by V. Vaughn
“Nice moves with that sword, Lyndsey.”
I groan. “Do I really have to relive what I did over and over tonight?”
Alexander’s eyes sparkle with his usual mischief. “Not if you don’t want to.”
I think his kind of fun is exactly what I need. “Be my babysitter?” I ask. “Because I need to get rip-roaring drunk tonight.”
“It would be my pleasure.” He nods toward Sebastian coming our way and grabs my hand to tug me along as he walks to meet him. Alexander doesn’t stop moving as he plucks the glass out of his brother’s fingers and gives it to me.
I look over my shoulder at Sebastian. “Thanks.” He chuckles and winks at me as if he’s on board with whatever trouble Alexander has in mind.
We approach a group of guys, and before they can say anything, Alexander says, “Lyndsey is officially off royal duty, and if you make her laugh, she promises to take you surfing on the island.”
A burly guy leans toward me. “Three vampires walk into a bar...”
I chuckle as he tells me a groan-worthy joke. Alexander’s friends manage to keep my mind off what I did for most of the night. But I can’t escape who I am, and my father comes to drag me away as people start to leave.
“Lyndsey. Fun’s over.”
I sigh and say good night to my new friends. I’ve consumed more alcohol than anyone should, but I’m only slightly buzzed as I follow my father. He stops for us to say goodbye to a few people, and I do a decent job of remembering the important names. I stifle a yawn as we talk to a particularly boring old vampire with a monotone voice, when I notice Robert Kearns headed our way. I swallow hard to clear my head and nudge my father.
He glances away from the ancient man and breaks into a grin. I whisper to him, “No gloating.”
He whispers back, “What if I can’t help it?”
“My god,” I say. “Victoria must be so glad I’m here to help rein you in.”
“Robert,” says my father as he approaches. “It was a pleasure to have you attend tonight.”
Robert gives us an exaggerated bow. “The honor was all mine.” When he straightens, he takes my hand and kisses the back of it. “You, my dear, are a delight. I look forward to many more—” His vampire flashes in his eyes, and he curls his lip up just enough for me to see his fangs before he hisses, “—encounters.”
While my instinct is to bring my vampire out too, I refrain. I think a reaction in kind to his threat is exactly what Robert wants, and I’d rather let him believe I’m not afraid, and possibly vulnerable because of it. I smile sweetly. “Thank you for my gift.”
“Yes,” says my father. “It was a lovely way to welcome my daughter to the kingdom.” He lets out a bark of laughter. “Quite lovely indeed.”
“Princess Lyndsey!” A woman squeals as she pushes her way through the crowd to get to me. “Goodness, I’ve been trying to talk to you all night.”
I have no recollection of the woman, and I assume she isn’t anyone important, which is exactly why I give her my attention. I make sure to turn my back completely to Robert as if he’s insignificant. Victoria is standing behind the chatty vampire, and when she catches my eye, she smiles, making me think she saw what I did. I turn my attention back to the woman speaking as she says, “It’s about time we had female representation.” She prattles on, and while she just wants to be heard, I realize she’s going to get her wish. It’s clear to me Victoria is a strong influence on my father, and between the two of us, we’re soon going to run this kingdom. I smile because Robert only got a taste of what I can do. Winning against him is going to be so much fun.
Chapter 7
Maggie
The vacuum whirrs as I push it over the thick oriental carpet in the entryway of the Hart mansion. It’s been a week since I became a vampire, and I get the reason most of the house is so dark. Normal light is too bright for our intense vision, and now I find the pale-yellow glow of low-wattage light bulbs soothing. In fact, the dark, drafty interior is no longer creepy to me either, since I find I don’t get chilled the way I used to.
Bertha must have been notified about my new state, because my lovely white-and-lilac suite had been fitted with blackout shades before I came home. Although the new drapes didn’t stop me from yanking them open the next day, wishing for sunlight. I learned my lesson when I was instantly seared by what filtered in.
I’m finished with the main floor and flip the switch to stop the vacuum. I sigh as I think about Alexander. I haven’t seen him since he took off with my mother, although we text often. I haven’t dared to mention that I think we’re soulmates again, and he hasn’t said a word either. Instead he’s focused on telling me anecdotes about being a vampire and reassuring me my mother is fine. Any attempt I make to find out where Alexander might be or when he’ll return is thwarted by Sebastian telling me not to worry. I look around the entryway and wonder if the wood needs more polish.
To say I’m bored is an understatement, which is why I’m cleaning. Bertha hasn’t been able to come to work because I’d tear her to shreds with my bloodlust, so I’ve taken on her duties. Both to make myself useful and to stay sane. Fortunately, it’s not just Sebastian and me rattling around this old house. Adly has been staying as well, and the two of us have grown close. He’s like the brother I never had. I’m still not thrilled about my new state, but I am beginning to appreciate some of the perks. Like increased energy and the stamina to work for long stretches of time mentally and physically.
After I put the vacuum in the closet, I make my way to Sebastian and Alexander’s study. Sebastian is on the phone, and I walk over to his desk when I notice an empty glass. He holds up his hand so I’ll wait for him to finish his call. As I stand there, I straighten a pile of books and see his notepad. I see two Kitty Kane events circled, which means he’s trying to decide how to deal with them.
“Margaret,” says Sebastian after he clicks off his phone. “That was my tailor. He says you ordered new shirts and a suit for me.”
“Yes. I had a good look at your closet, and you really need them, Sebastian. What would you do if the dry cleaning were delayed?” My fingernail taps on his notepad, and I say, “Do a virtual session for the college class and a recorded reading for the book club.”
He chuckles as he shakes his head. “I hired you for the wrong job.”
“What?”
“I’ve never had an assistant as accomplished as you are, my dear. You know what I need before I ask.” He looks down at his shirt, which is slightly yellowed from multiple starchings. He never would have worn it, but I know it’s his last clean one. “Sometimes before I even know.”
“Oh. One of the benefits of being a vampire, I guess. I need very little sleep and have the energy of a healthy person.”
“Yes. I suppose that’s true.” He pauses and then speaks with a hint of suggestion in his tone. “Now that you don’t need a heart.”
Sebastian has been trying to subtly figure out if becoming a vampire made his soulmate bond with Elizabeth stronger, and I’ve been doing my best to avoid the conversation I know will devastate him. I grab his empty glass but stop myself before I leave. I sigh. “Sebastian, I need to tell you something.”
He looks up from his laptop. “What is it?”
There’s no easy way to tell him, so I get right to the point. “Elizabeth is gone. She died when her heart stopped beating.”
“I see.” He drops his gaze down to his computer and begins to type.
“Sebastian.”
He doesn’t look at me and says, “I have a call with Kitty’s agent in five and need to prepare.”
I can’t get a read on how he’s feeling and wonder if he needs me to be gone so he can grieve. I say, “Okay,” and leave.
When I get to the kitchen, I find Adly sitting at the counter, drinking a cold glass of blood. “Hey, Maggie.” He frowns. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” I open the fridge and grab the pitcher of blood. Deep-red liquid gurgles
into a glass when I pour myself some. I imagine how Sebastian must be feeling and wonder if he regrets changing me into a vampire now that he knows Elizabeth is gone.
“You know I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” says Adly.
It occurs to me that he and Sebastian haven’t left the house since I became a vampire. My bar chair scrapes on the tile as I drag it over to sit across from him and ignore his concern. “You must be going crazy cooped up in this house. Why don’t you ever go out?”
Adly gives me a stern look. “Training a new vampire is serious business. Besides, do you really want me to leave you alone with Sebastian?”
“No. But I hate being such a burden for you. If Sebastian can’t go anywhere, then you have no purpose.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve caught up on all my shows, and I’ve had a chance to hang out with you.”
My empty glass thumps on the counter when I set it down. “You’re sweet. But you must hate being confined to this house. Don’t you want to go outside?” I glance over at the blacked-out windows and sigh. “I do.” I think about how the sun felt on my skin when I was human, and sadness washes over me. It occurs to me that I need to hold that memory tight, because what used to be a pleasant sensation is now painful.
“Are you feeling trapped?”
I nod. “I get why I can’t go outside, but people aren’t usually walking nearby in the middle of the night.” I think about how I gaze out the window of my bedroom late at night, wishing I could be on the beach instead. “Do you think we could go watch the waves later?”
“I don’t see why not. Maybe we can even go cliff hopping, which is basically jumping from rock to rock.” I frown at Adly, and he says, “I know it sounds boring, but as a vampire, it’s fun.” He chuckles. “It’s been a while since Sebastian’s been. Say yes. If only so we can loosen him up a bit.”
I smile as I imagine Sebastian being playful. “Sure. But I bet he won’t come. It still sounds like fun, though.”
“He’ll come.”
I don’t think he’s going to want to see me for a while since I’m sure all it will do is remind him of Elizabeth being gone. I recall after I nearly attacked the girl at the gas station, Sebastian mentioned I never make things easy for him. I think that had to do with how strong I was, though, and I ask, “Am I harder to deal with than usual?”
Adly gets up and walks over to the fridge. He doesn’t look at me when he asks, “Why are you so concerned about what’s usual, Maggie?”
“Because I get the feeling I’m not, and I want to know what you and Sebastian aren’t telling me.”
He turns to face me. “It’s nothing we can’t handle. But yes, your bloodlust is pretty severe.” I don’t have time to think about what he said because he gives me a mischievous smile. “You should be hitting your nympho phase soon.”
My cheeks flush, and I close my eyes. “Stop. I don’t want to think about you that way.”
Adly chuckles. “You’re not going to be able to keep your hands off me.” He shrugs. “I get it, though. I’m that hot.”
“From what I’ve heard, I’ll think Bertha is hot too.”
Adly spits out his blood. “Oh my god. Look what you made me do.”
I laugh with him, but I don’t think I’m going to be so amused when it really happens. I think about how I’m locked in my suite every day when I sleep in case I get the urge to leave and find fresh blood.
“You know,” says Adly, “Sebastian is in love with you, and he could be what you need for sexual relief.”
“What?” If Adly only knew what I just did. I shake my head.
“Mm-hm. That’s what I thought. You’ve still got a thing for Alexander.”
I let out a sigh. “I do.” I look down at my empty glass. “But—”
Adly reaches over and tips my chin up so I’m looking into his eyes. “Sebastian. I know. Don’t worry. These things have a way of sorting themselves out.”
I hope he’s right. “Thanks,” I say. “So. How are you and Sebastian going to keep me from tearing your clothes off?”
My friend’s expression turns serious. “We’ll have to restrain you.”
“Oh.” I flash to an image of me writhing on a bed, horny as hell. I shove the vision out of my mind and walk over to the sink. Water rushes as I rinse out my glass to put in the dishwasher.
“Hey,” says Adly as he comes behind me to do the same. “It’s going to be okay. Sebastian and I won’t let you do anything you’ll regret.” He places his hand on my arm. “I promise.”
My skin tingles from his touch, and I turn to face him. I notice the gold flecks in his blue eyes, and I grab his shoulder as I rise up on my tiptoes to—
“Whoa.” Adly grips my arms hard and pushes me away. “Me and my big mouth.”
I frown. “What?” My insides begin to tremble, and I lick my lips as a flush rises to my face. “Oh.”
“Yeah. C’mon.” Adly grabs my hand and tugs me along as he moves quickly. “Sebastian!”
I follow willingly because once we get to my room, I plan to press myself against Adly and— Oh my god. I’m going to succeed too if my hyper-sexual phase is anything like my bloodlust. Since I’m too strong for one vampire, Adly’s going to need Sebastian’s help before it’s too late.
Sebastian meets us in the entryway, and I notice his eyes are red as if he’s been crying. Unfortunately, the desire to comfort him is not what fills me, and I let out a moan of desire as I lunge toward him.
I escape Adly’s hold and grab the back of Sebastian’s head to yank him down for a kiss. With the help of Adly grabbing my waist and pulling, Sebastian manages to separate us before I can, and his expression changes to something hard. “You’ve cycled.”
“C’mon, Sebastian,” I coo, “let’s not play games.” The two vampires have my arms and are leading me upstairs to my room. I lower my voice to a sexy tone and leer at Sebastian. “You know you want me.”
Sebastian curls up his lip to reveal his fangs, and I’m reminded of the first time I saw his vampire, because through the heat of my lust, I feel icy-cold fear when he says, “Believe me when I tell you, Margaret, I don’t.”
Chapter 8
Maggie
“Oh god,” I wail. Chains rattle as I tug at them, but there’s no escaping. I’m restrained on a bed with cuffs on my wrists and ankles. I feel as if I’ve been here for weeks, but Adly tells me how many days every time I ask. The last count was six.
My feverish need for sex ebbs and flows, and right now I’m on the downside. I’ve learned to take advantage of it. I yell, “Adly! I’m hungry!”
The door clicks open, and Sebastian enters with a drink for me. I haven’t seen him since he helped Adly restrain me, and I close my eyes and try to push out the memory of the last time I saw him. I broke his heart by telling him Elizabeth was no longer in my heart, and then minutes later I threw myself at him, begging for sex. He holds the glass toward me with the straw out, and I crane my neck to take a sip. I don’t stop until the cup is empty, and I let out a sigh of pleasure. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Tears prick my eyes as I stare at Sebastian. I imagine how sick with grief he must be. He’s got to be so disappointed in the decision he made to change me. Wait. I shake my head because I’m not scanning his body as if I want to devour him sexually. I’m feeling compassion instead. This realization would be a relief, except for the fact it means I’m about to cycle into depression instead. “I’m sorry.” Tears have filled my eyes now, and the sadness that weighs on me like a heavy blanket makes me sure I’m moving into the next phase. I close my eyes as hot moisture streams down my face.
“Oh, Margaret.” The mattress sinks as Sebastian sits on the edge of the bed. His finger is soft on my cheek as he wipes a tear away. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“How can you be nice to me? I—”
“My dear, I am very sad that Elizabeth is gone, but I’m the one who killed her when I changed you into
a vampire.”
“When I can, I’ll leave.”
“Margaret.” Sebastian’s face is full of kindness. “Elizabeth isn’t the only reason I care. I’ve grown quite attached to you.”
“Oh.” I’m afraid he’s about to tell me he’s in love with me too, and I’m not sure how to tell him I care about him like family. “I—”
“My feelings for you now are similar to a father-daughter relationship, as I know yours are too.” I frown at him, and he says, “I’m your creator, and it’s a natural side effect for us to feel this way.” His image wavers through my watery veil as he stands up and removes a key from his pocket. The handcuffs click open, and he rubs my wrists for a moment. “It helps me want to keep you safe, and you to trust my direction.”
My limbs feel like lead, and when my feet are free, I curl up in a fetal position. I want to tell Sebastian again how sorry I am, but I’m too tired to talk. Sebastian tucks a blanket around me. “Sleep, Margaret. Sleep as much as you need. This too shall pass.”
His footsteps thud softly over the carpet as he leaves, and I cry as my heart breaks for Sebastian and Elizabeth and the love that died.
I do sleep, for almost a week, with Adly and Sebastian taking turns forcing me to drink blood before I roll over and shut them out again. And then the urge to kill myself takes over. It hits me like a freight train. If I still had a beating heart, it would be racing, because I have to get out of bed to move. I pace around as I try to calm myself, but it’s no use.
“Maggie!” says Adly as he pushes his way into my room. “You’ve cycled again, haven’t you?”
My vampire is present in a flash as I turn to grin at him. I know exactly how I’m going to die, and he’s not going to be able to stop me by himself. I proved I’m stronger than one male when I tried to get the girl at the gas station. I walk over to the window and yank back the shade to let sunlight in.
“No!” Adly rushes over, but it’s not necessary. We both discover it’s a rainy day, and I let out a scream of frustration. “Maggie.” I push my way past Adly to the bathroom. I look at the mirror and wonder if I could slit my wrists, but after experiencing how quickly my dislocated shoulders healed, I’m not sure it would work.
