“That kill can be a demon?” he asked.
“It can be a regular demon—not a greater demon,” I repeated what I’d read in the contract. “Only a full Nephilim can kill a greater demon.”
“Okay.” He paused, glancing out into the dead garden before returning his attention to me. “So we’ll have them kill regular demons. There are also plenty of rogue supernaturals—ones who aren’t a part of any of the kingdoms—who harm humans.”
“So you want to find those rogues and have the Nephilim kill them to ignite their powers?”
“It’s an option,” he said. “And the kingdoms will need our help, too—they won’t want the demons on the Earth any more than we do. They might even give us any dangerous rogues they find so one of our dormant Nephilim can kill it to activate their powers. It would help us build our army.”
Our army. A ball of anxiety formed in my throat at the words.
“You’re assuming the supernaturals would welcome a new generation of Nephilim,” I said. “But what if they don’t? They fought a war to get rid of the Nephilim. Why would they want the Nephilim to return?”
“Because like you said, only Nephilim can kill greater demons,” he answered quickly. “Out of the hundreds of demons that escaped, I don’t know how many are greater demons, but we’re more likely to beat them if you don’t have to fight each one alone. We need more Nephilim.”
“We do,” I agreed, although I doubted the supernaturals would accept the return of the Nephilim so easily. “But where are we going to find humans who want to do this?” I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around them, trying to make sense of all the questions racing through my mind. “I won’t take them by force.”
“You won’t have to,” he said. “There are billions of humans in the world. Surely we’ll be able to find some who want to join us. And don’t forget—we’ll have the support of the Haven, and likely the other supernatural kingdoms as well. I’d place my bet on Alexander and the Vale helping us. They all want the demons gone as badly as we do.”
I glanced at the contract, still doubtful. “I’m just not sure I’m ready for this,” I admitted. “I only recently came into my powers myself. How am I supposed to lead an army?”
“The angels wouldn’t have chosen you if they didn’t think you could succeed,” he said.
“Or maybe I was the only choice they had, so taking a chance on me was better than nothing.”
“This is your decision.” Jacen sat straighter, determination shining in his gaze. “After everything we’ve been through, I know you can do it. And you won’t have to do it alone. If you accept, I’ll be by your side helping you every step of the way. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but we can do it. Together. You won’t be able to get rid of me even if you tried.”
“That’s a pretty big statement to make.” I smiled for the first time since we’d come out to the garden. “Especially given that we’re both immortal now.”
“It’s an easy statement to make,” he said. “Because I love you, Annika.”
He said it so easily, as if loving me were as natural as breathing.
The words took my breath away. They also made me realize what I’d known from the first time I’d laid eyes on him at the Christmas Eve festival in the village—before I knew he was a vampire prince, back when I thought he was another human blood slave of the Vale.
“I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you.” It was easy for me to say, because it was true. “Why else would I have been crazy enough to sneak you into the Tavern’s attic when those vampire guards were after you?”
“It was pretty reckless,” he agreed.
“I guess people do crazy, reckless things when they’re in love.” My cheeks heated at the word, although now that it was finally said, I felt closer to Jacen than ever.
“Crazy things like trying to sneak a wanted blood slave that I’d just met out of the Vale to save her life?” He raised an eyebrow in challenge.
“Yes.” I laughed. “Just like that.”
He leaned forward and kissed me, neither of us needing to say any more. We loved each other. And he was right—we could do this. As long as I had Jacen by my side, I felt like I could do anything I set my mind to.
Recruiting humans to turn into an army of Nephilim to eventually defeat the demons that had been unleashed upon the Earth was an incredibly daunting task, but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try.
“Thank you,” I said, once the kiss was eventually broken.
“For what?” he asked.
“For believing in me, and more importantly, for helping me learn to believe in myself.”
With that, I reached for the contract and the pen.
Annika
Energy raced through my veins as I stared down at the contract.
Once I went through with this, nothing would ever be the same.
“You’re sure about this?” Jacen asked. “If you sign, it needs to be because it’s what you want, and not because it’s what others expect of you.”
“A moment ago you were trying to convince me I could do this, and now you’re having second thoughts?” I tilted my head playfully, smiling up at him.
“No seconds thoughts here,” he said. “You’re going to make an incredible queen of Avalon.”
“Not a queen,” I said. “I don’t know what I’ll call myself, but after the Vale I’ve had enough of royalty for the rest of my life.”
“Understandable,” he said.
Then I held out my wrist and looked at him expectantly. “I need to use my blood as ink,” I reminded him. “I was hoping you would do the honors?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
He lowered his mouth to my wrist, kissing it gently before his fangs punctured my skin.
Golden blood released, and ecstasy rolled through my body as his venom entered my system. But he barely took a sip before pulling away.
His eyes were dark and dilated—he clearly wanted more—and my cheeks heated under his tantalizing gaze.
“Focus, Annika.” His voice was silky smooth, like music to my ears. “Or you’ll heal before you can sign the contract.”
He was right—despite how distracting he was, I needed to hurry. So I pressed on my wound to release more blood. It was so strange to bleed gold instead of red—yet one more thing in my life that I doubted I would get used to.
I dipped the pen in the blood and signed Annika Pearce on the bottom line of the parchment.
Once I lifted the pen from the paper, the ink started to glow. The glow spread out—first along the parchment, and then further and further out into the garden.
As the golden glow rippled outward, the ground turned from brown to green, and the trees and plants unraveled into vibrant, colorful flowers. They came alive like a time lapse of winter turning to spring. The stone fountain in the center—previously dry and cobwebbed—cleaned itself up and bubbled with flowing water. A butterfly landed on my finger, and I held my hand out in wonder, watching it spread its wings and fly through the garden.
The golden glow rippled out over the castle, and as it did, the castle reassembled itself until it was like new. Even the clouds had cleared from the sky, the sun shining brightly down upon us.
Jacen held out his hand, looking at it in amazement. “The sun,” he said, his voice reflecting the wonder upon his face. “It doesn’t burn.”
“How’s that possible?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “All I know is that for the first time since being turned into a vampire, the sun isn’t hurting me.”
I smiled and basked with him in the sunlight, taking a deep breath of the sweet garden air.
Now more than ever, I finally felt like I was home.
Annika
We marveled at the garden for a few more minutes before heading back inside.
Just like the outside of the castle, the inside was now warm and inviting, sparkling like new.
The mages and Camelia waited
at the table where we’d left them.
“I take it you signed the contract?” Dahlia asked.
I walked to the table and placed the pen and signed contract next to the Holy Grail. “I did,” I confirmed. “But what exactly happened when I signed it? Jacen can now walk in the sunlight without any pain… that shouldn’t be possible for a vampire.”
“The moment you signed the contract, Avalon was blessed by the angels and restored to its previous glory,” Iris said with a smile. “The blessing of the angels offers the highest possible protection. Only those with angel blood or those who have been invited by those with angel blood will be able to find Avalon, and the island will provide for all those who reside here.”
“So it’s true, then,” Camelia said. “The fae won’t be able to track me or my child.”
“It’s true,” Violet said. “And any vampire on Avalon will be able to walk in the sunlight without being burned. However, these protections only apply to those inside the island’s protective shield.”
“So I’ll never be able to leave Avalon,” Camelia realized. “Nor will my child.”
“Correct,” Violet said. “However, as long as Annika permits you to stay, you and your daughter will be safe from the fae.”
“Daughter?” Camelia’s eyes lit up. “I’m having a girl?”
“I’m afraid I’ve said too much.” Violet pursed her lips and looked away, as if embarrassed for saying what she had.
Camelia turned to me, looking more vulnerable than ever. “You’ll let me stay?” she asked. “Please?”
“As long as you remain loyal to me and Avalon,” I said, since given the situation, I couldn’t say no. But that didn’t erase everything she’d done. “Your daughter has done nothing wrong, so she’ll always have a home here. But if you make one wrong move against me—or against anyone on the island—I’ll send you packing in a heartbeat. Understood?”
“Understood.” Camelia lowered her eyes—her first move of deference toward me as a leader.
I nodded, knowing in my heart that this was the right decision. And while I doubted I would ever be able to forgive Camelia, I had a feeling that this pregnancy might change her for the better.
“Come with me.” Dahlia stood from the table, lifting her gown as she walked toward the door that led to the hall. “It’s time that you saw the real Avalon.”
I took Jacen’s hand, and together we walked through the magnificent castle. It was like something out of a fairy tale, and I couldn’t wait to explore all the halls and rooms. But for now, we followed Dahlia toward the main entrance—the one we’d come in through earlier.
She threw the doors open, and I gasped at the beauty before me.
The island was now identical to the drawing Rosella had given me. It was green and luscious, full of hydrangeas in tons of vibrant colors. The clear blue lakes sparkled, and waterfalls roared with life as they pounded through the forested mountains before us.
“It’s beautiful.” Tears filled my eyes as I looked out at the island.
“Oh—there’s one more thing you might want to know,” Dahlia said with a knowing smile. “You see all the lakes and waterfalls?”
“Yes,” I said, since it was impossible to miss them.
“That’s not regular water,” she said. “It’s heavenly water, blessed by the angels itself.”
I gripped the handle of the dagger sheathed to my waist, power flowing through my veins as I stared out at the waterfalls and lakes. Because the water before us would do far more than provide sustenance to those who lived here.
It would give us a way to defeat the demons.
And I was going to build an army to do just that, here with Jacen in our new home—Avalon.
Karina
With the help of the wolves and vampires of the Vale, plus many citizens of the Haven, we were able to get basic clean up of the Vale done in a little over a week. There was still a lot more to be done—many of the buildings needed reconstructing after the explosion of the Hell Gate—but at least it was a start.
Alexander returned with his followers and assumed his position as king. One of the first things he did as king was declare equality for all those in the Vale. He was allowing wolves to live in the town, alongside vampires and humans. Not only that, but he gave the humans a choice to either stay in the Vale, return to their homes, or go to Avalon to see if they had what it took to become a Nephilim.
A surprising amount of them chose Avalon. Annika would be coming in a few days to retrieve all the humans and supernaturals who wanted to learn to fight demons and bring them to the mysterious island where they’d start their training. Until then, they helped with the clean up.
The humans who chose to return home had their memories of the supernatural world wiped beforehand. Those who stayed were still required to donate blood in exchange for a place to live—after all, vampires still needed to eat—but they would no longer be denied the food and luxuries that were previously only available to vampires.
King Alexander truly meant it when he said that all who lived in the Vale were now equal.
Now, I stood in the mountains alongside all those who had fought in the war, watching the flames die out on the funeral pyre for the dead. Noah stood next to me, and we held hands the entire time.
Once the pyre ended, we headed back to the room in the palace where we were staying as we decided where we wanted to go from here.
I’d been thinking about my future a lot recently. And the longer I was at the Vale, the more I realized that I didn’t belong here. While the war wasn’t my fault—it was Samael and the demons’ faults—I still held myself responsible for the role I’d played in the destruction of this once beautiful kingdom.
Even as I lay in Noah’s arms once most of the kingdom was fast asleep, I couldn’t shake the guilt of what I’d done.
“You’re still awake?” Noah murmured in my ear.
“I can’t sleep.” I rotated to face him. “I keep thinking about where to go from here. I know Alexander told us that we’re welcome to stay, but it doesn’t feel right.”
“I understand.” His thumb traced patterns along my forearm, sending a pleasurable chill through my body. “I don’t feel right staying in the Vale, either. Not after all the destruction I helped cause.”
“That we helped cause,” I reminded him. “I played a big role in it, too.”
His eyes darkened, and he nodded, although he said nothing.
I had a feeling that the guilt he was holding onto was more than I—more than maybe anyone involved in the war—could possibly understand.
“Where do you want to go?” he asked.
“I’ve been thinking about it,” I said. “And I want to go to the Haven.”
“The Haven?” He sounded surprised. “Not Avalon?”
“Avalon is a training ground—humans and supernaturals alike will learn to be great fighters there,” I said. “But I already know how to fight. My experience will be best put to use at the Haven.”
He said nothing for a few seconds, taking in my words. “Are you sure?” he finally asked.
“I’m sure.” I swallowed, nervous to ask my next question. “You’ll come with me… right?”
“If it makes you happy, then yes, I’ll go to the Haven with you.”
I smiled and snuggled into him, relief filling my veins at his response. He was coming with me. I wouldn’t be alone.
I should be happy. But something felt off. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but the answer pulled at the back of my mind, begging to be set free.
I just hoped everything would come together once we arrived at the Haven.
Karina
The next morning, Mary sent the witch Shivani to bring us to the Haven. Shivani supplied us each with a change of clothes—the traditional, white garb worn by all Haven citizens. Once we’d changed, she held our hands and transported us there.
We appeared in the courtyard, and she escorted us into the main building, as it would take s
ome time for our cabin to be prepared.
“You’ve arrived just in time for dinner,” she said with a smile. “All citizens of the Haven are encouraged to dine together. Please, follow me.”
We followed her down the brightly colored hall in silence.
Noah kept picking at his clothes, as if he couldn’t get comfortable in them. It made no sense to me, since the uniform of the Haven was far more comfortable than the constrictive gowns I’d worn in the Carpathian Kingdom.
Eventually, Shivani opened the doors to a large dining hall, spacious enough to seat all the citizens of the Haven.
Like all the public spaces of the Haven, it was furnished in bright, warm colors. The food smelled delicious—like the flavorful exotic spices used to prepare Indian dishes. Vampires, witches, and shifters all shared tables with each other, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their meals.
That was when I saw him.
He had dark hair and soulful eyes, and when our gazes met, everything else in the room blurred. He was all that remained clear, and looking at him pulled at that place in the back of my mind—at the something I should know but couldn’t seem to remember.
“Karina,” he breathed out my name and rushed toward me, his hands joining mine as he beamed down at me. His touch sent an electric jolt through my body, and his hands fit perfectly around mine, as if they’d held them many times before. “You found me.”
“I’m sorry.” I knew I should drop my hands from his—holding hands with a man I didn’t know wasn’t proper—but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “Have we met?”
“What are you talking about?” he asked. “It’s me. Peter.”
“Peter,” I repeated his name, the syllables sounding right on my tongue.
This must be the same Peter that Noah had told me about—the one he claimed I was determined to bring back from the dead. But how could it be? This Peter was here—he was alive. From the story Noah had told me, the Peter I’d claimed to love had died in the Great War. He was lost to me forever.
The Vampire War Page 14