Silenced (4 page)

Lukas took that from him.

He stared at the vial of white liquid, conflicted about its power and what it could do to everything he’d known for the past century. Before he had been turned into a vampire, he’d taken the sun for granted. Now, he could leave the shadows and bask in its holy glow once again.

Such power was a game changer. In the wrong hands, it could destroy world order.

Now, it was in the hands of any wealthy vampire.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?” The attendant kept her eyes low as she took Kristoff’s empty glass of blood away from his table.

“Another glass,” he said with a friendly smile that disarmed her.

He wondered why the Warrick sisters had such timid humans working for them. They reeked of fear.

Glancing at the two tall women who stood at the back of the room in their matching black and white dresses, Kristoff hid his dread for having been summoned for another public appearance this week. It was his job to represent the entire Vampire Nation’s southern district. Still, it was a daunting task always to be on. Not even the king of the west coast was seen as much as Kristoff.

King Lukas was rarely seen at all. Perhaps it was for the best. One look at the evil that ruled the west side of the world and the humans would never trust the vampires again. And to think, Lukas had once been Kristoff’s best friend.

He frowned at the dark memories when someone called him, breaking him from his thoughts.

“Kristoff,” Kira Warrick called when their eyes met.

A big smile came to her painted red lips as he strode over to the small group. Today she had her hair colored green. It was always a new experiment with her. Kristoff supposed he understood her quest for originality. She would always look the same. Never age. Never die.

“The mayor claims you beat him at chess last fall,” Kira said.

Kristoff rubbed his chin, a charming smile forming for his audience. He knew how to captivate the masses. “Everyone knows Mayor Wood is a dirty liar,” Kristoff said with a chuckle.

He stood in the half-circle formed by Kira Warrick, Eloise Warrick, and Mayor Wood as they held their champagne glasses.

Only the Mayor had actual champagne while the vampires in attendance drank the finest Charleston blood to
be farmed
.

Mayor Wilson Wood, a tanned man in his early sixties with gray hair and narrow blue eyes gave Kristoff a pat on the back. He was a real southern gentleman, serious about his golf, barbecue, and football.

“When it’s my word against this
pretty
boy’s, no one will take my side,” Mayor Wood said, a genuine grin on his face.

Kristoff nodded. “This is true.”

“Cheers,” Eloise said, lifting her glass. “To the vampire and human alliance.”

What
a stupid
toast
, Kristoff thought, his smile never faltering.

They clinked their glasses together.

Kristoff drank his down, noting how
delicate
that alliance was. It could
be destroyed
at any time. All it would take was a highly publicized killing of a human by one of his brethren.

A server came by and offered them all chocolate dipped strawberries. Kristoff took two, handing his empty glass to the server. Chocolate was still one of his favorite delicacies.

“So,” Kira said, her brown eyes fixed on Kristoff’s mouth as he licked his lips of the rich milk chocolate. She swallowed.

Kristoff could only imagine what went through her mind, but read the apparent desire in her lustful eyes.

He raised a brow, feigning that he didn’t notice how she stared at his lips. “Yes?”

She cleared her throat. “When are you going to finally take a bride?”

Kristoff scoffed. “
Finally?
Who is keeping track? Who says that I
need
to?”

“Well said,” Wilson chimed in. He gave Kristoff another pat on the back.

Humans and their need to touch each other all of the time.

Wilson opened his arms. “Why settle when you have dozens of beautiful women at your beck and call?”

“Why indeed,” Mrs. Wood said as she approached them. She folded her arms across her gray dress suit and gave Kristoff a wink.

For a human, he liked Mrs. Wood. Even though she was technically younger than him, she reminded Kristoff of his mother. Kristoff had become good friends with the Wood family. They worked closely to improve vampire and human relations in Charleston.

Wilson chuckled. “I was just about to tell Kristoff how much better life was with the right woman.”

“I’m sure you were,” she said, making the Warrick sisters hold in their laughter.

They didn’t know Paula Wood like Kristoff. The sweet older woman was joking. She and her husband seemed to have the perfect marriage, one that Kristoff envied. He’d proposed before, with all of the visions of a happily ever after with the woman he loved. Lukas stole that from him when he took away his humanity and turned him into a vampire.

“You don’t believe me? Kristoff and I just had a conversation about this the other day,” Wilson said. “Apparently he’s already met the perfect women, and lost her.”

Kristoff didn’t flinch, but he wanted to pick Wilson Wood up by his neck and toss him out the window.

Bloody Americans can’t keep their mouths shut.

Kristoff couldn’t be too upset. What Wilson said was true.

A small smile came to his face. She would arrive shortly. Maybe he would have another chance.

That’s all he wanted.

“D
ON’T SAY ANOTHER word, Willa,” Lukas said, his grip tight on Willa’s wrist as they stood in the hallway of the lab.

The group of scientists turned the other way when they heard his tone, and Willa cursed them for not having the courage to stand up for her. No matter what Lukas did to her, no one ever said a thing.

Not since Kristoff.

Fear flashed in her eyes as she nodded, too afraid to speak or take her hand back. The burn of his fingers digging into her flesh made her bite her lip in pain.

Willa had to obey. Silence had become her greatest ally since Lukas kidnapped her so long ago.

Willa was a witch of the highest class, and yet Lukas’ power over her was stronger than her form of magic.

Lukas stood tall, with a firm athletic body under his expensive black suit. His blond hair brushed his shoulders, and he smoothed it back. He had to compose himself before leaving the underground lab. The world couldn’t see their vampire king without his perfect, charming smile.

Willa wished she could convince him to let her go. The only way she would ever be free was to shut her mouth and follow his commands. She had to stay alive long enough to escape.

“Stop standing there looking at me like a lost puppy,” he said with an amused look on his face. “Go back to the lab and test the serum on the test subjects.”

Despite her overwhelming fear of the vampire before her, Willa had to speak up.

“I’m not a murderer, Lukas. And if I test more subjects they will die,” she said, her voice trembling.

She didn’t want to kill another vampire. Not after ninety-eight tries.

Those were ninety-eight lost souls Willa was responsible for.

Green eyes filled with fury, glared at her. She began to shake before he even lifted a finger. A firm smack on her left cheek made her head snap with such force she was afraid that her jaw was broken.

Unlike a vampire, she didn’t regenerate as quickly.

She bit back tears. If one slipped from her eyes, his wrath would intensify.

Willa nodded, the tears burning her eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest as she willed them to stay put until she was out of Lukas’ sight.

When she turned to leave, he yanked her back by her wrist, slamming her into his hard chest. She held her breath as his white fingers dug into her cheeks. Holding her steady, he kissed her.

The kiss sickened her, and when he pulled back, he could see the disgust in her eyes.

The beating that followed had nearly claimed her life.

And it took a lot to kill a Grand Elite Caster, the only immortal witches to walk the earth.

***

S
parks flew when Willa opened her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hands as the bright popping lights fizzled in the pitch black of her bedroom.

She squeezed her eyes closed and tried to forget the screams that lingered. Her screams.

“Calm down, Willa,” she told herself as tears streamed down her cold cheeks. “It was just a dream.”

When she opened her eyes, her body absorbed the light, sucking it into her skin, warming her to the point that she ripped off her panties and bra. Silence filled her ears as she focused on controlling her breathing and her power.

A witch such as Willa, couldn’t afford to let her magic get out of control.

She stood from her bed and ran to her bathroom. She turned on her shower and stepped inside, letting the cold water cool her.

Pressing her hands against the wall, she let the water fall at full blast.

Did he know what she was planning? Was that nightmare a warning of more pain and humiliation to come?

Lukas still haunted her, despite being free from him for nearly two years.

She shook at the idea that he had found her. Holding her arms close, she slid to the floor of the bathtub.

Tomorrow, she would be safe again. All she had to do was make it to Kristoff before Lukas found her.

Please, please, please. Don’t let him find me.

Something told her that prayers would not save her. They never had before.

Why should they start now?

T
HE FLIGHT TO Charleston went smoother than Willa expected. Somehow, both her seat and Zoe’s in coach were upgraded to first.

As they walked out of the airport, Stephanie, and the girls waited for them outside. A beaming smile took over Willa’s face as she quickened her step to hug them.

“Kate! Chloe! You two look like little supermodels,” she said as she pulled them into her embrace.

Kate grinned. “Except we are aren’t so little anymore, Willa. I’m almost as tall as you.”

Willa nodded, looking over the twins. Their chestnut brown hair was cut the same, brushing their shoulders. Their eyes were a soft hazel, like their mother.

“Willa, I am so glad that you made it,” Stephanie said. “And Zoe, how nice it is to see you.”

Zoe hugged her back. “Likewise, Steph. Nice to see your little ones are growing up to be such lovely little ladies.”

Kate and Chloe grinned.

Stephanie took Willa and Zoe’s suitcase and put them in the back of the black SUV. “Hop in. How was the flight?”

Willa sat in the passenger’s seat and closed her door. Already she felt better. The Charleston weather was loads better than England’s. She took off her cardigan, letting her spaghetti strapped dress show.

Zoe sat in the back with the twins. She fastened her seatbelt. “It was surprisingly good. The airline upgraded us to first class.”

“Wow. Lucky you. That would never happen to me.”

Willa looked out the window. The sun warmed her face, and she closed her eyes.

Coming to Charleston was a good idea.

The envelope on her pillow came to mind. She took it out of her bag.

“What are you doing tonight?”

Lifting an eyebrow, Stephanie glanced at the letter. “What’s that?”

“An invitation to Lord Dargaard’s Summer Solstice Ball.”

Stephanie pushed the breaks, sending them all forward as she stopped at a red light. Her eyes widened. “You’re not thinking of going? Are you? Not after what happened to you?”

“That’s the vampire that’s always on TV, Mommy,” Chloe said. “Right?”

Stephanie nodded, her lips pursed as she stared at Willa with scrutiny. “Yes, Chloe. It is. And what do we think of vampires?”

“They are bad,” Chloe said.

“No, they aren’t,” Kate said, sitting up in her seat so that she leaned over the center console to look at Willa. “Take me with you. Please!”

Stephanie shot Kate a glare that made the girl’s eager smile fade. “Sit back, Kate!”

“Sorry,” Kate grumbled, looking out the window. “I don’t think they are so bad.”

Willa handed Stephanie the invitation. “Zoe and I are going. I can bring another guest.”

“Put that away,” Stephanie said, waving the invitation away as she pulled away from the red light. “I don’t know what you are thinking, Willa. But this is
not
a good idea. He will find you if you go to that party. Do you know who will be there? The most elite vampires and humans in the south. There’s no way you’ll stay out of the media if you go.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Willa murmured.

“Don’t worry about her, Steph,” Zoe said. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her, and if she had told me what was going on two years ago, I would have protected her then as well.”

Kate lifted her brows in curiosity. “What happened?”

“None of your concern,” Stephanie said. “How did you get the invitation? You’re supposed to be in hiding.”

“Just yesterday, outside the tube, a man picked up my scarf and handed it to me.” Her eyes narrowed at the memory. “He was a vampire. I think he might have used some form of glamor on me.”

Stephanie shook her head, sucking her teeth. “What am I going to do with you?”

“You’ll come with us,” Zoe said.

Willa nodded. “I think he might have been the one to put the invitation on my pillow. He must work for Kristoff.”

“What the hell? He was in your house?”

Willa shrugged. “He didn’t mean me any harm.”

“There is no way I’m letting you go to that ball with a freaking vampire stalking you. It could be a trap.”

“It’s illegal for a vampire to feed on a human without their consent,” Kate said.

“Shut your mouth, Kate. What have you been reading?”

Kate frowned. “Which one is it? Shut my mouth, or answer your silly question? It was on the news,
Stephanie
.”

Stephanie gave Willa a look. “See what I mean? Twelve going on twenty-two. Smart ass.”

Was Stephanie right? Was Willa being led into a trap?