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  “I have to find her. I have to save Nadine.” I coughed loudly as the pain seared through me again. Who would have thought a simple Claim kept all the sickness at bay.

  “How do you expect to do this?” my father asked with a sigh. I could tell he was not on board with what I was about to say to him.

  “If I’m not gone by the morning, Sheridan will unleash an onslaught of creatures on Harrisville and the camp.” I stumbled over my explanation. The last thing I wanted was for him to be concerned about an attack.

  “Leave?” He raised an eyebrow and pressed his lips together.

  “Yes. I’m assuming the fact she showed me the house means it is the first place I need to go.” I took a deep breath and waited for his head to explode.

  “I don’t like this,” my father grumbled. “What about Wesley?”

  What does he care about Wesley anyway?

  “He has to stay here. He cannot know where I am going.” I motioned toward the paper. “Can we do this now? Time is running out the longer we stand around talking about this.”

  He took my hand and slit my palm with a knife before dipping an odd pen into my blood. He wrote out the contract with just that one pen. The wound healed quickly, but the pen kept working. He finished the document and laid it between Marshall and me.

  “Understand this, son. Once this contract is completed, you are bound to my daughter. If at any time you are to pass, your soul will find her. She will then either choose to hold on to it or send it to the plain she feels you belong to. Either can reject your presence, but that hasn’t happened in the entire history of Wardens.” My father waited for Marshall’s agreement.

  “Yes, Sir,” Marshall said, nodding.

  “Then please sign here, and I will have my daughter sign below.” He handed Marshall a safety pin and motioned to his index finger.

  After Marshall had signed the contract, I felt like I was in silence again as my body healed entirely. When I came out of the time warp, I felt rejuvenated. My skin was pale but not gross. My body didn’t hurt, and the irritating cough I had was gone.

  “So, now what?” Dad asked me.

  “Marshall, Kelly, and I will be leaving after dark. I need you to keep Wesley busy until I’m gone. Tomorrow you can tell him I left, but today he cannot know,” I said, straight-faced.

  Not that I had thought it out. If Dad told Wesley, there was a good chance he was going to come after me. I only hoped I was going to be far enough away where he could not find me. Not until I got Nadine.

  “There is one correction to this plan,” I heard Prudence say as she came through the door.

  “What’s that?” I asked. I was uncertain if I was perturbed because she had entered the room unannounced, or for the fact, she was already aware of what I was planning.

  The short blonde looked me in the eyes seconds before she spoke.

  “It will be four of us. Sheridan will expect I come along. She never believed I was dead.” Prudence looked at my father. “I will make sure she comes back alive.”

  “I have no say in this, do I?” he asked her without so much as making eye contact with me. There was some force passing between the two of them. It made me uncomfortable to see his eyes locked with another woman’s. Still, I was aware of the power Prudence possessed. I forced myself to brush it off, even if her presence did seem to make my father quite uncomfortable.

  “No, Damien. This is something that has to be done. If Dawn is not gone by the time Sheridan said, she will unleash death upon your people.”

  “How do you know this?” my father asked, I noticed his hands were beginning to shake. Something about Prudence made him uneasy.

  “Because I was once her ally; I know how she thinks. She doesn’t make threats she will not carry out. Her Cursed Ones are powerful, and they have teleportation skills like none other. If she descends on this compound, nobody will be left alive.” Prudence spoke with confidence. If anyone knew how Sheridan worked, I had a feeling it was her.

  “I can’t believe my daughter and four of her ‘friends’ are going to embark on a journey to save a human.” My father blinked several times. I had almost forgotten he had never met Nadine, he had no idea how wonderful of a person she was.

  “You make it sound like this is a joke,” Marshall stated as a frown appeared on his face. The once animated shifter had taken on a more sullen demeanor.

  “No, you see, I know it is not a joke. Just promise me this human is worth saving.” He looked at me, his eyes pleading as any fathers would when he found out his daughter was leaving.

  “Nadine is a great person. She does not deserve to be held prisoner.” I wanted to reach out and hug my father, but I could tell touching him was probably not in my best interest.

  “Then I suppose I have no say in what happens.” He clicked his tongue several times before speaking again. “There is enough money in my account to fund such a quest. I will have some transferred to yours. Take nothing with you. Just the car. You can stop outside of town and pick up the essentials.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  He reached out and placed his hands on my shoulders. Leaning forward, he looked me directly in the eyes. I could almost see the fires of Hell burning beyond the iris.

  “I will tell Wesley nothing. However, when he finds out in the morning what has happened, you know he’s going to look for you.”

  “I know.” I frowned. “All I need is a good day’s start.”

  “You better pray he doesn’t get one of his visions. I will do my best to throw him off your track. I will send him toward the farmhouse first. That should give you a little more time.” My father let out a guttural growl. “I don’t like lying to the boy; he’s not horrid after all.”

  “Thank you again, Dad,” I stated respectfully.

  “I will tell your mother what is going on in confidence.” He patted my back before looking toward Prudence. “I expect my daughter to be in full health when we see her again.”

  “I will make sure of it,” Prudence promised.

  “I will have both the Blessed and Cursed Ones start working on portals. Once you find Sheridan, we will be on guard. I will get the word out to the other compounds.” My father stepped away from me and glanced at the others. “This is far more dangerous than when you infiltrated the enemy camp, Dawn. You don’t have an additional being inside of you anymore.”

  “No, but she has one right beside her,” Prudence remarked boldly.

  My father nodded, agreeing with Prudence’s statement. I was certain having Prudence outside my head was far more beneficial than having her inside.

  “I do wish to know your heritage. You look so much like her it gives me the chills. I feel like I’m looking at the person my little girl should have been, not what she became.” He gave me another pat on the shoulder, then left the room.

  “I suggest today we tie up loose ends. I mean, we don’t let people know what is going on, but we make sure there’s a trail that can be followed,” I said to my companions.

  “What time do we leave?” Prudence asked.

  I hated she was going. Edmund had just got her back. He was not going to take this well when she disappeared with me again.

  “Ten,” I said, saying the first number that came into my head.

  “We take nothing, right?” Marshall made sure he had heard my father right.

  “Correct. Leave everything here. We will stop outside of town and get necessities. There are still clothes and whatnot at the old house.” I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. “Prudence, are you sure Edmund will be ok with this?” I asked, looking at the blonde woman.

  “Of course. He already knows. No worries, he will say nothing, because he will not remember until we are gone.” She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Spend the day with Wesley.”

  “I will,” I said, frowning.

  The hardest part was going to be leaving him behind. I couldn’t afford him to be with me. There was a chance, of course, t
hat she was bluffing about not wanting him. How would I make a better trade than her two beloved hostages? There was so much more mystery to the Queen’s visit. Why would she go to such great lengths to ensure I would make my way to her lair on my own free will? What sort of dangers was I going to face along the way?

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Into Blackness

  “Are you feeling any better?” Wesley asked as I came down the stairs.

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “Where were you last night?”

  “I went for a walk and wound up having an in-depth conversation with Edmund concerning the vampire blood in me. Did you know there are several distinct species? He didn’t tell me any of the origin stories. Still, I have a feeling it all ties to at least one supreme being,” he rambled without a single hesitation.

  I’m sure he talked for a little while as I memorized his face. I had no idea how long I was going to be gone, and I knew I was going to miss him. What scared me the most was this could be our last conversation.

  “What did you learn?” I asked once I realized he was staring at me.

  I had always thought a vampire was nothing more than a vampire. To find out, there are several breeds was intriguing. It could come in handy on my journey. Then again, any insight on the supernatural world would be ideal.

  “You sure you are ok?” he asked softly.

  I nearly turned and ran. I had never been good at lying, and I had a distinct feeling he read something on my face.

  “Yeah I’m good, go ahead.” I choked on my own saliva.

  “You sure?” he questioned one more time. I was starting to wonder if he was buying anything I was saying.

  My response then was nothing more than a nod as I pressed my lips together tightly.

  “Alright.” He began slowly as he scanned my face one last time.

  I smiled and awaited his explanation.

  “According to Edmund, I have four separate sires. My eyes are what triggered him to pull me aside last night. He had his fair share of concerns about my return from Miranda’s camp. Fledgling vampires are usually careless, and can cause a lot of issues for their sires.” Wesley shook his head and then took my hand in his.

  “What do they mean? Is he scared you are going to go on some killing spree?” I mocked him.

  I knew the vampire in his veins was rather small since so much of him was experimental. He had all these different bloodlines wrapped up in this tiny package. It made me wonder if it all flowed peacefully through him or if it made distinct appearances as needed. For example, when he first arrived, he was cocky and arrogant. Hell-bent on getting me back. Then once I had caved, after the battle, he had pretty much regressed back to the Wesley I had known in Midvale. Only now, he had a few more perks.

  “Well, my red-eyes come from Edmund’s background. Territorial by nature, but at the same time rather nomadic. They rotate locations to avoid any suspicion. Usually, feed on whatever creatures they find along the way.” He winked at me, and I squeezed his hand in response.

  “That tells me a lot about Edmund,” I mumbled more to myself. “Please, continue.”

  “My orange eyes are from an old coven found predominantly in Europe. He says they are quite adamant about the world owing them. They don’t shun their history, but they blame humans for having to hide in the shadows.” Wesley stuck out his tongue and hissed.

  “Ah yes, the one percent in vampire lore I take it,” I laughed.

  Most likely, this species was sided with Sheridan, as she felt the world owed her everything. I couldn’t remember ever meeting an orange-eyed vampire.

  “What can you say? I mean, each culture must have its nobility.” Wesley straightened his back and pretended to be regal.

  “Please, my lord, do tell me more,” I emplored with the worst British accent I could muster.

  “Ah, yes, my lady.” He winked. “My yellow eyes come from a coven who experimented with some creature enchantment. Edmund mentioned they were hoping for some sort of shifter/vampire hybrid, but instead all it did was made them more agile and catlike. There was never a transmutation, nor did any of the coven members develop any somatic mutation.”

  “Creature enchantment? Interesting. So now you are a nomadic royal with stealth,” I purred as I lifted my hand and proceeded to make cat claws.

  Wesley laughed and kissed my forehead.

  “What about the last one?” I asked.

  I watched the color drain from his face. Had he saved the worst for last?

  “Edmund didn’t really say much about the pink. All he told me was they weren’t friendly, often started fights, and would kill anything in sight if felt threatened. His advice, if I were to ever meet the sire, was to run.” He swallowed hard and closed his eyes.

  I reached up and touched his face with my free hand. I knew the kindness in his heart. Wesley was not one to start a fight or be careless. He was my blue-eyed boy, no matter what blood was surging through his veins. Nothing was going to change the way I perceived the man I loved.

  “Sounds like a rather intense conversation,” I choked out.

  Reds, oranges, and yellows seemed harmless to these pinks. Wesley had indeed saved the worst for last. I had never seen anyone other than Edmund’s species. The other three were nonexistent as far as I was concerned. The troubling thing was Miranda had at least one coven of each species on her side.

  “Well, I’m glad you know next to nothing,” I tried to make light of our conversation.

  “I know I love you,” he stated, putting his hands on my waist.

  “And I you,” I replied, forcing a smile.

  So much for being able to do this without feeling guilty. I swallowed a lump in my throat and looked up at him.

  He hugged me close. “I’m sorry for leaving you alone last night.”

  “It’s fine; I needed it. I was quite weak anyway.” I tried to joke with him, but his face stayed serious.

  “I told you I would never leave you again,” he mentioned, and my smile dropped.

  “I know, but last night wasn’t one of those nights,” I reassured him.

  “It was, though. You were in a fight, wound up visited by Sheridan, and Prudence was placed back in her body. It was a lose, lose, lose situation for you. I should have been there.” He wasn’t letting it go. I knew the guilt from the December attack still bothered him. He needed to stop blaming himself for what happened. There was magic far beyond my comprehension happening that night.

  “This isn’t like what happened with John. I wasn’t accosted, and my innocence wasn’t stolen. This was simply a collection of bad luck topped with one piece of good. No need to beat yourself up over it,” I said, touching his face softly.

  “You will always fight me on this, won’t you? Every time I feel I have wronged you, you tell me it wasn’t my fault.” His eyes narrowed. It was comforting to find them their original blue.

  That’s the color I wanted to remember. I was sure going to miss him. Just when I got him back, I had to take the time to race off to save another soul. I knew if I blew this off, it would be deadly, not only to Nadine but everyone in the compound. All that blood on my hands was not something I could live with.

  “Behind every good man is a woman who nags,” I smiled as he broke out into laughter.

  “I just hope in twenty years you are still there,” he answered.

  My heart fell. I couldn’t even decide where I was going to be the next day, let alone in the next twenty years. I stood on my tiptoes and leaned my face into his, allowing his lips to brush softly against mine.

  “What was that for?” he asked me with an odd smile on his face.

  “Just because.” I felt like I was choking. The lump in my throat was gagging me, and it was taking everything in my power to keep my heart under control.

  “Well, I think I like this ‘just because.’” His smile reached his eyes, and I all but melted. I laughed. I really was going to miss him.

  Ten came all too quickly. The four of
us met in the garage and piled our bodies into the Bentley. My father had told my mother, who was not happy at all to hear of my abrupt decision to save Nadine. I promised her I would call as soon as we arrived at the house. She hesitantly hugged me and fought not to cry.

  Nobody knew we were leaving aside from my parents. My father had sent Wesley on an errand into the city, aiding my escape into the darkness.

  Prudence said a few words over the car and reinforced the protection spells within our amulets. I knew what she was doing, but I wasn’t going to make it vocal.

  “Let’s do this,” she said, sitting down next to me in the passenger seat.

  “Am I making the right decision?” I asked her as I started the car.

  “To you, there is nothing more important than humanity. This girl means something to you, as does the compound. What you are doing is smart.” Prudence patted me on the knee.

  I backed out of the garage and drove down the driveway with my lights off. I didn’t want to give anyone a reason to follow us. When I hit the highway, I put my foot on the gas and took off, the car gaining speed quickly until the compound was nothing but a speck in the rearview mirror.

  I didn’t stop the car till we hit the Walmart outside of Harrisville. We purchased enough clothes to last us a week and some food for the drive. We were back in the car within twenty minutes. Kelly was quiet, with Marshall gripping on to her hand. I knew everyone was nervous. We weren’t going to look for Miranda; we were heading toward the Queen. What powers she would have over us was questionable at best.

  “I feel I should be scared to death,” Kelly’s voice squeaked from the back seat.

  “For obvious reasons. She is the only being in creation that could actually touch me.” Prudence turned to look at the two in the back seat.

  “All because you agreed with Xic leaving?” Marshall chimed in.

  “Oh, all of that with Xic was a huge mistake. I told Sheridan to avoid him. He was handsome and silver-tongued. All Sheridan wanted was to be loved. Even with the vampire venom in her veins, she still held a lot of light values. Mind you, she was still nuts, but at least not as nuts as she is now.” Prudence laughed.