by Alicia Rades
“Funny thing about this dagger,” Valkas said, like he was sitting down a child to tell them a story. “I’ve seen it before. It’s the only thing that can kill me.” His eyes darted from the dagger to me, and he stared at me with those evil eyes. “But, there’s only one person in the world who can use it. Another has tried and didn’t succeed. What makes you think you can?”
My jaw tensed, and I kept it locked tight. The way he asked the question suggested he already knew the answer.
Valkas stood and began pacing around the room. My heart pummeled against my rib cage. I was starting to question that whole haunted house thing. It wasn’t as fun when the real monsters came out to play.
“I have a theory,” Valkas announced. “I think that bastard who staked this dagger through my heart eight years ago realized his mistake. I think he went searching for the one person who could kill me.” His eyes connected with mine. “And I think he found her.”
Oh, shit! Nothing gets past this guy, does it?
I swallowed hard. “And what if he did?”
He leaned against the desk in the corner, looking amused. “Then I think I’m going to trap her soul. But first, I’m going to have some fun with her.”
I clenched my jaw. “And what if she, say, kills herself before you could do that? Assuming you even know how to trap a soul.”
Valkas smirked. “I have my ways. But I trust that she’ll keep herself alive. Because if she doesn’t do exactly as I say, I’ll torture her sister to the point where it’ll make the devil look like a fairytale hero.”
My knees shook, and they weren’t even holding me up. “You’re bluffing,” I accused. “I want to see her.”
Valkas straightened. “Oh, darling. I never bluff when it comes to torture. I’ll let Jenna know you said hello.”
Time altogether stopped when he said my sister’s name. What. The. Hell?
Valkas grinned and spread his arms out wide. “Shall we begin?”
6
I had to remind myself that there were certain things in life far worse than death. Death wasn’t actually that scary once I thought about it. I’d certainly miss Jenna if she died, the same way I missed my parents, but at least she’d be free of captivity. At least she’d have a chance to reincarnate and start over again.
But if I didn’t comply, Valkas would torture her. I couldn’t even bring myself to think about the things he would do to her, considering he was the guy who just this morning had ripped a guy’s heart fresh from his chest. What would Jenna endure if I didn’t do as I was told?
My body shuddered just thinking about it.
“I want to see proof she’s still alive,” I demanded.
Valkas clicked his tongue. “I don’t negotiate.”
I didn’t trust Valkas one bit, but I found myself trusting him on this. Jenna was here, and he would torture her to hurt me.
I wasn’t the kind of girl who did as she was told. I went against all the rules if I thought it was the right thing to do. But right now, complying was the right thing. It was the only way to spare Jenna from Valkas’s wrath.
But dammit, it was hard.
“On your knees,” Valkas demanded.
I went rigid for a moment. My body didn’t want to comply, even though my mind did.
Valkas stepped forward threateningly. “I’m not going to ask you again. On. Your. Knees.”
I swallowed down the lump rising in my throat and pushed myself to my knees.
Valkas gave a triumphant smirk. It was clear his power over me brought him pleasure. It made me sick.
“Very good,” he said as he paced around me. “Now shift.”
I didn’t. Not right away. I had to let him know that I wasn’t going to be some mindless follower. I would fight. Not now, but once Jenna was safe, I would.
I held out just long enough for him to inhale another breath. Then I did as I was told.
As soon as my body shrank to my raven form, Valkas reached down and grabbed me. His fingers tightened under my wings, forcing them outward. He lifted me and looked me in the eye. I responded with a calm expression, mostly just to piss him off.
“Hold still, darling,” Valkas whispered. “This will only hurt a little.”
Before I knew what was happening, he tossed me onto the bed and pinned me to the mattress. I gasped for breath as my face pressed into the sheets. I pumped my wings in protest.
Valkas tugged hard at the end of my right wing, then pain shot up through it. Shortly after, the pain radiated up my left. It was a sharp, tender pain, as if he’d just ripped my fingernails from the nail beds.
Suddenly, Valkas’s weight lifted off of me. I inhaled a deep breath and squawked. I flapped my wings on instinct to distance myself from him. I managed to kick myself to the edge of the bed, but I stumbled off of it and crashed to the floor.
What the hell? Why couldn’t I fly? What had Valkas done to me? The calm, collected façade I’d put on only moments ago completely vanished.
“You can shift back now,” Valkas offered.
I finally looked at him, and what I saw caused my stomach to bottom out. Valkas paced to the other side of the room with a large handful of black feathers clutched in his hands.
Mine!
I glanced to my wings to see that my flight feathers had been ripped out, making my wings look shorter and disproportionate. He’d done it so I couldn’t escape the island! Evil didn’t even begin to cover it. I’d never felt so violated in my life. Every fiber of my being told me to attack, to fight, but the little voice in the back of my head reminded me of Jenna.
So I didn’t move. I lay there on the floor, letting the pain pulse through my wings and thinking about all the horrible things I’d do to Valkas when given the chance.
If given the chance, I corrected myself. I’d had my chance, and I’d screwed it up. Valkas wasn’t like the normal vampires I fought. He was faster and stronger, not to mention he had an army of vampires and a witch to do his bidding for him.
“On second thought, stay in your shifted form.” Valkas’s voice cut through the silence. “I think you’ll be more comfortable that way.” The way he said it didn’t sound the least bit comforting.
The pain in my wings disappeared as a numbness took over. Hopeless. That was the one word that went through my head. How had I strolled in here with so much determination and confidence only to end up here, a prisoner to the Soulless?
After dropping the dagger and my feathers on a desk opposite the bed, Valkas picked up a small metal object I didn't get a good look at.
He approached me again. I didn’t protest as he reached down and lifted me by the neck. He held me away from him as if I was a piece of dirty garbage.
I just hung there, a million thoughts racing through my mind all at once. This couldn’t be it, could it? There had to be a way out of here. A way to get that dagger back. A way to find Jenna. A way to get off this island.
Valkas left the room and turned down a hall I hadn’t been down. The first thing I noticed was a thick black wire cage sitting upon a table at the end of the hall, surrounded by fake red rose blossoms. Dim light from the few wall sconces reflected off a mirror hanging above the table.
All throughout the chateau there were decorative arrangements placed on narrow tables, hung on the walls, or situated in the corners. At first glance, the bird cage looked like a beautiful decoration, until I realized his intention. This decoration just so happened to serve Valkas’s purpose perfectly. My whole body tensed as Valkas opened the cage and shoved me inside. The cage was small and cramped. If I tried to shift, it’d squash me.
Valkas opened his hand to reveal the metal object he'd brought with him. A padlock. He placed the lock around the wire bars and shot me a devilish grin. “Sweet dreams.”
Then he turned on his heel and retreated down the hall.
I sat there with a clenched beak, watching him go. He could enjoy my captivity all he wanted. I’d play his game for now, but one way or another, I was g
etting out of here.
“Rachel.” Venn wrapped me in his arms, pulling me close to him. The scent of home filled my nose, and my whole body warmed under his touch. I saw nothing as I buried my face into his shoulder.
“Venn, I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to you.”
“I missed you,” he whispered, pressing his nose in my hair. “You have no idea how worried I was.”
I drew away from him to look him in the eyes. His eyes were warm and welcoming. I became so lost in them that I didn’t even register our surroundings. We could’ve been floating through space for all I knew.
“But I had to do it,” I told him. “I had to at least try.”
“But you failed,” Venn argued.
“No.” I shook my head, refusing to believe it. “This isn’t over yet.”
“It’s fine.” Venn pulled me back into a tight hug, and I relaxed into his embrace. “All that matters is that you’re safe with me now.”
“But I’m not, Venn,” I stated. “Not yet.”
The sound of a door slamming startled me awake. I hadn’t even realized I’d drifted off. I squawked and spread my wings, but the tender ends hit the edges of the cage, sending a fresh wave of pain through my wings. The memory of my dream resurfaced, and my heart ached for Venn. I hadn’t been gone long, but I already missed him. I wished he’d come with me.
A man walking through the hall turned to glance at me. He had pale skin and silver eyes. No surprise there. He looked confused by my presence but continued on down the hall. A few moments later, another door opened and a woman emerged from the room. She had the same silver eyes, but dark hair and young features.
“Hey, Kyle!” she called, catching up with the other vamp. She moved down the hallway quicker than any human and stuck her arm in the crook of Kyle’s elbow.
“Hey, Penelope,” he greeted back. “Did you hear what’s happening tonight?”
“No,” she replied, sounding interested. “Give me the deets.”
“Well, let’s just say we’re going to see a show.”
That was all I heard before the couple turned down the hall and their voices faded. I sighed and shifted around in my cage. If I was going to stay here for a while, I might as well try to get comfortable. Which was basically impossible, but hey, things could be worse, couldn’t they?
I kept telling myself that.
In the silence, I tried summoning my magic. I’d never done magic in shifted form before, but surely it worked the same way, right? I focused on my body and honed in on my magic, but it was barely a tingle. Reciting the spell for healing in my head, I turned my focus to the end of my wings, which were still sore from the feather-plucking incident. The dull pain eased for a moment before it returned.
What the heck? When I couldn’t perform magic back in Valkas’s room, I’d assumed it was a me problem. But now here I was in the silence, all calm and ready to conjure magic, and it still didn’t work?
A terrifying thought struck. Had Matias already used The Wise Owl?
No, not yet, I told myself. If he was blocking me, I wouldn’t be able to shift.
Maybe I wasn’t as calm as I thought I was, or perhaps I couldn’t perform magic in shifted form, since I needed to speak the incantations out loud. Either way, magic wasn’t going to get me out of this one.
Soon, more vampires emerged from the rooms lining the hallway, and I heard others I couldn’t see and voices coming from the foyer. I didn’t know how long I’d been in that cage, but judging by the sounds of the chateau coming alive, I had to guess that night had fallen.
After what felt like two hours since I woke, I finally saw a figure coming toward me down the hall. He had broad shoulders and took prideful steps.
Valkas.
He was flanked by three guards. I recognized the witch guy among them, but the other two were vamps. They all wore dark black, but their hands and faces were no longer covered. One of them had his sleeves rolled up, and I noticed the sign of the Soulless etched into his skin—a scar shaped like a V with two fang marks in the center.
Valkas stopped in front of me and peered down at me past his nose. “Well, shifter. I hope you’re well rested. You have a big night ahead of you.”
I didn't respond, seeing as I was in shifted form. But he probably would've slapped my head right off my shoulders if I actually spoke some snarky comeback.
Before I knew what was happening, Valkas grabbed the top of my cage, and I lost my balance. He swung the thing around as if there weren't a live being trapped inside. I slammed into one side of the cage only to be tossed to the other a split second later.
Take it easy, would ya?
Neither Valkas nor his men said anything. I was a little disoriented trying to stay upright in the swinging cage, but I saw enough to know we were headed down the grand staircase. About a dozen vampires stood in the entrance chatting. They caught sight of Valkas and immediately went silent, bowing their heads at him while he passed. He didn't even acknowledge them, keeping his head high and eyes on the front door, like they were mere decorations.
Just before we slipped outside, I caught the eye of one of the women in the foyer.
Brown.
Her eyes were brown. It suddenly occurred to me that only half the people there were vamps. I didn't even have to look at their eyes in the dim lighting to know which ones they were. All the vamps stood close to their respective blood slaves, laying claim to them as if they were some piece of property.
The door swung shut behind us, blocking my view of the people inside. Outside, the sky was dark, and the air was cold. I couldn't see the stars behind the clouds, but the moon peeked through just enough that I could see the shadows of the trees.
I thought that maybe Valkas was taking me to the slaves’ quarters. Maybe he'd show me off and use me as an example or something. But he veered in the opposite direction down a narrow path that led up a hill and toward the cliff.
It wasn't long before I heard the sounds of chanting. I couldn't make out the words, since there were various chants all going on at once, but it sounded like a bunch of people all getting psyched up before a big football game or something.
Valkas turned down a trail even narrower than the one we'd been on, then stopped when we reached a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a long wooden table with all sorts of weapons on it. I saw various types of knives, along with a sword, an ax, a bow and arrow, and even one of those chains with a spikey ball on the end.
What was this? Were they going to hold me down and fillet me or something?
Valkas set my cage down on the grass. Or rather, threw it. The cage landed upright but tipped over and rolled a few feet when my body slammed into the bars. He removed the keys from his pocket and bent to unlock the cage. He didn't even set it back upright before standing.
“Choose your weapon,” he said, then he whirled around and started back down the trail. His men followed close behind him.
I quickly scurried out of the open cage, using my wings to hoist me out, then shifted.
“Wait!” I called before he could get too far.
Valkas paused, but when he turned and his men stepped aside so he could look at me, he didn't look pleased. Valkas wasn't the kind to take orders from anyone. I was pretty sure the only reason I was still alive was because he was curious to know what I had to say. Beneath the turned-down lips and narrowed gaze, I thought I detected a hint of amusement.
“Aren't you going to tell me what this is all about?” I asked, gesturing to the table of weapons. “Do I get to know what I'm up against?”
Valkas smirked, bringing all that amusement to the surface. “No, but that's the fun part.”
“I don't even get a hint?” I protested. “How can I choose an adequate weapon if I don't know what I'm fighting?”
Valkas was upon me in a second. Wind rushed by my hair, and he reached out to smooth it down.
Ew! Don’t touch me!
I tried not to let my detest for the
man show, for my sister's sake.
“Pick the weapon that will do the most damage,” he said coolly. “I'd very much like to see you survive the night.”
“What?” My whole body went rigid. I wasn't scared to die. Not really. But I was scared of leaving behind unfinished business. That simply wasn't an option.
“Yes, darling,” he said, taking note of my fallen face. “You're going to want to choose wisely. This one's a fight to the death.”
7
A fight to the death? Was he serious? Against whom? Him? Another vampire? His witch crony? His hint wasn't exactly helpful, though he strolled away looking positively pleased with himself.
I turned back to the table, surveying the weapons under the moonlight.
I could run, I thought to myself. No one was around to see if I escaped into the forest. But then again, where would I go? Valkas had made sure I couldn’t fly away, and I couldn’t exactly swim to the mainland. I’d drown before I made it. Chances were the boathouse I’d heard about was heavily guarded after what had happened earlier. I’d never make it off this island before I was found, and Valkas didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would forgive such an incident.
Which meant I was still playing his game, whether I liked it or not.
My eyes fell upon the bow, which had two arrows sitting next to it. That would be helpful for a long-distance shot, but I’d never shot a bow before. There was a pretty good chance I wouldn’t hit anything with it. I continued down the table, fingering the spear, then moving on to the sword. Most of these would kill a vampire, but what if I wasn’t up against a vampire? Would I have to fight from close or far range? The chanting grew louder in the distance.
Just pick something, I told myself.
Without contemplating it too hard, I picked up the sword, which was heavier than it looked but would do a lot of damage. I grabbed one of the knives for good measure and slipped it in my boot.
