Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

My head starts shaking before the words have even left his mouth. “Not going to happen,” I spit at him. “Ever.”

“You really are no fun.” He turns and eyes Patrick, then looks back at me. “Enjoy your stay in Cardia. Do not let the queen off your head.” Then he is gone.

“You really attract all the weirdos,” Patrick says.

I run my fingers through my sister’s hair while she rests. “Well, I don’t mean to. And if I remember correctly, it wasn’t my idea to summon a demon.”

“And now that you have, he doesn’t seem to want to let go.”

While the sun starts to rise as the moon falls from the sky, we sit and wait.

“John really will kill me if something happens to her,” he says. “I only just survived the death of my mate. John will not, and that’s saying something considering he is the strongest of us all. But the alpha’s bond is also the most powerful. It feeds the pack and keeps them content.”

“Tatiana has a way of always bouncing back,” I say as she shifts around. “Let’s get a bit of rest before we have to move again.”

Patrick nods and sits on the other side of Tatiana, his head on his knees as he keeps a close watch.

“Do you love him?” Patrick asks me after silence fills the air.

“Who?” I question.

“Death. Do you love him?”

I turn away. “How can you love someone you don’t even know?” I pause, giving my answer some thought. “He saves me, and for that I love him.” It’s all the answer I can give, and thankfully he doesn’t push it any further. I lie back, keeping my sister on my lap as I close my eyes. My body is sore and tired from the running and the spell.

If I close my eyes for just a second…

“We have to go, Talia. Wake up, we have to move.”

Dammit! I don’t want to move! I want to stay asleep and not shift at all for the rest of the week. Haven’t we done enough?

“Talia.” Tatiana pushes me again, and I reluctantly open my eyes to find her hovering over me. “You need to get up. We slept.”

“I know… we were tired.” I stand and brush down my pants. “It’s been a hell of a few days,” I remind her. “Sometimes, we need to pass the hell out.”

“Tanya is waiting for us.”

“We have to get through the vampires first,” Patrick says. “They and the angels have surrounded the castle. It’s going to be a massive problem.”

Tatiana turns to face me. “No holding back, at all.”

I nod, my hands sweating from what could possibly come next.

“I mean it, Talia. The only way to get through this and to her is if you stop holding back.”

It’s hard listening to that when all my life I was told to be quiet, unassuming, and above all, never to use my powers because it may draw unwanted attention. And now I’m being told to do the complete opposite.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” I say, my voice small and wavering.

“It’s too late for that now. Hurting is what needs to be done. Wars weren’t won with people being cordial, Talia. Be cruel, vindictive, ruthless. You need to be worse than the queen to defeat the queen.”

“You want me to kill the queen?”

“No, that job will be mine.” She turns and looks out, pocketing her knife as she smiles, and the joy touches her eyes.

“You should be queen,” I state, and I believe it, as I always have. Tatiana is a born leader. People would listen to her, where I am certain no one will listen to me.

Tatiana shakes her head. “I would never want to. Besides, it’s not me who is meant to be queen. And every queen needs a fierce warrior by her side. It just so happens I’m yours.” She winks and starts walking. Patrick follows her, and I begrudgingly do the same.

We stay close to the trees and keep watch, but it’s hard when vampires are known for their strength, speed, and agility.

“Wings.” We all stop as Valefar appears in front of us. “Vampire coming in… 3, 2, 1…” Just as he finishes his countdown, a vampire appears behind him. His red eyes are set on me as it walks at a slow pace, its eyes hungry for something. I glance at my sister, but she’s not moving and Patrick’s frozen at her side. “They will be of no help. All they can do is watch,” the demon says, condescension lacing his tone.

I take a step back, and my hands come to my sides to protect myself, palms open, ready to fight.

“Tsk tsk. You need more than that, silly girl.” The vampire pays Valefar’s words no mind, as he slowly makes his way toward us. Then another appears, coming up the hill and directly at me.