“Therefore, until the Council can decide what’s best for the citizens,” she went on, “I hereby exercise my right as supreme chancellor to appoint myself as protector of the empire.”
Mrs. Knight audibly gasped. Obviously, she had no idea Frost was going to pull a stunt like this.
Aden swore as the crowd, mostly reporters, went ballistic. They practically charged the stage as Frost was escorted off, begging for a comment or an interview. The camera zoomed in on Frost, and I noted she was wearing Orion’s ring. It looked like it had been resized to fit her skinny finger.
“Is she serious?” I said, jerking a thumb at the TV. “Did she really just…?”
“Yes,” Aden said, his face grim. “Frost practically just declared herself empress.”
Mrs. Knight was already washing her hands and pulling on a light coat. “This isn’t right. The rules are in place for a reason. She should never have made this move without at least consulting the Council first.”
Those words chilled me. So I had been right – Frost hadn’t let her posse in on it.
My stomach twisted into knots as I thought about the implications. If Frost seized executive power over the empire, then…
Aden was already following his mom out the door. “We’ll come too.”
I caught the subtle hint of steel in his voice, the silent threat that no one would harm his mother if he had anything to say about it.
Within minutes, we had locked up and were walking toward the base when we first heard the noise.
As we neared, my eyes widened. It was just like before with the protesters, only ten times worse. All sorts of people had come out of the woodwork to protest Frost’s decision; they seemed even angrier at this than when Orion had been shot.
“Guess the mourning period is over,” Aden said dryly, already scanning the area for potential threats.
I was equally vigilante.
We met with the guards along the perimeter. “I’m sorry,” one of them said curtly, “but you can’t come across –”
“Let us pass,” Mrs. Knight said, producing her security badge. “We’re here on official government business.”
It looked like the guard was about to argue when he said, “Senator Knight, my apologies. Please, step through.”
Ducking under the security tape that wrapped around the perimeter, we briskly walked toward one of the hospital wing’s side entrances when I saw Frost remount the podium from the corner of my eye. I stopped, curious. Aden and Mrs. Knight also drew up short.
Frost’s voice boomed over the crowd like thunder as she jerked the microphone out of its holder. “Listen well, because I won’t say it again: All who protest will be seen as committing treason against the empire, and they will be incarcerated in Scarlet Steel.”
That shut them up pretty quickly. A few people still yelled and screamed obscenities – until Frost’s lackeys grabbed them and followed through on Frost’s promise.
Their wails of agony as they were cuffed in the horrible red metal brought looks of shock and anger to the faces of the other citizens. Silently, they glared back at Frost as her lips peeled back into a smug smile. “That’s better,” she said. “You are all to return to your homes immediately. For your protection, you are not to leave your territories until further notice. Guards will be sent to patrol the streets. Anyone caught loitering will be punished accordingly.”
I stared at her, mouth agape, unable to believe what I was seeing or hearing. Growling, I started forward, but Aden grabbed my arm.
“Not now,” he said in a low voice. “You’ll only make matters worse. It’s better to let the Council handle this diplomatically.”
Diplomatically my ass. Dictators didn’t do politics; they did what was in their best interests.
“All hail Caesar,” I thought dryly.
Aden must have sensed my reluctance to comply, because he never let go of my arm.
Heaving a disgruntled sigh, my posture relaxed and Aden released his grip. “Come on,” he said, taking my shoulders and gently steering me back toward the base. “There are other ways to fight besides fists and roundhouse kicks.”
“But listening to a room of vampires have a verbal smackdown isn’t as exciting as throwing a punch into Caesar’s – I mean – Frost’s face.”
He chuckled but gave me a warning look. “Might want to keep those comments to yourself. Here I have a feeling we’re the minority in feeling this way, at least where the military is concerned.”
“Which is exactly what I’m afraid of,” I wanted to tell him. But I did what he said, keeping my snark to myself until we were inside. A guard met us a few steps in, asking us all to wear masks. Mrs. Knight snapped hers on – as did Aden – but I handed mine back to the guard. When he opened his mouth to say something, I said, “Don’t ask,” and we all briskly walked past him.
The hospital hall was surprisingly calm for the events unfolding outside. It looked like any other establishment, with staff standing around chatting or bored, and doctors and nurses conducting normal routines. Everyone still had on masks, I noted, and I wondered how Paris was doing with her research. Hopefully she had gone down to the labs soon as we left Aden’s hospital room.
Mrs. Knight whirled on us. “We need to contact the other council members. They’re most likely on their way here as we speak, but just in case…”
“I’ll help,” Aden said, turning to me. “Sloane?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m in.”
“Good,” Mrs. Knight said. “Then let’s waste no time.” She looked at Aden. “Head to the academy level, and let the front desk lady know who you are and what you’re doing. She has all the contact info for the councilmen. And don’t take no for an answer.”
“Never do,” Aden said. His eyes warmed as he looked back at his mother, like he was smiling, before he turned and walked away.
“You, Sloane, have a special assignment.”
I turned my attention back toward her. “How special are we talking?”
Her gaze turned mischievous. “You’re going to round up some of our eager reporters outside and bring them to the council chamber in thirty minutes.”
My brows stooped; it took every ounce of willpower I had to not wrinkle my nose. “Reporters? But why?”
“You’ll see,” she said, cupping my cheek. “Trust me?”
I stared into her blue eyes, the same eyes Aden had inherited, and couldn’t help but to nod. “With my life.”
She smiled at me with her eyes and wished me good luck. “I’ll head over to the Council building to start getting things ready for the meeting.” Then she promptly went back out the way we’d come.
I wondered what she wasn’t telling me, and why it was so important for me to find reporters. Regardless of my curiosity, Mrs. Knight was one of the few people whom I trusted wholeheartedly.
As I started to walk away to perform my assigned task, I heard a distinctive French voice cry out, “Sloane, wait!”
Turning around, I saw a winded Paris sprinting toward me.
I arched a brow, eyeing her up and down. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a week. Large bags hung under her eyes, and her hair had that slightly crazed look to it, like it had shrieked at the sight of a comb. Her mask was even a little lopsided.
“Paris,” I said as she stopped in front of me. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look awful.”
Either she wasn’t paying attention, or she somehow didn’t hear me. Her eyes were wild, glittering with excitement. “I was on my way to call you when I walked by and saw you were already here.”
“What is it?” I said, instantly interested.
Never removing her intense gaze from mine, she grasped my shoulders and leaned forward. “Sloane, I’ve found a cure.”
I blinked, smiling. “That’s great! I was wondering about that. I don’t know how many people caught Orion’s mega-bug, but I’m sure they’ll be plenty grateful.”
She shook her head roughly, making her al
ready tousled hair fall in wavy wisps around her face. “No, you don’t understand. There was something else in your brother’s blood, something absolutely remarkable.”
I stared at her. “I don’t understand.”
Paris paused a moment to catch her breath.
“Sloane, I’ve discovered the process for reversing the vampirism virus.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I gasped, hanging onto every word as the meaning of what she had said registered. “Reverse?” I whispered. “You mean…?”
Paris nodded, her eyes glittering with excitement.
I waited for the confirmation, my mind working a million thoughts a second. Every muscle in my body tensed, anticipating those next words that would change my life.
Paris hesitated, her voice barely audible when she spoke.
“Sloane, I know how to make you human again.”
***
End of Book 2
Will Sloane forsake true love to save her humanity? Find out in Cross My Heart, the final installment to The Red Sector Chronicles.
Coming soon
To save her humanity, Sloane must sacrifice what’s in her heart.
When she became a vampire, Sloane gave up the life she once knew, never thinking she would have the opportunity to reclaim it. But with Paris’s groundbreaking medical discovery comes a complicated web of secrets, betrayal, and lies, and Sloane learns her greatest battle is only just beginning.
Frost rules the underground city with an iron fist while anarchy breaks out in the White Sectors above as full-out war wages between the humans, the Scarlet Guard, and the Black Cross Guild. As her best friend Leo grows more distant – and closer to his protégé Arika – the decision to leave it all behind presses deeper on Sloane’s heart.
At the crux of the rising tension within the vampire city, a horrific event forces Sloane, Aden, and the others to run for their lives, driving them into treacherous underground passages that haven’t been traveled in centuries. As Sloane battles the rising demon within, she uncovers more about her heritage along the journey, including a frightening secret about the fate of the first king – a fate that could very well be her own.
As she falls deeper in love with the enigmatic Aden Knight, Sloane has to come to terms that what’s in her heart may not be what’s best for her – and ultimately – mankind. But could she ever walk away from the one man who means everything to her?
Loyalties will be tested, hearts will be broken, and no one’s lives will ever be the same.
Acknowledgements
This book was a long time coming. Firstly, I’d like to thank my readers for being so patient for DH’s release. You guys rock. Secondly, I’d like to thank my beta readers, Kathy, Priya, Terri, and Pam. Thanks for pointing out my story’s flaws, and making me sound smarter. Thirdly, thank you Jennifer for letting me vent my writerly worries to you. And last but not least, thank you, Tobias, for putting up with my endless book chatter. I love you.
About the Author
Krystle Jones was born and raised in the small, southern town of Tullahoma, Tennessee. Reading and writing have been lifelong passions of hers. In addition to being a novelist, she is also an award-winning flutist, and moonlights as a voice actress. Her voice can be heard in the popular online game, Alice is Dead 3.
Free newsletter
Stay up-to-date on new releases, contests, giveaways, and get special offers not open to the public. You can opt-out at any time, and it is completely spam-free. Frequency of notification is approximately 1 email every 1-2 months.
More books by Krystle Jones:
THE RED SECTOR CHRONICLES
1. The Scarlet Dagger
2. Dark Horizons
3. Cross My Heart (coming Spring 2013)
THE WICKED WINGS TRILOGY
1. Smile So Dark (Coming March 1, 2013)
To learn more, please visit www.krystlejonesbooks.com.
Call for reviews
If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review. Not only do they help readers make informed buying decisions, they help authors grow and be noticed. If you have the time, an honest review would be much appreciated.
Dark Horizons, Book Two of The Red Sector Chronicles
Kindle Edition,1 Edition
Pesante Press
Copyright © 2012 Krystle Jones
All rights reserved. The author has worked very hard to bring you this story. That being said, please do not redistribute this ebook without purchasing additional copies. Thank you for your understanding and support.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organizations, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Cover designed by Robin Ludwig Design Inc.
www.gobookcoverdesign.com
Dark Horizons (The Red Sector Chronicles) Page 31
