by HELEN HARDT
My father never came. My grandfather never came. My uncle never came. My cousin never came.
I was alone.
Forgotten.
Abandoned.
Lost.
Forsaken.
No one would come for me. If I wanted to get out of this horrible place, I’d have to do it myself.
I tugged at the leather bindings.
And I remembered…
Electricity poured through my body. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Didn’t you?”
“Dante,” Erin said, “Logan and I need to monitor Lucy closely. Any conflict isn’t good for her. We don’t need her anymore.”
“I’m not leaving her side,” River said.
“I’m staying too,” Jay agreed.
“This is my hosp—”
I grabbed Bonneville’s arm and yanked her out of the room, closing the door behind us.
She growled, baring her teeth. “Have you forgotten who’s in control here?”
I snarled. Her teeth were no match for mine, and the slight widening of her eyes showed she was aware of that fact.
Control. She still thought she had control. As long as I could rein in the darkness she’d put in my head, I could maintain control.
“Did you miss the part where I rendered you immobile? Twice now?”
She said nothing. What could she say? She’d made me what I was.
“You say I did some heinous things,” I said. “I don’t deny it. I fought. I took men I didn’t know to the ground to save my own ass. But I did not kill.”
“You will never know for sure.” Her lips curled into a serpentine smile. “I’ve made certain of that.”
“I already know. You put me in that pit with vampires. Vampires, your own species that you’re trying to recreate. You wouldn’t allow a vampire life to be taken. Those men were sperm donors, weren’t they? There’s a reason I never remember the strike to kill.” I clenched my teeth. “Because. It. Didn’t. Happen.”
Her lips slid into another snakelike smile. “You will never know for sure, though. Will you?”
“I already do. I have faith.” That word again. Everyone told me to have faith, and finally, I did. I had faith in myself. I had never killed. If I had, I would know.
“You’re forgetting who has the power here, Dante. Everything that is happening is because I have willed it.”
“You willed Erin, River, and Jay to come here?”
“Of course.”
No. That was a lie. “I don’t believe you. You’re bluffing. Your power over me is waning, and it scares you.”
“I have power you can’t even begin to imagine.”
“It pales in comparison to what I have,” I said.
“Everything you have is a gift from me.”
Was it? The darkness. These new powers that were manifesting. Maybe they had come from her. But my real power, my true power, came from love. From faith. Those were the virtues that allowed me to harness the energy inside me for good. Those were the virtues that had allowed me to immobilize her twice now. Those were the virtues that were the true me.
And they had come from Erin.
My Erin.
Our blood bond.
Only Erin had shown me what was possible for me in this world, and no matter how strong my dark energy became, I would always be able to turn it. To use it for good.
Power coiled within me, and—
River and Jay burst out of the room. River’s eyes were rimmed with red.
“What is it?”
“They—” He gulped. “They made us leave. They— They—”
Jay laid his hand on River’s shoulder. “They’re losing Lucy.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Erin
“BP is dropping quickly,” I said to Logan after River and Jay had been forced out the door. “Damn! Help her, Logan.”
“I’m doing my best. I’ve got the blood going into her as quickly as possible.”
“Her heart rhythm is erratic. Oh my God!”
“Erin, I need you. Hold yourself together.”
I nodded. The doctor needed me. Lucy needed me. I would not let them down.
“Get the paddles ready, Erin. I’m going to try to shock her back into normal sinus rhythm.”
I nodded again. The paddles were not without risk. Lucy was in a weakened state, but we had no choice.
I would not lose my best friend.
“Ready, Doctor.” I handed the paddles to Logan.
“Come on, Lucy.” Logan placed the paddles onto Lucy’s chest.
Nothing.
“Logan?”
“They’re not working. What’s wrong with the power?”
I eyed the machine. “It all checks out. Try again.”
Again, nothing.
“Damn it!” Logan tried again.
“The power isn’t getting through to the paddles,” I said. “Must be a faulty wire or something.”
“Damn!”
Dr. Bonneville burst into the room. “What’s going on here?”
“We need to shock her back into a normal sinus rhythm, but the defibrillator is malfunctioning.”
“Let me see that.”
“Logan, no!” I screamed. “She’ll kill her!”
“I am not a killer!” Bonneville took the paddles from Logan.
Tears formed in the corners of my eyes. I’d seen Dr. Bonneville save patients in the ER. I’d trusted her then. But now? Now that I knew everything she was capable of?
River rushed back into the room, plunging into Bonneville, knocking her off balance, and tackling her to the ground.
“Logan, do what you can! Please!” I yelled.
Then I fell to the floor and punched Dr. Bonneville in the nose. She was a vampire, so she was stronger than I was, but I didn’t care at the moment. Strength came from within, coiled up through me, and burst out of my fists. I punched her again. Again. Again. Blood spurted from her nose and mouth, and her fangs were long and sharp.
Her lips were curled upward slightly. She was letting me do this to her.
I didn’t care.
She had taken Dante. She had taken Lucy. She would take nothing else from me.
“Erin.”
Logan’s voice.
“Erin. She’s okay.”
I jolted, as if a current of electricity had struck me. I stood as quickly as I could.
Lucy’s EKG had returned to normal.
Dante stood next to her, his hand on her bare chest.
Shock. Couldn’t move.
Even Dr. Bonneville, who stood as though I hadn’t just been beating the shit out of her, lifted her brow as blood oozed from her nostrils.
Logan checked Lucy’s vitals. “She’s okay. I don’t believe it. She’s going to be okay.”
“Dante?” I said. “What happened?”
“It was him,” Logan said. “He touched her chest, and…”
“Dude,” River said. “Get your hand off my woman’s breasts.”
Dante moved his hand away. “I don’t know what happened. I followed Bonneville in, and when nothing was happening, I just…”
“You saved her, Dante,” I said, taking his hand.
“I don’t know what I did.”
I squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”
“But I don’t know what I did.”
“You did what you always do.” I turned. I didn’t want to say anything more in front of Bonneville, but she was gone. “Where did she go?”
“I’m glad she’s gone for the moment,” River said.
“Don’t be fooled,” Dante said. “She knows exactly what she’s doing.”
“You can control her, Dante,” I said. “She’s running scared.”
“Sorry, but you all need to get out of here,” Logan interrupted. “I need to keep a close eye on the patient. Erin, if you could stay, please.”
I hadn’t come here to be a nurse, but this was Lucy, and she needed me. Plus, maybe I could get some inf
ormation out of Logan now that Lucy was out of harm’s way. “Of course.” I squeezed Dante’s hand once more. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, though the expression on his face was noncommittal at best.
“We’ve got him,” River said.
Dante kissed my cheek quickly and then followed River and Jay out of the room, closing the door quietly.
I checked Lucy’s IV site and recorded her vitals on a chart. Then I turned to Logan.
“All right. Start talking.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dante
She was nowhere in the hallway by the time River, Jay, and I left the room. No trace of her, and I wasn’t about to go chasing her down. I was staying right here, where Erin was in the next room.
“You okay?” Jay asked me.
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure the response was accurate. I’d been angry. So angry. Energy had bubbled within me, beginning in the very core of my gut and emanating throughout my body. I’d been ready to knock her senseless, take from her all she’d taken from me, when Erin’s voice had crept into my psyche.
She had been distraught, crying for help.
She had gone into the room, acting all doctor-like. As if she truly cared. And Erin had pounced.
The energy had sizzled inside me, and before I knew what I was consciously doing, I was at Lucy’s bedside with the palm of my hand against her cold chest.
Logan Crown had jolted in surprise, and then he rushed around, checking machines. “Normal sinus rhythm. Damn. How? How?”
I didn’t know how. I held my right hand in front of me and stared at it. It was a large hand, long fingers, a few black hairs across the knuckles. A hand that had dealt crippling blows in the fighting pit. A hand that had caressed the soft skin of Erin’s cheek. A hand that had slapped her bottom, bursting capillaries and bringing forth a gorgeous rosy pinkness.
A hand.
Simply a hand.
“What about you?” Jay asked.
I jerked.
“I’m good,” River said. “I mean, now that she’s going to be okay and all. I can’t lose her.”
“It’s really love then, huh?”
My cousin nodded. “I think so. Maybe not forever love, but it’s something. I know it hasn’t been very long.”
Jay clapped him on the back. “Time doesn’t always make a lot of sense where love is concerned. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”
“I’d like to fucking mutilate whoever did this to her.”
“The arena,” I said quietly.
“Huh?” River asked.
“They put her in a fighting arena with a vampire. Made her fight for survival. At least that’s what they probably told her. She thought she’d die.”
“Damn.” River shoved his fingers through his unruly hair. “They did that to you too?”
“Yeah. A lot.”
“And you always won?”
I nodded. “But I never killed my opponent. I know that now. She just made me think I did.”
“Damn,” River said again.
I shook my head. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. When I fight the dark energy, I’m not as strong. When I embrace it, I sometimes succumb. But this last time… I didn’t succumb. I embraced it, and I stayed in my mind. And I… Damn. I healed Lucy.”
“Yes, you did, son.”
My father appeared next to River.
“Uncle Jules! Where have you been?”
“I followed a lead, but unfortunately it led me nowhere.”
“What lead?” Jay asked.
“It’s not important. Not now, at least. I have news.” His voice was low and sad.
“What is it, Dad?”
He sighed, a wistful sound coming from a ghost. “I’ve found my brother.”
River’s eyes shot open. “Is he okay?”
“He’s alive.”
But not okay. The words my father didn’t say. Perhaps couldn’t say.
“Take me to him,” River said. “I need to see him.”
“It’s not that simple. He’s in an area that is shielded.”
“We’ll get to him,” River said. “We have to.”
I nodded. “I can get to him, Dad. I don’t know how, but I can do it. I have to.”
My father nodded. “This won’t be easy.”
Getting to him? Or seeing him? My father undoubtedly meant both.
“I found someone else as well,” my father said.
“Who?” I asked.
“It’s not pretty,” he said.
Emilia was safe. Erin was safe. Lucy was safe. Uncle Brae was…well, he was alive, if not exactly safe. Who else was there?
“Dad, I’ve been to hell, remember?”
My father nodded. “I found your homeless friend. Abe Lincoln.”
Epilogue
The Queen
Why do I call myself the queen, you might ask?
You’ve learned many of my secrets, Dante, but you haven’t learned that one.
I admit, your power has surpassed even what I dreamed of, and your mind is strong. Very, very strong.
But I assure you, I will triumph in the end. I will have everything I’ve worked for.
And you will help me.
For I have one weapon you don’t know about yet.
Prologue
Erin
“You saved her, Dante,” I said, taking his hand.
“I don’t know what I did.”
I squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”
“But I don’t know what I did.”
“You did what you always do.” I turned. I didn’t want to say anything more in front of Bonneville, but she was gone. “Where did she go?”
“I’m glad she’s gone for the moment,” River said.
“Don’t be fooled,” Dante said. “She knows exactly what she’s doing.”
“You can control her, Dante,” I said. “She’s running scared.”
“Sorry, but you all need to get out of here,” Logan interrupted. “I need to keep a close eye on the patient. Erin, if you could stay, please.”
I hadn’t come here to be a nurse, but this was Lucy, and she needed me. Plus, maybe I could get some information out of Logan now that Lucy was out of harm’s way. “Of course.” I squeezed Dante’s hand once more. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, though the expression on his face was noncommittal at best.
“We’ve got him,” River said.
Dante kissed my cheek quickly and then followed River and Jay out of the room, closing the door quietly.
I checked Lucy’s IV site and recorded her vitals on a chart. Then I turned to Logan.
“All right. Start talking.”
Chapter One
Dante
I shook my head. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. When I fight the dark energy, I’m not as strong. When I embrace it, I sometimes succumb. But this last time… I didn’t succumb. I embraced it, and I stayed in my mind. And I… Damn. I healed Lucy.”
“Yes, you did, son.”
My father appeared next to River.
“Uncle Jules! Where have you been?”
“I followed a lead, but unfortunately it led me nowhere.”
“What lead?” Jay asked.
“It’s not important. Not now, at least. I have news.” His voice was low and sad.
“What is it, Dad?”
He sighed, a wistful sound coming from a ghost. “I’ve found my brother.”
River’s eyes shot open. “Is he okay?”
“He’s alive.”
But not okay. The words my father didn’t say. Perhaps couldn’t say.
“Take me to him,” River said. “I need to see him.”
“It’s not that simple. He’s in an area that is shielded.”
“We’ll get to him,” River said. “We have to.”
I nodded. “I can get to him, Dad. I don’t know how, but I can do it. I have to.”
My father nodded. “This won’t be easy.�
�
Getting to him? Or seeing him? My father undoubtedly meant both.
“I found someone else as well,” my father said.
“Who?” I asked.
“It’s not pretty,” he said.
Emilia was safe. Erin was safe. Lucy was safe. Uncle Brae was…well, he was alive, if not exactly safe. Who else was there?
“Dad, I’ve been to hell, remember?”
My father nodded. “I found your homeless friend. Abe Lincoln.”
I kind of liked old Red Rover. Erin was fond of him, and he’d helped me out the night I escaped. But right now, Braedon had to be our priority.
“We get Uncle Brae first,” I said.
“Actually,” my father said, “Abe Lincoln is easier to get to. The place is shielded, but it’s closer and he’s not tied up.”
“But Uncle Brae—”
“Is not in any immediate danger that I can ascertain.” His voice was low and grave. “Abe Lincoln, however, is.”
“Uncle Jules,” River began, “you can’t really be saying some homeless guy is a priority over my father.”
“Don’t bother baring your fangs, River,” he said. “I understand your anger.”
“Do you? I don’t care what kind of shield she has over my dad. I’m getting to him.”
I nodded, energy still crackling through me. “I’m with Riv on this one.”
“Not that I’m entitled to an opinion,” Jay said, “but I agree. After the women, River’s dad is the priority.”
“Of course you’re entitled to an opinion,” my father said. “You’re the father of my grandchild, so you’re a part of this family. But Braedon isn’t going anywhere, and we can’t help him until we can get through the shield.”
“How…is he?” River asked, his voice cracking a little.
“I wish I could tell you he’s fine, but you wouldn’t believe me if I did.” My father sighed. “He’s in shackles, and he’s scarred. But inside, he’s still Braedon. I’d know if he weren’t.”