Haunted Moon (43 page)

Kaylin pulled a candy bar out of his pocket and pressed it into her hands. “What happened? Did you cut yourself? Lainule said there were vampires up here…” He glanced around. The guards had already spread out through the house, making sure the coast was clear.

“The vamps are gone, for now.” I let out a deep breath. “Geoffrey and Leo sent them. Luna…they…” My gaze went to the bandage on her neck.

Kaylin followed my look. “Those fuckers drank from her?”

His eyes grew dark. He was Chinese, and his long hair was pulled back in a ponytail. He looked our age—around his mid to late twenties—but in reality he was more than a hundred years old. With a night-veil demon wedded to his soul, Kaylin walked in shadows, in the dark.

“Yeah,” I said slowly, standing so I could stop him if he tried to follow them. His eyes flashed dangerously, lighting with a fire I had only seen once or twice. “She’ll be okay, Kaylin. They didn’t feed enough to endanger her life.”

I turned to Luna. “Can you tell us what happened?”

She shuddered. “I was on my way to the market—I wanted to make apple pie, but they don’t have everything I need at the Barrow. I told the guards I’d be fine. If anybody had to worry about going out alone during the day, I thought it would be you and Rhiannon. I argued with them until they let me go alone.”

“You left around four, right?”

“Yes. I wanted to stop in at the bookstore to see if a book I ordered last week had come in. It felt so good to walk down the sidewalk without being afraid that the Shadow Hunters would be hiding.” She grimaced and stretched her neck, wincing from the pain of the bite. Vampires could make you come by drinking from you, but the aftermath? Not so fun. Kaylin and I helped her sit down again.

“I guess you should have taken a guard with you.” I stopped, realizing I’d just spouted off advice Rhia and I had refused to take. With a sigh, I shrugged. “What happened next?”

“I stopped at a coffee shop after that, then the market. When I came out, it was just after sunset. I was waiting at a bus stop, to return here, when they came out of the alleyway. Before I knew what was happening, they grabbed me and we
were standing in the alley. My packages were on the ground, and they had me pressed up against the wall. One of them turned to look at me, and that’s when I realized they were vampires. I tried to look away but…”

Vampires could mesmerize with their gazes, and Luna, magical as she was, couldn’t possibly hope to stand up against them.

“They both fed on me.” Her voice was thick and she blushed. “I liked it. I hate saying that, but they made me like it. I feel…dirty. Used.”

“Yeah, they have a way of making you feel like that. You didn’t do anything wrong. This wasn’t your fault.” I flashed a look at Kaylin that said,
Don’t say a word
, and then knelt beside her. “Did they do anything…else to you?”

She shook her head. “They dragged me into a limo. And then…we were here. I thought they were going to kill me, but the one—the bigger one—just told me that I was lucky this time. Then he grinned and said that next time, he’d finish me off himself. He said my blood was sweet.” Another shudder, another look of horror. “That’s right when you came in.”

“Kaylin, take her back to the Barrows and make sure she’s okay.”

Kaylin said nothing, but wrapped his arms around her shoulders and, once again, helped her stand. It was obvious she was weak. Luna was short, plump, and pretty. The demon within Kaylin’s soul gave him extra strength and speed, though, and he picked her up as if she was light as a feather, and carried her out the door, calling to one of the guards to accompany them.

As they left, I turned to Grieve and Rhiannon. “Want to make a bet this has something to do with our meeting with Regina?”

“You need to take guards with you, since I am not invited.” Grieve glowered. He hated it when I went into Lannan’s territory without him, but there wasn’t much we could do about it. Having them in the same room together just wasn’t conducive to keeping the peace.

I bit my lip. “Twenty minutes ago, I would have said no.
Now? Not so much. We’ll take them, but they can’t ride in the car. The iron would hurt them.”

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Regina’s number.

Within seconds, the Emissary for the Crimson Court answered, her voice slick like honey and oil.

“Regina, Geoffrey and Leo just delivered a bloody message to us. I need to bring guards with us. You will allow them through the gate, tonight?”

Silence for a count of one…two…three. Then, she answered, in a voice that wavered only in the slightest. But that faint quiver told me there was cause for concern. “Of course. I’ll tell my guards to be ready for them. How many are you bringing?”

“Five should do it. And Regina, thank you.” Without waiting for an answer, I punched the End Call button. I knew Regina well enough to know that she wasn’t going to say anything more over the phone. I notified the guards of the sudden change in plans, and they took off, heading for Lannan and Regina’s mansion.

As Rhiannon and I prepared to leave, I held out my arms. Grieve, my Fae Prince, slid willingly into my embrace. “I wish you could go with me, but not a good idea.” Softly, I kissed his lips, and he growled a little, causing the wolf tattoo on my stomach to respond. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

“See that you are.” His dark eyes were as black as the vampires’, but their onyx core was filled with gleaming stars. Platinum hair cascaded down his shoulders, and he reached up, solemnly, to stroke my face, smelling of cinnamon and apples, bonfires and autumn leaves. “You are my everything. You are my queen. Do not let the darkness swallow you, my love.”

Nodding, I turned to Rhiannon, who followed me out the door. The guards were already off and running toward Regina and Lannan’s mansion. They would meet us there.

As we hurried to clamber into my Pontiac GTO, several armed guards waited beside it, making sure we were safely away. I turned the ignition, dreading what the rest of the night held. Because I knew in my heart the news was only going to get worse.

“They’re never going to give up until they get even, are they? Rhia leaned her head against the window, watching as the dusky evening slid by.

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. I wish I could say yes and mean it, but…Leo and Geoffrey…they’re dangerous. Not as dangerous as Myst, but we can’t underestimate them. Regina sounded…almost…afraid.”

Rhia jerked around. “Afraid?
Regina?
”

“Yeah, I know—an oxymoron. But she sounded…cautious.”

A brief flutter of fear raced through my stomach, knotting it, but I pushed it away, focusing on the icy street as I navigated through the silent neighborhoods. So many people had fled New Forest, and though some were coming back, the town seemed unnaturally quiet and subdued.

“We’ll know what she knows soon enough.” I turned onto the street that led toward Lannan’s mansion. The estate had belonged to Geoffrey until he’d defied the Crimson Court and been ousted from his position of regent. Now Lannan Altos, the golden boy of the vampire nation and my personal nemesis, had taken over the job.

The brilliant mansion lit up the night as we approached. Gleaming white with gold trim, the behemoth rose three stories high, with who knew how many stories below ground. Columns lined the wraparound porch, and urns sported rose bushes that nestled beneath the snow. The tableau suggested a Grecian temple more than a mansion belonging to New Forest.

The entire estate sprawled across two acres, fully gated and surrounded by snow-covered gardens and security guards in dark suits. Vampires they might be, but they also carried guns and stakes and whatever else they might need to defend against enemies.

As we pulled in, one of the guards hurried up to open my door. They knew my car by now and only gave us a cursory
pat-down. With their obsidian eyes cloaked behind dark glasses, and dressed in black suits, the vamps had an old-time gangster look going on. But there was no mistake—they were
vampires
, far deadlier than the yummanii mobsters.

Beside them stood our guards. I saluted them and they bowed, which felt weird as hell, but considering I was in line to become the Queen of Winter, and Rhiannon, the Queen of Summer, we’d have to get used to it.

I handed my keys to the valet. As we started up the steps, he carefully eased Favonis out of the way.

Rhia and I glanced at each other.

“I hate going in without backup,” she said.

“I know, but Regina will keep us safe. Even though she’s the Emissary to the Crimson Court, I trust her. She
has
to be diplomatic, and she knows that the Cambyra nation would come down on her head if either of us were hurt.”

As soon as I rang the bell, the door swung open. The maid who answered was a bloodwhore, but she was perfectly made up, with her hair in a chignon, and wearing a stiffly pressed uniform and heels. She had to belong to Regina’s stable.

“We’re here to see Regina.”

The woman curtsied, then led us through the spacious foyer, past the office that had once been Geoffrey’s. But we didn’t stop there. Instead, she led us to the next door down the hallway, where she tapped discreetly. After a moment, she opened the door, peeked inside, and whispered something. Then, standing back, she ushered us in.

As we entered the room, I was surprised to see that it was yet another office, but this was oh-so-official, with what I assumed was a print of the royal seal hanging over the cherrywood desk. The polished desk was a monster, filling a good one-third of the room. The top was clear except for an appointment book, a pen on a blotter, and a bronze statue that at first looked to be a woman kissing a man. As I drew closer, I saw that it was actually a vampire holding her victim.

Regina, behind the desk, stood as we entered.

She was blond like her brother; her hair was swept into an
intricate updo that must have taken an hour to fix. She wore a black linen pencil skirt that hugged her hips and a red corset, boosting her cleavage in an impressive display.

A large ruby teardrop flanked by two diamond baguettes hung around her neck from a gold chain. I knew they were ruby and diamond because Regina would never stoop to wearing costume jewelry. Matching earrings dangled from her ears, and her face was flawlessly made up.

Regina’s eyes glowed with the soft, unbroken obsidian of all true vampires. She wore a neutral eye shadow, with thin, precise liner and heavy mascara that glittered with gold flecks. Her lips were crimson, moist and alluring, and her alabaster skin was like fine porcelain. When she smiled, the tips of her fangs showing, and motioned for us to sit, I felt a brief rush of hunger.

“Cicely, Rhiannon…please make yourselves comfortable.” She waited until we were seated on the dusky mauve divan opposite her desk, then motioned for the maid to leave and close the door behind her. Sitting back, she studied us carefully, as if she were gauging what to say—or, perhaps,
how
to say it.

I leaned back against the velvet of the divan. I’d learned never to rush a vampire. The more you pushed, the more they pushed back. So we waited. Rhiannon nervously knotted her sweater sleeve in her hand, but after a moment, she let out a long breath and finally leaned back, waiting with me.

Regina stepped from behind her desk, crossing to the front, where she leaned her butt against the edge, her long legs stretched out in front, ending in five-inch stilettos. She glanced at the door.

“Lannan will be joining us shortly.” She held up her hand as I shifted uncomfortably. “I know you’d prefer to deal with just me, but the fact is that he must hear what I have to say. Trust me, the news won’t be pleasant for either of you.”

“I have the feeling it will be just about as cheery as what we have to tell you.”

On that happy note, we went back to staring at each other. Even though she didn’t try to pull glamour on me, her gaze
unnerved me. I licked my lips and yawned, quickly trying to cover my mouth. Were queens even supposed to yawn in public? Flustered, I glanced up at the gorgeous vampire, and to my surprise, Regina flashed me a little smile—probably as genuine as she could manage.

“There are so many things changing. The old ways no longer serve your people, nor mine. We must learn to adapt. I think that our two nations have much to explore over the coming decades, don’t you think?”

Before I could answer, she straightened up. “But I’m being remiss in my duties as hostess. Would you care for something to drink? Some wine, or sparkling water, or a café au lait?”

I was about to say no, when Rhiannon surprised me by speaking up.

“Some sparkling water would be nice, with ice if you have it.” She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders.

“And she can actually speak.” Regina’s laugh was throaty and rich. I could never tell if she was making fun of us or truly found us amusing. Either way, she rang a small bell and a different maid immediately entered the room.

“Sparkling water for the Queen of Summer. Cicely—what will you have?” Regina expected an answer, and so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Mocha, please, with extra chocolate.” A jolt of caffeine would do me some good.