KAI

Never in his entire life, nor afterlife, had Kai felt as sick as he did in that banquet hall. Getting Aza out of there took a small weight off of him, but then it was put back on at the thought of her getting into trouble out there and him not being able to make it to her in time. She was brave and strong, but vampires were stronger and scarier than she should ever have to deal with. Just leaving her alone with the consorts had tied his stomach in knots, but there was something comforting in having her there. Kai admitted it was worse being alone in this place. So much worse.

Like Aza, he hadn't gotten much information from the vampires, but he'd noticed the looks they'd been passing to him all evening. At first he'd thought it was because he was a fallen elf. No sane elf would dare show up to a place like this, fallen or otherwise. But then several of them had given him nods and small bows. And it wasn't until that woman had said the bit about him being of Kruor's bloodline that it made sense as to why the horde parted rather easily for him. He kept his head up, even though he longed to duck and run. He held a cold, haughty expression which fed into him being some higher up.

It was so drastically different than back at the Isles. There, he was the heir and was treated respectfully until his father's back was turned. People shot him glowers and shook their head. He'd heard innumerable whispers about the literal bad-blood sitting on the right hand of the throne. Kai hadn't fought anyone on it. He had the right to call the people out and demand the proper deference from them, but he understood. Every day he wondered what he was doing wearing the silver crown. That was probably why, he'd even taken this horrid job for Evabelle—to get away.

Kai grabbed a glass from a table and sipped at the blood inside. He didn't need it. The bit he'd taken from Aza earlier had been enough to tide him over for the rest of the night. Fresh human blood was something he hadn't had in some time. He'd almost forgotten how much it revitalized, and he could definitely see why some vampires wouldn't have it any other way. The blood he drank from the goblet was for show and admittedly...courage.

He wandered aimlessly. A lady with long blonde hair approached him and asked if he wanted to dance. He turned her down politely, but he gave his voice the arrogant lilt that he didn't care for.

His mind roamed back to one of the only things that was still wonderful at the Isles: a woman with dark skin and red hair. A stern line made her mouth as she stopped him one night in the palace halls. "You cannot allow the kind of behavior the people are dealing you," Saya told him.

Kai had crossed his arms and looked down. "I cannot force people to change their thoughts or feelings. That is not what a good king does."

"Maybe he does not force it, but he does not tolerate the disgraceful disregard of decency toward themselves."

"Then I suppose it is good I am not the king."

There was a pause at that. "Do you even want to be king, Kai?"

He shook his head honestly. "Not like this."

"Then maybe you should tell your father."

He lifted his head and finally looked into those beautiful gray eyes.

"Gem could take the crown if you stepped down." The hard stern look was gone from her expression.

Kai let out a breath. "Then you understand why I could not be—"

Saya put a hand to the side of his face, effectively silencing him. "I believe you could be a great ruler. I believe you could change things and make them better. And I would always be at your side. Baldwyn too." Her calloused thumb stroked his cheek. "But only if you are willing."

He hadn't said anything to his father as of yet, but he thought about it every day.

Somehow, Kai ended up near one of the cages. A woman, paler than himself, clawed out for the drink in his hand. Her throat sounded scarred over as she grunted and growled desperately. Blown red eyes, hollow, empty of rationality looked beyond Kai and only to the blood.

His hand shook slightly, making the dreadful crimson liquid swirl about.

Her ears were pointed.

She had been an elf too.

Kai took a step back, but didn't tear his gaze away from her. He thought of the elves they'd fought in the Ciennal Caverns. They were the ones who had been hooked on vampire blood. Their leader, Siika, had said something about them being promised greatness. But vampires didn't keep their word. That small blood addiction led to this, Kai knew it. Those elves would become what this woman had: animals entertaining the upper-class.

A terrible thought crossed his mind. What if this woman was from the healing mission his mother had been on? What if not everyone was killed? What if his own mother was...?

Kai spun away from the savage vampire and downed the rest of the blood in one shot. A buzz lit under his skin. He nearly hurled the crystal glass. He wanted to hear it shatter. He wanted to see the pieces fly in all directions, sparkling of the low lit torches and bits of moonlight. He wanted the people to scatter and scream as he dove for them and tore them all apart for what they'd done, for what they were...for what he was.

A tap on his shoulder had him whirling sharply on a lean man with thick curly hair. He had an almost actor's face, square-jawed, defined cheekbones. Kai sensed the man's heart-rate leap and watched him visibly swallow. Kai relaxed his stiff posture and tried to appear less threatening to the consort.

"Lord Kruor wishes to have an audience with you," the good-looking man gave an awkward bow.

Heads turned toward the two of them.

Kai's brain froze. That was the mission. He knew that. He had planned on asking someone about arranging a meeting of some kind. He'd been working up to it. But having the vampire prince call for Kai, made it worse somehow. His skin crawled, but he didn't show his distress. He handed the glass to another consort passing out drinks and gestured for the model consort to lead on.

As the young man weaved through the mass, the other vampires' eyes burned holes into Kai. He ignored them, but clearly this was unorthodox. They went to the doors that the cages had been rolled out through. The consort pulled them open and held it for Kai to pass. Just like on the other side, they led out into another hallway, but right across was a larger more ornamented set of doors. They were a soft lilac with flowery carvings wreathed all around them. Giant silver knockers made it seem more like a front door, rather than just another room in the mansion.

The man used the knocker and waited until a horribly familiar voice gave permission. He pushed them in and this time didn't hold it for Kai and entered first himself. Kai slowly followed.

It was truly a monster's throne room. Fine black silk drapes hung over the tall windows. Mauve velvet cushions sat all around with vampires seated there, facing toward the heart of the room wear a glossy black chair with a high back, sat. A man lounged in the chair, seated on an array of gold and silver scarves like a fine nest. The man wore his black werewolf pelt trophy around his shoulders and the little red teardrop he always wore, rested against the bare skin of his chest since his shirt was almost completely unbuttoned. His ivory skin glowed in the moonlight as it was the room's only light source. It also glinted off his long silvery-purple hair that was slicked back and fell over the armrest. His ringed fingers were curled up under his chin near his mouth that parted into a fanged smile that made everything in Kai feel as though he were plummeting toward an icy sea.

"I have brought him, my lord." The consort approached Kruor and gave a low bow.

"Well done, Henry," Kruor said.

The consort stood, and Kruor reached out his hand and brushed his hand gently against the boy's cheek. Henry closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. "I'll repay you in full later," Kruor said softly, and Henry gave a little pleading whimper.

If Kai had anything other than blood in his stomach, he would have thrown-up. It was still a possibility. It was devastating how vampires lured people in and made them think it was an honor to be their blood slaves.

Kruor waved the boy away. "Go now."

With another bow, Henry left Kai with Kruor and about four other vampires that appeared to have been in some little private meeting.

Kruor smiled and all Kai could see was that smile as he cut his hand and smothered Kai with his poisonous blood. "Prince Kairi, heir to the elven throne." He tilted his head, tongue swiping across his top lip. "I did not expect to see you here again."

Kai wanted to know how he knew he was the heir to the elven throne, but his own memories answered that question for him. When he'd brashly broken into the manor about three years previously, he'd angrily proclaimed who he was as if it would give him some kind of edge in his rampage of the vampire fortress.

"I am not the same as I was then. I am a different man," Kai said.

"Well, obviously. You're an entirely different species," rumbled one of the vampire men seated on the floor. He had intensely blue hair and ink black skin. His white teeth glittered as he grinned between the clan leader and Kai.

"This is true," Kruor mused. He tilted his head to the other side, still with that haunting smirk on his face. "Do you enjoy the power I have blessed you with, Prince Kairi? I have not gifted my blood in decades."

Kai's insides tangled further. On the outside, he gave a pleasant smile. "I did not care for it initially, but now I see the true wonder of it. I have never felt stronger and as powerful as I do now. I am most grateful."

Kruor's smile stretched wider as he rose up from his chair. Then he approached Kai, slowly swaying as if he were trying to be seductive.

Kai fought to keep his hands from shaking. Everything was screaming for him to run, to get out now. The information could be gotten in other ways. It was unnecessary to put him through this.

As he neared, Kai noted that Kruor was actually shorter than him. He hadn't noticed back when he was being held down by all the vampires, but now he could see the two inch difference between them. Even with this knowledge, Kai was not soothed, especially when Kruor stopped way too close to him. The vampire prince leaned in and Kai stayed stock still as Kruor breathed softly into his ear.

"Liar."

Kai shut his eyes tight for a moment before forcing them open again. "I could not lie to my savior." It took everything in him to get those words past his lips. "You had mercy on me that day. I would be completely dead without you."

Kruor chuckled and pulled back, but just a little. "This is true, but that doesn't mean that you're grateful. You loathe me, dear one."

Kai couldn't stop the flinch. This monster could read him so plainly. He had to do something. "How could you say that, my lord? I have come for you."

Kruor pulled back a bit further now, so Kai could look him in the eye. He was still far too close. Those eyes, always red, swallowed Kai's resolve like black holes, sucking him into the dark. "Then why has is taken you so long to come back?"

"It took time for me to come to terms with who I am," Kai replied, hopefully not too weakly. "Now I know, and I know I want to be at your side."

Kruor's crimson stare moved slowly over Kai, and it felt like he was being gouged into with rusted shovel. "When I found out who you were, I knew I had to have you," he said. "I take only the finest of things. And you," he lifted his hand and caressed those biting metal rings against Kai's face, "are fine."

By some kind of miracle, Kai didn't slap the hand away and attack the thing standing in front of him.

"Tis' a shame that I never got even the smallest taste of your blood." Kruor stroked his way down to Kai's neck. "But I suppose I could now." His nail lengthened and nicked Kai's skin, for a few drops to ooze onto Kruor's finger.

Kai jerked back at that. "I—I am a vampire, my lord. My blood is dead." Because of the living blood he'd had that evening, the small cut healed quickly, but that didn't stop Kai from feeling unnerved as the pureblood brought the bloody finger to his mouth and licked at the dark thick liquid.

Kruor rocked back as his eyes fluttered shut, and he made a low sound in his throat that brought Kai's queasy feeling back to the surface. When his eyes opened again, the red was brighter than it had been before. "I may not get the nourishment I get from the living, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it."

Kai bowed his head, unable to speak.

"So," another vampire on the ground spoke. Kai almost forgot that they were there. He jerked his head up and stared at a man with bleached blond hair and tanned skin. "During your time 'discovering' yourself, what were you doing? Where were you hiding?"

Kai's gaze travelled beyond him and saw another man, clad in a white billowy shirt and dark pink hair pulled into a ponytail. His skin-tone suggested Native American. It seemed that everyone on Kruor's four-man council was an aristocrat. Except...there was one woman seated beside the throne. She had sharp Asian eyes and long black hair that went past her waist. Her scent was different than the three men with dyed hair, sitting on the cushions. In fact, her scent seemed the closest to...Kruor's. Was she another pureblood? Purebloods were the heads of clans. They didn't serve in them. And purebloods didn't usually let other purebloods in, because they were more likely to be overthrown by them.

The blond vampire snapped his fingers. "Did you hear me?"

Kai blinked. "Yes, I did. I stayed mostly underground."

"Did you ever try to go back to your father?" Kruor asked quietly. "Did you try to fight for your birthright?"

Kai looked back at him. Kruor could read him, but Kai thought he saw a certain light in his expression. This was a test. "I did," he replied flatly.

The pink haired man snorted. "I can only imagine how the elf king took it. Tried to throw you in prison, I take it. Or did he hire a slayer to take you out?"

Kai flexed his jaw, but Kruor caught the reaction. "He didn't," said the vampire prince. "He gave it to you anyway. You truly are the heir to the elven throne."

"That's ridiculous!" The pink man straightened on his pillow. "A vampire cannot be the king of the elves!"

Kruor chuckled again. "A father's blinded love for his son." His tongue swiped across his teeth. "Am I right?"

Kai pulled back a little. It was the first time that he agreed with Kruor, and he hated it.

"I would love that," Kruor's trained gaze glazed over. "I could rule the entire elven population with you. You couldn't be a better prize." His hand rose as if to brush Kai's face again. It hovered a few inches away. "I could have you kill King Lir, and then it would be you at the helm. You don't have any siblings do you? We couldn't have them getting in the way. They would have to go as well."

Kai couldn't stand being in this room talking like this any longer. He had to get what they needed and then get out. So he threw out a desperate gamble. "Yes, I could. I could do many things for you, my lord. I must admit though, that I thought about going to your brother, Ravana, since he is considered the king. But you are far greater than him. Why else would the great Averno come to you?" They had to find Averno. Kruor had to know.

Kruor's smile slipped momentarily. "You show your cards too quickly, dear one," he sighed. "I was having fun playing the game."

"What are you saying, Lord Kruor?" The tanned vampire asked.

The dark skinned man showed his bright teeth again. "He's a spy."

Kruor's heartless leer returned. "Yes."

Faster than Kai could blink, Kruor struck out fast, swiping his claws across Kai's throat. Instinctively, Kai went to cover the injury, but Kruor caught his hand. "No, dear one." He stroked his thumb over Kai's tense fingers. Then the vampire prince lifted the blood drop necklace from his chest and pressed it to the gashes on Kai's neck.

The wounds instantly sealed up, but then hot flaring agony shot into Kai's stomach and spread through his entire body. His knees buckled as the familiar throbbing pain registered in him as his fangs burst out.

Blood. He needed it.

He trembled and spasmed, retching up his own dead blood at Kruor's feet.

The vampire knelt in front of Kai and laced his fingers behind Kai's neck and leaned in to murmur into his ear again. "I relish this time together. Someday, dear one. Someday you will be all mine."

Kai blinked blurrily out around him, his surroundings swimming violently in a sickening swirl. Scents were heightened. There were no heartbeats here, no blood that could stem this pain. But beyond this room, back in the ballroom, hearts pumped fresh blood through living veins. He had to get there. He made to drag himself toward the door, but a sharp heel pressed into his back.

"My lord," a female voice spoke from somewhere in the room. Kai struggled under the shoe. He needed to go. He needed to drink. "I take it you don't want him making a display in the banquet hall?"

"No, I do have a reputation after all. Take him, Chiyo. You can set him loose in the streets, and let him eat the beggars out there." The boot was removed, but then thin arms wrapped through Kai's and yanked him up to his feet.

Those skinny arms were strong, they easily pinned his own behind his back, and then he was forced forward. The large doors were thrust open and they entered a hallway. The smells on the other side of the door to the party had Kai wriggling and scrambling. "Let me go!" He snarled.

His captor swung him around and pushed and shoved him toward another lone door. A tennis shoe swung out from behind Kai and kicked it several times. It swung open to a pale man wearing all black. His blood was dead too. Kai growled and tried to elbow the woman who had him entrapped. He needed to get to the living blood!

"What happened?" Asked the cool voice of the white-haired man in front of Kai. Something deep down in Kai recognized something about that voice, but it was down too far. All that sat at the top was dreadful pain and a scorching thirst.

"Kruor used the 'bloodlust' on him," said the woman's voice from behind Kai. "Come on. Help me with him. We need to get away from here."

The ghostly man went behind Kai as well, and he was jostled a bit and was then held by two people, both keeping him from the blood.

"I found the place where he must have come through," said the male with the airy accent. "It is the same place that the witch always comes through. Does he work for her?"

"No," the woman replied. "The witch is just using the mage portals to get around. He must be aligned with a mage."

They steered Kai down a dark street. A heartbeat out between an ally caught his attention. He struggled to make for it. The smell nearly did him in. The pain crashed through him. His knees gave out and he fell into the fresh snow. He'd crawl there if he had to.

"Take him over here!" The woman snapped and they forced Kai up and away down another road, away from the prey. "Hold him tight." Kai was shifted again, and then suddenly the Asian vampire crouched down in front of his face.

"I have to get the blood!" He rasped out at her. His throat was burning like acid. "I have to—" He coughed hard and tasted the his own blood again. He spat it at the woman.

She jerked back and let out a hiss. Then she slapped him hard across the face. "Focus, Prince Kairi. I need you to focus. This isn't you. This is the thirst talking. You need to keep control for a bit longer."

"Why should I?" Kai snarled. "I need blood! I cannot wait for it!" He could still sense the heartbeat a street over. "Blood is everything!" The taste of it made everything better. It was life. Right from the vein was ecstasy. He wondered madly how he could ever stand it from the bottle. Just the memory of earlier that afternoon, tasting it from that girl. It had been so tantalizing. Why hadn't he sucked her dry?

Her small face, framed under wild blonde hair, giving him a brave smile, trying to make him feel better for what he was about to do to her...Aza.

Kai clamped his mouth shut and trembled. "What is happening?" He managed to push out. "I cannot...fight...this." He did his best to focus on the woman in front of him, not on the sound of blood rushing through the homeless man about fifty meters from them. Red tears blurred his vision further as the pain nearly sucked him back into the savage state.

"I don't have time to explain," the woman said. "Kruor cursed you with a nearly unquenchable thirst, driving you into this. The only way to get out of it is fresh blood from the source. You'll need a lot."

Kai writhed, but the man somehow managed to keep him in his hold.

"Just try to do your best to focus for now," the woman said, but Kai already felt himself losing steam. He was sinking away again. "We'll get you back to where you came through, but that's all we can do. Try to barricade yourself somewhere."

"But Chiyo," the man said. "The 'bloodlust' doesn't just make him want the blood. He does actually need it. He will die unless he gets it."

The woman gave Kai a sympathetic look. "But you know better than anyone, Tyko, the pain of killing to satiate us. When his mind is clear that pain will be worse." She moved back behind Kai and grabbed him again.

"You did not tell me this was the prince," the man accused as they pulled Kai up to his feet.

"I've been a little busy," she said sarcastically.

"Wait," Kai gasped. They came to a halt. He was losing himself fast, but he still knew one thing. He was abandoning Aza. He was leaving her in a den of vampires all alone. He couldn't do that to her. He wiggled his arm. "Please," he begged. "Just...just let me...do this...one thing."

There was hesitation, but the man release the arm he held and Kai clumsily groped for the broach at the top of his shirt. He ripped it from the collar and flung it to the ground. Then he stamped as hard as he could. But that was all Kai was able to do before the grating knives of hunger tore through his abdomen. His vision swam and he went limp. The faint pulse of a heartbeat sounded in Kai's ears. It was thunder sending shocks all over his body. He jolted upright again and flailed, trying to get these things off of him. He had to get to the blood!

There was some gap of time lost as he found himself in a different location than he had last seen. The two vampires tugged him along as he thrashed about. They kicked down the door into an abandoned building. They heaved him over the white tile and over to a black star.

A shock went through Kai. He knew that star.

Kai was then shifted back to just the man. The woman went over and crouched by the star and held her hand over it. "Yep," she said. "It's warm. The portal is still open. We can send him through."

Suddenly red hair and light skin flashed through Kai's broken mind and again he grasped at the bit of sanity. Calandra. Calandra was on the other side of the portal. They were about to send him right to her. He struggled harder in Tyko's grip. "No!" His voice was course and raw. "Don't! I can't!"

"I'm sorry, Prince Kairi," Chiyo said. Then she helped Tyko push Kai onto the star and everything vanished along with his brief fragment of clarity.

CALANDRA

Fear was a cold emotion. Calandra was more comfortable with heat. That was probably why when the annoying sensation made its way into her system, anger tended to shove it aside. Anger was a more driving force. It was like fire, not ice.

Most people thought she was a cold person, and maybe on the exterior that was true. But on the inside she didn't like cold. Cold meant frozen, inert. You didn't move forward when you were still. Fear was a paralytic.

Calandra's eyes flashed down to the envelope, sitting beside her on the stairs. That icy breeze chilled her bones again. She looked away, trying to summon the fire. It would be fine. Their family was of high-standing. Her father was on the council for goodness sake. She didn't have to worry about this.

She probably should have told the others about it. Well, it didn't matter now. She would have to soon... But if she'd told them sooner, they could have made a plan. However, there were already so many plans upon plans as everyone was preparing for war. This would just throw another dent into the mess.

She shook her head. She was delving into this too deep again. It'd be straightened out easily.

Her father hadn't contacted her on the subject. She'd thought about getting a hold of him dozens of times. Should she talk to him before she told the others?

She let out a long breath and hesitated a moment before picking up the letter. She was not going to read it again. She was not going to analyze every word and try to pull the answers out that were making her inner temperature plummet. She quickly stashed it back into the inner pocket of her robe.

There was a shift from the portal, and Calandra stood right as Kai materialized in front of her.

"Kai?" She stepped down from the stairs. "What are you doing back? What happened?"

That was when she saw him shaking. She walked around until she was facing him. He slowly lifted his head, his shaggy white hair slipping aside to reveal his dark, blood-red eyes.

"Run," he rasped.

Calandra cried out as her head banged against the far wall. Her hand smacked the small side table, causing it to tumble over. The flower vase that rested on top, shattered across the marble.

Kai's arms pinned her, his bruising fingers digging in harshly. His cool breath, sent goosebumps over her skin as his tilted head hovered right over her neck. He made the faintest sound, like a whine before his long fangs pierced her throat.

Calandra stiffened. No! She had to stop this! But it was too late. The rhew in Kai's teeth made its way through her system. Her muscles relaxed and Kai gulped and gulped.

A brief memory flashed through her mind of when the vampire had first come to her, carrying his bloodstained sister. He was soaked in the blood too, but he hadn't drank a drop from the little girl he held. He was weak and starving. He was dying. Calandra had gone to him, a stranger at the time, and told him to drink her blood. A part of her wondered that if she'd been that lonely that she just didn't care. He'd blatantly refused over and over, but then she'd knelt beside him and said three words that she did not give easily.

"I trust you."

A dark haze circled around the corners of Calandra's vision, wiping out the image of Kai back then and Kai now.

This was it then. Her sense of sound gone as the last bit of her sight slipped away. She supposed this meant she didn't have to be afraid anymore.

((A/N: OOOOOOOOHHH NOOOOOO!!!! What do you think is going to happen?? Who will save Calandra? Who will save Kai? What did you think of this chapter?? PLEASE share your thoughts and feelings! They really help so much.

I'd love to hear predictions! What do you think will happen next!! Do you think Kai will be able to stop, or will we lose our beautiful mage?!

Alright, now I've gotten a bit busy prepping to go back to school, so I've fallen a bit behind in writing. I hope to still have the next chapter up by next week, but I'm not 100% sure. So I make no promises. Most of it is written, but it might end up being the last chapter for a bit. I'll try and get ahead again and post more. We'll have to see how my schedule works out with everything.

Thank you so much for being there for me and my stories!! 😊))