Broad Daylight (The Veiled World Chronicles Book 1)

by LJ Rivers

  “Dhampirs.” Leon shook his head.

  Wolfgang’s eyes narrowed to slits. “So that’s what they smell like. At least now I own their scent.”

  “Can you track them?”

  “I can certainly try.”

  “I’ll help,” Rosamund declared.

  “You’re just a cat.” Wolfgang scratched his beard, and the wolf whined softly. “No offense.”

  “Offense taken.”

  And she meant it, Leon thought, as her aura rippled with violet.

  “You think that just because you’re bigger and stronger, I’m a liability. I’ll have you know that my animal is a fierce hunter. She can more easily sneak up on the enemy than yours and edge through smaller spaces. Also, she has excellent balance.” She gave his stump a pointed look. “Besides, haven’t you heard? Cats always land on their feet.”

  Wolfgang lowered his head. “Point taken.”

  “The dhampirs are unlike anything either of you have ever been up against,” Leon said. “We’ll need a plan of attack.”

  “And you’ve faced them?”

  “Not head on, but they killed another shield witch in Berlin. Drained her blood.”

  The Alpha’s eyes darkened, but it was the blood-red color lacing the air that belied his rising anger. “Are you sure?”

  “About?”

  “That she was a shield?”

  “Pretty damn sure.”

  The old wolf stood up on one foot, displaying balancing skills worthy of a trapeze artist, while completely unabashed about his nakedness. Shifters rarely were. “That’s not good. Not good at all.” A swirl of magic whipped up around him, and the wolf returned in his place. The animals nestled their heads together for a beat, then dashed off.

  Rosamund handed Leon his jacket. “I’ll come back for you if we find anything. I know you want to come with us, but you’ll only slow us down right now.” Before Leon could object, she transformed in a cloud of magic, and her feline counterpart sprang in the direction of the wolves.

  Now what? Leon couldn’t just stand around and do nothing. Especially when Camryn’s life was in danger. The image of Naunet’s body floated around in his mind. What if they were already too late?

  “Tatties o’wer the side.” Dunstan appeared out of thin air in a cloud of rainbow sparkles, an empty water bottle in one hand. He tilted his head to the side and stomped his cane to the ground, dropping the bottle in the dirt.

  “What?”

  “Disastrous. I thought those vile creatures were all dead. Edwin always said they were bound to show up again at some point, but I refused to believe it.” He gestured wildly with one hand, his chest puffed out. “If only one shield survived the war, he used to say, why not the dhampirs? ’Yer bum’s oot the windae,’ I always said. Guess the fib’s on me.”

  Leon palmed his forehead. “What are you talking about?”

  “Edwin thought there would come a time when the dhampirs left in the world would band together and seek revenge on those who almost exterminated their kind. There were times when he believed they were close. Whenever that happened, he packed the bags and took that wee lass on long trips all around the world. I told him it was no life for the bairn, but I might have judged his paranoia a tad too harshly.”

  Taking a step forward, Leon towered over the picti like a lion ready to devour his prey. “How do you know a dhampir took Camryn?”

  “Not a.” Dunstan angled backward, crossing his cane defensively between them. “There were two creatures. I saw the whole thing.”

  Furious, Leon grabbed the stupid cane and attempted to wrench it from Dunstan’s grasp. It was all but glued to his hand, and when it didn’t budge, Leon let go. “And you did nothing to stop them?”

  “I’m but a wee picti, you brute.” He swung his cane up and bumped Leon on the head. “My magic can’t stop the devil himself. That said, Edwin gave me something a long time ago. If ever he wasn’t around, and the dhampirs threatened Cam’s life, I was to use it.” He handed Leon a piece of paper. “And for the record, while I didn’t intervene, I didn’t stand idly by. I did my best to sky-skip after them. Alas, there was a moment when the clouds shielded the sun, and I lost the trail.”

  Leon’s shoulders slumped. It wasn’t Dunstan’s fault. If he had tried to play hero, he would probably be dead, unable to give Leon anything of value that might help him find Camryn. He didn’t know much about picti magic, but from what he recalled, they required both water and sunlight to create their rainbows to sky-skip, which allowed them to portal themselves from one place to the next.

  A wolf barked in the distance, and the three animals emerged on the dirt road. The silver feline was the first to reach Leon’s side. She arched her back when she laid eyes on the picti, and didn’t shift. The only one who shifted was Wolfgang. He sat on the ground, and the white wolf snuggled up to him.

  “I’m sorry, Leon.” Wolfgang dragged his palm over his face. “We lost the trail. We followed it all the way to the main road before the trace ended.” He hung his head, and though he hid his tears, Leon felt his pain, as if a thousand needles were stabbing at his heart. Camryn was like a daughter to this man, and wolves would die for their family.

  “Do not fret, my friend.” Dunstan patted the Alpha carefully on the shoulder. “Keep the heid, lad. All hope is not lost.”

  Leon glanced down at the paper in his hand. “What’s this for?”

  “That’s for the cavalry.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I groaned and slowly opened my eyes. Shadows flickered on broad wood panels across the room. A nearby fireplace was crackling, and tiny embers spat from the hearth onto a metal plate on the floor. It was a spacious room filled with wood furniture and simple decor. Red and white checkered curtains concealed the world outside.

  Where the hell was I?

  A sting of pain reverberated through my bones as I tried to stand, and a metallic jingle rang in my ears. I tugged at my arm, but a handcuff was keeping my wrist locked in place. Carefully, I craned my neck to get a better look, grimacing as my face pounded with agony. The cuff had me chained to a radiator, which emanated no heat. It was summer, but a biting draft still seeped through the floor panels, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. Every time I attempted to sit, I kept sliding back down. As only one of my hands was restrained, I gingerly examined my face with the other, wincing as I touched the bruises and my broken nose.

  It came back to me in a rush—the woman, the fight, the bullet popping out of her head. And the sucker punch I had received. I ran my fingers along the loops of my pants. My holster was gone, and the memory of my Glock in the mud resurfaced. I patted my pockets. No phone either, although the small key to Edwin’s house remained tucked in the inside pocket of my jacket—little good that would do me. Panicked, I swept my hand along the floor, reaching for anything that might be of use. Anything to free myself or fight with. I couldn’t find anything useful. Reclining my head on the wall, I stared up at the thick beams running from one end of the cabin to the other below the arched ceiling.

  How long had I been out? The cool air told me it was likely hours.

  “So, she’s awake,” a voice said, chilling me to the bone. It was so sly and cold that even before I saw him, I knew what he was. A familiar figure strode into view, skirting around the corner from an adjacent room, a bowl in one hand, a stack of cards in the other. He put the items on the dining table before he approached and squatted just out of reach.

  I glared up at him from my slouched position on the floor. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced, Zale.”

  His pale eyebrows knitted. “Ah, man, Estelle!” he shouted. “You told her my name?”

  Estelle glided into the room, her black veil gone, and she had changed into jeans and a black turtleneck. Ash-blonde tresses now cascaded over her shoulders, giving her a more youthful appearance. The only thing out of place was her eyes. Black as the dead of night, they didn’t match the rest of her. “What does i
t matter? It’s not like she’s going anywhere.”

  Zale looked at me with hunger in his eyes and licked his thin lips, swiping away a drop of blood. He moaned, arching his back.

  Dread rose in me like a tidal wave. I hurt so much all over and could hardly distinguish one pain from the other. I touched my free hand to my neck, feeling the wet, sticky texture of blood. “You animal!” I ground out. “You bit me again.”

  “Not to worry, I only opened up the previous wounds I left on you. Wouldn’t want to scar you more than necessary. You’re such a delicate flower.”

  Delicate? Me? Did he have the wrong woman or what?

  Estelle rolled her eyes. “What does it matter? She’s dead meat either way.”

  Zale hissed, and his face contorted into a cruel mask. “I want her.”

  “She’s not your pet. Don’t be a fool, brother. Once she’s served her purpose, we’ll get what we want.”

  Brother? Maybe they belonged to the same nest—assuming nest was the right word. The dhampirs didn’t look the same, though. While both had pale complexions and onyx eyes, their features were vastly different from one another. Had it not been for the pain, and the severity of the situation, I might have laughed at the irony of these two being related by blood

  Zale rocked on the balls of his feet. “How do we know he even cares?”

  “Oh, he cares.” Estelle crossed her arms. “He wouldn’t have sent the decoy if he didn’t.”

  “Yeah, shame about that one.”

  My eyes rounded. “Naunet?”

  “Was that her name? I assumed she was you.” Zale tapped a finger to his lips. “She sure looked the same.”

  “You killed an innocent woman, you creep.”

  Estelle poked the fire with an iron poker. “That was unfortunate. Zale never learned when to stop. We could have used her alive.” She placed the poker on a rack and came to stand next to her brother.

  I cringed when his tongue grazed against my shoulder, and I flung my arm up to strike. Faster than I could track, he gripped my wrist, preventing me from connecting with his face.

  “Contain yourself,” Estelle chided, patting her brother on the head as if he were a small child.

  His tongue lapped out. “But she tastes so sweet.” He tugged me forward, extending my free arm to Estelle. Her nostrils flared, and the tips of her fangs scraped against her bottom lip. I could see the temptation in those onyx depths, and I wanted nothing more than to kick her in the mouth.

  “Maybe just a sip,” she said in a shaky breath.

  I shook my head vehemently.

  “Yes,” Zale encouraged.

  Ice raced down my spine as I tried wrenching my arm back. His grip was iron, so instead, I kicked my feet.

  “Now, now, birdy, that’s not nice.” Zale latched onto my ankle and forced one of my legs over the other before propping himself on top of my feet.

  Helpless and restrained, all I could do was watch.

  Estelle reached out, her fingertips lightly stroking my palm. She knelt, gaping wide, and her mouth was on my wrist before I could scream. She sank her sharp fangs into my flesh.

  I roared, shaking vigorously, but unable to free myself. My blood pumped frantically in my veins with every swallow, and my throat became parched. As Estelle drank, my body numbed, and dizziness came over me. My eyelids drooped until I collapsed, utterly boneless and defeated.

  When I came to, the fire was dwindling, and Estelle placed another log in the hearth. I curled my hand to my chest. It hurt, but at least the wounds had been sealed, unlike last time.

  “Why didn’t you just drain me dry?” I rasped.

  Zale sat by the dining table, playing a game of solitaire. He glanced at his sister and showed her his palms.

  Another log went in the fire before Estelle straightened. “You’re a means to an end, Camryn. Once your father learns we have you in our grasp, he’ll come out of the shadows.”

  I swallowed, barely able to utter the words. “M—my father?”

  “Why, yes. He’s such a clever shield, always dodging our every move. This is one thing he cannot ignore. We’ve always known you were the ace up our sleeve, and we’ve been searching for you for a long time.”

  I cut her with my stare, willing her to catch fire. Of course, I had no such power, but my insides burned, all the same. This woman—this creature—had taken my guardian from me. And for what? To get to me? “Why kill Edwin, why the ruse? What did he ever do to you?”

  She sighed and went to sit on the bench across from her brother, still facing me. He gave her a wave of his hand, as if to signal that she was in charge.

  “Tell her, Sis. Perhaps she’ll be more compliant when she learns the truth.”

  “Doubtfully.” Estelle crossed her legs, and I could see the appeal she might hold over men, and why Edwin had been drawn to her. Except for her unnatural irises, that was. We locked eyes, and I smothered a gasp. Looking at them now, they were a deep blue, rather than onyx.

  “Are you wearing contacts?” I blurted.

  She grinned and swept a lock of hair away from her face. “I drank your blood, Camryn, and it is unbelievably refreshing. I feel almost human.”

  “I know, right?” Zale chimed in. I hadn’t noticed it earlier, but his eyes were blue now, as well.

  Estelle tucked an unruly chunk of hair behind her ear. “This is all we want, Camryn, to be human. Your blood does that. For a time. Your father’s blood will free us from the shackles of vampirism and give us back our humanity. After we’ve drained him dry, that is.”

  The two of them howled with laughter.

  “You bleedin’ eejits,” I said through gritted teeth, channeling words my guardian had often used.

  Her eyes narrowed, but I wouldn’t be deterred.

  “Why would his blood differ from mine or Naunet’s? If draining Naunet didn’t make Zale human, what makes you think Abrax can?”

  She chortled haughtily. “You’re the one in the dark, my dear. Abrax’ gift is special. While any shield blood can render us more or less human for a while, our vampire side always creeps back in, eventually. Abrax is a shield, that is true, but his other gift allows him to crush magic at its core.” She gestured at the empty space in front of her. “Imagine magic as our soul.”

  I had heard that before—from Leon—but it sounded different coming from this monster.

  “Abrax doesn’t just borrow magic,” she continued. “He can literally pull it from our magical cores, to the point where it can never return. I’ve seen him do it with my own eyes. A dhampir is two parts of a whole, two souls in one body. This is how it is for my siblings and me, and all we want is to be rid of this curse.”

  Siblings, as in plural? That couldn’t bode well. “Even if that’s true, what makes you think Abrax won’t just kill you once he’s taken your immortality?”

  She gave me a scathing glance, and I knew what she didn’t say aloud. Me. I was their bargaining chip. Their plan was bound to fail, which meant I had to escape before they realized their defeat and decided to drain me to death.

  “But he’s never wanted me,” I argued. “He ran out on us and never once tried to reconnect. He won’t care what you do to me.”

  “That’s exactly why he will care.” She tutted. “He stayed away, so that you might live, deciding that however much he wanted to be with his daughter, not being there was the only way to protect you. Now, that is love.”

  I folded my injured hand over my shoulder, trying to dull the pain. “And Edwin? Did you love him?”

  She tittered. “Such a stubborn witch, he was. I knew he wouldn’t tell me anything if I used force, and after Zale tried, and failed, to charm him, the only way to get the information we needed was through trust. I spent months getting him to trust me, and he still wouldn’t divulge your whereabouts. That man really tested my patience. We even hired a revealer.” She cocked her head to the side. “A skilled witch. Someone who magically finds people.”

  “I know what
they are,” I bit out.

  “Splendid. Well, that didn’t work either. You are undetectable from magic, and even his old contacts were hard to locate. The only name he divulged was someone called Rose. The old witch obviously carried a lot of affection for her, but he never told me her full name, not even the smallest detail that could lead me to her. His mistake was keeping a lock of her fur in a chest in his bedroom. A werecat, of all creatures. Can you imagine?”

  How had I never known my guardian harbored these feelings for another? It must have tormented him for years. A tear threatened to spill out, but this hag wasn’t worth my tears, even if Edwin was. I would not show any signs of weakness. “So, why kill him?”

  “My sister has a hot temper, but she enjoys messing with people far too much,” Zale cut in while shuffling the cards. “When nothing else worked, Jermaine realized the only way to find you was through someone else, so he drained the blood bag. Since we couldn’t track Rose with her fur, it became obvious that your precious uncle had put a protection spell on her. The only way to break that spell was for him to die.”

  Jermaine? The other sibling? I sure hoped he was the last of this crazy bunch.

  “Rose this, Rose that. Rose, Rose, Rose.” Estelle exhaled in a slow breath, as if she was actually jealous. “It’s quite impressive, when you think about it. It requires a ton of energy to keep a spell like that active. If maintaining it hadn’t weakened him so much, he might have had enough power to fight Jermaine off. Not kill him, of course, but still. If Edwin wasn’t obsessed with protecting his beloved Rose and darling niece, he might have lived. Shame.”

  I was such a numpty. Edwin must have shielded Rosamund when I went to Berlin two years ago. No way could he have protected her all my life. Or could he? Did he stop doing other magic because of it? I didn’t know much about witchcraft, but from what Rosamund had told me, Edwin had been talented. Perhaps talented enough to shield his loved ones for years.

  “When he died, the spell came undone, and we were able to track Edwin’s long-lost lover in Berlin. Imagine our surprise when we heard her daughter mention your name. And as it turned out, she led us straight to you.” She reached across the table and flicked her fingers at the base of a house of cards Zale was building. “Albeit with a slight detour.”