by Ginna Moran
“You can give me to the headmistress.” Rylie’s soft voice draws my attention from Torrance and to the doorway where she hovers. “I will tell her the truth. She can get it from me.”
I crinkle my nose. “No, Rylie. You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do. It’s my fault that you’re in this position. I should’ve told you what the elders had planned. I should’ve stood up to Ivo. Tried harder. I should’ve been a better friend.” She rubs her palms across her cheeks, smearing her tears. “I just want to help, Fiona. It’s the least I can do.”
“But the elders might find out. They’ll consider you a traitor,” I say. “You have your own plans.”
She braves coming into the room. “I don’t care. They’ve already sentenced me to a life I never wanted. I finally understand why you asked me to help you leave. I can’t believe I was sentencing you to the same. I’m really sorry.”
I close the space to her and wrap her in my arms. “I’m sorry too. I let everything get into my head and got caught up with...my needs. I didn’t consider how awful this must be for you. I don’t want to make it worse. I can’t ask you to do this.”
“Then we’ll make Mr. Nowak,” Aspen says, standing near the door.
“They’ll kill him,” both Rylie and I say in unison.
The four of them look at us, but it’s Berkeley who says, “Actually, he already has a work contract with us. So does Rylie. It’s our responsibility to punish as we see fit. The crimes aren’t as intolerable as...” He lets his voice trail off as he looks at me, and I don’t even have to hear his thought to know he’s silently thinking about the fact that I’ve killed vampires. “Blood Life Corp doesn’t like to waste blood sources if they don’t have to. That’s what separates us from other territories.”
“Other territories? You mean Blood Life Corp doesn’t control all donors?” I can’t stop my curiosity from getting the best of me.
No one gets the chance to answer because a loud alarm rings through the air, unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It’s loud enough even to send the guys to their knees. Figures blur through our suite, and someone pushes my head to the floor, binding my arms and legs so I can’t fight. Berkeley yells for me to stay calm and not to resist.
The last thing I see is the headmistress’s heels step inches from my face before she covers my head in a black bag.
“Don’t worry, Ms. King,” Headmistress Rasmussen says. “I have a few ideas about what to do with you.”
With how sharp her voice sounds, I doubt I’ll like any of them.
Chapter 23
Queen
MY KNEES HIT THE SOFT carpet before I fall forward and land on my stomach. Without the use of my arms or legs, I struggle to roll onto my side. Someone yanks the bag off my head, ripping out some strands of my hair in the process.
“Damn it,” I say, stretching my neck up to glare at an unfamiliar vampire that disappears.
Soft voices mumble through the room. It sounds like the whole vampire student population hangs around, waiting to see this shit show unfold. Rolling again, I squish my arms under my back but manage to kick my legs and use my core strength to catapult to my feet. The movement silences the room. I wobble, trying to balance on my bound legs. The task seems impossible, and I fall forward, squeezing my eyes shut as the floor sneaks up on me.
“Got you, love,” Hudson says, swiping a knife through the ropes on my ankles.
Torrance takes care of the bindings on my wrists, and I automatically swing my arms and engulf Hudson in a hug. He chuckles into my hair, far less worried about the fact that the headmistress and the security personnel stormed our room to capture us and bring us to stand in front of...not the entire vampire student body. Only a few guys from different covens including some I recognize like the Saints, Powers, and annoyingly one of the remaining Knightly brothers. The three other vampires, including a female, are from covens I haven’t had the displeasure of meeting.
All of them stare at me as if I’m the most fascinating thing in the world—and I hate it. It doesn’t elicit the good feelings the King brothers do. I feel more like an abomination than the extraordinary being Berkeley, Aspen, Hudson, and Torrance swear I am.
I shift on my feet. “What’s this about? This better not be some freaky-ass group feeding. I’ll ki—”
Berkeley covers my rebel mouth with his hand. “It’s a gathering of city heads that were supposed to belong to the King—and then Knightly—Region. Anytime there is a shift in power, we’re supposed to meet. Usually it would be in front of the board, but the region we were forming hasn’t been created, so we keep things under the headmistress’s supervision.”
Headmistress Rasmussen slaps a wooden rod on her desk, drawing our attention from each other to her. “As you all know, we’ve lost two powerful, potential region heads in less than two weeks.”
All gazes fall on me. I straighten my back, tightening my jaw. If these vampires wanted to intimidate me, they’re completely succeeding, but I won’t give them the satisfaction of knowing that.
“Outmatched by someone we suspected was a Blood Rebel,” the headmistress continues.
“Is she not?” the female vampire asks, studying me from my dirty mouth to my disheveled clothes.
Headmistress Rasmussen locks her eyes on me, daring me to try to deny what she’s about to say. “No, she is not. It seems we’ve unknowingly enrolled a dhampir into our academy.”
“A dhampir?” another guy, the leader of the Powers Coven, asks. “What the hell is that? She looks and smells human.”
“She basically is.” This comes from the Saint leader. “I’ve heard of the dhampir mutation, and I know that most carriers do not show symptoms. And there aren’t many carriers at that. Not anymore. Not since The Divide.”
The female places her hands on her hips. “Symptoms?”
The Saint guy looks at me, his brows pinching together. “Those who are symptomatic to the dhampir mutation feed on vampires.”
The various expressions crossing everyone’s faces cause blush to burn across my cheeks. Only Hudson’s big-ass grin helps ease the weird scrutiny—like no one actually believes the truth of my existence. He kisses my temple and whispers that he’s glad the fuckers don’t look at me like they want my teeth anywhere near them. That he’s mine.
“So that’s why she killed Culver and Dawson?” the Powers guy asks.
“And Monterey,” one of the remaining Knightly brothers says.
“Fuck,” someone else whispers.
The female vampire flashes her fangs at me, silver lighting her eyes in fury. She takes a step closer, but Berkeley cuts her off, puffing his chest to make himself even bigger to block her view of me. Torrance and Aspen surround me and Hudson, the wall of muscle helping calm the anxiety triggered by my human half.
“I demand she be punished in accordance to Blood Life Corp law,” the Powers guy says.
Torrance growls. “If you actually knew Blood Life Corp law, you would know that females are protected from final donations. Also, as a student of this academy, she has the right to defend herself from attacks by elitist assholes who think they can do whatever the hell they want because of the positions they train for.”
The Saint leader cracks his knuckles. “Those laws only apply to blood donors.”
“Which she is,” Aspen says. “We have her contract that says as much.”
“Human blood donors,” the female says.
“Enough!” Headmistress Rasmussen interrupts the start of a fight, materializing in between the Kings and the rest of the room. She flashes some impressively long fangs and unsheathes a weapon for the first time ever. “I did not gather you to act as jury and judge to Ms. King’s discrepancies. I only gathered you to make a formal announcement. My decision in regards to Ms. King has been made.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I wish more would argue to prolong what I can’t help fearing might be an awful fate for me. They obviously want me dead. They want sup
posed justice for a bunch of dickwads who never deserved mercy.
“I’ve decided to allow Ms. King to remain enrolled at the academy,” Headmistress Rasmussen says, shocking me. “You all, as the heads of your covens, will be responsible in ensuring that you keep your covens in line at this announcement. Any act against Ms. King will lead to automatic expulsion from the academy.”
“What, really?” I ask.
She finally turns her attention to me. “Would you prefer if I brought you in front of the board, Ms. King?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s just—I don’t understand your reasoning.”
Her lips quirk up in a smile. “You don’t have to, Ms. King. But if you must know, I took it upon myself to interrogate Ms. Reynolds and Mr. Nowak before I returned them to your suite. Under carefully handled mind manipulation, I extracted some rather interesting information about you and what was planned of you.”
I open and close my mouth, a wave of anger rushing through me, hearing that she manipulated Rylie’s mind and made her forget. I know Rylie wanted to do what she could to help me, but it could’ve been handled differently.
I must make a face, because the headmistress takes a step back.
“You’re angry,” she says.
I consider denying it, but my mouth can’t help from agreeing. “Of course I’m angry. I don’t agree with getting into people’s heads like that. It’s invasive.”
Obviously, most of the room doesn’t agree.
“And how would you suggest we get answers?” She looks at me expectantly.
I shrug. “I don’t know. You could’ve asked me for them. Or at least asked for Rylie’s permission.”
“And Mr. Nowak?”
“I don’t give a damn about that asshole. He tried to force me to leave,” I say.
“Which you didn’t want.” Headmistress Rasmussen tries to fill in what’s going through my mind, but not like she needs the answers, only confirmation for what she suspects.
I throw my hands up. “Of course I don’t want to leave, but I also like living. Not being caged.”
“Having every one of your needs satiated,” Hudson whispers.
I elbow him. “Now’s not the time.”
He chuckles.
“Indeed, Mr. King. It is not the time. Save your fascinating bond for some other time. I’d like to carry on and excuse you before we lose the entire day for rest.” Headmistress Rasmussen links her fingers together. “So, as I was saying, I discovered some interesting information in regards to you, Ms. King. And while my decision might be a bit unconventional, I’d like to see where this goes.”
I shift in Hudson’s arms and glance at Berkeley, Torrance, and Aspen. “I’m still not sure I understand.”
“Of course you don’t, but you will. I’ve decided that you will not only be enrolled as a personal blood donor to the King Coven but also enrolled as the next region head of the King Region.”
What the fuck?
The room bursts into growls and yells, all the city heads ready to rush and fight me. The headmistress saunters to her desk and hits something on her computer, setting off an alarm through the room. Everyone drops to the ground, covering their ears at the shock alarm she set off. She returns to me and offers her hand out, helping me from the floor.
Headmistress Rasmussen holds out a glittering dagger to me, leaning in close. “If you feel any of these city heads are not suitable to serve beneath you, now is your chance to eliminate the problem. I’ll turn away.”
I blink a few times, staring at the heavy dagger in my hand and to the King brothers, already pulling themselves from the ground before anyone else. They disappear from around me and hover over the other vampires, weapons drawn, fangs flashing. They prepare to cut all their hearts out without even a second thought. All for me.
“Wait,” I say. “Don’t. If you kill them, it could jeopardize the humans who expect to gain contracts in their households.”
The shock alarms snap off, and the coven leaders pull themselves together to get back to their feet.
“Remarkable,” Headmistress Rasmussen says. “Your decision to spare them due to what you believe would or wouldn’t happen to the donors was rather...interesting.” She turns to the coven heads. “Let this be a lesson. Running a city goes beyond the power you hold and to what that power can do. Now, return to your suites. Alert your covens of my decision and handle their reactions appropriately. You will tell them she accepted a Blood Vow and will train for the transition. Do not speak of Ms. King’s dhampir mutation to anyone outside this room. Consider it confidential until a formal announcement gets made. Everyone apart from the Kings is excused.”
Everyone disappears, leaving us with the headmistress. Confusion whirls a dozen thoughts through my mind. What the hell just happened? Is this some kind of joke? She can’t be serious about me, a dhampir, enrolling as a region leader. A region-fucking-leader. No one’s ever just going to let that happen.
“Are you crazy, Ravenna?” Berkeley says, running his hand through his brown hair. His hazel eyes flash silver. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone ever refer to the headmistress by her first name. “Every vampire in Blood Life Corp will come after Fiona.”
“Maybe even other territories,” she says, flicking her gaze to mine. “Which means you four must prove your worth to your new coven leader.”
“New coven leader?” Berkeley tightens his jaw. “I’m head of our coven.”
“Not anymore. Your brothers’ loyalty grows stronger for Ms. King. Do you not see it? Do you not feel it yourself? I expect you to continue to fill the King’s position of first in line and also as Fiona’s health keeper.” The headmistress looks at Torrance, Hudson, and Aspen. “The rest of you will act as her advisors and personal trainers. I also expect you to join her in the Personal Donors Support Group on occasion.”
“What?” they all ask in unison.
She smirks. “You should understand the dynamics in providing blood, since fulfilling her every need is in her contract.”
I blush so crazy hard and try my best to push my nerves away. Because I still have one question, one I won’t leave this office until I get the answer to. “What do you get in return? You can’t say you’ve chosen to go through all this trouble because you find me fascinating.”
“You’re quite perceptive,” she says, tilting her head toward me.
“Tell me.” My. Mouth. It’s already gotten me into so much trouble. I wish it would learn.
“You’re a dhampir, Fiona. Someone donors call a predator to vampires or what some vampires call an eternal blood source. But you’re neither. You’re stronger than I imagined. Different than what I’ve known. I want to study you. Help guide you. You have not been blinded by the purpose others have given you in life.” Reaching out, she pats my shoulder. “You are exactly what our territory needs. You will assist me to gain better control of our future. The board won’t be able to deny us the power we deserve.”
“This is about power.”
“It’s always been about power.” She turns to the guys. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Take a few days to get everything situated. Possibly celebrate your ascension into the position you deserve.”
I don’t get a chance to say anything or argue with her before Hudson relocates me into the hallway. The four of them surround me, leaning in close. I take a few deep breaths. My shot nerves leave me trembling.
“Power,” I whisper. “She’s using me for power.”
No one responds, allowing me to process things without pushing their thoughts onto me.
“Doesn’t she know it’s more than that?” I snuggle my face into Hudson’s chest.
“We’ll show her,” Aspen murmurs, hugging me close.
I purse my lips and look at each of them. “If I can even survive. You saw everyone’s reactions. When the world finds out...”
Berkeley laces his fingers through mine. “They’ll realize how amazing you are.”
“Or
deadly,” Hudson says with a smirk.
I sigh. “What about being your coven leader? I saw the face you made, Berkeley. Can you handle me telling you what to do?”
Torrance chuckles and whacks him on the back. “We’ll guarantee it.”
“As long as you don’t make me bow,” Berkeley says, his voice as light as the silver flashing through his eyes. We hold each other’s gazes, his handsome face softening under my scrutiny. I consider teasing him, but he leans in and kisses me.
Aspen shakes his brother’s shoulders, pulling me back a bit. “What about if she makes you get on your knees?”
Hudson tips his head back and laughs. “I’d gladly. Maybe she’ll do the same.”
My mouth drops open, and I scrunch my nose. “Seriously, Hudson?”
Leaning in, he laughs as I nip his lip when he tries to kiss me. “What? I thought you’d like things to be fair.”
“What are we getting ourselves into?” I ask, mostly to myself.
Berkeley steals me away from Hudson and envelops me in his arms. “Nothing we can’t handle. Not with you by our sides.”
Hudson sandwiches me to Berkeley. “Would it be cheesy if I said that I’m happy us Kings found our queen?”
I laugh, my muscles finally relaxing under their touch, their attention, and their confidence that we’ll get through this. “Incredibly cheesy.”
He fake glares at me. “Whatever, my queen. My thoughts still stand.”
I grin and cup his cheeks. “It’s a good thing I agree.”
Epilogue
Dhampir Heir
“FIONA, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” Torrance lets me pull him away from the Personal Donors Support Group and toward the elevator that’ll take us back to our suite. “We only have a couple of minutes to get to Donor Management.”
I smirk and pick up my pace. “A couple of minutes is plenty of time to complete the assignment for class.”
“We’ll have plenty of time later.” He tightens his mouth, tugging my hand to slow me down without forcing me to stop even though he can. “You don’t want to be late to your first official region leader class.”