Chapter 23

Queen of the Damned

“She is not Queen of the Damned. Queen of Sorcery is probably more like it,” said Max with laughter rumbling under his breath. He was responding to Cedric’s joke about their current destination.

Beon led the way, his gaze fixed on the GPS in his hand. Blue light glowed from the small screen casting an almost eerie set of shadows to dance on his downturned face.

More than one of them chuckled at Max’s words as they moved along a darkened road in Romania, following Beon. Danielle tugged her hood closer around her face because it had slipped back a little. The fur trim around the edge tickled her cheeks. This street was dark but not unpopulated and she wondered what their group of hooded strangers looked like as they walked.

“I do hope she is not the queen, else we may all end up hopping our way back to England,” said Merrick.

This was followed by more laughter.

But as the sounds of laughing died out, Danielle felt the sounds and smells of night close in around her senses. This was something she hadn’t experienced yet and she swiftly understood why Beon kept Sophia from it. Of course she’d spent one night in the woods, but heightened awareness was near torture with mortals in close proximity.

Off in the distance a dog growled, the sound of it caused a trickle of other dogs to respond in a similar manner. Some of them barked out almost viciously while others howled long and low like wolves. Or perhaps they were wolves.... Her gaze swung to the moon shining above them as drifting clouds obscured part of it from view. A relieved breath left her lungs when she saw that it wasn’t full yet. At least they wouldn’t have that problem again tonight.

A baby cried next, reminding her of the one she lost. She shoved the sadness aside as it pinched her heart. After adjusting her hood another time, Danielle unzipped her pockets and shoved her hands inside. Hearing animals and insects in the woods had been one thing ... but this ... her right hand left the pocket and curled around her middle as she mentally fought off the urge to murder the man who’d just passed them. Clearly he’d just cut himself, she thought, as the scent of blood slapped her in the face, triggering her fangs to respond. Danielle clenched her teeth together so hard she feared she might actually crack them. Was it possible for her to break off the tip of a fang?

An elderly couple talked quietly over dessert, she noted, as they passed an old house with white plaster walls, weathered wooden shingles and blue shutters. She even knew what they were eating for dessert. Cake. Or rather cheesecake, but it didn’t smell like American cheesecake. She wondered what it looked like. Moving along, the smells of trash, car exhaust, and plant life overpowered the scents of food. Then sweat, cloying perfume, cigarette smoke, alcohol, shampoo and blood assailed her. There was always blood. That metallic, salty-sweet tang that tormented her state of mind because it chased along behind every other aroma filling her nose. She realized she would have been able to smell that man’s blood even if he hadn’t just cut himself.

A person stumbled in front of her path, forcing her to stop. His drunken face wobbled upward and he made eye contact with her. Staggering and off balance, he landed against her chest and fainted. Stunned and kind of freaking out Danielle stared down at a head of greasy brown hair that slid down her body as the man’s knees gave out. Of course there was a move for this, but for reasons she couldn’t quite comprehend she paused as her hands lifted.

Then he was gone. Ethan, stepping in as usual, dragged the intoxicated fool to the brick wall of a closed market, propping him against it. Ethan straightened as the surrounding breeze ran invisible fingers through the blond hair peeking out from under the edges of his knitted cap, his arms dropped to his sides and he turned to face her. “Are you all right?” he asked.

She didn’t respond because she’d covered her mouth with one hand, self-consciously hiding the fangs that had reengaged and seemed to be staying there this time.

Danielle let Ethan’s arms envelope her. But the smells surrounding the man lingered on her clothes. With fingers tightening into the fabric of Ethan’s t-shirt, she shook her head. “No, I’m not okay. How did you do it, Ethan ... these smells, they’re too much.”

After gently pushing the hood back from her face, Ethan nudged her chin up with a couple of fingers placed beneath her chin. “You’re new. It does get easier. You’ll become desensitized.”

“How long does that take?”

“A while.” His mouth thinned, probably because he knew she hated such vague answers.

“Why didn’t I react? I’m trained—”

Ethan kissed her forehead, his palms rubbed over her arms, warming her. “It’s good you didn’t. You could have killed him with your usual karate defense if you had.”

Only then did she notice that all of the men had gathered while she suffered this embarrassing crisis in front of them. They stood, almost circling her and Ethan, watching with half hidden faces.

When her gaze crossed Beon’s he smiled gently, lifted the GPS, and said, “We should keep moving. I fear the opposition could find us more quickly in such a populated area.”

She knew he was right, of course. Beon was always right. Worry swamped her. She twisted and scanned the area behind them, listening, watching ... but saw nothing.

“They haven’t found us yet,” said Seth. “I would know if they had.”

“How do you know?” she asked, forcing her feet to move as Ethan gathered her hand into his and walked also. She tugged her hood back into place.

Seth looked to his left, nodded and moved ahead, again following Beon. That’s when she saw him. Well, she suspected it was a him when she saw a shadow detach itself from an alleyway and run down another dark path. “Who—?”

“We’re not the only ones on this trek, my sweet,” said Beon.

“We have sentries scoping the surrounding area for any possible threats,” said Seth.

“They missed one,” she complained, thinking about the drunken man.

“Sorry about that, but as a mortal, we ignored him.”

Of course they did, she mused with irritation.

* * * * *

The coordinates appeared to be taking them deeper into the old city rather than the surrounding forest. That’s strange, thought Danielle. She’d sort of thought the old sorceress would hide in seclusion just as the vampire had, but that didn’t appear to be the case. Halting her thoughts, Ethan tightened his grip on her fingers. She stopped and looked at him, then heard Beon say, “It’s leading us to this cottage.”

Hearing the wonder in his tone, she had to agree. The small rustic building looked rather dilapidated. Holes visible in the thatched roof would no longer keep rain or snow out. Paint on the outside of the walls had mostly peeled off and a mass of vines practically overtook everything else. A stone path, just barely visible beneath a growth of thick weeds, marked the way to the front step.

Beon started toward it, his shoulders set at a determined angle. Max and Seth followed, as did she with Ethan. They crashed through dead grass and leaves as they drew closer to the front door. Made of weathered wood, the door appeared as though it had been painted green at one time, but most of the paint was gone.

The rotting wooden steps and porch squeaked under their feet. Fearing one board would surely break Danielle avoided stepping on it at all.

Beon reached for the doorknob, gave it a turn and pushed. A blanket of blackness widened as the door swung open. The hinges groaned as did the floorboards when they moved inside. Staleness enveloped her senses as their group entered a dark and dusty room. Furnished with a rotting sofa, tattered lace curtains, a table and a pair of wingback chairs, the place certainly seemed deserted. Lilith must not be here any longer, she worried.

Seth drew in one deep breath and then exhaled. “It’s a glamour.”

A what? But while she had never heard the word Beon and Ethan nodded in understanding. “Ethan?” she asked.

Turning a smile on her, he said, “She still lives here, but to keep nosy people like us from bothering her, she’s hidden everything behind a glamour.” He took in the room again. With a chuckle of approval, he lifted a teacup from the table, ran his fingers over the porcelain surface. “A brilliantly done glamour.”

“And a glamour is...?” she prompted because his first answer sucked.

He returned the teacup and dusted off his hands. “It’s an enchantment. She could even change how she looks to us. We might never know what she really looks like—”

“If we can get her to reveal herself, that is.” Her gaze shifted to Beon, he went on, “Lilith!” he called. When nothing happened, he added, “Lilith? We wish to speak with you. We’re in desperate need of your aid.”

Silence saturated the room as they waited. Light from a nearby streetlamp filtered in through the frayed curtains. Danielle watched dust motes dance in the shaft of dim light, then dropped her gaze. The pattern of a threadbare rug became revealed as she dragged the heel of her boot through the blanket of dust covering it. Gasping and clutching at Ethan’s jacket, Danielle started when light suddenly glowed from the bottom edge of a door as though someone had just flipped a switch. Danielle knew it was likely just magic too. Her eyes locked on first the turning doorknob and then the door as it opened. A yellow glow spilled into the room, sped across the floor and then rose up until they stood illuminated to whomever it was answering their call.

A woman. Frail-looking and crooked with age she hobbled forward. “Lilith is not here,” came an accent-drenched voice that sounded as weathered as the woman appeared.

“Please, we must speak with her. She’s the only one who can help us,” said Seth.

Danielle narrowed her eyes. Partly because of the bright light, but also partly because she suspected this woman was Lilith in disguise.

“I’m not Lilith if some of you are wondering that.”

Startled, Danielle blinked. Could a sorceress read minds? She glanced at Ethan. He hadn’t mentioned anything like that. As though he could read her thoughts, Ethan shrugged as his eyes shifted back to the old woman.

Shuffling closer, her thin, knobby fingers tightened on a walking stick. “I am her friend and I will not have her disturbed by your kind.” Her eyes creased further as they narrowed on them. “She will not release you from the curse. You cannot escape it.”

“We’ve discovered the cure,” said Ethan simply.

This got her attention. Her momentum halted as her head lifted. Gray tendrils of wispy hair danced around her round but wrinkled face. A faint gleam flashed in clear, youthful eyes. Were they blue or gray? It was hard to tell, even with her heightened sight. Not that it mattered really, because now Danielle suspected this woman also hid behind a glamour, and perhaps that was why she couldn’t distinguish the actual color. A moment of silence passed and then the woman’s gaze narrowed again. “Explain.”

Ethan stepped forward and told this woman of their tale just as he’d told it to Benjamin. As he spoke her mouth twitched into what appeared to be a shocked grimace, though it could have been a knowing smirk. This woman was hard to read, again likely due to the glamour....

Has she just gotten taller? Danielle wondered, just before the cloaking enchantment fell away revealing a much younger looking lady. Another gasp left her lips when the woman spoke to her directly. “You, my dear, are a very special creature.” The words came out on a smooth rich voice. A graceful hand reached for Danielle’s shoulder, turning her for a closer look. Ethan tensed. He may have thought she was safer due to the turn, but he clearly didn’t trust these magical types.

Just as Danielle opened her mouth to argue that anyone could do what she’d done, the woman or sorceress spoke again. “Have you been hunted?” The woman’s hand fell away and landed on her hip. She tapped a shoe-covered foot. Ethan exhaled, the sound a quiet one, but she heard it.

“I—wait, what?” Danielle managed in confusion. “Not all vampires—”

Shaking her head, the woman said, “I mean other cursed beings such as pixies...”

“Oh, and werewolves?” asked Danielle.

Blue eyes—yes they were definitely blue—sparkled with understanding as again she nodded. Blond but still curly hair swayed with the movement now. Her unlined round face expressed curiosity as she measured Danielle, shifting her weight to the other foot and folding her arms at her waist.

“But any—” Danielle began, again trying to explain she wasn’t anything special.

Cutting her off, the sorceress said, “Yes, yes, of course any mortal could have cured a vampire. But you are the one who did. The others will naturally notice that, and be drawn to it.” The woman waved a hand as though dismissing any further arguments and continued, “Can’t you see it in her aura?” she asked the others.

Danielle watched in surprise as Ethan and the other men all nodded in agreement. “Ethan?”

“It’s true, darling. Your glow is brighter now, even brighter than it was before you turned.”

“What?” Of course when she’d been turned she’d realized she could now see the glow of others, but she had no idea hers had actually changed.

She noticed that Ethan’s tension had slipped away. Did he trust this woman now? Danielle swung her eyes back to the lady. “Who are you?” she asked, wondering if this could possibly be the bitter Lilith everyone had talked about.

Smoothing a wrinkle in her simple green dress, she said, “My name is Corina. Lilith is truly not here.” Pinning Danielle with a seeming regret-filled look, she said, “She will not help you. She despises Benjamin and all of your kind. ’Tis true she will likely be impressed with your discovery.” Corina emitted a light chuckle as she reached for the teacup Ethan had touched earlier and sipped at a steaming liquid inside it. Only then did Danielle notice that the room appeared restored as the glamour had dropped from it too. “I promise to make her aware of your plight, but don’t expect any aid from her.”

“Can’t you help us?” Desperation made her ask the question. They’d come all this way only to be turned away again? Surely this woman was the one controlling the magic here, and just as surely she could help them, she thought.

“I’m sorry, but I only dabble in tricks really.” She proved this by waving hands over the teacup, turning it into a plate of triangle shaped sandwiches. “Lilith is immensely more powerful than I.” Corina then settled onto the now pristine sofa, conjured a remote control in her hand and pressed a button. At the same time a large flat-screen television appeared on the wall above a stone embellished fireplace. A cooking show was on.

Marveling at the fact that this sorceress liked to cook, or just liked to watch people cook, she gaped in bewildered awe.

“It was lovely meeting you all, but I’d very much like to get on with my lunch.” Corina gathered up one of the little sandwiches and bit into it. Salmon, cream cheese and tomato, she noted as the smell of it filled her nose.

But just as they began toward the door, Corina cleared her throat before saying, “Please don’t exit through the front. I’d rather the neighbors didn’t see you.” She waved her fingers toward a bookshelf on the left side of the room. Still utterly bemused, Danielle watched as the entire thing swiveled, revealing a hidden passage. “That will lead you to the woods.” Corina winked and then said, “Take care, children, your enemies are in the city.”

When Danielle turned back, wanting to ask about the warning, Ethan captured her arm and steered her into the black tunnel beyond.