Blood and Snow 12: Vampire Ever After? (4 page)

“For everything. Being a great friend, an amazing boyfriend, and, well…” I pulled back so I could see his face. “Thanks for being you.”

He blinked in surprise. “You’
re welcome, Snowflake.”

Chapter 6

I closed the door, and kneeled in the middle of the star. Then I lit the candles the old fashioned way.
With a lighter. When I was finished, I tossed the lighter outside the circle, and sat.

It occurred
to me that I was breaking my promise to Christopher. He’d asked me not to leave without telling him, but this couldn’t be helped. I wouldn’t put him or anyone else in jeopardy.

Plus, my idea might not even work.
I had no clue how to get into or leave Sharra. In the past, it just sort of happened. But I needed to try. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that there were seven points to the star, and there were seven magics. That meant something. It had too.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on
the realm of Sharra. The castle. The bedroom where I kissed Christopher. The bathroom where I saw and spoke to Zenny in the mirror. His flamboyant clothes. Focused on the smells of Sharra—magic and rosemary.

And blood.

I don’t know how long I sat like that. Visualizing everything I remembered about the castle, but after a time my mind started to wander. I started thinking about the little cottage near the edge of the forest. The trees and foliage. The bush where hundreds of pixilettes rested. I recalled the smells, the babbling brook, the way the ground was soft with moss.

I realized I was no longer in my room.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes. I was in front of a cottage. The place Christopher brought me when I’d been poisoned. My heart lurched with joy.

I did it. I was in Sharra.

Standing, I went over to the hut, and climbed the steps. Dirt covered the window, and I used a hand to wipe it away. Then I peered in.

It was small, but looked homey.

A small kitchen, with a stove, a sink, and a tiny wooden island. Copper pots hung above it. The floor was wood. To the right of the kitchen was a little living area. A wooden rocking chair stood next to a rock hearth. Beneath it was a furry carpet, in the shape of a bear. Another window was along the wall on the side of the house. A table rested against the wall, under the window. In the center was a vase. Inside were two dead flowers. They could’ve been daisies. But it was hard to tell. Most of the petals had fallen, and surrounded the vase.

For some reason the
children’s song,
Ring Around the Rosy
, came to mind. I’d learned in World Civilization that the supposedly sweet song taught to children everywhere wasn’t sweet at all. It was about the bubonic plague, and death.

Perhaps it was the way the petals touched each other, as though they were holding hands
, like the children did as they sang the song. Or maybe it was the wilted stems in the vase. I didn’t know, but it filled my stomach with dread.

Maybe I should’ve brought Christopher with me, I thought nervously. But it was too late. I was
already in Sharra, and I wasn’t leaving until the Vampire Queen was gone or stepped down.

I snorted.

It was doubtful she would step down.

“Snow.” The voice was
minute and high, like a light gasp of the wind. It made me jump. I spun in its direction, and saw Ryden. Behind her was a flurry of hundreds of pixilettes, including Arianna and Eon.

The pixilette looked surprisingly young for being more than six thousand. “You startled me,” I said, clutching my hands together.

Eon laughed, and the others joined in, like hundreds of bells tolling the end. Ryden turned, and glared. They stopped abruptly, except Eon, who covered his mouth.

“Sorry, Snow.” Her features radiated
tenacity. It was clear she had something to say.

“What is it?” I asked, holding out a hand, palm facing up. She landed, and sat on the edge, where my palm met my wrist.

“Ahhhh,” she sighed. “I’m too old for this nonsense. But I am glad you’ve finally come.” She shielded her eyes from the blazing sun and turned her face up. “You are here to dispose of Sharra. Yes?”

I swallowed. Abernathy seemed to believe Sharra could be rehabilitated. If it were possible, I would certainly try. “I’m here to help her see the truth,” I said, my voice quivering.

She laughed, but it wasn’t because she was happy. “I see,” she said with a grunt as she stood. “Well, we will assist in whatever capacity we can. What are your intentions then?”

I glanced at the others and further, beyond the trees. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of magical creatures—elves, unicorns, fairies, and trolls—hovered in the shadows. Listening.

Ryden lifted into the air, and turned. “Their fates are in your hands,” she said.

I swallowed. “I know. I’m going to
speak with Sharra. See what she has to say. I will do right by them.” I waved a hand toward them. “I’ll do right by you,” I added. Then to Ryden, I went on, “They will be freed one way or another.”

Ryden bowed. “Sharra is at the castle. She’s been completely out of sorts.
Worse than usual. Until last night. I don’t know what’s changed, but my spies inform me she’s ecstatic about something. So be careful.”

“Thank you, Ryden.” I stepped of
f the porch, and moved toward the castle.

The pixilette
landed on my shoulder. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I was touched by her offer. And I did want her company. But I wouldn’t be putting her or anyone else in harms way. I was the Seal.
Dealing with the Vampire Queen was my responsibility. I would handle her alone.

“You’re welcome to come as far as the castle. After that,
I’ll go by myself.”

Chapter 7

I said goodbye to Ryden, and opened the front door. No sense trying to hide or be secretive. That would moot my point. I wanted her know I was here.
The sooner the better.

“How lovely of you to come
, Snow White. Although, if you had any manners, you would’ve knocked.” The Vampire Queen stood in the center of a large rock foyer. I realized I’d never seen the castle from the front, the way visitors might. It was extravagant, with heavy red material draped along the top. An enormous chandelier, lit by lanterns, hung in the center. From the foyer were four different hallways. Double stairs circled to a second floor.

But,
I wasn’t there to be civil. This wasn’t about niceties. It was about the messy, ugliness of war. The Unknowns thought to kill me, and everyone in the world, to restore magical balance. I hoped my way would be kinder, less cruel.

That was yet to be seen.

“You know why I’m here. What I want.” It was a statement. I could see by the conceited haughtiness on her face, she knew this was the end. After today, our lives would be altered. She believed my body would be hers.

The power of the Seal pulsed
through my veins, spread through me like wildfire.

“Why don’t you
come into my drawing room? I can see it’s been days since you’ve had blood. You shouldn’t starve yourself. It’ll make you weak.

I flinched. It had been a while.

The idea of blood sounded amazing.

Sharra seemed to
sense my need. A goblet filled with red liquid appeared in one of her hands.

I
t was blood. The scent wafted to my nose. My fangs grew inside my mouth.

Just a taste, my inner voice cooed.

“I don’t want it, Sharra.”

Her lips were painted a
bright red. Thick, but perfectly placed eye shadow adorned her eyelids. Her long, black hair had been curled, and was piled atop her head. A slightly curled tendril snaked down either side of her face. Light blush covered her otherwise porcelain complexion. She wore a floor length red velvet dress. A black leather corset bound around her waist, and ribcage. It pushed her breasts together, giving her all kinds of cleavage.

She smiled. “Fine. More for me.” And she tipped the glass, gulping down the contents.
A drop fell on her chest. She snapped her fingers, and a Drone vampire appeared from one of the hallways. He placed his arms behind his back, and slowly licked the blood from her.

I turned away, embarrassed.
My throat burned with longing. I swallowed. “Are you ready to call it quits?” I asked, as soon as she sent the vampire away.

She giggled
, like I’d told a hilarious joke.

I
felt like an idiot. Why would she abandon her way of life? She’d been winning for more than six millennia. Why change what worked so well?

“Is that what you want?
Me to quit?” She took a step toward me.

I nodded. “Yes.
Let the creatures have their magic back. Allow balance to be restored.”

“And what happens if I agree? Do you kill me? What’s your plan, dear
Snow?”

I turned my attention to her
pointy black shoes. I couldn’t meet her eyes. The truth was, I didn’t know. Up until this point, I’d done what I was told.

Someone told me I was the Seal, and
that I needed to rebuild the magics. I believed them. Someone told me to see Abernathy, I did it. Someone said, go see Sharra, I agreed.

What did I want? What was right?

“Ugh.” I stepped toward Sharra. “You got anymore blood?” I figured I might as well enjoy some.

The empty glass refilled. “Of course.” Her smile grew bigger when I took it and chugged
every drop. When it was gone, she took the glass, and it vanished. “I have something to show you.” She wrapped her chilly fingers around my forearm, and we whooshed into the round room. I’d been in there once before.

Hundreds
of female Worker vampires sat on what looked like rock bleachers. Opposite the door were two thrones. To the right was a group of girls. A sheet of ice blue magic surrounded them. The girls seemed tattered. Beat down. Their clothes were dirty, as was their hair and their bodies.

“Who are they?” I asked, but I knew as soon a
s the words left my mouth. They were the other Marked. She’d rounded them up like cattle. Girls, like me, who were Marked at a young age, and then bitten by their Hunter. I could tell some were already full-fledged vampires. They must’ve drunk from their Hunter, and humans. The rest were revenants.

In particular, o
ne full-fledged vampire stood out. She was regal. Tall. Brown skin. Straight, black hair. And eyes the color of liquid night. Her face seemed familiar.

Pocahontas, I thought,
astonished. But that’s impossible. Right? It sure looked like her. Immediately I comprehended she was the other Chosen, the one Sharra spoke about while my mind was with Silindra.

Pocahontas’ features hardened.
She glared. At me.

I wondered if she’d already eaten her true love’s heart?

“These are the Marked. Destined to die.”

At mention of them, the girls
began to cry and wail. Some tried to escape. Others stood like soulless zombies. Allowing themselves to be pushed around. They were awake, their eyes open, but they saw nothing. Sorrow pricked my heart. Cindy could’ve helped. She could’ve neutralized the magic. Freed them.

Abernathy’s words,
“You need your friends, your family. Without them you’ll lose,”
stung me, but I shook it off. It didn’t matter. I was already here. My friends, my loved ones weren’t. They were safe. And that was my plan. Keep them from any more harm. 

Steeling myself, I said,
“That’s crap, Sharra. You know it. And I’m here to prove you and your stupid
destiny
wrong.”

She
cackled, a chilling, mirthless sound. “I suppose I should’ve known you’d never be ready to understand what I’m trying to do.” Her lips pressed into a tight line. She swept her hands toward the girls. “They’ve been Marked. I can only choose one. Many haven’t even gone past the revenant stage. They are beautiful, and sweet, but they haven’t found love. Many haven’t even tasted blood.” She spun, and stalked over to one of the thrones, sitting with a huff. Her face softened. “You think this is what I want? For them to die?”

I lifted my chin. “I don’t think you care one way or the other.”

Sharra smirked. “Of course I care.” Pain carved across her face. “These many years I’ve suffered, knowing what had to be done.” She slammed her fists against the armrests. They shattered, and I stepped back. “What I must do. But if I want to live, continue to rule, then finding a new body, Marking them, and choosing one, is necessary. Vampires were the first. I am the oldest, wisest being on the planet. If anyone understands the tough decisions, it’s me.” She raised a brow. “And
I
am one of the seven magics. A pure vampire. Without me, there won’t be balance. Have you thought about that?”

I hadn’t.
And she made sense, sadly. Maybe that’s why Abernathy wanted me to talk to her, instead of killing her. He understood.