A Shade of Vampire 63: A Jungle of Rogues

by Bella Forrest

  “What do you want?” I grumbled, eager to change the subject before my face practically melted off. I kept my eyes on the group ahead, watching Leah and Elonora as they talked to one another and occasionally to Douma, who didn’t say much in return.

  So, I wasn’t the only one getting the silent treatment from her.

  “What’s going on between you and Elonora?” he asked.

  That caught me off guard, as I didn’t immediately catch his meaning. My brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “Are you two romantically involved in any way?” Nevis replied.

  I was even more confused. “Where the hell did you get that idea from?”

  “An answer would be much appreciated.”

  “No. There’s nothing like that going on between Lenny and me,” I said. “We’re good friends and sparring partners. We went to college together, too, after she moved to The Shade, but nothing else. Why do you ask?”

  “You’ve never had the impression she might want something more?” he pressed.

  I was missing some information here, for sure. I briefly glanced ahead and noticed Elonora looking at us over her shoulder, a look of sheer terror settled on her face. She really didn’t like Nevis and me talking. It hit me then that she might’ve said something to Nevis about me, but it couldn’t be true. Elonora and I were buddies. We’d specifically made it clear from our first class in college that nothing was ever going to happen between us.

  I’d tried. But Elonora’s heart had already been captured by Connor. After that debacle, however, I didn’t even consider trying again. Varga was practically bent on murdering anyone who dared to so much as look at his sister. I just didn’t want to risk it.

  “No, never,” I replied. “Why? Did she say something?”

  Nevis stared at me for a while but didn’t respond. It didn’t take much to put two and two together. I saw the looks that Elonora gave him. I also noticed the glances he stole at her. And who could forget the devastation on Elonora’s face when Abaddon was seconds away from killing Nevis?

  These two were definitely crushing on each another, but Elonora must’ve done or said something stupid. I knew her well enough to understand how easily she could back herself into a corner, if pushed. She liked Nevis. And he had a thing for her, too. But she’d probably lied to him. She might’ve even dragged my name into this, as a means to get herself out of that aforementioned corner. I can see it, yeah.

  Then again, Nevis may have gotten to this conclusion all by himself. Which was even more hilarious. But still, I had to clear the air, and, given our dire circumstances, honesty and truth were the only viable options.

  “Dude, if she said something, ignore it,” I said slowly.

  Nevis looked at me, both eyebrows raised in surprise. “What do you mean?”

  “Lenny and I are just friends. Nothing more, trust me. We’ve known each other for years. After she moved to The Shade from Nevertide, I was one of those closest to her. Well, me, Avril, Harper, and Kailani, for the most part. Her brother, Varga, was mostly busy with GASP, and when he was around, he got ridiculously protective of her. Sometimes, the brotherly duty fell back on me. Lenny and I don’t look at each other the way you might think. It’s strictly platonic.”

  Nevis nodded slowly, then frowned. “Why would she say otherwise?”

  I chuckled. “She did, didn’t she? She hid behind me.”

  That seemed to befuddle him even more. “It’s something she does often?”

  “Well, the main question is why she does it. Lenny’s trying to protect herself. She had a rough few years after she moved to The Shade. Got her heart broken. Badly,” I said.

  “How? What happened? Who hurt her?” Nevis asked.

  I almost physically froze, as his Dhaxanian nature seemed to get out of control. I exhaled sharply and noticed the steam coming out of my mouth. “Dude. Tone it down!” I managed, my teeth chattering.

  Nevis blinked several times, then took a deep breath, and the temperature around us went back to normal. “My apologies,” he mumbled. “So, what happened to her?”

  “Oh, this guy, Connor. A human. They were in the same classes. He was handsome, dashing and funny, a star athlete, frequent debate winner. Kinda perfect. But not really,” I explained briefly. “He asked her out, she fell in love. It was all cute for a while, but some of the humans could be jerks, sometimes. They did something stupid, Connor included…” My voice trailed off, as I realized that this wasn’t my story to tell. “Maybe you should ask Lenny, instead. It’s not my business—”

  “No, no, keep going.” Nevis cut me off, his face straight and his eyes extra frosty.

  I got the chills. “Nah. It’s not my place. Listen, thanks for the break and all, but I should get back to my guard duty,” I said, then tried to catch up with the group.

  Nevis caught my wrist and encased my entire arm in ice. My skin burned, and my muscles stiffened. Soon enough, I was cold all over.

  “Tell me,” Nevis insisted.

  He didn’t strike me as the kind of guy whom I could get away from. Besides, he’d already caught on where my feelings for Douma were concerned. I couldn’t risk him telling the entire group and getting me in trouble. I knew Douma was more inclined to listen to me and be compliant if I was around—though, if I were to be honest with myself, I didn’t want to leave her side. I wasn’t jeopardizing my team in any way, at this point, and I wanted to avoid any embarrassment.

  Judging by the look on Nevis’s face, he was thinking more or less the same thing.

  “It’ll stay between us,” I murmured.

  “All of it. Douma included. I promise,” Nevis replied dryly.

  I broke into a cold sweat. “Man, Lenny’s going to kill me if she finds out I told you.”

  “She won’t find out unless you tell her.”

  I sighed, shaking my head. “Dammit. Okay. Basically, Connor and his college buddies pranked Lenny. But it wasn’t a good or funny kind of prank. They scared the crap out of her. During a weekend trip with the entire class, they snatched Lenny from her bedroom and tied her to a stake, outside. They untied her and covered her as soon as the sun began to rise, so she didn’t get hurt, but they did keep her there for hours before that,” I recalled. “It was cruel and stupid, and Connor nearly got himself murdered by Varga. Because it was Connor’s first offense, he was ‘cordially’ invited to find a career and a life outside The Shade. On top of that, he cheated on Lenny with some other girl, who was also behind the prank. I mean, think about it. You’re born a sentry. No one understands feelings, emotions better than you. You fall in love, and the guy who’s got your heart, the guy whom you want to bond your soul with cheats on you and puts you through a damn nightmare, forcing you to face death, just so he and his buddies can have a laugh. That did something to her.”

  “As a sentry… What do you mean by that?” Nevis asked.

  “Sentries are special creatures. They bond for life once they find a partner. That bond never breaks. It transcends time and space, so you want to make sure you do it with the right person, you know? Sometimes, I think they feel everything more intensely, too. I think their emotional spectrum is much broader and has a more powerful effect on them and their decision. You see, after Lenny found out that it was Connor who’d organized the prank, and after she caught him making out with another girl, something changed. Lenny was different all of a sudden. She spoke up on his behalf during the college’s investigation. She did her best to get the minimum punishment for his sorry ass, after Varga nearly ripped his head off. She didn’t forgive him or anything, don’t get me wrong, but she rose above, then isolated herself, completely.”

  Nevis was quiet, listening intently without taking his eyes off Elonora.

  “Lenny has a heart the size of a mountain,” I added. “And she loves people, in general. She used to be more trusting and open, but after what happened with Connor, it took us a few months just to get her out of the treehouse again. She was a mess, even though s
he didn’t show it. Deep down, she’s still hurting, I guess. She puts a wall up to protect herself. If anyone tries to get close, she tends to politely push them away. Sometimes, she’s so focused on doing just that, that she ends up lying her way out of a potential date or relationship.” I chuckled. “You wouldn’t be the first guy she’s pushed away. Though most usually run off when she toys with their minds. She didn’t get her revenge on Connor after what happened, but the others involved in the prank paid a heavy price.”

  “What did she do to them?” Nevis replied, raising an eyebrow.

  “Oh, she picked them off, one by one, months later. She made them do the most embarrassing things. Half of them moved out of The Shade altogether. The other half still have trouble getting out of the Vale,” I laughed. “Trust me, you don’t want to get on Lenny’s bad side.”

  “What about Connor? Does she still… I don’t know, have feelings for him?”

  “After what he did to her? No way. No. It took her a while to get over him, though. But I think she’s okay, now. She will always be okay, and she will never be alone. She’s got an incredible family. They’ll always have her back. Plus, she’s got us and GASP, too.”

  Nevis kept his eyes on Elonora. The shadow of a smile flickered across his face. “What can you tell me about her family?”

  Only then did I notice he’d let go of my arm, and that the ice was gone. There was definitely something special about Dhaxanian frost. Nevis had the power to make it painful and capable of inflicting great damage on the flesh, if he wanted to. I had to admit, his species fascinated me. It was only a shame that his remarkable abilities weren’t enough to destroy the Perfects.

  “Lenny is royalty,” I said.

  That immediately drew Nevis’s full attention. His head snapped as he looked at me. “Say what, now?” he breathed.

  “Her parents are the king and queen of Nevertide. It’s a realm in the Supernatural Dimension, where most sentries come from. Her brother will one day rule that entire kingdom. Sometimes, I doubt he will, though. He loves GASP and traveling too much. Then again, sentries live for a ridiculously long time. He might get bored with GASP by the time his mom and dad decide to retire. If he refuses, it’ll be up to Lenny to ascend the throne. Lenny’s a princess, I suppose.” I chortled. “Though you wouldn’t think that, just by looking at her.”

  “No. No, you wouldn’t,” Nevis whispered, shifting his gaze back to her. “She has quite an aversion toward royal titles, doesn’t she?”

  “Mm-hm. Part of her ethos,” I replied. “She’s more laid back. To be fair, her parents are equally chill. They’re not too nuts on the etiquette part. Of course, the Lenny of Nevertide is definitely different from the Lenny of The Shade. Her demeanor changes a bit when she’s back home. I suppose it has to do with her upbringing.”

  Nevis nodded slowly again, then gave me a brief sideways glance. “Thank you, Dmitri.”

  “I’m serious. Don’t tell her I said anything,” I said. “She’s already suspecting something, judging by the looks she’s been giving us.”

  “You should be more afraid of me than of her,” Nevis said.

  I laughed hard this time. “Yeah, you definitely don’t know Lenny at all.”

  I knew it was Elonora’s story to tell, and I felt bad about taking that away from her. But knowing her as well as I did, I was also aware of how scared she was to fall in love again. Based on how she behaved around Nevis, there was no doubt in my mind: she liked him. A lot. However, Elonora could be self-destructive, sometimes.

  And, given that we were out here on Strava, fighting and running for our lives on a daily basis, the least she could do was finally open up and fall in love again. We didn’t know what tomorrow had in store for us. It could be a cage, or victory, or death. There was no certainty.

  I figured that Nevis could have a better shot at Elonora’s heart, equipped with all the information I’d just given him. He struck me as quite the strategist. And if anyone deserved to truly love and be loved, to be cherished and protected, it was Elonora Goode. She’d earned it.

  Vesta

  We always ended up in the same pairs somehow during these trips. I was always stuck with Zeriel. And I didn’t hate it one bit, but I was a little angry at myself. My focus was supposed to be exclusively on the mission and on saving our people, yet I spent every moment I had to myself thinking about Zeriel and stealing glances at him.

  I couldn’t lie to myself anymore, though. I had feelings for the Tritone king, and that just came with a giant bucket of “complicated” attached. First and foremost, I’d never been with anyone before. I’d spent my adolescence running for my life and protecting my Imen tribe. I still couldn’t remember parts of my childhood, but the ones I could recall were all related to keeping a low profile and always looking over my shoulder, fearful that Shaytan or the Exiled Maras would capture me and drain the life out of me.

  Now, I was back in a dangerous scenario. This time, the stakes were even higher.

  And yet, Zeriel’s presence made it hard for me to concentrate, sometimes. During the fights we’d had so far, I found myself worrying about him, especially when the Perfects were seconds away from killing him. On one hand, he did distract me from the sometimes-troubling fluctuations of my elemental abilities. Focusing on the dinosaurs roaming around in my stomach whenever he looked at me was better than worrying about letting too much fire loose or losing control over my water skills altogether.

  In fact, the spikes in my abilities had actually toned down a little. It made me think that I was, in fact, still growing into my nature as a fae, and that my body was simply catching up with my mind. I’d been forced to mature too soon, anyway.

  The one thing left for me to do at this point was tell Zeriel about how I felt. I’d seen a different side of him already. He could be gentle and patient, kind and sweet enough to make my knees melt. The problem was that he rarely showed that facet. Most of the time, Zeriel was the Tritone, the playful and flirtatious pixie who didn’t take anyone or anything seriously—until it was time for combat. Then, he turned into quite the killing machine, focused exclusively on getting himself and the rest of his team out alive.

  During our last encounter, he’d almost gotten himself killed. He’d taken a hit in the chest, just to protect me. I’d lost control over a fireball, and the Perfect had managed to take advantage of the temporary opening. Zeriel had saved my ass, more than once, and that just made my feelings for him flourish into something even stronger and brighter.

  “Thank you,” I murmured, as we walked together.

  Our group had loosened a bit, with gaps of twenty to thirty feet between us, while we continued our trek through the dark jungle. Elonora, Douma, and Leah were behind us, followed by Hunter and Kailani, then Dmitri and Nevis. The last pair was a weird sight, but I didn’t think too much of it. I was too busy keeping my breathing under control, with Zeriel just inches away from me.

  In front of us, Rose, Ben, Kallisto, Amane, Ridan, and Samael kept talking about the Perfects and Raphael. I occasionally glanced over my shoulder to look at Douma, as I captured snippets of the stories she told about Araquiel and Abaddon. She didn’t say much, but everything she described about her fellow Perfects made my stomach tighten and my heart hurt. They were capable of such horrific acts of violence. Such a contradiction to their physical beauty and grace. It was such a shame, in my opinion. Such a waste of bodies and minds.

  “For what?” Zeriel asked me, smirking.

  I shrugged. “You helped me earlier, with the Perfects. You risked your life. Thank you.”

  “Hey, it’s part of the job. I knew what I was getting myself into,” he replied, chuckling softly.

  “Still, thanks,” I mumbled. “I appreciate it.”

  He fixed his gaze on me. That made my skin tingle, my breath getting stuck in my throat again. My cheeks were on fire, and I prayed to all the possible gods that he couldn’t see what I was really going through. At the same time, I was still wor
king up the courage to talk to him about my feelings, about us, but I didn’t seem to find enough words to string a coherent sentence together.

  “You appreciate it,” Zeriel repeated after me.

  I nodded. “I do, yes.”

  “Okay.” He sighed. “So, you kind of owe me one, right?”

  Uh-oh.

  “I… guess?” I managed, frowning slightly as I looked at him. I wasn’t sure what he meant, exactly, but judging by the grin slitting his face ear to ear, I was pretty sure I was about to find out.

  “You know, back home in my lagoon, saving your life counts as a favor. So, you owe me a favor,” he said.

  “I remodeled your lagoon. I think we’re even,” I replied.

  “Well, you can’t compare saving a life to a home improvement project,” Zeriel retorted. “You still owe me.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. Knowing his playboy nature, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to say something inappropriate or, worse, infuriating. The foot-in-mouth syndrome seemed strong among certain males of Calliope and The Shade, from what I’d seen so far.

  “What were you thinking?” I asked, my tone flat, hoping he’d catch it and understand not to say something he might later regret.

  “Nothing in particular,” Zeriel replied, then smiled at me. “Why? Did you have something in mind?”

  I instantly looked away. “Nope. Nothing.”

  “If I make a suggestion, will you consider it?”

  “It depends,” I said.

  “On what?”

  I breathed deeply, though I could already feel my blood simmering. Zeriel was definitely poking the bear. He’d done it before. Only this time, it felt different, mainly because I was willing to consider whatever he was about to suggest. That hadn’t happened before.