by Kamryn Hart
“Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“Are you flirting with me, Aerre? The pressure of our current situation has gone straight to your brain.”
“No. Teasing. You’re fun to tease, Caspian. So gullible.”
He huffed and muttered, “Not gullible.”
I checked to see that the path was clear. There were no signs of vampires and no signs of turrets swiveling or guns moving. I darted my way to the next rock and checked again. Still clear.
There was this buzz underneath my skin that wouldn’t go away. At first, I thought it was nerves, but I quickly tossed that idea aside. This was something different. Warmth. Was it Sorissa?
I tensed and pressed my back against the rock when movement caught my eye. Was it a gun turret? Were we finally spotted?
A moment later, I peeked around the stone to identify what I saw, but it was gone. It was probably just my nerves. My tic was manifesting as an annoying twitch in my fingers and apparently as visual hallucinations now. Yeah, that was it. I couldn’t afford to indulge my anxiety right now. I couldn’t allow it to get in the way of this mission, the most important mission we ever had.
Sorissa.
I didn’t know what she did to me and the rest of Phantom Fangs, but it was powerful. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I had been reluctant to kiss her, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to. She was a werea. I was a tethered. It should have mattered, but then I kissed her, and it didn’t.
It should still matter.
I wondered if some witch magic had rubbed off on the Lost Princess. She was raised by the Witch of Witch Woods. She hadn’t known anything about this world. She was naive and practically medieval. All of that should’ve bothered me, but it didn’t. Not anymore. My emotions consumed me. She consumed me when she kissed me. She literally became a part of me and so did the rest of Phantom Fangs. It was intimate as hell, almost disconcerting. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I couldn’t get over the fact that, at that moment, I understood Rodrick of all people.
I took a deep breath and darted to the next rock. I was certain the closest gun turret would see us this time. We couldn’t be in its blind spot when it was almost directly in front of us, looking over us at about twenty feet on a rock structure. But the thing stayed as motionless as before, and I saw no sign of vampires. Something else moved instead, and the ground rumbled. The solid metal gate barring the mouth of the cave we were headed toward was sinking into the ground. I could make out figures walking around inside. It was too dark inside and too far to see well, but I could tell that much.
Why did they open it? Was it to bait us? Did they know we were here? At least we knew this area was occupied, and we wouldn’t be lost in empty caves for miles in search of our princess. The buzzing underneath my skin grew more intense as if to confirm my thoughts.
“Seems we’re going the right way,” I murmured.
“She’s in there,” Todd agreed. “I can feel her.”
Rodrick let out his signature cavemen grunt, and Caspian nodded his head.
Soon, we would be reunited. I hoped. When that happened, I wondered if we’d understand exactly what she did to us. The king said something about four mates, but what Sorissa did to us was beyond what mated werewolves experienced, to my knowledge. It wasn’t the Mate Claim—especially when it included the other members of Phantom Fangs and was given by a werea. And I was tethered. I couldn’t have a mate. I couldn’t marry a woman. And four mates? How would that even work?
“What are we supposed to do? Share her? Yeah, right.” I mused. When the rest of Phantom Fangs looked at me, I pursed my lips and shook my head. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Caspian chastised. “Sorissa may not fully understand what she did. We certainly don’t. We’ll worry about what she did some other time. Sorissa needs us. She might be okay for now, but she’s in the hands of vampires. There’s no time to waste. We need her back with us and safe. One thing at a time.”
“Awful close to this gun turret,” Rodrick remarked, looking up, “and yet it hasn’t moved an inch.”
“Yeah,” Todd agreed. “It should have sensed us this close. Our cover’s not that good. Something isn’t right.”
“Look out!” one of the soldiers behind us shouted. I had almost forgotten they were there and jumped at the sound of his voice.
I looked up wildly, scouring the jagged rocks we were using as cover. Aside from the gun turret we were by, I hadn’t noticed any danger before. The other gun turrets seemed to be a safe distance away. Then I saw them, the vampires perched on the tips of rocks like a murder of crows. They surrounded us from all sides. It was like Wolf Bridge all over again. The bastards were sneaky. They were wearing all-encompassing crimson cloaks with gilded hems, making it impossible to discern their features and effectively hiding their skin from the sunlight. They were like shadows of death itself.
“We’ve been expecting you,” one of them said in a clearly feminine voice.
There should have been a fight. But, like back in Wolf Bridge, not a single weapon was raised.
SORISSA
My heart was pounding in my ears. Phantom Fangs was close. My werewolves. They had to be. On the horizon, past the jagged rocks, I could see them. I couldn’t see their faces, and I didn’t know why there were so many others with them, but I just knew it. They were here.
I squinted to see better. I saw crimson-cloaked figures, vampires. They were walking side by side with my werewolves, so that had to be a good sign—unless that meant Phantom Fangs wasn’t in the crowd at all.
I began pacing back and forth as I waited impatiently for the group to get closer so I could see better. The sunlight wasn’t helping. It made them appear as mostly dark silhouettes. I checked again. Finally, I could see faces. I scanned each one and how they were dressed. There was a small army of soldiers from Wolf Bridge, wearing their dark-blue uniforms with the orange-red insignia of two wolves touching noses.
And then I saw them. Phantom Fangs marched down the middle of the group, tall and proud in their unmarked black combat gear.
They’re here.
The werewolves seemed a bit tense, but they were untouched. Given the situation, that was all I could ask for. Evie was staying true to her word so far. It made me hope there could be some peace in this war-torn world.
I ran for Phantom Fangs, forgetting about Gala standing behind me. I had no shoes and stuck to the paved path, but little stray rocks tried to dig into the soles of my feet anyway. I ignored them and kept going, running at full speed. The way the wind whipped my hair around reminded me of all the times I had run through Babaga’s woods for fun or to hunt. This time, Phantom Fangs was my destination.
A huge smile spread across my lips the moment Phantom Fangs spotted me. Todd broke away from the group first and ran to meet me. Neither of us stopped or slowed down until the last minute. Todd dug in his heels and grabbed me as I slammed full-force into his chest, knocking him over. He wrapped his arms around me and we both laughed as I kissed his freckled face all over. Tears blurred my vision, and I quickly wiped them away.
“You’re okay,” I said in relief.
“You look okay, too,” Todd replied as he hugged me just a bit tighter. “Sorissa, don’t do that again.” He sat up, held me in his lap, and kissed my forehead. I felt the warmth of that kiss all the way down to my toes. I needed more.
Then the other Phantom Fangs members circled around us. I got off Todd’s lap, took his hands, and pulled him up to stand beside me. I grabbed the next closest Phantom Fangs member—which was Aerre—and hugged him tightly. He squeezed me back.
He said, “Sorissa, I’m glad you’re okay. But do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Is?” He glanced back at the vampires with the werewolves behind us and then ahead at the vampires gathering at the mouth of the cave I came from.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you all safe,” I said firmly.
Aerre
bent down and pressed his thumb against the corner of my mouth. “Get rid of that smirk, you trouble-making werea.” I could see great relief in his blue eyes though, shimmering like a deep body of crystal-clear water. I needed him to kiss me.
Caspian grabbed me from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist. I squeaked in surprise when he squeezed me tighter, aggravating that bruise I got on my back. He loosened his grasp and rested his chin on my head. “I wasn’t sure we’d see you alive.”
I teased, “Still looking down on me, Caspian?” I tilted my head back to try and get a look at his face, but he insisted on keeping his chin right where it was.
“Not a chance,” he whispered.
I melted back into him for a moment to encapsulate his warmth—and because I wondered if he was hard for me. I wanted him hard for me. The space in between my thighs was burning, hotter and hotter with each passing moment. But the reunion wasn’t complete yet. Why wasn’t Rodrick stepping forward?
I cast my gaze to the big, tattooed werewolf, tethered, and cocked my head. He averted my gaze. I wanted to know why without asking. I dug inside of myself for the answers, trying to reach that connection that tied us all together. I found it, but it was faint. At least, when it came to trying to figure out Rodrick it was. I felt Todd’s glowing happiness as an extension of my own. He was the one I could feel the most clearly, but even he was fading in and out. Maybe it was a fleeting connection somehow made by moonlight and nothing more. But that didn’t feel right.
“This is sweet,” Gala said as she emerged from behind me. Her red hood was drawn and large, casting her face in shadows.
The relief was gone. All of a sudden, everyone was on edge, remembering that we were in the vampires’ territory and potentially in grave danger. Phantom Fangs caged me in with their bodies as if to protect me. I touched Rodrick’s arm and leaned into his back to get the hug he wouldn’t give me. If this was going to get bloody, he at least owed me that. His muscles twitched under my touch, but I was sure I felt him soften just a little.
“Did they hurt you?” Caspian asked, keeping his eyes on Gala.
“Not really,” I said. “I have a bruise on my back, but it’s fine.”
“Why?”
“One vampire wasn’t happy with their queen’s decision.”
“Decision?”
Gala interrupted, “You can take however many of our trailers you need. Attach them to your roaders and load up these humans.” She nodded, pointing her nose over her shoulder to the mouth of the cave where the humans were all gathered and waiting for a command. “Take them back to Wolf Bridge with you.”
“What?” Caspian said flatly. “Aren’t you the vampire who tried to kill me?” His lips curled up into a feral snarl that was unlike him.
I grabbed his arm.
“What’s the catch?” Caspian asked. “Why aren’t you attacking us?”
Gala pursed her lips.
“You know exactly who we are, don’t you? If you wanted revenge, why didn’t you finish me?”
“Caspian,” Aerre growled, “don’t provoke them.”
Gala’s dark eyes burned. Her red lips trembled. I wondered if she would cry. But then I realized the trembling was from barely contained rage. If looks could kill, Caspian would have dropped dead. My hackles rose at the thought, and I stepped in front of him, holding my arms out wide to bar him and the others from this vampire I couldn’t figure out. Was she with her queen or against her?
I will protect Phantom Fangs.
Caspian grasped my shoulder and drew me back. “You don’t have any moonlight, Sorissa,” he said quietly.
“Phantom Fangs killed our last vampyre,” Gala accused. “Of course I know who you are, Phantom Prince, but my queen specifically ordered me not to kill you.”
I decided Gala didn’t approve of her queen’s decision any more than the vampire who killed that woman and attacked me. But, for some reason, she was loyal, following through with Evie’s orders even though she disagreed.
“The vampires want a truce, no more fighting,” I said, butting in. Then I growled. “Not that I’m excusing what she did, but I heard it straight from Evie’s—their queen’s—mouth. I would have ripped her throat out already if I hadn’t believed her queen was sincere.”
“A truce? I don’t believe that for a second.” Caspian growled, too.
“I do,” Rodrick said. “There are no more male vampires, according to the vampyre we killed. But they need to protect their unborn vampyres because that is a possibility, isn’t it?”
Gala’s face transformed into a blank stone slate. “Now that you know we mean you no harm,” she said, “fetch your roaders. Bring them here so that you can move these humans. We’re giving you all of our unchanged humans as a sign of goodwill, to show our sincerity.”
Caspian hesitated. I grabbed his hand and said, “Evie meant it. I really think she did.” As angry as I was about what Gala did to Caspian, I did believe that. Evie wanted to keep her species alive—and starting a fight here wouldn’t help my werewolves. I couldn’t protect them like this. Their safety was my top priority.
“Then where is she?” Caspian asked.
I frowned. I didn’t know if now was the best time to talk about Denez.
“Are you the ones who blew up our wall?” Todd asked. “How did you get past my surveillance cameras?”
“I believe Paws Peak attacked you, not us,” Gala said coolly.
“And you just decided to come inside and kidnap our princess while they were at it,” Aerre goaded.
“We saw an opportunity, and we took it.”
“You’re lying. We’re not stupid.” Aerre nodded his head toward Todd. “Not many can get past his tech.”
Todd grimaced.
“Lying or not, what do you expect to come of this?” Caspian asked.
“That’s up to the Lost Princess,” Gala said.
“I know the princess is quite powerful on her own, but she doesn’t rule a kingdom. Are you putting your faith in the right individual?”
“It’s up to the Lost Princess,” Gala repeated. Then she looked at me again, her eyes glinting black orbs
“I want to see your queen. Send Queen Evie la Demunet of Crimson Caves so she can tell us this herself.”
“You will not be seeing the Queen of Vampires.” Gala wasn’t looking at Caspian at all now. She was watching only me.
I bit my lower lip and said, “Caspian, enough. Trust me.”
He clenched his jaw, but he listened. “I trust you. But I want to check the trailers and the humans before I send these soldiers back for the roaders.”
“Very well,” Gala said. “This way then.”
CHAPTER 6
SORISSA
“ONLY PHANTOM FANGS ENTERS,” Caspian ordered when we reached the gaping mouth of the cave.
“Fine by me. All of you in there would congest the place worse than it already is,” Gala commented.
“And me,” I chimed. “I’m with Phantom Fangs.”
Caspian raised an eyebrow but didn’t contradict me.
Todd’s eyes grew wide when he spotted the large screen mounted on the rock wall just within the mouth of the cave. He reached out to the large control panel.
“Paws off before you break something,” the frizzy-haired vampire from before said as she dashed over and smacked his hand away. She seemed to pop in and out of places like little electric sparks. Her every movement was snapping from one position to the next instantaneously. I wondered if she could move fluidly at all. But it was fitting. Her hair made it look like she had been struck by lightning. Maybe she had been.
“I wasn’t going to break anything,” Todd said defensively. “I was just curious.” His face flushed. This possessive feeling washed over me because I wanted to be the only one to make his face turn red like this.
The vampire got up close to Todd, grabbed his wrist, and looked intently at the metal bracelet—inteliband—he was wearing. “This is a nice design, but there
is room for a lot of improvement.”
Todd’s face went a deeper shade of red as he ripped out of her grasp. I stifled a growl when I realized the vampire let him go. She could have easily held him in place. I knew just how strong a vampire’s grip was. It would take moonlight to combat them in a hand-to-hand fight.
“Where do you get all your power?” Todd asked as he stared at the tech.
The vampire blinked her big hazel-green eyes. “From our powerful underwater currents and hydroelectric generators.”
“Jocelyn, that’s quite enough,” Gala said as she removed the hood of her crimson cloak. “Get back to work.”
“You never let me have any fun, Gala.” The frizzy-haired vampire sulked and quietly stalked off to some corner to continue tinkering with her extensive tech.
Todd stared longingly at the tech. Caspian and Aerre looked like they were ready to power up their moonlight and rip off heads. Rodrick seemed relaxed; there wasn’t a tight muscle in his body. He believed there was no chance the vampires would attack us. I could feel an undercurrent of that confidence. I could feel all of them.
Our connection wasn’t as strong as when I had kissed them last night, using the full moon and its moonlight or something, but it wasn’t temporary. A hint of it was there. It allowed me a slightly deeper look into Phantom Fangs’ actions. I was grateful for that. But I wanted more. I wanted it like it was last night. It made me feel closer to them because I understood everything about them, because everything was open between us. That was how we were supposed to be because they were mine.
Mine.
My body ached and burned like it was on fire. I might have blamed it on the “suffress mushrooms” the vampires used to subdue me, but I was more or less feeling normal after the antidote until Phantom Fangs arrived. Now my body was screaming at me to touch them, but this wasn’t the time for that.
Gala held out her hands. “Look all you want. Inspect the trailers and the humans.”
“Can we go deeper into the caves?” Caspian asked.
“No. This area only.”