Shadows Claim Read online

Page 8

 

  Time, like life, moved more slowly in Abaddon. . . .

  Princess Bettina was the first daughter born in generations, described as "elfin" in appearance. Though a halfling, shed inherited no outward demonic traits, yet she was reputed to possess a notable-but undisclosed-Sorceri power.

  Fascinating. A delicate, little sorceress born into an archaic and violent demon world.

  Her paternal ancestors had fought proudly and died in various battles, most often with other demonarchies. Just a decade earlier, her father, Mathar, had gone to the aid of one of his Pravus allies, perishing on the front line.

  Apparently his sorceress queen, Eleara, had been killed by Vrekeners just after Bettinas birth. Those winged creatures were mortal enemies of the Sept of Sorceri, considering themselves a check on Sorceri evil.

  Trehan could find no more history on Elearas side, so he read in the Book of Lore about the Sorceri in general. Distantly related to witches, each was born with a root ability that they considered akin to a soul.

  Their species was one of the weakest of all immortals-at least in matters of physical strength and healing-so they adorned their bodies with protective metals, especially gold.

  They had no claws, so they wore metal ones. The masks they favored unsettled their enemies.

  They were at once merry wine drinkers who worshipped gold-and fearful magicians, living in constant dread of ceding their powers to another.

  What was Bettinas power? Why hadnt she used it against him when hed been on the verge of taking her neck?

  With these three books, hed established a trio of facts.

  His physical need wasnt only grueling, it was dangerous.

  Though her line was partly demonic, it was proud and worthy.

  The little sorceress would be under constant threat and would need him as well.

  But some things couldnt be uncovered through books, and Trehan had more questions than answers regarding his Bride. He wondered what her personality was like, what her favorite color was. What were her hobbies? What made her laugh?

  He considered what he did know about her.

  She would bravely-if wrongly-sacrifice herself for the male she loved. She was sensual and curious about sex; no innately cold Bride for him. Yet again he recalled that shy grin as shed bared her breasts. She wasnt brazen by nature, but when pleasured, she grew beautifully wanton.

  Judging by her book collection, she was fixated on her craft. Trehan was as obsessed with arms as any Dacian, probably more. He surveyed all his weapons displayed in gold cases and thought, She creates weapons; I wield them.

  He gazed down at his injured hand. Ah, but she wielded one as well. Was that to be their initial common ground?

  The wounds were fading; he found he didnt want them to. No, he hadnt sunk his fangs into her flesh, but shed given him her own bite. When he remembered the blood welling across his palm and her flash of pride, for some reason he grew aroused once more.

  Glancing from the invitation . . . to his books . . . back to the invitation-

  Cold steel pressed against Trehans neck.

  Must be Viktor. He wondered if his cousin would finally land a deathblow. Theyd been trying to kill each other for hundreds of years.

  "You let me take you unawares?" Viktor grated. "What occupies your thoughts so completely?"

  "Not completely occupied. " Trehan prodded Viktor with the blade hed managed to slip from his sword belt, the blade now pressed against Viktors scrotum.

  Viktor laughed at Trehans ear. "I might temporarily lose my balls, old man, but youll lose your life. "

  "Ive been castrated before. The regeneration was such that you might find my headless fate preferable," he said, cursing his carelessness. Tonight was a night of firsts for Trehan: allowing Viktor to take him unawares, leaving a target alive, his blooding-even his rejection by a female.

  Viktor hesitated, then backed away. "It wont prove amusing to end you without a fight. " He loved nothing more than fighting. Not surprising-he was the last scion of the House of War, the wrath of the kingdom. "Take out your sword, Cousin. "

  With a weary exhalation, Trehan sheathed his short blade, then drew his sword. The weapon was one of the only belongings he truly cared about. It had been given to him by his father with the instructions: "Be an example, Son. "

  Ignoring the twinge in his injured hand, Trehan traced to face Viktor. Though their temperaments were directly opposed-one cold and methodical, one warlike and rash-their looks were so similar they could have been brothers.

  Viktor narrowed his green eyes at Trehan. "Youre even more pensive than usual. Trouble with your target?"

  You have no idea, Trehan thought as he launched the first strike.

  Viktor deflected it, and the clang of steel echoed in the spacious library.

  "It was that new demon, right?" Viktor asked as he charged. Trehan neatly dodged his sword. Centuries of nearly constant battles between them had made them both superlative swordsmen. "Caspion the Tracker, the one all the females favored?"

  All the females. Even mine.

  Viktor feinted left, making a short jab to the right; Trehan arched his back, narrowly escaping the sword tip.

  "Did the great Trehan actually leave a target alive? No, no, because then you wouldnt be back here. " Another thrust.

  Trehan parried. "I didnt engage him," he answered, half-tempted to tell his cousin everything. If not Viktor, then whom could he confide in?

  No one.

  Their relationship was complicated, to say the least. As the last members of their respective houses, theyd been trying to kill each other for most of their lives, yet there was no one Trehan would rather have at his back if they fought a mutual enemy. Viktor also kept his cousins secrets, refusing to sully himself and Trehan with court politics, preferring to settle their grievances by combat.

  Trehan swung; Viktor blocked. Their swords connected, quaking in their hands.

  "Youre strong tonight," Viktor observed with approval. He venerated strength and relished violence.

  Viktor was perpetually disappointed that their hidden kingdom afforded no chance for open conflict. As hed once said while in his cups, "Im the general of the worlds proudest and most perfect army-one that will never go to battle. "

  Strike; swift parry. Slash; deflect.

  "What is this I hear?" Viktor suddenly exclaimed. "Ah, Trehan, your heart beats! Thats where this new strength hails from. "

  A vampire derived strength from age, Dacian blood, drinking straight from the flesh-and his blooding. "So it does. " He didnt know if Viktor was blooded. His cousin utilized an old witchs spell to camouflage whether he had a heartbeat or not.

  Trehan had a theory about that. . . .

  "Where is your new Bride?" Viktor risked a glance past Trehan. "Why were you reading when I stole upon you?" A look of confusion followed. "Why are you not rutting her even now? Perhaps Ill find her sprawled across your bed with a soothing pack of ice between her legs?"

  "Youre crass. " Another flash of his sword. "Thats my Bride you speak of!"

  Another parry. "Then where is she?"

  "There were challenges inherent with her. " He traced away from Viktors charge, appearing feet away; the blade sliced the air where Trehan had just been.

  "Tell all, Cousin!"

  "It doesnt matter. She wouldnt be suitable for me. " Bettina had her own realm to rule. She could scarcely be expected to live in this underworld with him.

  Shes in love with another.

  "Did you claim her?" Viktor asked.

  A sharp shake of his head. "And its just as well. Once I take the throne-"

  Chapter 9

  "So certain youll be king?" Slash.

  Dodge. "Unfortunately, yes. You know Im the logical choice. "

  He was the most qualified to rule, but in fairness, each of the contenders had strengths. Trehan had cultivated an order of trained assassins. Viktor controlled the m
ilitary. Their cousin Stelian governed who entered or exited Dacia. The youngest male cousin, Mirceo, was the most beloved by the people and had a loyal ally in his little sister, Kosmina.

  However, Trehan was the most "Dacian" of the royals, believing in this kingdom, like a religion.

  "Ah, that vaunted Dacian logic," Viktor sneered, feinting a trace to the right, then striking to the left. With a well-timed block, Trehan deflected, but Viktors leg shot up, booting Trehan in the stomach.

  If Viktor wanted to fight dirty . . .

  Between breaths, Trehan grated, "Perhaps you wouldnt resent that trait in others . . . if you werent the most illogical of the family?" Like a blur, he swept down, kicking Viktors legs out from under him.

  Just before Viktors back met the floor, he traced to his feet. "King Trehan? Never while I live. "

  They faced off once more. "Youre too hostile and rash," Trehan said. "Mirceos too self-absorbed and hedonistic, not to mention young. And Stelian is nearly too drunken to handle his responsibilities as gatekeeper. "

  "And you are too emotionless. "

  I havent been tonight. Gazing down at Bettinas eyes, watching them glitter with need, Trehan had been filled with emotion. He hadnt been emotionless when hed come in his Brides soft hand. . . .

  Distracted once more, he barely dodged Viktors next strike.

  "The people would wither under your stifling rule, Trehan. You are the sword of the kingdom, a cold, unfeeling blade. "

  "This is a debate for another night. "

  "So be it. Back to your missing Bride . . . " He trailed off, his gaze landing on Trehans desk-on the invitation. Before Trehan could reach the parchment, Viktor had snatched it up, swiftly perusing the writing. "Abaddon? Ive been there! Used to go watch the fights. The mist blends with that fog so seamlessly, you know. Wait, this is her, isnt it? Challenges inherent? I should say so. Shes a godsdamned tourney prize!"

  "Enough, Cousin. "

  "Not even close! Why are we wrangling over this crown when you can just go get another one?"

  "I have no interest in that kingdom-solely the girl. "

  "The one who just happens to be under the protection of a Deathly One and the most powerful sorceress ever to live? Did you try to steal her from them this eve?"

  "I did," Trehan admitted. "But shes bound to that plane. "

  "Wait, shes a . . . a demoness? Again, why are you not bedding her right now?"

  "For the record, shes half sorceress. And she knows my target. Theyre . . . close. She will hate me forever if I kill him. "

  "You dont have a choice. "

  "And whys that?"

  Viktor rolled his eyes. "Because youre a slave to your duty, to your house. "

  Over the last millennium, Trehan had sacrificed everything for the good of Dacia. For once in his life, would he have what he desired? "What if I . . . wasnt?"

  Viktor backed away, unsure what to do with that. "Perfect, selfless Trehan Daciano entertains selfish thoughts? This I must explore. Truce for one eve?"

  Trehan exhaled. "Pour the mead. " Once he cautiously sheathed his sword, Viktor did as well.

  "Tell me about her. " Viktor traced to the sideboard, selecting a crystal decanter filled with mead-laced blood.

  "Shes young. Lovely. " Talented, creative, innately sensual. With the sweetest skin Ive ever imagined.

  "How young?" Viktor handed him a glass topped off with crimson.

  After a hesitation, Trehan said, "Kosminas age. " Mirceo and Kosmina were so much younger than the elder cousins that they called each one "uncle. "

  Viktors lips parted. "Youre jesting. "

  "Not at all. " He took a drink, but found the blood tasteless. Again he wondered what Bettinas would be like.

  Observant Viktor narrowed his eyes. "Did you bite her?"

  Came so close. He recalled how his fangs had ached to pierce her-completely beyond his control. Like an ungovernable erection.

  Would he be able to stop himself from tasting her blood if given a second chance? How did other Dacian males keep themselves in check?

  Is something . . . wrong with me?

  "You did!" Viktor raised his glass. "How very deviant of you, Trey! Did you mark her skin? Did you take her memories into you?"

  "Dont be absurd. " One of the reasons Dacians disavowed drinking from the flesh was because of the cosaşad-the ability to read memories through blood. When a cosaş took blood directly from the flesh, he took his preys memories into his own consciousness, even from the merest drop on the tongue. The coldly rational Dacians believed this to be a pollution, an intrusion into their pure minds.

  If Id taken Bettinas memories, what would I have witnessed? Probably scenes of her lusting after Caspion. Trehan just stopped himself from crushing his goblet.

  "Thinking about it even now?" Viktor said. "I cant believe you used your fangs on her-Trehan the Perfect is actually perverse!"

  "I didnt bite her. " He glanced up. "You look disappointed. So eager to see me fall?"

  "But you wanted to. "

  Will fantasize about it for the rest of my life. "If I did, Id never admit anything so shaming to you. "

  Viktor gazed away. "You might have once. " He took a deep drink. "Back to the matter at hand. What are your options with the girl?"

  "Kill Caspion. Forget her and move on. " As he said the words, they burned like a lie. Forgetting her wasnt an option. Could he possibly move on?

  There were so many questions surrounding her, so much to discover. He felt as if hed read the first page of the most absorbing book hed ever opened, only to have it slammed shut. "Second option: kill Caspion, find a way to steal the girls medallion, then abduct her. " Would she truly hate Trehan forever? Surely in a few decades shed get over her displeasure.

  Viktor shook his head decisively. "Morganas magics wont be circumvented, not even by the likes of you. We have no spellcaster to aid you, much less one who could take her on. Logically, you know stealing the medallion isnt an option. A campaign like that would be doomed to fail. " He lowered his drink, growing very serious about the topic.