I make a move to leave the bathroom but he stops me. "We can’t go that way. They’re already here. We need a safe house, and I know just the place. But I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"
"Do I have a choice?"
He smiles. "You always have a choice."
I raise a skeptical eyebrow.
"Well, aside from last night, but those were extenuating circumstances. Would you rather be dead right now?"
Touché.
"No. No, I wouldn’t. If what you’ve said is true, then thank you for saving my life."
He cocks his head. "Okay then. Take my hand and hold on." He smiles at me. "There’s a reason vampires can’t see themselves in mirrors. For us, they are portals. All mirrors connect to each other like doors, and if you know where you’re going, you can travel through them. Like we’re going to do right now."
He reaches out for the mirror and places his hand on it. I try not to tense my muscles, as I assume this is like getting into a car crash. The more relaxed you are, the less injurious it is.
A tingling energy flows over my body, like being walked on by thousands of ants, and I shudder as the feeling begins to penetrate my skin. My vision darkens until all I can see is black, and then it’s as if I’m being sucked into a vortex of time and space, my very being undone by the physics of it all. Everything around me is spinning, or I’m spinning within everything. I clutch at Sebastian’s hand and feel relief that he is still here with me.
After some unfathomable amount of time, my body recovers its own mass and thuds heavily against Sebastian. He catches me in strong arms and helps me regain my balance. We are in a dimly lit hallway. The walls are draped with red silk that is embroidered with exotic patterns, and the only light source comes from candles perched in iron candelabras that have left a coating of wax along the marble floor.
On one end of the hall is a large mirror, the one we presumably came out of, and on the other end is a door that has writhing bodies carved into wood in a style reminiscent of Rodin’s Gates of Hell.
In the center of the door is a sculptured eye that appears to be watching us. I shiver and stand a bit closer to the large vampire next to me, clutching his hand more tightly. I haven’t quite made up my mind about him, but at the very least he’s proven he doesn’t want me dead just yet. Which is, admittedly, a remarkably low standard, but it’s the best I’ve got at the moment.
A booming voice coming from the door nearly gives me heart palpitations as we approach.
"Who dares enter The Black Lotus?"
Sebastian sounds resigned as he answers. "Tell your master Sebastian Kingston is here to ask a favor."
The eye on the door closes, and it goes silent. I shift closer to Sebastian. "So… I assume that door is magic?"
He looks down at me and then puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer to him. Despite my troubled mind, my body relishes the contact, craving the closeness even as I question my sanity in all this. But there’s no denying the pull that exists between us. I’m attuned to his moods, to the movement of his body, to his very orbit, and he seems to be responding the same way to me. It’s nothing I’ve ever felt or experienced before, and I’m a bit mind-blown by it all.
"You’re about to see more than you can possibly imagine," he says. "All the stories and fairy tales and legends? They’re all based in truth. There’s so much more to life than what humans believe. There are creatures of myths, magicks that defy understanding, and other worlds. Vampires are only the beginning."
"Other worlds?" A new kind of excitement is bubbling up in me. After all, I am a librarian. I spend my days surrounded by portals to other worlds. In my most secret of hearts, I always imagined someday finding the wardrobe to Narnia or—yes, I will admit it—getting my letter to Hogwarts. Some part of my brain is trying to tell me I need to panic. That real life isn’t supposed to work this way. That, even if I can’t remember it, I’ve already almost died. But I can’t find it within me to be that scared. I’m too excited. Too amazed by the possibilities that exist now that I’m becoming something more than human. Now that I’m being ushered into the secrets of other worlds.
Sebastian continues speaking. "Legends say there are nine worlds created by the dragons long ago, but I’ve only been to three. I’ve met others who have been to a few more, but some are said to be uninhabitable, at least for most manner of creatures. I personally wouldn't want to meet the kind of creature that could survive those worlds." He says this matter-of-factly, as if dragons are just a real thing he throws around in conversation willy-nilly like, and it’s easy to see the many years he’s lived despite his youthful appearance. What marvels must exist in his mind. What wonders he must have seen. What books he must have read! I have to give myself some credit for randomly picking quite a catch for an impromptu husband.
I look at the door again in wonder. "Are we… is this another world?"
He chuckles. "It will definitely feel like it, but no. This is its own place entirely. This is—"
"The Black Lotus!" says a man who is now standing where the door stood just moments ago. He is draped dramatically in robes the color of gemstones and has an aristocratic face with an equine nose, bushy eyebrows, and black hair that is slicked back to showcase a prominent widow’s peak.
He glances at both of us and then dips into a sweeping bow. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sly Devil, proprietor of The Black Lotus, safe house for all manner of paranormal and fantastical beings."
He gestures us to follow him, and as we enter, the door that seemed to have disappeared now slams closed behind us. It’s an ominous sound that rattles my bones. We follow Sly through the pitch-black hallway, walking nearly blindly until we reach a great hall that is lit by candles dripping wax everywhere. I shudder to imagine the safety violations present here, but I must admit the effect is startling. In the corner, a piano unaccompanied by any kind of musician plays a beautiful concerto in a minor chord. One wall is taken over entirely by an underwater tank, like the kind you might see at a zoo. Only instead of fish or sharks, this tank features a mermaid. She is beautiful in a vicious sort of way. Her green-and-blue hair flows behind her and her skin is a sheen of pale blue that is quite dazzling. Whatever beauty and allure she has is offset by spiked teeth that look like they belong on a shark. Her eyes narrow in on us with a predatory gaze.
Sly notices my attention on the creature and smiles. "That’s Marasphyr. She’s a regular visitor to this establishment. Don’t concern yourself with her threatening demeanor. All guests here are safe on pain of death."
On pain of death. It's a throwaway line he's clearly used so often the words might have lost their meaning with anyone else. But the pulse I feel shock through me at the statement gives me pause. That isn't an idle threat. This might not be a different world, but it's a world unto itself nonetheless, and I would wager it does not abide by human laws.
We continue through the hall to a smaller room that is no less impressive. It’s lined wall to wall with books, and I nearly die when I see them. Ignoring the dramatic couches in the center of the room and the table laden with mouthwatering food… and what looks suspiciously like goblets of blood, I head to the books and run my palm along the spines, my mind whirling with all the wonders contained within such ancient tomes.
Sly watches with something akin to affection on his face. "You appreciate literature," he says.
"Quite so," I say. "I am a librarian by trade."
He nods. "I sensed a kindred spirit in you. Have your pick, my dear. My library is yours."
I won’t lie, I nearly swoon right then and there. I know that isn’t very modern of me, but I have never in my life seen such books, and I’ve been in some of the finest libraries in the world.
I let my hand wander until it chooses a book at random. I pull it out and take it with me to the couch, where I sit next to Sebastian as Sly sits across from us.
Sebastian looks tense, and I can feel an edginess rolling off him. He reaches f
or a goblet of blood and hands it to me. "You will need to feed on my blood soon, but this will suffice for now. You should also eat some human food."
My stomach turns now that I know what I’m consuming, but the smell is intoxicating. I hold the goblet and look to Sly before drinking. "I don’t mean to be rude, but was this blood… humanely sourced?"
Sly laughs. "You’re a charming creature," he says. "The blood was donated by willing humans who were more than fairly compensated. None were harmed in any way."
That’s good enough for me. I drink it down in one long gulp, my body soaking up the life force. It takes the edge off the hunger I hadn’t realized was so sharp and frees my attention to nibble on freshly baked bread spread with a soft cheese and fruit puree.
Sebastian sips his blood more slowly and turns his attention to Sly. "I need your help," he says plainly.
"Yes, I see that. But I do seem to recall you vowed never to return here again." Sly flicks his hand, and a scene from the past, built of smoke and light, appears. It’s Sebastian, Sly, and another man with pointed ears. He and Sebastian are arguing. Sebastian punches the man in the face and storms out of the room, vowing never to return.
The smoke dissipates and Sly waits for Sebastian to respond.
"I have stayed away for over a hundred years," he says.
I nearly choke on my bread. It’s one thing to know your new husband is a vampire. It’s another thing entirely to hear that a hundred years is just a fraction of his life.
"But things have changed," Sebastian continues. "The Rendali brothers are back. They nearly killed Ember last night."
"Well, well. And so you chose to turn her to save her?" Sky asks.
Sebastian’s eyes harden. "Yes."
"I assume without permission from the council?"
"You know very well it was without permission. There was hardly time for that. She would have died!"
I have so many questions, but these men are clearly locked in some kind of battle of wills, and I’m loathe to interrupt.
"Is that why you married her? To circumvent the rules?"
He glances at me and then back at Sly. "The why is irrelevant. We are married, and therefore immune to any consequence from the council, as per their own bylaws."
"You always did know how to find the loopholes. You should have stayed, Sebastian. You would have gone far in the council."
Sebastian guffaws. "I have no interest in being part of that charade. But I do need their help in stopping this latest threat. To save Ember, I had to kill Billy Rendali. Now Steven is after us."
Sly whistles. "For a man who has vowed to stay out of it, you sure have stepped in it quite spectacularly. This is indeed a complicated mess you’ve made, but I may have a piece to your puzzle. We captured a woman last night who has knowledge of what transpired." He looks to me with a nod of sympathy. "I believe you may know her."
He stands, and we move to follow him, but instead of heading to the door, he turns with a flourish and pulls out a wand. "Before we venture farther into this dramedy you two have created, I must fix these dreadful clothing choices."
He looks at me first, his expression thoughtful. "Normally, I’d pull out the finest gown for one as lovely as yourself, but you strike me as a more practical dresser." He flicks his wand and fairy lights take over my vision as they work my body over. It all happens in a flash, and I find myself standing in the most unusual outfit. I’m wearing a white V-neck blouse with a black vest laced in leather, a kind of skirt pant in black, and black boots. I feel like quite the badass, I must admit.
Sly nods. "Perfect." Then he turns his attention to Sebastian, and with a flick of his wand replaces his benign jeans and polo shirt with an outfit similar to mine but more masculine. We look made for each other.
Once our wardrobe is to his liking, we follow Sly into the bowels of this mysterious place. Through corridors and stone halls and down winding stone stairways until we reach what can only be described as a medieval dungeon with magical influence.
It smells of sulfur, urine, excrement, and body odor.
I gag as we walk through rows of imprisoned criminals, of which only a few look vaguely humanoid, until we reach our destination. It’s dark inside, and I can see only the edges of a human foot, soiled and bleeding.
Sly grips the bar of the door and calls to the prisoner. "You have a visitor, my dear."
The person within crawls forward, and it’s only when their face is pressed against the bars that I can see who it is.
"Molly?"
Chapter 3
To say I’m stunned would be an understatement. Vampires? Magic doors? Mermaids? Other worlds? No problem.
Seeing my best friend shackled and imprisoned in a dungeon? I’m officially freaking out. I drop to my knees and face her, reaching for her hands through the bars, but she pulls away and spits at me.
"Molly? What’s going on?" I look up at Sebastian, but he just shrugs, clearly in the dark about this. So I look to Sly for answers. "Why’s she in here? Release her immediately."
"I’m afraid I cannot do that, my dear. She has violated our laws and must pay."
"What laws did she violate?" I look back to her. She’s red-eyed, her skin sallow, her hair a jumbled mess of tangles and dirt, turning her golden locks to a mud brown. "How did you get here?"
She glares at me. "You’re supposed to be dead! If you’d died like you were meant to, I wouldn’t be here at all. I’d be a god by now."
I fall back onto my heels, my hand dropping to my side. This isn’t the woman I’ve known for three years. The woman I’ve worked side by side with day in and day out. The woman I’ve shared meals and books with. The woman who helps me pick outfits for dates and who understands my obscure literary references.
"Molly, it’s me. Ember. I’m here to help."
She reaches through the bars and grabs my hair, pulling me toward her, my head thumping against the metal as I yelp from the pain.
Sebastian growls and lunges for me. Sly just flicks his wrist and Molly howls in pain and lurches away, releasing me in the process.
Sebastian pulls me away from the cell and holds me while I try to compose myself. "Are you injured?"
I shake my head. "No, just… confused. What’s wrong with her?"
Molly crawls forward again, her body still shuddering from whatever Sly’s magicks did to her. "What’s wrong with me? The same thing that’s wrong with you. We are pathetic. Two nearly middle-aged women with no romantic prospects. You with your pathetic pen pal as your only connection."
My eyebrow raises at that. I never told anyone about my pen pal. Not even Molly. It was a piece of my life I wanted to keep private.
She laughs, mocking my surprise. "You think I didn't know? Everyone knew. I found the letters tucked into your desk, and oh did we all have a good laugh at them. Your precious S.K. It was ridiculous. You were making a fool of yourself. You were a laughing stock and didn't even know it, which made it that much sadder."
I feel sick, like I might vomit. No one was meant to know about those letters. About the mystery pen pal I'd made a year ago. That was my life. My secret. My special relationship. And they laughed at me? Mocked me? Was no one in my life who they seemed?
But Molly continues, growing bold in her vile spite. "Maybe you’re content with that boring life of drudgery and mediocre pay, but I wanted more. And then… I met a man. But he wasn’t just a man; he was a god. He promised to make me his goddess. We would rule mankind together for eternity, and I would bathe in blood and diamonds. That was what he promised me, and all I had to do was one thing."
My stomach sinks as a flash of memory whiplashes through my mind. I squeeze my eyes shut as the past overtakes the present and I am back at my house.
I have wine and cheese set out, and I’m in a comfortable cardigan and loafers when Molly shows up dressed to the nines and not carrying the book we were meant to discuss that night. "What’s all this?" I ask.
She hands me a bag with a s
linky silver dress in it. "Put this on. We’re going out. No more librarian brain tonight. We’re going to drink and get laid."
"Um… " I try to think of a protest, but she pushes into my house and leads me by the hand to my bedroom. Within twenty minutes, I have been transformed from mousy bookworm to a woman on a mission. My hair is fashioned in a tasteful updo that highlights my cheekbones, and the dress hugs my figure in a way that makes it difficult to walk without flashing too much of… everything.
But Molly is a hard person to say no to, and her enthusiasm carries me out, into the sparkling night of the Las Vegas strip. We bar hop for the first hour before landing at a place I’ve never been. She insists we give it a try, saying we need to expand our horizons.
I reluctantly agree. Though, I definitely feel a sense of foreboding.
I know I should suggest a different bar, but I have Molly’s voice in my ear, urging me forward.
This particular bar, in defiance of local laws, allows smoking indoors. A point I make to Molly in favor of finding somewhere more suitable for a night of well-considered debauchery. But again, she insists this is the place where our dreams would come true.
I don't protest further because I realize it puts me very close to the coffee shop I plan to be at shortly.
We aren’t there more than five minutes when two gentlemen approach us and offer to buy us drinks. Molly, already cozying up to one of the men, agrees for both of us. I don’t trust these men—well, I generally do not trust strangers at bars, period. But I assume she knows them, and she offers to get our drinks, so I have no hesitation in drinking the fruity cocktail she brings back.
That’s when things get muddy.
I remember the world spinning.
My stomach quivering.
Being led outside for "fresh air."
Molly laughing and twirling around like a fairy child.
More men arrive, and all of them look ominous. Their faces shift and morph in my drug-addled mind.
And then pain.
So much pain…
Vampire Girl: Crimson Cocktail Page 2
