The Vampire Queen

by Brandi Elledge

  Stephan was looking blindly into the distance, staring at nothing at all. I got up from my chair and kneeled in front of him. I gently laid one of my hands on his leg. That got his attention. He grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, and he didn’t let go when he continued with his story. “She didn’t give me an option, Tandi. All except for one that I have turned, I made sure they knew what they were getting into. I even tried to convince them not to make the change. She made me because she wanted me for an eternity. When she found out I was just as powerful as her, the only thing that kept her from staking me in my sleep was her twisted love for me. I bided my time, and when the moment was right, I asked her to take a vow to allow me some freedom. She agreed because she didn’t really think that I would leave her side but I did. That’s when she kidnapped my sister.”

  “How old was Dani?”

  “She was twelve at the time. For six years, she kept her a prisoner. She was a well-treated prisoner but still a prisoner. The worst part was she wouldn’t tell me where she held Dani. I would have killed Akeldama where she stood, but she was the only one who knew where Dani was hidden. I tried to quietly go into her mind, but she sensed me, and after that Akeldama grew nervous of how desperate I was. She immediately made a witch charm her crown that she wears. She loved me, but she didn’t trust me. As long as it sat upon her head, I couldn’t access her memories, or better yet, swipe her memory. We all become weak when we get close to the crown. It drains us of our power.”

  “How did you find Dani?”

  “I didn’t. Akeldama had demanded an audience with all of her vampires, much like she did for the princess’s wedding. My line showed up to find Dani in the middle of some vampires who were bleeding her dry on the Queen’s command. Then came the ultimatum. I could either rule by her side or watch her turn my baby sister into something that I didn’t even want to be. A vampire.”

  He got very quiet and just stared at our clasped hands. “What happened next, Stephan?”

  “Dakin, who was like a brother to me who I’ve known all my life, had somehow kept hidden from me that he had fallen in love with Akeldama. He was angry and jealous that she would go to such extremes to have me by her side when I didn’t even want to rule with her. There was a wedge between us that I didn’t notice until too late. As the crowd waited to see what I would decide to do, Dakin strolled forward and knelt before her throne with a proposition. He told her that someone as beautiful as her should never have to beg for anyone’s hand in marriage, and I should be taught a lesson. He claimed that when I was alone, I would realize the mistake I had made and would grovel my way back to her. He convinced her to demand that I turn over my line in exchange for my sister.”

  I was dismayed. “Why would he do that to you?”

  “After the years passed, I realized that he thought he was giving everyone what they wanted. He knew I didn’t want to rule with Akeldama. He also knew that I had been crazed looking for my sister, and I would do anything to have her back. I assume he thought with me out of the way, he could have a future with Akeldama. But he didn’t know her like I knew her. She wants what she can’t have.”

  “If you and Dakin were as close as brothers, I imagined that hurt you very bad.”

  One shoulder lifted in a shrug. “I was stunned by what I thought of as his betrayal. But as my sister lay motionless on the floor, I had bigger concerns than his love for Akeldama. In the back of Akeldama’s mind, she thought no one could ever just walk away from her, or from a line that I had created with people I considered friends. She thought I would be back beside her in no time. So, she agreed to let Dani go with me if I gave my line to her. To her astonishment, I grabbed my sister’s body off of the floor and left that night. Dani wasn’t healing. I panicked and gave her enough blood to make sure that she survived. The one person that I didn’t make understand the circumstances, and she was forever changed that night.”

  “You did everything you could to save her and—”

  “I did everything I could to make sure that she didn’t have this life. But in the end, I failed her.”

  I thought back to Greta, and tears flooded my eyes. “Was Dani upset with you?”

  A half smile came across his face. “No, she was too excited to be away from Akeldama. She said that she didn’t care if she came back as a demon as long as she had some strength and power to never be taken as a prisoner again. She has never once begrudged me for making her into a vampire.”

  I was ashamed that I’d ever blamed Stephan so harshly. Greta didn’t want this life, and he’d had the strength to grant her wishes.

  Dakin had already told me, but I wanted to hear it from Stephan’s mouth. “What happened to your friends?”

  “Akeldama recognized the look I gave her when I scooped my dying sister off the floor. She also realized the loyalty that my line had was for me only, so she had them eliminated while I was getting Dani acclimated.”

  “I’m very sorry, Stephan.” I squeezed his hand in comfort.

  “I had every intention of hunting down the princess because sometimes it’s just easier to play her games than see someone that I care about get hurt. You have no clue what she is capable of.”

  My emotions were all over the place.

  “If you have your freedom and no longer have to take orders from her, then why are we here now?”

  “Because that privilege doesn’t extend to my line. I could have denied her, but she would have sent someone after you.”

  “It seems as if you are always protecting me.” My heart swelled with pride.

  His dimples showed. “I like the reading I’m getting off of you now. What’s that scent? Lust?” I glared and he laughed. In one tug, he pulled me into his lap. “Admit it. Admit that you feel something for me.”

  “If I did feel something for you, I would have to be crazy because you are the biggest pain in the butt ever.”

  “Every time your walls are down, you let me know how big of a pain that I am. Well, that along with how hot I am.”

  I went to punch his arm, but he caught my fist and pulled me close to him. My head tilted slightly back, and that was when he leaned in to give me a deep kiss that was demanding. I knotted my fist into his shirt for fear that he would stop doing that magical thing with his tongue. He deepened the kiss and I moaned softly. He kissed me for what seemed like ages before he pulled away slightly. We were both staring into each other’s eyes with so much lust it was a wonder we didn’t combust into flames.

  To break the long silence after that soul-scorching kiss, I asked, “Are you going to say this one was a mistake, too?”

  His hand rubbed along my thigh. “Yes, actually it was, but I just couldn’t help myself.”

  I started to hop off of his lap, but he held me in place. “It’s not the kiss that is a mistake, little one. It’s kissing you here that is the mistake. Remember what happened the last time? She almost had you fighting to the death.”

  “If it comes down to you swapping spit with her and me fighting, I would rather me fight.” He didn’t say anything, but I had a feeling that he disagreed with me. “I’ve done good so far,” I pointed out.

  “Yes, you have, but I would prefer not risking you.”

  “Because you made me and feel responsible for me?”

  He grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his eyes. “No, because I have deep feelings for you.”

  He was about to say something else, but it was almost as if he chickened out, so I decided to have mercy on him. “Tell me you have a plan.”

  “I do. I told Akeldama that I would find the princess and bring her back.” I started to tell him what he could do with his plan when he said, “Here me out. I believe this will work.”

  I listened while he laid out his plan, which was well thought out. I expected no less from him. After he was done speaking, I agreed that it did sound like our best option. Maybe the three of us would escape this place alive and with the key after all, and if we met our doom instead,
at least we would give all the gossipers in the fae world something to talk about. Tracker would be happy at least.

  I tapped my foot while standing next to Dani, waiting impatiently to see my very first ogre. Stephan stood in the middle of the courtyard appearing bored with the whole situation. He was the only person I knew that would fight an ogre wearing slacks and a buttoned-down shirt. He looked like he was fixing to make a commercial for some over-priced cologne instead of fighting some beast. Vampires milled around, talking about how long it had been since any of them had seen an ogre.

  “Why haven’t we begun yet?” I asked.

  Dani shrugged one dainty shoulder. “Maybe she is trying to build the anticipation up.”

  “He will be able to defeat the ogre, right?”

  “Ogres are known to be man-eating savages, but most of them prefer children. They are sick creatures. If it were any other vampire, I would say they don’t have a chance, but we’re talking about my brother. He will defeat it.” She eyed the crowd until her gaze fell upon the throne. “As long as she keeps that crown at a distance, so it can’t nullify his powers then we’re good. This will be over before it begins.”

  Chills rippled over me as a roaring sound came from the distance. That did not sound good. Twenty vampires escorted the ogre into the courtyard. He was still wearing his magical chains, and he did not look happy. The ogre stood at least nine feet tall and wore nothing but brown leather pants. He was completely bald, which brought more attention to his pointy ears that had several piercings. He wasn’t as pale as Akeldama, but he came in a close second. His shoulders were wide and muscular, and every inch of his body radiated strength from his gigantic hands to his massive thighs. Stephan couldn’t fight this creature. He would die.

  Akeldama spoke from her throne. “Ogre, I will take your chains off, but you are to only fight the man in front of you. If you follow the rules and you survive, then I will allow safe passage back through the portal to where you came from. This fight will be to the death, of course.”

  Sugar honey iced tea. If the ogre survived, the queen would find out that she couldn’t open up a portal because her key was a fake, but I guess it didn’t matter at that point. Because if the ogre lived, that meant that Stephan would be dead. This night couldn’t possibly get any worse.

  A box full of weapons was placed in between Stephan and the ogre. As soon as the ogre’s chains were released, he immediately cracked his neck and rolled his enormous shoulders. He roared, “Kill you,” as he picked up a spiked club from the box.

  My mouth dropped open as Stephan found me in the audience and gave me a wink.

  Dani stood aloof beside me. “Now, you see why he about lost it when you were to be the one fighting that thing.”

  I didn’t say a word, so she leaned in close and whispered into my ear, “I know that you and Stephan have this unspoken thing between you that neither of you is really willing to talk about, but he cares for you, Tandi. He would gladly fight twenty of these beasts if that meant you didn’t have to. I know witnessing that kiss hurt you, but it meant nothing to him. You know that, right?”

  I had already forgiven Stephan, and we had broached the topic of his feelings, but I appreciated Dani trying to bridge the gap between us.

  I was about to answer her when the ogre walked forward and swung a meaty fist towards Stephan’s face only for it to stop within an inch of hitting the vampire’s nose. In the next instant, the ogre went flying in the air and smashed into the ground.

  “My brother can move things with his mind,” Dani said. I didn’t tell her that I had already witnessed that when he slammed a door in my face.

  The ogre, who wasn’t very bright, kept climbing to his feet just to have Stephan knock him right back to the ground with just a thought. When Stephan used his mind to jerk one of the ogre’s arms back until it cracked, Akeldama stood from her throne and started making her way down the concrete stairs.

  I grabbed Dani’s arm. “What does she think she is doing?”

  “That sneaky bitch!” Dani snarled.

  “If she gets any closer with that crown, what will happen?”

  “It only nullifies vampire powers, so the ogre will still be strong while Stephan will become weak.” Dani glanced around at the shocked vampires. “She is trying to kill him.”

  Akeldama stopped on the outside of the ring. “Stephan, darling, he doesn’t seem to be much of a match for you.”

  “What are you doing, Dama?”

  She studied her blood red nails while the ogre held his broken arm close to his body, stalking towards Stephan. “Kill you,” he boomed.

  “You know, the vow you made me take? It states that I can’t hurt you, but I fear that this ogre has no such restrictions. Make a vow that you will destroy that contract between us, and I will go watch the rest of the show from my throne.”

  The ogre took a swing at Stephan with his good arm, sending Stephan careening to the ground.

  “Oops, it looks like your powers have been eliminated. Take the vow to break the contract, and I can go watch… from a distance.”

  Stephan gave her a malicious smile while he wiped the blood from his mouth. “I won’t ever let you control me again.”

  “Perhaps not. We shall see.”

  The ogre reached out and swung at Stephan again, sending him flying wildly through the air where he landed with a sickening thud. I started to move forward when a bee landed on my arm. “You will just get in his way,” Tracker buzzed.

  The bee took off and headed for the ogre, swarming his head and making the ogre swat at the insect. It bought Stephan enough time to pick up a small knife from the box. He balanced the weight of it in his hand for an instant before throwing it towards the ogre, hitting him right in the eye. The ogre thrashed and screamed in pain before grabbing the handle and plucking it out of his eye. Stephan was already throwing another knife. The blade found its mark, leaving the ogre blind and in pain.

  “Just trying to even the odds, big man,” Stephan said.

  The ogre grew very still. His nose started twitching, and I realized he was now using a different sense to find his prey. He ran towards Stephan, causing the ground to shake underneath our feet. At the last moment, Stephan dodged left and threw out a leg, causing the monster to stumble and fall to the ground. Stephan produced one last knife, and as he knelt with one knee on the ogre’s back, he lifted ogre’s head up to slit his throat.

  The crowd cheered and applauded, while Dani and I jumped up and down like schoolgirls. Everyone clapped except for Akeldama. She looked like someone just peed in her oatmeal. She flicked her long gown behind her and vanished through the crowd, no doubt to come up with some other nefarious plan. Until then, we would celebrate.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  After Stephan took a shower, he came over to my room to tell a waiting Dani and Tracker about his plan, explaining in detail what was going to take place tomorrow. Tracker wasn’t happy, but I convinced him that the storytelling back in his homeland would make him a legend. He seemed mollified after that.

  Stephan had to go and take care of a couple of things, and Dani wanted to party until the sun came up, so she insisted we grab a bottle of wine and head out to the rose garden. She was so excited that I didn’t remind her that we were in the middle of winter. The rose garden would be nothing more than bare bushes. Maybe she had a wonderful imagination.

  The guards had slackened up on me here recently, but just to make sure they didn’t follow us, Dani asked me to turn myself invisible until we reached our destination. Tracker insisted he tag along, so there he lay on the cement bench as a woolly worm getting drunk from the small drops Dani had poured out for him. Apparently, shapeshifters could feel the effects of alcohol.

  The rose garden was the only thing belonging to Akeldama that was truly beautiful. Big, magnificent trees stood proudly along the border of her property that was several hundred acres. She had a garden that I could imagine was outstanding during the summer months
, but even in the dead of winter, the well-placed shrubs and bushes made a trail or a maze of sorts leading to a quiet bench in the middle of it all.

  After a few sips of wine, I told them both about kissing Stephan.

  Dani’s short hair blew in the wind. She tilted her head back to gaze at the night sky. “Well, it’s about dang time.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “She means, doll face,” Tracker said, “that the both of you have been dancing around each other long enough. It’s clear that you are meant to be together, and now can we move on to more important topics like am I black and brown or brown and black? And why is the bench moving?”

  I snorted as he hiccupped. Tracker might be powerful, but he was drunk as a boiled fish. I wanted to circle the conversation back to Stephan and the way I felt but we were interrupted.

  Tracker said, “Incoming. Quick, pick my lard ass up and put me on your shoulder. I don’t want anyone trying to stick me in the bottom of a Tequila bottle.”

  I scooped him up and stood next to Dani to study the trio heading our way. They had just made it down the steps and were starting through the maze.

  “What the hell do they want?” she asked.

  “I guess we will find out soon enough. Should I go invisible again?”