League of Vampires Box Set: Books 1- 3

by Rye Brewer

  “Philippa, stop this!” Jonah managed to separate us.

  I lunged again.

  This time, his arms were around my waist, holding me back. “Have you gone crazy?”

  “If I have, it’s because of her!”

  Everything that had happened since the beginning flashed through my head.

  Watching while Jonah and Scott planned to rescue Anissa and her sister. Seeing the rage all over Gage’s face when he realized his twin would jeopardize the clan for a stranger.

  Begging Gage not to go, not to split us up—things had never been easy between him and Jonah, but they were always better when we were together, acting as a team. How my heart had broken when he left, how I had practically about worried myself to death over him since then.

  It was her, all her—her and Sara. Why did they have to come into our lives?

  I threw myself at her again and managed to catch Jonah off-guard—I slipped out of his arms and clawed at her face, but she held up her arms in time.

  “What right do you have to be here?” I roared. “What right do you have to be with my father, standing with him, working with him? You don’t have that right! You’re not his daughter! I am!”

  It was like the whole world stopped.

  Anissa’s arms dropped from in front of her face, and her jaw hung slack. She looked at Jonah. “Your father?”

  Fane was standing behind her, and, from the corner of my eye, I noticed him shaking his head.

  I was still on the attack, my blood still boiling, and I took advantage of her surprise by swinging my fist and making contact with her jaw.

  She reeled backward, saved from falling off the roof only by the arms of the dark-skinned one.

  Then, it hit me.

  She was surprised. She didn’t know.

  I told.

  I told her.

  I looked at Fane in horror, but he looked away.

  No! I had pushed him even further away.

  No wonder he didn’t trust me. He would never trust me again.

  Anissa steadied herself. There was a cut on her lip, slowly oozing blood. She didn’t seem to notice.

  “Is it true?” she asked Jonah, who stood there looking like he’d been hit by a train.

  No, no! It wasn’t supposed to be this way. My father wasn’t supposed to be disappointed in me. None of them were. I was as good as any of them, as valuable to the clan and my family. They could trust me.

  She turned to me. “What did you mean about my sister? You called her electric. What did that mean?”

  I ignored her. I couldn’t hardly remember what I’d said, anyway. It had all come out in a rush, as though my mouth had taken over for my brain.

  I stood in front of Fane, willing him to look at me. “I didn’t mean it. I swear. I’m sorry. Please, listen to me. Look at me. Please!”

  A sudden creaking noise stopped me.

  We all turned toward it. My heart was in my throat, desperation running through me.

  What next?

  What could possibly happen?

  The rooftop access door opened slowly, its hinges screaming in the silence.

  There was a light on inside, and a figure stood there, cast in silhouette.

  13

  Anissa

  I searched Jonah’s face, confusion and fury fighting for control of my brain. Just when I thought I had things under control and we were on the same page, something else happened.

  Nothing could’ve prepared me for what came out of Philippa’s mouth.

  Fane was their father?

  When did Jonah think it would be a good time to tell me that? When would he ever trust me enough to share the truth? The full truth, not merely what he felt I could handle?

  Never, that was when.

  I would never know if he was being completely honest, or if he didn’t trust me, or if he was sheltering me out of some misplaced chauvinistic impulse.

  I felt foolish. He hurt my pride when he lied to me that way. I felt stupid for making it so easy for him to fool me.

  I touched my mouth, noticing the blood for the first time. And that bitch, Philippa. How dare she touch me, much less hit me? What did I ever do to her?

  What, because I was standing next to her father? No, she had always hated me—she was just waiting for a reason to hit me. She had been looking for one all along, and she’d finally had it.

  I seethed—they were the same, the two of them, Jonah and Philippa. Both of them had secrets up their sleeves. Except with Philippa, I knew what I was up against. I could handle a punch to the face. I could even handle strange, cryptic claims—what did she mean about Sara being electric? She had obviously lost her mind to jealousy.

  What I couldn’t handle were Jonah’s lies and omissions.

  Philippa was begging Fane to forgive her.

  Fat chance of that happening. He wouldn’t look at her. I could see his side of it, and I didn’t blame him.

  I was still furious with Jonah and with Philippa, my blood boiling until it bubbled over.

  I dropped to one knee and slid a silver blade from inside my boot while no one was watching me.

  In a flash, I jumped to my feet and laid the blade against Philippa’s smooth, perfect cheek.

  She screamed, a howl of excruciating pain as her skin sizzled with the silver blade’s kiss. Her flesh corroded under the shiny metal, as though I had thrown acid on her.

  She jerked away, holding a hand over the spot.

  “Hit me again!” I screamed, lunging at her with the blade. “Come on! I dare you!”

  “Stop! She’s crazy!” Philippa was doubled over in pain, eyes wide and darting back and forth as she backed away from me.

  I noticed then, for the first time, the open door and the figure standing in the doorway. I held the blade at the ready, waiting for whoever it was to come out.

  I even forgot about Philippa.

  The individual stepped forward—stumbled, actually, all but falling to the ground.

  “Father?” Gage’s voice was barely a whisper, almost carried away with the wind.

  I gasped.

  We all did.

  He’d become a shadow of himself—there were scars all over his chest and arms. He was pale, weak, panting for breath. His eyes appeared glazed over, but I thought it was emotion more than exhaustion. He couldn’t pry them from the sight of Fane—his father, I reminded myself.

  “Anissa.” Jonah pulled at my arm, trying to get me away from Philippa.

  I shook him off.

  He didn’t have any right to touch me. Besides, I wasn’t touching her, I was focused on Gage.

  “Father?” Gage whispered again, staring at Fane.

  Finally, Fane nodded.

  Gage stumbled to him and almost collapsed before Fane caught him.

  “Is this a dream?” he whispered.

  “No, son. It’s not a dream.” He helped Gage steady himself. “It’s real. I’m real.”

  Gage glanced around as though sure he would wake up from his dream at any second, like he was afraid of waking up and finding out none of it was real after all.

  “What happened to you?” Jonah went to him, looking him over. “Who did this?”

  “I-I don’t know,” Gage breathed. “I coursed here. A long way. I’m so tired, and I can hardly remember anything.”

  “Come on. Let’s go inside. You need to rest.” Jonah took him by the arm.

  “What about Scott? What if he sees…?” Fane asked.

  “If he does, he does. But we have to talk to Gage, and we can’t do it out here on the roof. He can barely stand. We’ll go to my rooms, better chance to have privacy there,” Jonah said.

  So, we all went inside, and Jonah helped Gage down on the sofa.

  It reminded me of when we first arrived at the high-rise, Sara and I, and the way she had rested against the cushions.

  I glanced around, trying to sense Sara, but I couldn’t pick her up. She wasn’t here. I would’ve felt it if she was, wouldn’
t I? I was starting to question myself.

  Philippa dropped to her knees by Gage’s side. One hand was still covering her cheek, where I had burned her, but that didn’t seem to do anything to her joy at seeing her brother. “Where have you been? What happened to you?” She leaned against him, wrapping her free arm around him.

  “It’s a long story. I don’t know all of it.” His eyes weren’t on her, though. They were on his father. It was clear he couldn’t make sense of it.

  I thought I could understand how he felt. I remembered when Allonic told me our mother was alive. How would I have reacted if she’d suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with no warning?

  Then Gage gazed at Philippa. “Did you know he was alive?” There was no need to ask who he was talking about.

  She raised her head. “No. Not until tonight.”

  He faced Jonah. “You?”

  “Not for long,” Jonah murmured. “It was after you left, for sure.”

  Fane cleared his throat and stepped forward. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” Gage asked. “Not that there’s nothing to be sorry for, but I want to know what you think you should apologize for.”

  “I would’ve come to you sooner. You have no idea how much I wanted to.” He looked over the three of them. “It was torture, every day. Every single day, I had to make the decision to stay away. Sometimes it was easier, sometimes it wasn’t. Sometimes I considered locking myself away to make sure I didn’t put you in danger by revealing myself.”

  “How would you put us in danger?” Gage turned to his brother and sister for help, but they stayed silent.

  “Just know I wanted to,” Fane said, sidestepping Gage’s question.

  Gage opened his mouth to speak, but something stopped him. He winced, touching his hand to his arm, his teeth clenched in pain.

  Jonah stared at his arm. “Gage? What’s wrong?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” He lowered his gaze then moved his hand away from the spot he’d been gripping.

  My eyes widened in shock when I recognized the same brand I’d seen on Jonah’s arm. Identical, at least as far as I could see.

  “You have it, too?” Jonah slid his sleeve up to his elbow and showed his twin his own brand.

  Gage’s mouth fell open. “Do you know anything about it? It showed up out of nowhere, earlier tonight.”

  Jonah shook his head. “We’ve been trying to find out. I wonder why you have it, too.”

  Allonic stepped forward. “Fane, I think—”

  Gage made a strangled noise which shut Allonic up.

  We all froze.

  “Fane?” Gage nearly shrieked. “Did he call you Fane?”

  Fane’s shoulders slumped. “Yes. He did.”

  “You’re Fane?” He shifted his focus to Jonah and Philippa again. “The Fane?”

  I felt sorry for him. He had been through so much and was only trying to make sense of what seemed like an impossible situation.

  Fane nodded, wordless.

  “But… but… No! That’s impossible. No. No way!” Gage laughed. “He’s legendary. He’s not even real, right? Like, half of what they say about him is probably made up. Right?” He searched his father’s face, frantic for comfort, understanding, despite the situation being beyond all understanding.

  “Son, there’s so much I have to tell you and so little time to tell it. It can wait for now. Just know…” Fane took a deep breath. “Just know your father, the man you used to know, is dead.”

  “Don’t say that,” Philippa begged. “Please. You don’t know how hard it is to hear.” She was still at Gage’s side, and he slid an arm around her shoulders.

  I told myself I should feel for her the way I did for Gage, but I couldn’t. Not when I still felt a rush of satisfaction when I saw the mark my blade had left on her skin.

  “That doesn’t mean it isn’t true,” Fane replied. “You can’t keep thinking of me as the father I used to be. Too much has happened between then and now for me to ever go back to being who I once was.”

  “Fane, I’m sorry to burst in on this,” Allonic said. “It’s very touching.” Was that sarcasm in my brother’s tone? “But there’s something I think I can help you with.”

  “What is it?”

  I got the feeling Fane was glad for the distraction.

  Allonic pointed at Gage’s arm. “The brands. I can read them.”

  14

  Anissa

  We all froze, surprised.

  I bit back a gasp. “You can? You know what it says?” I took his arm.

  He nodded. “It’s actually very easy.”

  I snorted. “Yeah. Easy.”

  “What does it say, then?” Jonah bared his arm to Allonic. “Do they say the same thing?”

  Jonah sat beside Gage. When they were together like this, I saw the resemblance more than ever.

  Almost identical twins, at least on the surface. Somehow, their personalities made them appear different.

  Jonah had confidence that made him carry himself a certain way, to where he appeared a little taller than his brother.

  Gage usually had a chip on his shoulder that made his forehead crease in a frown. He never seemed relaxed or at ease, and somehow that gave the impression he was older than Jonah sometimes.

  But when they were both sitting there together, staring up at Allonic as he studied their brands, they could’ve been each other’s mirror image.

  Allonic knelt on one knee by the couch, taking their arms in his hands. He nodded thoughtfully as he studied them, his eyes moving back and forth.

  “Yes, these are virtually the same. They only change in that one refers to Jonah and the other to Gage. Otherwise, they are as identical as you two.”

  “What do they say?” Fane stood behind his sons, and while I knew he wanted them to forget who he was or what he’d once been to them, there was a still a paternal instinct in him that made him hover there, protective.

  Allonic’s voice was slow, deliberate as he explained. “You were right when you concluded this was the work of Valerius. He’s marked them for protection.”

  “Protection?” The twins glanced at each other.

  Jonah then lifted his gaze to me, but I wouldn’t look at him. I focused on my brother, instead. It was childish, but I couldn’t shake the anger I felt whenever I remembered all the chances Jonah had to tell me about Fane being his father. He’d deliberately hidden the truth, over and over.

  “Yes,” Allonic confirmed. “These brands provide direction. Valerius wants them to go to him.”

  “Go to him? Go where?” Gage asked.

  “Wait a minute.” Fane rested his hand on Gage’s shoulder. It may have been an unconscious gesture, but I could tell it meant the world to Gage. “Why does he want them? Does the brand say anything about that?”

  Allonic shook his head. “No, but I can help you with that. At least, I think I can, based on what I already know about twins.”

  “And that’s what?”

  “They’re true twins, right? They were born human twins then were turned over at roughly the same time?”

  Fane nodded.

  “I thought so. Because of this, the powers they already possess as vampires are amplified. It’s very rare for a pair of human twins to become vampires at all, and especially at almost the same time, the way they were first born as humans. Extremely rare.” He studied the two of them. “You’re special.”

  “Funny, but I would give my right arm to be normal.” Jonah smirked.

  “I’ve never felt special. I mean, I’ve never felt any stronger or better than anybody else.” Gage looked at Jonah. “You?”

  “Not really.” He peered up at Fane. “Did you ever know this?”

  “What parent doesn’t think their children are special?” he asked. “But no. I’ve never heard anything about amplified powers.”

  “It’s not common knowledge,” Allonic admitted, “because these aren’t the kind of powers either of you would use in regula
r life. They’re powers an ancient, powerful vampire such as Valerius would find useful.”

  “He wants us to go to him so he can take advantage of our powers. Do we have a choice in the matter?” Gage asked.

  Allonic hesitated, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, but as far as I can tell it isn’t an option. The brands will continue to hurt until the pain becomes excruciating. You won’t be able to think straight or function for the pain. Eventually, you’ll lose your sanity.”

  I shuddered. I might be angry at Jonah, but I didn’t want to see that happen.

  “So, there’s no choice,” Fane mused. “All right. We’ll take them to Valerius together.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Jonah asked. “I mean, this is dangerous enough. You don’t need to expose yourself to even bigger threats.”

  “It’s not an option,” Fane said, almost dismissing Jonah out of hand. He returned his attention to Allonic. “So? What do you think?”

  “I think it’ll be a challenge,” Allonic murmured as he continued to study the brands.

  “Where is Valerius? Can you tell from reading?” Jonah asked.

  “I think so. It seems as though he’s in Sorrowswatch.”

  “Where’s that?” Fane asked. “I’ve never heard of it.”

  “It’s not far from ley lines I’m aware of in England.” Allonic lifted his gaze. “I can get you there.”

  “What are ley lines?” Philippa had been quiet throughout my brother’s explanation.

  I noticed how she seemed to deliberately avoid looking at me—whether that was out of hatred or fear, I didn’t know or care.

  “They’re invisible lines which run all over the globe. Along these lines, supernatural occurrences are more prone to take place, geographical spots with supernatural significance are likely to exist. In the places where they intersect, especially strong power resides.”

  “Like what?” she asked.

  “Many human monuments, stretching back to ancient times. The Great Pyramids of Giza, for example. Machu Picchu. Easter Island. Stonehenge. All of these reside along ley lines, and all of them harken back to a time when mankind was much more in touch with the supernatural. One of the great misconceptions of humans is they believe they’ve gotten closer in touch with what’s real as they’ve left superstition behind. In fact, they’ve dismissed that which is truly in control of their existence, in favor of that which will never provide answers.”