Queen of Darkness

by Patti Larsen

  “Not complete,” I said. “But thank you. This will do for now.”

  Until I had the crystal. I hoped. I could only keep my fingers crossed the crystal would have the same clearing effect on the powder as it had with the sorcerer’s shields back at the Brotherhood house. As for cleaning my system out permanently, I’d have to figure something out after this particular minefield went kablooey.

  I'd hold my awakened power in reserve until I needed it, but when I did, and when I had full access again?

  Those Queens could just look the hell out.

  Sunny and Uncle Frank left shortly after. Okay, Sunny left, dragging Uncle Frank who still looked like he was going to grab me and run off with me. Nice sentiment, and I might have let him if Sebastian's bite hadn't given me hope.

  I smiled up at Sebastian as he released my hand, expecting him to go after them, only to feel him loom over me, fingers once more gripping my shoulders, though this time without fear.

  Nope, totally different emotional trigger behind this particular contact. I didn't get a chance to gasp a breath as he bent over me, pulling me against his hard, broad chest, the lace at his throat tickling mine as he pressed his cool lips to my mouth while his magic wove through the vampire inside me.

  He'd kissed me before. Once. On the lips. After I'd saved his life. That was something. Or I thought it was at the time.

  Um, yeah. That was nothing. As his hands slid around my back, one pressing against the lowest ties of my corset, the other flat in the center between my shoulder blades, sparks of power danced between us at every point of contact. But not shocks, nothing so disruptive. These flickers of energy sped up my heart, made my breath come faster, air I breathed into lungs that didn't require any.

  His tongue ran slowly over my lower lip before he pulled away, eyes burning with two points of white light before he let me go.

  “Be careful, I beg you,” he said, hoarse and rough, before spinning and leaving me there.

  Panting. Hands pressed to my heaving bosom, I kid you not, just like some idiot girl in one of my trashy historical romances.

  Yum.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Two

  I know I should have been much more focused on what was happening around me as I was led out of my chambers by a pair of vampires, once Batsheva had enjoyed her little recess, and toward the throne room instead of thinking about Sebastian.

  But oh, my, my, my. Those lips. That magic. My body still tingled.

  So much for Quaid.

  Who said that? I turned my head a little as we passed the entry to the main room only to catch sight of a black-robed figure behind a statue. One white hand swept the hood back a little, Ameline's crystal blue eyes locking on mine.

  Choke.

  We need to talk, she sent. Watch your back.

  I couldn't think fast enough to latch onto her, nor, I supposed, did I have the power. And then I was past her, every pair of eyes on me, including Mom's and Margaret's.

  Did I dare mention Ameline was here? And what did she want?

  Watch my back. Since when was the ice princess herself on my side?

  So much churning going on, I needed a moment to reorder everything, but didn't get that moment. Though I wasn't the only one who needed time to think about my choice, from the look on Batsheva's face when I faced her again, she'd figured out a way to turn my decision to her advantage. Or at least thought she had, because she smiled and nodded to me in what I can only assume was gracious welcome as she gestured for me to come closer.

  “Our clan will be richer for your presence,” she said. “We wish you welcome, Sydlynn.”

  Batsheva will kill you the moment she can. Ameline's mental voice was as cold as the rest of her.

  Duh, I sent. Since when do you care?

  She laughed. Don't start thinking we're besties, Ameline sent, the vampire in her as icy as she was. But you have something I want and I will not allow Batsheva to have it. Or the Brotherhood.

  What do you know of the Brotherhood? Leave it to Ameline to have more information than I did. Irked me to no end.

  I said we'll talk. Her amusement was as plain as it was chilly. But believe me when I say I'm here to protect you and the vampire essence you carry. For now, you have an adoption ceremony to endure.

  She wasn't kidding. A short ceremony in what I could only guess was Austrian or some other language I didn't speak involving the vampires bowing to Batsheva over and over again and I was suddenly swept forward by Piotr's hand on my back while Charlotte growled and twitched next to me all the way to the foot of the throne.

  Flawless. Not a crease or a blemish or a wrinkle to be seen on the vampire Queen's face. But no matter how beautiful death had made her, to me Batsheva would always be ugly.

  Her power was nothing to sneeze at, I had to admit, as a wave of spirit magic rose from her and engulfed me. I had a moment of real fear, a flashback to the beach and almost drowning. I felt the same way, the pressure on my lungs to take a breath, the head-over-heels rush of primal strength, though it was only my insides enduring such treatment. The vampire essence grasped onto me and steadied me even as Batsheva's power gripped me tight in a band of pressure I'm sure was far more than necessary.

  One thing was clear. The ancient spirit energy she commanded was flawed, tainted by centuries of influence from vampire Queens with only their own ambitions to please them.

  Yes, the vampire sent. Precisely. Before I attached to Cesard to preserve myself, I was pure. And thanks to you and your magic, I am again. She shuddered. Another reason why I will never join her, or the other. They are no longer me, Syd.

  There was nothing to say, not when Piotr gripped the back of my neck and shoved me forward, offering my throat to my soon-to-be Queen while Charlotte's growling turned to huffing whines. She had to hold it together. There was no other choice. And she did, bless her.

  Somehow, she did. Even when Batsheva, lips split in a horrible smile, bent and pressed her lips to my skin. My pulse pounded, the cold of her mouth raising goosebumps along every inch of my exposed flesh as the tiniest of pinpricks broke the skin.

  The worst of all of it, the most hideous part, was the sucking. I wanted to strike out at her, disgust and rage boiling, my demon clawing at my insides so hard I worried she might hurt us both.

  I'd endured a lot of things in my lifetime. But having evil personified drink my blood with her cold, clammy lips locked on my bare skin took the cake, cutlery, plates, kitchen and house.

  Which I'd burn down if it would remove the memory.

  She pulled away at last, just when I was sure I couldn't do it anymore, lifting her arm toward me with a lazy smile, her tongue sliding out to lick her ruby lips, my blood staining her white, white teeth.

  I'd never stop shuddering. Nevernevernevernevernever.

  Her white wrist lifted, her own fangs cutting the skin at the pulse, a single drop of blackish blood oozing to the surface to pool between her tendons.

  “Your blood mingles with ours now,” she said. “Time for ours to live in you.”

  Hell no to the gazillionth power. No one mentioned drinking her damned blood from her ewie arm while everyone watched.

  Oh. My. Swearword.

  Piotr forced my head down and I let him. No way was I going to be able to do this on my own. Eyes squinched closed, bile already rising, I parted my lips over the pool of blood and drank.

  I wish I could say it was gross. But the vampire part of me saved me from the disgustingness, showing me the light inside her blood. And yet, there it was, the taint, the filth under the brightness of spirit.

  It was all I could do not to puke in Batsheva's lap.

  Piotr released me the moment I did as I was required, backing away so, when I was done, I rose on my own power, glaring into the Queen's eyes.

  “Be welcome,” she said. “Beloved child of Moromond.”

  I couldn't wait to kill her ass.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Three

>   And that was that. Ceremony over, all said and done, nothing to see here, move along.

  Margaret looked impatient, clearly wanting to zippity-do-da her way back to Delusionland. But no way was she going while Mom still hovered, her Enforcers gathered around her in a tight, angry knot.

  Mom, I sent, feeling the rush of her relief when she felt my magicks were partially at my disposal. Just go. It's cool. Go.

  With a firm nod and a flash of blue power, she did, her Enforcers with her, so fast Margaret grunted at the rapid departure before waving irritably at the lot of us.

  “Behave,” she snapped. “Or else.” Then, she gathered up her own posse and left.

  Wow. Effective. Wish I'd thought to try telling the Queens not to hurt me.

  Snort.

  Batsheva turned in her throne and glared at Pannera. “Your turn,” she said, all illusions of niceness, as thin as they were, vanished with the witches.

  Pannera simply reclined further in her own seat, a little smile on her stone face. Did wonders for her beauty, though I highly doubted she smiled for the right reasons anymore.

  Their particular battle was going to have to wait. Charlotte still growled beside me, the low hum of her unhappiness putting my teeth on edge and I wasn't the only one. Batsheva turned her sharp-eyed attention from her fellow Queen and focused on my wereguard.

  “As your ruler,” she said, smirk returning, “you must obey me. You understand this?”

  I was not going to like what she said next. Was not.

  “I order you to eliminate the dog clinging to you.” Batsheva sat back then, hands pressed together as she cackled in glee. “Personally.”

  I'd felt compulsion before, the urge to act, driven by some power or another's need for me to pay attention. But I'd never felt anything like this. As I drew a breath to tell her where to stuff herself, a deep, burning sensation began somewhere in my guts and spread outward, the pain growing as each second passed until I stood clutching my stomach and gasping for air, still fighting the need to turn and rip Charlotte's throat out.

  Honestly? If I hadn't had my demon, Shaylee and the family magic holding me back, I would have killed the girl without hesitation and been left to cry over her dead body later.

  Yet another reason to be grateful for my multiple occupation and to hate Batsheva from the bottom of my heart.

  Instead, I spun, sucking in air, and gasped a name. “Uncle Frank.”

  He disappeared in a rush of shadow only to reappear at my side while Batsheva's—dear elements and all that was clean and beautiful, my—family of vampires hissed at him.

  “Take her.” Wow, I managed to squeeze out two more words while the world closed in around me, black-edged, my insides devouring themselves one burning bite at a time.

  He didn't hesitate, nor give Charlotte a chance to argue. His fist lashed out, caught her in the jaw. The weregirl crumpled with shock and hurt on her face, into his arms and, as I fell to my knees, he shuddered into darkness and vanished.

  Taking Charlotte with him.

  The pain went the moment she did, blessed relief as I huddled in a puddle of skirt with both arms clutching myself, panting over the carpet while Batsheva laughed.

  Two footsteps sounded next to me before hands touched me gently, lifted me to my feet. Sunny's eyes flashed with fury as she spun on her old clan, sparks cascading from her hands as she gestured toward them.

  “How far you've fallen, my old family.” Wow. I'd never heard that level of disgust in someone's voice before. She must have been boosting the feeling with magic. And it looked like it was working as the vampires on Batsheva's side winced and flinched from my beautiful friend. “Yvette, our mother, she was hideous, but she led us clearly and with foresight.” Sunny barely spared a glance for Batsheva, the Queen spluttering on her throne, but I kept a close eye both on her and Celeste who hovered behind the throne.

  Sunny let me go, taking another step forward while I wavered, but held my feet, strength returning. “To allow this travesty of a leader in your midst, to accept such a sub-standard Queen to rule you.” She shook her head, disappointment the chastising of children who had let her down. “Revolting.”

  What was funny? Most of the gathered vampires seemed to agree with her. Which led me to believe Yvette wasn't the only one who Batsheva influenced with the power of the Brotherhood.

  Batsheva spun on Pannera. “It's time you take your foul-mouthed underlings and left my castle.” Nice to know Sunny got to her.

  Pannera didn't move, still smiling a little. “You invited me here on good faith,” she said. “We are both to share in the essence of our creation. When you approached me with this plan, it was a partnership. Are you now planning to betray me?”

  Batsheva thudded back against her throne, glaring.

  “If that were the case,” Pannera said as she leaned slowly forward as though in answer to the other Queen's retreat, “I would have to declare war. And you don't want that.” Pannera laughed. “Even Yvette was smart enough to know peace meant prosperity.”

  Vampire games. Like reindeer games, with fangs.

  Seriously, were they this close to war all the time?

  How sad, my vampire sent before quietly retreating inside me and going silent.

  This was worse than Demonicon. At least there they were outward about their attack methods. I knew where I stood. Vampires? Diva drama Queens, literally, pushing each other back and forth, a pair of whiny cheerleader captains who just happened to have enough power to make it a problem for half a continent.

  I was sick of their crap already and it had only just gotten real.

  Celeste whispered in Batsheva's ear and, though the other woman waved her away with clear irritation, she finally smiled back at her rival.

  “Here we are ignoring the guest of honor.” She refocused on me.

  Oh goody.

  “Indeed.” Pannera turned to me, too. They had to pick now to find a common enemy? I would have preferred to stand back and watch them tear each other apart.

  I wondered if anyone would back me if I yelled, “Cat fight!”

  “A feast.” Batsheva swept to her feet while I shivered from the reference. As long as I wasn't on the menu. “A banquet the likes this castle hasn't seen in an age. For you, Sydlynn.”

  Right. For me. For the show, she meant.

  At least I wasn't dead yet. Bonus.

  She wasn't kidding, though. By the time we sat down, it was well after midnight, but my vampire clock didn't seem to care. And my empty stomach was happy to sample some of the multiple dishes delivered to my gold-edged plate. The company I kept didn't encourage my appetite, Piotr glowering on one side while Celeste sat like a stone statue on the other. But at least I had Sunny, Sebastian and Uncle Frank across from me so I had a nice view.

  I didn't bother asking Uncle Frank how Charlotte was when he arrived back just before we sat down at the table, now spread in the center of the throne room, to dinner. It didn't matter. She was safe and, if I survived this, would punish me when I got home.

  Piotr isn't all bad, Sunny's mind touched mine. But he is misguided and very loyal.

  Misguided, huh? Do you think he might be under influence?

  She nodded, hiding it by smiling at Uncle Frank as though he'd spoken. I do.

  Which means they all are. Suspicions confirmed, or at least solidified.

  Or were. She touched her hair, eyes drifting sideways, further down the table. Yvette was horrible, Syd. Don't get me wrong. She played this game like no other Queen, had been at it even longer than Pannera. But she, too, was loyal to her family. Anyone, from the most powerful to the lowliest could count on her to stand for them in times of need. She was a brilliant leader, if a sick and twisted soul. But she was my Queen and I had her confidence for many years. For Batsheva to defeat her, she must have had access to powerful magic.

  Oh. Right. I filled her in quickly on what Demetrius told me and, for a moment, I worried Sunny might blow our secret little con
versation.

  She did what? Choked, furious.

  I'm sorry, I sent. I forgot I told Mom. Not you.

  It was a long time before Sunny reached for me again and when she did, her mind was cold. But not because she was angry with me, I knew it right away.

  I'm going to kill her myself, she said.

  You can't, I sent back. You won't survive, remember? You're not of this clan anymore.

  She squirmed in her chair, eyes finally meeting mine. I'm counting on you, she sent. No mercy.

  As if.

  Sunny spent the rest of that long and tiring banquet filling me in on the vampires in the room. My family. They were a bunch, that was for sure. From murderers to thieves and bandits turned to vampires, Yvette seemed to have had a knack for attracting the worst common denominator to her clan and gentrifying them.

  On the surface, Sunny sent. Only on the surface.

  Which made me wonder about my friend's past. Not that I cared. She was on my side and I loved her. No matter what she did when she was a member of this sick collective.

  Um, yeah. The same one I was part of now. Yet another lovely family to get to know. Though I had a quick laugh thinking what my Demonicon relatives would do if I arranged a whole-hog reunion.

  Epic.

  I tried not to give in to the growing doubt I felt, that I'd chosen the wrong side after all. There was nothing I could do about it, not now. I did catch Pannera staring at me, and knew if I wanted to switch sides she'd probably go for it. But I had a plan and I needed to stick to it.

  I just needed Demetrius to come back with my crystal.

  Batsheva ended the banquet abruptly, rising and leaving as though bored with the whole thing. I could only guess her mind had a limit now that she was around the bend. It was Celeste who stood and clapped her hands, declaring the feast over.

  I didn't exactly feel safe being escorted to my quarters by my "family", but no one gave me a choice. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to find we took a few wrong turns along the route and ended up in a part of the castle I didn't think I'd seen before.