“You’re a vampire?” I asked him, since I knew only vampires could turn humans into one of their kind. I’d learned that during the “supernatural lessons” Noah and Sage had given me during our long drives across the country.
“I am.” He held a hand out for me to shake. “Thomas Bettencourt, leader of the Bettencourt coven of Chicago—and also the one responsible for saving your life tonight.”
I widened my eyes, questions racing through my mind. How did we get to Chicago? At least that’s where I assumed we were, although I couldn’t tell since all of the curtains in this pristine condo were drawn. And how did Sage and Noah know this vampire? How had he saved my life—and why?
But he seemed like a pretty formal guy, and it looked like he was waiting for me to introduce myself as well. So I’d have to save the questions for later.
“Raven Danvers,” I replied, giving his hand a solid shake. He watched me like he wanted more information, so I added, “From LA.”
“Nice to officially meet you, Raven Danvers from LA.” He released my hand and lowered his arm to his side, the pleasantries apparently over. He’d also sounded a bit suspicious when he’d repeated my name. But I supposed I couldn’t blame him.
As I’d learned on this demon hunt, it was highly unusual for a human to travel with—and be protected by—two shifters. It had confused pretty much every supernatural we’d come across so far.
“Thank you for saving my life,” I added, and he gave a single nod of acknowledgment. “But what exactly did you do to me? Because I feel… different. I can see things and hear things and smell things that I couldn’t before.”
“I injected you with my blood.” He glanced at a used needle sitting on the coffee table. “As you already knew before coming here, vampire blood has the power to heal humans, even if their injuries are mortal. As a side effect, you’ll have vampire abilities for the next twenty-four hours. You’ll be staying here until those abilities wear off.”
“Oh.” It was a lot to take in at once, but there was one bit of what he said that stood out to me the most. “Why do you think I knew vampire blood healed humans before all of this?” I asked. “Because I didn’t. Sage and Noah never taught me that during our lessons.”
Thomas tilted his head, looking at me with more interest than before. “Fascinating,” he said, apparently leaving it at that. “And certainly something to be addressed later. In the meantime, you should know I didn’t save your life out of the goodness of my heart. Your friends and I came to an agreement.”
Dread swirled in my stomach. “What kind of agreement?” I reached for Noah’s hand and grabbed it for support, looking at each of the three of them as I waited for an answer.
Thomas quickly told me about all three parts of the deal they’d made. The blood oath, the private talk with me, and the date with Sage.
I understood why he wanted us to make the blood oath of silence about vampire blood. I wasn’t happy about it—Noah and Sage had explained blood oaths to me, and how I should only enter into one if I had no other option. But I literally had no option right now, since if I didn’t make the blood oath, Thomas wasn’t going to let me out of this building alive. So it looked like today was the day when I’d be making my first ever blood oath.
I wasn’t sure why Thomas wanted to speak privately with me, but there was nothing else I could do but find out.
As for the final condition, I didn’t understand why he’d included a date with Sage into the terms while bargaining for my life. He didn’t strike me as the type of man who needed to bargain for a date. But looking at the two of them now, there was definitely something between them. He glanced at her every so often with longing in his eyes, and she did the same. Both of them kept looking away from the other before they could get caught.
I’d never pictured Sage being interested in someone so… aloof. But she hadn’t said a word since I’d woken up, and I had a feeling that had to do with Thomas.
I’d definitely be asking her for the scoop about what was going on between the two of them once we were alone.
“I take it you agree to the terms?” Thomas watched me in challenge. There was an edge to his voice—a warning. That if I didn’t agree to the terms, I wasn’t going to like the consequences.
“I do.” I nodded.
“Good.” He stood up. “Then please, come with me. It’s time we talk—alone.”
I turned to Noah, and he nodded to let me know it was going to be okay. At the same time, a soothing warmth made its way through my body, settling my nerves. While I couldn’t say for sure, I could have sworn that the boost of encouragement had radiated from Noah and into me.
I gave his hand a small squeeze—letting him know I got his message—and stood up to go with Thomas. But Thomas didn’t continue forward. Instead, he turned around and looked once more at Sage.
“There’s a selection of clothes and makeup in the second bedroom.” He glanced down the hall to my left—I assumed that was where the second bedroom was. “We’ll be leaving for our date after I speak with Raven, so you should take this time to get ready.”
Her face paled, and she glanced down the hall, as if deliberately not wanting to make eye contact with Thomas.
I didn’t believe this. Sage wasn’t afraid of anything. Why did this date have her so on edge?
He didn’t wait for her to reply before spinning on his heel and leading the way down the hall.
I looked once more at Sage and Noah. I wanted to stay with them. Especially with Noah. I had no idea where things stood between us. Before, he’d told me he wasn’t interested in me. But after that kiss when I’d woken up, I knew he’d been lying. He cared for me as much as I cared for him.
We were going to have to talk about it soon.
But not now.
Because according to the terms of the agreement that had saved my life, I had no choice but to follow Thomas down the hall and give him the private audience he’d requested.
9
Raven
I followed Thomas into a large room that was obviously a media room. The television was bigger than any I’d ever seen—it took up nearly the entire wall it was on.
Actually, calling this a media room was a disservice. It was more like a home theater.
A plush white sofa faced the television, and I walked toward it, unsure if I should sit or stand. I decided to remain standing until seeing what Thomas chose to do.
Thomas closed the door with a resounding click and turned to face me. “Raven Danvers from LA,” he said my name like it was some kind of joke, eyeing me up like he’d trapped me. “Or do you prefer to be called Princess Ana of the Seventh Kingdom?”
“What?” I backed away, confused—and also scared. I stumbled into an end table, but my temporarily heightened vampire senses stopped me from falling over and making a total fool of myself.
I rightened myself and looked around. The only way out of the room was from the door Thomas was currently blocking.
“I couldn’t be sure given the condition you were in when you arrived,” he continued—either not believing my confusion or ignoring it. “You were so burnt that it made you nearly unrecognizable. But now that you’re healed, I see my suspicion was correct. So, tell me. What’s the infamous Princess Ana of the Seventh Kingdom doing traveling with Sage Montgomery and the First Prophet of the Vale?”
He looked so sure of himself—like he was catching me in a massive lie. Judging by the way he crossed his arms and blocked the door, he didn’t want me leaving this room until I confessed.
The problem was, I had nothing to confess to.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I leveled my gaze with his, not wanting to let him know how scared I really was. If worst came to worst, I had my temporary vampire strength, and I knew how to defend myself thanks to the lessons Noah had given me. I glanced around for an item I could use as a weapon. A lamp, a glass centerpiece… there were definitely a few items in here I could work with.
My cheeks heated with the realization that he knew exactly what I’d been thinking.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he continued. “I just want to talk.” He paused to size me up. “Are you ready to answer my questions?”
I took a few deep breaths to center myself. It was clear that Thomas was extremely perceptive and manipulative. But he’d also just saved my life. Surely he wouldn’t have saved my life if he wanted to hurt me?
He was also the leader of a vampire coven in one of the biggest cities in America. I had no idea what he was up to, what he wanted, or what he would do to get it.
But there was one thing I did know—I didn’t have the answers he wanted.
“I can’t answer your questions, because I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, the words coming out in a rush. “I don’t know who Princess Ana is. I don’t know what the Seventh Kingdom is. And I don’t know who the First Prophet of the Vale is.” I threw my hands up in the air, wishing I could give him more. Then maybe he’d stop looking at me like he thought I was lying scum. “I’m just a human girl who got lucky by being saved by two shifters and now has a chance to save my mom’s life. I didn’t even believe in the supernatural a month ago.” My voice faltered—I was getting desperate now. “I can tell you don’t believe me, but it’s true. I swear it.”
He didn’t reply. Instead he just watched me, studying me with eyes that gazed at me like a hawk.
I stood still, afraid to move. Afraid to breathe.
After what felt like the longest few seconds of my life, he finally gave me a single nod.
“Very well.” He motioned to the couch that faced the television. “Then please, take a seat and allow me to refresh your memory.”
10
Raven
My memory.
Could that be what this was about? My missing memories?
Curious, I sat on the sofa where Thomas was motioning. He did the same, sitting on the opposite end and grabbing a tiny remote from the end table.
The television turned on, and the lights in the room dimmed. Then, a scene on the television started to play.
Thomas hadn’t pressed any buttons on the remote—which seemed strange—but I was too stunned by what I saw on the screen to ask any questions.
Because what I saw was… me.
I was barging through the doors of a palace throne room, wearing a long, fancy dress and looking every bit like royalty. There were two people on the throne—a petite woman with long, dark hair and a crown on her head, and a handsome man who looked eerily similar to that famous swimmer who’d died in a hotel bombing in Toronto right before his big Olympic break. I wasn’t usually one to follow sports, but photos of those swimmers had been all over the news. His photo had always been shown the most.
In the scene playing in front of me, people lined the sides of the room and gasped when I entered.
“Who are you?” the woman on the throne asked. Her eyes shined with distrust, and everyone quieted as she continued. “Why are you barging into our ceremony unannounced?”
“My name is Princess Ana.” I watched as the girl who looked exactly like me held onto her skirt and lowered herself into a curtsy. She addressed the man—not the woman who had questioned her. Her eyes didn’t leave his as she spoke. “I’m from the Seventh Kingdom, and I’m here to compete for Prince Jacen’s hand in marriage.”
The scene paused, leaving me looking at a still image of myself. It was beyond eerie to look at. Because it wasn’t just that she looked similar to me.
She was identical to me.
The lights brightened again, and Thomas turned in my direction. He looked exceedingly proud at himself—like he’d just bested me in a competition and was ready for me to admit my defeat. “Either you’re Princess Ana, or you have an identical twin,” he said, studying me. “From the look on your face, I’m starting to wonder if maybe it’s the latter.”
“I don’t have a twin,” I said. I’d seen videos of my delivery—my grandparents had been a bit obsessive when it came to documenting my childhood. There was no twin, and twins didn’t run in my family. “But that wasn’t me,” I repeated. “Unless…”
“Unless what?” Thomas didn’t move, waiting for me to continue.
“When was that recording from?” I asked.
“Right after the new year,” he said. “January third, to be precise.”
The moment he said the date, the world stilled around me. Because my suspicion was correct.
That scene I’d just watched had happened during the time that my memories had been erased and replaced.
“You look like you just saw a ghost,” Thomas observed, lounging back in the couch like this was a completely normal conversation. “Either that, or you had a startling realization. Care to share what it was?”
Even though he’d asked politely, I could tell I didn’t have much of an option—at least not if I planned on leaving this room anytime soon. Plus, he had just saved my life. And Sage had trusted him enough to bring me here, and she and Noah had agreed to let me have this talk with Thomas in the first place.
But still, my memory loss was personal. I wasn’t sure if I should tell him, or if I did, I wasn’t sure how much I should tell him.
“You can either be honest with me, or I’ll give you truth potion to find out what you know,” he continued. “I recommend that you’re willfully honest. I know you don’t know much about me, but I’m a valuable ally. You want me on your side. But first, I need to know I can trust you.” He glanced at the frozen image of me on the screen, and then looked back to me. “Can you help me do that?”
I swallowed and wrung my hands in my lap. He was coercing me—threatening me with telling me he’d just give me truth potion anyway—and I didn’t like that. It was cunning and manipulative.
But it had only been a few minutes, and I already had more information about my missing memories than anyone had been able to give me so far. He had recordings of what I’d done during that time. The answers were literally right in front of my face.
I had to tell him. I needed to know the truth. I was the girl in the video, and while I had no idea why I’d pretended to be this Princess Ana of the Seventh Kingdom, I was ready to find out.
“I traveled around Europe for a few weeks this past winter,” I began, keeping my gaze steady with his as I spoke. “But the trip never made sense—it wasn’t like me to pick up and leave without telling anyone. And the memories of my time there were always hazy, like I was seeing through someone else’s eyes and not my own. Which I recently learned means I’d been given a memory potion—one strong enough to erase weeks of memories and replace them with others. In my case, a trip to Europe that never happened.”
“A human shouldn’t have the strength to see through a memory potion strong enough to erase weeks of memory,” Thomas said. “I can’t smell your scent thanks to the cloaking ring you’re wearing, but I know you’re human. Your body would have rejected my blood otherwise.”
“Why?” I asked. Sage and Noah apparently hadn’t gotten that far in my supernatural lessons.
“Supernaturals can’t drink vampire blood,” he answered. “Just like vampires can’t drink the blood of other supernaturals. If we try, it makes us sick so we expel the blood. Therefore, I know you’re human, since you drank my blood and it healed you. But Princess Ana is a vampire princess. Watch her prove it to Queen Laila.” He glanced back over at the television, and the scene resumed.
I watched as Princess Ana and the petite vampire on the throne beside Prince Jacen—Queen Laila, according to Thomas—discussed the Seventh Kingdom. Queen Laila doubted Princess Ana was who she claimed to be. She didn’t believe there was a Seventh Kingdom at all.
Princess Ana proved she could use the royal vampire ability of co
mpulsion by compelling one of the vampire guards to remove his clothing and do a headstand in the center of the room. He removed his pants and his shoes, but Queen Laila used her compulsion—which was stronger than Princess Ana’s, since she was a queen—to stop the guard from continuing.
How disappointing. It would have been funny to watch the guard complete Princess Ana’s command.
It also would have been very unlike me to prove I could use compulsion by forcing a random guard to embarrass himself. Surely I could have proven myself without making an enemy of one of the vampire guards of the Vale in the process?
Princess Ana might have looked identical to me, but she certainly wasn’t behaving like me.
What must have happened to me in those weeks I’d forgotten that would have made me act like that?
The possibilities were disturbing, to say the least.
Thomas stopped the recording—I wasn’t sure how, since I didn’t see him press any buttons—and turned back to me. “As you just saw, Princess Ana is a vampire princess,” he said. “Now here you are—the same girl—as a human.”
“So… you think someone turned me into a vampire princess, then turned me back into a human and erased my memories?” It sounded crazy, but my life had been so crazy recently that I was beginning to just accept it and go with it.
“It’s impossible for vampires to turn back into humans, or even to disguise ourselves as humans,” he said. “We can use cloaking rings to disguise our scent, but those just hide our scent—they don’t make us smell human. Which leads me to believe…” he trailed off, as if trying to decide if his guess was accurate enough to share.
“What?” I sat forward, eager to know his thoughts.
“You must have been drinking the blood of a vampire royal, which would have made you appear—and smell—like a vampire to everyone you encountered,” he said.
“Like I did just now, with your blood,” I said, and he nodded. “But you said the vampire blood would only stay in my system for twenty four hours.”
The Angel Trials- The Complete Series Page 34
