The Lost Ones (Here Witchy Witchy Book 12)

by A. L. Kessler

  I kissed him gently. “Glad to see you here.”

  He hugged me. “Promise we’ll relax after this press conference.”

  “I have to work, but I’m willing to snuggle.” I teased. He put his hands on my hips and pressed his head against mine. This was more show of affection than he typically gave me. I turned around to see Zayne staring at us, and I had a feeling that Simon was putting on a show, much like he did to piss Mario off.

  Levi walked into the room and smiled at us. “Glad to see you two are comfortable.”

  I nodded. “Am I expected to speak at this?”

  “I’m hoping not.” Levi shrugged. “But with the case file unlocked and the information about Ira now in the public, I don’t know.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “I will try to be as diplomatic as I can.”

  “Has she not taken classes to deal with the press?” Zayne shook his head. “She’s a walking disaster.”

  “One, I’m right here, so you can ask me and not Levi. Two, yes, I took classes in the Academy on how to deal with the press, but that was years ago.”

  Zayne raised a brow. “Maybe you should go back to it.”

  “Maybe you should watch your tone. You don’t know me, Zayne. You know nothing about me other than I’m a witch, I’m the princess of vampires, and for some ungodly reason, the council has tasked you with my wellbeing. So I suggest you back the fuck off before I trap you in a circle and leave your ass here.”

  “You wouldn’t.” He growled.

  No one responded.

  “She wouldn’t, right?” Zayne looked away from me and to Levi, but it was Mario that answered when he finally joined us.

  “She would, and we don’t have another witch that can break her circle right now, so I suggest you don’t piss her off.” Mario smirked. “Because the princess knows how to hold a grudge.”

  And he would know.

  I gave a nod to Mario and then turned to Levi. “Let’s go.”

  Levi put a hand on mine and Simon’s shoulders. The foyer disappeared and then was replaced by walls I didn’t know. Catalina stood there waiting for us with Liz.

  Liz was dressed in PIB’s finest of black pants and shirt. She had a vest on, her gun was clear on her hip, and she had a walkie talky on her belt. Security at its best. She grabbed the walkie talkie and announced that we’d shown up. Simon gave me a quick kiss. “I’ll be out in the crowd.” He walked down the hall, disappearing around a corner.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “Town hall,” Levi responded quickly, and the pushed me forward. “Come on, they’re waiting for us.”

  My stomach churned suddenly.

  Levi led us down the hall and out the front door where someone had set up a podium with a few microphones. On each side of the stoop leading up to town hall was a PIB member playing security. Zayne stayed at my back as I surveyed the crowd. Nerves crawled through me as I tried to spot any familiar faces. I tried not to tense when I saw Valerie Ross there in the front row, watching me, her gaze calculating as it swept the stage and landing back on me.

  But a near panic replaced my worries about Ross as my gaze traveled to the back of the crowd and landed on someone I didn’t expect to be there, but I should of.

  Samuel stood there with his arms crossed and a smirk firmly in place. Something filled me as I thought of how everything could go wrong with one command from Levi’s maker.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Zayne stepped closer to me, and I knew he’d spotted Samuel. Levi, however, showed no emotion, even though I knew he had to have sensed Samuel there.

  Levi cleared his throat. “Good evening. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Leviticus Felcos, the King of Vampires and leader of this territory.”

  The press members in front of us grew quiet as Levi introduced himself.

  “To my right is Abigail Collins, acting Princess of the Vampires,” I tried not to sneer at the title. “And member of the PIB Black Magic Task Force. We are here today to answer some questions and brief the public on a case that’s recently come into the public’s eye. The case of Ira Diaz, it’s conclusion, and the creatures that were created as a result of his crimes.”

  My mind suddenly flashed to Ira, and I took a deep breath. Now was not the time for my brain to go haywire. I felt a power push against me, and I called my magic up just enough to push it away.

  “Are you alright, Princess?” Zayne whispered, and I gave him the barest of nods to let him know I was okay. I’d explain later what I felt and why I reacted. I wasn’t sure how Zayne didn’t feel it.

  Levi’s power wrapped around me, and I let out a breath at its familiar touch. I didn’t know if he was doing it to comfort me or further push off the power that had tested me.

  “Ira Diaz was a vampire that was taken out by PIB. I’m not at liberty to release the details of his demise or the full details of the case. The creatures that Ira created were once humans, witches, or lycanthropes. He mixed vampire blood into their system, sometimes by force. He was trying to create hybrids, a mix of two or more supernatural creatures.”

  There were suddenly several voices talking at once. “He was unsuccessful. Many hybrids lost their lives, and many of them will never leave containment because they have gone insane and are unsuited to be released into society for fear of them attacking civilians.”

  “Excuse me, Mr. Felcos, the information that was leaked from PIB said they had experimented on Agent Collins. Can you confirm she is safe to be around civilians?”

  My stomach lurched at the thought of being on Ira’s table.

  “Abigail was not experimented on. Several doctors have examined Abigail, and they found her to be healthy and safe for society.”

  Weird to hear him talking about me while I stood there quietly. We all knew what the truth was. My blood showed a mix of vampire and witch DNA, a perfect hybrid, but that was before my time with Ira.

  The power in the crowd rose again. This time Zayne put a hand on the small of my back. I assumed in case he needed to take me somewhere quickly. I wasn’t going to protest, especially when I felt Levi’s power strengthen. There was some type of low-key power struggle going on here, and the crowd was going to be caught in the middle if it didn’t get under control.

  I saw red eyes moving through the street behind the press. They distracted me until a squeaky voice that I hated spoke up in the crowd.

  “Could Agent Collins brief us on why Ira’s creatures are no longer a threat and how PIB handled the situation?”

  I wasn’t authorized to share that information, but Levi stepped aside so I could step up. I gave my best professional smile. “The case details for Ira Diaz are sealed for a reason. The case dealt with a black magic spell that the public does not need to know, and it also deals with personal details of the victims and the outcomes of the events. I am not authorized to share those details with you.”

  I felt movement at my back, and a moment later, Zayne stepped up and whispered in my ear. “Threat spotted. Time to move.”

  I gave a small nod. “Forgive me, but they have informed me that the press conference has ended.” I stepped away from the microphones with Zayne at my back, leaving the crowd shouting questions behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to find Levi and Mario following as well, but I noticed that Liz and Catalina were staying outside.

  The door to the building closed, and Levi looked at Mario. “I’m more of a threat if I stay here, because Samuel can give me commands, and I’ll have no choice but to follow him.”

  There was a moment when I imagined Levi attacking the crowd of people and ruining everything that he had worked for. Someone needed to kill Samuel before he thought of these solutions.

  “I’ll take Abigail back to the mansion so that Samuel knows we’re not here anymore. He’ll sense our departure. You two stay here and handle the blood-starved. Liz and PIB are going to move the crowd out.”

  Blood-starved. Not hybrids. “Vampires?” I frowned. “Just vampires?”
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  “Samuel’s flunkies, I’m sure.” Zayne nodded. “I spotted them the moment they asked you to speak.”

  I’d spotted them about the same time. I wasn’t sure when everyone else had spotted Samuel, but I was glad to see that I wasn’t the only one that had seen him. “Agent Ross was in the front row as well. This press conference is a ticking time bomb.”

  The shouting of questions outside the doors died down as PIB gave directions on how to exit. There was a brief moment when I relaxed until power came flooding toward me, wrapping around me and bringing me to my knees.

  I didn’t have a chance to react until my pentagram started warming up on its chain. The cat charm joined in a second later. I knew this power. It was mixed with magic, and it was trying to kill me again. “Hannah.” I snarled. “Mario, go home now.”

  There was no argument from anyone. I would not have Hannah using him against me again. I glared at Zayne. “I suggest that if your fucking sire will use you against us, you go home now too.”

  “I won’t use him against you,” Catalina’s voice cut through my panic. “You can trust him. Levi, get Abigail home before Hannah’s magic breaks through her charms. We’ll take care of the rest.”

  Levi nodded and held his hand out to me. I tried not to think about the demands that Samuel was giving him right now, if any. If I put my hand in his, I could end up in a trap.

  No. Samuel liked to play. He’d made his move for the night. I put my hand in Levi’s, and his power wrapped around me, pushing Hannah’s magic and power away. The town hall disappeared around us, replaced by the mansion a moment later.

  “I should be there, helping my team with the threat,” I muttered.

  “You are the princess. You fighting the threat is not an option right now. You weren’t there as PIB.”

  No, I was there as acting vampire princess. “What if I don’t want to walk between worlds anymore?”

  “Then you have to choose one,” Levi whispered. “I’m afraid you’re too deep at this point though.” He shook his head.

  Was I? I thought about the crowd and how people still address me as Abigail Collins, Agent Collins. The only people who called me princess were the vampires. “Stepping down as princess won’t do anything though, will it? The vampires who are against you will still see me as a threat. Samuel will still want me.”

  Levi nodded. “And it doesn’t change your bloodline. There’s a chance the next near-death experience will be your last and you’ll raise as a vampire.”

  He knew my wishes to not be changed, so I didn’t bother pointing it out. Recently the council brought up just changing me now to get it over with. Mario was rooting for that choice. I still held steady on my ‘no’.

  “How did you think this was going to end up?” I asked and looked at him. “When my mother became pregnant, how did you think this was going to end?”

  He pressed his lips together and thought for a moment. “I thought that your mother and Tobias would live out their lives with you. The hospital showed nothing strange in your bloodline while you were there as a babe. It wasn’t until your magic started coming through that your blood results shifted.” He took a deep breath. “I knew it was an option. I just never thought I’d have to face it.”

  “And when I almost died at Melisandra’s were you prepared to stake me then?”

  Levi shook his head. “No. I wasn’t.”

  I let that sit with me for a moment. Part of me realized I was asking for him to take the last chance to have his child away, but the other part of me knew I could lose my sanity as a vampire. But maybe the hybrid mix would change that.

  I sighed and started walking toward the media room. “I’m going to go watch the news.”

  “Why would you do that?” Levi followed.

  “Because I want to know what I’m missing. What my team is dealing with.” My footsteps paused. “Where’s Mario? I told him to leave and come here.”

  The power rose so fast that I nearly choked on it, but I wasn’t in public now, and I didn’t have to keep my power reined in for fear of hurting civilians.

  I let loose my magic, shoving away the power that tried to take me down. Hannah’s laugh filled the hall and Levi tensed beside me.

  “How did she get in here?” I growled at him. We needed to get the same spell Merick used for my house for Levi. This was ridiculous.

  Hannah stepped out of the kitchen with a wicked smile on her face.

  “Come join me for a cup of coffee, Abigail.” The fake sweet of her voice made me cringe.

  I glanced at Levi and he nodded. I walked into the kitchen, wishing that I had my gun on me.

  I turned the corner to see Mario standing at the coffee pot swirling a spoon in a mug.

  He looked up at me, his face pinched together. “My king, Princess, forgive me. She forced me to allow her in.” His voice was tight, almost as if he wanted to say something else. He sat the mug at the breakfast bar in front of a stool. He did nothing to encourage me to drink it. Typically, if he made me coffee, he handed it straight to me.

  It wasn’t safe, it couldn’t be.

  Hannah walked up next to Mario and ran her hand through his hair. “He can’t resist what I ask him. He’s right, I forced him to let me in.” She raked her nails down his cheek, leaving nasty bloody lines in his skin.

  At that moment, I wanted to punch her.

  Levi put a hand on my shoulder, a warning for me.

  “You aren’t welcomed here, Hannah. You did not contact us to arrange your visit.” My calm words surprised me.

  Levi must have been too, because his hand dropped from my shoulder.

  Hannah tilted her head to the side. “Abigail, Abigail, so bold, even when you know I can best you with magic and power.”

  I raised a brow. “When was the last time we fought one-on-one Hannah? You sound so confident that you don’t need Ira or Samuel to back you.”

  Something flashed in her eyes, and I had a feeling we’d be seeing Samuel before this whole thing was over. Her power crept toward me, and I simply pushed it away with a little of my magic. “Don’t test me. I’m pretty sure there’s some law about you coming in here.”

  “Abigail has a point, Hannah. State your business and please keep your powers to yourself.”

  She sneered a little. “Princess Abigail challenged me.”

  “It was not a challenge, but a warning.” Levi said before I could answer.

  He was clearly better at this than I was. My gaze kept going back to Mario. I wanted to tell him to leave again, but I knew Hannah wouldn’t let him.

  “Indeed, Samuel sent me to negotiate. He knew you would return here the moment you realized he was at the press conference. We sent some lower-level vampires to keep the other members of your guard busy so we could discuss this alone.”

  What was there to negotiate?

  Hannah motioned to the stools set up by the island for us to sit. “Please enjoy your coffee, Abigail. I hear your mood is better when you have it.”

  I raised a brow. “I don’t drink things I don’t prepare myself.” I swore Mario relax a little. “I’m too cautious for that.”

  Hannah waved a hand. “Fine, sit and be quiet like a good little witch.”

  I sat down, and Levi sat next to me.

  My gaze flickered to Mario, trying to gage if he was okay. The scratches on his face had nearly healed already, but I had a feeling Hannah would cause more damage here soon.

  “He may have betrayed you, but you still hold his heart.” Hannah brought my attention back to her.

  I remained silent as I watched her.

  Levi cleared his throat. “Negotiations?” He asked, and Hannah’s eyes snapped to him.

  “Yes, Samuel would like your little witch to come… study with us for a while.” She ran her hand idly over Mario’s chest. I could feel the magic following her movements and Mario’s body tensed as blood blossomed. Mario’s face pinched in pain, but he didn’t pull away from her.

  I’
m not sure who she was trying to distract, me or Levi, but she was doing a good job.

  “He could, of course, just demand you to do it, and that’s what I told him to do, but he wants to see where your loyalty lies. You see, he knows Abigail is your blood and therefore part of his bloodline. She’s one of your people now, as acting vampire princess, so she has to listen to you.”

  I hated vampire politics and hierarchy. I glanced at Levi, trying to figure out how I was supposed to react.

  “It would do well to remind Samuel that he might be my maker, but I am also king. He answers to me and the council. Abigail is not Samuel’s blood, and she is not obligated to answer him as if he were her sire.” There was no tremor in his voice, no hint that he was angry or upset at the request.

  “Shame, she could learn so much studying under us. And he thought that might be your answer. He thought this offer was a more humane way of handling the situation than what he’s been trying in the past.”

  All he’d done in the past so far was play games. Of course, he had forced his power on me and tried to call me using it. I hadn’t mentioned the voice to Levi.

  “Samuel is not to touch Abigail in this territory. We had those negotiations already. He is to stay away from her or face the council.”

  Hannah nodded. “Oh, I know. I was there for those negotiations.”

  Funny, I wasn’t.

  Mario let out a pained noise as he leaned forward. His hand shot toward me, and I jumped back, my stool clattering to the floor.

  “Mario?” I asked.

  He didn’t respond, but lunged at me. I skidded to the side and threw a purple circle around him. “Using your fledgling against me?” I glanced at her. “That’s low.”

  “Abigail, run.” Levi’s voice was tense, and I turned to find him closer to me than I wanted.

  There was a look in his eyes that told me something was wrong, very wrong. He was suddenly in front of me, his hand around my throat. I saw Samuel appear behind him.

  Me against four vampires, two of which were being controlled. This wouldn’t end well.

  I used my magic to force Levi away from me and tossed a second circle around him. I looked up at Samuel and Hannah.