by Sara Snow
I closed my fist around the bottle and turned to Skye. “Somewhere that would make my father shit bricks.”
Faelen suddenly broke out in peals of laughter. “I have a feeling he’s been forced to do that a little too often, thanks to you.”
Suddenly, we were blown back as two objects fell from the sky. I caught myself using my control of the wind and grabbed hold of Skye and Faelen as well before they hit the ground. Cyrus’s red wings and Theanos’s scaly ones—although not lit up like usual—flapped loudly, sending leaves flying and trees swaying.
“Where do you two think you’re going?” Cyrus’s wings vanished, and I tightened my hold on the potion.
“Don’t even think about trying to stop me, Cyrus. I’m going.”
“We’re only asking so we can tag along.” Theanos grinned and blew a strand of blond hair from his eyes. “I’m offended that you ladies were trying to sneak off and have fun without us. The audacity of you women!”
“Theanos, be quiet,” Cyrus grumbled, and Theanos gasped dramatically.
“For the last time, I’m older than you, Cyrus. Don’t you know you’re supposed to fear—or is that respect?—your older . . .”
I tuned them out as I hugged Faelen. “You’ve done a lot for us. Thank you.”
“And you did more for me than you’ll ever know. Levi’s gone because of you. It's been an honor to know you, Elinor Blackwood.” We released each other as thundering howls of celebration echoed through the night. “You should get going.”
I closed my eyes and visualized our destination before throwing the portal potion to the ground. A portal opened, blowing out humid air that contrasted with the cool air in the forest.
“Let’s go!” I waved to the others, and Skye pointed a threatening finger at Cyrus and Theanos, who were still bickering.
They entered the portal, but I waited until I saw Connor and Darian’s wolves approaching. They howled at me, telling me to stop, but I simply waved before stepping back into the portal.
“I’ll return when it’s done! Tell Father I’m sorry!”
Alpha Grayson
I looked through the window and saw Darian and Connor return, with Faelen walking between them. Outside, my people celebrated around a bonfire. Their loud laughter as they danced and drank filled me with happiness . . . except for the part of me that was terrified for my only daughter, my firstborn, who insisted on defying me.
I didn’t have the heart to tell everyone not to celebrate, that our fight wasn’t yet over. For one night, I’d let them make merry. They’d had weeks of living in fear.
I turned my back to the window and heaved a sigh. My daughter would never stop being impulsive; I knew it would be the death of her.
I watched my beautiful Luna, who was sitting at my desk with her legs crossed, knitting a sweater. She looked so much like Elinor. “You knew she was going to leave, didn’t you?”
“Didn’t you?” she answered without looking up at me.
"Of course." I walked over and pulled her up, then sat down, bringing her with me onto my lap. "Elinor never does what I tell her.”
She combed her fingers through my hair, and my tense shoulders relaxed. “What will you do now?”
“There is nothing I can do now except back her up. I’ll reach out to the witches and kitsune to see if they are still willing to fight with us. The centaurs have taken more hits to their ranks than the rest of us, so I won’t bother them for now.”
I shared Elinor’s feelings about the Queen. But I had my pack’s safety to consider as well. “Elinor and her friends won’t be strong enough to take care of the Queen’s army. Not alone. They must know that.”
“I’m proud of you, my Alpha. You know that, right?”
I blushed and brushed my knuckle against her cheek, her scent wrapping around me like a blanket. “Maybe. But it’s nice to hear you say it.”
“You’ve grown. The old you would be huffing and blowing everyone down right now because of Elinor’s disobedience.”
Just then, the door flew open, and Jackson rushed in, his curly hair bouncing as he ran. “Where is Elinor? I drew a picture of the bonfire!"
Jackson waved his drawing in his hand, and his mother rose and went over to pick him up. The moment she told him Elinor had left, he burst into tears.
It had always bothered me that there were so many years between Elinor, my firstborn, and Jackson, the next Alpha. But they'd grown past that, and the love my son had for his sister was unmatched. I wasn't his hero anymore—his sister was. And though it killed me to admit it, Elinor deserved to be.
I was proud of my daughter. She’d brought honor to our pack.
I got up and walked my wife and son to the door. “I’ll come and find you both when I’m done. Right now, I need to speak with Faelen.”
Elinor
I stepped out of the portal behind the others, and my feet sank into the sand that stretched on for miles around. We’d traded night for day, and a cool forest for the scorching heat.
“Well, this brings back memories,” I said. Cyrus just nodded and pulled Skye closer to him. “It feels like centuries have passed since we came here looking for Skye.”
“I should have known this is where you’d come.” Theanos fanned at himself, and Skye narrowed her eyes at him.
“You’re the son of the Dragon King and a demon who lives in the Underworld. Why are you fanning yourself? You should be used to heat like this.”
Theanos made a face. “I don’t like sweating in my human form.”
Skye laughed, but Cyrus just shook his head. Suddenly, we caught a glimpse of the black tail of a giant snake poke out of the sand a few meters away. That put an end to the laughter quickly. Even Theanos moved a little closer to the rest of us.
“We should go,” he whispered, and Skye nodded in agreement.
“It’s not too far now. Just a few more minutes.” Cyrus led the way, and we quickly followed.
“Why are we going to the Black Souls Market?” Theanos asked when we got to the border, an invisible wall that would take us into the market. Theanos stuck his hand through it. It vanished up to his wrist before he pulled it back out, giving Cyrus an ‘are you crazy?’ look.
“Saleem won’t care that the Queen’s ended the war. She’ll help us and will probably have intel we wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else,” Cyrus answered.
He stepped through the barrier with Skye right behind him. I pulled my hood over my head to completely hide my face, and Theanos and I went next. Once on the other side, I realized that again, we’d traded day for night.
The Black Souls Market was exactly as I remembered it—dark and reeking of blood and death. The buildings were close together, and smoke rising from multiple chimneys almost totally blocked out the starry sky.
Screams echoed in the distance, and to our left, two wolves—rogues not belonging to a pack—came tumbling out of a bar. Several people followed them outside to watch the brawl—humans, fae, and witches alike.
The last time I’d been here, I’d caught the scent of vampires among the stench of the other supernatural creatures, but now, there was nothing. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The Black Souls Market was the place for shady dealings. It was where all creatures who didn’t fit anywhere else came to mingle. And it seemed that vampires were no longer welcome.
“Hit him in the nuts!” Theanos cheered on the rogue wolves who were still fighting, and Skye grabbed his arm and pulled him along with us. "Chokehold! You moron, I said chokehold!"
I chuckled as Cyrus pulled on his cloak, and Theanos finally turned around. His humor lightened our mood—something I welcomed, given the seriousness of our situation.
We made our way down an alley, and Cyrus knocked on the door to Saleem’s bar. It was opened by an incubus with purple hair and pale gray eyes who stepped aside to let us in.
I removed my hood once inside, and Scarlet, the succubus who had taught Cyrus how to control his urges when feeding,
walked around the bar to greet us, removing her stained apron.
“Hey, guys.” Her strawberry-blonde hair was in a single fat braid down her back, her lips painted red. “You guys took your time coming back.”
She pulled Skye, then me, into a hug, and winked flirtatiously at Theanos, who winked back. She hugged Cyrus as well before walking behind the bar to pour us all drinks. She was as stunning as she’d been the last time I’d seen her, as all incubi and succubi were. Despite her black dress and tight leather corset, the freckles across her nose and delicate face gave her an air of innocence.
But I knew she was far from innocent. She was a skilled fighter who’d played a big part in teaching Cyrus how to fight.
“Why is no one here?” I caught the cup she slid across the counter. “Aren’t you guys open? I know the bar was destroyed when it was raided by the vampires, but it looks great now.” The tables were all new and rectangular instead of being round, and each had a jar with small balls of floating light inside them.
“We had everything fixed, but we just haven’t opened for the night yet. Since you guys are here, maybe we’ll stay closed. I know this isn’t a social call.”
“Yeah, we need your help.” Cyrus finished his drink in one swig, and Scarlet refilled it.
“My help isn’t cheap, you know.” A short old woman appeared through a nearby door, her white hair in a messy braid slung over her shoulder. Saleem smiled, and the skin at the side of her eyes wrinkled. “It took you kids long enough to return.”
“We’ve been a little busy.” I hopped off the barstool to greet Saleem, and the others did the same.
If it hadn’t been for her, Cyrus and I wouldn’t have been able to locate Skye when she had been taken. With her black magic, Cyrus’s blood, and Theanos’s help, she’d been able to break through the cloaking spell that had kept Skye hidden.
“So I’ve heard.” Saleem grinned. “News travels fast. I heard the Queen ended the war?”
“The war won’t be over until she dies,” Skye growled, and Saleem arched a brow.
She looked Skye up and down and nodded with approval. “You look well, child; I’m happy to see that.”
“Thanks. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”
Saleem clapped her hands, and it echoed around the room. “Well, you’ll all be happy to hear that your instincts are right on. The Queen isn’t ending the war at all. In fact, it’s just beginning in earnest.”
Theanos removed his cloak and climbed back onto a stool. “What do you mean?”
“I have eyes everywhere. Word on the street is that she’s preparing her army for something.” Saleem drummed her fingers on the counter, and Scarlet prepared her a drink. “As for who the target will be, I’m not sure. But she’s going to hit somewhere hard with everything she has.”
I bit down on my lip as I looked at Cyrus. “This is what I was afraid of. She’s going to attack now that everyone has let their guard down. We have to tell my father. How big is her army?”
“Hundreds of thousands of vampires and the Resurrected,” Scarlet answered. “She’s even organizing the Bleeders, as wild and bloodthirsty as they are. All in all, she’s created an army of monsters. And her assault will be devastating.”
“I’m going down to the Underworld,” Cyrus abruptly declared. “Even with the help of the witches and the kitsune, it won’t be enough.” He pulled his hood over his head and readied himself to leave.
Theanos hopped off his stool, too. “I’m going to speak with my father again. He had denied us help before, but he can’t sit back and do nothing while the rest of the world burns. Whatever the Queen is planning, it's bound to spill over into Dragon Territory sooner or later. Especially if her army grows any bigger.”
“Are you sure you want to ask your mother for help, Cyrus? She hates us. She won’t help.” Skye held onto his arm, and Cyrus covered her hand with his.
“It’s not my mother I’m going to ask.”
Saleem chuckled with surprise. “You can’t possibly mean to ask your father?”
Everyone looked at Cyrus in shock, knowing he’d only seen his father twice in his life. It took some nerve to go to him now, asking for a favor.
“He will if he’s presented with a deal he can’t refuse.” Cyrus hugged Skye and buried his face in her hair. “We’re going to need all the help we can get. I’ll be back soon, trust me.”
“Trust you?” Skye repeated. “What deal are you planning to make with the devil, Cyrus?”
He only kissed her forehead and turned to leave. “I love you. Don’t worry, I’m coming back.”
Her hand fell off his arm, and we watched him go. Cyrus had chosen us over his demonic family, so I knew their hatred for us ran deep. I only hoped he knew what he was doing.
When I looked at Skye, I recognized the look on her face. I knew I wore the same distraught expression every time Will and I were separated. I placed my hand on her shoulder, and she clutched the hilts of her daggers.
“Do you have any portal potions?” Theanos asked Saleem. “Flying home will take too much time.”
“Of course. Come around back.” Saleem led him through the door to the back of the bar while Scarlet fixed me and Skye something to drink.
She pushed two glasses towards us. “You two look like you need it.”
Skye and I gulped down the sweet but strong liquid and slammed our cups on the bar.
"This war will be over soon, Scarlet, if I have anything to say about it." I held my cup out for her to pour more mead in, but she was busy taking a drink from the bottle herself.
She shook her head as she swallowed before pouring more for us. “Let’s hope so, ladies. Because I sure as hell know I won’t look good as a vampire. And I’m not fit to be food, either.”
“Cheers to that,” Skye said.
Scarlet leaned forward until her face was inches away from mine. “So, I heard you’re quite the badass now. Let’s see what you’ve learned. Beat me in a fight, and I’ll give you a free drink.”
I looked down at my cup. “I thought these drinks were free?”
Scarlet cackled. “Not a chance.”
13
Will
“General Will?”
I didn’t look away from the fire as a servant called for me.
“T-The Queen has requested to s-see you.”
I took a deep breath and then exhaled. “Leave.”
The Skin hurried from my chamber, stumbling over his feet while I continued to watch the flames dancing in the fireplace. However, the sense of relaxation I’d always felt watching fire wasn’t there. All I could think about was Elinor and our last kiss.
I had promised I’d never leave her side, but I hoped she’d understand that I did what I did to save her, to save everyone. Now if I could get my mother to keep the promise she’d made, the war would be over.
Even so, she'd destroyed so many lives.
I closed my eyes and focused on my beating heart hammering away inside my chest. I was back in this place where there was nothing but darkness, hate, and bloodlust. The air smelled so different here, and I despised it. The sky was blacked out by ash, so it was always night in the Vampire Territory.
I wanted nothing more than to disappear and take Elinor with me.
I thought back to the evening I’d arrived in Elinor’s town, the first time we’d met. Suddenly, the dull world had shown me there was still color left in it.
Any other wolf would’ve either attacked me or avoided me, but Elinor hadn’t run, attacked, or judged me for being a Skin. Even then, I'd known she was special. But I had no idea just how much.
I turned to the she-wolf sitting in a chair across from me, her thighs pressed together while she shielded her breasts and crotch with her hands.
“I’ll compel you so that when you speak, they’ll believe you. The Queen will have you killed if she thinks you didn’t do what she wanted. Understand?” She nodded in response, her wide, panic-filled blue eyes teary. �
��I’ll slice the side of your neck with my nail and take a few drops of your blood. It’ll hurt just for a moment. But I can’t leave this room with a beating heart, and to stop that, I have to feed.”
She nodded again and I stood up. She did too, still shielding her body as I’d instructed the moment she’d arrived more than two hours ago.
I moved her brown hair over her shoulder, and the nail on my index finger elongated. I sliced her skin, and she winced as the wound opened. I swallowed audibly as her blood began to flow down her shoulder to her breasts and hands.
I could never bite another to feed, not after Elinor.
I wiped my finger below the wound, gathering her blood, and ingested it. It was only a little, but enough to give my system what it needed to make my heart stop beating.
When my body grew cold, I turned her face to me, my pupils dilating as I held her stare. “We slept together and you were fed on repeatedly. Now you’re tired from the loss of blood.”
I blinked, and so did she before rubbing at her drowsy eyes.
Compulsion was such a useful skill, though not every vampire developed it since it took years of practice. I watched her leave, walking slowly, her hand on her bleeding neck. I joined her at the door.
“No vampire is to feed on her or hurt her,” I told one of the guards outside my door, his gaze eyeing her bleeding shoulder. “Have her healed and cleaned up.”
“Yes, General Will.”
I turned away and made my way through the castle to my mother’s chamber.
Whispers of my return could be heard behind each door I passed, as if the fools had forgotten I could hear as well as they could. Maybe they didn’t care if I heard. Some whispers were of curiosity about my return and others suggested that the Queen had gone to get me herself. Others loudly professed that they wanted me to leave, that I wasn’t one of them and didn’t deserve the Queen’s love.