Vengeance and Vampires- The Complete Series Box Set

by Alicia Rades

I watched a female vampire grope her male blood slave in front of his cabin, squeezing so tightly that tears rose to his eyes. Then she criticized him for showing any emotion, saying he should be pleased because they “always had a good time.” I listened to a woman cry in the next cabin over after she returned from a feeding, and I saw a man beg a vamp for a feeding, just to get that high from it he'd become addicted to. The vamp refused and looked positively pleased when the man fell to his knees and begged for a hit.

  One guy even went into shock from blood loss on his way back from the chateau, and a group of blood slaves had to carry him back to the cabins and nurse him back to health. His master forced him back on his feet the next evening.

  The second night I was here, I listened to the story of how Andi had been snatched the night before her wedding a few months ago, straight from the hotel suite her maid of honor had booked for the bridal party. I felt sick each morning Jenna returned from the chateau after being paraded around and fed on. The life in her eyes left for a good two hours afterward until she finally felt like talking again.

  I tried not to let it all get to me, but I couldn’t force the nausea out of my gut. Instead, I figured I could use it to fuel my power, shaping the anger and resentment I felt toward the vampires into love and compassion for their slaves.

  “Ardeat ignis.” A blast of flames shot up out of my palm, but as soon as it came, it was gone.

  All my efforts were futile. I rolled over in the sand and pulled my knees up to my chest, curling into a ball. This wasn’t the first time I’d ever given up, but somehow, it felt like it would be my last. Valkas was planning something for me. I was sure of it. Soon enough, he was going to get bored of keeping me around. I’d already lost so much. I didn’t have long before I’d lost absolutely everything, including Jenna.

  “That fire was sweet.”

  I started at the sound of the voice behind me and sat up. “Jenna.”

  She plopped down in the sand and bumped her shoulder against mine. “It was really cool. You should do it again.”

  I shook my head. “It’s not working right. I don’t know if it’s me, or if it’s something about this island. Probably me.”

  It was like Synchrony had forgotten about me, like I was no longer needed and Synchrony wasn’t willing to respond to me anymore.

  “Nothing’s gone as planned,” I continued. “It feels like I’m just sitting around waiting for Valkas to sink my teeth into me.”

  Jenna laughed. “Aren’t we all?”

  I shrugged, totally not feeling the laughter right now. I dropped my gaze to the sand and curled my arms around my knees. It felt like I had to shrink into a ball just to hold myself together, like if I stretched out, my guts would fall right out of my abdomen.

  “What are you doing out here?” I asked. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” The whole island went to sleep during the day.

  Jenna rolled her eyes. “Screw that. It’s the only time any of us get to ourselves.”

  I looked away without responding.

  Her expression turned serious. “Are you okay?”

  Tears pricked at my eyes, and my throat swelled. I bit my lower lip to hold it all back, but I couldn’t keep it from Jenna. “No,” I admitted, my voice cracking. “I’m not. I—”

  I wanted to explain it all to her, but the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, tears began rolling down my cheeks. I buried my face into my knees, letting the tears soak into the jeans Jenna had leant me.

  “Rachel,” she whispered.

  She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I lost it. My shoulders heaved against my will, and I turned into a blubbering mess. Once it started, I couldn’t turn it off. Jenna scooted closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. She didn’t say anything. She just stroked her fingers through my hair, then ran a comforting hand across my back.

  I leaned into her and cried until my tears dried up. Soon, my sobs turned into dry heaves.

  It’d been up to me to rid the world of the vampire curse, and I’d let everyone down. All the terrible things the vampires did… the murders, the feedings, the abuse… it would all go on without any way to stop it. Is that what Synchrony wanted?

  If so, Synchrony was stupid.

  Then there was Venn, Fiona, and the rest of them. I’d never see them again. They’d never know what had happened to me. I wished I could tell them how sorry I was.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Jenna finally whispered.

  I buried my face deeper into her shoulder and shook my head. Even though I objected to her invitation, I found myself speaking anyway. “I feel like such a screw-up.”

  “You’re not a screw-up,” she argued.

  “I am,” I cried, lifting my head. I wiped at my face. “I was the key to making the world a better place, but I totally screwed it up. I don’t have a chance of getting that dagger back. I’ll never kill Valkas, and we’ll never make it off this island.”

  Jenna’s eyes glistened with tears. Damn it. I was going to start bawling again if she cried.

  “I can’t stand to see you like this,” she whispered.

  “Then go away,” I offered.

  “No! I’m not leaving you alone at a time like this.”

  “It’s fine, Jenna. I’ll be all right.” It was a total lie. All I wanted was to be next to her.

  “You’re my sister,” she said. “And what should sisters do?”

  Her words caught me off guard. It was something Mom always said when Jenna and I were fighting. She’d force us to look each other in the eyes and would say those exact words.

  “Sisters shouldn’t fight,” Mom would tell us.

  “Yeah, yeah,” we’d reply in unison.

  Mom would come back in a stern voice and say, “What should sisters do?”

  “Love each other,” I answered.

  Jenna nodded. “That’s right. You better believe it when I say it. I love you, Rachel. And I’m here for you.”

  I forced a smile. “Thanks, Jenna.”

  “For what?”

  “For your positive energy. I don’t know how you’ve kept it all this time. I wouldn’t be nearly as strong as you if I went through what you have these last couple of years.”

  “Kept it?” she repeated. “Rachel, I make my own positive energy. You don’t survive long on this island without it. No one’s going to hand that to you here. You have to go make it yourself. Ups and downs, remember?”

  I considered her words for a moment, then said, “When did you get so wise?”

  Jenna laughed. “I’ve always been this wise, dweeb. It took you long enough to notice.” She got to her feet and held out an inviting hand. “Follow me. I want to show you something.”

  All I wanted to do was stay here and shrivel up, but Jenna had me intrigued. Curiously, I took her hand and followed her into the woods.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as we stepped over fallen logs and underbrush.

  “It’s not very far,” she replied, but she didn’t answer my question.

  After a short hike, Jenna came to a stop beside a large rotting stump. A thick log lay on the ground beside it, which was covered in a large pile of sticks and other debris. She sat on the ground beside it and looked up at me.

  “What is this?” I asked.

  She patted the dirt next to her. “I’ve never shown anyone this before, so you’ll have to keep it a secret.”

  “Who am I going to tell?” I lowered myself beside her.

  She shrugged. “True.”

  “So, what’s the secret?”

  She took a deep breath. “You asked me how I stay positive. The truth is, it’s not easy. Honestly, I’m not sure if I’d even use that word—positive. The fact is, I gave up a long time ago. I resigned myself to the fact that the Soulless had taken everything from me and there was no way to get any of it back.”

  Sounds familiar.

  “About four months in, someone said something to me. He told me, ‘The Soulless can take eve
rything from you—except for who you are.’”

  She paused for a moment to let the words sink in. Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what she meant. It sure seemed like the Soulless could strip you of everything if they wanted to.

  “That stuck with me, but it wasn’t until I made this that I started to understand what it meant.” Jenna pushed the debris aside and pulled out a hand-made wreathe from beneath the pile. “I couldn’t change what the Soulless did to me. I could only change how I reacted to it.”

  I took the wreathe in my hands to examine it. It was made of twisted evergreen boughs, with pinecones and acorns attached. “You made this?”

  Jenna nodded. “For Mom. I know it’s silly, but I just had to make her one.”

  “For Mother’s Day,” I said breathlessly. Jenna and I always made one together for her.

  She pulled out a second one to show me. This one was bigger and more intricate and had dried flowers scattered throughout.

  “I can’t believe you still make her a wreathe every year.”

  Jenna smiled shyly. “I made you something, too.”

  “You did?” I looked up at her in shock.

  She pulled out a long, hollow stick that had a line of holes cut out along its length. “It’s supposed to be a flute.”

  I took it and handed her back the wreathe. I could hardly find the words. “You really made this for me?”

  “Yeah, for your eighteenth birthday. I never thought I’d get the chance to give it to you, though. I thought that maybe I could use it to play that lullaby Mom used to sing to us.”

  “The full moon is shining. The stars glitter above,” I sang softly.

  “The wind whispers softly, ‘Goodnight, my love,’” Jenna finished.

  Now my eyes were tearing up for an entirely different reason. I brought the flute to my lips and blew through it. Nothing happened.

  Jenna giggled. “It didn’t work out like I’d hoped.”

  My lips lifted at the corners. “Thank you anyway. It’s a really sweet gift.”

  Silence passed between us, but it was anything but awkward. It felt good to just sit here with my sister. It’d been so long. I forgot how nice it was.

  Finally, Jenna took a deep breath and spoke. “Anyway, I came down to the beach because I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “Oh?”

  She took the flute back and placed everything beneath the debris pile again, where it was hidden from view, then turned to me. “I’ve been doing some thinking. For so long, I honestly thought I’d never see you again, and now here you are. You know what that tells me?”

  I shook my head.

  “Even when we’ve given up hope, there’s still a chance. I’m starting to think that maybe this isn’t the end.”

  “Really?” I asked, my heart lifting slightly.

  “Really.”

  My stomach dropped. She was talking crazy.

  “How am I going to get the dagger back?” I asked. “I don’t even know where it is.”

  Jenna pressed her lips together in thought. “I think I know someone who can help us. Are you up for a party?”

  “A party?” That sounded like something we’d get in trouble for.

  Jenna waved her hand nonchalantly. “The vamps don’t care what we do as long as we’re at their side when they say so. Personally, I think they let us have our little bits of freedom because they know we’ll comply easier with it. The feedings aren’t as bad if you have something to look forward to afterward. Not to mention healthier blood slaves taste better.”

  Ew! The thought made me cringe.

  “I swear it’s the only thing that keeps me from going crazy,” she said. “And I’m sure that’s why they let you room with me. So… are you up for it?”

  I hesitated. “What kind of party?”

  “Just some people getting together down at Eagle Rock.”

  “Will there be booze?”

  Jenna laughed. “Do you think the Soulless wouldn’t supply alcohol? Alcohol-infused blood is the best kind.”

  “It’s stupid and reckless,” I told her.

  “Yep.” She patted my knee for show. “And that’s one good thing about me that hasn’t changed. What about you, Rugrat?”

  I guess it wouldn’t hurt to let loose a little—since I was stuck here anyway. “I do reckless shit all the time. What do you think brought me here?”

  “Awesome. Is that what you’re wearing?”

  I tugged at the hem of my shirt. “Is there a dress code?”

  Jenna stood and held her hand out to me. “Come on. Let’s go find you something.”

  12

  “Damn, you look hot!” Jenna whistled from across the cabin.

  I twirled around to show off the black bikini from all angles.

  “When did you get boobs?” she teased.

  I swatted at her. “Shut up. I’ve always had them. Where’d all these clothes come from, anyway?”

  She shrugged, glancing to the dresser at the foot of her bed. “I don’t know. The vampires supply them. They’re all enchanted to shift with us, too.”

  “That’s weird,” I said. “It’s almost like they care.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so naïve, Rachel. Would you let your pet run around in rags all the time?”

  I frowned at the word pet. It was sick that that was all she was to them.

  “How does it work?” My tone shifted, becoming soft, and I sank down onto the bottom bunk beside her. “With the vamps, I mean. Do they… share you?”

  “No,” Jenna replied with a shake of her head. She dropped her gaze and picked at her fingernails. “Each of the Soulless has one or two blood slaves specific to them. The higher up in the rankings they are, the more they get. Of course, Valkas gets his choice of any of us, but he cycles through his favorites.”

  “And you…?” I started hesitantly.

  “I used to be one of his favorites,” she answered with a frown. “But he gets bored easily. I’ve been with Silas for about a year. He’s gentler than Valkas, but…”

  “But what?” I pressed.

  She sighed. “But it’s unpleasant.”

  “Yeah. No one’s exactly begging for vampires to go around biting them.”

  “Oh, believe me,” Jenna said, “some people do.”

  An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. I quickly changed the subject. “So, that day I came here, when Valkas ripped that guy’s heart out, where were you? I thought I’d find you up at the chateau, but…”

  “No, I was actually down on the beach. I was lucky enough not to witness that.”

  “The beach?” I suddenly remembered seeing a couple sitting down there while I was flying over the island. Jenna’s hair was shorter, and she’d put on some muscle since the last time I saw her, so I hadn’t recognized her from above. “Who was that guy you were with?”

  She shot me a confused expression, as if to ask how I knew. Then she stood and started for the door. “Come on, Rach. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  I followed behind her in bare feet along one of the trails. Laughter broke through the trees, and I heard the sound of water splashing in the distance. It wasn’t long before the forest opened and I saw a group of people gathered where the trail ended. Jenna and I stepped out onto a wide, rocky surface that rose about fifteen feet out of the water. Moss and grass covered the ground, and a tall tree hung over the edge of the rock, where a guy in swim trunks was swinging from a rope. He let go and flailed his arms as he plummeted toward the water. People around him cheered and clapped.

  “Hey, Jenna!” A guy holding a beer approached us. He had six-pack abs, long blond hair tied into a bun at the base of his neck, and a small amount of facial hair on his chin. He looked like a hippie, but a sexy hippie.

  “Hey, Ronark,” Jenna greeted, gesturing to me. “This is my sister, Rachel.”

  “A pleasure,” he said, extending his hand out to me.

  “Call me Rae,” I said, shaking his han
d. “So, Ronark? That’s an interesting name.”

  “It’s a surname,” he said. “Elijah just doesn’t sound as cool, you know?”

  “I think Elijah is a good name,” I told him.

  Ronark laughed. “You wanna take your chances on the rope, Rae?”

  I glanced over to the girl doing a backflip off of it. It actually looked kind of fun.

  I shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

  “You have to play the game, though,” he insisted.

  “Okay, I’m intrigued. What’s the game?”

  “It’s a variation of Truth or Dare,” Jenna explained. “If you step up to the rope, you have to do whatever challenge the person behind you gives you, or you don’t get to go again. We go until there’s only one person left.”

  I smirked. “Challenge accepted.”

  I stepped up to the line behind a girl with dark skin and shoulder-length black hair. Ronark took the spot behind me, with Jenna behind him. The dark-haired girl glanced back at me after grabbing the rope.

  “You have to give her a dare,” Ronark explained.

  “Um, okay…” I thought about it for a moment. “No using your legs?”

  She smirked. “Easy.”

  She held high up on the rope, took a running start, and jumped off the end of the rock. She went soaring through the air and pencil-dived feet-first into the water.

  The rope came swinging back to me, and I grabbed it out of the air. “What’s my challenge, Ronark?”

  He eyed me up and down, thinking. Then he threw back a gulp of beer and said, “No splash.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I complained.

  “Hey,” he said, spreading his arms wide. “No one said the challenges had to be fair.”

  “Fine. I’ve got this.”

  At least twenty pairs of eyes were watching me. Holding firmly on to the rope, I kicked off the rock. As I reached the peak of my swing, I pulled my legs upward and aimed my head toward the water. Mid-jump, I shifted into a raven. Cool water rushed over my beak, then my feathers. I spread my wings out under water, and for a moment, it felt like I was flying again. I quickly shifted back to human form and kicked my feet. My head broke the surface of the water, and I took a deep breath.