by Amber Lynn
“There’s the fire I like to see in your eyes. I’m well aware that you hate me, but I’m sure you know marriages aren’t about how well you get along with the other person. They’re about the power you can gain from them, and marrying you is sure to give me plenty of power.”
Krinla didn’t have anything to say to him, so she continued to glare, hoping he would get bored and leave. She felt like it was best if she just tried to read him, since she’d never been very good at that task.
“I don’t mind the silent treatment, Princess.”
Hulin reached out and ran a single finger down her right cheek. His touch was warm, telling Krinla her body was colder than usual. She knew she didn’t have to be full of blood to be able to move around, but she was surprised she could. The light-headedness and the dull ache from her insides clamoring for food were the only signs something was wrong. They should’ve been fine signs to let Krinla know she should take things easy, but with an enemy right in front of her face, it was impossible to sit back and do nothing.
“You know,” Hulin said as the hand that had been up around her face gravitated down to her neck and his fingers wrapped firmly around it. “I should thank you for making a normal marking impossible. When I suggested it to your father, I thought it’d be a little boring for me to come up here and sink my teeth into your skin without some extra stimulation.”
The fingers around her neck tightened. Krinla didn’t need to breathe in air to stay alive, it just seemed natural to breathe for some reason. It was a phenomenon she never really thought about, but as her ability to take in air was being shut off, she wondered why in the world she wasted energy doing so.
“That defiant glint in your eyes is intoxicating. I know you’re trying to wish me away, but looking at me like that isn’t going to send me on my way any quicker. I promised I’d wait until after we’re married to start our happy little family, but you’re making that difficult.”
His words didn’t change the way Krinla looked at him. Even if it meant he’d leave quicker, her eyes stayed in their squinted state.
Hulin groaned out a noise that sounded guttural. Krinla would’ve preferred it lack the undertones she heard, but there was a hint of desperation that almost made her smile.
“You’re going to look beautiful with my children growing inside of you. Have you ever considered how many children you want to have?”
His head cocked to the side as he pondered his own question. Krinla didn’t have an answer for him. Even if she did, it was a little difficult for her to voice it while he was doing his best to crush her windpipe. Krinla assumed he was trying to see what point she’d end up panicking. If that was the case, they had a long night ahead of them, because she wouldn’t ever flinch for him.
It wasn’t like he needed her to respond. He was doing fine carrying the conversation by himself.
“I’ve had some time to think about it recently, and I think I’d be happy keeping you continuously pregnant. That’s what, assuming one child per birth and a birth every two years.” He looked up and appeared to silently run the numbers in his head. “I’m coming up with a hundred and fifty children.”
There was another pause in his words as he searched her eyes for a reaction. Krinla had never considered having children, but she knew when she decided to start having kids, she didn’t plan on having a full army.
Being an only child didn’t give Krinla a lot of experience with other children. She’d been able to see Gyla grow up, but she had no idea what it was like to raise a child. The way she generally saw the world made Krinla think she wouldn’t be a stellar mother.
“Well, as fun as this little chat has been, I think we should get to the reason why we’re here. You were clearly told I was on my way and what I wanted to do.”
The grip around her neck lessened slightly, causing Krinla to open her mouth and take a small gulp of air. She was sorry she did as soon as the air molecules full of Hulin’s repulsive scent found their way into her mouth. She could taste the rancidness that made up who the Dracul was.
“I’m sure you’re aware there are very few things that leave lasting marks on our skin. You’d have to be to purposefully pierce your chest with a blade.”
Something pressed the cloth of her dress through the hole a knife had once stuck out of. It felt sharp, but it didn’t feel like metal so Krinla assumed it wasn’t the blade he’d just mentioned.
“Our teeth can leave small imprints if used properly.” Hulin snapped his jaw in front of Krinla’s face so she could hear and see the power of his bite. “It’s a very rare wood that does any permanent damage, like you can see on my face. One day I’ll tell you exactly how I got the souvenir, but today we’re going to give you one of your own? Do you have a preference where it is?”
Hulin moved the knife he was using outside of her dress and started dragging it along the front of her torso, stopping each time he got to her breasts. She wasn’t afraid of the black ash in his hand. More than anything, she’d love to figure out a way to take it away from him and add it to her collection of weapons. He wasn’t joking when he said the wood was rare, and it didn’t surprise her he’d managed to get his hand on at least one chunk of it.
“Nothing? No reaction at all in your eyes and no calls to stop? I can’t decide if I should be disappointed or proud.” Krinla could see the piece of wood he was dragging along her body as it made its way up to her face. “I could always give you a matching scar to mine. No one would question who you belonged to if I marred that pretty face of yours.”
Krinla remained defiant. She wanted to tell him to hurry up and get it over with, but she’d decided hearing her voice was too good for him. She was forced to wait as he trailed the wood over every fleck of skin on her body. When he’d stop at certain points, she made a point of not showing any sign of her even being alive.
“Good girl. I wish I didn’t have to hurt you, but I wasn’t the only one who noticed you were gone and it’d look bad if people think I can’t keep my wife in order. You understand that, right?”
There was no response from Krinla to his words or when she felt the piece of wood pierce the inside of her left wrist. It was different than what she’d felt when she stabbed herself, but not unlike pain she’d felt before. It was even somewhat brief as he only dug in for about an inch.
A shade of disappointment crossed his eyes as Hulin pulled away from Krinla. She wanted to smile, but kept her composure.
“One day you will love me and the world we create together.”
Krinla doubted that, so she remained motionless as she watched him turn and leave the room. All she knew for certain after spending a few minutes with him was that there was no way she would ever marry him. She just had to figure out a way to make that work.
Chapter Six
Krinla waited until Hulin made it out of the castle before she moved. She hadn’t bothered looking down at her wrist to see the damage he’d left behind. The mark he left mattered little to her. If he thought for a second she was going to turn into a sedate wife, he had another thing coming.
Her father had mentioned that her husband-to-be would come looking for her if she ran, so Krinla decided to find out how good he was at tracking. She happened to be better than most, which meant she liked to think she could cover her trail fairly well.
Running out in a chase situation wasn’t the brightest idea she ever had, but with a timetable finally in place for the wedding, Krinla didn’t have time to sit around and hope someone else would kill Hulin.
The sun was close to showing itself again by the time Krinla was ready to go. She’d changed her clothes and pulled her hair into a bun close to her head. Without blood, she was positive it’d be harder to leave a trail, but if the wind blew her hair around there may be some scent left.
When it felt like Hulin was off wherever she usually felt him hunkered in for the day, she went to her window and drew back the curtain. If things worked out the way she wanted, she’d never set foot in the
castle again. There was a hint of melancholy that crossed her mind as she considered that fact.
Not all of her years in the dreadful place were bad. As a child growing up within the stone walls she even remembered some fairly happy cycles. She could count those cycles on one hand if she wanted, so the bad far outweighed any good. It was still difficult to think she was leaving the only family she had left.
She couldn’t back away from the plan, though. She stared out into the village below her and saw the sun reflecting on a few structures. Leaving when it was higher in the sky would’ve been better, but Krinla didn’t want to chance Hulin deciding to come back.
The various times Krinla had ventured out before had all started with her leaving out the front door. With the state the castle seemed to be in, that didn’t seem like a great option. Krinla’s window wasn’t wide, only about half an arm’s length, and it was three flights in the air, but it was her only way out.
Climbing up into the windowsill, she looked down at the gravel below the window. It didn’t look comfortable, which wouldn’t have been much of an issue if she was at her fullest. As she stood, there was a good chance something would break when she made an impact with the ground.
It was a simple price to pay for a chance at freedom. Krinla took a deep breath, realizing it felt comfortable to breathe even if she didn’t have to. Deciding it was better that she didn’t see the ground coming towards her, she shut her eyes and leaped into the air.
The feeling of air rushing around her skin was one of the most liberating feelings Krinla had ever had. If she could only turn into a bird and fly away, things would have been even better. It was easy to sense the ground as she got closer. The atmosphere around her was heavier, which told her body to prepare for impact.
It wasn’t a landing that would win any awards, but Krinla managed to land on her feet, only stumbling slightly. It was hard to believe she had enough energy to pull it off. She wanted to celebrate the feat, but turned to analyze her surroundings with a small smile on her face.
There was no commotion or sounds of people rushing in her direction. That didn’t mean her stunt had gone unnoticed. She waited a little longer to make sure no one hurried to stop her and steadied herself. She hadn’t broken anything, but landing definitely wasn’t as fun as the weightlessness she felt in the air.
Krinla straightened up, double-checking to make sure there wasn’t a delayed reaction. Her feet were sound underneath her, so she started her trek by staying in the shadows of the sun, as close to the buildings as she could get. The shadows weren’t protection, but Krinla felt better out of the sun.
She made it around the back of the castle and two of the buildings that held their blood reserves before running into anyone. Krinla froze as soon as she sensed a person, a little later than she would’ve liked. A small girl sat on a piece of grass, brushing out the hair of a doll she had in her hands. It wasn’t an armed guard, but being noticed at all was a risk.
The girl looked briefly in Krinla’s direction, but didn’t stop her task. Krinla didn’t know who the girl was or why she was sitting there by herself. She looked like she was only five or so. Krinla was basing that on her minimal interactions with children.
Since the girl didn’t seem interested in a conversation or sounding an alarm, Krinla told her limbs to start moving again as she worked to push her diluted senses out to make sure the next threat wasn’t more severe.
“Aren’t you going to stop to get some blood?” The small voice that asked the question was no more than a whisper, which saved the girl from having a hand put over her mouth to keep her from saying anything else.
The girl had a point. They were right next to bottles of blood. Krinla would be able to run a lot faster if she filled up, but it wasn’t part of her plan.
“Aren’t you supposed to be home? The sun’s going to make things warm soon.”
Krinla didn’t have time for a conversation, but it felt wrong not to try to scoot the girl on home. The young had more problems with the sun than anyone else, and the little girl had fairer skin than even Krinla.
“You’re not inside.” The girl glanced up with a challenge in her eyes. “I know who you are, you know. I heard they were looking for you earlier. From the look of you, they found you.”
A small scoff escaped Krinla’s lips. “I did this to myself.”
She didn’t want anyone to think Hulin had a hand in her current state. He technically drove her to do it, but he didn’t hold the knife that drained the blood.
“Look, I need to leave, so I don’t have time to stand around and talk.”
Krinla completed ten steps and turned to look around the corner of the building. The guards were more than likely watching the tunnel she usually used, so she was going to have to come up with an alternative. One closer to her location would be welcomed, but she wasn’t aware of any promising leads.
“If you take me with you, I can show you my secret way to get out.”
The girl had moved so she was right behind Krinla. Krinla wasn’t expecting it and turned to glare at the girl.
“I don’t know where I’m going, but chances are I won’t be coming back.”
Krinla ignored her shadow and moved around the corner of the building. She’d barely moved before a small hand pulled on her dress.
“You don’t want to go that way.” There was an insistence in her voice that kept Krinla from swatting her hand away. “There’s usually a guard who walks around down there, and I doubt he’s going to let you hobble on by. The closest way out is actually where you came from. The castle has a bunch of tunnels, and at least two of them lead out beyond the walls. I’ll show you where they are if you take me with you.”
Krinla knew there were tunnels, but none of the ones she explored as a kid went outside the walls. She stepped the pair of them back behind the building where she’d originally found the girl. She studied the girl before she replied, trying to figure out if she’d misjudged her age. Draculs practically walked and talked as soon as they were born, but the girl seemed a lot older than Krinla had assumed.
“Why do you want to go with me?” There wasn’t a chance Krinla was going to allow it, but she was interested in what would cause a child to want to run away.
“Because I hear things and I know bad things are going to happen whether you get married or not. I don’t want to be here when they do.”
“What are you talking about?”
Any plan for Krinla’s own trip was on hold depending on the answer she got. She stared down at the little girl, hoping she was just saying things to get her way.
“Hulin is planning to overthrow your father. He’s basically got an army waiting on his word to attack.”
Before the girl could say anything else, Krinla butted in. “How do you know that?”
Krinla’s father had said Hulin had people committed to going with him if he started his own faction, but he hadn’t mentioned a full-blown mutiny. If that was the case, they needed as many people as they could get on their side.
“My dad’s friends with him and they have meetings at my house.”
“I have to go talk to my dad.”
Krinla didn’t wait for anything else to be said. She worked to backtrack to the castle as fast as she could. Her father was probably getting ready to settle in for a nap after the cycle he’d had having to deal with her. That usually meant he’d be alone, which was exactly what Krinla was looking for.
“But what about us running away?” the girl asked while in hot pursuit.
Krinla glanced back so see that her shadow wasn’t going away anytime soon. It caused her to groan.
“If what you say is true, I can’t leave my dad behind to deal with things on his own. I know he thinks there’s going to be some trouble, but I’m not sure he’s aware it’s an army he’s dealing with.”
Krinla tried to sound strong with her reply, but she wasn’t sure how strong Hulin’s forces numbered. She was hoping her father would have a clue
.
It was hard for her to believe that men and women who had served her father for years were suddenly turning away from him. If they were doing so in masses, she had a feeling it had to do with her. That didn’t make sense, since by all appearances Hulin was getting what he wanted.
“Maybe you didn’t hear me. Hulin is going to overthrow your father. Fighting isn’t really an option here. He’s got people everywhere, even on the inside. When he gives the word, it will be over in seconds.”
It was a little upsetting that the girl had no faith in Krinla’s father. Until Krinla spoke to him, she wouldn’t know whether the girl was exaggerating something she heard a few people talking about while they were hanging out at her house.
“Then you better hope I get to him before the plan you just said happens. Were you serious about tunnels leading outside the walls from under the castle?”
Krinla didn’t understand how someone who hadn’t spent almost two decades living in the castle knew about them, but she didn’t. As far as she knew, there wasn’t a place that had been off-limits to her other than her father’s room, and she was perfectly fine not going into his personal space.
“Yes, I was serious. Are you thinking about taking your dad with us? I’m not sure that’s a good idea. They’ll be able to sense him. If it’s just us, it will be harder for them to find us.”
The girl didn’t comprehend that Krinla wasn’t going to leave without her father. As she marched back to the castle, Krinla told herself it was all a big mistake, much like the fact she was supposed to marry Hulin in the first place.
Chapter Seven
Thankfully Krinton wasn’t locked up in his room for a nap. He was in his office, which was on the first floor but deep within the castle. Krinla expected someone to jump out and hold up her progress, but the castle was eerily quiet. It didn’t help the anxious feeling she had building in her stomach.
