The Kingdom Journals Complete Series Box Set

by Tricia Copeland

“Okay then, my lady, pick your game.”

  We roam the woods, stopping to kiss periodically until I spot a deer. Positioning ourselves some fifty feet from the animal, one on each side, we inch towards her. Some twenty feet from the doe, Alec motions that I should make the kill. I run and jump the last few feet, catching the animal by its hind leg. Alec is beside me in a second.

  “Beautiful form.” He pins the front two legs of the doe to the ground.

  Allowing me the first feed, he lowers his head beside mine and sucks from the doe’s neck. When we’ve had our fill, we stroll back towards our homes, hand in hand.

  “You healed Bernard with your blood, didn’t you?”

  “I carry a vial with me just in case. He’s healthier than he’s ever been. I think I added ten years to his life.”

  “You’re a good man.”

  Alec pulls me into his chest. When I look up to his face, his lips meet mine.

  “I want to see you every day.” Alec’s hands wrap around my waist.

  “And so, you will.” I smile, kiss him quickly, and dash away.

  We see each other each night, spending hours in the woods, hunting, talking, and kissing. He calls on me, at first once a week and then twice. Henry decides three times a week to be enough, and I don’t fight him on it. By September we become engaged, and I’ve never been happier. To know that I’ll have Alec as my mate for centuries brings me more joy than I could ever imagine. My only regret is that my parents didn’t meet him. They would have loved him as much as I do.

  Our wedding is set for December twenty-first the next year. I love the thought of a winter solstice wedding as it helps me feel closer to the life I would have had but for my parents’ death. I vow to create that life for my children, a home where they honor the seasons, mother Earth, and her bounty. I repeat the date over and over to myself, 21 December 1572, my life with my true love will begin 21 December 1572.

  For Henry, my age and Alec’s status hold the most importance. By then, I’ll be eighteen, and Alec will have earned enough to buy a proper home for us. Once the final wedding agreement is set, Henry allows Alec to visit every evening. We spend every moment we can steal together, taking walks through the town, shopping in the market, and meeting in the forest at night.

  A Saturday in early June, we arrange to meet beside the creek on Sir Thomas’s property for a picnic lunch. I pack a basket with meats and wine and walk the half mile to the estate. Finding the spot, I wade in the brook, waiting for Alec. I watch the sun, thinking he should be along any minute. A half hour passes, then an hour, and I decide to look for him on the farm. I circle the grounds but don’t find him. Not wanting to stroll through the property without permission, I knock at the main house.

  Lady Thomas greets me. I should exchange pleasantries, but the knot growing in my stomach won’t be ignored. “Have you seen Alec? We were supposed to meet for the noon meal.”

  “No. Sir Thomas said he wasn’t in the field today. We thought he was visiting you. Let’s check the barn.” She calls to her maid to watch the children.

  Following Lady Thomas towards the structure, the smell of metal grows stronger, and my mind whirs with the implications of the scent of blood, vampire blood. Lady Thomas doesn’t notice the stench till we enter the barn. She covers her nose with her apron. “I believe we have a dead animal.”

  I point to the loft. “Does Alec sleep up there?”

  Handkerchief to her nose, she nods and backs away. I hold my breath and ascend the ladder. My heart feels like it may beat out of my chest, as my feet find each rung. I freeze at the top. Covered in blood, Alec lies motionless. A pointed wood stake lays on his chest, his heart halfway up the weapon. I swing my legs past the ladder and land beside him. There’s a hole in his chest the size of his fist, and his skewered heart rests atop it. A horrific shriek rises from my throat.

  “Anne!” Lady Thomas yells. “What is it?” The fabric of her skirt swishes as she approaches the ladder. “I’m going to get Sir Thomas.”

  I hear her feet beat upon the ground. Then, a whirring sound rises in my ears, like the roll of thunder or waves crashing on the shore, and the world around me dims. The next second, I spring into action, lifting the stake and pulling his heart from it. I fit the organ back in his chest and throw the piece of wood to the wall. Covering his body with a jacket, I scan the space, looking for any clues. It had to be another vampire or a witch. My stomach turns as I think of the creatures who killed my family so many years ago.

  Crawling around the loft, I sniff the hay, memorizing every inch, every molecule of scent. I jump to the open window and lick the blood from the sill. Returning to Alec, I taste the blood from his chest. They are the same, and I realize I have no clues as to who did this.

  Hearing footsteps, two pair I note, I refocus on his body. I fit a shirt over his head and button it. Then, I stuff his arms through his jacket, buttoning it to his clavicle. Finally, I must look at his face. There is no grimace, no sign of pain. His blue eyes stare at the ceiling as if in deep thought. Blood pools in my eyes as I shut his lids. My head drops to his chest, and my torso heaves with pain.

  “She’s up there,” Lady Thomas whispers.

  “Anne,” Sir Thomas calls. “What’s happened?” His shoes contact a rung of the ladder. “I’m coming up.”

  I cling to Alec’s frame as if somehow he could be pulled back from the brink of death. It feels as if my heart has cracked in two as huge sobs rumble through my body.

  “Oh, God.” Hands grip my shoulders. “Anne, you must come away. Let me help you.”

  “No,” I cry into Alec’s ribs. “I’m never leaving him. You can’t make me.”

  “Anne, you must let go.” Sir Thomas’s attempts at loosening my grip on Alec prove useless. “Lady Thomas, send for Elizabeth and Henry.”

  Unable to process anything else, I sob into Alec’s stomach. Who could do this? And why him? He can’t be gone! I pound my fists into his abdomen. “Come back. You can’t leave me.”

  New hands wrap around my shoulders. “Anne, you have to come away. You have to let them move the body.” Elizabeth’s voice breaks through my delirium.

  I listen and sniff the air. She is alone. Lady and Sir Thomas, Faye, and Henry are below. Lifting my head, I meet Elizabeth’s stare as I hug his chest to mine. “Something killed him. His heart was run through with that stake.” I tip my head to the corner where I threw it. “Can you get it? I want to keep it.”

  “No, child, we don’t know who did this. It is not our fight. Let it go. You must let them take him away. It’s better that way.”

  Wiping my bloody tears, I look into her eyes. “You don’t understand. I need to take his body home to his family and find who did this to him.”

  “It’s too dangerous and you have no idea where his family is, if they’re still alive.” Elizabeth blots my face with her skirt.

  “I can track them. I know I can. Alec taught me. He would want me to return him home.” I pat his chest.

  I hear steps on the ladder and wipe my eyes on my sleeves. Henry’s head appears just above the hay. “Oh God, I’m so sorry, child. But you must let the coroner take him now.”

  “No.” I push to my knees and then stand up. “I will take him. He’s mine. No one else is going to touch him.”

  Finding a blanket in the corner, I snap it open and let it fall to the ground. I lift his legs atop the cover and move to his head. Elizabeth leans over to help, and I growl at her.

  “Anne.” Henry snaps. He looks to Elizabeth. “This isn’t healthy. She needs to leave him be. Come down from here, both of you.”

  Elizabeth walks towards him as Henry steps onto the loft floor. “She’s in shock. Give her a bit.”

  I glance their way and watch them back down the rungs. Then, I lift Alec to the blanket. Crossing the space, I find the stake and lay it on his chest. With one last kiss to his lips, I cover his face. I tie the cloth tight around him using a rope. Even with his mass twice mine, I lift him to my
shoulder. Our nightly hunts have made me strong. His lessons in tracking and stealth will prove invaluable in my quest.

  Climbing onto the ladder, I descend the rungs. Lady Thomas gasps and runs from the barn as I reach the ground.

  “Oh, child.” Faye approaches. “Please let us help you.”

  “He’s mine,” I hiss.

  With Alec secure on one shoulder, I stride from the barn. Checking my direction, I start out towards my home.

  Elizabeth runs to my side. “What do you intend to do? You have to stop, let them take him to be readied for burial.”

  “Vampires do not bury their dead.” My eyes cut to her and back to the road ahead. “I’ll take him to his family, and we’ll burn him.”

  “How will you explain your strength? They’ll know you’re not human.”

  “I don’t care what you tell them. I’m in shock, my strength fueled by grief. It won’t matter anyway. I’m taking my savings and leaving tonight.”

  “Dear.” Elizabeth touches my empty shoulder. “Let me help you carry him. We’ll talk about it when we get home. You need to be around family right now. What is this talk of leaving me?”

  “Faye and Henry are your family. Alec is mine. I need to take care of him.”

  We reach the main road, and I head south towards Henry’s property. I want to run but keep to my pace. In my head, I plan my next moves. For June, one change of clothes and a coat should do me. My savings will get me across the channel to Germany. From there I can make my way north across the sea to Norway. It’s five months till winter, so I should have time to make it to there before the cold sets in.

  At Henry’s estate, I march in the front door and to my room. I will not risk leaving Alec alone for a single second and lay him on the mattress. Snatching a satchel from my chest of drawers, I stuff my coin purse in the bottom and a dress and some stockings on top. Flinging the bag to my shoulder, I lean over and heave Alec onto the other.

  Elizabeth blocks my path. “Let me take you to the ship.”

  “Henry will think you’re crazy for letting me take his body. We have to make this look like I lost it, went crazy with grief.”

  “I believe you have.”

  “Mother.” Tears threaten to fill my eyes as I realize I do think of her as my mother although I’d never used the term that way before. “I will write to you, and when Henry is gone, you can join me. I must find his family. They should know.”

  “Be safe, my child, and write often.” Tears form in the corners of her eyes. She steps back and lets me pass. I walk down the hall, to the kitchen, and out the back door. Faye and Henry run after me.

  “Anne, stop, this is craziness.” Henry winds around and stops in front of me.

  “Dear.” Faye joins him.

  “I love you both. I will write to you. I promise.”

  Henry’s eyes dart from me to Alec’s form. “I don’t understand, child.”

  “I can’t explain. You have been a good father to me, and I will never forget you.” I look to Faye. “Thank you for being my friend. I wish you health and happiness all of your days.”

  I step forward, and Faye and Henry part to let me pass.

  It takes me twenty-four hours to reach the coast. I stop only to feed on rabbits in the dark. At the docks, the sailors are suspicious but agree to give me transport when I offer payment. The ship sails the next morning. We spend one day and night on the water, arriving in Germany the following morning.

  Finding a man that will take me to a port on the North Sea, I load Alec into the cart and sit beside him. The driver sleeps during the night, and I steal away with my load to hunt. I hate it, every cell of my psyche recoils from the idea of feeding, but I push myself, knowing I need sustenance for my journey. The second day, we reach a harbor town, and I begin my search for a crew that will take me on to Norway.

  I’ve lost the ability to smell Alec, or blocked it out, I’m not sure which, but his stench serves to keep others away. Even so, my price is right, and I find a ship that sails the next day. I keep to my room with Alec, only venturing out to clean my bed pot.

  At the end of the three-day voyage, I pass through a seaside city and head north. Civilizations are sparse. I run by day and night, searching for any hint of Alec’s scent. Finally, late the third day, I catch whiff of a familiar smell. I follow it to a village on the ocean. Atop a high cliff, small round cottages dot the landscape. Cognizant that I’ve entered vampire territory, I keep vigilant. As I approach a home, I see a child playing on boulders, jumping from one to the next. The girl looks up and seeing me, runs inside.

  I stop and lower Alec to the ground, waiting for someone to greet me. A large male and a female exit the structure. They approach, stopping a good twenty feet from me.

  “Who are you? Why are you here?” The male vampire covers his nose with his sleeve.

  “I’m looking for the family of Alexander. I have brought Alec home to them.” I motion to Alec’s body.

  “Get them,” the male says to the female.

  Face covered by her apron, she runs in the direction he’s indicated. I rise and lift Alec to my shoulder, following the female vampire. She enters the northernmost home. After a few seconds, a long-haired blond woman bolts out the door and darts to me, stopping just a foot in front of me.

  “Is it Alec?” Her wide eyes hold mine.

  I nod and lower him to the ground between us. A loud wail emits from her mouth, and she collapses onto Alec’s corpse. A man runs from their cottage. He looks so much like Alec I would have mistaken them for twins.

  Reaching me, he pulls the woman, his wife I assume, from Alec. “What happened?”

  Pulling the stake from my bag, I hold it out to him. “His heart.” I swallow and steel my emotions. “This stake left atop his body held his heart.”

  “They were merciful.” He kneels in front of Alec, laying his palm over Alec’s chest.

  The woman, his mother I’ve decided, hugs Alec to her to her chest, loud wails emitting from her vocal chords. Vampires from the other cottages gather around us.

  “We need to build a pyre. Come away, woman.” The husband clutches her shoulders and lifts her up. “Please, come inside.” He motions for me to join them.

  As I lean over to pick up his body, a woman wraps her arms around my shoulders. “It’s okay now. He’s home. We will prepare the burial pyre for him and wait till nightfall to say goodbye.”

  “Thank you.” I follow his parents into their cottage and sit in front of a fire built in the center. “You’re his mother and father? Do you know who may have done this?”

  “I am Alexander, and this is Sabine. We haven’t seen Alec since he was eleven.”

  Sabine sobs into Alexander’s chest, and he wraps his arm around her, rocking and whispering to her in their native tongue.

  “He spoke of you often. He missed you. Do you know who may have killed him?” I inquire again.

  Alexander’s stare cuts to the wall behind my head. “A neighboring tribe. They kill their enemies with stakes.”

  “Enemies?”

  Alexander’s eyelids fill with tears of blood. “Alec was eleven. We were out hunting one night, and he got caught up in the chase. Food can be scarce, and we were tracking a large reindeer. He crossed the border into the neighboring tribe’s lands and killed the animal. By the time I caught up with him, the deed was done. I fled with him, taking him south to the port.”

  My mind reels at the atrocity. “They tracked him and killed him ten years later for hunting a deer on their land?”

  Alexander’s eyes meet mine. “In the winter, large animals are scarce. All the tribes have boundaries, and there are consequences for taking food from another’s land.”

  “He was eleven.” Bloody tears fill my eyes for the first time since the day I found him. I swipe them away.

  Sabine lifts her head from Alexander’s chest. “Are you his wife? Do you have children?”

  My heart feels like it may explode again as the grief o
f my loss washes over me. Still, I hold her gaze. “No. We do not. We were engaged to be married next year.” Stupid, human laws, I think. My adherence to them cost me a child, his child.

  Sabine stands and crosses to a pile of blankets. From under them she produces a ring. Returning, she offers it to me. “He made this when he was ten. He said it would be for his wife."

  “We were not married, and I cannot wear it on my wedding finger. But I accept the band in memory of my lost mate.” I slide the silver ring onto my right hand. “Thank you, but I still do not understand why vampires would kill each other.”

  Sabine pours liquid into several chalices and hands one to me and then her husband. He drinks from the cup. “Humans kill each other, witches kill each other, vampires kill each other. It’s in our nature.”

  Drinking from the cup, I set it in front of me. “I will never kill another person, vampire, human, or witch.” The image of the witches who burned my house pops into my brain, and I push it out.

  Sabine clutches my hand. “You’re young. What do you know of survival?”

  “My family was killed by witches in France. I saw their charred remains in the embers of our home at the age of two. My nurse maid and I fled to England. We scrounged, starving for days, until she found suitable work. But I never would have taken a human life.”

  Alexander stands and refills his cup. “You didn’t want to kill those witches?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “And do you still?”

  “No, I want us to stop killing each other. The loss must stop. We will hunt ourselves to extinction.”

  A rap on the door draws my attention. Sabine opens it and speaks to a woman in their own tongue. Wringing her hands, Sabine turns to me. “The pyre is ready. But, we will wait for sunset.”

  That far north there is no complete darkness in summer, but as the sun dips to the horizon, we form a circle around the pyre. I hug Alec’s body and lower the blanket from his forehead, kissing it for the last time. Blood streams from my eyes, and Sabine pulls me from him. Alexander hands me a torch. I step back, say a prayer to Mother Earth that he knew peace. Touching the torch to the dry hay, I ignite the pile of straw and sticks. The flames circle his body, covering it, and I look to the sea.