Queen of Darkness

by Patti Larsen

  I wondered if she remembered.

  The only crimp in my style? Charlotte hovered next to me, as always, totally ruining my chances of hiding. Sunny may have been blindfolded, but no way would her heightened vampire senses miss a combo of witch, demon, vampire and Sidhe being clung to by a werewolf.

  I hissed at my bodywere who scowled back at me. Still miffed, clearly. Too freaking bad. If she chose to be a wet blanket and not enjoy herself, that was Charlotte's decision. I waved her off, watched as she relented, drifting a little way away to hide behind another tree. Not far enough for my liking and still close enough she could keep an eye on me, but it would have to do.

  Squealing echoed from further away. I found myself giggling, holding my hand over my mouth to keep in my nervous excitement. I had it all worked out. The moment Sunny tried to tag me I was going to dive into the veil and hide elsewhere. No way was she going to catch me.

  Shadow flickered next to me, the rush of a vampire arriving making me laugh. I turned, mock anger on my face, to accuse Sunny of cheating.

  Only to stop, shocked. Look up. Into a face I knew. But not the one I expected.

  Charlotte's howl behind me didn't come fast enough. Piotr, the vampire I'd met thanks to Ameline Benoit and a crap-ton of trouble, blew a handful of white powder into my face. I inhaled with a gasp as I drew breath in surprise, choking on the dust just as I felt Sebastian's mind reach for mine.

  Sydlynn!

  Too late, all of them too late. I felt Charlotte's hand brush over the back of my dress as the world shuddered and went black.

  ***

  Chapter Five

  Poke. Wake up.

  Grumble, mumble.

  Poke, poke. You must wake.

  Sigh. Breath.

  Gasp.

  I sat up and shot to my feet in the same motion, staggering as I fought for balance. But my physical body didn't matter.

  Didn't.

  Not when I couldn't feel my magic.

  Correction. Not all of it. Demon? Missing. Shaylee? Nowhere to be felt. Vampire?

  Yes, she sent. I'm here with you.

  Relief and panic and fear and burning rage heating to eruption warred inside me as I looked up and around the small stone room with the low slung bed and a black wool blanket. I saw the tall, thin window, old rippled glass looking out over what looked like mountains, a fat and heavy moon shining in on me.

  Mountains?

  A door squatted in the middle of the far wall. Thick and wooden, wider than I was used to, a round knob in the center of rough black iron begged to be turned. I stormed my way forward. Started to. Tripped over the rough rock under my feet, caught on the edge of the woven mat beside the bed. I just managed to catch myself from falling over.

  Someone was going to pay with their life.

  The knob felt icy in my hand, and resisted my attempts to turn it. Locked, huh? We'd see about that. I reached for my demon to shatter it into a million pieces.

  Had to clench my fists around the jab of absolute terror I felt when she didn't answer me.

  She can't. The vampire sighed. They've been neutralized, both of them. Demon and Sidhe, and your family magic with them. But you have me.

  Yes. Yes. Gratitude returned in a rush. I reached out for Gram, for Mom. Anyone.

  I can't feel them, the vampire sent. But there are those I do know.

  Sebastian. I felt him faintly, somewhere out there beyond the doorway. Shielded against me, had to be. And Sunny, the momentary touch of her love. Uncle Frank.

  I wasn't alone.

  Knowing that went a long way toward helping me calm down. The initial rush of adrenaline burned off, I drew a deep breath, resting my head against the thickly grained wood of the oak door, forcing myself to calm, calm.

  Calm.

  Better, she sent, the vampire's tone soothing. Much better.

  What's happening? Coherent. Good for me.

  I don't know for certain, she answered.

  The white powder. I knew the stuff. Had been under its influence before when Demetrius Strong used it to cut off my power before the cherubic leader of the Chosen of the Light tied me to a stake and tried to burn me alive.

  Horror fluttered around my heart with the wings of a desperate bird, driving my calm away again.

  My vampire went on, tone sharper. Pull yourself together. We're not in Wilding Springs anymore.

  I choked on a half-hysterical laugh. Does that make my demon the lion, Shaylee the scarecrow and you the tin man looking for a heart?

  She didn't say anything for a long time, though her confusion was so clear I couldn't hold in the giggle taking over.

  I don't know what that means, she finally sent. This isn't funny.

  I know. I stepped back from the door and hugged myself. I’m sorry. Nerves. We have to get out of here. My claustrophobia ramped up as I faced the unyielding exit. Not that the room was tiny or anything, not at all. But the feeling of being trapped would still have clung to me even if it was three times its size.

  Agreed, she sent. The door is locked.

  Oh. My. Swearword. The giggles again.

  Really, she snapped. This is no time for hysterics.

  Cut me a little slack, I sent back. I take it you have an idea about the lock? Some secret vampire magic that can cut through the door?

  Of course not, she sent. Why bother when we can teleport out of here?

  Okay then.

  Right, I sent. Just teleport. Gotcha. How do I do that again?

  She sighed heavily. You're not normally this dense, she sent.

  It's been a rough night. Sarcasm back in place? Check. Just show me what to do already.

  It was surprisingly easy. Just a shift in body mass, spirit magic sliding between atoms, my body turning to a kind of floating mist. I hovered there, the world around me black-edged and cold while my vampire observed.

  Excellent, she sent. Now, think of where you want to go.

  Home? That would be awesome.

  No, she sent. The wards on this castle prevent you leaving using vampire magic.

  I reached out with my demon... sigh.

  Okay, I sent. I'll believe you.

  Oh, thank you, she sent. Thank you, thank you.

  When did she become so snarky? And why did I think it was my influence?

  We're in this together, I shot back.

  I know. She shuddered inside me. I'm sorry. We're both on edge. Close your eyes and see.

  I did. Cool. There was still a door, but it was transparent, the wall, too. A pair of glowing white shapes stood on the other side, black holes up high which had to be windows. And a hallway.

  Shall we? She prodded me gently as I focused on being there and went.

  Flickering out of shadow and into the light on the other side of the door.

  Wicked.

  I spun to face the two vampire guards who stared at me in shock.

  “Hiya,” I waved a little. “Air's a little stuffy in there.”

  My vampire hissed softly. At her urging, I turned around to see a familiar form half-running toward me, his face creased in his own brand of shock.

  “Piotr,” I said, anger rising again at last. “You asshole.”

  My vampire reacted with me, driving me forward even though I didn't need the encouragement, slamming into him and driving him backward. The vampire tried to shudder out of my grip, but the essence inside me held him as I grasped the front of his elaborate jacket in my hands and jerked his face down to my level.

  “You have a lot of explaining to do,” I snarled. Paused. “And dying. After the explaining.”

  Piotr shook his head. “You shouldn't have access to power.”

  Underestimated me, did he? “You have no idea who you're dealing with, clearly.” I let my vampire out, feeling my teeth lengthen, the cold of her chilling me to the bone, the heat of my anger now a slowly sharpening blade of ice. “This is the last time you screw with a Hayle.”

  Sydlynn! Sebastian's mind touched mine.
Don't harm him.

  Oh, hell no. Says who? The need to tear Piotr apart for his arrogance almost won.

  There is more to this than you know. Sadness, concern. Please. You must listen.

  Fine. I let Piotr go with a savage smile, shoving him from me with a certain amount of power behind my gesture. He stepped back a pace, the usual vampire grace returning the moment he was out of my grip.

  “I'm under orders,” he said, like that made one tiny little miniscule bit of difference.

  Sebastian's mind hovered in mine as I thought it over. “Whoever gave you those orders is about to be damned sorry.” I shoved past him, making it about three steps before I turned back to find him staring at me with sullen rage. “Well, errand boy? Are you coming or sulking?”

  Oh snap.

  I allowed him to lead me, needing the time to let my mind absorb what I'd learned. A) I was out of my element and country, quite likely. B) My friends were here, but only the vampire ones, from what I could tell. And C) I only had access to vampire magic.

  Bit of a change from the last time I was conscious.

  Sebastian. I didn't mean to snap at him, but if he didn't forgive me for being short under the circumstances, he could bite me. Why am I even here? Why was I kidnapped? What the hell is going on?

  Ah, hell.

  You're safe, he sent back, though his whole tone tipped me off he wasn't being a hundred per cent honest. For now.

  Nice. At least I wasn't under the control of the bad vampires. Or the ones I considered bad. Nicholas's clan, Sebastian's dead brother, had a terrible reputation he'd earned fair and square as far as I was concerned. And considering Piotr, a clan mate of Nicholas, had been part of Ameline's plan to use normals in some kind of ritual to increase her power, I tended to agree with my first assessment.

  If Sebastian and clan were present, I had to have a fighting chance against whatever was going on. Surely they'd back me.

  Wouldn't they?

  And I needed said backing why?

  Too many questions. But Sunny wasn't reachable, Uncle Frank either, lost behind some spirit wall my vampire couldn't break and Sebastian had gone suddenly quiet.

  I was about to prod Piotr for information when two giant wooden doors swung open in front of me and vampires surrounded me.

  Talk about walking into the dragon's den.

  ***

  Chapter Six

  It felt like I'd been dropped into a medieval film set. Both sides of the vast room lined with vampires, a black runner bisecting the room to the two large wooden chairs—thrones, actually—at the other end of the space. A massive, round, stained-glass window took up most of the back wall. A moment of study made me shudder and look away from the violence depicted, a scene in stunning glass of death and destruction, blood spilled by vampires.

  Guess those were the good old days. Current law didn't allow them to feed from humans, even willing ones, at least not directly. Most clans, from what I'd been told by Sunny and Uncle Frank, had human servants who served as mobile blood banks, keeping the clan in donated nourishment augmented by blood brought in from hospitals and clinics and, occasionally, from animals.

  My eyes found Sebastian standing on the left, caught his gaze and held it a moment, though only a moment. I couldn't help but give him the once over, since he was dressed like some court gentleman in a navy blue velvet frock coat and ruffled white shirt.

  Don't even get me started on the tight white pants.

  Grrrrowl. Down girl.

  It had to be my vampire's fault. No way I'd allow myself to be distracted at a time like this.

  Her snort told me I was deluding myself, but I ignored her by choice.

  Sunny was another shocker, her floor-length gown shimmering silver, sitting low on her shoulders, showing enough cleavage for the both of us, hair piled artfully in corkscrew curls. Last time I saw her we were celebrating at a bridal shower. So, there had been time to doll themselves up while I snored away in a tiny little room.

  Temper, temper. Though I couldn't help the glare I shot at Uncle Frank. He had the good grace to look embarrassed by his own fancy attire.

  The other side of the room had to be Piotr's people. At least, that was my guess, considering the glares traveling back and forth over the dividing carpet, though they were rare enough while the two camps watched my approach. Nice of them to offer me a change of clothes. My little sun dress did little to keep the chill off in the damp castle. From the soft flapping sound, one of my new sandal's edge had peeled away from the sole. And I knew my hair had to be a fright.

  Hey, I stood out.

  Go me.

  Appearances seemed important to these people. The two women—okay, vampires—on the thrones I approached were as elaborately decked out as their clans, more so. Which made me think of Ahbi Sanghamitra and the demon court. Leading me to irritation and anger at the posturing. So by the time I stood at the bottom of the wooden pedestal, glaring up at the two leaders, I was in no mood for their little show.

  I didn't give Piotr a chance to speak, grasping him firmly with my vampire magic and shoving him aside so he staggered and had to catch his balance. The glare of pure hatred he shot at me warmed me up and made me all fuzzy happy.

  It's the small things, sometimes.

  “You two,” I jabbed a finger at the pair of vampires staring down at me like I was a bug they wanted to squash, “better have a damned good reason for kidnapping an American coven leader.”

  Neither spoke. Didn't matter. I had more to say anyway.

  “Not only is this a massive treaty violation,” I snarled, just warming up, “but I'm so far outside your jurisdiction, not to mention your league, you'll both be lucky to lead a termite colony when I'm done with you.”

  So there.

  The leader on the left, camp Sebastian, stared at me in silence, her cold gray eyes almost colorless. Her skin shone ivory white, dark brown hair piled around her in endless waves, as long as she was tall. She showed no concern, lovely face expressionless.

  The other smirked at me, ice blue eyes sparking with humor, nothing good about it. Dark blonde hair, coiled in wave-like ribbons, hanging over one bare shoulder.

  I knew her. From where? And how? Impossible. I'd never met either of the vampire Queens. Had only heard of them through Sebastian. So why was it I had the feeling the vampire on my right knew me, too?

  A second vampire stood beside her, a cloak covering her dress, hood low over her face. But the sinking feeling of pre-knowledge grew stronger as I stared at the two of them, joined by a sickening pinpoint of anxiety.

  Who were they?

  “We are within our rights.” The leader on the left finally spoke, tearing my gaze from the others. I focused on her as she went on, motionless, voice velvet over jagged ice. “You've stolen our power, and we want it back.”

  Um, what?

  Me, Sydlynn, the vampire sent. They want me.

  Oh, hell no.

  Sebastian stepped forward, coming to my side, facing me with a warning in his eyes as I drew a breath to tell her where she could shove her sense of entitlement.

  “May I present our Matriarch, first among our familial clan, Queen Pannera Sthol.”

  What, was I supposed to bow or something? Yeah. Right.

  “I wish I could say nice to meet you,” I snapped. “Not.”

  Sebastian's eyes widened just a little bit. The vampire Queen didn't react. Instead, Piotr took his place opposite Sebastian.

  “Our Matriarch,” he said.

  Didn't get to finish.

  Not while his Queen was laughing. So. Familiar. I knew the tone, the timber, but it was smoother, softer, more refined. Silkified. The vampire Queen gestured for him to back off, her motions graceful.

  “We've already had the pleasure, haven't we, my dear?”

  That voice.

  No.

  Oh no.

  Polished or not by her vampire blood, no way could I forget that voice. The sight of Demetrius Strong peeki
ng out from behind her throne told me I was right.

  But it couldn't be. How could this stunning blonde possibly—

  The tall vampire beside her swept her hood back, smiling at me, horse face no longer ugly, braid now a rippling, living cape of chestnut hair. She'd changed too, Celeste Oberman had. Not the woman, the witch, I remembered. Swore to kill.

  Gorgeous, young, vital, as though the vampire spirit magic had brought her to full potential.

  “Welcome, Sydlynn,” Batsheva Moromond said. “It's time to hand over what belongs to me.”

  ***

  Chapter Seven

  I know it was childish, but the first thought to cross my mind after their identities sank in was how unfair my life was. Batsheva had been a dumpy, chubby woman with fake, dark blonde hair and weak blue eyes, face lined with those creases around her lips that made lipstick bleed.

  And Celeste? Yeah, horse-faced was my best description for the traitor the last time I’d seen her, the braid a thick weave of brown and threads of gray, reminding me of an equine tail.

  How come the moment they became vampires they were suddenly gorgeous? Celeste looked like an Amazon, but in a beautiful way, wide jaw now appealing, brown eyes with a hint of gold, her youth returned to her. And Batsheva?

  Drop dead hotness. At least, on the outside. No amount of spirit magic could make her attractive on the inside.

  My vampire sighed. You have no idea, do you?

  What?

  Regardless of my internal conversation, the world went on without me. Namely, the furious reaction Pannera had to Batsheva's little statement. I'd always thought of vampires as just folks, growing up with one for an uncle and his sweet girlfriend, loving and kind. Rarely did I get to see them in their unhappy, going-to-bite-you state.

  Pannera had no trouble showing she was pissed. Fangs sprouted from her mouth. Not just her canines, but all of her teeth lengthening to pinpoints of deadly whiteness. Her eyes flared with power, skin so transparent her veins stood out in sharp contrast, pulsing despite the fact her heart didn't beat.