“I understand.” She sighed, her fear at the possibility palpable.
“When I say she’s ahead of us, all I know is that there’s an end game in mind. Lucia has a plan for you, and she does not have a track record of benevolence for others.”
“No kidding,” Violet muttered. “She doesn’t sound like the type that likes sharing.”
Gwendolyn nodded in agreement, her stern features drawing tighter. “There’s a lot about you that I do not understand in reference to her plans. I suspect we will only know what she intends when it’s too late. Because of that, I would like to extend an offer of protection. I can get you to Nyixa, where the presence of King Adrius and the Blood Princes, Lucia’s most dire enemies, will give her serious pause in pursuit. It would be a temporary arrangement, about six days.”
“That’s a very specific amount of time.” Alex eyed her suspiciously. The risen island was quite far away—and this would put Violet directly in the type of viper pit he’d hurt himself to avoid. He would do anything to make Gwendolyn and Lucia just disappear and take their drama with them.
“You could go with her,” Gwendolyn offered. “I can relocate you in a flash.” She gestured, cutting a hole midair, as if cleaving the very fabric of reality. He’d seen Lucia do the same when conjuring gifts, but to see it again really sank the message home.
This woman was Ancient beyond measure and possessed magic he hadn’t seen or heard of past his wildest fantasies. He swallowed uneasily as he watched her gesture again, closing that hole. “Portal magic. Say the word, and you can be gone.”
“We will need some time to discuss this,” he said, his gaze landing on Armando, who’d been uncharacteristically quiet.
He called his name. “Yes, boss!” Armando jumped to attention in a split second.
“Will you please escort Ancient Firetree to our sitting room? See that her needs are met. We may be a while,” he said. Armando was around long enough to know he was being dismissed to an important duty—watching someone as powerful and deadly as Gwendolyn.
“Just Gwendolyn will do in the future. Thank you,” she said. Armando helped her from her chair, escorting her out on his arm with as much care as if she were his grandmother.
Alex acknowledged that with a nod, dropping into the chair she’d vacated with a heavy sigh. He gazed over the faces of those assembled, all the while prodding his inner beast. Who do we trust? That little bundle of instincts told him he already knew the answer.
“Who do we trust?” he asked aloud.
“You’ve heard both sides of this, yes?” Nicholas asked. He rubbed his dark chin with a troubled frown.
Sam nodded, saying, “Lucia told us her version of the same story. She was veiled and…mighty. I’ve never felt an aura like hers.”
“I would rather not be involved in any of this,” Luke said quietly. “Is that not how we’ve survived so long? Keeping our heads down?”
“Would if I could, brother. But this concerns a coven member.” Alex’s gaze rested on Violet, who was passing a tiny flame over her fingertips with fascination at her newfound power. A part of him was relieved to see that she’d found understanding.
Protect, whispered his inner beast.
Things would’ve fallen together too easily for them if it weren’t for this. The truth about his attraction to her was lingering on his tongue, waiting for an eager moment to tell her that they were meant to be together in the future as full mates.
“What’s in the box?” Julian asked, taking him out of those thoughts. He indicated the items he’d left next to Violet, who passed them up the table.
“Lucia gave everyone a gift to consider her by. I haven’t opened mine yet,” he said, doing so as the five of them looked on. Inside the box, a deceptively small glass vial was nestled in a bed of velvet. For its weight, he’d expected something bigger than this vial, which was the width of his palm and half full once he picked it up and gave it a testing flick.
The liquid within flowed slower than molasses, glimmering as if stuffed with silver flake. “She said this was for me, to give me a leg up on Collins,” he said, thinking it looked no more useful for that task than if it were water and glitter. “And the letter is for Violet. You don’t mind if I look at it first, do you?”
“Please do,” she said. She grew very still as he uncorked the vial.
A mouthwatering scent drifted through the air as the silvery liquid smoked upon exposure to the air. His fangs unsheathed so fast that they nicked the sensitive skin inside his lip.
“I…I’ve smelled that before.” Violet grew paler.
Chapter 22
Violet
THE VIAL’S SMELL was unmistakable, old and musty, something straight from her nightmares. She covered up a gag while Alex breathed in the plume of silvery smoke originating from it. Within a blink, he had it capped, shaking his head as if waking from a trance.
“How about we look at the letter?” he said, setting the vial in its box and pushing it aside. He slit the envelope using his shapeshifter magic to sharpen a fingernail into a claw, withdrawing a stack of loose pages that’d shriveled down to withered and brittle husks from age. “This may not surprise anyone, but Lucia lied to me earlier about knowing nothing about Violet’s magic,” he remarked after flipping through a few pages, passing them to her.
Upon them were diagrams and descriptions written in fading ink. She spotted the gesture that’d summoned her fire and realized these were instructions. “I can’t read this,” she said. The words were in another language.
Alex frowned as he scanned page after page, laying them in a pile before her that she was afraid to touch lest the pages crumble to dust before she understood what was on them. He paused to scan the very last one, unfolding a pristine sheet of lined paper with the same handwriting. “A personal note to you, Violet. It’s instructions on how to cast your first spell.”
“Guess her future sight missed the fire,” she said, rubbing clammy hands on her jeans.
“Yes, well, if her magic is anything like Cossette’s, it doesn’t see everything. She’s already gotten a detail about my life wrong.” He sounded distracted, his eyes darting over the page and lips moving over every word. Imagining he was combing the letter for nuance, she turned to Julian and Sam.
“It sounds like Lucia’s had plenty of time to see what’s about to happen,” she said.
Sam shrugged to himself. “We can’t be sure of how accurate what she’s seen is. The only person we know with that magic is Cossette, and she’s an expert at leaving you emptyhanded if you ask about the future. I think she’s covering for just how little she actually knows of what’s to come.”
“It’s better for prophecy,” Julian said, his eyes hooded.
“Might as well tell her yours, mate.” Sam elbowed him.
From how his brooding deepened, she imagined it wasn’t anything good. But he told her the prophecy nonetheless. “Of my lifemate: ‘In the midst of your darkest hour, she will save you.’ You must understand, I’ve turned the world over looking for my lifemate. I went to Cossette for a hint or a location or even a date, and that’s all she would say.”
She caught Alex glance up at him and grimace, almost as if he were feeling guilty. Tucking that away to ask about later, she considered Julian’s unhappiness and wondered if it stemmed from the idea that he, a Master vampire and seasoned fighter, would need saving by someone he’d sought for so hard in some mysterious future scenario. “Well, there’s a bright side at least,” she offered. “She’s going to save you. Which means you’ll meet her.”
With a grunt, he drew out a knife secreted somewhere on his person, flipping it through his fingers. “All right, I figured out what she’s saying,” Alex said, leaning over and placing the note between them. “There’s some fluff and faff, but the meat of it is here. She’s detailing how to cast a spell over yourself to understand any language, spoken or written. So, theoretically, you can understand the rest of this.”
He po
inted out the paragraph where the instructions started. “Do you think it’s safe?” she asked.
“Oh, not at all,” he said cheerfully. “How about you wait on it? We’ve gotten sorely off track here.”
“Yes, sure,” she blurted, folding the note up and placing it atop the pile of ancient pages. She would get back to all of this when she was more prepared.
“So Lucia’s given us powerful gifts, and at least one verifiable lie,” Alex said. “While Gwendolyn has a track record of being judge, jury, and executioner on any vamp past their prime. Who do we trust?”
“Brother, you have not shared of your meeting. We cannot make an informed decision without that information,” Luke said.
Alex brushed a hand through his hair. “Right, the meeting,” he said briskly. He and Sam summarized what they’d seen and experienced, leaving the room in a pall of grim silence.
Violet was stricken at how many of the other vampire leaders apparently seemed to agree that humans should be some sort of slaves or second-class citizens. The thought made her physically ill with the implications. “They stand on completely different sides,” Luke said once Alex was done. “And we’ve always kept to the honorable path. I would put my trust in the Curator.”
“She helped with my father,” Julian said. “I, too, would trust Gwendolyn.”
Nicholas and Sam echoed that agreement. When Alex’s gaze turned to Violet, she swallowed past a hard lump. “I would be shocked if the voice in my head and the reason for my nightmares is not Lucia,” she said. “She’s grooming me for something, and I won’t let it happen.”
“Then we’re in agreement. You have to go into hiding.” He rested a hand over hers, leaning in. The coven master gave way to the lover she’d gotten to know, tenderness stealing away his frown. “It’s too dangerous for you to go alone. Who knows what dangers you’ll be exposed to in Nyixa.”
“Come with me,” she breathed for his ears only.
The rational part of her knew he had a coven to protect, but she yearned for him to take up the matter of her safety personally. There was no one else she’d rather stake her life on. She saw the strife in his expression, the desire to be with her. “Sam.” He turned to his deputy, and her heart leapt with hope. “Do you think you can manage the coven for six or so days?”
“Yes. Do what you have to.” He got to his feet, as did the rest of the men in the room. “I’m going to put the coven on lockdown.”
“Bloody good idea,” Alex said, gathering up Lucia’s gifts and offering Violet a hand up.
“Lockdown?” she asked, following him into the sitting room, where Gwendolyn and Armando were seated across from each other.
He was mid-story when he paused, seeing everyone going their own way except for Alex and Violet. With a jerk of Alex’s chin, Armando left, calling out for Julian to wait for him. “Did you all come to a decision?” Gwendolyn asked, sipping from a mug of tea as if it were dainty china.
“We’re coming with you,” Alex said, placing Lucia’s gifts before her. “Can you tell me what these are?”
She tilted the vial, observing its slow flow with a frown as she set her tea aside. “Where did you get this? No, no need to answer that. This is Lucia’s handwriting. She tore pages out of her journal.” Scanning the note that’d accompanied the pages, she clucked her tongue.
Violet leaned into Alex’s side as she set the note aside, shaking her head. “The vial is very dangerous, and the spell she posed to Violet is far too advanced for a beginner. This,”—she held up the vial—“explains Violet’s condition. It is preserved blood from the Fell Emperor, containing his magic. I thought it was all destroyed, but…here we are.”
“Why did she give it to me and suggest it’d make me stronger?” Alex asked.
Gwendolyn’s lips twisted as she passed the vial between her fingers, observing its casual radiance. “Because it will. It’s liquid Fell, Alexander. Each sip will enhance your dark powers. Drink this whole thing, and in a blink, you’ll have an Ancient’s power at your command.”
“You had it destroyed, didn’t you?” Violet said, picking up the distaste in her manner, the way her fingers tensed as if about to smash the vial.
“What I could find of it. I had no idea it could create more silver-blooded vampires, though.” Gwendolyn offered it back to him with great reluctance. “If you are wise, you would destroy this, too.”
Alex took it, placing it in his pocket. “I will consider it.”
“It is in every vampire’s nature to hold onto power. I don’t expect you to do anything but drink that blood.” She sighed, her weathered hands sorting and placing Lucia’s notes back in their envelope to give to Violet, note included. “Pack enough to clothe yourself for a week, and bring camping equipment. The palace has no modern amenities or furniture. There are a handful of mortals, but it would be smart to bring your own food.”
“Right, okay,” she said, moving to leave, only to be stopped by Alex’s arm holding her firm around the waist.
“What happens in six days?” he asked. “I presume there’s a plan past going into hiding.”
“Why, the summer solstice. The shortest night of the year.” She sipped her tea as if unconcerned by his presence looming over her, eyes narrowing. Violet was simply puzzled as to how that affected anything. The day was usually just a novelty on the calendar, if she even noticed it at all.
“And?” he prompted.
She drew herself up, using the cane to find her balance. Her gaze was shadowed full of secrets terrible and ancient. They squared up as the animal in Alex rose to the challenge of her stare. “There are more secrets in this world than you could hope to understand in an evening, Alexander. You trust me enough to accept my help and a portal into the unknown. Everything else will be explained in time.”
A low growl rose from his throat. “Alex, c’mon, let’s pack,” Violet said, laying a hand over his chest. He’d already had a long day, and she suspected he’d been top dog long enough to chafe at being told to wait.
“Fine,” he said, breathing out a sigh. “We’ll be ready as soon as possible.”
Chapter 23
Violet
STEPPING THROUGH A portal was as dizzying and nauseating an experience as she’d expected. She was glad she hadn’t eaten a big breakfast, else it’d be painting the white stone they landed on.
Violet turned to get a lay of the land, her shoes splashing in a deep puddle that soaked water into her socks. Perfect darkness shrouded the island, not a star or cloud in sight, just inky velvet as far as her eyes could track. It was eerie and unnatural, drawing a prickle of unease over her arms. Or perhaps that was the oppressive humidity that immediately stuck her hair to her neck.
They were at the top of a massive rise of stairs, the pristine white of the palace marred by clumps of seaweed, puddles, and the stinking bodies of unfortunate fish. Before them was an opening where she imagined a pair of intricately carved wooden doors, long since eaten away to rusted hinges. The stone portions extended upward to spiked peaks she’d get a crick in her neck to study, studded with empty holes where glass windows should be. “Welcome to the glorious island nation of the vampires,” Gwendolyn said without inflection, heading into the palace with her head bowed.
“Thanks, I guess,” Alex said dryly. He carried most of their gear and brought up the rear, his gaze roaming for danger.
“You should be aware that this is unlikely to go well,” Gwendolyn continued. Violet kept pace with her, shooting her a concerned look. “Not for you, for me. But I will be around to train your magic and keep you abreast of things.”
She thought of her ease with portals and nodded to herself. If the Ancient wanted to sneak around, she would. “Why would it go badly for you?” she asked as they passed through a blank foyer. The empty area echoed with their voices and footsteps all the way up a pair of identical stairs curling around to higher levels. There were hallways branching to the left and right as well, but Gwendolyn went straight ahe
ad.
“I can’t imagine the other people who survived this island sinking are fond of her, love,” Alex remarked.
“That’s right. But they’re honorable people. They’ll take you in.” Her voice hitched for a moment. “Even if they don’t forgive me, the moment you mention Lucia’s unwanted interest in you, you will have allies and protection.”
Violet bit her lip, unsure how to best comfort her or even if the stern woman would accept it. “Tell me about who we’re meeting?” she suggested instead. They passed deeper into the darkness of the palace, where the dripping stone kept the temperature down to chill the sweat clinging to her skin.
Her vampire sight was working overtime, the world cast in grayscale between white stone and dark shadows. Anyone could be lurking around a corner, even though she knew only a handful of people still inhabited this space besides the explorers sent from around the world to investigate Nyixa’s rising.
“I’m hoping Adrius will be on his throne. He’s the King of Vampires.” Shrouded in shadows, she sounded wistful, lost in some memories of her own. “He’s a giant viking of a man and the strongest vampire you’ll encounter, save for Lucia. A long sleep means he has the power but none of the wisdom of age.”
“That’s a dangerous combination,” Alex chuckled from somewhere behind her.
“It can be. Hopefully, you will find it easier to connect with him,” she said. Wind began to whistle around them as she led them out of a corridor and into an oval-shaped room with tiered seating. It smelled vaguely of cleaning fluid, a welcome change from the sickly-sweet scent of decay that haloed the palace. Gwendolyn squared her shoulders as she led them through an aisle around an empty pit that appeared to be at least a fifteen-foot drop. It looked like a gladiator pit of old, Violet thought.
Dream Walker: Blood Legacy Series Book 1 Page 13
