by K.N. Lee
Kristoff nodded. “Lovely. She and my sisters are toward the back of the hall.” He leaned in and whispered. “They like to linger near the table of cakes.”
Willa covered her mouth as a laugh escaped her lips. Her mother left them to seek out the Dargaard women. She wondered what potion she planned on giving Kristoff’s mother, but the way he looked at her was more pressing at the moment.
“So,” Kristoff began, moving closer to Willa, so close that she couldn’t help but blush. He whispered into her ear, causing her skin to heat and her eyes to flutter closed. “Now that we are all alone, who is going to protect you from me, now?”
28
Awakened 4
CHILLS RAN UP Willa’s exposed skin at Kristoff’s remark. No man had ever spoken to her in such a manner. For a moment, she was left speechless.
He laughed at her, and rubbed his chin with his knuckles. “I didn’t mean to offend you, my lady,” he said.
Willa cleared her throat and looked from side to side. Everyone stared at them. The whispers. She heard them loud and clearly. She knew what the other guests were thinking, how they probably envied her for capturing the attention of one of the most eligible bachelors in the county.
Instead of showing her embarrassment, Willa leaned right into him and narrowed her eyes. “No, sir. You’re alone with me.”
Kristoff’s eyes widened. An amused smile came to his lips. “Well,” he said, folding his hands behind his back. “In that case, let’s say we enjoy the night air.”
Willa grinned and extended her arm. “Shall we?”
With Kristoff’s arm locked around hers, Willa and Kristoff attracted more attention as they left the main ballroom and exited to the garden.
“You’re not worried someone will think it improper?”
Willa glanced at Kristoff. “A lady can have a conversation with a gentleman in the presence of others,” she said, nodding to the scant groups of ladies and gentlemen enjoying the gas lamps set around the back courtyard. “Besides, my family cares little about what others think. We run this county, if you haven’t heard.”
Kristoff lifted a brow. “I see. The Avery’s are in for a bit of competition.”
“Is that so?” Willa paused at the edge of the stairs that led down to a white path that stretched far into the horizon, past the rectangular pond, exquisite shrubbery designs, and lamps that lit the way.
“Why? Are you worried?”
Willa’s blood ran cold as she peered at the night sky. It was a clear evening, with stars that shone as bright as the full moon. Her heart thumped in her chest as the scent of something unnatural came to her on the soft breeze.
The scent was unmistakable. It was the one thing that made Willa want to gag.
Blood.
Willa’s right eye twitched. Every fiber of her body ignited with warnings as she stood there, desperate for answers as to what awaited in the darkness below.
“Willa?”
Kristoff’s voice was too far away to grab her attention. Not now. She inhaled, deeply, and closed her eyes.
“Kelser,” Willa whispered inside her head. A light shone in the darkness of her subconscious. Like a candle, it wavered and flickered like the fire in the Spirt Witch’s castle, soon to be her new home. What she’d seen in the Spirit Room would never fade from her memory. While terrifying, she could draw strength from it.
“Illias,” Willa called, and another light joined that of Kelser’s.
In unison, her soul familiars answered. “Yes, Master?”
When Willa opened her eyes, all she saw was blood and the dead bodies of the partygoers.
A premonition.
If she didn’t act quickly, her vision would become reality.
“Find it,” she hissed aloud. “Find it, now.”
Someone grabbed Willa by the arm, waking her from her trance.
“Willa?”
Kristoff’s looked down at her, worry in his eyes. She realized that he held her up by her arms. Shaking her head, she removed herself from his grasp.
“Are you all right? Shall I call the doctor?”
“No,” Willa said, more forcefully than she’d intended. Before she could speak another word, her soul familiars returned, slamming into her body with such force that she had to grip Kristoff to keep herself steady.
“What is wrong?”
“Vampires,” Kelser and Illias said in unison. “Two.”
Willa’s eyes widened, and she kicked off her shoes. With one glance back at Kristoff, she licked her lips and shook her head. “I wish I could tell you.”
Then, she ran down the stairs, her dress bunched in her fists to keep from tripping on the lace fabric at the hem. As she ran down the stairs and to the pathway, she suddenly wished she’d have told her mother and perhaps the Lesters.
There were nine witches on the grounds, two of which were Elite Casters. Whoever the vampires were, they picked the wrong party to crash.
Yet, Willa ran headfirst to defeat them.
Alone.
The hush of the night filled her ears as she focused on deciphering where the vampires were. The thought that they were in her territory enraged her.
Her land. Her people. Didn’t they know any better?
Something caught her attention from the trees to her left. Willa froze, her heightened senses alert.
Thuds on the ground. She could feel the vibration beneath her bare feet.
Running. She lifted a brow. Someone was running. Very fast.
At that thought, something ran into her and lifted her from the ground. Willa’s mouth opened as the wind was knocked out of her. Whatever had her, pushed her across the garden and into the trees on the other side of the grounds. A whoosh of cool air slapped her face as she flew through the air, and was slammed into the grass.
“Well,” a female voice hissed. “Don’t you look delicious.”
It took a moment for Willa to regain her vision. The blow to the back of her head made her dizzy as she sat up.
The vampire placed a foot on Willa’s chest, pressing her into the dirt.
Willa coughed and struggled to see who stood above her.
“Frightening, isn’t it? You’ll never see my face. It’s a little trick I just learned.”
The vampire reeked of blood. As she knelt down to bring her face close to Willa’s the stench intensified.
“What’s this?” A male voice called from the shadows.
Willa’s head lolled to the right to see him. With swarthy skin and long black hair, Willa had never seen the vampire before. How could she? They didn’t come out during the day, and she’d never seen him at an evening event. The lilt in his accent hinted that he was Italian.
“Marco. You’re still too slow.”
“Do not tease me,” Marco replied. “What do you have there?”
“Our second course of the evening, love,” the female said with a chuckle as she sniffed Willa’s neck. “Come, smell her. She is divine.”
Give me strength, Willa whispered to Kelser and Illias.
Yes, Master.
With that, a surge of energy flooded Willa’s body. She grabbed the vampire by her hair and rose from the ground and to her feet. Hovering in the air, Willa held onto the vampire and met the gaze of her male companion.
“Gesù Cristo,” Marco said.
Jesus Christ? Willa shot him a glance. “A vampire, calling for Jesus Christ? He cannot save you today.”
“Stop,” the female said. “Who are you?”
“Willa Avery, Grand Elite Caster, future queen of the European coven, future delegate of witch affairs for the Netherworld Division.”
“Jesus Christ is right,” the female said. “Please. We didn’t know.”
Willa pulled her up to eye level. “How did you not know? This is Elite Caster territory, and we do not tolerate death to any human or witch within our borders.”
She nodded, tears in her eyes. Willa could finally get a glimpse of the vampire’s face as whatever
power she’d used waned. She had dark brown hair, and brown eyes that matched Marco’s. Realization that they weren’t lovers hit Willa.
They were siblings.
“Please. I beg of you. We were just turned days ago. No one taught us the rules,” she whined. “We didn’t ask for this.”
Willa’s brows lifted. “Days ago?”
Both young vampires nodded. “We are waiting for our master to come back for us. We were hungry. But, he is cruel, and he wishes to watch us suffer.”
The way her self-assured demeanor shifted to that of a scolded child turned Willa’s stomach. How could she kill them knowing they truly didn’t know the rules set between humans and vampires? The Netherworld Division must be notified, as well as her coven.
Willa sensed that dark times were on the horizon.
“Leave,” Willa ordered while the vampire struggled to free her hair from her tight grasp. “If I see you again, or hear of any trespassing, I will be forced to hunt you down and execute you both.”
With that, she dropped the vampire to the ground, and within seconds, they ran as fast as the wind the other way they’d came.
Lowering herself back to the ground, Willa straightened her dress. It was no use, grass and dirt had smeared her lovely red satin and lace. She frowned at the hole in her hem.
“Willa,” a voice called from behind.
Stiffening, Willa’s face drained of color. She slowly turned to look behind her.
There, in the trees, stood Kristoff.
The look of disbelief on his face left her desperate to run away.
“Kristoff,” she said, breathing his name in a whisper. “How long have you been there?”
Kristoff emerged from the darkness of the trees and stood before her. Willa shook as she awaited his response. It took an eternity as she watched him rake his hands through his hair, start to speak, then snap his mouth shut. He finally looked down at her and shook his head. For a moment, it seemed that he read her soul.
If he had, he would have run away as quickly as he could.
“Kristoff?”
He sighed and took her hands into his. “I saw it all. Heard it all.”
Tears welled in her eyes. So much for a kind and handsome husband worthy of uniting with her family. At the least, so much for a new friend.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Instead of turning away from her, he stroked her cheeks and wiped away her tears.
“No,” he said, softly. “Do not apologize?”
Willa opened her eyes. “Why?”
Kristoff kissed her forehead. “Because, I want to know everything. I want to know all there is to know about Willa Avery, the girl my father is currently arranging a marriage with.”
Those words reached a dark piece of Willa’s soul and brightened it. The smile that came to her lips seemed to take over her face.
“Really? Are you certain?”
He nodded. “Yes,” said, smiling. “Really.”
The quiet of the night gave Willa more courage than she’d had at the start of the evening. She rose on her toes and pressed her lips onto Kristoff’s.
With his arms wrapped around her, and the taste of his mouth, Willa realized that more than her power and resolve for fighting evil had been awakened that night.
A small spark deep within her heart was awakened, and she feared it would never slumber.
Read Silenced: Grand Elite Casters Book One here.
About the Author
K.N. Lee is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. When she is not writing twisted tales, fantasy novels, and dark poetry, she does a great deal of traveling and promotes other authors. Wannabe rockstar, foreign language enthusiast, and anime geek, K.N. Lee also enjoys helping others reach their writing and publishing goals. She is a winner of the Elevate Lifestyle Top 30 Under 30 "Future Leaders of Charlotte" award for her success as a writer, business owner, and for community service.
She is signed with Captive Quill Press and Patchwork Press.
(Amazon Author Page)
(Website)
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Also by K.N. Lee
The Chronicles of Koa Series:
Netherworld
Dark Prophet
Lyrinian Blade
The Eura Chronicles:
Rise of the Flame
Night of the Storm
Dawn of the Forgotten (Coming Soon)
The Darkest Day (Coming Soon)
THE GRAND ELITE CASTER TRILOGY:
Silenced
Summoned (Coming Soon)
Sacrificed (Coming Soon)
Awakened (Coming Soon)
THE FALLEN GODS TRILOGY:
Goddess of War
Goddess of Ruin (Coming Soon)
STANDALONE NOVELLAS:
The Scarlett Legacy
Liquid Lust
Spell Slinger
More from K.N. Lee
Rise of the Flame (Epic Fantasy)
Six races. Four realms. One devastating war.
The survival of the universe rests on the shoulders of one human girl, but can Lilae escape slavery in time to save humanity?
Netherworld (Urban Paranormal Fantasy) Demons, ghouls, vampires, and Syths? The Netherworld Division are an organization of angels and humans who are there to keep the escaped creatures from The Netherworld in check in this action-packed paranormal thriller.
Introducing Koa Ryeo-won, a half-blood vampire with an enchanted sword, a membership to the most elite vampire castle in Europe, and the gift of flight. If only she could manage to reclaim the lost memories of her years in The Netherworld, she might finally be able to move forward.
The Scarlett Legacy (Young Adult Fantasy) Wizards. Shifters. Sexy mobsters with magic.
Evie Scarlett is a young wizard who yearns for an escape from her family's bitter rivalry with another crime family. But this time, she may be the only one who can save them.
Goddess of War (Young Adult Fantasy) Unsuspecting humans. Fallen gods in disguise. A battle for the entire universe.
After escaping the Vault, a prison for gods, twin siblings Preeti and Vineet make a desperate journey to the human world where they must impersonate the race they are meant to rule and protect.
Silenced (New Adult – Paranormal Romance) Silence kept her alive. Magic will set her free.
Willa Avery created the serum that changed the world as humans, witches, and vampires knew it.
Liquid Lust (New Adult Romance) Sohana needed a fresh start.
Arthur--a British billionaire has an enticing offer.
Neither expected their arrangement to spark something more.
Discover more books and learn more about K.N. Lee on knlee.com.