THE VAMPIRE IN THE TREE
2154 Words
Elara had imagined many terrible ways her day could get worse.
Being told a vampire prince was coming for her had not made the list.
Neither had finding his sister nailed to a tree.
Yet twenty minutes later, Elara stood in the eastern clearing of Nightfall territory staring at exactly that.
Seraphina Draven was beautiful even covered in blood.
Long black hair hung in tangled waves around her shoulders. Her skin was pale, almost glowing against the dark bark behind her.
Two iron spikes had been driven through her palms.
A third pierced her shoulder.
Her head drooped forward.
Blood stained the front of her torn white dress.
Elara's stomach turned.
“Who does this to someone?”
Maeve stood beside her.
“Someone trying to send a message.”
Kael moved closer.
“Or start a war.”
Several Nightfall guards surrounded the clearing.
None approached the vampire.
Darius had ordered them back.
Apparently injured vampires were still dangerous vampires.
Elara understood the caution.
She didn't agree with leaving Seraphina hanging there.
“Get her down.”
Kael looked at her.
“We don't know if this is a trap.”
“She has nails through her hands.”
“Vampires heal.”
“Not with iron inside them.”
Maeve nodded.
“She's right. Iron slows their regeneration.”
Elara took another step.
Kael caught her elbow.
She gave him a look.
He immediately released her.
Progress.
“I'm coming with you.”
“You're exhausting.”
“You can complain while I help.”
Before she could answer, Seraphina's head lifted.
Her eyes opened.
Crimson.
Every wolf in the clearing growled.
The vampire smiled weakly.
“Well.”
Her voice was rough.
“This is welcoming.”
Kael moved in front of Elara.
Seraphina's eyes landed on him.
“Alpha puppy.”
Kael's jaw tightened.
“Future Alpha.”
“Congratulations.”
She looked unimpressed.
Then her gaze shifted.
Straight to Elara.
Everything about her changed.
The humor disappeared.
Her red eyes widened.
“You.”
Elara stopped.
“You asked for me.”
Seraphina stared as though she'd seen a ghost.
“You're real.”
Elara frowned.
“I'd hope so.”
A weak laugh escaped the vampire.
“Lucien is going to lose his mind.”
Elara didn't particularly like the sound of that.
“Why?”
Seraphina ignored her.
“Get these out.”
She lifted one bloodied hand as much as the spike allowed.
“Please.”
Elara looked toward Maeve.
“Can we?”
Maeve studied the markings around the nails.
“Carefully.”
Elara approached.
Kael followed close enough that she could feel him behind her.
Seraphina noticed.
“So protective.”
Elara sighed.
“He's confused.”
Kael muttered something behind her.
Seraphina smiled.
“I like you already.”
Elara examined the first spike.
Symbols had been carved into the iron.
“Maeve?”
Maeve crouched beside her.
“Binding runes.”
“Witch magic?”
“Yes.”
Seraphina's expression darkened.
“Not ordinary witch magic.”
Maeve looked at her.
“You recognize it?”
“I've seen something similar.”
“Where?”
Seraphina's eyes flicked toward Elara.
“Later.”
Elara was becoming increasingly tired of that word.
Maeve wrapped her hand around the spike.
Blue light covered her fingers.
“Hold her arm.”
Elara did.
Seraphina's skin was cold.
Almost freezing.
“Ready?”
“No,” Seraphina said.
Maeve yanked.
The spike slid free.
Seraphina screamed.
Kael grabbed Elara around the waist and pulled her back as the vampire's fangs dropped.
Seraphina's eyes burned bright red.
Then slowly returned to normal.
“I wasn't going to bite her.”
Kael didn't let go.
“You grew fangs.”
“Pain response.”
“She smells like blood.”
“So do you.”
Elara elbowed Kael.
“Release me.”
He did.
Seraphina studied them.
Then smiled.
“Interesting.”
Elara pointed at her.
“Whatever you're thinking, don't.”
“Oh, I am absolutely thinking it.”
“Second spike,” Maeve said.
They removed it.
Then the third.
Seraphina collapsed.
Elara caught her.
The vampire weighed almost nothing.
Her head fell against Elara's shoulder.
Kael growled.
Seraphina opened one eye.
“Possessive too.”
“He rejected me.”
The words escaped before Elara thought about them.
Seraphina became completely still.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
“He did what?”
Elara instantly regretted answering.
“Nothing.”
“No.”
Seraphina stared at Kael.
“You rejected her?”
Kael's face hardened.
“This isn't your concern.”
“Oh, it absolutely is now.”
She looked at Elara again.
“You're his mate?”
Elara sighed.
“Technically.”
Seraphina blinked.
Then she started laughing.
Actually laughing.
Blood ran down her arm while she laughed.
Kael looked offended.
Elara was beginning to enjoy this.
“What exactly is funny?”
Seraphina wiped blood from her lip.
“My brother is going to kill you.”
Kael growled.
Seraphina shrugged.
“Probably slowly.”
Darius stepped forward.
“Why would Lucien Draven care who my son rejects?”
Seraphina's humor disappeared.
She looked at Elara.
“Because she's the reason I'm here.”
Elara frowned.
“I don't know you.”
“No.”
Seraphina leaned against the tree.
“But someone knows you.”
Maeve stepped closer.
“Who attacked you?”
“I never saw their faces.”
“How many?”
“Four.”
“Species?”
Seraphina hesitated.
“That is where things become interesting.”
Elara crossed her arms.
“I'm listening.”
“One smelled like wolf.”
Kael's posture changed.
“One smelled like witch.”
Maeve's eyes narrowed.
“And the others?”
Seraphina's expression became uneasy.
“One was vampire.”
Darius cursed.
A mixed group.
That alone made little sense.
“What about the fourth?” Elara asked.
Seraphina looked directly at her.
“I couldn't smell anything.”
Elara's skin prickled.
“Nothing?”
“Not human. Not wolf. Not witch. Not vampire.”
“What did it look like?”
“A man.”
“That's helpful.”
“He wore a hood.”
“Less helpful.”
Seraphina's mouth twitched.
“He knew my name. He knew my brother's. He knew this territory.”
Darius frowned.
“What did he want?”
“To deliver me.”
“To Elara?”
“Yes.”
Elara stared.
“Why?”
Seraphina took a slow breath.
“He said the queen needed a gift before meeting her prince.”
Silence.
Kael growled.
“No.”
Elara glanced at him.
“No what?”
“I don't like that sentence.”
“Neither do I.”
Seraphina looked between them.
“You two have a complicated situation.”
“That is none of your business,” Kael said.
“Everything interesting eventually becomes my business.”
Maeve sighed.
“I see why your brother keeps you guarded.”
Seraphina's smile vanished.
“My brother doesn't guard me.”
“No?”
“He imprisons me beautifully.”
That changed the mood.
Elara looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
Seraphina glanced toward the guards.
“Not here.”
Darius folded his arms.
“You're in my territory. You'll answer questions.”
Seraphina's red eyes sharpened.
“And you are speaking to a princess of the Midnight Court.”
Darius's wolf pushed beneath his skin.
Seraphina's fangs appeared.
Elara stepped between them.
“Can everyone stop measuring supernatural egos for five minutes?”
Both stared at her.
“Thank you.”
Maeve hid a smile.
Elara turned toward Seraphina.
“You said your brother is coming for me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Wonderful.”
“I know why he started looking.”
Elara waited.
Seraphina's expression became serious.
“Three nights ago, Lucien woke screaming.”
Maeve frowned.
“Vampires sleep?”
“Sometimes.”
“Continue.”
Seraphina looked at Elara.
“He said he felt someone calling him.”
Elara's stomach tightened.
“I wasn't.”
“He didn't say you were.”
“What did he feel?”
Seraphina hesitated.
“A bond.”
Kael went completely still.
Darius swore under his breath.
Elara blinked.
“What kind of bond?”
“My brother didn't know.”
Seraphina studied her carefully.
“But it terrified him.”
“That makes no sense.”
“No.”
Her gaze dropped toward Elara's chest.
“Until now.”
Elara touched the empty place where her necklace once sat.
Seraphina noticed.
“Where is it?”
“What?”
“The pendant.”
Elara froze.
“How do you know about my necklace?”
Seraphina stared at her.
“I've seen it.”
Elara's heartbeat jumped.
“Where?”
Seraphina looked toward Darius.
Then Maeve.
Neither moved.
Finally she answered.
“In the Midnight Court.”
Elara's breath caught.
“My necklace?”
“A picture of it.”
“Why?”
Seraphina swallowed.
“It hangs in my father's private library.”
Darius's expression darkened.
Maeve whispered, “Impossible.”
Seraphina continued.
“There's a painting.”
Elara stepped closer.
“Of what?”
“A woman wearing your pendant.”
Elara's chest tightened.
“What woman?”
Seraphina looked suddenly uncomfortable.
“I don't know her name.”
“Describe her.”
“Dark hair. Amber eyes.”
Elara's knees weakened.
“My mother.”
Maeve grabbed her hand.
Seraphina's expression softened.
“She looks like you.”
Hope hurt.
Elara hated how much it hurt.
“Is she alive?”
Seraphina stared.
“I don't know.”
“Have you seen her?”
“No.”
“Has Lucien?”
“I don't know.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Your family had something to do with her disappearance.”
Seraphina's fangs dropped.
“Careful, wolf.”
“We found vampire blood when she vanished.”
“Then perhaps ask the vampire whose blood it was.”
Darius's face changed.
Seraphina noticed.
“You know whose.”
Darius said nothing.
Elara turned toward him.
“You said House Draven.”
“I said the blood belonged to their bloodline.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“No.”
Her anger returned.
“Whose blood?”
Darius looked at Seraphina.
She suddenly appeared interested too.
“Darius.”
He exhaled.
“King Alaric Draven.”
Seraphina's face went blank.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“The blood matched royal archives.”
Seraphina shook her head.
“My father was in Europe twenty years ago.”
“Apparently not.”
She stepped toward him.
“You're lying.”
“I have no reason to.”
Seraphina's eyes turned red.
“My father would never enter wolf territory secretly.”
Darius laughed.
“Your father has entered many places secretly.”
A sound tore through the forest.
Not a howl.
Not thunder.
Something deeper.
Every wolf turned toward the northern border.
Seraphina's face changed.
She whispered, “Too late.”
Elara looked at her.
“What?”
The air became cold.
Then came a scent.
Not cedar.
Not rain.
Not smoke.
Something darker.
Night air.
Leather.
And blood.
Elara's entire body froze.
Her heart slammed once.
Then again.
Something inside her awakened.
Not the angry presence she'd felt since the rejection.
Something else.
A pull.
Powerful.
Ancient.
Hungry.
Kael suddenly staggered.
He grabbed his chest.
“Elara?”
She couldn't answer.
Because she felt it too.
A strange thread wrapped around her heart.
Then tightened.
Seraphina stared at her.
“Oh, no.”
Maeve whispered, “What?”
Seraphina backed away.
“Oh, this is bad.”
The wolves surrounding the clearing began growling.
A man stepped between the trees.
Tall.
Black coat.
Dark hair.
His face was unnaturally beautiful.
His eyes were almost black.
Until he looked at Elara.
Then they turned crimson.
Every vampire story Elara had ever heard suddenly felt inadequate.
Lucien Draven stopped at the edge of the clearing.
His gaze locked onto her.
Kael moved in front of Elara.
Lucien's eyes immediately dropped to him.
A low growl escaped his throat.
Kael answered.
Seraphina whispered, “Please don't kill each other.”
Neither man listened.
Then Lucien looked at Elara again.
The invisible thread around her heart pulled tighter.
His expression changed.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Then something dangerously close to recognition.
He whispered one word.
“Mine.”
Elara's eyes narrowed.
Absolutely not.
She stepped around Kael.
“Try that again.”
Lucien blinked.
Elara folded her arms.
“I have had a very bad twenty-four hours, so I'm going to save us both some trouble.”
She pointed at him.
“I don't belong to you.”
For the first time in perhaps three hundred years, Prince Lucien Draven looked completely speechless.
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