Beyond the Veil

Author's Note:

My work schedule will be changing, so expect updates to land on Tuesday mornings instead of Friday going forward. The next chapter will be up this upcoming Tuesday.

Thanks for reading!

-Ottie

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Sebastian’s car stopped outside my parents’ house and Kaden and I ran inside, both climbing into the back seat. I was beginning to shiver, so Kaden wrapped his arms around me.

“Don’t worry,” he said seductively, “I’ll keep you warm.”

“Or,” I said, “you could hand me those clothes and I could stop being naked.”

“Are we allowed to veto that or—” said Sebastain from the front seat. Both he and Kaden chuckled as Kaden grabbed the pile of clothes from the front seat.

“Sure,” I said, grabbing them and starting to get dressed. “I suppose I could just burst into flame and I’d be warm then.”

“That would be more convincing if you knew how to control your powers,” said Sebastian, turning the heat up for me as he started driving.

“Hold up,” said Kaden, “we need to go to Lunara.”

“Lunara?” Sebastian echoed. “We need to go back to Crimson Alley. I got an audience with the Trifecton today. Apparently, the Krashen Collective is up to something there.”

“But Natalia followed us to my parents’ house,” I said. “So is it just Peter in Crimson Alley?”

“I guess so,” said Kaden. “That dude can do some damage all on his own. Plus, they have a lot of portal phials, so they can move around quickly.”

“Either way, going to Lunara will help me learn to control my phoenix powers,” I said. “My dad is a phoenix and he left me a message. My grandparents are in Lunara and can help me find them.”

“And the Krashen Collective is abducting vampires for who knows what reason,” said Sebastian.

“Aw, fuck,” said Kaden. “Vampire blood is a key ingredient in resurrection spells. They’re going to try resurrecting Natasha.”

My heart fell into my stomach.

“Can they do that?” asked Sebastian. “Where would they have learned to perform necromancy?”

Kaden told Sebastian about his past, about resurrecting Emily. Sebastian didn’t say anything, but his grip tightened on the steering wheel. At first, I didn’t realize why. I was able to accept it easily. That is, until I remembered what Kaden had just said.

Vampire blood is a key ingredient in resurrection spells.

“Sebastian—” Kaden began.

“Save it,” said Sebastian. “Actually, no. How many vampires did you kill to resurrect Emily?”

“We didn’t kill them. We just captured some and…drained their blood. But they’re all still alive.”

“That’s a good thing, right, Sebastian?” I said.

Sebastian slammed on the brakes and pulled to the side of the road before putting the car in park and twisting around to glare at me.

“Oh yeah, it’s a great thing. Your boyfriend and his insane friends captured a bunch of innocent vampires and drained them of their blood which is basically torture for a vampire. You know that feeling of hunger and thirst you get when you’re coming down off vamp? Imagine that times a hundred. That’s how they felt until they’ve drank enough blood to replace the blood they lost and quench their thirst. And he has no way of knowing if any of those vampires survived. Sure, they were alive when you let them go, but—”

“We didn’t drain them entirely and we gave them blood before we let them go. Not enough to fix them, but enough to keep them alive so they could get away to feed. Back then, Peter, Natalia, and Natasha weren’t murderous.”

“Oh, so you didn’t drain them entirely, which means you’d have to capture even more vampires to get enough blood. How many, Kaden? How many?”

“It was something like…” Kaden glanced between me and Sebastian, “forty-seven.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, then he turned to me.

“Take my car to Lunara and find your grandparents. I’m going back to Crimson Alley to meet with the Trifecton,” he said, pulling off his seatbelt.

“No,” I said, climbing into the front seat. “The three of us are staying together. Sebastian, you’re a vampire too. What if they capture you? The best chance we have is to stay together.”

Sebastian settled back into his seat. Kaden reached forward and gripped Sebastian’s shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” Sebastian snapped, shaking Kaden’s hand off.

“As much as I want to go to Lunara and find my grandparents,” I said, “we can’t ignore what’s happening in Crimson Alley. Whatever Peter and Natalia are up to there, it’s our fault. If they’re really resurrecting Natasha, it’s because I killed her. We’re going to Crimson Alley and we’re meeting with the Trifecton.”

“Fine,” said Kaden. “Whatever you two want to do.”

Sebastian pulled back onto the road and I stared out the window, a feeling of sadness washing over me. My fantasies of us being a happy little thruple were vanishing before my very eyes and I had no idea how to fix it, or how to even feel.

I didn’t think the whole resurrecting thing was a big deal, but could I really stand behind Kaden after everything he’d been a part of? I could try to rationalize it, say that Kaden did it for love, that he was in a dark place, but what he allowed happen…I don’t know. Part of me was happy I was in the front seat with Sebastian instead of in the back with Kaden.

Then, another thought occurred to me. What if this is part of the reason he was so hot and cold with me? Not wanting to get close because of his guilt over what he’d done, or helped do. Did that even make any sense?

A heavy silence sat in the car as we headed back to Crimson Alley. Thankfully, the weather cleared up, the rain thinning to a sprinkle before disappearing entirely. Climbing down the slope into Crimson Alley was the worst part, slipping down the muddy incline to the now fuller streambed below.

We walked into Crimson Alley and Kaden called for one of the transportation orbs, giving it an address that made me roll my eyes.

We were going back to Samuel and Selena’s.

After Sebastian knocked, we waited barely a minute before the door swung open to reveal Samuel wearing nothing but a robe made of seaweed. Of course, he wasn’t wearing underwear and the robe was open.

“You must be the threesome I ordered,” he said seductively, leaning against the door as he threw one side of the robe open, revealing himself more.

As attractive as Samuel was, I didn’t want anything to happen between us. With the whole incest thing and the people in his basement combined, I was very turned off to his whole…everything.

“Are you ready, Samuel?” I heard Selena’s voice. I glanced over his shoulder and saw her, wearing nothing but a strap-on dildo. A large, veiny black one.

“Absolutely not,” I said, grabbing the door handle and slamming the door, ignoring Samuel’s shout of, “Hey!”

“Surely there’s anywhere else we can stay,” I said.

“Fine,” said Sebastian, who whistled this time to call the orb and asked it to take us to a different address, one I didn’t know.

When we landed, we were outside a large black mansion surrounded by a wrought iron gate.

“Where is this?” asked Kaden.

“This is Dire’s house,” Sebastian said. “I met with him yesterday. He’s still pissed at me because of what I did to his brother, but—”

“What exactly did you do to his brother?” I asked.

“Mac fell in love with me after we’d been dating for a month. He was super clingy and obsessive. I sort of broke up with him, then fucked someone else.”

“Wait a second,” said Kaden. “What do you mean you ‘sort of’ broke up with him?”

“I was dancing around the subject and never actually said the words.”

“So you cheated on him,” I said. It was a statement, not a question.

“Yeah,” Sebastian admitted, “I cheated on him with…his dad.”

“What?!” Kaden shouted in a laugh, which turned into an actual laugh. “But isn’t he Dire’s dad too?”

“Yeah, but that’s not what he cares about. His brother was monogamous, unlike the rest of his clan. Besides, at least I didn’t abduct a bunch of warlocks and drain their blood,” said Sebastian, which shut Kaden up.

“Look, they don’t know you’re with me, so let me go in and let them know. I’m not sure they’ll let all of us stay. They don’t usually let non-vampires stay here,” said Sebastian. As he approached the wrought iron gate, a hole appeared in it just big enough for him to enter and he started toward the mansion.

“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?” Kaden asked. “Just when we started making progress, he ices me out.”

“You have to understand where he’s coming from,” I said. “Imagine if the roles were reversed. If he had captured a bunch of warlocks and drained their blood.”

“I just got so caught up in Peter’s agenda. He’s incredibly charismatic when he wants to be and he was promising me the world, literally.”

“What do you mean?”

Kaden, looking shifty, avoided my gaze as he said, “He wants to start a new world order where we rise up against the mortals and turn them into slaves while the magical world rules.”

“And you knew this?!” I asked, appalled.

“Please. Emily was the key to everything. She was easily the most power witch I’ve ever met. Without her and her powers, they have no chance.”

“If you took her magic when you killed her Siphon form, does that mean you have her active powers?”

“You’re referring to her Touch of Life, right? No, active powers don’t pass over. Only raw magical power.”

We heard footsteps approaching and looked through the gate to see Sebastian returning.

“What’d they say?” I asked.

“I have good news and greater news,” said Sebastian. “The good news is that you’re both allowed in and we’re allowed to stay for a while. Dire will meet with us in the morning. The greater news is that they won’t let anyone stay in the main house unless they’re immortal, so Kaden won’t be saying in our room. There’s a guesthouse to the side that he’ll have to sleep in.”

“Sebastian—” Kaden began, but Sebastian held up his hand, forestalling him.

“Just come on.”

Kaden and I stepped forward and a hole large enough for us to pass through opened in the gate. We followed Sebastian up into the mansion and my jaw dropped as we walked through the door. The foyer was massive, made of gilded white marble, and filled with at least two dozen vampires.

Gorgeous, gorgeous vampires with hair of every color, piercing eyes, and all of them completely naked. There were both men and women here, but my focus was obviously on the men.

One of them with dark brown skin, bright orange eyes, and dazzlingly silver hair, slowed as he passed me, eyeing me up and down with a tree branch hanging from the front of his body.

“Oh, and they’re nudists here,” said Sebastian, pulling his shirt off. “They believe that if you don’t hide your body with clothes, you won’t feel the need to hide your intentions with lies. We’ll have to abide by their rules.”

Kaden shrugged and started peeling his clothes off but I was hesitant. The dark-skinned vampire had stopped and was leaning against a wall, watching me. I had no choice, however, so I started getting undressed as well. When all my clothes were off and thrown into a pile, the dark-skinned vampire walked over to me, sank to his knees, and looked up at me.

“May I suck your cock?” he asked.

“No,” both Sebastian and Kaden said together, though it was Sebastian who stepped between me and the vampire. He raised his voice and called out, “These two are mine! Nobody may touch them without my consent.”

“Understood,” all the vampires said in unison and the dark-skinned vampire stood and stalked away.

“What was that about?” asked Kaden.

“Well, as you can imagine, people kind of share everything here, including partners. But if a vampire brings in a non-vampire partner or—” he shot an angry look at Kaden, “—multiple partners, he can claim them. Honestly, you’re lucky he even asked. Follow me.”

As we followed Sebastian up the stairs, passing a gaggle of naked vampires making out on the steps, I whispered to Kaden, “Why is everyone in the magical community so fucking horny?”

“Everyone everywhere is so fucking horny. We’re just less shy about showing it. At least, non-humans are.”

“Vampires aren’t human?” I asked.

“They’re part-human, technically. So are you.”

For some reason, this pronouncement shocked me. I guess he was right. I’m not a human, I’m not a mortal. I’m a phoenix.

The top of the stairs opened to a long hall which lead to a literal throne room. Cathedral ceilings, tall stained glass windows, and a massive throne made of white marble with thick velvet cushions.

A very pale-skinned vampire with peroxide blonde hair sat on the throne, his head back and his eyes closed with a female vampire between his legs, sucking his cock.

“Dire!” Sebastian called out jovially. The vampire looked down at us as we approached. The vampire blowing him didn’t seem to mind us being there, not that I was surprised.

“Sebastian,” said Dire with a nod, “and Sebastian’s attractive friends,” he added, his eyes on me. “Would you like to join, phoenix?”

“He’s not going to suck your dick,” said Kaden.

The vampires in the room gasped slightly, but Dire laughed. “I am straight. I was offering him my slut’s pussy, or her ass, whichever you prefer.”

“I’m gay, but thanks. Also, Sebastian claimed me.”

“You have much to learn about vampire courts,” said Dire. “I am the King Vampire here and claims to not count toward me, though I will respect it in your case. You,” he said to Kaden, “are Death Bound and are not allowed to speak in my court unless directly addressed. You have used your one chance. Break it again and you will be forced to service my men and women for seven days.”

Kaden didn’t speak, but he almost looked like he wanted to. I rolled my eyes.

“May I speak, sire?” I asked.

Dire laughed again. “You are not Death Bound, phoenix. You are free to speak within my court. You are also not my subject, so you do not need to call me ‘sire’. Dire will do.”

“What does ‘Death Bound’ mean?”

“One who is destined to die. You are immortal, as are my vampires. I hold great respect for immortals.”

“Just stay quiet,” Sebastian whispered to Kaden. “’Service my men and women’ doesn’t mean what you think it does.”

At that moment, a male vampire walked up to the female vampire blowing Dire. He spat on her ass and slid himself into her. I didn’t want to watch this, but I also didn’t want to be rude.

“Dire, we’re here because—” began Sebastian, but Dire held up his finger, stopping him.

Dire closed his eyes, threw back his head, and let out a groan, obviously cumming in the vampire’s mouth. The vampire fucking her picked her up and pulled her away, moving her into the corner where she wasn’t in my direct line of sight, but revealing Dire’s cock. It was almost as thick as my wrist, its girth not vanishing as it became flaccid, an ooze of cum seeping from the slit.

“Continue,” said Dire.

“We’re here seeking asylum from the Krashen Collective, as I said yesterday, and we have new information. We believe the missing vampires are because the collective is abducting them to drain them of their blood for a resurrection spell.”

Dire sat up straighter, a look of consternation on his face.

“Clear the room!” he called, and everyone but us three and himself left. “What makes you think this?”

“I would need to allow Kaden to speak,” Sebastian said, indicating Kaden.

“You may speak, Death Bound.”

“I was a member of the Krashen Collective and we lost one of our members. Peter Krashen, the collective’s current leader, had planned to resurrect our member. I left when I discovered this, as necromancy is a forbidden art. I had hoped that, without my power, he wouldn’t be able to enact this magic, but I believe he’s found a way.”

It would’ve been stupid to tell Dire Kaden was lying, so Sebastian and I didn’t. So much for their whole naked-not-lying theory.

“What way would this be? Do you think he’s added members to his collective?”

“It’s possible,” said Kaden. “Damien and I were recently attacked by the other known member, Natalia, but Sebastian said other vampires have gone missing.”

“Yes, we have lost at least a dozen. Do you think it is this Emily they’re trying to resurrect?”

“I—” Kaden began, but Dire held up a finger.

“You are no longer permitted to speak, Death Bound.”

Kaden snapped his jaw shut.

“A few days ago, we were attacked by the collective,” Sebastian began, but Dire held up his finger again. I was getting really irritated by his attitude.

“I want the phoenix to explain,” he said.

“A few days ago, we were attacked by the collective,” I said, “and I killed one of them when my powers were activated for the first time. Natasha’s twin sister, Natalia. Emily was a Siphon when she was killed, so unless they can figure out how to get around that, I don’t think they’d bring her back.”

“I will grant your asylum,” said Dire, “on one condition. I get to drink from the phoenix.”

“Uh…” I said, glancing at Sebastian, who shrugged.

“We don’t really have another choice,” he said.

I stepped toward Dire as he climbed from his throne.

Dire wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug, his massive cock pressing into mine. Against my will, I could feel my blood pumping down into it as Dire’s thick, warm arms wrapped around my body.

He pulled me tighter into him, squeezing me. Dire set his lips next to my neck and breathed deep and slow. I automatically slowed my breathing to match his. My cock was rock hard now, pressing into him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

His breath warmed my neck, spreading that warmth over the length of my body before he ran his tongue over a spot and whispered in my ear. “You’ve never felt vamp like this,” he said.

He sunk his teeth into my neck and I immediately knew he was right.

Venom pumped through my body, and every inch of me began to tingle as if it’d fallen asleep. A hole opened beneath my feet and only Dire’s arms wrapped around me was keeping me from falling through. A dark void was inches from my dangling feet, calling to me to fall into it. I wasn’t sure if it was really there or if the vamp was making me hallucinate. I tried to look down, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t control my body, nothing was working. I wasn’t even sure my heart was beating anymore.

I had just enough time to hope Dire didn’t let me go when I slipped from his gasp and fell into infinity.