by Sela Croft
Up ahead, I could see the city of light shimmering with hope. My heart fluttered in my chest, and I imagined entering that land to be reunited with Logan.
I didn’t care that my thoughts shouldn’t go to him. I didn’t care that he was the last person in the world I should be thinking of. All I knew was the thought of seeing him again gave me a renewed purpose and helped to push aside my fear, if only just a little. So I focused on that. I held onto that feeling and raced forward.
That’s where my thoughts hovered. My mind flooded with memories of my time with Logan. His intensity had pulled something out of me, a passionate response that I hadn’t experienced before. I let myself feel that again, remembering the last time I’d seen him. I encouraged myself to remember the longing I felt to be with him again, and use it to incite a renewed energy inside of me.
When Noah skidded to a stop, I ran right into him and fell to the ground.
“Callie,” he said, then reached down and pulled me to my feet, faster than I could process.
Ahead of us, two large cats sat on their haunches. It was as if they’d come out of nowhere. I hadn’t seen them appear, but I definitely saw them now. Their lips were pulled back over their teeth, and low, threatening snarls filled the air.
Noah glanced around, frantically trying to find a way out. The woods around us were too thick, the large tree trunks blocking any direct line of escape. The safety of the gleaming city was only about a hundred yards away. Yet the muscular, terrifying animals stood between us and our desired destination.
Noah wrapped his arms around me and I leaned against him, my heart pounding in my ears. The cats took a step forward, and we darted back. I saw their teeth and their eyes, still glowing red.
When a low whistle penetrated the air behind us, Noah’s hold on me increased.
“A Redcap,” he whispered.
We were trapped—Caith Sidhe in front of us, a Redcap behind us.
Suddenly, the Crystal City felt very far away, and Logan even farther.
Chapter 4
Logan
My body was still shaking from my most recent exchange with Callie Mayfair. She was hiding something from me; I was sure of it. She didn’t understand. She didn’t want to. She didn’t care about my people, and she didn’t care about me.
How could she deny her connection to all of this? How could she be so blind as to not recognize that she was an integral part of what was going on in my realm? Even after everything I had told her, after my pleas with her to let me protect her, she remained as obstinate as she’d been the first day we met.
Perhaps it wasn’t simply stubbornness that fueled her. Perhaps there was more to her.
But she’d refused to tell me about herself or her mission.
As I walked toward the tunnels leading out of the city, I realized that it wasn’t just the fact that she was denying her importance that frustrated me. It was her refusal to share anything private with me.
I wanted to know her. I’d been drawn to her from the first moment. Despite everything going on around us, that had remained true. No matter how infuriated I became with her, I couldn’t resist thinking about her, wanting to be around her. The way she made me feel invigorated me. It awoke a part of me that had been forgotten, long ago.
Since rising to power in Crystal City, my life had become about protecting my people. Thoughts of my own happiness had always hinged on that. But with her, I felt that I could take a step back from everything and allow myself to be Logan—not the ruler of a world on the brink of being ripped apart. Just me.
“Raulia,” I said, exiting the tunnel on the other end.
I nodded to the guards stationed at the exit, trying to keep my anger in check. A lot of good they did when they were overpowered by the Rode Ogen, the Fae shapeshifter who had infiltrated my city and kidnapped my sister.
They nodded sullenly.
“Your grace,” Raulia, the red-haired vampire-shifter said and moved toward me. She was in her human form again. When I’d last seen her, she’d taken off after the dog-shaped Fae-shifter in her own alternate skin—that of a crimson-haired wolf.
“What do you have to report?”
“The Rode Ogen escaped,” Raulia said. “I traced him as far into the mountains as I dared, but the shadows concealed his tracks and his scent was swept away in the wind.”
“I appreciate your efforts,” I said. “Were you able to uncover anything else related to the Fae and their intentions?”
“No, I haven’t. Have you and your brothers figured anything out?”
I shook my head and let out an annoyed grunt. The situation was growing more and more frustrating, as the moments passed. Each new discovery we made only led to more questions. Each opportunity we had to finally gain answers only led to more disappointment.
“Whatever they’re planning, they are becoming more brazen in their attempts to bring it to fruition,” Raulia said. “Along with their vampire hunter allies, they are becoming a rather formidable foe.”
I nodded in agreement. The Fae had always presented a problem for my realm. But now that they had allied with the human vampire hunters, it appeared that the threat they posed had increased. Knowing who one could trust was becoming more difficult, and keeping the enemy at bay had become nearly impossible.
“We need to address this threat immediately,” I said.
“If I may speak freely?”
“Of course…any advice or thoughts you have will be greatly appreciated.”
“There is a Fae tower close to the border,” Raulia said. “I think that our side should make a powerful strike on it as a show of force and determination. We cannot let their most recent acts go without retaliation.”
“You have a point,” I said. “If we don’t, they’ll think we are weak.”
I was mulling over Raulia’s recommendation, and contemplating the consequences of such an act, when a small fleet of my household guards rushed through the tunnel exit behind me. I turned to face them, surprised to find them here instead of where I’d left them, with orders to remain close to Callie.
“What are you doing here?”
“Your grace,” one of them said, then stepped forward. “We bring news of the human girl.”
My jaw clenched. “What is it?”
“She’s escaped, your grace. She’s no longer in your residence.”
I leaned back, the impact of his words knocking me off balance. I waited for the report that she had been recovered. Surely, she had been captured and brought back safely. A human wouldn’t stand a chance escaping a fleet of well-trained vampires.
Yet, the news didn’t come.
“What do you mean she’s escaped?”
“We’ve searched every corner of your residence,” he said. “Her quarters, the kitchen, the study, the sitting room…”
“Where did she go?”
He shrugged and diverted his gaze.
“You can’t expect me to believe she simply vanished into thin air. There has to be some evidence of what happened.”
Still he didn’t speak. I examined the men who’d arrived with them, interrogating them with my gaze. They remained unmoving, my accusing glare hitting them full force.
“Raulia,” I said, turning my attention to the wolf-shifting vampire. “You are to find her, now.”
“But your grace, with everything going on in the city, I must inquire as to why such importance should be given to a stray human?”
I could sense my guard’s surprise at her brash decision to question my orders. I didn’t find her inquiry to be particularly irritating. The truth behind Callie Mayfair would need to be divulged sooner or later. I had been keeping her a secret, for long enough. But I knew that it was in her best interest that others were made aware of the role she was meant to play.
“She is involved in all of this,” I said. “It’s still unclear as to how she will impact our realm, but it is certain that she will. I fear the Fae know that, as well.”
Rau
lia nodded. “They took Natasha in order to use her ability for their purposes, correct? They wanted to see the future. And that future is linked to this human girl?”
“Yes, and for that reason it is of utmost importance that she be found and returned safely. Can I trust you with this mission, Raulia?”
“Of course, your grace.”
“If you need anything, contact my brother Valter. He knows of the girl and will be able to assist you.”
After ensuring that Rauila was fully aware of the implications of finding the lost human girl, I made my way back to my home.
I had to figure out what happened to her. I moved as swiftly as I could, unable to blot her from my mind. Her violet eyes penetrated my thoughts, piercing through me, and filled me with a sense of urgency unlike any I’d felt before.
Chapter 5
Logan
Upon arriving back at my private residence, any hopes I’d had of figuring out what happened to Callie evaporated. I was informed that there was no trace of where, when, or how she’d left.
“The guards stationed at the posts on the top of the building didn’t see anything,” Henry said. “I’ve had men searching the surrounding areas, and there is no sign that she jumped again.”
“It really is as if she vanished into thin air,” I said. “How can this be?”
“I wish I had an answer, your grace. I am truly sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Henry. You were attending to other matters I assigned you.”
After my last fight with Callie, I’d asked that Henry see to it that any comfort from her realm that could be acquired be brought to my home. I hated the way we’d left things, the threats I’d made. I wanted to make her comfortable.
I’d been too late.
“We need to do all we can to determine what went on here.”
I spun around and examined the room I was in. It was the room she’d been given during her stay. In the middle of the bed, I could make out a slight depression. The blankets were wrinkled and the pillow was plumped up and misshapen. She had been sleeping there. I moved toward the bed then rested my hand on the place where she’d been.
“She slept,” I said.
“And ate, it would appear. There was a plate in the sink in the kitchen.”
“It couldn’t have been long, then, since she left.” I worked to mentally calculate the time I had been out of the house. It couldn’t have been more than a few hours. If she had time to nap and prepare herself a snack, then she couldn’t be far.
“There’s no sign of a struggle in any of the rooms,” Henry said, voicing the point that was jostling around in my head.
“Either she left on her own accord, which seems unlikely, since she has no way of coming or going, or…”
I spun on my heel and hurried toward the window. The breeze that flowed in didn’t calm me, as I had hoped it would. I stared out at the mountains in the distance, darkness draped around them. “Or magic was involved. Henry, call my brother and my cousin.”
“Which brother, your grace?”
“Florian, since Valter will be busy with the search. And have my sister brought in, as well. Only if she is feeling up to it, of course.”
I leaned forward and grabbed onto the window’s glass ledge. As I stared out into the distance, searching the horizon for answers, tense with concern.
Something was very wrong.
If Callie had been abducted, like Natasha, that would mean that the Fae had what they needed. Why they wanted her, though, I couldn’t tell. I tried to piece it all together, but there was no hint of why the human girl was of such importance.
Even if she was with vampires, I worried for her safety. The scent of her blood was intoxicating. Surely a hungry, carefree individual wouldn’t care that her blood wasn’t guaranteed pure, as we had worked so hard to ensure among our feeding population. Simply being near her was enough to drive one mad, because the alluring aroma that floated in the air around her was exhilarating.
With my eyes closed, I remembered the first time I’d been struck by her presence. It had overwhelmed and consumed me. It had driven me to a point of near insanity that I had yet to recover from completely.
I longed to sense her again, to smell her, to feel her—her soft, warm skin—to feel her eyes burning into me, driving me to say things I hadn’t imagined saying to any human.
“No,” I said, pushing myself back from the window, jaw clenched. I shouldn’t think of her that way.
I was obsessing over her. I was allowing her to invade every part of my being, taking over my senses and flooding my mind.
I reminded myself that she was human, and not from my realm. She didn’t belong. She’d been brought there for reasons I didn’t understand. And that’s what I should be concerned with.
But that only frustrated me more. There was nothing I could think of to provide answers.
It only took a few moments for my siblings and cousins to arrive. Hopefully, they would be able to provide more insight.
“Natasha,” I said, rushing up to her and wrapping her up in my arms. “Thank you so much for coming. I know it must be difficult for you, given your recent ordeal.”
“Nonsense,” my sister said, hugging me tightly then smiling. She reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my eyes and pushed herself up onto her toes, planting a quick kiss on my cheek. “The only thing my recent ordeal has done is fuel my purpose. I’m more motivated than ever to get to the bottom of all of this.”
“I should say the same,” Florian said, walking up to us. “The situation is nothing short of infuriating.”
We faced cousin Dequan, who hovered by the door. His jaw was clenched, and he ran his fingers ran through his dark brown hair. “This is truly disturbing,” he said. “We were told the human girl simply vanished from your home?”
I nodded and led them out of Callie’s room, toward the sitting room. “We have no leads as to where she went, with whom, or under what circumstances,” I said. “I was hoping that one of you could provide more insight.”
“Have you brought Raulia here?” Florian asked.
“I’ve considered that. But, I’ve asked her to lead the search party. I’m hesitant to call her back now. Every second that passes is precious. However, if we are still without any answers after this meeting, I will be forced to do just that.”
Florian walked over the couch and slumped down. Dequan paced around the room, shaking his head. Natasha walked over the window. When she reached the half-way point, she froze.
“Logan,” she said and pointed. “Here.”
I rushed to her side and took hold of her elbow. She was seeing something. It was evident in the way her eyes darted back and forth. Her body had gone rigid.
Although my sister’s visions related to the future, they could reveal events in the past that were directly tied to what was to come. Given Callie’s unknown role in the events unfolding around us, it came as no surprise that Natasha would perceive something regarding her most recent actions.
“What is it?” I said, my patience fraying. “What happened to her?”
My sister turned to look at me, her eyes wide. Fear gripped at my chest and I took two quick steps back.
“Natasha, what did you see?” In a flash, Florian was at my side, with Dequan hovering close behind.
“It’s not clear,” my sister said. “But I do know there wasn’t a struggle. Callie left willingly.”
The statement should have come as a relief, but it didn’t. Something about it cut like a dull blade. It was a pain I had not anticipated. It felt like betrayal.
I had threatened her, and had driven her away.
“Do you know whom she left with?” Florian said, pulling my focus back to the conversation.
“It wasn’t an outsider,” Natasha said, glancing back at the window.
“What do you mean by not an outsider?” Dequan said.
“Callie left with a vampire,” Natasha said.
Chapter 6
/> Logan
It was clear that Natasha understood the implications of that revelation.
“That could mean we have a traitor among our own,” Florian said. He was usually the most level-headed of the family, but his words were spoken in anger.
“Dequan,” I said.
“Yes, Logan.” My cousin stepped up, with a determined.
“I’ll need you to redirect your energies.”
“I’m more than willing to do anything I can to help.”
Since Dequan’s gift was the ability to locate anyone he’d previously been in contact with, I put him in charge of locating any Fae who’d crossed the border. He could play an integral role in our current situation, because he might be able to locate Callie.
“Do you think you’ll be able to locate Callie and her abductor?” I said.
“I’m familiar with nearly every vampire in our realm,” Dequan said. “And I’ve met Callie. I haven’t attempted to locate a human before, so I can’t promise anything on that front. But if there’s a vampire where he isn’t supposed to be, I’ll find him.”
“Good.”
“I’ll report back, as soon I have any clues.”
And with that Dequan took off. He left the room with flair, pulling the door shut behind him with such force that it vibrated the room.
“Who would do this?” I said, turning to my brother and sister. “Who would want to betray us like this?”
A vampire wouldn’t side with the Fae. And our mortal enemies hated us, so it made no sense to form a partnership with a vampire.
Florian and Natasha didn’t offer any response. My sister stepped forward and rested her hand on my shoulder. “We will find her, Logan. I know you’re concerned about her.”
I looked at her, wondering if she’d perceived more than she’d said.
My sister had the ability to read my thoughts. She could sense my emotions, often understanding them better than I did. “It’s been a long day,” she said, then stepped back.
“You need to rest,” I said. “You’ve been through a lot.”
Natasha hesitated. “I don’t want to leave you like this.”