by Brenda Trim
She opened her eyes and saw a stone ceiling. Not Annwyn, but not her cell, either. The stench of brimstone and death was non-existent, and there wasn’t a trace of the mold, dust and decay anywhere in the air. She ran a hand through her hair and was shocked to find that her fingers glided easily through the silky strands.
She jolted upright and tugged a handful over her shoulder, seeing that the snarls and filth was gone. She ran her fingers along her arms and realized she was clean. She had no idea who had cleaned her and it was unsettling that someone performed such an intimate task when she was asleep, but she was too thankful about being clean to get angry. Bringing the locks to her nose, she inhaled the fresh scent, noting the sweet floral scent was close to her favorite shampoo.
Goddess, she had missed the simple luxury of taking a shower. After all the torture and torment she’d suffered over the past seven months of her captivity, she had forgotten the pleasure that could be found in something as simple as bathing. She had never been the type of female who enjoyed long, hot bubble baths, but right now she would happily soak in one for a week.
That bath would have to wait until she figured out where the hell she was and who she was going to kill now for daring to lock her up again. She looked around her cell and saw a half wall. She stood on shaky legs and crossed the room. The ground and floor was smooth grey stone and was far cleaner than the hellhole she’d come from. She found a shower and toilet, as well as, a sink behind the wall. There was also soap and a toothbrush and toothpaste. She hurried over and grabbed the toothpaste and spread it over the toothbrush, scrubbing her teeth. Whoever had cleaned her earlier hadn’t bothered with her teeth and fangs and damn did it feel good to clean them. Another luxury that had been denied her.
As she brushed, images came flooding back to her about her King and his Dark Warriors rescuing her and the other females. The subsequent flight and fight as they escaped her prison brought tears to her eyes. It hadn’t been another dream. She really was free of the demon’s clutches. She’d given up on believing she would ever get out of that cage alive. The relief she experienced over her freedom from the demons was the sweetest thing she’d ever experienced.
She wanted to bury her head in her hands when she recalled why she was in another cell, albeit a much nicer cell. She had attacked the princess, Breslin. Shae didn’t know what had come over her. When they said they were going to have to be locked up again she had exploded and gone off. It was as if a switch had been flipped.
Even now, that anger was still there. If she were being honest, it hadn’t left her for months. Not to mention the vibration in her veins that never ceased. Like fingernails on a chalkboard, it was enough to drive her crazy. There was no relief from the torment. She had tried everything to stop or escape it. She’d even scraped furrows into her arms trying to rid herself of the sensation. And, that was the tip of the iceberg of what she’d been put through.
Distracting herself from those disturbing thoughts, she wondered about the other females. She spit and rinsed then rushed back to the bars. She shoved her face through and called out. She could hear what sounded like others sleeping, and noted the king had designed his dungeon well because she couldn’t see into the other cells.
With a start, she realized it would help ground her if she could see them. During her time in the cage, she had refused to form any lasting connection to the others in the event she was forced to fight and kill one of them. Clearly, she hadn’t been successful because, now, more than anything, she needed to know that they were okay. Looking out for them had been her primary focus. She had placed herself in the demon’s path time and time again to prevent another’s torture. Better her than someone else, she thought.
When no one responded to her, she tried again. “Cami, Crystal, are you guys there?”
Rustling of sheets sounded before a relieved cry. “Shae. Oh my God,” Cami called out. “I thought that guy killed you.”
Ice-blue eyes flashed in her mind, making her stomach clench with awareness. Gerrick. The sorcerer who had been part of rescuing her had placed her under a spell when she attacked Breslin. That fact had rage bubbling even as she thought about what an undoubtedly sexy male he was. To her utter surprise, her body reacted with interest when she thought of his strength pressed up against her back. “He used his magic to knock me out. I’m fine. How are you guys?”
“Everyone is here and they gave us clothes and food.” At the mention of food, Shae’s stomach rumbled loudly. She hadn’t eaten real food in over six months and was famished. “We’re frightened. Well, I am, but they haven’t hurt us. I keep waiting for someone to come in.” Shae could hear the uncertainty in Cami’s voice.
“Zander is a good leader and won’t hurt us unless we pose a risk to the safety of others. You will be safe here. And, don’t worry. Zander isn’t going to leave us here indefinitely. He will use every resource he has available to help us.”
“You really believe that? I was thinking they would just kill us.” Shae understood Cami’s doubt, but the human didn’t understand supernaturals. They didn’t think like humans.
Humans were a throwaway society with a high divorce rate. There was no such thing as divorce in the Tehrex Realm. You were born carrying a portion of your Fated Mate’s soul and once you found that one being made just for you, you didn’t betray that in any way. The fertility rate amongst the Tehrex Realm was extremely low, thus supernaturals treasured children and families in general. They invented the term ‘family first.’
Shae believed there was a deeper appreciation and devotion amongst supernaturals, and as the Vampire King, Zander would do everything to save them. That was the one thing Shae didn’t doubt. What she did question was whether or not they could be saved. They were no longer decent members of society. They were unpredictable, ruthless killers.
As she stood there, her hunger morphed to a lust for blood she’d only ever experienced during her captivity. As a vampire, she had always had control over her fangs, but now they were ever-present and had a mind of their own. With the thought of feeding, they descended even further, filling her mouth. She felt more like a saber-tooth tiger than a vampire.
One thing was certain, she couldn’t feed from anyone until she curbed her appetite; otherwise, she would kill the next person she fed from. The sound of boots on stone had her turning her head to the stairs and she cringed that one of the warriors would be witness to her struggle. She didn’t want anyone to see her like that, especially Gerrick.
She took a few steps back and stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Within seconds, Zander and another female came into view. They weren’t there to kill them. Zander would have sent the warriors to do that task. And, Shae had no doubt, this female wasn’t a warrior. Not only had she been absent during their rescue, she didn’t carry the mark of a Dark Warrior on her forearm.
“Liege,” she murmured, genuflecting in respect.
“Shae. ‘Tis good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”
“Much better than I was when you found me, but not like my old self. When can I go home? I miss my family and I know my mom is worried about me.”
“Your mamai and the rest of your family have been hounding my warriors for months. I’m positive they would love to see you, as well. But, I canna allow you to go home yet. Your earlier outburst is only part of the reason. We took blood samples to help us understand what we are dealing with. But, I promise you will have anything you need to make you comfortable.”
She gritted her teeth and bit back her angry retort. She would never be comfortable in a prison cell. The urge to gouge his eye-sockets was overwhelming. Chanting to herself that it wouldn’t be prudent to piss off her king didn’t do shit to defuse her increasing rage. What did was the knowledge that Zander had enough power to kill her without blinking and she very much wanted to live now that she’d been freed. “I can’t stay locked up like this. I have to get out of this cage or I will go nuts.”
“I understand, but I h
ave a duty to the entire realm, as well as, the humans. This is my final ruling on the matter and I’d like your cooperation. From all of you,” he said, addressing the other females.
“I’m the one that acted out. Let the others go. They don’t need to be in here.”
“You know that wouldna be wise, Shae. Each of you has been through a hell I canna comprehend, but trust me when I say that you will be released as soon as it is safe. And, I have the scientists and Jace working on this as we speak. No one wants to see you locked in these cells,” Zander assured, confirming Shae’s suspicion. He wanted to release them. Question was, would that be possible?
“You have to understand that I was caught off guard and the thought of being confined again made me lose my head. I won’t do it again,” she promised, doubting her own words. As much as she hoped she would be able to reign in her temper, she couldn’t swear it.
“Och, Shae, you’re playing a dangerous game pushing this matter. I have already given my final ruling. There are too many unknowns, end of story. That was only one reason I came doon here. The demon venom has changed many things and one of them is that I canna read your thoughts. The only other time I have experienced this is with Jessie, here,” he said motioning to the female next to him, “who just so happens to be like you.”
Shae’s jaw dropped and she took an unconscious step toward the bars, looking from Zander to the female next to him. She had been so busy fighting her anger and talking to Zander to notice before, but now that she concentrated something in her recognized something in Jessie. And, if what Zander was saying was true, she’s bet it was the demon venom.
She took in the beautiful blonde before her with her large, brown, doe eyes. There was nothing as obvious as scars on her body to indicate Zander was telling the truth, but there was something familiar about her.
“It’s true,” Jessie offered, answering Shae’s unspoken question. “Azazel bit me and placed an electronic tracker in my side several months ago. I will never forget the feel of those teeth cutting into my neck and the pain that came after,” she related as she pulled her shirt down and revealed the two small scars Shae could barely even see. Calling them scars was a vast exaggeration. They were more like mosquito bites, Shae thought bitterly.
Shae touched her own scars and indignation bubbled over the texture of her ruined skin. She had always been a confident female free of insecurities, but now she was riddled with them. She felt ugly and used and she didn’t know how to live in her own body anymore. Her mind wasn’t entirely her own and, without warning, her anger spiked out of control. Not to mention she now saw the world in reds and oranges. Her appetite had changed and her fangs had a mind of their own. The visible disfigurement was a minor part of the deeper pain Shae suffered.
Yeah, this female didn’t know pain. She was bitten once and never again had to feel the searing burn of the venom again. Nor was she raped or tortured or forced to kill countless demons, humans and fellow inmates. Sure, Shae had relished killing every last demon she’d faced in the ring, but the innocent ones left a stain on her soul that could never be removed.
“But you weren’t brought to suffer in the cages with us and you’re standing out there while we’re in here.”
“Jessie was in that verra cell before she proved to us that she was no’ a danger. You will get there,” Zander added, crossing his arms over his chest, standing with his legs braced apart. Shae wanted to believe that with all her heart, but hope was a fragile thing she didn’t dare cling to too tightly.
“You’re right,” Jessie chimed in, surprising Shae, “I wasn’t taken with him when he disappeared and for that I am grateful. I’m sorry about what you and the others went through, but we are more alike than you think. Have you mastered the infrared vision? That took me forever to learn how to turn it off.”
Shae raised an eyebrow at that. “You can turn it off?” With further contemplation, jealousy burned through Shae that this female had it so easy. On top of everything else, she didn’t even have to deal with the blinding headaches the new eyesight caused.
“Yeah. I can teach you,” Jessie offered, with a warm smile. Shae sensed every one of the other females were listening intently and knew this was something they all would want. She had to be careful in how she responded because the other females would follow her lead and benefit, or not, based on what she said.
“I’d like that, we all would. It’s been giving me headaches for months. It would be a huge relief to get rid of them. Can I ask you something? How do you feed?” she asked tenuously. She didn’t want to reveal her uncontrollable bloodlust, figuring it would help her cause, but at the same time she needed help getting control of it.
“I recall the headaches, although the scientists believed it was the archdemon trying to control me, not the change in my vision. I eat food like I used to, but I don’t think that’s what you’re asking. I drink blood about every other day or so. And, can I say that for a human to go from not knowing anything about the supernatural to craving blood was enough to make me believe I had lost my mind. In my world, this wasn’t real, so, at first, I thought I had really gone insane. Thankfully, Zander and the other Dark Warriors helped me cope and get through the transition.”
Shae considered Jessie’s words and wondered if she was right. The thought of either of those assholes trying to influence her had her ready to tear through the walls to get to them. She didn’t want to continue living if they were able to manipulate her mind.
The other part of the female’s statement sunk in. “I haven’t eaten actual food in so long. I miss shrimp and scallops,” she said wistfully. “What happens to your victim when you feed?”
Jessie looked at Zander then back at her and Shae realized she’d given away more than she’d intended. She tensed, ready for whatever may come next. “We doona consider our donors victims. You know this, Shae. And, Jessie most often consumes the bagged blood that Jace brings back from the hospital.”
“But, the times I did feed from a person, I wasn’t overcome with bloodlust. It was easy to control my hunger and take only what was needed.” The other female held her gaze, but there was no censure there. Only, understanding. “I may not have gone through everything that you guys did, but I do understand the changes you’ve gone through. In fact, they didn’t even have a name for me and I refused to be associated with skirm, so I decided to be called a dhampir. And, Zander has taken me in as one of his own.”
“Dhampir,” Shae tried it out. “I like it.” She had been torn up over where she belonged now. She was no longer a vampire, but she agreed with the female, she wasn’t a skirm. Titles were important in their society. She had been a female vampire, a loan officer, a daughter and sister. It was comforting to have a way to talk about her new identity. She hated being left in limbo.
“Can you tell me anything aboot Kadir’s plans? You may no’ know this, but he used a vampire to kidnap my mate and I need to know if she, or any others, are in immediate danger.” Zander asked, changing the subject. Shae reared back in shock. They must have kept this a secret from the realm because she’d had no idea that the same scumbags had kidnapped his mate. That was, after all, her Queen and her heart went out to the female. She knew all too well what being tortured was like.
“I can’t tell you much. He never hid how pissed he was at you for foiling every one of his plans. It gave me hope each time you beat him even if his retaliation was to throw one of us in the fight cage.”
“Shae, I’m—” Zander began.
“No,” she cut him off, not wanting his apology. “We were glad you stopped him. The last thing the realm needs is for him to become more powerful. As for his plans, I’m not sure beyond the obvious desire to steal the Triskele Amulet from you.” Shae thought about the Goddess-blessed amulet and how it bestowed certain powers on the bearer, which currently was Zander. She didn’t envy Zander having to be the protector of the Godly artifact. It placed a target on, not only his back, but of those he loved, as well.
That couldn’t sit well with the Alpha male before her.
The sound of footsteps stopped the King’s reply. All three of them turned their heads as someone descended the stairs. Black leather boots became visible, making Shae tense with anticipation, hoping it was the scarred warrior.
“Jace. Do you have news?” Zander asked the male that came to a halt a few feet from him. Disappointment was a crushing weight and she wondered if Gerrick was avoiding her. Not that she could blame him after the way she had acted. Mentally shaking her head, she focused on her bigger concern at the moment, getting the hell out of the dungeon.
“I do actually,” he replied, glancing at Shae as he did. “Preliminary results are in from the blood tests on the females.” Shae’s heart thrummed in her chest and she had trouble breathing as her nerves got the best of her. Could they have a way to help them already? What if it was bad news? She wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear what the healer had to say. She wrapped her arms around her waist and waited.
“What have you learned?” Zander questioned.
“Not surprising, the venom levels in the recovered females are far higher than what we found in Jessie. In fact, in the case of one female, the levels were one hundred times higher.” He didn’t have to say her name, Shae knew it was her. She’d purposefully provoked the demons so they’d bite and rape her, leaving the other females alone. “The scientists theorize the venom has multiplied of its own accord. I don’t believe that explains it. I think it’s linked not only to the number of times they were bitten, but also to the spikes in their anger. We haven’t seen that phenomenon with Jessie. Her levels have declined steadily since she was turned and she hasn’t displayed the emotions these females have, so this is all conjecture at this point.”
“Take another sample from them now that they are calmer. That’s the only way to determine if there is merit to your theory,” Zander ordered. Shae didn’t care for being a lab rat. In fact, the idea had violence churning below her skin. Only her desire for answers outweighed the thought of any discomfort from being poked and prodded.
