by Bea Paige
“How did you…?” I begin, then remember what Nostra had told us before we entered the Forbidden forest, that Lissandra had already managed to persuade the angels. “Lissandra,” I say.
“Yes. She gave us this stone not long after your three men left for the Earth realm. We departed the same day. We found her, our angel…”
“Where is she now?”
“She remains on Earth,” Ether says, his eyes sparkling like diamonds, the coldness gone from them now as he talks about her. “We were summoned back to Ever Vale by Queen Adrielle before we could make proper contact. Now that your vampires have returned, we will have the opportunity to get back to her.” Ether’s hand closes over the stone and he places it back in his pocket once more. “We leave after the ball.”
“And Blake? Is he actually here?”
“You know him?”
“We’ve met before. He saved my life.”
“He is being tortured as we speak…” Ether says slowly. He is troubled, I think I know what he is going to say.
“Devin?” I whisper.
“No, not Devin. Another Punisher has Blake.” The relief I feel knowing it isn’t Devin is immense, although it is overshadowed by the fact Blake is imprisoned and being tortured. A cold rage seeps into my bones.
“A Punisher called Abanthe has him. He is also one of the Queen’s Dark Knights, a loyal subject. Blake will be suffering.”
“Oh, God. We must do something. He helped us before… Did you know that Blake is one of Clan Spiritus’ three?”
Ether looks at me, surprised. “He is? I am sorry, I didn’t know that. I would have thought of something else to tell Queen Adrielle had I known. She will insist on his death once they have the information they seek from him.”
“That can’t happen, Ether. Nostra gave him the stone to locate their clan’s lost daughter. I thought he had returned to Earth. Why is he here now? We must help him.”
“Perhaps he found her and they returned to Ever Vale, just like you all did.”
“I don’t know. Blake knows where Nostra’s hamlet is. He spoke to him some months ago. If he had returned with the missing clan daughter, why didn’t he go there?”
“That’s a good point.”
“He cannot die. The prophecy…” I start. My stomach lurches.
“No wolf-shifter has ever survived the South tower. I am surprised he is not dead already.”
“Tell Rhain and Ezra, they will get him out somehow. They have to.”
“I will.” Ether rests his hand on my arm and squeezes gently. Sickness fills my stomach once again, and I have the sudden urge to throw up.
“Apologies, Accacia. I should stop doing that,” he says, removing his hand quickly. “I forget you’re not quite like the others.”
“What do you mean, not quite like the others?”
“You can die by other means, not just the sun. The curse, it hasn’t affected you in quite the same way. You are not immortal. Your heart beats differently to theirs. It is just as well, because if it didn’t the Queen would know what you truly are.”
“I hadn’t even considered that…” I say. That was the truth. In all this time, I hadn’t considered my own mortality. I guess I assumed that because I can heal so rapidly I have some kind of protection from death. Hearing Ether confirm otherwise makes me feel a little less safe. Here I am, heading to save the man I love, who could kill me without a second thought. That is not something I wish to linger on for very long, so I decide to change the subject. “Ether, what are you exactly?”
“Does my title not give it away?” he laughs, though it is bitter, hollow. “Before the curse we brought life into the world and now I am a monster.”
“Like a midwife, you mean?”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“It is what we on Earth call the people who deliver babies, who look after the mother before, during and after childbirth.”
“Then that is what we once were. We delivered the children of Ever Vale.” Ether presses his long slim fingers against his eyes. “Now, we bring death. Now, everything we touch dies. That is, except for the members of Clan Lux.”
“So that’s what I feel when you touch me. Death.”
“Yes. That’s what we bring. That’s why my people reside in the Shadowlands. It is a place that the Queen herself has no desire to enter. She called upon us when her Dark Knights left…”
“My knights, not hers,” I snap.
“I stand corrected,” Ether says, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Queen Adrielle needed us to take their place, to bring death to those who betrayed her. I, alongside my brothers, have been waiting to get out of this castle for months. I do not enjoy what I am. Though the lives I have taken have been many, I remember every one.”
Ether looks like an angel in the stories I read as a child, and yet he has the power to destroy, just like Devin, just like the Queen herself. “She is so cruel. Twisted. To distort what you once were into this. I don’t think I have ever hated anyone more in my life. We must defeat her. You must leave as soon as you can and find your clan’s missing daughter.”
“We are planning on leaving after the Jubilee ball. Queen Adrielle will not allow us to depart until then, but before we go I will make sure Blake is freed.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. You must still survive Devin. That is why you are here, is it not?”
I look up at him. “That obvious?” I ask.
“As soon as I saw the ring on your finger I knew who you were, that you belonged to Rhain and Ezra. Given Devin’s relationship to them, I automatically assumed he was the third fated to you. I only hope you’re able to pull him from the darkness that chains his soul now.” Ether bends down slightly, so his face is close to mine. “I am reluctant to take you to him. Perhaps you should leave it to Rhain and Ezra to get him out of the castle. The Queen will just assume you are dead anyway.”
“Dead?”
Ether sighs. “Yes, why else would she give you to him? What better way to punish Ezra than to give his plaything to Devin. The Queen is very aware that Devin doesn’t have the same control as his brothers in arms. You are meant to die this night. She is counting on it.”
“Devin was able to control himself around me before,” I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel. I have no real idea of what I am about to walk into, apart from the fact that Devin is unrecognisable now and the hope that my love for him, and his love for me, will save us both.
“Damn it, what was I thinking? In trying to assist your men, I have put you in great danger. This was a bad idea. I shall take you to safety.” Ether grabs my arm, but I snatch it away.
“No!” I say immediately, knowing that would be a big mistake. “If I walk away, then Devin will be lost and so too will you all. I will not abandon him.”
Ether’s face is tight but he doesn’t try to persuade me otherwise, which is just as well because the sound of a door opening at the other end of the corridor and someone approaching prevents us from speaking further. Ether begins to walk once more, my arm clutched in his hand. The same cold dread creeps over my skin. He looks down at me, an apology in his eyes, but he doesn’t let me go. We stop when we meet the oncoming stranger. My throat constricts in shock. It is Devin, and he is covered in blood.
“Ether, what is this?” he says with undisguised disgust.
“A gift from the Queen. She came in with Rhain and Ezra. She is to be yours now,” Ether says, dropping my arm. Warmth returns to me at once.
“I have just fed,” Devin says. He knows I am staring at him in horror, at the blood that is splattered across his face, that dampens his hair. He raises a finger to his cheek, wipes off some of the blood then licks it, savouring the taste. “There is nothing like fresh blood spewing from a vein.”
Ether ignores the obvious attempt to scare me. “Ezra and Rhain have displeased the Queen. This woman here was Ezra’s plaything, now she is to be yours. Queen Adrielle insists.”
Devin narrows his eyes at me. “Interesting. Then I suppose I must have her.” He lifts his gaze to Ether. “Are you heading to the chambers?”
“Yes, Queen Adrielle wishes for me to check on the progress with the wolf-shifter,” Ether says.
“He is strong. So far, he has not given up any information, but Abanthe is talented in getting what he needs out of the prisoners. He will talk, eventually.”
“Good. Queen Adrielle is impatient today. I shall head to the chambers now.” Ether takes one last look at me before he is gone, and I am left alone with a man I barely recognise. Devin’s dark eyes lower to the bare skin of my neck, to my ample cleavage, then back up to my face. A face that’s so very different from my own.
“This way,” he says, grabbing hold of my arm and pulling me towards a darkly lit staircase that I hadn’t noticed until now.
“Where are you taking me?” I manage to ask, my voice barely recognisable to my own ears.
“To my apartment, of course. I think I may still be thirsty after all.”
Chapter Eight
Devin pulls me roughly into his apartment. It is located at the top of the staircase we’ve just ascended and along a short corridor. There are no other rooms up here. I don’t know whether to be grateful for the privacy or petrified I am alone with him in this dark tower.
“Sit over there,” Devin says, pointing to a chair in the far corner of the room. I do as he asks. He walks into another room just beyond this one. I can hear water running. There are no windows in this room, and it is lit by the same black flames that adorn the walls in the great hall. Despite the strange light, I can see well enough. Over to my left is a large daybed, and thrown across it is a black velvet throw and matching cushions. A low table sits in front of it, and an open fire roars in a hearth opposite. Two doors lead off from the room, one which must be the bathroom, considering the sound of running water, and at a guess, the other is his bedroom. The door to his apartment remains unlocked. I could escape if I want, but I have a feeling that’s what he expects me to do, this common woman I am disguised as. So I remain seated, breathing slowly through my nose and out through my mouth, my thoughts straying to Rhain and Ezra. I wonder whether they are awake now, if they have recovered from their snapped necks. That same anger and feeling of helplessness that ripped through my chest when I saw their lifeless bodies tears through me once again and a sob rises up my throat.
“Tears are useless,” Devin says as he re-enters the room. He is clean and completely naked. I feel my cheeks rush with heat, despite the look of pure hunger in his eyes. I am nothing more to him than his next feed.
“Though, I must admit I am surprised you did not try to escape. Most do.”
I meet his questioning gaze and decide there and then that I will not fear this man. He may not be the person I know, but he is still the man I love.
“What would be the point? Either way I am dead,” I say, refusing to be afraid.
Devin regards me. “Well, that is quite true. Pity, I like the chase,” he says heading through the other door to what I assume is his bedroom. On his back four more petals have fallen since the last time I looked at it. I smother the gasp with my hand. He walks back out with a pair of slacks on, and pulls a long-sleeved shirt over his head.
“So, you’re Ezra’s new plaything…”
“Was,” I say softly.
“Indeed, you would appear to be mine now, to do with as I wish.”
I say nothing, but maintain his gaze. He walks towards me, interest sparking his eyes.
“I can see why you caught Ezra’s attention. There is something very bold in your look. Are you not afraid of me?” he says, hauling me upright. He isn’t gentle, not like I am used to. His hold is firm, bordering on painful. Black eyes stare back at me. The warmth, the light shades of brown, gone from them now.
“Yes. I am afraid,” I say, but it is not for the reasons he believes.
He leans his face down, his teeth lowering. The curls of his long hair fall forward. Water drips from the ends onto my bare skin. His fingers dig into my arm and for a moment I think he is going to bite me. Instead, he buries his nose into my neck and breathes in deeply.
“You smell divine. What is that?”
I don’t move. Roses, that’s what I think. That’s what I want to say. That thought alone gives me hope. Hope that Devin is in there somewhere, that he is not completely lost.
The tip of his nose runs along the side of my neck, then his lips graze over my jaw before he nips at my ear. The sharp tug sends an unexpected thrill through me. I should be more scared than I am.
He pulls back, his face centimetres from mine. “I can see why my brothers are so enamoured with you…” I stare up at him, watching as a frown pulls his dark eyebrows together. “Your eyes, there is something about them.”
Devin? It’s me, Red… I reach out silently.
He breathes in deeply once more, then drops my arm, and steps back. A shadow passes over his face. “What shall we do then? I do not wish to feed, and as much as your breasts are inviting, I am strangely not in the mood for such pleasures. Tell me, what do you suggest we do now?”
I frown. Is he playing with me? Is this some kind of drawn out predatory game of his? Everyone has warned me of his dark soul, and yet he seems so calm. He is not the relaxed, warm man I am used to, but he isn’t the monster I had expected either. But then monsters come in all sorts of guises. Perhaps this is one of his. There is a knock at the door, interrupting my response.
“Enter,” he barks. He doesn’t bother to greet his visitor. His gaze remains fixed on me. Behind him a woman steps into the room. I grit my teeth. It is Ilana, and in her hand is a vial of blood.
“My Lord, I did not realise you had a visitor. Shall I call upon you later?” Ilana says, narrowing her eyes at me. Devin turns on his heel. I thought she was being kept busy in the kitchens. What the hell is she doing here now?
“You’re late. Do you have it?” he asks. There is no warmth in his voice. None. His tone is even colder with her than it has been with me. That is oddly reassuring.
“I am sorry, that bitch Sonja has kept me busy scrubbing dishes in the kitchen. This is the first time I’ve been able to get away.”
“Give it to me then.”
“But my Lord, the woman…” Ilana looks at me, a sneer crossing her face. “She shouldn’t be here, she should leave.”
Devin strides over to Ilana and snatches her arm up. He prises open her fingers and grabs the vial, chucking it to me. I catch it. What he does next has me gasping in shock.
“Don’t you ever tell me what to do. Know your place,” he says to Ilana before slamming her body against the door and biting her neck. I stumble back in shock at the animalistic noises he makes as he draws violently on her blood. He has her pinned beneath him. Ilana looks at me from over his shoulder, her lip lifting at the corner in triumph.
“That’s it, my Lord. Take what you need,” she says, her eyes rolling back in ecstasy.
I turn my back on them both, not able to watch as Devin takes Ilana’s blood. Hadn’t he said not a moment ago that he wasn’t hungry and yet look at what he’s doing now. What I want to do is pull Devin off her. Scream at him, at her, the woman who is poisoning my man. I feel this sickening desolation overtake me. I cannot stop what is happening because he could easily switch on me, but I can’t watch helplessly. Looking down at the vial of blood in my hand, I make a decision. There is no way I am going to let him drink it. I pop the lid. It makes a funny hissing noise.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Devin says from behind me. “Hand me the vial. NOW!”
I turn around. Ilana has sunk to the floor, her face pale, her eyes glazed, her breathing ragged. Blood dribbles steadily from the puncture wounds on her neck. She looks close to death, and yet there is still the echo of a smile on her face. “Is she okay?” I stutter. “Devin, I think she needs help.”
“Devin. You do not address me by my giv
en name. I am Lord and Master to you,” he sneers, walking unsteadily towards me. He’s acting like he is drunk. His eyes, though unfocused, are fixed firmly on the vial of blood in my hand, and there is a desperate hunger in them. I have seen this kind of look before on the many drug addicts that frequented the hospital I once worked at.
“Address me by my name again and you will end up in a worse position than this woman here,” Devin says. Blood drips from his chin and falls onto his cotton shirt. It blooms there, the blood leaching into the white. It reminds me of the rose on Devin’s back and the petals that are falling from it.
“Give it to me!”
I cannot allow him to drink the blood. I know that if he does then I will not get out of this place alive. Without any regard for my own safety or the consequences of my actions, I let the vial slip from my hand. Devin lunges forward, but it crashes to the floor before he can grasp hold of it. Whether it is the poison in his blood or the fact he’s just fed, his reaction is clumsy, slow. Inebriated, is the word that comes to mind. It is just as well, because if he wasn’t I have no doubt he would have caught the vial before it smashed to smithereens.
“What have you done?” he cries as he falls to his knees and presses his fingers into the blood, scooping some up. He tastes it, then spits it out. “It’s ruined. It doesn’t taste right.”
He looks up at me and the hatred I see is overwhelming. “You stupid bitch,” he snarls, getting up. I flinch at the ferocity of his anger, but I remain strong.
“You don’t need it,” I say, holding his gaze steady.
“Don’t tell me what I need!” he screams, the rage contorting his face. “I’m a Dark Knight. I do as I please. If I want to gorge myself on blood, I will. If I want to rip the clothes from your body and take you now, I will. If I want to squeeze the life from that woman, I will.” He raises his hand to my throat, resting it against the pulse in my neck. I feel the wetness of blood against my skin. “I could rip your throat out now with my bare hands and I wouldn’t even blink. You are nothing to me.”