Broken Illusions: A Paranormal Reverse Harem (Ashryn Barker Book 2) Read online

  I tear my eyes away, and look at Eric, who is examining me with a funny look on his face. Almost like he's interested too. But that can't be right. Things are confusing enough in my head with Bram and Remus. I don't need this beautiful excuse of a vampire confusing things.

  "You don't seem very surprised that we're here," I point out.

  "This is where I sent you, Ashryn. I expected you to be here," Dimitri replies.

  That doesn't fill me with much confidence. Are we here because he wants to turn on us? Or are we here to actually help our fellow vampires? This whole thing somehow seems to have become a lot more complicated than I'd have thought.

  "Did you know this would happen?" Bram demands.

  "I suspected, yes. But foresight isn't exactly something we're very strong at." Dimitri goes back to examining his nails. That's getting old already.

  "And?" I prompt, exchanging a quick look with Bram. He's having the same doubts I am. Good to know I'm not going crazy. Yet.

  "Have you found the knife yet?" Dimitri asks.

  And then he makes a very big mistake.

  He looks me in the eyes. Head on.

  Set up the guild.

  "No," I whisper, and back away. "That can't be right."

  The other two turn to look at me head on, only to find me shaking my head and refusing to believe what that means.

  "No. No. No. No." I can't seem to shake the word.

  "Ashryn, it's not what you think..." Dimitri stands, and walks towards me. I try not to flinch, but there's not a lot I can do right now. I can't process the information properly. Is he an enemy? Or is he a friend?

  He's definitely a vampire, so what are his motivations?

  Now my mind has started going a mile a minute, there's really no stopping it. I just hope he's going to give us some answers.

  "Leave us," Dimitri demands of the other two.

  "But..." Eric starts.

  I can feel Bram just staring in shock. He's as taken aback as I am. But he's not the one with Dimitri so close. The power that emanates from the vampire leader is kind of enthralling.

  "Now," Dimitri half-shouts.

  This time, the two of them listen, and while they say nothing, I do catch lingering looks from them both. They're worried about leaving me, which is sweet. But there's nothing they can do.

  What I find more worrying, is that the Commander could come back at any moment. I don't think he'll be particularly happy to find me in his office. I dread to think what will actually happen when he returns. Best not to think about that.

  Once the door shut behind them, Dimitri backs away slightly.

  "It's not quite what you think."

  "How long have you known about what I can do?" I ask, my voice shaking more than I'd' like it to.

  "Since the beginning," he replies. "The guild knows, so I know."

  "How do they-"

  "I don't know, Ashryn. Maybe they knew before they took you. Or maybe you let something slip while you were still a child."

  "Took me?" That's the only thing I can focus on after that sentence. I've never found out how the guild got me, and this was the first time anyone had ever come close to telling me. Odd that it's coming from a vampire, and not from the guild itself.

  Even odder still that I trust the story more coming from a vampire and not from the guild itself.

  "You didn't think the guild was voluntary did you?"

  "No," I reply instantly. No need to tell me about how involuntary this place is. I remember what I did as a child. What they make children do each and every day.

  I may not have spent very long away from the hunters yet, but with each passing hour, I feel more and more convinced that this place needs to fall. It's not healthy. It's certainly not good for the children that come through here.

  Someone needs to change that. Shut this place down and try and...I'm not sure. I feel there should be something else after the and.

  There's no doubting that there's bad vampires in the world. But I've pretty much come to realise that that's because there's bad people in the world too. It's nothing to do with their body chemistry, and everything to do with the person they are inside.

  It's an interesting revelation for me. If completely off topic to the fact Dimitri founded the guild.

  "I need a proper explanation," I prompt.

  Dimitri sighs, and flops back down into one of the chairs. He looks a lot less imposing now than he did while the others were in the room. Maybe he feels less threatened by me? Or maybe he just wants a chance to be himself and not the big scary vampire he has to be in public.

  I like seeing a different side to him. Just like I like seeing a different side to Bram. There may even be other sides he can show me that I can appreciate even more.

  Oh no. No. No. No. I am not going through this with every male vampire I meet. Otherwise I'll end up leading a coven of my own.

  And never getting any sleep.

  "I'm waiting, Dimitri." And nervous about the Commander coming back. Or the other two vampires. This doesn't strike me as the kind of conversation Dimitri wants to have with witnesses.

  Hell, he probably doesn't even want to have the conversation with me. But I'm pretty much leaving him with no choice.

  Yippee for me.

  "Sorry, just trying to work out where to start."

  "I tend to find the beginning is a good place," I deadpan. But there is a seriousness to my words. I want to know. And I want to know it all. Because, by the sounds of it, my entire situation in life is a result of something he did.

  I'm not saying he personally is to blame. I know it doesn't work like that. But he might be the catalyst.

  "While I was still human, I was a priest. Not because I was particularly religious, more because I was a second son."

  "A priest?" I repeat, trying not to laugh.

  "Yes." He smirks. "Funny, isn't it?"

  "Did your cross not protect you from..."

  "I wasn't wearing it that night. So I have no idea if it'd have made a difference. But I was in town doing, erm..."

  "Things a priest shouldn't?" I ask, raising my eyebrow. He can see my amusement I'm sure. But I don't really care. Of all the being-turned-into-a-vampire stories I can think of, that's got to be by far the most ridiculous.

  "I was at a brothel."

  "Ahh."

  "The madam took a liking to me, and decided to keep me as her own."

  "By making you into a vampire, got it. But where does the guild fit in?" I ask, gesturing around. It's all very well talking about how he became a vampire, but I doubt that has anything to do with the place that hunts them down.

  "After I was turned, I was very bitter. I didn't want this life. So I tried to do something about it. I met with one of my priesthood in secret, and we founded the guild."

  "You founded the very thing that could hunt you down and kill you?" I'm surprised. Beyond that, really. How could he do that to himself? Did he have a death wish back then? Does he still have one now?

  "Yes. In hindsight, not my brightest idea. But all of the Commanders have always known about me. And eventually, I made the deal where my own den, and myself, were immune." He looks away.

  "But other vampires are fair game?" I demand, fuming inside.

  "I've been trying, Ashryn. Every ten years or so, I make an attempt to bring this place down. But so far, nothing I've tried to do has worked. We've even changed hunters before, but none of them seem to have ever taken to the vampire life quite like you have."

  "I've been a vampire for a week. Hardly time to know how I'll take to it," I point out.

  "Isn't it? Tell me, Ashryn, how have you been feeling in the past week?" The look he gives me tells me he thinks he knows what I'll say already. But that's not going to think about my answer before giving it.

  I examine everything that's happened. And my thoughts and feelings on the matter, and come to the realisation that I genuinely am happier.

  "I feel like I belong," I say softly.

/>   "Interesting," Dimitri muses. "Not quite what I thought you'd say, but along the same sentiment."

  "So you've never been able to send someone who knew the guild here?" I ask, thinking what he's said through. We can leave my personal revelations for later. An image of the two of us in a far more comfortable situation, talking about this same thing springs to mind.

  "No, you're the only one who has even gone a long with it."

  "Why send Bram?" That's been plaguing me since we got here. Bram's been in a crazy amount of danger ever since this mission began. It seems unfair to him to put him in that position, just to get me into the guild.

  "Honestly? I thought Bram needed some time away from the den. And needed some time with you."

  "Me?" I squeak.

  Dimitri rises to his feet and closes the gap between us. To my surprise, he lifts his hand and draws a finger down my cheek.

  His touch is soft, leaving a trail of tingles after it. I should pull away. I've never been the kind of girl to have even one guy on the go, never mind two. But just like with Bram, this kind of feels right. Not in a fated kind of way. I already know those things are just a myth. But in a comfortable way. Despite it all, I feel safe with Dimitri. Just like I do with Bram.

  I close my eyes, and sense him moving closer. His breath fans against my skin, and anticipation begins to grow inside me. I'm at the point of begging when his lips brush against mine.

  Just as I'm about to deepen the kiss, the heavy ornate door creaks open, and we jump apart.

  "Time to go," Bram shouts through it, before giving us a knowing look. Not a disappointed one though. He nods at me once, as if showing some kind of approval. I make a mental note to ask him about that later. With his wife cheating on him before, I need him to properly be okay with what's going on here.

  "We don't have the knife yet," I point out.

  "Eric says the code is three-five-four-two," Bram replies, looking frantically up and down the corridor. "Quickly, Ashryn, they're coming."

  I don't need telling twice. Nor do I need telling who they are. We all know, and it's not good news. I just hope not all the hunters are about. Otherwise the odds are something like fifty to four, and I can't say I'm crazy about them.

  Dropping to my knees, I type in the code, and grab the only thing in the safe, thrusting it into the bag with my spare weapons. They may come in useful after all.

  Chapter 7

  "Which way?" Eric calls out.

  "Some foresight you have," Bram mutters, just loud enough for us all to hear.

  "Right," I answer, ignoring Bram's cutting comment. We're all well aware of Eric's secret. The one about his powers of prophecy being completely fake. Though there aren't many people who do know, and I think Bram's realisation is pretty recent.

  As in, twenty minutes ago, recent.

  "Wait," I command them all, and to my surprise, they all stop running. I motion for them to hide in an empty room, and I go back to the door to listen.

  Footsteps. Almost like a march, coming from the next corridor along. Shit, that's not good at all.

  "Anyone need any weapons?" I ask, at a loss for what else to do. The hunters are nearly on us, and while we can try and keep hiding from them, I'm not sure how possible that will be.

  "Yes," Eric admits, and I throw my backpack to him. The other two shake their heads. Good, we're not completely at a loss then. As much as I like Eric, he doesn't strike me as the kind to be overly proficient in a fight. Though maybe that's me being unfair to him. If he's been the vampires' fake prophet for so long, the he's likely never needed to be able to fight. And training would have been a waste of his time anyway.

  Which raises the question of why Dimitri even brought him along for this trip. If it'd been up to me, I'd have brought someone who could help in a fight, not hinder.

  That may just be my hunter training kicking in. It's a little bit on the ruthless side. But maybe once everything is settled down, I'll be able to soften up a little. Maybe even find some hobbies that don't include sharp objects or weapons upkeep. One of the guys might even be able to give me some ideas. I'll need them.

  "What's the plan?" Bram asks, deferring to me and not to Dimitri, which is interesting. I wonder what's going on in his head right now. He's not glaring at the other man, or doing anything else that can be construed as jealousy. It's interesting to say the least.

  "Hope they don't find us, and if they do, fight like our lives depend on it and don't stop until they're subdued or we're dead?" I suggest.

  "Only subdued?" Bram arches an eyebrow.

  "Yes. It's not any of the hunters' faults they're this way. Maybe try not to kill them? They might not be able to help themselves."

  "Good call," Dimitri acknowledges, and I see Eric sag with relief.

  "Except the ones that attacked us?" Bram qualifies.

  "Probably. I don't think Ravi and Lily are likely to stop, no matter what we do." It's a sad fact that some of the hunters actually are sadists. But I suppose we're all just products of how we're brought up. "But try not to. A lot of them might just want a normal life."

  The three men nodded, and I'm feeling satisfied by that. They're doing what I say because it makes sense, but even so, actually having them listen and not just fight against it because I'm female, or because I'm new, is a novel idea. I'm not used to this.

  "I think our main goal should just be getting out of here," Bram says.

  I nod. "I agree. We should get out first, then regroup to sort other things out later."

  "Regroup?" Eric gulps as he speaks. I don't think he likes the idea of coming back at all. But I think we all know it's something we have to do. If Dimitri's been trying to sort this for decades, then enough is enough. This is going to be the time he finally destroys the guild.

  Chapter 8

  Sneaking through these corridors i getting kind of old now. Up until now, I've always strutted down them without caring who sees me doing what.

  Now, if any one sees me, they'll try to kill me. Guess this is the unsavory side of being a vampire. Now I'm on the other side of it, hunting really isn't very fun. It never had been if I'm honest about it.

  "How much further?" Eric asks, his breath coming a little bit ragged. I frown. That's not a good sign. If we actually end up head to head with any hunters, then he could be a major liability. Not that it's his fault really. He's just not used to this kind of thing.

  "A couple more turns, then we should have an exit."

  I chew on my lower lip, thinking over the other major problem that could face us.

  "What's wrong?" Bram asks, resting his hand lightly on the small of my back. I like it there. It's soothing, and conveys an affection that I'll admit isn't something I'm used to. Seems that being stuck in a bunker with me, then learning I already knew his secret, has completely softened Bram to me. I can't say I'm complaining. The couple of kisses we've exchanged so far have been electrifying.

  I'm also intrigued by the potential with Dimitri, but I can't dwell on that. I can hardly call what we did a kiss, never mind try and work out what it means. Those are thoughts best left for another day. Preferably tomorrow.

  "Is it day or night outside?" I ask.

  "Night," Dimitri replies. "But only just. Daybreak isn't far off."

  "Shit."

  "We have a blacked out van, Ashryn," he reassures me. "We just have to get to it."

  "Aren't they going to be expecting that?" I ask. "Actually, why are they after you? Didn't you come here in peace?"

  "Lincoln's never been my biggest fan."

  "Wow, the surprise. The head of the guild isn't a fan of vampires." I can't help the sarcasm that slips into my voice. Probably not my best plan to provoke an argument, but there's nothing for it now, the words are out and into the world.

  Dimitri laughs. "Well, when you put it like that...But no. It's more of a personality dislike I believe. There's something between us that just rubs us each up the wrong way. There's nothing that either of us can d
o about it."

  "So if he doesn't like you, that means he wants to kill you? Even if you have immunity?" I probe, thinking back to our earlier conversation.

  "You used to be a hunter, Ashryn. You tell me, what do you do to vampires you don't like?"

  Bram leans in so his lips are level with my ear. "Kiss them," he whispers, and a small giggle escapes me.

  Wow. I've never been so girly. What's going on with that? Am I secretly a girly-girl, but a suppressed one? If so, then what other parts of personality have been squashed down because of the training? I guess that's something I'll need to discover for myself.

  "True. But it seems particularly bad to go back on a treaty and someone's word," I respond, ignoring Bram's oh-so-true comment. Or not so true, maybe. I didn't exactly dislike him. Far from it actually, now I was feeling more and more drawn to him by the moment. To vampires in general, and these other men more specifically. It's certainly an interesting turn around for me.

  "Well, Lincoln is more like the old school hunters. He wants us all dead, and will stop at nothing to do it."

  "By us, do you mean vampires, or people with extra bits of power in general?" I ask, thinking back to his disdain over my own extra ability.

  "I suspect the latter. He doesn't seem to be a very understanding man."

  "I wonder why," I mused. There must be a reason why he's so against us all. I wonder if it's something as simple as we can do things he can't? It can't be. There must be another level to it. I refuse to accept someone advocates genocide without a good reason. Or what they see as a good reason. Personally, there's never an excuse for genocide.

  Which makes it far worse that I actually took part in making it a reality.

  "Don't go down that path again," Bram says softly. "It's not worth it, Ashryn. You can't go through your life blaming yourself for your past."

  "I guess." I'm not convinced. I'm still sure I am partly to blame. I could have said no at any point. I could have done my own research, or just thought about it for myself, instead of going along blindly.