Comprehension dawned in their gazes, and they obeyed. Aden wished he could think his replies to the souls, but his inner voice was always lost in the chaos.
Dude! The uncertainty fell away. Were back with Aden, Julian whooped happily. Are we here to stay, E? Come on, Great Oracle of Doom, and help a guy out. Tell me what I want to hear.
Silence.
Elijah must still be sleeping. Caleb, too. Lazy bums.
The wolves stopped, their spines stiffening, their hair standing on end. They looked around, growling at Aden followed their line of vision through the surrounding forestnothing but air. Did they sense a threat he couldnt see? He waited, but no one stepped from the trees, and not a single leaf swayed from nearby motion. Had some of hisor Vladsallies arrived yet? Would they even come?
The horn was bespelled and had been for over a thousand years, ever since several vampire factions had agreed to aid each other whenever necessary. And yet, not one of those factions had ever used their horn. Would they remember what the summons meant? Would they care?
The growling intensified a split second before a woman danced her way into the metal circle that designated the crypt. Aden was hypnotized by her. She wore a black robe like all the vampires here, but a hood draped her head, concealing her features. Still, he could see the long length of hair, black as night and cascading like a waterfall over her shoulder.
The wolves didnt stop growling, but they didnt attack her. They must have been as transfixed as he was.
Twirling, twirling, mesmerizing.
There was something familiar about her, something that lit Aden up inside, even as it dragged him down. Whoever she was, she raised the same emotions Mary Ann did. An urge to hug, followed by a need to run.
Maxwell, Nathan, he said.
They quieted as they looked over their furry shoulders.
Using minions wasnt a bad idea, really. Bring Victoria to me, he said absently.
We should stay with you. Nathans voice echoed inside his head. Theres danger here, my king.
Wolves could speak into the minds of those around them. Something Riley had done to him before, so he wasnt startled. And neither was Julian, who probably couldnt hear the new voice. From this woman? No. Now go get Victoria and bring her to me.
They shared a confused look before nodding and clomping off.
He sat down, right there, in front of the circle, watching the woman. She didnt seem to notice him. Her graceful, twirling steps never faltered. Twirling, twirling, a ballerina on ice, her arms outstretched, one leg lifted behind her and bent. Twirling and twirling.
Who was she?
A cough inside his head. Hello, Aden, Elijah finally said, then yawned. How are you feeling?
Fine. Kind of.
So are we here to stay or what? Julian demanded, practically jumping up and down.
Idont know, the psychic replied.
O-kay. That was a first.
Explain yourself, please, Julian huffed. Elijah sighed. I just woke up. Do we have to do the heavy stuff
Explain, explain, explain!
You are such a child. But fine. Adens path has been altered so much lately, I can no longer see a clear future for him. He was supposed to die, and that was supposed to be the end of us all. But he didnt, we didnt, and now I cant see what lies ahead.
Perhaps that was a good thing.
That better not mean were going to die soon. Really die, I mean, Julian replied, and if hed had a body he would have been pacing. Or that were gonna wake up back inside the vamp. I like her and everything, when shes not going for our jugular, but come on. A guy needs to be a guy.
Nothing wrong with the vamp, Caleb said, piping up for the first time. Like Elijah, he yawned. No offense, Aden, but shes hotter than you.
A milk jug is hotter than our Ad, Julian said with a snicker.
Caleb snorted. Buuurn.
Good. The gangs all here.
Why dont you sound happy? Julian asked, pouting now. More important questionwhy didnt you laugh at my amazing joke?
And why are you socold inside? Caleb asked. Seriously, its like a meat locker in here.
Meat locker? When his skin felt molten? Im fine. And I dont know.
I might. What do you remember about your last hour inside that cave with Victoria? Elijah asked. Think for a minute, okay, then you can go back to doing whatever it is youre doing.
Why do you want to know?
Please. Just do what I told you.
Not an answer, but fine. Whatever. All right. Arguing required too much energy. So he thought about it, replaying the events through his head. Hed just bitten Victoria. Just drank from her. Shed just bitten and drunk from him. That hadnt been enough for either of them. Theyd fought, tossing each other around like rag dolls, both lost to a hunger that never seemed to be satisfied.
The dancing woman laughed, and Aden wanted to look at her, to see her face softened by humor, but forced himself to concentrate, thinking backback. The cave. Victoria. The fighting had stopped, and theyd faced off. Shedglowed. Yes, he remembered now. A glorious golden glow had seeped from her pores, so bright he hadnt been able to look at her. Seeing it, Chompers had gone crazy inside his head, wanting out, desperate to protect him, sensing a predator far stronger than himself was about to be unleashed.
Then, Chompers had gotten his wish. Hed emerged from Adens body, solidified into dragon form and attacked. Aden had shouted, racing forward, afraid for his girl, willing to throw himself in front of Victoria to save her from being clamped between those too-strong jaws. Only, Victoria had stretched out her hands. The glow had lanced away from her body and into Chompers, knocking him backward, pinning him to the cave wall.
Victoria had turned her attention to Aden. Again the glow had lanced from her, then slammed into him. He, too, had been thrown backward, pinned on the opposite side, as far away from Chompers as possible. She had closed the distance between them.
Her eyes, usually blue, had then been filled with lavender ice chips and devoid of any emotion. Shed looked him over from head to toe, taking his measure.
A pause. Aden had tried to breathe, couldnt breathe. The energy, or whatever shed thrown at him, had been tightening its hold on him, shoving his ribs into his lungs, piercing the membrane. Pain had shot through him.
Victoria, Aden had gasped out.
Shed blinked at him, as if shed heard him but hadnt quite understood him. Victoria.
Shed opened her mouth to speak. Had spoken. Hed heard the words. Or should have. The sounds shed made, theyd been
Enough! Elijah shouted inside Adens head, drowning out everything else.
Aden sucked in a breath, suddenly back in the present, the past fading, gone.
Thats enough, Elijah said again, calm this time.
You wanted me to think back, Aden said, confused. I did. You should have let the scene play until the end. He wanted to know what Victoria had saidand who had been speaking through her. Because that had not been her voice. Too raw, too guttural. Too animalistic.
What are you talking about? What scene? I didnt see anything, Julian groused.
Me, either, Caleb said. What happened?
Nothing, Elijah lied. Leave it alone, Aden. You saw all that you needed to see. Frankly, I didnt expect you to remember that much.
Another lie? Elijah never lied. What was going on? Then why did you have me think back?
I just wanted you to know that Victoria didnt hurt you on purpose.
Was that why hed been wondering if he even liked her? Because of something shed done in the cave? Something he couldnt remember? Or hadnt yet remembered.
He pursed his lips. His past was there, all of it, every memory accessible, but those memories werent the main focus of his mind. He had to actively consider somethinglike what had happened in the cavebefore the event crystallized.
After all the blood exchanges, Victoria left pieces of herself inside you. Her past, her thoughts and desires. Or rather, former thoughts and desires. They seem like yours now.
That cant be right. Earlier I wondered if I even liked her.
And once upon a time, she didnt like herself.
I want to kill her father. She loved her father.
Shes wanted to harm him many times over the past few decades. He wasnt always nice to her, you know. But Aden? Youre still here, too. The desire to harm him could very well spring from deep inside you.
Pieces of Victorias psyche. Inside him. Driving him, changing him. Right or wrong? True or false? How do you know this?
Im all-knowing, remember? The self-deprecating tone held a layer of truth and dread. Not anymore. Remember?
The dancing woman stopped, laughed, such a tinkling soundhe loved that sound, hated that soundand pushed back her hood to look directly at him. Her face was lovely, delicate and hauntingly sweet.
There you are, my darling. What are you doing, sitting so far away? Come and dance with me.
Darling? Oh, yes, he knew her. Should know her, but still couldnt quite place her. His brain kept getting caught up on the words mother and exasperating. She wasnt his motherwas she?and he wasnt sure why she exasperated him.
I dont know how to dance, he told her.
Ill take the blame, I swear.
He blinked in confusion. She wanted to take the blame for his lack of skill?
If you get up and dance right now, Ill never forgive you, Caleb said. Youll look like an idiot, and in turn make us look like idiots.
Youre unwillingness to groove surprises me, C-man. Julian chuckled. Flailing around would probably look like some kind of mating ritual, luring the ladies. Or something.
Aden. Dude. If youre thinking about dancing, you should just get up and dance. Calebs abrupt switch was almost comical. Its all about the bump and grind.
Another tinkling laugh, and the woman pulled her hood back up. Very well, my darling, be that way. Ill dance on my own. The twirling started up again. But youre missing out, I promise you.
Aden. The pureness of Victorias voice captured his attention. You summoned me?
He forced himself to look up. She stood just off to the side, the wolves flanking her. The sun framed her, creating an angelic halo around her. Shed pulled her dark hair into a ponytail and wore a black robe, as usual, only this one boasted long sleeves and a coarser, thicker material. She lookedhuman, so beautifully human, her cheeks and nose a bright pink, her eyes watering from the cold.
Do you know that woman? He motioned to whereshe was gone. The dancing female had spun her way out of the backyard.
Who? Victoria asked.
Never mind. The scent of her hit him, as sweet as she looked. Gums, throbbing. Teeth, aching. Mouth, watering.
And wouldnt you know it? The buzzing returned to his head, followed by a muted cry. The same muted cry hed heard last night. Small, almost whining. Grumbling for attention. Like a newborn baby.
What was that? Julian demanded.
Probably just echoes from before, in the cave, he said, the words slurred. God. His tongue felt as big as a golf ball. His gaze latched onto Victorias thumping pulse. Mmm.
What? Victoria asked, brow furrowing in confusion.
This is dangerous, Elijah said. Look away from her. You cant drink from her. What if you become addicted to her again?
Or worse, what if theres another switch and we end up back inside her? Julians fear was palpable.
Am I the only one with a sense of adventure? Caleb asked. Do it! Drink her!
Ignore him. Drink from someone else, Elijah com manded.
ButAden didnt want to drink from anyone else, even though his stomach was twisting painfully, even though hed decided to send Victoria away.
His hunger must have overridden his good sense because he now wanted to keep her with him. And what he wanted, he got. Always. Sighing, he stood and held out his hand, another plaintive cry resounding in his head before he could speak.
Seriously, what is that? Julians fear gave way to irritation. Caleb, are you acting like a brat again, pretending to be a baby?
You know I hold my breath to get what I want. I dont whine.
Uh, hate to break it to you, but you dont have any breath, Elijah said.
And yet it works for me. Why would I change my methods?
Aden tuned them out as best he could. Walk with me, he said to Victoria. She hadnt taken his hand, was merely peering down at it, unsure.
Hope flickered in her blue, blue eyes as she glanced up. Really?
As I was saying earlier, you do like her, Elijah said, voice pushing through his mental blocks. Dont forget that. Any negative feelings toward her are not your own. Okay? Yes?
Why the insistence?
Victoria placed her hand in his, and ignoring the souls was no longer an issue. The princess became his sole focus.
Her scent did more than envelop him, it invaded him, consumed him, and his mouth watered a little more. Just then, he really liked her. Her softness, her warmthnot hot, not anymore, but warm and sweet. Hereverything.
Scout ahead and make sure well be alone, he commanded the wolves before leading Victoria out of the backyard and into the forest. They bounded in front of him and soon disappeared. No howls of warning were forthcoming, so he continued on.
What he would do with Victoria, well, he wasnt sure about that, either. But they would find out together. For better or worse.
TEN
WAS THIS WALK FOR business or pleasure?
Victoria strolled hand in hand with Aden for a long while, just as theyd done before The Incident, as she was now calling their last minutes in the cave, silentif she didnt count the now-constant, though gradually quieting, roaring in the back of her headmoving farther and farther away from the mansion. And protection.