by K.N. Lee
“That’s Nickolai Frost,” Colleen said with a wave of her hand.
Koa stopped walking. She looked at Colleen. “The Nickolai Frost?”
“Yes,” she answered. She held her arms out and motioned for Nickolai to come forward. “Let me introduce you to one another, even though he is quite aware of who you are.”
Koa swallowed and looked at the older man with even more curiosity. He reached out for her hand.
“Lovely to meet you, Princess.” His dark eyes were unsettling.
Koa shook his hand. For a moment she couldn’t speak. She simply stared into his eyes. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting. She’d heard stories about the mysterious human that seemed to be the real Julian Grey. He never aged beyond that of a man of his forties and had been around for much longer than a normal human should live.
“Likewise,” Koa said.
He was not a normal human.
Nickolai turned his attention to Lady Colleen. “I’ll go and feed the beasts.” He gave Koa a look. “You two young ladies can take care of yourselves while I’m gone, right?”
Colleen laughed. “Of course.” She tapped her bow with a long finger nail.
Nickolai nodded. He winked at Koa. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon, Princess,” he said and started off.
As he walked away, Colleen leaned closer to Koa. “He likes to think of himself as my bodyguard,” she whispered.
“I heard that,” Nickolai called over his shoulder before continuing away.
Colleen smiled and put her hands on her bony hips. She shook her head. “I won’t deny it. He is quite handy to have around.” She sighed. Her wolf came and sat beside her at attention. He eyed Koa.
Koa felt a strange sensation flood her body. There was something about the way the wolf looked at her that made her feel incredibly uncomfortable. His eyes were too intelligent, and the way he looked at her was not the way an animal looked at a human.
It hit Koa. She knew the real reason Halston had sent her there.
She took one startled step back. Her eyes looked from the wolf to Colleen. “Who is that?”
Colleen’s smile widened. She nodded in approval. “You are a clever girl. Halston is always right.”
Koa looked back at the wolf. “Speak.”
The wolf gave Koa a look and looked to his master.
Colleen petted the wolf’s head. “This is Oren,” Colleen smoothed the white fur on his head. “Go on, darling, speak. She is a friend.”
Oren gave Koa a look. His voice was otherworldly. “Hello,” he said simply.
Koa felt her heart pound. Her cheeks flushed with anxiety. She stepped closer to them both and fell to her knees before Oren. “Who is he? How did this happen? Was he cursed as well?”
Colleen sighed. “Come this way, darling. We can talk somewhere more private. Come,” she held a thin hand out. “Please, off your knees in that lovely dress.”
Koa took her hand. She was growing impatient. She nodded quickly and followed behind Oren and Colleen to the back of the room that was sectioned off by a half wall and clear of all visitors.
Colleen poured Koa a drink from her bar and nodded for her to sit down on one of the chaise lounges in the corner. Koa drank her wine down and flopped onto the golden chaise. She tapped her toes and bounced her knee as she waited for Colleen to leisurely lie across the chaise. She looked perfect, as if she was about to have her portrait painted.
Oren rested on his stomach beside the chaise and watched Koa as he laid his head on his front paws.
44
“Oh good,” Bund said. He stood from his seat behind the large executive desk. He clapped his skinny hands as Lera carried a gray cage into the room.
Inside was a black cat with ethereal green eyes that held the secrets to Koa’s true lineage.
Bund grinned. “You did it. Fine job, young lady. Fine job indeed.”
Lera stopped walking abruptly. She raised a thin black brow as her eyes scanned the room. She frowned up at Bund. “Where is King Greggan? Why are you here?”
“Dead,” Bund shouted with glee. “The king is dead! The king is dead!” Bund chanted like an excited child. He slammed his fist on the desk before him and grinned a toothy grin. “Finally, I can stop listening to his annoying voice! And yes, I don’t have to watch him stroke that stupid red beard of his anymore!”
Bund’s chuckle filled the study.
Raven searched for a way to get out of her cage. She was useless against Bund in her present form. She needed to run and hide. She knew he only had one plan for her, and that was to kill her.
Bund stepped from around the desk.
Raven was surprised to see him dressed so formally. Her fur stood on end. He was planning on going to the ball, not Greggan.
He folded his hands behind him. “And you, dear lass, can call me master. No, better yet, call me daddy!”
Lera fell to her knees. She dropped the cage with Raven in it. Raven braced herself for the impact as the cage hit the floor and rolled a few feet away. Raven crashed into the steel bars. She watched the latch though. It was almost loose.
Lera cried out. “No!”
Bund laughed and threw up his fist. “Yes!” Bund cheered.
Lera covered her face with her hands and wept. Her cries were almost heart-wrenching, but Raven was glad that Greggan was dead. One less villain to worry about.
Bund grimaced down at Lera as she sobbed like a woman who had lost the man she loved.
“Seriously?”
Lera wailed and pulled a dagger from its sheath. She positioned it above her heart and glared at Bund with teary eyes. “You bastard. I will never call you master.”
Lera stabbed herself in the heart and sucked in a breath of pain.
Bund rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ,” he mumbled. “Loyalty is such a stupid thing.” He watched Lera writhe on the floor. “You idiot,” he shouted in disgust at her dying body.
She died a painful death and all was quiet. For a moment.
Bund sighed and spoke to Raven. “You see that nonsense? What a waste.”
“Loyalty is not stupid. No one will ever be loyal to you. It’s a beautiful thing, and you know nothing of beauty, you monster,” Raven said from her cage.
Bund shook his head and ignored her. He had seen Netherworld vamps transform many times. He’d seen at least a thousand Netherworld wars. As he watched Lera’s body start to mutate, he sat back down and raised a brow.
“Oh yes,” he said. “This is good. I can use this.” He clapped and cheered. “Come on, old girl. Let’s give these pesky agents something to really cry about!” She continued to mutate and transform. Her body began to reanimate itself and she let out a feral cry that was half woman and half beast.
Bund laughed then as Lera stood on all fours, howling like a wolf. He held his stomach and laughed like a maniac. He snapped his fingers and sent a few souls her way. He stood watched the souls enter her body. “Yes!” he cried.
Lera’s body became bigger and bigger. She cried out in pain as the souls entered her body. She went from standing on four legs to two once again. She screamed, not knowing what was happening, and Bund continued his assault. He sent more and more souls across the room. When all went quiet, Bund clasped his hands before him.
He had a grin plastered to his face. “Beautiful. My own creation,” he breathed in wonder.
Before him was no longer a vampire queen, nor a reanimated woman, before him was the first vampire to make a third transformation.
Lera looked down at her body. Naked and in the shape of a woman once again, there was much that was different about her. She marveled at her new body and looked across the room at her new master.
“What have you done to me?” she asked. Her eyes were red, her skin was smooth, but black as ash. Her hair was the same bone-straight black that she was born with, but now, she was the most powerful vampire to ever exist.
Bund grinned and leaned back against the desk. “Good,” he
said softly. His eyes were glazed over as if he was in deep thought, or daydreaming. He watched Koa, drinking and socializing as if it was just another day. He couldn’t wait to surprise her with his plan. He breathed in deeply and looked over at the empty space between the bookcase and the window in the corner.
He nodded. “You can come out now, Trinity.”
Trinity materialized out of the air and stepped out of the darkness. He silently awaited instruction.
Bund clasped his hands and looked at his team. They may have been outnumbered, but they were bringing the power of Hell to the party.
45
Koa sat and drank from her flute of champagne. The alcohol barely had an effect on her. She was glad. She needed to be alert when Greggan showed up. Lady Colleen stroked Oren’s fur as she lounged across her chaise in her calm, regal pose.
She was so elegant. Koa envied her that.
“So, we’re family,” Koa asked. Small talk wasn’t her strong suit, but she was anxious about Greggan’s anticipated arrival.
Lady Colleen nodded. “Indeed. We are of the same royal blood line. One of the most powerful in all of the Netherworld and this world. We come from the first vampire created by the fallen angels, dear girl.” She rested her head on the arm of her chaise and looked up at the high ceiling. “There was a time when our line were like gods. Before the first war, and the exodus of our people to their prison.”
Koa pursed her lips. “It’s better than being exterminated,” Koa said.
Lady Colleen lolled her head to the side and gave Koa a cool look from across the room.
Koa didn’t look away, even though she wanted to.
“The words of a child. One that’s been fed the same nonsense the Netherworld Division likes to brainwash its agents with.”
Koa frowned. “Nonsense? It’s the truth. Would you prefer another war?”
Lady Colleen sat up. Her grin was unsettling. “Perhaps,” she said as she stood. “I think it’s time I check on my guests upstairs. You’ll be all right down here, won’t you?”
Koa nodded despite her annoyance. She wanted to continue their conversation.
Koa’s watch buzzed. She glanced at Ian as he came into the large den with Evina, Rezinger, Tristan, and Jax. Koa held the champagne in her mouth. Her heart nearly stopped. She saw the looks on their faces and she knew something was wrong.
She set the glass down and clicked her watch. Her eyes never left the faces of her team. A familiar voice spoke softly, calmly.
“They took her,” Alice said.
Koa heard the words, she knew their meaning, but somehow she could not react. She could not move, or think, or even remember to breathe. A strange sensation filled her belly and she recognized it. It was odd, like a pain, but stronger. Like love but more intense.
Koa balled her fingers into a tight fist. She bit hard into her lip, so hard that she tasted her own salty blood. Her heart beat too quickly for her to even begin to calm down. She fumed and shook with rage. Tears stung her eyes and she suppressed the urge to scream at the top of her lungs. She narrowed her eyes and looked at her hands.
“Koa,” Ian called softly. “I’m sorry but we’ll get her back.”
Koa shot a glare at him. “You know nothing, Ian. Nothing at all. They are going to kill her,” Koa was surprised to hear her voice crack.
Something shot her in the back. She gasped. The shock and the pain left her stunned into silence.
She reached around to touch what had been shot into her back.
Koa’s face paled.
It was a stake.
Ian quickly pulled it out and she fell to her knees.
The room went into chaos then.
An eruption of shouts and cries filled the room. Koa looked up to see Nicolai Frost and a team of Netherworld agents, angels and humans, flood the room like a small army. To her surprise and dismay, they were shooting at everyone in the room.
Everyone.
Koa didn’t break her gaze from Nicolai’s as she pulled her baton from her garter belt. She swung the sheath off the sword and let it extend into its full length.
Nicolai pointed and gave commands to the agents and ran into the battle.
Koa sucked in a breath, fighting through the pain in her back. She glanced to her side.
Evina was already fighting.
At least Koa knew who was on her side now. Betrayal stung almost as much as the grief and worry for her mother.
Evina tossed her sword into the air and it never came back down. Instead, it swirled above her head, as her tattoos seemed to dance along her skin. She closed her eyes and knelt in the center of the room. A temptress at work was a wonderful sight to behold.
Koa was glad that she was with Evina. Every male vampire within range of Evina’s temptation fought for her, killing without care for their own lives. They yelled like wild men and threw their bodies at the agents to protect her.
Koa held her sword in front of her and waited. She was more than ready. They had no idea of the wrath that they’d unleashed. Koa no longer cared what happened to her, or about rules, or about the Netherworld Division at all. As far as she was concerned, they’d betrayed her. Her old comrades were now her enemies.
Tristan walked over to her. Koa looked up at him with pleading eyes. “What is happening?”
Tristan looked down at her with an alarming look. He pitied her, but he did not move to help.
Koa shook her head as realization filled her body. Tears stung her eyes. “No, Tristan,” Koa whispered. “Not you too.”
Tristan looked away. His metal gauntlets were glowing. “You have to understand something. My people were created to kill vampires. I have my orders to wipe out this clan. But, I promise, I won’t lay a hand on you, Koa.”
Koa felt a tear drop. She’d been betrayed. No one told her what the plan really was. The Oracle was right.
“Do not trust,” Koa whispered in sorrow.
Tristan shook her head. “I’m sorry,” he turned away for her.
The heartbreak was overwhelming. She was on her own now. On her own with a handful of vampires.
Koa choked back tears. The pain fed her fury. She came to her feet and growled in frustration. One by one, Koa sliced through the agents with a fury never seen from her before. She’d never felt so betrayed in her life. Not even Halston had revealed to her the true plan.
They sent her and her mother out there like cattle, decoys, just to draw out Greggan. Koa shouted when someone ripped her dress. She shot over to the agent like lightning, kicked him in the chest with both of her legs, and landed on top of his body. She leaned down with rage in her eyes and twisted his neck until she head a satisfying snap.
Her eyes searched for Jax and Evina.
Koa feared for their lives as Tristan entered the battle. Her eyes widened as big as saucers as she beheld his power.
The large War-Breeder held up both arms, increased the glow of the metal gauntlets on his wrists, and slammed his fists into the floor.
The sound was deafening as the ground cracked and a force field of red light ignited from around him, and rippled outwards in a circle. Every vampire within the range of his power cried out and burst into flames. The agents within range were immune to Tristan’s power. They were relieved that he ended their battles with the vampires.
Tristan glanced at her with eyes of black. He was not her friend anymore. He was a horrific monster that made her fear for her life.
She lost it.
Koa cried out as a shot of pain filled her belly.
Bund.
Her lips trembled as he cackled inside her head. She forced it out of her mind. She would not yield.
The pain within persisted, but she didn’t have time to pay it any attention. She would fight it. She would fight Bund’s hold on her.
An agent, one that she didn’t recognize, took a shot at her with a crossbow. Koa clenched her teeth. She stabbed with expert precision, knocking their heads clean off and smashing their skulls i
n. The Lyrinian sword squealed with glee. It tasted blood, human blood, and went from black to red.
The power their souls gave the sword swarmed inside of Koa’s body. Drunk on blood lust, Koa felt woozy, as if she was floating on clouds the entire battle. Koa barely realized that everyone had stopped fighting after a while. She was so overcome with pain and euphoria that she barely realized that she was floating and glowing.
Koa looked down at her body and her brows furrowed. The glow was almost like Halston’s, but different. Sparks flew around her, crackling along the air and hitting the ground, transforming into steam.
Koa cried out and crumpled to the floor. The glow went out. Her eyes burned with tears, but they would not come. Instead, that strange feeling filled her. She realized what it was far too late.
Koa reached out for Ian as he ran to her. He was covered in blood. She was sorry that she missed seeing him in action. She squeezed his shoulder. The look of agony and fear in her eyes made his face pale even whiter than it was.
Koa clutched him and fell to her knees.
“Koa!” Jax called. “What’s happening?” He rushed to help her up.
Ian tried to steady her. She fell to the ground once Ian was shot with something that was way too quick for her eyes.
Koa sucked in a breath as she fell to her knees. Bedlam filled the room.
Screams. Shouts. Cries of anguish, sadness, and pain. Koa fell onto her back, nearly paralyzed. Jax searched the room with his eyes to see what had happened.
Blood filled Koa’s eyes as she looked up at Jax while he held her head in his lap.
“What’s happening?” Jax shouted again.
She reached for Ian’s hand as he gasped for air and looked down at his bloodied shirt. A thin stake protruded from his chest.
She only had time to speak one word. “Bund!”
Koa’s eyes fluttered closed. And the world went red.
46
Halston waited in the back of the hired car. He was dressed in his finest suit, shoes, tie, and cuff links. His blonde hair was perfect. He was prepared for this night. This was the night that would change it all.