“No idea. Never seen her before. Maybe a relative?” My sister shrugged. “And by the way, that man is Rhys. The brother of the three sisters and one of the main leaders of the coven.” She followed my gaze toward his direction. “If there’s one person in this room you don’t want to mess with, it’s him. I know him well enough by now, but I still find myself feeling unsettled in his presence.”
Erik gripped my shoulder. “I can attest to that,” he said. “Stay out of his way.”
I continued watching Rhys until his pitch-black eyes moved toward me.
“Hm,” I muttered, taking a swig of blood from my glass. “I’m going to, uh, use the restroom.”
Chapter 23: Mona
Is it possible he has a twin brother?
I was aware of how ludicrous a notion it was, but so desperate was I for my eyes to have deceived me that I was willing to entertain it.
I ran through the hall and out the entrance. I didn’t stop running until I’d sped past the courtyard, through the woods and reached the beach. I walked to the edge and dipped my feet in the cool waters, hoping to calm my nerves.
He’s still alive. At least that much I should be grateful for. I don’t have to add him to the list of deaths I’m responsible for.
But how is he still alive?
Is it the spell cast over this place that is protecting him?
Or is it that the curse automatically reversed once I’d returned to Rhys?
And how the hell is Kiev here? Why did he leave Matteo’s island? Would he have betrayed Matteo and Saira—after all they did for him—and joined these vampires?
Why have his eyes turned back to red?
Who was that beautiful young woman sitting next to him?
My head began to throb from all the questions and speculations.
I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t notice a shadow approaching me from behind. It was only when a man cleared his throat that I whirled around. On seeing Kiev, I jerked to a standing position so violently that I lost my footing and fell backward into the sea.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I spluttered, spitting water out of my mouth and brushing my sopping wet hair out of my face as I scrambled to my feet.
“I could ask the same of you,” he said, his baritone voice expressionless. He stood still, arms crossed over his chest, his blood-red gaze fixed on me.
What do I tell him?
A part of me urged to just reveal the truth to him. But another part of me doubted that that was the best way to repel him, to get him to never want to speak to me again—hell, even look at me—which was what my only goal in this encounter had to be.
I stood in silence, just staring at him, for several moments as the war inside me raged on. Finally the rational side of me won over, and although it ripped me apart, I knew that there was no other way.
“I’m here because of Rhys,” I said. “My lover.”
Kiev’s mask broke for but a moment—his lips parting ever so slightly—before he composed himself again.
“I see,” Kiev said. “I suppose he’s the reason you left too.”
I nodded, gulping back the lump in my throat.
“Well, I won’t take up any more of your time.”
Without another word, he turned on his heel and disappeared back into the shadows.
That’s it?
I stood in shock, staring at his footprints in the sand. I couldn’t believe he’d gone.
Just like that.
That certainly went faster than I had expected.
An empty feeling swelled in the pit of my stomach. And then bitter disappointment fell upon me. He’d heard my answers, yet he hadn’t stayed long enough to answer my questions.
I didn’t have much time to brood though, because Rhys’ voice drifted through the woods.
“Mona?”
He appeared on the beach moments later. He stood frowning at the sight of me.
“Why are you soaking wet?”
“I took a dip in the sea. I was feeling… claustrophobic.”
He walked up to me, muttered a few words beneath his breath and I was completely dry within a second. I could tell my erratic behavior was aggravating him now. He didn’t speak another word to me as he marched me back to the castle. As we walked, his grip was tighter than usual.
We walked back into the main hall. Everyone had cleared out by now—I assumed to start preparing for the night’s ritual—except three vampires in the corner. Kiev appeared to be deep in conversation with the pretty vampire and another handsome male vampire sitting next to him.
I groaned quietly.
“You left before I could introduce you to the Novalics—leaders of this island.” Rhys led me over to their corner. “These are the Novalic siblings,” he announced once we’d arrived next to them.
Oh. Ohhh. She’s his sister.
“Erik, Helina and… I don’t believe we’ve met before?” Rhys stared at Kiev.
“No,” Kiev said curtly.
“Our brother arrived just recently, Rhys,” Erik said, jumping in. “He’s already been initiated though.”
Rhys nodded slowly, and reached his hand out to shake Kiev’s. Kiev gripped it, though the twitch in his jaw didn’t escape my notice.
I shook hands with Erik and Helina. Then I shook Kiev’s hand, withdrawing it perhaps a little too sharply. His touch felt like white-hot fire to my bare skin.
“You haven’t introduced yourself,” Kiev said, something dangerous sparking in his eyes.
“Mona,” I muttered, feeling the blood rise in my cheeks. I guessed that he was now going to go out of his way to make things as difficult for me as possible. “A… a pleasure to meet you all.”
I was relieved when we retreated to our rooms to get ready. As Rhys and I changed into our cloaks, neither of us exchanged a word. Rhys I was sure was preparing for the ritual we were about to perform.
My heart started to race again as we neared the cave on the beach. I knew that Kiev was due to be there.
But although I was sitting opposite from him across the cave the whole evening, he didn’t glance at me once. Although nobody was supposed to speak during a ritual, I caught him whispering to the redhead, Tiarni, who was sitting next to him, more than a few times.
Once the ritual was over, he walked away with her into the woods.
I realized then that I’d been so consumed with what Kiev had been doing, I had barely batted an eyelid as a human had been brutalized by a vampire barely a few feet away from me. He lay shaking on the floor, blood gushing from his neck, caught in the agony of mid-transformation. When a witch gathered up his blood in glasses and passed it round to all of us. I drank up, barely noticing.
I should be relieved Kiev’s acting as though I don’t exist now. This is the best outcome given the circumstances.
So why is it that all I feel is pain?
Chapter 24: Mona
As I woke up to pitch blackness the following morning, my eyelids felt sore from a night of silent crying. I groaned, untangling myself from Rhys’ sleeping form, and made my way over to the balcony doors. Opening them, I took deep breaths of the fresh sea air, relishing the relief it brought me.
The chill woke Rhys up.
“Come here,” he muttered.
I crawled back into bed. He drew me against his chest and intertwined our legs. Placing his wide palm over my forehead, he stroked it gently.
“What is it about this place that has you so restless?”
I was unsure how to answer.
“Is there someone here who’s causing you to be nervous?”
That last question hit far too close to home for comfort. If I paused for too long he’d know I wasn’t being truthful with him. So, instead, I reached my hands into his thick hair and pulled myself on top of him. Placing my legs either side of his waist, I kissed him full on the mouth.
It was the first time since I’d known him that I’d ever initiated a kiss.
His hands loosened at fir
st in surprise, but then tightened around me.
“It’s nothing, all right?” I said, when I finally broke free from him. “I was just enjoying the morning air. You worry too much about me.”
And then Rhys did something I thought he’d forgotten how to do. He smiled. And though it didn’t spread fully across his mouth, it was more than I’d ever seen from Rhys in years.
“Maybe I do worry about you too much,” he whispered.
* * *
Since we had nothing urgent to do that morning, Rhys and I stayed in bed until lunchtime, at which point we dressed and went down to the dining hall.
Part of me was hoping that we wouldn’t all be eating at the same time every day. But my hopes were dashed as the table was as full as the night before—Kiev and his siblings in the same place across the table from us. It appeared to be some kind of tradition to all have lunch together.
This time, I keep my eyes to myself. Or on Rhys.
But then red flashed across the chamber. And I was a lost cause. Throughout lunch I kept stealing glances at the redhead sitting on Kiev’s lap. Sharing blood from the same glass. Her caressing his dark hair. My fingers curled just remembering how it felt to do that. And the final scorch to my already singeing burn was watching them share a kiss. I could have sworn Kiev even looked my way as he pushed his tongue between her lips.
Lunch couldn’t be over soon enough.
I was relieved when Rhys had finished eating and suggested that we go for a stroll around the island.
“I’d love that,” I said, jumping to my feet and pulling him out the door with me.
We walked through the forest and along the beach for a couple of hours. Rhys and I didn’t talk much. We mainly took in the beauty of the place. Though he didn’t let go of my hand once as we walked, and he occasionally stopped just to look at me. I asked what he was stopping for, but he didn’t answer me. We moved on only once he was satisfied by whatever he was trying to see in me.
On our way back, as we walked through the courtyard, I caught sight of Kiev sitting alone on a bench reading a book.
If he wants to play, he should know that I can play too.
“Wait,” I said to Rhys, who was about to start climbing the steps. Wordlessly, I pulled him toward the fountain in the center of the courtyard, in clear view of where Kiev sat.
Once again I reached for Rhys and pulled his lips against mine. With each second that passed, our kiss got more heated until I had my legs wrapped around his waist.
Kiev finally admitted defeat. From the corner of my eye, I saw him drop his book to the ground and storm off in the opposite direction.
Revenge felt sweet.
For a few seconds.
Then I was overcome with guilt.
How could I do this to him? After all I’ve put him through already…
I broke away from Rhys and suggested we return to the room and start preparing ourselves for the evening.
At least all this torture we’re putting each other through will be over by the end of tomorrow, I comforted myself as we climbed the stairs back up to our room. Rhys and I will return to our island, and I’ll think of an excuse to never come here on visits again.
I was surprised to see Efren waiting in our hallway when we returned. He turned to Rhys with a look of excitement in his eyes.
“What’s going on?” Rhys asked.
“Isolde thinks we’re very close to a breakthrough. Do you remember the last time she got that feeling?”
“Yes, yes, of course I remember what happened!” Rhys’ face lit up. “How could I forget?”
I certainly couldn’t forget.
That was the time Isolde had finally unlocked the power to perform the binding spell within all the members of the coven.
I couldn’t forget that day if I tried.
Rhys’ eyes settled on me briefly—no doubt sharing the same memory that had just flitted though my head—before turning back to Efren.
“Your aunt is saying that there’s something about the energy of this island, and the rituals with these vampires,” Efren continued. “It’s pushing us closer at a faster speed than when we were working alone on our own island. She wants us to extend our stay here.”
Oh, God.
“Of course. We must!” Rhys said. “We’ll stay as long as we need to. You’re in no hurry to leave, are you, Mona?”
I smiled up at him weakly. “Of course not. I told you already that I have no problem with this island.”
“I’ll let the others know,” Efren said, and he ran out the room.
Rhys looked down at me with wild enthusiasm. He picked me up and spun me around the room.
“This could be it. We’re getting closer!”
He paused mid-air and set me back down on the floor.
“Why do you not share my excitement over this news?”
I quickly made my smile broader, but it was too late. He’d already detected my lackluster reaction. Now he knew I was just forcing my reaction to please him.
“You seem absent again. Something is awry with you,” he said. “You need to snap out of whatever this is. Even Julisse has noticed you’re not sharing the same passion as us and she’s barely spent any time with you. You need to change, Mona. Get your head where it needs to be.”
He placed a finger under my chin and pushed my face up to look into his stone-cold eyes.
“Remember what I told you before? You still have much to prove.”
Chapter 25: Mona
I can’t take any more of this.
Another lunch sitting opposite Tiarni and Kiev at the table finally sent me over the edge. I felt sure that he didn’t even like Tiarni. He was just using her to get back at me. Just as I was using Rhys against him.
I was glad when Rhys told me earlier that morning that he would be visiting his aunt straight after lunch. I told him that I planned to go for a walk alone and that I’d meet him again in our room later on in the evening.
Instead, I sat at the table until Kiev had finished his blood. Then I left after him. He was heading outside, through the great doors. He took a left turn and, walking down the steps, passed through the center of the courtyard. I knew how sharp his hearing was. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d already detected me behind him, but I was careful to make as little sound as possible—even going to the extent of removing my shoes and leaving them in a bush.
I followed him as he descended a set of stairs leading away from the courtyard. He stopped when he reached the pond. He stood still, staring into its waters. I took this opportunity to run down after him after looking all around me to check that nobody was watching.
A cluster of leaves crunched beneath my feet as I approached. He turned round to face me, surprise flickering across his handsome face.
“You,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest again, resuming his guarded body language.
“Yes, vampire. Me. And I need to talk to you.”
“What’s wrong? Don’t like that I can play this game better than you?”
“Shut up, Kiev. Please. I don’t have much time—”
“Of course not. I’m sure your lover boy is already wondering where you are.”
“This isn’t a game!” I hissed.
He seemed to notice the urgency in my voice and fell silent. I cast another worried look around us. This place seemed too open. We needed somewhere more enclosed. I grabbed his cold hand and pulled him into the shadows of the woods. I kept leading him forward until I felt comfortable that we were a safe distance from the castle and any open areas surrounding us.
It was quiet now. The only sounds that could be heard were the whistling of the wind in the trees and the occasional chirping of a bird.
I let go of his hand and looked up at him.
“I need to tell you why I left,” I said, taking a deep breath. “The real reason. I don’t think I can live with myself any more until I have told you the truth.”
I owe you that much, at least.
“I may be here now because of Rhys. But I didn’t leave… I didn’t leave the island for Rhys.”
What I was about to say, before I caught myself, was: I didn’t leave you for Rhys.
He frowned. I paused, preparing myself to utter the words I’d never spoken to anyone before. It was all I could do to not break down right then and there.
“I’m cursed, Kiev.” I exhaled sharply as I said the words. “I’m cursed by two strokes. Two heavy, bloody strokes.”
I wrapped my hand around a tree branch for support. I felt like I was grasping for any bit of grounding at that moment.
“A binding spell and an unbreakable oath have their hands wrapped around my soul. It’s a long, long story, but right now you just need to understand the basics of what it means: I was cursed when I was younger to be bound to Rhys. I can’t ever be with anyone else. And if I do leave him, everyone I come to care about will die.”
Kiev stared at me, barely blinking.
“Now that I’m back with him, I’m hoping that the curse will no longer act. My magic has also been restored to me. But the moment I leave him, the curse will act again. And more people will die.”
I paused and looked into his crimson eyes.
“And why exactly do you feel the need to tell me this?” he asked, still careful to keep his face expressionless.
The way he asked it was more of a challenge than a question.
I blushed.
“Was I someone you cared about?” he asked.
I averted my eyes to the ground and, biting my lip, I nodded.
“You might have been,” I whispered.
“Am I someone you care about?”
“You might be,” I breathed.
There was an awkward pause as I continued staring at the ground. I couldn’t bear to look up at him and witness his reaction.
Finally, I managed to clear my throat and compose myself enough to look him in the eye again. “I… I just wanted to leave things cordially with you, all right? I want you to stop feeling bitter toward me.”
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