Chapter 25

Relief flooded me as I stepped off the airplane. I was a firm believer that humans and vampires were meant to stay on the ground. The sky was for the birds—and birdlike shifters.

Caesar had used school funds for my ticket, and the entire flight had been an exercise in torture. I didn't know why I was so terrified. If the plane were to crash, the chances of me actually dying were extremely slim. As long as my head wasn't cut clean off, I'd heal quickly from any injury. But still, it would hurt like a bitch, and take valuable time away from my mission.

It wasn't just the possibility of an accident. I was a vampire confined in a tight space full of humans. Like a snake in a box of mice, except the snake was pretending to be a mouse.

"The things I do for shifters," I mumbled as I practically skipped down the airbridge.

I could hardly believe I was back in the state of Washington. I'd had a direct flight to Wenatchee, and I'd purposely caught an evening plane.

I'd only packed a carry-on with clothing. There was no way airport security would have allowed me to bring blood bags on the plane, so it was easy to pack light. Besides, I knew there would be plenty of blood options at Heritage Prep, and honestly, blood was the least of my worries right now.

My main concern was figuring out how I was going to convince Hadrian to let me back into his ranks.

I had spent a good portion of the flight running through different scenarios. In each one, I could only see triggering the wrath of the vampire leader.

And when I wasn't thinking about my mission, my mind kept flickering back to the girl from the alley back in Chicago. The witch.

She hadn't been my Alice, but she looked like she could be her sister. And she knew all about the old magic—hell, she'd used it on me.

I'd tried my best to be friendly, but I screwed up the encounter. Even with the offer to help her get into Caesar's school, to give her Alice's grimoire, she'd still rejected me.

"Hello, sir," an airport employee said cheerfully as I entered the arrivals terminal. "Welcome to Pangborn Memorial Airport. Are you in need of a ride? We have a few shuttles that can take you into town, as well as a cab service."

"I don't need a drive, thank you," I replied. "I can walk just fine."

"Sorry," the uniformed man said. "I wasn't implying you couldn't walk. The convenience of a drive is something we're happy to provide."

"Trust me, walking is much more convenient for me," I said, dragging my carry-on right past the man.

"Of— of course," the man stammered. "Thanks for flying."

I didn't respond as I made for the automatic glass doors that led out into the cool Washington night.

Outside of the airport, I was happy to see just how vacant the place was. Only a few cars were out, either dropping off or waiting to pick up passengers.

Wenatchee got me relatively close to my destination. Heritage Prep was located within Cle Elum city limits but a bit north in an outcropping of the mountains along the Teanaway River.

That meant I'd have to cut southwest through some rougher terrain. It would be a difficult hike over the Columbia River and through the Wenatchee Mountains—at least for a human.

For me, it would be like a jog in the park. My vampire speed would get me to Heritage Prep much faster than any car.

Pressing forward, I took long strides in the appropriate direction. Technically, I was in a neighboring city to Wenatchee, but it would only take me a half hour or so at top vampire speed to make it to Cle Elum.

I considered traveling down to Vancouver—it had been years since I'd visited the remains of the Skye Boarding House. That was the only place I'd ever felt truly at home.

I had run away from home in California at the age of fifteen, and the Skyes had taken me in, giving me room and board in exchange for managing their orchard. They had become like family, and I'd gotten particularly close to their daughter, Camilla. She was like a sister to me, and I missed her dearly. I wished I could confide in her right about now.

But Vancouver was out of the way, and Caesar would frown on such an excursion. Maybe after I grovel at Hadrian's feet, I could make a trip down memory lane. If I was still alive.

Drawing out the arm straps on my carry-on, I hoisted the bag onto my back. It was late enough in the evening that I didn't worry about being spotted. I would stick to the shadows in the city, and I'd be in the clear once I got to the mountains.

The sooner I got to Hadrian, the sooner I could finally reunite with Alice. That was the only thing that mattered.

***

Thirty minutes later, I was descending the mountains, the towering gothic turrets of Heritage Prep pointing high into the air like spears. There were a dozen of them—all black—appearing to be connected to one big shadow in the night.

I came to a stop a few hundred yards from the castle, and every muscle in my body went tight. This was the last place on earth I wanted to be. I thumbed Alice's brooch in my pocket.

"Is this what I should be doing?" I asked her silently.

Sometimes, I'd hear Alice's voice in my head, answering my questions and guiding me. I knew those thoughts were likely my own, a mask I placed on them to help me feel she still existed in some way. I would never believe she was completely gone.

But Alice's voice didn't fill my mind. Only Caesar's promise did. The gryphon had proven himself to be a man of his word in the past. Our alliance had lasted for fifteen years, and in that time, we had grown to trust each other.

I looked down and kicked at a few loose rocks, causing them to skitter down the mountainside.

"I'm doing this for you," I whispered, nodding my head. "I will bring you back. I promise."

I continued my descent, my perfect balance and superhuman speed moving me quickly down to the base of the mountain.

Finding myself at the foot of the grand staircase, I angled my head up. Fifty-four stairs ran up to an enormous doorway like a dark tongue hanging out of the maw of an enormous beast. And I was about to enter it, knowing it might swallow me and never spit me back out.

I began the climb up the steps, and as I came closer to the door, I found one solitary figure standing at the top, arms crossed, seemingly waiting for me.

Marguerite Morton. The woman responsible for making me a vampire over a hundred years ago. And just twenty years ago, we had worked as a team to search for the shifter school that had been located in South Dakota. I had known Marguerite since my first day at the Skye Boarding House, where she resided for a time.

It seemed as if heavy weights had been fastened to my legs as I continued to approach her.

"Well, well, well, look what the werecat dragged in," she said as I got closer.

"Good evening, Marguerite," I said calmly.

She had a band wrapped around her wrist, and I saw her tap on the small screen with black polished nails. She was in her customary black jeans and black hoodie, with her platinum blonde hair streaming out like a budding flower—a poisonous one.

"Julian Asher, I can't believe you've returned," she said, shaking her head. "Did life on your own prove too difficult for you?"

"Still as lovely as ever," I replied, not answering her question. My lying would start soon enough. For now, I just wanted to get away from her. "I need to speak to Hadrian."

She grinned slyly. "Fancy that. He's on his way down to greet you personally." Marguerite's face grew serious. "You do know that Hadrian swore he'd personally rip your head off if he ever saw you again, right?"

I nodded once. "I'm sure he won't be as happy to see me as you are."

She closed the distance between us, lifting her hand to my cheek and sliding her delicate fingers down my face in a deceptively gentle caress. I stood stone still, wary of her every move.

"As a matter of fact, I am pleased to see you," she purred, a slight pout to her rouged lips. "I've missed you, Julian. Life just hasn't been the same without you."

Then she inclined toward me and planted a kiss on my cheek.

I had the sudden urge to push her away, but she wrapped her arms around my neck and brought her red lips close to my ear. "I hope you've finally forgotten that witch and have come back to be with me."

I gently took Marguerite's arms from around my neck and held them between the two of us. Then as quickly as I could, I grabbed her by the shoulders and made to trip her down the stairs.

But she was just as quick as I was and just as strong. She smacked my arms away, her leg speeding into a blurry kick aimed at my chest.

I blocked it with my forearms, putting all my force into pushing against it. She spun from the velocity and strength of my counter, and I took advantage of her unbalance, sweeping my leg into hers.

Marguerite went sprawling, and I grabbed her out of the air to launch her down the stairs. But she dug her fingernails into my arms as I went to throw her, locking her grip. I lost my balance, and we ended up tumbling down the stairs like wet clothes in a dryer.

I impacted at the bottom of the stairs with a hard thump but felt no pain. Marguerite was lying on top of me, smirking down at me like we were only playing a game.

"Thanks for the dance, Julian." She pecked my lips before jumping off me.

The vile feel of her lips on mine made my veins writhe in disgust, and I leapt to my feet, spitting and wiping at my mouth. Throwing Marguerite a glare, I saw that she was grinning impishly.

"Are you two children finished yet?"

I looked up to see the dark form of the vampire leader standing ominously at the top of the stairs.

"We were just catching up," Marguerite said, her hood down and her blond hair bouncing as she pranced up the staircase. "Julian stole my heart a century ago. I was just hoping to get it back."

I began a slow and cautious ascent, allowing as much space between me and Marguerite as possible.

"She never had one," I said loud enough for them to hear.

She scoffed. "He stole my heart, and to this day, he continues to break it."

"You two have the oddest relationship," Hadrian mused.

I could feel his scornful, mocking eyes on me as I climbed the steps like a dog with my tail between my legs. I knew I'd run into Marguerite again at some point; I just wished it would have happened after I met with Hadrian. This night wasn't going the way I'd expected, and that was saying a lot.

At last, I stepped up to Hadrian. The vampire leader was wearing dark slacks and a pressed, lavender button-down shirt, with pointy, polished shoes finalizing his outfit. His black hair was styled perfectly, and his meticulously groomed five o'clock shadow framed his face. He appeared as if he were about to go hit up the local Cle Elum pub.

His scrutinizing gaze scanned me up and down. "How long has it been, Julian? Five years?"

I met his gaze. "Seven. But who's counting?"

Hadrian snorted. "Who indeed?" He wagged a finger. "I'll tell you what, you are one elusive vampire. I've never known anybody else who's been able to stay off the grid as well as you have."

I shrugged, keeping my tone aloof. "We all have our talents."

Hadrian nodded, pursing his lips. "That we do. Come in, won't you? There is much for us to discuss."

The vampire leader turned around and walked through the massive threshold.

Marguerite nodded her head toward the entrance. "Better keep up with him. Despite his relaxed demeanor, he's furious with you. Better not keep him waiting."

I eyed her warily as I walked into the vampire fortress. The place looked the same as it had seven years before. The entryway was expansive, with large blood-red banners holding a dark outline of a drop of blood hanging near the ceiling. Underneath each drop was written Heritage Prep.

The vampire fortress was also a school and a recruitment center for possible future vampires called Potentials. Long ago, vampires didn't care necessarily who they bit to increase their numbers. But Hadrian had taken a particular interest in the most brilliant minds in the world. After all, what intelligent person wouldn't want to live forever?

I stifled a shudder. I hated the dark feeling bouncing around the black walls, holding shadows that danced in the candlelight. I couldn't think of any other place in the world that could make me more unsettled—except for maybe in Marguerite's arms.

"So many memories, huh?" Marguerite said. "I can't believe you willingly left this remarkable place."

I bit my lip, not wanting to voice what I really thought.

She pointed to the left. "In case you missed it, Hadrian went into the trophy room. He's waiting for you there."

Without so much as a nod to acknowledge her, I walked toward the open doors. The trophy room was a large chamber used solely for displaying a collection of rare objects—including fascinating body parts of shifters Hadrian had killed.

I walked through the large arched doorway. Hadrian was sitting behind a desk, his legs propped up on the edge of it and his arms reclined behind his head.

"Take a look around, my friend," he said, admiring his ornamented walls. "My collection has grown while you've been gone."

I scanned the mounted appendages that were grouped by shifter species, setting my jaw so as not to betray the disgust festering inside me. One section consisted of the long, lizard-like tails of several nagas. They ranged in an assortment of colors, as did the sections with mounted mermaid and kitsune tails.

Displayed on the wall directly above Hadrian's desk were the two sets of gryphon wings he cherished the most. There was an empty space above them—a place to mount the wings of the final gryphon still living—Caesar.

"Impressive," I said, the first of many lies I'd tell before the night was over.

Hadrian got to his feet. "It is far from complete. Throughout the years, we've been successful in hunting down shifters who've joined together in schools and militias. But this hidden academy we keep hearing about has been most elusive."

"They must be getting smarter," I replied.

Hadrian stared at me with piercing eyes, but I refused to back down by looking away.

He began to slowly pace around the room, glancing admiringly at his trophies.

"Indeed." He stopped walking and narrowed his eyes at me. "What shifter news do you bring from Illinois?"

And there it was. I figured Hadrian's network of spies would have discovered me eventually. But just how long had Hadrian known my whereabouts in Chicago?

I shrugged, doing my best to look bored. "You know me. I gave up hunting shifters long ago."

Half smiling, Hadrian pointed a finger at me. "As elusive with words as you are with your place of residence. Perhaps a more direct question will provide more direct answers. Have you run into any shifters in Chicago?"

"The chances of running into shifters anywhere is high," I retorted. "They're all over the place. But I haven't actively sought them out. Let me ask you something: How long have you known I've been laying low in Illinois?"

Hadrian snorted. "The prodigal son returns home and starts asking questions." He shook his head and tsked at me. "You don't have such privilege, Julian. Tell me. Why did you come back?"

The question hung like smoke in the air. It was the one I'd been dreading the most.

I kept my expression solemn. "You know precisely why I've returned. To be honest, I thought I'd be fine in solitude again. I was wrong."

Hadrian crossed his arms and put a finger to his lips. "You desire to rejoin us, and yet you hate the idea of hunting shifters. I find that strangely paradoxical, don't you?"

I chose my words very carefully before speaking. "I don't revel in their deaths like most vampires, but I've come to believe that while our goals might be different, they do intersect."

Hadrian eyed me like he could see through me, like he'd found some flaw in my responses, and for a heartbeat, I was terrified I'd let something slip.

"You still hope to bring your witch back from the dead?" It was more of a statement than a question.

I inwardly relaxed but bristled at the condescending mention of Alice all the same.

"You've got to stop living in the past, Julian. People die—every day, actually. And none of them ever come back. The magical power to bring people back to life is a fable to keep fools like you hanging on to a thread of hope."

"I can't let go, whether it be a rope or a thread," I declared. "I will help you in your hunt if it means I might run into other witches."

A dark laugh erupted from Hadrian's mouth. "And will you kill them if they refuse to help you? Will you act as a vampire should?"

I didn't hesitate. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Our eyes locked, and Hadrian stepped slowly toward me until our noses nearly touched.

"No," Hadrian muttered.

Julian blinked. "‘No' what?"

"No, you may not rejoin us. You abandoned us when we needed you. I should kill you now for your betrayal."

I wanted to lash out, to kill Hadrian and do Caesar—and the world—a favor. But I knew that would be a futile attempt. The brief brawl with Marguerite outside was proof enough that a fight between vampires was a lengthy task, and Hadrian was far more powerful than she was. Not to mention that every vampire in the school would be alerted. My life would be over in minutes.

So, instead, I let the sorrow I always kept inside seep into my usually stony features. "Then you'd be doing me a favor."

Hadrian tilted his head back, pressing his tongue into his cheek as he studied me like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You…would accept death with open arms?"

I sighed, giving in to the woe I've been struggling to shove down for so long. "I've been living half a life for over a hundred years. Death would bring me a freedom I've waited a long time for."

Hadrian's eyes narrowed. "And you've come here purely out of selfish reasons? To hunt down a shifter or witch with the power to aid you in your quest to resurrect your long-lost love?"

I knew this wouldn't be enough for Hadrian, but it was a start. "I have…other goals as well."

Hadrian's eyebrows raised. "Like what?"

"I seek to hunt down and eliminate the Dracul line of dragon shifters."

Hatred for the royal dragon line was a constant dull simmer in my chest despite the fact that I'd spent the last seven years aiding shifters. I realized that last statement held more truth than I'd expected.

I found my hands clenching at my sides, the muscles in my arms tight, and my nostrils flaring. Of all the things I'd been through, the worst was because of Marguerite Dracul.

"Now that's the fire I needed to see," Hadrian praised, taking a few steps back. "The passion and anger that invigorates the soul. If you can keep that up, you may earn back your place at Heritage Prep after all."

I blinked, disoriented, as I slipped out of the past and back into the present.

"That's it?" I asked, my surprise turning into skepticism. "I'm back in?"

Hadrian gave me a hard look. "That's the first step. But since I'm not killing you, you require other punishment for abandoning your brothers and sisters here. It will be a means of testing your loyalty to me and the vampire cause."

Ah, there it is. I knew it wouldn't be that easy, that Hadrian would demand his pound of flesh. But after suffering so much emotional agony for so long, I wasn't afraid of anything he could physically do to me.

"What sort of punishment do I have to endure?" I asked.

A wicked gleam twinkled in Hadrian's eyes as he crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. "Meet me in the dungeons at dawn. Your punishment will be analyzed by Potentials as well as other vampires who seem to have…issues being a vampire. As for what you'll be enduring? Well, I'll keep that a surprise. You might want to fill your tank with some human blood tonight. And you might want to get as much fresh air as possible."

Hadrian was obviously hinting at whatever form of torture he had in mind, and the smirk on his face told me he enjoyed watching me figuratively scratch my head at the clues. Thirst was obviously involved. But needing fresh air? Either way, I wasn't thrilled with the possibilities.

"If you decide to make a run for it," Hadrian added, "I will send a team after you, and they will see that your head and heart are removed from your body. Do you understand?"

I bowed my head. "Yes."

"Good." Hadrian gestured toward the door. "It's time for you to leave. See you in the morning."

I nodded once more before graciously taking my exit. I had gone into that room half-expecting to never leave it alive.

I was beyond relieved to see the hall was empty. The last thing I wanted was to deal with Marguerite anymore tonight. And though I wasn't the least bit thirsty after that tumultuous discussion, I decided to take Hadrian's hints to heart and headed for the storage room. Then I'd take an armload of blood bags outside and savor as much fresh air as possible.

If there was one thing I knew about Hadrian, it was that he had a flare for torture. And if he wasn't going to kill me, this punishment promised to be worse than death.