by G. Bailey
“You’re my mate! We might not have sealed the bond yet, but everything you do is my business. The boy doesn’t deserve you, he never could! No one ever could! You are fucking everything!”
Anger fills every ounce of my body. “And what would you know about deserving anyone, Ren? You spent all the time we knew each other lying to me and deceiving me. You might have made me a half vampire and have some silly claim to be my mate, but there is nothing, and I mean nothing, between us!”
“Oh yeah?” he questions, and he kisses me. I freeze as his lips possess mine with a fevered passion, pressing all his emotions into every touch, and hell, I hate myself as I kiss him back with just as much anger and passion. Heat rises in my cheeks as his tongue touches mine before he presses deeper, showing me exactly how amazing he is at this. Hell, I could kiss him forever. He breaks the kiss eventually, and I miss him straight away, my body itching to press closer and kiss him once more. “Let’s not pretend there is nothing between us anymore. Please.”
I close my eyes at his plea. “You have my people in chains like dogs. My friends.”
“If I let them free, they will attack us, and then my people will kill them. This way they are alive,” Ren counters with a frown.
“But, Ren, this isn’t how you lead. How you be a king...it’s cruel. It’s terrible, and I can’t love a man who would do that to my people,” I plead with him. I can’t love a monster. I just can’t.
“You keep saying ‘my people’ as if angels are the only blood you share. You belong to the vampires more,” he reminds me, like I don’t already know that, “and furthermore, this island is all that is left of vampires. Two thousand and twenty-two of us and one master. Our race was created by angels loving a goddess...and they never want the world to know that. So they kill and take whatever they want, they destroy whole races when they feel like it. How are we monsters for fighting back? For protecting ourselves, Kaitlyn?”
“In this war, we are all monsters, Ren. I want you not to be one,” I firmly say. “Because I am not. Vampires, angels, goddesses, who cares when everyone is in pain? Can there not be peace? Can we not leave the academy and the angels, and take the vampires somewhere safe to live our life?”
His eyes narrow, and he lets me go. “I will never stop the war. Not for anything. The angels will suffer for murdering my entire family and leaving me with nothing but blood and vengeance.”
He walks away from me, and I open my lips to tell him he does have something. He has me...but nothing comes out.
The king of the vampires is lost, and I don’t have a clue how to save him.
Chapter 42
“Myles, these flapjacks are so good. How has no one noticed you cooking in the kitchens?” I ask after inhaling more of the sweet snacks than I really should have done. Myles flashes me an amused grin.
“It’s become a fun game. The vampire cooks can’t figure it out and keep setting traps. Luckily, I’m a wolf; I can sense any new changes to any room if I really want to,” he says and laughs. “And put the traps in different places so the vampires get themselves caught.”
I laugh with him as I imagine how annoyed the cooks must be, and I’m happy Myles is finding some way to keep himself amused. Picking up my horse whistle necklace, I hand it to Myles.
“Could you put it on me?” I ask, and he nods as he takes it from me. I lift up my hair into a bunch in my hand, and he steps very close, pressing his body into my back as my wings spread out at my sides. Oddly, I hear a slight rumble come from him as he places the necklace around my neck, and his fingers graze across the back of my neck as he does up the clip. I turn my head back to look at him and let my hair fall down. Myles surprises me by stroking my hair and lifting a strand between his fingers. I tell myself it’s normal to feel so much attraction to a hot man in my room, standing so close to me. It doesn’t have to mean anything more than a simple attraction.
I’m sure Myles doesn’t see me that way. It would be too complicated if he did...and I have a plate full of three men who I don’t think know about each other. How I’m supposed to tell Henry about how I might want to really mate with Ren, feeding on and kissing Thallon...I don’t know. There isn’t a handbook on how to juggle three men at the same time without letting them kill each other. I need Vesnia’s advice.
I need my friend.
“Katy, I need to tell—” Myles starts off, but the door swings open and Henry steps in, closing the door behind him. The smile on his lips instantly drops into a frown as his eyes narrow in on Myles, the embers in them burning to life in anger. Myles wraps an arm around my waist, pushing me behind him in one smooth motion with a long growl echoing from his chest.
“Wait!” I shout, pushing Myles’s arm off me and jumping into the middle. Jumping in the middle of an angry alpha wolf and a dark angel isn’t the best idea I’ve ever had, but I’m not letting this happen. “Henry is my mate now, so he is just reacting to you touching me. Give me a second.”
“Mate? You’ve taken a mate?” Myles all but growls at me, and his reaction isn’t something I really understand.
“Technically she has two mates. The master vampire has a mate bond with her soul, but they haven’t accepted it yet, but they are close,” Henry informs Myles, sounding way too smug for my liking as he steps closer, wrapping a possessive arm around me.
“How could you know that?” I demand, and Henry looks sheepish as he answers me.
“Ren is my friend, you know this. I’m not against your relationship with him, and he will see reason about us. Your wolf friend might be a hard pass, though,” he warns me, his eyes flickering to Myles.
“She is my true mate as well, Angel-Prickhead, and I don’t give a shit who Ren is. I’m not going anywhere unless Katy demands it.” Myles’s statement hangs in the air as I turn to him, my wide eyes matching my mouth which has dropped open. Myles nervously meets my gaze, and everything about us seems to make far more sense now. I’ve never been overly attracted to anyone except for Henry, Thallon, Ren and now Myles...and it seems it’s meant to be this way. Only, what do I say to Myles? We have known each other less than a few months, and I haven’t even seen his wolf or kissed him more than once—and he jumped away from me like I was on fire. True mates...that is a statement.
“I need some time to deal with this all,” I say, biting on my lip and stepping away from them both. Myles looks hurt for a moment before he looks away from me, and my heart hurts for him. I didn’t mean I needed time away from him...that’s not what I want. Hell, I’m making a big mess of this. “Henry, did you come here for a reason?”
“Oh shit, yeah,” he says, still staring at Myles like he is his worst enemy. “I asked Bryne if you could see Vesnia alone, and he agreed. It’s too dangerous to meet in public, but Thallon said his house is currently empty. Vesnia is waiting for you there, and I will guard outside. You have about an hour.”
I can’t help the smile on my face as I jump at Henry, hugging him tightly. “Thank you!” I don’t wait as I slip on my boots and rush out of the door, hoping Myles and Henry will work out their problems. Or fight it out. Either way, I don’t want to be there. I get to the end of the corridor, and being as brave as I can, I run and jump off the balcony into the air, spreading my wings out to glide. Henry’s laugh finds my ears as he jumps off after me and flies to my side, offering me his hand. I take it, and he guides me down to the garden outside Thallon’s old house, and we land by the door. Henry tugs me closer to him and kisses me once before letting me go, and I rush to the door, pulling it open and stepping inside. Standing by the lit fireplace, Vesnia turns back to me, and we stare at each other in silence for a long time. I take in her pale skin, her bright red curly hair that looks more vibrant than ever, and even the freckles on her cheeks look brighter. Her dark brown eyes stare at me with an understanding we don’t need to speak to each other...it simply just is.
Vesnia Burns is my best friend.
Riley never was, and I was a fool not to see it before. Gr
owing up with someone and becoming familiar to them doesn’t make you a best friend. No, friends sacrifice for each other, they always have each other’s backs, and they never let each other down. I think I move first to run to her, and we embrace in the middle of the room.
“I’ve missed breakfast with you. Even your loud chewing,” I mumble as I pull back, taking her hands in mine. Tears fall down her cheeks as she laughs, and I smile with her as I let go of one hand to wipe my own tears away.
“Says the girl who got crumbs everywhere with one piece of toast,” she counters with an arched eyebrow. “How do you miss that big mouth of yours?”
We both laugh, but eventually the reality of everything around us comes crashing down. “I’m going to get you out of here and free. I promise.”
“How long could you see ghosts? See the master vampire?” she asks me, and the hurt leaking out her words makes me feel so guilty.
I swallow the guilt as I answer. “I’ve been able to see ghosts since I was a kid, and I saw Ren for the first time when I came to the academy. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you my secret; I got so used to never telling anyone that it became second nature to hide my gift.”
“Do you see it as a gift?” she asks me, curiosity colouring her tone.
“I never did, but now I do. I see ghosts for a reason, and that reason has to do with my bloodline apparently. Ren thinks one of my ancestors must have been a vampire. And not any vampire, a master vampire, because it is a power they have. Ren has the same power,” I explain to her. “But enough about me. How are you?” I ask and reach up, touching the gold chain around her neck. The line is hanging down her back, and I grit my teeth with anger. This is so wrong.
“Don’t worry about me...it’s not as bad as you think,” Ves says, and I frown at her.
“What isn’t as bad as I think?”
“Being bitten and fed on. It’s actually pleasurable, and when you do it during sex...it can be…” she drifts off when she sees I’m not shocked. I damn well know it makes sex frigging amazing, and feeding is so pleasurable I ache to do it again even when I’m not hungry. “Oh my gosh, you’ve had sex and fed!”
My cheeks burn as I nod, and she laughs, shaking her head. “Isn’t it amazing?” she asks with a far-off look.
“So Bryne isn’t cruel to you?” I ask. “I don’t need to kill him?”
Her eyes widen, and she squeezes my hand. “No, god, no. Bryne is mute. His tongue was cut out by angels when he was a kid, but he is kind, and I know he loves me. So much can be said without words, simply actions speak enough.”
I feel guilty now I shouted at him and he couldn’t reply to me. I feel sick at the thought of angels doing that to a child. “Why would the angels do that to a child?”
“The more stories I’ve heard told...the more I hate the angels. They act like gods, when they are not. Master vampires are the closest the world will get to gods and goddesses. Their blood holds the power of the goddess, and angels do not hold more power,” she angrily tells me. “Be careful, Kaitlyn, just because we have wings, we might not be on the right side.”
“Vampires came from two angels and a goddess. Vampires are the children of angels...why would they hurt them like this?” I whisper. “It makes no sense.”
“The light above controls the angels... It/he/whatever is to blame,” she says.
“What even is the light above? The Great Light? Whatever its name is. Do you know for sure? Everyone talks about it, but no one ever says what it is,” I whisper. “I think he might be a god.”
“He is a god,” she whispers so softly I nearly don’t hear her. “The vampires believe the light above is a god who is banished from mortal realms for betraying a goddess. That’s why he can never come down and control us...but the angels live in the city under his power.”
“He spoke to me as I fell from the academy,” I admit. “His voice haunts me, and not in a good way.”
Vesnia pulls me in close for a hug. “It shouldn’t be up to you, but it is. Who is right or wrong in this war? Who should win? Who should lose?”
“Who knows?” I answer, and she leans back, meeting my eyes.
“We both know it must be you. It’s shit that is…but it’s true,” she replies.
“Why is it up to me?” I question, shaking my head.
“Because you’re here, and Ren will only trust you. Make him end this war...help us find peace for all of us, or there will be a war. And the skies will burn with vampire and angel blood,” she whispers to me, and I wonder when my best friend became so wise. I wrap my arms tightly around her as all thoughts of my relationships and who I love go out the window. My love life is nothing in comparison to stopping the war.
I have to make Ren see sense before it’s too late.
Chapter 43
“Are you sure?” I ask Thallon for the tenth time as I finish off my section of roses in the greenhouse. He looks up from the flower bush he is cutting and winks at me.
“I’m fine and nearly all healed. I want to finish the work here, and then I will come up. Go and get some rest, you look exhausted,” he suggests. Again. Thallon might have a point though. Vampire training was particularly difficult today, and I’m exhausted from running constant laps and jumping the space of six pillars...of which I hit each of them more than once with my body instead of landing on them. I ache all over, but I promised Thallon I would help with the gardening today, and I don’t want to let him down. Thallon sighs and comes over to me as I stand up. He stops in front of me and picks up my hand, tugging off my gardening glove before lifting my hand to his mouth. He presses a simple kiss on the palm of my hand, and I smile at him. Thallon has a way of settling me, calming me, and I love it. The world can be super complicated and dangerous, but Thallon makes it feel safe. I’m lucky to have him in my life.
“See you in a bit. The wolf is making dinner,” he tells me, and I’m stupidly happy about that. Things have been weird between me and Myles for the last week since he told me I’m his true mate, but he has been checking in. I don’t know what to say to him, but I do know I don’t want him out of my life, and so we will figure something out somehow. We have to. I kiss Thallon on the cheek before leaving him in the greenhouse and heading for my room. leaving him in the greenhouse and making my way through the main room before I get to the stairs when I stop, feeling something strange. Something different. I spin around, and a scream escapes my lips when something sharp slams into my ribs. I look down to see a dagger inside my ribs, just before the insane pain slams into me, and I drop to the steps, collapsing as I struggle to breathe and my body rolls down the many steps until I slam onto the cold floor. I look up as two high heels step in front of my face, and Miranda looks down at me. She lifts her shoe and places it on top of the dagger, and I scream as she pushes it further in.
“My Ren is too busy to help you now. This is my only chance to get rid of you,” she exclaims, and I hate that she knows my nickname for him. I’m weirdly okay with Henry and my guys using it, but on her lips? It sounds like poison.
“Why?” I gasp, tasting my blood in my mouth.
She laughs, moving her foot and kneeling down in front of me. Her nail draws a line down my cheek as her blonde hair falls like a curtain around us. “Because you could never be the queen we need. Ren needs someone strong, someone who wants his children and many more masters to run this world. You. Will. Never. Be. That.”
It’s strange how pain drifts away when you’re close to death, like your body is trying to protect your mind. The pain fades slowly as I laugh a little, even if it sounds laboured. “You haven’t got a clue about what I could be to Ren. I was starting to believe vampires aren’t monsters, but I might be wrong. It seems some of you are.”
“Angels are—” She gets cut off as someone kicks her in the face, and she flies down the steps. I look up to see Riley standing over me, and his worried eyes meet mine.
“I’m sorry, and I will save you.”
“No, you won’t,” Mira
nda laughs as she uses her vampire speed to be right in front of Riley. I scream as she grabs him like a doll and bites into his neck. Riley’s blood drops onto my forehead as I scream for help, for anyone.
Something deep inside me cracks, and I scream the one name who might hear me.
“Ren! Please, Ren! Help me!” I scream his name over and over as darkness creeps into the corner of my vision, and I hear my vampire king roar my name just as the world goes black.
“Careful now,” Ren soothes as I blink my eyes open and stare at the white ceiling above me. Ren helps me sit up on his bed, placing more pillows behind my back as I look down at my stomach. My top is gone, but my bra is still on, and the place where the dagger was is now covered in sticky blue gunk. Before I can ask what it is, Ren pulls his blue comforter up and over me as the warmth from the room hits me, and I glance at the roaring fireplace near the bed. “The paste heals vampires and prevents infection. You will need to rest for a while and leave it on a few days.”
“Thank you... Did you save me?” I question, vaguely remembering hearing his voice. His eyes darken, and I reach for his hand without thinking about it.
My touch seems to calm him, as he rests back on his bed and nods once. “I was nearly too late... You’ve been asleep for eight days, and I was beginning to fear you would not wake.”
“I’m fine,” I say and wince as I try to straighten up, which makes Ren’s lips tilt up.
“Always have to be strong, don’t you?” he asks as he reaches for a glass of water and hands it to me. “You will need to regularly feed for the next week. Thallon and Henry will be here every other day to let you feed on them. Their blood will help, but you must rest.”
“You know I’ve been feeding on them?” I question after drinking all the water, and my cheeks light up. I don’t know why, but it feels personal that Ren knows. I’ve only fed on Henry once to see what it was like, but it ended up in sex before I could feed much. Thallon never lets it go further and leaves the room. I kinda respect that. I kinda don’t.