Age of Vampires- The Complete Series

by Caroline Peckham

  “Anything,” I growled. “Whatever you want, it's done.”

  “I pledge my life to you,” Magnar swore, pressing his hand to his heart.

  “Oh Magnar...” She tilted his chin up with a finger. “I'm so glad you're keeping your promises to me at last.”

  I awoke in a cold sweat and pushed myself upright, frowning around at the dark room. It felt like hours had passed even though the dreams had only seemed to take minutes. I guessed I’d gotten some proper sleep between them too, my body making the decision to rest despite my own urge to get moving as quickly as possible.

  “Julius?” I hissed as my heart pounded in excited relief. Magnar was alright. And we knew where Valentina was holding them.

  “I don’t wanna eat the little slice, ‘snot fair,” Julius mumbled sleepily. I wondered what his dreams would be like to visit and imagined they held a hell of a lot of food.

  I shoved the covers off of me and ran across the room. I kicked him in the legs to wake him properly and I could make out his silhouetted form rising onto his elbows.

  “Julius, I found Magnar!” I said loudly, offering him a hand.

  “You did? Where is he?” He took my palm in his and I heaved him upright.

  I swept my hand over the wall in search of the light switch but I couldn’t find it so I gave up again, cursing the strange room. If they didn’t waste so much space then things like that would have been a lot easier to find. My old room in the Realm had been so cramped that the idea of losing something in it was ludicrous.

  “Valentina’s got them in some underground train station. I showed Clarice in her dream and she knows where it is. She’s calling the others and coming here in a minute.” I moved away from him in search of some clothes, squinting in the dim light as I navigated the unfamiliar room.

  I made it to the heavy wardrobe just before the door to the room flew open and the lights flicked on.

  “Oh!” Clarice gasped and I turned around to see what had surprised her. My mouth fell open as I spotted Julius standing in front of her butt-naked. Luckily his back was to me so I could only see his ass but Clarice was staring right at him front-on and she didn’t seem too upset about it either.

  “Right, I forgot about that - I can’t sleep properly with clothes on,” Julius said dismissively. “But feel free to take a picture if you want it, whore, because you won’t be seeing it again any other way.”

  He moved to retrieve his jeans from the floor and I looked away before I saw any more of him than I wanted to. I opened the wardrobe and sighed as I found it empty.

  “I don’t want to see it again,” Clarice spat angrily. She was wearing a white nightdress that actually made my own outfit look modest but she didn’t seem the slightest bit ashamed about it. “And believe me it’s nothing special; I have had countless lovers over the last thousand years and there is nothing particularly impressive about you.”

  “Mmmhmm, maybe you could look me in the eye while saying that if you want me to believe it.”

  “What the fuck is going on here?” Fabian growled as he elbowed his way into the room and Julius pulled his pants up.

  “Apparently savages like to sleep naked like wild animals,” Clarice replied in disdain.

  “Oh yeah I’m a wild animal alright. But that’s what you were hoping for wasn’t it?” Julius taunted.

  “You arrogant-”

  “Can we focus on the reason you’re here?” I interrupted, not wanting to hear any more of their pointless back and forth. “We know where Magnar and Erik are. We need to make a plan and get moving. And I need some clothes.”

  Fabian crossed the room to stand beside me and I eyed him carefully, wondering if he’d gotten over his anger with me yet. I was using the ring to shield all of us now so he wasn’t staring at me like he loved me. Thankfully his rage wasn’t present anymore either. Hopefully he could forget about that while we had more important things to deal with.

  “You found Erik?” Montana asked excitedly as she rushed into the room in a blur of motion. It was so strange to see her using her vampire abilities like that. She was somehow this entirely new thing as well as still being the same as always.

  She was wearing pink pyjamas which were as revealing as mine but had found a black sweatshirt to help conserve her modesty a little. It didn’t look like she’d done much sleeping; her hair was still perfect and she seemed wide awake. Maybe that was a vampire thing though. At least my headache was gone and my strength had been replenished. I was sure I could have rested for longer but it would have to be enough.

  “I found Magnar in his dreams,” I explained. “And he showed me where Valentina took them, then I showed Clarice so-”

  “So now we can head there and kill that bitch,” Montana growled fiercely and I smiled at her in total agreement.

  “We need to be smart about this,” Clarice said. “We don’t want them to realise we’re coming. If we-”

  Miles and Warren shot into the room, a breeze rustling the edge of my shorts as they stopped beside me and I flinched away. They both wore sweatpants and t-shirts and their hair was disheveled making me think they’d dressed hastily before joining us.

  “What have we missed?” Miles asked.

  Clarice sighed loudly. “For the final time, I was just explaining that-”

  The lights suddenly flickered and died overhead.

  I stilled, looking around in confusion as we listened to the pressing silence. A cold hand found mine in the dark and I flinched as Fabian pulled me behind him.

  “Stay close to me,” he breathed. “This can’t be anything good.”

  My eyesight quickly adjusted to the pressing darkness, but it did nothing to ease my anxiety. I searched the faces of my friends as I tried to work out what was happening.

  A crash sounded somewhere downstairs and Julius drew his new sword. Callie darted to the bed and took Fury from under her pillow. I chewed my lower lip, feeling vulnerable without Nightmare.

  “Shit,” Clarice swore, curling her hands into fists.

  “Could just be a power cut?” Miles offered but Warren shook his head.

  “Don't be an idiot,” he muttered.

  “I'm not. I'm being optimistic,” Miles said.

  “Shh,” Clarice hissed, turning her head.

  I strained my hearing and the sound of voices filled my ears. I pushed the door open into the corridor.

  “-this way,” a deep voice reached me and fear crept down my spine.

  My eyes darted to Erik's bedroom along the hall and I sped toward it, fear fuelling my movements as I darted silently inside and grabbed Nightmare from my bed.

  I ran back to the hallway, finding my friends gathering there.

  Clarice pressed a finger to her lips and I swallowed hard as I tip-toed toward them.

  A door banged downstairs and I stiffened, sharing an anxious glance with Callie.

  “Biters?” Julius mouthed to us, but no one had an answer.

  “How could they get here?” Fabian whispered on a breath.

  “The emergency exit tunnel,” Clarice hissed. “Valentina knows where it is.”

  “Fuck.” Miles wrung his hands together and Warren placed a palm on his shoulder.

  “I'll look upstairs,” Erik's voice carried to us and relief slammed into my chest. It wasn’t the Biters. My husband had gotten away!

  I gasped, breaking into a run as I headed in the direction his voice had come from. I sprinted downstairs into the dark hallway, sensing the others following me.

  “Wait-” Clarice hissed at me, but I couldn't stop.

  “Maybe they escaped,” Callie said as she sped to my side, hunting the dark corridor ahead of us.

  A door flew from its hinges as we passed it and my heart lurched into my throat. A swarm of Biters descended on Julius and the others in a blur of motion. Chaos descended and fear fell over me in a wave.

  Callie turned in alarm, but the cross on my palm was begging me to reunite with Erik. If he was close, I could
get to him. And he could help us.

  “Go!” Julius yelled and Callie swore as she ran after me.

  “Magnar?” Callie called as we kept running, desperately searching for our men.

  I followed the ache in my palm as it guided me into a bedroom. The door slammed behind me and I wheeled around as my sister crashed into it on the other side. Erik stood before it naked from the waist up. I was so relieved to see him that I didn't stop to question why he'd shut the door. He locked it with a sharp click and I frowned. Without another thought, I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Are you alr-”

  He punched me so hard, my head spun. I crashed into the bed and a gasp escaped me as he ran forward. I’d dropped Nightmare and I couldn’t see it anywhere.

  “It's me!” I cried in alarm as he yanked me down the mattress by my ankles and locked his hands around my throat.

  I stared into his eyes, his expression dark and for a moment I could have sworn his irises glimmered with red light. Confusion spilled through me followed by a sharp stab of fear.

  I tried to prise his hands off of me, but he swung me upright and threw me across the room. I hit the wall and crashed to the floor with a groan. Pain ricocheted through my body and terror consumed me. I righted myself, shaking my head as I tried to work out what was wrong with him. It was like he was possessed.

  “Erik, stop!” I begged as he came at me like a tidal wave. He collided with me, pinning me back against the wall with a feral snarl.

  “My wife wants your head,” he growled and anger sped through me.

  “I'm your wife,” I demanded and he slammed my head back against the wall in response. Plaster crumbled and white lights exploded before my eyes.

  No no no. What’s happened to him?

  He tossed me onto the floor and I pushed myself to my knees with a groan. Erik followed quickly, kicking me back to the floor and dropping down to kneel over me. I grabbed hold of the nightstand, trying to pull myself free but he bashed my head into the floorboards. Pain blossomed through my skull and I tried to align my senses as I fought against his hands.

  Callie's screams called to me beyond the door as she threw her weight at it again and again. The wood was splintering but I didn't know if she'd get to me in time before Erik killed me.

  I had to fight.

  I had to get up.

  I pushed my hands against the floor, rearing backwards as I tried to force him off of me. He was so strong but he moved back enough that I managed to roll beneath him. I slapped him hard across the face in attempt to break the spell that bound him.

  “It's me. Rebel!” I cried and he snorted a laugh, his expression cruel and unforgiving.

  “You're no one,” he snarled, rising to his feet and slamming his boot into my ribs.

  I was thrown across the floor, crashing into the legs of the bed. He came at me once more and I moved fast, crawling under the bed and making a bid for the door.

  His boots slammed down in front of me as I tried to escape on the other side and I started backing up, releasing a murmur of fear. A glimmer of gold caught my eye and I spotted Nightmare on the floor beside me. I grabbed it, clutching it to my chest, but how could I use it against him? I couldn't hurt him. But if I didn't, he might kill me.

  Erik tipped the whole bed up, sending it crashing into the wall opposite. I screamed, leaping to my feet and trying to run past him. He caught me by the hair, yanking me back and my scalp flared with pain. I clawed at his hand and aimed a kick at his knee, determined not to use my blade. He roared in anger, releasing me and I darted for the door once more. My fingertips brushed the handle, but he caught me by the waist, dragging me back against him as he locked an arm around my stomach.

  He was so powerful, even with my vampire strength I didn't stand a chance against a royal. I stamped my foot down on his but he didn't react. I lifted Nightmare with a flare of pain ripping at my heart, but my hand trembled and my grip loosened. I couldn't use it. I wouldn't.

  I clawed at his arms instead as he brought his hand up to my chest and dug his nails into the skin. He was trying to tear my goddamn heart out!

  I kicked and yelled, gripping his wrist to try and stop his fingers from carving their way into my flesh. I threw my head back and caught his chin, making him stumble from the collision. His grip eased and I ducked out of his arms, backing up toward the door.

  He grimaced at me, hounding forward like a hungry beast.

  I picked up a chair, smashing it across his head, but it shattered around him and he didn't so much as wince. I caught the door handle behind my back, fumbling with the lock.

  Erik sped toward me and a harsh kick splintered the door. I lurched forward into his arms as Callie broke into the room. She looked between us in confusion as Erik held me in his grip.

  “Fucking hell, I thought you were in trouble,” she said.

  “I am!” I yelled and Erik launched me into a wall.

  My heart soared into my throat as I collided with it. With a surge of fear, I scrambled to my feet as Erik lunged for Callie.

  “No!” I screamed, diving onto his back as he tried to get his hands on her.

  She evaded his attack with a scream of fright, backing away and pointing Fury at him. I eyed the bloody bandage over his shoulder and jammed my fingers against it.

  “Argh!” he cried.

  “Run!” I commanded Callie as Erik caught my legs and yanked hard so I fell upside down. He dropped me, stamping a foot on my arm.

  Pain flared through the bone as he reached for me and I tried to bat his hands away with my free arm. He grinned cruelly, taking hold of my jaw and squeezing tight. Callie smashed a fist into his face and he stumbled aside as she pulled me upright. I could tell she was trying to avoid using Fury and I was overwhelmingly grateful to her for it.

  She started dragging me out of the room and I heard Erik take chase as we fled.

  “What's wrong with him?” she cried as we sped along the corridor, hunting for the others.

  “I don't know,” I replied. “We have to get help!”

  A cry of battle reached my ears, but as we rounded into the hallway where it took place, Magnar stepped in front of us with a triumphant smile. I saw the same strange look in his gaze that Erik had and tried to tug Callie back. She shook me off, reaching for him, but he backhanded her so hard that she hit the floor.

  “No – stop!” I tried to push him away as he reached down for her, but his strength was immeasurable. He shoved me back and panic swept through my veins.

  Erik came at us from behind and I turned to intercept him with fear flickering inside me like candlelight.

  “Erik please listen to me,” I said, raising my hands to try and hold him off.

  Callie released a pained oomph but I couldn't turn to help her as Erik closed in on me. My death shone in his eyes with a primal intensity.

  “The true queen wants you dead,” he growled, cracking his neck as he lunged for me.

  I ducked under his outstretched arms, aiming a sharp kick for the back of his leg. He stumbled, but quickly rounded on me once more, cutting me off from my sister.

  I caught sight of Magnar forcing her to the ground and terror poured through my veins. We were in an impossible situation. Facing the men we loved. We couldn't hurt them. But they could hurt us.

  I wasn't going to die here like this, my own husband turned against me.

  I screamed in fury, darting forward to meet Erik's attack. I had to disarm him. But I didn't think I could do it on my own. Maybe if I held him back long enough his siblings would get to us in time to apprehend him.

  “Clarice!” I cried above the sound of the battle. “I need you!”

  Magnar’s fingers tightened around my throat as he forced me down onto the floorboards. I struggled beneath him as he cut off my air supply and his eyes blazed with an intense desire for my death. The fire that burned in them was blood red instead of gold. Something had taken his soul captive and he didn’t even seem to recognise m
e anymore.

  I threw all of my will into the ring on my finger, trying to block whatever was controlling him and bring him back to me. Power flowed from the golden jewellery but it swept past him like it was a sieve and he was made of sand. Whatever force had taken hold of him was stronger than the ring or at least not subject to its commands.

  My heart raced with fear as he kneeled over me, his weight crushing me to the ground. I threw punches into his kidneys, hoping to force him to release me but he only gritted his teeth against the attacks, glaring down at me as his hands squeezed my throat even tighter.

  I slammed my knee up between his legs and he reared back with a grunt of pain, falling off of me.

  I coughed as I scrambled upright, reaching out to him tentatively.

  “Magnar? It’s me, it’s Callie, please.”

  He stood and turned towards me, his face set in a stony mask. “Callie?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I breathed, closing in on him.

  “I’ll remember that when my love asks me who I killed for her.” He swung his fist at me and I screamed as I barely managed to avoid the blow.

  He didn’t know me. He didn’t recognise me at all and as I danced between his fists I quickly realised he had every intention of keeping that promise. He was trying to kill me. The man I loved wanted me dead.

  I ducked beneath his fist again and drove my boot into his stomach, knocking the breath from his lungs. While he was doubled over, I punched him in the jaw, my knuckles ringing from the impact.

  I turned away from him and tried to run towards Montana who was barely managing to keep out of Erik’s grip. She kept calling out for the Belvederes, hoping they would come to our aid, but they were locked in a ferocious battle with the Biters at the end of the hall.

  Magnar charged at me and I couldn’t move fast enough to avoid his attack. He caught me around my waist and hurled me backwards over a thick bannister, down to the floor below. I screamed as I fell, curling my arms over my head just before I crashed into the ground.

  Pain speared through my spine and I winced as I tried to push myself upright again.