Tattoos and Cupcakes (Amulet of Queens Book 1)

by Everly Taylor

  Without warning power rushed through me, hitting my body with such force I fell to my knees on the ground. I opened my eyes and saw my hands braced against the grass, magic crackling across my skin, bright purple and red mixing together as little electric bolts ran down my arms and into the earth.

  As the magic washed over me I stood, the force of my magic pouring out of me, causing my hair to blow around me as if a gust of wind carried it. The full moon was now tinted red as my magic filled the air, casting an eerie glow across the field. Facing Lamia and Calledora, I watched them as they stood speechless, the magic humming between us.

  It poured off my arms, the electric bolts racing across the grass and disappearing into the ground when they had gotten a good distance from me. The current moved around Calledora and Lemia, seeming to understand that it wasn’t to hurt them. I didn’t know if I controlled it or if it inherently knew not to since I still wore the amulet.

  I did know I had to stop this light show though, as incredibly freeing as it was. I took a deep breath and slowed my breathing, picturing the magic now calm and laying inside me. Bright purple and red mixing with the darkness that also had found a home within me. No longer dormant, but a welcome part of me making me complete and comprising who I am.

  The magic receded from my skin, and the crackling that was racing down my arms stopped. Now that my power was no longer pouring through the night, the moon returned to normal and they sky lost its eerie hue.

  I looked between the two still standing motionless, watching me. The looks on their faces made me feel uneasy because I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect next.

  “So uh, yeah… found my magic,” I stumbled with a small laugh.

  “What gave that away?” Calledora inquired, staring at me.

  “Do you think you could do that again?” Lamia requested, her voice quiet.

  “Maybe not to that extent, I think things got a little excited for a minute. But…” I trailed off, trying to focus again as I held my hands out to my sides. Abruptly little balls of purple and red light filled my hands, spinning and crackling with their energy.

  Lemia’s eyes widened as she watched them spin, I put them out with a thought and dropped my arms. “I am astonished Selena, your power is beyond anything I imagined.”

  I shrugged again. “It really isn’t that big of a deal, is it?”

  “You didn’t even need training to control or how to channel the magic inside you without the amulet. Do you realize how incredible that is?” Lemia asked in awe.

  “Not really, but score one for the good guys right? So does this mean we have a chance against the darkness?” I questioned, hopeful.

  “Indeed it does. You are our greatest hope Selena,” Calledora said.

  “Well don’t put all your eggs in this basket yet, I still have some shit to sort out back home. Who knows, it might not be the darkness that kills me. It could be three men or a best friend.” I laughed.

  “Yes, it is time you returned to them,” Lamia murmured almost sadly. “This will not be the last time we see you Selena, so until we meet again.” She bent her head low in my direction. A symbol of great respect coming from her, and I readily returned the gesture.

  “Until we meet again Granddaughter,” Calledora echoed, bowing her head in my direction as well.

  Lowering my head to her I replied, “Until we meet again Grandma Callie,” and then I disappeared into my own world.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Selena

  I braced myself as my feet landed hard against the floor. Stumbling forward a little, I caught myself on a wall and avoided falling. Thank goodness, because it really would have sucked major ass to land on my face during my first intentional inter-world travel. It would have sucked to fall period, but at least I could pretend I knew what I was doing if I didn’t fall. Opening my eyes I realized I stood in the hall of the club, with a door I didn’t recognize in front of me.

  Glancing in either direction down the hallway, I noticed the room I had entered the night before and started to head that way. I paused when I remembered Lamia’s words—I had been taken to where I desired to be most at that moment, or something similar to that anyway. So I was probably in this particular spot for some reason, I just didn’t know what it was.

  I stepped back to the door, studying it and wondering what could be inside that made it more important for me to be here than finding the guys right away. Listening for any clues that might reveal what was on the other side, I was surprised when I heard bubbly laughter coming from behind the barrier. I turned the handle and pushed through. “Sam!” I exclaimed, seeing her sitting in a chair across the room, talking to someone in her usual animated fashion.

  “Lena! Oh my gosh, you’re finally back!” She jumped up and met me halfway, hugging me tight. “Where the fuck have you been? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, I’m so sorry you were hurt,” I mumbled against her shoulder, letting her hug me. I was so glad to see she was okay, I didn’t care if she clung to me for a minute. After coming so close to losing her I would do almost anything for her.

  “It wasn’t your fault they hurt me Lena. You didn’t ask for any of what they did to us,” She said pulling me back and looking me over. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Really, I promise I’m fine, better than you can imagine. I just…” I hesitated, the last I saw her I could have sworn she was dead. I had watched as they dragged her lifeless body from the room, I wasn’t imagining that. “Sam, I thought you were dead, I saw you die,” I told her.

  “I feel better than I ever have. Really Lena, they have been taking great care of me. Especially Jordan here.” she smiled in his direction. Ugh, I groaned inwardly, that’s the last thing I needed my best friend doing, falling for a vampire.

  I turned to face Jordan who remained next to his chair, now standing as he watched our reunion. “Thank you Jordan for taking such good care of my friend,” I addressed him. “Do you mind leaving us for a while so I can talk to her?”

  “Yes, your highness,” he replied, standing and giving me a slight bow, making me wince.

  “Uh, Jordan, no need for that, but thanks all the same.” He nodded and started to leave the room. “Hey, one more thing?” I called, stopping him before he left the room and making him turn back to us. “Can you please find one of the advisors and inform them that I’ve returned, and will update them in a while?”

  “Of course my—” He stopped himself short as he saw the look on my face. Instead choosing to nod in my direction and leaving the room.

  “What the hell was that about Lena?” Sam demanded, motioning to where Jordan had stood.

  “It’s kind of a long story,” I hedged.

  “Funny thing about that, I have time,” she replied.

  I took a deep breath. “You might want to sit for this,” I cautioned.

  “Good, because you have some major explaining to do Lena,” Sam countered, taking a seat.

  “Yeah, that’s a fucking understatement.” I sighed as I took the seat Jordan had vacated. “I don’t even know where to start Sam,” I confessed, wanting her to understand this wasn’t easy for me. I wanted her to accept it and know why I hadn’t told her that day, to know I wasn’t intentionally hiding this from her. I just wasn’t ready to tell her yet.

  “Lena, it doesn’t matter what it is, we’ll still be best friends. You’re not getting rid of me that easy. Even death by vampires couldn’t scare me away,” she promised, with amusement twinkling in her eyes.

  “Funny you should say that,” I started. “So, do you remember the day I told you about meeting my biological mom, having dinner with the guys, and all of that shit?” She nodded, so I continued, “That wasn’t exactly all of it.” I paused, not sure exactly how to tell her the rest of it. How did you explain to your best friend that vampires were real, and that they were the ones who had almost killed her, but it was also vampires who nursed her back to health? And that I happened to be some supposed futu
re queen of the vampires with crazy powers that were going to save the world?

  “They also explained, very convincingly, vampires actually do exist and I wasn’t some orphan like I thought I was, but their future queen with magical powers I didn’t know about,” I blurted out all at once, like a band aid I ripped it off quick and fast. Now it was out in the open and I waited for her response.

  Sam narrowed her eyes at me. “What the fuck Lena? Do you realize what you’re saying right now? You’re trying to tell me that the day you came home you thought you were a vampire? Oh sorry, queen of the vampires,” she corrected sarcastically, making little finger quotes in the air around her.

  I nodded slowly, not sure where she was going with this.

  “So if I bought into this idea of you being a vampire and all that shit, then you need to tell me something. Is it contagious or something?” she asked.

  I know I looked at her like she was the crazy one, but who the fuck ever heard of a vampire being contagious? This wasn’t the damned bubonic plague. “Not that I know of, I mean I guess I have to actually bite someone or whatever. They didn’t get that far in Vampire 101. I have no intentions of biting you Sam.” I watched her curiously, wondering where she had gotten this weird notion, and willing her to believe me. I hoped more than anything she would still want to be my friend after this. I had gone through all of this so I wouldn’t lose her or any of my loved ones. It would kill me if she no longer spoke to me because of what I had become.

  “Then can you please explain why the fuck I have these?” she inquired, standing from her chair, and opening her mouth as fangs extended and she pointed to them.

  I stared in shock. There was no way she had fangs! Someone had to have bitten her and I know for a fact it wasn’t me. The guys had told me that no one at the club would hurt Sam and I had believed them, but I had never expected this. “Sam, I have no fucking clue. I know I didn’t do this. I didn’t even fucking learn to use my powers until a few days ago!” I stood looking at her fangs. How the fuck did this happen?

  “Apparently something happened to me Lena, and I’m part of the twinkle club now,” she quipped poking a fang.

  “Hold on, we are going to get some fucking answers, I swear,” I assured her as I rushed to the door. Sam tried to grab my arm but I shook her off. There was no way I was going to let her think I had done this to her. I was getting to the bottom of this.

  Yanking open the door I yelled down the hallway, not caring who heard me. “Damien, Aldrich, and Adrien, you better get your fucking asses down here now!”

  I turned back into the room, seeing Sam doubled over in fits of laughter. What the hell? “Sam, are you okay?” I asked as she laughed harder.

  Behind me the guys rushed into the room. “What the hell happened?” Damien shouted, sounding panicked.

  “Someone better tell me what the hell happened to Sam, and why she has fangs.” I rounded on them, pointing in her direction, where Sam was still giggling next to me.

  The three looked nervously between each other, not saying anything. Sam now had tears running down her cheeks. Could she be in shock or something? I glared at them. “I care about you three more than you know, but I swear you better start giving me answers, or it won’t be pretty.”

  Feeling sparks begin to race across my skin, I balled my hands into fists. I refused to let my power overtake me and hurt one of them in anger. Instead, I calmed myself and channeled my thoughts toward them, searching their minds for what had happened, they knew something and I was going to find out what.

  Damien was the one that always seemed to know the most about everything, and was kept up to date on every situation first. If I wanted answers quickly he was my best bet. I reached out gently and searched his subconscious for some sort of answer. It wasn’t hard to read his thoughts since he was currently having a conversation with the other two. I narrowed my eyes at the three of them, really, they couldn’t just say it out loud?

  I focused for another moment as they debated about just telling me that Sam already knew she was a vampire, but they had no clue who had turned her. But they were hesitant about revealing it to me, since they didn’t want to upset me. It was cute that they were worried about my reaction when I found out, considering my unknown power now. Surprise, I found out.

  I spun around to her. “You knew?” I accused. “You knew and led me to believe that you thought I somehow did this to you?” Sam looked at me with tears still running down her cheeks, obviously thinking this was hilarious.

  “Lena, you were so shocked that I was a vampire, and you actually believed I thought it was contagious.” She tried to get her laughter under control but failed. “I tried to stop you before you called for them, but you wouldn’t listen.” She shook her head. “You have to admit it was pretty funny,” she finished.

  When she put it that way it was kind of funny, but in the moment it wasn’t funny thinking that my best friend might have considered that I hurt her.

  “I know you would never do this to me Lena.” Sam briefly hugged me again. “Look, we have no clue who did this, just that it happened and I survived because of it. They caught me up to speed on what little they know and well, here I am.”

  “As long as you know I would never do anything to hurt you,” I said, getting over my hurt.

  “Of course I do!” she reassured me and smiled her big grin again.

  “Sorry about the false alarm guys.” I shrugged, trying a disarming smile.

  “Are you kidding? You were fucking panicked,” Aldrich stated. “We didn’t know what was happening to you.”

  “Yeah, well you try finding out your best friend has been turned into a vampire without panicking and then get back to me,” I retorted.

  “Fair enough,” Adrien yielded, coming over and hugging me tight. “It’s good to have you back Cupcake,” he said, kissing my head.

  “I’m glad to be back. It was a shock to wake up there. Trust me,” I muttered against his chest.

  The other two came over and wrapped me in a hug as well, and for the first time I felt like everything might actually be okay.

  I wanted to cling to them and pretend that none of this was happening, that we didn’t have to face any of this, but they pulled away from me and I had to face reality. They remained close and protective though, and it was nice to see they cared.

  “Do you want to tell us why the hell you went off again without telling us?” Damien demanded. Always straight to the point, that one.

  “About that…there’s a lot to tell you about. The first thing you need to know is that I didn’t leave by choice, well not really. When I disappeared the first time I had chosen to bleed on the amulet, even though I didn’t know I would, you know, poof, I did choose to sneak out. This time I didn’t consciously choose to do anything. I simply fell asleep after, well, you know after,” I flushed a little with Sam standing in the room, “and then I woke up there instead of here.” All three of them beamed huge, smug grins thinking about our activities from the night before, which made me smile a little also.

  “You fucked didn’t you?” Sam asked, smirking.

  “Shut up Sam,” I hissed, smacking her shoulder.

  “If you didn’t choose to leave. then how did you get back there?” Aldrich inquired.

  “I kind of made myself go back without realizing it. Something about subconsciously moving between worlds because I knew I had to go back for more training.” They all stared at me as if I were crazy. I guess it sounded like I was.

  “I didn’t intentionally go back to the Well of Queens. The queens explained it as my subconscious knowing that I wasn’t done with my training yet, so that being what I wanted most in that moment, I brought myself back.

  “I brought myself here when I fell asleep at the Well because what I wanted more than anything was to be with you guys. When I fell asleep here with you, that desire was fulfilled and instead I wanted to protect those I loved more than anything, but to do that I needed to go back. So
that’s what happened. As much as I hated leaving you guys, I’m glad I did or I wouldn’t have learned to control my magic,” I told them.

  “Wait, you have magic?” Sam questioned, as my men watched me hotly, I wasn’t quite sure what for, but I would get to that later.

  “Yeah, quite a bit from what I’ve seen,” I admitted, laughing at her

  “That’s cool as shit, can we see?” Sam requested, her eyes bright with excitement. Of course out of everything going on Sam would focus on the magic part of it, I chuckled to myself.

  “Uh, I’m not so sure that’s such a good idea inside. I mean I controlled it and everything when I was there, but that was also a different world. I would rather make sure it all reacts the same again before I try using it here. Not to mention the first time that I unleashed everything there, it was quite a light show and I’m really not trying to blow the club up. I think Valentina might be a little upset over that mishap.” I smiled at the thought. “The mind reading thing was the same, but the other stuff, well, that’s different,” I added.

  “Mind reading?” Aldrich looked at me accusingly. He knew how I found out about Sam now, oops.

  “Yeah, sorry about that, next time give me answers and I won’t resort to playing dirty,” I replied, feeling no remorse.

  He rolled his eyes at me but otherwise ignored my response. “So what exactly happened while you were gone, any other powers of yours we should know about?” Aldrich asked instead.

  “I met Lamia, supposedly one of the first vampires. They refer to her as the First Fallen. She and Calledora taught me to control my powers, both the vampire and magical ones. Each of them were really helpful and amazing, teaching me what I needed to know…” I trailed off, thinking.

  “Why do I feel there’s a ‘but’ in there?” Damien pressed.

  “I don’t think things are quite as they seem with them. I just haven’t been able to figure out exactly why yet,” I explained.

  “What do you mean?” Adrien inquired.