Kristie Cook - Devotion

"What's going on?" he asked.

Someone new … different. It's weird and I want to know who it is.

He sighed, but indulged me. The signature headed up the sloped road, and right where the business district ended and the road climbed higher to the Council Hall, the owner made a sharp right. A moment later, we rounded the same corner. The Council Hall was up the hill to our left and a storage shed stood in front of us, aligned with the rear of the shops on the main road. But no one was in sight. The mind signature had disappeared.

"Huh. They're gone," I said, turning in a circle to be sure.

"Maybe they flashed," Tristan said as he tugged me back toward the road.

"Yeah, I guess–"

A sound came from behind us. We both jerked and turned toward the shed. Martin, Julia and Armand were exiting the little building, Martin forever smoothing his shirt, his face pale and distressed. As soon as he saw us, though, he straightened his spine and smiled. But this didn't distract me from seeing Julia's tongue run across her lips or Armand's eyes narrow suspiciously. What was going on? They weren't feeding off of Martin … were they?

"Tristan! I need to speak with you." Martin's voice came out a little more cheerful than normal, and he hurried toward us, as if extremely relieved to see Tristan … or, more likely, to escape the vampires. Armand disappeared, and Julia headed up the hill, toward the Council Hall. "Owen and I have a theory and I was thinking …"

I stopped paying attention to Martin and focused instead on Julia, who peered over her shoulder, as if checking to see if she was being followed. When she blurred around the corner, headed for the rear of the Hall as I'd seen her do months ago, I wondered what she could possibly be doing that required her to sneak in through the back door. Nothing good, I was sure. Not with that kind of treacherous behavior.

Out of the corner of my eye, I peered at Tristan and Martin. Their heads were close together, deep in discussion. Martin had told Solomon to keep a careful watch on Julia, but he wasn't watching at the moment when she was obviously up to something. I could have read Julia's mind, but I saw the opportunity and flashed to the rear of the Hall instead.

Just as I appeared, two backs stood in the doorway–Julia's and another: Ophelia's. The witch held a copper flask in one hand and perhaps something else in front of her that I couldn't see. Julia's hand pressed against Ophelia's shoulder, pushing her downward until they were both lost to the gloom inside. What are they doing? Was Ophelia delivering something to Julia? Did the flask hold more blood? Was Martin's not enough for the gluttonous vampire? I wondered whose blood it was. Perhaps Ophelia's, adding more magic to Julia's system. Or … perhaps Rina's. Solomon could be wrong. Julia could be gaining enough power. I had to find out.

I inhaled a deep breath to gather my courage, blew it out slowly and stepped through the open door onto a narrow landing at the top of a steep flight of stone stairs. Below was darkness and strange noises, as well as Julia, Ophelia and another mind signature. I suppressed a gasp.

This mind signature surprised me. It somewhat reminded me of Dorian's–intense and animated–but not quite the same. A sharper edge to it. Yet, still childlike. A soft moaning floated up the stairs, the sound of a girl's whimper.

I froze. My pulse pounded loudly in my ears. Could it be? I hesitated. Although I was Amadis Royalty, there were still boundaries I couldn't cross yet, and I was sure this was one of them. Especially if … Exactly why I need to see for myself! The girl's voice came louder, more of a wail. I hurried down the steps.

A corridor stretched out before me, most of it dark and dank with a coordinating musty odor, doors spaced evenly apart along each wall. A triangle of light lit the end of the hall, an open door allowing it to shine through. I took a single step, then stopped, debating whether to proceed or to enter Ophelia or Julia's mind first to see what–

Whoosh! Air rushed past me. A bar of steel pressed against my stomach and a board against my back. My body flew up the stairs. Literally. My feet didn't touch the ground. Then I stumbled as I was dropped into the brightness outside.

"You can't be down there!" Julia seethed at me, her voice more screechy than I expected. I couldn't, at the moment anyway, ever remember hearing her speak aloud. I cursed myself for letting her catch me off guard.

"Why?" I demanded. "What's going on down there? Who is–"

Pop! Tristan appeared by my side.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking from me to Julia. He took in her expression and stepped protectively in front of me.

"It's too dangerous, especially for you!" Julia hissed at me. And then she disappeared with a pop.

Tristan turned to me. "Are you okay? What–"

"Julia's hiding a girl down there, Tristan! With Ophelia! What if it's her? Our daugh–"

Tristan shook his head. "Lex, that's where they keep Amadis who have broken the law and unstable converts. You probably sensed a young Were or witch who lost control. Who can hurt you. They're delivering food and water. That's all."

"I want to see for myself. How do you know it's not the girl–the hidden girl?"

"Right under Council Hall where anyone can find her? That's not exactly hidden."

He had a point. And because I knew he would be honest with me, I gave in, let him take my hand and lead me for the flash to our suite.

But the girl's wail continued to echo in my mind.

The morning trip to the village threw off our schedule and when we returned to the mansion, we discovered Charlotte had been called away to an emergency. So after putting Dorian to bed, Tristan suggested a workout in the gym.

"Let's see what you can really do with this when you put your mind to it," he said, handing me a dagger from the practice weapons. His eyes sparked with excitement.

I narrowed my eyes, suspicious of his motives.

"Oh-kay," I said with hesitation, taking the blade from him.

"I mean, use your mind. Char's not here. You're free to use the best defense you have." He grabbed a sword, the blade as long as me.

I lifted an eyebrow. "You never use a weapon."

He flicked his wrist, making the long, thin blade bend and twang. "I thought I'd make it interesting."

He winked at me, and I stared at him in a daze. Until I saw the glint of his sword swinging for my legs.

"That's cheating!" I squealed, jumping over the blade.

"I use whatever advantage I can," he said with a sublime grin that made my knees weak. The sword swung at me again and I parried it with the dagger. "You have a bigger advantage than anyone, ma lykita. Use it."

Just as I had done when we'd seriously been fighting each other in the Keys, I read Tristan's thoughts and knew every move before he made it. I ducked, twirled, twisted and danced around his swipes and lunges, blocking or dodging most of his attacks. We blurred around the room, sprang off the walls, and flipped, jumped and cartwheeled over each other. Tristan jumped for an overhead beam and, knowing what he planned to do, I landed on it at the same time as he did and our fight continued. We jumped from beam to beam and through the open skylights, briefly sparring on the roof, then back inside again. Then Tristan threw his sword down and lunged at me. I dove for the floor, planning to tuck into a somersault for the landing, but he grabbed me in mid-air, encircling me in his arms and turning to take the impact. He rolled me over to my back, pinning me to the floor. I squirmed, trying to break his hold and thought about shocking him.

But then his mouth was on mine, and I immediately surrendered.

"You cheated again," I breathed when he finally pulled away. "That kiss wasn't very fair."