by Jessica Snow
Big Mike laughed weakly. “Yeah well, I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my coverage. You know, not paying the premiums and all. So, who are your friends?”
“The one on the wall is Victoria Greyson, she’s the mother of my… of my mate,” Kat said, swallowing. “She’s the former alpha female of the Greyson pack.”
“You mated with an alpha male wolf,” Big Mike said, then chuckled. “I guess that would be your style. You never settled for second best, except for that one time with that idiot, Kevin.”
“I guess so. The lady next to you, you remember Elizabeth, right?” Kat said, and there was silence on the other side of the cage for a few moments, Kat beginning to worry before Mike laughed softly.
“Sorry, Elizabeth, you’ve let your hair grow out since I last saw you, and it’s been a while. You’ve grown up a lot too. How’re you doing?” Mike asked. “Current accommodations aside.”
“It’s been… it’s been the craziest year of my life so far, sir,” Elizabeth said. “But I’ve been mostly glad about it. Especially getting to know…”
Elizabeth’s voice trailed off, and she looked back through the bars to Kat, who nodded and pushed the triplets towards Elizabeth. “Daddy, I’d like you to meet Hunter, Edward, and Selena. Your… your grandchildren.”
There was a deep, heavy pause as Elizabeth scooped up the three little cubs and took them across the small cage, holding them out so that Mike could see them. Finally, Kat’s breath released in a whoosh as Mike chuckled, sounding more like his old self than ever. “Well now, would you look at that? Cute little things, aren’t ya? You know, I think you’ve got your mother’s ears for sure. Or at least my ears, I know that much. I guess the tails are from your Daddy?”
Edward made an excited little whine, and Kat felt tears come to her eyes as she recognized it as Edward’s happy whine. “Yeah, I think you’re cute too. So, are you Eddie or Hunter?”
“That’s Edward,” Kat said. “Hunter’s not much of a talker. Daddy… I guess I should let you know, I delivered them in that form, and they haven’t changed out of it since.”
“Oh, that’s okay,” Mike replied soothingly. “Little ones are always more aware of danger, and they know that in this form they can protect themselves better. My, oh my, aren’t you the little princess? Selena, huh? Well, I guess you are the regal one. I’ll tell you what, little lady, your grandpa is going to spoil you relentlessly once we get out of here. Don’t you worry about that.”
Big Mike turned his attention back to Kat, his voice picking up. “And McKenzie?”
“She’s a witch, Daddy. Uh, I guess you were going to tell her later, too? And about Mom… Daddy, Mom’s Rosie.”
There was a stunned silence from the other side of the dungeon as Mike took it all in, and when he spoke again, there were tears in his eyes. “You mean it, baby? Reba never left us?”
“Never, Daddy. She’s been trying to help Kenzie get control of her powers, but it’s been… well, she’s a bit better off than I am, but not much. You should see her in action when she’s on, though, Daddy. You raised your girls right.”
Mike half sobbed, half laughed, and Kat smiled too. “I can see that very well, baby. Very well indeed.”
Chapter 56
When the trapdoor disappeared underneath McKenzie’s feet, she plunged straight down, so caught off guard that she was barely able to use her magic to buffer her fall so that she only twisted her ankle a little instead of breaking her legs. After Liam yelled down to her, she looked up, barely able to see the slightly less dark patch in the darkness overhead, hollering back.
Hold on, I’m coming!
The message barely came to her head before she felt Reba come flying down the hole after her, McKenzie somehow calling on enough magic quickly to actually float her down into McKenzie’s arms. Looking up, the trapdoor was now shut, and she sighed. “You know Mom, you didn’t need to do that.”
That trap was set for one type of person only, a magic user. Using your magic the way you did to pop the first door armed the trap, and the door was closed with dark magic too, Liam was pulling as hard as he could and not able to keep it open. If they’re ready for you, then you need me with you more than they need guidance through the catacombs. Liam’s nose will take care of that well enough.
“Thanks, Mom. But what about keeping yourself safe?”
Don’t worry about that. You keep yourself alive, and we’ll figure it out together. Now, I hear someone coming. No more verbal talking to me.
McKenzie sighed, she hated trying to talk to her mother using just her mind, even though she knew it was just as easy as using her voice. Still, she got to her feet and let Reba down just as three figures emerged into the small space. The first one she sort of remembered from last time, the woman’s violet eyes were the sort of remarkable feature that stayed with you.
The other two filled her heart with deep sadness as Daisy and Annabelle flanked the other woman, their eyes gleaming with vampiric hunger and dark magic. “No, oh no.”
“Oh yes,” Annabelle replied, grinning and showing off her long fangs. But she didn’t sound amused, she sounded pissed off and sad. “You really should have used your magic a little better last time you were here, McKenzie. If you’d just fried me and Annabelle here, King Viktor wouldn’t have been tempted to take us as his brides. As it is, we serve him now.”
“You don’t have to serve anyone,” McKenzie said, ignoring the voice of her mother that was telling her that in fact, they did have to serve him. “Just let me go, and I’ll do what I can to free you.”
“There is no freedom for us,” Daisy said, sounding also slightly sad but not stopping her approach. “The only way we can be freed is to die.”
“They’re still learning,” the third woman, who McKenzie assumed was Violet, said. “But they know the most important rules. They cannot hurt the King, nor can they disobey him. And we’ve been ordered to bring you to Lord Cole to prepare you for your audience with King Viktor. This can go easily, or not. No difference to me, witch.”
“Then I guess it’ll be not,” McKenzie said, unleashing a bolt of light from her fingers. Violet barely moved out of the way in time, both Daisy and Annabelle circling around with vampiric speed to grab her arms and pin them behind her back. “Let me go! Somebody help me!”
I’m here.
She didn’t know what drove her to that last comment, but her cry was obviously answered. The voice was powerful and ancient, a female voice that spoke with not only the power of ages but with a deep-seated anger and rage that stunned McKenzie into silence for a moment. Who are you?
Someone who has waited a long time for a being such as you. Tell me the hair color of your captors.
Daisy’s a brunette, Annabelle’s blond. Why?
I like brunettes. This may jolt you a little.
McKenzie felt a sharp spike of pain as her spine seemingly twisted, her body filled with the essence of another for a split second before the power jolted down her arm to pour out of her hand into Daisy. Daisy blinked for a moment, then tightened her grip. McKenzie was about to say something when Daisy, or whatever entity was in Daisy’s body now, gave her a wink and a half smile along with a tiny shake of her head. McKenzie shut up and instead tried talking to her mother. What the hell was that? And, where are you?
I’m using my camouflage magic, the vampires think I’m a rock on the floor, Reba replied. As for what just happened, I think you just called forth a spirit from the realm. Where did they go?
She asked what Daisy and Annabelle’s hair colors were, and then it felt like someone jammed a high-tension power line up my spine before it flowed down my arm and into Daisy.
Reba chuckled. Good... maybe. Depends on the spirit. If they’ve got the same goals as us, you just made a very powerful ally. The spirit will have access to all of Daisy’s vampiric powers, but will not be held to the obedience compulsion. Still, be careful. Any spirit that’s strong enough to use you as a conduit without you doing a lot
of serious preparation is nothing to be trifled with.
Now you tell me. And when were we going to get to the lessons on ghosts and all that?
Reba, if anything, sounded both amused and chagrined in her head. Would you believe that I underestimated you? I figured we still had the training wheels on, so to speak.
Yeah well, Mom, training time is over.
Then keep in mind what you learned in the battle with Crystal’s pack. You’re not the same type of witch that I was. Use your emotions, you were right. You are your father’s daughter, and bears have always fought better when their emotions were involved. Harness yours to their fullest.
Violet led the way, with Annabelle and Daisy/whoever the hell that was McKenzie felt keeping their hands tightly clamped on her arms. Inside of her, the panic stopped, and she felt a great sense of calm descend over her emotions. It wasn’t the same type of call that her mother was advising her against, but more likely total certainty that when things happened, she would be able to perform.
They dragged her down the dark, remarkably clean if ancient corridor, to another room that was opulently decorated. Inside was the same male vampire she had seen before, along with another one that was sitting down, even though it looked like he didn’t want to. “Lord Cole,” Violet said, “our visitor has arrived. I do believe that you might know her.”
Cole laughed evilly, nodding. “Of course, Violet. How could I forget the one that got away? Especially since she cost me the other two as well. Hmm, you do look like your sister in a certain way. A lot less voluptuous, of course, but then again, the overly curvy type was always Theon’s desire, not mine. Isn’t that right, Theon?”
The other male vampire struggled to get up, but something was holding him to the chair, and McKenzie wondered if it was dark magic. “Don’t touch her, Cole. I’m begging you, leave her alone.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. King Viktor ordered me not to harm her, just like I’ve ordered you to sit there and watch. I’d have ordered you to shut up, but honestly Theon, after all this time, I still get enjoy watching you get pissed off,” Cole said, gesturing for Daisy and Annabelle to let go of McKenzie’s arms. “You two, go sit down next to Theon. Violet… well, I can’t order you to do anything, so I’m asking you to try to stay out of my way.”
Daisy and Annabelle obeyed immediately, although there was still an encouraging glint in Daisy’s eye as she went over and sat down next to Theon in a wooden chair. McKenzie focused on Cole, however, meeting his eyes squarely even as he tried to use his vampiric powers to hypnotize her. “It’s not gonna work, vampire. I’m far more powerful than the scared teenage girl you captured the last time. I’m giving you this chance to let me go. If not, you’re going to die.”
Cole laughed and raised his hand as if to strike her, but McKenzie could see that he was unable to finish the slap. Cole struggled against the obedience compulsion for a moment, before lowering his hand and turning away in disgust. “I might not be able to hurt you physically, witch, but your little stunt last time cost me a lot of money, as well as two of my brides. Because of you, King Viktor demanded that I give him your two friends, even after I had turned them. Do you know how much it sucked to have to order Daisy and Annabelle to serve the king rather than be mine?”
Daisy spoke up, shocking everybody but McKenzie when she opened her mouth. “So, what would you give for your freedom, Cole? Would you kill Viktor?”
Cole turned towards his former plaything, surprise written on his features. “You know that I would. Just like how I know that Theon next to you would kill me in an instant if it wasn’t for the compulsion against it. Honestly Theon, I can understand your hate. Not that I don’t still hate you, but I did kill your wife and your unborn child.”
“My hatred for you is the only reason that I have let myself continue to exist,” Theon said. “I have damned myself to hell so many times over the centuries that I’ve lost count. My one and only hope of salvation is making sure that I live long enough to see you and Viktor die before me. Maybe if that happens, just maybe I might be allowed to see my Eva once before I burn in the deepest pits of hell.”
McKenzie spoke up. “Do all of you feel that way? Do all of you hate Viktor that much that you want to all see him die? If so, why not let me go? With my family, with my pack, I can put an end to his evil.”
Violet shook her head sadly. “One of the other compulsions we have is to always serve him. And he has given us direct orders, McKenzie. I remember what it was like to be young and full of promise once, but that was centuries ago. Who knows? If he turns you like I suspect, maybe in five or six hundred years you’ll understand my point of view as well. But yes, in this moment of honesty, I think every single person in here would bury a stake into Viktor’s heart if given the chance.”
Daisy spoke up again. “All we want is our freedom. Which is why I hope you understand why I do this, Cole.”
Daisy was out of her chair so fast that McKenzie couldn’t even see her, but rather sensed her as she shattered her chair with one powerful blow of her hand, and in the same moment picked up a shattered chair leg and drove the sharpened, jagged point through Cole’s heart, the tip exploding out of his back. Cole stared at her for instant, surprise and perhaps a little bit of gratitude on his face before he turned into ash and drifted to the floor. Daisy sprang towards Violet, grabbing her while looking towards Annabelle and Theon. “Help me! You two are free, but she was turned by Viktor! She has to serve him still unless McKenzie can help us, and we can use her assistance!”
Theon and Annabelle quickly moved to help Daisy, both of them looking at her in wonder. “How did you do that?” Theon asked. “There should have been no way that you could kill your sire.”
“Daisy didn’t kill Cole,” Daisy said, as the three of them tied the struggling Violet to the wall. “I did. It’s been a couple of hundred years my love, but you’re still just as handsome as you were the last morning I saw you alive. You remember it? You always looked so dashing in your leather breeches you wore around the castle.”
McKenzie understood at the same instant that realization dawned on Theon’s face. “Eva? Eva, after these hundreds of years, how could it be you?”
Daisy, or maybe Eva now, smiled gently. “I’ve never really left you, my love. After Cole and Viktor tore our child from my body and left me to die, I found myself being turned into a spirit that stayed with you. I tried so many times to reach out to you, but the spirit world is not like what you read about in books. I needed a channel, a powerful magic user who could let me into this world again. McKenzie here was the conduit that I needed. But also, I’m not the Eva you once knew. I still have inside of me the memories and spirit of the girl that McKenzie knew as Daisy. That side of me doesn’t really like it, sharing a body with another being, but for her, it’s better than being a vampiric slave. Eventually, our spirits will merge and form a new being, neither Daisy nor Eva, but a little bit of both.”
Annabelle blinked, looking at McKenzie. “Is there anything you can do for me? I don’t want to be a vampire, Kenzie. I haven’t even finished high school yet.”
Reba appeared, none of the vampires all that surprised by the sudden appearance of a cat. I’m sorry, but that’s beyond the magic that we can do. The vampiric nature is rooted in the demonic beginnings of the race. A witch can free a vampire, and we can destroy them. But we cannot turn the undead back into the living.
Chapter 57
McKenzie passed along Reba's comment to Annabelle, who nodded sadly. “So, what am I supposed to do? Suck blood for the rest of my existence? I’d rather you take one of those other chair legs and drive it in my chest now.”
Theon spoke up. “Maybe we can do that in the future Annabelle, but first I think you would rather help us kill Viktor. First, maybe we can free Violet. I remember the girl she used to be as well, you would’ve liked her. McKenzie, can you do it?”
McKenzie looked down at Reba. “Well, Mom? What do I need to do?”
/> You need to look inside her mind. The obedience compulsion is not strictly physical, it is inside the brain itself, it’s mostly mental. When you find it, you need to use a tiny bit of light magic to almost burn away that compulsion. It’s difficult, and you might kill her if you’re not careful, but it is possible.
McKenzie turned to Violet, who had stopped struggling and was staring at her with both hatred and desire in her eyes, the desire for freedom. “My mother says that I can do it, but if I’m not careful I could kill you. What do you want, Violet?”
Violet didn’t even pause in her reply. “If you can’t free me, kill me. I’ve been a vampire for too many centuries. If I am to die, I’d rather die at attempted freedom.”
McKenzie nodded and closed her eyes, putting her hand on Violet’s forehead. Everyone held their breath as McKenzie concentrated, trying to make a mental image of what was inside of Violet’s head. She was assaulted by memories, thick and heavy and hard. Lifetimes of experience poured over the link between them, and McKenzie swam against the current, trying to reach the point past the active memories, past the active thoughts, deep into the unconscious side of her mind. When she did, she found it amazingly quiet, and realize that part of it was that there was nothing in her mind that required her heart to beat or her lungs to draw in air into her body, that she only breathed out of habit and when she wanted to speak. Instead, there were two bright thoughts, one that so that she could not hurt her sire, and the other saying that she had to obey him at all costs, even that of her own life.
Sweat dripped off McKenzie’s forehead as she concentrated. Her mother was right, it would only take the tiniest amount of light magic to burn away those two thoughts, but the amount was so minuscule that McKenzie wasn’t sure she had the control to unleash it without burning out the rest of her brain. She knew that the longer she waited, the more difficult it would be, so she took a deep breath and tried her best. The tiniest spark of light magic that she could muster flared from her brain and down her arm into Violet’s, the vampire jolting as the energy entered her. McKenzie pulled her arm back, and Violet sagged forward against her restraints, McKenzie still worried she had killed her. “Violet? Can you hear me?”
