The Dark Princess (The Balance Series Book 3)

by Janelle Stalder

  These five didn’t fall into that category. The leader, I believe Cillian had called him Luis, (although it was hard to tell considering he’d sounded near-feral when he’d said it), carried himself with a sense of decorum that made me think he was not a soldier. Certainly, not like the four holding us. They were all built like body-builders, and had hard, cold faces that revealed nothing of what they were thinking. The two holding me weren’t hurting my arms in any way, but I knew they could crush me easily if I even tried to get away. Luis’ face was softer, and yet still sharp and angular, in a way that wasn’t attractive, but interesting nonetheless.

  “A little touchy, aren’t we, Black?” Luis said. “You don’t like me near her, do you?” His smiled widened, as he leaned in and inhaled deeply, humming as though I smelled like a roast on Thanksgiving. Chills ran down my spine. I leaned into the one on my left, putting distance between my neck and those fangs. The vampire there gave my arm a slight squeeze.

  Another growl came from behind me, just as I heard a slight struggle. I looked back over my shoulder to see Cillian fighting to get to me. The two with him had him under control, but I didn’t miss the unease in both their eyes. Whatever Luis had done to us to render us immobile, I didn’t think either of those two trusted it to hold forever against Cillian’s strength.

  “Careful,” Luis warned, a biting edge to it that told me he was used to giving orders around here. “We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt, now would we?” He flashed his fangs, and then chuckled. “I suppose we’d have to deal with you differently though, wouldn’t we, Lord’s Blade? I do believe it is said that your blood is poisonous, even to an immortal. Is that true?”

  I looked back at Cillian to see him flash his teeth at him. “Care to find out?”

  “I think not,” Luis said. “As tempting as you may be.”

  We suddenly turned a corner, my capturers catching me as I stumbled since I’d still been looking back at Cillian.

  “Careful, lovely,” Luis said. “We wouldn’t want to mar that beautiful skin.”

  “Then let me go,” I said.

  He clicked his tongue. “I’d sooner invite one of those hounds you just killed to run rampant around here.” What was that supposed to mean? “There is a penalty for trespassing on these lands without our King’s permission, something your companion back there knew full well.”

  “Your King is harboring a treasonous maggot,” Cillian spat. “He will have to answer for that.”

  Luis shrugged, picking an invisible piece of lint off his flawless black jacket. “So you say.”

  “How do you explain the portal that led here then?” I asked.

  “What portal? We saw nothing in that clearing, but the two of you standing amongst dead hounds.”

  It was true. I hadn’t realized it at first, but the tear we’d come through wasn’t visible on this side. It didn’t make sense to me, but obviously whoever had made it, had made it only one way. I wasn’t sure how we were going to prove it, but I was praying Cillian had the answers.

  The hall was finally ending, another pair of massive doors, now the colour of emerald green, waiting at the end. Two more guards stood on either side of them, as expressionless as the ones accompanying us. They all wore the same black uniform, their hair cut short like most human soldiers. Luis’ was long, a dark blonde that didn’t shine like Gabe’s did, although I doubted anything could really shine in this place. The walls themselves seemed to suck any light out from all that lay within them.

  As we neared the doors, my mouth dropped open as I looked up at them. Our reflections mirrored in the glittering surface. They were quite beautiful, if not somehow foreboding as well. They opened on their own, revealing an expansive room behind, filled with vampires, both male and female, all dressed in clothes that spoke of another time and wealth. It was like walking into a medieval cosplay, except there was nothing costume about these garments, or the people wearing them.

  Cold, merciless eyes bore down on us as we were paraded through. I caught a few giving me curious stares, but no one so much as made a move in our direction as we were pulled forward. A few cast haughty looks behind me, some even smirking gleefully at the sight of Cillian shackled. I bristled with anger at that, wanting nothing more but to slap those arrogant looks right off their faces.

  “Luis,” a voice called out. “It seems you have brought us a treat.”

  “I have indeed, my lord,” Luis said, walking ahead of us.

  I glared at a female who was drinking in Cillian with her eyes, before they slid to mine. Her smile slipped from her face as she looked back at me. I was pulled past her, and I looked forward at the person who was now waiting for us, seated atop a throne made for – well, a king.

  And a king he certainly was. I couldn’t imagine anyone mistaking him for anything but the leader in this room. It wasn’t just the way he carried himself, or the sharp intelligence in the eyes that met mine, but the indescribable sense of dominance that exuded from him. He commanded, not just the people in the room, but the air itself. As though every single particle bowed to this man’s will, captivated by him, as was I.

  My heart pounded loudly in my ears, so much so I was afraid those around us would hear it. The king kept his gaze on me as we were brought before him, stopping just in front of the dais that his throne sat upon. A throne, I distantly realized, that seemed to be made completely of bones.

  King Alexej wasn’t just handsome, he was breathtaking in a way that was both alluring and terrifying. Long, black hair was swept back off flawless pale skin, his jaw and cheekbones chiseled and masculine, perfectly shaped dark brows sitting over eyes that were a pale grey. There was nothing weak about him, every inch the masculine beauty that most people could only imagine, even down to his mouth.

  Those grey eyes finally drifted from me to land on Cillian, who had been brought to stand beside me now.

  “A treat indeed,” he said, sitting back in his throne. “This is quite the surprise. I do believe the last time you were in these lands, you killed more than a hundred of my men, and were warned never to come back.”

  Hisses of anger sounded behind us as I looked over at Cillian. He seemed unbothered, which didn’t surprise me. Why had he come here if he’d known he was putting himself in danger by doing so?

  “That was a few centuries ago,” he said calmly. “I thought you’d be over it by now.”

  Alexej smiled, but it did not touch the coolness of his gaze. “We don’t forgive so easily.”

  “Neither do we.”

  I looked between them, clearly missing whatever the history was between these two men. They stared at one another, a wordless exchange happening I couldn’t grasp. Finally, Alexej said, “release her,” without so much as looking my way.

  I felt the invisible bonds ease immediately. My body fell forward, as though I’d been unconsciously pushing at them the entire time. One of the guards beside me quickly caught my arm before I could face-plant in front of the entire room. “Thanks,” I muttered, looking at him. He gave me a quick nod, before righting me and staring forward again.

  Alexej stood, catching my attention as he slowly descended the dais to circle me as a lion might a mouse. He stopped, a handbreadth away, too close for me to think straight. I stared into those grey eyes, suddenly feeling as though I’d done so before. As if he were somehow familiar to me. Which made no sense, because had I ever met him before. I was sure I would remember. And yet, there was definitely a feeling there, tugging at my subconscious.

  “I haven’t seen you since you were just a little girl,” he said, a smile tugging at one side of his lips, as if he’d read every thought that had just flown through my mind. I pulled my brows together in confusion. Cillian rumbled beside us. “What? You didn’t think we’d all stay away from her, did you?” he said, glancing over at him briefly. “Such a prophecy makes even us bored immortals curious.”

  Prophecy? What was he talking about?

&n
bsp; He chuckled. “Such innocence. And yet…” his eyes ran down the rest of me, and I could feel my face begin to burn, no doubt completely red by the time his eyes reached mine again. “So much power and beauty. You are a force to be reckoned with.”

  “I don’t know you,” I blurted, my voice weak and breathless.

  “Ah, but you do.” Amusement filled his eyes, and that small emotion within them had my heart racing again. His mouth curved into a smile now, and I found myself licking my lips as I looked at it, until I swore I heard, or felt, someone shout at me. I turned to Cillian, and he was glaring at me.

  Get a hold of yourself, his eyes screamed.

  I’m not doing anything, I defended.

  Oh, please, his said, you look like you’re about to pounce on him.

  I do not! I insisted, my cheeks heating.

  “Tell me,” Alexej said, breaking into our silent argument. “Does her father know she’s here?” He looked to Cillian, keeping close to me.

  That was the second person to ask if Cillian had informed my dad of our activities. Cillian just gave him a blank stare.

  “I didn’t think so.” Alexej laughed, turning to walk back to his throne. I let out a slow breath. “You always did know how to push boundaries, Black. I’ll give you that. I think today, however, you pushed too far.”

  A chill ran down my spine, as I looked into grey eyes that had gone cold again. My stomach quivered, and I involuntarily took a step in Cillian’s direction, my fingers flexing at my sides. Alexej’s attention snapped to mine, something sparking there.

  “Beautiful,” he said, looking at me appraisingly. “You radiate power. I can almost taste it in the air. Not just dark power, but something else, something,” he inhaled, humming in pleasure as something hot burned in his eyes that had my blood rushing to certain places on my body. “You are a paradox, princess. A true treasure. I can see why he tried to hide you all these years, to no avail, of course.”

  “Someone from your court ordered an attack on her life,” Cillian said, his deep voice breaking through the sudden lust that had been coursing through my body. I was thankful for it.

  His attention slowly slid from me to Cillian, his eyes dulling to an intensity that reeked of danger. “That is quite the accusation.”

  “We found the rest of the hounds here, brought through a portal that was connected from our lands to yours. All paths lead to you, Alexej. How do you think Caleb will react to that? This is much more serious than your little snake trick.”

  Snake –?

  My eyes flew up to the king, searching his face again, and it hit me. It didn’t make sense. Alexej saw the realization on my face, and smiled ever so slightly.

  “I do believe you named me, Mr. Slithers,” he said.

  A few laughs came from behind me, reminding me that they were even there. I had forgotten we had an audience.

  Alexej shrugged. “I was curious.”

  He’d come to me as a child, disguised as a snake? The snake that would follow me around, had been my companion for days before he had just disappeared? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

  “You can tell your lord that I had nothing to do with any attacks on her life. Unlike some, I do not wish her ill will.”

  “Then someone here is acting without your consent. Which still makes it your problem.”

  The temperature in the room dropped dramatically. So much so, I could see my breath in front of me when I gasped at the change.

  “You have no proof any of my people here were involved. Anyone could have made a portal here.”

  “I thought you knew right away whenever someone came into your lands?” I said, before I could think better of it.

  That shrewd gaze slid to me. “I do,” he said.

  “Then you must know who the potential suspects are,” I said, straightening under his scrutiny. Never look down. Never let them see that you’re scared, I thought.

  He steepled his fingers over his chest, regarding me. “I don’t know what he’s told you,” he said, jerking his head at Cillian, but never looking away from me. “But our world is a dangerous one, Princess. It’s not the kind of place where a girl such as yourself, should go digging around in matters that aren’t her concern. Even if you found the person who arranged the attack on you, what would you do? How do you know you’re not simply playing into their hands?”

  I wanted to look at Cillian, but I forced myself to hold Alexej’s stare. “I’m not afraid,” I said.

  Someone snickered behind me, a female from the sounds of it. Alexej watched me for a moment, before those grey eyes went over my shoulder to the person there.

  “You find her amusing, Natasha?” he asked.

  “Yes, my lord,” she answered.

  I clenched my hands at my side. There was no doubt in my mind I was nothing but a joke to these people, but I knew what I was capable of. I had killed those hounds, had killed one without a blade even. I might not know how I’d done it, but I knew the power was there. And I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t. Someone wanted me dead? Well, I was going to make it as hard for them as possible.

  “Is that so?” he said slowly.

  “She is but a child,” this Natasha lady said. I still didn’t turn to see her. I could only imagine the poise and sophistication she exuded, that immortal beauty I had briefly spotted on our way in.

  “She is Caleb Black’s child,” he said softly. A murmur ran through the room. “Perhaps you should be careful who you so carelessly offend in my audience.”

  “Of course, my lord.”

  His attention returned to me. “I have no doubt that this child, could do considerable harm, should she so wish.”

  I lifted my chin higher, earning a smirk from him.

  He leaned forward. “I’ll make you a deal, Hope,” he said, accentuating my name. “If you promise to join me for dinner at a time and place of my choosing, I will look into whoever has been in my lands recently, and give you their names.”

  That seemed simple enough, so why did it sound ominous? “When you say dinner…you don’t mean me, right?”

  He threw back his head and laughed. A few of the others chuckled from behind me, but most remained silent, as though they were afraid to garner his attention during this exchange. Or, perhaps it was my father’s name that had them tensely silent now. I couldn’t be sure.

  “As delightful as that would be,” he said, his eyes heating again as they ghosted over the spot where my pulse pounded beneath the skin of my neck. “I wouldn’t dream of tasting you...unless you asked, of course.”

  I swallowed at the unspoken insinuation he’d managed to inject in the last half of that sentence, as though he had no doubt I would one day ask him to bite me. The image of it flooded my mind as we watched one another.

  “Well? Do we have a deal?”

  I hesitated, nodding.

  “Then you are free to leave.”

  I let out a slow breath, turning to Cillian.

  “Not him.”

  I swung around. “But you just said - “

  “You may leave, but Mr. Black stays. There are consequences for those who come on my lands.”

  The guards began pulling Cillian away from me. He thrashed in their arms, his eyes locking with mine. It took me a moment to realize they had somehow taped his mouth shut. Those wide eyes told me to get out as fast as I could. I shook my head furiously, stepping toward him. My body collided with an invisible wall, my hands frantically searching for a break in it. “No, please,” I said, pressing my palms against the barrier as I watched in horror while they forced him to his knees. A man in a black hooded cape appeared from behind the guards, dragging a vicious looking whip behind him.

  Sharp blades tipped the ends of the leather straps, reflecting light off them from the candles hanging above the room in ornate chandeliers. My body shook as I banged harder against the barrier now, Cillian’s gaze never leaving mine, yelling at me in that silent way
he always seemed to manage.

  “Please,” I begged, turning back to Alexej. “This isn’t necessary. We only came here to find whoever was responsible for my attack. We meant no harm.”

  “Take this as a lesson, princess.” I hated when he called me that. “There are rules, and when those rules are broken, there are punishments. Even your father can appreciate that.”