The Wicked (15 page)

“This is amazing,” Thalia remarked.

I scanned their faces quickly, showing Thalia just what they looked like. The last image was of Astoria. When the connection broke, I gasped and fell back into my chair. That was draining. I did what I always do, put too much into it, but I wanted to make sure that it worked. When I opened my eyes, Thalia was crying. I instinctively squeezed her hands tighter.

“It is true,” she whispered. “They are mine.” She glanced at Hayes, her expression pleading. “Why would they do such a thing? They have betrayed me.”

He wrapped his arm around her. “I will kill them for their betrayal, my Mistress.”

“Not if we kill them first,” Kyden growled.

My first thought,
eww, she is crying blood tears
. But the yuckiness of that was completely washed away as I watched her cry. She reminded me so much of Haven. She seemed so kind and the thought of her vampires being disloyal to her honestly hurt her. It actually gave me the warm fuzzies knowing that within these creatures, who could kill in an instant, were ones like Thalia—ones who still have a heart.

It made me like her.

Thalia wiped away her bloody tears and looked up at me. “I put you in a high regard as well.” Then, she stood, went toward the window and stared out.

“How can you help us?” I asked her.

Her gaze never left the outside. “I will call a summit. We will find these vampires and get the information you need to unearth this travesty.”

A night later, it was a good thing I could give myself a jolt or I’d need a double espresso to get this butt in gear. With all that had happened, no one was getting much sleep around here.

And I could’ve stayed another couple hours in bed, if Zade hadn’t knocked on the door.

“It’s time,” Zade told me.

“Already?” my voice croaked. “It does not take long for Thalia to assemble her vampires.”

“Okay. Just give us a minute, I gotta get dressed.” Suddenly, quite aware I was standing in my jammies with no bra. I quickly covered my chest with my arms.

He grinned. “By all means—we will be waiting in the Council’s Hall.”

After closing the door, I went back to the bedroom and climbed onto the bed beside Kyden. I reached out and nudged him. “Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead. We’ve got fangs waiting for us.”

Kyden groaned.

“Why are you up? It’s only just dark.”
Willow grumbled.

“Go back to sleep.” I kissed her fluffy head. “You don’t need to get up.”

“Good,”
she purred, dozing off.

Kyden rolled out of bed, stumbled to the dresser, rendering me speechless. His nakedness gleamed as the moon lit heaven across his skin. I approached him, knowing I couldn’t put this into words, and opened my mind to let him see just how much I appreciated his body.

He gasped, then spun around, smiling. “That is one amazing power you have,” he growled, pulling me closer and leaned down to kiss my lips.

I let him for a moment then I sighed against mouth. “We have to go.” I pushed him away. “Get dressed before we make ourselves real late.”

“Later then,” he said with his usual arched brow.

Within seconds, we were ready and heading out the door. Kyden threw me a blueberry muffin. “Do you know what to expect?” I asked through a full mouth.

“I’d expect vampires—lots of them.”

I swallowed. “Wonderful.”

After a trip to the Council and a few quick words for me to behave myself, we made short time getting to Thalia’s. Instead of joining her in her home, she brought us to a huge atrium—a five-story high atrium, which sat behind her home. The ground was grass and the entire place lit by candlelight. The rest of it was large red steel beams. There wasn’t a single piece of glass to this structure and the warm air breezed through the room delightfully.

It would’ve impressed me, if the thousand vampires weren’t focused right on me. Thalia stood from the chair next to me, her voice echoed across the room. “I thank you all for joining us this fine evening. I wish it was under better circumstances.”

“What has happened?” a voice rang out.

“Oh my dear, Damiana, I fear we have a problem in our home. Some of us killed a Guardian a night ago.” The entire room gasped. “Yes. Very troublesome. We have those within us who have betrayed me—gone against our laws.”

“Who are they?” another voice shouted.

“They are not with us tonight. But that is not of any consequence. Ember, I summon you.”

A tall, elegant redhead stepped out of the crowd and approached Thalia. Once before her, she bowed formally. “What is it you wish of me, my Mistress?”

“Nexi here,” Thalia pointed back to me. “will show you the faces of these betrayers.”

Ember examined me curiously.

Thalia continued, “I want to know their makers.”

The room got very quiet.
Awkward!

After a reassuring nod from Kyden, I stood and approached Ember. When I came face-to-face with her, I asked, “I have to touch you, is that alright?” Ember inhaled deeply, her eyes glowed. “Mmmm…”

“Oh God,” I exhaled. “Not more of this,” Suddenly, very aware of how many vampires were in the room. “Can we just skip that part please?”

“Of course.” Ember grinned. “Please proceed.”

I took her hand then closed my eyes. This was getting easier. It wasn’t so forced and grasping on the energy I needed to show her this wasn’t hard to find. After my magic swirled around me and the connection was strong, I let the image come forth and sent it along to her.

Ember immediately gasped then backed away looking aghast. “My stars, that was bizarre.”

“Bizarre doesn’t even cover it,” I murmured.

Kyden laughed behind me.

“There are a few from our home that were there.” Ember tore her stunned gaze from mine to look at Thalia. “Their makers are here with us tonight.”

“Tell them then, Ember,” Thalia demanded. “Tell them to step forward and answer for this grievance.”

Ember spun around to the crowd looking saddened. “Luna, Daxon, and Vera step forward. Thalia has a request of you.”

Soft whispers spread throughout the crowd, as the three vampires made their way to us.

“Call your fledglings to you,” Thalia ordered when they reached her. “Make them come.”

I glanced around. What the hell is going to happen now? Would they just magically appear? No one else looked as curious as I did—most looked bored.

When the silence began to get too thick to handle, words escaped my mouth. “Sorry, what exactly is going to happen?” Every eye in the room snapped to mine. Definitely not a spot I enjoyed being in.

“We will wait for them to come,” Thalia answered.

“Come…how…” I began, but suddenly, like something out of a horror flick, three vampires came flying into the room. I couldn’t hide my shock “Christ! That is unbelievable.”

“I suppose never seeing that before would be a little surprising,” Thalia stated.

“So what,” I just couldn’t wrap my head around this, “they call to them in their minds and then they come flying here?”

Thalia nodded, her eyes twinkled with amusement.

I gave my head an amazed shake. “Weird.”

Thalia turned her focus to the three vampires standing in front of us, her glare deadly. “Come to me.”

As if her words had power, they lurched forward to kneel at her feet.

“You have betrayed me. Tell me why?”

The vampires’ eyes filled with more than fear—it was terror.

“I said, tell me why?” she demanded, and slapped one across the face.

Ten minutes later, nothing had changed. Hayes had beaten the vampires into oblivion, but they still said nothing. They were healing just as quickly as he was beating them.

My patience was lost. “Oh for heaven’s sakes,” I snapped, and walked toward the vampires. I reached out, laid my hand on one vampire’s shoulder. In an instant, visions flashed through my mind. I continued until I had read each of the vampire’s minds. By the end of it, I was pooped. I stumbled back to my chair, sank down, and leaned my head back.

A few moments passed, Kyden nudged my arm. “I believe they are waiting to hear from you, Álainn.”

“Just wait.” I swatted him away. “That was exhausting.”

The crowd laughed loudly. I raised my head a little to see everyone staring at me with equal amused expressions. “Glad to see I amuse everyone. Just give me a minute here.”

Many minutes later, someone tapped their foot impatiently, equaled by deep sighs from around the room. I groaned deeply and raised my head. “And I thought I was impatient. Geesh,” I snapped. “You try doing that.”

The crowd erupted into laughter yet again. I ignored them, stood from my chair and approached Thalia. “Okay, the gist of it is,” I pointed to the naughty vampires. “these vampires were followers of Lazarus.”

Great news, right! Lazarus was in the past. I wanted to keep anything about him locked in that little vault of my mind I never went to. Apparently, wishful thinking on my part.

I glanced over my shoulder, Kyden had risen from his chair and was quickly approaching. “Lazarus?” he repeated in a low growl.

“You heard it right. We were wrong. It wasn’t only the wolves attached to him. This group of vampires seemed to be in on it too. There’s more, that witch we saw was Lazarus’ lover.”

Kyden’s brow arched. “Was she now?”

“Yeah, shocked me too.” And it truly had stunned me silly. “Basically they are seeking revenge against us for destroying Lazarus and their goal is to kill as many Guardians as they can.”

“Is that so?” Kyden growled.

The three vampires took a giant step back, feeling the rage emanating off him.

Smart vampires.

“This is what this is all about?” Thalia spat. “You have betrayed me for Lazarus?”

None of them said a word.

Thalia continued, “This was bad enough knowing that you only betrayed me—knowing that you were doing this to overthrow me. Intolerable.” She paced a little, fuming, and kept looking back to the vampires, then muttered words quickly and continued her pacing. She finally huffed. “I hate to waste any of you. Do you understand that? Why must you push me to such measures?” Each of their faces filled with fear. “Fine—makers kill your fledglings.”

Before I had time to blink, they were all dead.

“Jesus,” I gasped. “That was quicker than flipping a pancake.”

Thalia giggled. “Flipping a pancake. Oh Nexi, what a joy you are.” Then, she nodded toward the makers. “Go on.”

“Go on…what?” I replied, looking between the three makers.

“The ones they have made have failed them,” Thalia answered, drawing my gaze back to hers. “They could not control their fledglings so they must die as well.”

The implication of what she was suggesting was obvious. “You want me to kill them?” Obviously, I was missing something here. Big surprise there, I knew nothing about the vampire world. Standing here before God knows how many vampires looking like a complete tard, wasn’t the ideal situation to be in.

Thalia nodded without hesitation. “Of course I do.”

“Er…why?”

She shrugged, nodding me encouragingly. “This Guardian who was destroyed was your friend. It only seems appropriate.”

I glanced out to the three trembling vampires. “But they haven’t done anything.”

“They haven’t done anything?” Thalia gasped. “They could not control the ones they made. That is their duty—their responsibility. When they knew they had lost them, they should have told us immediately or destroyed them.”

Kyden fingers ran down my arm. “This is the way of things, Nexi—this must be done.”

I met his gaze, pleadingly, but he said nothing just stood strong and confident like he always did. I, on the other hand felt none of that strength. I glanced back at Thalia. “I can’t do this. I am sorry, but I can’t.”

Thalia looked thoughtful for a moment then asked, “Are you refusing to do as I say?”

I lifted my chin. “Damn right I am. I will never kill anyone who I do not feel surely deserves it and these three,” I waved out to the vampires, “have done nothing wrong in my books. If this is the way you run things than fine you handle it.”

Kyden squeezed my arm. “Nexi.” His tone warning.

“What?” I snapped at him. “She cannot expect me to kill them. They haven’t done anything.” Then, I looked back at Thalia. “I am not disagreeing with the way you do things. I am sure you have good reason to do what you do. I respect that. It’s just, I can’t do it. Really, I couldn’t live with myself after.”

Thalia cocked her head, examining me. “You are an interesting creature. Your will is outstanding. To voice your opinions as you do with no thought of the consequences is impressive.”

Hayes nodded beside her.

She continued, “But rules are rules. If you will not kill them then I will have to destroy you.”

“What?” I gasped. “I thought we were friends or something like that?”
Kill me? What the hell?

“We are.” Thalia’s expression swept with sadness. “I see you becoming a very close ally. One I would love to get to know better, but I am demanding this of you, if you deny me, those are the consequences.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “But I can’t.” Shit, I was still too human. I couldn’t do this. Supernaturals might deal with matters so harshly, but humans didn’t and my morals were screaming at me that everything about this was wrong.

“Trefan was not only Nexi’s friend,” Kyden growled. “He was mine.” He drew his sword, and a second later, the entire terrible and unbelievable incident was over.

I grabbed Kyden’s arm, still dazed, and he looked unaffected. I hoped that didn’t cost him anything by doing that. I quickly read into him a little. His only thoughts were for me and my safety.

Thalia clasped her hands. “All is well now. Let’s party.” Then, she reached for my hand. “Come and talk with me, Nexi.”

I almost refused to take it—a little frightened of her now.

Thalia grasped it tightly and led us to a back room with Hayes following behind. When the door closed on the small sitting room, she spun around, glaring at Kyden.