by Leigh Walker
As I melted against him, I realized it didn’t matter that I’d been changed. I was still the same. I still felt the same.
There was a knock on the door. “My lord, the king is waiting.”
Austin nodded toward the sentinel. “We’re ready.” He laced his fingers through mine. “Stay close, and no matter what happens, do not be afraid. You’ll do well. Because you are newly turned, your senses are especially sharp.” A smile broke out over his face. “You’re immortal now. I’ve been so upset that I haven’t let myself think about the good side of things. I am relieved, my lady.”
I squeezed his hand as we followed the sentinel through a rear entrance and lined up near the Black Guard. “But what will I do? How do I fight?”
Austin kept me close by his side as his father beckoned. “Your instinct will tell you everything you need to know, and I’ll be right beside you.”
“Don’t I need a weapon?”
He smiled. “You’re the weapon, Blake. Your new skills will appear when you need them. It’s like magic.”
I ran my tongue over my teeth, wondering when I would feel my fangs next. I wasn’t sure how all of this would work, but Austin didn’t seem worried about it. And as he typically worried about everything, I decided to follow his lead. I was a vampire. My new vampire body knew how to do things I didn’t. I had to trust that.
I glimpsed Eve and Balkyn within the front lines. I saw Dallas, as tall and handsome as ever, shock plain on his face as he watched Austin escorting me across the grounds. I tucked myself behind the prince as we made our way to the king. He stood, cold and as imposing as ever, the sunlight refracting off of his trim white beard. The king was a handsome figure, but he radiated none of the warmth of his sons.
Austin bowed to his father, and I curtsied.
The king cursed when I arose. “You turned her!”
Austin hissed. “This is neither the time nor place, father.”
“You couldn’t even have waited until afterward? We had a deal!”
“I didn’t have a choice.” Austin reached for my hand and gripped it. “I’m bringing Blake to the front lines. She’s been turned less than a week. I need to keep her away from the humans.”
“At least she’ll do some damage on the front lines.” The king chuckled to himself. “These rebels. They never learn.” You would never guess that he was about to lead his army into battle. He seemed as if he were about to swat a pesky half-dead fly.
Austin hustled me away from him and the others, out into the forest. “What was that all about? What deal did you have with your father?”
He shook his head. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Um…” That wasn’t good enough for me, but I held my tongue. I could smell the rebels nearby. Behind that, there was the something else, something mangy… “I can smell Rhys and the others!”
“Amazing.” Austin’s eyes sparkled. “You caught their scent before I did.”
“Perhaps I’m rather good at this, then.”
“Of course you are. You’re magnificent.” He squeezed my hand. “We should run now. Let’s get closer to the rebel line. They’re not far.”
We crouched low and ran through the forest. I felt much improved—stronger, faster, more vibrant. My limbs no longer felt heavy. I wondered if it was all the donated blood I’d drunk that day, or something else such as a lack of grief.
We ran through another copse of trees, and I stopped. “There’s one of your tunnels!” I pointed to the bottom of a birch.
“It looks like they still have a few of them down here. Hopefully, we won’t have to use one.” Austin wrinkled his nose.
“I might try it just for sport.”
He pulled on my hand. “No time for sport now. It’s time to fight.” I could smell and hear the rebels as we got closer. Austin watched me as we slowed our pace, picking our way through the underbrush. “How many are there?”
“Is this a quiz?”
He nodded.
I closed my eyes and concentrated. “I’d say there’s a group of about seven up and off to the right. They’re hiding. And straight ahead, another group of twelve. The largest group is on our left, and the rest of them are back at the camp.”
“Excellent.” Austin seemed impressed. “And why do you think these smaller groups are out here?”
“Reconnaissance.” I remembered Eve’s fancy term immediately. “They are scouting us, my lord.”
“That’s right. We are going to take them out, all of them. Then the main army won’t have any information.”
I inhaled. The rebels smelled inviting, but I hesitated. “Austin. I don’t think I can do this. I can’t kill anyone.”
He nodded. “Okay. You don’t have to. I can take care of this. You just stay beside me and watch my back.”
“Really?” I was flabbergasted. “You don’t need my help?”
“Yes, I do. But if you do not wish to kill, I’ve no wish to ask you to. That’s your choice and yours alone. I can handle a few rebels.”
I looked around the forest, confused about my feelings. On the one hand, I was starving. No amount of donated blood would compare to what I smelled in the forest. But on the other hand, I had never hurt another creature, not even terrible Abigor, although I remembered looking for a big stick to whack him with.
“Stay with me. Follow your instincts. Trust yourself.” Austin smiled at me. “There’s no one I’d trust more.”
I heard the group of seven rebels before I saw them. Austin crouched, hissing, and I followed his lead. Their smell wafted over me, making me dizzy with hunger. My fangs popped out. I tried not to jump out of my skin again or talk. I didn’t need to hear myself lisping at the moment—there were too many other things going on!
Everything happened at once. A silver stake made of heavy metal, with its tip sharpened to a brutal point, whizzed past our heads. There was snarling, then shouting.
Then all hell broke loose.
Chapter 23
All’s Fair
Hundreds of rebels started running from their camp in the fields beyond to fight. This was no reconnaissance mission—the attack had begun. I heard the wolves howl—they leapt out from behind the trees and surprised the small rebel team near us. More stakes whizzed through the trees, nearly hitting me. They must have been launching them from some sort of contraption.
“Stay down!” Austin hissed. He ducked right as a stake flew in his direction. “Bloody hell.” We scrambled to the safety of nearby underbrush. “My father’s going to insist on annihilating them for this.”
“Because they’re prepared?” Another stake sliced through the air overhead and stuck in a tree.
“They’re trying to kill as many of us as they can. That must be their main goal.” He looked at me. “I’m afraid we won’t be taking many prisoners.”
I sniffed the air. “I understand. We have to fight to protect ourselves. I can smell it on them, you know.”
Austin inhaled but looked confused. “Smell what?”
“Their desperation. Their fear. On some of them it’s blinding-white hate.”
He nodded. “I can’t smell that. Perhaps this is your gift: you can tell what people have in their hearts. That would be a good one.” He looked thoughtful as another stake whizzed by. A werewolf howled, and a human screamed. “That’s my cue. I have to reach Rhys and the others.”
“I’m in.” I gripped his hand. “But I think we should stay low. Actually…” My gaze swept the ground until I located the tunnel. “I was thinking…”
“Bloody hell.” Austin looked disgusted.
“But I bet it would bring us to the other side so we could join the wolves and surprise the rebels out in the field. We could stop them before they even reach the forest.”
“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He grabbed my hand, and we crawled to the entrance as more snarls and screams echoed nearby. “Ladies first. Remember what I showed you. Hands over your head. Close your mouth.” I positioned
myself, and he inspected me. “There’s a good girl. Go now.”
I dove into the tunnel. It was the strangest feeling. The earth was cool and dark around me as slid through. I didn’t have to crawl or dig—that was the wild part. I slid quickly through the moist darkness, almost as if I was on an underground slide. Is this what it feels like for worms? I’m afraid I had underestimated them!
Moments later, I flew out of the tunnel on the other side, landing in a heap of dirt. I rubbed my eyes. There was a pair of paws in front of me. I looked up and found myself staring at Rhys in wolf form.
He tilted his head at me questioningly as if to say, “Blake? What the bloody hell?”
Austin shot out of the tunnel behind me. “Gar!” he roared, wiping the dirt out of his eyes. “That never gets less disgusting.”
I shook some dirt from my hair. “I thought it was sort of fun.”
Rhys growled, and that was the end of chatting. I could hear our attackers running through the fields. I’d been right—the tunnel had taken us around to the side of the rebels. We could sneak up on them now.
Austin nodded toward Rhys. “They’re all in on the attack. I have no orders except to fight to the death. They were coming at us with metal stakes launched from something… I dunno.” He rose to his feet. “Let’s go.”
Rhys emitted a low growl, and five other wolves stalked out of the woods behind him. I stilled, listening. I could hear the Black Guard riding through the forest, about to meet the first line of rebels. “Now!”
We ran out of the woods into the field, surprising the soldiers from the side. The wolves fanned out behind us. I could smell the rebels—their anxiety, their adrenaline. Just as Austin had predicted, my instincts kicked in. My fangs lengthened, and I hissed. I ran fast and low to the ground, a snarl of my own building inside my chest. They’d tried to stake me. They’d tried to stake Austin. Perhaps I would find the will to fight.
Austin and the wolves entered the fray first. The humans screamed as Austin made quick work of them, using a combination of sparring and draining. He would hit, punch, and kick anyone who came near him. Any soldier who got too close or wielded a weapon got his fangs. He drained the humans more quickly than I could imagine. Bodies crumpled to the ground around him. The wolves snapped their jaws around the rebels and threw them around like chew toys. Bloody hell.
I decided to go with physical force, not fangs. I grabbed any and all rebels within reach. I punched one. I kicked another off me as he tried to grab my tunic. Another rebel wielded a stake at me—I stole it and whacked her in the head. That worked fairly well, so I employed the same tactic on the next several soldiers within range. Austin and the wolves continued to work through the lines as more sentinels siphoned off from their main charge to fight us. I heard hooves, the blare of a trumpet. The Black Guard had arrived.
I looked up from the soldier I’d just knocked out to see the horses crashing out of the forest, the banners blazing in the wind. In an instant, the Guard was upon the rebels. The vampire army attacked without mercy, draining the humans dry at a rate I hadn’t fathomed was possible. It was gross, really. Good thing I had my stake and plenty of people who wanted to kill me. Engaging in combat was easier than watching the massacre unfolding around me.
Austin, the wolves, and I had severely cut into the rebel line. We worked our way through the middle, battling every soldier we encountered. Beyond the Black Guard, at the outskirts of the clearing, I spied Eve, Dallas, and Balkyn. Eve drained three soldiers dry before they could even touch her. Dallas moved like Austin, fighting when he could easily win and draining the rebels when he couldn’t. Balkyn fought with his sword. I saw him cut a rebel down.
Then someone sprang at Balkyn from the side—a small dark-haired devil. She clung to his back like a rabid monkey. But this rabid monkey was Chase, and she had a knife blade to Balkyn’s throat.
“Eve!” I screamed, but it was too late. Chase drove the dagger into Balkyn’s neck, and he crumpled beneath her. “No!”
Austin whipped around. “What?”
“Balkyn! Chase stabbed him!” The prince reached for my hand, and we struggled through the battle to our friends. Eve was fighting off five rebels. Dallas disappeared into the fray. And Balkyn was on the ground, gushing blood.
“It’s what you bloody deserve.” Chase spat at him and started running away, but Austin was quicker.
“I’ve been looking for you,” Austin whispered, his fangs bared.
“Get off me, you demon!” Chase’s leg was bandaged, but that didn’t stop her from trying to kick back at Austin. He grabbed her, tightening his grip, and she shrieked.
I used my stake to level the sentinels who fought Eve. They dropped to the ground, and she gasped when she saw me. “You’re better at this than I expected!”
“Eve…” Balkyn reached up toward her. Blood gushed from his neck. His skin was pale, so pale.
Eve hadn’t seen what happened. My heart broke for my friend. “No!” She flew to his side and took his hand in hers.
Chase watched them in disgust. “I can’t wait for your death—I hope you burn!” Her dark eyes shone with crazy, incontrovertible hate.
“And I cannot wait for your death. Or perhaps we should call it a rebirth.” Austin ran his fangs down her neck, and her eyes bulged in her head.
Chase’s whole body trembled. Her lips went white. “Get away from me, you filthy bloodsucker! Don’t you dare turn me!”
I crouched by Eve as she clutched Balkyn’s hand. He was saying something to her, pleading
She furrowed her brow. “Are you sure?”
A smile ghosted his lips. “I didn’t even have a chance to dance with you yet, Lady Eve. I am quite sure.”
Eve nodded. “I will do as you ask. But forgive me, for there is pain. Although it hurts, it doesn’t last forever…not compared to the life you gain.”
Balkyn nodded and she bent her head back, her fangs glinting in the sunlight.
She plunged them into his neck.
“No. NO!” Chase screamed, horrified. “You can’t turn him!”
Eve ignored her, drinking deeply from Balkyn as he moaned and writhed beneath her. I couldn’t stop staring—I knew what that felt like. I was suddenly glad that I hadn’t been able to respond to when the prince had turned me. He wouldn’t have been able to handle that.
Chase struggled to get free of Austin, but he held her like a vise grip. “I fancy you’re next,” he hissed at her. He smiled when she started screaming her head off.
The fight raged on behind us, but it was clear that the vampires were winning. The corpses piled up in the field.
“Blake. Blake.” Austin had to raise his voice above Chase’s screams. “Here. I want you to take her.” He tried to hand her off to me, but I jumped back.
“What? Why?”
Chase took one look at me and started screaming even more. “She’s turned too? What the bloody—” The curses she spat out were ones I’d never heard before.
“I don’t want her!” I gaped at Austin. “Can’t you smell that? She smells like pure hate.”
Austin deposited her squarely in front of me. He clamped a hand over her mouth and blessedly muffled her shrieks. “She is yours. You can smell her hate. You know what she has done. She tried to kill you, and she tried to kill Balkyn. You may do as you see fit. My instinct is to disembowel her slowly and let the werewolves use her entrails for sport. Or turn her—because as far as she’s concerned, that’s a fate worse than any death.”
Even muffled, Chase’s shrieks went a pitch higher.
Austin smiled. “But I realize that’s selfish of me. You are the one who should decide this demon’s fate. She is unarmed. She is yours. You have excellent judgment.”
Austin released her and took a step back.
Chase’s eyes narrowed in hate. She looked back to see Eve whispering over Balkyn, his body finally still. The rebel turned back to me. “You all disgust me. Demons from hell. You were a vampire’s whore�
�a traitor to your own race. Now look at you.” She spat at me.
Just like last time, I saw tiny bubbles on my boot. My own temper got a hold of me—before I even knew what I was doing, I slapped her across the face. Hard. She rocked back on her heels, almost tipping over backward.
Austin caught her from behind, then held her up for me.
I took a step forward and Chase recoiled. “You have no power over me—my life is already over.” She glanced back at Eve and Balkyn and for the first time, I saw a flicker of an emotion other than hate in her eyes. “I can’t believe she turned him.”
I stood before her. “That was his choice. What is yours?”
She turned back to me, her pretty face utterly transformed by contempt once again. “I choose death. If you won’t release me to fight with my brothers, and if Balkyn has chosen your world, there is nothing left for me here.”
“Our world…” I frowned at her. “But my lady, there is only one world.”
She shook her head, hate plain on her face even as tears spilled down her cheeks. “That’s not true.”
I moved closer and smelled her. Her scent was acrid, as if years of hate and fear had built up in her muscles and left her spoiled.
“Lady Kensington.” Austin still held her firmly in his grasp. “It’s time.”
There was still fighting behind us, but it was quieting down. Our side had vanquished the rebels. Their bodies were piling up around us. I glanced away from the funeral pyre the Black Guard was assembling. My gaze traveled to Eve as she hovered over Balkyn, holding his hand and whispering to him. There was so much pain all around me—I could smell it. Pain and waste, all for nothing. All for hate.
“Release her, my lord.” I took a step back. “This lady’s path is hers to choose. I do not agree with her position, but I cannot change her heart. She believes what she believes. I can only hope that, someday in the future, she might see something to support another point of view.”
“As you wish.” Austin let go of Chase slowly, never taking his eyes off of her.