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“How did you become a vampire?” It wasn’t a polite question to ask, but I wanted to know who we were dealing with.
“Come on, let’s get moving.” Shade took the forefront, and Charlotine and I fell in behind him. Smoky and Vanzir guarded the rear.
Charlotine lowered her voice as we moved along, skirting the roots that were growing across the path. “I chose to become one. I asked Raleesha, mother of a nest, to turn me, and she did.”
I had never understood those who chose to be turned. Death wasn’t something I embraced, but being a vampire seemed like stopping in time—I constantly feared stagnation.
“Listen to me, and listen good. You blamed me for killing my sire. And I did. But you chose the turning. I didn’t have a choice. I was tortured and scarred all over my body. I screamed so loud I lost my voice. Dredge raped me to the point of where he ripped my genitals. And then, he forced the turning on me and sent me home to kill my family. I didn’t have a choice, so don’t you ever judge me again.”
After a moment, she glanced at me. “I wasn’t told the details. I’m sorry. Nobody should ever be forced to make the transition. I was wrong to judge you. But you judge me. Do you want to know why I made the choice?”
“If you want to tell me.”
“I was dying. I developed Spindle’s Fever. There is no cure, and it’s a painful, fatal disease. I wasn’t ready to die. I had so much to live for, and Queen Asteria trusted me. I talked to her about it. The only possibility for me was to make the change. She agreed, and called in Mama Raleesha, who agreed to sire me. And so, before the disease did any further damage to me, I died and was reborn.”
Spindle’s Fever was a wasting disease, and it mostly struck those who used magic. Nobody knew what brought it on, and though it was rare, it was feared among sorcerers and witches. Camille had mentioned it once or twice, but any worries she had about it she kept to herself.
“I guess…I can see why you made the choice.” I liked to think I wouldn’t choose the same path if I were in her shoes, but until you faced the fire, you never knew what you’d do. So I kept my judgment to myself.
Shade stopped and motioned for us to do the same. “The cave is through this patch of woods and a little ways beyond. The path winds around in front of it, and on up the mountain. Get ready.”
Vanzir and Smoky moved up next to us. Vanzir pulled out his whistle and made sure it was fastened around his neck. “The degas can be attacked physically, unlike the bhouts, but they are strong and dangerous. Try the whistles first, to disarm them and make them easier to attack. But sound alone isn’t going to take them out, so be prepared for one hell of a fight.”
I glanced at the path. “Let’s go. And Charlotine—you may have faced some nasty things in the past, but make no mistake, these are demons, and they won’t give you a chance. Don’t give them any opening.”
She held my gaze a moment. “Right.”
And so, Shade and I at the front, Charlotine and Vanzir behind us, and Smoky bringing up the back, we moved in.
We approached the cave off-path, shrouded by the undergrowth. The ground was soggy and wet, spongy with forest debris. The constant drip of the rain off the tree limbs set up an odd cadence, and I was grateful for it, because it would help mask any sounds we made.
As we reached the border of the undergrowth where it cleared out into a small opening around a cave, we edged in, watching. There was activity there; we could see it and feel it.
Charlotine leaned in. “Do you want me to scout it out? I’m good at bat form.”
I frowned. I wasn’t good at taking any form, and I envied vamps who could. “Fine, go. But don’t do anything except look. Get back here in under ten minutes.”
She shifted, effortlessly, and flew up and out into the night. As I watched her, something in me responded to the transformation and I found myself wanting to shift, too. But that was crazy. I never had the urge, and when I did, my results were less than spectacular.
But the urging became stronger and I tugged on Smoky’s arm. “Listen, I’m feeling pulled to change shape.”
“You don’t do that.” Smoky frowned at me.
“I know, that’s why I’m telling you.”
“Do you want to try, while we’re waiting for her to return?” Smoky gave me a quizzical look.
I scratched my head. The tingling was stronger. “Yeah. I won’t do anything stupid, but I want to give it a go.” I stepped back, giving myself room to focus on shifting. It had never been easy, and though I’d managed to attain bat form a couple of times, I never managed to hold it for long. And my flying powers were pathetic.
But as I closed my eyes, it was as if a switch went on inside and I found my body fluid, a whirl of smoke and vapor shifting into another form. The next thing I knew, I was hovering above the ground, in bat form, looking down at Smoky, Shade, and Vanzir. I could barely see them, but I could sense them. I let out a series of clicks and as they bounced back, I was able to make out their presence a lot easier. What the fuck! I was a bat! I took a few turns around the area before settling back down toward the ground.
Usually, transforming back was just as difficult. I strained as the shift began but was focusing so hard that when it came easier than expected, I overshot and fell forward, kissing the ground before I managed to catch myself. Smoky grasped my arm and helped me up.
“What the hell was that?” Vanzir asked. “You’ve never done it like that before.”
“Yeah,” I said, keeping my voice as low as I could. “Maybe it has something to do with the ritual that I performed with Roman. He’s incredible at shifting forms to bat and wolf.” Roman had other powers, too, and I wondered just how much I’d inherited from him. Life was suddenly looking up.
Just then, Charlotine came flying back. She landed gracefully and shifted back into her form. “Ten of the demons you describe. And the Demon Gate is glowing. There must be someone in there activating it.”
