by G. K. DeRosa
“Are you going to get out, human?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, pouring hatred through my green irises. “Can you give me a hand?”
His lip turned up in a snarl, as if the idea of touching me was utterly repulsive.
“Never mind. I got it.” I threw my bound legs over the ledge of the trunk and hopped out. It was a good thing my broken leg had healed.
Xander stared at me with a perverse look in his eye, his fangs hanging out. Castle De La Divin loomed over us, towering against the pale moonlit sky. It sat perched atop a hill, a veritable fortress on a rolling plain. Directly in front of us was an iron gate hidden at the foot of the hill. Tangled vines and overgrown shrubbery concealed the secret entrance. A nocturne dressed in soldier attire stared straight ahead.
“Stay here,” Xander growled.
“It’s not like I have much of a choice.” I dipped my head toward the restraints around my wrists and ankles.
He marched toward the guard and whispered a few words I couldn’t make out no matter how hard I strained to hear. A few seconds later, he was back with the soldier. The nocturne wore a black jacket with matching slacks. A gold nameplate on his breast pocket read Nyx. I glanced up at the tall man, expecting to see fangs, but instead a dazed expression flashed across his sharp, angled face.
Without a word, Nyx bent down and picked me up, swinging me over his shoulder. I pounded on his back, but the big guy didn’t flinch.
“He’s compelled. Don’t waste your time.” Xander appeared next to me, only upside down.
We walked through the gate and down a narrow staircase lit by rusty lanterns. The air was dense with moisture and the smell of decay. “Where are you taking me?”
“To the royal family’s private dungeon. I can’t have anyone else knowing about you yet.”
“What are you going to do to me?” I tried to hold my head up to keep all the blood from rushing to it. The last thing I needed was to pass out right now.
“I’m going to turn you in, just as I said. I’ll finally impress my father, Kaige will lose the trials, and I’ll be crowned king of Draconis.” He frowned. “Don’t worry, you’ll be dead long before all of that.”
The guard came to a halt in front of a row of thick iron bars. Xander swung the door open, and I was tossed inside. I landed on my knees, a sharp pain piercing up my legs. Holy hell! I sucked in a breath as my vision darkened, and I fell forward.
“Go back to your post, Nyx. Do not come down here for any reason and do not allow anyone beside me to enter.”
The guard nodded, his eyes glazed over, then marched out. The cell door slammed shut with a depressing ring of finality. I ground my teeth and pushed myself back up, ignoring the tremor in my chest. There’s no way I’d let this guy think I was weak.
Xander eyed me as I scooted back against the wall. Cold jagged edges poked into my spine, but I convinced myself it was better than leaving my back exposed.
“Is it true—what my brother said? That he only found you this morning?”
“Yes,” I snarled.
His frighteningly familiar navy eyes trailed over me. “And how is it that you survived a plane crash without so much as a scratch?”
I shrugged, lowering my gaze. “Just lucky, I guess.”
He huffed and skulked closer. “You know, there are rumors that in the old days, vampire blood could heal humans. Do you believe there is any truth to that?” His dark eyes sparkled under the dim light of the lanterns, and I hated how much they reminded me of Kaige. My chest tightened, and I couldn’t tell if the twinge of loss was his or mine.
“How would I know if it’s true or not? All I know about nocturnes is what I learned from a textbook.”
“Hmm. Yes, perhaps,” Xander tugged at his chin, an annoying habit he apparently had, “because if my brother had fed you his blood and the rumors are true, he could have healed any wound you may have sustained—including one caused by him feeding from you.”
“I already told you, he never fed from me!” I shouted louder than I had intended to. Just being in his presence made me sick. I couldn’t look at him and not think of Kaige. My stomach twisted. How could Kaige have betrayed me like that?
I blinked and Xander’s face was inches from mine. His breath was coming out hard and fast, and his fangs had lengthened. “Because if it is true, I could just have a little taste and no one would ever have to know,” he hissed, his warm breath at my ear making my hair stand on end.
I couldn’t let him bite me and give me his blood, then I’d have a bond with him too. Acid churned in my stomach at the thought. I so did not want to have Xander’s vile feelings rolling around inside me. I had enough to manage with Kaige’s alone. “It can’t be true,” I finally spat out. I narrowed my eyes, fixing them on his swirling silver ones. “If it were, don’t you think Kaige would have fed from me? You said it yourself, it would’ve given him an edge in the trials.”
“So I’m simply supposed to take your word for it?”
Oh crap. He was going to compel me, and he’d find out everything. He’d know about the crates on the plane and that Kaige gave me his blood. Kaige’s blood. The vial hidden in my pocket; I had to drink it.
I started to cough and Xander lurched back. He was probably scared I was going to infect him with some human disease. I coughed again, this time more violently and spun around to face the wall. My shoulders heaved as I drew out the coughing fit long enough to get the vial out of my pocket. I uncorked it and chugged its contents. The warm thick substance slid down my throat, and I had to suppress the urge to gag. Oh man, that was so disgusting.
I took a breath, and my chest constricted. I tried to take another breath and pain shot through my ribcage. Invisible hands squeezed my lungs. What the hell? A flurry of emotions surged through the blood bond, nearly knocking me over. The blood. Kaige’s feelings re-intensified. I reached for the wall to keep from collapsing from the onslaught.
“Are you quite finished?” Xander’s cold voice snapped me right out of it.
I turned back around to find him hovering a few feet away. “Yes. Sorry, it must be this cold, damp cell.” I crossed my hands over my chest, praying that he hadn’t noticed.
He closed the space between us with two of his long strides and grabbed my jaw. He forced my gaze to meet his, and words began to flow from his mouth, smooth and powerful. Bright silver orbs consumed my vision.
“Did Kaige feed from you?”
“No.”
He let out a low growl. “Is it true that he just found you today?”
“Yes.”
“Your plane crashed in the Shadow Lands?”
“Yes.”
He curled his fingers into a fist and smashed the wall just to the side of my head. I ground my teeth together so not to flinch as the rock crumbled to the ground.
“How is it possible?” he shouted and leapt to his feet. “How could my brother have so much restraint?”
His fangs descended as he paced back and forth like a caged lion. “All I want to do is rip into your flesh.” He took a few steps toward me then staggered back. “But that damn prophecy!”
I wasn’t sure whether or not I was still supposed to be compelled so I kept quiet.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I will turn you in. I will do what the law requires. I must.”
My body went slack, all the pressure in my chest suddenly releasing. My brows knitted together as I tried to figure out the strange feeling coming over me. Or lack of feeling. All the pain, anguish, and remorse that had weighed me down since I left Kaige disappeared. Our bond. It was gone.
“What’s the matter with you?”
“Huh?” I tried to pull it together, schooling my expression. “Nothing.”
“Your body did this strange thing.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. It reminded me of a puppet being cut off of its strings.”
That’s exactly what it felt like. But I’d just taken more of Kaige’
s blood—how was it possible? I glared up at his nauseatingly familiar face. “I’m tired, Xander. It’s been a really long day. If you’re going to turn me in, can you just get it over with?”
“Are all humans as impertinent as you?”
I shrugged. “It’s not the worst thing I’ve been called.” I leaned back against the wall, and a sharp edge dug into my back. I cried out as the rock ripped my blouse.
Xander’s nostrils flared.
Oh crap. Drops of blood trickled down my back.
He was on top of me before I could move. He jerked me onto my feet as he stared at my back, the blood oozing through the silky fabric. His eyes blazed, his sharp fangs gleaming.
I tried to squirm out of his grasp. “Don’t do this, Xander. Remember the prophecy.”
“Screw the prophecy.”
He yanked on my arm, pulling me into him and sharp fangs pierced my flesh. I lost all control as a shriek tore out of my lips.
Chapter 20
Solaris
I scraped myself off the floor and sat up, my entire body sore. My head spun as I scanned my bleak surroundings. I rolled my neck and winced. Damn Xander for biting me and me being too weak to fight him. Black and blue splotches mottled my neck and continued down my arm. I gently ran my fingers over the puncture wound. Crusty blood flaked off, turning my stomach. Thank goodness I’d blacked out while he was feeding on me. I thought I’d never wake up again. At least the nocturne prince had some self-control.
My stomach rumbled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten much of anything in days. Kaige’s blood was hardly sustenance. A pang ripped through my heart, creating a tiny fracture across its surface. The worst part was that this pain was all mine. I hadn’t felt Kaige since right after taking his blood, and I felt hollow and empty like a Halloween pumpkin with its insides scooped out. Why did he give me his blood? It was clear now that he didn’t care about me at all. It must have been to save his own butt. He didn’t want me spilling his secrets.
As much as I hated the thought of seeing Xander again, I hoped he’d turn me in and get this over with. If Kaige’s blood were still in my system when the royal guards questioned me, the existence of the blood bags on the plane would die along with me. At least I could help avoid a war.
Footsteps echoed down the dark corridor. I frantically searched my cell for a weapon of some sort. There was nothing. Black dirt and impenetrable stone walls boxed me in. At least Xander had untied my hands and feet so I could run if given the opportunity. And claw and bite. I wasn’t above any of that.
“Good morning, human.”
My throat tightened, and my stupid traitorous heart accelerated at the sight of his face. A face that didn’t belong with that hollow voice and those cold eyes.
Xander’s fangs dropped the moment he unlocked the cell door. He closed it behind him, but I never heard the lock engage. A twinge of hope simmered inside.
He loomed closer and for the first time I noticed subtle differences between the handsome princes. Besides the straight hair, Xander’s nose had a small bump as if he’d broken it and it never properly healed. This twin’s face was narrower and drawn, while Kaige’s cheekbones were less pronounced. Kaige was decidedly the better looking of the two. Stop that. Don’t think about him.
“Why are you staring at me?” Xander’s rough voice interrupted my inner ramblings.
“I’m not.”
He stalked back and forth in front of me, his hands trembling. He wedged them inside his pockets after a few passes. His breath was coming in ragged gasps, as if he’d run all the way over here. He finally stopped and squared off with me.
“I’m turning you in to my father today.”
“Fine.”
Red-rimmed eyes stared at me, dark shadows lining underneath. They traveled down my face to my neck and the blood-encrusted wound. He swallowed and wiped away a drop of saliva from the corner of his mouth. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
I’d seen this before. Not in a nocturne obviously, but in humans who had become addicted to pharmaceuticals. Our neighbor had been arrested and sent to prison for trading goods in exchange for others’ monthly pharmaceutical allowances. I remembered the crazed look in his eye. It was exactly like the one staring at me now.
The hair on the back of my nape prickled. If Xander bit me again, I wasn’t sure he’d have enough control to stop.
I took a step back. “So when are you taking me to your father?”
He staggered as if I’d punched him in the stomach. He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Soon.”
I took a long breath trying to slow my elevating heartbeat. It was thudding so loudly I could hear it. I didn’t want to think about what it was doing to Xander. He was pacing again, his shoulder blades squeezed together.
“Tell me something,” he whirled around. “How is it that you ended up flying over the Shadow Lands anyway? That area is restricted to government personnel only, is it not?”
I nodded. “I’m not really one to follow rules either.”
“I thought that no one in Imera was wealthy enough to own an airplane, except maybe someone from the Collective.”
“They’re not. I stole it from them.”
His jaw dropped, showcasing his gleaming white fangs. “Well, I didn’t expect that answer.”
“I imagine you wouldn’t have. You don’t know a thing about me.”
His jaw twitched. “I know your blood is extraordinary, and it’s all I can think about.”
I gulped. And I’d thought I’d been doing so well keeping him distracted. “You have to forget about it. Once you turn me in, you’ll never have human blood again.”
He cursed. “That damn prophecy. How could something so good be so wrong?” He crouched down in front of me. “Do you have any idea how alive I felt after just a taste? It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. But the hunger—the hunger it has awoken inside me is relentless.”
His eyes veered to my throat again, his pupils blazing silver. Paralyzing fear rushed through every cell in my body. Now I knew how a deer felt.
“You can’t bite me again, Xander. You could kill me, and then Kaige won’t honor his side of the bargain and throw the trials.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but even I could hear the panic building.
“What would it matter to my dear brother? What difference would it make if I kill you or the royal guards do?”
Good point. It’s not like he cares about me or anything. I wrung my hands together. “Because you promised him, and a deal is a deal.” It was the best I could come up with.
His navy eyes narrowed. “And you say you only spent a day with my twin? It seems you know him better than most.”
“I’m good at reading people.”
A smirk pulled at his lips, and I shuddered at the thought of another pair of similar lips I’d recently had a close encounter with.
“So what am I thinking right now?”
I chewed on my lower lip. “You’re torn. You want my blood, but you know it’s wrong. Very wrong. You want to be king more than anything, and so you’ll make the right decision. You’ll turn me in now before you do something you’ll regret.”
He raked his hands over his face and let out a long sigh. “I already have done something I regret, and I don’t know that I can ever go back.” He leaned in and sniffed my neck.
A thousand spider legs crawled over my skin. I suppressed a shudder and remained perfectly still. “You don’t want to do this, Xander. The more you have the more you’ll crave.”
“But I just can’t help myself.” His tongue darted out and flicked over the dried blood.
Oh vomit. I swallowed down the acid crawling up my throat. I shifted and brushed up against something. I glanced down and found the glass vial wedged between the wall and my thigh.
Xander’s fangs scraped over my neck, sending a trail of goose bumps over my flesh. I grabbed the vial and smashed it into the side of his face. He staggered back, a string of curses eruptin
g from his mouth as blood drenched his cheek. I jumped up and dashed toward the door, praying it wasn’t locked. I wrapped my fingers around the bars and pulled. It swung open. Yes!
I raced down the dark corridor, my heart lodged in my throat. I pumped my arms back and forth as I sped toward the opening at the end of the tunnel.
Two hands clamped down on my shoulders, and I stopped breathing.
Xander pulled me into his chest as I kicked and squirmed. It was no use; he was much too strong. One arm fastened around my waist, and the other twisted my head to the side.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his incisors lengthen. “No! Please, don’t!”
“I have to. I need it.”
His fangs tore into my flesh, and my head fell back. The searing pain ripped through my neck like a hundred hot knives. Black seeped into the corners of my vision, but I fought the urge to pass out. I had to fight. I had to stay alive.
Chapter 21
Kaige
A knife whizzed through the air, skimming my nape so close that cold metal brushed against my skin. I jumped onto the next pillar, quickly catching my balance and dodging another dagger. Every move was purposeful and precise. My senses were in overdrive. Adrenaline hemorrhaged through my veins, forcing my heart to beat faster. A bead of sweat ran down my temple.
The actual trials would be ten times more intense. Nocturnes would crowd the stadium seats in the arena, their eyes glued to us. And the blades would be sharp. The ones thrown at me now by the royal guards were dulled. If they hit me, it would still hurt like hell, but it wouldn’t puncture my body.
I scoffed over the effort I was exerting to practice something I planned to lose. If Xander held up his end of the bargain and kept his mouth shut, he’d become king. And Solaris would die.