by Sela Croft
Encroachment by the Fae forced the vampire armies to defend their land. But it appeared that the magic vampires, the last bastion against the darkness, might be wiped out.
The centuries of fighting might all be for naught. The witch had put magic and immortality on the side of goodness. Yet it appeared that wouldn’t be enough. The potential outcome, if circumstances didn’t change, were disheartening. Evil would be allowed to overrun all that lived.
And it could leak beyond the boundary of Shadowland, to infect the outside world as well. I dreaded to think what would happen if the vampire race lost the centuries-old war. I was well-aware of what was at stake.
Up to that point, humans had been fed on at will, in the outside world as well as Shadowlands. The only factor that reduced the number of deaths was that the vampire population had diminished. Thus, less consumption of blood was required.
The world had changed though. And Logan had too. He was no longer as savage and seemed to behave in a more civilized fashion. His father was king, and he revamped the existing structure. For better protection, the vampires stayed within the safe borders of Shadowland.
Instead of feeding on outside humans, the breeding farms that had existed for some time were expanded. Humans were breed for the quality and purity of their blood. Feeding was less violent, so fewer deaths resulted. Efforts were made to store blood, so human feeders weren’t needed as often.
Shadowland became less like a slaughterhouse for humans and more of a community. The villages thrived, and the foresters lived on the hillsides with their families. Logan had the need for blood, as every vampire did. But his attitude changed. He became less predatory and more civilized.
Logan had the same determined gaze in his glowing emerald eyes and he exuded strength. His command of his environment couldn’t be argued with, so the subjects of the realm gave him the respect he deserved.
Yet he made a concerted effort to hold to a kinder approach, to achieve his ends with as little trauma to the humans as possible. That was good to see. He fed from the humans but in such a way that fewer lives were taken.
I understood Logan better than I ever had. I’d seen what he’d endured, how hard he’d found, and who he’d become. And I knew the personal sacrifice, what he’d given up, so he could acquire his vampire form and magic ability, with the purpose of holding back evil. I admired him as the true prince he was…and I loved him with all my heart.
Chapter 28
Logan
While Callie drank my blood and underwent the transformation, I sucked at her wrist, imbibing her sorceress blood. I hadn’t feared my part of the deal. Her rich blood would only serve to magnify my power and enhance my magic.
I’d craved her blood since she’d first appeared in my life. For so long, I’d had to restrain my urges. The craving had been overpowering at times, so I marveled that I hadn’t drunk from her far sooner. It had been my love and caring for her that had given me the ability to put her first.
At last, I had no need to hold back. I’d been granted the privilege of drinking her succulent blood. A shiver of pleasure went up my spine. I didn’t have to resist. I’d have her divine blood with its uniquely attractive scent, a scent like no other.
Callie was already drinking from my vein by the time I pressed my lips to her wrist. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be in a trance. I held her trembling arm in my hand, then brought her wrist to my mouth.
I sensed the blood pulsing beneath the skin, and even heard her heart beating in her chest. I drooled for a taste of her sweetness, craved her scent as much as her flavor. Callie was a beauty with her mass of raven-black hair. She was kind and she was good.
And she was special.
I was certain that Callie had no idea of the magic she possessed. In her humbleness, she hadn’t latched onto the power she could wield. Yet I had some idea. The possibilities were astounding. I intended to support her, in any way I could. She was giving everything to save those who inhabited my realm, and possibly her own.
I pressed my lips to the soft inner side of her wrist, her scent filling my nostrils. The first drops of blood touched my tongue, making me ravenous. I steeled myself not to drink too much. I couldn’t allow myself to drain her dry. Even if my pleasure had to be cut short, I would not injure her.
Drinking blood wasn’t out of the ordinary for me. I’d quenched my thirst for centuries. I had developed refined tastes, since the blood I fed on was from humans that had been cultivated for the purpose. The blood that fed me was pure, never tainted by unacceptable moral qualities.
Callie was the most loyal, loving human I’d met. She had a moral conviction, even about helping other humans, that I’d mistrusted. It had seemed like a pretense, one with intent to deceive. But during the time I’d known her, Callie had proven that her heart was true—to me and to all others she cared for.
Her blood would be of the purist sort. Her father valued her blood for its magic and Callie for her sorcerer heritage. Yet I considered her inner character and conviction was what made the blood that pumped through veins so different. Her willingness to stand up for others, to do the right thing was magic to me.
The blood I drank with avid thirst pumped from a heart that was honest and true. It was a delicacy that I had long awaited. I swallowed her precious blood, savoring the taste and aroma.
Yet there was no immediate sensation that was out of the ordinary. I was disappointed. The way her father had bragged, I’d expected a significant effect.
I began to think that this not the right course of action, that I shouldn’t be drinking Callie’s blood, after all. Then subtly, an unknown force began to take over my senses.
I looked down at Callie’s arm, staring at her pale skin, and my sight locked into position. I was unable to avert my gaze.
My hearing was similarly affected. I heard Callie’s steady breathing and the beating of her heart. But I was unable to hear anything else. Those sounds were my sole perceptions.
My only sense of smell was of her flesh, and my sense of taste was of her blood.
I was not in control of any of my actions. With my mouth on Callie’s wrist my senses controlled me. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to stop, that I would drink every drop of her blood and want more.
The flow of the blood and the usurping of my senses took away my free will. Any shred of control I’d had was gone. Any thought of restraint was wiped from my mind.
Chapter 29
Logan
It felt like I’d been pulled out of the stream of time. I had no reference point and I had no sense of how long I’d been a victim of my senses. Control had been ripped away from me. All I was aware of was the incredibly powerful ebb and flow from Callie to me, then back again.
The blood flowed between us in a pulsing circle, the sensation like massive waves crashing on the beach. Little by little, I began to sense something else.
Beneath and behind the overwhelming sensations was something I struggled to discern. I tried to pluck individual scenes out of the white noise that was woven through the sensations.
The progress of life reeled out before me. I saw births, deaths, as well as growth and destruction. I had been human, in the far reaches of my past. But after the witch’s spell I was immortal, facing century after century with no end in sight.
It seemed like a vast amount of time passed through me, from the earliest beginnings of humanity to tribes, cities, and then nations. I’d been changed from my human form at the age of eighteen and would forever look that age. Yet internally I had changed significantly.
Despite my age, I sensed that the inception of what I was witnessing predated my existence.
I tried to latch onto a singular scene, to stop the flow and have a closer look. But just as I mentally grabbed hold of the images flowing by, to grasp one for further inspection, the visionary ribbon of the past was ripped away.
I was engulfed by confusion. The flashes of images, reflecting the world’s history, raced b
y too quickly for me to visualize any one of them clearly. It was a parade of faces, some human and some supernatural creatures including the Fae—even a few creatures that I didn’t recognize.
Then I was thrust into the outside world. But I didn’t recognize the location. Several scenes surfaced but I was lost. I stared at a middle-aged woman’s face. She had blondish hair and hazel eyes. I felt that I knew her well, that I loved her.
Rosamon looked a bit like her. The woman was Sadie Mayfair, the beloved mother of the twins, and she smiled at me. Her smile was genuine and caring. It moved me, nearly to tears.
Sudden violence sent the image spinning, knocking the vision askew. There was a car crash then a devastating sense of loss, followed by overwhelming grief. Sadie was dead.
Like a slideshow of memories, the images moved forward to two girls about the age of five, playing and giggling. Then one of the girls looked at me, her gaze piercing straight my heart as she smiled at me, at the person I truly was on the inside.
It was Callie’s violet eyes gazing at me. It was then that I realized I’d been looking at the human realm, seeing a loving mother’s smile, feeling grief of such magnitude that it would never heal—and looking into my own soul…through Callie’s eyes.
Chapter 30
Amalia
My hobbies were ones that enabled me to pursue my magic. I wasn’t the princess by birth only, but because of my superior talents. Intent on a project in my alchemy lab, I forgot about the struggles and daily pressures in the kingdom. I didn’t care about turning metal into gold, since I already had wealth beyond compare. A cure for illness didn’t interest me either.
But a way to prolong life, maybe indefinitely, held me rapt and was my motivation for the numerous experiments I performed. It had always irked me that the vampires were immortal. Fae had long life spans but couldn’t boast of life eternal. That was what I hoped to fix.
The vials and potions served as distractions. It had taken overly long to lure Callie back into Fae territory. And in the end, she hadn’t been persuaded by my flattery or propaganda. It had been with the help of the sorceress Morrigan, who persisted in siding with the vampires.
It had been a while since the report had come in that Callie was on her way. What in the world was happening? I’d informed the king that she would soon be in our grasp. I had begun to have anxiety over the ordeal, worried that she might have been waylaid along the way.
If Callie didn’t arrive, I’d be back to strategizing again. And there was no time for that. If I failed to give my father what I’d promised, he might rescind my claim to the throne. He’d been known to be vindictive, a trait that I’d inherited. I couldn’t afford to start over with Callie.
Then a raven flew in, interrupting my work. He perched on the chair, flapping his wings and screeching loudly. I waved at him, demanding that he settle and cease the earsplitting sounds. “What have you to say?”
After a brief conversation with my feathery messenger, I was well pleased. I rewarded the creature with a toad for a meal, which he took in his beak and flew away. It was good news. There had been progress, so I couldn’t wait to report to my father.
My handmaidens responding to my call, appearing quickly to assist me to dress for an audience with the king. My attendants helped me into my royal garb and took longer than I would have liked with my hair. It was a pain to have to look so royal, but it wouldn’t do to annoy the king with perceived disrespect.
With my liege at my side, I strode down the hallway. The king would be pleased, as I had very, very good news. And he’d be further endeared to me, since I was the messenger of the tidings. I looked forward to seeing his expression, maybe even his relief at what I was about to tell him.
At long last, the twins would serve us. Callie and Rosamon would be reunited, a long-sought goal of the Fae kingdom. My father had foretold that it was possible to wipe out the royal vampires, and we had come a long way in that regard.
Callie and Rosamon were more powerful than they knew. If their magic abilities were used properly, the twins had the potential of casting a spell of such magnitude that it would mean the demise of the vampire race.
Finally, that event was within reach. I smiled with good reason.
My good mood was ruined when I was refused audience with the king. “He’s my father,” I said. “I’m the princess. You will tell him that I’m here.”
The guards stood immobile. “We are under the king’s orders that he’s not to be disturbed,” one of them said.
I waved a hand at him, showing utter disregard. “Move aside. The king will see me.”
I nodded to my liege who pulled on the golden handle. But the door didn’t budge. “You are useless. I’ll do it myself.” I yanked on the door and though my arm nearly came out of the socket, it didn’t budge.
Infuriated, I turned to face the guards. “You will let me in, forthwith, or you will suffer like you have never suffered before.”
Prepared to follow through on my threat, I glared at them. A tinge of fear showed in their eyes, but the door didn’t open. As I raised my hand to turn them all into creatures of my liking—changing their fate for all eternity—there was a call from within the royal chambers.
The guards gave way and the door opened. I strode inside, furious with the king for not making an exception for me, much sooner. “That took long enough.”
The king was sitting by the fireplace. He didn’t react to my caustic comment. I assumed that he’d put out the order not to be disturbed, while he was in reverie. He had the ability to sense things in the future.
But my news was more important. I plopped into a chair opposite him, ignoring all decorum. I’d waited to share my news. Patience was not a virtue that I possessed. Yet my father didn’t turn to look at me, making me wonder if something was amiss.
My news would certainly get my father’s attention. “I wish to inform you, my king, that the power you’ve awaited is almost within your grasp.”
Despite my claim, the king continued gazing at the flickering flames. I was becoming concerned. Maybe something was truly wrong with him. He was ill, so he might have taken a turn for the worse. “Father…”
My father turned to look at me. His eyes were dull and lusterless, the blue radiance gone. My heart skipped a beat. Was he going to die at any moment? “Jabari, my king,” I said respectfully, “are you ailing today?”
Ignoring my question about his condition, my father said, “What have you to tell me? Since you barged in with such fervor, I can only guess that it’s of importance.”
Had he already forgotten what I’d just told him? Was he not excited by the prospect?
“Callie has arrived with her vampire prince in tow. And they descended the stairs through the belly of the glowing hand into the bowels of the prison. She’s with Rosamon, what we’ve wanted all along.” I waited for that to sink in.
“I heard you when you said the power is almost within our grasp,” my father said. “I assumed you meant something like that.”
“What else could I possibly mean, father?” I was losing my temper again—not a good idea in the presence of the king. “Soon we will have all the strength we need to defeat our hated enemies.”
Still the king didn’t react as I’d expected. “I suggest that we unleash the full force of our armies against the vampires and their dragons.”
The vampire forces had launched an offensive. While I spoke to my father, the dragon fleet was already burning our lands, searing our colorful mushroom fields and turning them to ash. I couldn’t tolerate it a moment longer.
“Your information is out of date,” the king said. “I have my own sources of intelligence.”
I stared at my father, unable to conceive of any reason he wouldn’t agree to rage against the vampires with all our might.
“Much more has happened since Callie arrived at the prison,” my father said. “Your ravens have failed you. Their messages aren’t delivered with immediacy.”
&nb
sp; What could have happened?
My father looked at me, but I was unable to read his expression. “We will have to wait.”
“What?” I was unable to believe what I was hearing. “But we can trick Callie and Rosamon. All we need is their power combined with ours to ultimately wipe out the vampire race.”
My father’s voice was barely audible. “I fear that won’t be enough.”
Chapter 31
Callie
Logan’s blood flowed through my veins mingled with my own, turning me into a vampire. Yet so enraptured was I by all that I’d viewed, I hardly gave it a thought.
The journey through Logan’s past had been a roller-coaster ride. I’d traveled through love, pride, petty jealousy, and horror. Then I was thrust into the twentieth century with all its upheaval. The war with the Fae was age old. Yet it had been fueled by many events of the not too distant past.
I witnessed Logan’s involvement, deeds that were worrisome while others heroic. He’d fought hard by his father’s side. Since the king’s untimely death Logan had taken on the burden of saving his kingdom from destruction and his race from extinction.
Through drinking Logan’s blood, I knew him better than I’d thought possible. Living though his history gave me immense insight. Yet I realized that even then I didn’t know him completely. Logan was a complex person, an immortal being who’d survived the centuries.
It would take decades or more, maybe as many hundreds of years as he had lived, to unwrap the nature of his being all the way to its core. I wondered if it was possible to completely understand him.
Yet I was being offered that chance now, and rather liked the idea of knowing Logan fully. The events of his life continued to flow by me like a raging torrent. I reached out to catch hold of one that would assist in my purpose to know him.