by G. K. DeRosa
I returned Solaris to the cabin to wait for me. She hated the idea of spending more time alone in the cramped space, but I could hardly take her with me.
An ache twisted my chest. If things went well, this would be our last night together. Just a few short hours and she’d be home.
I shook off the irrational feelings. Solaris belonged in Imera, far away from any nocturnes—including me. It was too dangerous for both our races. And that was the reason I was about to commit another crime.
Cold sweat rolled down my neck, leaking into my shirt as I stalked toward one of the small, two-seater machines. Xander and I had both learned the basics. I could get from point A to point B without incident. I simply needed to do it quickly and quietly.
The dim overhead lights cast a soft glow around the smooth, matte charcoal body of the plane. The Draconis symbol was blazoned on one side in deep crimson paint.
A shudder rolled down my spine. The color reminded me of the blood bags we found on the jet. Before leaving, I’d pushed the plane, along with its damning contents, into the lake. Unless someone decided to dredge the body of water, it would never be found.
The small plane had the bare minimum and was mostly used to patrol the aevitas fields. It was nothing like the Cessna that Solaris had crashed. She was probably going to laugh at it.
My fingers shook as I snatched the correct key from the lockbox behind Captain Ferran’s desk. The tiniest scuff of a shoe against stone had my muscles clenching. I spun around, cold trepidation sinking through my veins.
“Xander.”
“Kaige.” The slight twist of his lips was menacing, prickling my skin. It was like looking into a mirror that showed my darkest parts. “The good prince finally graces me with his presence.” He was leaning against the very plane I was about to steal.
My fingers curled tightly around the key, masking it in my palm. I swallowed hard, choking back the panic bubbling beneath the surface. “What do you want?”
He tsked. “Is that any way to treat your twin?”
“If you have nothing pressing to discuss, you can leave,” I snapped.
Xander pushed off the plane, his navy eyes glancing around the empty barracks. “What exactly are you doing in here?”
“Training,” I lied. “I’m waiting on Officer Maxum to go over flight drills.”
“Training?” His hand brushed across the smooth surface of a wing. “We’re not doing any flying in the trials.”
My fingers tightened around the key so hard the edges bit into my palm. Soon it was either going to cut me or I’d crush the metal. “There won’t be any actual flying, but whoever is to be king should know basic military procedures.” I shot him a hard glare. “It could very well come into play during the trials.”
His lips thinned. “Maybe I should join. We’re supposed to be equally educated.”
I shook my head. “This is a private lesson. You can schedule one for yourself.”
Something flashed in his eyes. “A private lesson?” He slowly walked toward the left, pretending to examine another plane when really his attention was all on me. “Have you been doing a lot of private lessons?”
I angled my body away from him and shoved the key into my pocket. “No. I’ve been training as usual.”
His brow arched. “Funny thing. Hazon said you missed the training you were supposed to have this morning with Captain Ferran. That’s very unlike you Kaige.”
A bead of cold sweat ran down my nape, disappearing into the collar of my shirt. “There was a scheduling error,” I lied. “A mistake. I was working with an alchemist.”
“Hazon has seen you dart off to the woods, day and night.” Xander continued with his interrogation, my explanation having no effect. “He’s also reported seeing you, on several occasions, hop into your car and fly out of here like a bat out of hell.”
My jaw clenched and I used my tongue to force my fangs back into my gums. Hazon was a royal guard and one of Xander’s closest friends. “Is Hazon your new lap dog these days? Shouldn’t he pay attention to his royal duties instead of spying for you?”
Xander’s head tilted, his brows arched. “Is that a hint of anger in your voice, brother? Has something done the impossible and ruffled your feathers?” He brushed past me on the way to Captain Ferran’s desk. His gaze roamed the area, looking for anything suspicious. “What’s out in those woods but that little old cabin we used to visit?”
My pulse spiked. Xander would be able to hear the frantic beat of my heart if he stood any closer. Years had passed since he’d mentioned the place we used to hide out as kids. No one could find what I was keeping there, least of all him. Solaris’s life would be snuffed out within days, and if implicated, I’d be next.
“Having others do your dirty work isn’t surprising,” I said, trying to divert his thoughts from the cabin. “You were always one to cheat.”
Xander’s laughter echoed off the walls, crashing loudly against my skull. “Oh, look at you.” He turned toward me, his eyes sparkling as they traced my features. “You’ve got a little fire in you today. What happened to that cold stone shell of yours? What yanked it off?” His hand reached for my shoulder.
I moved fast, my fingers catching his wrist before he could touch me. “Back off, Xander. You don’t want to start this,” I warned. If an actual fight broke out between us, I’d win. My brother was underhanded and cunning, but he was also reckless.
He stared at me for several long, heavy moments. I shoved my emotions down, choking on them. All I could think about was what would happen if he found Solaris.
It wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t let it. All I had to do was get this plane and take her home. That would be the end.
Xander’s nostrils flared. “You smell like Abscondam.”
I swallowed. “I was working with the alchemist earlier, remember?”
Darkness melted over his features, blotting out any of the usual humorous disdain. “Something is different about you, Kaige.”
My lungs squeezed, shrinking my airways. “Stop getting Hazon to spy on me,” I spat. “If I see him, I’ll report him to Captain Ferran for shirking his duties.” I released Xander’s wrist.
His hard gaze remained on me as he rubbed the area I’d held. “Keep training, Kaige.” He flashed an eerie smile made even more ominous by his fangs. “The trials will be here before you know it, and I might be more competition than you expect.” Xander spun around and marched out of the barracks, his words lingering in the air.
A shiver rolled down my spine. I hated to imagine the lengths my brother would go to best me in these trials.
I sucked in a lungful of air and dragged my fingers through my hair. That was too close. Xander had his friends following me. If I didn’t get Solaris out now, she was going to be trapped in Draconis. Time was running out. Things were spiraling, and one wrong move could snap the thin line we walked on. Was it already too late? Had we toyed with fate and the prophecy too much to escape unharmed?
Chapter 16
Solaris
I paced the length of the cabin, every single nerve on edge. What was taking Kaige so long? I rubbed my sweaty palms against my new jeans. They were soft against my skin, so unlike the harsh denim we had in Imera. The thought of returning home set off a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. I knew I’d promised Kaige I wouldn’t look into this blood thing, but how could I not? If Turstan was supplying human blood to nocturnes I had to stop him. He was putting all of us at risk.
I cursed myself for how hypocritical that sounded. Here I was in Draconis doing the very same thing. Putting us all at risk. But I hadn’t come here on purpose. I didn’t mean for Kaige to find and save me.
A flood of warmth filled my chest at the thought of the prince of darkness. It sent my heart racing. I could almost still feel his fingers wrapped around mine. My skin tingled where we had touched. I shook my head, pushing down the treacherous thoughts. The inappropriate things I’d been feeling for him were growing in intensity. It h
ad to be the bond—nothing more.
Where was he?
I reached for the pot of valerian root tea on the stove and poured myself a cup. I needed it bad. I took a few sips and sat down on the bed, forcing my mind to calm down. I couldn’t stop thinking about the blood and what it meant. Not once in seventeen years had I been asked to donate blood. No one I knew had. So how did the Collective have so much of it?
My head whipped toward the door at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Finally,” I muttered as Kaige’s dark head peered inside.
His navy eyes widened, silver surging through them as they settled on me. His nostrils flared, and he sniffed at the air.
“What?” I stood and crossed my arms tightly over my chest. I thought he was getting better at being around me.
“W-what are you?”
The hair on the back of my neck prickled. “Very funny, Kaige. Just get inside before someone sees you.”
The prince strode in, and every cell in my body bristled. Something was very wrong.
Silver irises blazed as they zoned in on my neck. He licked his lips and two sharp fangs protruded from his upper lip. “It can’t be,” he muttered as he inched closer. “I knew he was hiding something, but I never expected…”
“What are you talking about?” I tried to keep the panic out of my voice, but even I could hear the hysteria bubbling over.
He ran his hands through his hair, and my stomach dropped. It was pin straight. Kaige’s hair was like the waves of the ocean, rippling and unruly.
This wasn’t my prince.
He stalked closer, and I took a step back, hitting the corner of the bed. Crap, where was that broken broomstick?
“You’re a human, aren’t you?” He ran his tongue over his gleaming white fangs.
Behind the silver that surged were black, bottomless pupils. They held nothing of the warmth that exuded from Kaige’s eyes.
I shuddered.
“The alchemists were right. It’s like nothing I’ve ever smelled in my life. It’s sweet yet savory, pungent and powerful.” He moved closer, as if his legs were no longer under his control. His eyes glazed over.
From my periphery, I spotted the broomstick tossed on the floor. I slowly inched my way toward it.
His dark gaze followed my every move, like a lion stalking a gazelle. My heart pumped so hard I was sure he could hear it. It was probably the reason he was going nuts.
“Stop moving.” Power oozed from his deep voice. I immediately recognized it as compulsion and squeezed my eyes shut. “Open your eyes, human,” he growled.
I slid to the floor and splayed my fingers, reaching for the sharp pole. Kaige’s brother lunged, and I thrust my arm out with the pointy end up. The nocturne impaled himself on the wood, the force of his own weight propelling the stake right through his torso. Angry navy eyes peered down at me as a scream tore out of his throat. He fell back, clutching the pole and I scrambled to get away.
Behind me, a sickening squelch echoed in the quiet room. It was like a shoe wrenching free of thick mud. My stomach twisted. I raced to the door, wrapping my clammy fingers around the handle. The wooden stick clattered to the floor. Before I could yank the door open, two hands closed down on my shoulders and sent me flying through the air.
I hit the bed with a thunk, my head bouncing off the headboard. Son of a—! My head spun, stars dancing across my vision.
“You stupid human. Do you really think you can overpower me?”
I tried to focus on the freakishly familiar face hovering over me. “It was worth a shot,” I hissed, trying to infuse as much venom in my voice as I could.
He sat back on his heels, his dark eyes scrutinizing me. “What are you doing in Draconis with my brother?”
I clenched my teeth together. I wasn’t telling this guy anything.
His eyes began to swirl silver again, and I quickly shut mine.
A harsh laugh slithered from his lips. “I see you’re familiar with compulsion.” I could feel his gaze running over me once again, setting off an avalanche of goose bumps. “And yet, I don’t see a bite mark on you. If my brother hasn’t been feeding from you, what have you two been up to?”
I peeked through narrowed lids. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Perhaps I can make you remember.” His fangs burst out and fire blazed in his irises.
“Wait!”
He glared at me, a dribble of saliva hanging from his mouth.
“The prophecy—you can’t drink human blood. You’ll be killed.”
A wicked grin split his lips. “I’ve never really been one to follow the rules. Didn’t Kaige tell you? I’m the bad brother.” His eyes fixed on my neck.
My pulse quickened. I willed my heart to slow down to stop being so damn tempting.
“Besides, if the rumors are true, human blood will make me stronger. It will give me just the advantage I need to best my brother in the trials. You can’t tell me that’s not why he’s been keeping you.”
“It’s not! He’s never fed from me, and he would never hurt me.” I clapped my hand over my mouth. Stupid, stupid Solaris.
His head cocked to the side. “Do you actually care for my brother?” A maniacal chuckle burst from his lips, and his fangs retracted.
“Of course not.” I narrowed my eyes.
“Because speaking of the prophecy—what you two are doing together is far worse than me taking a little taste…” His eyes veered to my neck again.
I swallowed hard, chasing away the dryness creeping up my throat.
I blinked and he was on top of me, his muscular arms caging me in. I lurched back and hit the wrought iron backboard. There was nowhere to go.
His fangs lengthened, and his tongue ran over their pointy ends. “We’re twin brothers after all, human. We share everything.” He closed the distance between us.
A frantic scream tore out of my mouth.
Chapter 17
Solaris
Splintered wood torpedoed into the cabin as the door along with its hinges crashed through the entrance. Two hands appeared and wrenched my attacker off me. One second his deadweight bore down on me, and the next, his six-foot frame was soaring through the air. It smacked into the wall with a satisfying whack.
Kaige’s eyes blazed pure molten steel. Sharp fangs glistened, and a terrifying snarl curled his lips. Red-hot fury burned in my chest, and I knew it didn’t belong to me.
Xander sat up and leaned against the wall. Blood trickled out of his nose and mouth. A wicked grin played on his lips. “You must be out of your mind, brother.”
Kaige glared at him, the silver glowing from narrowed slits.
“You’re keeping a human as what, a pet?”
“Xander, this is none of your concern,” he hissed.
His brother chuckled. “Are you serious right now? You’ve committed treason. Even if I weren’t the prince of Draconis it would be my duty to report you.”
I forced myself to breathe as my eyes bounced back and forth between the twins. Besides the hair they really were almost impossible to tell apart. Did that mean Xander was as strong as Kaige? If he was, I was so screwed.
He scowled at his brother, pushing back wild waves of jet-black hair. “I haven’t fed from her, Xander. I haven’t technically broken the rules.”
“You have a human in Draconis! Her mere presence here with you is grounds for death.”
Kaige clenched his fists at his sides. The surge of emotions rushing through the bond was all consuming. Anger, fear, guilt and finally indecision. “I’m sending her back to Imera today. I only found her this morning. Her plane crashed in the Shadow Lands, and I went to check it out. That was all.”
Xander arched a dark brow. “Only today? And why didn’t you leave her out there?”
My heart lodged in my throat. Was he going to tell Xander about the crates of blood?
Kaige’s expression went blank. I felt nothing. All the battling emotions went cold, and a
chill raced up my spine.
“She was unconscious and bleeding when I found her. I couldn’t resist. I thought maybe I could—”
“Could what, brother?” He stood, his dark blue eyes gleaming. “Don’t tell me that Mr. Perfect considered feeding from a human and risked tempting the prophecy?” He opened his mouth and threw the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. “Why, what would father say? The future king of Draconis putting his people at risk for a tasty bite?”
“But I didn’t,” Kaige growled.
“Well I’d say I didn’t believe you, but the human already admitted as much.”
Kaige’s troubled gaze flicked to me then back to his brother. I tried to feel for him through the bond, but it was like he had completely turned off his emotions.
Xander’s brows furrowed as he watched the exchange. He sauntered back and forth along the length of the wall. “No. There’s something else going on here. What aren’t you telling me, Kaige?”
“Nothing. I already told you everything.”
Xander strode toward him and jabbed a finger in his chest. “I don’t believe you.”
Kaige grabbed his brother by the shirt collar and lifted him off the floor. “I’m tired of this interrogation. Go back to the castle and let me deal with the human.”
Xander threw his head forward and head-butted Kaige, the crack reverberating across the room. Kaige stumbled back as a slew of curses fired from his mouth.
“If you won’t tell me the truth, I’ll just compel it out of her.” Xander stalked toward me as panic unfurled in my chest. He couldn’t find out about the crates.
“Stop!” shouted Kaige. “I’ve already compelled her. She doesn’t remember anything.”
Xander turned to his brother about a foot away from the bed. I was curled up in the corner, trying to get as far away as possible from the psycho prince. He rubbed his chin and grunted. “I suppose that is a problem.”
“No, it’s a solution.” Kaige stalked toward his twin and grabbed his arm. “I’m bringing her back to the border of the Shadow Lands and Imera. I’ll wipe her mind clean one more time, and she’ll have no memory of any of this. Neither one of us has done anything wrong. The prophecy has remained intact.”