Thicker than Water (Fangs and Feuds #1)

And dont you forget it

AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT

Amara

“Amara,” whispers a voice.

It’s a familiar voice, filled with love and light. But in my disoriented state, I can’t quite place it.

“Amara…you’ve got to wake up…”

My vision starts to clear, and a figure takes shape before me.

“I…I’m up…” I mutter, reaching up to rub my eyes. “I’m awake.”

“I’m afraid you aren’t,” chuckles the voice. “You’re still glamoured, little witch.”

Now I recognize it. My eyes shoot open and my hands stretch out in front of me. To my surprise, my eager fingers pass right through the person kneeling there. He wears an ornate robe, woven in rich, yellow hues, and two gold hoops glitter in his ears. He has warm, golden-brown skin, and the kindest hazel eyes that I’ll ever see. He smiles at me widely. I never thought I would see that smile again.

Tears well up in my eyes, obscuring my vision again.

“Father…what are you doing here? Does this…does this mean I’m dead?”

“No, child. Just unconscious. Passed out in Lazarus Grey’s mansion.”

I swallow. Even in this hazy dream world, my throat feels tight and sore.

“Father,” I cry, my voice breaking properly now. “I don’t know what to do. Even if I can get out, what’s the point? I can’t stop the conflict from happening. I can’t protect my coven. And worse of all, I can’t protect…”

The words catch in my throat. It’s too painful to say her name.

“I want to stay with you, father. There’s nothing I can do anymore.”

“Amara, my little witch,” he says, his deep voice radiating through me. “It’s all right to feel hopeless when the situation seems dire. But you don’t have to fight this battle alone.”

I shake my head, my braids limp around my face. “I tried so hard, father. I thought I could see the good in anyone, but…but I was wrong. In the end, she…she couldn’t choose me…”

Fresh tears burn my cheeks.

My father puts his hands on my shoulders. Even though I can’t feel his physical presence, I’m filled with warmth.

“Listen to me, little witch,” he says. “As long as you’re alive, as long as your light is there, there’s hope.”

I want to believe him so badly. But a little nagging doubt plagues me.

“I don’t know, father. I love her, but…we’re just so different. How can I ever trust her? How can I ever trust a vampire?”

There’s a knowing sparkle in his eyes. “Well, I’ve known a few vampires in my time. Some bad, some good. Some…more complicated. But I know one thing to be true. None of them are beyond redemption. They all got a second chance, a second existence after their first life ended. They were granted immortality. Enough time to make different choices. Better choices. Harder choices.

“It’s never too late for anyone , Amara. You just have to be brave enough to see the light.”

I wipe the tears from my eyes. And I feel a strange tug. I can hear voices shouting, somewhere far off in the distance. My father’s form becomes hazy.

“Wait,” I whisper, desperately. “Wait, I don’t want to go yet…I don’t want to leave you!”

He shakes his head with a chuckle.

“My darling child. You’re not leaving me. And I’ve never left you. You carry me with you, always. And don’t you forget it.”

“I’ll never forget,” I whisper, clutching my chest. I feel like my heart will burst out. “I love you, father.”

“I love you, little witch.”

My eyelids flutter open. At first, everything is dark. Immediately, I feel a searing pain in my wrists and ankles, and my right shoulder. I’m on my side, my face pressed down against a hard floor. My wrists are bound behind me, and my ankles as well. The bonds are tight. Duct tape.

Ugh…I miss when everyone used rope.

As my eyes adjust, I discover that I’m in a cramped room with shelves along the walls. There’s a small window and a door. It appears to be dark outside, so it must be nighttime.

Damn. I wish I had woken up during the day. It’s going to be so much more difficult to escape when the vampires are roaming around.

But I’ve got to get out. I don’t know what I’ll do when I get out, but I’ve got to do something . Something to keep the light burning. I think of the vision of my father. I have to hold on to that feeling.

I twist my head around. And see…my purse!

Those idiots, they threw my purse in here with me. They must have thought I was just a normal human, a bartender at the nightclub. They probably didn’t even look through it.

“O Hecate, Graceful Goddess, Light in the Night…bring me my handbag, so that I may fight!”

I’m overjoyed as I feel my purse slide across the floor into my hands. Although my fingers are numb, I’m able to fumble around inside.

“ Why do I have so much crap inside my bag!” I moan.

Tossing aside lip balm, a bottle of oil, my enormous leather wallet, and an unnecessarily overburdened set of keys (how many keys do I need? I have one apartment!), I finally find what I’m searching for…the smooth wood handle of my wand.

“Thank Goddess!”

But my joy is shortlived. I hear footsteps approaching the door. With my last remaining bit of strength, I roll over onto my back, twisting my body to hide the wand in my hand.

I whisper an incantation urgently. “Hecate, please do me one more deed…slow down my heart for as long as I need!”

I close my eyes tightly as the door bangs open.

“Looks like she’s still out,” sighs a voice.

“Did you hear something?” says a second voice.

“No, all I can do is smell this breather. Mmm…she smells nice, doesn’t she?”

“I could have sworn I heard-”

“Shut up, Vinny, you’re always hearing things. Let’s just bring her back to Lazarus. Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll get the leftovers.”

“I doubt it. He never shares, especially with newborns.”

“You’re such a pessimist. Ooh, I can smell her blood. Do you think Lazarus will be upset if we have a little taste?”

“I think he’ll stake you for even thinking about it.”

“Jesus, you’re no fun.”

They’re obviously young vampires. They don’t yet move with the smoothness that Tudor, Celine, and Lazarus do. I sense them enter the closet and approach me.

This is my only chance. If they drag me away to Lazarus, they might see my wand.

The only advantage I have is surprise. But I’ve got to be fast…

Faster than two vampires.

Holding my wand tightly in my hands, I hone my magic. I don’t use words this time. I use one of the strongest types of magic. My heart’s desire. And I can’t deny what that is.

I picture Celine’s face clearly in my mind. I allow myself to feel how badly I want to get back to her, even if she doesn’t trust me. Even if she can’t choose me. I need to find her.

My intention sharpens my magic, slicing through the duct tape like a blade.

The room lights up with bright yellow energy magic.

As quickly as I can, I scramble to my feet. I’m aching all over from lying on the hard floor, but adrenaline courses through my veins.

And luckily, the newborn vampires are taken by surprise. They’re dressed all in black, staring at me in shock.

“What are you…”

But before they can react, I wave my wand through the air. An arc of gold knocks both of them into the hard concrete wall. It looks like they’re out, at least temporarily. Even in my weakened state, I’m a powerful good witch, and they’re just newborn vampires .

But I don’t want to push my luck. I race out of the small room, slamming the door shut behind me. I’m in a hallway, probably a basement.

“Hecate, fix this lock!” I shout, pointing my finger at the doorknob. Hopefully that slows them down when they wake up.

I race as quickly as I can down the hallway, keeping my ears open for any sounds. Those must have been the only vampires guarding me. Maybe I can make it out if I’m quick enough. Then I can find a taxi, go back to the hotel…

I turn a corner and find a staircase. I take the steps two at a time, pushing through my exhaustion.

There’s a door at the top of the staircase. I press my ear up to it, but I don’t hear anything. It doesn’t mean much - vampires are deadly quiet. There could be a hundred of them on the other side of this door and I wouldn’t be able to tell. But I know there are two vampires right behind me. And once they wake up and get themselves out of that room, they’ll be able to come for me much quicker than I can run.

I don’t like my odds, but I’ve got to keep going. I turn the doorknob slowly.

Another long corridor. The basement was lit by overhead electric lights, but this one is almost completely dark. I shut the door behind me as softly as I can. My eyes don’t adjust well to the dark, even after months of working underground. But I don’t dare cast a light spell.

I step forward tentatively. The next door I come to is open slightly. With a prayer to Hecate, I tiptoe through the door. It takes me into a massive, looming hall that appears to be deserted. There are three-story windows along one side, confirming that I’m on the ground floor. There’s got to be a way out somewhere, I just have to find it.

It’s safer to go back along the corridor than stay in the hall. It’s too large, and there’s nowhere to hide.

I turn back to go down the corridor.

And I stop in my tracks.

The blood freezes in my veins.

Towering before me, his dust-coloured eyes rimmed with crimson, is Lazarus Gray. His long black hair hangs lazily down past his shoulders, darker than the black clothes he wears.

“I was hoping you would wake up soon,” he says, a satisfied twitch on his lips.

I don’t have any time to waste. I take a deep breath, grounding myself down to my feet. I feel the floor support me, the air around me, the moon up above.

I raise my wand in a shaking hand. “Graceful Goddess, protect me!”

My spell knocks him several feet into the air and against the door I just came through. But he’s not completely out. He’s much stronger than the two newborn vampires. Still, maybe it’s enough to give me a head start. At least I’ve startled him.

I run in the opposite direction, deeper into the hall. It’s cluttered with wooden chairs and tables, which I maneuver as best as I can. I’ve got to find a way out, before-

“No!” I gasp, as a clammy hand tightens around my wrist. The pain, along with my fatigue, is enough to make me drop my wand.

The ancient vampire pulls me around, twisting my arm and holding it behind me, pinning me to him. It’s a deliberate, practiced move that I have no hope of resisting. If I had my full strength, perhaps I would be a match for him, but in my current state, all I can do is hope for a quick and painless death.

Which is unlikely.

“Well, well, well,” he says with a grimace. “I didn’t expect that . A witch, and a Hecate witch, at that. I’m surprised Celine keeps such company. How utterly open-minded of you.”

“If you’re planning to use me to get to her, your plan is doomed,” I tell him, trying my best to keep my voice steady. “She found out that I’m a witch, and she wants nothing to do with me.”

I wiggle hopelessly in his grasp, but his grip only intensifies. A slow, sadistic grin mars his features.

“Kill me if you want,” I breathe. “But she won’t come for me.”

“Oh, I’m definitely going to kill you,” Lazarus replies. He maintains his vice-like grip on my arm, and with his other hand, caresses the side of my cheek.

Despite my efforts to twist away, I can’t escape the chilling touch of his fingers.

“But I think we’ll wait for Tudor’s eldest progeny. I have a feeling she’ll show up. And I’m going to enjoy making her watch.”

A fiery rush of anger builds inside me. Drawing myself up as much as I can, I lean forward and spit in the vampire’s face.

“How dare you,” he snaps, taking his hand from my cheek to wipe his face. His eyes are clouded with red now, his fangs protruding slightly past his thin, pale lips.

Then he grabs me by the neck, squeezing just enough to cut off my windpipe. A strangled cry escapes my lips. I tear at his arm with my free hand, but it’s no use. My head spins as my oxygen is cut off.

“You’re going to pay for that,” he hisses. “You witches think you’re so powerful , gifted by the gods with your magic.”

He tilts his head lower, he voice dropping to a dangerously low cadence.

“But you’re nothing but flesh and bone…and blood .”