by Wendi Wilson
What the hell, Piper? I guess I’ll go with the moniker Idiot Piper from now on.
But, in my own defense, Levi had overreacted. Warren and I had just been training. There was nothing going on between us, and no reason for Levi to be upset.
Except… hadn’t I felt something when Warren’s arms were locked around me? Didn’t a pleasant shiver race down my spine as his lips brushed against the skin of my neck?
And why hadn’t I just gone with Levi when he asked?
Because he hadn’t asked. He’d demanded, ordering me around like I wasn’t smart enough to make my own decisions. I shook my head. I wasn’t stupid. I could make my own damn decisions about whom I spent my time with.
I skirted the stables, where the farmhand Harris was showing a group of campers how to muck stalls. I was supposed to meet Rose and our campers at arts and crafts, but I just wasn’t in the right mind space for stamping leather and making lanyards.
Rose already seemed to hate me, so pissing her off by not showing up wasn’t high on my list of concerns right now. I needed to think.
I hurried down the path to the high-ropes course, stopping to look up at the platform where Levi, True, and I had perched as he told us the truth that rocked our world. Taking a deep breath and shoving my fear deep down inside me, I grabbed the wooden ladder and climbed to the top.
I sat squarely in the middle of the platform, away from the edges, then lay back to stare at the sky. White, puffy clouds floated lazily overhead, and my mind started to wander as I replayed everything that happened today over in my head.
True, with her odd, up and down mood swings that ultimately resulted in the end of our friendship. I wanted to believe something strange was happening, that her behavior was influenced by outside forces. But there was a dark seed buried deep down inside me, a kernel of self-doubt that made me believe I really was the problem.
Was there something fundamentally wrong with me that invited the ones I cared about to desert me? First Dad, who died because his quest for the truth about this place was more important than his safety. Then, all my friends and acquaintances, who couldn’t bear to be around me in my dark days following my father’s untimely death. Coco, the only one who’d stood by my side, was ripped from me through no fault of her own.
Then there was True. I’d felt an instant connection with her, and we’d formed a friendship that I’d thought was unbreakable. But she’d dropped me like yesterday’s trash as soon as she got what appeared to be a better offer— a beautiful, blond vampire by the name of Xander Banks.
I hadn’t even had time to process her defection before I got tangled in that strange training session with Warren. And the aftermath that just might have cost me Levi.
What the hell was that, anyway?
A shiver ran through me as I remembered the strange pictures that flashed through my head during my sparring match with Warren. I’d seen each move he was going to make, and my body had reacted instinctively, moving to counter each of those strikes with ease.
Chef Zelda’s face flashed through my mind, her surety that I was a witch somehow ringing true in my bones. I sat up quickly, my mouth falling open. Holy shit.
Zelda was right about me. I’d just refused to fully accept it until now.
I had strong gut feelings that rarely steered me wrong. I had a psychic vision, twice, and while I’d misinterpreted it the first time, it had come to pass. And now, just a few hours ago, when I needed help to best Warren, I’d seen the future.
Holy shitballs, I really am a witch.
My first instinct was to find True and bond with her over it. She was, after all, a witch, herself. Then, I remembered her desertion of me, and my shoulders drooped beneath the pain. I stretched out on my back once more and draped an arm over my eyes.
A witch. Wow.
I took a few deep breaths and relaxed all my muscles. So far, all of my witchy powers had come to me without any effort or desire on my part. If I wanted them to be of any real use to me, I needed to figure out how to call on them at will.
A buzzing sensation picked up near the base of my spine, and I concentrated on it, willing it to grow and flourish. The feeling intensified until my entire body was vibrating. I clenched my teeth to keep them from rattling, as every muscle in my body locked up at once.
Worry that I was having a seizure lanced through me, but the thought quickly disappeared as images began to flash through my mind.
The yacht party. Losing track of True and Xander. True, splayed across the bed, limbs akimbo. Her dress, pushed up all the way to her neck, showing her bra and underwear. Xander on top of her, clearly enjoying himself as his hands roamed hungrily.
The vision. A body crumpled on the floor. A larger figure standing over it, a male with broad shoulders and blond hair. The male crouched, grabbing the body, and bringing its neck to his mouth. He began to drink hungrily. The figure turned as if hearing a sound, and then it was clear as day. True rested in Xander’s arms, her neck torn open. She was lifeless, not moving. She was... dead.
Xander, pulling me from the vision as he caught me by the shoulders and forced me to look into his eyes while True lay unconscious on the bed behind him.
“You remember nothing of this,” he said, his voice piercing my brain like a hot lance. “Tomorrow, you will wake up feeling hungover, and you’ll only remember dancing and having a good time on the yacht.”
It was too much. I wanted the visions to stop, but they kept rolling through my mind like an out-of-control merry-go-round.
“Just follow my lead,” Warren said, and suddenly, I was waltzing like I was born to do it. A whisper, something that sounded like, “You enjoy my touch,” passed his lips, and I relaxed into his embrace before quickly forgetting that he’d even said it.
“I want you to trust me,” he said, his pupils expanding as his gaze locked onto mine. Suddenly, there was no doubt in my mind that he was a good man with only my best interests at heart.
My head shook back and forth as I strove to hold onto the denial, but the truth was plain to see with each scene that flashed through my mind. Xander and Warren had both been using compulsion on me, and I’d had no idea.
And all it took was a little bit of concentration and a rush of witchy power to bust through it all.
Just an hour or so ago, at the lake. He walked toward me, lowering his sunglasses so our eyes could meet. “Us meeting here is just a coincidence.” And I knew in that moment that it was true—it was a coincidence.
“Holy shit,” I whispered aloud. More compulsion.
The memories assailed me, sharp blades cutting me up into the tiniest of pieces. Warren’s hands and mouth, feeling so glorious against my skin. His sure knowledge that Levi was watching as he pulled me into an embrace he’d all but guaranteed I’d relish. Levi, accusing him of compelling me. Me, brushing it off and taking Warren’s side.
I flew into a sitting position as tears formed wide tracks down my cheeks. Guilt ravaged me as my harsh breaths accelerated, and my heart pounded inside my chest.
What had I done? I’d allowed myself to be drawn in by Warren Thornberry. I’d trusted him too much, and that trust gave him the opening he needed to manipulate me in ways that made me feel worthless and dirty.
I’d sided with him over Levi, and let the man I loved walk away from me.
And True. Oh, God, True.
She was being used and abused by Xander, and I hadn’t done a thing to stop it. I’d let my own hurt feelings get in the way of seeing the bigger picture, and there was no telling what else he’d done to her behind closed doors.
I leapt to my feet, then, remembering where I was, threw out my arms to maintain my balance. I couldn’t help anyone if I was dead. I slowly climbed over the edge of the platform and picked my way down the ladder.
Once at the bottom, I hedged, biting down on my bottom lip. I didn’t know where to go first. Levi? Or True?
True needed my help the most, but there was no guarantee I could cut t
hrough Xander’s compulsion enough to make her believe me. And what if she was with him? He could overpower me and compel me to forget, and I’d be back where I started with no memory of any of this.
No. I needed to find Levi first. I needed to tell him everything and beg his forgiveness. Then, together, we’d find my best friend and save her from her vampire boyfriend.
I twisted left to right, wondering where Levi could be. I didn’t have time to waste looking for him. I took a step toward the path, intending to go ask Dean Purty when my body began to buzz again. A scene flashed through my mind, and my eyes widened with wonder.
Levi is in the hidden bunker in the woods.
I knew it like I knew my own name, and my feet rushed to take me in that direction. I knew if I could get to him, if I could make him listen to me and understand, that somehow, everything would be okay. Levi would help me figure out a way to save us all.
I was dashing through the forest, swatting stray branches away from my face when a body stepped out into the trail in front of me. Startled, I tried to skid to a stop and ended up losing my balance. Pain streaked through my tailbone as it hit the ground, hard, but I ignored it.
Xander Banks stood over me, a sly grin on his face. He offered me a hand up, but I ignored it and pushed myself to my feet. I crossed my arms over my chest and prayed that if he heard my racing heart, he’d think its speed was from running. Not fear.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” he drawled.
“I-I’m looking for Levi,” I replied, flinching at the stutter in my voice.
“I thought you were leaving him for Warren,” he said, and his eyes did that same weird dilation I’d seen in my earlier vision.
Oh, my God, he’s trying to compel me. And… it’s not working.
Wonder flooded through me as I realized what was happening. It was almost as if being aware of his compulsion tricks made me immune to them. Or my witch powers emerging had somehow provided me with a shield.
Either way, I needed him to believe it was working.
“I’m leaving Levi for Warren,” I repeated in slow, monosyllabic words while praying feverishly that this was how it worked. “I’m going to find Levi to tell him it’s over.”
“Good girl,” he said, his eyes roaming down my body in a way that made me feel icky all over. “Maybe when the Count is done with you, he’ll let me have a go.”
His tongue darted out to wet his lips as his expression grew almost feral. I could see the wheels in his mind turning as he contemplated all the depraved things he wanted to do to me.
Not gonna happen, asshole.
When he snapped himself out of whatever inappropriate daydream he was having, he ordered me to forget we’d seen each other and to go ahead in my quest to find Levi and break things off with him. I stood there for a few seconds, as if in a daze, as his quick vampire feet carried him away from me before I could even blink.
When I was fairly certain he was gone, I let out the breath I’d been holding and took off in a dead sprint. I needed to get to Levi.
I needed to make him understand so that, together, we could save True from Xander and bring that asshat Warren Thornberry to his knees.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I stood outside the bunker thinking over everything I was going to say to Levi.
I’m sorry I was an ass. No, not specific enough.
I was compelled so it wasn’t really my fault. That might not go over so well.
How about, I need your help to take down the state’s most powerful vampire and his cronies before he kills us all?
None of it seemed to encapsulate all the emotions that swirled around in my brain. Levi had been the one constant, the one person who’d never let me down since this whole crazy thing started, and I’d just tossed that away. Had I been in my right mind? No. But, there was some part of me that thought Warren was intriguing. That his wealth and status might be exciting. I had to own up to that, at least. I had to ask for forgiveness for the part I’d played in the whole debacle before jumping into the fact that we needed to work together to stop Xander and Warren. True’s life was at stake. Maybe others as well.
But just how did I think we were going to stop Warren and Xander when they were both powerful vampires, and one had his own secret society? That little detail was another thing I needed Levi’s help with. We had to come up with a plan, and we had to do it fast.
Before I could find the right words to say or how to say them, the heavy metal door in front of me began to clank. The locks disengaged with loud thuds, and I watched, my heart pounding, as the door swung back.
Levi’s face appeared in the thin slice of entryway that was visible.
He didn’t speak, and for a moment, I was speechless, too. We stared at each other, me agonizing over my word choice, and him? Was that anger in his eyes or sadness?
But it was me who had to do the apologizing, not him.
“Levi, I’m sorry.”
He pulled the door back a little further. “Is Warren around?” He scented the air, then shook his head. “Did he send you here?”
I furrowed my brow. “Did he send me? No. I came on my own volition.”
“Are you sure?” His gray-green eyes zeroed in as if he could spot Warren’s influence.
“I’m sure. I know about the compulsion. I know what he was doing to me.”
The minute I spoke the words, his suspicious look turned to one of concern. He pulled the door back all the way and gestured me forward. “Get inside. Hurry.”
Startled, I did as he said, scooting in and waiting as he shut and locked the door. Once he was sure it was secure, he turned to me, his expression letting me know safety was only one of his concerns.
“Did he follow you here?” Levi asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so, but I saw Xander in the woods.” Levi’s eyes flashed with rage, but I quickly added, “I let him think he was compelling me, and he let me go.”
Levi’s fisted hands, flexed as corded muscle stood out on his arms and neck. I had a feeling he was picturing Xander Banks torn into several pieces. “What did he say to you?”
“It’s not important right now.” I knew if I told him the nasty things Xander said to me there would be no stopping him. He’d tear out of here and kill Xander Banks and then we’d have that to deal with on top of everything with True and Warren.
“Piper,” he said, pushing, but when I shook my head he let it drop.
“Xander’s in on it, too. I’m not surprised. When I think about what those two have done…” He ground his back teeth. “It might not be safe for you to be in here with me now. I’m… just barely hanging on.”
I put a hand on his chest. “You won’t hurt me,” I said in a soothing tone. “How many times do I need to tell you that?”
He dropped his head. I could feel his body trembling as he fought to control himself. “Piper, I never meant to involve you in any of this.”
“You didn’t.”
He shook his head slightly. “You don’t understand. The fact that Warren has been using compulsion on you when I claimed you as my Inamorata isn’t just wrong and reprehensible. It breaks vampire law stemming back centuries.” He paused as his eyes met mine and held. “I’m going to challenge him. We will fight to the death.”
“Levi, no.” I grabbed his arm, my fingers digging into the muscle to let him know how serious I was. “We can figure out what to do about Warren, but no ancient vampire rules are going to dictate how we handle this. I’m not going to lose you.” I tried to pull him into an embrace, but he stood as still as a statue.
“I can’t let him get away with this. He tried to take you from me. He thinks he can do whatever he wants. I need to show him that he isn’t untouchable.”
“But he’s so powerful.”
Pain flashed in Levi’s eyes as he stepped back. “Do you think Warren is better than me? That he’s a better mate than I am?”
“That’s not what I… Mate?”
He dropped his eyes. “Nothing. Listen, I just want you to be happy. If Warren is what you want, I will back down. I can go away. Mexico or the Caribbean.”
This time I pulled him into my arms, fitting our bodies together as I held him. “Stop. I want you, not Warren. If I’d been in my right mind, I never would have agreed to train with him. He isn’t half the man you are.”
“I’m not even a man. Neither of us are. That’s why we’re in this mess in the first place.”
“You know what I meant,” I said into his chest.
His arms slid around my back as his anger receded. “It isn’t your fault. Vampire persuasion is nearly impossible to resist.”
“Good thing I’m a witch, then.”
He pulled back slightly so he could look in my eyes. One eyebrow arched.
I nodded. “I used my… powers to avoid the compulsion. I used them to anticipate Warren’s attack, too. I think… I think I can use them to stop Warren and Xander.”
Levi’s head began to shake. “I don’t think you understand what we’re up against. Warren is one of the most powerful vampires in this section of the country. He might even be the most powerful in the United States for all I know. Every vampire you see at those parties is loyal to him, and their families and so on. It’s like trying to take on the President of the United States. His guard will take you down long before you even get inside.”
“Not if he thinks I’m still compelled,” I said as it dawned on me.
“Piper, I don’t think—”
“We have to try. Otherwise, Warren will continue to do what he wants. Take what he wants.”
Levi took my hands. “We could run. Make it hard for Warren to find us. I know some people in Argentina.”
My eyes popped wide. “Argentina? What about my mom? What about True? Xander is compelling her, Levi. He’s turned her into his little puppet. He’s destroying her life.”