The Vampire Gift 4: Darkness Rising

by E. M. Knight

  I break through the last line of vampires, and there I see them.

  Raul. Eleira. She looks stunning, more beautiful than ever—more radiant than ever. Something happened to her on this trip, of that I’m certain.

  And my brother. Raul is no longer limping, he no longer has that dark cloud hovering over him.

  The vampires of the Royal Court surround the pair, bombarding them with an endless stream of questions. They’re like reporters hounding a newly-prosecuted, high-profile criminal. I growl in annoyance that they got here before me. But what can I do?

  I pick up my pace, hurrying down the side of the cliff toward them, when suddenly, from around the corner, emerges another figure.

  James.

  My mind reels. James? They brought James back? None of the other vampires have noticed him, and I know immediately why.

  We cannot feel his presence.

  Maybe it’s because I’ve become more and more in tune with the vampire inside me, or maybe it’s because I’ve been secretly drinking blood, but whatever the reason, the absence of the vampiric halo around James is staggering. It’s like there’s a void that’s opened up around him. It’s like staring into a black hole.

  I shudder. It’s unnatural, is what it is. And I don’t like it.

  His eyes scan the crowd. They fall upon me. He looks me up and down. His eyebrows go up in the slightest expression of surprise.

  And then he smiles, and spreads his arms, and beckons me over.

  I glance one more time at Eleira and Raul. They are obviously occupied. And somebody needs to see to James.

  So, my decision is made. I make my way to my eldest brother.

  “Phillip!” he greets me. “Look at you.” He clasps me by the shoulders. “So healthy. So strong. So robust! So… entirely unlike yourself.”

  “You’ve changed, too,” I note. “Funny how a little time away can do that to someone.”

  “How’s Mother?” he asks.

  I grimace. Does he not know?

  He laughs. “I’m kidding, of course. Raul told me what happened.”

  I look at him. “What else do you know?”

  “That our father would be proud if he witnessed your transformation,” he says. “Hell, I’m proud of it. I’d never expected you to embrace who you are with so much… vigor.”

  “Each one of us has the capacity to surprise,” I note.

  “Isn’t that true?” He motions backward with his head. “Will you come with me? Just a few steps away. I have something I’d like to show you.”

  I cast another look at Eleira and Raul.

  “They’ll be fine,” James promises. “They’re not going anywhere. It’s me you have to be careful with.”

  He winks.

  I frown, but gesture for him to go on. “Lead the way.”

  He turns back and walks toward the exit. We climb the rocky steps, away from the congregation, and emerge into the night.

  There, lying spread before the doors, are fifteen rotting bodies.

  I suck in a harsh breath. “What is this?”

  “This,” James says grandly. “Is the Nocturna Animalia. The newest vampire coven. My coven, in fact.”

  I raise a hand to my nose to block the stench of corruption wafting from the bodies. “Is this a joke?”

  “No joke, brother. These are would-be vampires. They require your help.”

  I stare at him in disbelief.

  “They were stabbed by the Narwhark shortly after they were made,” he concedes. “Whatever poison it injected is taking its toll. They were not strong enough to fight. None have had more than a sip of blood.”

  “You… made… fifteen new vampires?” I feel my fury rising. “You made fifteen?”

  “No need to shout,” James says with his ever-present, unfailing confidence. “It won’t wake them up.”

  “And the last, the woman, where is she?” I ask. “What happened to her?”

  “She—succumbed. Unfortunately.” James grimaces. “It is too bad, really. I had such high hopes for her.”

  The casual way he speaks of all this infuriates me even more. Without thinking, I grab him by the shoulder and slam him back against the wall. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I scream at him.

  James looks down at my hands clutching his shirt. Slowly, carefully, he eases them off. “Careful, little brother,” he says in a low, dangerous voice. “You don’t want to provoke me.”

  “Yeah? And what if I do? What you’ve done here is mad. It’s insanity!” I gesture at the bodies. “Do you even think before you act, James? No, of course you don’t—that’s what’s gotten you in so much damn trouble, isn’t it? I would have hoped you’d have learned by now.”

  “Don’t patronize me,” he says. “What has all your thinking gotten you? You couldn’t resist the vampire call in the end.”

  “That’s completely irrelevant!” I exclaim. “James, fifteen new vampires—did you consider, at all, where they might feed? When they awoke, they would have been ravenous. What would you have done then? One sniff of blood and they would have been no better than The Convicted! They would have torn each other to shreds!”

  “My vampires would never have devolved to such desperations,” he tells me. “They answer to me. Only me. Whatever command I would have given them, they’d have obeyed. There was no risk of in-fighting. I would have stopped it.”

  “I don’t know if you’re stupid or simply naïve,” I mutter. “Or maybe, more likely, you’re so full of yourself you cannot see past your own nose!”

  “Careful. Be very careful with the insults, Phillip.”

  “Or what?” I fume. “What are you going to do, James? You think you could have exerted your vampire influence over these fledglings and made them obey?” I laugh. “You’re so far removed from the world you know not what you’ve done. They wouldn’t bow to your strength or your power. Not until their thirst was satiated! When they awoke, they would know nothing else. Trust me.” I add in a softer, more menacing voice, “I’ve been there.”

  “You don’t know a thing about how they were made,” James tells me. “I took steps to guarantee their loyalty.”

  “Really,” I can’t hide my skepticism. “And what were those? You made them say a vow, made them utter an oath? Made them swear allegiance to you, just like in the old times?”

  “I made them walk through fire and bear the sun,” James says softly. “That is what I did, Phillip. Now. Will you help me, or not?”

  “No,” I say. “Never. Look at them! They are corrupted.” I bend down, scrunching my nose against the horrible smell. “The Narwhark’s poison, its venom, whatever it is, is taking hold of their bodies. There is no recovery for them. There’s only one thing we will do.”

  “Oh?” James asks. “And what is that? What, in your infinite knowledge, do you propose?”

  “We burn them,” I say.

  For a moment James is still. Then such rage erupts in his eyes. He flies at me and slams me back against the wall, just as I had done him earlier.

  “You dare,” he seethes, his features contouring with horrible anger, “you dare suggest something like that, to my face?”

  I shove him off. A look of surprise flashes across his face as he stumbles back.

  He’s not used to me and my new strength.

  And then that rage erupts in him again. He snarls and leaps at me. I jump out of the way. He hits the stone wall, rebounds off it, and turns to attack me again.

  I meet him right in the middle. We go down in a snarling, hissing mass of bodies. Both of us grapple for position. Both of us try to pin the other down.

  And even though I cannot judge James’s strength, I find us evenly matched. In the back of my mind Mother’s words, seemingly spoken so long ago, echo in memory: “You would have risen in power, and, eventually, stood above even me.”

  It’s not that I didn’t believe her back then. It’s just that I never thought the strength would come so quickly.

 
James and I continue to tumble around. Neither of us has any distinct advantage. My coat catches a jagged rock and rips. James tries to swipe at my face, but I deflect the blow. One of my hands finds his neck. I grab and squeeze and try to subdue him, but he knocks it away. We roll around in the dirt, so that one second, I’m on top, and the next, he is, and so on and so forth.

  “ENOUGH!” a voice exclaims in the background.

  Suddenly, I feel a very powerful vampire exerting her influence over me, forcing me to give up control of my limbs. The same thing happens to James.

  I don’t fight it. I let go of my brother and allow him to stagger away. Then, I push myself up—with whatever small dignity I have left—and turn to face Eleira.

  She is seething. Beside her stands Raul, and behind them the entirety of the Royal Court.

  My guards come running up. They form a tight circle around us, cutting James and me off from the fifteen diseased bodies. Luke, one of the stronger members of the guard, casts a suspicious glance at James.

  “Do we take him in?” he asks.

  I shake my head. “No. It’s fine.”

  “He was found attacking you,” the guard continues. “Violence against a member of the Elite is expressly forbidden.” He looks back at the vampires of the Royal Court. “The law is the law, Commander.”

  “It wasn’t violence, it was a brotherly scuffle!” I say, losing my patience. I scowl at Luke. “If I don’t have some say as Captain Commander, then just strip me of the rank, why don’t you?”

  Luke takes an abashed step back.

  “Thought so,” I mutter.

  “Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait.” James walks right back into the fold. “Are you telling me that Phillip—the weakest—is now Captain Commander of The Haven’s guard?”

  I show my teeth in a predatory smile. “Surprise.”

  He shakes his head and gives a little laugh. Then he picks up my spectacles, which had fallen off in our fight, and hands them to me.

  “I’m sorry,” he says. “I did not know.”

  A feeling of shock washes over me. James, apologizing?

  “Now that the reunion’s been had,” Carter says, stepping out from the crowd, “the Royal Court has some important decisions to make. Most of all—” he nods to the two guards behind James, who step forward and quickly take his arms, “–what to do with this traitorous brother of yours.”

  “Let him go,” I say. “He won’t be held prisoner again.”

  “Why, Phillip,” Carter sneers. “You’re not showing signs of nepotism again. Are you?”

  “No,” I say. “But the Royal Court does not have influence in this matter. I decide who is made a prisoner and who is not. James will not be held against his will.”

  The guards look at me, then at Carter, conflicted…

  “Who has highest command here?” I ask. “When it comes to matters of the guard, I do. When it comes to matters of the Court—” I nod at Raul. “Your Prince does.”

  “So then it falls upon the middle Soren to make the choice,” Carter says, full of sleazy insinuation. “And how will he decide? Family, or the law?”

  “There is no law they are breaking,” Raul says. He meets my eyes. I give a small nod. “James walks free.”

  The two guards release him. “Finally,” James says. “I’m given some of the respect I’m due.”

  “Don’t push your luck,” Raul warns.

  James only grins at him.

  “I have a question,” Deanna, the sometimes outspoken Royal Court member, comes forward. She looks directly at James—and I think I see a bit of longing in her eyes.

  Christ, I think. Is this another woman James seduced in the past?

  “How come we cannot feel him?”

  A murmur of voices rise up at the same time, all wondering the same thing.

  All attention turns on James.

  “I think,” Raul says, “it’s time you give us all an explanation.”

  James looks around. He seems to be calculating. And then, he announces:

  “I ate an herb.”

  The proclamation is met with stunned silence.

  I break it first. “An herb?” I say. “An herb against my vampirism?”

  “No, idiot,” James responds. “An herb against projecting my vampire strength.”

  “And this… herb.” Deanna sounds skeptical. “What is it called?”

  James shrugs. “I don’t know.”

  “How did you find it?”

  “By chance.”

  “Why did you eat it?”

  “Dammit, woman, will you stop with your incessant questions?”

  “How long do the effects last?” Carter asks.

  James grunts in exasperation. “Does it look like I know?”

  “He’s lying,” Raul whispers to me. “He always gets uncomfortable when he’s pressed for something he wants to hide.”

  I nod my agreement, but I say no more.

  “So let me get this straight,” Carter says. “You, James Soren, found an herb growing in the earth. You stumbled upon it, or maybe it caught your eye. Maybe it had a pleasant scent. Then—as a vampire, I might add—you had the inclination to pluck it from the ground—” Carter mimics the motion, “–plop it in your mouth, chew on it for a bit, and then swallow? Just because… just because it caught your fancy?”

  “That’s what I said, isn’t it?” James growls. He and Carter have never gotten along well.

  Actually, come to think of it, the grey-haired vampire has never gotten on well with any of my family members.

  Carter snorts a laugh. “Sounds like a bit of a tall tale to me,” he says. “What does the rest of the Royal Court think?”

  But before any of them can speak, Eleira steps forward. “We’re wasting time,” she tells us. She looks at Carter and the rest. “Raul and I told you what we saw. We told you the offer Logan made. Those are the issues we need to discuss. That is where we need to direct our attention.”

  In the background, I see James murmur a silent, ‘Thank God.’

  “But not before,” Eleira continues, “we decide what to do with them.”

  And with a hard slash through the air, she points at the bodies lying on the other side of the guards.

  I motion for them to break formation. They clear a space and give us clear sight of the fifteen would-be vampires.

  Sounds of discomfort rise from members of The Elite.

  James takes a protective step toward them. “These vampires are mine,” he says. “They belong to me. The only one who has any say for what happens to them is I.”

  “I’m afraid, when you asked for our help, that ceased to be the case,” Carter tells him softly.

  “And who says I asked for your help?”

  “Your brother. And the girl.” Carter waves a distracted hand toward them. “Your fledglings will die otherwise. I mean, that is why you brought them here, isn’t it? Assuredly, it wasn’t just to… show off.”

  Snickers from the crowd greet his words.

  James scowls at him. Again I sense a confrontation looming. Before it can get out of hand, I decide to take control of the situation.

  As I should have done long ago.

  “We need to get back inside,” I tell everyone. “Day is coming. And the Narwhark is still loose.” Eleira gives a start at that, but I choose to ignore it. “We need to be underground, where it is safe. The discussion for what to do next will take place in the assembly room of the stronghold.”

  “Finally,” Carter sighs. “Somebody has an inkling of common sense.”

  Chapter Ten

  JAMES

  WITHIN THE HAVEN’S STRONGHOLD

  I argued, and in the end, got my way.

  Somewhat.

  Phillip wanted to leave my coven members outside. I would not hear of it. I did not drag them all the way on that awful litter only to abandon them for a second day in the sun. But my younger brother was firm. He’d grown more in the short time I was away than he had in decade
s past. Hell, in centuries past.

  I thought he would simply relent under my insistence. No such luck. It took Eleira’s words to get Phillip to change his mind.

  Eleira’s! Imagine that. The wretched girl who’s caused so much trouble now has greater influence over my own brother’s decision-making than I do.

  Of course, if I’m being completely honest, a rash of bad choices on my part may have contributed to that.

  May.

  Phillip relented, eventually, and agreed to bring them in—just not very far. So the fifteen of them are now locked in a tiny storage room a scant hundred yards from the entrance. Even the first line of guards that stand watch are deeper underground!

  But from my understanding, that was the whole point.

  And now the four of us are alone in Phillip’s rooms. Or rather, his command center. His bedchambers are somewhere else in the complex.

  I’m on the outside looking in. Phillip, Raul, and Eleira are conferring in hushed tones around his table. There’s some sort of map spread across the top. But am I allowed to see it? No. Because they don’t trust me.

  Again, I grumble to myself about the injustice of it all, then sink down and drape myself over an armchair.

  I wish I knew what they were saying. But Eleira, the little brat, channeled some sort of magic spell that domes all the sound in. None of their words reach me. It’s an invisible shield, so I can obviously still see them…

  Ah, how I wish I had learned to read lips. It’s a talent that would have proven invaluable now.

  I start to hum a wordless tune as I look around the room, bored. Maybe I shouldn’t complain too much. I am free, after all, despite being back inside The Haven. And sure, the creation of the Nocturna Animalia was not met with the greatest degree of success, but—all things considered—it could be worse.

  I still can’t get over the little vision I’d glimpsed when Wanda was killed, however. I don’t understand it. Why? Why did I see through her eyes? Why did I feel such acute pain when her candle was snuffed out?

  Is that the link I established with all the members of my coven? Is that the link I have with all the former Fang Chasers?

  I search my mind for some hint of their presence. I can feel all the other vampires around me—above, below, through the walls—but nothing of the fledglings who may yet die.