Scarlet Mirror (Rise of the Vampire Princess Book 3), page 1
Scarlet Mirror
Rise of the Vampire Princess Book 3
A.L. Kessler
Copyright © 2024 by A.L. Kessler
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Contents
Dedication
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
15. Chapter Fifteen
16. Chapter Sixteen
17. Chapter Seventeen
18. Chapter Eighteen
19. Chapter Nineteen
20. Chapter Twenty
21. Chapter Twenty-One
22. Chapter Twenty-Two
23. Chapter Twenty-Three
24. Chapter Twenty-Four
25. Chapter Twenty-Five
26. Chapter Twenty-Six
27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
About Author
Also By
To my readers
Thank you
Chapter One
Abigail
Istared down at the envelope sitting on Levi’s desk. “Awesome. A mysterious package.” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
The brown envelope was unassuming, about as big as my palm, with no label on it, but ‘Princess Abigail’ was scrolled across it in black ink.
Levi leaned back in his chair. “Mario found on our front porch. We need to wait until Merick or Liz get here to open it.”
Because I didn’t have magic to make sure it was safe, and he was most likely worried about someone trying to hex me…again. I sighed. “Who delivered it?”
“Mario is going through the security footage now.”
I had the strange urge to just poke the envelope to see if I had set anything off, but I knew better than that. “Great. I’ll text Liz and see when she can get up here to look. Merick’s busy with some cult stuff.”
Levi ran his hand over his blond hair. He was overdue for a haircut. The tips were curling more, and I wondered if it was from the weight of the gel or if he actually had curly hair. His blue gaze met mine. “Abigail, we have to talk about what Ivan and Samara have done.”
I cringed. The two vampires had openly declared war on the crown. Over the last few months, we’d had to send out people to stop riots and other attacks that were popping up around the world. I knew it was exhausting Levi, but I had been told by the council that there was nothing I could do to help, because I was still a baby vampire.
I hadn’t mastered my abilities yet, even if I had been making improvements.
Levi had even gone so far as to exclude me from the war meetings. It was almost like I was human again, shut out from the vampire world in fear of me being in danger.
And it still pissed me off to no end.
I crossed my arms. “Now you want to talk about it?”
He locked his jaw. “Please don’t be difficult, Abigail. There have been threats, and deaths, and attacks. You’re coming up on your first year of being a vampire, and I know you have expectations of returning to as normal a life as you can.”
I knew it was coming. “I’m not going home, am I?” The pain of those words hit me hard enough that I felt tears burn the back of my eyes.
“You are, but Zayne will have to stay with you.” He sighed. “We’ll get a security team to make sure your land is clear of press, and Merick and Liz can set up magical protection.”
My heart leaped. I had assumed that Zayne was going to have to stay with me, but I was going home.
“The council and I decided it was best that you and I weren’t in the same spot in case of a direct attack.” He met my gaze. “I hate the idea, but they are right. If something happens to us both, there is no ruler to lead the loyal.”
That meant things were getting bad. “You’ll be here at the mansion?”
Levi didn’t answer me.
“Where will you be, then?” I asked. “And what has happened that you’re keeping me out of the loop?”
He opened his mouth, and I could already taste the lie on my tongue. “Don’t you dare.” I growled at him. “You can’t pull me in and push me away every fucking time something happens. I’m a vampire now, the princess of vampires, as you all keep reminding me. So don’t you lie.”
Levi’s eyes widened, and he shut his mouth. My tongue darted between my fangs as the air around us went tasteless. Then I tasted fear. Over the past few months, I had learned not to bring up his fear, but I never backed down from calling him out on his lies when we were alone.
He sighed and pulled a drawer open and pulled out a manilla envelope. “These pictures were delivered to me two nights ago.”
I took it from him and opened it. I laid out each photo that I removed. Each one depicting dismembered people. Arms, legs, torsos. Clean dissection. I’d seen pictures like this before. Levi had put me on the case a few months ago, but I’d run into a dead-end because Liz couldn’t get me the files from PIB.
I stopped when I got to the heads. I could see the vampire fangs behind the pulled back lips. I started shaking. “We know these people.”
Levi nodded. “They were at the last event the council put on.”
I put the pictures down and took a deep breath out of human habit to calm myself. I made my face go blank as I shoved the emotions away. “Are they related to the case you put me on? Grayson’s old cases?”
He was silent for a moment, and I put the photos back in the envelope.
“What do you think?” he asked me when I was done.
“It looks very similar to those cases. I wouldn’t be able to tell without investigating both further.” I looked up at him. “Because we know these people, we interacted with them, they openly showed their support…they’re truly dead.”
Levi nodded. “What should we do about it?”
“Figure out who did it,” I said, and without second guessing myself, added, “And bring them to vampire justice.” A rage boiled in me, one that I wasn’t familiar with. It was hotter than emotions I’d felt before.
Levi nodded. “And that’s exactly what we’ll do. We protect our people, Abigail. We can’t do that if our enemy can take us both out. You’ll be safe at home with your team. I’ll be safe with mine.”
I nodded and put the manilla envelope into my bag. “Keep in touch?”
He smirked. “Of course. Don’t start too much trouble without me. I’ll see you at the council meetings.”
I walked out of the office to find Zayne waiting in the hall. He pushed off the wall and held his hand out to me. “Ready to go home, Princess?”
“Yes.” I took his hand, and the world disappeared around me.
I’d been home a couple times since turning into a vampire, but only for brief visits. Zayne and I appeared outside the magical circle protecting the house from unwanted visitors, keeping vampires from popping in and out. Including myself. Which sucked, but at least I knew I wouldn’t walk into another Ira situation.
Zayne and I walked up to the three-story house. I paused for a moment, taking in the white and brick exterior. The window looking into the living room appeared different from the last time I was there.
One, there was a new film on the window so I couldn’t see into my living room. That made me nervous because I couldn’t see if anyone unexpected was there.
And two, there was now a new contraption on the top and bottom of it. I glanced at Zayne. “What did you do to my house?”
“I made it vampire safe.” He shrugged. “And gave you some more privacy from the press in case they show up again.” He put his code into the lock on the door.
The gears whirled and clicked as the deadbolt unlocked, allowing us access. He opened the door, and we walked in. “Okay, so the metal things over the window are shutters?”
“Yes, so if you need to, you can walk around during the day. All your windows have them.” Zayne shrugged. “It’s convenient. You get to stay in your own room now, and I can have the basement room.”
Okay, that was nice, and it also meant he didn’t have to sleep on the couch. I walked into the kitchen and found a cup of coffee already waiting on the island there.
Which made me frown. Who made the coffee?
Zayne put a hand on my back, and I knew he was preparing for some kind of threat, but the sound of footsteps coming from the living room had me relaxing. I knew that gait well.
“Simon.” I breathed as he walked through the doorway. His caramel-colored hair was cut so it curled just over his ears, leaving his square jaw clear. I met his hazel gaze with a big grin on my face. “How did you convince Travis to let you come here?” I threw my arms around him.
He squeezed me and we held on to each other tightly. He gave me a quick kiss before we separated. “Travis doesn’t know I’m here. He and his second-in-command are in a meeting with the new allies.”
I’d met the new allies when I went to visit them with Levi. Emric and Zaila were also our allies and supporters of the crown.
“Oh, look at you, breaking your alpha’s rules.”
Simon snorted, and I walked back to the island to pick up my coffee. “He hasn’t completely forbidden me from seeing you. Just says we have to be supervised.”
“Mmm, yes, like high school all over again.” I sipped the coffee and closed my eyes, savoring it. I may be allergic to silver, but at least I got to keep drinking coffee.
Zayne saluted Simon. “And supervise you, I shall. Abigail’s feeding habits are under control. You two don’t do anything crazy.” He walked into the living room, leaving Simon and me in the kitchen.
“Is Travis going to be pissed?”
Simon shook his head. “No. He’s working really hard to build a relationship with the new allies he’s creating. Honestly, Abby, he’s doing a great job with the pack, and I’m proud of him as an alpha. He’s just…”
“Protective,” I stated and smiled. “He’s never going to like me or forgive me, and that’s just something I have to be at peace with.”
He nodded. “Yeah, but,” he held his arms out. “I’m all healed. No more curse in my blood. Liz has cleared me to go back to all normal activities.”
“Let’s just start with pizza and some crappy television while I go over some photos?”
He raised a brow. “That sounds suspiciously…normal.”
I shrugged. “I feel like things are getting back to that.”
“Good, because that’s what you need.” He pulled his phone out to order pizza, and I threw my bag on the couch.
I sat on the couch and pulled out the envelope that held the new pictures Levi had given me. There wasn’t a lot I could do right now, except compare what the photos showed me to Agent Yorkingson’s old files and see how similar they were. Simon finished ordering the pizza and looked over my shoulder.
“Mm, yeah, just like normal. What did all this?” He sat down on the couch next to me, and I grabbed my cup of coffee, curling up beside him.
“I don’t really know what did all of it.” I frowned. “If I had to guess, I’d say magic because of how clean the cuts look.”
Simon played with the tips of my hair. “So do you know the who?”
I cringed. “We’re pretty sure that Ivan and Samara are behind the attacks. These are vampires who openly support us. My job is to find out who they used to do it and stop them before it happens again.”
Simon’s fingers hesitated in my hair. “That’s a lot of pressure to put on you.” I could taste the worry in the air.
“It’s fine. It’s no different from working at PIB. Just now I work for Levi, and I have fewer resources until O’Donald decides we can use PIB resources.” I glanced at him. “I won’t be going to hunt them down alone.”
He nodded and pressed his forehead against mine. “I just worry, but you’re adapting better now. You’re more confident in being a vampire than when you were first changed, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Adapting, yes, but I wasn’t sure I’d agree with being confident. “Put the gross pictures away for now and let’s watch some stupid tv while we wait for dinner.”
I put them all back in the envelope and leaned back again. I was going to eat up this bit of normal until something disrupted it.
Simon snored gently on the couch next to me as midnight rolled around. The need to feed created an ache in my stomach as I slid out from under him and went to find Zayne.
The door to the basement was on a wall next to the stairwell that went upstairs. I’d fixed the creak it used to make a while ago, but I knew Zayne would still hear me walking down the stairs.
“What’s up, Princess?” He called before I was halfway down.
“I need to feed. Who’s on the schedule tonight?”
He peeked his head into the stairwell. “Nadine, I think. I’ll get her as long as you promise you won’t leave the house.”
I gave him a small salute. “Promise. I’m going to work through some notes and pictures while Simon sleeps.”
Zayne nodded and started up the stairs. “Then I’ll go get you a midnight snack.”
I let him pass and turned to follow him back up. He left through the front door, and I went back to the couch where Simon was sleepily blinking up at me.
“Everything okay?”
I nodded and snuggled back into him. “Yeah, I just sent Zayne to get me a meal. No big deal.”
Simon gave me a small smirk. “I could be your meal.”
I tapped his nose. “I’m not allowed to feed from you. Not yet. And if Travis has his way, never.”
He wrinkled his nose and then closed his eyes. “Damn alphas,” he muttered, and I stroked his hair until he fell back to sleep.
My phone rang, and Simon’s head shot up. I rolled my eyes. “Just like normal,” I muttered and stood, going to the kitchen before answering the call.
“Abigail speaking.”
“Yes, I know whose phone I called.” The voice on the other end was almost snake-like, hissing the s out. “I had a few questions for you, princess.”
I tried not to roll my eyes. “I’m not taking interviews at this time,” I said as politely as I could manage.
She hung up, and I shoved my phone back into my pocket. “Damn reporters getting my phone number.”
The front door opened, and Zayne waltzed in with Nadine behind him.
Nadine grinned at me and stuck her hands in her jean pockets. “Heard you needed a snack.”
“Glad you could come. Not working tonight?” I motioned to her casual clothes. Nadine was a favorite at Lady R’s club. She was great with new vampires and worked as a donor.
She shook her head. “No, not tonight. I’m actually going on vacation tomorrow.”
“I hope it’s somewhere nice and quiet.” I jerked my head towards the stairs. “Come on, no need to do this in the kitchen.”
She followed me up the stairs and to the office. The bedroom felt too intimate for casual feedings. I wrinkled my nose at the thought. Levi had warned me that when we travel, that feedings could become more ritualistic depending on the territory. I pushed that thought away.
I had no desire to feed in other territories, but it was going to be unavoidable soon.
“Abby?” Nadine asked, and it drew me out of my thoughts.
“Sorry, my mind ran off with a thought.” I pulled myself together and found her sitting in the spinning chair, offering her wrist. I raised her wrist to my lips and bit down. The warm liquid splashed over my tongue, and I fought off the urge to moan. The ache in my stomach faded as I drank, and when it was gone, I pulled away. Zayne was there with a napkin and handed it to Nadine.
She put it on her wrist and stood. “Feel better?”
“Much, thank you. Now, if you’d excuse me, there’s a werewolf downstairs that I would like to go snuggle.” I walked out of the room, leaving Zayne to take care of Nadine. When I got to the living room, Simon was sound asleep again.
I chuckled and lifted his head enough that I could scoot under it and laid it on my lap. I flipped through channels until Zayne joined me.
“Everything go well tonight?” He sat in the chair to my left.
I nodded. “Like a dream. Pizza, tv, and a murder investigation. Like a normal weekday night. It was refreshing.”
Zayne nodded. “Good. I’m glad you’re getting back to as normal as you can.”
My tongue flicked between my fangs and looked at him. “Why do I taste remorse?”
He cringed. “You’ve got to stop doing that. It’s unnerving. And because I’m sorry that this was taken away from you for so long.”
“You didn’t do this, Zayne, any of it.” Honestly, it was all Levi’s fault for letting me change, but I’d chosen to forgive him for it. He didn’t want to watch his daughter truly die, and I was already changing in his arms minutes after Samuel killed me.
I closed my eyes at the thought. The memories tried to assault me. I refused to let them, pushing them away with other thoughts. Like the fact that Simon was lying in my lap. That I was home. That Ira hadn’t actually taken everything away from me.
Zayne motioned to the tv. “The info-commercials have started. Why don’t you throw a movie on for a bit?”
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” I flipped to a streaming service and found something for the two of us to watch while Simon slept, thankful for the distraction.
