15. James

JAMES

The sun shined high in the sky as we set off toward Scotland. I could carry Rose in my bat form for a short distance, but not hundreds of kilometers, and not in direct sun. Where the fuck was Britain’s infamous overcast weather when I needed it?

Ms. Primrose had, however, provided us with keys to a Mercedes lorry disguised as an ambulance, with a souped-up engine that easily exceeded the speed limit. That would cut our eight-hour drive down to four. Eyrik and his team would likely beat us to Pitlochry, but I trusted him to keep a low profile and possibly even scout for us while they waited.

As Rose rode in the seat beside me, her hand still firmly clasped in mine, I couldn’t help but admire her resilience. She had been thrown into this world of danger and deception, yet she refused to back down or cower in fear. In her eyes, I saw the fire of determination, fueled by her love for me and our shared desire to protect those we cared for.

“James,”Rose murmured softly, after we were out of the city and zipping up the M11. “I know my life isn’t ever going to be normal after all of this. But are we going to always be constantly worrying about vampire hunters and immortal royalty? Like, do vampires get vacations or retire?”

“Sometimes,”I admitted, allowing myself a brief moment to indulge in the fantasy of taking her to Iceland in the long dark winters to see the Aurora Borealis, or even exploring ancient ruins of history, many of which I’d seen being built in the first place hundreds of years before, but I’d see anew. I think she would like that. “But our love is anything but ordinary, why would our lives be? Perhaps that’s what makes life with a fated mate extraordinary.”

“Extraordinary,”she echoed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me too,”I agreed, my heart swelling with affection for this incredible woman who had turned my world upside down.?We were bound by something much stronger than fate, we were bound by love. And no force on Earth could break that connection.

Thanks to the drive, we arrived in Pitlochry near dusk, and I said good riddance to the setting sun that zapped my energy. If I was going to fight the hunters, I’d much prefer to do it in the darkest of nights when my powers prevailed, and their weak, fragile bodies were at a disadvantage.

I didn’t want to think about having to battle Gabriel.

We parked the lorry near the rail station and headed toward the secret airfield on foot. It didn’t take long for Eyrik to find us. His wolf’s eyes flashed in the partial moonlight from his hiding place in the trees. I looked around, ensuring there was no one else about, and he trotted over to us.

“Holy crap, that is one big ass wolf. I don’t suppose I’m allowed to pet him, am I?”

Eyrik stuck his big old snout under Rose’s hand, wagging his tail and making her giggle. I bared my fangs at him and hissed.

Rose laughed at me and withdrew her hand. She took a big step back when the cracking of bones and splitting of fur started. Eyrik shifted into his human form, and he was naked as a fucking jaybird.

“Oh.” Rose covered her eyes and turned around. “Naked dude alert. Where are your clothes?”

Eyrik chuckled. “The Goddess’s gift does not include clothes. That’s the dragons you’re thinking of. I won’t be in this form for long, sladkaya. My wolf is much more powerful and dangerous.”

“All the better to eat you with, my dear.” Rose snorted at herself. “Wait, did you say dragons?”

She parted her fingers and stared up at me with a bit of frustration in those eyes. “Tell me someone has written some sort of guidebook for dating the supernatural beings in this world with an index for humans.”

“I think I heard one of the Troikas’ mates is a librarian and working on something like that.” Eyrik winked at Rose, which I didn’t have to kill him for because she still had her back to him and didn’t see.?I gave him a glower and he shifted back into his wolf form.

He gave a few short yips, and three more wolves came trotting out of the trees. This was exactly the kind of back-up I’d hoped for. Neither Anna nor Gabriel would expect the wolves to come huffing and puffing at their door.

Silas and I put in our earpieces to communicate with. Ms. Primrose had stocked up our bag with weapons and basic comm devices, but there was only enough for the two of us. That was okay, I didn’t want Rose to leave my side.

“Silas, team up with one of Eyrik’s people and reconnoiter Mary O.’s location, and keep an eye out for Gabriel,” I instructed the young vampire, who saluted with a smirk that reminded me of a rebellious teenager.

“King and country,” Silvanus replied confidently before vanishing into the shadows with a large grey wolf.

“You two keep an eye out for the princesses as we get them evacuated.” I pointed to the final two final wolves that had come with Eyrik, “and escort them down here to the airfield hangar. But keep an eye out for more hunters. Feel free to take them out if you come across any.”

They yipped and trotted off toward the castle too. That left the three of us.

“Eyrik, you’re with me and Rose.” There were very few I trusted more than him. “Do not leave her side and protect her with every bit of strength and cunning you have. If I... if she and I are separated, keep her safe, and get her the fuck out of there.”

He gave a little bark to acknowledge. Rose spun back around and gave him a quick pat on the head, which led to scratching him behind the ears until I hissed at him again. He just wagged his tail and let his tongue hang out the side of his mouth like he was fucking having fun.

“Alright, let’s go find that poisoned fabric and the Bathory assassin.”

Rose raised her hand. “Um, silly question. Where exactly is the castle?”

Oh shit. I pointed up the small hill to where the enormous stone structure shadowed the land. “What do you see there, love?”

She squinted, blinked, rubbed her eyes, and squinted again. “That’s so weird. If I squint exactly right, I see it. But just looking in that direction, all I see are ruins.”

Damn. “The castle has a spell on it so that nosy humans can’t enter. To most, it does appear as dilapidated ruins. The charm I put on you must be wearing off.”

“Okay, crazy. Squinting it is for me then.” She shrugged and narrowed her eyes.

“I don’t like this, but I don’t have another charm. We’ll try to get to Fleming’s lab in the dungeon. He’ll have a whole stack of them there that I would have been replacing daily if we’d been here at the castle.” The only other alternative was to leave her here, and I wasn’t comfortable doing that. “Just keep within arm’s reach of either me or Eyrik, and we’ll guide you.”

“I can do this. I can.” She straightened her spine and put a hand on my arm.

“I know you can.” I had to believe in her. Rose was a smart and savvy woman who’d kicked butt and taken names a couple of times already since entering my world. I couldn’t help but admire her determination. Despite all she’d been through, she never wavered. “Everything is going to be fine.”

It was not. But we didn’t have an alternative.

The castle was too quiet, and that already had me on edge. Mary was a notorious night owl, and I didn’t hear a peep out of any wing. I clicked the comm link. “Silas, sitrep.”

“No sign of anyone. Main living quarters clear. Headed to the dungeon.”

This was not good.?We made our way through the dimly lit corridors of the castle and up the stairs. At least I already knew this area was clear.

“Is this the room?” she asked, stopping before the ornate door to Mary’s sitting room. She touched the wood, trying to feel her way. “I think it is.”

I nodded. “This is where you met with Mary and the other princesses. Are your dressmaking supplies in here? Is this where the fabric would be?”

She pushed the door open, and we entered the sewing room, the faint scent of chamomile lingering in the air. Moonlight streamed in through the large window, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

I watched her navigate the room with ease, her fingers digging through the various gowns and fabrics.

Our search for the poisoned fabric was interrupted by an angry voice echoing through the corridors, shattering the quiet atmosphere of the Black Castle.

“James!”Gabriel’s voice roared from the main entrance’s grand hallway.

“Stay here, find the fabric.” I commanded Rose and Eyrik, knowing neither would probably do as I said. I used my super speed and ran out to the stairway and jumped over the side to land right in front of the vampire formerly known as my best friend.

His golden eyes blazed with a fire in them, fury in every step as he stormed toward me. “I thought I could trust you, of all vampires, James. Now look what you’ve done.”

I froze, my heart clenched with pain at the sight of my best friend’s betrayal. How could I not have seen him sliding into the dark side and becoming the villain in his own twisted tale?

“Gabriel, listen to me.”I crouched, ready to spring at his attack. “There’s more going on here than you realize. There’s a Bathory assassin here, and they’re trying to kill Mary O. and the princesses.”

“Save your lies,”Gabriel snarled, his fists clenched at his sides. “You’ve done nothing but create distractions, pulling our attention away from Mary O. and her party. You’re the real threat, Vond.”

“Gabriel,”my voice dropped an octave as the monster in me took offense, the weight of his accusations dragging me down. “I would never betray the Agency, my King, my country, or you.”

“Prove it,”he challenged, his gaze unwavering.

“Alright then.”I took a deep breath, readying myself for the confrontation that was about to unfold. “Let’s settle this like vampires.”

The airbetween us crackled with tension as we circled one another, each waiting for the other to make the first move. It wasn’t long before Gabriel lunged at me, his fangs bared and his supernatural strength on full display.

“Is this what you wanted?”He rammed into me, hurling me across the room with a single swipe of his arm. “To see vampires turn against one another? I had to tie Fleming up because he kept defending what you were doing.”

“Never.”I picked myself up from the wreckage of a toppled stone wall. “But I can’t let you stand in our way.”

With a guttural roar,I unleashed my own vampire powers, the ones I kept hidden deep inside, the ones too dark for anyone to ever suffer. The shadows around us bent to my will. I hurled a wave of darkness at Gabriel, forcing him back against the wall.

“I knowyou’re the traitor, old friend,” I growled, my voice laced with bitterness.

“James,”Rose cried out, her eyes wide with fear as she watched our battle play out. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Stay out of this, Rose,”I warned, never taking my eyes off Gabriel. “It’s time I prove myself once and for all.”

“Or perhaps,”a quiet voice whispered in my ear, “you’re simply trying to prove something to yourself.”

“Enough,”I snapped, casting one final shadowy attack towards Gabriel, who countered with an explosion of fog that sent me sprawling to the ground.

“Rose,I need you to listen to me,” I said, my voice low and urgent. “I can’t risk your safety. Get out of here and find that fabric. I’ll handle Gabriel.”

“James, no. You said...”Eyrik understood the task and shoved Rose back toward the sewing room. He’d keep her safe until I could end this.

“V was right to mistrust a fated vampire. She’s manipulated you and made you weak, Vond.” Gabriel’s fog swirled around me. He poked and pushed at me, hidden within his vampiric powers.

If he was going to play dirty, so was I. “Ah, just as Eve has for you old man. Too bad you’ll never have her.”

That’s when the world around me erupted into death and despair unlike the world had ever known.