DEAD AND BEYOND
Jayde Scott
Smashwords edition, second edition
©Copyright 2012 Jayde Scott. All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4660-0117-6
This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the author, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
The right of Jayde Scott to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
This is a work of fiction and any resemblance between the characters and persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Ancient Legends series recommended reading order:
A Job From Hell
Beelzebub Girl
Voodoo Kiss
Dead And Beyond
Forever And Beyond
Other titles by Jayde Scott:
The Divorce Club
Black Wood
Born to Spy
Acknowledgments
As always, thanks goes out first to my spouse…for both being my soul mate and best friend, my brainstorming partner, and a constant encouragement. I thank God every day for bringing us together.
Thank you to my kitties, who gift me with tons of laughter and smiles each and every day.
A huge thank you goes out to my editor, Shannon, for believing in this story and the characters, and for always laughing at the right moments.
Thanks to my dear friends and fellow authors, Trish and Christine—your valuable advice and insight have helped shape this book and my writing in general.
Thank you to each and every one of my readers and fans. Without you, none of this would have been possible.
Prologue
A full-blown confrontation wasn’t Gael’s style. In fact, he prided himself on his talent for stakeouts; lurking in the corner, invisible to the mortal eye, stalking his victims to learn everything about them, until he could finally strike. This particular victim, however, was better protected than a queen. Certainly not his usual, easy stalk, but Gael liked a challenge. It gave winning more meaning. And Gael was a winner all the way.
He blew a gust of hot breath into his hands to keep them warm, his eyes all the while focused on the hidden entrance in the rock formation. The place was concealed by twisting pines and towering ferns, so no human would ever stumble upon it. Gael watched the thick branches stirred by the howling wind. Not only was it well hidden, it was creepy too, just like the freaky child queen herself. He let the word roll on his tongue, testing the sound of it. Shadowland—a hidden civilization that had been untouched by the outside world for thousands of years. It was the place where he belonged. He knew it because he had been dreaming about it for as long as he could remember. Queen Deidre resided in the mausoleum, probably feeding from her own people’s life essence that very instant. He had once offered his help to save her soul from her dying body, but she had brushed him off like an annoying fly. Disrespected him. He consoled himself that he would have the last laugh eventually. Once their most precious possession was gone, so was Queen Deidre, and he would be owner of both thrones: the Shadows’ and the Lore court’s.
Glancing up at the inscription carved deep into the granite, he recognized the words immediately—it was an ancient language and Queen Deidre’s trademark warning. Immortals knew not to cross into her territory, unless they wished to face her wrath. Well, he wasn’t any immortal, and soon everyone would find out.
The full moon cast a glowing light on the tall trees. The cool September breeze seeped under his dark cloak and turned his skin into goose bumps. He hated how vulnerable his mortal body was and how much the Scottish weather got to him. Irritated, he wrapped his cloak tighter around him and scanned the familiar darkness for the umpteenth time, even though he knew the girl and boy wouldn’t arrive for another minute or two when the turning would finally begin. He had watched the entire procedure for days now. It always followed the same routine.
Eventually, a soft crack carried through the air and the opening in the mountain widened. The boy emerged first, followed by the girl. She was wearing the same jeans, gray top and black, hip-long jacket as the night before. Her long, jet-black hair was tied up in a ponytail, bouncing slightly as she took a tentative step forward. The soft light of the moon revealed the hesitation on her face and in her dark blue eyes.
“Angel,” the boy said softly, his palm reaching out to cup her face.
She jumped a step back, as though his touch seared her skin. “No, Brendan. Nothing’s changed, so don’t you dare touch me.”
The boy remained silent as he regarded her. A moment later, the moon broke from behind the clouds, illuminating his dark clothes and shiny hair that brushed the collar of his long coat. It was the way the Shadows dressed, the way Gael liked to dress to pretend he was one of them. The soft rays of light gave Brendan’s perfect skin a bronze hue. For a moment, the boy looked like a statue, so graceful, so terribly cold. And then the changing began.
The ground shook slightly as Brendan’s skin grew pallid and clammy, and a growl rose in his throat. His pupils slowly dilated before his eyelids shut. The wind began to blow harder, swaying the summer leaves in the trees. Angel flinched but didn’t retreat. Brendan’s face remained expressionless as he dropped to his knees and threw back his head, bursting through his clothes. His arms and legs shortened, his muscles bulged as dark fur began to sprout from his human skin. A long and painful howl rippled through his chest the same moment his face morphed into that of a large wolf with black eyes that seemed to absorb the light. Whimpering, the wolf moved closer to Angel and buried his snout into her palm, as though to smell her even though no Shadow could smell or sense another.
Angel pulled away whispering, “Go away, Brendan.” With a last glance back, the wolf took off through the trees and disappeared into the night. She didn’t leave straight away. She never did. It was her only chance of being alone, without the Shadows’ supervision. This was his cue. He had been working on his plan for weeks; it wasn’t perfect but Gael was determined to make the best of it. He had met with her for almost a week; same time, same place, never long enough to answer her questions. He had earned her trust, awakened her curiosity, and now he was about to bring his mission to a fruitful climax. One that would shake the Shadows’ world.
Carefully, he straightened from his crouching position and began to move toward her. “Angel.” His voice came low and soothing, supposed to instill trust and confidence in her. It was the same voice he used when talking to a child.
Angel didn’t flinch when she turned to face him, which was a good sign. The girl thought herself safe. They all did. He stopped a few feet away from her to give her space. It was yet another one of his strategies to make her believe his words.
“You’re back,” Angel whispered. In the light of the moon, she looked younger than seventeen, and certainly not strong enough to fulfill the purpose the Shadows had in store for her.
Gael smiled even though he wasn’t sure she could see his face in the darkness. “I told you I’d come to get you.”
Her big eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Right. But I’m not going. Not until you answer my questions.” She strained to peer beneath his hood to make out his features, but he kept his head slightly bowed so the moon wouldn’t reveal his identity. That part would come later.
He heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Angel, you have to trust me because I’m one of you. Or how else could I have crossed the perimeter?” His answer seemed to please her, and her stance relaxed a little.
“I don’t understand this secrecy.”
“Is Brendan gone?” Gael asked, ignoring her unspoken question.
She nodded. “He’ll be back at sunrise.”
“We need to talk,” Gael said.
“You keep saying that, but you never tell me about what.” Her voice still didn’t convey any sort of mistrust. She most certainly thought he was one of them. He liked that.
“There’s something Deidre never told you. I think it’s time you knew the truth. Come, walk with me.” In a bold moment of sheer folly, he reached out his hand, not really expecting her to grab it. But she did. Her fingers touched his, sending a familiar jolt of electricity down his back. His powers began to tingle beneath his skin, so exquisite, so close, and yet so far away.
“I can’t walk too far. You know the rules,” she said.
“Rules are meant to be broken. I promise nothing will happen to you.”
She hesitated but eventually let him lead her away from the entrance. His hand clasped hers as he guided her through the trees. The clouds parted and the moon illuminated their way. He could still spy the entrance in the distance when Angel halted, and he knew that was about as far as she’d go.
“Okay,” she said, pulling her hand free. “Tell me.”
“It’s a secret, Angel. You mustn’t reveal it to anyone.”
“Is that why you’re not showing your face?” she asked.
“You want to see my face?” She nodded. He smiled at her childlike enthusiasm at the outlook of mystery and excitement. It probably was a welcome diversion in her otherwise dreary existence. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”
“I promise,” she whispered.
Slowly, he pulled his hood back to reveal his face. She had never seen him before, but he knew she couldn’t miss the resemblance, unless she didn’t own a mirror.
A tiny gasp escaped her throat. Her eyes widened as she regarded his face with the same straight nose, high cheekbones and full lips. Even the eyes were alike, dark and deep, full of secrets and a past that was long erased from her memory.
“I’m your brother,” he said in the most tender voice he could muster. Seconds passed by. The wind blew her hair away from her face, revealing surprise, fear, shock, and uncertainty as she tried to process the little information he just gave her.
“I thought my family was dead.” Angel’s voice sounded chocked. He grabbed her hands, unsure how she’d react if he hugged her. He decided it wasn’t worth the risk.
“That’s just one of many lies Queen Deidre told you.”
She shook her head. “But why would she do that? The Shadows have been nothing but kind to me.”
“It’s a ploy to get your cooperation, Angel. Deidre feeds on her people’s life essence. Soon, she will start to feed on yours because you’re strong. Your life essence will help her body heal so she can become what she once was.” He drew a deep breath, preparing himself for the most important part. “Listen, I came to get you because you’re not safe here. You’re not safe anywhere, unless you come with me.”
She didn’t argue. Maybe someone had told her about Queen Deidre before. Or maybe she had found out on her own. Either way, Angel’s knowledge aided his plea. Her brows drew to a frown. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth about who you are?”
He had sensed she’d ask this question, so he had known to prepare. “We both carry a mark in the shape of a half moon a few inches below the right collarbone.”
“Someone could’ve told you that.”
The girl was clever, he had to admit that. “Of course. But there’s something no one else knows, something you never dared to tell anyone. You have a certain reaction to touch that isn’t normal. That’s why you don’t want your boyfriend to touch you, even though you’re his bonded mate. You’re scared of what you could do to him.”
“How did you know that about me and Brendan?” she whispered.
“I’m your brother, remember? I’m a part of you. But you needn’t worry. I’ll take this secret to my grave because blood runs thicker than water.”
That seemed to please her. Her lips curved into a hesitant smile only to disappear an instant later. “Why has Deidre never told me I have family?”
“Because she wants you to think you’re alone. She wants you to trust them,” Gael said.
She moistened her lips, her voice quivering with emotion as she tried to understand the magnitude of her situation. “I’ve been thinking about your words. If you’re my brother, why didn’t we grow up together? And how did you find me?”
“I told you, I’ve been searching for you my entire life. Several times I lost hope, but I never gave up. When I found out you were here, captured by the Shadows, and that your life was at stake, I had to come to your rescue. That’s why I’m here, but you have to leave before it’s too late.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “How could they lie to me that I have no family when they knew I so desperately wished for one?”
“I know you have a lot of questions, and I promise I’ll answer them all later,” Gael said. “But right now we’re in great danger,” Gael said, slowly losing his patience. He knew the girl would start asking questions. He just never figured she wouldn’t know when to stop.
Angel shook her head. “Of course. I understand. I want to learn more about my past, but I can’t leave. If I leave, I’ll die.
“That’s another lie. You’ve been fed their crap long enough.” He grabbed her hands and forced her to look at him. “I won’t let anything happen to you, but you’ve got to trust me. You don’t know the Shadows like I do. They’re capable of anything.” He could see her resolve slowly crumbling, her little mind sucking in every word of familial love and bonding that came out of his mouth. She had been abandoned at birth; it was only natural that she craved what she never had. It made her trusting, putty in his hands. “You’re not dying without them. It’s just a spell they put on you, making you feel faint and weak when you’re away. Once the spell’s broken, so are their powers over you.”
Angel took a deep breath. “And you know how to break the spell?”
“Yes.” This part wasn’t even a lie. He had researched his kind. No Shadow spell could keep someone like Angel imprisoned for life. But their mind games could. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow night after Brendan’s turning. Twenty-four hours should give me enough time to come up with a plan to get you out of here.”
He could see a flicker of hope in her young eyes, as though her life had just received new meaning. She bobbed her head in agreement, and smiled. He smiled back as he whispered, “Promise me you won’t tell anyone, otherwise we’re both dead.”
“I promise,” she said, touching her index finger against her lips, as though to seal her words.
“I’m Gael, by the way,” he said, pulling his hood deep over his face. “Come on. We’ve got to get you back before anyone starts missing you.”
“Gael,” she repeated quietly, and he knew in that instant he was about to change her life.
Chapter 1
Three days later
Okay, so here’s the deal. When I was turned into a vampire—imagine a ritual and me, half-dying Amber Reed, dressed in my best jeans so I’d look skinny even in death; a hot vampire aka my boyfriend of a few weeks, Aidan, drinking my blood so my soul could travel to the Otherworld to find an ancient, meaning horribly old and smelly, spell book—I had no idea how much being a vampire would suck.
I won’t sugar coat it. My dreadful turning probably set the foundation for my entire existence as a bloodsucker and my complete disregard of it. Of course I wished it happened on a drunken night out with the usual stranger following me home, his long coat swaying in the wind, his East European accent making me wonder whether he said ‘my pretty’ or maybe ‘such a pity’ a moment before his fangs pierced my fragile skin. And then imagine the feast—his, not mine—so graceful, so noble, so out-of-a-Dracula-movie, of which I’ve always been a fan. Now, that would’ve taught me a bit more respect of what I was because I wouldn’t have heard Aidan’s growling and slurping like that of a wild, starving animal. I didn’t mind that he turn into an animal, in the figurative sense, when we made out. But when my life’s on the line? Uh, not so much. Aidan didn’t turn me; it was his brother, but it still took me a while to push that darn slurping sound out of my head when he kissed me.
So here’s how I envisioned my new life as a vampire:
I turn from okayish in the looks department to stunningly beautiful like my best friend, Clare. Think porcelain skin, glossy hair, sparkling eyes, you know, the whole shebang.
Miraculously, maybe even over night, I shed ten pounds, preferably from my thighs. And I’m toned in all the right places.
My brain starts to use up its entire capacity rather than a meager ten percent so I can finally beat my brother at Trivial Pursuit. Given that he’s actually an idiot and the moron who pushed me into this situation, that I still can’t beat him isn’t exactly confidence boosting.
My body finally develops some much needed gracefulness and my feet stop tripping over imaginary obstacles.
My four points weren’t really too much to ask for. Sadly, I was still the same chubby klutz Amber, albeit a klutz with the ability to punch a hole into a tree. Aidan said I’d get a few more abilities as I grew stronger, but I couldn’t be sure he wasn’t just saying that to make me feel better.
An initial lack of supernatural talents isn’t the only reason why becoming a vampire shouldn’t be advertised as being all candy and fluffy, white clouds. It had been weeks since Aidan’s ex, vampire Rebecca, bit me in a lunatic revenge attack and almost drained me to death. I survived Rebecca’s attack, but she marked me, binding me to her in the process. I could feel her presence around me when I paid attention to it. At times, it almost felt as though she was standing next to me, watching me, waiting for something to happen. But what? Initially, I thought she was spying on me to see how my relationship with Aidan was turning out. Now I wasn’t so sure since I felt her presence strongest in Aidan’s absence. I would’ve given almost anything to find out what that was all about. Knowing could’ve helped me prepare for the events that were about to unfold because I was sick and tired of bad surprises. I might have an advantage over Rebecca in that I didn’t need blood to survive, but she was the stronger one. The maker was always the most powerful in a group with her blood gradually weakening as it was passed on from generation to generation. Rebecca had turned my boyfriend’s brother, Kieran, and Kieran had turned me. I didn’t harbor the delusion I’d win a battle, but maybe I could outsmart her. At least I could give it a try.
Apart from the constant feeling of being watched, something else was wrong. In the first two weeks after my turning, I felt no hunger or thirst. However, since entering Hell and seeing Rebecca gorge on a pour soul, a strange sense of yearning had been nagging at me, making me have all sorts of weird thoughts. Like starting to like the color red a lot when I was more the black type. Or wondering whether my mortal brother’s blood might just taste as good as it smelled. I knew I should’ve told one of the other vampires about the sudden change going on inside me. But we had so much on our plate right now that I didn’t really find the right time—or the right words. My bloodlust mortified me, so I vowed I’d talk to someone right after Cass’s birthday party, which was a huge deal for her. Not only was she turning eighteen, she was finally getting her fallen angel powers, whatever those might be. And it was her last day of freedom. At the stroke of midnight, she’d be forever bound to Hell. Or until my brother married her. Knowing Dallas and his commitment phobia, I was ready to bet my meager wages on the ‘forever bound to Hell’ part.
So, you see, that’s why being a vampire sucks. After a short period of no hunger or pain, I was slowly starting to morph into a blood-crazed lunatic, who might decide to wipe out a whole town. And if that ever happened, Aidan could just stake me in the heart because I’d never be able to live with myself knowing I had sucked dry innocent people.
I had been inspecting myself in the mirror for the last half an hour, changing in and out of clothes to find something that would suit my new paleness. And by ‘paleness’ I’m not talking about the usual lack of tan in winter. I mean a full blown, white as a ghost look that apparently comes with being a vampire. For a girl who likes a bit of a tan, it’s kind of hard to adjust, so I applied another layer of bronzer.
“You know what you look like, right?” my boyfriend, Aidan, said from the bed.
I made a pirouette in my skimpy black dress that made my waist appear at least two inches smaller—or so I hoped. “A fashion model?”
“Uh—” Aidan hesitated “—yeah, that’s exactly what I thought.”
I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm at his unspoken comparison with a clown. Aidan didn’t like me wearing a lot of a makeup. In fact, he didn’t like me wearing anything at all. I knew because he was my bonded mate and, after a few weeks of dating, we were already so close I could sense his thoughts. The good, the bad, and the naughty.
“You’re lucky you’re tall, dark, and handsome. Otherwise, I just might be tempted to throw you out the window with my newfound strength. I’ve been dying to test it out,” I said.
Aidan laughed. “I’m not just dating a hot chick but a dangerous one as well. Aren’t I a lucky sod?”
He sure knew how to make a girl feel special. I grinned and jumped into his arms, burying my heavily painted face into his neck.
“Whoa, what are you doing?” Aidan asked, pushing me away.
“What?”
“I lost my very best housekeeper—” he coughed trying to hide his laughter “—recently. Remember?”
I didn’t work for him very long, but he still poked fun at my housekeeping skills. “So?”
“So, who’s going to wash my clothes now? That makeup stuff’s even harder to remove than blood.”
“And how exactly do you know that?” I cocked a brow and regarded him amused. He turned a very attractive shade of red.
“Let’s just say, feeding from a bag of Type O blood from The Red Cross can be a bit messy when you turn into a ravenous monster.”
“I wondered what that ravenous monster used to do before he went vegetarian.”
“Lucky for us, the Shadow spell worked and you’ll never know,” Aidan muttered.
I fidgeted. I really hoped he was right because I never wanted to find out what drinking from a bag of blood feels like, let alone right from the living source. I patted his back. “I used to think someone needed a dribble bib,” I said, trying to lighten up his mood. “But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”
“What secret’s safe with you?” Kieran asked from the door. Aidan’s gaze snapped in his brother’s direction. I was still amazed how much they looked alike. If it weren’t for Kieran’s bulkier physique and his eyes being a slightly paler shade of blue, they could’ve been twins. Now, personality wise they couldn’t be more different. Aidan was the responsible one while Kieran couldn’t stop hitting on anything wearing a skirt—or sponging off his brother’s money. Still, I liked him a lot. He was fun to be around because he understood my sense of humor. Or so he pretended. You could never be sure with Kieran.
I opened my mouth to speak when Aidan shot me a warning glare. “Don’t you dare!”
“What?” I shrugged and walked over to Kieran, pretending to push him out of the room as I whispered, “Your brother knows a lot about makeup.”
“You’re so mean.” Aidan’s arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back toward the bed. I tumbled into the sheets in a fit of giggles with Aidan on top of me. His fingers reached the ticklish spot under my armpits. I burst out in laughter. Two tears rolled down my cheeks as I draped my legs around him to stop the attack.
“Get a room!” I heard Kieran say.
“We have one. It’s right here,” Aidan said, nibbling my ear.
“When you come up for air, I’ll be downstairs wrapping She-devil’s birthday present. She won’t be pleased to hear you missed her big day because you couldn’t stop making out.”
Aidan’s tongue began to swirl up and down my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “Kieran, seriously, go to hell!” I said.
“Without you? I thought we were all going together. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. Just don’t spend another hour putting on your makeup. Remember it’s going to melt off in the 120 degrees heat.”
“Come on, bro. Get out!” Aidan growled.
Kieran shook his head, grinning. “So much love’s just gross. I hope it’s not contagious.” And then the door slammed shut and I was alone with Aidan and his hot lips searching mine. I let him draw me into a tight embrace and surrendered to his mouth. The thought that I’d indeed need to apply my makeup all over again crossed my mind, but a canoodle with Aidan was well worth going the extra mile and risking Cass’s wrath in case we arrived late.
* * *
A half hour later we were finally ready to leave. Thrain, a demon and shape shifter we had grown close to in the last few weeks, picked us up in his SUV and drove us to the nearest portal through which we’d leave this world behind. We went off-road speeding over uneven terrain and into the woods with timber and rock crunching under the tires. The vehicle turned left and my head bumped into Aidan, giving me whiplash like I never experienced before. I blinked as Thrain plowed right into a shallow river. The water splashed on the windows, reminding me of a tidal wave. And I thought Kieran was a horrible driver.
Although this wasn’t the first time I entered Hell, I still marveled at how fast one could move up through the different dimensions of the living, the dead, and the trapped. I wasn’t sure I liked how easy it was to leave the relative safety of the physical world behind.
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Thrain said, probably reading my thoughts.
I slumped into Aidan’s arms, ignoring the shape shifter. Hell was ‘home, sweet home’ for him. My first experience in Cass’s world was anything but nice, what with Rebecca attacking an innocent soul and my brother dying in there.
Eventually, the air crackled from the telltale charged particles, the earth trembled beneath the tires, and then we drove through the portal. I swear my heart skipped a beat, that is, if it was still beating since I was a vampire, meaning dead and all.
I grabbed the birthday present decorated with an oversized bow and lots of pink ribbon, and exited the car. The air was too hot to breathe. Not even so much as a breeze stirred. Sweat immediately started to trickle down my back, and I realized Kieran was right. My makeup wouldn’t hold in a million years. I coughed a few times to get rid of the scratching sensation in my throat and followed Thrain past the Boulders of Hell to the huge mansion in the distance.
With its dark red brick, tiny turrets and the living stone gargoyles guarding the perimeter, the house looked even scarier than I remembered it. One of the gargoyles turned its head and peered at me through glowing red eyes, making me flinch. They were butt-ugly demons that could bite one’s limbs off in a heartbeat with their razor sharp. I swallowed hard and grabbed Aidan’s arm for support, ready to push him in front of me in case the demon gargoyle decided to attack. Not that I didn’t love my boyfriend and wouldn’t miss him, but I figured he was older and probably had the vampire ability to grow back a limb. I had yet to learn how to do that.
The house was filled with people I didn’t know. The previously posh interior looked like someone decided to turn it into a Barbie dollhouse with silver, handwritten happy birthday banners adorning the otherwise white walls. Red roses dipped in glitter and sparkling crystal flutes caught the light of the chandeliers. The worst, however, was the music blaring through the speakers: Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday on replay.
“What’s that noise?” Aidan shouted in my ear.
“It’s Cass singing. What did you expect?”
I grinned and pointed at the door where Cass was just about to make her grand entrance in a shimmery, silver, floor-length gown that clashed with her red, unruly locks. As she reached us she began to sing at the top of her lungs, “And the whole day should be spent in full remembrance ‘cause tomorrow I’ll be bound to this shoe sole and forced into obedience. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday.”
I stared at her, lost for words.
“Did she just stay she’ll be bound to a shoe sole?” Aidan asked.
“I think it was rat hole.”
“I said shit hole.” Cass took a deep gulp from the glass she was holding, the red liquid staining her lips. I could only hope it wasn’t wine because, technically, she was still seventeen. “See what I’m going to be stuck with for the rest of my existence? It’s like turning the clock back when I was just a kid living with my parents, except that now I’m an adult, and forced to waste my time with him.” She pointed at the handsome guy who winked at us. He wasn’t just any guy but the devil himself. It seemed Lucifer had been granted his wish and now his little daughter was running Hell.
I grabbed her in a short hug and rubbed a hand over her back to soothe her. “Awesome party, Cass.” I meant every word of it because the music was slowly starting to draw me in, making me want to sing along and spin in a circle and laugh my head off playing stupid birthday games.
“I see you found the electricity socket,” Kieran said, squeezing Cass’s arm.
“What?” She pulled away from me and narrowed her gaze.
Kieran pointed at her hair, smirking. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh because her locks did look a bit like someone gave her an electric shock, or elbow Kieran in the ribs for being an idiot and trying to ruin her day. It wasn’t the poor girl’s fault she lived in this relentless heat that would make straightening anyone’s hair impossible.
“Did you leave your brain at the door?” Cass slapped her forehead. “Oh, wait. You couldn’t have since you don’t actually own one.”
“That’s because it had to go in search of yours to wish it a happy birthday,” Kieran said, grinning.
Aidan leaned in to whisper in my ear, “Are you sure she didn’t end up with the wrong guy? I could’ve sworn my brother and she are meant to be together.”
“I know. Such a waste, huh? Imagine their weekends together.” I clicked my tongue. “Domestic bliss.”
“Come on, let’s mingle. Maybe we’ll find your brother. I need to talk to him.” Aidan pulled me after him into the hallway. Even though I didn’t like him telling me what to do, I gave in as I spied my friend and voodoo priestess, Sofia, in the distance. By the time we squeezed our way through the huge, crowded mansion, she had disappeared out of sight and my feet were killing me. I swear it wasn’t just my fangs that grew an inch or two.
“I’m going to the restroom,” I said to Aidan.
“Why? You look absolutely flawless, my love.”
“Aren’t you the sweetest?” I rose on my toes to give him a kiss, but barely reached his chin.
He smiled. “I don’t know why you need to mess with perfection, but just hurry. I hate being alone with all these demons. And babysitting Kieran is a full time job.”
The last part was definitely true, however, I couldn’t help him out. If I didn’t squeeze out of my high heels soon, my feet might just explode. I had to ask a few demons aka the service personnel for directions, but reached the toilet eventually. As soon as I was inside, I locked the door and kicked my high heels off. You’d think as a vampire I was way past developing blisters and blotchy skin. Fat chance.
I sat down on the toilet seat and inspected my throbbing feet. My toes were sore where the leather straps had cut in and two small blisters had already formed. Jumping on one leg, I walked over to the sink to soak a tissue in cold water, then pressed it against the wounds as I inspected my face in the mirror. In the bright light of the lamp, I realized Aidan was right. My heavy makeup did look a bit like war paint. The black eyeliner had smudged all around my eyes, and you could see every fine line, making me look way older than my eighteen years. But the light in the living room wasn’t as harsh, so it probably gave me the sultry smoky eye effect I read about in Cosmo. I peered down at my tight dress, wondering why I hadn’t bothered to put on seamless underwear, when something, like a dark shadow, moved across the mirror.
“What the heck?” Startled, I took a step back, only to inch forward again to inspect the smooth surface. A thin layer of charcoal gray smoke seemed to seep out of the mirror and spread across the counter. I raised my hand to touch it. A warm sensation washed over me where my fingers dived in. Uneasiness settled in the pit of my stomach, but I shrugged it off. Maybe it was part of Cass’s show. Or maybe she was pissed because I didn’t check out her fabulous birthday cake the second I came in the door. As a fallen angel who loved chaos, she was unpredictable and hooked on drama and special effects.
“Amber.” A whisper somewhere behind me. I turned my head sharply, wondering why I hadn’t noticed before that someone was in the same room with me. And that’s when I felt the shove, like a punch between my shoulder blades that made me lose my balance. I tumbled forward and hit the wall. Wincing, I pushed up to my feet and scanned the room. No one here. It didn’t make any sense. I knew someone had hit me. I wasn’t going bonkers. Then again, I was a vampire. Basically, my body was dead; maybe my brain was slowly starting to follow suit.
The fog began to shift and take shape as it inched closer. I squinted to get a better look, and for a moment, I almost thought I caught a glimpse of a woman’s face. And then it dissipated again, only to gather around me, traveling up my body a moment later. Something cold touched my face. I let out a shriek. My heart began to pump harder. My hands reached up to protect my face, but it was too late. As the fog engulfed me, I could feel it inside my mouth and nose, like smoke from a fire travelling down my throat. The sensation of something burnt drove tears to my eye and made me cough. For a second, I could barely breathe, and then the air cleared and the scratchy sensation in my throat was gone.
I opened my eyes, only now realizing I must’ve closed them at some point. The bathroom looked just as before. Tidy. Deserted. No sign of the fog or a fire that might’ve caused the smoke. Squeezing back into my high heels, I moistened my wrists under the cold-water faucet to steady my racing heart, and left the bathroom in search of Aidan. The horrid Happy Birthday song from before had been replaced with something more modern played at a mellow volume. I found my boyfriend engrossed in conversation with voodoo priestess, Sofia.