Page 1 of Vampire Solstice (Vampire Girl #5)

Chapter 1

The Witch

W hen I was working as a waitress in Oregon, trying to make ends meet, I never imagined a few years later I would be the queen in a magical land full of vampires and fae.

But here I am. And it’s not what I expected.

To be a queen is to serve a kingdom, to carry the weight of countless lives with every choice I make. The crown rests on my head, but its true burden presses on my soul. To be a mother is to serve my child, her needs as constant and insistent as the sun rising each day.

To be both is to be torn in two.

This morning is no exception. I stand before the mirror in my chambers, my reflection a blur as I twist my hair into a braid that refuses to cooperate. The room around me is warm with morning light, but my thoughts are already racing ahead to the endless tasks awaiting me.

“Kayla is expecting my help with Solstice planning,” I mutter, more to myself than to Fen. “And the Keeper’s report is in—it’s practically a novel at this point. While I’m glad he’s enjoying his adventures, does he have to document every flower he sees? Oh, and the trade delegation—”

Strong arms slip around my waist, and the steady heat of Fen’s presence stills my rambling. He turns me to face him, his piercing eyes locking on mine.

“And I,” he says softly, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver through me, “should not need a team of planners to get a moment alone with my wife.”

I exhale a laugh, the tension easing from my shoulders. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I miss you too.”

His lips quirk into the faintest of smiles. “Then perhaps we could—”

The sharp cry of our daughter slices through the quiet intimacy.

Baron–a white wolf much larger than any normal wolf–stirs from his nap by the fire and begins to whine as he makes his way to my daughter. He’s been her protector since she was born.

The baby dragon that was napping on his back is startled into the air. I grin as Yami squawks indignantly, but joins Baron nonetheless.

I groan, letting my forehead rest against his broad chest for a moment before pulling away. “And there goes that plan. Rock, paper, scissors to see who changes the Royal Princess’s diaper?”

Fen arches an eyebrow, his expression both bemused and exasperated. “I will never understand this strange human game of yours.”

I hold up my hand, already forming the first gesture. “That’s because you keep losing. Rock, paper—”

Before I can finish, Fen’s large hand closes into a fist.

“Paper,” I declare with a grin. “And paper beats rock. Daddy’s turn.”

Fen growls softly, leaning closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “One day, Arianna, I will claim victory in this ridiculous game.”

I kiss his cheek with an exaggerated smacking sound. “Good luck with that, Your Majesty.”

Baron nudges Fen’s legs as he stalks toward the cradle, grumbling under his breath. I watch him go, a tender smile tugging at my lips despite the chaos of the morning.

Soon, I tell myself. Soon, there will be time for just us again.

But not today.

As Fen takes over diaper duty, our daughter’s delighted giggles echo through the chamber, a rare reprieve from the ever-looming weight of the day ahead. He lifts her effortlessly, holding her high as her tiny hands clutch at his pointed fae ears.

No one was more astonished than Fen to discover he wasn’t just a vampire, but fae, and a powerful one at that.

“Clean and content,” Fen announces, his earlier stoicism softened by the tenderness he reserves for her. He presses a kiss to her forehead before turning his sharp gaze on me. “Though she seems to have inherited your stubbornness.”

I smirk, brushing the last strands of my braid into place. “You mean her brilliance and charm? Absolutely.”

“She also howls like a wolf when she’s hungry,” he retorts with a teasing glint in his eye.

“She definitely gets that from you.” I cross the room to press a kiss to our daughter’s soft cheek. Her bright laughter fills the space between us, a reminder of what we’re fighting to protect. “Don’t listen to him, my little star. You can howl as much as you’d like.”

Before Fen can respond, there’s a light knock at the door, followed by Kayla’s entrance. Her colorful braid swings behind her as she strides in, a pile of parchments in hand, her expression brisk but tinged with amusement as she takes in the scene.

“The castle is bustling,” she says without preamble. “Ace is in the courtyard constructing the platform for the Solstice ceremony. He claims he has a ‘brilliant’ idea to make it unforgettable.”

Fen’s brow arches skeptically. “Unforgettable in the way of his last invention?”

Kayla snorts. “I’m already running interference. I’ve reminded him of the safety precautions… which he doesn’t seem thrilled about.”

“And I’m not thrilled about explosions,” I reply, shifting my daughter back into Fen’s arms. “Make sure he follows through, Kayla. I don’t need another disaster in the middle of Solstice preparations.”

“Your queenly instincts are as sharp as ever,” Fen murmurs dryly, bouncing our daughter gently. “Though I do question the wisdom of appointing someone who loves chaos as your chief builder.”

My brother-in-law may be the Prince of Sloth… but he’s always at work on new inventions. Fen is right. Prince of Chaos would have been a more apt curse for him I think.

“Wisdom?” I smirk at my husband. “You’re forgetting I chose you as king. My track record isn’t that bad.”

Fen huffs out a soft laugh, shaking his head as Kayla’s voice grows more formal. “Your Majesty, the line of petitioners is long today. Given the Solstice preparations, I’d say it’s twice the usual length.”

“Wonderful,” I mutter, adjusting my gown and trying not to think about how many hours this day will drag on.

The bustling noise of castle life surrounds us as Kayla and I make our way toward the throne room. Servants hurry past with trays of spiced cider and garlands of winter greenery, their faces flushed with activity. The faint hammering of Ace’s construction carries from the courtyard, accompanied by the occasional cheer or shout.

“I much prefer being out and about,” I say, glancing at Kayla as we pass a cluster of advisors deep in discussion. “Talking to people in their homes, in the context of their lives. These formal audiences are so exhausting.”

“Tradition,” Kayla replies simply, though the humor in her tone isn’t lost on me.

“Tradition,” I echo with a sigh. “It’s a miracle any of us survive it.”

Kayla chuckles as we approach the grand doors to the throne room. The air shifts, the noise outside fading into a heavy silence as the guards push open the doors. The vaulted chamber beyond is filled with petitioners, their voices dropping to murmurs as I enter.

Kayla steps forward, her voice ringing out over the assembly. “All rise for Her Majesty, Arianna Spero Vane, High Queen of Inferna and Avakiri, Midnight Star.”

The formalities always feel like a performance, a title-heavy script meant to reinforce the authority of the crown. But I straighten my shoulders and take my seat on the throne, Fen’s absence beside me an ache I try to ignore.

Yami, dozing on my shoulder, wakes to nuzzle my hair. The dragon’s way of soothing me when he senses I’m stressed.

The first petitioner approaches—a fae man with hollow cheeks and a weathered appearance. His hands shake slightly as he clutches his hat, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Your Majesty, the snow came early this year. Our crops didn’t yield enough to last the winter, and the Outlanders… they come in the night, stealing what little we have. We can’t survive like this.”

I lean forward, frowning. “We’ve sent supplies to the outer villages. They should have arrived days ago.”

“They did,” the man says, his voice tight with frustration. “But the Outlanders move like ghosts. They take what they want and vanish into the snow. We’re outnumbered and defenseless.”

I stifle a frustrated sigh. The Outlanders have historically been rebel fae, who refused to bow to the rule of the vampires. Not that I blame them. That was the whole point of the war we had not too long ago. To free them from slavery.

I had hoped that since we defeated the vampires who wanted to keep them enslaved, they would join us. Many did. But some still refuse. They don’t trust the part of me that is now vampire. They despiser that I married one of the original vampire princes–despite him actually being born fae.

Still, I won’t give up on the hope of peace with them. They are still my people. I glance at Kayla, who shifts uncomfortably beside me. “We’ll increase patrols,” I say firmly, my voice carrying through the room. “And we’ll ensure every village gets what they need to survive. I won’t let anyone starve this winter. Including the Outlanders.”

The fae bows, murmuring his thanks, but the tension in the room doesn’t ease.

As he steps away, Kayla leans closer, whispering, “This is the last petitioner of the day.”

“Thank the goddess,” I mutter, slumping slightly. “Why do thrones have to be so uncomfortable? My bum feels like it’s been turned to stone.”

“The weight of the crown is a heavy one,” Kayla quips, smirking.

“Fen says the same thing,” I reply with a rueful grin. “Probably why he wanted nothing to do with it.”

Kayla nods. “Power should go to those who respect it, not crave it.”

I smile at her. “Yet another reason I was brilliant to appoint you as the new Keeper of High Castle.”

The sound of heavy boots echoes through the chamber as the final petitioner steps forward. But before he can speak, the air changes. A low hum vibrates through the room, growing louder until the very walls seem to shudder.

“What is that?” I ask, gripping the arms of the throne.

Kayla stiffens, her hand flying to her blade. “Protect the queen!”

The hum crescendos into a sharp, deafening crack, and a blast of icy wind sweeps through the room. The torches lining the walls flicker and die, plunging us into near darkness. In the center of the chamber, a figure begins to take shape, her silhouette wreathed in shadow and frost.

The woman’s form solidifies—a hunched figure cloaked in tattered robes, her gnarled hands clutching a staff carved with glowing runes. Her eyes, dark and unyielding, lock onto mine.

“By fire and ice,” she intones, her voice reverberating through the chamber, “I gather here to curse the queen and king to the realms of the forgotten. Come sunset, may the curse upon us become your curse, until such is resolved. This I decree by blood and magic.”

The air around her crackles with energy as she thrusts her staff forward. A flash of light blinds the room, and the air is filled with the howling of wind. When the chaos finally subsides, the chamber is deathly still.

I blink, trying to focus as Kayla steadies me.

“What… what does this mean?” I ask, my voice shaking.

Kayla stares at the center of the room, her face pale. “That… cannot be possible.”

I follow her gaze and gasp. A massive, gnarled tree stands where the witch had been moments before, its roots twisting into the stone floor, its branches scraping the vaulted ceiling.

The doors burst open, and Fen strides in, his expression sharp as his gaze darts to me. “Ari, are you safe? What—”

He stops short, his eyes widening as he takes in the sight before him.

“Is that—” Fen begins, his voice low.

“Yes,” Kayla replies grimly. “The Mythos tree.”

“It hasn’t been seen since the vampires first arrived in this land centuries ago,” Fen says, his voice gruff.

“A witch summoned it,” I say quietly. “Along with a curse.”