by Sela Croft
Armies of vampires, flanked by the dragons, attacked the Fae defenders of the dark realm. It was a ruthless, merciless offensive move. I trembled to consider whether any would survive the onslaught. A few other scenes rolled by, of riots in the villages and Fae creatures running rampant though human colonies in Shadowland.
But I’d seen enough. I turned to face my father. “What needs to be done to stop this massacre?”
“All of us must escape, so we can wield our magic and save the realm. There is just one alternative. Either you or Rosamon must feed on one of the vampires, then that vampire must feed on you.” My father looked at me, intently. “Once you drink the blood of a vampire, you will become a vampire.”
I didn’t flinch. There didn’t seem to be any way to avoid that. And delay would cost many more lives. If my sister or I drank vampire blood, it would turn us into an immortal creature, no longer human. I wondered what would happen to the vampire who drank sorceress blood—but I dared not ask.
“Vampires gained their power from a spell,” my father said. “You and Callie are a sorceress by blood. The two must be combined to be strong enough to release us all.” He paused. “Need I remind you, that the choice must be made…and it must be made soon…or many more will perish.”
Apparently stunned into silence, no one spoke. It was a difficult choice to make. No one could decide for us. Whatever happened next would change our lives forever. Either Rosamon or I had to agree to drink vampire blood. Which one of us would it be?
Chapter 25
Callie
It was agony to make such a choice. While our father observed, urging us to proceed without delay, we tried to settle on a decision.
This was no time to be bashful, so I boldly stated my feeling. “Noah, you shouldn’t participate. You’ve tasted my blood, and…”
“I had to pull you off her,” Logan said.
“I’m sorry but you aren’t the best choice to make the attempt,” I said.
Logan held my hand. “That leaves me.”
“The truth is,” I said, speaking to the others, “the trust Logan and I have built with each other, during our time together, is strong. Each of us can do our part.”
Rosamon hadn’t joined the debate, but she had to be concerned.
“I won’t risk your life,” I said, looking at my dear sister. “I’ve just managed to reunite with you and I won’t take a chance of losing you again.”
“But Callie, you shouldn’t do it,” my sister said, clearly alarmed. “I must voice my dissention. I cannot sacrifice you, any more than you can give me up. But I’d rather take the chance myself than see any harm come to you.”
It seemed we were at an impasse. I could see Rosamon’s point, but I wasn’t persuaded to offer her up. I’d much prefer to do it. Yet I was uncertain about how to convince her.
Logan didn’t say more, allowing me to work this out with my sister. And our father, wisely, kept quiet. It was our future and our decision, even though a difficult one. Whatever way it turned out, we had to act. Time for hesitation had long since passed.
I was at a loss. It didn’t seem right to bully my way past my own sister. I needed her support, if I was to go ahead with this.
Noah looked at my sister. “I have to say that I agree with Callie. I confess that I have doubts about my ability to control my desire for your blood, Rosamon.”
He ignored her look of surprise and continued. “You weren’t with us at the manor, after I’d been poisoned. I needed blood to gain strength, more than the humans could give me. But Logan is right. Once I began drinking, I lost control.”
Noah’s pained expression confirmed that he was a poor choice for the activity. “I’m not sure if it’s because of the sorceress blood or what. But it was a clear warning that I need to stay away.”
Rosamon reached out to him. “But Noah…”
“I know what you’re going to say. And yes, I would do everything in my power to hold back and not drain you of every drop of blood,” Noah said. “But have you also considered what happened when you breathed deeply of my scent?”
My sister’s shoulders sagged. “What you say is true. That test proved that I’m not capable of maintaining my strength, once I breathe your scent. I imagine the effect would be much more dramatic once I had a taste.”
Logan took control of the conversation. “I am indeed the better choice. Callie’s trust fills me with the kind of confidence I haven’t had before.”
I looked at Logan with love and admiration. He smiled at me. “I feel certain that I can do this, for Callie, for all of us, and for my realm. I agree to proceed.”
Logan looked as if he wanted to say more, so I said, “Is there something else you want to tell me?”
He stood close, speaking only to me. “You will be giving up your human life. I don’t want you to do that. I’ve been part of the vampire world for centuries. Yet I miss parts of myself that were…human. I can’t get them back. There’s still time for you to back out. And I’m urging you to hold on dearly to the humanity you possess. I love you, and my only hesitation is that I don’t want you to lose…what you have.”
I’m sure in his position, I would have felt the same way. “I’m glad that you told me. But we both know that there is no alternative. I won’t put more lives at risk. I will give up what I have, to save those I love. My life will change, but I’ll be with you…and that will be enough.”
There were no further arguments, so Logan went over what needed to be done. I told myself to stay calm, that it would be okay. I was with Logan and I had faith that he would guide me
I hugged Rosamon and whispered to her that it would all be fine. Then I turned to Logan and his jaw stiffened. He’d need to relax, if he was going to do this.
I held out my wrist to indicate that I was ready. Logan sat on the floor, then motioned for me to sit with him. I was close enough to sense his warmth, and his very breath, as I’m sure he sensed mine.
“Are you sure about this?”
I looked in Logan’s green eyes, wanting only to be with him. I wasn’t anxious to give up being human. But I’d committed. It couldn’t be so bad, could it? “I’ve made my decision. You can go ahead…I’m not afraid.” That last part was a lie, but saying it helped to convince me that I shouldn’t be scared.
My father looked on from his gleaming cell, and Noah kept his arms around Rosamon, as if to keep her from interfering. I focused on Logan, trying to think of the future—a future for us and for his realm.
“You are very brave,” Logan said softly.
I stretched out my arm and Logan gripped my forearm in his hand. Then he lifted his own wrist to his mouth. “You don’t have fangs, so I’ll have to bite. First, I’ll bite my own wrist, then you can start drinking from my vein.” He paused. “Then I’ll bite your wrist, so I can drink your blood.”
Logan’s fangs pierced his skin, opening the vein for me to drink from. I covered the wound with my mouth, then sucked, choking at first, but then continuing. I was drawn into the experience, consumed with the craving for his vampire blood.
When Logan bit my wrist, there was a sharp pain, but then he began to drink. As I drew long pulls on his wrist, swallowing his blood, I was aware of Logan drinking from my life-giving vein. And I felt only pleasure.
Chapter 26
Callie
Any anxiety I’d felt melted away, once I took the first swallow of vampire’s blood. My only awareness was of Logan’s presence. I began to feel a new sensation from the flow as a circle of connection moved through us.
The flow was gentle at first, even sensual. It was calming yet addictive. I couldn’t conceive of releasing Logan’s wrist. I sucked avidly, wanting more. My craving for him spiraled higher. It was beyond what I’d experienced with Noah…so much more.
My bond with Logan was powerful, a link that was unbreakable. And my love for him fed into the never-ending circle that pulled us together. The flow of blood from Logan into my body, and my blood
into his body created palpable energy.
The flow between us was steady and mesmerizing. I thought of nothing else, was aware of nothing beyond the exchange. Then the flow picked up speed. It moved faster and faster, pulling me in. I didn’t resist, nor could I.
The flow was all, my connection to Logan was everything. The flow sped up so much that it consumed all my senses. There was only the infinite flow, the ever-tightening circle between us. The craving for the blood and for the closeness blotted out all else.
Then I floated, disconnected from all that had gone before. It was as though I was between worlds. I’d been thrown into a different plane of existence, all new and different. The state was even more profound than when I’d been pulled into a different dimension and found myself in Shadowland.
Yet I had no urge to reject this new plane of existence. It seemed natural, as if I was supposed to be there—as though fate had planned this all along.
Logan had held a unique attraction, since the moment I’d met him. Although, I hadn’t readily admitted it, I’d been drawn to his dark power. The craving nagged at my subconscious, but I’d submerged my feelings. Yet what I felt for him was eternal.
I could see that now. Resisting the magnetism was impossible. My desire came from deep within my soul and wouldn’t be ignored. My intimate wish had been to be with Logan completely. To be inseparable, to be a part of him as he was a part of me.
The kind of oneness I’d dreamed of had seemed out of reach. The merging of souls had been beyond reality as I’d known it. I hadn’t consciously thought that it was possible. But this new plane of existence offered new realities.
As I swallowed Logan’s blood, I seemed to be closer to him. I had no need for separateness, nor was there any fear that I’d lose myself in him. It was a special merging. Second by second, I let go and gave myself to him.
We weren’t divided. Little by little, my sense of self was absorbed into the oneness with Logan that I’d longed for. The oneness was intense, drawing me in and binding me to it. It became more and more compact, holding me inside its power. Its strength took over, its possession unrelenting.
Then it exploded into a vision of bright light. It was a view unlike any other, a sight that defied description. A rush of feeling took my breath away, leaving me stunned in its wake. There was nowhere else I wanted to be, no one else I needed. It was only Logan with me, as one, and the brilliance of it was ethereal.
The new state was not oppressive; I lost nothing and gained everything. I was able to move within it, and after a fashion, I regained some awareness beyond its welcoming embrace. There was another flash within the light, separate and distinct.
A series of flashes followed the first. I strained my mind to understand. I was meant to know what the flashes were; I sensed it. Yet I failed to comprehend, try as I might. The flashes flowed through my mind, meaningful yet mysterious.
I had the impression that the first few that had appeared in my mind were images of very early times. I concentrated to see when and what they were. The visions came into focus and I was spellbound. Such images showed things that I believed had happened. But to see them as they unfolded was entirely different.
It was how it had all started. Knowledge about the very beginning was available to me. My ability to see into the past was enlightening. I felt a little dizzy over seeing such important, life-changing events. My ability to discern what transpired before me, gradually improved.
I watched from a distance. The first vampires were created, humans transformed into immortal beings. And Shadowland came into being, for the first time. It was another dimension connected to the outside world yet separate and protected. It was a realm for the vampires, a home where they could exist unmolested.
The sharing of the event made me feel honored. Only a select few knew of it, and fewer yet had witnessed it. To be accepted into the elite trusted with the knowledge touched me deeply. I stared, not wanting to miss any detail. The vision was one I might not see again; it was a one-time opportunity. I cherished the temporary ability to watch the transformation.
A glowing presence appeared in drifting clouds. She wore a royal-blue cloak and had silver hair. Her eyes gleamed like rubies. She waved her hands in significant ways, circling and chanting. Her actions reminded me of Morrigan.
She faced a group of warriors and warrior maidens; I could tell by how they carried themselves, with threat implied in their stance, and by the armor they wore. Each was impressive as the next one, and each had the look of one committed to some task.
The woman in the cloak was a witch; her dress and behavior confirmed that. She appeared benevolent, as I didn’t observe any hatred in her expression. She was casting a spell and it took some time. I assumed that meant it was an extremely powerful one.
Before the witch finalized the effect of the spell, she spoke to those she beheld before her. The message was that she was about to transform them into an immortal race. The reason was, so they would have the ability to fight against the evil threatening to overtake the world.
The witch dubbed them magic, one and all, then foretold that the vampire race would practice and perfect their magical abilities over the years. Only in this way could they hope to defeat the creatures of another realm who sought to destroy all that was good.
The witch chanted her final words then wind whipped across the landscape, tearing at her robe and pushing against the warriors. I looked on, as each warrior changed into a new form. Human eyes became glowing and alluring in their supernatural state. The warriors were no longer human but had become the first vampires.
I tried to tell what evil they fought, but I couldn’t tell for sure. It seemed to be creatures from a dark realm, ruled over by a sorcerer. I surmised the creatures were Fae, but I could not identify who the sorcerer was. It had been a turning point in a war that had gone on for centuries. The witch’s spell had given the light, the forces for good, a chance to overcome the darkness.
Chapter 27
Callie
The flash of the vampire’s transformation had faded. My visions were of a more recent period. Judging by the clothing, I guessed it to be the Middle Ages. I recognized the tight lacing on the women’s clothes, used to create a form-fitted shape. The men wore leggings and tunics.
It occurred to me that the vampire race had experienced historical periods, just as the outside world had. Humans had been allowed to enter and had brought many customs with them. The human slaves of Shadowland had imitated those from the outside world, so the clothing, music, and customs had spread through the vampire race.
I began to experience fragments of a family, snippets of conversations, activities enjoyed together, and affection between them. The faces became clear and I recognized those I saw.
There was Valter with his blond hair and amber eyes, glowing with a fierceness that he’d become known for. He bantered with the middle brother Florian, with his sea-foam green eyes and coppery hair. He was pleasingly handsome but serious.
Two adults looked on, a male who had to be their father Cedric Bayne. He had thick, dark hair and a strong jaw. It was clear where his sons had gotten their handsome looks. I remembered with some sadness that he had been murdered through some devious trick perpetrated by the Fae. And that his death had gone unavenged.
The woman had to be their mother Raphina. She had her arm around Natasha, her only daughter. The daughter like her mother had honey blond hair and lovely green eyes. Both were seers. I remembered that Raphina had been in hiding since her husband’s death.
I watched the familiar faces, ones that hadn’t changed since the moment they’d become vampires, except for skin that turned smooth and marble-like with eyes that glowed. Immortals didn’t physically age. Each was forever the age they’d attained prior to that fatal moment, never to look a day older.
A sense of familial love filled my heart and my emotion far exceeded any I’d felt for the royal vampires before. I had pride at who they were, what the royal family
signified, what they’d sacrificed…
It struck me that I was seeing the royal family though Logan’s eyes.
I saw more events and personal experiences. Nothing was held back, because it was what Logan had known. It was shared with me now. Some things shocked me, but there was another emotion too.
While I experienced Logan’s life through his eyes, it was very possible that he was doing the same. That was a bit embarrassing, as he would see all. He would see my life as I had, without any events hidden from sight.
Disturbing images came into view. It was if I experienced Logan’s life with all its myriad sensations. There were physical fights with brutality and blood. He’d fought ruthlessly, as the warrior he was at heart. And after becoming a vampire, he’d drunk the blood of humans for survival.
I cringed at watching him satisfy his thirst. Logan extended his fangs and sucked the blood from a human’s neck. The feeding wasn’t the least bit voluntary on the human’s part, and my stomach turned at witnessing the death of the victim.
The horrors went on and on, filling me with disgust—whether my own abhorrence or Logan’s I wasn’t sure. His sensibilities had mingled with mine, so there was no way to differentiate. But time went on.
The ages continued to flow by, offering more scenes from the past. I discovered that I was looking at the period of the Renaissance, a cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history. It extended to the fourteenth century, a fact I hadn’t retained from my studies at school. But Logan knew the period well since he’d experienced it, and I observed from his eyes.
Then I moved ahead to the enlightenment of the nineteenth century spreading across the world, including Logan’s realm. Many political empires fell, while others rose to power. It was a period of tremendous change in the outside world, but in Shadowland too.
The changes in Logan’s realm altered it in many ways, making it more like the kingdom it was at present. Battles were still fought, but the war was waged to defend the vampire realm from the Fae who threatened to destroy it. The Fae attacks resulted in many casualties, including both human and vampire, leading to the near extinction of the vampire race the notable witch had created.