Queen of Darkness

by Patti Larsen

  I didn't. And didn't want it. But she did, so I had to oppose her. Of course.

  She took a slow step forward, running fingertips over the wood on the back of a sofa, pausing to grip it in her hands as she leaned toward me. “I need that essence,” she said. “But I'm not greedy. I'll be happy with half.”

  “In exchange for what?” I might not have been very good at the follow through in negotiations, usually declaring refusal outright, but I was learning a few things.

  “I help you kill Batsheva.” She smiled, straightened, holding her hands out. “Mess cleaned up and we go on our way, leaving us both free to pursue our destinies.”

  She feels like the undead already. The vampire stilled as my mind agreed. When Ameline connected with me to warn me earlier, I'd felt the vampire in her then. Ask her where the power came from.

  I already knew. She'd been working with Yvette's vampires before now.

  No, the vampire sent. It's more than that. Ask her.

  “What have you been doing with your days, Ameline?” I watched as she continued to drift around the room, keeping her distance, while Demetrius muttered and shook at my feet. “Hunting, maybe?”

  “Maybe.” She poured herself a glass of wine from the decanter I'd ignored since I arrived and swirled it before breathing deeply. “The vampire magic I've had access too hasn't been enough.”

  She's the one killing Pannera's people. The vampire sighed. I can't go with her, Sydlynn.

  I loved it when we agreed on things.

  “I've been siphoning a few of the weaker members from both sides.” Ameline took a seat and sipped her drink. “Keeping them at each other's throats.” Her laugh was as rich as the deep red wine in her glass. “It's been ever so much fun.”

  Ameline never failed to remind me of what a pleasant person she was.

  “All of that is irrelevant now,” she said. “I've been trying for some time to figure out a way to take the essence from you. Now I have an excellent opportunity for us both to benefit.” Another sip, a slow wink. “I want to help you kill Batsheva before she gives the clan to the Brotherhood.”

  “I told you, I'm planning on destroying her,” I said. “No help required. Thanks anyway.”

  Ameline looked like she was going to go on, but shrugged, stood up, set down her glass. “I know very well how stubborn you are,” she said. “And when I'm talking to a wall.” She returned to her original chair, slid on her jacket and robe without another word. When she was done, she turned to me with that same smile on her face, though her blue eyes were as cold as ever.

  “But, I want you to remember,” she said, “when the time comes, you turned me down.”

  Shrug. “Whatever.”

  “I'll be around,” she said, pulling the cloak tightly around her. “If you change your mind.”

  “Ameline.” I took a step forward, a sudden thought making me wonder. “If you want it so badly, why don't you just come here and try to take it?”

  Those blue eyes snapped fire a moment before they narrowed just a little. “You're stronger than I am,” she said. “Even with your power diminished, your vampire core could take me out easily. Besides,” she flared with purple magic, “I want you to admit you are wrong. And I want you to give it up willingly.”

  Her laughter lingered long after she was gone, while I fumed.

  Never going to happen. Even while my mind whispered I should never say never.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Six

  If I was so adamant and sure of my plan—yeah, right—why did the idea of a little outside assistance from Ameline keep cropping up in my over-stressed brain?

  Demetrius was pretty set on his opinions about her. “No, can't, worse than Batsheva, worse than Belaisle.” He shuddered when he spoke the sorcerer's name. I didn't blame him, really. Liander Belaisle was about as smarmy and arrogant as they came, with serious dominance issues, if our brief encounter in his custody was an experience to judge from. “Ameline, she is hate.”

  And while I occasionally danced with the devil, I took his warning to heart.

  Okay then. No Ameline.

  “Is there a way to remove the powder from my system?” I sat so I'd be more on eye level with the man, still hunkered down near the floor.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” he said. “But you won't be happy. No, no, no.”

  Lovely. “Spill it.”

  He flinched, a whine escaping before he bobbed his head, silver curls swaying. “All of your blood has to leave you.”

  Well, the vampires would be happy. “And my crystal?”

  He hugged himself, a little snarl on his face. “I'm going.” Demetrius dodged away, running back for the bedroom and his secret passage before I even thought to ask him how he planned to get to Wilding Springs in time. He was a sorcerer. Nutty as a jar of peanut butter, but still a sorcerer. And I knew he wouldn’t promise if he couldn’t deliver.

  Another hot shower did me good, though this time I was alone and felt the pressure of keeping myself safe without Charlotte to watch my back. I piled as much furniture in front of my door as I could before using a precious little of my earth magic to lock the wood in place between the stone casements. A quick search of my bedroom revealed the passage entrance, which I also sealed. Demetrius wasn't welcome to come and go when I was in the nude.

  All I could hope was he'd fulfill his promise and bring me the crystal. If he was capable. If he had the means to get to my house and inside and retrieve the thing.

  If, if, if. Maybe I should have been reaching for Gram instead.

  I secreted the small box of powder into the back corner of the wardrobe, not wanting to have it with me but hoping my choice to hide it instead of carrying it wouldn't come back to haunt me. Worn thin, I then sat down on the edge of the bed, body heavy, a yawn escaping. So tired. Now that I had a moment to just stop and think, I could barely keep my eyes open. Promising myself only a few minutes to close my eyes, feeling as safe as I could considering the circumstances, I propped myself up into a sitting position on a pile of thick pillows and had a quick nap.

  ***

  Sebastian's lips traced down my throat, over the soft skin of my shoulder and across the line of my bodice, pausing just at the edge of my heaving breasts.

  “Beautiful one,” he whispered, one hand sliding up my ribcage, points of spirit magic lighting me on fire with every spark, “you don't know how wonderful I can make your body feel.”

  He wasn't alone, Quaid, his bare chest dark from the sun, pentagram tattoo flashing with magic, crawled up the satin sheets toward me, dark eyes half-lidded, the heat of his power sliding under me, cushioning me as I vibrated from the pressure. “I love you,” he whispered, coming to hover over my mouth, the delicious scent of him making me quiver. “Let me show you how much.”

  Liam slid in next to me on my other side, green glints of Sidhe fire dancing in his hazel eyes as the power of the earth rumbled through him and into me. “Our Queen,” he said, pressing his lips to my cheek as Sebastian sighed over me. “My love.”

  “My Queen.” His tongue traced a path down my flesh before he stopped to meet my eyes with his adoring gaze. “My love.”

  I rose from the bed, Quaid rising to his knees, catching my hand in his. “My Queen,” he cried. “My love!”

  Sycophants, pulling at my power with their need. Well, I didn't need them. I called up my vampire essence and destroyed them all with a single flash of lighting. Who was I to require anyone, anything, but what I had? What I was becoming? All powerful, not a Queen, far more than that as I shed my mortal form and blazed across the Universe as pure light, an iridescent glow of absolute power—

  ***

  I tumbled from the pile of pillows with a gasp, thrashing a moment before I realized I'd been dreaming. Groaning, rubbing my face with both hands, I fell backward into the mess I'd made of the bed and tried to pull myself together.

  One glance at the window shot me out of bed in a flash as I rushed for the closet and somet
hing to wear while I tore at my hair in a panic. Dusk. Damn it, I'd slept the whole day away.

  I thought you needed to. My vampire sounded contrite at least. And you were having such pleasant dreams.

  I bit back a swearword or two and stopped my frantic search for a dress I could put on without help. You watched over me. Not a question.

  I always do, she sent. We all do. Rumbling from my demon and Shaylee, a soft hug from the family magic. You're never left unprotected.

  Well, that was a bit of a take-aback. I didn't know. But wait, hadn't she said something about it earlier? I just hadn't paid attention at the time.

  You do now. She paused. Though I think we left you too long. Time to get ready.

  Now she told me.

  I just managed to corral my hair into something that didn't look like I'd slept on it wet and shimmied myself into a corset and dress with a bit of magical help when someone knocked on my door.

  At least they'd found some manners. Piotr stood on the other side, dressed as impeccably as ever, making me very self-conscious and wishing selfishly I'd kept Charlotte with me anyway. “Her Majesty is hosting another dinner,” he said. “Your attendance is required.”

  If all they did was eat and drink and try to corner me now and then, this whole killing Batsheva thing was going to take forever. I was already primed and ready for a fight when, following closely behind Piotr so I'd have some warning, I felt the air displacement preceding the arrival of vampires.

  They were so damned blatant about it, I couldn't keep my temper in check. Sebastian. No panic, just focused irritation as the four vampires circled me, Piotr fading into the background with a salute before he disappeared.

  Sydlynn. You're in danger.

  Why did he sound more worried than I felt?

  Probably because the moment the vampires attacked me, mine came out to play.

  And she wasn't holding anything back.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  I didn't kill any of them. Pretty sure. But not one of my four attackers were able to get up when my vampire was done with them.

  The little skirmish only increased my annoyance, ramping up as I stalked away from their groaning complaints and stomped my way to the throne room. It had been converted into a banquet hall the night before and, from the look of the well-laden tables, this was to be another prolonged evening of dining and dissembling.

  Not if I had anything to say about it.

  Piotr hovered near Batsheva, standing behind her chair, glaring at me as I stormed my way into the hall and up to the Queen who was responsible for my safety.

  “This piece of garbage,” I jabbed a finger at him, “and his little friends attacked me on my way here.” Piotr didn't react, though Batsheva's smile pulled into a false frown while Pannera watched with interest. Sebastian half-rose from his chair, but his Queen waved him back.

  Careful, he sent.

  I was done with careful. “What are you going to do about it?”

  Batsheva tapped her fingertips on the tabletop. “You seem to have survived the encounter,” she said.

  “They didn't give a reason for their attack.” One of the damned rules of theirs. They'd used them against me enough since I got here. Now it was my turn to throw it in her face.

  Piotr's eyes narrowed before he looked away. Forgot he was supposed to accuse me of something, did he? Or maybe he didn't think I'd been paying attention.

  Arrogant ass.

  “Of course, such an outrage must be addressed.” Batsheva turned to Piotr. “Did you attack Sydlynn?”

  “I did not,” he said.

  Okay, technically he didn't. Damned sophistry. I ground my teeth together and fought my demon's temper, coming through quite nicely even if her power wasn't. “You come near me again,” I snarled, “and I'll make sure you suffer for a very long time.”

  I'm sure it wasn't in Batsheva's plan, if she really had one, to let Piotr slip his leash, but that was what happened when a crazy woman tried to control a clan of the emotionally unstable undead. Piotr lunged for me, teeth bared, my vampire lashing out, the pulse of her magic knocking him back to fall into Batsheva's lap.

  Silence. The entire room fell deathly quiet. Until Pannera laughed.

  Loud and cheery, a belly laugh of joyful proportions. And her clan laughed with her.

  Not all of them. Sebastian looked like he wanted to yell at me while Sunny just sat, tense and alert, Uncle Frank unhappy beside her.

  I didn't mean to humiliate my Queen in public. But she had it coming.

  I have no idea who threw the first utensil, only that it ended up embedded in one of the lesser vampire's cheeks. On Pannera's side. Clearly, the Moromond clan didn't take kindly to being laughed at. More quiet, even Pannera, though I felt the rumble rising beneath the silence, barely having enough time to whisper “oh noes” to myself before the place went ballistic.

  Pannera was already on her feet, her power sizzling through the air in an attempt to minimize the damage, but her vampires were in too deep of a frenzy. Sebastian had been right, one match was all this powder keg needed to explode.

  And I'd struck the spark.

  I ducked out of the way as two vampires, now in full undead mode, clawed and bit at one another, flashing in and out as they clung and fought. Two more rolled past me, thrashing on the floor, inhuman howling piercing my eardrums until I had to press my hands over them to save myself from a rupture. Sebastian flickered out of shadow at my side, one hand on my arm, but I pulled free as Batsheva shoved Piotr out of her lap and stood slowly, a huge grin on her face.

  Pannera was alone, it looked like, the sole Queen trying to put out the fire. And as much as I felt a little guilty for causing the mess, part of me hoped they'd destroy each other so I could just go home.

  One last crash of magic sent all of the fighters to their knees, including Sebastian and my uncle, though somehow Sunny retained her feet, Piotr's throat squeezed tight in one hand.

  Pannera's magic retreated back into her as the stunned gathering began to slowly, sullenly, retreat to their seats, masks of civility gone, but forced to behave. For the moment. When she fixed me with her vicious fury, I almost let my vampire out to show her what real power was.

  “You see what you've caused?” Pannera gestured around her. “The strife and conflict? Our clans have lived in peace,” snort, yeah right, “for centuries until you stole the source of our magic.”

  Oh, she did not just go there. “You want the essence, Pannera?” I held my arms wide. “Come and get it. But until you stop accusing me of something that's none of your damned business and never was, you can either give it a go or shut the hell up.”

  Batsheva's loud, slow clapping prevented Pannera's answer. “My vampire is correct.” Stress on the "my". Gross. “It's clear you've orchestrated this entire event by refusing to leave my castle. You wish for our clans to fight, is that it, Pannera? To take the essence for yourself?”

  This was getting way out of hand. Rumblings from both sides started up again and I knew, barring a miracle, if the vampires started fighting again, they wouldn't stop until there was a winner.

  And I had no illusions whoever won would then turn on me, facade no longer necessary.

  I had to act.

  “Batsheva.” I turned to face her, drawing the power of the essence out, letting everyone see it again, reminding them what I carried as clearly as possible.

  Syd. Sunny's voice reached me, panic in her mind. What are you doing?

  You know what I'm doing. I shut her off as I did my best to look all regal and stuff.

  Syd! Sunny reached me through the block. Wait, not yet!

  No more waiting. Not while Batsheva stared at me with her icy eyes and her smirk of a smile, Celeste scowling beside her.

  Showtime.

  “I challenge you for leadership of the Moromond Clan,” I said.

  Oh, Syd, Sunny said, now afraid. Very afraid.

  Of what? I could win. I jus
t needed the nasty ex-witch to hurry up and accept.

  “No,” Batsheva said. “I don't think so.”

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  One would think my friends would have prepared me better. Told me everything I needed to know about this challenge business. Who knew Batsheva could say no?

  You don't have any support in the family, Sunny broke through, voice low and anxious. She doesn't have to fight you.

  Thanks so much for telling me before I made an idiot of myself, I shot back at her while Batsheva slowly stood. Now what?

  Sunny didn't answer. But Batsheva did.

  “Traitor,” she said, joy in her voice as she slowly circled me, her vampires closing in while Pannera and her family fell back. All of them. Sebastian, Sunny. Uncle Frank.

  Uh-oh.

  “Strike one,” Celeste said.

  Syd, Sunny reached for me in desperation. I'm sorry, this is my fault. I never expected you to challenge her so soon. Syd… you have to run.

  I did not like the sound of that. Especially when the clan clustered closer, glowing eyes burning with white fire, fangs out, hissing and growling warning me I'd stepped in it this time up to my neck.

  As long as I kept my head above water.

  “Spy.” Batsheva whispered the next accusation, turning to point at Pannera. “You think I didn't find out about your little pact with her?”

  “Strike two.” Celeste's smile was worst of all. I never saw her smile.

  “Assault.” Batsheva leaned close and breathed the word in my face, the coppery scent of her making me gag. “You attacked your own Queen.”

  What, that little lap dance with Piotr? That was an accident. Mostly.

  Celeste held up three fingers, teeth flashing in the light. “I'm hoping you're tasty,” she said.

  Laughed.

  “Bring the chains.” Batsheva pulled away. “This vampire has broken clan law and will be drained of her blood before I strip her power.” One icy finger ran over my cheek. “Personally.”