by Ava Benton
I blinked hard and tried to think back.
An entire century and more had passed.
When would I have met her? She was obviously a witch, but why would we have known each other? I had served as Nightwarden to another then, but this wasn’t her.
“I don’t know you,” I finally admitted.
“Understood. I suppose you were too involved with your new charge at the time to notice the presence of the High Council during the ritual.”
“You were part of the High Council?”
Yet she looked as though she lived in the woods and bathed in dirt. From what I remembered of the Council’s witches, they were serene and lovely and lived in what amounted to a castle somewhere in New York State. Perhaps things had changed.
“Was. Past tense.” She took more water, then splashed some of it on her face and rubbed her hand over her skin. All that did was smear the dirt around. “They… released me from service many years ago.”
“Why? I didn’t know such a thing was possible. It seemed to me to be a…”
“Life sentence?” she suggested ruefully. “Sort of like yours.”
“Not my entire life. Only a thousand years.” The thousand years all the vampires Ralf would get credit for that we, his creations, had to serve as nothing more than indentured servants, conscripted guardians.
“Right. Of course.”
She’d piqued my curiosity. “Why did they release you?”
It must have been for a very serious infraction. Or perhaps because she went crazy. Did people go crazy anymore? Evidently so, since she believed she was in love with my Sire, a vampire no one but a chosen few had seen in hundreds of years.
“Because I fell in love. A long, long time ago. I kept it hidden from them, my sisters, and they allowed me to remain Ralf’s guardian because they weren’t aware of how deep my connection with him ran.”
I raised a brow. The story was dubious, but there was a chance it was true. Perhaps. “And Ralf? How did he feel about this?”
How could I believe her? She sounded like a raving lunatic. Falling in love with the vampire she was to guard while he was imprisoned.
“He loved me, too.” She said it so simply, so plainly, that I knew she believed herself.
I felt it, too—even the small bit of blood she had dripped into my mouth gave me insight into her emotions. She did love him, and she did believe her feelings were returned.
Whether they were was not for me to say.
I remembered Ralf well enough to remember how his self-interest came above all. He had created us, his “family,” and it was his selfish hunger which had damned us to a millennium of service to the witches descended from the coven of that original High Sorceress. The one whose daughter Ralf fed on and killed, even though he knew who she was.
“How long did you know him?” I asked. “How many years did you spend with him?”
“One-hundred and seventeen,” she announced with pride. As though it were a badge of honor. “You were in stasis when the others found us out. They banished me from the High Council and forbade me from ever seeing him again. I’ve looked for him all this time, many years. In vain.”
“All that time and you weren’t able to get back to him?”
“You look skeptical,” she murmured. “I cannot blame you for that. You see, they moved him elsewhere—and when the Council banished me, they wiped from my memory the exact location of this place, The Fold. Looking for Ralf on my own is an utter waste of time, though I have wasted more time than I would like to admit on the endeavor. One day, I had an idea. If I could find The Fold and wake one of you, you might be able to help me. Your Sire-bond must be strong enough to enable you to track him.”
The idea was too ludicrous for words.
I stammered, searching for a way to explain how deluded she had allowed herself to become. “I wouldn’t know where to start—besides, the bond doesn’t work that way. I’ve never been able to feel his presence except in the very early days, when our bond was at its strongest. I have spent so many years as a Nightwarden, feeding from witches like yourself, that his presence has faded in my consciousness.”
Her dark, troubled eyes searched my face, hoping to find something that wasn’t there. I was not lying. I hadn’t felt Ralf’s presence in my mind for longer than I could remember.
“I have not come all this way for you to turn me down,” she whispered. “I have not made the sacrifices I have made for you to put an end to my dreams. I must be with him. I must have my love.”
A single tear rolled down her cheek, and I averted my eyes. Physical displays of emotion had never meant much to me, and watching them made me uncomfortable. I couldn’t remember being human, feeling things at such a deep level.
Even so, I knew for certain that she wasn’t insane. Obsession and thwarted love had twisted her.
“What do you expect me to do, even when I’ve explained how things are?”
“I’m going to keep looking for him. I will. If I have to throw myself on the mercy of one of the covens, I’ll do that. If I have to reach out to a sorcerer to ask for information, I’ll do that. It doesn’t matter.”
“A sorcerer?” I winced at the thought. “I think what you’ve done here is dangerous enough without bringing a sorcerer into it.”
She sighed, standing, and brushed dirt off the seat of her trousers. That was a waste of time, since they were already filthy. How long had it been since she last took care of herself?
“Whether you believe this is a wise idea or not, you are part of this now. You’ve imprinted on me, and you’ll have to continue feeding from me if you expect to survive. Or make your presence known by feeding on humans, so that witches can find you and finish you off. Or you can indulge in the blood of forest creatures. I’m sure that will ease your thirst. ”
The thought turned my stomach, and I looked up at her with growing disgust—bordering on hatred, even. “I’ve been a slave to those of your kind for long enough.”
“And you won’t have to be a slave anymore, not once you help me find my love,” she replied almost instantly, as though she had anticipated my argument. “Once I find him and can be with him again, you can go away. Anywhere you want. There is no record of what happened to you. No one need know you’re with me. Once our work is finished, you’ll be free to go.”
“I won’t be able to feed from you once you disappear with Ralf, so why prolong the inevitable? Why risk myself now when I can go back to The Fold and ask forgiveness when the Council discovers what happened?” I stood, facing her. “What’s stopping me from going now?”
“I am.”
A flutter of movement flashed in the corner of my eye, and I assumed it was a bird or animal—until I caught sight of the rifle’s muzzle pressed against Claudia’s temple.
Claudia’s eyes flew open wide, mirroring my own.
We had been so deep in our argument that we hadn’t noticed that we had company.
“Lower that rifle,” I warned the stranger.
Definitely female from the sound of the voice. Small, compact, wearing men’s clothing the way Claudia did.
So it wasn’t a mistake, her dressing herself that way.
“Or what?” she hissed. She wore a cap with a long, wide brim which cast her face in shadow.
“Or I’ll be forced to disarm you. If not worse.”
She snickered. “You could try, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. You’ll have to be pretty fast.”
“I think you’d be surprised how fast I can be.” Only I wasn’t as fast as I could be, not without feeding more.
She managed to move quicker than I did, flinging her hand in my direction so fast and with so much force that she slammed me into a tree.
The air left my lungs, and I hit the ground with a gasp.
“Well, well, well,” I heard over the sound of my gasps for air. “You’re a vampire.”
I lifted my head and glared up at her. “And you’re a witch.”
3
Daniela
I looked at the witch I had been tracking for days. She could’ve thrown magic at me, but she didn’t. My instincts about her were right. I couldn’t wait to tell Gwyneth I was right. There was a reason I was leader of the group, and that my sister was only the second-in-command.
“And you. What are you doing so far from home?” I asked, shaking my head. “Don’t you know what can happen to a witch when she wanders this far off?”
“I didn’t wander,” the witch announced through clenched teeth.
“No. You’re on a very specific mission. I’ve been wondering ever since I first spotted you, what that mission could be. I saw you with this one over here—” I jerked my head in the vampire’s direction “—and I figured you’ve been stealing from The Fold. They won’t like that.”
He blindsided me before I even heard him get to his feet, and it was my turn to hit a tree trunk with a sickening thud.
My head spun, and my ribs ached as he hauled me to my feet and held me up against the rough bark with one hand around my neck.
Long, sharp claws dug into my throat, and I bit back a yelp of pain before I could give him the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting me.
Blood-red eyes stared into mine, only inches away, while razor-sharp fangs glinted with promise.
“What kind of scum hunts other witches?” he snarled.
I could’ve sworn his hot breath singed my skin.
“What kind of pathetic vampire guards a species which hates them?” I spat back. “You’re stronger than they are. Why not free yourself instead of playing patsy all this time?”
His hand tightened until I felt pressure building in my head. He was going to kill me.
“Kill me, and you kill your family,” I managed to choke with the little bit of breath I had left.
His expression shifted a little, and he loosened his grip enough to give me air.
“What does that mean?” he snarled, his breath almost painfully hot on my skin.
His entire being fairly vibrated with the desire to end my life; I could feel it.
“It means if I die, you all die.” I glared at him, daring him to push his luck. I wouldn’t back down. I wouldn’t let him see how terrified I was.
The way my pulse raced under his fingers probably told him everything he needed to know, anyway.
“Why would that happen?”
“Because she’s a descendant of the original coven, back in the old country,” the witch said, standing beside him. “Isn’t that right?”
My eyes left his and met hers.
I nodded as much as I could—his hand didn’t give me a lot of room to move my head. “Yes. Kill me, and the Sire and his family die. All of them.”
“How do I know this is true?” the vampire spat. “How do I know you’re not just another lying witch who’ll say anything to keep from getting what she deserves?”
“Try me,” I whispered. “See what happens.”
We stared each other down.
He didn’t want to believe me, but he couldn’t take the chance, either. His eyes cleared up a little, turned light blue instead of red. His claws and fangs retracted.
“Good thing you’re such a fast talker,” he snarled just before letting me go.
I didn’t realize until my feet touched the ground that they hadn’t been touching it all along. He had lifted me into the air and pinned me.
“Thanks.” I rubbed my throat and took a few deep breaths, fighting the urge to cough when I did.
I couldn’t afford to let him see my weakness. Why did she have to wake him up? I had her. I was so damn close to bringing her in.
He turned away, obviously trying to get himself under control. “Why the hell would anybody care if you lived or died?” he muttered, then looked over his shoulder. “If you’re a descendant of the coven, but you’re hunting other witches, why would anybody care?”
“You know how witches are,” I chuckled. “We have our little in-fights and backbiting, but when a millennium-long law is written, everybody’s covered. Even those of us who are no longer technically part of the covens descended from the Old Country.”
“Why aren’t you?” the witch asked.
She sounded a little too full of herself for my taste, seeing as how I could’ve blown her brains out. Not that I needed a rifle to attack her, but it generally convinced the person on the other end to listen when they were told to do something.
“Because not everybody agreed back then that it was a good idea to enslave the vampires sired by Ralf,” I admitted, shooting a dirty look in the vampire’s direction. “Though I’m starting to wonder why.”
“Who didn’t think it was a good idea?” He turned to me, frowning, squinting those otherworldly eyes of his.
His fine-chiseled features were like something carved by angels, and I had already felt the strength of his body when he pinned me to the tree.
He had the sort of presence that made a person want to step down and let him take control—which was exactly what I couldn’t let him do.
I had a responsibility.
“My ten-times great-grandmother,” I explained. “Isabella. Sister to Esmerelda, who Ralf murdered.”
“You’re descended from Beatrice and her daughter?” the witch asked. She sounded awed.
“I am.” I watched the vampire for any reaction.
His frown deepened. “I didn’t know Esmerelda had a sister.”
“Yes, well, after she disagreed with Beatrice’s decision to kill Ralf and his… progeny, Beatrice disowned her and banished her from the coven. I’ll spare you the last several hundred years. Now, we do what we can to balance the scales.”
“Who’s we?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“None of your business,” I hissed back.
“Why do you want me, though?” The witch’s chin trembled. “I mean you no harm. I don’t mean harm to anyone. I just want to be left alone, so I can find my love. That’s all.”
I looked at him to keep her from seeing me rolling my eyes, only to find him doing the same thing.
We agreed on one thing, at least.
Yes. I was right about her. Gwyneth owed me one. I should’ve bet money.
“You’re wrong in assuming I want you.” I locked eyes with the vampire. “You assumed, too. It’s never a good idea to assume.”
“You want me?” He pointed to himself, then laughed. “Good luck. I think we’ve found what happens when I get the jump on you.”
I flung my hand in his direction and bound his arms to his sides.
He struggled, grimacing and snarling.
“Oh, yes. You’re a real threat.” I was barely able to keep from laughing.
“What do I have to do with this, then?”
I turned to her. “I tracked you in order to find him. There was only one reason why you would spend weeks in this area, searching and struggling. You were looking for The Fold. It was only a matter of time before you found a Nightwarden and brought him out.” My gaze shifted back to him. “And here he is. You did my work for me, really. I suppose I should thank you.”
“You bitch,” he spat, fangs extended.
“Yes, yes. I’m a bitch. Whatever makes you feel better.”
“You’re a Tracker,” the witch marveled.
“That’s right. And I intend on taking this one in with me.” I jerked a thumb in his direction, and he snarled louder than ever. “I could’ve only taken you in and pledged to protect you in your search, but he’s too good a prize to pass up.”
“You can’t do that,” she said, shaking her head so hard her hair tumbled around her shoulders.
Hair she needed to wash. There were even little leaves and twigs stuck in it.
I sighed, hands on my hips. “I know you mean well, and I realize you think you need him. Believe me when I tell you I’m sorry to take him away from you when you worked so hard to find him. But I need to take him with me now.”
That was when I started cho
king. Again.
Only there wasn’t a visible hand around my throat this time.
I clutched my throat, struggling to breathe. My feet left the ground again, and this time, I hovered several feet in the air.
“You. Will. Not. Take. Him.” Her eyes burned fire into my skull as she glared up at me.
One hand kept me suspended while the other released the Nightwarden from my spell.
“Let her down,” he ordered, standing beside his charge.
“She wants to take you away when I only just found you,” she snarled.
My eyes widened, bulging, as I choked and gasped.
“You can’t kill one of your own. Don’t do this. Let her down, Claudia. Release her. She’s no threat to us.”
No threat, huh? We would see about that—of course, I was in no position to argue his statement just then.
I would’ve agreed to just about anything if it meant being able to breathe again.
Claudia looked at him, pleading silently.
He wouldn’t back down. “I won’t be of any help to you if you kill her. I promise you that.”
“I… could… protect… you…” I gasped, at the edge of consciousness where my vision started graying out.
“Release her!” the vampire roared.
Something loosened around me, some invisible restraint, and I tumbled to the ground.
It was not my day.
“Thank you,” I croaked, rubbing my throat again.
“What do you mean, you can protect me?” Claudia asked.
The Nightwarden sneered. “Don’t bother with that. You don’t need her. You have me.”
“You don’t need him,” I whispered, standing on shaky legs.
The world was starting to come back to me, sharper, clearer. “We’re duty-bound to protect our sisters, and we do whatever is necessary. Whenever necessary.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
“Yes, well, she assigned you to herself without going through the proper channels, didn’t she? And as soon as it’s discovered that one of the Nightwardens is missing from The Fold, you’ll have hordes of witches and who knows who else after you. You think I’m a potential threat? Wait and see what happens when the High Council gets wind.”