by L. Danvers
Crap. Who was that? My mind immediately jumped to the worst possible answer. Heart pounding, fire licking my veins, I repeated to myself over and over: Please don’t be Xander. Please don’t be Xander. Please don’t be Xander.
“HELLO? IS ANYONE HERE?” the voice called out again. A spider-like sensation skittled up my neck. The voice sounded like it was getting closer.
Charlotte let out a breath, chest caving with relief. “It’s Aiden.”
I grabbed her by the wrist to stop her. They were brothers. Their voices were similar. Yes, it could be Aiden. But if she was wrong... “Are you sure?”
She snatched her wrist out of my hold. “Of course I’m sure. He’s my brother.” She gave a quick glance at Evanna, speaking to her, too. “Let’s go.”
Together, we ascended the staircase, the trail of blood beneath our shoes making squishing sounds with each step. Vampire blood was thicker than that of humans. I lifted the collar of my shirt over my nose, trying to ward off the smell. But it was no use. The whole freaking castle was filled with this stench. There was no escaping it.
“WE’RE COMING!” Charlotte called out, skipping steps as she sprinted upstairs. She had hardly reached the main level before she skirted around the corner. Evanna and I picked up our pace, trying to keep up with her. I did not want to be down here alone.
As I was chasing after the blonde bloodsucker, my back pocket buzzed. I nearly jumped out of my skin before realizing it was Xander’s phone. Any other time, I would have smacked myself in the head for being so jittery. All that over a phone call? But I decided to give myself a break. It had been an unusually crazy day... even for Crescent Cape.
Curious, I slowed to a stop to check it. My lips pursed as I stared at the bright screen. I didn’t recognize the number.
Not willing to waste another second, I put it away and rushed up the last steps, finding the others huddled together, terror-stricken looks plastered to their faces. Victoria looked like she’d seen a ghost... no pun intended.
Aiden ran his fingers through his hair, stopping on the top of his scalp, digging his fingernails down as the gravity of what his brother had done hit him.
On the one hand, Aiden had done worse. But never to his own siblings. His own servants. His own friends. And, perhaps, he hadn’t fully understood the depth of the carnage, the pain, he’d caused until now that he was on the other side of it. It was easy to make excuses, to say he had been out of his mind and therefore skirt around taking responsibility for his actions. Especially considering his siblings usually cleaned up the mess for him. But there was nothing to soften the blow for him now.
Even though she was horrified, too, Victoria placed an assuring hand on his shoulder. Forcing a smile, she said, “Julian and Danielle will find it.”
“Find what?” Charlotte asked, one hand planted firmly on her hip.
Aiden nodded as if to say whatever Victoria was talking about what right. He slipped his arm around Victoria’s waist as he spoke, pulling her in closer as if she was the only thing keeping him grounded right now. “Julian and Danielle are in the Kingdom of the Silver Seas,” he explained. “They’re looking for a Silverleaf sapling. It’s a rare plant that’s only found in that region.”
“What’s it for?” Charlotte pressed.
“It’ll help us save Xander and Victoria.”
She eyed him with suspicion. “Why do you look like you’re leaving the most important part out?”
Aiden’s jawline tightened, and his eyes flicked over to me. Butterflies erupted from the pit of my belly. Not the cute, nervous kind. In fact, butterflies was hardly a fitting description. More like a swarm of hornets. I squared my shoulders and listened as he explained, “We need a witch from the same bloodline as the person who cast the original spell to perform the ritual. That’s the only way the counter-spell will work.”
Me. He needed me.
“Grace...” His voice hitched, making the muscles in my forehead relax. The shame he felt from having to ask this of me was more than apparent. I parted my lips, breathing easily for once. Because, after so long, the tables had finally turned. The most powerful vampire in the realm was asking me for help. And, quite frankly, I enjoyed being the one in control. “I know I am the last person in the world who should be asking for a favor from you...”
All that power. And now he was standing before me, pleading for help from the person he’d nearly killed.
I thought about saying no. He didn’t deserve my help. And, as cruel as it sounded, I’d enjoy watching him suffer.
But then, I thought about his brother.
A chill swept through my body, spreading from the center of my chest through my limbs. I was only here today because of Xander. As much as I hated to admit it, I owed him my life. How could I possibly refuse to help him? I had no choice but to say yes. And, what’s more, if I said no... well, it was safe to bet Danielle would meet a terrifying end. And I would never allow that.
Aiden’s eyes glistened like starlight. Was he... tearing up?
Somehow, seeing him like this didn’t bring me any joy. Any peace. I would have guessed that it would. But in this moment, I didn’t see a bloodthirsty prince. I saw a man who was terrified of losing his brother and the love of his life. A man who was putting his dignity aside because his only chance at saving them was the last person he deserved help from.
Luckily for him, I was a better person than he was.
I chewed my lip. Then, chin raised, I said, “I’ll do it.”
It was like what I said didn’t register. Like he was so prepared to hear no that, even though he’d gone through the motions of asking, he’d assumed my decision had already been made.
But then, to my surprise, Charlotte flung her arms around me. Hugging me. Charlotte, of all people. “I’m sorry for every mean thought I’ve ever had about you,” she whispered in my ear. My eyes darted back and forth as I tried to process that, thinking that was a strange thing to say. How many mean thoughts had she had about me? “I promise I’ll be nicer. Thank you. Thank you.”
I patted her on the back, trying to get this hug over with. “No need to apologize. I’m not doing this for him,” I said, gesturing toward Aiden. “Or you, for that matter. I’m doing this for Xander and Danielle.”
Charlotte nodded, retreating. When she returned to where she’d been standing before, Aiden approached me. Slowly. Warily. As if he were afraid that if he made one wrong move, I’d sling a curse his way even worse than the one that had been forced upon his brother.
I eyed him with distrust. Even though I was unsure of what his endgame was, I held my ground. Shoulders back. Head up. Confident.
My chin lifted higher as he came forward, towering over me.
And then, he fell to his knees. “I’m so sorry, Grace. For everything. I swear, I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek, trying to think of the best way to respond to that. First, the vampire prince had begged for my help. Now, he was begging for forgiveness.
Maybe a better person would have forgiven him on the spot. Told him they understood he wasn’t himself when he sank his fangs into them and nearly killed them. Would have killed them if it weren’t for his brother.
But I wasn’t ready.
The pain was too real. Too recent.
I realized then that I was rubbing my neck. And he noticed it, too, as his eyes lifted and then sank into half-moons.
I wasn’t ready to forgive him. But I wasn’t going to humiliate him either. So, without saying a word, I offered him my hand and helped him back to his feet.
“First things first,” I said. “We need to find Xander.”
Everyone agreed. It was the obvious first step.
“But we had better hope that we can get to him before he hurts Danielle. Because until we can undo the curse that Reed put on him, she will never be safe.”
Julian
“There it is.” I gestured ahead to one of the many huts built along the
tree canopy. “That’s Keo’s place.”
“Are you sure?” Danielle asked, scrunching her eyebrows as she examined the map.
A grin spread across my face. “Positive.” I pointed, and as she followed my line of sight, she saw a man standing on the balcony. He didn’t say anything to us. That would only draw attention. Instead, he went back inside his hut. Waiting. But she knew at once it was my old friend.
Danielle and I headed for the massive tree that held up his home. Using the rope ladder he tossed down for us, we ascended. My palms were burning by the time we finished the long climb. When Danielle reached the top, Keo offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. I climbed up after her. Once inside, I peered around at his home. It wasn’t much to look at. Better than what the blood slaves lived in back home, but not by much...
I felt a knot in my gut at the thought of Danielle’s previous living conditions. Ten years. Ten years in a place even grimmer than this. All while I was in a castle a short walk away.
And she had arrived as a child, no less.
I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be rid of the guilt. She’d awakened something deep within me, and with each passing day, I felt more and more connected with my humanity.
I laughed to myself, thinking that was rather funny now that she was a supernatural being.
Still... all the wrongs my family and I had committed over the years were beginning to catch up with me. Like I didn’t even realize what I’d become until she’d pulled me out of it.
My siblings and I had told ourselves we were being merciful. Organizing, centralizing, vampires’ feeding grounds so as not to expose their kind to the world and cause unnecessary havoc. Because the vampires weren’t looking to take over the world. They were only looking to survive.
Sure, some of them made the most of the hand they’d been dealt. Learned to enjoy the hunt. But sometimes, from my perspective, at least, it seemed like more of a coping mechanism. Like the only way they could live with what they were doing to people was to convince themselves that they wanted to do it.
But while their bodies craved human blood, their minds were a different story... no matter what inner dialogue they’d come up with to convince themselves otherwise. Look at Aiden, for instance. He despised that side of himself.
And it wasn’t only vampires who were trying to get by. Werewolves, witches, faeries, dragons, genies, mermaids... too many supernatural beings to name chose to remain in the shadows, living on the fringes of society. Because while we supernaturals had our faults, humans were no less immune to giving in to their darkest desires. Namely, power—a longing I knew a little something about. So, if we were to expose the true magnitude of our supernatural abilities and that information got into the wrong hands, it would only be a matter of time before they turned on us. Experimented on us. Harvested us. Yes, perhaps we had the upper hand. But how long would it be before their technology surpassed our own abilities? All it would take would be for them to capture one of us. Then, they’d have all the information they needed to develop something that could end us all.
Keo snapped his fingers in front of my nose. “You okay, man?”
The muscles in my furrowed brow relaxed, and my lips shifted into a warm grin. I patted my old friend on the back. “Yes, of course. Good to see you again.” I released my hold and gestured to Danielle. “And this is—”
“Danielle,” he said knowingly, offering her his hand.
“Keo,” she replied. “It’s good to finally meet you.”
“Have any trouble finding the place?” he asked, planting his hands on his hips.
“No,” Danielle answered. “But we did have the pleasure of meeting your prince. Kind of.” She glanced my way.
“He was hunting,” I explained.
A grim look overtook Keo’s sharp features. He was no stranger to the lingering pain that the Royals’ favorite sport caused.
Changing the subject entirely, I said, “Now, about the saplings...”
The pain clouding his eyes sparked into a look of mischief, clearly looking forward to stealing from the people who had caused his kind so much torment over the years. “Yes,” he said, his mouth turning into a devilish grin. “As soon as it gets dark, we’ll head out.”
“Where exactly are we going?” Danielle asked, collapsing onto the fraying plaid couch. We were going to be here for a while.
Keo crossed the room and joined her, sitting in the seat opposite from hers. “There’s a garden not too far from here... Or, at least, I don’t think it’s far.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find it.”
“Why does it seem like there’s something you’re not telling us?” I interjected.
“I did leave out a minor detail over the phone,” Keo said, propping a leg over his other knee. “I saw Phoebe with the sapling. But I don’t know exactly where she got it from. I have my suspicions, though. You see, no one’s ever seen the Silverleaf saplings growing out here.”
“I thought the saplings only grew in this kingdom...”
“They do,” Keo said, scratching the back of his neck. “But not in the way you think. There’s a garden not too far from here that I believe is spelled with faerie magic.”
Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Danielle arched an eyebrow. Leaning forward, she asked, “Wait. Faeries are real?”
“Unfortunately,” Keo muttered. “Anyway, if I’m right, the garden is glamoured. Hidden from plain sight.”
Danielle frowned. “I don’t understand. If it’s hidden, how do you know about it?”
“A story for another day.”
“Okay...” Danielle said, clearly feeling as lost as I did. “But if it’s spelled, how will we find it?”
“I’ve had my suspicions about the place for a while. And when I spotted Phoebe wandering through the forest, that confirmed them. Tucked beneath the cover of the trees is a hut, cast in an eternal shadow. As far as I know, no werewolf has ever stepped foot in there. It’s a strange, desolate place. Like there’s a cloud of suffering hovering above it. Lingering.”
Great. “And you think it’s secretly a faerie garden?” I asked.
Keo’s eyes flashed. “I’ve never seen a werewolf step in there. Walk past it, yes, but no one’s even been tempted to see what’s in there.”
“Because of the magic?”
“Exactly. But when I saw Phoebe, it all made sense.” He stood a little straighter. “I stayed there for thirty minutes or more. Watching. Waiting. And when the witch emerged, a leaf was sticking out of her satchel.”
“When was this?”
“Yesterday morning. Before you called.”
Danielle gave me a knowing look. We were wondering the same thing. How long would it be until that sapling got into Reed’s hands? And what exactly was he planning to do with it?
Based on his track record, I doubted it would be for anything good.
But dealing with that traitorous witch would have to wait. Because right now, all that mattered was getting our hands on at least two of those saplings. Three if possible, so that we could help Xander, Victoria and Danielle. She desperately wanted to free herself from Aiden’s bond, and if there was a chance that one of the saplings could help, we might as well get an extra since we were here anyway.
“Relax, my friend,” Keo said, noticing the concern overtaking my features. “We’ll get our hands on the saplings. I promise.” He stood and crossed the room, popped open the lid to his red cooler and fished his hand through the ice. “Care for a drink?”
Danielle declined, but I craned my neck to see what he had over there. “What are my options?”
He retrieved two bottles and opened them for us. “My buddy Chuck brews his own beer. It’s strong but good.”
I took the ice-cold bottle from him and took a swig, the condensation dripping on my jeans. I almost spit it out. Forcing down a gulp, I wiped my mouth with the back of my sleeve.
“Not as fancy as whatever you have in yo
ur castle, I’m sure,” Keo teased. “But trust me—after escaping a Royal hunting spree with your life, this is just the thing you need to take the edge off.”
No kidding.
I offered Danielle a swig. Curious, she took it. And immediately regretted it. Danielle made a face like she’d swallowed a bug. “Why are they so awful?” she asked, referring to the Royals, not the beer. “Can vampires even drink werewolf blood?”
I cleared my throat. “It’s gamey, from what I’m told. Possible, yes. But not ideal.”
“Their hunts have nothing to do with feeding,” Keo reminded her. “It’s the Royals’ way of keeping order. Reminding everyone who’s in charge.”
Danielle shook her head, not accepting that as an answer. “Are all the kingdoms like this? Blood slave villages... werewolf hunting sprees...”
I thought on it for a moment. “Think of the human world. Different countries rule in different ways. They all have their faults. Some leaders are merciful. Some, ruthless. It’s the same for the supernaturals.”
“And do vampires rule over all of the kingdoms?”
I shrugged. “Many, yes. Often, they were there first. Well, technically, the witches were there first. But the covens were scattered, and they were ostracized by humans for their abilities.”
Danielle frowned, trying to understand. Burying her nails into her scalp, she let out a sigh. “This is so confusing. So, which supernatural creatures came about first? Witches? Vampires? Werewolves?”
Keo kept an eye on me as he swigged, interested in my answer.
“It’s hard to know. Communication was much more limited back then, as you can imagine. If the president turned into a vampire, it’d be national news. But back then?” I shook my head. “It was a different time. Anyway, regardless of which beings were around first, for the most part, vampires took control of the realms in which they lived. Perhaps it was the power of compulsion that aided them in that regard. Of course, in our case, we already were Royals when Cynthia turned us.” Her name left a pungent taste on my tongue. Even after all of this time, I despised that woman. She’d taken five siblings and doomed us all. All thanks to our awful excuse for a mother.
