The Sharpest Kiss by Elizabeth Myles (the false prince .txt) 📕

do think that would be better,” she decided. “Ha!” She whipped Jessica around to face her and cupped her chin in an iron grip.

“What are you doing, Celia?” Nathan thundered. “Just stop it. Let her go and deal with me.”

Celia tsk-tsk-edat him. “You haven’t changed at all, Nathan,” she admonished with a pout, not taking her eyes off Jessica. “By which I mean that you are still no fun! But remember, I’ve been locked away for a long time. Deprived of entertainment. I want to play a little game. Now, listen to me, pet.”

This last part was addressed to Jessica, who could practically feel the bruises forming on her face where the vampire was squeezing it so hard. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, but they were generated more by anger than pain. Who did this undead bimbo think she was, anyway? Biting Aaron and Jason and who knew who else, and then coming here and destroying everything Jessica had worked so hard for? Beating up an innocent security guard and now torturing Nathan? Uh-uh. No, ma’am. That was not gonna fly, as far as Jessica was concerned. She had always hated bullies, and Celia was the worst she’d ever encountered. She would find a way to make her pay for all this nonsense, even if she had to return from the grave to do it.

Which, she had to admit, was beginning to seem more and more likely.

Jessica’s rage must’ve shown on her face, because Celia’s perfect eyebrows went up. “You do have spirit, don’t you?” she mused. “Well, that is admirable, but it won’t help you in the end. You see, no amount of will can protect you from my powers of persuasion.” She levitated, rising two feet above the floor. It made her taller than Jessica, so she could stare down into her eyes. She started intoning in some unfamiliar language, and Jessica detected a strange lilt in the vampire’s voice, as though she were purposely stretching certain syllables while compressing others. It was like she was trying to…to hypnotize her.

It won’t work, Jessica thought, fighting not to smile. Vampire mind-hoo-doo doesn’t work on me, you stupid parasite!

But then the vampire’s eyes seemed to grow larger, the pupils dilating to double their size. The fiery colors in the rims of her irises burned brighter, swirling in a mesmerizing dance.

You will heed my commands…follow my instructions. The words, in English, resounded inside Jessica’s skull, zig-zagging like a crazed pinball around her psyche. She felt her stomach twist and her head start to pound.

“No, stop it,” Jessica heard Nathan say, but Celia ignored him. She kept her spellbinding blue eyes trained on Jessica, staring harder and deeper…

…harder and deeper…

…harder and deeper…

Until Jessica’s eyes started to water, and, despite all her efforts to keep her out, she could feel the vampire’s psychic tentacles worming their way inside her brain…

Uh-oh, she thought, and gasped out loud.

◆◆◆

Dorian’s vampires were dirty and underfed. They stood in a ragged line across the courtyard with their fangs exposed, ravenous looks in their eyes, but they appeared to be awaiting orders before they’d attack.

Theo had said Dorian used magic to control some of his subordinates. Kiefer noticed the jeweled chokers fettered around each of the creatures’ necks and realized they were likely enchanted too. He allowed himself a split second of admiration for it. Whoever this Dorian guy was, he clearly knew a thing or two about magic, and he was inventive with the use of his power. Under other circumstances, the guy might’ve been worth respecting.

You know—if he hadn’t been such a raving psychopath.

Kiefer’s attention went to the group of humans disembarking from the trucks, arrayed in black helmets and tactical gear and wielding various firearms. Here were the minions Theo had talked about. Had to be. Still, Kiefer swaggered across the courtyard with his arms spread, calling out, “Well, I don’t remember inviting a bunch of mouth-breathers to my party, and yet here you all are. So, who are you tools? What can I do you for?”

A guy with a raised visor stepped to the front of the group. “Where is Celia?” he demanded, ignoring Kiefer’s questions.

Kiefer cocked his head. “Oh, Celia’s kind of indisposed right now. Anything we can help you with?”

The guy’s expression hardly changed. He had a glazed look in his eye that told Kiefer he was definitely under some sort of spell. “You will hand over Celia and the other vampire, Nathan, or we will kill you all where you stand,” he said mechanically. He cocked his gun for effect.

Kiefer could hear Lucy and Dara chanting from the sidewalk, but when that gun cocked, one of the girls—probably Lucy—faltered and let out a gasp.

Not to worry, little lady, Kiefer thought, raising his hands. To the flunkies in front of him he said, “Yeah, not today.” He curled his hands into fists and spoke the necessary words. Every gun, knife, hand grenade and other assorted weapon flew from the grasps and pockets of the combatants and sailed past Kiefer to land on the sidewalk in front of Jessica’s store...behind the magical shield, where the enemy couldn’t lay a finger on any of them.

“There,” Kiefer brushed his hands together. “Now that seems more sportin’, wouldn’t y’all say?”

Kiefer watched the eyes of the guy he’d been talking to grow slightly rounder, and his lips part in surprise. He heard Aaron let out a triumphant laugh. And then some silent signal seemed to ripple among the minds of Dorian’s people, vampire and human alike, and they surged as one toward Kiefer, gnashing fangs and throwing fists.

◆◆◆

“No,” Nathan repeated through clenched teeth, “stop it. Stop it now.”

As soon as Celia had loomed over Jessica, attempting to enthrall her, he had remembered, with a glimmer of optimism, the girl’s immunity to his own mesmerism. He had hoped against hope that Jessica’s invulnerability would extend to all vampire magic, including that cast by a master as powerful as Celia.

But there was to be no