by Brandon Witt
I searched his face, fear pushed away. Regardless of the hurdles we would face in our relationship or what the ins and outs of that union would look like, he was here beside me, walking into a situation that could be the death of him. For what? The only other person I’d really loved hadn’t been able to refrain from running away, even without the threat of me bringing the vampiric Royals down upon him. Actually, it had been the other way around. And now, here I was, getting ready to face the evil that wouldn’t even know my name if it hadn’t been for Brett. And where was he?
“Thank you.”
Schwint grinned. “Don’t thank me yet. Save it until we get through this.”
“No, not for that.” I reached over, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him into me. “Thank you for loving me so much.”
He raised his hand and rested his palm on my cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear I hadn’t been aware of. He didn’t say a word. His warm eyes held mine before his lids closed slowly. The hand on my cheek slipped around to the back of my head and pulled me forward until my lips met his, trembling slightly.
A wave of strength, not fire, flowed through me at the kiss. As prone as I was to jumping in too fast, falling before thinking, I had no doubt this was the man I would spend my life with. That life might be the next sixty years or the next sixty minutes. I no longer had any question in the back of my mind.
He pulled back. “Shall we?”
As we separated from the embrace, we found each other’s hands and held fast as we entered the crevice.
Sunlight filtered in, enough to see that the path in the rock quickly jutted off to the left, obliterating everything but a soft reflected glow. Only hesitating a second, we turned the corner together. Torches lit the winding corridor through the stone as it zigzagged through the mountain. In places, the path narrowed to the point that we could no longer walk side by side, but never enough that we needed to turn sideways to squeeze through. The fissure continued to stretch up twenty to thirty feet over our heads, allowing my typical claustrophobia response to be held at bay.
After less than a quarter of a mile, the torches gave way to daylight pouring through around the bend up ahead. We paused as we came to the end of the tunnel. I took a deep breath and felt Schwint squeeze my hand, and we stepped out into the sun.
It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight, and I had to blink several times before any shapes formed into something recognizable.
It seemed fairy eyesight came with no such limitations. “Now, that’s more like it.” Schwint was quiet, in awe.
Eyes watering, I took in the scene in front of us. From the look of things, what we had just traveled through had been what appeared from a distance to be one of the foothills. Across a wide forested courtyard rose the stone-spired mountain. The Vampire Cathedral. The mist was clear until my gaze rose to the very top, which was hidden from view. From between the boulder turrets and sweeping stone arches, there were gashes in the side of the mountain, through which I could see the golden fixtures inside. In some I was able to make out faces staring down at us. Others were filled with sparking crystals of every color imaginable.
Bringing my gaze down, I saw what had captured Schwint’s attention. At the end of the black stone path was an arched gate rising twenty feet in the air. At first it looked like a flattened sphere of lava, but after a second I made sense of the fiery, churning maelstrom. Molten oxidized copper swirled in upon itself, looking like waves making their way down to the ground, leaving enough gaps between the eddies to see glimpses into the Cathedral beyond.
Taking in his surroundings in an opposite pattern than I, Schwint gestured toward one of the window-like openings in the mountain. “It seems they are indeed aware of our arrival.”
I followed his gaze to one of the faces I’d noticed before. A movement to our right caught my attention. Turning toward the forest, at first I didn’t see anything. Another movement and I found her. A woman stepped from the trees, her modern white sheath dress looking out of place in such a setting. As she walked closer to us, she moved into a patch of sunlight that broke through the trees, and her long blonde hair shimmered alluringly in the light. Expecting a goddess in such surroundings, I had to stifle a look of surprise as I gazed at her face. Aphrodite she was not. Unlike demons, who as fallen angels are the most beautiful creatures on earth, vampires are no more beautiful or ugly than they had been in their human existence. While not repulsive, I wondered what had captivated a vampire to the point it desired to turn her into an immortal. While the few vampires I’d seen hadn’t been much on the beauty spectrum, they’d been run-of-the-mill vampires. This female was obviously a Royal, as she wasn’t bursting into flames in the sunlight. I’d expected more.
As if reading my mind, her upper lip rose, exposing glistening white fangs. I averted my eyes, trying to convince my pounding heart that they hadn’t brought me here to make me an appetizer before I’d even entered the Cathedral.
Either Schwint didn’t notice or he wasn’t concerned about the hostile vampire striding toward us. He kept us walking toward the gate.
A few feet away, a seam that had been invisible before emerged as the gate began to separate, moving barely enough to allow us entrance in single file.
We stepped into the heart of the Cathedral, and I wanted to look around, take in the ceiling I could tell was soaring above us, or find out what was causing the iridescent-colored lights shimmering over the stone floor. Unable to look away, my gaze was captured by the figure in front of us.
Now, these clothes suited the surroundings. Long, flowing robes cascaded down the girl’s thin body, parting at her waist and trailed several yards behind her. Deep-red cloth, with gold and silver swirls embroidered over every inch of the fabric, intermingled with clusters of diamonds wherever a new twist in the design began. Under the robe, her chest was bare, and coal-black skin glistened in the flickering light of the room. The only other clothing was a simple white skirt that fell just above the knees, revealing nubile calves and gold-sandaled feet.
At last, I forced my gaze up to the queen’s face, knowing this might be the instant Schwint and I would die for whatever whim had summoned me here.
My mind screamed for me to get control of my expression, but I knew I hadn’t reacted in time. Circuits blew in my brain at the face that stared back at me. Not a queen. Not a princess. A boy. Maybe a young-looking teenager, a very young-looking teenager. As if seeking confirmation, my betraying gaze flitted to the uncovered chest. Thin and willowy but definitely that of a male, of a boy. I forced my eyes back up to meet the black gaze.
The boy began to walk toward us, the long train of his robe brushing the stone floor as he moved. “Welcome, Finn de Morisco. I appreciate the expedience of your arrival.” The soft timbre of his voice would have had me glancing at his chest again to confirm I hadn’t mistaken his sex. Instead, I felt myself bristle at his easy welcome. No mention of nearly killing my parents or forcing my compliance by kidnapping my sister. None of that, only thanking me for being quick.
If he noticed my anger, he didn’t let on. “My name is Gwala. I am King of the Royals.” He made a sweeping gesture across the vast expanse of the room. Out of my peripheral vision I could see we were encircled by vampires. He let out a soft, feminine laugh. “King of all vampires. Of all creatures that inhabit the earth, actually.” He paused, eyebrow cocked in anticipation.
Hesitantly, I looked around, unsure of what he was expecting. I hadn’t heard a question. The few vampiric faces my brain registered sneered in contempt. Sweeping my eyes across the room, I noticed Schwint bowing at the waist, his wings folded back and jutting parallel to the floor. He turned his head ever so slightly, caught my gaze, and he gestured with his chin toward the king.
I just stared at him, pretending I didn’t know what he wanted me to do.
His lips barely moved with his whispered words. “Come on. Don’t waste all this effort for pride’s sake. She’s depending on you.”
/>
He was right. I bristled at the thought, but it was a small price to pay if it would get us closer to Cynthia. I bowed, lowering my eyes to the floor. When, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Schwint raise back up, I stood straight once more and met Gwala face to face.
He smiled kindly, as if the moment had never happened. “I must confess I am quite elated at your arrival. As soon as I learned of your existence a few months ago, I knew you were meant to live here. We have not had a warlock of your caliber in centuries.” A soft, tittering chuckle escaped him. “Of course, we won’t say it quite like that in front of Omar.”
Live here! At his words, my heart plummeted. I’d had no idea why the Royals would be calling me, but I’d known it wasn’t for something that would be accomplished easily. However, thinking it and hearing it were two different things.
“I do hope your journey went smoothly. No problems during your flight?”
I was barely able to comprehend what he was saying, let alone respond.
He paused, waiting for my answer. When none came, he gave a slight nod. “And your parents? They are in good health, I take it?”
My breath caught, and I glared at him. Only Schwint’s reminder of Cynthia kept me from rushing him. Even so, I felt my face flush with heat, and my fingers twitched, aching to send him flying across the chamber.
The king’s smile stayed genuine, almost sweet. “It is such an important thing to have one’s family healthy. I lost the members of my family at such a tender, vulnerable age.” He took a few steps closer, closing the space to such a degree I could easily have reached out to strangle him. His black eyes held mine, and for the first time, all pretenses fell away. His body might be that of a boy barely in his teens, but his eyes told an entirely different tale. This vampire was ancient. Centuries, I’d be willing to bet. Maybe even over a millennium. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than his nearly motherly expression returned. “Truly, it is such a pleasure to have you in my home.”
Still I couldn’t force myself to say anything. I should play the game, say how honored I was to be here. Rage at him for nearly killing my parents. Demand to see Cynthia, for him to release her. Ask what he wanted with me.
Nothing.
His smile edged up at the corner, the hint of one long, thick fang peering through. With a jerk, he turned to Schwint. “And who might you be? I was not aware the invitation included any other than the warlock.” His eyes slid back to me for the briefest of moments, then returned to Schwint. Fear shot through me. Could the king kill Schwint faster than he would be able to shrink and dart away?
Schwint gave another bow, smaller this time. “I am called Schwint, Your Majesty. I am a fairy.” His voice trembled slightly. I couldn’t tell if the movement of his wings was in preparation for flight or if he was trembling.
The king barked out a high-pitched laugh. “Yes, I am quite capable of seeing you are a fairy. I have employed many fairies over the centuries from time to time, although it has been a few lifetimes since I have had one under my care.” His gaze traveled down Schwint’s body and back up again. “And what brings you into the Vampire Cathedral, Schwint the Fairy?”
“I…” Schwint, normally so quick and charming with words, seemed to be at a loss. My fear spiked again. “I’m Finn’s boyfriend, Your Majesty.”
The king’s black hand swept in front of Schwint’s face. Each finger was covered in rings, and diamonds and rubies flashed in the light. While his voice remained cordial, his tone held a slight dismissiveness. He looked back and forth between the two of us. “Boyfriends? So, you are… mated?”
Schwint opened his mouth, but no words came out.
I tried to think fast. Clearly Gwala was playing a game, but I couldn’t determine the outcome. Was it better or worse the more important Schwint was to me? Using my family as an example, it seemed the closer a person was to me, the more likely they were to be hurt. “Schwint is just my…” I almost said boyfriend but faltered for some unknown reason. “Yes, Schwint is my mate.”
Gwala smiled and nodded. I couldn’t tell if I’d given the right answer or not. A movement to my right caught my attention, but I refused to look away from Gwala. Apparently, he noticed as well, because he looked over, then clasped his hands to his chest. “Veronica, thank you, my dear! I’d nearly forgotten!”
I looked in the direction Gwala addressed. A beautiful woman with waist-length red hair gave a slight bow in the king’s direction.
“I had a feast prepared for you.”
I turned back to Gwala, chastising myself for looking away.
“I knew there was a chance you might not arrive until tomorrow or the next day. Of course I was aware you had left the Square yesterday but thought you might spend a day or so sightseeing around this beautiful country of ours. However, I had a feeling you’d waste no time in answering my summons.” He turned, gesturing for me to follow. “I only thought it would be a feast for one, so please forgive the inadequate amount.”
Before I followed him, I turned to Schwint and read my own questions reflected in his eyes. Did Gwala really not know Schwint was coming, or was he just playing more games? I’d assumed there’d been someone watching us the entire way. Maybe not. It wasn’t as if I’d be going anywhere else when he had my sister.
After a moment, we followed Gwala through the massive chamber. Now that his attention wasn’t trained on me, I glanced around the room, trying to avoid ever having my eyes land on one of the many vampires surrounding us.
The room was exactly how the outside of the Cathedral suggested it would be. Every ounce of it seemed formed from the mountain itself. The walls were various kinds of rock, polished and gleaming, color striations swirling over the surface. Thick, twisted tree roots arched forty feet above us to support the vaulted ceiling. Even the massive chandelier and sconces sprouted seamlessly from the stone and appeared to be sedimentary mixes of stone, crystal, gold, and precious gems—long flames flickered from each. Against the wall, behind where Gwala stood, were two thrones, the one directly in the center nearly four times the size of the other. Each was the same greenish copper as the entrance gate, each pointed and thin at the top and swelling in size as it reached the polished stone floor—like candle wax that has run down the sides of its stand and pooled at the base.
I felt a pull on my hand and looked over to see Schwint wide-eyed, trying to get me to move. Within a couple of hurried steps we caught up behind Gwala.
“The Vampire Cathedral is miraculous to behold, is it not?”
Schwint cleared his throat. “Yes, Your Majesty. It is gorgeous.”
“Just wait. I dare say even after your first decade here, you will still be discovering new and glorious things to fill your senses.”
My heart clinched at his words. Ten years! I could feel the vast procession of vampires fall in line behind us, but I refused to look over my shoulder. In front of us, Gwala followed Veronica. I watched as her long hair swayed with her movements. After a bit, I noticed that she stepped around the pools of light that streamed in through the windows and openings in the ceiling—even the distorted colored light that appeared to be coming from the crevices that were covered over with quartz crystals. Gwala, on the other hand, walked in a straight path, his obsidian skin gleaming in the direct sunlight.
After continuing down the hallway for a long time, we entered another huge room. Veronica waited outside the door, letting us pass. Despite myself, I gasped as we entered. The room was a huge oval. The floor was a burnished gold, glistening in the sunlight. Looking up, I saw only the sky and clouds overhead, framed by the jagged ridges of the mountain that formed the walls of the room. No adornment hung on the wall, only curtains upon curtains of flowering vines cascading down from the opening above. Brilliant birds glided through the room. As I gaped in awe, a gigantic blue morpho butterfly flitted in front of my face, its blue-and-black wings glistening.
I turned toward Schwint, who was keeping his eyes straight ahead. Following his directi
on, I looked at Gwala. He was staring at me, a genuine smile on his face. “There are more ornate rooms, ones with much more riches, and others that are truly not of this earth. However, I believe this is my favorite place in the Cathedral”—his lips curved into that wry smile once more—“maybe my second-favorite room.” He looked up, his fangs gleaming in the sunlight as his grin broadened. “I’m sure you cannot fathom the sensation, but as a vampire, even after all this time, the sun has not lost its glory.”
I glanced around again. The vampires with us seemed nearly as entranced as Gwala. Only Veronica stood outside the room, bathed in shadow, looking in but not joining. So not all the vampires in the Cathedral were Royals.
Gwala pulled my attention back to the long table in the center of the room. Like the floor, the table was golden, and like everything else I’d seen in the Cathedral, it seemed to rise out of the floor itself. No seam or separation existed, as if the floor had one day decided to sprout a table. Likewise, the benches—bench, actually—was one solid mass around the perimeter of the table. The only difference was that the bench gradually transitioned from gold to brushed silver.
After taking a brief look at the table, I glanced over to Gwala to see if any type of smirk would give him away. There was none. Maybe he’d been serious, or maybe this was still a game or test of some type. Whether he’d expected only me or knew Schwint was coming, the table had enough food to feed every vampire in the room. He had to have known about Schwint, which meant he surely knew about Caitlin and Newton. Maybe Gwala hadn’t known about Schwint until we started walking up to the Cathedral. Maybe, but I knew better.
