asked. “Since the shifters have demon blood.”
“No.” His eyes darkened. “Demons—true demons who were born in Hell—have no souls and don’t care about anyone but themselves. If the Hell Gate opens, they will come to Earth and slowly destroy it. You must stop them. As the last Nephilim—and the first Earth angel of this upcoming era of darkness—the world will depend on you.”
I took a step back—this was a lot more than I’d been prepared to handle. I’d thought my world saving would end with finding the Holy Grail.
But apparently, it was only just beginning.
“How am I supposed to stop the demons?” I asked. “I might be an Earth angel now, but a little over a year ago I was only a human. I’m not cut out for all of this.”
“Yes, you are,” he said. “Hand me your sword again.”
I did as he said, watching as he took my sword and dipped it into the cloud at our feet. I had no idea how the cloud knew to hold us up and let other objects through—it was one of those things I figured I just needed to accept as magic.
A golden glow surrounded the sword and vanishe
d inside of it, as if embedding the sword with some kind of angelic magic.
“You need to use this sword to kill Samael,” Emmanuel said, handing it back to me. “The cloud is made of heavenly water, and dipping this sword in the heavenly water has infused it with magic. Only a weapon dipped in heavenly water can kill a demon. But Samael is more than just a regular demon—he’s a greater demon—a type of demon that can only be killed by someone with angelic blood. As the only one with ignited angel blood able to walk the Earth, you’re literally the only person alive who can defeat Samael. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” I gripped the sword tightly, the weight of the responsibility heavy upon my chest. “But isn’t Samael’s spirit inside of Marigold’s body?”
“It is.” Emmanuel nodded. “Her death is necessary to stop the uprising.”
I shook my head at the horror of killing an innocent person. I’d already killed the vampire guards who had brought me to see Laila in the throne room—not because they’d done anything to deserve it, but because they’d been acting under Camelia’s orders to attack me. Even though I’d had to kill them so I could live, I still hadn’t reconciled with their deaths. I didn’t think I ever would.
“There has to be another way,” I finally said. “Marigold didn’t ask to be possessed by Samael. This isn’t her fault.”
“But she must die for the greater good.” Emmanuel’s golden stare was cold and final. “You need to stop Samael from opening the Hell Gate—that means killing the witch. The world is counting on you to do what needs to be done. All you need to do is look into your soul, and you’ll realize what that is.”
With that, he flashed out, leaving me alone at the top of the cloud.
Camelia
Much to my relief, Mary was making an exception to our oath and allowing me to share what I knew with Prince Alexander. The possibility of his taking charge was the only chance the vampires in the Vale had to get out of this mess, and she didn’t want them to die any more than I did.
The Vampire War Page 5
