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Queen, and left them in awe.

Stopping in front of the guard, Sophia looked him in the eye. "You think we should hide like scared children? Do you not know your Queen is more powerful than those who threaten us?"

The guard's lips parted to reply, but Sophia didn't give him the chance. Her hand swept across his throat, severing it from his body. It thumped to the floor as his headless body teetered and fell. Sophia didn't even watch. Instead she turned to her loyal subjects, smiling like a saint.

"Under my reign the old ways will return. The power we once held as vampires is within our reach again. Those who follow me will share in it, and those who question me, will be silenced." Her dark gaze fell back to the dead vampire on the white marble floor. A pool of blackened blood oozed from his body. It was impossible for the vampires in the room to ignore him, but many of them refused to look. They feared their Queen, Sophia could see it in their eyes. The corners of her reddened lips pulled up, revealing her teeth. They were glittering white. The vampire's in the room had various reactions, but most had wide eyes, watching their Queen as she smiled. Some even leaned forward to see how sharp and beautiful her eye teeth had become. Content that they all saw her newly forming fangs, Sophia said, "After tonight, we return to the old ways."

The vampires roared with approval, their voices cheering their Queen. Without another word, Sophia turned toward the door, her crimson gown billowing around her ankles. While she could float, Sophia didn't want to expend the power, not with Kahli still missing. While she had a few extra drops of Kahli's blood on hand, it was not enough. Her supply would be diminished in days. Sophia knew that if she failed to get the girl back, everything she gained would be lost. There was one thing Sophia couldn't stand, and that was losing.

The vampires cheered behind her. They lifted their voices, and their weapons, following their Queen out of the ballroom and through the front doors of the palace. Sophia grinned widely. She would not lose this battle.

Chapter 32

Kahli could sense his presence. The King's mood slipped over her like a disgusting blanket, covered in slime. The sensation made her stomach lurch. If she could feel him, and knew that he was close, then he must sense Kahli as well. Proximity did not work in her favor. The closer she got to the King, the more she could feel. It made her heart race faster. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and dripped from her temples. Her hair matted to her face, as Kahli inched through the garden alone, each step taking her closer to the palace - closer to the King.

Every tree, every shadow, every noise made her want to scream. He could be anywhere and she wouldn't see him until he was right in front of her. Kahli sucked in the frigid air and held it in until her lungs burned. Steadying herself, she moved forward. The King was just a vampire. He was like the rest. She said these things to herself over and over again, but the thoughts didn't reassure her. Instead, they made her more jumpy, because they were lies. The King was not like the rest of them. There was something different about him. While she saw the other vampires as vulnerable, the King was not. He wasn't weak. There was nothing to exploit, and yet, Kahli crouched through the garden of ice and stone, inching closer to him with the intention of killing him.

The iced trees cast a canopy of lacy shadows on the frozen ground. Patches of light and darkness mingled together, masking anyone who was near. The moonlight was weak. Thin gray clouds covered the sky. Every few moments, the world went black as another cloud crossed the moon's surface, darkening the night.

Kahli swallowed even though her mouth was dry. As she moved through the frozen garden, Kahli snapped a shard of ice from a tree limb. The piece of ice was heavy, with its tip formed to a perfect point. Holding it in her hand, she could feel its mass through her glove. Kahli clutched the weapon and moved forward, knowing each step was bringing her closer to the King.

There was a question burning brightly in her mind. Normally, Kahli would sneak up on a Tracker and