Queen of Gods

by Scarlett Dawn

  She nodded, her brows lifting as I raced around her in a circle.

  Just for the fun of it. A crypt can be cramped.

  Jerking to a sudden stop in front of her, I probed, “Do I have this generation’s lingo down correct? Or do I sound like I’m from the past?”

  She snorted. “I picked well for you, my friend. I made sure there was a social media guru in there. So you sound even more up to date than I do.”

  I nudged her shoulder with mine, teasing, “So I’m still better than you.”

  Adelie huffed a long-suffering sigh. “Once, Gwen. Only once did you beat me in chess. I don’t know why you must continue to bring that up.”

  I flashed a little fang. “Because it’s so much fun.”

  Another sigh. Added to a roll of her pretty, brown eyes. “I should have stuck a therapist in there, too. Dammit.”

  My head tilted back, and my laughter filled the cave.

  Adelie blinked ever so slowly, her gaze running over my features. “You know, you look straight from a horror flick right now. We should probably get you cleaned up before I take you out into civilization.”

  I stuck out my bottom lip, joking, “I can’t scare the food?”

  “Oh, you’d scare the humans all right. But you shouldn’t.” She pulled her backpack off her right shoulder and unzipped it. Rummaging through the contents, my friend mumbled hesitantly, “Aren’t you going to ask me why you woke up early?”

  A pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt, boots. Weapons. Bottles of water and rags.

  All were dropped at my feet.

  I started stripping down out of my Rest attire. “I know the overlords are behind it.”

  “Are you curious why?” Adelie zipped her bag up and shoved the strap back over her shoulder. “I think you’ll like the reason, be less pissed.”

  I wet a rag down, my head cocking as I eyed her in silent question.

  “Lord John took his final breath six months ago. He decided he’d lived long enough and chose his death,” she explained. A small, pleased grin graced her features—an impish look. “King Pippin has elevated to the Council. He’s now Lord Pippin, an overlord.”

  My breath caught in my throat, the cleansing rag in my hand halting against my cheek. “You mean I’m finally being called as a possible candidate for the new queen?”

  Her red hair shook as she bobbed her head in excitement. “Yes! There are two women before you, from what I hear, but if they decline the offer, then you could be the candidate for the next queen!”

  “Oh…my.” My blue gaze widened as all my dreams flashed before my eyes.

  Adelie squealed, jumping up and down. She even clapped her hands together.

  I blinked. “You can’t do that in front of them.”

  She cleared her throat and held her hands behind her back. Attempting calm.

  “That’s better.” I nodded and began scrubbing my face once more. “I can’t believe, after all this time, I’ll get a chance at the crown. I didn’t think any of those overlords were ever going to die.”

  It took one of them dying for a king to ascend to overlord.

  Only five at a time. And vampires lived forever.

  She shrugged a delicate shoulder. “Lord John was ready for his Eternal Slumber.”

  My brows rose, and I wet the rag again. “He was the youngest of them all.”

  “Now Lord Pippin is,” my friend hummed. Pleased.

  She was so pleased with this.

  But I probably had her beat. My grin grew, pinching my cheeks. “When does the official meet happen? When do I have to be there?” Because I wanted to be there now, my gut churning and heating from the magical pull.

  Adelie pulled out her cell phone. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she stared at the time and date on it, counting silently with her fingers. Her head nodded with her own internal thoughts, then her brown eyes pierced mine. “We have three days. With our travel, it’s cutting it down by half. But the overlords do have a private jet waiting for us.”

  I sighed in relief. “Thank fuck I have you listed on my paperwork as an emergency contact with the Council. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what the hell was happening, and I’d be killing left and right until I was sated.”

  The killing I didn’t mind at all. Not being discreet would bother me.

  Dead humans lying around normally tended to bring the nearby authorities.

  From all accounts of the memories I had just stolen, that hadn’t changed in the past two hundred years. If a human was murdered, it was still considered bad.

  Pity that.

  It would be much easier if you could just dump their bodies in a landfill.

  That was what the humans did with their garbage.

  We should have the same rules. We were the predators.

  I lifted my sunglasses, closing my eyes to clean my eyelids. “The humans still don’t know about us, right? I didn’t miss that clue with my feeding, did I?”

  I had fed very fast, sating my thirst. And I was still thirsty.

  Adelie snorted. “Not a chance. We’re still hidden.”

  “Good. No wars have resulted then because of our nature.”

  “Nope.” She popped her lips with the word.

  I dropped the sunglasses back over my eyes. “The stronghold is still in the southwestern portion of South America?”

  “They haven’t moved. There’s no reason to. The castle is still in Japri.”

  “Excellent.” I grinned. “Anything else I need to know?”

  My friend nibbled on her bottom lip. Finally, she shook her head. “No, I think that’s it. All your affairs are in order, like normal. You’re fully prepared to enter society again.”

  I picked up the clothes she had brought me. One black eyebrow rose. “We’ll need to go shopping before I meet with the overlords.”

  Adelie laughed, the sound like tinkling chimes.

  I rolled my eyes. “What?”

  “Some things never change.” Her arms wrapped around my bare shoulders, squeezing me in a tight hug. “I’ve missed you so much. Next time, we’re going to schedule our Rest at the same time. The last two hundred years have been hell without you by my side.”

  I hugged her back, holding her tight. She had once gone to Rest while I was still awake. It had been hell during that time. I completely understood. I whispered, “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  She continued to hold me tight.

  Eventually, I cleared my throat. “Adelie, hello? Naked here, remember?”

  Her strong grip loosened, and she released me. “Fine. Fine.”

  I waggled my brows. “I know I’m fine. I look damn good for being almost a thousand.”

  Her brown eyes lifted skyward in exasperation. “Here we go. Gwen is back.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  ~ GWYNNORE ~

  Japri, Chile

  “Hello, beautiful,” I purred. The pads of my fingers ran over the black paint of my brand new Lamborghini. My attention snapped to my friend. “Adelie, you have outdone yourself this time.”

  Her lips twitched. “Your money paid for it.”

  “I don’t even care,” I whispered. Then I leaned down and kissed the top of the roof with a gentle caress for my newest baby. “She is flawless.”

  “The last time I remember you being this excited after a Rest was when I bought you that gorgeous colt.” She opened the passenger side door, snickering quietly. “Remember that?”

  I nodded. “This is just as excellent as that time.”

  Adelie lifted a finger into the air, pointing out, “But this one doesn’t poop.”

  My laughter could be heard over the jet engines roaring behind us.

  The overlords had, indeed, provided us with a private jet—which included private airports. Our flight had been long to South America and mainly boring after I got over the thrill of a plane taking off. Memories were one thing, experiencing it myself was another. It was more fleshed out and vivid compared to stolen experiences from huma
ns.

  Adelie slid into the magnificent car wearing an arrogant smile.

  I chucked my luggage in the trunk next to hers and closed it.

  When I sat in the driver’s seat, I groaned. “Oh, the leather hugs my ass just right.”

  My friend snorted. “You need to get laid.”

  “Yes, I do.” I sighed in agreement. “But we have plans first.”

  Her red brows lifted. “Should I even guess?”

  “Clothes and weapons.” I wiggled my shoulders as I started up the engine. And, boy, did my new toy purr for me. Another pleased sigh escaped. “Tell me where to go. I have money burning a hole in my pocket.”

  “It’s actually a credit card,” Adelie explained.

  Using the heel of my palm, I thumped her on her forehead. “I know. It was a metaphor.”

  She stared, and then scowled. My friend grumbled, “I need to drink a human who is younger. It’s been a while since I stole a younger one’s memories.”

  I chuckled and peeled out of the small parking lot. “Where am I going?”

  Adelie quickly strapped on her seatbelt, then gripped the door as I took a sharp left out of the exit. “Head west…and try not to kill us.”

  “When all my dreams are coming true? I wouldn’t dare harm us.”

  But a little speed never hurt either.

  I opened my new toy up on the highway.

  And thoroughly enjoyed Adelie’s frightened screams.

  * * *

  Adelie grunted as I tossed another shirt on the pile she was holding for me. Only her eyes and nose could be seen over the garments. Her gaze was narrowed, but she hadn’t commented—it would come.

  I lifted a pair of black leather pants and held them against my waist. “How do you think these would look?”

  She only continued to glare.

  Still not commenting. Yet.

  My lips twitched.

  I tossed the pants on top of my ever-growing pile.

  Adelie jerked, bending one leg when the garments tilted to the side. My redheaded friend kept them from toppling all over the floor. Barely.

  “Hmm.” I hummed and pointed at the racks at the very back of the store. “Do you think there’s anything good back there? We haven’t seen those yet…”

  “Oh my God, no! Just no!” Adelie wailed in misery. It was a bit muffled behind the pile, but I could hear her just fine with my vampire hearing. She shuffled to stand directly in front of me, cutting off my access to the racks in the back. She growled, “Those are on sale. You wouldn’t want them anyway.”

  I lifted my arm over the top of the clothes pile and bopped her nose lightly with one finger. “I’m just teasing.” I winked. “It appears you still hate shopping as much as you always have.”

  Which truly didn’t make a lot of sense. Adelie loved fine clothing.

  One would think she would want to pick it out herself.

  But no, she enjoyed others doing the shopping for her.

  My friend grumbled, “Yes, I still hate it. Can we go now?”

  I eyed the yellow and blue bags slung over her forearms. “I guess so. I think I bought enough shoes earlier. But maybe I still need—”

  A soft vampire growl emitted from behind the clothes pile.

  I quickly bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing. “Okay. Okay. We can go.”

  “Thank goodness.” She shuffled back around me, her attention squarely on the checkout area. Adelie moved pretty darn well with a bulky tipping load in her arms. “I mean, really? How many black shirts and black pants do you need?”

  I trailed behind her, twirling one of my fingers through her red curls. My hair was jet black and straight, down to my shoulder blades—freshly cut an hour ago. I’d always been envious of her beautiful locks, and that hadn’t changed. I mumbled, “Some are sweaters and such.”

  I quickly stopped playing with her hair as she leaned forward, lest I yank her head back.

  My clothes tumbled onto the cashier’s table.

  Adelie sighed in relief, adjusting my shoe bags down to her gripping fists by her sides. As the cashier worked to ring me up, my friend asked candidly, “With this amount of shopping—aka procrastination—how nervous are you for your meeting with the overlords?”

  I ground my teeth together and peered to the side.

  No comment from me. The tables had turned.

  “Ah.” Her head bobbed in understanding. “So, you’re so nervous you feel like wetting your pants or puking. Got it.”

  I rubbed my stomach. The closer we traveled to the castle, the worse the compulsion became. But I was fighting it as hard as I could.

  Because my friend was right.

  My brows puckered and my honest eyes met hers. “This is everything.”

  Adelie held my gaze without flinching. “And you will be fine. You will prosper. You’ve trained for this your whole life.” She repeated her words, her voice soothing my nerves. “You will be fine, Gwen. I have faith you will do whatever it takes to make your dream come true.”

  I snorted. “Dammit, I better.”

  “Damn right, you better. I’m counting on you to do just that.” A sudden sigh deflated her chest, her brows bunching in irritation. She stared off into nothing as if she were being tortured and interrogated. “Fuck. We still have to go weapon shopping.”

  A smile curled my lips. “Hell yes, we do.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ~KIMBER~

  Even though Elex had rushed us from the cave, partly due to his own fear of the walls coming down on us, I insisted on my own schedule when it came to the temple and my announcement.

  “Kimber, please, let me—”

  “Elex. Stop. I have to do this carefully. This is joy beyond joy, and I have to convey that reverently to the Temple Masters, or they will dismiss me. I cannot go in smelling like dirt and wine.”

  “Then let me help you shower. I mean…wait…”

  My finger sealed his lips. “Elex. Trust me. I haven’t forgotten your kiss that quickly. But this must be done right. There will be such joy and celebration, but let me go. For now.”

  Arms snaked around my waist, and in the next moment, Elex pulled me to him, and we touched from head to toe.

  “I have been afraid to show you what you mean to me.”

  He slanted his mouth across mine, the kiss soft, deep, and pure fire through my body.

  “That,” he whispered across my lips, “was to refresh your memory of what waits for you when you’re done with this.”

  “I am reminded,” I breathed.

  He was gone. It was startling that he wasn’t there, but I caught a glimpse of him—and a perfect backside in casual clothes—as he walked down the street that would lead to his house.

  How had I never realized Elex harbored those feelings for me? I’d always held back what I really felt for him. At that moment, I was already grateful to the magic in the mountain. It pulled down a wall I didn’t know was there.

  Without breaking into a run, which was very, very hard, I managed to get to my own apartment and slam the door. I leaned against the wood and looked around.

  I could see the magic everywhere now. Threads of light and colors danced through the air. Reaching out, I ran my finger along one small thread, and it sang for me, a crystal tone that trembled through all the threads nearby.

  No one had ever described magic as alive. It was the only word I could think of that came close to capturing what I could I see.

  Maybe…

  Maybe, before the mountain cracked, no one had ever seen magic this way. Perhaps it hoarded the magic until the right time.

  Or the right person.

  I had to talk to the Temple Masters. Immediately.

  Tearing through my apartment, the colors of magic faded a bit as though they were trying not to distract me. Yanking the closet doors open, I stood staring at my collection of clothes.

  Gods and stars, I was boring.

  Teaching tunic after teaching tunic, probably two we
eks’ worth hung there. White, beige, taupe, cream, eggshell, off-white, and some variety of pale yellow. Several casual outfits were also there, in fascinating shades of grey, black, and charcoal. Two formal dresses, one in black, one in charcoal were tucked in the corner.

  Was I really this terribly boring?

  At the other end was the outfit I was looking for. A pale blue formal set, with a flowing skirt and modest bodice that sparkled in the light of the room.

  This was the dress I had worn to every temple function.

  While others went to spectacular ball after spectacular dance, each one with a new fantastic outfit, it was tradition at the temple to have just one dress. There was never any doubt who you were. Everyone knew what to wear. Everyone was expecting you to show up in that dress each time. It bordered on scandalous if someone dared to show up in something new.

  A person was not a member of the temple to show off and dress up. There was always a solemn edge to all of the festivities.

  The formal stature of the gown was what I needed tonight.

  Glancing at the clock, I had to hurry. The Temple Masters gathered for dinner and had a small, private audience after. I could still make it.

  The guards could not deny me entrance as an acolyte.

  While I did walk through the streets quickly, I also took the time to think about what I was going to say, how I was going to approach those grumpy old buzzards.

  Dorian would be the worst.

  Oh, would Dorian be the worst, by a long shot. He was the oldest of the council, and…

  Well, an asshole.

  He had started pushing me to make my decision about being dedicated to the temple because he insisted I could not remain an acolyte.

  Nothing in the Temple Texts said that. It was tradition for an acolyte to be dedicated to the temple or separate, but there was nothing anywhere that said I must decide. He’d badgered me for twenty years. I researched for twenty years. There was nothing. But he was the oldest and the most powerful of the council, and I had to explain that magic had called me to the mountain, and made me its servant. Far more than anything in the temple ever had.

  How?