A Vampire's Battle

by Raven Steele

  I would never question him again.

  He was a part of me now, just as I was a part of him.

  And I was never letting him go.

  A hunger sparked inside me, as I delved deeper into him. I could feel his own passion alight, his own need to be with me in every way. His hands wrapped around my back, holding me tightly to him. He quickly shifted so he was on top of me, even though it was painful for him to even move. His lips roamed down my neck, licking my skin, and I arched my back, urging him on.

  I ran my hand up Mateo’s hips, digging into his side, my palm hot and tingly at the contact. The feel of my blood flowing into him felt celestial, as if we were beings beyond this world, powerful and eternal. I moved my hand further up, needing to feel him under my palm, but just as it crested his lower back, my eyes fluttered open. My hand was so hot, searing hot as if it were on fire.

  Staring at it, it began to shimmer then disappear altogether. I gasped, but then Matteo was lowering to my breasts, making me forget all about my hand. The sudden want from him sent a wave of raw pleasure from my head to my toes, and I moaned my delight.

  “Do you think you can separate for just a few minutes before my eyes melt off my face?” a clipped voice said at the door behind him.

  I froze, my gaze dropping to my hand on Mateo’s shoulder. It had returned to normal. Maybe I’d imagined the odd occurrence.

  Mateo growled and rolled off me to stare at Cassandra. “What do you want?”

  She ignored him and looked us both over. “You’ve healed enough by now.”

  Mateo looked from me to her. “Yes, and as I told you yesterday, I am in your debt for saving us.”

  “A debt I will collect one day soon.” Her gaze shifted to me. “Since you’re well enough to,” her hand gestured at us, “do all that, you’re ready to return to the land of the living. Well, as much as you can, anyway.” She smirked at her own joke. “But we need to discuss something very important first.”

  “Does Detrand need to be here for this?” I asked. I only trusted him when it came to Cassandra. I wanted him to hear everything she said in case it was bullshit.

  “He knows what I’m about to say, but if you feel you need to hide behind his shadow to have a conversation with me, then by all means, go grab him.”

  My jaw flexed, and I puffed air out my flared nostrils.

  Mateo squeezed my hand. “Speak, Cassandra.”

  She adjusted her white, business suit jacket. “First, I saved your lives. I don’t want you to ever forget it.”

  Mateo’s chest rose and fell, his face darkening. “We’ve established that.”

  “Second, you are not to tell anyone what I did for you.”

  “Where do we say we’ve been?” The night we’d nearly died, I had texted Briar where I was going. When I didn’t return, she probably went there and saw all the damage and blood. She probably thought we were dead, especially since neither I nor Mateo had been well enough to contact anyone.

  “That’s your problem, but I expect you to obey this rule. If I’ve found you’ve broken it, there will be severe consequences. And trust me, I can be ruthless.”

  “Why did you save us?” I asked.

  “Because a prophecy needs to be fulfilled.”

  Mateo looked at me. “Prophecy?”

  My mouth fell open with words I had to quickly sort through before they escaped. “You want Trianus to come back? Do you and the Phoenix have an agreement where you and Korin will rule alongside the great demon? Because if so, you’re dumber than I thought. Trianus does not share power.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Since you are ignorant to my plans, I’ll forgive your insult this once. But just know that I’m the only chance you have at stopping Trianus from rising.”

  “Are you speaking for the Ministry?” Mateo asked. “Are they feeling threatened by the idea of Trianus ruling again?”

  She stared at him and blinked. “Sure. Let’s go with that.”

  Inwardly, I groaned. I didn’t understand this woman but based on her past, her motives were purely self-serving. Whatever game she was playing, she wanted to win for herself.

  “Anything else?” I asked, wanting her to leave so I could return to being alone with Mateo.

  “Yes. One more very important thing. You, Samira, can’t return to society as you are.”

  “But I’m better.”

  “No, you’re broken, a fragment of your former self and it won’t do.” She withdrew a small, silver flask from within her breast pocket.

  My blood began to chill. Something about that flask made me nervous. “I don’t understand.”

  “The Kiss of Eternal Night. It’s yours to control.” She held it toward me. “Now drink this so you can do what you do best. Kill.”

  Chapter 2

  I stared at the shiny flask in her hand, a shiver of dread running over my whole body. All that I hated, the thing that had kept me trapped in my own body from experiencing true happiness, she offered me, as if it were some sort of trophy.

  She shoved it closer. “Snap out of it and drink this. You have a father to murder.”

  I shot up in the bed, backing up, knees trembling in agony at the movement until I hit the wall behind me. “I won’t take it.”

  Mateo moved so that his body was between Cassandra’s and mine, as if he was afraid she would try to force it upon me.

  She frowned. “But you must. It’s the only way you’ll defeat Korin, and we need him out of the picture.”

  My heart thundered until it hurt. I tried to relax, hating how I’d already shown my fear of it by moving away. I wasn’t used to showing others my weaknesses. “What makes you think that will even work? I had to go through several trials just to get the blood to fuse with mine before. It could be the same way again.”

  “It’s not. You’ve already won it. The Kiss is yours and no one else’s.”

  “Korin and the Phoenix don’t know you have this, do they?” I vaguely remembered when I was hanging upside down, Cassandra filling a small bottle of my blood just before grabbing the bucket and carrying it away.

  “Do you want them to know?” she asked, her eyes suddenly innocent-looking. She glanced behind her as if she might leave. “I’m happy to tell them.”

  “Destroy it.” The words left my mouth before I could take them back. I never wanted to feel that darkness inside of me again.

  “I’ll do no such thing,” she snapped. “You must take it or everything I’ve done has been in vain.”

  “That’s your problem,” Mateo said. “Samira said no.”

  Detrand appeared just then in the doorway with Adelade by his side, his hand around her waist possessively. Detrand looked from me to Cassandra, contemplating a conversation he probably overheard. His cool gaze settled on the flask in Cassandra’s hand. “Put that away. It’s not time.”

  I frowned at him. “It will never be time, Detrand. I don’t want that sliver of Hell inside me ever again.”

  “That will be determined later. You know as well as I that at times, fate may have something else in store for us.” His gaze settled on me, taking in the way I was hugging the wall behind me, and I was embarrassed of my fear. And yet, I was determined to never allow the Kiss back into me.

  Detrand spoke again, his voice softer. “If it is necessary, we must embrace our fate or live a life fighting against our very soul.”

  “I don’t believe in fate.”

  Detrand’s gaze flickered to Mateo. “You are soul mates, are you not? Did fate not have something to do with that?”

  I opened my mouth to counter his logic but closed it again. I had no doubt we were soul mates, especially after almost losing him, but if that were true, did I choose it or was our union predestined somehow?

  “Samira has a right to choose what she wants inside her body,” Adelade interjected. “No one’s going to make her do anything.”

  Cassandra snorted. “Then she’ll die along with the rest of us.”

  Detrand
held out his hand. “Give it to me. I will take care of it, until,” he glanced at me, “or if, it is necessary for her to partake of it again.”

  Cassandra looked at me and I nodded, trusting Detrand with it. She obeyed and as soon as she was free of it, she turned and walked toward the door. Over her shoulder, she said, “Now get out of my house. And remember, don’t say a word to anyone about where you’ve been. Oh, and new cell phones are upstairs by a back door for each of you should you want to contact anyone. Exit through the back kitchen. I have guests in the front parlor.”

  I didn’t watch her go. My eyes were tracking the flask into Detrand’s pocket. He caught me watching. “I would never force this on you. You know that.”

  Nodding, I exhaled a tight breath. “What about you? Where will you go now?”

  Adelade leaned into him. “We’re going to stick around here for a while. I have a feeling we’re going to be needed.”

  “There’s room for you at the Balario Hotel,” Mateo offered.

  Detrand wrapped his arm around Adelade. “Not necessary. I have a place in Rouen.”

  My eyebrows lifted. “Since when?”

  Adelade smiled. “Since I made him purchase one two days ago. I knew we’d be here for some time. Plus, I love this old city with its rich history and diversity. I think we’ll really like it here.”

  Detrand’s jaw ticked as if he wasn’t sure he agreed with her. “You two are welcome to stay with us for as long as you’re in hiding.”

  Mateo and I glanced at each other. As much as I wanted to stay with Detrand, I also wanted to see my friends and show them that I not only lived, but I was my true self. I could feel, laugh, cry, all freely without fear of losing control.

  “I’d rather return to Lynx’s home, for now.” I gave him a pleading look, hoping he wouldn’t feel offended. “I feel as if it’s almost like my own home, now.”

  “I understand.” Detrand nodded, not offended in the slightest. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses. “These are yours.”

  I stared down at the wire rims in his palm, memories of another life, another person, crowding my mind. I used to wear glasses to remind myself of my humanity. The Kiss had made it too easy to forget. “How did you get them?”

  “I discovered them in your apartment. I know you keep several pairs.”

  Reaching up, I curled his finger over the top of the glasses and his palm. “I don’t need those anymore.”

  He nodded thoughtfully, slightly smiling as if he had hoped I would say that. “I’m confident you will do well in your new life, Samira.”

  Adelade smiled. “We’ll wait for you upstairs.”

  As soon as they said their goodbyes and left, Mateo turned to me. “What happened in that church can’t happen ever again. I couldn’t endure it.”

  I nodded, feeling his determination flow through me. “We won’t let it. We will be smarter than Korin. Stronger. We have the upper hand now.”

  He drew his brows together. “How so?”

  “He believes us dead. We will use it to our advantage.”

  “That’s a big secret to keep, especially with how many people depend upon us.”

  “We’ll attack as soon as we are well enough.”

  He nodded, running his thumb across my lips. “I must admit, I’ve enjoyed this private time with you.”

  His lips found mine again, and he pulled me to him. I melted into his arms, giving in to every emotion he invoked in me. It was the most freeing feeling in the world, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I had no idea how much I missed emotions until I could finally feel them without having to worry about the Kiss feeding from them.

  After a moment, with Cassandra’s words pressing upon us, Mateo carefully tugged me towards the end of the bed. He clutched my hand in his and energy flowed between us, strong and powerful. “Nothing will ever separate us again. I’ll make sure of it.”

  After carefully walking up the basement steps hand in hand, Mateo opened the door, bringing with him a gust of warm air that smelled of bread and cinnamon. It must be for Cassandra’s guests. She hosted parties for her friends frequently. Members of the Ministry, their friends, and others of the Principes Noctis. I wondered what they’d do to Cassandra if they knew who she had harbored in her basement. I still didn’t understand her motives, but who was I to complain? She’d saved my life. More importantly, she’d saved Mateo’s.

  As I stepped onto the landing, I had the chance to study the home without a Morgan’s witchy eyes on me. The antique china displayed in walnut Chippendale-style cabinets appeared to be hundreds of years old. Even the rugs that lined the floor were originals from Persia and cost a fortune. It felt strange to leave the mostly bare basement and walk upstairs into a mansion full of every luxury possible.

  By the way my body felt, it was nearly midnight and yet dozens of voices came from the other side of the house. We followed Detrand through a maze of halls until we reached the kitchen. On the counter, just like Cassandra said, two cell phones sat side by side. We picked them up and walked outside.

  I inhaled my first breath of fresh air in three weeks. With the full moon shining down on me, I was instantly invigorated.

  “My car’s over here,” Detrand said.

  As soon as we were settled inside, I turned to Mateo. “Should we call anyone?”

  He was already typing into his phone. “I’m afraid of what Angel might’ve done looking for me. He would’ve sensed I was alive.”

  “How?”

  He glanced up from the phone. “Angel is very intuitive. It scares me sometimes.”

  I stared down at my own phone as Detrand pulled away from the curb. “Do you think he’s returned to the city?”

  “Possibly. I’m telling him I’ll be at Fire Ridge for the time being, as I assume you will want to go see Briar? Lynx is probably with her.”

  He was right, of course. I wanted to see them both. So much it hurt. I had no idea how deep my love for my friends was until the Kiss left me. I would die for them.

  I entered Briar’s number and hesitated knowing what to say when her voice mail answered. I decided to keep it simple. “This is Samira. I’ll meet you at Fire Ridge in twenty minutes.”

  I wanted to add a little joke or sarcastic comment, but I was afraid she wouldn’t believe it was me. A thought came to me as I ended the connection. “How do we explain where we were?”

  Detrand eyed me from the rearview mirror, his dark brown eyes practically glowing in the darkness. “I’ve already thought of a solution. Tell them I saved you and you’ve been recuperating at my place.”

  “That could work,” Mateo said. “No one knows either of you.”

  “I’m excited,” Adelade said unexpectedly. “I feel really good about this.”

  “About what?” Detrand asked.

  She rubbed at her arms as if she had goosebumps. “This city. This is where we are supposed to be.”

  Detrand reached over and took hold of her hand. They’d been together for a little over a hundred and fifty years. Not just together, but blissfully happy. I hoped Mateo and I would be in the same place a hundred years from now.

  Mateo gave directions to Fire Ridge, and as we drew close, Detrand said to me, “I’ll just drop you two off with my address. Do you need me to return to take you home?”

  Mateo was about to agree, but Adelade interrupted him, staring at Detrand in shock. “We will do no such thing! We are going to go inside and meet everyone, and you are going to enjoy yourself. These people are our friends.”

  He snorted. “They are no such thing.”

  “But they will be.” She smiled. “And they are going to love you.”

  I laughed out loud at this. No one loved Detrand right away, or possibly ever. He was not the lovable type unless he wanted to be. Adelade joined in on the laughter; she knew the truth too, but loved to tease him.

  Detrand scowled, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward. He turned the s
teering wheel down the long lane to Fire Ridge. “Fine, but let’s make it quick.”

  My stomach knotted in excitement the closer we came, a feeling I would’ve stifled before. My knee bounced up and down. It felt like I’d been gone for years.

  Fire Ridge with its many windows full of soft light came into view. It rose sharply into the dark sky, large and intimidating to most, but to me, it had become a second home.

  “I love seeing you like this,” Mateo said.

  I glanced over, realizing he had been staring at me the whole time.

  “You’re glowing with happiness.”

  “I feel happy, and I love it.” I paused, trying to articulate how I felt. “I love to be able to feel this happiness.”

  He brushed hair away from my neck, sending a line of heat through my veins. “You deserve it.”

  Detrand stopped at the front of the sidewalk, not caring that it wasn’t a parking spot. Before anyone could object, he opened his door and hurried around to open Adelade’s.

  Mateo looked at me. “Are you ready for this?”

  I exhaled a laugh. “I can’t wait. I’ve missed everyone so much.”

  Detrand waited for us at the door before going inside. “A quick circle around the room, then we’re out.”

  “Maybe.” Adelade nudged him. “We’ll stay as long as we need to.”

  I smiled and opened the door to walk inside. Mateo came with me holding my hand.

  I don’t know what I had been expecting when I walked in, but not an almost empty house. This place was never empty. The living room lights were off, as was the big screen television. I didn’t think I’d ever seen that. Even Mateo was frowning.

  “The kitchen,” he said and nodded me forward.

  That’s when I heard it too. The faint sounds of water boiling. “Hello?” I wandered into the living room and around several couches.

  The sound of footsteps left the kitchen and a familiar face froze in shock at the sight of us. She finally recovered, squealing out loud. “Well, slap my ass and call me momma! Samira? Is it really you?”