Dark Promise (Darkhaven Saga #3) - Danielle Rose Page 0,1

and he’s dead. So how is she missing? Who took her? What happened after I left the witches?

“Perhaps she ran away?” I say, finally speaking. While unlike Liv, this is the most obvious conclusion. The rogues from that nest are supposed to be dead.

“No seas tonta, niña,” Mamá chastises.

“I’m not being foolish, Mamá,” I say. “This doesn’t make sense. The rogues are gone, so who could have taken her?”

“There are always more vampires! Don’t be naïve,” Liv’s mother says.

In the distance, something catches my eye. The woods are eerily dark tonight, and even the moonlight struggles to find its way through the thick branches. I squint at a shadow. It moves when I focus on it, returning behind the base of a thick tree.

“Someone is out there,” I say.

I rush forward, pushing past the witches. Mamá grabs on to my arm, yanking me backward. She squeezes me tightly in the very spot her dagger slid into my flesh. The raw sensation of her angry glare and bony fingers sends shivers down my spine. Being a naturally stronger predator, I pull free easily and step backward, putting space between the witches and me. I hold on to my arm, rubbing my skin. I don’t like the feel of her skin against mine. Not only because of the hell she put me through since I’ve transitioned but also because mortals are scorching to the touch. I still feel the heat of her body on mine. It takes several seconds for the sensation to dissipate.

“No te preocupes por eso,” she says, but I do worry. Someone is watching us, and whoever it is might know what happened to Liv. I live in a particularly deserted part of the forest. The only people this far into the woods either reside here with me or are looking for trouble. And this isn’t the former.

I glance back at the woods, and I see a set of eyes staring back at me. The unsettling feeling that I’m being watched washes over me, and all at once, I realize how vulnerable I am. I’m standing in the forest with known enemies. I’m alone, my only allies inside Amicia’s nest, the Victorian-style manor behind me, waiting for my call.

I recognize the onlooker as a member of Mamá’s coven. It’s distressing to know there are more witches hiding behind trees, but I don’t show my fear. The witches need to understand that bringing the fight to our doorstep will never end well for them. We are at our most powerful here, and an attack would be fatal to them.

Maneuvering through the overgrown yard, I backpedal until my heels knock into the steps of our wraparound porch. I take each one at a time, never breaking eye contact with our unexpected visitors. I’m so distracted, I almost forget to pat our watcher—an old stone gargoyle perched on the top step—on his head. This has become a ritual for me. I reach for him, running my hand along his smooth scalp.

As I bend over, the necklace I was hiding under my shirt falls loose and dangles atop my black T-shirt. The chain glistens in the moonlight. Prominently featured, the silver cross is shimmery against my shirt. Its sparkle catches the eyes of the witches, who gasp.

“Eso no es posible,” Mamá says. The other witches mimic her response, shouting that it’s not possible for a vampire to touch such a sacred object. Internally, I agree with them. Vampires cannot touch crosses. Jasik just proved that to me.

But I’m not just a vampire.

I’m something more, something better.

“What are you?” someone hisses, her voice betraying her disgust with all that I am.

They may not know everything, but they have witnessed some of my peculiar traits. In addition to my newfound ability to touch religious relics, I also have access to magic—and not just any magic. The power within me is pure, formidable. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

I’ve wielded this magic in several attacks against rogue vampires, and the witches watched as my enemies were turned to ash by my mere touch. My hands contain the very flames of the fiery depths of hell, and I will eagerly use this magic to aid my comrades.

The witches act surprised now, but I wonder how shocked they really are. They know I can use magic. They’ve seen it with their own eyes. Wouldn’t they expect more from me? Did they come here to ask for my help because they want to see what else I can