I knew that Endar was talking about my family, but they sounded like strangers. Hearing their names made me feel nothing. They were as important to me as historical figures in a textbook.
Endar continued, “But your uncle, Frances Elvira, was in love with your mother.”
“Wait, what?” That sounded so messed up that I was snapped out of the fog that had taken over my mind. “They were brother and sister.”
“It was the talk of the vampire court back then. Twenty years ago.”
“Incest.”
“Katiana might have been too beautiful for her own good. It wasn’t common amongst vampires, mind you. Still isn’t.” Endar cleared his throat. “You share her good genes.”
“I wouldn’t call vampirism a good gene.”
“Super strength? Heightened senses?” Endar chuckled. “The next queen to rule us. I’d count my blessings if I were you.”
“Unquenchable thirst.” The inability to stop myself from hurting those I loved. I was afraid of myself. Many people craved power, but it seemed like when it was uncontrollable, it did more harm than good. I hoped the nobles couldn’t sense my unease.
“Everything has its downsides.” Endar scratched the bottom of his ear. “Where was I? Ah, your mother and your uncle. Before she was with Dominic, Katiana was in a relationship with her brother. They tried to keep it quiet. Hush-hush. Nobody was to know about it, but, of course, the servants saw. They gossiped. And to stop the coupling, Katiana’s father married her off as quickly as he could. She did fall in love with Dominic eventually, or at least that’s what rumors said. They mated together, and Katiana turned from a fullblood vampire to a queen. Perhaps conceiving you was healthy for their marriage.” Endar’s expression soured. “Frances didn’t take to their new relationship well. He couldn’t let go. He grew jealous, wanting Katiana all for himself. He’d obsessed over her. And then he decided that if he couldn’t have Katiana, nobody could. Frances alerted the hunters of the vampires’ secrets, giving them what they needed to kill the fullbloods and queens.
“You were just a baby when the Ravaging broke out. I’d lived two hundred long years, and even then, the hardship and horrors I’d seen…” Endar continued walking forward, staring into the distance. “Sometimes I wake from nightmares. I want those images to stay just that—as dreams—but I know they’re real, sadly enough.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. Like how I wanted Gran’s death to be part of my imagination.
“The hunters were merciless,” Endar continued, not acknowledging my response. I knew he’d heard me. How could he not? With hearing like that, it was impossible to miss anything. “And during the carnage, Katiana died, killed by her own brother, and the hunters took Frances out after that. Her body was found in a flophouse in Venice. Dominic sacrificed himself to the hunters, unable to take the loss of his wife. The fullblood females and queens were targeted first during the Ravaging. Queens were the most powerful, and threats have to be gotten rid of quickly. That’s why there are none left.”
Endar turned to me. “You’re here now. You’ll help us fix that problem. Oh, here we are.” Endar had led me through a marble arch and into a garden. Roses surrounded us in different shades of red, some even pink. Every hedge was carefully trimmed. They ran around the sides of the garden with their squarish tops. “We’ve prepared something very special for you. It’s a tradition that we think you might be delighted to experience.”
I raised a brow at Endar.
He clapped his hands together. “Come out, boys.”
At once, from across the garden, a line of ten—no, fifteen—guys walked out from behind the hedges. They moved around in an orderly fashion and lined themselves neatly in front of me, acting as if they were items on a shelf, ready for the picking. They wore the uniform of the Sanctum, decorated with the Lucian crest.
“They come from prominent families,” Endar said, making a sweeping gesture. “Of course, you don’t have to pick your knights from this selection. There are many, many more possible candidates, and we only want what’s best for our queen. I’m sorry that we don’t have other fullbloods to support you. The knights of the past used to be plentiful, but I hope you accept our humble offerings.”
Endar sounded pleased with himself.
“What about Cassius?”
“You will mate with him too, of course. But you must have others supporting him—”
“I just want him.” I raked my eyes across the array of males I’d been provided. They came from all ethnicities, and since they were vampires, they were all radiant. Still, I couldn’t fathom being with any of them. Thinking about it turned me off completely. “I know you’re eager to see that I’m properly cared for, but I’m tired.” Perhaps not physically. Still, emotionally, I was completely drained. I didn’t want to think about anything at all. “Knights aren’t exactly what I’m concerned about right now.”
“But won’t any woman be happy about—”
“No,” I said. “It’s just Cassius I want to see.” I should have told him how much I loved him when I got the chance. Hopefully, I wasn’t too late. How could someone still be alive after having their heart torn from their chest? I placed my hand on my own chest. As a fullblood, would I continue breathing after suffering the same?
Endar took my gesture as me signaling discomfort. “The transition back into a vampire must have been difficult on the body. I understand. We can have this session another day.”
“We won’t need to have it at all,” I said. “I’m going to find Cassius.”
Anger flickered across Endar’s face. He didn’t like me brushing his suggestions aside. But he suppressed his rage quickly enough. “Anything you wish.”
When I walked away, back to in the direction we came from and past the hedges, I was somewhat proud of myself for having stood up to Endar Lucian. After all, he was a man of power, and I’d managed to keep myself together in front of him.
Before I spent too long patting myself on the back, however, I came across a fountain. Crystalline waters poured from it, and the moon reflected off the stiller parts of its waters. I stopped next to the fountain and stared at my reflection.
I stiffened, then brushed my fingers across the water’s surface, sending ripples through it.
I looked… different, but similar.
My complexion had completely cleared up, and despite the dull waters, it seemed like the colors of my face had taken on deeper shades. My hair had grown longer, even, and my cheeks had a sharper look.
This was the real me.
The vampire.
The Verity whom I had to accept.
My thirst continued to dry my throat, and momentarily, I gave in to it so my fangs grew out. Their stark white color contrasted with my red eyes. The eyes that indicated I was a monster.
Staring at my reflection was too much to take. Suddenly, I couldn’t contain my emotions anymore, and they poured out of me at once in a torrent of pain and anger and hate. I directed the blame of Gran’s death to myself. I cried, shaking, until the burden was too much to bear and I had to curl up into a ball, dropping to the ground.
The cry was exactly what I needed. My chest, my hands… my entire body quivered. I tasted the salt of my own tears on my tongue. Everybody needed a good cry now and then. Choked sobs escaped me, tears wetting my cheeks and dripping to the floor. I let my sadness out until I tired of being a sniveling mess. Then I decided it was time to find Cassius and be certain that he was okay.
I picked myself up from the ground. It was time to move on.
But, of course, who could really move on after doing what I had?
Thirty-One
Cassius
I awaited death.
My consciousness lingered in a hazy fog. It’d leave once my heart was consumed. I’d be left with nothing but emptiness. Still, even now, as I lay sleeping with my heart torn out of my chest, I continued to live. I’d questioned my decision a few times. Did I truly want to give myself up to finality? Ther
e would be no turning back from this.
All I saw was blackness. Nothingness. Death was an empty feeling.
At least you’re giving your life up for someone who wants to live.
Saving Verity’s sister was motivation enough. She’d be elated to have Hannah back, and Miles had promised me that he’d let Verity return to her human life. He’d sworn to keep her safe. I could trust Miles. He’d always stuck to his code and never once failed me.
I lingered in my half-dead state for a long time. I tried tuning out everything. Then I felt my heart being returned to my chest.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
My heart was returning?
That wasn’t what I’d planned.
The beating sensation came back, giving me life once more. Had something gone wrong? I felt my ribcage and skin stitch together, my arteries and veins latching on to the organ and welcoming its return. Even though my mind was weary and wished to give up, my body fought to stay alive. The resilience of it never failed to aggravate me.
When my body finished healing and was whole, my eyes snapped open. The first person I saw was her.
Verity.
She hovered over me, her gorgeous black hair falling from her shoulders and brushing my cheek, a worried expression on her face. My first instinct was to reach up and smooth my hand over her face.
“Cassius,” she said. Her voice was music. “Are you back?”
I nodded, then brushed my hand down the side of her cheek and to her lips. The flesh of her mouth looked redder than before. More enticing. My beating heart quickened for her. I thought I’d never see her again.
Cautiously, she bent over and rested her head on my chest. She treated me like a sick patient, even though she didn’t need to. My body recovered quickly. “Oh God. I was so worried.”
“Worried?” I asked, stroking her hair. “For me?”
“Of course for you, you idiot. Who else?”
Idiot?
She hit my chest. “You stupid man. I thought I’d lost you. Why? Why did you put me in a spot like that again?”
I thought she didn’t care. She’d pushed me away, after all. A lump lodged in my throat.
“I wanted to make you happy,” I whispered. “And I wanted to end my own suffering.”
I shuddered. Not just because she’d touched me with her words, but also due to the thirst that was creeping back to me. My senses gradually returned, and my hunger along with it. Verity smelled different. She was as enticing as she’d always been, perhaps even more. I didn’t know how that was possible. Her scent called to me like a drug. My fangs lengthened, nudging my tongue, the sharpness of them reminding how much I wanted her.
I sat up and wrapped my arm around Verity’s neck to draw her closer.
“Your existence must be the punishment for my crimes,” I said.
And then I bit her.
My fangs sank into her skin and her lifeblood rushed into my mouth, surrounding my tongue. Ecstasy fogged my mind as I tasted her. She was better than anything I’d ever had, and to have her right after looking into the abyss of death was the most glorious feeling in the world.
Verity. Verity. Verity.
I chanted her name in my thoughts like a prayer as I consumed her. Emotion surged through me as the taste of her intoxicated my senses. I hugged her closely to my chest, needing her warmth as much as I needed her blood.
I toyed with the edges of her shirt, then saw Miles watching from a corner of my chambers. Noticing him snapped me from my bloodlust. I pulled away from Verity, licking my lips as I did, and narrowed my eyes at him. “You didn’t fulfill my orders.”
Miles bowed his head, showing deference, as he’d been trained to do. “Verity had a point, sir. I thought… I wanted to see if you’d change your mind after recent events.”
I cocked my head and waited for him to elaborate.
Miles blew out a heavy breath. “Verity is the fullblood we’d been searching for, my lord.”
I stiffened, although I didn’t let my apprehension show on my face. The information took a moment to sink in. I turned from Miles to Verity, studying her more closely. She had changed. Her hair had a cleaner, newer shine. Her complexion glowed. And her eyes…
They were vibrant.
A red so crimson, they rivaled the enrapturing color of her lips. The force of her blood.
She was a vampire. Another fullblood. I never thought I’d see another, other than my Father.
“You’re my queen,” I said, stunned. I’d almost given up my life, missing this entirely. Laughter shook me. The sudden information distracted me from my hunger. “This is unbelievable.”
Fangs peeked from Verity’s mouth, reminding me that as a vampire, she, too, could feel the hunger I did. Verity belonged to me, and I took care of what was mine. I pulled her closer to my neck, until her lips were pressed against my jugular. I turned to Miles. “Leave us.”
Miles bowed then hastily exited my chambers, the door clicking behind him. With that, Verity and I were alone.
As soon as she heard the door closing, Verity sank her teeth into my artery, taking my blood. I closed my eyes, stifling a groan. This…
This felt amazing.
My entire body tensed from the mixture of pain and pleasure. This woman had no idea what she was doing to me. She existed as sin personified. “Take your fill,” I said, tracing circles down her back. A guttural groan, one I’d never imagined hearing from Verity, sounded from her throat. She tore into me like an animal would, and the savagery of her lust drove me wild. With her, all I wanted to do was give. She made me feel. With her around, loneliness became a thing of a past. As such, I’d do anything to keep her sated and satisfied and happy.
Verity was greedy today.
My blood was not enough. She pulled herself from my neck, then tore my shirt from my body.
“Give me more, Cassius. Please,” she said. The sound of her begging was a sweet serenade. She wanted me, and our mutual affection had to be the most beautiful thing in the world. She rocked her hips back and forth, moving against my growing erection. Desire stirred in me, rising like a flame. I mimicked her actions, ripping her clothing from her torso and tossing the fabric off the bed. I couldn’t believe that I’d almost lost this ecstasy in my foolishness. That I’d wanted to give this up so easily.
I took control, pushing her off me and laying her back on the bed. I grabbed her wrist, fastening her down as I pressed my weight onto her. Despite her new form, she still felt so small under me. Her size alighted my primal instincts, edging me on, making me want to fuck her until the only thing she knew was my name.
After her feeding, her pupils had turned into a bright, crystal blue. They were just as enrapturing as her red eyes. Framed by her long eyelashes, Verity reminded me of a doll.
A doll who knew how to fight back.
She pushed me off her, taking me by surprise. In an instant, I found my back against the wall and her face only a few inches from mine, teeth bared. “Don’t you ever do that to me again,” she said. “Don’t you ever dare leave me.”
“I thought you said you couldn’t love me,” I replied.
“You idiot.” She wrapped her hand around my neck, putting enough force around it that I felt pain. “It was me. It was my fault. I told myself to not hold back my love after… after Gran, and then I did it.” She kissed my jaw. “I lied.” She kissed my neck. “I fucking lied. I love you and need you and want you. Don’t you dare hurt me the way you just did ever again.”
I pulled in a deep breath, letting her words sink in. “Do you mean that?” I asked. I wrapped my arms around her waist. “Every word of that?”
“Yes.” Tears had pooled in her eyes. She loosened her grip on my neck, then leaned onto my chest and sighed contentedly.
“I love you too, Verity Snow,” Cassius said. “You’ve taken my heart, just as you wanted to from the very beginning.”
Epilogue
Janella
I’d lost count of how many ye
ars I’d been stuck in this position, staring at the face of Edrik Lucian, the man I had sworn to live the rest of my life with. The man I’d betrayed Cassius Lucian for. He was trapped in the shell of his own body, just as I was. The hunters had us frozen and latched to the pillars of their dungeon. Hundreds or thousands of vampires were stored here too, easily available for the hunters’ use. Often, I heard screams bouncing off the walls of this cavernous place. I’d always questioned when it was going to be my turn.
I used to be a woman of power. Men would bend to their knees to worship me.
Now?
I was less significant than most unworthy humans.
I’d thought of a million ways to get out of this position. I’d brewed numerous ploys in my head, ruminating over them. But without control of my limbs, none of them would ever work. Runes surrounded me—they were how the hunters carried out their spells. They used their most powerful runes on Edrik and me to keep us as prisoners.
Pain.
Boredom.
Pain.
I alternated between those two constantly.
The darkness of these dungeons bore a bluish tint. One that I was sick of seeing. I thought I missed sunlight, but that might be a mental trick I was playing on myself. My desire to see the sun once more could be due to how I needed a change of environment and, perhaps, a healthy dose of blood.
When was the last time I’d fed?
My veins were singing with the need to be filled.
“Take her down.”
I would have stiffened at that command, but the runes made it impossible to move my body. A hunter appeared in front of me. His gray wings were spread behind his back, and he was dressed in weathered leathers, just as most hunters were. Down his cheeks were a pattern of runes, similar to the ones etched on the pillars and ground around me. The hunters wore their runes like jewels, proud to display their abilities.
Fullblood Academy: A Vampire Academy Mild Bully Romance (Vampires of the Sanctum Book 1) Page 22
