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A Touch of Death
Immortal Angel
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DEDICATION
To my husband and my children—you are my happily ever after.
Because of you I know what love is.
~Immortal Angel
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
About the Author
Chapter One
Alexa was being watched. She could feel it. Her keen vampiric senses screamed, urging her to turn around and face whatever danger lurked in the shadows. But still, she remained rooted to the spot.
Because not even that matters today. Not here.
She stood at her brother’s grave as the rain pattered on the clear umbrella that protected her from the worst of the storm. Around her, large trees with blood red autumn leaves attempted to brighten the expanse of neat rows of headstones.
Muted sunlight struggled through dark clouds, washing a gray morning landscape in a soft light that seemed almost surreal. The scents of rain and freshly cut grass made the world smell of life, which was painfully ironic.
Even the mist, which gave their city its name, was heavier than usual. It appeared as nothing but mist to the humans of these lands, but the magical creatures saw it for it was. Ghosts. The spirits that walked the earth had all surfaced to mourn her brother’s crossing over into their realm. Their soft sounds filled the air like a low, howling wind.
And yet, even though grief hung so thick in the air it was hard to swallow, Alexa felt nothing.
Nothing at all.
She simply wanted to fade away into the empty shell that was now her body, but her instincts wouldn’t allow it. She was aware of at least one person, if not more, breathing in the shadows of the trees. His, or her, heart racing.
And the person’s focus was on her and her alone. She could sense a gaze trained on her so intently it was physical sensation. A crawling that moved slowly down her spine.
This sort of situation is likely why my security team was so angry I sent them away.
No matter the day, there is always danger.
It was foolish to ignore a potential threat. She might be as strong and quick as a vampire, but she no longer had the legendary powers that others had feared for so long. Here, alone, she had made herself vulnerable in a way her brother never would have when he was the ruler of their lands.
But I am not my perfect brother.As my people already know.
“He was a good person.”
Alexa stiffened as earth swirled together and took on the form of an old man. The excess dirt fell away and left a land spirit with the coloring of the wet ground. His brown eyes were sad as he tilted his head to the side, watching her.
Even the creatures of ancient magic feel his loss.Most of the beings that could read minds and sense feelings left her unnerved. But the ancient spirits? They kept her secrets.
“Yes,” she responded evenly. “He was.”
Her brother was her best friend. Her protector. He handled the worst of their responsibilities as the leader of their clan. And he handled them well.
“He made life better for all of us,” the earth spirit said, adding to her thoughts. He gestured to the rain. “Even the earth is crying for him.”
“And he made it look so damn easy.”
The old man chuckled. “That he did.”
Her brother alone had created a city where humans and magical beings lived in harmony. The creatures of the night were no longer predators, and the humans their prey. Even the most stringent of vampires either fed from the blood bank or from willing Feeders.
Her brother enforced strict rules to keep the humans from discovering the truth, rules that kept witches, dwarves, and all magical beings safe from persecution. And then there was his greatest accomplishment—harnessing the magic from the dead to create a glamour over their lands. It concealed magical beings, making them appear like normal humans. At least to the humans. The idea was pure and utter genius, and something that could only be done in Mist, because of the abnormal amount of ghosts.
My brother made this place a haven for all of us.
But now all of his responsibilities were hers alone. And as easy as her brother had made it look, there was a reason that chaos had reigned before he took the throne.
And why Mist had been considered the most dangerous city in North America.
“I believe you will continue creating a better world for us all,” the earth spirit said gravely.
She bowed her head, acknowledging the responsibility. “I will do my best.”
Dirt swirled around him once more. “And though there are those that called him the light twin and you the dark, the earth has sensed in you more than death since the very beginning.”
Like a powerful wind blasting a castle made of sand, the old man’s shape scattered until nothing remained of him except his words. More than death.
What could he mean? Because my life has been circled by death since I was born. She couldn’t fathom an answer that made sense.
She surveyed the rain-soaked ground. The lawn around the freshly dug grave had been churned by the sea of mourners who had long ago returned to Darkmore Manor. She kicked at a chunk of overturned grass with her nine-inch Valentino heels. Already dirt speckled the intricate lace design. Her brother would have teased her for wearing the expensive shoes to such an event. He would have called them impractical, and then he would have bought her another pair to cheer her up.
She jerked her gaze away from her heels, not wanting to think of happier times. Most of Mist, and every vampiric house around the country, is waiting for me. Why am I still standing here?
But as much as her mind screamed for her to leave too, to graciously welcome the mourners into the home that was now her own, to comfort the many different races whom her brother had cared for so diligently, she simply couldn’t leave. For reasons she couldn’t understand.
The servants will take care of them, she thought, attempting to just
ify her actions. But in reality, she felt too spent to even imagine facing the mourners again.
I can’t comfort them.
Not when I’m so empty.
Hollow.
Numb.
They would expect emotion from her, but she had nothing left to give.
In the days since her brother’s murder, she’d cried more than she thought possible. Behind closed doors, alone in her room, she had vented the helpless grief and rage at what had been done to him. Her brother, the light in a dark world, the person who made her believe in goodness, was gone. Never again would he tussle her hair. Never again would his booming laughter fill the quietness of Darkmore Manor. Never again would she know what it felt like to be entirely vulnerable with another person.
Do not forget it’s all about perception, my love, he would tell her. You are only as strong as they think you are. Make them believe it.
My heart has died with him.
And so, she remained standing still, even as the hairs stood on the back of her neck. Even while the feeling of danger lurking in the shadows grew more intense.
Soon enough she would assume the role of Lady Darkmore, leader of one of the most powerful clans in the United States.
But for now, she was still Alexa.
So for a little longer, she refused to let reality disturb her, including the person watching her from the shadows.
Yet, I can only delay going back for so long.
When she returned to Darkmore Manor, she would hold her head high and make them believe that she would be as fine a leader as every ruler in her family before her. She would make her brother proud.
I will leave the graveyard soon, she promised him silently. The second I can imagine life without you by my side.
But she couldn’t imagine it.
She bowed her head. Then again, perhaps I’ll remain here forever.
A single tear escaped and trailed down her cheek. She reached up and touched it, numbly staring at the moisture. I guess there was something left within me, after all.
Her ears caught the faintest sound of someone walking across the recently mowed grass behind her. A second later, the woman’s strong herbal scent came to her, and Alexa’s shoulders relaxed.
“I’m sorry,” Layla whispered.“So sorry. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling, how you remain standing when the rest of Mist is so broken. As I walked here, the sounds of the dwarves’ tools crafting creations for his grave echoed through the valley, and the howls of the inconsolable werewolves seemed to vibrate through me. And yet, their pain can’t begin to compare with your own.”
Alexa took a deep breath that seemed to fill her whole chest and turned away from the elegant marble headstone to the woman that had been her brother’s advisor. And in another world, who might have been her friend.
Layla wore a long black skirt and a long-sleeved blouse, so different from the witch’s usual colorful clothing. Her short auburn hair framed the gentle curves of her heart-shaped face, which her magic kept perfectly dry. As always, even as a psychic and a witch, she radiated a welcoming kindness that concealed her powerful talents from those who didn’t know her well.
“Thank you,” she said, although she longed to say more. To have one person to call her confidant or friend. Especially Layla. A woman she knew had a good heart and could be trusted.
But she will always keep that wall between us, just like the others. Fear is a powerful and illogical thing.
Layla moved closer, the tiny bells woven throughout her braided hair jingling with the movement. “I wanted to give you more time, but I simply can’t.”
Alexa felt a flash of fear, but quickly hid it away behind her customary emotionless mask. “Have you had a vision?”
Layla’s visions were rare. But when they came…her brother always took heed. Because when ignored, her warnings had grave consequences. Like for my parents. A bitter laugh echoed through her mind. How were they to know their only daughter would be the one to kill them?
“Yes, I have. One that I haven’t entirely made sense of, but I thought you could help untangle.” Layla walked to her brother’s headstone and knelt, her fingertips hovering over the simple inscription. Lord Bryant Darkmore. Loved by all.
“And?” Alexa held her breath.
Layla glanced up, her startlingly green eyes holding a wealth of unspoken emotion. “You will be challenged for your position as leader of the clan.”
Alexa’s breath came out in a rush. “Impossible! The Darkmore family has led our clan and ruled these lands for longer than the houses have existed.”
And who would dare to challenge me? Her thoughts raced through the other four leaders of the houses and immediately froze on one name. Draven Cerberus. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. There were houses that hadn’t been pleased with the new restrictions her brother had implemented, but Draven always seemed to be silently seething, waiting for a moment to strike.
He’s the one.
“There would have to be a vote. And a split in the votes of the four for a challenge to be made,”Alexa said, the pit in her stomach growing. Since I can’t vote for myself.
Layla’s gaze remained trained on the headstone. “There will be. And the vote will be split.”
This can’t be happening. Draven had fire elementalist magic running through his blood.
I can’t hope to defeat him. Not without my magic.
Yellow lilies appeared in Layla’s hand, and she bent and laid them gently on the bone-white marble headstone before standing to her full height. “The Darkmore family has ruled for so long because of the mix in their bloodlines. Having the magic of the witches and the abilities of vampires made your family almost invincible.” Her tone gentled. “If you had your powers, none would be foolish enough to challenge you. But the leaders of the houses see you as weak. They have been waiting for an opportunity like this for centuries. There will be a grab for power soon. And if you lose, the humans and magical creatures in Mist will suffer unimaginably. You cannot lose.”
“Those ungrateful wretches…after all my family has done for them.”Alexa felt hot. Her umbrella tumbled from her fingertips, and within seconds, she was soaked. “This can’t be. My brother,” she choked on the words for a moment. “My brother has just died. I should be focused on keeping the peace my brother fought so hard for. Not on this…treachery.”
“I am sorry,” Layla said. She hesitated, reaching out as if to touch Alexa, but then dropped her hand. “In my vision, if you stand alone against the odds, you lose.”
“I…lose?” Alexa couldn’t swallow around the lump in her throat. The world seemed to tilt under her feet.
What would there be left for me then—if not to care for my people?
“If you stand alone,” Layla emphasized, as if it mattered.
Alexa’s long dark hair slid into her eyes, wet and cold. She pushed it back, overwhelmed by a desperation that fought to sweep her into absolute hopelessness. “But I am alone. Layla, don’t you understand? Only Bryant was truly ever there for me. Only he knew what it was like to be envied, hated, loved, or feared but never understood or seen. I do face my enemies alone.”
For some reason, her thoughts turned to a boy standing in the rain, his eyes filled with hopelessness. Of another person who took away the sense of loneliness that ate at her night and day. She jerked, her heart pounding. Why do I always think of him in moments like this? It’s been years since I saw him last.
“Heavy is the head that bears the crown. I understand. You’re always in the company of others, but you’re always alone. It doesn’t take my powers of sight to see that.” Layla cautiously reached out and grasped her shoulders, holding her gaze. “But all is not lost. There was a man in my vision. When you are challenged to a battle for your position, you’ll only win with him by your side.”
I’ll be challenged to a battle. And because of the loss of my powers, I’ll have to appoint a champion to fight on my behalf. The thought made bile rise in h
er throat. Never had a member of her family been so weak.
A hysterical laugh bubbled from Alexa’s throat. “A man? What man?”
“This one.” Tingles radiated from Layla’s touch, and suddenly, Alexa was swept into a vision.
Images flashed briefly. Of darkness. Of a man running for his life. Of a street filled with shops, and an alley. He stumbled down the alley, found it blocked, and turned back. But it was too late. Sharp teeth glinted and blood ran. A last gasp of breath shook his frame, and then he was still.
Without my help, he’ll die.
Alexa gasped, her thoughts scattering. She clung to every detail, striving to find clues as to the man and the place she might find him. At last, one of the shop names made her pause. She closed her eyes and pictured the street.
“I don’t know who he is.” She licked her dry lips. “But I know where he is…at least where he’ll be soon.”
A place I haven’t been to in many years. Since I was young.
Opening her eyes, Layla’s hopeful face came into view. “Where? Where will he be?”
Alexa didn’t hesitate. “Magic, New Mexico.”
Layla released her shoulders and took a step back. “You have family there, right? Can you ask them for help?”
Great-Great-Aunt Topper, and a multitude of distant cousins. “Perhaps, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, and even then, she was a bit…eccentric.”
“Well, it can’t hurt to ask.” Layla gave her a forced smile. “Especially when you’re running against the clock.”
Alexa took a deep breath. “How much time do you think I have?”
Layla didn’t hesitate. “In my vision, the battle takes place on the night of the eclipse.”
That gives me less than a week…
Taking one last look at her brother’s grave, she made a promise to herself and to him. She wouldn’t lose Darkmore or destroy their family legacy. She would push aside her grieving, just as she had done when her parents died, and hide behind her persona.
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