Red as Blood

by Anna Santos

  “I’d never make you miserable, my love.” He leaned closer and kissed my cheek.

  Heat rose from my stomach, and I felt shivers descend down my arms. Placing my hands on his chest, I rested my head on his shoulder.

  “Why were you sad, Snow?” Dorian caressed my hair and placed his warm hand on my back.

  “I miss my mom, and Marlena said you’d hurt me on our wedding night.”

  “Why would I hurt you?”

  “She also said that you didn’t really like me, you just wanted the crown and that you enthralled me to like you.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  “I don’t. She’s being mean because she’s jealous of us.” I pressed my nose against the fabric of his coat and breathed in his scent. It relaxed me and made me happy. “It hurts, knowing that she never liked me and pretends she does to please my father.”

  “I’d told you the night we met that the queen was evil, beautiful fairy. It doesn’t matter how good-looking she is. She’s selfish, and I’m certain she’s jealous of how beautiful you’re becoming.”

  “I don’t want to be beautiful if that means being like her.”

  “I wouldn’t love you so much if I believed you could be anything like her.” Dorian kissed the top of my head. “Don’t be sad. You have me, and we don’t need anyone else to be happy.”

  “Can you stay here for a little while. I don’t feel like going out tonight, but I don’t want to stay away from you, either.”

  “I’ll stay here until you feel better.”

  Smiling, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him closer. “Dorian, we are … betrothed. It’s okay to be like this, right?”

  “Yes, it’s fine.”

  “Then, why don’t you ever kiss me?”

  Cupping my face, he raised my head to look at him. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

  I nodded, parting my lips, so I could take a breath to control my nerves. “I know I’m being bold, but I want to know what a lover’s kiss is.” I gulped. “Despite what my stepmother might believe, I’ve never kissed anyone.”

  “I know you haven’t.” He spoke closer to my lips, his breath stoking my skin and making my eyes heavy. “It’s surprising how prudish humans are toward sex when their lives are so short. They see pleasure as something shameful.”

  “Pleasure?”

  His lips spoke over mine. “Making love is about pleasure, not pain, little one.”

  It was painful to breathe. “Is kissing about pleasure, too?”

  “It all starts with the kissing.”

  I closed my eyes. “I want to kiss you.”

  His lips brushed my cheek, and I shivered. “Trust me, Snow,” he whispered, leaving another kiss on the corner of my mouth. “Whatever that witch said, I’d never hurt the one I love. It would be the same as hurting myself.”

  “Then kiss me, Dorian. My chest hurts, and I—”

  My words were silenced by his lips. The softness of our mouths together left me confused and breathless. The sensation of our lips together felt different from when I touched his skin. My chest burned, and my arms felt heavy. His lips left mine, and I tilted back my head, eager for more.

  Another kiss, more contact between our mouths. My body quivered. I held tighter to him when his lips moved against mine. Our mouths danced to a silent serenade. His tongue rubbed and teased the inside of my mouth. Desire made the blood rush in my veins. I kept shivering, but I wasn’t cold. All that mattered was the contact between us as well as the happiness that he made me feel.

  Chapter NINE

  Snow’s POV

  “I love you.”

  I woke up with a start and sat up. Opening my eyes, I groaned at the sunlight streaming through my window and realized that I had fallen asleep fully clothed and over the covers. I had a blanket covering my legs, though.

  My mouth felt dry, and my head hurt. Was it all a dream? Why did I wake up to Dorian’s voice? Where was he? Did he even come to my bedroom and kiss me?

  I got up but almost collapsed from the lack of strength in my legs. The bedroom kept turning as my mind remembered the kisses I shared with Dorian. It couldn’t be a dream.

  Stopping in front of the mirror, I adjusted my vision to my reflection. My hair was loose and tangled. My face was as pale as ever, my lips seemed redder than before, and my neck … I covered my cheeks in shock. I had small red marks on my neck and cleavage. Blood rushed to my face and sweat beaded on my brow as I remembered what we did last night. We kissed. By the gods, we seriously kissed and kissed until my lips were numb, and I was too tired to stay awake.

  I swallowed a shriek at the thought of one of the maids coming in to help me change my clothes and seeing those marks. Why did his kisses leave marks?

  I needed a bath and a dress to hide my marks. Then, it occurred to me that my cheeks were red and that I would blush again in Dorian’s presence. My stepmother might suspect what had happened if I keep reacting this way to him.

  Walking back to my bed, I sunk onto the mattress. Despite feeling embarrassed by the memories of us kissing, I also felt excited and longed for more moments like those.

  “Snow, do you want more potatoes?”

  I woke from my reverie to my stepmother’s voice. I looked across the table and saw her holding her cutlery with her brows knitted together. On my right side, there was a servant girl with a dish of roosted potatoes ready to serve. I refused and looked across the table to where Dorian was staring at me with his glass in hand. The right corner of his mouth twisted in a half smile as if he knew why I was so distracted that evening. He was the main reason for my wandering thoughts. I had no idea my body could ache so much from being apart from him. I wanted dinner to be over, so I could excuse myself and meet him secretly in the garden.

  “Where was I?” the queen asked, grabbing the glass of wine and taking a sip.

  “There was another attack on the road that passes through the Black Forest,” the king replied.

  “Oh, yes. It’s the second attack this week. The people are scared. We need to send hunters to stop these werewolves.”

  “It may be regular wolves,” the prince said.

  “Not according to the survivors who saw a huge white wolf leading the pack,” the queen retorted. “It’s about time we find a permanent solution for this.”

  “What do you suggest, dear?” the king questioned.

  “Burn down the forest,” my stepmother replied.

  “No!” I protested, letting my cutlery fall on my plate and looking at Marlena. “The destruction of the trees and habitats will be disastrous.”

  “Watch your tone, young lady,” the queen reprimanded.

  “That’s too extreme, and there’s no way to control where the fire would spread,” the king joined the conversation.

  “Not to mention that the forest doesn’t belong only to the humans. There are other creatures living there that deserve to be protected,” the prince added. “My father would be extremely upset with such an action. The Black Forest is close to our borders. It is also said to be the home of the Great Fairy. Rattling beings far more powerful than you is never a wise choice.”

  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much love for Dorian as I did when he gave his speech to my crazy stepmother. I couldn’t take my eyes off him and noticed that the queen was holding her cup as if she was about to shatter it into pieces.

  “How else are we supposed to find those criminals?” she asked. “It is easy to talk, Prince Dorian, when our problems aren’t yours. You haven’t lost anyone important to those werewolves. Your people aren’t being attacked.”

  “We have other problems,” Prince Dorian replied. “Are you forgetting that vampire kingdoms are a line of defense against the monsters that try to occupy our world? If we don’t do this, the human kingdoms will be destroyed by the ones threatening our annihilation.”

  “My apologies,” King Quinton said. “My wife isn’t fully aware of all the sacrifices that the Fayland Vampire King
doms make for our safety.”

  “It was just an idea,” the queen mumbled.

  “Rest assured, sweet daughter, no one is going to burn down the Black Forest. We’re going to increase the number of patrols and hope that the reports aren’t accurate. I’ll send more men to investigate.”

  Prince Dorian looked at the king. “I have three members of my guard that are excellent trackers. Vampires have enhanced senses. They will be useful in finding out if the attacks were done by the real werewolves or wild animals.”

  “I appreciate your help, Your Highness,” King Quinton said, raising his glass. After drinking, he smiled. “Now, I have something I’d like to ask you.”

  “I’m an open book,” Prince Dorian assured.

  “It concerns something that’s been bothering me. I need to apologize for my ignorance in what concerns your race. I know that vampires are males and females. You also look a lot like us. Still, I need to know.”

  “Yes?” the prince questioned.

  “When you marry my daughter, will you be able to provide me with grandchildren?”

  I was glad I wasn’t drinking, or I would choke in my water.

  “Vampires have babies,” the queen said from her corner of the table.

  “Yes, the prince is proof of that. But can they have children with humans?” the king insisted.

  “Yes,” Dorian replied.

  I looked at my betrothed with a smile.

  “Snow and I will have beautiful children who will grow up as normal humans until they turn into vampires at the age of twenty-one. A few might not have the vampire genes if Snow is still human while giving birth.”

  “What do you mean?” the queen interrupted. “Why wouldn’t Snow be human?”

  Dorian drank before replying, “I plan to give her eternal youth when the time is right.”

  “Vampires can do that?” the queen pressed.

  “Yes. I’m allowed to turn my wife into one of us.”

  “As long as you can give me grandkids,” King Quinton said with a smile, resuming his dinner.

  “We’ll give you plenty of grandchildren, Dad,” I told him, completely ignoring the murdering glare that my stepmother was giving me. I had Dorian’s loving gaze on mine and that was all that mattered.

  Chapter TEN

  “Eternal youth!” the queen shouted in her secret chambers. With closed fists, she paced around the room. “I’ve been fighting for years to stay young and beautiful, and he gives her that gift after a few days of being engaged! How absurd! How can he be so enchanted by that silly girl?”

  The queen stopped in front of her magical mirror. “Mirror, mirror, wake up! Tell me who’s the prettiest of them all. Is it still me or am I losing my beauty?”

  “One question at a time,” the mirror replied.

  “Obey me as I’m your mistress and can end your existence!”

  “As if that’s not what I’ve been dreaming for so many years,” the blurry image of a man replied from inside the mirror. “I’ve been trapped here for eons. You don’t scare me with death threats.”

  The queen huffed. “Am I not prettier than Snow?”

  “You are, my queen.”

  “Good!”

  “For now,” the mirror added.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know I cannot lie, but I need better questions in order to answer you.”

  “Stupid mirror, don’t test my patience. I’ve been pleasing that old king for a week now, hoping I could get pregnant again. Meanwhile, Snow has a handsome prince who plans to make her young forever. Is that what you mean? That I’m going to get old and ugly while she’ll remain young and beautiful as a vampire princess?”

  “No. She’ll be more beautiful than you long before she’s turned.”

  The queen clenched her jaw. “Does the prince love her?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can he love me?”

  “I doubt it,” the mirror spat.

  “Why?”

  “Because he loves Snow.”

  “If Snow is dead, he won’t love her anymore. Just like the king who forgot about his wife once she was gone,” the queen reasoned.

  “Maybe,” the mirror replied.

  “That’s not a straightforward answer.

  “I can’t see the future. I can only reply about the now.”

  “Yet you said that Snow will become prettier than me.”

  “She has a good heart and a kind soul. Beauty is more than physical appearance.”

  “Nonsense,” the queen said, waving in dismissal. “But your answers have given me a lot to think about.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Nothing that concerns you. I’m your mistress, you should worry about my happiness, not a silly girl who never had to fight for anything in her life. Why does she have to be happy when I can’t even…” She laughed. “True love. There’s no such thing. The prince will forget all about her if she’s dead. Marrying a vampire suits my needs. I won’t need to perform any dangerous rituals to keep my youth. I’ll just have to drink blood, and I’ll live forever.”

  “There are plenty of other vampires who can turn you. Why Prince Dorian?”

  Her lips curled up into a wicked smile. “Because Snow loves him.”

  “She’ll leave the kingdom soon enough. Just let her go.”

  “I wanted her to be unhappy. If Prince Dorian loves her and attends to her every need, she won’t be miserable. He won’t kill her after being sick of her blood. He plans to make her one of them. Why would I let that stupid child be happy? She’s the reason why I can’t be queen after her father’s death. He’s getting old and bald. I can’t stand him anymore.”

  The mirror remained mute.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything?” the queen shouted.

  “You didn’t ask a question.”

  “I hate you!”

  “Then set me free.”

  The queen smiled. “No. I still need to find your child and make her my biggest weapon.”

  “The White Wolf and the Great Fairy will never allow that. Give up on that and let me go. Find a vampire lord and marry him. If it’s eternal youth you want, and maybe love…”

  “Love?” She laughed maniacally. “I had plenty of men loving me. I can have any man I want. Love, lust, pleasure—nothing matters if I can’t be the rightful queen of the Fayland Continent. First, I’ll get eternal life, and then I’ll use Dorian to fight the White Wolf to get the other mirror.”

  “Prince Dorian doesn’t love you or care about your beauty.”

  “Not while Snow is alive. I guess I’ll just have to get rid of her.”

  The following days, the queen put her plans in motion to end Snow’s life. Her first try was when Snow and the prince visited the town’s fair, and the queen dressed herself as an old lady selling beautiful red apples. She offered Snow a poisoned apple and waited in the shadows to see when the princess would take a bite and fall ill. Yet nothing happened. Instead of eating it, Snow brought the apple to the palace and offered it to the queen at dinner time. Once the queen returned to her secret hideout, she burned the apple into cinders and cursed the gods while throwing grimoires and vials around.

  Not everything was lost. Snow often went to the stables to take care of Thunder. It was the perfect place for an accident. Conjuring a poisonous snake, the queen placed the deadly reptile in the stables and waited for the worst to happen. Either Snow would be bitten by the snake, or the snake would scare the horses that would trample the princess to death. Either way, it would please the queen. The second option happened, and the Queen rejoiced when she heard Snow’s screams and the horses’ neighs. What she wasn’t counting on was for prince Dorian to show up, bring Snow out of the stables, grab the snake and trap it in a container. Despite Snow’s scared expression, she was fine, and Dorian showered her with attention for the rest of the day.

  The queen waited two more days before coming up with another plan. Snow’s death needed to be
an accident. Therefore, she needed to be in a place where she couldn’t escape and at a time of the day where no one was around. The queen had the perfect idea for how to succeed where she had failed. Snow would die from the bite of a poisoned spider. The queen had several of them for special potions and spells. The bratty princess wasn’t the first one that the queen had to kill in order to have what she wanted.

  Sneaking into the princess’s bedroom, the queen placed the spider under the covers and waited for the princess to go to sleep. The spider’s poison would paralyze her before shutting down her respiratory system. Snow would die in pain and unable to ask for help. In the morning, the servants would believe she died in her sleep without any probable cause. Prince Dorian would be devasted but free while the king would have his heart broken and, hopefully, die a few months later from sadness or slow poisoning. The queen would have time to get closer to the prince and comfort him. Grief brought people together, and the queen knew how to pretend to cry over her stepdaughter’s precocious death.

  The next day, the queen woke with a smile on her lips and strolled out of her bedroom into the dining area where the king was already eating his first meal of the day.

  “Good morning, husband,” she chimed.

  King Quinton smiled. “You look happy today, wife.”

  “I slept like a baby.” Beaming, she waved the servant to serve her breakfast. “Eggs and beans, please. I’m extra hungry this morning.”

  “I’m glad you’ve recovered your appetite,” the king stated. “I’ll have a busy day, but remember, that I’ll go to your quarters tonight.”

  “I’m looking forward to that.”

  “I was thinking we could go for a walk in the gardens this evening. It’s been a while since we’ve done that. We could invite Prince Dorian and Snow. They seem to get along well, and I’m grateful to the prince for saving my daughter the other day.”