GRAYSON
I was positive that I had not processed Zagan’s words accurately.
“What the hell do you mean?”
“Perhaps it’s better if you sit, Alpha Grayson,” the girl vampire said. “Your intensity is going to scare your pack
members. You need to calm down.”
I snapped my teeth. “Don’t f**king tell me what to do.”
“Easy, everyone,” chided Zagan. “Minnie,
come over here.”
The girl joined Zagan and Casimir. Seeing them all together, it occurred to me that they were all part of the royal family. All Mortars.
I was standing in front of Zagan Mortar, king of the vampires; Casimir Mortar, the second–born and head warrior of the clan:
and Amelia Mortar, the fourth–born and royal healer.
I remembered what Azazel had said about
Kyle snooping around in his things before attacking him.
Kyle had known Azazel was planning to wage war on the pack, but thought it was me who was in cahoots with the Clan of
Azazel.
Even then, he’d been brave enough to get in touch with King Zagan and enlist his help.
He knew the royal family would be the only ones strong enough to defeat Azazel.
I looked over at Kyle and mind–linked him.
You invited them here. You invited the most powerful vampires in the world onto my territory without my permission.
Yes, Kyle began, already defensive and
cautious, but only because-
You did the right thing, I interrupted, stopping him before he went on a tangent. Remind me to thank you properly later.
He smiled slightly.
Oh, okay. You got it. I’ll be expecting an entire party in my honor, streamers and everything.
I rolled my eyes and chuckled.
Although, after all he had done to keep the pack safe the last few months, maybe he did deserve a party.
I turned back to the three royal vampires, who obviously knew that Kyle and I had just mind–linked and were watching with
wary expressions.
“So,” I began, “this immortal power… Might it have something to do with my recent transition? Why isn’t Kyle
immortal too?”
Zagan looked to Casimir, who took a deep breath. “There was a king long
ago who was a hybrid like you. Elijah Viotto.”
“My mate was named after him,” Kyle interjected. “He was the most powerful king ever known to mankind.”
Casimir nodded, continuing, “He ruled over all species, vampires and werewolves, back before the divide. He was extremely powerful, but the people loved him because he was a fair and decent ruler.”
Casimir hesitated, but his father nodded to him encouragingly.
“King Elijah was mated to a fairy. She must have been one of the last ones out there, because they’ve become extinct. As I’m sure you know, fairies lived forever unless they were killed by an unnatural cause.
I nodded, not wanting to interrupt his talking.
“According to legend, once the fairy and
the king mated, King Elijah gained what we now know as the power of the Mortars -control with your mind. And he gained his mate’s immortality.”
Hmm.
“People say the king was able to gift this control to those he deemed worthy. But it was too much for some, resulting in a great war between vampires and werewolves and the deaths of many. It was in this war that King Elijah was killed by the man he called his closest friend, Damian Mortar.”
“He took the throne,” I said. I had heard of Damian Mortar, the first–ever vampire king.
Casimir nodded, “Yes. King Damian took the throne, created the royal clan,
and continued the Mortar line, gifting his offspring with the same power. We are all descended from him. But he could not repair the rift between werewolves and vampires, resulting in the current bad blood between the species.”
Surprise over the fact that I had never heard this story ran through me. It seemed to be an important part of the history of my kind.
“So the king gained immortality from mating with a fairy,” I said slowly, “but my mate is not a fairy. She is human. Nor have we completed the mating ritual. It doesn’t explain why I would be this way.”
“We don’t think all of this is because
of your mate, but something else,” said Zagan. “Although if this is true and you are the man we think you are, your mate will be impacted as well. You see, King Elijah left behind a prophecy.”
By now I was even more worried. Belle
had been mentioned.
My wolf and newfound vampire were pressing up against my conscious, listening carefully.
“And what was this prophecy, exactly?” I
said.
“You tell him, Casimir,” said Minnie.
“You’re the one who found it and studied
it.”
I watched Casimir closely. He was
nervous about what he was about to say, his eyes never meeting mine.
“Well…years ago, I found a scroll in the royal palace. On it, King Elijah himself prophesied that there would be a powerful hybrid who would become immortal and possess the powers of the Mortars. “He would ascend the throne as the most powerful man alive, restoring peace between all species–even
vampires and werewolves.”
I almost burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of this theory.
They can’t possibly think I’m the man from the prophecy.
Me, take over a throne that currently belonged to vampires?
No. No, thank you.
After a few seconds of silence, Kyle asked, “You don’t think Alpha Grayson is
“What did it say about this man’s mate?” I interrupted.
Casimir thought for a moment before replying, “It said that—that the mate of the new king, who knew hardship and loss, would undergo their own transition after the mating ritual. They would become…” He hesitated. “They would become a fairy, the only fairy in the world, and extremely powerful. Just as
King Elijah’s mate, Queen Evangeline,
was. Together, these mates would rule all mythical creatures, taking on King Elijah and Queen Evangeline’s roles.”
I stared at Casimir for a second. He thought there was a possibility that I was destined to become ruler of all mythical creatures. And that Belle, my sweet human mate, would become… A fairy queen?
Fairies were among the most powerful known creatures, born with the ability to pick up just about any skill–precisely why they had been hunted into extinction.
I struggled to find something to say.
“So…you think…I’m the man from the prophecy.”
Casimir shrugged a bit. “The prophecy said it would happen sometime in the decade after the scroll was discovered. It’s been nine years.”
“But that isn’t the only reason,” Zagan chimed in. “You meet all the expectations set for the new king, although some might be new developments. You’re a hybrid, you have a mate who knows hardship, you were able to resist my command, and you are basically impossible to kill. By all accounts you should have died after the period of Azazel’s occupation.”
“The only thing in question,” Casimir interjected, “is whether you will have the power of the Mortars.”
I sucked in a breath.
The power of the Mortars? I’m not sure I want that kind of power.
My alpha tone only affected pack
members, but the power of the Mortars could affect any creature, including humans. It felt dark and unnecessary, as if someone were playing God.
“So the only way to find out,” concluded Casimir, “is for you to try issuing a
command.”
“Hold on,” I said quickly, “if I’m this powerful man from an ancient prophecy, then why haven’t I had the power of the Mortars all my life? Or been immortal?”
Kyle spoke up next to me. “You were just turned into a hybrid. Maybe the power was latent and only activated once Azazel bit you.
Zagan nodded. “That would make sense. Perhaps the same for the immortality.”
“Then again,” Minnie piped up, “who’s to say you haven’t always been immortal? You haven’t died yet, have you?”
I growled to myself and ran a hand through my hair. “This is a lot of information to handle.”
“Try a command,” Minnie urged.
I sighed deeply. “On whom?”
Everyone’s gazes turned to Kyle, whose eyes promptly widened.
“Oh, come on, no way. Why me? Why not one of you guys?” He motioned to the vampires.
“It won’t work on Mortars,” said Minnie. “You’re the only one.”
Kyle groaned and kicked at the floor like a child. “But it hurts! I don’t want to be controlled again.”
I chuckled. “Just pretend I’m using my alpha tone. I’ve used that on you plenty of times.”
He sighed, turning to face me. “Yeah, just like
your alpha tone, except you feel like you were run over by a truck afterward. Fun.”
I looked to Zagan. “And how exactly do I do this?”
Zagan crossed his arms, watching us
closely. “If you’re truly the one from the prophecy, it will be clear. You won’t need
to be told how.”
I nodded. “All right,” I said nervously, “Here goes nothing.”
Kyle winced slightly, squaring his shoulders.
The vampires sucked in breaths of anticipation.
I opened my mouth.