I’d tried describing the transition period to Sage once. She’d said it sounded like “the worst level of hangry.”
That was when I’d first learned the term “hangry.” Hungry plus angry equaled hangry. Sage said it all the time.
“We’re not with the demons,” I said. “We just saved all of the gifted humans who were living in that bunker from the demons. Including Raven. You were friends with Raven, right?”
“Raven.” The girl smiled as she repeated the name. “She said she was going to get us out of there. But I was taken away before she could…” Her eyes went far off again, horror filling them.
“Raven’s plan worked,” I assured her. Then I glanced back at Shivani. “She needs to be teleported to the Haven. Now. Mary will help her complete the transition.”
Shivani nodded and started to walk toward the girl. “What’s your name?” she asked, smiling kindly.
The girl blinked a few times, as if trying to remember.
Being in transition made the brain hazy.
“Jessica,” she finally said, glancing back and forth between Shivani and me. “What do you mean by ‘transition?’”
“The vampire that attacked you didn’t kill you,” I said. “They turned you.”
Her lips curled in disgust. “I don’t want to be a vampire,” she said. “I want to go back home to my family and be normal again.” She scooted back toward the staircase, pulled her knees up to her chest, and gazed up at us in terror. Her entire body shook—a side effect of the hunger.
“You can’t go back to being a human,” Shivani told her, kneeling down to get more on her level. “You need to complete the transition within three days after being turned, or you’ll die. The transition will be painless. I promise.” She held out her hand, looking at Jessica to take it. “We’ll take good care of you at the Haven.”
“No.” Jessica stared at Shivani’s hand, not taking it. “I don’t want to be a monster.”
“What you are doesn’t make you a monster.” I stood straighter, staring straight at her. “Only bad choices can make you a monster.”
“Thomas is right,” Shivani said. “There are many vampires living in the Haven, and the Haven is a place of peace. We keep order in the supernatural world. We protect humanity. If you come with us, you can be a part of that. You can join our family.”
“Being a vampire isn’t so bad,” I added. “We’re strong and immortal. And since you were gifted as a human, your gift will heighten as a vampire.”
She stared at me like I was speaking a different language.
It was probably best to just show her.
“I was a gifted human too,” I said. “I had a knack for technology. Now, I can control it.” I touched the wall to connect with the electrical system in the house. My mind tapped into it instantly. From there, I made the lights blink off and back on again one after the other, like they were dancing. “Pretty cool. Right?”
“I guess it’s kind of cool,” she admitted with a small smile.
Good. It sounded like she was coming around.
“What’s your gift?” I asked her.
“I can tell when people are lying or telling the truth,” she said.
“That’s a powerful gift,” I said. “You’ll be able to do a lot of good with it.”
“You certainly will,” Shivani said, looking down at Jessica in awe. “The Haven has never come across a human with such a gift before. Mary—our leader—will be so excited to meet you.”
Jessica looked back and forth between Shivani and I again, sizing us up. “If I go with you, I won’t be a prisoner,” she said. “Right? I’ll be able to leave whenever I want?”
“You won’t be a prisoner,” Shivani assured her. “But we’d love for you to stay. The Haven is a literal haven for all supernaturals. You’ll be safe with us. I promise.”
“You’re telling the truth,” Jessica said.
“I am,” Shivani replied. “And once you’re at the Haven, we’ll answer all your questions and ease you through your transition. All you need to do is take my hand. I’ll transport you there straightaway.”
“And that’s where the others from the bunker are?” she asked. “At the Haven?”
“They’re there, and they’re safe,” I said, and she nodded.
Her gift was making this easy. Anyone else in her position probably wouldn’t have believed us this quickly. But because of her gift, she knew we were being honest with her. It was refreshing, to say the least.
“For their own safety, you won’t be able to see the others until you complete your transition and we see how you handle yourself around humans,” I said. “Some vampires have an easier time with blood lust than others. But you truly are in the best of hands at the Haven. I was turned by Mary and eased through my transition in the Haven as well. And I turned out just fine.”
She bit her lower lip and wrapped her arms around her stomach, apparently still thinking about it. “Once I complete the transition, will this awful pain go away?” she asked.
The hunger pains. Of course.
“It will,” I promised.
“All right.” She reached forward and took Shivani’s hand, looking focused for the first time since she’d come flying down the steps. “Take me to the Haven.”
15
Noah
Cassandra’s funeral pyre was a ceremony fit for a hero, just as Mary had promised.
It was attended by all the supernaturals of the Haven, supernaturals close to Cassandra who lived at the Bettencourt who had teleported in for the ceremony, and Raven. Since Raven had a cloaking ring that hid her scent, she was able to attend without driving the less controlled vampires of the Haven into a blood lust frenzy.
I stood near the front with Thomas, Raven, and Jessica, who had just completed her transition into a vampire. Jessica hadn’t left Raven’s side since the two of them were reunited.
We all wore the white pants and tops provided for us by the Haven. I didn’t like dressing like everyone else. It felt like some sort of cult. But Raven had insisted I wear it, to be respectful at the funeral. So I did.
Cassandra was laid out upon the stacked logs, which had been carved with intricate designs by the witches. The swirling symbols were supposed to ease her transition into the Beyond.
Her body had been prepared beautifully. The wounds she’d suffered during her death had been magically restored. She was dressed in a purple gown that Thomas said she loved, her makeup and hair done up like a princess.
Shivani and three other of the most powerful witches in the Haven gathered around each point of the pyre to commence the ceremony.
As Thomas was the closest person there to Cassandra, he went around in the circle and lit the watered dirt each witch held in her hand on fire. As he did, his eyes glimmered with tears.
It was unnerving to see the stone cold vampire prince show vulnerability.
Once all the witches held a glowing ball of fire in their hands, Thomas rejoined our group in the front.
“Earth, Water, Fire, and Air,” Shivani began, and the witches all chanted together in Latin. Once the spell was completed, they blew on the fire in their palms.
Within seconds, Cassandra and the pyre were consumed in a swirling orb of yellow magic. The magic shot up into the sky and met with the stars above. There was a blinding flash, and Cassandra—along with the pyre she’d been resting on—was gone.
Raven squeezed my hand the entire time. I felt her nerves pulsing through the imprint bond. I’d warned her about the supernatural funeral ceremony ahead of time, so she wouldn’t be alarmed. But it was still a shock to see every time.
“She’s in the Beyond now,” I murmured in Raven’s ear. “Her body has been reunited with her soul, and she’s whole again.”
After explaining the funeral pyre to Raven, she’d explained to me that humans buried their dead.
I already knew that, of course. Supernaturals were aware of human customs. We found the concept of burying t
he dead to be strange.
How were bodies supposed to reunite with their souls in the Beyond if they were buried on Earth?
Realizing I’d become lost in my thoughts, I refocused on the funeral. People had started filtering out to return to the courtyard. There, those closest to Cassandra would sit and be greeted by everyone offering their condolences. There would also be a lot of food. That was something supernatural funerals had in common with human funerals—there was never a lack of things to eat.
Raven and I had just finished making ourselves sandwiches at the buffet when someone tapped on my shoulder.
I turned around and saw the one person I’d been hoping I wouldn’t run into on this trip.
“Karina,” I said her name, standing straighter at the sight of her.
Her dark brown hair was loose and flowing over her shoulders—a far cry from the tight, pinned up-dos she used to wear. Her green eyes sparkled, and she looked happier than ever.
I had a feeling that happiness had to do with the man standing beside her. He was only a few inches taller than she was, and kind of small for a dude. His appearance was average, at best. But his eyes gleamed with intense intelligence beyond what one even expected from the oldest of vampires. It was like he knew everything about me just from looking at me.
Whenever Karina had spoken of Peter, it had always been about his mind. That was what had drawn her to him during their first conversation on board that old boat she’d met him on. So I wasn’t surprised that he looked smart.
“Noah.” She smiled, giddy as she exchanged glances with the man standing next to her. This was a side of her I’d never seen before. It suited her. “I’d like you to meet my husband Peter.”
I held out my hand, which he took in a firm shake. “Nice to meet you,” I said.
“And you,” he replied. “I heard you protected Karina during the Battle at the Vale.”
“We worked together,” I said. “But Karina can hold her own. As I’m sure you know.”
“I do.” He glanced over at her with an adoring smile. When he returned his focus to me, he was serious once more. “But she was in great danger in the Vale, and you kept her safe. For that, I’m forever in your debt.”
I nodded and shuffled my feet. I wasn’t about to reject his offer of an alliance—it could come in handy someday. But this whole exchange was awkward. I could only assume that Karina had been honest with Peter about everything that had happened in the Vale.
Which meant he must know about the brief relationship she’d had with me. If it could even be called that.
The strangest thing was, looking at Karina and Peter together now, all I felt was happiness for them. I’d cared for Karina, yes. I’d even thought I was in love with her.
Now that I’d met Raven, I realized that I’d never been truly in love with Karina. Infatuated and attracted to her, sure. And I had truly cared about her.
But it hadn’t been love. Of that, I was now sure.
And now that the four of us were standing next to the buffet, I realized I still hadn’t introduced them to Raven. “This is Raven,” I said, reaching for her waist and pulling her closer to me. “Raven, this is Karina and Peter. Like Peter said, Karina and I worked together during the Battle of the Vale. It’s a long story. And Peter…” I paused, not quite sure how to drop that one on her.
“I came back from the dead,” he said simply. “Or rather, Karina brought me back.”
“How so?” Raven tilted her head, intrigued.
“She made a deal with a faerie.”
Raven’s mouth dropped open. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her so surprised. And that was saying a lot, given everything thrown at her these past few weeks.
She got a hold of herself and turned to me. “You and Sage never told me about faeries,” she said, looking like a pup seeing the Northern Lights for the first time. “They truly exist? Real, actual faeries?”
“They live in the Otherworld.” I shrugged. “They don’t come to Earth often.”
Karina looked between Raven and me with a knowing smile. “I think we’ll leave the two of you to discuss the fae,” she said. “I’m thirsty, and there’s a bar full of spiced animal blood calling our names. It was nice catching up with you, Noah. I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
“You, too,” I said, meaning it. “But one more question. Did you ever get your memories back?”
“No,” she smiled wistfully. “Fae magic is stronger than anything on Earth. But it doesn’t matter. True love is true love. My memories may be gone, but the feelings are still there. Peter’s filling me in on the details I’ve forgotten.”
She took Peter’s hand, and together, they walked across the courtyard to the bar.
Watching them walk away felt surreal. Like an out of body experience.
If you’d asked me months ago how I’d feel seeing them together again, I wouldn’t have believed I’d truly be happy for them. Back then, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to see Karina without my chest hurting with the emptiness of what I’d lost with her. I didn’t think I’d ever stop wishing she’d chosen me over Peter. Sure, I’d understood why she’d done it. If you love someone enough to make a deal with the fae to bring them back from the dead, you pick that person. But it still hurt. I hadn’t thought it would ever stop hurting.
It’s crazy how much can change in such a short period of time.
Raven was still looking at me, although her shock over the fae had turned into a smirk. “Tell me I’m not going crazy,” she said. “But did I just meet one of your ex-girlfriends?”
“It was never anything official,” I said, leading her over to an empty table where we could eat our sandwiches. “But yes. Karina and I have a history.”
I went on to tell her the basics of what had happened with Karina during her time at the Vale. It wasn’t easy, but Raven deserved to know everything. We were imprinted. Besides, I had nothing to hide. Karina and I had been a thing before Raven and I had met. Now that I knew Raven, I’d never dream of looking back.
“I really am happy for her and Peter,” I finished. “Especially because if Karina hadn’t brought him back from the Beyond, I never would have met you.”
Raven nodded, although her eyes were far off. She was focused on Karina and Peter, who were sipping from glasses of blood as they offered Thomas and the others who had come in from the Bettencourt their condolences.
“You have nothing to be jealous of.” I reached for Raven’s chin and forced her eyes to meet mine. “I love you. Only you.”
“I’m not jealous.” She glanced down at her hands, as if embarrassed.
“But you’re not happy.”
“No.” She shifted in place and swallowed, clearly nervous. “It’s just… Karina’s a vampire who’s been around for over a century. She’s experienced. In ways I’m not.”
It didn’t take a genius—or our imprint bond—to realize she was talking about intimacy. “You and I imprinted,” I said. “We’re connected in a way Karina and I could never be. Besides, once we’re mated, you’ll get plenty of experience. I promise you that.”
Raven’s cheeks turned red, and I couldn’t help it—I leaned forward and kissed her. Just a light peck.
I stopped myself from deepening the kiss. We were at a funeral, after all.
Her eyes got that dreamy look they always got whenever we kissed. But she quickly regained focus.
I could feel through our imprint bond that her worry about comparing herself to Karina had been vanquished.
“Come on.” She collected our empty plates with one hand and reached for mine with the other. “We should go be with Thomas. This is the only night he has to grieve. He needs those closest to him right now… even though he won’t admit it.”
I followed her, since she was right. Tonight, we’d grieve Cassandra.
Tomorrow, we were off to Avalon.
16
Raven
Today was the day.
I was going to Avalon.
It didn’t feel real. Because I had to admit—there was a part of me that had worried I wouldn’t make it through the hunt. That I’d die before being able to save my mom.
But it had been a risk I’d been willing to take. After all, she’d do the same for me.
I played with the bangles around my wrist as Noah and I took the elevator from our floor down to the lobby. The bangles had been my mom’s. The witches had collected them—plus other items owned by the gifted humans—from the bunker. After returning from the reconnaissance mission, they’d laid out all the items and told us to claim what was ours.
I’d been wearing my mom’s bangles since, along with my cloaking ring and lapis lazuli pendant that Thomas had personally returned to me.
Noah reached out his hand to stop me from playing with the bracelets. “It’s going to be fine,” he assured me.
“I’m not nervous,” I said, bouncing on my feet. But who was I kidding? Of course I was nervous. And if there was anyone I could open up to, it was Noah. “Okay,” I admitted. “I’m nervous.”
“Really?” Noah looked at me, smirked, and raised an eyebrow. “I couldn’t tell.”
The elevator doors opened, and the sense of comfort I’d felt from the second before evaporated. Because last night, after Cassandra’s funeral, Mary had told us that anyone who planned on going to Avalon was to meet in the lobby the next night.
Much to Noah’s digress, we were fifteen minutes early. I didn’t like to risk being late. Even if the meeting spot was just an elevator ride away.
Mary was already waiting there, along with Shivani and some of the other witches who would be teleporting us to the Vale. Because no one—not even the most powerful witches in the world—could teleport straight to Avalon.
Avalon’s location was hidden from everyone but those who had been there before. Therefore, the vampire kingdom of the Vale acted as a “gate” for people to get to Avalon. Mary had been in touch with the king of the Vale—King Alexander—to brief him on everything that had happened with the gifted humans and our escape from the bunker. He was expecting our arrival today.
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