Free Vampire Apocalypse #2 Cataylst by H.M. Ward

could rise.
    “We have not found him, yet. There are
multiple guards missing as well and a dead vampire in the garage.”
The servant’s voice shook as she spoke.
    “In addition to the King’s guard?” Sophia
inquired.
    “Yes, your Majesty.”
    Sophia pinched the bridge of her nose with
her delicate fingers. Cassie’s frightened heartbeat was distracting
her. She could hear it pounding inside the girl like a terrified
mouse. If her roommates hadn’t just been slaughtered, the Queen
would have drained her then and there, but there were too many
humans missing. They made up nearly a quarter of her blood
supply.
    “Sit,” Sophia commanded, directing her
attention back to Cassie.
    Cassie had been brought to the King’s
chambers. It was a mess. Cassie scanned the room looking for a
chair that wasn’t stained with blood or broken. Promptly, she sat
on the floor at the Queen’s feet since there was no place else to
sit.
    Sophia sighed and snapped her fingers at one
of her guards. “Get her a chair.” The vamp disappeared and came
back quickly with a small bench in his hands. He set it down next
to Cassie.
    Cassie repositioned herself on the bench and
tried to look anywhere but at the Queen. Her attempt was pointless.
They knew her real name. The vamps named her, so of course they
knew it. That made compulsion easy for even the weakest vampire,
and the Queen was not weak. Compulsion had been used on Cassie many
times over the years, and she hated it more and more each time. It
felt like her mind was stripped away and nothing was safe. It was
like sitting outside in the snow and ice, naked, and hoping not to
freeze to death. Harm came to people who were compelled too much.
Their minds snapped like brittle twigs frozen in the ice for too
many lifetimes. But, there was no way out of this.
    Cassie folded her hands in her lap and tried
to remain calm. The amount of blood in the room, the smears of dark
red across the tile at the back of the room, made her feel sick.
Was that Kahli’s blood? Was her friend dead?
    The Queen snapped her fingers next to
Cassie’s ear. The sound startled her, bringing her back to the
present. The Queen repeated herself, “Where are your
roommates?”
    “I don’t know, Your Majesty. They didn’t
return last night. The King beckoned each of them. They were
dressed and left.”
    Sophia arched a dark brow. After a moment,
she asked, “Kahli included?”
    “Yes, she was the last to leave.”
    Sophia’s delicate fingers tapped her chin as
she thought. She turned her back on Cassie and paced the room, her
gaze taking in the broken items, as well as the stains. The Queen’s
blue gown billowed around her ankles as she walked, fluttering out
slightly when she turned, showing off perfect shoes on her tiny
feet. Without facing Cassie, Sophia asked. “Did you see the King
last night?”
    Cassie hesitated. Sophia rounded on her
swiftly, pressing her nose to Cassie’s. “Yes,” Cassie’s voice
quivered. She couldn’t remember what they’d spoken about, but Cole
had filled her in. Cassie wanted to protect Cole, so she didn’t
mention he was there. As long as Sophia didn’t ask, she wouldn’t
know.
    “Tell me what happened. Leave out one detail
and I’ll cleave you in half.”
    Cassie blanched. The Queen’s breath came out
in a rush, as Cassie started to retell what happened according to
Cole. Sophia listened, pacing in circles with her hand under her
chin, her gaze on the floor.
    When she finished, Sophia asked, “And what do
you think? Is your friend dead? Look around this room and tell me
what your gut is telling you. Did she survive whatever happened
here?”
    Cassie glanced around, her eyes unable to
rest in a single spot. There was a fight, that much she was sure
of. The smears in the back of the room looked like someone was
dragged, but the broken table and the way the bloodstains were
littered across the carpet did give her an impression. “She fought
back, and I would think she