by Sela Croft
As we moved, the humans around us scurried away. Some peered out at us from their windows, others cowered in fear behind trashcans and tree trunks.
I was thankful that Callie wasn’t there to witness the effect I had on my human subjects. I was certain she would have plenty to say about it, and I didn’t want to hear a lecture from an uniformed outsider.
But it wasn’t the time to be thinking about Callie.
Yet the thought of the Fae entering the city and threatening my way of life might somehow be tied to her, no matter how hard I tried to believe otherwise.
“Perhaps we should ask some of these humans if they saw anything?” Valter said.
“No,” I replied. “It won’t matter. Raulia is on their trail. The longer we delay, the more time they have to escape.”
We turned down another narrow side-street. The route the abductor had taken was sporadic and not well mapped out. That gave me a glimmer of hope. If they had spent time trying to find a way out, then there was a chance that they were still inside the city and not too far ahead of us.
When Raulia took a sharp turn to the left and dove down into the deep gutter on the side of the road, my heart sank. We were going beneath the city. Here, a maze of tunnels and sewers wove their way in and out of the city’s safer zones. Although the entrance on the outside was manned, there was still a chance that a rogue human could have gotten in, especially if they had help from the Fae and their magic.
It still didn’t explain how a Fae would be able to enter the city. The barrier cutting off their dark life-force went deep underground. Even down there, they would be unable to move past the line and enter the world of light.
Raulia let out another low growl and bared her teeth. The hair on the back of her neck bristled as she leaned back on her haunches and eyed a large storm door just down the tunnel from where we were standing.
I didn’t need to ask.
Rushing forward, my fingers dug into the metal. It gave in under my strength. I pulled the door off its hinges and threw it to the side. It hit the ground with a clatter, revealing what was inside.
The sight of my sister lying flat on the ground, with a vampire hunter hovering over her, pushed my rage over the edge. The hunter scrambled for his weapons, but it was too late. I was on him before he could lift his hand.
I threw him back against the wall with such force that the weapons in his hands flew from his grasp upon impact. He squirmed back, gasping for breath and I stalked toward him. I could see the fear in his eyes.
“Valter,” I said. “Check Natasha.”
“It’s too late,” said the human cowering before me. His fear remained, but the sound of Raulia’s growl told me that it wasn’t me he was afraid of.
More was going on than we’d been aware of. I took another step forward but leapt back when the human threw his arms wide.
With a flash of light and the sound of thunder, a black, shapeless figure form slithered out of him. Raulia growled, and I tried to process what was going on. The human fell to the ground, and the dark figure took shape.
“A Rode Ogen!” Valter exclaimed.
The Rode Ogen were a very powerful class of Fae. They were able shifters and covert hiders. Although, they didn’t possess the strength and cunning of other classes of their species, they presented their own brand of frustrations to my kingdom.
They’d been known to enter the human camps in the woods, masquerading as one of their own, then convinced them to join the rebellion. They shifted into dragons and took on Valter’s well-trained fleets with brazen courage.
It appeared another concern had been added to our list. “It used the vampire hunter as its vessel to enter the city,” I said. “The barrier couldn’t extinguish his life source, because it was masked beneath the human.”
Standing over the body of its human carrier, the Rode Ogen had taken the shape of a very large, rabid-looking dog with black fur. Its eyes glowed red as they shifted from me, to my brother, and finally rested on Raulia.
Raulia leapt forward, pinning the creature back long enough for Valter and I to attend to Natasha. I rushed to her side, with my brother behind me. I shook her gently, pleading for her to wake up.
I could hear the Rode Ogen putting up a fight behind us. Raulia struggled to keep it at bay as I continued to tend to my sister. Her eyes remained shut and she gave no sign of response. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me.
“We have to get her to safety,” Valter said.
I nodded and carried my sister from the chamber. Valter accompanied me, in case more trouble found us. It seemed like a reasonable thought, given everything we had been through in recent days.
In the seconds it took us to move Natasha to safety and return to the chamber, the Rode Ogen had fled.
“Raulia is gone too,” Valter said.
“She’ll catch him,” I said. “She has to.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
“Then I’ll hunt him down and kill him myself. No one touches my family. No one. I want answers and I’ll do whatever it takes to get them.”
Chapter 39
Logan
Before leaving the chamber, Valter gave the vampire hunter one last look.
“He won’t be giving you any answers,” he said, kicking the human’s his foot with the heel of his boot. “He’s dead.”
“He knew the risks he was taking when he agreed to work with the dark ones,” I said. “I feel no pity for him.”
Valter shrugged and led the way out of the tunnels. When we returned to where we had left Natasha, we found Florian kneeling beside her. He turned to look at us. I tried to read his expression, but it was clouded with emotions.
“Is she alright?” I asked and walked over.
“Ask her for yourself,” Florian said, motioning down to our sister.
Although she was still lying on the ground, her pale green eyes were open—squinted against the soft light around us—but open. I kneeled beside her and brushed her honey blond hair from her face.
“Natasha, I was so worried. I apologize for not being there to help you, to protect you. I feel I have failed you.”
“Nonsense,” she said, then took my hand in hers. “You had other matters to attend to.”
“But our family should always be my first and foremost concern.”
“Logan, you were doing what you needed to. I am sure of it now.”
“What do you mean?” I said and sat back on my heels.
Natasha attempted to push herself up but covered her face with her hands. I reached out reflexively to comfort her.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just still trying to make sense of all of it.”
“Start at the beginning,” Valter said.
My brothers joined us on the ground. We gathered in close to listen, while our sister recounted her story. As we had assessed from her home, a vampire hunter had entered. She’d been prepared for him and defended herself against his attack.
“He wasn’t alone though,” she said.
“We know,” I replied. “We saw the Rode Ogen.”
“Not just that,” she said, looking thoughtful. “Someone—something else—was with them.”
“Something else?” Valter asked.
“It had powers. At least, it was able to use my powers against me. It was as if it could channel my abilities.” Natasha paused.
“How is that possible?” Valter said.
“It must have been sorcery.”
Valter shook his head. “But the Fae don’t use sorcery.”
Natasha turned to me. “I tried to stop the enemy, Logan. I promise, I tried…”
“It’s okay,” I said, and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “But what do you mean exactly? How did they use your abilities against you?”
“I don’t remember,” Natasha said. “It was all such a blur. “The only thing I can recall…” her voice drifted off again. “Logan, you were doing the right thing. You were where you were nee
ded.”
“What is she talking about?” Florian asked.
“With Callie?” I asked, ignoring my brother’s question. “You mean, I was where I needed to be because I was with her?”
Natasha nodded. “The only thing I can remember is that whatever they wanted—whatever they were attempting to gain from my ability—had to do with the girl with the violet eyes.”
“Is she in danger?”
“I don’t know. But they know about her. They know she is here.”
There was no use trying to prevent my thoughts from going to Callie now. What role could she have in all of this? Why were the Fae interested in her? I had feared they might be the second my sister revealed that our fates would be intertwined.
But I had been naïve in thinking that I was the only one privy to that information.
“The human girl is in your private residence?” Valter asked. “The one with the scent that—”
“Yes, that’s her,” I didn’t want to see my family as a threat to her life, even if that was the way of it. And each of us was aware of it.
Callie was the key to something. I needed to protect her. I wanted to protect her. But why? Why did I feel this need to take care of her? Was it simply because of the role she would play in the future of my realm? Or was it something more?
My thoughts were muddled and strained. There was too much confusion surrounding the human girl, who’d dared enter our realm from the outside. I’d need to figure it out soon.
Chapter 40
Callie
The glassy pool rushed up at me. I pulled my knees up to my chest and prepared for the impact. The second I entered the water, I stretched out, reaching up toward the surface.
It took a moment to get my bearings. The water sloshed around me and my chest heaved as I sucked in the fresh air. I was exhausted from the chase, the initial exhilaration from possible escape gone. I pushed myself to keep going.
I reached the edge of the pool and climbed out of the water. The sound of shouts coming from above me filled the air. I scrambled to my feet and rushed forward, only to be stopped abruptly.
“I’m afraid you aren’t going anywhere, Ms. Mayfair,” a strong, deep voice said, then an ice-cold hand reached out and grabbed onto my wrist.
Before I could turn around to confront the man holding me in place, I was surrounded by five more guards. They looked at me with the same disinterest as before. Lowering my head, I admitted defeat.
Flanked by five vampires, and in the grip of another, I was returned to my floating penitentiary through a well-hidden entrance. Too bad I hadn’t known about it before. It could have saved me the swim.
The glitz of the Logan’s place was unimpressive. The marble floors and soaring ceilings were an elegant attempt to conceal the fact that that place was a prison.
When we reached my room, the guard released me then gave me a swift push. He wouldn’t have needed to shove me. I went into the room willingly. It was the only place I had any privacy. Yet he didn’t move from the doorway.
“I need to change,” I said, and let my arms fall to my sides with a wet plop.
“Go ahead.”
“Not with you here, no way.”
“You’ll try to escape again.”
“If I were going to escape from my room, wouldn’t I have done that when I was in here before? I can’t jump from this high up. I want to be free—not dead.”
The guard snorted and looked back at the others behind him. They took a step back.
“I won’t leave you alone,” the guard said. “I will send for the maid.”
My spirits lifted slightly. At least I would be able to see a friendly face. The second Bernadette arrived, I slammed the door shut behind her. Or I tried to. All the doors in Logan’s home were absurdly heavy.
“I’m so sorry you didn’t make it out, dear,” Bernadette said, and handed me a pile of scratchy clothes.
“Well, I did make it out, to be fair. Thank you for your help.”
“I wish I could have done more.”
“You did everything you could. I’m sorry I brought you into this in the first place. I know you risked a lot to help me.”
“Family should be together,” she said, patting me on the arm. “I’m going to leave you to change.”
“Will they let you?”
“I asked Henry to speak with them. I’m sure they won’t be happy about it, but you need some peace. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.”
She was right. I assessed my limited options for escape. Each one seemed more futile than the last. I didn’t want to admit I was trapped and refused to accept that I couldn’t go to my sister.
The longer I was away from Rosamon, the more danger she was in. I was certain she was in trouble, even though I couldn’t feel her like I’d been able to, in the past. I couldn’t sense her. All the same, that lack of a connection told me that she needed me.
We weren’t complete, unless we were together. It had always been that way. We had shared everything—the good, the bad, and the tragic. Since the day our parents died, we’d been inseparable. We swore that we wouldn’t let anything separate us.
“We didn’t think to include vampire princes in that pact,” I said to Rosamon, who was not close enough to hear. “Apparently we should have.”
Thinking about Logan and my sister at the same time brought another disconcerting thought to my mind. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Although my ability to read minds was always stronger when my sister was around, I was still able to tap into other people’s thoughts with her away, at least to some extent.
But it was as if Logan had put up a barrier.
Perhaps if I could figure out what he was thinking, I could decide whether to trust him with the reality of my situation. I’d changed my opinion of him a few times already. One moment, I felt as if I could share private thoughts with him. The next, I was terrified that he would rip my head off.
I pulled my shirt on, then headed back into the room.
When the door to my room flew open, I had little chance to react. I flew into the wall on the opposite end of the room. It took me a few second to realize that my feet were no longer on the ground.
The only thing I saw was Logan’s face, and the only thing I sensed was his rage. I trembled, when his eyes bored into me. His face hovered inches from mine. “What did you do?”
I squirmed, trying to free myself from his grasp, but his strength was unlike any I had experienced before. Despite the anger that was flowing out of him, I sensed something more below the surface. There was hesitation in his movements, as swift and sure as they appeared to be.
“I didn’t do anything,” I said, unable to get out of his grip.
Logan held my gaze for what seemed like minutes. The tension sent goosebumps rippling along my arms. Relaxing slightly, I allowed him to hold my weight and turned my gaze to his. A shiver zipped down my spine. His strength was terrifying. Still I remained unwavering. I challenged him with my stare.
“I tried to escape,” I said. “But I was caught and brought back here.”
“Do you have any idea what could have happened, if you’d been successful? Do you have any idea where you are? The dangers that are out there?”
“No.” I said. “I don’t because you won’t tell me. Why do you insist on keeping me here? What is it that I should be afraid of…other than you?”
Chapter 41
Callie
The intensity of Logan’s stare gave me the urge to slink against the wall, hoping it would swallow me up.
Finally, he lowered me to the ground. The second my feet touched, I was able to feel the rest of my body again. I hadn’t realized that I’d gone numb.
My heart pounded like a thunderous drum, but it wasn’t only from fear. Enraged, Logan was as handsome as he was any other time. Despite the intimidation, he stirred feelings within me that I had difficulty brushing aside.
“I’m sorry,” Logan said, then stepped back. He ran hi
s fingers through his copper-brown hair, then scanned the room as if realizing where he was.
He walked over to the bed and slumped down. I followed him, still a bit wobbly. When I reached his side, he looked up. “I almost lost my sister today.”
It was the softest I’d heard him speak. My heart went out to him. I could feel his pain, sense his anxiety. The signs of distress were subtle. He clenched his fists in his lap. His jaw was rigid, and his shoulders hunched forward.
I may not be able to read his mind, but I could read him.
I sagged onto the bed next to him, then gently touched his shoulder to provide comfort.
“I swore I wouldn’t let that happen,” Logan said. “I wouldn’t let anyone take another member of my family from me. I’ve lost so many, Callie. My sister is the kindest of all of us. She didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
Logan turned to look at me, and I stared into his emerald green eyes.
Hearing him talk about his family and his sister reminded me of my own situation. I had lost family, after I’d sworn not to let that happen again.
But it had.
It had happened to both of us. We had both experienced the dread that came from being separated from the ones we loved and understood the pain that resulted from not knowing if they were safe.
I shifted on the bed, then diverting my gaze from his. I wanted to tell him about my sister, so it was difficult not to share that. I wanted to scream out that I’d lost my sister, and I needed Logan to help me find her.
Yet I couldn’t bring myself to speak. “I’m sorry,” I said instead.
I wanted to express more empathy, more concern. But I feared saying anything else would lead to a confession I wasn’t prepared to make.
He sighed and lowered his head to his hands. I wasn’t sure if vampires could cry. But tears or not, he was suffering emotionally.