by Sela Croft
“The ruling class is a race of elite vampires,” she said, then paused.
I madly reached her thoughts, trying to make sense of it all. But then settled down to hear what she had to say, before I made incorrect assumptions. “Are you talking about blood-drinking vampires?”
Gretl spoke calmly. “The elite drink human blood to survive. But they are selective. They won’t drink from criminals or derelicts, as they feel such would contaminate their purity. So, they farm humans, and take their fill from those who are intelligent, capable ones.”
“So not only are they bloodsuckers, they are snobs.”
Gretl laughed. “Very much so, which is fortunate for me since I didn’t make the cut. But then the most efficient way is for them to breed the best humans with the preferred blood.”
I shuttered to think of what this new information meant for my sister and me. “How do they feel about outside humans?”
“I wouldn’t know. As I told you, it has been a long time since that’s been put to the test. I suppose you’ll find out.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out.
“So, you see that Rosamon is in a bad situation. I have doubts that she’s still alive,” Gretl said.
“I’ll find her. And she is alive. I’d know if she was gone.” I didn’t mention that since I’d arrived I hadn’t been able to mentally connect with her. But my gut told me that she was still breathing, somewhere in this vampire kingdom.
“You can’t go out unarmed,” Gretl said, then handed a weapon across the table. “That is effective against many potential enemies, although not the vampires. But they are next to impossible for a human to kill. And I don’t suggest it, anyway, since there would be retribution for such an illegal act.”
I had no inclination, to go up against a vampire. The weapon was a type of gun I’d seen only once before. I lifted it and turned it in my hand. “Before you found me, I witnessed some creatures with pointy ears shoot a man with a weapon like this.”
“It’s a strong laser and the beam explodes into fire when it hits the target. And those creatures were Fae. You should know that they use their magic to harm…most of them do, anyway. Not all are bad though.”
“How will I tell the difference?”
“You’ll learn quickly,” Gretl said. “The Fae you saw were the lower class. They fight rather crudely and make lots of trouble. Sort of like the infantry for their superiors.”
“I have a lot to learn. I just hope I’m not here long enough to get a full education in the rivalries in Shadowland.”
Gretl didn’t encourage me in my optimism, but just said, “The ruling Fae are not to be underestimated. The magic they wield is powerful. If there is one good reason to keep the vampires in control, it’s to ensure that the Fae don’t take over.”
What I read in her mind made me cringe. I’d asked enough. It was time to get going. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” Slipping the laser into my jacket, I stood up. “Can you tell me the best way down the mountain?”
“I’ll do better than that.” Gretl stood up, and her son slid off her lap. “Oisin will take you down. He’s waiting outside.”
She walked toward the door, and I put on the backpack she’d given me. I had a few supplies, which was more than I’d arrived with.
Gretl went out and I followed, stepping into darkness. I’d have to get used to the endless night, but I already missed the sunshine.
The broad-shouldered giant stood on the path. This time his blue eyes weren’t threatening. I turned to Gretl, at a loss on how to thank her. “I don’t know what to say, but maybe I can return the favor, one day.”
“I hope you find your sister,” she said, then carried her son into the house.
I walked toward Oisin, and he turned to the side. He had a leather carrier on his back, and motioned for me to get up there. His thoughts told me that the trip down the mountain was arduous, and my human form would be too slow.
He reached for my arms, then lifted me into the carrier. It was an elaborate piggyback ride. Once Oisin started down the path, he picked up speed. I held tight to the straps. My ride moved faster than I’d have thought possible.
While we traveled lower down the mountaintop, I picked up this thought: Gretl says you’re human, but you’re different.
That wasn’t new to me. Since I could recall, I’d been referred to as different, and much less flattering terms. I’m from the outside. I live in Oregon.
That didn’t satisfy Oisin, but he didn’t argue the point. There was some mystery that he hadn’t resolved, and I couldn’t help him with it. I wasn’t sure why he was so stuck on my difference.
For most of the trip, he was focused on safety. I was fine on avoiding steep ravines, or running into enemies. It was easy to trust my half-breed friend, as he strode with confidence. I was glad he knew the way, since I would have been lost without him.
We wound down a rocky road toward the inner city. Crystal City was what Oisin called it. He made it clear that the city was dangerous, but I don’t suppose I’d needed to read his thoughts to know that. The road ended on flat ground, underneath a grove of trees.
Oisin took my arms and lowered me to the ground. This is as far as I go. Fae aren’t welcomed. Then he took off, back up the mountain, disappearing so fast that I didn’t get to say goodbye.
Chapter 6
Callie
I navigated the last few yards on my own. The city dazzled with colors of blue and gold. The structures were made of glass, truly making it a crystal city. The sparkling buildings rose high into the night sky, glittering under the stars. It was magnificent, and under other circumstances I would have loved to see it all.
But I had a single goal in mind. It was important to find my sister and get safely away, before any other incidents transpired. As unfamiliar as I was with the environment, shimmering like a mirage before my eyes, I was certain that any encounters could mean serious harm, or even be fatal.
It had already taken too long. I had to figure out where Rosamon was. I assessed my surroundings. The city was well populated with rather normal-looking people, who had to be human slaves. I blended in with the locals, since Gretl had wisely provided clothes that matched the style others wore.
Throngs of workers traversed enclosed walkways, and others went about their business at the docks. I was glad no one paid attention to me, but figured that couldn’t last.
Down a short distance from the docks was the tallest building of the city, which said a lot, since most structures towered into the cloudless sky. The building had been artfully created. It looked as though it had been built straight up, but then the glass had been heated and giant hands had gripped the top and bottom to twist it into a graceful spiral.
My guess was that a structure like that had been created for the rulers. Since the royal vampires ruled the kingdom, the building was probably a central location. It was an obvious choice, if I wished to learn where my sister was.
Throwing caution aside, I made my way to the front doors. The double doors were two stories tall, and as wide as one side of the structure. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a red carpet over the walkway, but it wasn’t needed. The message of power and control was clear.
Before I could figure out how to open the massive door, a bulky male grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but he would have no part of it. The guy looked human, except for his eyes. They were ruby red and glowed like fire. “You aren’t allowed to be here.” His voice was deep and gruff. “Get back to work.”
I wrenched my arm free and found my voice. “I need to speak to the person in charge, to report a missing person. It’s urgent.”
The man hissed, and I swore he was going to tear me apart. Obviously, I’d made an error in judgment. This wasn’t a tourist information booth, and I’d irritated the wrong guy. Before I could apologize, and hopefully escape, both massive doors opened.
Only they didn’t slide open. Instead they rose from the ground and disapp
eared into the upper levels, leaving the entire front exposed to the outside. I feared I’d be swallowed up, into the vast interior. But it seemed I hadn’t been the cause of the welcome.
A group of guards, dressed like the man who’d successfully intimidated me, ushered throngs of people into the building. They were humans, going God knows where. I cringed to think of the reason they were there. The looks on their faces said it all.
The noise and activity offered my only chance of escape. But I was spellbound by what I witnessed, so instead of leaving I stood gaping at what was happening. I’d have known that was a mistake, if I’d bothered to think. Then my chance to get away was gone.
A presence, fiercer than the guard who had accosted me, loomed in the doorway. I gazed up at him. He was over six feet tall, athletic looking, and devastatingly handsome. He had thick, copper-brown hair in a tufted style that exuded sex appeal.
He had a square jaw, and the sort of kissable lips that were movie-star worthy. And his eyes were a bright emerald green, contrasting with his flawless pale skin. A jagged scar across his left cheek was a defect that gave him rugged appeal, the ultimate charm.
Mesmerized by his appearance and his powerful demeanor, I stared. The horrible thing was, he stared back. I wished to shrink into the walkway under my feet, rather than face this man or whatever he was. Gorgeous beyond any I’d seen, he struck terror into my heart.
His gaze pierced into me, and I found no kindness in his attitude. If the guard didn’t kill me, this man surely would—and without a shred of remorse. I don’t know how I knew that, but it was indisputably true.
Without taking his eyes from me, the man barked at the pack of guards. “Detain them until I’m ready!” His focus remained on me, much to my chagrin. I had the urge to intercede, and deter this man from his vile intent, as whatever he had in mind for the humans it was of that nature.
But I found that I couldn’t speak, only stare. A thought flashed through my mind that he had me under a spell. I reached out with my mind, desperate to find some humanity in the man I faced. I was quick to discover that I was unable to access his mind at all. It was closed off to me, something I hadn’t encountered before.
The guard who had blocked my entry was immensely preferable to the man staring me down. I irrationally thought to make a plea to that guard for help, but he wasn’t around. It was a standoff, and I wished I knew why I was of interest to this terrifying heartthrob.
He moved, faster than my eyes could follow, and slammed me into the wall. Gasping for breath, my eyes locked with his. “Who are you?” he growled, and his angry look turned to one of desire. I couldn’t fathom I’d had an effect on him, such as he’d had on me.
Yet his eyes roamed over me, and I perceived a great need. For what, I wasn’t sure. His eyes glowed, and his skin gleamed. Then he tipped my head to the side and gazed at my bare neck. If I’d had any doubt about what he was, it was put to rest when he leaned closer.
His lips curled back, and he snarled, “Your scent…it’s driving me crazy.” His breath grazed my cheek, subduing me. Then his mouth opened, and his fangs protracted. I was at the mercy of this awe-inspiring creature, and yet didn’t fight to get free of his grasp.
Chapter 7
Logan
I held the wisp of a girl against the wall with one hand, lusting for her pale white neck. My fangs ached, and my unquenched thirst welled up inside me. The feel of her delicate form and the allure of her blood were pure intoxication.
Terror radiated from her, and she had good reason to fear. She had crossed a boundary that few dared cross. It was only right that she was mine. It’s the best she could expect, under the circumstances.
When I leaned closer, her scent wafted up my nostrils like a drug. It was wise not to look at prey, but only consume. Her blood would satisfy me, of that I had no doubt. The aroma was sweet, innocent, and pure—not one I’d encountered before.
If she’d been bred on the farms, I’d know. The blood strains had been purified over the ages—treats, one and all, yet not unfamiliar. Breathing her in, I realized that I must have been deprived of delicacies, an oversight that should be remedied.
Her breath was shallow and rapid, exciting me more. She cowered against the wall, shrinking away, confirming my power. I would savor this one.
I took the luxury of looking at her, relishing the terror I was certain to witness. My gaze locked onto her deep violet eyes. There was something in their depths that I couldn’t fathom, a strength I didn’t expect.
What her expression conveyed, I couldn’t be sure. She didn’t seem to know who I was, or steel herself for what was to come. Her inner brightness affected me, so I hesitated.
Her extraordinary eyes widened, yet she didn’t flinch. I looked at her, a snarl rising in my throat. And she looked back. Not to be dissuaded, and certainly not to be influenced by a human, I peeled my lips back to take a drink.
Her voice was soft, but firm. “No, you can’t.” Her plea affected me, enough to make me hesitate.
My eyes narrowed, a tinge of fury fueling my heated blood. She could not have said that. It’s unthinkable that a human would deny me my right.
Still she stared at me. “You must not harm me. I’m here on important business.”
What business a teenage girl had at the royal headquarters I couldn’t imagine. And business had to be authorized in advance. Certainly, I hadn’t been informed of a human with anything vital to say.
It was folly for her to thwart my pleasure. Yet I didn’t drink. Confusion addled my mind. This girl was unlike any I’d come in contact with before. But I wasn’t clear on exactly what was different. Her blood was scented with something I couldn’t identify.
Lest I kill her before learning what she was about, I reconsidered. She was still in my hand, but her gaze was unrelenting. Was there a chance that bravery was part of the human condition? Not in the face of certain death. I refused to embrace such a thought.
When I removed my hand, the girl took a deep breath and stood tall. “Don’t move,” I said, and she heeded my warning.
I scanned the scene. The guards had removed the other humans. I barked at the superior, a vampire who had managed the feeding ritual for some time now. “I’ll be delayed. Notify my brothers, and let them drink their fill without me.” Hungry vampires shouldn’t be made to wait.
Then I nodded at the security officers, and the front-entry doors lowered. Neither my thirst nor my curiosity had been quenched, which might prove to be a deadly combination. I wrapped one arm around the girl’s waist, then propelled upward, ignoring her gasp.
In a flash, I was at my upper-level post. The interior was spacious, and the window looked out at the starry sky. As the prince, I had the best view. With a wave of my hand, a door lowered and locked behind me. And the girl slumped into a velvet chair.
Giving her a moment to realize her predicament and thus be amenable to answering my questions, I strode to the window to look down at the city and forest below. The window came halfway up the wall, leaving the upper portion open to the outside. That accommodated easy flight without having to go down to the lobby first.
But such niceties meant little. The kingdom was in upheaval and I’d spent the past hours dealing with issues. Blood was what I required, real nourishment to revive me and restore my strength. What I should do is grab my little intruder and drink my fill of her blood.
Yet she intrigued me, and I was suspicious of her motives.
I turned and stepped closer, towering over her. “Who are you?”
“My name is Callendra Mayfair.” She looked up at me, her raven black hair falling over her shoulders and down her back—an odd thing for me to notice.
“That’s a big name for a young girl.”
“Callie then, if you insist. That’s what my friends call me, though I daresay you aren’t one of them.”
Her insult bothered me, although I shouldn’t care in the least what she thought. “Okay, Callie, what are you doing he
re?”
I sat on the sofa across from her, wary.
“Before I answer that, it’s only fair for you to tell me your name,” she said. “If you’re going to ask personal questions and expect answers, I need to know.”
The nerve of a human. It rattled me. “You don’t know who I am?” The idea was ludicrous. “You insult me.”
“I don’t mean to, but we haven’t met before. Believe me, I’d remember.”
Callie’s face was pale, and she grasped her hands in her lap. But she didn’t shy away from speaking her mind.
“If there is any other person in this kingdom but you, who doesn’t know the royal vampires by name—me included—that will be remedied, I assure you.”
“I can see that I’ve injured your pride, but that wasn’t my intent. But if you intend to remedy that situation you can start now by telling me your royal name.”
Callie Mayfair was a symbol of all that was wrong in the empire. There wasn’t respect of authority like there used to be. Enemies threatened from all sides and used any guise to gain access. For all I knew, she was here to do her worst.
Although, looking at her I couldn’t see what that could be. She was about five feet six and slender, a teenage girl who couldn’t be more than sixteen or seventeen. Possibly, her innocence was meant to throw me off.
And her scent was intended to drive me crazy, to make me do things that I otherwise wouldn’t. I leaned back against the cushion, as if to put space between us. Although with my preternatural sense of smell, the distance would need to be much greater than the width of a room.
“I’ll cater to this absurdity, for the moment. But don’t get the idea that I’ll continue in that vein.” I stared into her eyes, reaching into their depths for answers about her. “I’m Logan Bayne, the reigning prince of Shadowland. Put simply, I’m a vampire not to be trifled with.”
“I don’t know how you expected me to know that, but now that we are on a first name basis, we should get something clear.”