Haunted Moon (44 page)

“Mocha, for the Queen of Winter. Extra chocolate and—I think—an extra shot of espresso.” Regina dismissed her with the flick of a finger, and the woman scurried out of the room.

It was still hard for me, watching the vampires treat their servants like chattel, but even more disturbing, I realized I was growing used to it.

After another awkward silence, the woman returned with our drinks. Directly on her heels was Lannan Altos, who swept over to Regina and kissed her hand and then her lips, his tongue playing over them. After the maid had given us our drinks, Lannan turned to face us.

Lannan Altos, Regina’s brother and her lover. Originally from Sumer, they were two of the older vampires around. And Lannan Altos was my bane.

Lannan of the golden hair that flowed down his back, and the sleek, tight build. Lannan, the hedonist, whose obsession for me had become a dangerous game. Lannan, who longed to take me down and make me grovel willingly at his feet. Lannan, who enjoyed games of humiliation, at others’ expense.

But Lannan—pervert though he was—had helped us when we needed it, though whether it was due to his own twisted agenda or not, I wasn’t sure. And that meant I had to walk softly and try to keep out of his clutches and stay on his good side. He could do far more damage to me and our cause against Myst than I could do against him.
Yet.

Rhiannon and I stood, giving him a cursory bow. As Regent, his position almost demanded it.

He moved in close, looming over me, and I was keenly aware of his presence. My body responded to him. It remembered him in a way I didn’t want it to.

“A matter was brought to our attention just this evening, so I apologize for my tardiness. You will forgive me, won’t you? Cicely?” And he fastened his gaze on me, holding me entranced with those eternally black orbs he called eyes.

I cleared my throat, mulling over the best response. After our last interaction—the day I’d left the mansion—I wanted nothing more than to kick him in the balls, but diplomacy won out for once.

“Of course.” I turned to Regina. “But first, let me tell you what happened tonight.” I told them about Luna and the vamps, and the message from Geoffrey and Leo. “We have to find them. We
have
to stop them.”

Regina pressed her lips together before answering. Her voice was tight and brusque. “I have been in communication with the Crimson Queen. The situation is far more dire than you think.”

Uh-oh. That couldn’t be good. I glanced at Rhia and we waited for Regina to continue.

“When one of our esteemed Vein Lords went to visit the
Oracle yesterday, he discovered that…well…Crawl has gone missing.”

“Missing?” At first I thought I’d heard her wrong, but one look at her face and I knew she was telling us the truth. Four little words. Enough to crumble the world.

Lannan stared at me, unblinking. “Yes, Crawl is missing and no one knows how he escaped from his prison.” His voice echoed through the room, no longer smooth and elegant, but instead harsh and throaty. He was on his feet the next moment, pacing back and forth.

“Prison? Crawl’s chamber is a
prison
?” That was the first I’d heard to that effect.

The Blood Oracle was esteemed, a seer among his people, revered as almost a god. I had no idea he was a prisoner, though it made sense. I knew they’d kept him tucked away between the worlds with good reason. The freak show was deadly, with no conscience whatsoever.

Lannan glanced at me. “Crawl was imprisoned by the Crimson Queen eons ago, when she first anointed him as the Blood Oracle. He’s far too powerful and dangerous to be allowed among the populace, especially around breathers.”

He paused by me, lifting my chin to stare into my face with those gleaming black eyes of his. “You, of all people, should know what he can be like, my sweet Cicely.” And the Golden Boy was back.

Shivering—from both his touch and the memory of Crawl tearing into my neck with wanton thirst—I swallowed the lump rising in my throat and forced myself to remain steady.

Rhiannon looked ready to faint. “How did he get loose?”

Regina grimaced. “Not without help, I can tell you that.”

The idea of someone helping Crawl escape was ludicrous.

“Who the fuck would want to help him get free?”

She gave me a long look. “Think, Cicely. Who has everything to gain by causing mayhem?”

And then I knew. “Geoffrey…”

“Yes, Geoffrey and Leo found a way to set him free. Word on the street is that Geoffrey is planning a major coup
against Lannan and me, while Leo’s out for revenge against Cicely, and we also believe he means to kidnap Rhiannon.”

“But why
Crawl
?” Rhia was so pale, she looked as bloodless as the vamps.

Lannan answered. “Crawl can wield dark magic. Ever since he tasted Cicely’s blood, he’s been talking about how sweet and rich and tender she was. The Oracle does not forget lightly.”

“Leo means to turn me into a vampire,” Rhia said.

Lannan nodded. “No doubt. And to exact his revenge on Cicely…”

Regina regarded him somberly. “To exact his revenge on the new Queen of Winter, he means to turn Cicely over to Crawl…” She paused, shuddering. “I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to be at the mercy of the Blood Oracle.”

The room fell silent. I could barely think, let alone speak.

Lannan cleared his throat after a moment. “What are the Crimson Queen’s orders?”

Regina held up what looked like an official decree. “Direct from the Queen: Our first order is to secure the safety of the newly arisen Fae Queens and New Forest. If Crawl is set free among the townspeople, the Vampire Nation will suffer irreversible damage to our reputation.
Then—second—
we find Crawl and return him to his prison. And third: We’ve been ordered to terminate Geoffrey and Leo.”

“Do you know where they are?” I asked.

She let out a soft whisper. “No. We have no idea. I sent in guards to raid their last known hideaway earlier this evening. There was no trace of them or where they went. The owner of the club died under torture without revealing their whereabouts.”

I crossed to the big bay windows. Every morning, they were covered with steel shutters. Now I stared outside, into the dim night.

The snow was piling up again. Myst was still out there, gunning for us. And now Leo and Geoffrey had freed a monster from his dark and fiery hell to claim the streets of the town for his own.

Myst was a holy terror, but she was somewhat predictable. Whereas Crawl…Crawl was beyond comprehension. He was as alien as an insect, and as dangerous as any predator who ruled the top of the food chain. Crawl wanted my blood, and Leo and Geoffrey were only too happy to serve me up on a platter.

Lannan was suddenly behind me, making no noise with his approach. He placed his hands on my shoulders and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Are you afraid, Cicely?”

I turned to stare at him over my shoulder. He wasn’t being sarcastic this time. His question seemed oddly genuine.

“Yes, I’m afraid.”

“My offer stands, you know. Let me turn you. Renounce the Fae world and join me. It would be easy for you to fight back then. With your powers, combined with me as your sire, you could defeat Leo and Geoffrey.”

His words entwined around me, and the wolf tattoo on my stomach growled a low warning note. Grieve could tell I was near to his rival.

I shook my head. “No. But, thank you. I think you really mean it—you really want to help.”

“Don’t be so quick to know what I want, girl.” Lannan let out a low laugh. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

But the look on his face told me that Rhiannon and I weren’t the only ones who were afraid. I turned to look at Regina. She, too, wore a look of concern on her face.

As I stared back into the night, too aware of Lannan’s hands still on my shoulders, I thought I saw something dart past the window. As I wiped my eyes, whatever it was seemed to disappear.

Too much—there were too many enemies. Too much stress. I just wanted to go home and crawl under the covers, but even
home
now had a new meaning. Rhiannon joined me at the window, and I took her hand in mine. We stood there, linked, twin-cousins, fire and ice against the shadows outside, as they grew dark and long, and looming.