Well, he was expecting the arrival of the gifted humans who had chosen to go to Avalon. From the chatter I’d been hearing, most of my previous bunkmates were going to stay at the Haven. After speaking at length with Mary and the witches, many of them were even considering being turned into vampires.
I supposed I couldn’t blame them. The Haven was safe. It had existed here in peace for centuries, and was providing us with everything we needed to survive. The airy, spacious hotel Mary had built for the humans here was quite the upgrade from the cramped bunker. And by turning into vampires, they could solidify a home here and gain the strength they needed to protect themselves—and possibly their families—in the dark times to come.
Avalon, on the other hand, was unknown. New. Risky.
It was also my destiny.
And so, I walked into the lobby with my head held high. I was ready for whatever was coming.
Hopefully the more I told myself that, the more I’d believe it.
“You’re the first ones here,” Mary said, as if it wasn’t obvious.
“Let’s hope we’re not the only ones who will be here,” Noah said. “No offense. It’s just that the Earth Angel’s army could probably benefit from the help of gifted humans, too.”
“None taken,” Mary said. “The Haven supports Avalon and the Earth Angel’s efforts. If not many humans decide to come to Avalon today, they’re not prisoners here. If they change their mind and decide they want to go to Avalon, our witches will gladly bring them to the Vale. They all know this.”
I nodded, reading between the lines of her words. She didn’t think many others would be joining us today.
She was right. Out of everyone who’d been in the bunker, only five others joined us in the lobby.
The first was Jessica, which wasn’t a surprise. She’d already told me she was leaning toward going to Avalon. Plus, we’d grown attached to each other in the bunker. She felt like a younger sister to me.
It was amazing how close you could feel to someone after surviving such an extreme situation together. And while I had no idea what she must be going through after being changed into a vampire against her will, I was glad I’d be there with her as she transitioned into her new life.
Plus, it was never a bad thing to have a walking lie detector by your side. We still hadn’t figured out how Jessica’s ability had been enhanced by her change into a vampire, but I was looking forward to finding out.
Thomas was exactly five minutes early. Unlike the rest of us, who were wearing the comfortable white clothes supplied to us by the Haven, he was dressed in a three-piece business suit. His normal attire. He must have had one of the vampires who’d come in for Cassandra’s funeral bring it from the Bettencourt. He was perfectly calm, put together, and ready to fight. Looking at him now, one would never think he was mourning someone who was like family to him.
“You sure the Bettencourt will be able to run without you?” Noah asked.
“I’m sure.” Thomas nodded. “I’ve always known there might come a day when I wouldn’t be there to run the hotel. My coven is trained in what to do in this situation. And I don’t expect to be gone for long. Once Sage is rescued and the demon bond is broken, the two of us will be returning to the Bettencourt. She’ll take her rightful spot as co-leader of the coven, by my side.”
Noah raised an eyebrow. I could feel through the imprint bond that he doubted Sage was just going to agree to be queen—or whatever they called it—of the Bettencourt.
We’d have to see what she decided once Azazel was dead and her free will was returned to her. But I had a good feeling that whatever she and Thomas decided, they’d make the decision together.
The only three humans who joined us were Kara, Keith, and Harry. They all came down together, like a family unit. The twins were only thirteen, but they looked younger than usual next to Harry.
“Glad to see you decided to join us,” I told him with a smile. “Your ability will come in handy in the Earth Angel’s army.”
He just cracked a nervous small smile and nodded.
“What’s your ability?” Noah asked him.
“Perfect aim,” he said.
“Nice.”
The two of them exchanged a typical dude look of respect.
Mary glanced at her watch and looked around at the group. “So, this is it, then.”
“I guess so.” I looked around in disappointment. I’d thought that out of everyone from the bunker, more would want to come to Avalon. And I suppose, selfishly, I’d wanted them there because I didn’t want to go through the Angel Trials alone. Yes, I’d have Noah rooting for me—and now Jessica, too. But only humans could become Nephilim. And while I didn’t know much, if anything, about what The Angel Trials would entail, the twins didn’t look like they’d gone through puberty yet. I doubted they’d be ready.
Which left Harry and me.
Hopefully I’d make other friends once I got to Avalon. Not like there was anything wrong with Harry. I was just hoping that one of the other humans closer to my age—someone I could relate to more—would have come with us. But oh well. It was what it was.
“Well, then,” Mary said, looking around at all of us. “Are you all ready?”
Just as we were all saying yes, the elevator doors opened.
And Bella came running out of them.
17
Raven
Bella hurried toward us with surprising grace given her five-inch stiletto boots and tight leather pants. “I’m not too late, right?” she asked, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.
“For what?” I asked.
“Avalon,” she said, like I was stupid for not realizing it.
“You’re not going back to the Devereux mansion?” I asked. “To be with your sisters?”
“Ever since Azazel killed Whitney, Amber has been keeping us on lockdown in that house.” Darkness crossed over Bella’s eyes as she said her murdered sister’s name. “I get it—I do. We have to be safe. But I’ve been going stir crazy in there. It’s awful.” She moved from foot to foot as she spoke, as if showing us how restless she was getting.
“What about Amber, Evie, and Doreen?” Noah asked. “Don’t they need you?”
“The minimum number of witches a circle needs to be complete is three,” Bella said. “So yes, the Devereux circle will be able to continue doing their thing without me there. I’ll be more of a use against the demons in Avalon than in LA.”
Shivani was listening to our entire exchange, and she looked concerned. “Have you spoken to your sisters about your decision?” she asked Bella.
“I have,” Bella said. “I barely slept last night. I was too busy trying to decide what to do. I was on the phone with them for hours. When I first told them I was thinking about going to Avalon, they were angry. But the more we talked, the more they understood. Especially because they want to do whatever they can to help the Earth Angel’s efforts in Avalon, but none of us have been able to get in contact with her.”
“She’s been out of touch with the outside world since getting to Avalon,” Noah said. “She’s focusing on building her army.”
I didn’t know how he knew that. But he sounded really sure of himself.
Noah clearly had faith in the Earth Angel. Everyone who had met her did. Even those who hadn’t met her had faith in her.
But I couldn’t control the worry brewing deep in my gut that something wasn’t right. Probably because she’d made the decision to wipe my memories.
I couldn’t wait to hear what she said to me when I walked onto that island and confronted her straight on.
“Preparing humans to become Nephilim is no easy task,” Mary said.
“I understand that,” Bella said. “Which is why I want to be a liaison between Avalon and the Devereux circle. I’ll be fully devoted to the Earth Angel and her army, of course. I’ll do whatever she needs me to do on Avalon. But I can also keep my sisters informed about what we’re doing on Avalon, so they can help our c
ause from our house in LA.”
“The choice is yours,” Mary said. “You don’t need to defend it to me. And now that you’re joining us, that’s one fewer witch from the Haven who will have to transport the others to the Vale.”
I glanced around at everyone standing there who would be going to Avalon. Me, Noah, Thomas, Bella, Jessica, Kara, Keith, and Harry.
The only one who didn’t look nervous was Noah. And Thomas. But he never looked nervous.
“So, this is all of us, then?” I asked.
“One more will be joining you.” Mary pulled out her phone, pressed a few buttons, and held it to her ear. “Bring him in,” she said to whoever was on the other side of the call. “We’re ready to head out.”
I didn’t have time to ask who she was speaking to. Because the next second, a dark skinned man with cat-like features let himself into the hotel. He was leading chained, handcuffed man wearing the white garb of the Haven. Dr. Foster.
The male witch’s eyes were wide and terrified as he glanced around the hotel lobby. He looked so much smaller than the last time I’d seen him. Like the time in the Haven had aged him years, even though we’d only been here for a two days.
Finally, he focused on Mary. “What are you doing with me?” he asked. “I already told you everything I know.”
“I know you have.” Mary was as cool and composed as ever. “It’s a shame you didn’t know why Azazel and his demon followers were collecting vampire blood in that bunker. But we will figure it out. I promise you that.”
Right—Jessica had told me all about that after she’d come to the Haven and completed her transition. The demons had been strengthening us up in the bunker to prepare us to be changed into vampires. What the demons were doing with the gifted vampires after they completed the change was unclear.
Thomas and some of the witches from the Haven who had returned to the scene of the crime believed the demons were draining the gifted vampires of their blood and using the blood for something important.
But my mom had been taken from the bunker. And Rosella had promised she was still alive. So clearly, what Thomas and the witches thought was wrong. They had to be wrong.
I refused to accept any other possibility.
“In the meantime,” Mary continued, focused on Dr. Foster. “The Haven doesn’t allow criminals to live in our kingdom, incarcerated or not. You’ll be dropped off at the Vale with the others. I’ve spoken with King Alexander. He’ll decide what to do with you once you arrive.”
Dr. Foster hung his head and said nothing. I felt kind of bad for him. I knew I shouldn’t, since he was a part of keeping me and the other gifted humans captive. But I still remembered the way he’d acted during my initial physical. He’d been worried and nervous. Like he didn’t want to be there.
The Foster witches were supposed to be some fearsome, ancient, dark magic family. But Dr. Foster wasn’t any of those things at all.
Before I could think about it further, Mary’s cell phone lit up with a text.
She glanced down at it and sent a reply. Then she looked back up at us. “The Honorable Jacen Conrad, Ambassador of Avalon, is ready to meet you at the Vale,” she said, her eyes serious as she focused on each of us individually. “Good luck. And safe journeys to Avalon.”
18
Raven
We were each assigned a witch to teleport us to Avalon. Shivani took Dr. Foster, Bella took Thomas, and the rest of us were all assigned others. My witch was named Riya. She’d been on the reconnaissance mission with Thomas and Shivani. She was a few years younger than I was, but her eyes held wisdom that I knew mine didn’t.
I supposed that’s what happened when you grew up in a secluded supernatural vampire kingdom and had been training in magic since birth.
The witches were dropping us off in the throne room in the palace of the Vale. They’d all been there before, so there was no risk of them accidentally teleporting into the wrong spot.
I took Riya’s hands. She wore rings on each finger—so many rings that some of her fingers had two or more on them. They were all different crystals and symbols. She seemed to favor moonstone.
Moonstone had been popular in the jewelry I’d sold while working at Tarotology.
Working there felt like forever ago. A lifetime ago.
In a way, it had been.
“Are you ready?” Riya asked.
I barely had time to nod before the ground dropped from below us and we were sucked into the ether. For a few seconds, I was weightless and everything was pitch dark. Then my feet were on solid ground again, and a throne room materialized in front of me.
I gazed around my new surroundings. High ceilings, marble floors, and impressive steps leading up to two elaborate stone carved chairs. The throne room in the palace of the Vale. Thomas had shown me a recording of it when I’d been at the Bettencourt. It was the room where the Earth Angel—disguised to look like me—had marched inside and declared herself Princess Ana of the Seventh Kingdom.
Prince Jacen stood at the top of the steps, looking down at us. With his dark hair, slim build, and strong jaw, I recognized him from the recording. He was one of those people you didn’t forget—especially because he’d been a rising Olympic swimmer before being turned into a vampire. But unlike in the recording, he wasn’t dressed in a fancy tux.
Today, he wore black jeans and a matching t-shirt. Not what I expected from a former famous athlete, a prince of the Vale, and an ambassador of Avalon.
Also unlike in the recording, it wasn’t crowded in the throne room. It was just our group from the Haven, Prince Jacen, and a few guards standing along the walls. And there were no windows anywhere. The room was a fortress. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was the safest place in the palace.
The prince’s eyes locked on mine. His silver gaze was hard and in control. The eyes of a leader. But he was also looking at me like he recognized me. It made sense, since he’d known me as Princess Ana.
I instinctively stepped closer to Noah and clasped my hand in his.
Noah glared up at the prince, sending him a clear message. I was his. Don’t touch. His entire body was tense with warning.
Jacen’s gaze quickly moved away from mine as he focused on Shivani. “Thank you for bringing the new prospects here,” he said. “Now, if the Haven witches can step aside, I’d like to address those of you wanting to go to Avalon.”
The witches did as instructed. Shivani brought Dr. Foster with her, leading him by his chain.
Now only Noah, Thomas, Bella, Jessica, Kara, Keith, Harry, and I stood in the center of the vast room. Jessica stood slightly behind me, Thomas and Bella stood together, and the three other humans had gathered in a cluster.
Jacen sized us all up and walked down the steps, so we were all standing at the same level. “Welcome to the Vale,” he finally said. “Other than Avalon, the Vale is one of the safest places in the world. It’s right up there with the Haven, thanks to the team of strong witches upholding a powerful boundary spell around our land. The Vale is home to vampires, wolf shifters, and humans who willingly live here in exchange for donating their blood. It also serves as the gateway between Earth and Avalon. Which is why you’re here today.”
“You mean Avalon isn’t on Earth?” I wasn’t sure if we were allowed to speak to the prince yet, but the question popped out of my mouth anyway.
Hopefully I hadn’t broken some sort of royal protocol.
The corner of his lips lifted into a small smirk. “Avalon exists on its own realm, although it’s anchored to Earth in a variety of ways,” he said. “The Vale is one of those ways. I take it you’re Raven?”
“I am.” I nodded, even though the answer he’d given to my question was still confusing. And he was definitely switching the topic by asking my name.
“I’m glad Mary warned me that you were the human whose blood Geneva used for the Earth Angel’s transformation potion,” he said. “Otherwise, I would have been in for quite the shock at the sight of
the infamous Princess Ana of the Seventh Kingdom teleporting into our throne room.” He smiled, clearly trying to break the ice between himself and our strange little group.
Given the romantic past he’d had with the Earth Angel while she was disguised to look like me, I didn’t want to like him. I worried it would cause territorial issues between him and Noah.
But the guy standing before us wasn’t the pompous, entitled vampire prince I’d expected. He seemed cool and down to Earth. Like someone you could kick back and chill with. I could picture him and Noah having a beer together while watching football, or whatever sport they preferred.
At the same time, he was poised and confident. A leader. I could see why the people of Avalon followed and respected him.
Hopefully the Earth Angel wasn’t this cool and relatable, too. It would make it really hard for me to continue being angry at her for erasing my memories.
“I’m a far cry from Princess Ana of the Seventh Kingdom.” I chuckled at the mere idea of myself as a haughty vampire princess. “I’m just Raven Danvers, a human from LA.”
Well, I was a gifted human. Who’d imprinted on a wolf shifter. While trying to rescue my mom from the greater demon who’d abducted her.
Wow, my life was weird.
“You’re brave to want to come to Avalon and face the Angel Trials,” Jacen said, although he moved his focus away from me to study the others in the group. “All of you are brave.” When his gaze landed on Noah’s, he stopped, watching him carefully. “It’s good to see you again, Noah,” he said. “I take it you have the items the Earth Angel requires of you for your entrance to Avalon?”
“I do.” Noah held his gaze with Jacen’s. “All ten of them.”
“Please show them to me.”
Noah didn’t move. “When the Earth Angel gave me the task, she said they needed to be presented to her,” he said.
The Angel Trials- The Complete Series Page 68
