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I step forward, searching for the memories he spoke of, but they were nowhere to be found.
“Was I her slave? Were Tessa and I able to stay together?”
He frowned. “Well…yes, for a while. You see, when a human is turned into one of us, their mind’s change. Tessa changed. What the two of you went through during her newborn stage was more than most vampires or humans could come back from. Sayer raped the both of you repeatedly. During that time, the two of you drifted apart. Tessa tried to make you love her Hunter, but you couldn’t see that with your human mind. She killed for you, and yet you saw her as a monster. It was little things like this that drove her into Marko’s arms. It also had you stabbing her through the heart with a blessed dagger. You killed her, Prince, and then you shoved a gun in your mouth and you pulled the trigger. It was only because of Sayer’s blood that you didn’t die.”
“But he’s dead, right? This, Sayer?” Just the mention of his name had my pulse pounding into my chest. I couldn’t stomach the thought of him. It brought out the killer in me. Made him almost impossible to get control of.
“He is. You killed him.”
“Good.” I breathed out. “What happened, then?”
“You dedicated your life to killing our kind. To killing Marko and each and every one of us. I came to you once and I showed you Tessa still lived. You tried to kill yourself again, but you weren’t able to through the state I had you in. You hated us. All the while, you never knew what it was to be a vampire.” He came closer. “Do you hate us still?”
My head went to shake, but stopped. “I…did. When the women tried to kill me and I was locked outside. I hated you all. But when I was lost and I saw Boyd, something changed. It only grew when I saw Tessa. I wanted to be here. I want her.”
“You wanted nothing but to kill her before you were turned. And the same for her. She wants you dead, Prince. Her vampire can’t help but plot revenge for what you did. I can see her struggles. She is even tempered where you are not. You are like Marko in that way. You’re both quick to react. If Tessalyn were free of both of you there would be no doubt in my mind that she would take my place. As it is, the plans I have set doesn’t quite put her in that position. Tessa will stay mated to Marko.”
“No. That won’t do. She can leave with us. She can be mine.”
Aetas’ eyebrows rose. “I do believe I make the rules here, and no, she will not. Tessa will run this city for quite a while longer and you will come with me and focus on your lessons.”
“You can’t make me go with you.”
“I am your leader and your maker! I can do whatever I want with you.” Aetas was gone so fast that I couldn’t process his disappearance before he was before me with his hand locked around my throat. “Never forget who holds your life in their hands, Prince. I gave you my blood. I can very well drain you of every last drop you hold.”
My hands shot up trying my hardest to pull against his grasp, but it was too strong. He wasn’t even straining and yet I couldn’t break free. Survival had my mind going. Heat surfaced in the pit of my stomach and I pulled at it, searching for something I didn’t even know.
“That’s it,” he whispered. “Show me what you’re made of.” His palm slammed against my stomach and I screamed through the blaze that ignited. I could feel him tugging against some sort of invisible thread that seemed to be linking me to who I was. The fire moved up behind my eyes and I growled through the inferno.
“There’s your vampire. Black eyes, just like Tessa. You’re so much alike when you’re pushed to your limits. Do it, Hunter. Unleash what is inside of you.”
Dark smoke began to drift between us, swirling through the air as it thickened. Was that coming from me? From my opened mouth? It rose higher, spanning across the ceiling, crawling over the surface as if it were alive.
“Yes! More.”
The greed was evident in Aetas’ tone. I tried to yell again as he pulled against what I was made of, jerking the connection tightly. In a burst, I let the rage burst free from me. Black smoke poured out so thick that I could barely see him anymore. My body was shaking from the force I used to try to make him stop. I couldn’t breathe through his tight grasp and I wanted him dead. I wanted to hurt him the worst way possible.
My eyes went back to the smoke and I drew it in around him, imagining it as a physical power to push him away. Aetas swayed, but held his ground. Just at the realization of what I was doing, I pictured it being stronger. Impossibly so. I pulled the darkness back, launching it toward his body with everything I had. One minute he was there, the next—gone. And not just from where he had stood before me….but from the room.
I searched the area, panicked as I coughed. My throat was so tight. So raw, from not only the choking, but from the smoke.
“I’m not impressed,”Aetas said, re-appearing feet away with his hands crossed over his chest. “You’re brute force and no brains. Tessa blows you away with her abilities, even from the very beginning. Maybe I’m making the wrong choice. If it wouldn’t ruin her, I’d kill both you and Marko and be done with this once and for all. She’s the real leader. I thought you stood a chance, but you’re not as smart. You’re passionate, yes, but that will not make up for instinct. God dammit!”
Aetas paced as we glared at each other.
“You’ll rule Dallas upon the rebuild. You can rule, that’s not the problem. But I don’t think you’ll have it in you to lead our kind. You’re going to have a lot to prove to me in our lessons to convince me otherwise.”
“What if I don’t want your lessons?”
An evil smile stretched across his face and I braced myself for him to come at me again. “You don’t have a choice. I’m starting them right now. Lesson number one, Hunter.” Aetas’ hand rose and he looked up at the cement ceiling. “Time to stir things up from above. You need to see what your competition is capable of. How far do you think the princess will go to protect her people when she really has to fight to survive? Is she willing to sacrifice herself like she said?”
Chapter 7
Marko
The multiple thrum of pulses from outside had me frowning as I stopped just short of the east entrance. It was the same at the north. There were humans outside of both and from the complete silence, I didn’t doubt these were professionals. They were calm, collected, unlike the impatient rebels that tried to attack on occasion.
My head tilted back even more and I took the smallest step forward to peer into the light coming down from the grate above. I knew the only reason they hadn’t acted out yet was because of the intense uneasiness they were feeling from Tessa’s shield. It would have instilled a fear so great that it would have been impossible for them to act upon. Maybe one or two would try to brave coming down, but I doubted they’d do it if they weren’t being accompanied by their team.
