by Sela Croft
I raised my eyebrows. Her presence was really beginning to annoy me. I disliked being duped, and she seemed to be twisting things around.
“Yes, we will get something clear, forthwith. You will address me with respect, and you will answer my questions.” I frowned. “Or I will have you interrogated to get the answers, and it won’t be pleasant.”
Callie stiffened, but did not tremble. She clasped her hands so tight that her skin turned white, but when she spoke, she looked directly into my eyes. “I will show you the respect I would accord any descent…person, until you behave in a way that doesn’t deserve it.”
She took a breath, and my eyes went to the pulse at her throat, and the milky white skin of her neck. “There’s not much to know about me really. But if you must, ask your questions. Then I’ll expect you to assist with some information I need.”
Callie waited, apparently requiring my agreement.
“I rule Shadowland, and I’m not in the habit of giving out information—particularly when I don’t know the purpose.” I was conversing with a human, a teenage girl at that. What had gotten into me?
Chapter 8
Logan
The last name of Mayfair was odd for a human. There wasn’t another in the kingdom that I knew of, one more thing that was out of place. I gazed at the human girl, her frailness annoying me, but there was more to her. I just hadn’t figured it out yet.
I struggled to stay away from her, and only did so because I had to understand what her presence meant. I’d remained in power only because I didn’t overlook signs of trouble. Paying attention was a key to survival, a lesson I’d learned centuries ago.
The contradiction of her slender form with her determination threw me off. And her seeming innocence couldn’t be for real. Admittedly, it was a good guise, one that another less seasoned leader might fall for.
Drawn to her, sensing feeding on her would be a succulent treat to my palate, I stood and walked to the windows. The far-off mountaintops or the endless dark sky weren’t sufficient distraction. I spun to look at her. “Your scent…I shouldn’t be near it.”
Callie’s luminous eyes widened, and she twirled a strand of silky hair between two fingers. “The shampoo? It wasn’t mine. I stayed with…a new friend. It was hers. I’m sorry you don’t like it.”
The act was a bit much. A girl can’t live in a kingdom run by vampires and pretend not to understand the scent that attracted one. “It’s your blood.” I took one step closer. “The aroma is different. I don’t recognize it.”
Her voice quavered. “My blood? You smell my blood?”
“So much that I’m incensed by it. You must have known the effect it would create.”
“No…I had no idea.” She scooted back a little. “You drink blood?”
It was a ridiculous question that didn’t deserve an answer. “The human blood I thrive on is familiar. I’ve cultivated the strains to my taste. Yours is…” A wild thought occurred to me that the girl in front of me wasn’t human, despite her appearance. “Are you an illusion?”
Callie stared at me. “I can assure you that I’m very real.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “If either of us is an illusion, it has to be you. Because I can tell you that this is the first conversation I’ve had with a vampire. Truly, before today I would have sworn that you didn’t exist.”
I was rapidly losing patience. Whatever trick she played, the girl was good at it. “You aren’t answering my questions. You’re twisting the conversation. I’m not inclined to give you any information at all, so whatever your mission, you aren’t likely to succeed.”
“I’m not sure I have any questions for you.” Callie lifted her chin in unbelievable defiance. “I had thought this was a place to gain assistance. I’ve made a grave error. I can see that. The way you behave elicits little trust, and I’m not inclined to share with you what I seek.”
I’d rarely been spoken to in such a fashion. Those against me whispered behind my back, or plotted in a clandestine manner. Each knew better than to openly defy me, or to insult me. Callie had accomplished that feat several times, in the span of a few minutes.
Anger surged in my veins. How dare a human girl act this way toward me? “No one approached headquarters, uninvited. And humans were not invited, unless as a slave, or herded in for my feeding pleasure.”
Callie offered no reply, yet did not flinch in the face of my tirade.
“Either you have more nerve than any human I’ve known. Or this is mere folly. You think you can contrive to achieve your goal, yet without stating what you want. I won’t have it.” I growled a command. “Explain yourself, or I will forego my restraint and drain your blood to my heart’s content.”
“I wish you would sit,” Callie said. “It is…well, terrifying to look up at a vampire.”
I merely looked at her.
“Okay, then. Stand if you must.” Now she was giving me permission. It was unbelievable. “I’ve lost someone very dear to me, and since there is no one of higher authority, I had hoped that you’d help me.”
She took a breath. “I can see that you are much too busy dealing with…your realm.” She waved her hand toward the window and the land beyond. “I came for information. It’s not to be had.”
That was no explanation at all.
“So, I’ll be on my way. There must be another source of information, to find what I need.” Her jaw stiffened. “You can let me go. I apologize for intruding.”
“Apology not accepted. You don’t get off that easy. So far, you haven’t stated your mission, told me what you are after. You speak in vague terms, seeking to annoy me further.”
“You cannot bully me.” Despite her brave claim, Callie was shaking. Whether it was from fear or anger, I wasn’t sure. “You have your loyalties; I have mine. I dare not reveal anything private in the face of such intimidation.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“No. I do not. And why should I? You’ve given me no cause to place my future, and that of someone I care about, in your hands.”
Chapter 9
Logan
It irked me that a human would refuse me anything. In a flash, I put my hand on her throat, and pressed her against the chair. My fangs hurt for want of a taste of her defiance. I’d drink the blood right out of her veins, and savor every drop. “You are not going anywhere, until you are forthcoming.”
Callie trembled against my hand, giving me that satisfaction, at least. But she didn’t blink or cower, just stared at me. It hadn’t happened before. For a human to stand up to me was unthinkable. Maybe I was losing my touch.
My fangs extended, and Callie’s pupils dilated. Her neck beckoned. It would be so easy. But I pushed away. I would discover what she was up to.
Callie’s appearance where she didn’t belong had an explanation, and I intended to hear it. She was human, but different. It was likely she was a new breed of vampire hunter. Despite our stringent efforts to corral all humans and employ as the royal council saw fit, there was a faction that eluded us.
That handful of renegades had allied with Fae and acquired some magic of their own. Their purpose was to kill vampires—as if there weren’t enough forces already forcing us into extinction. It would make sense to send one of their own to infiltrate headquarters.
I settled on that plausible explanation, as no other came to mind. “You seek to mislead me.” I glared at her. “You lie to me, and have the gall to enter my territory with ill intent.” I held up a hand. “Oh, I know what you’re up to. And it won’t work.”
Callie started to speak, but I would have none of it.
“You will tell me who sent you.” I was in no mood for negotiation. “The innocent act is good; I’ll give you that. You can tell your superiors that you did your best. But your attempt to gain entry, and assist the hunters from the inside has failed.”
Thirst raged within me. My unwelcome guest had interrupted routine, and delayed my feeding. Starved for blood, I was a second
away from drinking from any human in my vicinity. Yet in my state of hunger, I would have no self-control. I might kill her and thus fail to learn what plot she was part of.
I reached for the door of the blood bay, a refrigerated storage unit built into the wall. The interior light illuminated the reserve of human blood. I took a bottle and removed the cap, downing it in one gulp. Then I took another. By the third bottle, my equilibrium began to restore.
I sat on the sofa across from Callie, balancing the rest of the bottle on my knee. With the back of my hand, I wiped a drop of blood from my mouth. That was better.
Callie looked pale, but that didn’t matter. She wouldn’t live long. Once I knew the truth, I’d be done with her. “Now…Callendra Mayfair…tell me precisely the information you seek. No lies.”
When she didn’t speak, I added, “Secrets are dangerous.” My words of warning were a reminder of the intrigue that surrounded me, threatening the kingdom at every turn. This human girl was yet another thorn in my side.
Callie’s eyes went to the half-empty bottle on my knee then up to my face. She looked at my lips as though expecting to see my fangs. I waited, knowing she was left with no alternative but to reveal all.
“I’m not from here,” she said. “I don’t know the protocol. You’ll have to excuse me for my blunders.”
“And where are you from?”
“I live with my adoptive parents, Emma and Ian. My real parents died in a car accident twelve years ago when I was only five.”
This was progress. “All right. And where are Emma and Ian?” Maybe this would lead him to one of the hunter factions.
“They are at home in Astoria, Oregon.” Callie chewed her lower lip. “I’m from…the outside.”
Now I knew I was being played a fool. “But you’re human?”
“Yes, very much.”
“Then what you say cannot be true. The shadows are impenetrable. Humans have not been brought in from the outside for centuries. It was a bad idea, even then. They added only trouble and strife, when we had enough of that already.”
“I wasn’t brought in,” Callie said. “I came in.”
That just wasn’t possible. Unless…
The door burst open and head of security strode in. “I’m sorry, my prince.” He glanced at Callie. “I should have knocked. I didn’t know you were feeding.” He motioned toward the windows. “May I have a word?”
With his back toward Callie, my guard relayed his message, keeping his voice low. “There’s been a disturbance. It’s urgent or I wouldn’t intrude like this. Your brothers called a meeting and are waiting for you.”
I nodded, disheartened at his message. At least my brothers had fed properly, placating an otherwise foul mood. I couldn’t claim the same, but I’d had a snack. It was enough to function for the moment.
Callie’s admission, if it was true, was alarming. If I’d had any thought of doing away with her, it would have to wait. Whatever advantage she offered, I would use it for myself. My enemies knew no limits. Now even letting in outside humans—if that was the case.
The human girl’s claim was less than credible. Defying a rule that had existed for so long was extreme. Anyone doing so was aware of the consequences, although not many were concerned about the welfare of the kingdom.
That was my responsibility, and quite a heavy one it had become of late.
“Shall I return her to the human pen?” the guard asked.
“No, I have another use for this one.” I looked at Callie. She’d had the opportunity to state her purpose but had balked. Before this was over, she’d beg for mercy and plead with me for understanding. She’d rue the day that she dared not trust the prince of Shadowland.
Callie stood and looked up into my eyes. Her directness gave me pause, added to the mystery. “If you let me go, Prince, I will stay away. My business does not concern you. I can deal with it on my own.”
“Everything about you, Callendra, concerns me. You see, you are in my realm now, and I give the orders.” I glowered at her, the guard’s news having wiped out any patience I’d had. “Your affairs are my business, as is all that surrounds you. We will continue this interrogation another time. I have important matters to see to, right now.”
The guard took her arm, but Callie didn’t fight. The vampire towered over her, and his muscles bulged through his uniform. If she resisted, she’d be squashed in an instant. The only thing keeping the guard from throwing her into the pen with the other humans was my caution to him that I had a specific use for her.
“Take her to detention and see that she stays there until I call for her.”
The guard escorted her from the room, then I gulped the last of the bottle of blood. I’d need my strength for what was to come. Despite my suspicions about Callie, the scent of her blood lingered, long after she left the room. She intrigued me, not only for the obvious reasons.
There was something else about her. Callie was different, but I couldn’t say precisely how. She’d held her ground, when I could have had my fill of her. There was an indefinable quality about her. It was a rare trait, foreign to me. I was compelled to understand her, to use her as I would for my benefit. Then I’d drink her blood—which I had no doubt would be immensely satisfying—and be done with her.
Chapter 10
Logan
The rooftop amphitheater was our meeting place. It took up the entire top floor of the building and had a dome-shaped retractable ceiling. The walls were one-way glass, so we could see out, but enemies couldn’t see in.
The stars shimmered above, and the moon was large in the night sky, shining its magnificence onto Shadowland. Yet below there was trouble, which seemed to be the current state of affairs.
I stepped inside the cavernous space with its circular seating a few steps down, like a sunken living room for hundreds of guests. But the only guests that were allowed into the amphitheater were council members or military.
For now, it would just be my two older brothers with me. There seemed to be no jealousy between us, despite the fact that our father had decreed that I was prince of the realm. Since I was the youngest son, it has seemed preferential.
But my father Cedric had loved his sons equally. He’d assured us of that many times, and before his untimely death had demonstrated his affection for each son. He had been wise, much wiser than I, and he foretold that my nature and abilities would play a vital role in ruling the land.
My other brothers possessed unique skills and united we could secure the future. It had sounded reassuring then, but with all that transpired around us, it was difficult not to harbor doubts.
Valter was the eldest. I entered to find him juggling balls of fire. “Just practicing,” he said. “I’ve had as many as ten going at once.”
“It’s convenient that this building is made of glass.” I held up a hand. “Not that I lack confidence in your abilities.”
My brother had refined his pyrokinetic talent and could do amazing things with fire. His control extended to a pack of dragons. He’d trained the creatures for battle, and his fire-breathing pets could wreak havoc when under his command.
He was a warrior to his very marrow, and thrived on battle. Although, losing irritated him and brought out his deep-seated ruthlessness that had often served us well. An enemy who attacked the royal family could expect to deal with my merciless brother, and could only hope to overcome if able to survive fire in a variety of forms. Not many could claim such skill, or luck.
I stepped up to the throne and settled in, then Valter sat on the steps. There was no need for formality, since this was a private meeting. “We are missing one.”
As if on command, my other brother Florian appeared. His knack for teleportation could be annoying. He’d come and go without warning, sometimes at the most inopportune moments. This time, he’d appeared in the high-backed chair next to me.
“I believe you’re late,” I said. “Isn’t teleportation an instant method of travel, anymore?”
>
Florian was the brains of the family. He was the most intellectual, thus was handy with developing strategy or orchestrating reconnaissance. “I was doing some background research for us, and left at the last second.”
“It’s fortunate that the enemy isn’t battering down our perimeter, or we wouldn’t have that second to spare.” A bit of brotherly nagging didn’t hurt.
“I checked the perimeter,” Florian said. “The magic is holding, and I don’t foresee that changing. The Fae will have to do their worst when we are careless enough to go outside the safe boundary.”
“Then I suggest we stay within protected areas. We have enough on our hands without flaunting vulnerabilities.” I stood to pace the marble floor, too unsettled to sit and converse. “What promoted this meeting?”
“A disturbance within our ranks is cause for alarm,” Valter said. “Skirmishes with the hunters had affirmed our strength, until today.”
I stopped, waiting for the news.
“The hunters breached military security. A small band of them got inside, and we suffered casualties.”
“How many?”
Valter shifted on his perch at the top of the stairs. “Two warriors killed and one injured.”
I shook my head. “We can’t afford to lose any.” As it was, the vampire covens of Shadowland had been thinned over the centuries. War, strife, and an endless array of battles had driven us close to the brink of extinction.
“I don’t see how they got in,” Florian said. “Human detectors surround the warrior stations. I checked, and the electronics are still functioning. I interrupted my research to come here, but I suspect some sort of cloaking magic.”
“That’s bad,” I said. “The hunters gained access to magic when they broke off into the renegade factions, but it was weak. If they’ve been taught cloaking and other sorts of magic, we have a serious problem.”
“Who is behind this?” Valter said. “Humans can’t just learn magic. Yet they have managed to acquire some skill with basic techniques. That’s a new development that I don’t like at all.”
