Vampire's Crucible

by Yvette Bostic

  “Please take a seat,” our escort said.

  “Thank you,” I responded, moving to a table at the edge of the room and close to the door.

  We sat down, and I scooted my chair closer to Logan, dropping our bag beneath me. The rest of the mages filed into the room, filling the other tables but not joining us.

  “Are you okay?” I whispered, leaning close to him.

  “Yes, just a little wary of our welcome,” he replied, watching the mages.

  “Can you eat?” I asked, knowing they were bringing food.

  He looked down at me and winked. “Of course, but I won’t like it.”

  I had the sudden urge to wrap my arms around him. My faced flushed and I covered it with my palms.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yep, just feel like I need to sneeze.”

  He chuckled and nudged my ribs with his elbow. “Liar.”

  I looked up just in time to see our escort and his two associates heading towards our table. I needed to do proper introductions. Names were important. I stood just as they reached the table, as did Logan.

  “Alisandra,” I said, extending my hand.

  “Jim.” He reached across the table and his large hand engulfed mine, as usual. “This is Dylan and Ezekiel.” He pointed to the two men with him.

  “Logan, my protector.”

  Jim raised an eyebrow at me but shook Logan’s outstretched hand. We all sat in silence for several moments. I wasn’t sure what to expect of our conversation and decided to let Jim lead.

  “You didn’t appear to need a protector in the woods,” Jim finally said.

  I smiled. “You’d be surprised. I tend to bite off more than I can chew, then think about the indigestion later.”

  “Yes, I can see that.” He rubbed his chin, his glance constantly going back to Logan. “The traitors said some disturbing things. Are they true?”

  “If you witnessed our fight, then you heard the whole story,” I replied. “Yes, I believe them.”

  “So, why are you here?” Jim asked. It wasn’t an accusatory question, but I could sense the curiosity radiating off him and the others.

  “That’s complicated,” I said, contemplating how to explain our situation. “Tons of rumors are flying around in North America right now. What I’m about to tell you is as close to the truth as I can reveal.” I ran my fingers through my messy curls, reminding me I needed a shower. “Logan and I are part of a small group tasked with finding the mages who are stolen from us. Those who have not fallen to the vampire curse are returned to Kellen and the palace. The others, at least those willing to break away from the vampires, are joining us in our search.”

  “That answers the question of your whereabouts for the last week or so, but it doesn’t explain why you’re here,” Jim said.

  “I’m getting to that,” I said as politely as I could. “In our search, we discovered the vampires were planning an attack on your home. A spy within the palace convinced Kellen that he needed to send his entire force here to protect you.” I looked over at my partner and he nodded. I left out all kinds of details, but this was better than them going in totally blind. “He fully intended to do just that to ensure the vampires didn’t wipe out your group. But what he didn’t know was the council was using this as a ruse to pull his mage warriors from the palace. Their true targets are the shifters who support Kellen.”

  Several expressions raced across Jim’s face. Astonishment, fear, disbelief, and anger.

  “And those vampires are still coming here, but Kellen’s forces are not,” Jim stated, anger winning out over the rest.

  “We’re not certain if the vampires will come,” Logan replied. “Marshall confirmed they intend to take your mages and turn them into vampires, which means they won’t be here to kill you.”

  “We believe they will only send a small force,” I added. “Logan and I will stay and fight with your mages.”

  “How will a tiny little girl and her ‘protector’ fight off a vampire army?” Jim asked, not hiding his skepticism.

  “Well, I did warn you I tend to bite off more than I can chew,” I replied.

  He chuckled and looked over at the man on his right. “Will our warriors be ready for battle an hour before dusk, Dylan?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then let’s enjoy this meal and talk of other things.”

  He took the news better than I expected. I wasn’t sure if it made me happy or suspicious. Maybe both.

  Several women carried plates of food to our table. I had no idea what I was eating, but it smelled marvelous. A roasted meat covered one side of the dish and a pile of fruits covered the other. A basket of sliced bread appeared in front of me, and my stomach rumbled. I somehow managed to wait for Jim to take a bite before I dove into my dinner.

  As I swiped my bread across my empty plate, I glanced over at Logan. His plate was also empty, which surprised me. Would he be sick later? Could he even get sick? Probably not. Damn vampire.

  “What’s the local time, Jim?” Logan asked, breaking the prolonged silence that lingered while we ate.

  “Two in the afternoon,” he replied, wiping his lips with a napkin.

  “Is there someplace we could shower and possibly take a quick nap?” Logan glanced down at me and I nodded. I really needed it and so did he. “We’ve been up for almost eighteen hours and would greatly appreciate the rest.”

  “Absolutely.” Jim rose, leaving his plate on the table. “Follow me.”

  We left the crowded room and made our way back outside. Jim crossed the street to the only two-story home I’d seen so far. A sign on the outside said, ‘The Water’s Edge Inn.’

  “Do you need two rooms or one?” Jim asked, a smile playing on his lips.

  “One is fine,” I replied, “As long as it has its own bathroom.” I should care about his opinions, but I didn’t want to be separated from Logan. I’d put him in a difficult situation. There was no way I’d leave him alone.

  Jim gave me a full grin and stopped at a desk just inside the foyer, beneath a winding staircase. He spoke to a young man in hushed tones, who jumped to his feet and ran up the stairs.

  “You should have about six hours before dusk,” Jim stated. “Would you like me to send someone for you?”

  “Only if the vampires arrive early,” Logan replied. “Thank you for your acceptance and hospitality.”

  “I look forward to seeing our young Magister in battle.” Then, Jim turned on his heel and left us alone in the foyer.

  “Wow, no pressure,” I mumbled.

  A few minutes later, the same young man rushed back down the stairs. “Please follow me, Magister.”

  With a full stomach and some of the immediate drama subsiding, my exhaustion took over. I really needed to establish better sleeping habits. I traipsed up the stairs, allowing our host to open the last door in the hallway.

  “Please let me know if there is anything you need,” he said as I stepped past.

  “Just sleep, but thank you for the offer.”

  After he closed the door behind us, Logan locked it, then pulled the only chair in front of the door, trying to wedge it beneath the handle.

  “Do you think someone would try to come in?” I asked, dropping the backpack in the middle of the floor.

  “Jim knows I’m not a mage,” Logan said, giving up on the chair. “He saw us fight, so he also knows you’re more than a mage.”

  “Damn. And I just wanted a shower and a nap,” I grumbled.

  “I’m probably being paranoid,” he said, pulling the drapes closed and sitting on the bed to unlace his boots. “But if we do have to fight, I won’t be able to hide what I am.” He kicked off one boot and then the other. “I could very well become a casualty, taking you with me.”

  “Then I’ll make it very clear to Jim that if any of his mages attacks you, I’ll protect you first and ask questions later,” I said, sitting beside him and pulling off my own boots. “Your life is way more importa
nt to me.”

  “Because it’s not just my life,” Logan muttered.

  I looked up at him and scowled. “No, because it is your life. You put up with a lot of unnecessary shit from me and still manage to make me feel loved. It’s your life I value and nothing else.” I stood and pulled my shirt over my head, throwing it at him. “I’m taking a shower. I smell and I’m grumpy.”

  He stood, allowing my shirt to fall on the floor. “I’ll join my grumpy mage in the shower and try to make you feel better.”

  My lip quivered, and those damn tears filled my eyes. He called me his mage, just like I called him my vampire, only I never did it out loud.

  “That wasn’t exactly the response I was looking for,” Logan said, suddenly in my space, his hands cupping my cheeks.

  “I’m grumpy and I stink and you called me your mage,” I mumbled.

  “What else would I call you?”

  “Princess? AJ? Pain in the ass?”

  “Come on, pain in the ass, let’s get you clean and rested.”

  Chapter 13

  I thoroughly enjoyed my shower, mostly because of Logan’s attention. He relaxed me in ways I could only imagine. Of course, it wasn’t like I had a ton of experience, but I didn’t care. He made me feel good. The only thing that worried me was whether or not he felt the same, but I was too chicken to ask.

  I crawled beneath the handmade quilt and soft sheets wearing only a t-shirt and panties. I closed my eyes, listening to my vampire hum in the bathroom. My mind wandered, his soft tune relaxing me even more.

  Marshall had said the vampires planned to take the mages, not kill them. Which wasn’t surprising… but was it? Someone once told me they would only keep a small number of mage-vampires so they could eliminate them after the war. Had Kellen told me that? Did it even matter who told me what?

  Regardless, if they intended to keep the mage-vampires to a minimum, why kidnap more? Or was Braden behind the kidnapping? Would he use them to overthrow Jack? I sat up and opened my eyes, still playing out the conversations in my mind. Braden thought Jack would use the ogres. At least, that’s what he’d implied. So, maybe Braden was trying to build his own army.

  “What’s wrong?” Logan asked as he sat on the bed next to me.

  I didn’t answer, my mind still searching for missing links. My mother had said she would take over the vampires with her new mage-vampire warriors. Was she working with Braden and not Jack? What if Braden planned this whole scenario with the Australia mages? No, it wouldn’t make sense for him to tell us about it so we could intervene.

  “AJ, talk to me.”

  I tapped my finger against my chin. Maybe it would help to think out loud? “Okay, I’m verbalizing thoughts, so it might sound stupid. Just go with it.” I scooted over so he could join me, which, of course, he did. “Braden wants to stop Jack, so is he trying to build his own army of super vampires? He said Jack is planning on using some of the other supernatural families, so maybe Braden wants to even the odds.”

  Logan’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Do you think Braden was actually working with my mother? He seems to hate Jack, so maybe Braden was trying to overthrow him. And Jack found out about the vampire-mages, so Braden had to hand over some of them and come up with a stupid story to cover for himself?”

  “It makes sense, sort of,” Logan said, running his fingers through his wet hair. “What prompted this line of thought?”

  “I couldn’t figure out why the vampires would be collecting these guys today rather than killing them,” I replied. “Unless Braden is collecting them to overthrow Jack.” I shook my head. “But it still doesn’t make sense. According to Braden, Jack ordered this attack, but Marshall said they had orders to capture, not kill. Jack wouldn’t do that, would he? Doesn’t he already have enough mages? Or does he plan to lose a bunch at Victor’s?”

  Logan leaned back against the pile of pillows, his thick brows meeting each other. “I don’t know, but you’re right. Something is off. There are too many unknowns, especially about Braden.”

  I lay back down and pulled the quilt to my chin. Something else bothered me.

  “Why are we still here and not at Victor’s?” I asked. “If we take these people to the palace, even for just a night, the vampires will have no one to attack.”

  “I’m sure they won’t abandon their homes,” Logan replied. “Do you want to leave them to fight this on their own?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to say, just not very well.” I huffed and sat back up, turning sideways to look at him. “We left the palace in the middle of the night, perfect time for vampires to strike. It’ll take Kellen’s group three hours to get to Victor’s from his estate, unless there’s a portal closer?”

  “No, his is the closest,” Logan said slowly.

  “Okay, so they get to Victor’s at three in the morning, which is crazy. How will they transport all those people? I didn’t see a line of buses at Kellen’s.” I waved my hand in the air. “Anyway, still perfect timing for a vampire attack back home regardless of who’s behind it. You and I are here in the middle of the day, not a good time for vampires.”

  Realization slowly dawned across Logan’s face. And he’s supposed to be the smart one.

  “We should pack up these warriors and join Kellen’s group. Tell the families to stay at the palace for twenty-four hours until we know what the real plan is.” I looked at my vampire, hoping he understood what I was trying to say.

  “If we leave now, I can get you to Victor’s much quicker than the others,” he said, sliding off the bed. “If we’re wrong, no harm done and everyone is still safe.”

  “But if we’re right, Kellen and Victor will need everyone.” I rolled off the other side and started pulling on clothes. “Have we already wasted too much time?”

  “It’s only been an hour or so since we arrived,” Logan replied, already dressed and stuffing dirty clothes in our backpack. “If Jim can organize his guys quickly, we shouldn’t be that far behind Kellen.”

  “Would Kellen think of this?” I asked, trying to tamp down my panic.

  “I’m not sure. Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, but I sure could’ve used a nap.”

  I tried not to race down the stairs and draw unnecessary questions, but I was pretty sure I failed. Logan grabbed my hand at the bottom and pulled me into a slow walk. It was probably a quick walk but felt really slow. We crossed the street and entered the same building we’d exited earlier.

  Ezekiel met us in the hall. “Is everything okay?”

  “No, we had a sudden realization that we’d like to discuss with Jim,” I said. “Can you take me to him?”

  “Of course.” He turned and led us down a hall to the right and knocked on the first door.

  “Come in,” a muffled voice called.

  Ezekiel opened the door, holding it for us to step through. Jim rose from a large sofa on the left side of the room and turned off the television.

  “Magister, I thought you were getting some sleep.” His eyes darted from Logan to me. I didn’t miss the insinuation.

  “My brain usually forbids it and today was no exception,” I replied, trying not to be caustic. I felt so good ten minutes ago. I took a deep breath and repeated my concerns about Jack’s plans and the timing, leaving out my mother and Braden.

  “I’m inclined to agree with you,” Jim said, still standing with the TV remote in his hand. “Ezekiel, gather the warriors and tell Paula to come in here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Do you know where the shifter’s lodge is?” Logan asked.

  “No, but if you program the address in my phone, we’ll be there,” Jim replied. “I assume you’re not waiting for us.”

  “We need to catch Kellen and warn him,” I replied, turning towards the door.

  “I have one question before you leave, Magister.”

  I sighed, knowing what was coming. “What is it?” I slowly turned back around, meeting h
is intense gaze, his icy blue eyes so much like my own.

  “Your protector is a vampire, yes?”

  I nodded.

  “And you are as well?”

  “No, I’m a dual mage with many gifts and the Magister of the North American mages,” I replied, not hiding my bitterness. “While we’re on the subject, I value Logan’s life over everyone else’s. If he is attacked, regardless who it is, I will act first and ask questions later.”

  “That’s a dangerous position to be in,” Jim said, frowning. “But I’ll make sure my warriors understand.”

  “Thank you.” I hesitated before leaving. “I’m not a weak little girl who’s afraid to fight. I still have a lot to learn, but I have excellent teachers.”

  Jim looked over at Logan who shook his head. “She learns from her elementals who have gifted her with more power than I believed possible.” Logan held out his hand. “Give me your phone, and I’ll save Victor’s location on your map.”

  Jim handed over his smartphone and looked at me. “Is this true?”

  “Yes, and Logan is not just a vampire,” I replied. “Which is why I value him so much.”

  “I thought Kellen was your mage partner?”

  “He is. It’s complicated.”

  Jim shook his head, taking his phone back. “We’ll be there as soon as we can. And I’ll convince the families to leave as soon as possible.”

  A tall woman with striking features entered the room as we turned to leave. She smiled and nodded as we walked by, but I didn’t stay to hear her conversation. Jim would either take care of it or not, and I had to trust that he would get everyone out.

  As soon as the small village fell out of sight, Logan picked me up and raced towards the portal. He stumbled for a fraction of a second when we landed in the empty courtyard of the palace, but he still didn’t stop.

  “I need you to think about Kellen’s estate,” he said as he made a loop around the yard.

  My mind immediately went to Kellen’s house and all the memories that went with it. I hadn’t been back, until now. We fell back through the inky blackness. Logan stumbled again into Kellen’s estate. So that’s how that worked.