The Vampire Wish: The Complete Series (Dark World)

by Michelle Madow

  I dipped the pen in the blood and signed Annika Pearce on the bottom line of the parchment.

  Once I lifted the pen from the paper, the ink started to glow. The glow spread out—first along the parchment, and then further and further out into the garden.

  As the golden glow rippled outward, the ground turned from brown to green, and the trees and plants unraveled into vibrant, colorful flowers. They came alive like a time lapse of winter turning to spring. The stone fountain in the center—previously dry and cobwebbed—cleaned itself up and bubbled with flowing water. A butterfly landed on my finger, and I held my hand out in wonder, watching it spread its wings and fly through the garden.

  The golden glow rippled out over the castle, and as it did, the castle reassembled itself until it was like new. Even the clouds had cleared from the sky, the sun shining brightly down upon us.

  Jacen held out his hand, looking at it in amazement. “The sun,” he said, his voice reflecting the wonder upon his face. “It doesn’t burn.”

  “How’s that possible?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “All I know is that for the first time since being turned into a vampire, the sun isn’t hurting me.”

  I smiled and basked with him in the sunlight, taking a deep breath of the sweet garden air.

  Now more than ever, I finally felt like I was home.

  Annika

  We marveled at the garden for a few more minutes before heading back inside.

  Just like the outside of the castle, the inside was now warm and inviting, sparkling like new.

  The mages and Camelia waited at the table where we’d left them.

  “I take it you signed the contract?” Dahlia asked.

  I walked to the table and placed the pen and signed contract next to the Holy Grail. “I did,” I confirmed. “But what exactly happened when I signed it? Jacen can now walk in the sunlight without any pain… that shouldn’t be possible for a vampire.”

  “The moment you signed the contract, Avalon was blessed by the angels and restored to its previous glory,” Iris said with a smile. “The blessing of the angels offers the highest possible protection. Only those with angel blood or those who have been invited by those with angel blood will be able to find Avalon, and the island will provide for all those who reside here.”

  “So it’s true, then,” Camelia said. “The fae won’t be able to track me or my child.”

  “It’s true,” Violet said. “And any vampire on Avalon will be able to walk in the sunlight without being burned. However, these protections only apply to those inside the island’s protective shield.”

  “So I’ll never be able to leave Avalon,” Camelia realized. “Nor will my child.”

  “Correct,” Violet said. “However, as long as Annika permits you to stay, you and your daughter will be safe from the fae.”

  “Daughter?” Camelia’s eyes lit up. “I’m having a girl?”

  “I’m afraid I’ve said too much.” Violet pursed her lips and looked away, as if embarrassed for saying what she had.

  Camelia turned to me, looking more vulnerable than ever. “You’ll let me stay?” she asked. “Please?”

  “As long as you remain loyal to me and Avalon,” I said, since given the situation, I couldn’t say no. But that didn’t erase everything she’d done. “Your daughter has done nothing wrong, so she’ll always have a home here. But if you make one wrong move against me—or against anyone on the island—I’ll send you packing in a heartbeat. Understood?”

  “Understood.” Camelia lowered her eyes—her first move of deference toward me as a leader.

  I nodded, knowing in my heart that this was the right decision. And while I doubted I would ever be able to forgive Camelia, I had a feeling that this pregnancy might change her for the better.

  “Come with me.” Dahlia stood from the table, lifting her gown as she walked toward the door that led to the hall. “It’s time that you saw the real Avalon.”

  I took Jacen’s hand, and together we walked through the magnificent castle. It was like something out of a fairy tale, and I couldn’t wait to explore all the halls and rooms. But for now, we followed Dahlia toward the main entrance—the one we’d come in through earlier.

  She threw the doors open, and I gasped at the beauty before me.

  The island was now identical to the drawing Rosella had given me. It was green and luscious, full of hydrangeas in tons of vibrant colors. The clear blue lakes sparkled, and waterfalls roared with life as they pounded through the forested mountains before us.

  “It’s beautiful.” Tears filled my eyes as I looked out at the island.

  “Oh—there’s one more thing you might want to know,” Dahlia said with a knowing smile. “You see all the lakes and waterfalls?”

  “Yes,” I said, since it was impossible to miss them.

  “That’s not regular water,” she said. “It’s heavenly water, blessed by the angels itself.”

  I gripped the handle of the dagger sheathed to my waist, power flowing through my veins as I stared out at the waterfalls and lakes. Because the water before us would do far more than provide sustenance to those who lived here.

  It would give us a way to defeat the demons.

  And I was going to build an army to do just that, here with Jacen in our new home—Avalon.

  Karina

  With the help of the wolves and vampires of the Vale, plus many citizens of the Haven, we were able to get basic clean up of the Vale done in a little over a week. There was still a lot more to be done—many of the buildings needed reconstructing after the explosion of the Hell Gate—but at least it was a start.

  Alexander returned with his followers and assumed his position as king. One of the first things he did as king was declare equality for all those in the Vale. He was allowing wolves to live in the town, alongside vampires and humans. Not only that, but he gave the humans a choice to either stay in the Vale, return to their homes, or go to Avalon to see if they had what it took to become a Nephilim.

  A surprising amount of them chose Avalon. Annika would be coming in a few days to retrieve all the humans and supernaturals who wanted to learn to fight demons and bring them to the mysterious island where they’d start their training. Until then, they helped with the clean up.

  The humans who chose to return home had their memories of the supernatural world wiped beforehand. Those who stayed were still required to donate blood in exchange for a place to live—after all, vampires still needed to eat—but they would no longer be denied the food and luxuries that were previously only available to vampires.

  King Alexander truly meant it when he said that all who lived in the Vale were now equal.

  Now, I stood in the mountains alongside all those who had fought in the war, watching the flames die out on the funeral pyre for the dead. Noah stood next to me, and we held hands the entire time.

  Once the pyre ended, we headed back to the room in the palace where we were staying as we decided where we wanted to go from here.

  I’d been thinking about my future a lot recently. And the longer I was at the Vale, the more I realized that I didn’t belong here. While the war wasn’t my fault—it was Samael and the demons’ faults—I still held myself responsible for the role I’d played in the destruction of this once beautiful kingdom.

  Even as I lay in Noah’s arms once most of the kingdom was fast asleep, I couldn’t shake the guilt of what I’d done.

  “You’re still awake?” Noah murmured in my ear.

  “I can’t sleep.” I rotated to face him. “I keep thinking about where to go from here. I know Alexander told us that we’re welcome to stay, but it doesn’t feel right.”

  “I understand.” His thumb traced patterns along my forearm, sending a pleasurable chill through my body. “I don’t feel right staying in the Vale, either. Not after all the destruction I helped cause.”

  “That we helped cause,” I reminded him. “I played a big role in it, too.”
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br />   His eyes darkened, and he nodded, although he said nothing.

  I had a feeling that the guilt he was holding onto was more than I—more than maybe anyone involved in the war—could possibly understand.

  “Where do you want to go?” he asked.

  “I’ve been thinking about it,” I said. “And I want to go to the Haven.”

  “The Haven?” He sounded surprised. “Not Avalon?”

  “Avalon is a training ground—humans and supernaturals alike will learn to be great fighters there,” I said. “But I already know how to fight. My experience will be best put to use at the Haven.”

  He said nothing for a few seconds, taking in my words. “Are you sure?” he finally asked.

  “I’m sure.” I swallowed, nervous to ask my next question. “You’ll come with me… right?”

  “If it makes you happy, then yes, I’ll go to the Haven with you.”

  I smiled and snuggled into him, relief filling my veins at his response. He was coming with me. I wouldn’t be alone.

  I should be happy. But something felt off. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but the answer pulled at the back of my mind, begging to be set free.

  I just hoped everything would come together once we arrived at the Haven.

  Karina

  The next morning, Mary sent the witch Shivani to bring us to the Haven. Shivani supplied us each with a change of clothes—the traditional, white garb worn by all Haven citizens. Once we’d changed, she held our hands and transported us there.

  We appeared in the courtyard, and she escorted us into the main building, as it would take some time for our cabin to be prepared.

  “You’ve arrived just in time for dinner,” she said with a smile. “All citizens of the Haven are encouraged to dine together. Please, follow me.”

  We followed her down the brightly colored hall in silence.

  Noah kept picking at his clothes, as if he couldn’t get comfortable in them. It made no sense to me, since the uniform of the Haven was far more comfortable than the constrictive gowns I’d worn in the Carpathian Kingdom.

  Eventually, Shivani opened the doors to a large dining hall, spacious enough to seat all the citizens of the Haven.

  Like all the public spaces of the Haven, it was furnished in bright, warm colors. The food smelled delicious—like the flavorful exotic spices used to prepare Indian dishes. Vampires, witches, and shifters all shared tables with each other, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their meals.

  That was when I saw him.

  He had dark hair and soulful eyes, and when our gazes met, everything else in the room blurred. He was all that remained clear, and looking at him pulled at that place in the back of my mind—at the something I should know but couldn’t seem to remember.

  “Karina,” he breathed out my name and rushed toward me, his hands joining mine as he beamed down at me. His touch sent an electric jolt through my body, and his hands fit perfectly around mine, as if they’d held them many times before. “You found me.”

  “I’m sorry.” I knew I should drop my hands from his—holding hands with a man I didn’t know wasn’t proper—but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “Have we met?”

  “What are you talking about?” he asked. “It’s me. Peter.”

  “Peter,” I repeated his name, the syllables sounding right on my tongue.

  This must be the same Peter that Noah had told me about—the one he claimed I was determined to bring back from the dead. But how could it be? This Peter was here—he was alive. From the story Noah had told me, the Peter I’d claimed to love had died in the Great War. He was lost to me forever.

  Unless I’d managed to bring him back… by giving up my memories of him in return.

  “You don’t remember.” His eyes dimmed, and my heart dropped at knowing I’d disappointed him.

  “I’m sorry,” I repeated. “Are you sure that you know me?”

  “I more than know you,” he said. “I love you. And you love me. At least, you did.”

  “Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” I asked, suddenly aware of the hundreds of eyes watching us in the dining room. “Alone?”

  “Certainly.” He straightened, ever the gentleman. “We can go to my cabin. Can your chaperone get settled here alone?” He glanced at Noah, and my heart sank once more.

  Noah had stepped away from Peter and me, unable to meet my eyes. One glance at his face showed that he was crushed.

  “That won’t be necessary,” Noah said, wiping all emotion from his expression. “I’m going to return to the Vale. Annika is coming in a few days to assess the volunteers who want to go to Avalon, and I want to be there for that.”

  “You want to go to Avalon?” His confession hurt me.

  I thought he wanted to come here with me.

  “I do.” His eyes took on a fierceness that I hadn’t seen in him since he believed he was the First Prophet of the wolves. “If it hadn’t been for me, that Hell Gate wouldn’t have opened. I need to do everything I can to banish those demons back to Hell where they belong. To do that, I have to train to be a better fighter. I have to go to Avalon.”

  “I understand,” I said, since I did—his reasons were similar to why I’d wanted to come to the Haven. “But if you feel that way, why did you come here with me?”

  “Because I thought you needed me,” he said. “But now that you’ve reunited with Peter, I can see that you don’t.”

  “That’s not true…” I said, although my voice wavered as I spoke.

  “It is.” He leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead. “You belong here—with him.”

  I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but I couldn’t. “Will you at least keep in contact with me?” I asked instead. “So I know how you’re doing?”

  He stepped back, his eyes cold. “I think it’s best that we go our separate ways for now,” he said.

  His words hurt, but I nodded, since I understood. Noah cared deeply for me, just as I had for him. As I still did for him.

  But the moment I’d seen Peter, I knew that what I felt for Noah hadn’t been love. I cared for Noah as a friend, I’d depended on him and trusted him during a difficult time, and he was undeniably attractive. But we weren’t meant to be.

  While I couldn’t remember my time with Peter, my feelings for him and the way my body reacted to him were undeniable. I’d truly loved him. I still loved him. With him, my soul felt whole.

  And so I followed Peter back to his cabin, ready to tell him what I knew, and ready to make new memories… together.

  Noah

  Leaving Karina with Peter was the hardest thing I’d ever done. But I saw the way she looked at him.

  With him, she was finally home.

  I loved Karina, but she would never return those feelings. And because I loved her, I wanted her to be happy. She would be happy with Peter. There was no place for me in her life anymore—at least, not the way I wanted there to be.

  I truly had loved her enough to give up the idea of Avalon for the Haven. But that was no longer relevant. And so, Shivani returned me to the Vale, where as promised, Annika arrived a few days later to assess the volunteers and decide if she thought there would be a place for us in Avalon.

  I stepped into the small room for my individual assessment, coming face to face with the angel who had set all of this into motion.

  I’d only seen her once before—right after the Hell Gate had been closed. She radiated strength and determination, although her gaze held a softness that made me feel at ease in her presence. Or maybe I felt at ease because she dressed simply, in jeans and a tank top. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected an angel to wear, but it hadn’t been that.

  The only things that hinted she was a powerful leader were the sword strapped to her back and the dagger on her side.

  “The First Prophet.” She raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”

  “I’d like to come to Avalon to train.” I held her gaze, n
ot wanting to appear weak. “If you’ll have me, of course.”

  She eyed me up in what felt like the longest few seconds of my life.

  “The demon Samael slipped into your mind and planted visions in your dreams,” she finally said. “You accepted his suggestions without question and gathered packs of wolves to kill innocent vampires.”

  Her accusation made me hang my head in shame. “I know what I’ve done,” I said, forcing myself to meet her eyes again. “Everyone knows what I’ve done. Which is why I feel even more of a responsibility to help send every last demon back to Hell where they belong.”

  “Only Nephilim can kill greater demons,” she said. “You’re aware of this—correct?”

  “I am,” I said. “But with proper weapon, anyone can kill lesser demons. Supernaturals may not be able to transition into Nephilim, but we can help you fight. At least, that’s what we were told when we learned you were accepting volunteers to come train at Avalon.”

  “It’s true,” she said. “However, it’s important that our warriors are strong in both body and mind. You showed weakness by allowing Samael to get into your head and by believing him without question. Also, Avalon is not a place to go to hide from heartbreak.”

  “How do you know about that?” I asked.

  “I’ve been in contact with Mary,” she said. “She informed me about what happened at the Haven. I understand that you’re hurt, but running away from problems has never helped solve them.”

  “I’m not running away,” I said. “I wanted to go to Avalon from the start. I only went to the Haven for Karina.”

  Just saying her name sent daggers through my heart.

  I swallowed to get rid of the pain, but I feared that the loss of what was only just starting to form between the princess and me would never go away.

  “You’ll heal in time,” Annika said, as if she knew what I was thinking.