Well This Sucks

by CoraLee June

  “We normally kill unsanctioned fledglings,” Asher agreed. “I mean, isn’t her life enough? Why should we give her a title, too?”

  Okay. Well, I certainly didn’t like Asher anymore.

  Considering I’d still been living in a tiny dorm with a cranky granny, I didn’t fully understand the perks of having a title. Unless it gave me good credit for life, I didn’t really give two shits about being a Lady in vampire court. “Look, if it’s such an ordeal—” I began.

  “Stop talking,” Diego interrupted through gritted teeth.

  “No, please continue,” Graham replied with a smile.

  “I, uh, was just saying that I don’t really care if I’m on the court. If it makes you happy to have me off, I can bow out.”

  “You will not. I want her on the court. I’m the fucking king. Question me again and I’ll use every power I have at my disposal to make sure my wishes are known. I’m not afraid to glamour vampires that don’t share my vision. You may hold a seat on the council, but you need to remember who is truly in charge here. She doesn’t understand what she’s saying. Drew Lane would not want to be a servant to the coven. And she definitely doesn’t want to quit her job to work for us as a Level One.” He gave me a pointed stare. Oh shit. Yeah, he was right. I wanted to be on the royal court. Put a fucking crown on me. What was my title again? Lady Drew? It had a certain ring to it, I supposed.

  “I didn’t realize you were so passionate about it, King Diego. But of course, as you wish. Whatever the king wants, the king gets.”

  “Precisely,” Diego growled.

  The rest of brunch passed in awkward silence.

  After brunch, Diego offered me a ride to the tower of doom, and I gladly accepted. Once I was settled in the back seat with my two doggie bags of leftovers, we started the short drive to my temporary home.

  “Aside from almost making yourself a Level One, you did very well today, Drew.”

  “Yeah, can you please explain that entire thing to me?” I asked.

  “Once you become a vampire, the coven owns you,” Diego explained. “If they don’t like your job, they can assign you to something that benefits the coven. The higher your rank, the more freedom you have. I didn’t want Graham making you his secretary or some shit out of spite.”

  Wow. “Thank you, Diego. I know that probably created a lot of problems for you, but I’m glad you did it.”

  “I do have empathy, you know. Your job might not be conventional, but it’s important to you. I don’t want you giving that up because Graham has an issue with me.”

  I didn’t want to feel a sense of satisfaction from his kind words, but that damn sire bond between us made me wiggle in my seat and smile. “I’m used to people not thinking highly of my career. I like proving them wrong.”

  “I didn’t realize that you had such a pivotal role at your company,” he said.

  “You didn’t really take the time to get to know me,” I replied while looking out the window.

  I felt a hand wrap around my thigh, and I turned to face Diego. “How about I answer some of your questions in exchange for you telling me about you. And when we get back to the dorms, I’ll have Rocky give you your phone so you can contact your friends. Ryan has been particularly difficult to influence. We keep having to send men there to do daily compulsions. I can’t tell if he’s got a superior mind or if he’s just seriously devoted to you.”

  I smiled at that. I missed my friends. It was rare that I went more than a day without talking to them. It figured Ryan would be stubborn. “Well, I guess my first question is how do you compel someone? Can every vampire do it?” I remembered how he threatened to compel Graham at brunch. Was that something only a king could do?

  Diego withdrew his hand from my thigh before answering. “It takes some practice. You probably won’t be able to successfully do it for a few months, but yes, every vampire can compel humans. Think of it as hypnosis. We’re predators. We have a variety of advantages at our disposal.” I didn’t know how I felt about being able to manipulate people. Free will and consent were a big deal to me. “There are rules, though. Vampires are forbidden from using compulsion to sexually take advantage of a human. We only use it to protect the coven’s secrets. And as king, I’m able to glamour my subjects. It’s one of the hallmarks of royal blood.”

  That made me feel a little better. “Interesting. How do you do it?”

  “Nope. It’s my turn,” Diego replied as the town car turned onto another street. “Why all the pink?”

  “Why all the black?” I fired off. “How do you do it?” I repeated.

  “It’s difficult to explain. You’ll have more lessons that will cover all the basic abilities, including compulsion. They will be taught by someone who is far more adept at teaching than I am. Where did you grow up?”

  “No. That wasn’t an answer, I get another question.” I thought for a moment, unable to remember a single question I had jotted down in group therapy. “How old are you?”

  “I stopped keeping track after my three hundredth birthday. Where are you from?”

  Damn. Talk about an age difference.

  “I grew up in Chicago with my mom and stepdad. My real dad was in the military, and I saw him maybe twice a year before he died in combat. We never really got along. It sounds terrible, but I wasn’t sad when he died. I felt sort of indifferent. We were strangers, you know?” Diego shook his head. “I’m glad Mom found Bodhi. He was kind of a hippie, but I loved him for it. He always encouraged me to be myself. They both passed away in a tragic boating accident when I was twelve. Their deaths were definitely harder to swallow…” I chewed on the inside of my cheek for a moment, willing my burning eyelids not to cry. “I lived in foster care for a while. I struggled and slept on couches for a bit. Saved my money. Got a few scholarships. Went to school. Then, I moved here after I graduated from Stanford with my business degree,” I answered. “How do I control my super hearing? Right now, the city doesn’t bother me, but it’s like every time I try to sleep, the volume cranks up in my mind.”

  Diego mulled over my question for a moment. “It’s like when someone talks about having lice. You immediately start scratching your head.”

  As if on cue, my fingers reached up and started digging at my scalp. “Gross but continue.”

  “Your stronger senses tune in when you’re thinking of them. When your mind is busy, it goes to the background. Like remembering to breathe makes you aware of your breath. Look,” he said before nodding out the window. “We’re about to pass my favorite bakery. Think about your super smell.”

  My nose seemed to tingle at his instructions. I inhaled, and the decadent smell of freshly baked bread invaded my nose. I moaned. “Dear God. That smells delicious. Brilliant.”

  Diego smiled at me and leaned in closer. “My turn. Are you seeing anyone right now?”

  I wasn’t expecting this. “I’m more of a casual dater. That’s what got me into this mess, remember?”

  Diego trailed his finger along my collarbone before responding. “I think I’m starting to like messes.”

  Drew

  “And how did that make you feel?” Eva asked. I was seriously getting tired of group therapy. This was one of the most tedious things about becoming a vampire. I thought the raging bloodlust or the new superpowers would be the most difficult to deal with, but no, it was this damn circle time with the rest of the Level Ones that would drive me mad.

  Kyle wiped at his eyes and blew his nose on his sleeve, gross. “It makes me sad, man. Like Megan was supposed to be my date to formal. They all think I’m out with mono right now. One week and she’s already sleeping with my frat brother? This sucks. I had to find out from her Snapchat, dude.”

  I felt bad for Kyle, but this tear fest was getting old. “Kyle,” I said while rubbing my brow. Eva shifted in her seat while chewing on the end of her pencil. “My dude. You have got to move on. We’ve been talking about Megan for the last hour.”

  Kyle sobbed harder.


  “Everyone’s problems are valid, Drew,” Eva reprimanded me. Betty snorted in her seat. “Perhaps we can move on to you, though, hmm? How do you feel about the upcoming court case, Drew?”

  “What case?” I asked in confusion.

  Betty let out a long sigh. “My grandson, you idiot. His hearing is today. We both have to be there.”

  “Oh. Waiter dude that fed me to you? What’s the hearing for?”

  Eva cleared her throat. “Well, Drew, he must be punished for his crimes. He is responsible for both Betty and your change. The vote today will determine his punishment.”

  “They’re going to kill him,” Betty snapped.

  “They’re going to kill him?” I echoed.

  “That’s what the trial is for,” Eva explained. “He will appear before the council to plead his case. Both you and Betty will tell the court what happened that night and then make any victim statements.”

  “Victim statements?” I repeated. My brain was in a fog. Like when you first wake up from a dream and it takes a minute to realize that you’re pinching your pillow and not Spiderman’s ass through that skintight spandex.

  “So you can tell everyone what a fucking tragedy your life is since he turned you into a vampire,” Betty barked. She was really agitated for someone who spoke so callously about her grandson’s life earlier. “I can’t believe you didn’t know about this. Don’t you read your mail?”

  “Uh, I didn’t know we got mail,” I admitted. Betty huffed at me, and my cheeks flushed. I felt stupid for not knowing about the trial.

  “Betty, that’s enough. Let’s let Drew work through this,” Eva interjected. “Now that you are aware of the trial and the significance, please tell us how you are feeling.”

  “I don’t know how I feel,” I said as everyone stared at me. It was true though, there were so many emotions racing through my brain, I couldn’t pick one before it was replaced by another.

  It was true that I wasn’t even remotely into the thought of drinking blood for the rest of my life or that there was some voodoo making me desperately want to please a man that I had known for less than a week. But did Lawrence really deserve to die for that?

  “I wasn’t planning to get all political in group therapy, but I don’t believe in the death penalty. I mean, yeah, I’d like to go all Carrie Underwood on his ride, but like murder? It won’t be up to me, right? That’s a lot of responsibility. And like, how do you even kill a vampire? Aren’t we immortal? I bet it’s painful, huh? Yeah. Totally painful. What was the question again?”

  I was starting to hyperventilate. “Drew, are you alright?”

  “I’m fine,” I snapped. “I’ve totally got this under control. It’s a lot, you know. I’m living with the person who changed me. I’m unwanted by this new community I’m forced to be a part of. I have to face the person responsible for all of this, and I’m…” In and out. I was for sure hyperventilating.

  “Is she okay? She looks really pale,” Betty said, but her voice sounded really far away.

  “Dude. I think she’s going to barf,” Kyle added.

  “I think we’re having a breakthrough!” Eva’s chipper voice chimed in.

  Nope. I was having a breakdown. I suppose both words worked, depending on your perception. Glass was half empty right now.

  “Is there a problem in here?” Diego’s booming voice echoed around me. I looked up, though my vision was blurred.

  “We were having our normal therapy session,” Eva replied, her voice a bit shaky.

  Betty cackled. “Drew is having a panic attack.”

  I felt a hand land on my back. I didn’t even see Diego move. “Which one of you upset her?” he asked, his voice a snarl.

  “I mean, like technically, dude, it was kind of you that upset her. With this whole trial thing for Lawrence Wright,” Kyle replied.

  “What?” Diego asked.

  “We were trying to help Drew process her feelings before the trial today. She wasn’t aware that there was a trial, so it’s been a lot for her to take in at once,” Eva explained to Diego.

  “Why are you here?” I asked between gasps for air.

  “I am here to collect both you and Betty. It’s time to go. The two of you will be interviewed separately before appearing before the council.”

  “Now?” I panicked.

  “Yes, now.” Betty stood up from her chair and moved to follow Diego.

  I didn’t budge from my seat. “But I’m wearing sweatpants!”

  “Now, Drew,” he commanded.

  “Give me a minute, sir,” Eva said, then came over and knelt on the ground so that she was eye level with me. She reached for my hand and squeezed. “Breathe, Drew. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.” I followed her instructions and matched my breathing to her words. In and out. In and out. Slowly, I started to calm down and got my breathing back to normal. “It’s going to be okay. Whatever happens today, it will be okay.”

  Diego took us down to an underground level below the tower of doom. The stone walls were lined with sconces that gave off a soft glow. We walked down the corridor in silence, the only noise coming from our shoes against the slate flooring.

  We stopped at an open doorway that strongly resembled a cell, and Diego motioned for Betty to go in. “This is Cecil.” Diego introduced us to a tall, gangly man wearing khakis and a polo. “Cecil is going to take your account of events, Betty.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Betty,” Cecil said, extending his hand to Betty, who rolled her eyes and pushed past him.

  “Let’s get this over with,” she huffed and sat down, taking one of the two chairs surrounding the single desk in the room.

  “That’s the spirit,” we heard Cecil tell Betty.

  Diego closed the door and walked a little further up the hallway. I followed behind and almost slammed into his well-defined pecs when he abruptly stopped walking and turned to face me.

  “We are expecting a guilty verdict today, Drew.”

  “Are you going to kill him?”

  Diego let out a sigh. “We have an executioner. But yes, I’ll be announcing the verdict.”

  That felt so extreme. I didn’t understand why we had to go through with this. “You have an entire fucking compound at your disposal. Can’t you send him to prison for a hundred years or something? Or house arrest? Or a couple decades in solitude.”

  “I don’t make a habit of making exceptions. He broke the rules and changed someone, Drew.”

  I scowled. “And letting him live would make you look bad, huh? Can’t let the coven think you’re weak.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I looked him up and down with scrutiny.

  “It’s not about looking weak, Drew. It’s about following the rules. It’s about law and order.”

  “It’s about valuing life. So what if he wanted to save his grandmother! Yeah, he made poor decisions, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to die for it.”

  Diego clenched his jaw. “You of all people should want this guy punished. I thought you were against being a vampire?”

  “I am,” I replied, stomping my foot for emphasis. This was all becoming too overwhelming. “But I don’t want him killed. It’s so archaic.”

  “Am I interrupting something?” a familiar voice asked. I turned to greet our visitor.

  “Graham. I didn’t realize you were leading Drew’s questioning today,” Diego said, his voice like a feral hiss.

  “I want to make sure we have the most accurate story possible to make a good decision regarding Lawrence Wright. Drew’s testimony is paramount to making a decision, no?”

  Diego unbuttoned his suit jacket. “Well, I think I’ll join you, then.”

  “I would be delighted,” Graham said with forced politeness.

  All three of us stepped into a room across the hall. It looked exactly like the one we had left Betty in. Graham took a seat on one side of the desk and waited for me to take the other. But I stood there like an awkward turtle.
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br />   “Please have a seat, Drew,” Graham said, sweeping his arm toward the other chair.

  “Um, there’s only one chair. Where is Diego, err, King Diego, going to sit?”

  “It’s fine, Drew, I’ll stand,” Diego said. Graham immediately realized his mistake and stood, offering his chair to Diego, but Diego waved him off. “It’s okay, I would really prefer to stand.”

  He moved so that he was directly behind my chair. He was so close that I could smell his cologne and feel the warmth of his skin. His presence felt protective, and I appreciated not having to be alone with Graham, who didn’t like me and definitely didn’t want me here.

  “Drew. Tell me about the night you met Lawrence Wright.”

  “Well, I was on the Tinder date from hell with Joseph Sloth. Dude lived with his mom and would massage her tummy to get the poop mojo flowing. Can you believe he said that on a first date? Like that was supposed to turn me on or something. It’s not like it was even going to be that difficult to get me to go home with him, I was for sure DTF. But he still managed to fuck it up. Dude seriously needs to work on his game.”

  Diego scowled. “Can we please fast forward to the part where you met Lawrence?”

  “Right,” I replied. I could feel my cheeks blushing. “Well, Joseph Sloth ran out of there like his ass was on fire. I might have traumatized him with suggesting matching first-date tattoos, but I was trying to spice up his life, you know? And then I started drinking wine, and Lawrence asked me to meet him in the alley.”

  “Did you know when he invited you that Lawrence would be indirectly responsible for turning you into a vampire?” Graham asked.

  “Of course not,” I replied, my brow arched. “I thought I was going to get some sloppy dick in the alley.”

  “If you would have known, would you still have gone out there?”

  Diego reached out and grabbed my shoulder. “What is with this line of questioning?”

  Graham picked up his pen and clicked it twice before making a note on his pad of paper. “There are some concerns that Miss Lane knew ahead of time that Lawrence and Betty Wright had plans to turn her into a vampire.”