A Tangle of Hearts (A Shade of Vampire #44)(44)

The sound of running water lingered in the background, along with the trills of brightly colored birds and songs of what reminded me of cicadas.

We stood in front of enormous slabs of pale gray limestone that seemingly blocked our path forward. They were laid out as a wall that stretched from left to right for miles and miles in both directions. They were too tall and smooth to be climbed, and we didn’t have any mountain-climbing equipment; Anjani hadn’t informed us that we would need any. The mountain stood proud beyond, piercing through the thinly clouded sky.

Anjani left my side and went up to the wall. Her leg had regained some of its strength; her footing was more stable and relied less on my help. It was good to see her recover so quickly, but at the same time I would’ve been okay with her holding onto me for a little while longer.

“We’re here,” she said, then placed her palm on the hard surface. She muttered something under her breath, and the limestone started to ripple outward, as if it was made of liquid. “Follow me.” Anjani looked over her shoulder at us, setting her gaze on me, then walked right into the stone.

It swallowed her whole.

Bijarki was the first to walk in after her, and I watched him disappear. I took a deep breath and joined them on the other side, followed by Serena and Draven.

As soon as I stepped through the liquid rock, it glazed my body in a cool, tingling sensation. The limestone particles gently ground against my skin as I took another step. The fresh mountain air hit my face, and I opened my eyes to find a different world unfurling before me.

The Red Tribe’s quarters splayed along the base of the giant mountain, covering a few hundred square yards, perfectly hidden behind the magic wall. According to Anjani, few ventured this far north. She’d known which trails to take to get there, whereas most unsuspecting travelers would have gotten lost and perished in the dark jungles that covered the miles of uncharted territory.

“The waters are murky and treacherous and often covered in a thin film resembling grass, fooling people into walking across. They’re swallowed and never come back out,” Anjani had said on our way there. “And if the swamps don’t kill them, there are plenty of shape-shifters still roaming around and poisonous snakes, carnivorous apes, and large red-fangs that will finish the job.”

“What are red-fangs?” I had asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” had been her response.

With that in perspective, I couldn’t help but feel grateful she’d been there to guide us through it all. But what waited for us beyond the limestone barrier seemed just as dangerous, based on what she’d told us about her tribe’s customs and animosity toward strangers. We were strangers to them, after all.

A meadow spread out in front of us, flanked by the mountain’s gigantic base. Large conical tents rose on top of grass the color of blood, which was littered with sharp black rocks and pink and white wildflowers. Animal skins were sewn onto these tents in various patterns of spots and stripes. Large curved swords and spears leaned against them by each entrance, as if ready to pick up in case of an attack.

They’re always ready to kill. But who would be foolish enough to attack?

I took everything in, piece by piece. Dozens of succubi went about their chores in the Red Tribe, all of them tall and strong, their silvery skin covered in crimson war paint and tight leathers tied around their chests and hips. Their muscles were lean, glistening under the sunlight. The sky above was icy blue with white clouds scattered across it and swarms of small black birds undulating with the wind as they flew farther north.

Some were carrying chunks of dark violet wood to the large bonfire that stood tall at the center of the camp. The fire burned, and a thick column of gray smoke rose up to the sky.

Others were sharpening their swords with obsidian rocks and dipping arrows into bright green liquids that looked deadly poisonous.

Young succubi who looked like teenagers were busy skinning the animals from what must have been their morning hunt. The children were busy sparring with real knives in a couple of open spaces near the bonfire.

Serena and Draven joined me from behind.

Anjani stood in front of me, facing her tribe with Bijarki next to her.

We didn’t move for a moment, Anjani allowing us a few moments to take it all in, but then one of the little girls running around noticed us. Her eyes widened at the sight of Bijarki, and she ran back to where she’d come from, shouting at every succubus she passed.

Soon enough, all eyes were on us, a variety of gold, emerald, and gray mounted on silver and crimson faces. One by one, the succubi stopped what they were doing and approached us in silence. Some took out their weapons.

Even with Anjani’s presence, I couldn’t stop my inner-wolf from firing up my defenses. I felt the muscles on my back flare up with tension as my fists closed, ready to strike if attacked. Even with Anjani’s previous reassurances, the succubi looked as though they were ready to kill us if we so much as moved.

“I’ve returned.” Anjani raised her voice, prompting whispers and murmurs from the back. “Where is Hansa?”

The succubi formed a semicircle, closing in on us. Their blades didn’t go down, and I instinctively took a step forward, bringing myself closer to Anjani. Bijarki threw me a sideways glance and frowned.

“Don’t move, Jovi,” he whispered, as the succubi continued their advance.

“Where are your sisters?” A voice thundered from the crowd.