by Bryce Evans
“No, don’t hurt him,” Sky roared.
He hadn’t had time to try his mind control on any vampires, but this called for desperate measures. Sky concentrated on Regis’s mind. He told him to scratch his head, and watched as he did.
He wanted to jump up and down, but now wasn’t the time for that; instead he told Regis to take the knife and jab it into his head.
“At first I was having fun with you, Sky, but what you just suggested was mean. I was made by the king himself, and nobody, not even you, can play mind tricks with me. I’m more powerful. His blood runs through me. This is what you get when you play games with me.” Regis jabbed the knife into Sullivan’s chest.
Sky screamed as Sullivan’s eyes widened and gasped for air. The vampire had punctured his lung. He watched helpless as Regis threw his mate to the floor and smiled.
“You evil son of a bitch,” Sky shouted and started to charge him. Jonas and Banks grabbed him and held him back. Star stuck her hands out and glared at Regis. Electricity shot out of her palms, hitting Regis, but impossibly the sparks bounced off of him.
“I forgot to add that I have the Locket of Trenton, and it protects me even from your powerful hands.” Regis chuckled. “Get them.” He motioned to his men.
Sky immediately started to concentrate, trying to get into the guards’ heads. He was hoping that they’d be weaker and would succumb to his power. He could reach some, but others continued toward them. Jonas, Larken, Larsen, and Nash shifted into their wolf forms and began fighting the vampires.
“Back up to the wall. We’ll protect you,” Jansen instructed the trio. Reece, Levi, and Jansen all went hand-to-hand with the guards. All of Regis’s guards jumped forward, each taking a stance against them. Star watched as her loved ones didn’t waste any time taking them out. Reece grabbed one of the guards and easily stuck his claws into the guard’s neck and ripped until his head feel to the floor. Guard after guard continued to rush toward them, trying to get the upper hand. Banks shifted into his grizzly bear and stood in front of her and her siblings.
The snapping of jaws could be heard as the wolves bit down, ripping the vampire’s head from their necks. Star couldn’t wait any longer; she had to help her family. She raised her hands and used her gift, killing guard after guard, but more continued to come through the door.
“You won’t win. I have fifty more guards waiting to come in. Save your mates and come willingly,” Regis shouted, trying to get them to cooperate. Sky couldn’t look down at the floor where his mate lay dying. He had to hurry.
“Hold on, Sullivan!” Sky shouted.
Concentrating, he continued to tell the guards to freeze, giving the others time to kill them.
“I will always keep coming after you. I will bring more and more with me. You’ll never be safe,” Regis continued to taunt them, trying to get into their heads.
“You.” Regis pointed to Star. “Come to me, il mio animaletto.”
Star froze as Regis’s comment pounded its way through her. Her body shook with fear as her nightmare played out in her mind. Shaking her head, she tried to hold on to the hope that he wouldn’t win. She looked up at her mates as two guards jumped on Jansen. One of them stabbed Jansen in his shoulder, making him stagger backwards.
Star’s strength was dwindling, but she pointed at the guard with the knife, killing him and giving Jansen enough time to jerk the knife out and kill the other guard with it. She tried to hit as many as she could, but she knew they were in trouble when guards started running in with guns in their hands. The electricity coming out of her hands was starting to fade as she continued to use it on the ones with the guns.
“I can’t keep going,” Star said, and collapsed to the floor, exhausted. As soon as she hit the ground, Sky lost his focus, allowing the vampires he was controlling to be released from his mind’s hold.
Star shook her head trying to think of something, when the sound of Banks claws could be heard ripping into a guard’s neck. The vampire was dead as it fell to the ground. Banks swept the dead body away and took up his post in front of her and her siblings, waiting for another one.
Another guard ran toward them, stopping when Banks rose up, towering above him. The shock of seeing an eight-foot grizzly bear standing in front of him made the vampire loose his momentum and slip and fall. While on the ground, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Banks. Before he could fire, Star jumped up and got in front of her mate, praying she had a little left in her. She held her hands out and blasted the vampire, killing him. She’d hoped that she’d be able to help more, but her strength was gone.
“I’ve got hundreds more where they came from,” Regis’s voice thundered.
River felt useless as she tried to keep up with reading all of the guards’ thoughts. Most of all, she tried to read Regis’s thoughts, but the vampire had powerful shields stopping her. Instead of focusing on what they were thinking, River tried to get them to turn around and run out the door. A few of them did, but the rest continued to fight.
She didn’t see the guards in time as they broke through the window, grabbing ahold of her and trying to drag her toward Regis. She used everything she had, hitting one of them in the face. She heard a growl and knew Jonas was on his way after her. Her body hit the ground hard when her mate jumped on both of the vampires. She started kicking when another guard reached down and grabbed her by the wrist and began pulling her toward the door.
“I’m the king now! I will control the Powerful Three,” Regis boosted. Star could see how crazy the man was. His eyes were glowing, drunk on his own power.
“Use your power, River, on the guard!” Star screamed to her sister.
She watched as River concentrated on the guard, who stopped and then released her. River scrambled, trying to get up as Regis grabbed ahold of her and pulled her body in front of his. Star watched in horror as her nightmare played out in front of her.
“No, this can’t be happening!” Star screamed. “Please don’t hurt her!”
Everyone, including the guards, stopped and watched as Regis extended his claws and pointed them at River’s face.
Reece and Jonas were being held back as they tried to get to their mate. Jonas and Banks, who had shifted back, whispered in their ears to hold on so Regis didn’t hurt her.
“Now, do I have everyone’s attention?” Regis looked around at everyone as he spoke.
“Let my mate go,” Reece demanded.
“No! You see, Reece — I have all the power now. You will do exactly what I say, and if you don’t then I start cutting.” Regis emphasized his point by using one claw and swiping it across her arm, which was gripping his. River didn’t scream out but the pain was apparent in her face as she struggled. His claw had ripped a hole into her arm.
“Now the two of you, come here to me.” Regis’s voice was urgent, but they didn’t move. River’s blood dripped to the ground as Regis screamed, “Come to me now, or I kill her!”
Star flinched when the vampire screamed. She knew he would kill her sister just to prove a point. He had nothing to lose, but they did, and he knew it. “There’s too many of them. What do we do?” Star whispered.
“I’ll help you, little one.” River, Star, and Sky all turned. Standing at the side door was a man she’d never seen before. He was bigger than her mates. Hell, he was bigger than anyone she’d ever seen. He had to be at least six-foot-five, and he was tall and gorgeous.
“Who are you?” Star asked, but the man was focused on Regis and didn’t answer. She could tell that he was a warrior by the way he carried himself. After he entered, other men continued to come through the door. All were wearing capes with some type of royal seal on them. Whoever this man was, he was powerful, and some type of royalty.
“Regis,” the stranger boomed. Every one of Regis’s vampires stopped at the sound of the man’s voice. The crazy smile on Regis’s face was gone. Now he appeared ghostly white, as if he’d seen something terrible.
“What’s wrong,
Regis? You act like you’ve seen a ghost. No welcome for your king?”
“Who is he?” River asked.
“The king. He is my king. His blood flows through every vampire, but he made Regis, and by the look on his face he is scared,” Reece breathed a sigh of relief as he informed the group.
Star and the others watched as the king and his guards surrounded Regis. She needed this time in order to recharge. If for some reason the king couldn’t handle Regis, she was going to put everything she had into killing him.
The king tsked. “I hear that you have been a very naughty man.”
Sweat dripped from Regis’s head as he spoke in a strained voice, “I thought you were dead.”
“As you can see, I’m very much alive, Regis. So you think you can control the Powerful Three. Have I not taught you anything over the years? You can’t control them. They’re here on earth to bring peace to all of us, not to be used for your lust for power.” The king spoke to Regis as if he were chastising a child. “Let her go.” Star and the others watched as Regis’s hands sprang up, releasing River, who ran to her mates.
The king turned around and faced them. When he did, his guards moved to take his spot in front of Regis. “Hello.”
Reece and Levi both bowed to him, and the king bowed back.
“I think it is I who must bow to the Powerful Three,” the king said. “You are Jansen?”
“Yes, I am.” Jansen replied, bowing.
“Your Ne-ma sent word to me that you needed my help.”
Jansen looked over at Star and blew out the breath he had been holding. “Yes, King Abner, I think we do. Regis wants to take my mate and use her for her power. He is stronger than any vampire we’ve ever come across until now.”
“I love you” The deathly whisper of Sullivan’s voice drew everyone’s attention. Sky ran over and dropped to the floor in front of him. Sullivan’s eyes were already weak as they stared up at Sky.
“No, stay with me, Sullivan. Stay with me. No, no…” Sky’s voice was filled with heartache as he picked his mate up and rocked him back and forth. “No, don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.”
Star and River dropped down beside their brother. They put their hands over the wound and tried to heal him, but nothing was working. “Why isn’t it working?” Star shouted. They could feel the pain pouring out of their brother. His heart was breaking, and they could all feel his agony as he sobbed.
“Let me try.” The king lowered himself beside Sullivan. “Will you let me try?” He asked Sky, but her brother was heartbroken. He wouldn’t let go when Jonas tried to pull him away.
“Don’t touch him,” Sky’s voice became angry. They’d never seen him act like this. It broke everyone’s heart as he continued to cry in pain.
“Sky, let him help.” Star’s voice was loud as she tried to reach her brother, with no luck.
“Help us!” she yelled at her mates, who bent down and pulled Sky backwards, allowing the king to pick Sullivan’s body up. He bit down into his wrist, and when the blood started to flow he put it over Sullivan’s mouth.
“No, no, don’t touch him.” Sky yelled out. Jansen remembered what June had said last night. Her son came to her in a dream and said to tell him that when we think all else has failed, someone will come, but we have to allow him to something that doesn’t seem possible. Bringing someone back from the dead fit this situation.
“Let me help him, Sky. I promise it will be okay.” Jansen assured him.
Sullivan had been dead for about two minutes when the King’s blood dropped down his throat. His body jerked, then gasped for air. Everyone watched as Sullivan started coughing. Slowly his eyes opened.
“Unbelievable.” Reece responded. All eyes watched as a man who had been dead was brought to life again by drinking the king’s blood.
“Let me go. Let me go.” Sky struggled until the king nodded and he was released. He ran and dropped down in front of Sullivan.
“Hey baby,” Sullivan whispered. Star and everyone else blew out the breath they’d been holding.
Sky smiled and whispered, “Are you okay?”
Sullivan pulled himself up. The color had returned to his face and his wounds healed in front of their eyes. “Wow! How…” Sullivan stared up at the King. “No way.”
“It was his blood that saved you,” Sky told him. “We tried but we couldn’t do it.”
“You’re Sindrid Abner,” Sullivan muttered, shocked. His eyes widened as he stared up at him.
“Yes, I am, and who are you?” the king questioned.
Sullivan could barely spit his name out. This was the king; he was here in person and had just saved his life. “Sullivan…Sullivan Grayson.”
“You are the one who took the Book of Primal Elders?”
“Well, yes, technically. Yes. But I gave it to the Vampire’s Council so it would always be with your people.” Sullivan didn’t know now if he’d done the right thing.
“Very good, but next time how about seeing me before you go giving stuff away that doesn’t belong to you? The book is mine, but I will get it back,” the king announced, then stood up. “Now, what do we do with you?” Sindrid Abner glared at Regis.
Everyone turned around and stared at Regis Yulson. “You know my rule, Regis,” the king said.
“Yes, but King Abner, I was only trying to keep the Powerful Three from falling into the wrong hands. I only wanted to help—”
“Silence!” the king yelled. “I sentence you to death, Regis Yulson.
“You can’t do this. I’m one of your children.” Regis’s voice cracked.
“I can, and I just did. You’ll never harm another again.” The room fell silent as the king reached up and grabbed the Locket of Trenton off his neck, put it around his, and then motioned to his guards, who grabbed ahold of Regis and dragged him kicking and screaming out of the room.
“What about the others?” One of the guards asked the king.
The King turned and stared at Regis’s guards. “I release you all from Regis Yulson’s hold. If you have families then go get them, but if I ever see you here again then you will be killed.” All the guards quickly dropped their weapons and left out the door. His voice alone released them from Regis’s hold.
Chapter 18
“What will they do with him?” River asked, as they watched Regis being dragged out.
“No worries, little one, he’ll never harm another person again. Now let’s sit down and talk. We have some things to discuss about you three.” The king didn’t wait for them, he just turned and walked toward the dining room.
“Let’s go get a drink. I know I can use one,” Reece responded.
They all stepped over the bodies and followed the king into the dining room, where he sat at the largest table. Larken and Larsen walked to the bar, grabbed some beer and liquor bottles, and brought them over for everyone.
Star watched as her brother stared at his mate as though he was going to disappear. What she was really worried about was whether they’d somehow lost their powers when they couldn’t bring Sullivan back from the dead. Together they were supposed to be able to do that.
“Why couldn’t we bring Sullivan back?” Star asked the king.
“Don’t know, little one. Sometimes, the fates put obstacles in front of us and we never know why,” the king answered.
“Did we lose our power?”
“No, the fates just choose me to bring him back to your brother. I do think that you need help in knowing what you can and can’t do with your powers. You see, together you will be considered the three most powerful paranormals in the world. You’re here to keep one group from being more powerful than the other. History has proven time and time again that there should never be a one-party government. Too much power in one person’s hands isn’t good for any of us. The fates have chosen for you three to be the governing party, so to speak. What you do with your power is up to you, but if you need help, I’ll be around to do that. I feel like I’m needed
here where you are just in case someone else gets a little power hungry. Plus, I can help you with your training. Is this okay with all of you?”
“You got my vote,” Sky announced. He sounded happy, which made everyone turn and smile.
“You have mine, but I can’t speak for my mates.” Reece turned and looked at River and Jonas.
River looked up at Reece and put her hand on his face. “I go where my mates go.”
Jonas grabbed River’s hand. “You’re bleeding.” The hole was still gaping open as blood dripped off her arm.
Star and Sky ran over; they both bent down and placed their hands over the wound. Immediately, they all glowed. River glanced down and the wound was mended like it was never there.
“We have so much to learn. I think you have all of our votes,” Reece spoke.
Everyone in the group nodded their head in agreement as the king’s guards walked in without Regis Yulson. One guard came and stood to the side of Sindrid and nodded to him.
“Do you mind if my guards have something to drink?” Sindrid asked.
“Of course not.” Larken got up and went behind the bar, bringing out more bottles of beer for the guards, then looked out the window toward the convention center. “I almost forgot about the Valentines’ Dance. Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.” Larken kissed his mate and then smiled when Larsen kissed Ash.
“Valentine’s Day. I forgot that today is what they call Valentine’s Day,” Sindrid muttered.
“We have a Valentine’s Dance for all the packs and Reece’s people, and other paranormals, to see if they can find their mates. We have a great success with the dances,” Larken commented.
Star could see the sad look in the king’s eyes when Larken spoke of mates. She couldn’t help herself; she knew his mate was coming to him soon. She reached out and patted his hand. “Your mate is coming soon. I feel it.”
“Me too,” Sky and River both said at the same time.