The Vampire Gift 2: Kingdom of Ash (27 page)

Morgan looks at me. “You see? It’s quite clear what needs to be done.”

The blood drains from my face. “What does that mean? ‘Leeches?’”

“It’s simple,” Mother says. “Much as we drink the blood of humans, there are beings who feed on a witch’s magic. Eleira will be bound until one such is found. Then, she will be given a choice. Give up her magical abilities forever, or…” Mother’s eyes shine, “…die.”

ELEIRA

The silver surrounding me makes every breath I take a misery. The foul energy from the accursed metal pounds into me from all sides. It not only disorients me, but it makes me feel vulnerable, weak, sickly, confused…

I remember little of the aftermath of my training with the Queen. All I know is she thought the tornado was my fault— and that the horrid creature attempting to crawl through the floor was my doing.

The door to the cell rattles. I look up. A muffled curse comes from the outside.

My heart leaps in my chest. I recognize that voice.

“Raul?” I say, standing up—

Instantly I wish I hadn’t. A savage bout of vertigo takes me, induced by the silver. I sit back down, hard, and
oomph
.

A moment later the view latch comes open. I see Raul’s beautiful green eyes shine through.

“Eleira?” he calls. “Eleira, are you in there?”

Morgan cast a spell that deflects the light in this room. For anybody looking in, I’m invisible.

But that doesn’t mean I cannot use my voice.

“Yes!” I say. I yearn to run to him, to press against the door and feel his presence on the other side… but I cannot.

This spot in the center of the room is the only place I can stay in without suffering crippling nausea.

“Where? Dammit, why can’t I see you?”

“Your mother cast a spell,” I say. “It bends the light.”

He curses again. “I’ll get you out of there, Eleira. I promise. I
won’t
have you ripped away from me again.”

That’s such a sweet sentiment… but I’ve been through enough at the hands of these vampires to know it’s misplaced.

“I don’t know if you can help me.” Melancholy fills my words.

“
Don’t
say that!” Raul shouts. “Eleira—don’t. Don’t give up!”

I blink through eyes that are suddenly moist. How many times must I be made prisoner? How many times must I find myself in a position of utter helplessness—even if I seemingly did not do anything wrong?

I wipe at the tears angrily. “I’m not giving up,” I say. “I’m just realistic. What can you do? What can anyone do, when the Queen holds all the power?”

“I
will
get you out,” Raul promises. “I hold it on my own life, on Phillip’s, on anybody’s who’s ever been important to me. I swear it. I’ll find a way.”

A noise sounds from beyond him. “Someone’s here,” he says. “I’ll be back when I can.”

And, without waiting for a goodbye, he slides the little panel shut. I’m left all alone in the room of icy silver once more.

PHILLIP

I stand next to my brother, half a step behind the Queen, as a marching procession of Wyvern Coven vampires flows down the main pathway of The Haven.

They are a raggedly bunch—without order, without discipline. Their adopted coven name is a mockery of the great creature a wyvern represents.

They march in a straight enough line, but so many of them look bedraggled, weak, and perhaps even… frightened?

And why not? There isn’t a single one amongst them who matches us in power. These are the castaways, the unwanted, the ones who’d been kicked out of their original homes and banded together to as nomads.

They are the gypsy wanderers of our time. And for some inane reason, Mother decided to open the doors of The Haven to them.

I look behind me. All the vampires of our coven are here. The humans have been ushered back underground. They’ll remain there until the newcomers can familiarize themselves with the rules governing The Haven.

There is undisguised hostility on the faces of all of The Haven’s vampires. From those of the Royal Court, to those of the regular rabble—none are pleased that the Queen opened up our home to them.

Especially after sealing the wards and locking us in for weeks.

The front of the line stops before the Queen. It takes a few moments for the disorganized vampires in the back to come to a standstill.

“They are intimidated,” Raul whispers to me. “They don’t know if this is a trap or not.”

“I agree. They’ve come out of desperation.”

I look at the guards Smithson posted in the trees. All have their shining armor for display. It’s an ostentatious display of wealth compared to the primitive clothing of the Wyvern guards.

“They brought coffins.” Somebody sneers from behind me. “How quaint.”

I go on my toes and realize he’s right. At the very back of the line are row upon row of coffins, being carried by hand.

“They must not know we’re graced by eternal night,” the speaker’s companion says.

“How many do you think there are?” I ask Raul. “Two, three-hundred?”

“More,” he answers. “Easily enough to match us. Where is Mother planning on housing them?”

“I doubt they’ll be particular. Coming into The Haven should be enough of an honor for this bunch.”

“It would be an honor for any vampire who know of us,” Raul grunts. “Too bad this is who we’re stuck with.”

“Welcome!” Morgan steps forward and greets the three leaders of the delegation. “We are so grateful that you took us up on our offer of sanctuary. My Captain Commander has told me much about you in anticipation of your arrival. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

A grizzled vampire with a long, disarrayed beard steps out of the trio and extends his arm. “The pleasure of meeting the mighty Queen of The Haven is all mine,” he says. “I am Collin. My two companions are Mark and Nestar.”

Mark and Nestar give their greetings.

“At first, we were not sure what to expect,” Collin admits. “But when Captain Commander Smithson assured us of your intentions… well, we could hardly refuse joining the most feared coven in existence.”

“He’s lying,” I say. “Look at the way his eyes are shifting. He’s nervous. Something is wrong.”

“He speaks like a snake,” Raul agrees. He turns his head slightly to me. “Is April safe?”

“I snuck her out of the group of humans as they were led underground. She’s locked in my rooms.”

“Good,” Raul says. “Because I have a feeling that if something goes wrong, the humans will be the first to—”

A sudden gut-wrenching shriek comes from deep in the woods. My head spins toward it. It rings out for only a second before being cut off.

Collin, Mark, and the rest of the new vampires instantly turn in its direction. Mother steps smoothly in front of them to block their view.

“A misbehaving human,” she explains. “Nothing to concern yourselves with.” She looks at Smithson. “Have one of your guards check it out.”

“That didn’t sound like a human scream,” I whisper to Raul.

He nods in thought.

Before Smithson can pick someone to investigate, Raul steps forward. “I’ll go,” he volunteers.

A look of angry surprise flashes across Mother’s face. It’s quickly replaced by a fake smile. “My eldest son, ever the protector of The Haven,” she says to the newcomers.

“I’ll join him,” I say.

This time there’s no denying the look of displeasure that crosses the Queen’s face. “My
second
son,” she says curtly. “Forgive them, they have no tact for politics.”

“We are not here to interfere,” Collin says. “Let them do as they wish. This welcome is more than enough.”

Mother shoots me a scathing look, but then nods. “Very well.”

In a second Raul and I take off into the trees.

We run in the direction the scream came from.

There, we stumble upon a ghastly sight.

Patricia is bound to the trunk of a tree. Her clothes are in tatters. There is blood on the front of her shirt, pooling from a horrendous gash in her neck.

Her head hangs limp, and her eyes are open… but unseeing.

She’s dead.

“No!” I gasp. “No, it can’t be!”

Raul approaches the area carefully.

“She was left here as bait,” he says. “But the trap was set improperly.”

He picks up a rock, takes aim, and flings it at the spot just below the dead vampire’s feet.

A silver net, just large enough to catch an animal the size of a bear, shoots down from the tops of the trees. It hits the ground and folds lamely in on itself.

My brother and I share a concerned look. “The Narwhark,” I breathe.

“I suspect so.”

Raul creeps closer to the hanging vampire. He touches his fingers to her blood, then brings them to his lips.

He spits it out immediately.

“Tainted,” he says. He points at the cut across her neck. It’s savage and uneven and lethal, almost like somebody took a wood-axe to her throat. “No vampire would kill like this. You’re right. It was the demon.”

“A failed attempt to capture it. Would Mother be desperate enough to try?”

Raul shakes his head. “No. Not yet. Not if she knows what the demon is capable of.”

“Then who? Smithson?”

“He’s the only other one who knows about it. Maybe he thought this would help curry favor with the Queen.”

I grunt. “He was keenly aware of her hatred for Patricia.” I look away. I can’t take the sight of her lifeless body.

Raul places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I saved her,” I say softly. “I gave up my ideals to grant her life. And she ends up being… slaughtered… like this.”

I spit in disgust. “Let’s get her down. No vampire deserves to be seen like this.”

RAUL

An enormous feast is hosted for the visiting vampires later that night. It takes place in the middle of the village, where most of the homes have already been rebuilt. All of The Haven vampires attend. It’s an unusual opportunity for members of the Incolam to mingle with both the elite and the Royal Court.

Mother had kegs and kegs of blood brought out from her personal stores—the ones separate from the blood banks. They are mixed with wine, so that as we drink, tongues become looser, inhibitions are abandoned, and friends more easily made.

There is music playing and dancing. I get asked to dance by more than my fair share of pretty female vampires. It is a rare chance for them to attach themselves to the Prince.

I turn each offer down. My thoughts are solely on Eleira, suffering in that horrible holding cell.

I’ve been weighing my options all day. If I break her out, I’d be going directly against Mother—again. And I’ve already exhausted her reservoir of goodwill for me.

But if I use my wits… if I somehow convince the vampire Queen that Eleira should be given another chance… then maybe,
just maybe
, Mother will see reason and let Eleira go.

I look up at the table at the head of the room. Mother is sitting in the tallest chair with a jewelled
crown atop her head. I haven’t seen that gaudy thing in centuries.

On her left-hand side sit Collin, Mark, and Nestar, drinking from their goblets and sharing stories with each other. Mother glances at them occasionally while granting them a small bit of her attention.

Most of her focus, however, is on the man on her right.

Smithson.

When did she and he become so…
comfortable
together?

I see the way she clings onto his every word. As the night progresses, she touches him more and more, on the arm, on the wrist, on the chest…

It quickly becomes obvious that if I want to influence Mother, Smithson is the man I have to go through.

At a certain point he excuses himself from the table. I take it as my chance. I follow him into the night.

The door behind me barely has a chance to swing shut as he steps out from beside the building and lunges for me. I’d been expecting that, however. I parry the attack, spinning us both so his back collides against the outside of the building.

One hand wraps around his neck. I protract my claws and press them none too gently into his skin.

“Well done,” he growls, with a particular sneering inflection. “I never though you much of a warrior.”

“Then you’ve been blind,” I say. I let him go. He straightens and dusts himself off.

“I felt someone following me,” he explains. “I did not know it was you. I would never have attacked the Queen’s son.”

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” I say. I look around. It’s quiet out here compared to the raucous party inside. “Why did you leave the festivities? You looked so comfortable with Mother.”

“Is that what this is about? Your jealousy?” He stands taller. “Are you worried someone will take your place? You’re not
threatened
, are you?”

“I know my place, Smithson. I’m concerned about yours.”

“Morgan would have me believe otherwise.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Since when are you and she on first-name basis?”

“Come now. It’s just us men.” He smiles. “There’s no need for pretense. You came after me for a reason. Tell me what you want.”

“I want to know what your intentions are with the Queen.”

“Intentions? No, no.” He shakes his head, and I
know
the next words coming from his lips are falsehoods. “I have no intentions. I am her humble servant. I do everything as she commands.”

“
Bull
,” I accuse. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have some ulterior motive. What are you trying to gain, Smithson? Why did you come to The Haven in the first place?”

“Are you always so suspicious? That should be my role as Captain Commander of the guard. Perhaps we should trade positions.”

“Cut the crap.”

“Fine. Why did you follow me?”

“I had to speak to you in private.”

His eyes shine. “It wouldn’t happen to be about that… thing… you found in the woods earlier today, would it?”