Reluctant Storm (19 page)

Everything pulls at me to follow her as she walks out of the room, defeated. It pulls at every layer of emotion that I have and didn’t know I was capable of. “Look, Augustine, I’ve done everything you asked me too, but I did take out Jason and Anya, and I have no regrets. They were in the way and caused Claire a lot of pain. I don’t know how many people I’ve double crossed for Claire, but the list is long. She needs to know that her grandmother loves her and is doing this for her; right now she is probably in that room wondering what the hell is going on. Imagine being in her or my shoes for two seconds, Augustine.” I angrily look around the room that has been the center of so much conflict.

“You of all people know how much of my life has been spent protecting Claire and watching over her,” I say to her. “I love her with everything that I am, and you haven’t allowed me to tell her, or to show myself to her up until now?” I raise my hands up in an air quote, “’You’ll scare her away’. I can respectfully say that when you put a spell on her and a guy to create a fake bond is the topping on the cake. My telling her would have been nothing compared to what you did. I’m not even sure how exactly you managed to do it.” Pacing the floor, I turn the dining room table upside down, not caring as everything spills to the floor.

“How is that fair to her? How is any of this fair? I had to watch her with Riley and watch them think they were in love with each other, and it tore my heart out a little at a time. What have I ever done to you that would provoke you to do something like this? I’ve been loyal to you, and I put my life on hold to protect Claire, and this is how I’m repaid?”

She meanders through the house, disregarding my anger and ranting, by periodically rubbing something, checking for dust, and by the expression on her face I know she wants to leave. This is just the way she is. She disregards people’s emotions. Walking over to Riley, she motions to the guards and they pick him up as she says a few words over him, and with the flick of her wrist, Riley takes in a deep breath, opening his eyes and looking around in fear. I stare at her, unsure of what I’ve just seen. Last time I checked Augustine couldn’t do these spells. Shaking my head, I watch as Riley takes another deep breath.

“What happened? Who are you?” He looks bewildered around the room before landing on Augustine’s face.

“What am I doing here?” he yells at us.

I walk over to him, holding my hand up, mentally calming him so that I can talk to him. “What is the last thing you remember?”

He stares at me blankly before answering, “I was setting up to torture a new girl my dad just brought in and had just killed a girl in front of her. I remember putting blood on the new girl’s lips, and then I kissed her.” Rubbing his forehead in concentration, he adds, “After I kissed her, I had to own the girl, make her mine, and then it all went black. Where did the girl go? What happened to my prisoner?”

This is worse than I thought. Augustine’s going to need to compel him or something and do it quickly because if Claire walks out to see a Riley alive and well, who knows what’s going to happen. This might be the thing that could put her over the edge. I don’t want to see what happens if she were to go over the edge with her powers.

Running my hands over my eyes and still kneeling in front of him, my stomach churns with the knowledge of how this might destroy Claire, with her remembering everything.

“You need to compel Riley and get him out of here before Claire sees him. She can’t know that he’s alive and that he knows nothing of them being together. After that, you need to sit down and tell her the truth. For once and for all, tell her the damn truth.”

“How dare you talk to me that
way!” Augustine blustered out.

Turning to look toward the hall, I close my eyes and whisper, “You’re lucky that I’m talking to you at all after this mess you created. For Claire’s sake I’m going to use a spell on her since compulsion won’t work to erase her memories of Riley, for her own good. She’s stronger than anyone I know, including me, but I won’t sit around and have something emotionally break her.”

Augustine looks down at me and smiles. “You truly love her. I will do this, because you have earned it.” She bends down calmly, getting eye level with Riley, and whispers a few things to him and then to the guards. They roughly pick him up under his arms, forcing him to leave the house. I know they are taking him to the car and will probably drop him in a field somewhere and let him make his way to wherever he goes alone.

“I will do the spell myself,” she states, looking down at me. “You need to remember who I am, young man. I saw you in diapers, and just because you think you’re all high and mighty, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to do magic.” She then goes to her purse and takes out two small purple candles and lights them, fanning the smoke around as she does so.

Oh gosh not the candles
, I think. The last time she used candles let’s just say it didn’t turn out well and ended up lighting a room of the castle on fire. She shoos me away and starts a phrase in Hungarian, saying it several times, and then the candles blow out on their own, relighting. Once she’s done, she grabs my hand and makes a slice in it and forcing my hand over the candle where she uses the blood to put the candles out.

“There. We are done. She will have no memory of Riley; it should be as though neither remember anything.”

Crossing my arms, nodding, I watch her pick up the items and put them back in her purse, as if this was an everyday occurrence for her.

“You both need to know the truth once and for all.” She shrewdly looks me in the eye.

“I already know the truth.” I glare over at her, my eye twitching.

“And what truth is that?” Claire asks, walking back into the room, causing me to swallow my sarcastic retort quickly.

“That you and Mikail are bond mates. Bond mates as true as you two don’t come around often, and you two are going to rule the vampire kingdom together, it’s prophesied in the Maji. With your combined powers, you will defeat the infected vampires.”

I can see that her words have left Claire stunned and speechless as she lifts her hand to her mouth and stands there blinking at the two of us.

“I’m sorry, did you say infected vampires?” she asks wide-eyed.

I raise my eyebrows, and look over at Augustine.

“You may have defeated Griffin, but from what I’ve found out in the past few days, he’s had his hands in quite a few things. The main one is a virus that’s injected into healthy vampires, or newly turned vampires, and turns them into mindless killing machines,” Augustine says calmly, as if we were discussing the weather.

“So what will you have us do?” I ask her, exasperated as I walk over to a stunned Claire and pull her tiny hand into mine.

“Simple, you get the virus from the laboratory in his home,” she says before she gracefully turns around and walks out the door. It’s silent in the house, as her entourage leaves with her, smirking at us as we continue to stare at the door, stunned.

“You know what this means, right, Mikail?” Claire says softly, looking up at me.

“No, what?” I ask her wryly.

“Early morning training sessions,” she says, looking at me with a ghost of a smile. “It’s time to teach me everything you know. We apparently have a prophecy to fulfill.”

I look down at her, my grin widening. “Let’s do this.”

Griffin: Vampire, Western Clan Leader.

Antony: Vampire, Elected King of Vampires.

Jason: Vampire, Griffin's outcast son.

Claire: Half Human/ Half Vampire - Antony’s Daughter

Mikail: Vampire Witch, Assassin.

Riley: Griffin’s son, Western Clan’s Head Torturer.

Anya- Claire’s Half-sister, Antony’s Daughter.

Augustine, T
he Queen: Vampire Witch, Claire’s Grandmother.

Awakened Prophecy

If you would have told me that my life would change drastically a few months ago, I would have thought you were lying. My life has done a complete 360. I’m now living in a huge house rather than a dorm room. I couldn’t go back to college, because explaining a dead roommate isn’t something I plan on doing. I’m still adjusting to being a vampire witch set to rule the vampire kingdom with Mikail. My days are filled with learning how to be a vampire, and my nights, well, my nights are spent with Mikail. My soul yearns for him, calls for him.

I had no idea that other forces were at play, trying to destroy us. That Riley wanted revenge for a job he didn’t complete. He wants The Magi, the Vampire Spell book. He said he’s going to find me and make me suffer for getting away. For every day he doesn’t find me, he is releasing newly infected vampires into the world. Those vampires have one mission, and one mission only, to kill. The prophecy says that two will save the vampire race. Our mission is to find the virus and make it out alive.

This has always been my favorite part of writing, and the hardest. There are so many people that have helped me. First of all I would like to thank my family for putting up with me while I wrote Reluctant Storm. My inane muttering and random thoughts that may have confused you, I’m sorry.

Renee Ericson, you have literally been there for me since my first book. You have lent me your ear and have never made me feel bad for asking stupid questions. Your advice is amazing and patience is admirable. You were one of the first few people to read Reluctant Storm. You helped me and gave me such valuable advice. You are an amazing person and author. I am so grateful to call you a friend. You are also the awesome cover artist for Reluctant Storm. When you first sent it to me I was in love and I still am. Oh and thank you for helping me weed through images for it.

Deanna Kinney, I’m not even sure where I should begin. You started off as a beta reader and well became my editor. I don’t think I will ever be able to thank you enough for taking the time to help me. You have done something for me that not many would do. The amount of time you have put into editing this book and helping me is very much appreciated. I wish I could express how thankful I am for you.

Brea Essex, thank you so much for taking the time to proofread Reluctant Storm. I cannot thank you enough for the help you have given me. You are an amazing person and writer. I wish you nothing but the best of luck in all future endeavors.

Cassie Cook, Thank you so much for formatting yet another book of mine and thank you for being you! You are a great friend and I am so happy to call you a friend.

Amy Conley, you are my tester. You are my wonderful go to person. You were literally the first person to read Reluctant Storm in all its messy glory, for that I apologize. However without your help I wouldn’t have had the confidence to get this book prettied up. Thank you so much for taking the chance on me and for continually helping me and being my very first reader. You are amazing!

Justine Gauckler and Shelly Wygant, thank you so much for taking the time to beta read, your support has been amazing. Shelly you have literally become my cheerleader, thank you so much for your faith in my books. Thank you to everyone that has helped get Reluctant Storm ready. Finally, thank you to everyone that has taken a chance on Reluctant Storm. You are the reason I write. I think you all are amazing. Special shout out to those serving in the military. Much love and squirrel hugs!

P.A. Warren currently lives in North Carolina. Reading is one of her favorite hobbies. She has been enamored by books for as long as she can remember. It has been a lifelong dream of hers to write, so when she was finally able sit down and put words to paper she was thrilled, and has been writing non-stop since. Her current published works include Life After and Reluctant Storm. She has a love of Squirrels and has a slight obsession over Sons of Anarchy and Once Upon a Time. When she isn’t writing you can find her obsessing over her favorite characters or spending time with her family.

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