“What about Laeddin? He still wears the mark of the genie.”
Maleficent laughed. “I said I would free the brothers from the curse, but I didn’t say which ones. You should be glad I reversed the curse on the eleven demura.”
“That isn’t what we agreed on.” I stepped forward. If I had to I would drain the sorceress dry. Take her blood for my own and show her she was messing with the wrong girl.
“Oh, but it is, Jasmine.” Her eyes glowed the color of the orb on her staff. “Give me my wings, vampire.” Her staff struck the ground and a dark light rippled out. As soon as it reached me, it crawled up my body. Pain radiated from my back. It was as though Maleficent had torn the wings from my back with her bare hands.
I screamed and screamed and screamed until my throat went raw. At some point I felt strong hands lift me and I wondered if it was the skull monkey preparing to throw me into the Cave of Vipers.
I didn’t care. The pain radiating from my back was so intense I wanted nothing more than to die. Death would’ve been preferable to the agonizing ripping and clawing.
My mind swirled with shadowy creatures. They whispered and chattered. I strained to hear, but I couldn’t understand.
Two shapeless creatures swirled around.
“She is close.”
Yes, her end is near.”
“This is better than we could’ve have planned.”
“It’s delicious. The vampire will easily take her now.”
Twenty-Nine
We were no longer in Laeddin’s world. The scent around me had changed. I knew I’d been brought back to the human world, to the house that was my mother’s. I wanted to open my eyes, talk to Laeddin, but my body wouldn’t allow it.
Somehow I was still connected to Maleficent.
I watched her fly through the night, using my wings. She was no longer clad in black, but wore blood red pants and a shirt that contrasted sharply with my wings. She reminded me of someone, but as soon as I had the thought, it vanished.
I watched Maleficent attack a human. His eyes stared lifelessly into the night as she drained him dry. That caused my mind to reel with disbelief. Had my wings changed Maleficent into a vampire? When she finished drinking, she flew into Sharra and descended on Titan’s mountain.
Row after row of crypts lined the catacombs inside the mountain. I had no idea so many magical creatures had been imprisoned.
Maleficent roamed the crypts, until she found the one she wanted. Then she opened it.
A female vampire lay inside. Maleficent tore a gash in her wrist and placed the wound over the vampire’s mouth. After several moments, the vampire corpse grabbed on to Maleficent’s wrist.
“Drink, Velencia. We have much work to do.”
As Velencia drank another vampire entered the catacombs.
“What are you doing here? I know you’ve served under the new Queen.”
The vampire bowed low. “I’ve seen the error of my ways and have come to realize Snow White is not the ruler we need. It is you.”
Maleficent gave her an evil grin. “Well, Ciana, that you knew I was here tells me your loyalties are at least somewhat true. I may have use for you.”
“Thank you,” Ciana said, standing upright.
My already sickened heart sank deeper into despair. I’d believed Ciana to be my friend, almost like a second mother.
Maleficent suddenly seemed to realize I watched her. She hissed, allowing her fangs to show. Shocked, I tried to get away. Maleficent smiled and lifted a hand across my eyes.
My mind went numb. Life no longer glinted in a kaleidoscope of colors. There was only gray.
Loud voices erupted all around me. I wanted to make them to stop, but I was too tired.
“If we don’t take her back to Sharra, she’ll die.” That was a guy’s voice. It was strange, but it sounded like Peter. How would he know about Sharra? The question sparked me into action. I tried to open my eyes, but couldn’t.
“I can’t let you. She is bound to me and I cannot disobey her wish.” Laeddin sounded pained, like he ached to help, but my wish demanded I stay in the human world.
“You have to let us. You must. It’s been a week since you brought her back and nothing’s changed. She hasn’t moved.” It sounded like Zoe’s voice, but that was impossible. If Zoe and Peter were from Sharra I would’ve recognized them. I knew nearly every magical creature in my land, and certainly vampires. Unless… could it be? I went back over the past couple of weeks. The brief time we’d spent together. Each time though I was left with a sense of compassion. I was drawn to them. Looking over our interactions it was obvious. It shocked me I hadn’t realized who they really were before now.
Zoe and Peter were…
“She’s waking,” Laeddin whispered. “And I can’t let you take her back. Maleficent didn’t break the bond between Jasmine and me. She still has two wishes and I cannot be separated from her until I grant them.”
“You can come back too,” Zoe insisted.
“No, I can’t. Her first wish still holds. She must remain in the human world.” Laeddin’s voice echoed with finality.
“Ugh! Fine.”
“Don’t tell her what you know. We’ll find a way to help her on her terms.” That was Peter’s voice.
“Keep our secret, genie. If you care for her the way I believe you do, don’t say a word. Obviously her wish is important, even now. Perhaps if I would’ve been more understanding we wouldn’t be in this situation,” Zoe said.
“Nonsense,” Peter added.
My mind was whirling. How did they know? Why hadn’t they said anything?
And if they were in the human world, what was to become of Sharra?
THE END of Vampire Lies:
Continue Jasmine’s story by reading VAMPIRE SECRETS. Turn the page to read the first three chapters free.
_________
* * *
Or, if you’d rather read the next book in the BLOOD AND SNOW world, you can download book one in the BEASTLY series: A Beauty so Beastly, which is Belle’s fairy tale.
Vampire Secrets
Be careful what you wish for…
I’d heard the saying before. Many times, in fact. Every creature from the fairies to the trolls had repeated the words at least twice throughout my fifteen years.
In a land like Sharra, where magic was everywhere, granting a wish was as simple as thinking about what I wanted. If I hungered I wished an apple would taste like blood and it would happen. If I needed a drink, I could wish raindrops into blood and drink until I was full.
Of course no one had possessed the power to grant my ultimate wish, the one I’d stayed up nights dreaming about—that I would no longer have wings and I could live the life of a normal teenaged girl.
That was until I met a genie named Laeddin and his creator, Maleficent.
CHAPTER ONE
“Ms. Ryder? Are you listening?” Mr. Henry looked over the top of his reading glasses.
“Uh, sorry. What was the question?” As I spoke I scrunched down in my chair. Several students snickered. One—a guy named Drake—called me a freak. My blood boiled, but I pushed it down. A quick glance at the clock above the door confirmed history class would be over two minutes. Two horrendously long minutes.
“Was the Civil War necessary to abolish slavery?” Mr. Henry, or as his adoptive sons and their sons liked to call him: Professor Pops stood and came around his desk, removing his reading glasses and tucking them into the pocket of his tan sweater. I would never tell him this, but the students at school called him Mr. Rogers. The description fit. He always wore a sweater over a button down shirt and he always wore slacks with the same pair of loafers. Personally, I thought it was weird he’d mostly retired from teaching at Harvard and taken a job as a high school teacher. I had the feeling he didn’t need the money. Plus he said he liked it. Who was I to question his sanity? I knew he was really old, like more than a thousand. So it probably had something to do with him wanting to pass t
he time.
I hadn’t been in school for more than a month while my body healed and my mind worked through the loss of my wings. Professor Pops had taken some time off as well. Laeddin said he’d gone to help one of his sons, a boy by the name of Cole. I’d never met him, but apparently he’d gotten himself into some kind of trouble. I was thinking drugs, but didn’t know for sure.
Troy, one of Professor Pops’ grandsons had gone with him. He was back too, but wasn’t the same. His smile was gone. The girl he’d been making out with now gave him dirty looks in the hall when they passed.
“Ms. Ryder?” Mr. Henry said again.
I snapped out of it. “Abolishing slavery was necessary. Equal rights for all is an intrinsic part of every human life. As for the—”
The bell rang. Thank the gods of all realms.
Mr. Henry returned to his seat. We weren’t excused until he said so. But I felt the tension in the room. It was Friday and this was the last class of the day. Everyone had their books closed and in their arms, ready to bolt as soon as Mr. Henry gave the word.
“Your paper on the very question I just asked Ms. Ryder is due next Wednesday. If you haven’t started, you’d better take some time this weekend. I want you to give me your honest opinion and back it up.”
I heard several classmates groan. I think I was one of them. I hadn’t started my paper yet, though I had an idea about what I wanted to say.
Mr. Henry removed his glasses from his pocket again and slid them on his nose. “You are excused. Have a good weekend.”
I waited for a girl I didn’t know and her friend to pass by my desk. I went to stand, but heard a hiss in my ear. “Freak.” It was Drake.
“Yeah, you said that already,” I returned, not looking at him. My whole body shook with anger and some fear. When Maleficent ripped away my wings she took so much more, including my super abilities to hear and see better than humans. My strength was gone too. Everything that made me, me was missing.
I was just a shell of the creature I’d been before. I didn’t need to drink blood either. Couldn’t even smell it.
Drake laughed and slapped me on the back. I jerked like he’d just branded me with a fiery poker. The black tattoo on my back had turned red and scarred. “Freak.”
“Ms. Ryder, may I speak with you, please?” The classroom had nearly cleared and I had a straight shot of Professor Pops. He wasn’t focused on me, but on Drake.
Drake straightened, readjusted his book, and continued down the aisle. When he was at the door, he glanced back and made the motion that I should hang myself.
“Mr. Smythe, one more like that and you’ll have detention with me all week.”
Drake gasped, his eyes bugging out of his head. I understood why. Professor Pops wasn’t facing Drake but me. I wanted to laugh at the look on stupid Drake Symthe’s face, but I didn’t.
“What’s it going to be?” Professor Pops asked when Drake didn’t leave.
“But you don’t run detention,” Drake said.
Slowly Professor Pops faced him. “Mr. Smythe, I’ll make a special exception for you.”
Drake ran from the room.
“Did you want to come over for dinner tonight? I believe Troy is making his famous steak and potatoes.”
At the thought of steak my mouth watered. Troy was an excellent cook—at least when it came to his steak. It was really all he cooked.
“Hmmm, sounds good.”
“Actually Pops I won’t be home until late tonight. I’m going out with Peter and Zoe.” Troy walked in, his backpack over his shoulder. Peter and Zoe were right behind him.
My heart immediately lifted when I saw those two. I wasn’t sure why I responded to them the way I did, but I really liked them. They were friendly, kind-hearted, and fun.
Zoe had short red hair, a gazillion freckles and grass green eyes. Peter was tan with dark hair and eyes that almost looked black, except when the light hit them just right. Then they were like water in oil, their color shifting from one end of the rainbow to the other. They were cool and reminded me a little of my dad’s eyes. I’d said as much to him one night. Peter had laughed and said that was awesome.
When I became fully conscious after my deal with Maleficent, Peter and Zoe’s faces had been the first two I saw. Laeddin said the two of them somehow knew Professor Pops, that they understood about the supernatural, and that they wanted to help. I didn’t know what they were, if they were anything, and I didn’t care. Though, since Zoe constantly wore peppermint like I used to, I guessed she had to be a vampire.
They’d become permanent fixtures in my house as well as Professor Pops’ and I didn’t want it any other way. I adored them even if I knew nothing about them. In fact, even after a month of spending nearly every day with them, I still had no idea where they lived.
All I knew about them was that that they’d recently moved here from out of the country and that his dad and her mom were foreign diplomats. The government moved their families around together, which is why Peter and Zoe had become boyfriend and girlfriend. It seemed super lucky to me. I couldn’t imagine one without the other. They didn’t look anything alike but they fit. And the chemistry between them? It was so strong, so powerful. I didn’t need to have vampire powers to feel it.
“What are you guys doing?” I asked, trying not to sound sad that they hadn’t thought to invite me.
Peter and Zoe gave each other a look, one that said they were having a conversation without using their mouths. Troy coughed. “Well, we’re going to—”
“Why don’t you take Jasmine with you?” Professor Pops said.
Zoe gasped. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Professor Pops. She hasn’t completely healed yet.”
Peter and Troy nodded in agreement.
“It’s okay, Professor Pops. If they don’t want me to go with them, I don’t have to.” An ache twisted my heart. It hurt not to be included. Even if I did appreciate why they didn’t want me to go. I wasn’t healed, but without my wings I didn’t think I ever would be. I had to find a way to accept my new life.
Laeddin had suggested I tell my parents, see if there was a way they could help, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. They would be so disappointed with my decisions. They wouldn’t understand.
“I think it would be a great idea. Tonight is supposed to be a recon mission, right?”
They nodded as one. Zoe’s face seemed to be getting paler by the second. Even her freckles appeared lighter. Peter shrugged like he was okay with it and Troy? Well he just looked the way I felt, like an empty husk. I wanted to find out what was wrong, but there hadn’t been an opportunity yet.
Professor Pops cleared his throat. He began organizing and gathering the papers on his desk. “She needs to know what’s going on. You can’t keep if from her any longer.” He glared at Peter and Zoe. Peter shuffled his feet, uncomfortable. Zoe lifted her chin. Professor Pops turned his stony glare on me. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the many centuries I’ve been alive it’s that secrets don’t protect, they don’t save, or shield.” He shook his head. “When secrets come out, and trust me, they will, they serve only to hurt, hinder, and create bigger problems.” He put his briefcase on the desk, flipped the metal clasps, and opened it. An aroma of fresh wood immediately hit my nose. It was a good smell. Reminded me of Professor Pops.
I watched him tuck several stacks of papers inside and then the lid shut.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat knowing he was right. And the truth was I missed my parents terribly, but I wasn’t ready to face them yet. Better they didn’t know where I was. When they found out all hell would break loose.
I also missed Sabrina. So, so much. If I went back to Sharra and told my parents then I could see her, even if it would be briefly since I’d probably be grounded for life or worse, put on troll duty.
“Fine,” Zoe said. “You can come.”
I shook my head, fiddling with the frayed edges of my history book. “Really, I
don’t want to put you guys out. Go do whatever it is you’re going to do without me. I was thinking I’d watch a movie with Laeddin tonight.
At the mention of Laeddin, Peter’s features became hard. “No. We’d love to have you hang with us.”
“Yes, we need a fourth,” Troy added.
“Excellent,” Professor Pops said, moving past us, and then standing at the door, indicating we should leave. Troy got there first. “I won’t be around this weekend.” His steely eyes found Troy’s. I watched as something I couldn’t understand passed between them. “I’ve got a few things to do, but I’ll be back on Monday.”
Troy’s shoulders slumped. “I understand.”
“Good.” He grasped Troy’s arm. “Can you stay behind a moment? I need to speak with you privately.”
Troy ran a hand through his hair. “Sure.”
“See you Monday, Zoe, Peter, Jasmine.” He winked at each of us as we walked out the door, then shut it behind us.
The three of us walked down the hall. The school was mostly empty. Debris littered the floor. White poster board covered in glitter and red, white, and black paint adorned the walls, announcing the coming Winter Formal. The theme was: A Sky Full of Enchanted Stars.
Peter kicked a piece of wadded up paper and caught it in his free hand.
“How was school today?” Peter asked, tossing the paper into the trash.
“Fine,” I said.
“You feeling any more like yourself?” Zoe asked.
I kept my eyes on the floor, blinking a few times so that I wouldn’t cry. It meant a lot that they cared. Cameron wasn’t around as much. Not since Abby died and I’d left school without telling him and then been out for a few weeks. I got it. I did. But I missed him.
As if on cue, he appeared on the stairs from the second floor.
“Hey, Cam,” I hollered.
He turned and smiled. Today he wore his curly black hair cropped super short, like he’d just gotten it cut. His brown eyes were sad against his handsome face, but his clothes were as fashion forward as ever. He wore pink jeans with a black button down shirt and black and pink suede shoes. “Hey, Jack.” The diamond studs he wore on his ears sparkled in the light from the window as he turned back around and kept walking. But his smile gave me hope.
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