by K. A. Poe
“What was this place formerly used for?” Salem asked as he shuffled around a stack of boxes.
“It was an antiques shop,” Mikael answered, looking somewhat withdrawn. “You can hardly tell by looking at it now, however. Delilah’s father owned the building, which had been in his family for years. Once he passed away, business began dwindling and soon after the place shut down. This is what has become of it—there’s no telling what’s in all these boxes. I wouldn’t be surprised if half have already been raided and stolen.”
Cautiously, I lifted the flaps on one of the boxes. Unsurprisingly, it was empty save for a few shards of glass and some packing peanuts. It was unbelievable to think that once, not too long ago, this place had been a store. Now, it was nothing more than a huge mess.
Nicolai rummaged through some of the boxes but also came out empty-handed. He did, however, discover where the cashier’s counter had been. The wood was stained and rotting from water damage—no doubt caused by rain from the various holes in the roof. There was a glass casing for jewelry but it, too, was empty.
“So much for making a fortune off of some lost, priceless antique,” Nic laughed and sat on top of the counter.
Mikael shook his head and pried Nicolai off. “I wouldn’t advise sitting on there unless you want an ass full of glass.” We all laughed, which felt good after the blur of events which had just taken place. “Let’s start fixing this place up a little and then we can carry in some equipment.”
I lifted what boxes I could, feeling somewhat useless with the limited weight I could carry. No one complained, but that didn’t make me feel any better.
Soon, there were enough boxes out of the way that I could see the floorboards and walk through the building without bumping into something. The men got to work bringing in the equipment—protective gear, weapons, and even some of the mats had been salvaged before Nicolai burned down the former hideout. Hannah accompanied me in finishing up with the boxes until we were both satisfied with the roominess. We layered the floorboards with some old sheets and blankets that were discovered in a few boxes—these would become our temporary makeshift beds.
My phone suddenly went off and I told everyone to be quiet when I saw that it was Cassius calling.
“Hello?” I spoke as steadily as I could considering I was rattled with nerves.
“Alexis, darling! I have been worried sick! What became of you and your sister?”
“I’m sorry…really. She had an emergency, a personal one, I can’t really talk about it, but we’re both fine. I’ll be back to work in the morning, I promise. I really hope I didn’t mess anything up for Malik and that his party was successful even with my absence.”
Cassius chuckled into the receiver. “Malik was rather furious at first, but soon said he understood why you needed to leave. He has already forgiven you, I believe.”
Gulping, I responded with strained laughter. “I hope so…look, I’m going to get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Stay well, and sweet dreams.”
I hung up the phone, relayed the message. No one else seemed to think the last bit was cryptic at all, but I was unconvinced. I had a bad feeling that Malik knew all along where I had been. I hoped he still at least believed I was his spy, not theirs.
After the brief conversation about the phone call, everyone resumed their previous task of preparing the new headquarters. Before long everything that could be done with what we had was completed and I left into a small restroom. It was obvious it had not been used in ages and I wondered just how long the store had been shut down for, but it still functioned enough for a quick usage. Once my business was done I proceeded to change into a more comfortable pair of clothing to prepare for bed. Despite our efforts, the makeshift sleeping area was nearly unbearable and the night was filled with tossing, turning, grunts of discomfort, and the occasional verbal complaint.
The following morning I found myself alone in the warehouse, but I was comforted by the voices I heard outside. Slowly rising to my feet, I made my way outdoors to discover Mikael and Nicolai planting markers into the dirt as symbols of their lost friends. Salem, Ezra and Hannah were absent from the scene.
“Where are the others?” I asked groggily.
“They are training for the attack,” Mikael answered as he situated the last stone into the soil. “Salem wants to ensure that he is fully capable of assisting during the battle.”
I nodded and knelt down beside Nicolai. “This one is for Traian, isn’t it?” I asked, pointing to the fifth marker, knowing we had only lost four hunters including Octavian.
“I feel that although he made some mistakes along the way, he deserves to be remembered for the good that once resided within him.”
Smiling, I pulled Nicolai close into an unexpected hug on both our behalves. “I’m sorry you lost him, but I do agree that he deserves to be among the rest of them. I wish I could have known him before he became undead.”
“He was a bit of a rascal, but I think you’d have gotten along,” he smiled at me. “Do you have any siblings, aside from Hannah?”
“No,” I replied thoughtfully and shrugged. “I never really considered what it might be like to have a sibling. My best friend was the closest I ever came to having a sister.”
“Was?”
“She passed away,” my voice came out in a whisper, and I blinked away a tear. “A drunk driver caused it…there’s still a part of me that wishes I could tear that boy apart and make him regret what he did.”
Mikael’s hand was suddenly on my shoulder and I turned to look up at him. “We all seek vengeance in some form or another, but you must also reflect on what is at stake. This boy made a mistake, and in the end, you lost someone you loved. Would you be willing to do the same to his family by hurting him?”
“Of course not…”
“Then it is best that you keep those wishes solely to yourself, and never act upon them.”
“This coming from the leader of a group of hunters all seeking revenge on a vampire lord,” Nic scoffed.
“Aye, but Malik has nothing and no one to miss him when he is gone. Every one of his damned followers would see him dead and take his place if they could.”
For the first time in a long time, I kept my thoughts to myself—my opinion wouldn’t change their minds, anyway. Malik may not have someone out there that would miss him or be hurt to know he was dead, but what of the younger, more recent vampires that we would have to kill to get to him? They had families, friends, lovers…all-in-all, I admitted to myself that Mikael was right. These vampires would not be missed as what they were now, and there was little hope to save most of them. Besides, those that lost them had already grieved their absences and convinced themselves that they were gone and would never know that they still existed…and if they did find out, what chances were there that they would accept them for what they had become?
Once Salem and the others returned from training, he summoned a meal in honor of our lost members—it was difficult to enjoy the delicious roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and rolls under the grim circumstances but we all tried our best. Mikael insisted that despite our losses we had to focus on the present as well as the future—we all needed our strength in preparation for what was coming. Nicolai was quiet and reserved throughout the meal, no doubt dwelling on Traian’s misfortune. What Octavian did to his brother was cruel and unlike the man I briefly knew, but it wasn’t surprising. People would do extreme things for the one they loved, even at the expense of others. I wondered momentarily what Salem would have done in the same situation if it was between Jason, himself and me. Knowing him, he would have lived in misery alone and let us be.
It took a lot of strength to hold back the pain I felt at the absence of Jason and Mitchell. The only thing that comforted me was that as soon as Malik was gone, I’d be on a plane back to Willowshire to be reunited with my friends, and all of this would at last be behind us. At least I hoped that Jason would still acc
ept me as a friend…despite what had happened.
27. GAINING ENTRY
Returning to Varias was far from easy—I would more happily have slept on the rough, uncomfortable floorboards of the warehouse all day than ever walk into that restaurant again. Unfortunately, being here was a part of the plan, and Malik was to be as clueless about my association with the hunters as possible. What made it the most difficult was knowing that Salem would be joining the Vanatori in their attack, and knowing that he was in danger and I was unable to protect him…I couldn’t even let myself think of the possibilities.
Cassius kindly accompanied me at the piano again; carefully looking me over once more for what I assumed was any sign of injury to myself or the child. There were times where I found it bothersome how much he cared for the well-being of my unborn baby, then I reminded myself that he was only being kind and it was his duty to keep us both safe—as per Malik’s orders. He tried to pry out any information he could about my whereabouts after the ball, but I wouldn’t let anything slip.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was calm and quiet, and I had hoped it would stay that way—but all hopes washed away when Malik waltzed down the spiral staircase with a glum expression on his face. He was coming right toward me, his eyes focused on nothing but the girl behind the piano. I felt incredibly vulnerable with Hannah’s absence.
“Alexis,” he said through gritted teeth, “you made a mockery of me last night.”
“I-I’m sorry, my Lord,’ I stumbled over my words and averted my eyes. “Is there anything I can do to make up for it?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is,” he grasped my arm tightly and pulled me up from the bench. “Join me upstairs now, we have some things to discuss.”
Malik paced the room with his arms across his chest while I sat nervously on the chaise, watching his every step. We had been upstairs for at least ten minutes and he hadn’t said a word—he just glanced in my direction every so often, scrunching his eyebrows and then turning away. I listened as intently as I could to any sound of the hunters infiltrating the restaurant, but the only sound I could hear was his feet against the floorboards.
With sudden speed, Malik was instantly at my side on the chair, offering over a rose identical to the one I had dropped last night.
“I want you to have this, since your other was ruined,” he spoke tenderly now and placed the flower behind my ear as he had the night before.
“Thank you…”
“You must understand that I am not disappointed in you, Alexis. It’s more so that sister of yours. Has she no consideration for the feelings of others? Last night was an important day for me—for us! And she felt she could take you away without a word.”
“She really isn’t to blame,” I muttered with a subtle sigh. “She meant no harm in it, I swear.”
“Of course, of course,” he nodded and rested a hand on my thigh. I tried not to squirm away, but the temptation was almost unbearable. “Some of my men have been scouting her.”
I pretended to be surprised with a gasp. “What? Why?!”
“They suspected she might not be one of us…”
“As in a vampire?”
“No, my dear…she thirsts on the wrong blood, which is against restaurant policy. I can smell it on her. It is sickening. I admit that I tried my best to look away on the matter, for your sake, but I fear I cannot any longer.”
It was difficult to hold back my laughter at this comment, but I tried my hardest. “She is mostly here for my sake, to make sure I’m safe.”
“Safe? You have plenty of guardians here—I and Cassius, as well as anyone else that knows you are my Queen. She is an unwanted nuisance among us, and if she makes the mistake of entering Varias again, she will be escorted out immediately—with or without force, depending on her actions.”
“I don’t understand…why would you do that?”
“She is a traitor to the vampire kind,” he said, looking insulted and disgusted. “We have just learned of her associating with the Vanatori as well, which is far less acceptable than being an animal drinker.”
“…who?” I feigned confusion and lack of knowledge of the hunters, hoping against hope that Traian had been lying or mistaken.
He smirked. “Don’t play with me, dear, we both know you are aware of who they are. You do not have to keep up the façade here; they have no way to know now that your sister is no longer spying on you.”
“What?”
“You’re using their information against them in order to assist me. Cassius said you were a clever one, and he has never been so right. Now, tell me, what have you found out?” he caressed the side of my face and awaited an answer.
I struggled with something false to tell him. My mind immediately wanted to confess to everything that I knew, and I could feel the force of him probing my mind in attempt to manipulate me. How had I been so ignorant before, so unaware of the unwelcome feeling?
“Actually…” I spat out slowly, the thoughts forming in my head at the same rate as it came out of my mouth, “They’re planning an attack as we speak, and will be here at any given moment today.”
I clasped my hand over my mouth and glared at him. Those were not the words I had intended to say! My intent was to give him a sense of false security, not announce the fact that the hunters were on their way to attack today!
“Pity,” he shrugged. “The Vanatori have come and attempted to break through many times, and they always fail. They will never learn.”
“It’s not just them, they have built up somewhat of an army of hunters…enough that I believe would be capable to end your reign if they are to get in,” I grimaced as the words flowed past my lips and straight into his hungry ears. The bastard was manipulating me despite my efforts to force him out. Slowly, I was becoming a comrade to my enemy against my own will.
He was on his feet in seconds, preparing to announce to his council to prepare for the oncoming attack. I pulled myself up and clasped my arms around him, making a pitiful attempt at stopping him.
“Malik…you can’t believe a word I just said…it was all just a joke.”
“A joke?”
“Yeah…to get you riled up!” I blurted out. “I find it very attractive when you’re angry!” There was no way this was going to work but I had to try something.
With an unexpected burst of laughter, Malik swiped his hand across my face, hard enough to knock me off balance. I fell against the chaise, hitting my head against the arm of the chair. Groaning, I fought to stand but my body didn’t have the will to move.
“Well there you have it, dear. I am growing angrier by the second. You can only be on one side, Alexis—mine or theirs—and soon, they will not be an option.”
His words lingered in my mind as he turned on his heel and exited the room.
I sat up, rubbing a sore bump on my head, and stared at the swinging door that led downstairs. There was a sudden uproar of voices, and it was all due to my carelessness—why did I not possess the will to protect my mind from him? Did anyone? Was he really that strong? Judging by what Raziel had mentioned in a distant memory to Salem, I had no doubt that Malik was the strongest vampire in the world. Raziel had said that feasting on the blood of the young bolstered a vampire’s power, granting them gifts unimaginable to minor fledglings. He had been alive for ages, learning our weaknesses and gaining in strength day-by-day and I was willingly letting Salem and my most recent friends go up against him in battle—a battle that I had alerted this same enemy of. How had I been so weak as to let him manipulate me again?
My stomach heaved at the images racing through my head. Ignoring the burning sensation in my cheek from the unexpected slap and the throbbing headache from my fall, I rushed down the stairs only to discover that the restaurant was empty—not a single chair was occupied. Everyone must have retreated to the mansion to prepare for the attack. Fortunately, I had kept the secret entrance to the stronghold to myself, otherwise the vampires would have been there wai
ting.
Reaching the mansion by foot in my state would have been impossible, and my eyes nervously lingered on the Sion IQ resting in the parking lot. It wasn’t the idea of getting behind the wheel and uncomfortably making my way to Malik’s mansion, however the fact that there was already someone sitting in there.
Cassius waved me over to him with a smile. How was I to know if I could still trust him? He had been the only one under Malik’s command that appeared to care for me at all, though…
I cautiously approached the vehicle, the very car that this man had put into my possession. The man whom I had trusted with my life and had helped me to pursue a career that I never imagined possible. How could I put any doubt in my mind that he wasn’t looking out for my well-being? The mere fact alone that he was sitting here while everyone else had retreated to defend Malik proved more than enough.
“Come along, Alexis. We must get to the mansion and stop Malik before he makes a mistake!”
I pulled the passenger side door open and climbed in beside him. He glanced at me with a reassuring smile and pulled out of the parking lot.
When we arrived at the mansion, I was unsurprised to find it locked down and the front door heavily guarded with vampires. There were vampires lurking atop the balcony, on the roof, peering through windows—the place was surrounded. There was no possible way that the Vanatori would have gathered enough men and women to go up against this!
To my surprise, the crowd of vampires spread out in order for Cassius and me to walk through and gain entrance to the stronghold. They still trusted me, to some extent at least. After all, I was still their Queen.
The place was swarming with undead with little room to spare for us to walk through. Malik’s voice could be heard above the racket of other voices, commanding them to hold their positions in wait for the oncoming attack. The weight of my cellphone in my pocket reminded me that I should have taken the opportunity to attempt to get a hold of Salem or Hannah before agreeing to ride here with Cassius. Though I knew that even if I had, the Vanatori wouldn’t have called it off. They were even more stubborn than I was. I didn’t want to let Malik get away with what he had done to my mother, while the hunters had their own reasons to hate him and his kind. We had to put a stop to him somehow, even at the risk of our own deaths, in order to save the lives of so many others.
