Kingdom of War (Kingdom Journals Book 4)

by Tricia Copeland

  “This is a hoax, some lame trick Thanatos is playing to lure us out.” Anne stood and paced to the far wall. “But how would Thanatos know where we are?”

  “We are in Mexico,” I accused.

  The man stretched his arms to the sky and made circles with his hands.

  “Zoom in!” Alena yelled.

  There it was, the mark, just like the one that appeared on my wrist the previous day. Except black, like black tattoo ink.

  “Thanatos has to be behind this.” Camille paced the room.

  “Again, how did they find us?” Anne’s focus switched to Orm. “I thought you took care of the threat.”

  “We did the best we could.” Orm shrugged.

  “My name is Derrick James Michaels Smith.” The boy on the screen shook his head. “Why do I keep saying that? I’ve always gone by DJ Smith. Why does it matter if I have four names? Maybe this feeling is leading me to my dad though. Maybe it’s like those dreams. Maybe he’s calling to me somehow. Maybe he’s in trouble and needs my help. Maybe he changed since last time I saw him.”

  “I wouldn’t count on that.” Jude stretched his arms above his head.

  Anne clicked her pen on the table. “The main question is what do we do? We don’t know if he has powers or is connected to Thanatos.”

  I assessed Alena and Camille. “I say we go out to meet him. What do you think?”

  “Absolutely not.” Anne folded her arms over her chest.

  “What if we send a security detail out first? Just ask some questions, bring him in if he seems harmless,” I countered. “Then, we go out to meet him if he seems legit. The only way to know if he’s with us or against is for us to question him. We’ll feel a connection like we did with Jude and Tyler.”

  Anne tapped on the screen in front of her and directed Jacob, her second in command, to take a team out to intersect DJ. That she sent Jacob meant a lot. She, Will, and Jacob had been together for centuries. I knew her sending him meant she took this seriously, was listening to us, and I appreciated her considering our opinions. While we waited and watched, he kept to his path, aiming straight for our compound. Anne typed DJ’s name into a Google search screen, finding a missing person’s report filed just hours before along with a profile containing high school football stats from Alexander Hamilton Senior High School in LA.

  “Alexander is just down the 10 from Santa Monica High.” My palms grew sweaty, and I swiped them on my pant legs.

  Half an hour later, Jacob’s black SUV slowed and stopped ten feet from DJ. Jacob and three additional vampires exited the vehicle and approached him.

  He held his palms up. “Hey, guys, I don’t want any trouble. I’m just looking for my friends.”

  “See.” I pointed at the screen. “I should be there. They have no clue if he’s telling the truth or not.”

  “Definitely witch,” Jacob spoke into his microphone.

  “Did you call me a witch, seriously? Oh God, I knew it. All that stuff my mom said was true.” Eyeballing Jacob, he rested his hands on his knees. “So, who are you, or what are you?”

  “Just people trying to figure out why you’re here.”

  He described how he woke in the middle of the night, his arm burning, and the mark appeared on his wrist. He’d dreamed about three teens looking for a sword. “My father, Thanatos, was in the dreams too, except he’s this evil warlock dude. That part probably isn’t far from reality.”

  I bolted out of my chair and pointed at the screen. “What more proof do we need? He’s my brother.”

  “Or someone posing as your brother to get into our compound. You can’t let your emotions take over.” Orm laid a hand on my shoulder.

  “I think Hunter is right.” Anne stood. “We’ve got to at least send Chalondra to read him.”

  “I won’t know his intent. Only his heritage.” Chalondra’s eyes cut to me. “Hunter is the only one that can know what he truly wants.”

  “One of us should have gone.” I hung my head and rubbed my hands down my pants. “What if he has powers and doesn’t even know it? Your team could be in danger.”

  “They’ve got their vests on. They’ll be fine.” Anne tapped her finger on the tabletop.

  DJ shook his head. “Man, I don’t want any trouble.”

  I hit the button on the radio. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  “What? How are you going to drive there in a few minutes?” Alena trailed me to the door.

  “We’re not. I’m going to fly. Chalondra, come with me.”

  Chalondra’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve never flown before.”

  “Well, I’m going to now. Let’s go.”

  Anne stood. “You can’t go outside without suiting up.”

  “Suits equal no magic, not good for flying.” I motioned for Chalondra to exit ahead of me.

  All of them followed me down the hall. The garage was the only exit I’d used, so I headed to the vehicle bay. “This a good exit?”

  “As good as any.” Anne blocked the doorway behind me. “No one else is leaving. I’m sealing the bay once you’re out.”

  “Mom,” Alena complained.

  “She’s right. No one else needs to be compromised.” I raised my chin, hoping to exude confidence.

  She vaulted over her mother and landed in front of me. “Are you sure about this? Yesterday was a big day. You need rest.”

  “No, we need to figure out who DJ is. I’ll be fine.”

  She gripped my arms. “Promise me.”

  “I promise.”

  When she released me, I exited the garage and wrapped my arms around Chalondra. For a split-second, the thought that I had no intention of flying before crossed my mind. But somehow, I just knew what to do. Bending my knees and pushing off the ground, we soared into the air.

  The wind in my face, whooshing over my body, created a sensation surpassing anything I’d ever experienced before, like speeding down a roller-coaster hill. My stomach jerked as I processed having no jet pack or parachute for backup. Trusting in my own strength, I steered us in DJ’s direction. In a few seconds, the black SUV came into view. Slowing as we approached the vehicle, I climbed higher and descended at a slower pace. We landed between the vehicle and the four vampires.

  “You can fly?” Jacob offered his hand in greeting as I approached.

  “Seems that way.” I gripped Jacob’s arm. Slapping his bicep, I walked to DJ and held out my palm. “I’m Hunter.”

  “Whoa, I know I must be tripping now. You just flew here? Like without a jet pack or anything?” He stood on his toes and craned his neck. “Wait, you’re the guy I saw in my visions. Who are you?”

  I took a half step towards him. “I’ve met Thanatos.”

  “You know my father?”

  “Why are you here?”

  “Yeah, I don’t really know what I’m doing. Just following instincts.”

  I offered my hand again, and he made a fist. Curling my fingers, I bumped my hand to his. A current shot through my palm and up my arm.

  “What’d you do to me?” DJ jumped back.

  “I didn’t do anything. What did you do?”

  DJ shed his hood and rubbed his hand through his dark hair. “I have no idea what’s going on here.”

  “Let’s walk.” I motioned in the direction he’d come.

  “No, man.” He shook his head. “I can’t go back. It’s like there’s this string pulling on me. Wait, it’s gone.”

  A smile formed on his face. “Man, I haven’t felt this good in twenty-four hours. You do something to me, fixed me with that jolt of whatever you just gave me?”

  “Nope, I didn’t do anything.”

  “How can you fly?”

  “Let’s talk more about why you’re here.” My nerves on alert, I couldn’t stand still and started walking towards the compound.

  DJ described again how he’d awoken to the pain on his wrist and the visions. “Hey.” He stopped short. “How did I know I could trust you guys? When I tri
ed to tell my friends about what happened, no words came out.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Who is she?” DJ cocked his head to Chalondra.

  “This is Chalondra. She’s a witch who can see your heritage.”

  “Like who my dad is, my mom? I already told those guys.” He pointed at the vampires that trailed us. “My mom is Octavia Smith, my dad is Thanatos Michaels. I am Derrick James Michaels Smith.”

  “We have to confirm that you’re telling the truth.”

  “How, and or what? You send me back? Kill me?” He took a step back, and the vampires shifted to keep the perimeter around him.

  “What does your gut tell you?”

  “That I can trust you.”

  “Why do you think that is?” I held my breath to focus on his every thought, conscious and subconscious.

  “I don’t know, man. I saw you in my vision. Can’t you just answer my questions?”

  “We can once we know you are who you say you are.”

  Chalondra approached and held out her palm. “I’m not going to hurt you, son. If you have nothing to hide, then take my hand.”

  “This is serious stuff, right?” His eyes pierced into mine.

  “Yes. It is a matter of life and death for us.”

  “I told you. I woke up with this mark and these images in my head. I’m a witch, aren’t I? Like you?”

  I searched his mind for any hint of deception. “It seems you are. I mean you no harm. Do you trust me?”

  “Somehow I do.”

  “We all want the same thing, okay?”

  “Okay. I guess we’re doing this.” He laid his hand atop Chalondra’s.

  Chalondra shut her eyes, and a pulse radiated from her hand. I thought back to when she’d told me about my father and his role in the witch community, how incomprehensible it seemed, yet every cell in my body knew it to be true.

  When her lids opened, she nodded.

  “What does that mean?” DJ shifted his weight between his feet.

  “That she knows you are who you say you are.”

  “Why would I make this up? Listen, I just took a bus from LA to Phoenix, then to this town called Chihuahua, hitched a ride with this farmer dude, and walked like ten miles. Why would I do that?”

  All the while, I reached out with my senses, reading his thoughts. He felt fear, anxiety, confusion, but there was no indication of deceit or darkness. How powerful could a young witch be? Could he cloak his intentions?

  I inquired about his interactions with Thanatos and if he had siblings. He reported that Thanatos came to see him every other year or so. He had no sisters or brothers that he knew of. “I don’t know what to tell you, man! It was like the second it was my birthday all hell broke loose, and here I am.”

  March twenty-first, the Spring Equinox. My heart rate jumped. “Yesterday was your birthday? How old are you?”

  “He’s eighteen now,” Chalondra noted.

  DJ jumped back. “Whoa, what else do you know?”

  Chalondra told him about his mother who was a vampire and how Thanatos ruled the witches as his family had since the beginning of the witch species.

  “Witches? Vampires? I’m half vampire and half witch? How is that possible? My mom died when I was four. Thanatos never came for me. I was never good enough for him, I guess. They put me in the system, and I got passed between foster homes. I always remembered what my mom said, though, and ate healthy like she taught me. She said we were different and would tell me everything when I was old enough.”

  Listening to his thoughts, I gauged his emotions, searching again for any clue of deceit. His brainwaves darted around, thoughts jumbled, confused, but I found no hint of malice, no holes or dark spaces. Still, I reached out with all my power. This was paramount, not just for me, but for Alena and Camille. I paced away from him. I had to decide. Thinking of my mark, I wheeled to face him.

  “I was never good enough for him either.”

  It felt like his brain froze for a second and then exploded in a rapid fire of neurons. “Wait, are you?”

  “Thanatos is my father too.” I pushed up my sleeve and held out my wrist.

  “Whoa, you’re like my brother? How old are you?” Eyeing me, he took a step back.

  “I’ll be eighteen on June twenty-first. We have at least one other half-brother. He’s eighteen too.”

  “Our pop was a busy guy back in the day.”

  “Yeah, I don’t really like to think about that part. Let’s get you some food and a shower and change of clothes. Then, I can tell you my story. Does that sound like a good idea?”

  Needing to be one-hundred-percent sure I hadn’t missed any ill intent, I held out my hand.

  He hesitated a second and then gripped my palm. “Nice to meet you, brother. Wow, that sounds weird.”

  As I released his hand, I felt the emotion rolling off him: relief, acceptance, kinship, familiarity.

  “I don’t have to fly with you, right?”

  I walked to the vehicle. “No, we can drive.”

  Seven of us stuffed into the three rows of SUVs and sped across the desert to the compound. We entered the garage, and I could sense the fear, trepidation, and questions swirling in his head but no hint of any malicious thoughts. Jacob pulled into a single bay, and the door closed behind us. I’d never been in this section and wondered if he’d brought us to a separate entrance. Inside, I found I was right.

  Orm waited in a small conference room with a table stacked with clothes, toiletries, linens, my backpack, and what I recognized as Chalondra’s and Orm’s travel bags.

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Orm.” Palm out, Orm approached DJ.

  DJ took a step back. “Are you a witch like Ms. Chalondra and Hunter? Can you read minds too?”

  “I have many gifts, but that I cannot do.”

  “Orm is a good friend.” I nodded to DJ, coaxing him to take Orm’s hand.

  Orm could read your subconscious, things perhaps you didn’t even know about yourself. His skill intrigued and scared me in equal measure.

  After what seemed like minutes, DJ took a step forward and slid his hand in Orm’s.

  “Nice to meet you DJ. Are you hungry? Why don’t we get something to eat?” Orm motioned down the hall.

  In the kitchen, four cardboard boxes sat on a table, each marked with each of our names. Taking seats, we opened them. I guessed they sequestered us until we decided what to do with DJ. My emotions had my stomach turning, and I picked at my sandwich. Hearing clicking heels echoing in the hall, I stood.

  Anne approached DJ. “Welcome, I am Anne Scott, head of this facility.”

  DJ stood. “Hi, ma’am. Nice to meet you. I’m DJ. Thank you for taking me in.”

  Anne allowed him to call his foster family and he made up a story about going to Mexico with a friend for spring.

  “That should do for now.” Anne held out her palm to receive the phone he’d been using. “I’m sorry about your mother. I’d like to get her name if possible. If you decide to stay, we can contact your school and have you set up online so that you can graduate with your class.”

  “Yeah, I got some schools looking at me for football, so…” DJ shook his head. “My mom’s name was Octavia Smith.”

  “Thank you.” Anne formed a tight-lipped smile. “I will see what I can find out about her.”

  I was surprised to see tears forming in Anne’s eyes. Was she sad for DJ or Octavia or both? Her emotions were hard for me to read. I guessed she may relate to being a single mom and doing everything in her power to protect a special child. As quick as all these thoughts entered my brain, she blinked and her hard stare returned. She pivoted and marched away.

  “Who is she? How could she find out about my mom?”

  “She’s the vampire’s Chancellor. Her and her staff can find anything anywhere.”

  “More like the Queen.” Orm shuffled past us. “We should begin.”

  Chalondra, DJ, and I followed Orm down the hall to a small gy
m. “He’s of no use to us if he doesn’t have magic. We have too much to do to invest much time with him.”

  “Well, don’t sugarcoat it. Sorry, DJ, there’s a lot to know, but we can’t share any of it unless we’re sure you’re who you say you are, your intentions are pure, and you are one of the chosen.”

  “Chosen?” DJ questioned.

  “Like, I said—”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it. What do you want me to do?”

  Glancing at Orm, I saw him nod. Then, I commanded a rod on the wall to fly to DJ. He ducked, but the instrument froze over him. When he stood, it fell to the floor.

  “Did I do that?”

  “I don’t know. Did you?” I levitated the rod, spinning it in front of him. It inched closer and closer to his face. “Concentrate.”

  A blast of air shot from DJ’s direction, and the rod hurled at me. I pushed it back, and he countered again. I caught it with my hand. “That was nice.”

  DJ doubled over. “Oh my God, I can do magic. Magic is real. I am a witch.” His eyes cut to me. “Or do we call ourselves warlocks?”

  “Witch, definitely. Warlocks are evil beings, and you never want to be one of them.”

  I trained with him the rest of the day and for the next week. Anne and her security team monitored him around the clock, in the gym, his quarters, even in the shower. I wondered how long we needed to wait to know that he could be trusted, and it made up much of the discussion at the team meetings we held each night after DJ went to sleep.

  “You need sleep and rest. You can’t keep this up.” Alena complained as we made our way to my room. “You train with DJ all day and plan the mission to France with us most of the night.”

  “But I get to kiss you before I go to sleep.” I pressed my lips to hers.

  “I miss you, and we want to meet DJ. Do you like him? Is he cool?”

  “Yeah, I do.” I plopped down on my bed. “He’s a fun guy, mostly levelheaded. Got some of that vampire spunk, ya know.” I tugged on her hair. “He needs to learn about vampires too. He told me he had a girlfriend, and he got really into her. I guess she said he was too intense too fast and bailed on him. I feel bad for him for so many reasons.”

  “But now he has you.” Alena rested her legs atop mine. “Vampires, even halfling vampires, have intensified emotions. Mom said she’s never heard of a vampire that got divorced. They find their mates and know they are the one.”