In the Dark

by Jen Colly

  “Tripled?” Did his captain have any idea of the staggering effort it would take to accomplish this task? “It’s impossible.”

  “Under the old ways, it would be impossible. Every Guardian we have at this moment is now a trainer. The people of this city are doomed if they can’t defend themselves. You know this, Soren. You saw how the men cowered in the arena with the women while our Guardians died. We cannot protect those we love by will alone. Teach them. This won’t happen again.”

  “You think they’ll try again so soon?” Soren asked him, easing forward in his chair.

  “Whatever they wanted, they didn’t get. I pray to God I never see their like again, but I will not be unprepared.”

  “We don’t know what they were after,” Ivan said. “We think they failed, but how do we know they didn’t succeed?”

  “What do you mean?” Captain Savard asked, Ivan now his sole focus.

  “Technically, the head of the snake has been cut off,” Ivan supplied. “Navarre may not be dead, but he’s certainly not lord at the moment. Maybe that’s what they wanted.”

  Soren sighed heavily, scrubbing his hand across his face. “Except they pursued Captain Savard just as doggedly, almost like they knew he was the heir.”

  The captain paced in a tight circle. “They attacked Sampson, Navarre’s personal guard, as if they knew where he would be. They targeted the lord, his heir, the high justice, and the council. They killed the only doctor skilled enough to save a life in peril. They even targeted you, Soren, our most valued trainer. These demons knew what they were doing. This was plotted and planned meticulously. Balinese was meant to fall.”

  Disgust made bitterness scratch his throat; hatred burned. “We had been attacked from the inside long before Steffen called in the breach at the gates. He was stabbed from behind, then they sliced through his hamstrings.”

  Ivan drew in a sharp breath, thoroughly appalled.

  Jaw clenched, anger seething from him, the captain said, “It was a trap. The whole thing was a trap. The demon executed in the arena was their signal. They used the children to lure Navarre away from our protection. Flynn’s daughter, Nero’s daughter, Sampson’s daughter, Bareth’s son, and both of Julian’s children had been taken. They stole children Navarre knew. Children he cared for. Then stabbed him through the heart after he’d charged above to save them.”

  “The children?” Since the moment he’d seen Captain Savard return alive, he’d been afraid to ask.

  Captain Savard bowed his head. “We only lost one. The rest, though without their parents, are perfectly fine.”

  “With so many demons and the sun rising, how did they survive?” Ivan asked.

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” The captain shook his head, unfolded a piece of paper and handed it to Soren, efficiently changing the subject. “Now. We have another problem.”

  Soren read the short note then passed it to Ivan.

  “Thank God he wasn’t here when they attacked. Vidor has family?” Soren asked his captain.

  “Apparently.” Captain Savard looked less than pleased.

  “He even sounds stuffy when he writes,” Ivan said with a cringe, then read the letter aloud. “My niece, whom I love dearly, must be protected at all costs. I am leaving my home to warn the council of Galbraith out of concern for her safety. My apologies.”

  Though Soren didn’t much care for the man, genuine relief filled him. “The road to Galbraith is long. It may be days before he returns, but at least he’s alive.”

  “As Galbraith is now warned,” the captain said, “we have no choice but to warn the rest. It would be diplomatic suicide otherwise. And we now have a solid reason to alarm them.” He rubbed his smooth chin, then as if he’d suddenly came to a decision, nodded sharply. “Soren, prep Titus and Dyre. Have them warn Talvane.”

  Soren shook his head. The loss of two Guardians seemed excessive. “You’re sending two men into Paris?”

  “Demons are lurking in Paris,” the captain replied. “If one dies, the other had better return alive. I want to know what the hell’s going on out there.”

  “What of Valenna?” Ivan asked.

  “Send someone,” the captain said dismissively.

  “I’ll go.” The words flew from his mouth, and it took him a second to register what he’d volunteered to do.

  “No, you will not,” Captain Savard said swiftly, the muscles in his jaw tense. “Send someone else.”

  “There is no one else. What Guardians we have left need to stay here, patrolling the city. You can’t go. Who’s left? Ivan? How well do you think that would go over? He’s not exactly the kind of person a royal would speak with.” He sent an apologetic look to Ivan. “I mean no offense.”

  “None taken,” Ivan said with a slight shrug. “And I don’t want to go.”

  “Fine. We warn the other cities first. We can lift Balinese off her knees tomorrow.” Captain Savard ended the meeting in the most unusual way. He simply walked out the door.

  Soren stared after him. The metric ton of information dropped on them in this meeting shell-shocked him.

  “What made you offer to march into hell?” Ivan asked, wide-eyed as he searched his gaze for an answer.

  “If I can save the lives of my kind, I will.” His former Guardian had left behind his core principles. It defied belief. “How long has it been since you’ve served with Guardians? Have you forgotten our purpose is to preserve life?”

  “You go to Valenna.” Ivan stood, his chair squealing against the hard wood floor as it slid away from the table. Soren assumed he would leave, but he planted his palms on the table. “The only life in need of preservation will be your own.”

  Chapter 18

  Nearly an hour ago, Faith had watched with tears in her eyes as two men carelessly tossed Gustav’s body into a coffin, slammed the lid shut, then carried him off. “Heartless!” she’d screamed at them. Soren had been forced to haul her home. Now she paced their bedroom, her toes twisting into the carpet each time she turned sharply.

  “Why would they treat him like garbage off the street?” she raved, scrubbing another tear from her cheek.

  “When a vampire passes from this world, a prayer is said for their soul, and the body is left for the sun to burn. The ash that was once our body will feed the sacred earth we live within.” Reciting the words to explain the death of a vampire as if he read from a textbook helped keep his emotions in check. “Demons and murderers are dealt with differently. They are completely sealed in coffins, which prevents their decomposing bodies from seeping into the nurturing soil and spreading evil to the good things growing in the earth. Stalkers are seen as murderers.”

  “It’s not right. Gustav was a good man.”

  “This is not a perfect world, Faith, and customs are not easily broken.” He pulled her down beside him on the edge of their bed.

  “I’m tired and numb.” She leaned into the shelter of his solid frame. “Our city will never be the same again.”

  Soren smiled, a small, secret smile. She had claimed Balinese as her city. Mourned the loss of its people. She was one of them.

  He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “The demons who attacked you above, and us down here, were nothing like those of old.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Demons are vicious, mindless creatures. They kill for the joy of killing. The ones I remember had a yellowish-colored skin that seemed to sag and hang from their bones. Their mouth would constantly salivate from the thought of its next meal. And their eyes...those eerie red orbs flared when they looked at their prey. No one mistook a demon for anything other than what it was.” Soren stared straight ahead, seeing into the past. He’d fought them many times in his young and reckless days. They’d been easy to recognize and thus, kill. These demons, with their blue eyes and human looks... How could they spot th
ose deceptive creatures among their own people?

  Faith shivered at his description. “If that’s a demon, then what did I see?”

  “An entirely different creature. We don’t know what they are.” He paused a moment to let the horrifying thought pass, then said, “We have no idea what they’re capable of.”

  “But they can be killed. I saw them die.”

  “They can, but these things look like us. One of them changed the color of its eyes. What if they all can? We have to protect Balinese, and other vampire cities. They need to know that those who live among them could be demons.” And now for the words he had avoided since he’d returned. “Tomorrow I leave to warn a city not far from us.”

  “What? Let them send someone else,” she begged, gripping his arms tightly.

  He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, stroking her cheek gently as he tucked it behind her ear. “Faith, listen to me. If I don’t go, thousands of vampires could die. Demons prefer the weaker, easier targets, like women and children. I can’t stand by and let that happen. We have to warn them. I must go,” he said, letting her hair slip through his fingers.

  “Don’t go.” She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

  “When I leave, Elin will stay here with you. I don’t want you alone, not after...” He closed his eyes, unwilling to voice his thoughts.

  Another tear slipped down her cheek, but she ignored the falling drop. She took his face in her hands. “Tonight I’ve seen how fleeting life can be, even for your kind. Right now I have you in my hands, and I’m going to make this time count.”

  * * * *

  The sun had set. Time to go. He carefully moved her arm from across his chest. Whatever else happened, they’d had this time together. He’d loved her until she’d trembled in his arms. He’d waited his whole life for her, and she’d been perfect.

  He trusted Ivan’s warning about Valenna. Ivan had heard many rumors of death, disorder, and demons inside the nearby city. An ordinary vampire would not have a chance to hear this information. The news, though sinister, would be helpful. Now he’d be aware of the possibility he might be walking into the city and announcing a demon threat to a demon.

  Even more worrisome, Valenna had remained eerily quiet over the last ten years. His experience increased his chance of survival greatly, but the odds were not in his favor.

  If he died, Faith would be alone, and would be given to another for safekeeping.

  “Not going to happen,” he said through clenched teeth, leaned over her, brushed back her hair, and smoothly sank his teeth in. She let out a dreamy sigh and slid her fingers through his hair, held him to her neck.

  “Soren,” she moaned, then her strength left her and her eyelids slowly shut. He’d taken enough to send her into a blissful unconsciousness for a short time. It was necessary. If she woke, he wouldn’t have the strength to leave her.

  “Remember me,” he whispered, leaving his bite open and unhealed.

  * * * *

  Faith opened her eyes to a quiet, empty room. She wanted to hold Soren one more time before he left, but the absence of his solid weight crushed her hopes.

  He was gone.

  The breakfast tray several feet from the bed drew her attention. She had to move. If she stayed in bed any longer she would cry, so she wrapped the sheet around herself and plodded sleepily over to the table.

  The tray had been filled with her favorite pastries and fruit, accompanied by a glass of red wine. She smiled and shook her head. A vampire’s love of wine for any occasion continued to baffle her.

  A small place card had been propped in front of the wine. She lifted the card. In bold red letters, it simply said I love you. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but her smile grew wider.

  She raised the glass, holding it up to the note in mock toast. “And I love you,” she said, then downed the entire glassful.

  The sweet wine warmed her belly. Flopped back on the bed, she stared at the ceiling, still smiling. He loved her. She’d seen it in his eyes, but this giant red banner was a resounding proclamation.

  A dull ache rolled in her stomach. Eyes squeezed shut, she fought through the nausea, and sat. She should have eaten something. Alcohol for breakfast was not a brilliant idea.

  As she reached for food, her body shivered violently, forcing her to stop. Chills raced over her, though her skin had become scorching hot.

  Still wrapped in the sheet, she tucked herself under the thick comforter, attempting to regulate her temperature. She hadn’t been this sick in years. Maybe she should call Elin.

  After a few minutes, her teeth stopped chattering and she rubbed her temples. The building headache came as no surprise, but she forgot it the moment her eyes watered and her nose tickled like she would sneeze. She didn’t, and the odd sensation grew, until it became uncomfortable. Her upper teeth ached.

  “Ouch,” she said as she pierced her bottom lip with... Oh, no.

  She jumped from the bed and ran, gripping the sheets with one hand, reaching for the bathroom door with the other. She swayed before mirror. If her jaw hadn’t already been open in search of what she suspected might be there, it would have dropped.

  Fangs. They weren’t large or ferocious, but small, dainty. Feminine. Short enough to easily hide, long enough to accomplish their intended task. She looked like an idiot, puckering her lips and pulling them back as she adjusted to the bizarre feel of two slightly longer teeth.

  “You have fangs,” Elin said flatly from where she hovered in the doorway.

  Crap! Where had she come from? “I know. It happened just now.”

  Elin shook her head, sharply, and certain. “Fangs don’t just happen, Faith. You drank his blood.”

  Faith wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Yuck. I did not. I think he must have bitten me too many times.”

  “Impossible. He could drink from you every day until your veins ran dry and you’d still be human,” the small woman said, then chewed her bottom lip as she pondered this puzzle. “Did you drink anything this morning? Last night?”

  “Only the wine.” She pointed to the table.

  Elin lifted the wineglass, gave it a thorough investigation, then snagged the place card from the tray.

  “Hey, that’s private,” Faith protested, marching to her.

  “It most certainly is,” Elin said, and flipped the card over as she handed it back.

  The words on the other side of the card said forgive me. “I don’t understand. Forgive him for what?”

  “He turned you. He put his blood in the wine, and you drank it. You’re vampire.” Elin froze the moment the words had left her mouth. “You said he bit you. Did he bite you last night?”

  “Yes, or this morning. Maybe both,” she admitted, her cheeks heating.

  “Where?”

  Lifting her hair, she exposed her neck.

  Elin sucked in a deep breath, then nodded toward the mirror. “Go have a look.”

  She’d expected bloodied puncture wounds, or some other such horror. Nope. Not even close. Two symmetrical and delicate black lines swirled along the right side of her neck, originating from his bite. They created a beautifully distinct design.

  If Elin had attempted to hide the amusement in her voice, then she’d failed miserably. “You’ve been mated.”

  “Mated?”

  “He married you, but more permanently.”

  “He married me without telling me?” Her girlish fantasies of planning her dream wedding had just been completely trampled. “Why would he do that?”

  Elin shook her head, her long, wavy hair shifting over her slender shoulders. “I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like something Soren would do.”

  “He could have married me without turning me vampire,” she grumbled, shifting her lips around her fangs.

  Elin straightened sudde
nly. “You’re right, Faith. He could have.”

  “I thought so.” She sat on the bed, tucked the sheet under her legs. “It’ll be nice to have you on my side when he gets back.”

  “No. You don’t understand. He could have married you without marking you or turning you. But he did both without your knowledge.” Her eyes widened. “You didn’t have a chance to object.”

  “Right. I think we’ve established this already.”

  Elin let out a tired-sounding sigh. “Those fangs and that mark on your neck clinched your position as a vampire and Soren’s wife. You’re a free woman with the right to his wealth and status. Don’t you see what he did?”

  “I realize these are good things, but it should have been my decision.”

  Elin shook her head. “You’re not understanding. Being human, if something happened to Soren, you would be passed on to the next vampire male willing to buy you. You’re perpetual property. What Soren did prevented that from ever happening. You’re a high-ranking female now, and you’ll always be safe here, even without him. Faith, he doesn’t think he’ll live.”

  “What?” She shot off the bed. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t he live?”

  “I have to find out why. Stay here,” Elin said, then ran out the door, leaving Faith in an uproar of emotions.

  Soren hadn’t said a single word about heading into danger. He’d given her the impression that his short journey down the road would be a friendly visit with the neighbors.

  If he’d tricked her to secure her future and safety, whatever waited for him out there must be perilous.

  Hours passed. She had dressed, and now paced constantly. Elin hadn’t returned. More waiting. She had no facts to weigh, and the normally laid back Elin had run off in a panic with the assumption that Soren would die.

  Elin finally burst through the door, and Faith rushed across the room to her. “What did you find?”