Compelled (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 5)

The Master Chambers was at least six stories tall. I’d only been to two of those floors before, which included the entry level we were currently stepping into. This level was where they had their meeting rooms, a large ballroom, kitchen, dining area, and a circular atrium in the center, which showcased an array of their local plants.

Vampires ate a small variety of food to go with their regular plasma and blood, mostly fruit and pastries. So these plants were for aesthetics and flowery scents. The atrium garden was so huge that you could smell the slightly musky, earthy florae through the whole area.

No lie, I felt right at home with the notes of lavender and aniseed scattered throughout. I had no idea which plant was the “licorice plant,” since it was best not to enter the garden. Just like the vampires, some of their vegetation wanted to kill you too.

Lucien wasted no time strolling toward a set of curving stairs behind the garden that led to the second and third floors. The ceiling here was open, so the floors above had a view of the deadly garden too. I’d been to the second floor, where they had the master’s main sitting area. It was also where their Stone of Katu, their god, was kept. And where I’d gotten myself into so much trouble last time.

Floor three I hadn’t made it to, but I’d heard it was another level of meeting rooms and ballrooms. Apparently these fanged assholes had a lot of dances to attend.

The floors above three were a mystery without access via these stairs.

Today it appeared that the second level was our destination as Lucien entered its wide, open space, the walls filled with windows to let the red sun in. I always likened the lighting here to a mix of sun and moonlight, and it never wavered, bright all day, with the sun shifting across the sky the only indication of time.

When their sleep cycle arrived, all houses were equipped with blackout shutters. Vampires were not forced to sleep at this time, but most of them did to keep their energy strong.

As Lucien strode farther along the second floor, I tried to lift my head and see if all the masters were gathered at the end waiting for us. I’d been to one meeting here, when the hall was filled with vampires, all wanting to air their current worries and problems to their tier one masters.

It reminded me of a court, masters perched in thronelike chairs atop a dais, most of them coldly dismissing the woes of their enclave members—just like my former alpha, who’d cared nothing for any shifter but himself. A leader should never disregard the wants and needs of their people. Never.

I couldn’t see from the upside-down position I was in, but when we passed the huge stone in the middle, I knew we were close to the end. The Stone of Katu was taller and wider than me, shot through with reds, golds, and blacks, which made up the basic coloring of Crimson City and its surrounds.

All vampires who passed this stone touched it to reaffirm their bond to their god Katu. This god was said to have been born in a blood storm of the original worlds, and as it emerged, powerful, with six arms and four legs, its mouth was filled with fangs that could drain the other gods dry of blood and power.

When Katu was done feeding, it had created a world and birthed offspring… the ancient masters of this world, all of whom craved and required the same blood that powered their creator. Katu gifted all the masters their own stones, along with the Stone of Katu, which they used now for worship. It was this stone I’d touched last time without knowing the consequences for that action.

Apparently it was a crime for food to touch their sacred stone of the gods. I’d set off some sort of security blast of power, and before I’d even picked my ass up off the ground, vampire guards had me.

At least I could be assured I wouldn’t see the guard with light blond hair and icy blue eyes again. Lucien had taken care of him after saving my life.

Two factors I was very grateful for. If only he could have saved me one last time so I didn’t end up back here.

Lucien stopped moving then and lifted me off his shoulder. I was placed next to the stone and before the masters. There was no time for me to see if the six-foot-tall, perfectly smooth, oval stone that floated above a large bowl of trickling red “water” looked the same because all my attention was focused on the nine master vampires perched before me.

All of the tier ones were here. The big kahunas.

I was seriously fucked.

The tenth seat was open—Lucien’s spot, with the red jewels that lined the edge of his ornate gold chair. Each of the enclaves had their own sacred stones that gave them longevity and power. Lucien’s was red, which I thought was fitting, matching the sky and city.

Maybe that was part of the reason he was so feared and a hell of a lot more powerful than most of the masters. Or maybe it had nothing to do with the stones and everything to do with the vampire himself.

He left me standing on my own beside the Stone of Katu, its mild glow mocking me. I was still compelled, feeling alone and vulnerable, which only increased with the ten gazes locked on me, including Lucien’s as he sprawled back in his seat.

The urge to kick Lucien’s ass grew stronger within me. I might not be a particularly fiery female—that had been more Mera’s redheaded personality—but I’d had enough of being pushed around by powerful assholes. The fact that my wolf was submissive at the moment didn’t make the woman the same.

My blood was boiling.

The part of my blood that wasn’t even mine was boiling too, swirling inside of me as I remained statue-like, staring at Lucien. He’d placed me right before his chair, which meant I could continue trying to murder him with my gaze.

The slightest smirk played across his lips as he settled in, shrinking the huge chair with his broad shoulders and long limbs. Gods, I wished I could smack that look off his face—a desire to save for later because apparently now it was time to fight for my life.

“Thank you for returning the item to us, Master Lucien,” said the male on his right. He had dark blond hair cut at his shoulders and sharp grey eyes that were harshly assessing me. I could easily understand his words, the language of Valdor already installed in my mind by the Shadow Beast. Not everything translated perfectly from the vampire’s language, but it was good enough to get by.

Lucien finally tore his gaze from me, turning a much harder look on the master beside him. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten the way you sent tier twos in, Donovan, when I’d expressly told you I was returning Simone—a fact we’ll be dealing with later. For now, let’s just get on with whatever you need to say to the shifter. We’re all busy and wondering what the hell this is about.”

A few others made noises of agreement, so it seemed that Lucien wasn’t the sole one in the dark. Only time would tell if that was a good or bad thing.

Donovan cleared his throat, straightening and smoothing out the white dress shirt he wore. He also had on black slacks, and the overall look was one of a high-powered businessman. If it wasn’t for the flash of fangs he didn’t bother to hide and the red liquid in the decanter in his left hand, there’d be no indication he was a vampire.

“Apologies, brother, about the retrieval team,” he said in a deep voice. “We’d waited as long as we could, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have the urgency reinforced.”

Lucien’s chest rumbled, but he didn’t say anything. Maybe there was a second reason for my compulsion—to prevent me from raging at these fucking vampires because my temper was really flying at the moment.

Donovan focused his attention on me. “You have been summoned to Valdor for a few important reasons,” he started, and some of my fury faded under nerves.

He stood and moved forward, stepping off the dais and stopping before me, blocking my view of the rest of the room. Our eyes met, and he almost seemed… curious as he examined me.

Until today, I hadn’t really met the other top tier masters, but I knew this one by reputation. Donovan, master of Jade House. The stones lining his chair were not the jade color of earth, but a deep blue with flecks of red. He was a big male, like Lucien, but that was where the similarities ended. Lucien was a golden surfer god, with all that bronze skin, bright green eyes, and messily styled blond hair. Donovan’s skin was a rich reddish brown, and his eyes were dark and cold. Physically he appeared no older than me, but there was an ancient feel to his energy.

A sixth sense told me he was the most powerful here, aside from Lucien, and since he was standing an arm’s length from my defenseless body, I fought to not let the bubbling panic take over. “Release her,” he said, and in the same instant, the hold on me vanished.

As Lucien’s powers returned to him, that foreign energy inside tried to follow, almost lurching me forward. Luckily, I managed to stop before I crashed into Master Donovan and wrinkled his fancy suit.

As I shook out my tingling limbs, it took a few seconds before my shifter healing kicked in and got my blood flowing again. Time where I tried not to look any of the vampires in the eye, especially the one right before me. Finally freed of compulsion, I did not want to go right back under. It might be a rare gift that only the most powerful had, but I was in a room with tier one masters.

Masters who wanted me here for a reason.

When no one spoke for a good many minutes, I finally had to say, “Why am I here? Shadow is not going to take lightly to one of his shifters being dragged into vampire politics.”

Was I unashamedly reminding them that my god was accessible to me? Yep, I sure as fuck was. Not to mention Mera, who at times could be even scarier.

“The Shadow Beast need not concern himself,” Donovan said softly, voice scraping over my nerves in a very uncomfortable way. “This is a vampire matter, and you… you are not completely his any longer.”

What. In. The. Actual. Shifter hell? What was he talking about?

“See,” Donovan continued, moving in a slow stroll as he circled me. His hand brushed the Stone of Katu, like he was mocking me with its presence. “When you were here last, you touched this stone. Do you remember?”

“How could I forget,” I replied drily, following his movement with my gaze. “One of your guards ripped my damn throat out, no questions asked.”

Donovan didn’t react to that statement. “Turns out,” he continued, “that not long after you touched our most sacred stone, sending out a unique energy due to your foreign shifter nature, we had a powerful vampire come forward to request a mate. Masters can make this appeal at any point, and then the best of the best are invited to participate in the Mate Selections. He demanded your presence a long time ago, but Lucien has been holding us back.”

My eyebrows drew together as I pondered on what the hell he was talking about. Lucien had never mentioned a master wanting to meet me—he’d seemed genuinely confused about what the vampires wanted with me. So, it stood to reason he had no idea of this request.

I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad news for me today.

“Step forward Master Carter,” Donovan said, pausing to sweep his arm toward the end of the room, back near the stairs. It took a few minutes for a figure to appear and even longer for me to see him clearly. When he was close, I couldn’t help but suck in a deep breath.

Master Carter was beautiful. As beautiful as Lucien, in a rugged, dangerous way. He was not quite as tall as some of the other vampires, but still well over six feet, towering above my height of five-nine. His shoulders were impossibly broad, and unlike most of the suit wearers, he was dressed like a hunter: camo army pants, tan boots, a rugged waterproof jacket, and a full beard that was the same dark color as the closely cropped hair on his head.

When he stood only a few feet from me, his bright blue eyes remained locked on my face. He held me in his gaze until someone growled. “What the hell, Donovan? He’s not a master.”

Carter’s gaze went flat as he turned in the direction of that voice, which had come from one of the females. I hadn’t seen which one, but the voice was soft and lyrical. “I can always prove it by challenging your position?” he rumbled, voice a deep rasp.

The hairs on my body stood on end at the unsuppressed anger in this male’s voice. If it had been any other situation, I would have run in the opposite direction.

Carter was here for blood, and since he’d apparently demanded my presence, it stood to reason that maybe my blood was the one he was after.