His Lost Queen-Sequel to Kidnapped by My Mate

Chapter 1

Grayson

My head was spinning.

Everything was a blur, my ears were ringing, and my stomach felt as if I was about to puke up all of my intestines. What the hell just happened?

I opened my eyes. Still disoriented, I looked around the room, trying to gain my bearings although it proved to be very difficult. One second I had been standing in my room with Kyle and three red-eyed vampires, and the next, I was in a forest in front of hundreds of newborn vampires and Azazel, all of them determined to kill me and my pack members.

I was relieved when I realized I was back in my room once again, laying on the hardwood floor. Although my body felt sore and weak—an effect of some sort of magic, I'm sure—the pain coursing through me wasn't my initial worry. War was coming. And soon.

Azazel's threatening words were fresh in my mind.

"Tell my brother to prepare himself, Alpha Grayson. His time as king is over," he had said. "We're coming."

I became aware of other people in the room and, once the ringing in my ears stopped, I was able to register what they were saying. They were arguing. One person, in particular, sounded very upset. I recognized his voice.

"Do something!" Kyle's angry tone rang out. "Why are we standing around when my alpha just fainted? Minnie-"

"I assure you he is fine, young beta," someone else interrupted. Zagan. The king of vampires. Azazel's brother. "I implore you to remove your hands from my body before I decide to rip them from yours."

"Oh, yeah? I'd like to see you try," Kyle replied in a low tone. "You're not the only one in this room with vampire abilities."

I groaned and rolled to my side, not wanting to listen to any more of their incessant arguing.

All heads snapped to me. Kyle was at my side in under a second, using his newfound vampire speed to move in a single, blurry motion. He crouched down next to me. "Alpha," he breathed out, "are you okay?"

I nodded and forced myself to sit up even though my body felt weak. "I'm fine. Disoriented." I looked at Zagan who had moved to stand next to Kyle. "What the fuck just happened?"

"You tell me," he replied in a gravelly voice. "What did you see?"

I stood slowly, grunting with effort. My wolf growled. He didn't like feeling weak. Especially now when so much was at stake. "Azazel," I said. "He's coming."

I heard Kyle suck in a breath. "You saw Azazel?"

"When?" Zagan snapped, stepping forward in interest. "When is he coming?"

I shook my head. "There's no way to be sure. I don't know how fast his army of newborn vampires can run." My teeth grit together. "Soon, though. Tonight."

Zagan's eyes narrowed. Minnie and Casimir, royal vampires and two of Zagan's children, looked to their father in shock. Their tension and anxiety was tangible in the air.

"The Clan of Azazel is back?" Minnie whispered. Her already squeaky and high-pitched voice seemed to rise an octave with fear. "Father, did you know about this?"

Zagan nodded. "The beta informed me in his letter. It is why we wasted no time in aiding this pack."

"We have to move quickly," I said to Kyle. "Prepare the pack for battle. Fill them in on what has happened."

Kyle was already halfway out the door. "On it!" his departing voice yelled as he sprinted down the hall.

I turned back to the three vampires, watching them through narrowed eyes. It was a bit disturbing how alike they all looked with their straight black hair, lean bodies, and striking red eyes. They were smaller than werewolves and, therefore, not as strong. It didn't matter though. Vampire training focused less on strength and power and more on strategy and stealth. It was as if their motto was, "Work smarter, not harder." And it worked for them.