“Of course I’m not asking you to do that,” he reasoned. “But there have to be other ways around this we can discuss.”
His fear and uncertainty rang inside me. Letting me go to the Underworld without him would be the hardest thing he’d have to do in our short time together.
But I had something that would help.
“How about I make you a promise I won’t go unless I can fortify the odds in our favor?” I told him.
“How are you possibly going to do that?” Rourke asked. “A brand-new vamp who has no idea how to work his powers and who else? Who is strong enough to aid you?”
I paused, taking my time with the announcement.
It had to have the desired effect.
“Eudoxia.”
There was an audible gasp from everyone in the room.
Rourke’s face flashed surprise, my father blew out a long breath, and the Queen’s voice tinkled with laughter. “You are delusional, as usual,” she almost purred. “I just finished explaining why it would never work, Little Wolf Girl. But let me try again because it’s clear your brain has been jarred from all the heavy lifting: If I go to the Underworld, the demons will swarm us the minute we arrive.” Her face elongated and her fangs snapped down. “But, even if they didn’t”—her eyes went dead black—“there is no way I would go to hell for you.”
“I saved your life out there,” I said, pacing forward, “again. That makes it twice in one day.”
She hissed, her face still cruel.
“This is it, Eudoxia. It’s your chance. Once we come back, all debts are wiped clean. You are the only one strong enough to give us the best odds of getting Tyler back, and your power combined with mine is lethal. It managed to wipe out even the Prince of Hell’s magic. Together we can defeat anything down there.”
Her power jumped out before her, pressing against me. It licked at my face and pushed at my chest. But I was ready, my power wrapped up inside me like a coat of armor.
Molding my power had become second nature and it felt good to master it.
“You’re as foolish as you look,” she snapped. “Even if I owed you another favor, which I do not, I would never agree to accompany you to the Underworld.” Her face slid even farther, her control slipping. “My debt to you has been paid. The ward went up and, as an extra token, one for you taking the demon magic—which would not have killed me—I gave you my power freely. It was not my fault the opposition was too strong.”
My father walked toward me. “Jessica, I don’t know what you’re getting at, but taking the Queen won’t work because of everything we’ve outlined so far. If she’s the one you pick, you can take your mate or me just as easily.” His voice was wary. “We need to think of someone else.”
“He’s right,” Tally agreed. “I’m not sure why you picked her, but the Vamp Queen will sound the alarms. She’ll be like a lighthouse flashing a signal in the darkness.”
“No, she won’t,” I said confidently.
Tally inclined her head at me in question, clearly thinking I was presumptuous, but smart enough to hear me out.
“Are you calling me a liar?” The Queen’s fury radiated outward. “I should’ve ended you when I had the chance! You are nothing but a nuisance.” Her hands fisted at her sides. “Just like the Prince of Hell stated in front of us all. You are a blister on the heel of every supernatural ever created.”
“But you didn’t kill me, did you?” I said as I took a bold step toward her. “You could’ve killed me when the Prince threw his power at me, but there was a reason you aided me.” I leaned forward and whispered, “It’s because I have something you desperately want and without it you will be stuck here to rot for a thousand more years.”
“You’re wrong. I want nothing from you,” the Queen spat, her face barely contained.
“You’re not fooling anyone. You need my blood. And I want my brother. Sounds like a fair trade to me.”
She hissed. “Your blood will never be worth what you ask of me!”
“It’s worth it and you know it.” My irises jumped to violet. “You’re just hoping you can acquire it for free, sometime down the road. But your seer has left for good. There won’t be any other opportunities, because once I leave here I will make sure our paths don’t cross.”
The Queen was one outburst away from losing her mind.
I had a strong feeling this was what Alana had alluded to in the storage room.
I was in a position to force the Queen to act—to do one last task to prove her worth. It had to be this. And I had to think that meant we would be successful getting my brother back. The two had to be tied.
The Queen’s power continued to rocket around the room and the witches started fiddling with their guns and the wolves started to pace.
“Why would I ever risk the Underworld for you?” the Queen countered. “Even for a precious drink of your blood?”
Tally had lost her patience with our pissing match. “I hate to break it to you both, but we need to get moving. I want my witches in a safe place before nightfall. The sorcerers were patsies this time around, bound by their agreement with the demons, but when they come again, they will bring their artillery. They are inferior in strength to us, but they will pack a punch in numbers, and I don’t have time to summon witches from all over the U.S.”
I faced Tally, essentially turning my back on the Queen. The timing had to be right if I was going to make this work. I waited a few beats and then I played my ace in the hole. “If the Vampire Queen drinks my blood, her signature will change. She’ll be under the demon radar, and she’s an asset because … she’ll be infinitely more powerful.”
Everyone in the room went crazy, talking at once.
“Leave us!” the Queen yelled. The vamps froze at her words, but hesitated. “I said go.”
“Meet me outside, everyone, but keep up the vigil,” Tally told her witches.
“Escort them out,” my father told his wolves, including Danny and Nick. “Find any others who were left on the outside. Daniel Walker, coordinate the move north.” James and Marcy walked over. My father nodded curtly once to his second. “We will speak. I will be out shortly.”
James nodded, putting his arm around Marcy’s waist as he led her out.
When everyone except Rourke, Tally, and my father left the room, my father turned to me and said, “What are you talking about, Jessica? How do you know what your blood will do to a vampire?” He knew no real details about Naomi or Ray. He also had no idea my blood had changed Danny’s connection to him so fully I feared it might be permanent.
The Queen stalked to the massive double doors and slammed them shut. Then she turned to Tally. “Spell the room, witch. No word spoken here leaves.”
Tally was about to give her grief but thought better of it. She knew whatever was coming was big. Her fingers moved as she incanted a spell.
I wished for a moment it were only my father and me in this room. It would be so much easier to do this alone. Revealing your secrets to other Sects made you weak. But I had no choice. Tyler’s life was worth it and I was willing to do anything it took.
“My blood breaks bonds.” I cleared my throat. “It severed Naomi’s bond between her and her Queen, which Eudoxia figured out fairly quickly. My blood also changed Danny’s connection to you.” I nodded toward my father. “But what you don’t know is he smelled like me after we had exchanged a very small amount. My blood also connected Tyler and me on a different level. He said it had something to do with our close genetic bond.” I wished my brother were here to explain it. He did it so much better. My heart clenched. “If the Queen drinks from me, I believe it will alter her signature enough, and significantly change any samples they may have on record, so she won’t set off their alarms.”
My father was silent.
I hoped it was a good sign.
“If that’s true, it’s huge.” Tally ran her gaze over me. “I don’t know of another supe who can change genetic markers permanently
. If what you’re saying is even slightly true, you could change anyone’s markers, including a human with latent supernatural genes.”
“I believe that’s what happened to Ray. My blood brought out a recessive gene he already had and made it pronounced,” I said. “It’s only a guess, but it makes the most sense given what my blood has already done to others.”
The Queen had seen Naomi for herself, but she didn’t know how potent my blood actually was.
The only unknown was Alana. I had no idea what my blood had done to her other than clear her insanity. I didn’t feel a connection to her and I was hopeful it would stay that way.
All the supes seemed to be connected to me in different ways.
There wasn’t one pat answer and I was relieved. If the Queen drank my blood, I had no idea what would happen. I just knew she would be different. And more powerful. That wasn’t ideal, but I would gladly take my chances if it meant getting my brother back in one piece. Alana had said Eudoxia’s future was vast. To me that meant she would live a long powerful life, whether I interfered or not. Why not give her what she wanted and do it on my own terms? If I did, there would be a greater chance she would ally with us in the future. And the way my future was going, that wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Jessica,” my father said finally, running a hand over his chin. “This news is staggering.”
“That’s why the sorcerers want you.” Tally nodded, like everything had clicked into place for her. “But this is something they can’t take out, because it’s tied up in every fiber of your entire being. It’s what makes your blood so potent. You are a fascinating supernatural, I’ll give you that.”
“By my estimation,” I said. “If Eudoxia drinks from me, she becomes exponentially stronger. And she also becomes something more—something different,” I half taunted, glancing directly at the Queen. This was my bait and I desperately wanted her to take it. “If my life force is contained in my blood, she gets it by proxy, just like everyone else who’s ingested it. There’s also a chance her latent genes will be more pronounced, like Ray’s, if she has any.”
I didn’t have to spell out the possibilities. Eudoxia knew what they were. She also knew I was giving her a gift. One she hadn’t bargained for. Godhood was one thing, but having her fae powers come to the forefront was quite another.
“Yes,” Tally answered. “I would assume so. A vamp’s vitality is through blood—it’s what fuels them—so they would be the most sensitive to any changes, though I’m no expert. But I agree; what your blood gives can only enhance, not take away. My feeling is she will become very powerful indeed.” Tally’s voice held a note of hesitation.
Rourke’s unease hit me as he grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, our bond pulsing between us. It was his way of asking if I was sure I knew what I was doing.
I was. I was willing to go all in. If my brother was faced with these circumstances, he would not hesitate to do the same for me.
“So what’s it going to be?” I directed my gaze to the Vampire Queen. “Are you in or out?”
She hissed once. “In.”
Acknowledgments
This has been such an amazing ride. There are so many people to thank. First and foremost, I want to thank all the readers and fans, new and old, who have supported this series. It astounds me each and every day that so many of you have fallen in love with Jessica and her entire team. I love getting your e-mails, tweets, comments, and messages. It puts a smile on my face each and every time. Thank you.
As always, thank you to my wonderful husband, Billy. My life is so much brighter with you in it. I have no idea how I got so lucky. Your editing prowess knows no bounds and you make me laugh. I love you.
To my three kids, Paige, Nat, and Jane, you guys continue to amaze me and make me proud every single day. Thank you for enduring my deadlines, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, and folding the laundry. I love you with all my heart. You are the reason I do this.
Once again, a big thank-you to Amanda Bonilla for a wonderful friendship. Our daily e-mails, texts, and laughs fuel me. I thank my lucky stars we found each other. You are my supreme partner in goat crime and you always will be. Love you, Scooby!
To Julie Ann Walker, thank you for always being there. You’re such a great friend and an amazing supporter. When we get together and laugh, it’s the very best. I can’t wait for more trips together. Being under the covers giggling with you is the very best way to end the day. I lovers you.
To Kristen Painter, my Boo. You get me, you make me giggle, you hold my hand and roll up the newspaper when it’s necessary. I can’t possibly thank you enough. Without your guidance and advice I’d still be making puppy paws. I love our friendship. It means the world to me.
To my awesome writing (i.e., emotional) support group: Kristen Callihan, Mira Lynn Kelly, Lea Nolan, and Chelsea Mueller (my little bear cub), and my pals at Magic & Mayhem—Shawntelle Madison, Sandy Williams, and Nadia Lee. Thank you all for always being available with a shoulder, advice, laugher, jokes or just a :) You make this road such a happy place to be.
To my beta readers, DeLane and Kathy, as always, your support means the world to me. Early cheerleading is the very best kind.
To my KICKASS #JessicaMcClainStreetTeam: Angela, Annie, Ash, Brandy, Carmel, Chelsea, Delhia, Jenese, Jennifer, Jo, Julie, Kat, Kathy, Kristin, Marcela, Melanie, Melissa, Lesley, Sally, and Stacy! You guys rock so hard. I am so lucky to have you guys in my corner. I have an immense amount of gratitude for all you do to support the series and me. I couldn’t possibly do this without all of you.
To my awesome parents, Daryl and Koppy, thanks for being so involved in the process, early reading, raving about the books, giving me confidence, and all the shuttling of children, cooking, and the love you give so freely. We appreciate everything you do. I love you both.
To Cindi, thanks for prying me out of my writing cave on a regular basis. I can always count on you for a sushi lunch date and some good shopping therapy. Without it I would surely go insane.
To Anna, thanks for your undying support in all facets of my life. I’m so lucky to have you. Our Rudy time is my absolute favorite and your narcolepsy is endearing. I love you and your entire family. Hi, Cory!
To the entire Meneely crew, I owe you all a beer and a Crave Case of White Castles. Thanks for enduring my e-mails and supporting my career. Molly Winkels, you are a shining star. Your full support of me and my career is incredible. Everyone should have an aunt like you in their corner. I feel lucky to have you every day. Your texts make me laugh and they are always filled with love. Can’t wait to have another Phil’s Tara night with you and Brad! To Shannon, I love you, my Scrabble Baby. Thanks for making my day go by a little quicker and for all your support.
To my agents Alexandra Machinist and Stefanie Lieberman, thank you for championing this series with such dedication. I’m so excited to enter a new chapter with you both. May our future be filled with tiny cupcakes, Nashville, and a whole lot of books.
To Carrie Andrews, thank you for copyediting this book and making it shine, and for correcting all my “spring” and “sprang” errors, as well as catching on to the fact that my supernaturals might have had some serious “Collation” issues.
To my editors, Devi, Susan, and Anna, thanks for all you do to make the books the best they can be. I appreciate all of your time and energy. And to everyone at Orbit, thanks for a really great ride.
extras
if you enjoyed
COLD BLOODED
look out for
GOD SAVE THE
QUEEN
Book one of the Immortal Empire
by
Kate Locke
CHAPTER 1
POMEGRANATES FULL AND FINE
London, 175 years into the reign of Her Ensanguined Majesty Queen Victoria
I hate goblins.
And when I say hate, I mean they bloody terrify me. I’d rather French-kiss a human with a mouth full of silver filling
s than pick my way through the debris and rubble that used to be Down Street station, searching for the entrance to the plague den.
It was eerily quiet underground. The bustle of cobbleside was little more than a distant clatter down here. The roll of carriages, the clack of horse hooves from the Mayfair traffic was faint, occasion ally completely drowned out by the roar of ancient locomotives raging through the subterranean tunnels carrying a barrage of smells in their bone-jangling wake.
Dirt. Decay. Stone. Blood.
I picked my way around a discarded shopping trolley, and tried to avoid looking at a large paw print in the dust. One of them had been here recently – the drops of blood surrounding the print were still fresh enough for me to smell the coppery tang. Human.
As I descended the stairs to platform level, my palms skimmed over the remaining chipped and pitted cream and maroon tiles that covered the walls – a grim reminder that this … mausoleum was once a thriving hub of urban transportation.
The light of my torch caught an entire set of paw prints, and the jagged pits at the end where claws had dug into the steps. I swallowed, throat dry.
Of course they ventured up this far – the busted sconces were proof. They couldn’t always sit around and wait for some stupid human to come to them – they had to hunt. Still, the sight of those prints and the lingering scent of human blood made my chest tight.
I wasn’t a coward. My being here was proof of that – and perhaps proof positive of my lack of intelligence. Everyone – aristocrat, half-blood and human – was afraid of goblins. You’d be mental not to be. They were fast and ferocious and didn’t seem to have any sense of morality holding them back. If aristos were fully plagued, then goblins were overly so, though such a thing wasn’t really possible. Technically they were aristocrats, but no one would ever dare call them such. To do so was as much an insult to them as to aristos. They were mutations, and terribly proud of it.
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