Night's Deceit

by Sela Croft

  Dequan sprinted forward. His eyes, filled with rage, were fixed on Callie. Leaping to my feet, I raced toward him, meeting him halfway. His hands reached out, grabbing for my neck. My fist flew into his side, throwing him back. Undeterred, he leaped forward again, his arms outstretched.

  His blow landed in my gut and knocked me off my feet. Hovering over me, he prepared to deliver another blow. I threw my weight forward, pushing myself to my feet, just as his fist flew past my face.

  Turning to face him, anger fueled me, I let out a bellowing cry and I summoned whatever energy I could muster. The tingling raced through me; adrenaline and rage mixed into one powerful force that flew out of me and crashed into him.

  Dequan flew into the air, but I didn’t see where he landed. I didn’t wait to hear the thud, or to ensure that I was safe. The second I was able to, I raced back to Callie’s side.

  Gathering her up in my arms, I pressed my forehead to hers. Tears welled in my eyes and I begged her to answer me. I hadn’t seen the effects of my abilities on a mortal, and I feared the worst.

  Chapter 46

  Logan

  The sound of feet behind me were alarming. I clung to Callie, wanting to disappear with her, to transport like Florian could, or turn to mist like Noah. But there wasn’t a thing I could do.

  I was unable to get her to safety.

  All I could do was fight for her.

  “I will always fight for you, Callie,” I whispered, then I lowered her to the ground.

  Dequan’s mocking laughter grated my nerves. I got to my feet, ready to face him, but he was on the other side of the room. With his head to one side, he smiled at me in a degrading way.

  “You won’t have to fight for long, Logan,” he said and leaned against the stone wall.

  I glared at my cousin. “I refuse to let you take her.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think you would let me. Much like I’m sure you won’t simply let me take your crown. That doesn’t change the fact that both of those things will happen.”

  “My crown?”

  “Your title, your position. Your family’s reign is over, Logan. Haven’t you accepted that yet?”

  “My family is your family.”

  “Is it?” Dequan said, then moved toward me. “Because last I checked, you and your brothers run the city. And what is my position?”

  “You help us.”

  “Oh yes, Dequan the faithful servant. But not an equal and not respected.”

  “We respected you, cousin.”

  “Don’t insult me.” Dequan closed the space separating us. “You don’t need to tell me how I was treated all these years.”

  “I didn’t know you were unhappy.”

  “Because you don’t care about anyone but yourself, do you? You don’t care about the kingdom. Look what’s become of it since you took control. You cannot lead.”

  “And you can?”

  I took a step toward him, ready to fight. With a speed that was surprising, he darted toward me, barely giving me the chance to react. Leaping up as high as I could, I took flight and hovered above him.

  “So typical of you.” Dequan sneered, then craned his neck to look up at me. “Escaping your problems instead of facing them. You do it with flair; I’ll give you that.”

  “What do you want from me?” I said. “What did I do to you to make you hate me so much?”

  “I don’t hate you cousin,” Dequan said. An unnerving calm seemed to fall over him. He cocked his head to the side and crossed his arms over his chest. “I simply have no respect for you—as a leader, as a friend, as a person. You don’t deserve what you’ve been given. So, I’m going to take it from you.”

  Leaning forward, he leaped into the air, his fingers grazing against my foot. He landed on the ground, his composure gone, and spun to face the woman in the mirror. “Do you plan on stepping in, princess?”

  It dawned on me that the woman was the Fae princess. Dequan’s betrayal was more serious than I’d thought. He wasn’t merely working with the enemy, he made agreements with the Fae royalty. I’d heard such rumors, but had dismissed the idea.

  I didn’t see how a society as chaotic and disorganized as the Fae could have a royal family, or any ruling body. There was no rule in their land.

  Dequan had hit on a sore spot. I’d doubted my ability to rule, and I’d been blind to so much. But there had still been time to make it right. I’d clung to that hope.

  My eyes flitted back to Callie, who was unconscious on the ground. I vowed to save her, and help find her sister. Then I’d see that she returned home, where she wouldn’t face dangers like these again. Where she would be safe. I would be the ruler my people needed. I would save my realm and those in it. I would do what was right.

  Dequan spoke to the woman in the mirror. “Unless you intervene, neither of us will get what we want.”

  The princess nodded in agreement and raised her hand. The ground rushed up at me. Stunned by the fall, I took a moment to get to my feet again. Dequan took advantage of that lapse, and moved in. His fist flew into my jaw. My ears rang, and my vision blurred.

  I staggered back, falling as I fought to regain my balance. Dequan was ready with another assault, but I mustered my energy to divert it, using my mind. I focused on his balled-up fist, flying straight for my face.

  The blow hit, completely undeterred. His hand slammed into my face, and I heard a crack. I stumbled back again, shaking my head. The bones in my jaw realigned quickly, my body’s natural ability to heal itself at work.

  I called on my ability, focusing on my target, moving quickly in my direction. I saw it happen in my mind: the energy smacked into his chest, then he flew back into the wall.

  But what I saw in my mind wasn’t what played out. As the energy expelled from me, it took a hard turn, crashing into the wall and blowing a hole through it.

  Dequan remained untouched. Left with no other option, I leaped to my feet and raised my fists. His blow flew toward me. I aimed my telekinetic power at his fist, but it seemed to have no effect.

  I mentally lifted a chunk of the wall that had crumbled and willed it toward Dequan’s head. But the stone missile curved and missed, then smashed into the chamber’s supports. The walls shook. I was unable to believe what had happened.

  My ability to move objects at will was useless, so I dove into the fight with fists. I landed a punch to Dequan’s gut. He stumbled back, struggling for purchase on the slick stone ground. I swore to take down the traitorous vampire.

  Callie was unprotected. I’d had to leave her on the ground to fight my cousin. My heart ached to go to her, but I unable to. With my powers blocked, it was hand-to-hand combat. My motivation surged; I couldn’t live if Callie didn’t survive.

  I had to win and to save Callie. I rushed in, thrust my leg out and kicked Dequan’s feet out from under him, I didn’t wait until he hit the ground to strike again. My fist flew out and struck his cheek.

  With my enemy on the ground, I glanced at Callie. I wanted to comfort her, and to carry her to safety. She shouldn’t be in this mess, but should be reunited with her sister. It was a cruel fact that to be safe, Callie had to leave. She didn’t belong in my realm. And she didn’t belong with me.

  I’d brought danger and suffering into her life. It was vital for her to go home. It was the only answer.

  Then a realization hit me harder than Dequan ever could—I was in love. Not the best moment to acknowledge that truth. But I was in love with Callie, and would give my life to protect her.

  Letting her go would hurt. It would bring more emotional pain than I’d experienced in a very long time. But it was best for her. And that was more important than my loss.

  Without warning, the ground rushed up at me, again. I barely caught myself, before my face smashed into the stone floor. Dequan had kicked my legs out from under me, and stood over me, ready to strike again.

  I braced for the impact that didn’t come. I lifted my arms to shield my face, then a blur of mot
ion flashed before my eyes. I blinked, and Dequan was gone.

  “Hurry,” Noah said and extended his hand. “Get up.”

  Noah helped me up, and I braced for Dequan’s retaliation. It wouldn’t be pretty, considering that neither of us could use our magic.

  Each time Dequan landed a blow, he princess taunted us with melodic laughter. The fight was two against one, so Noah and I had the advantage over my cousin.

  And I wasn’t going to lose that edge.

  I was the one to deal the final blow. Noah pinned Dequan to the ground, and I unleashed my pent-up emotions. My fists flew, finding their target.

  I was lost in a blind rage. Flashes of recent events flooded my thoughts. The battles, the senseless loss of life, the betrayal——the fear of losing Callie.

  “He’s out cold,” Noah said. He grabbed my wrist to stop a blow aimed at Dequan’s chest. “You can stop.”

  Chapter 47

  Logan

  But I had too much anger to release. My cousin’s betrayal had been a knife to my gut, and fury coursed through my veins. Noah’s attempts to pull me back from my cousin were futile.

  I refused to halt my vengeful assault.

  A blood-curdling scream from the princess caused my readied fist to come an abrupt halt. “You fool!” she screamed. “You’ll kill him!”

  “And what does it matter to you?” I said, then got to my feet and faced her. “My cousin was nothing but an errand boy for you.”

  “It matters because he has errands yet to complete.”

  “It’s no use, since he’s been discovered,” I said. “He won’t be allowed into the city. What use could he possibly serve?”

  “You handle your men, and I’ll handle mine.”

  “That’s hard to do when your men happen to be mine, as well.”

  The princess laughed. The irritating sound clung to my skin, igniting the burning rage smoldering in my chest.

  “This is not a laughing matter,” I said. “Lives have been lost. And you will pay for them with your own blood. I swear on my father’s grave, I will make you pay.”

  “Such a passionate leader,” the princess said. “It’s difficult to conceive of betraying a prince with so much zeal. But you have been betrayed. And your empty promises of victory and hollow proclamations of vengeance aren’t enough to buy the loyalty of your own cousin.”

  “Loyalty can’t be bought,” I said.

  “That’s funny, because I believe that’s precisely what I’ve done with poor, foolhardy Dequan,” she said, gesturing toward my cousin, still lost in a state of unconsciousness.

  “And look what good that’s done you.”

  Her eyes shifted from Dequan to Callie. I stepped to the side, putting myself between them.

  The princess stepped closer to the mirror, with an icy stare. “Let’s be honest, prince…you’ve lost the war. Vampire royalty have lost control of the land, and your precious light will soon be extinguished. So, accept defeat graciously.”

  “I will do no such thing.”

  “Well, don’t claim that I didn’t give you a chance,” the princess said, then inched closer to the edge of the mirror.

  She raised a clenched fist, so I prepared for her to reach out and take hold of me.

  “This is perfect…the prince cowed before me. If your subjects could only see you now.”

  The princess reached out, and there was a soft tinkling sound when her hand touched the glass. I moved back, looking for an opportunity to attack.

  It took a few seconds for me to realize what was happening. The glass was cracking. It had started slowly, the lines rippling out from the spot she gently tapped. The fracture lines spiraled outward and grew longer, then the shattering of the glass gained momentum.

  Shards of glass fell to the ground, leaving an opening with jagged edges. The princess stepped forward, then reached through the mirror. She was coming to our side.

  My heart leaped into my throat, and I commanded Noah to hold her off, for as long as he could. I didn’t hear his response, or see him jump into action.

  My focus was on Callie. I rushed to her and lifted her into my arms.

  “She’s mine,” the princess said.

  A force pulled at my body, a magnet drawing me away from Callie and toward the woman who would stop at nothing to get to her. I fought back against it, gritting my teeth and willing my body to remain in place.

  “Callie…please wake up.”

  Then Callie’s eyes flew open. “Logan?” She seemed to remember where she was, and her eyes widened. “What’s happening?”

  I wanted to warn her of the danger inching its way toward her, but I was struck speechless. It took all my strength to resist the pull and remain at her side. The pressure at my back increased, squeezing my lungs and stealing my breath.

  I wrapped my arms around Callie, as tightly as I dared, and pulled her close. She looked around frantically, as if searching for answers. When our eyes met, a rush of emotion swamped me. Callie looked at me with love in her eyes.

  The shrill voice of the princess rang out. “Say your goodbyes.”

  “No,” Callie whispered, with her eyes still locked on mine.

  The she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer to her, defying the Fae princess, futile as that was. I heard Noah, talking as an effort to distract the princess. But the powerful force just pulled harder, tearing me away from Callie.

  “No,” Callie repeated.

  When she spoke, the ground beneath our feet trembled. The room shifted, and the structure began to crumble. Pebbles rained down around us, and the floor shook violently. One of the walls began to give way, buckling with the grating whine of age-old stone falling apart.

  I clung to Callie, but she was no longer paying attention to me. Her eyes were fixed on the princess behind me. I braced for what would come next.

  The tugging at my back lessened, and I gasped for breath, freed of the burden. When I made a move to escape, Callie struggled out of my embrace and moved toward the mirror.

  I reached out to pull her back—but Callie shook her head.

  The room shook with earthquake force. Noah and the Fae princess struggled to gain their footing, as the building began to collapse.

  “My sister is in there,” Callie said, with her eyes fixed on the mirror. “I can feel her.”

  “We will find her. But we have to get out of here, before we’re crushed.”

  Callie stared at the mirror. “I’ve already found her.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I must go to Rosamon. I won’t lose her again.”

  Chapter 48

  Logan

  I grabbed Callie’s arm, and Noah helped guide her away from the mirror. I turned to flee, but there was nowhere to go.

  The Fae princess had disappeared.

  “She returned to her realm,” Noah said, glancing back at the mirror. “Even she’s not insane enough to stick around for this.”

  A boulder shook loose overhead and crashed nearby. It sent a wave of vibrations through the already unstable floor. Callie stumbled back, but I reached out and grabbed her before she could fall to the ground. Noah took hold of her other arm, and we managed to pull her back toward one of the more stable-looking walls.

  Debris flew through the air, and the ceiling started falling in, at an alarming rate. The exits were blocked by mountains of rubble.

  “We have to get her out of here,” I said.

  Noah nodded in agreement and looked around the room, searching for an escape route.

  “I’m not going,” Callie said, pulling away from us. Then she walked toward the mirror. Boulders fell around her, yet she appeared unfazed.

  Another violent jolt rippled through the room, and the mirror shattered. Callie cried out, “Rosamon!”

  A powerful wind whipped through the room with such power that it pulled the three of us toward the broken mirror, and the darkness within it.

  I grabbed onto Callie’s arm and pull
ed her to me, clinging to whatever I could find to keep us in place. The portal through the mirror was now a vortex, strong enough to drag massive boulders across the room. I watched as they disappeared into it, vanishing into the darkness on the other side.

  “Hold on,” I said and mustered my powers.

  Throwing my energy forward, I pushed back against the pull. That did little to ease the pull of the vortex. The power sucked inward, and the wind pushing at my back. My feet slipped, and I desperately attempted to remain in place. But my strength was no match for what I faced.

  Callie shook free of my hold and called out her sister’s name. “We have to go through the mirror and save her.”

  Noah and I stared at her. The floor shook, and the magnetic force pulled us closer to the dark hole beyond the mirror. The wind whined with powerful gusts.

  The building was collapsing, with huge chunks of stone falling to the ground. I couldn’t argue with Callie. We had to go through the mirror and into what was beyond, or we’d be buried alive.

  I looked at Noah, seeing that he’d come to the same conclusion. “We have no choice, but to let the force pull us through the mirror.”

  Callie eyes filled with hope. She threw her arms around my neck, and I melted into her embrace. The wind picked up around us, and the pull was stronger than ever.

  Noah and I stood on each side of Callie, arms linked. Her hair whipped against my face, filling my nose with her scent. Then the wind velocity picked up. The pull of the vortex was overpowering, and building caved in with a deafening roar.

  The mirror sucked us into its depths.

  Then…all was black.

  If you enjoyed Night’s Deceit, you don’t want to miss Gloom’s Whisper– Book 3 of Vampire Magic.

  Will Callie survive the darkness of the Fae world?

  The Fae increase in strength, while the vampires argue with each other. Rosamon must be freed, but the task appears impossible. Meanwhile, Callie has formed an unexpected alliance and friendship with the vampire prince, who rules the realm.