Vampire Princess Rising by Jami Brumfield
"I didn't know until we were on the way here." He pushed a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. She felt a minor spark, but nothing like the tingles she had with Gabriel. It only reconfirmed her decision.
Rebecca took a step back. "Lucky—"
He placed a finger on her lips. "Its okay, Rebecca. I can see you made your choice and that choice isn't me."
"It's not that..."
He allowed that sexy grin that made her heart speed up spread across his face. "Lie detector, remember? I knew the day of the dance you made your choice and you couldn't have chosen a better man. You and Gabe are very lucky and I wish you the best. But I think we should continue training." He ran a hand through his blond curls, it was a nervous gesture she watched him do plenty of times before, only this time she was glad the romantic hang ups between them was not the primary reason for his unease.
Rebecca wanted to argue with him, to tell him she hadn’t really chosen anyone, not really but deep down she knew he was right. If she had to choose between the two guys she would choose Gabe every time. It was time to confirm his beliefs and set Lucky free. "You were a great pretend boyfriend." She smiled even though she wasn't feeling it. "And I’d love to continue training with you."
He kissed her softly on the forehead, again nice feelings, but no intensity. "See you Saturday for training." And with that, he left. Rebecca felt emptiness in her heart but she knew it was the right thing to do and the closure they just shared was very healthy. She wished him the best. And hoped they could still be friends.
'Becks, are you okay?' Gabriel's voice broke through the sadness she was feeling.
'Yes, I'm fine! Quit spying on me.'
"I wasn't. You were feeling sad and that emotion called me." Gabriel walked into the room with a concerned look on his face. “Besides, Persephone woke up half the house when she couldn’t hear what was going on in this room.” He took a few steps toward her and she stepped back, keeping the mug in front of her heart as protection.
Sometimes Rebecca really hated the bond created between mates. She liked having her own life and keeping her feelings to herself. Siren was bad enough; she ignored the wolf's snarl. But Gabe having that connection made it almost unbearable at times, especially when she needed privacy. How could she tell him her sadness was because she’d gotten closure with Lucky which freed her up to be with him—once she helped Savannah? The hurt look on his face was already too much. He could smell Lucky's scent on her, she knew it. And now she felt guilty.
He was trying to respect her boundaries. He wasn't pushing on her mind to find out what happened with Lucky. But the pain in his green eyes made her heart hurt. She wanted to tell him she’d choose him, but she wasn't ready for that commitment.
He approached her slowly, with care and caution. Just before he enclosed her in a comforting embrace she spun on her heel and slipped from his grasp. "I'm tired. I need some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day." She headed up the stairs, leaving him behind. She could feel his sorrow, which only compounded her own. She closed her door and tried to close him out of her mind, at least for the night.
Chapter Five
Hunter
"Focus your mind on the candle and the match. Imagine your fingers grasping the match and striking it against the box. See the match light up, hear the sizzle of the fire, feel the heat, smell the sulfuric scent and see yourself light the wick of the candle in your mind," Natalia's voice whispered directions into Hunter’s ear.
Hunter focused, narrowing his eyes as he imagined the flame, the candle lighting.
"Good Gods!" Natalia hissed, breaking his concentration.
She pushed him backward and just as he was able to refocus on her he saw the box of matches had burst into flames. She cast a quick spell and the fire was gone. Hunter covered his eyes with his hand in frustration, rubbing them, trying to ease the strain.
"It’s hopeless," he told her, sadness lacing his words.
Natalia turned, dazzling smile back in place on her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She had the patience of a nun, but if last night's make out session was any indication, she was far from entering to the nunnery. "It's okay, Hunt, haven't you ever heard of the saying 'if at first you don't succeed try again?'" She tossed the ignited matches into the trash and pulled out some more from her purse. "Truth be told you have great power in you. The binding spell is what makes it go off kilter. When you get your powers back I think the goddess Demeter will be proud of you and your skill."
He ran a shaky hand through his golden hair and shook his head in frustration. "Look, you told me yourself this is a spell witches learn the first year they begin the practice. If I can't do this simple one how am I supposed to live up to my family's name?" How am I supposed to protect my family?, it was unspoken but hung between them in the air like a cloud of dust trapped in a ray of sunlight, never moving, always there. "I’m more concerned with the dangers that are coming than who’s going to be proud of me. We need to break this binding."
She chewed her bottom lip, a clear sign she was trying to think of a solution, to work out all the variables like the true scientist she was. She was so much like his sister, Rebecca, in that way. Logic was the best resource. He took after Savvy, emotions and feelings were far more reliable. He would trust a gut reaction long before he trusted something he could see.
"Okay, obviously the binding spell is far more powerful than anything I'm familiar with. Your mother has lived up to her reputation in this matter." She smiled softly, compassion shinning in her soft blue eyes.
Hunter nodded. "You’re only rehashing obvious details. What we need is a solution."
"How are you coming along with decoding the alchemy book?" she asked tentatively, knowing it was a sensitive subject.
Hunter knew she was putting all her hopes on the Grimoire they found buried in the basement of Rebecca’s new compound. Rebecca discovered its existence while reading through some of Tomas’ journals. According to her, Tomas was insane but he was also very protective of his pack. He believed the witch’s spell book contained powerful weapons he could use to defeat the vampires. The only problem was he had no witch to help him decode it. She believed that was why he agreed to turn her and that was how this entire mess started.
Hunter wasn’t as sure about the spell book as Becks and Nat were, but he was hopeful it would help him find an answer to Savvy’s problem. In truth, he was more interested in turning her back to human than being able to harness his fire magic. Unfortunately, Nat was positive it would take his ability to succeed in helping either one of his sisters.
"So you're sticking with the idea that the book is our only answer at this point?" Hunter asked. He really wished there was more he could do. “Maybe we can talk to my father and see if he can help.” He suggested as an afterthought.
The night Savvy was killed and turned into a vampire they also learned his father was alive. It was disturbing to find out a man who they grieved for the last ten years was still alive, hiding in the shadows, watching them grow up. What really sent Hunter for a curve ball was that his father was allied with the evil vampire that killed Savvy. He remembered his father being better than that. His memory of the man he wanted to be like was tarnished forever and he had a feeling it would never be normal between them.
Natalia shook her head, completely opposed to talking to his father, and in truth Hunter should be too. But Hunter had spent the last ten years of his life trying to find a way to live up to his father’s reputation. It was harder for him to turn away from his father than it was for Rebecca or Natalia. “Surely, after what Celestia did to Savvy, he’d broken ties with her?”
“I doubt it.” She smiled. “We don’t need him, Hunter.” She placed a hand on his cheek and he enjoyed the spark her touch ignited inside him. “I don’t think the book is our only option, but I think it’s a good start. It’s a Matthews Grimoire after all."
She started pacing. "I’ve searched my libraries. Your grandmother has sought out help
Hunter nodded his head. "Okay, I’ll go back tomorrow and work on it some more. But being it has a witch’s code, don't you think it would be wiser if we got Grandmother’s help?"
“No. She’s already said she cannot help with the grimoire. Not if it has anything to do with finding the vampire cure. The coven is watching her very carefully. They’re concerned she’ll break her commitment to remain neutral after everything that’s happened. Even when she was searching for help she had to do it in secret and was almost caught a couple of weeks ago. Getting her help could put her in danger.”
“What about you?” He was beginning to feel trapped with all the responsibility that was being thrown on his shoulders, like a noose tightening around his neck. It was making it very difficult to concentrate. He was only sixteen. He should be focused on girls and school. Instead, he was thrown into a world of magic with rules he couldn’t even begin to understand. His only support system had abandoned him, not by their own accord but they still left him to navigate this world with very little help. Rebecca was a werewolf alpha, Savvy an angry vampire, and Grandmother was not allowed to help him help them. Natalia was doing the best she could. But she wasn't a witch, she was a guardian. Her power was limited.
She shook her head again. This time the smile did reach her sky blue eyes. "The world of magic is peculiar. The book was spelled and will only reveal the important information that’s pertinent to the reader. This is your challenge and..." She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked up at him with hope in her soulful eyes. "I know you’re up to this challenge."
“But—”
“Besides, I’m a guardian of the dead, not technically a witch.” She smirked.
“So because you specialize in magic connected to the dead you’d be more suited to help my sister because she is technically dead.” He used Rebecca's logic as a weapon to help him win this argument.
“Again, this is your challenge. The book will reveal what you need to help her…if that’s what you desire the most.” She offered a weak smile. "And your sister, Savvy, is not technically dead, she's not undead either. That’s something I can work with, but I cannot help a vampire. Her problem is a virus that has overwritten her basic genetic code. A virus created by Hades himself."
He couldn't help but think it was pretty cool that his girlfriend could conjure and control zombies. But it did little to help him fix the problem at hand.
He sighed. “As long as the book has the answer.” He felt the noose tighten as he sat down on the old dusty chair in frustration.
"I have faith in you." She knelt in front of him and placed her hand on his cheek. Hunter turned his head and kissed the inside of her palm. She grinned. "You really shouldn't start something you can't finish."
He couldn't hold back the grin when he pulled her against his body. "Who says I can't finish?" He didn't give her a chance to speak. Instead, he kissed those worried, plump lips. He deepened the kiss when she let a moan escape with a breath.
Suddenly the worries about learning the craft were gone, swept away on a current of passion budding between them.
Chapter Six
Rebecca
The meeting was scheduled to take place in the pocket dimension Celestia had staked her claim to. A very small dimension that was folded over onto this universe by magical means. Rebecca couldn't even begin to understand how it worked, but thanks to magic and science, it was effective. The vampires can hide out in their tiny dimension and humans go on safely thinking the abandoned gas station that was on the obscure corner in Phoenix, Arizona, was nothing more than a painful eye sore. One that needed to be torn down. It would’ve probably been torn down a long time ago if it wasn't in a poverty stricken area of the city. If they only knew what existed below the surface. Hidden from view. It was the makings of a nightmare or at least a good horror movie.
Lucky and Rebecca had visited Celesia's home before. On the surface it looked like a beautifully decorated mansion from the 1700s but underneath danger lurked. Rebecca wanted to go to this meeting alone but it seemed her group of friends wanted to accompany her to make sure everything was on the up and up, especially, after Savvy’s inappropriate behavior toward Willow yesterday. Hunter, Sundae, Natalia, Lucky, and Gabriel all walked up the meticulously manicured front yard with Rebecca. Sundae ran her fingers over the face of one of the gargoyles that guarded the marble steps. Rebecca swore she saw the stone sculpture nudge her hand like a dog begging for a petting.
Gabriel reached the bell before Rebecca could and so they simply waited. She was actually pretty thankful the squirrelly man she met before was not there to greet them again. He was a freaky man with an uneasy disposition.
The last time she was here was because she was convinced Celestia was involved or at least had information about her parents’ death—actually her mother’s death. It was about a month ago that she learned news that their father’s demise was greatly overstated.
He was alive and well but that news came with a price. Maverick, her evil father, was the reason her mother was killed. Apparently, his family put a hit on her and she became a casualty in the war between the Convent of Souls and the Authority. Rebecca didn’t get all the details, but one thing she was certain of—Maverick was responsible for her mother’s death and Savvy’s transformation into a vampire. She made a promise that night as she watched her sister’s lifeless body being carried off into the night, she’d get revenge on both Maverick and Celestia. She would make them both pay for their role in Savvy’s demise and she would find a way to make things right with Savvy.
It was Savvy who greeted them. Not her twin Savvy, but Celestia's cold-hearted Savannah. Her eyes were void of the happiness she once had. The love for Hunter and Rebecca was replaced with a slight sliver of anger which she could see every once in a while when Savvy didn’t think she was looking. It simply slid behind her eyes, the eyes that they once shared. But as fast as it appeared it disappeared.
Before Rebecca became obsessed with becoming a werewolf, before Savvy was killed because of her choice to become that wolf, they were happy—as happy as twins could be after losing their parents in a tragic carjacking ten years earlier. Savvy was her sunlight. She was the person who could always pull her away from the dark side. Now it was Rebecca’s job to return the favor. It was her turn to be Savvy’s sunlight. No matter how far on the dark side Savvy got, Rebecca would pull her back. It was the least she could do.
‘You’re foolish. Your sister is gone. There’s simply a demon that resides in her body now.’ Siren echoed in her mind. Rebecca wanted to ignore her, but the hatred she had toward vampires was genetically ingrained. Regardless, she refused to believe her sister was the same as the rest of them.
‘You’re wrong. She has Savvy’s memories. They may be the worst memories she could pull upon, but they’re still Savannah’s memories.’ Rebecca shuddered at the recollection of Savannah catching the late night kiss between her and Gabriel hours after she told Savannah to go with Gabe to the homecoming dance. She was trying to make the distractions that were Gabriel and Lucky disappear. She had sworn them off when Savvy was killed. She tried desperately to let them both go. Lucky was easier to avoid than Gabe. She struggled to keep her emotions in check with either of them. Last night was a perfect example of that.
At least now she knew who she would choose when the time came. Lucky continued to train her and Gabriel continued to be her enforcer, but that was the extent of their relationship anymore. She kept lying to herself, telling herself it was over, but in truth feelings for Gabe grew stronger every day.
'Besides vampirism is a virus that restructures the DNA make up. It makes it easy for a demon to possess the being but only if the human accepts the possession. There’s still free choice and Savvy has chosen to remain herself, not become demonic.' Rebecca defended her sister.
'And if she chooses to allow the po
It was a question Rebecca never wanted to answer. 'If she chooses possession she’s no longer my sister, is she?' she answered with a question she already knew the answer to. Siren chose not to respond, which was a good thing. They could debate the situation all day long but the reality of it was that Rebecca didn’t know what she would do if that happened.
"Ah, dear sister, I see you brought your misfit pack." Savannah snickered a little and attempted to cover this by clearing her throat. "You had no need to do so, you’re perfectly safe here. We’re allies, remember?" She leaned forward and whispered, "But if we weren't, your group of misfits wouldn’t last more than five minutes against us."
‘Your senses don’t lie. You can smell death on her body.’ Siren pointed out as the scent of Savvy’s decomposing body assaulted her nose.
Rebecca closed her eyes and waited for the heartbeat. She knew it would come, just as it did for all vampires. It was her proof that Savvy was still alive. Thump. “Your behavior yesterday proved we’re still not safe as your allies,” Rebecca hissed quietly.
‘And there you have it. Her body is still alive. She’s still there.’ Rebecca scolded her wolf. ‘There’s nothing in this world that will make me give up on her, not even you.’
Rebecca swallowed the lump forming in her throat and replied with her best easy going voice, which was difficult to muster but necessary. Never show fear to a vampire or werewolf, they’re natural born predators and the scent of fear kicked their instincts into overdrive. "My pack goes where I go, just as your bodyguards hide in the shadows where you go."
"Touché." Savvy smiled. "Come follow me, we don't have much time before the council meeting, as you well know." She turned and glided across the floor as she led them to the main room where Celestia was lounging on the red velvet chaise. It seemed that was her favorite spot, but when she saw them she slowly lifted herself from her resting place and met them at the large table where maps and papers were strewn in disarray.