The Vampire Gift 2: Kingdom of(43)

She breaks off with a shudder.

I share a look with Phillip. He gives an almost-imperceptible nod. There’s enough understanding in his eyes to let me know what he suspects.

The Voice is responsible for April’s behavior.

“Phillip?” April sounds scared. “What’s happening to me?”

“You’ll be all right,” he assures her. “You’re still in recovery. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” He smiles and brings a hand up to brush a thin strand of hair out of her eyes. “You were very brave when you offered yourself to me.” His hand shifts, and he touches the underside of her jaw. “You’ve been through a lot.” One of his fingers applies subtle pressure to a specific spot on her neck. “You should sleep.”

April yawns.

“Sleep,” Phillip continues, applying that little bit of pressure. I don’t think I would have picked up on what he’s doing were it not for my enhanced senses. “Rest. A good sleep, without nightmares, will help you recover.”

April’s eyes drift closed. A few moments later, she’s sound asleep.

Phillip quickly ushers me out of the room.

“You did something to make her sleep!” I accuse. “With your fingers. I saw!”

“Keep your voice down,” he hisses. He looks around to make sure we’re alone. “Yes, I did, but it was for her own good. Did you hear what she was saying? About rising up?” He becomes deadly serious. “If any of the other vampires heard and told Mother, she would sentence April to death in a heartbeat. But that wasn’t her speaking. Somebody—something—took control of her mind.”

I think of the link Victoria shares with me.

“What happened here with April, and what we saw with the other humans, it’s no coincidence. When Mother sent James to challenge our Father, she drew attention to The Haven. For centuries we’ve remained hidden. But now there are forces on the Outside focused on us. I’m sure of it.”

He starts to pace the small space between us. “If the humans could be rallied against us, The Haven would crumble from within. They outnumber vampires ten-to-one. If a real uprising were to begin… it would be mayhem.”

“What about The Convicted?” I ask. “What did April mean by that?”

“I don’t know,” Phillip admits. “But have no doubt: all of this is connected.”

I nod.

“Mother knows this too, I’m sure of it.” He taps his lips in thought. “She’s unpredictable, but not stupid. James’s escape will only fuel her anger. She’ll be more likely to lash out.”

He takes hold of my shoulders and looks me in the eyes. “There’s nobody in The Haven as powerful as you, Eleira. That puts you at great risk of becoming a target.”

“If I’m not one already,” I mutter.

He nods. “Dark times are coming. “Keep your eyes open and your senses alert. There is a lot more to The Haven than you would believe. There’s a reason Mother’s been able to maintain the wards around this place for six centuries. I only have the most cursory understanding of magic. But I know that a single witch, no matter how strong, would not be able to keep up the wards by herself for this long.”

He shifts his gaze. “I’m not sure quite how it works. Magic is not an infinite resource. It drains the user. But The Haven is special. Maybe it’s the land, maybe it’s something else. Make no mistake about it: whatever Mother’s secret is, it is valued. And the more beings on the outside are alerted to it, the greater their desire to break through the wards will become. Maybe—just maybe—if you can figure it out, if you can gain Mother’s trust and understand how she does it. It’ll give us a chance to survive. Because right now?” He blinks. “It feels like we are on the verge of the first coven war in hundreds of years.”





Chapter Twenty-Five




JAMES



I break through the surface of the water, coughing and sputtering.

Before I know it, two strong hands grip my shoulders and haul me out. I’m thrown on the ground a dozen paces away.

I roll over, and see a dozen pairs of hostile, red-rimmed eyes staring down at me. Heavy cloud cover blocks the night sky above.

Somebody kicks my side. I grunt, and, in my blasted weakened state, curl into myself like a small child.

Laughter comes from the circle.

The collar is still tight around my neck. The silver, combined with the enormous impact from the dive, have me in a daze.

More kicks rain down on my body. I try to shield myself.

“Enough!” a stern voice rings out.

The kicking stops. A massive vampire strolls into their midst.