“I was destined to live eternity serving the Court alongside my cousin as a Superior. He was a warlock, as well. Do you know that there currently aren’t any warlocks in the Dresdan Court? We are a dying breed, which is unfortunate since it was our magic that created the first of the Dresdan. At all times, one of us was to lead the Court,” Mercer explained.
“What happened?”
“We evolved. Humans evolved. And suddenly, vampire existence was known to mankind. I wanted a united front and better control over our numbers, and my cousin wanted to create an army of vampires just in case the humans decided to attack us. Well, guess who won?”
“You did. You killed him, remember?”
“No, I didn’t win. The Dresdan Court was without a Master for a very long time after that. And I failed at unifying the Court. When Zaket took the reins, I fell back into the shadows. If ever a vampire I trusted with the Court, it was Zaket. But history has a way of repeating itself, and there seems to be one common factor in every case.”
“What’s that?”
“Women. It doesn’t matter if she’s human or vampire. One little decision made by a woman can change the course of things forever. Fatima changed my outlook on life. Your Master Zaket chose a human wife, and when she died, she took a piece of him with her. Word on the street is that Russo has your mate.”
Anger rose in Vicq’s gut. “She gave herself up for me. I—”
“I caught wind of it from some rogues. Word travels fast, even outside the Court.”
“I have to get her back.”
“What are you waiting on?”
“If I return, he’ll kill Elaina. It was part of the deal. Mercer, I need your help.”
“Ah, of course. Everyone needs my help.”
“I have very little to offer a warlock and Superior vampire in return, but I promise that you if you lead us, I will help you bring about a unified Court. I’ve never lost that vision.”
Mercer shook his head. “No, Vicq. I won’t lead the Court. My mate is waiting for me on the other side. How many times do I have to explain that to you? I’m here to die. It’s what I’ve wanted all this time. No one will grant me my death wish or offer to cut off my head for me, in fear that I will retaliate or somehow come back from the dead with my witchy magic and haunt them.” He laughed.
Vicq laughed. “Well, you do have an advantage over other Dresdan with your powers.”
“But what if I told you that I could help you win back the Court.”
“If that’s what it takes to get Elaina back and unify vampires, I will.”
Mercer shifted on the ground and stretched out his legs. “I’m more than ready, Vicq. My blood magic is a gift. It can be passed on.”
“You’re not suggesting that…?”
“Yes. You have something that I need, and in return, I’ll give you what you need to succeed.”
“What do I have?”
“The ability to bring my swift end so I don’t have to suffer anymore.”
Vicq dropped his face into his palm. “I don’t know about this.”
“I will die here, regardless of what you do next. Every day, my life force drains from me a little more. A blood vessel dries up. A vein fails to pump blood to my heart. It could take another three weeks, or it could take a couple of months, but pretty soon, there will be no blood magic left in me. I can take my legacy with me, but I can’t take my blood magic with me.”
Vicq sighed. “You’re asking me to kill you and take your life force.”
Mercer nodded. “You will be more powerful than the Master who currently resides. That’s the way it should be. That’s the way it was until I messed it up. I see this as a way to redeem the Court and bring back the blood magic that will unite the vampire race again.”
“And you won’t come back from the dead to haunt me?” Vicq asked, only half kidding.
“No, I’ll be preoccupied with Fatima,” Mercer said. “I don’t have the desire to live in this world anymore without my mate. Please take the force that binds me to this existence.”
“What if I can’t control the magic?”
“My memories will be an open book, and you’re stronger than you realize.”
“Okay, just give me some time to think.” Vicq stood and paced the small cave.
“I’m a very patient fellow, but rumor has it that Russo is not.”
“When do you have in mind?” Vicq asked, nervously.
“Right now, Vicq. While you’re dancing in front of me, another vein in my neck dries up.”
His heart drummed and he exhaled. “Okay.”
“But there is something you should know. The magic comes with a price,” he said.
“What’s that?”
“The rogues. If you take the magic, you’ll have to take responsibility for the rogues because you’ll be the only one who can keep them in line. But if you seek unity, I have no doubt that you’ll be able to control and oversee them with the full support of the Dresdan Court.”
“This is a lot to take in, but the responsibility falls on me now,” Vicq said.
“Then don’t wait another moment.”
Chapter 30
Elaina never understood why Russo made her attend meals where the only people that ate were his human blood slaves. Why did he attend their dinners to watch them eat while he sat there stewing in a hoard of bad decisions? Maybe watching them reminded him of all the things he had in life when he was human?
And the blood slaves performed as if the meal presented to them was the best they’d ever had.
Elaina sighed and settled back into her chair. Russo stared at her from across the table, but she avoided his gaze. She realized that the more time he spent with her, the more he rubbed off on her. Soon, she’d become hateful of everyone around her, wishing she could be with someone that she loved wholeheartedly. Someone who could love her back the same way.
But Russo wasn’t capable of loving anymore. It seemed that he took more pride in owning people than he did in gaining their mutual trust and respect.
“Why so sad, Elaina,” he asked her, leaning forward and placing his forearms on the table.
“I don’t eat food. I don’t understand why I’m here,” she said.
“Here’s the thing. If you want a healthy blood slave, you have to feed them right. And the only way I know that’s being done is if I know what they’re eating.” He said this with no shame while they listened.
“You’re a monster.”
He smiled. “And if they eat a balanced meal, then so do you. And then so do I. See how all of this works out?”
Elaina rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t how much more of this I can take. I don’t see how you haven’t died of boredom and cabin fever. Do you ever step foot outside the Court?”
Russo frowned. He slid his seat back and rose from the table. “Carry on.”
After commanding her to stand, Russo led them into her sleeping quarters. She was chained to the bed nightly because Russo feared that she would flee or try to kill herself when he was away. He slumbered elsewhere, which told her that the coward was afraid she might betray him. He knew what was coming for him. Maybe he was smarter than she thought, after all.
While in the room, he slammed her body against the wall face first and imprisoned her against it.
“Don’t you ever talk to me like that. I’m your Master, and you will act like it. You will shut up during meals from now on. I don’t care if you don’t like it.”
Elaina laughed. “I may be your Donor now, but I’m still Elaina Arakelian. I will say what I want. I won’t bite my tongue for anyone. You knew what you were dealing with when you dragged me into your Court. I made it clear that I wouldn’t shut up for anyone.”
“Is this who you really are?” he sneered.
“You just bring out the worst in me.” She thrust her elbow back and jabbed him in the ribcage.
He retaliated by burying his fangs in the back of her neck.
; Elaina cringed, and despite what she’d just told him, she bit her tongue again and let all of her anger fade from her. Who was she fooling? He had her right where—and how—he wanted her.
As he pulled from her vein, she shut down everything. All past memories. She’d learned to feed him the same one over and over again. The one of her slicing through his Superiors on the day she’d become his Donor. Those memories didn’t seem to faze him anymore. Not even now as he reveled in the feeding and moaned against her neck as he fed off her blood and the remnants of her anger.
“That was good. Let’s fight again,” he said.
“Don’t push your luck,” she said.
“Fine. Now what you’ll do is go back to the table and sit your ass down until I tell you it’s okay to leave. You will watch them eat until I give you permission to get up.”
Reluctantly, Elaina did as she was told.
Fifteen minutes into the feeding, one of the maids ran into the room with blood splatters on her apron. She waved her hands about frantically.
“Oh my God,” she screamed.
Several Superiors entered the room in an attempt to shield their Master, but by that time, it was too late.
Vicq barged into the dining hall with the force of a tornado. He was covered in the blood of his enemies. And not only that, he had more than a few Dresdan causing chaos. He’d brought the rogues with him. Dishes flew from the table and smashed into walls as Vicq and whatever malevolent force he possessed entered the room.
One of the Superiors guarding Russo began bleeding from every pore and opening on his body until he vomited huge amounts of blood. The blood slaves scrambled to one corner of the room as the Superiors fell one after the other.
“What the fuck?” Russo exclaimed.
“Vicq!” She ran for him. She couldn’t help it. When she threw herself up against him, his magic vibrated against her, reminding her of the way she’d felt when Mercer saved her. It felt as though his presence was right there in the room, but Mercer was nowhere to be found. This was all Vicq’s doing.
He kissed her face and the top of her head, but his magic never waned. “Let me take care of this. I promise you that I’ll make up for all the bad things that happened to you here.”
She nodded and backed up against the wall with Russo’s blood slaves.
More vampires filed into the room, but they did nothing to help Russo nor stop Vicq. Either they were scared out of their mind, or floored by the power that only a Master should have.
“I should have known you wouldn’t stop, that you would come back and take her,” Russo said, scrambling to the opposite corner of the room. “But the rogues!” He spat. “You brought the rogues back in here?”
“Yes, Russo. This is no illusion. Not only did I come to take her. I came to take my Court, as well.”
“Your Court?”
“It will be. Kneel.”
Russo folded over, clutching at his torso. He knelt to the floor without much hesitation.
“Consider your rights to the Court relinquished. Do you have anything to say before I carry out your sentence?”
“What sentence?”
“Death.”
A knife used to carve the ham levitated from the floor and sailed swiftly through the air. Russo didn’t see the blade coming until it was too late.
There was a moment of silence in which Vicq stood utterly still as the powers that Russo once possessed as Master took root within Vicq, joining those he already had.
Elaina came from the opposite corner of the room and wrapped her arms around Vicq. He hugged her back, instantly wrapping her in love. Rage still rolled off of him in waves, but his touch was nothing but loving and gentle. She’d missed that.
She pressed her face against his chest, feeling protected in his arms even after the dangerous offense that he’d just committed on behalf of the Court.
As she hoped he would do, he lifted her chin, titled his head down, and kissed her. She couldn’t get enough of him.
She pulled back and searched his gaze. “What happened?”
“Mercer,” he said. “Mercer’s gone.”
“What did you do?”
“He wanted to be free. I ended him at his request. His powers are mine now.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We’ll grieve and reconnect later, but first, there is something I must do.”
Elaina knew what that something was.
Vicq picked up Russo’s head and exited the dining hall. Dresdan parted to let him through in his path to the courtyard. They even followed him.
Vicq brought the head of Russo into the square, leaving a trail of blood as he ascended the steps to the throne. Right before he sat, he gazed out at the residents of the Court as they knelt to show their allegiance to him.
He held out his hand to her, palm up. “Come and rule with me,” he said.
She smiled and ascended.
“Always,” she said. “I’ll always be with you.”
He set the severed head down on the stoop near the throne and took his rightful place as the Master of the Dresdan Court. All kneeled before their new Master, both Dresdan and human alike.
“Do you see this, Russo,” Vicq said to the head. “Do you see how easily sides can be won?”
Yes, he’d won. They had both won in the end—her by taking down D5, and him winning back his Court—but now they had their work cut out for them.
“My life-long mission is a unified Court,” Vicq announced, raising his voice over the din of the crowd. “Only then can we be strongest. Only then can we rise above the human stigma of predator or expendable asset. Only then can we build an empire.” The Court rose and cheered him on. “I’ll devote myself to this task no matter how long it takes. Stand with me now and we’ll stand together for eternity.”
Epilogue
Two weeks later
“How does it feel, Emory?” Elaina asked, pausing next to him as he sat near the water feature just outside the courtyard. “To be Dresdan and not just in transition.”
Emory smiled. “It’s all that I expected and more. I should’ve let Vicq change me sooner.”
She gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. “Have no regrets. I think it all worked out for the best, don’t you?”
“You’re right.”
They shared a brief moment of silence as they looked out across the front lawn at the many Dresdan joining in the celebration. Vicq had just made his official announcement to lead a unified Court. There was music and dancing and laughter. All the things they’d always enjoyed whenever Leila planned an event. Melrose had gathered up a band of musicians and they brought the party to life with their upbeat hard rock tunes. Eli, Mark, and Brandon had long disappeared to mingled in with the crowd, eager to reconnect with other Dresdan brethren.
Elaina smiled. This was her family and this was her new life. A life she’d come to love.
She spotted Vicq across the lawn as he exited the courtyard with one of his Superiors. The two men were deep in conversation until Vicq met Elaina’s gaze. Not one minute later, he hurried across the lawn to her.
“There you are. I thought you were right by my side and when I turned around you were gone,” he said, then looked back and forth from her to Emory. “Is Emory telling you stories about him and me?”
Emory laughed. “Not yet, but prepare yourself. It’s only a matter of time before I tell her all the little things you’ve been keeping to yourself, especially about how you crashed that first Aston Martin I gave to you.”
“Someone crashed into me,” Vicq countered.
“Mm-hmm. Just admit it. You were in dire need of several driver’s ed courses before you met me.”
“All right. Fine. You got me.”
Emory stood. “No worries.” He clapped Vicq on the back. “You and I both know the real truth. I needed you more than you needed me.” Before Vicq could get a word in he said, “Now, I’m very hungry with me being a new vampire and all, and there was this pretty litt
le brunette that was so excited about getting together tonight. Catch you two later.”
“At least he’s excited.” Elaina laughed softly and rose. She brushed his lips over his, gentle at first. There was something about the way he led his new Court with respect and dignity. She loved this confident side to him. “Don’t you have more business to conduct tonight, Master?”
“I like to tackle one agenda at a time, but you, Queen, have always been my first priority.”
“That’s nice to know,” she said. “Because while you were away, I got a little hungry myself.”
“I guess it’s time you ate, then,” he said, tipping her chin.
“Not that kind of hungry,” she said suggestively.
He grinned. “Why don’t we indulge both sides of our hunger? Like we always do.”
She grabbed Vicq by the forearm and pulled him in for a long, fate-sealing kiss.
Dresdan Coven Glossary
THE DRESDAN COURT
Dresdan: an ancient race of vampires whose origins date back to 2 BC. They are the most deadliest and ruthless of all vampire species in the world.
Master: Head vampire that leads his race or coven. Possesses great knowledge, experience, and power.
Superior: High ranking member of the Dresdan Court. Assists the Master in his duties. Possesses great knowledge, experience, and power.
Soldier: Carries out the duties of the Master and the Superior(s). Possesses experience and power based on the number of blood kills and age.
Fledgling: A young vampire who is immature and inexperienced in his abilities and powers. They can later become a Soldier but must earn that ranking through years of service and sacrifice.
Donor: A human whose only purpose is to serve the needs of a specific Dresdan indefinitely or for an undetermined period of time.
Blood Slave: A human whose only purpose is to serve the needs of the Dresdan.
Coven: A circle of vampires. Usually 13 or more.
DISTRICT 5 INC.
The Dresdan Coven Trilogy Page 32
