Diadem of Blood and Bones

by Ripley Proserpina

  “Yes,” Hudson answered and sighed. “They weren’t Asher’s.”

  “Not that we’d know.” Sylvain dragged the tie out of his hair. His dark hair fell to his shoulders in waves.

  “The only other vampires he made came before us,” Hudson said. “I don’t know why he couldn’t get any to turn after.”

  The four of them were silent, each lost in their own thoughts as Briar was. Hundreds of soldiers and dozens of crawlers. They were trying to hold back the tide.

  “We have a few more hours,” Marcus said. He kissed her temple and grabbed her hand before moving away. “Let’s run a little longer before we go home.”

  Valen cut a glance in her direction and raised his eyebrows.

  “I’m good,” she said. “Energy to spare.” Hours had passed since she’d slept, but she was ready to run. Mentally, she calculated how many crawlers and soldiers they’d killed. Killed. She’d killed people. Spiders she collected gently in tissues and threw outside, but former humans, she just ripped their heads off, no problem.

  Hudson took off and Marcus gave her a small tug of encouragement. She was grateful for his hand in hers. Her thoughts went as fast as her feet, and she paid no attention to where they went. Marcus kept her anchored and on track. Without him, she may have run to Canada before she gathered herself.

  How many people had she killed now? A handful? A dozen? A score?

  What is necessary isn’t what is easy. The words came from deep inside her. Listen to me.

  Briar stumbled to a stop. Never before had the voice been so clear and so separate from herself. It sounded impatient and aggravated. We kill to protect. There is no reasoning with evil.

  Marcus halted when she tripped. “What is it?”

  Briar opened her eyes. She hadn’t realized she’d closed them to concentrate. “It’s my vampire. She’s talking to me.”

  “She’s talking to you?” Sylvain asked, scarred eyebrow lifting. “What is she saying?”

  The sense of having said too much welled up inside her, so she shrugged. “She’s glad the crawlers and soldiers are dead.”

  Up went Sylvain’s hand for a high five. Before she even realized what she’d done, Briar smacked his hand and entwined their fingers.

  He gets it, her vampire crowed.

  “You’re getting stronger,” Sylvain said, squeezing her. “You nearly sent me flying backward just then. And you’re right. It’s good they’re dead because they’re only going to be hunting. Don’t mourn them, Briar.”

  “How can I not?” she asked. “I didn’t hesitate. I killed. That’s not me.”

  It is you. It’s us.

  Hudson watched her struggle. “Trust her. Trust yourself. If these creatures aren’t contained, they’ll kill anyone they come across. Look.” He pointed to a building in the distance. A yellow pedestrian sign of an adult walking with a child was set across the road between them and the building. It was an elementary school. “Asher’s soldiers and crawlers can walk in sunlight right now. Look at the sign, Briar.” His tone was harsh, but his eyes pleaded with her to understand.

  She did.

  The crawlers and soldiers she’d killed tonight would not be around to hurt innocent people.

  Hudson and her vampire were right. It was time to embrace her vampire, this was who she was now.

  Valen

  The night was spent hunting, and watching Briar. Her mind was still on her first battle. It was clear by the way her gaze seemed to focus on nothing or she had to ask one of his brothers to repeat what they’d said.

  She hadn’t grown up the same way he had. From the time he was a child, Valen knew war. He’d sung songs about war, heard stories of sacrifice and murder at bedtime. He’d worshipped gods of war and believed the greatest honor would be to die by the sword.

  His transition from swordsman to vampire hadn’t been smooth, but it had been close enough to his old life that he hadn’t struggled with the very purpose of his existence.

  Briar’s world was as far from his as one could get. The past century’s worth of humanity didn’t know what it took to survive. No one grew their own food or slaughtered their livestock. It was no wonder she didn’t take to being a vampire easily.

  The one thing she did have going in her favor was that she didn’t seem to need human blood. He had a feeling Briar would starve before she bit a human.

  Valen slowed as he jogged through the woods. It was a couple of hours until sunrise, so he took advantage of the darkness to study Briar.

  Sylvain was teaching her to track. He pointed out broken branches and places where the ground was disturbed. Briar crouched down low and pointed to something. Valen moved closer to see what she was asking about.

  It was a hoof print… “Satyrs?” she was asking. At first, her wide-eyed expression made Valen think she was being serious, but then she bit her lip and he had to chuckle.

  “What the fuck is a satyr?” Sylvain glanced at Valen, dark eyebrows drawn together in confusion. “This is a fucking deer.”

  “A satyr is half goat and half man,” Hudson explained.

  “Oh.” Sylvain squinted at the print. “It’s not a goat. This is definitely a deer.”

  Briar leaned into Sylvain, and Valen smiled to see his brother sling his arm around her. He stood, keeping his arm in place while he continued to show Briar around the forest.

  She was so good for them.

  Briar suddenly lifted her head to the sky and breathed in deep. “There’s something out here,” she said quietly.

  All of them stilled, and Valen breathed in. He didn’t smell anything, and when he listened, he heard an owl far away.

  Briar’s eyes narrowed, and she took off, leaving Sylvain to stare before he dashed after her. Valen followed, equal parts amazed at her speed and worried out of his mind.

  She was part of the night, utterly silent and completely at ease. Her limbs stretched over the underbrush, so fast it seemed as if they didn’t touch the ground. Valen doubled his efforts to keep her in his sights, and next to him, heard Marcus breathing loudly.

  Sylvain was a dark streak a step behind her, a shadow on her heels. Valen stretched out his senses. What was it she heard?

  A fox burrowed into its den, its tiny heart galloping. It knew there were larger and more deadly predators hunting.

  Briar slowed gradually until she walked at a fast clip. Head canted, she listened to something none of them heard. Finally, she stopped and pointed.

  “There,” she whispered.

  “There” was a small pond, lit silver in the moonlight. Valen studied the area. He’d never been here before and was surprised by how desolate it was. It was odd to find a body of water in the middle of the forest like this.

  Waves rippled across the top of the pond, and a head poked from beneath the surface.

  “What?” Sylvain got out before Briar took two steps and dove into the pond. “Shit!”

  What the hell was she doing? Forgetting about stealth, Valen crashed through cattails and muck and dove into the pond.

  Everything was murky. His dive had kicked up the dirt at the bottom of the pond, so he could only see an inch or two in front of his face. He didn’t see Briar until her foot caught him in the stomach.

  Her body twisted and turned under the water as she wrestled with something.

  Someone.

  This creature was silver to Briar’s gold. Pale skin, pale hair, black eyes, this vampire appeared as if it hadn’t seen the sun in millennia. Beneath the water, the vampire opened her mouth and screeched. The sound blasted Valen’s eardrums. Above him, someone else jumped in the water and the scene wavered as silt drifted from the bottom.

  Desperate to find Briar again, he pushed the water out of the way as he breaststroked to where she’d last been. A foot caught his hand, and he grabbed it. But it wasn’t Briar.

  Their skin was slippery and slid right out of Valen’s grasp. He frog kicked and reached again. This time, two hands snagged his and pulled him fo
rward.

  Dark eyes, nearly black, with white blonde strands of hair that floated around the vampire’s head. Her gaze held Valen in place. She smiled, lips parting to reveal perfect white teeth. Keeping her hands wrapped in his, she used his weight to move closer to him.

  There was a flash from the corner of his eye, and the vampire frowned. As fast as a shark attacking a fish, it darted past him to attack.

  It was Briar, and she was ready.

  Shocked, he watched her launch the vampire out of the water, kick her legs, and follow. He was left there, treading water, before he shook off his surprise and kicked to the surface.

  Briar circled the vampire, who stayed hunched low, fingers curled into claws. The vampire hissed and growled, as if she’d lost the ability to speak.

  “Leave here,” Briar said, her voice commanding. “If you want to survive, go.”

  The vampire hesitated, head cocked to the side like a bird. Her lips moved, mouth groping to find the sounds to form words. Finally, she spoke, “No.”

  “There’s nothing for you here,” Briar told her as Valen slogged his way out of the pond. Any hope he had for stealth was gone. His boots squished and water poured off his body. Nearby, Sylvain, Marcus, and Hudson emerged.

  The vampire shook her head, wet hair whipping around her face. “Food. Soldiers. Mine.”

  Briar stopped moving and stood straight. Valen watched a change come over her, and it made him pause. No longer did she appear ready to fight, instead she stood tall and strong and confident. “You will leave here, or you’ll die.”

  The vampire screamed, her shrill voice even louder than it was under the water. He ran for her, knowing the vampire was about to attack. He had to protect Briar, but he felt too slow, weighed down with his saturated clothing.

  He needn’t have worried. Briar caught the vampire’s attack, ducking down low and twisting so the aggressor flew over Briar’s shoulder. In her hands, Briar held the vampire’s head by her hair. The creature’s mouth was still open in a scream as it disintegrated into a soggy pile of ash.

  “Holy fuck,” Sylvain whispered.

  Briar wiped her hands on the denim of her pants and met Valen’s stare. The change came slowly. First, her shoulders rolled forward and then, the challenging stare became a questioning one.

  Briar held her hands out and examined her palms. They were dirty, stuck with flakes of ash. Her lip trembled, and she bit it quickly. “I’m ready to go home now.”

  Briar

  The trip home was a nightmare of awkward silences. Each time Briar opened her mouth to apologize or, she wasn’t sure, explain herself, she shut it again.

  The guys weren’t mad. None of them seemed even the tiniest bit annoyed. But they were deep in thought. Every so often, however, Sylvain smiled hugely before he mashed his lips together.

  Their emotions flooded her—pride, fear, confusion, elation, worry, and relief. Guilt.

  Guilt was a big one.

  Their thoughts didn’t come as words, not like earlier. And she couldn’t discriminate one impression from the next; they all hit her at once. Which was why it was so hard to explain herself, or know what to say.

  And her inner vampire, she was so proud. She’d given that other vampire a chance to retreat, and she hadn’t. There was a threat, and her vampire had taken care of it.

  But she’d left Briar with the fall out.

  Be proud!

  Briar wasn’t unproud, she was unsure. Humans had a few sacred tenants, and one of them was not to kill. Vampire, crawler, soldier, they’d all had some semblance of a life until Briar took it from them.

  But then she recalled the elementary school. That vampire would have slaughtered those children.

  Briar’s vampire was certain of it. She sighed. Her vampire was right. The creature she’d just killed had no morals. She’d wanted to murder and feed—then feed and murder again.

  Ahead, the lights of Boston turned the sky a light purple. Dawn was on the horizon.

  A rough hand slipped into hers, and she startled, glancing up. Valen stared down at her, frowning.

  “I’m okay,” she said. “It had to be done.”

  His eyes widened in surprise. “It did. I wish you hadn’t been the one to do it.”

  So did Briar, but she also didn’t want Valen fighting all of her battles. That wasn’t fair.

  Or right.

  Marcus’s house was dark when they came around the back. Marcus removed a key from his pocket and chuckled. As he turned around, he showed her what else he’d pulled from his pocket. There was the key, but it came with long strings of green weeds from the pond.

  Briar smiled in response as he shook the weeds off it and slid it into the lock. Walking inside, every muscle in Briar’s body relaxed. She was home. It smelled like the men she loved—like safety.

  Strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her into a broad, if damp, chest. “You were amazing tonight,” Sylvain whispered. “I’m so proud and turned on, I don’t know what to do.”

  Briar shifted, turning in the circle of his arms to stare back at him. “I didn’t shock you?”

  His honest confusion hit her. Not one piece of Sylvain was shocked or dismayed by what she’d done. “No.” His voice seemed to say, “Who would be shocked?”

  “I shocked myself,” she said. Sylvain closed the door behind her, and Marcus opened the refrigerator. In his hands was a plastic bag of blood. He glanced at her, and she felt his hesitation. He worried about her reaction. Tapping Sylvain’s arms so he’d let her go, she stared at him hard. “Never be embarrassed about what you need to survive. Please.”

  These men always had her back, and she wanted them to see that she had theirs.

  “After hunting, our vampires are riled up and hard to control,” Hudson explained. Briar studied each man. None of them, at first glance, seemed stressed or revved up. But as she concentrated on each person, their emotions became clearer and she could discriminate the tiny signs pointing to their state.

  Hudson’s upper lip appeared swollen, a sure indication of his fangs. Marcus’s green eyes were nearly black, as were Valen’s, and Sylvain was staring at her with an intensity that matched the desire pulsing from his entire body.

  Briar felt herself flush.

  “Fuck and feed,” Sylvain said, leaving no doubt of what he wanted.

  Okay.

  “Sylvain.” Hudson sighed, but the wild haired man only shrugged.

  “We’re all just animals, Hudson.”

  Marcus groaned aloud and turned his back on them. A moment later, the coppery scent of blood filled the air. Hudson growled and went to the refrigerator. One by one, he threw bags to both Sylvain and Valen. If they expected her to leave, they were wrong. She wouldn’t leave them to feel self-conscious—or like they disgusted or repulsed her.

  Squishing her way to the island, she let them feed. It didn’t take long and soon the scent of blood was gone. Marcus shoved his bag into the garbage before wiping his mouth. He filled up a glass of water and drank it down before turning to her. “How are you feeling?”

  Briar noticed he ran his tongue over his teeth and he continued to touch his mouth with his thumb. His lips were slightly swollen, and she could feel his tightly controlled emotions. They broadcasted to her like the waves on that pond earlier. She could see them in the air, rippling toward her. All she had to do was touch them to know what Marcus felt.

  And he was trying to hide it from her.

  The ripples became jagged and broken. He was still hungry, but not for blood.

  He wanted her.

  It was like Sylvain had said. The fight revved them up. She’d thought Sylvain was the most turned on, but that wasn’t the case. Sylvain was just the one who didn’t hide it. All of them had similar desires, but it was Marcus who tried the hardest to overcome it.

  He wanted her—needed her.

  Give him what he needs. Her vampire was right. Marcus needed something only she could give.

  A
ware of the others, she hoped she wouldn’t hurt them by what she needed to do. But maybe they could read minds a little themselves, because Hudson suddenly left, and Valen and Sylvain quickly after.

  “You need me,” Briar said, her voice husky.

  Marcus’s eyes widened. “I’ll be all right.”

  She knew he would, but she could help him. He didn’t have to be ashamed of how he felt. I need it, too.

  Hudson said fighting riled them and made their vampires hard to control. It was true of Briar as well. As Marcus continued to stare at her, waiting for something, she grew more aroused.

  “Take me upstairs, please,” she whispered.

  He moved like lightning. Sweeping her into his arms, he pressed his lips against hers. She could taste the blood, but it didn’t repulse her. This was what he needed to survive.

  He tightened his hold before he placed her gently on his bed. She hadn’t even realized they’d moved. All her head had been filled with was kissing him.

  Marcus stepped back and ran his hand over the back of his head. “We don’t have to do anything,” he said. “I’m happy to hold you. I know you can feel my emotions…”

  “I know you’re not ruled by them.” Briar smiled. “Marcus. I love you. Don’t you think I want you, too?”

  “So much has happened.”

  “We got here sooner than we thought, but we were always going to be here. I chose you, Marcus. Remember? I hit you with my glove. I made you mine.”

  Marcus laughed. “You break it, you buy it.”

  Briar slid back onto the bed. “You were never broken, Marcus,” she whispered.

  He crawled after her, one knee next to her hip before touching his lips to hers. Now that she’d given him permission, his body hummed with anticipation. He’d waited a long time for her. She heard the word in her head—millennia.

  She hoped she could live up to his expectations, because she wasn’t perfect.

  “Now I can hear your thoughts,” he said and trailed his lips down her neck, sucking the skin gently.

  Their clothes were still wet, and the smell of stagnant water stuck to them.