by Susan Harris
They opened the door and tossed me inside before slamming the door shut behind me, and landing on the floor woke me up enough that I groaned, my head aching as a slow build of pressure pressed against my temple.
I worried that Dresden was still rummaging around in my head.
“Hey, Ryan, look at me. What the hell happened?”
It took me a full minute before I could summon the energy to give Edison a blow-by-blow account of what had gone down, from stabbing Maxim to the human dying and then to Dresden having a root-around in my noggin.
At the last part Edison growled, coming to help me up as he pulled me in for a hug. I went to him because I needed the comfort, and I could feel his anger at not being able to protect me from Maxim. When I told him they planned on playing around in my head again tomorrow, Edison shook his head.
“No. When they come, you fight like hell not to go. My Spidey senses tell me this Dresden dude is trouble. I don’t care what they do to me, Callan. They don’t get to take you.”
I stepped out of Edison’s embrace. “I can handle it. I mean, if he keeps trying to convince me I’d make an awesome rogue queen, then it won’t happen. No matter what he does to me, I can take it.”
“By Eve, Ryan,” Edison exclaimed, his eyes wild. “You might think you are, but you are not invincible. Even the strongest ones eventually break after being tortured, and that’s what it is—mental torture.”
Snorting, I dismissed his concerns with a wave of my hand. “Unless they plan on playing Nickelback and Bieber on a continuous loop, I think I can handle it.”
Edison didn’t so much as grin at my attempt at humor, so I reached up and dragged his forehead down to rest on mine.
“Hakuna Matata, bro. Hakuna Matata.”
That dragged a harsh laugh from Edison as I used one of our phrases to let him know I wasn’t worried. Edison untangled himself from me and slumped down on the mattress. As I joined him, I told myself I wasn’t worried, yet a shiver of fear ran along my spine. My mind was a dark and scary place to be in, and Dresden would use every painful crack and crevice to unearth all the hopes and dreams, fears, and the pain that I kept a tight grasp on every single day.
Edison mistook my shiver as a chill and wrapped his arm around me, drawing me closer to him. Pulling my knees to my chest, I tried to ignore the growing sense of foreboding that started to chip away at my defenses.
“You know, it’s starting to get annoying that you won’t talk to me while Edison is around. And before you roll your eyes at me, I’ve been trying to get Nickolai’s attention for days now, but I can’t quite hold onto something long enough to contact him.”
I squirmed in my seat as I resisted answering Krista, my ghost companion who was haunting me or who I’d created in my mind to deal with the loss of my only friend at the hands of Maxim.
I couldn’t stop my gaze from wandering to where Krista stood, her pale face a little red from exertion as if she’d been really trying to contact Nickolai. Her hands were on her hips, her Sons of Anarchy tee riding up at her stance as she glared at me. I made no attempt to answer her.
“I need to regain my strength and go back. He’s a mess, Ryan. So is Atticus.”
“Like I bloody need to hear that right now, Krista. We’re barely holding on here and don’t need you riding in on your bad-news wagon.”
I sucked in a breath as I realized I had just spoken to Krista in front of Edison. It was one thing to know that I’d been muttering to ghosts and the entire court thought I’d lost the plot; it was another to witness it.
Then, Edison did the unthinkable. He smiled at the space where I had been looking and tipped an imaginary hat. “Nice to have you with us, Krista. I’m Edison.”
I slapped him hard.
“What the hell did you do that for?” he said with a grimace.
“I know I’ve lost my mind; there’s no need to indulge me.”
Edison grinned, turning back to Krista. “I’d shake your hand, but…” he concluded with a shrug.
Well, this was all I needed… Could it get any worse?
“Damn, he’s quite cute, Ryan. Those dimples.”
Groaning, I let my head fall into my hands.
4
The situation was getting a little more sitcom than I could handle. Edison was yammering on, asking questions to Krista, and Krista was replying to those questions with uncaged enthusiasm. My head was still pounding from whatever Dresden had done to me, but the pain had changed from a slow thrum to a full-blown, overwhelming pulse that had my stomach lurching and little dots in my vision.
Suddenly feeling warm, I staggered to my feet. Head spinning, I wavered on my feet and would have dropped had Edison not snagged me around the waist. I clamped my lips shut so I wouldn’t vomit all over the floor.
“Hey, Callan, close your eyes and take a breath.”
Edison’s voice was calm and reassuring, and I did what he asked until a vision of me as Maxim’s rogue queen flashed through my mind. Unable to stop the lurch in my stomach, I shoved away from Edison and managed to get to the corner of the room before heaving the contents of my stomach onto the floor. I felt Edison’s hand on the small of my back as he held my hair back so that at least there wouldn’t be any puke in my hair.
With my stomach queasy but empty, I straightened, offering Edison a small smile. The other vampire studied me as he stepped back.
Quirking his brows, Edison grinned. “I mean, if my flirting with Krista makes you that nauseated, then I really need to work on my delivery.”
Krista chuckled from her spot in the center of the room as I rolled my eyes, the pain in my head still throbbing like a SOB, but at least it wasn’t as strong as it had been before.
“Krista’s not real, Edison. She’s just a figment of my grief that my mind is projecting, so there’s no need to humor me, okay? She’s not a ghost.”
Pivoting at the sound of a sniffle, I caught a glimpse of Krista’s tear-filled eyes before she winked out of view. With a sigh, I motioned for Edison to toss me a bottle of water, then rinsed out my mouth, trying not to worry I’d upset Krista.
I mean, it wasn’t like she was an actual ghost, right?
“You need some blood to keep your strength up,” Edison declared suddenly as he went to the door and beat his fist against it.
The door jerked open, and the chestnut-haired, pale-skinned rogue who seemed the most normal of Maxim’s minions came into view and grunted at Edison.
“She needs blood. Maxim has been starving her for two weeks.”
The vampire shook his head. “We have strict orders that she’s not to be given any concessions. No blood, no food, no sleep.”
“That’s bullshit,” Edison exclaimed, taking a step toward the vampire.
Edison could take him without a doubt, but he’d be punished for it and I needed him in fighting form.
“Edison don’t. Just let it go.”
Edison did as I asked, stepping back as the vampire retreated and shut the door behind him. I sank back down on the mattress, exhausted. Curling into myself, I shut my eyes, praying to Eve that I would sleep. As I dozed, I heard Edison pace the floor, the sound of his footsteps lulling me to sleep.
Ice cold water hit my skin, and I jerked awake, gasping in shock as my body trembled. Light flooded the room as Cedric and another guard pinned Edison against the wall as he tried to get to me. Two other rogues, the female who had served us dinner and another one that reminded me of Charles Bronson, smirked as they came forward.
Rolling off the mattress, I backed myself into the corner, causing the rogues to grin even more because they assumed that I was trapped. Like hell I was.
The female withdrew a blade from her waist and went to press it to the curve of my neck. I caught her wrist and twisted, hard, hearing the bone snap as her blade fell from her fingers. I caught it with my other hand. As soon as the female staggered back clutching her wrist, I advanced on the other rogue, who’d already begun to reek of fear.
I struck quickly and angled the blade so it slipped between his ribs and pierced his heart. His eyes widened for a second before he dropped, and I stepped over his body. The female was still clutching at her wrist as I palmed the side of her head and smashed it against the wall.
Not pausing as she slumped to the ground, I stalked toward Cedric, readying to finally fulfil my promise to him. Cedric clearly sensed my intention and yanked a scimitar from his hip, the curved blade kissing Edison’s throat.
I ground to a halt as Cedric grinned, pressing the sharp blade into Edison’s flesh, a small drop of blood welling, the coppery scent of it permanenting the air. A hiss whistled through my clenched teeth as my heart beat a little faster, my mind wanting to kill the bastard but my heart begging me to keep Edison safe.
“Come on, Cedric. Don’t you have the balls to fight me one-on-one?”
Cedric hissed; blood began to drip down Edison’s throat as his grip on his scimitar tightening. I stepped forward anyway, halting only when I felt a presence at the door and turned my attention to the psychopath who had dragged us here.
“Enough, Cedric. Ryan, put down the weapon or I will have you watch as we strap this fine young vampire to our dinner table and feast upon him. His blood would taste exquisite—those of court lineage taste like fine wine.”
By Eve, he meant it.
I dropped the female vampire’s blade, and it clanked on the floor as I held up my hands. I watched for a tense few heartbeats, my pulse full of adrenaline and panic, as Cedric nicked Edison’s throat one last time before sheathing his blade. With a smug smile, Cedric leaned in and ran his tongue over the blood on Edison’s throat. My friend looked livid and growled at the action, but he was unable to move.
“Sorry, bro, don’t swing that way. Touch me again and Ryan will be the least of your worries.”
They let go of Edison, who reined in his temper to come stand beside me. His fingers grazed mine in a private show that he was okay as we heard Cedric ask Maxim to have Edison for one night. I stood in front of Edison, a snarl curling my lips as Maxim smirked.
“Get me what I want, and the guard is yours.”
Turning to me, Maxim held out his hand. “Come, Ryan. Dresden awaits.”
I backed up against Edison. “You have got to be certifiable if you think I’m just gonna walk on out of here and go with you to that freak.”
“If you don’t, I will give Edison to Cedric right now, and then we will all feast on his blood until there is not a drop left. Did you know one can become a rogue by draining a vampire to death? Maybe that’s how we should make you one of us, my butterfly.”
I hadn’t known that, and the thought of it made me sick, so I stepped forward.
Edison gripped my shoulder and grunted, “No.”
“I’ll be fine, St. Clair. I’ll be fine.”
As trepidation flooded my person, I tried not to tremble as I inched toward Maxim. Cedric chortled at me as I stalked past, and I couldn’t stop myself from lashing out at him. I kicked out sideways, my foot catching his knee so that it buckled. Had I been at full strength, I could have shattered his kneecap with a kick. But I wasn’t, so all it would do would make him look weak to Maxim.
But sooner or later, Cedric and I would face off… of that I was certain.
A hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing so tightly I closed my eyes to stop the room from spinning. I must have lost consciousness because when I opened my eyes again, I was in the other room, strapped to the goddamn table.
Dresden watched me like one would watch an animal behind glass at a zoo, with intrigue and interest. Maxim was noticeably missing from the room as Dresden came forward.
“Hey Bob, I’d say it’s nice to see you again, but it seems like you’re gonna be invading my mind again, so please go fuck yourself.”
Dresden did not seem amused by my flippant attitude. Instead, he frowned before speaking. “The more you resist, Ryan, the more painful it will be. Let me in, and this can be over before Maxim makes me do the unthinkable.”
“You mean like take Nickolai from my memories?”
The fae nodded as the side door opened and Maxim strode in, his face filled with venom. He motioned for Dresden to continue with a flick of his hand. Dresden sighed, and as he placed his fingers to my temple once more, my body betrayed me and began to shake violently, my teeth chattering.
“Ryan.”
I opened my eyes and groaned, my head pounding from drinking too much at the party last night. The door to my bedroom opened and Farrah came bounding in, her smile as bright as the sun as she flopped down on the bed next to me.
“You were so wasted last night, Ryan. I thought Edison was going to kill you.”
I stared at Farrah, wondering why Edison would be mad at me. Sliding from the bed, I slipped my feet into pink fuzzy slippers and went to my wardrobe, opening the doors, my mind wondering for the briefest of seconds if I had fallen asleep in someone else’s room. Then the thought vanished as I grinned over my shoulder at Farrah.
“I made sure Edison went to bed happy; don’t you worry about him. I have him wrapped around my little finger.”
Farrah rolled her eyes and laughed. “Well duh. Boy is smitten. If he finds out my brother’s been trying to get in your pants, though, it will be like UFC up in here.”
Yanking off my clothes, I reveled in Farrah’s blush as I headed for the shower, telling her to get me a coffee for when I came out. I could hear her rushing about to do as I asked, and it made me smile thinking of just how epic it was to be a princess.
Images of my parents flashed into my mind, and I quickly pushed them aside as I washed and conditioned my hair, letting the water wash away any thoughts of melancholy. My parents had died protecting the crown, and it was an honor to be their child. Queen Katerina had raised me as her own, and I wanted for nothing. I was a princess in all but title, and Katerina was teaching me to be queen.
Slipping on a peach-colored bra and panties, I strode outside and watched Farrah’s cheeks color again, her gaze wandering over my body. I had figured out Farrah was attracted to women a long time ago and used that to make sure she followed me without question. Her family would disown her if they knew the truth, and secrets were worth more than currency within the Sanguine Court.
This is not you, Ryan. Fight it.
Shaking my head to clear my mind, I pulled on a pastel pink skirt and white sleeveless blouse that dipped low and showed ample cleavage, before slipping my feet into a nude pair of Louboutins. I didn’t bother with much makeup, I just put some gloss on my lips and smiled sweetly at Farrah.
“Grab my book bag for me, sweetie. Don’t want to be late for class.”
Like the obedient minion she was, Farrah grabbed my bag and followed me out of the room and down the hall. Kayla and Victoria waited down the hall for us to arrive, the girls smiling as I linked arms with them, and we sauntered down the halls as if we owned the place.
And perhaps we did; the four of us were treasured and pampered because only we could produce the next generation of vampires. One day, I would be responsible for the next generation of Romanov heirs. I had power. I was doted on.
And just because I was promised to the prince didn’t mean I couldn’t have fun along the way. My lips curved into a smile as Edison St. Clair came striding toward me, that cocky grin on his face. He marched right up to me, and flashes of last night flitted through my mind as his mouth came down hard on mine, a possessive claim that made me ache. As his hand traced down my spine to cup my ass, I trailed my hands up his chest.
“Morning, Baby.”
“Fancy skipping today? We could spend the day in bed.”
I laughed, glancing down before meeting his heated gaze. “Down boy. I have brunch with Katerina at eleven, so you will just have to wait until later.”
Edison groaned, slinging an arm around my shoulder as I inhaled the scent of him, frowning for a second at an unfamiliar scent, like lemon juice, that was not Edison. As
we strode past the gym, a flash of caramel hair irked my temper. Flipping out my hair, I sashayed into the gymnasium and dragged my nails along the chalkboard.
The person I despised most in the world, Natalya Smyrnoi, with her perfect hair and face, and her I’m-better-than-you attitude, cringed at the sound. I hated that she was trying to step into my mother’s shoes, to be the only other woman to become a member of the royal guard. Her parents had died in the coup that killed mine as well, and while she tried to bond over the shared loss, I had little time to deal with her—especially after I forwent my training to become the crown prince’s future bride.
Sweat sheened her forehead as Natalya turned to glare at me, and I almost felt intimidated. Nattie was everything I despised about the prince’s view on changes that needed to be made within the crown, and I made it my solemn vow to make her miserable.
“Nattie, darling. You missed the party last night.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Nattie drawled, wiping the sweat from her brow. “I had better things to do.”
Twirling the ends of my ice blonde hair, I smiled sharply. “You do realize that you should get used to obeying my orders, right? I mean, I’m going to be queen one day. Maybe I’ll make you my personal guard. It would be hilarious for you to have to guard me every time I go to Nickolai in the hopes of conceiving an heir.”
This isn’t right… you are not this cold.
Nattie’s face flushed with anger, the pure joy of her discomfort making me feel powerful, even as Edison stiffened beside me. I ignored him, walking along the edge of the mat as the other trainees strode into the gym. The bigger the audience I had, the hungrier I was to embarrass her.
“Do you still have your little crush on the prince?” I asked her. “I mean, he’s quite handsome but dull as dishwater. Is he that dull in bed as well, do you think? Oh, that’s right, you won’t sleep with him. At least when I’m queen, I’ll still keep a consort on the side when I’m not lying back and thinking of the crown.”
Nattie stepped aggressively toward me as Jack O’Reilly stepped inside the gym. He growled when his eyes fell on me. My heart fluttered for a minute.
