Beyond the Veil (Vampires of Velum Mortis Book 1)

by Stephanie Summers

  The smell of her blood washed over me, my gums aching to release my fangs. My mouth watered as my tongue grazed over the sharpening tips of my canines.

  “You’re hurt,” I said, feeling guilty that my first instinct upon her return was to feed.

  “Yeah. I got sliced up pretty good, but they’re gone for now. Theodosia gave me something we can use to cloak ourselves for a little while, so we can rest.”

  “The burning has subsided,” I said, my vision returning to something resembling normal. “We might be able to pull it out.”

  “Promise me if this doesn’t work and they come for me that you get away. You hear me?” I asked, placing my finger under her chin and tipping it up so I could look into her beautiful eyes. “Don’t come for me. That’s what they’ll want. What they’ll expect.”

  Ignoring me, she took hold of the handle and pulled. It didn’t come out, but it did wiggle. A sign that things might be working.

  “Not quite,” she said. “You need to feed. Maybe whatever the concoction is doing would work better if you’re strength was replenished.”

  “But your body has taken so much already,” I said, reaching out to touch her again.

  “She healed me. Except for these cuts I got on my way back to you, I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked. The thought of tasting her blood, of being so close to her as she nourished me back to life, made me hard just thinking about it. If I could get inside of her just once, sleeping for eternity wouldn’t feel quite so dire.

  “Yes,” she said and sat down next to me.

  I sat up, looking her deep in the eyes, searching for the truth. Did she truly want me in that way? Or was I fool to believe after a thousand years that she really was the one for me?

  There in the dark recesses of her soul, I could see it. Desire, longing, and just beneath the surface, a hint of love.

  If this were truly to be the end for me, at least I could go knowing she was mine.

  I pulled her close as she grasped the handle of the dagger again. My lips ghosted along her jawline, teasing her as her flesh prickled against my skin. She placed her other hand on my bare chest, igniting a fire for her inside me that would never fade.

  “If I must sleep, my queen,” I whispered close to her lips. So close that she pressed hers gently against mine for just a moment and gasped at the connection. I watched her eyes fluttering shut and listened to her heart racing. “Give me something to dream about for eternity,” I said, my lips capturing hers.

  Her lips were sweet, a soft groan vibrating from her throat. I loved the taste of her passion, so pure, so magnificent.

  She pushed me away a moment later.

  Her eyes fixed on mine as she slipped out of her shirt and straddled me. Taking a small ball out of her pocket, she sat it on the ground and smashed it with her fist.

  Thick purple smoke swirled from the remains, engulfing the space around us before slowly dissipating.

  “We’ve got time,” she whispered. “I need you.”

  My tongue graced the tip of one of my fangs as the corner of my mouth turned up. I bit into my tongue and licked at her wounds, tiny droplets of blood mingling with hers over her scratched flesh. She threw her head back as my tongue glided over her skin, my blood continuing to coat the cuts and forcing them to heal up quickly. I didn’t want the pain inflicted by those savages distracting her from the pleasure I was about to lavish over her.

  “Will it hurt when you bite me?” she asked softly.

  “No,” I replied and gently pressed my lips to her neck. “I would never hurt you… Never.”

  She still held onto the dagger at my side, but I could feel that it wasn’t any looser than it had been moments before. I was about to drop into a deep, dark slumber again at any moment, of that I was certain, but I was going to know her body and soul before I did.

  Her heart raced, pounding in my ears as I could hear the blood whooshing through her veins with every beat, like sweet music to my ears. The few drops of her blood I’d tasted were intoxicating and filled my body with enough strength to ravish her the way I wanted to.

  Picking her up, I placed her on her back and kissed a line down her bare stomach, stopping at the top of her jeans. I quickly unlaced her boots and slipped them and her socks off her feet.

  Her breath quickened as I slid my fingers up the sides of her legs and toyed with the button that would unlock her womanly treasure. With one swift motion, I had the button undone and the garment removed from her body. A moment later, I had her panties pushed down her legs and over her feet.

  My own jeans followed suit, her eyes widening at the sight of my cock. The tip of her tongue slid over her bottom lip as she looked at me, her heart quickening.

  Settling myself between her thighs, my cock lengthened, hardening against her flesh. A soft moan escaped her lips as I pressed against her warm, wet opening. My lips crashed into hers, her tongue fervently seeking out mine as she dug her nails into my biceps.

  What I wouldn’t have given for the time to properly explore her body, to make love to her for hours, coaxing her to come over and over again as I tasted every inch of her flesh, but time worked against us and I had to make my move quickly.

  My lips grazed the delicate flesh of her neck, fangs growing sharper. My mouth hovering over her artery, I plunged myself into her at the same moment I pierced her flesh with my teeth. She cried out in ecstasy as her body gripped my cock tightly and the spicy sweetness of her blood flowed over my tongue and down my throat, nourishing and strengthening my body as it went.

  I wanted to stay there in that moment for forever.

  Her hands fisted in my hair, holding me close to her as I continued to feed, my hips thrusting roughly into and out of her.

  Disengaging my fangs from her neck, I groaned at the way she moved her hips. Her fingers slid down over my flesh until she reached the dagger that still invaded my side. With a quick yank, she had it disengaged and tossed to the side. Her knees pressed against my torso as I pulled her up slightly and unclasped her bra, freeing her breasts so that I could explore them properly.

  My tongue dragged over her pebbling nipples as I continued to fuck her hard and fast.

  Every moan, every soft whimper, every gasp of air sent me into an oblivion I never wanted to find my way out of.

  “Liam,” she whispered.

  The sound of her breathing my name into my ear brought our erotic dance to a crescendo a moment later as we both found our release within seconds of each other.

  She nestled into my arms, eyes closing as her breath became steadier and lighter.

  I glanced at the dagger on the floor, the magic it had wielded still coursing through my veins, pulsating through my body. Though it wasn’t as painful as it had been, the sting had begun to grow again.

  My eyes grew heavier by the second. A sleep descended upon me that wasn’t unlike the one that had put me out of commission for twenty years. Still, I fought it, hoping that we’d done enough to counteract it. Time was surely all I needed, but it was a sweet lie I’d made up to hold on to her. After nearly a thousand years, I finally had my love, my queen.

  I couldn’t lose her, or myself, now.

  13

  Delia

  I jolted awake. How long have I been asleep?

  I’d only meant to rest a little, but it was morning now, and we should’ve left hours ago. At least he could likely pierce the veil now, so we didn’t have to worry about venturing out of the cottage.

  With no way of knowing if the cloaking spell was still in effect, I sat up and gently shook Liam to rouse him.

  My fingers met chilled skin and a stone-like hardness. Nothing like the tenderness I’d felt before.

  No, this isn’t happening. I pulled out the dagger. It had to have worked.

  He couldn’t be lost to me now, not after everything I’d been through to save him. Not after finally accepting that we had been made for each other. Not after finding the one person who believed
in me, who loved me for who I was, the one who acknowledged my strengths because he was secure in his own.

  “Liam,” I screamed, but he didn’t move. My chin trembled as the threat of tears stung at my eyes. I stroked his silky hair, and said, “I’m so sorry.”

  Voices nearby forced me to pull myself together.

  “They have to be hiding out in here. Where else would they be?” A female asked.

  “Maybe at the witch’s?” Another asked.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised. She’s not above anything now,” a voice I knew answered. It belonged to Harmon, and no doubt one of the slayers traveling with him was Kit.

  Jumping to my feet, I tip-toed to the window and peered out into the woods, catching movement in the distance.

  Returning to Liam, I did the only thing I could think of. It’d worked once, maybe it would work again.

  There was no time to linger, so I quickly pressed my lips to his and kissed him deeply, hoping that he would answer quickly, like he’d done before.

  He remained cold and rigid.

  Fuck, I thought to myself. How am I supposed to save us both?

  A voice whispered into my mind. Save yourself, my queen. Before it’s too late. The voice sounded like Liam and I knew he had the ability, but I couldn’t rule out the possibility that I was going a little insane after everything.

  I can’t leave you, I responded, but no reply came.

  He’d said as much earlier, but I’d ignored him, determined to make things right and get us the hell out of here. I’d failed though, and now I was faced with doing exactly what he wanted me to do.

  Before I could talk myself out of it, I sprinted out the backdoor and into the woods, my heart shattering into a million pieces with every step that took me away from him. Guilt for leaving him behind nearly knocked me to my knees as I got far enough away that I could no longer hear the voices of my former colleagues.

  The first sign of danger, and I’d left him, but what else was I to do? Get captured, too? He wouldn’t have wanted that, and if I had been taken, then there would be no hope for either of us. At least this way, I could go to Theodosia and hope that maybe she could reverse the spell or point me in the right direction.

  After a quick deep breath or two, I headed straight for the witch’s cabin as fast as my feet could take me, telling myself the whole way that she could help. She had to.

  Just as I was within the edge of Theodosia’s domain, something crashed into me and sent me flying forward, knocking the wind from my lungs as I pushed my hands out to break my fall.

  My shoulder throbbed, and my palms burned like fire.

  Rolling to my back, I caught sight of my attacker, but it wasn’t anyone I knew. A woman hovered a few inches off the ground, her hands balled into fists at her side. Her face, not altogether unfamiliar, was beautiful with a harsh coldness to it. Thick hair, bright red and curly cascaded from her head, her eyes focused directly on me.

  “Who are you?” I asked, my tone demanding an answer.

  “And who are you to be asking who I am, peasant?”

  “Leave her alone, Theodona,” a voice from behind me answered.

  The familiarity in her face made sense now.

  “Why are you meddling in vampire business? And why in the Great Goddess’ name would you help the slayers?”

  “You’re helping this one,” Theodona replied, tilting her chin toward me.

  “I helped the king,” she replied. “And this one isn’t a slayer. Not truly.”

  “So I’ve heard… And if you want to know the truth, I helped the one who sought me out because the money was too good to pass up.”

  “There are more important things in life than money.”

  “You’re right, but money does have a way of making things a little easier.”

  “I’m disappointed in you, sister.”

  I slowly raised to my feet, caught between the two witch sisters.

  “Remove the curse,” I said. “You’ll be compensated in whatever way you wish. I swear it on behalf of the king.”

  “Oh, child,” she said with an evil cackle, her stark blue eyes peering straight at me. “You can’t give me what I want. Without the king, you’re a penniless human with no power. You aren’t fit to change His Highness’ bed sheets. You are no queen.”

  “Theodona,” Theodosia said. “Don’t tell me you’re still hung up on him.”

  “Hung up on the king?” she asked, a hearty laugh escaping her throat. “Nonsense. William was never the one who’d caught my eye, but that’s no matter now anyway. What I want is for the witches to be restored to power over there, to get a say in what happens right along the vampires, and if they can’t be trusted to go along with it… Well, then, it would be a pity if we took over altogether and cast them out, wouldn’t it?” An evil grin spread over her face, exposing a row of perfect, pearly-white teeth.

  “You think they’re just going to divide their kingdom and hand it over to us? And you should be our leader?”

  “Quite frankly, yes. You aren’t headstrong enough and Theodora, well, she’s still nursing her broken heart and hasn’t the focus to rule. That leaves me.”

  “Remove the curse,” Theodosia commanded.

  “I can’t. What’s done is done. There were no loopholes. No true love’s kiss to wake the sleeping beauty. He’s done.”

  “And you knew he wouldn’t give up control to you. That’s the real reason you did this.”

  The evil grin returned. “There are others over there who I’m quite sure will consider it now that their king is out of the way for good.”

  A bolt of lightning rushed past me, raising the hair on the back of my neck and blasting Theodona backwards.

  “Quickly,” she said. “Get inside.”

  I ran hard and fast toward the cabin. As I got closer, I could see that the door was open and could hear an awful thumping happening behind me.

  Diving for the front door, I crashed onto the floor just past the threshold as Theodosia ran in right behind me.

  “She can’t hurt you in here,” she said, in an assuring manner. “I think I got rid of her anyway.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Well, the last time I blasted her, she didn’t come back. Usually a good indication that she’s done playing. But you should know, they likely sent her to retrieve you knowing they couldn’t come here themselves.”

  “They’re not going to give up, are they?”

  “No, and that’s why you need back-up.”

  “So, you’ll help me?”

  “Well, sort of… I’ll give you what you need to go beyond the veil. You’ll need to find Lucien in Velum Mortis. He’s been sitting in for William for the last twenty years. He’ll be obliged to help you get him back. Once you’ve done that, I’ll do whatever I can to break the curse. Theodona’ll come around. I know it in my heart. She isn’t nearly as nasty as she likes to portray. But even if she doesn’t, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  It was all so much to take in. I sat in the middle of the floor, peering up at Theodosia as she went to work collecting herbs from a little garden in a box inside the front window.

  “And what the hell am I supposed to do once I’m there?” I finally mustered the courage to ask. She’d been clear enough in what she said, but how was I, a slayer from Mallory Falls, supposed to gain the favor of the very beings I was trained to kill? They wouldn’t know what had transpired between Liam and me. Probably wouldn’t care either.

  “You go to the castle. You won’t be able to miss it. It’s huge and it overlooks the city of Velum Mortis. You can see it from almost anywhere where the buildings aren’t too tall.”

  “And then what? Demand they help me?”

  “Precisely. You are their queen, dearie. They’ll listen, and if they don’t want to, you make them.”

  “Oh, yeah, this is going to end well,” I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.

  Theodosia stopped abruptly and turned towar
d me. Looking down her nose at me, she asked, “You want him back don’t you? Or am I wasting my time here?”

  “I do, and… I’m sorry,” I said.

  Theodosia studied me for a moment before reaching out her hand to help me to my feet.

  “I know it’s a lot, my dear, but you’re his queen. A queen demands respect.”

  “I don’t feel much like a queen.”

  “You will in time. Now, grab some of that water and a little food out of the pantry while I get everything ready for you to go.”

  I took an empty messenger bag that was hanging on a coat rack near the pantry and shoved some provisions into it. Grabbing a travel bottle from the cabinet, I filled it with water, closed the lid, and put it in the bag.

  You can do this. You have to.

  A few moments later, Theodosia twisted up the end of a tiny burlap bag and tied it closed with a thin, blue ribbon and pressed it into my hand.

  “You must have this on you or you won’t be able to pierce the veil. It’ll help mask your scent as a human once you get there. Keep your head down and your eyes forward and you should be fine. Remember, Lucien is who you demand to see. Don’t take no for an answer.”

  “And how will I know where the veil is and how to go through it?”

  “Luckily for you, there is a portal not far from here. It’s one used almost exclusively by witches and most vampires and were-creatures don’t know of its existence. Head due-north for about a mile until you see a big boulder with a forked tree to its right. Between the two is where the portal lies. Hold onto that bag and step into the space there. You’ll be on the other side in no time.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “When you come back, make this your first stop. I’ll try and locate him in case they’ve moved him elsewhere, but I need a smidgen of your blood.”

  “My blood?” I asked and held out my hand. I was willing to do or give whatever it took, but it didn’t keep me from wanting to know exactly what she was going to do with my blood.

  “Yes, the same essence that runs through his veins, courses through yours. It’s the key to locating him,” she said and took out a small pocket knife. Taking my finger into her hand, she pushed the tip of the blade into my flesh until a few drops of blood seeped out. Taking a handkerchief from her other pocket, she dabbed at the blood until it had soaked a large circular pattern into the white cloth. “That’ll do. Now go before Theodona figures out what we’re up to.”