Vampire Girl 2: Midnight Star (5 page)

***

Marco and Roco, two of my most trusted soldiers, intercept me as Kayla and I make our way back to the castle under moonlight.

"Sir, we need you in the city," Marco says. He has dark circles under his eyes and looks as if he's aged ten years in the last few days.

"What's the problem?" I ask.

"Lord Salzar is torturing and executing the Fae rebels captured in the battle. He has them strung up in the city center."

I curse under my breath. "By whose orders?" I ask.

Roco scowls. "By his own authority. He says he's supported by your own law."

Kayla and I turn and follow Marco and Roco back to Stonehill. The sounds of shouts and screams grow as we near the city center. A throng of people has gathered around the square, howling for blood. They spread apart before me, and we make our way to the center, where Salzar reigns like a king, his enemies hanging on hooks behind him. His face is red, and spittle flies from his mouth as he shouts to the excited spectators. "And what shall we do with this one?" He slashes a blood soaked whip into the air, and it tears open the back of a woman hanging before him. She is topless and fighting against her restraints. Her long blue hair is matted with blood and dirt.

"Gut her!" Someone screams from the crowd.

"Beheading!" Someone else shouts.

The suggestions become more and more gruesome, more violent and twisted. Kayla sucks in her breath beside me, and I know this sight must shock her.

Next to the woman, another man hangs naked. He is already dead, but it wasn't an easy death. His guts have been torn from him violently, and dangle from his limp body.

"Stop!" I shout in a loud, commanding voice.

The crowd falls silent, and Salzar finally notices me. A red cape falls down his back. His hair is short and black. He doesn't cower. He sneers. "Greetings, Prince Fenris. So glad you could join us in exacting justice on the monsters who ravaged this realm."

"This ends now," I roar, working very hard to reign in my own temper. To refrain from bashing the man's face in with my fist.

The crowd grows uneasy at my words, whispering.

Salzar raises an eyebrow. "Would you deny the people their due victory? Would you spare the rebels who destroyed your city and killed your citizens? Are you not the Prince of War?"

There's a shift in the air. Everyone is listening, but they are unsure of who to follow.

Baron stands by my side, alert and ready for battle. "I am the master of this realm, Salzar. Not you. You have no authority here, and no right to decide the punishment of prisoners of war." My voice is low, but it carries through the crowd.

"They killed our families," Salzar says. His voice is compelling, passionate, a master manipulator riling the crowd's thirst for vengeance. "We cannot let our enemies live. You taught me that, Prince of War, when you killed my son for attacking your princess."

And now we come to it. I knew Salzar would be a problem, and he picked the worst time. Rodrigo deserved his fate after attacking and attempting to feed on Arianna, but this crowd will not understand why the Fae who killed their families don't deserve the same fate. I'm losing control.

"Take the remaining prisoners to the Keeper," I command my own soldiers. "Get them food, aid and rest." The crowd is shocked into silence, then that silence breaks in a wave of outrage.

"Consider this," I say calmly, quieting them once more. "How do you want the Fae to treat any hostages they might have taken from our side?"

Salzar sneers. "They took no prisoners. All have been accounted for, dead or alive."

I turn to him, digging into him with my gaze, showing the wrath in my eyes. I walk up the steps of the stage, shaking the wood beneath my boots. "You're wrong, Salzar. They took one. They took Princess Arianna."

There are gasps in the crowd, a shocked pain that grows. I was counting on this response. In the short time Arianna has lived here, she has worked her way into the hearts of these people. They love her.

Salzar is at a loss, so I press my advantage. "You have already killed several hostages who might have had information about where Princess Arianna is being kept. Your reckless disregard for the authority of this realm might have cost the princess her life!" I can only hope my words are exaggerations meant to stir the emotion of the crowd, and not prophetic. "Guards! Take Lord Salzar to the dungeons to cool his tempers and remind him who rules here. Three days should be sufficient."

Marco and Roco grab the struggling man and drag him through the streets as he shouts profanities and swears to end me. I would laugh, but there is still the matter of finding Ari.

"To the rest of you, focus your energies on rebuilding your homes, your lives, your city. The prisoners will be questioned, and I will find the princess."

I leave then, with Kayla and Baron by my side.

"Careful, brother," Kayla says, once we are out of earshot of anyone. "You cannot make too many enemies and still rule."

***

Word will get out now about Arianna being kidnapped, and my brothers will panic. I need to find her.

Now.

I storm back to the castle and make my way to the Infirmary. Kal is tending to three prisoners who are much the worse for wear. He doesn't have them chained to the beds, which concerns me. Marco and Roco stand guard, and I order two more men to join them in securing the prisoners and keeping Kal safe.

"I need to question them," I tell Kal.

"You can try, Your Highness. But they are not very coherent."

Kal is almost as tall as me, but more slight of build, with a long white beard and long white hair. He might seem old, aged, but for the unlined skin. He is ancient, however. Only Fae who live many hundreds of years or more grow hair so white. He is also someone I trust, despite his heritage and our current war with his people.

"Have they said anything useful?" I ask.

"No," he says simply.

I walk over to the woman who was being whipped when we arrived. She is moaning in pain, and I crouch next to her bed. "What's your name?" I ask.

Her eyes are glassy and lids heavy. She's too pale and clearly doesn't comprehend me.

I move on to the next prisoner, an older man with thick arms and chest and a bright red patch of hair on his head that falls to his shoulders. "Where are you from?" I ask him.

His eyelids flicker, but they do not open. He looks feverish.

The third man is entirely unconscious.

I sigh and walk back to Kal. "How long before you can have them healed enough for interrogation?"

Kal frowns. "It depends on how well their bodies respond to treatment. They were each badly wounded in the battle, and then tortured more after."

His voice is impassive, but I wonder what lurks beneath. Does he feel loyalty to the people he hails from? Does he abhor the violence perpetrated on them by my kind?

"Send for me the moment one of them comes to. If they know anything about the whereabouts of the princess, I need to know immediately."

Kal nods. He too loves Ari and worked closely with her over the last several weeks. She spent as much time in the library with my Keeper as she did in sword training with me and sword making with Kayla. It's astonishing she found any time to sleep.

As I leave the Infirmary, a messenger arrives with a scroll. The Council has been called. My brothers await my arrival.

***

The six of them sit around the great round table in the Council Chambers. Their respective banners, mine red, Asher's purple, hang behind them. Blue torches light the black marble walls. I take my seat in the great wooden chair carved with wolves and swords. "Arianna has been taken by the rebels. She used her blood to call me through my demon mark, but it led to a dead end." I explain about the cave and the door. "My people must rebuild after the attack. I need forces from each of your realms to help me defend Stonehill while I search for Ari."

Levi snorts, flicking his long white hair away from his eyes. "You? Brother, you were responsible for keeping the princess safe and you lost her. We need someone more capable to save the princess."

"I hate to say this, but I don't disagree," Dean says. He wears no shirt. Not even to a meeting. "She was meant to be mine this month, when you took her. Now she's gone and I still haven't gotten my turn. Maybe someone else needs to take the lead in finding Arianna."

I growl at the two of them.

Niam stands and leans over the table, his eyes penetrating. His head is shaved clean, his dark skin gleaming from his moisturizer. He is dressed in the finest clothing money can buy, as always. Niam never lacks for wealth or the finer things. "Stand down, Fenris. They speak the truth, and it would be folly not to heed them. You have a city to defend and rebuild. A war to fight. You are needed to protect this entire kingdom, in addition to your realm. And your month with Princess Arianna is over. Let someone else take this mantel so you can handle your own affairs."

How dare they? I will find Arianna with or without their help, this kingdom be damned. I will—

"
I
will find the princess," Asher says calmly. His skin is dark under the eyes. He must not have slept for many days. "I know her best," he glances at me, "outside Fenris, who has had the most time with her. I recruited her from her world. I brought her here. She trusts me."

Levi chuckles. "And why should we trust
you
? You, who always side with the Prince of War?"

Asher turns to face Levi. "Do you think Ari will go with you, Levi? After what you did to her during the presenting? Do you imagine she wants anything to do with you now?"

Zeb smirks and runs a hand through his short dark hair. "Asher has a point. You were quite an ass to her, and she's human, not Shade or slave. They have ideas about equality and such. She's not a fan of you or Dean at this point. I second Asher being the one to lead the search for the princess."

Ace has been quiet this whole time, lost in his own thoughts, no doubt, but he looks to me, nods once slowly, then turns his attention to the group. "I also vote for Asher. He's in the best position to find the princess and bring her home, allowing Fen to defend the realm and kingdom."

Levi, Dean, and Niam vote against Asher. It's three to three. I am the deciding vote. It's clear if I do not side with Asher, Levi or Dean may be chosen instead. I sigh. "Find her, brother," I tell Asher. "Find her and keep her safe." The 'or else' is implicit in my voice, and he nods. I know he understands, and even though he lost some of my trust with his recent lies, I do believe he wants Arianna safe.

Dean shrugs. "Fine, Asher will do. Just get me my princess. I have plans for her that I'm sure will change her mind about things."

The bastard laughs, and I growl.

Asher places a cautioning hand on my arm. "Not now, Fen. This isn't the time."

I turn and rush out. I care little what the Council thinks. I'm going to find the woman I love.

As I leave the room, Ace's voice stops me. "Fenris…" We're alone in the hallway, but I do not turn to face him, fearful of the anger I will spew.

I hear Ace step closer. He speaks softly. "I know where you're going. And I know why. But consider this, before you act rashly. Your people have fallen. They need their prince. What will you choose, Prince of War?" He steps closer. "Who will you save?"

Chapter 4

THE DARKNESS

"When the demons came from the sky and slaughtered the High Fae, the Spirits left us."

—Madrid

I stand
naked
in front of a full-length mirror in my bedroom. The Fae locked me in the same room as before, but this time, they removed all the drapes. My white robe lies in a pile at my feet as I consider what to wear today. My choices are limited to gowns in light blues and whites with soft flowing fabric. I hold up a blue gown, studying my reflection, then switch it with a white gown, when a man's voice startles me.

I spin around, covering myself with the white dress.

"I like the blue on you better," Asher says, not even bothering to hide his smirk.

I toss the blue dress on the floor and slip the white one over my head in a small act of defiance. I don't bother trying to be modest. Let him squirm. I'm not ashamed of my body.

He chuckles. "Reverse psychology. Works every time. The white is more striking."

My cheeks burn, and I want to hurl some insult at him, but he saved my life last night, so I guess I owe him… what? Courtesy? Maybe if he's nice.

I sit in the chair by the north-facing window, and he sets a tray down on the wooden table next to me. It's full of food and a goblet of wine. I nibble on fruit, nuts, cheese and bread, and then sip at my drink. It's light, sweet and refreshing.

"I came to make peace with you," he says.

"Didn't you already try?"

He chuckles and holds up bandages. "I also came to dress your wound."

I hold my arm out and he pulls a chair up to me and unwinds the bandage covering the claw marks left by the gryphon. I flinch as the bandage sticks to the dried blood.

"Sorry," he says, flinching with me.

He wipes it clean with a wet cloth and rubs a purple salve on it. "Looks to be healing well," he says as he wraps clean bandages around it. "Madrid could speed up this recovery with magic, you know."

I pull away once he's done and return to my food. "I don't need her magic. And I won't be here long, at any rate. I'll find a way to escape," I tell him.

He frowns.

"Is Fen well? Have you seen him?" I've been assuming Fen healed and felt the blood call, but I don't have any proof.

"He is angry, but alive, if that's what you mean."

I nod, comforted by that fact, and emboldened in my next statement. "You can't hold me here forever. Eventually, Fen will find me, and when he realizes you have kept me prisoner, he will kill you all." I say the words, knowing they are true, but I don't want anyone to die. I don't hate Asher, even if I don't fully understand what he's doing or why. And I don't want Fen stuck in the middle of a blood war with his brothers because of me. There has to be a better way.