SWNOVELS Chapter A Soul of Ash and Blood: HUNTED
The bitter surge of disappointment upon the Maiden’s broken promise quickly gave way to one of concern as I stared at the rumpled bed.
Her not being here meant she was out there somewhere, on the too-often-vicious streets, by herself, at a time of night when those often up to no good roamed. The kind of people who preyed upon the weak and helpless.
But the Maiden wasn’t exactly helpless. A wry grin twisted my lips. She carried a dagger—a wolven-bone and bloodstone dagger, no less—and handled it in such a way that backed up her claim that she knew how to use it.
Still, I stalked forward. Grasping a fistful of the blanket, I lifted it and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet and earthy scent. Honeydew. Dropping the cover, I turned and left the Red Pearl. Outside, I scanned the dimly lit streets, quiet except for the muted hum of laughter and bawdy shouts coming from inside the numerous businesses.
She could be anywhere if she left the Red Pearl immediately upon my departure. I lifted my gaze to the distant glow of lights radiating from the numerous windows of Castle Teerman. The streets didn’t get safer the closer one got to the castle.
They actually got more dangerous because mortals no longer populated the areas. The closer to the castle you got, the closer you were to the Ascended, and after sunset, they would be moving about freely.
With her traveling dressed not as the Maiden but as a commoner, I doubted any Ascended would hesitate before helping themselves.
Anger took root in my gut, but I wasn’t exactly sure who it was meant for. The Maiden for foolishly endangering her life? The Ascended, who were truly to blame? Or myself for not ensuring she stayed put until she could be safely returned?
The Maiden was entirely too valuable to lose to a bloodthirsty Ascended.
Crossing the street, I headed for the bridges and pathways that cut through the portion of Wisher’s Grove that had been thinned out and used as a park by the most privileged of Masadonia. The entire Upper Ward surrounding Radiant Row, the homes, shops, and the park, were brimming with activity, my sensitive ears picking up on the distant sounds of carriage wheels and chatter. It struck me halfway there, bringing me to a complete stop.
The Maiden was clever.
She must be to have successfully evaded her guards and made it to the Red Pearl. I also doubted that was her first time escaping her personal guard and her pretty cage. She wouldn’t travel public roads, especially those that would be busy with the Ascended, who could only live their lives once the sun had set. She wouldn’t avoid them out of fear of harm, simply because she knew no better, but rather out of concern of being found out. She would…
Outside a quiet row of narrow townhomes, I looked back to the edges of where I’d just come from. The one place very few traveled.
Wisher’s Grove.
A smile spread along my lips. The deepest part of the Grove led right to the inner walls of Castle Teerman.
Cutting across the street, I hit the shadows of the townhomes and started to run. I reached the low stone wall separating the homes from the woods and vaulted over it, entering the Grove once more. I slowed, having moved too fast when I left to pick up on her scent. I still might not be able to catch it. Those wolven senses I’d been damning earlier would’ve come in handy now.
Recalling the faint trails where the grass had been beaten down from the tread of footsteps, I cut through the trees, coming upon the winding path of packed earth within a few moments. Sticking to the darkness, I followed the trail as it curved closer and closer to the edges of the area they’d cleared for the park. Only a handful of heartbeats later, I picked up on a scent that didn’t belong among the damp, rich soil of the woods.
Sweet. Slightly fruity.
My instincts hummed as I prowled forward, my pace increasing as I scanned the trees ahead, every sense on high alert. I moved silently through the woods like a predator tracking its prey. It was one of the only things Atlantians shared with the Ascended—the vampry. Our single-minded focus when we were on a hunt.
There.
A figure moved quickly in the shadows several yards ahead—a cloaked figure. My smile returned as I hit a burst of speed, coming within a dozen feet or so of…her. And it was definitely her. The breeze had her scent and was tossing it in my face.
I followed, treading lightly as I tracked her. The Grove was a maze I could navigate simply because of my vision, which was leagues above a mortal’s. How in the world the Maiden found this path at night was beyond me, but her steps were sure. More than once, she skirted jutting rocks and fallen branches I knew she couldn’t see, but she obviously knew they were there.
My hearing picked up the low murmur of speech and softer, sultrier sounds from the park. Noises I would’ve preferred to hear coming from the Maiden if I had my way.
However, it was probably a good thing I hadn’t. For I liked to believe I was capable of such restraint that I wouldn’t have taken things too far. That I wasn’t that kind of monster. But truthfully? Would I have stopped if she wanted to experience more? Would I have been the kind of good man my mother had raised me to be? Or would I have been selfish and greedy? A low rumble came from my throat as I followed her. Even now, there was a baser part of me, a primal one, that rode me hard, urging me to cross the distance between us. To reveal myself. What would she do? Be angry that I followed? Pleasantly surprised? Would she talk to me about sad things that clearly weighed on her mind? Would she welcome me, my body against hers once more? Or would common sense prevail, as it must have done for her to leave? Would she run? If so, she wouldn’t have a chance. I would catch her. I would—
A twig snapped to my left, jerking my head in that direction. It was too quiet for her to have heard. I scanned the crowded trees, picking up on the sound of quick, almost silent footsteps. The noise came from ahead, between the Maiden and me.
I wasn’t the only one following her.
Hunting her.
My eyes narrowed as I dipped under several branches, inching closer. A shadow moved to her left, crossing briefly out of the darkness. The thin stream of moonlight glanced over light hair; round, almost boyish features, and bare shoulders. The glimpse was enough for me to know that what crept up behind her was no mortal who had recently turned Craven—something I’d discovered was an unfortunate occurrence within a week of being here. People like Jole, who thought they had time to turn themselves in but didn’t in the end. The same thing happened in Carsodonia and every city within Solis. But the thick, glossy hair and smooth, pale skin meant that what followed her while she blissfully forged ahead was a different sort of death.
An Ascended.
One who likely had no idea who he stalked. And by the time he realized who he was sinking his teeth into, it would be too late. Only the oldest among the Ascended could show restraint and stop before they took the last drop of their victim’s blood. That was why so many Craven surrounded the city. It was what happened when a vampry drained a mortal.
Like with most lies, that bit of history had started out as some truth. But the Ascended had the so-called poisonous kiss, not the Atlantians.
Only a few Ascended here were old enough to have that kind of restraint. The Duke and Duchess. A few of the Lords I’d seen creeping around the grounds. This wasn’t one of them. This one wouldn’t stop. He would kill.
Knowing that we were nearing the section of the garden wall I exploited, the one Jericho would soon make use of and the Maiden was obviously familiar with, my muscles tensed.
Then, I made my move.
I bolted through the narrow spaces between the trees like a streak of lightning, leaping over a toppled pine. As the Maiden slipped from the edge of the Grove, where the stone of the castle wall gleamed dully in the moonlight, I landed behind the Ascended.
The vampry spun, his pitch-black eyes even more bottomless in the darkness. His features twisted into a snarl, lips peeling back to reveal two canines sharpened into fine points.
I bared my fangs. “Mine are bigger.”
The vampry’s mouth opened wider, and I knew he was gearing up for a big-boy roar—one that would not only alert any of his nearby friends but also possibly the Maiden.
“Nope.” I grasped him by the throat, cutting off his growl. It crossed my mind that I should question him as we did with those we’d snagged in the past, but I quickly dismissed it.
I had been in the mood for pleasure.
Now, I was in the mood for violence.
He swung, but I caught his arm as I lifted him off his feet and twisted, slamming him to the ground. The vampry immediately jerked upright at the waist as I came down on him, digging my knee into his stomach. I didn’t reach for the dagger strapped to my chest—the bloodstone blade. Much like the one the Maiden carried, except for the wolven-bone hilt. It was the cleanest way to kill an Ascended, leaving nothing but dust behind.
But I was in the mood for messy.
I smacked my hand down on his mouth, silencing his screams as my other hand slammed into the vampry’s chest, punching through bone and cartilage. My fingers sank into the bastard’s heart. With a savage yank, I tore the organ from his chest. The Ascended squirmed, his eyes wide as blood gushed from his chest and coursed down my arm.
“Should have stayed out of the woods tonight,” I said, squeezing the heart until there was nothing but gore and mush left behind. Until the vampry ceased its useless thrashing.
I rocked back as clumps of tissue fell from my hand. I wiped it as clean as I could on the Ascended’s breeches, and then I grabbed the fucker by the hair and dragged him toward the edge of the Grove. I hauled him up and tossed his corpse over one of the heavier, low-hanging branches, where others of his kind would eventually discover him. If not, the sun would finish him off when it rose.
Stepping back, I returned to the worn path, glancing at the spot where the Maiden had disappeared. Smiling, I started back toward the Citadel, whistling softly.