Rising Shadows (7 page)

CHAPTER 8

Subject #634860

Something
big
happened
. I
do
n’t
know
what
transpired
,
but
everyone is on
edge
. Richland is
driving
me harder
than
normal
.
In all the wasted years I’ve been locked up, they have never been so panicked. The
medical
personnel
are
always
frightened
of me, but t
his
isn’t about
me.
Whoever
caused
all
the
trouble
, I
hope
they
keep
it
up. I
need
the
distraction
.
If
I can
keep
the
focus
off me
long
enough
, I might finally be ready to move. Planning and waiting.
Patience
is a
virtue
. I must
restrain
myself
. I will
break
out,
then
they
will
pay
in
blood
. I
intend
to
bathe
in
it
. I will
crush
my
enemies
and
leave
a
trail
of
corpses
behind me.

CHAPTER 9

Winter

I don’t belong here.
Truthfully, I don’t belong anywhere. As a fairy born of both courts, I am trapped between them. My name was given to me as a reminder of my dual citizenship.
A slap in the face is more like it.
Winter Summersun. My mother is the daughter of the Summer Queen. She’s a Royal Red with the trademark flaming red hair. My father was the bastard of the Winter King. Their brief dalliance resulted in me. The Royal Red gene combined with dad’s Winter Court white blond produced my lavender hair. Mom says my hair is my first failure. I’m on the record of successors to both dominions, but I will never sit on either throne.

I hate being in Fairy.
Before Dad died, I had a place to stay where I felt someone wanted me.
Dad knew what it was like to be unwanted.
At his funeral, I threw a fit when Mom said that she was happy to be rid of him. You can’t scream and cuss at a Royal Red in public, even if she’s your mother. She had me banished from Fairy. I’m fine living in the mortal realm, but the binding of my Fae magic is painful. Magic is part of the Fae, like breathing. I’ve been suffocating for going on three years now.

I met my two best friends at Lune Rouge.
Madalaina Bonvillian is a werewolf and Tsura Tymar is a vampire. Our species don’t play nice in closed quarters historically, but we make it work. We bonded over our mommy issues. Madalaina's mom is also a mentally unbalanced raging bitch. Tsura never knew her mom. She was murdered for being the human wife of a vampire a super long time ago. I could use their support right now, but they would be even less welcome in Fairy than me. I’m here to petition on behalf of the Livia Bonvillian. If I had not called in some huge favors, I would have been executed for trespassing in Fairy. Banished Fae aren’t allowed to visit for any reason. Ianthe, a siren, owed me. I cashed in my chips to get here safely.

“Well if it isn’t my favorite little rebel.”

I groan. The voice belongs to Kiril, my uncle. The only family member who willingly talks to me.
I wish he wouldn’t.
Kiril is a classic Summer Court Fae. Every word out of his mouth is a well-placed instrument to further his plans. Judging by the fancy clothes he wears I’d say he elevated his social standing since we last spoke. Nobody climbs a social ladder like Kiril.

“They sent you to punish me?”

“That hurts, really,” he mocks with a hand over his heart.  “You couldn’t obtain anything finer to wear?”

“It wouldn’t matter what I wore. Nothing mortal will reach court standards. I can’t access my magic, so I didn’t bother.”

I have on a nice dress, but it pales in comparison to what the court ladies are wearing. I won’t lie, I miss the clothes. I loved the formal dresses. Not much call for fancy frocks bartending at the Lune Rouge.

“Banishment is a bitch, but then so is your mother,” he smirks.
He would know, she’s his sister. I’ve heard Mom loved to torture Kiril as a child. He doesn’t like her and does anything he can to piss her off.
Probably why he talks to me
. Amalia was the sister closest to him. That would be Livia’s mother.
Quite a tangled web that wove its way into my life last night.

“Preaching to the choir,” I mumble.

“Come on, you were only granted a limited time for an audience. Your Grandmother is waiting.” Kiril turns and leads me to the Queen.

The butterflies in my stomach are on fire. I follow
Kiril to the throne room. I want to run and hide. My grandmother has flayed people alive in the dining room for not laughing at her joke. A pair of gilt doors open, and I stand in front of my family. My Grandmother, mother, and aunts all sit prepared to judge me.

“Queen
Tanith, I present your granddaughter. Princess Winter Summersun.” Kiril tries to put flare into the introduction. It falls flat.

She looks unimpressed.  “What are you wearing? Did you hope I would kill you on the spot? I don’t need another bloody martyr. Get her out
Kiril.”

“My Queen,
Winter is banished. Her wardrobe was not meant to offend. Her magic was bound in order to pay penance for crimes against her mother. All who view her recognize she’s lowly and not worth compassion.”

His own mother and he
calls her My Queen. Our family is messed up.

  Grandmother is pleased.  “All right
Kiril. You campaigned hard for her five minutes. She may have them.”

Kiril
bartered for my audience? What does he want out of this?

“I wish to bring the court’s attention to a lost
Fae. The child of Amalia was discovered. She’s suffering and needs healing.”

Tanith
looks mildly interested.  “Who is the child’s father?”

“A Lycan noble, the eldest son of the Alpha Prime, Athan Bonvillian.”

Play up the royal angle.

“An illegitimate half Lycan? I doubt my Amalia would want me to claim such a creature in her name.” Tanith sneers disdainfully.

“She’s Royal Red. She’s her mother’s mirror,” I plead.

“She has no place here. Neither do you.”

Thank goodness for small favors. I wouldn’t want to fit in around here.

She dismisses me. I look at my mother, but she won't make eye contact.
Fine. I will find help elsewhere.

 
Kiril steers me out of the throne room with a hand on my shoulder. Out of hearing distance, he says to me,  “I’m sorry, Winter. I had hoped her love for Amalia might make a difference. In my heart, I knew Mother would never go for it.” He’s saddened by his own admission.

“I was stupid to think she would care.”

“Shh! Not so loud! Do you want to die?” Kiril pulls me quickly away from prying ears.

“Why did you get me the hearing? You don’t expect me to believe you care what happens to the little girl?” I ask him sarcastically.

“You don’t know nearly as much as you would like to think you do. Mother is right, she has no place here. Doesn’t mean she should die. You’re Fae on both sides, but your dual court status makes you unpopular. What kind of life would a half Lycan child endure here? Amalia had a kind heart. She wouldn’t condemn her own child.”

He’s right, damn it.

“I barely remember Amalia,” I whisper.  “She was kind to me. I remember she would sing to me when I was afraid at night. Mother berated her for it, but she didn’t care.”

“She was a sweet woman and she paid a price for it. No one treated her right. She was too easy to take advantage of. My sister’s mistake is how I learned if you are soft in Fairy, you will be a victim.”
Kiril looks at the floor pensively.

“You should come meet your niece.”

“I can’t. If she really does look just like Amalia, I can’t. Seek out the vampire doctor, he knows many things. He’s been around damn near as long as rocks.”

Vampires?
Does he want to get me killed?!

“They won’t see me. They hate the
Fae almost as much as the Fae hate them.”

“And with good reason. Here, take this,” he mutters as he slips a tome into my coat pocket.

I chuckle. 
“A book? Since when do you carry books around?”

Kiril
isn’t the studious type. He’s more the handsome playboy without an intelligent thought in his head.

“Since I figured my mother wouldn’t lift a finger to help the ailing child of my dearly departed sister. Are you always such a smartass? I’ll work on a backup plan just in case. If you ever tell anyone I gave you the book, I will swear I never saw it in my life. You’ll be executed if they
learn you have it. Guard it well. After you read it, you will know how to get an audience with the Doctor.”

CHAPTER 10

Varian

    I love fairies.
For dinner.
Most vampires think Fae blood tastes like shit. They avoid it at all costs. It isn’t bad, a bit off compared to other species. The flavor isn’t what I like. The magic is. I can feel the magic humming inside as I drink. Truth is I fucking despise Fairies. Pain in the ass is all they are.

This one at the door is hot especially with that pastel purple hair.
Which court does she belong to with hair such a color?
Winter Court is all the blondes with a smattering of brunettes. Summer court only has damn redhead twits and raven headed Fae.

The first
Fae I ever fed off didn’t survive. Purely by accident. I was young and still learning my strength. She was a red head. Caused quite a ruckus when I took the body home.
I was being a gentleman, bringing back their stinking carcass and they try to kill me.
Turns out dinner was actually some sort of princess.
Damn, there are over fifty princesses. Were they really going to miss one?
Anyway, the crazy bitch queen sent some troops after me and I learned I was the most powerful vampire alive that that day. Not bragging, but I am the shit. I sent the Fae army back to her as dust in a jar. No one told me I was a super vampire. Some shit about if I didn’t know I couldn’t hurt anyone. Proud to say no accidental murders committed by me in centuries. No, all my kills since then are entirely on purpose. I’m attacked by Fae every so often. Those deaths are the most satisfying.

The woman on my doorstep reminds me of that first
Fae experience. She had been looking for bed sport.
What is this one looking for?
I’m torn.
Do I want this woman to be another assassin or just want me for my body? Is it wrong if I want both?

Brave little firefly for showing up on a Vampire’s doorstep.
Currently, Vampires and the Fae are in a cease fire. Manias Artorias, the Vampire Regis, negotiated it at the beginning of his reign.
Life has been painfully boring since then.

“Is this the home of Dr. Keller?” she asks.

She's looking for Keller? Disappointed, I nod and say,  “He lives here, but the house belongs to Varian Caina.”

  Her eyes bug out. 
“Varian Caina? He’s not home is he?” she asks nervously.

She knows my name and reputation but has no clue what I look like? This should be fun. Instead of telling her ‘Yes, you’re talking to him’ I lie and
say  “No.”

Don’t want to scare off the entertainment.

“Oh good.” She looks relieved.  “Can you please take me to the doctor? I must speak with him.”

“What the hell.”  I shrug. 
“Been a while since I did anything to piss him off.”

The puzzled look on her face is familiar. I get that look a lot from people. When you are more powerful than any one person should be, you seldom hear the word no. It breeds tedium. I like to catch people off guard. I think the general consensus is I’m bat shit crazy, but who is going to do anything to me?
The Regis?
Yeah right. I was supposed to be the king.
Too much work so I turned the job down.
If I ever decide I want to wear a tiara, I’ll just remove Manias’ head and take his crown. He’s lucky he's my best friend.

I take her hand and pull her along behind me.  “Come on firefly, the mad scientist is this way.”

“Firefly? What the hell does that mean?” She demands.

I ignore her.  “Keller! A visitor has
come calling,” I taunt in a sing song voice.

“Who, Varian? You know I don’t like visitors.” The voice comes from down the hall but gets louder as we move closer to his office.

Winter's gaze darts to me
,  “Why did he call you Varian?” Her voice is suspicious.

Shrugging, I screw up my face and draw an imaginary circle with a finger next to my ear making the universal sign someone is crazy.

We reach Keller’s office. Not taking my eyes off her I say,  “A little Fae chit. An attractive morsel. No idea why she would want to see a mean old bastard like you, but who understands women?” She glares at me. I can’t stop the huge grin from splitting my face. Must have shown a little too much fang 'cause Firefly tugs harder to free her captured hand.

Keller doesn’t look up from his papers. 
“Fae. No use for any Fae whether they’re beautiful or not. Send her away.”

Well done, Keller. He’s such a bastard he makes me look like a gentlemen.

Firefly approaches Keller’s desk. She’s not going to leave. Slamming her hands down on the surface of the desk she gets Keller’s attention.
But does she really want it?
“Doctor Keller, I came to ask you for help. A hybrid Fae-Lycan child is dying. Humans poisoned her with something unknown.”

“Humans. Fae. Lycan. What a headache,” Keller mumbles, he looks back down.

Leaning against the door frame I add my two cents worth.  “Keller, if I were you I wouldn’t.” The girl turns her furious eyes on me.  “What? Those are three factions a vampire has no cause to bother with. Why would you expect any help from us?”

It’s the harsh truth whether she wants to hear it or not.

“First of all, I didn’t ask for
your
help, I asked for his. Second, she’s a child. And last, no matter how much the doctor wants to forget, he has ties to the Fae court as does every vampire in existence.”

I’m sorry, repeat that last part again?

Keller gets up, just a breath separate them.  “Do you even know what you are talking about? I pray you don’t, because if you do your life is forfeited. Neither monarch will let you live with such knowledge.”

Her chin raises a fraction.  “I can take care of myself.”

Keller scoffs at her and I laugh.

Defiant beauty, I like her.

  She narrows her eyes at both us.  “You are okay with a child dying when you might be able to help her?”

“You must be a very young
Fae. When you have lived as long as I, one more death won’t bother you,” Keller dismisses.

I have to disagree. Kids aren’t the same as ancient old farts like Keller.

Angrily, she asks,  “So you don’t care who dies around you?”

She’s not talking to me, but I answer the questions anyway.  “I don’t really care if I die. At least I would be doing something different.”

Keller gathers an armful of books and papers.  “If you two shut up I’m ready to go. Take me to the girl.”

She smiles and does an honest-to-god happy dance. This
Fae is delightful.
I’m glad I didn’t eat her.

I grab my coat. No way am I missing this.  “I haven’t been near any
Lycans in ages. This is going to be a blast.”

“Oh no, you are not coming.” She stops dead in her tracks to tell me.

I laugh harder than I have all year. I want her to stick around. Firefly amuses the hell outta me.  “You couldn’t stop me if you had an army.”

She cocks her head to the side and looks at me thoughtfully.  “You’re Varian, aren’t you? I don’t get it. Why is everyone afraid of you? I agree you’re odd and quite possibly off your meds, but you don’t seem dangerous.”

I smile innocently.  “I’m harmless as a church mouse. Don’t know where they got the idea I am the boogeyman,” Keller scoffs. I ignore him like always and say to Winter,  “Now move that cute little ass before I decide to keep you.”