SV02-06. Slave to a Vampire

by Katrina Kahler

  “You’re not upset with me?”

  “Why would we be? You have found love in a man that everyone said could not be loved,” Mary said as she shook her head. “I couldn’t be happier for you.”

  Rose nodded beside her. “Just don’t forget about us.”

  Catherine felt tears sting her eyes as she pulled them both close. “I will never do such a thing. You are my friends. I will never treat you as anything but that.”

  “We like it here actually,” Mary said with a shrug. “We are treated well and that is what matters to me. Even Liam says we have a chance to be wed one day if he continues to prove himself. Have you told him yet?”

  “I will once I leave here.” She stared at their smiling faces and realized that Charlotte was not going to be so accepting of this news. “Charlotte won’t be happy. I’m sure she hates me.”

  “No,” Rose said quickly. “She is just having a difficult time adjusting.”

  “Bastian scared her last night. He didn’t mean to, but I think she was mad at me and misspoke.”

  “She is fine. Don’t worry about her. You need to worry about yourself.”

  Rose reached out for her hand and they admired the ring on Catherine’s finger. “When is it?”

  “Tomorrow night,” she said. “I did not wish to wait any longer than that.”

  They hugged her tightly again then told her to hurry off and see Liam. His quarters were beyond the fields and Catherine followed the torchlight out there, walking amongst the sugar cane and smelling the night air. It seemed fresher than it had before and she started to feel that she could really do this. She could be Bastian’s wife and be truly happy here.

  When she knocked on the door belonging to Liam’s small shack that he shared with several other young men, she twisted her hands, wondering how he would react.

  The door opened and laughter filtered out into the night. “Catherine!” Liam rushed out to hug his sister tightly. He stepped back and stared open mouthed at her dress. “What are you wearing?”

  “A gift,” she said then held up her left hand, “from my future husband. Bastian and I are getting married tomorrow night. I am a free woman once again.”

  His smile turned to a look of surprise. “You are marrying him? The man that bought us?”

  Catherine frowned. Liam didn’t sound angry, just confused. “I am. I love him, Liam. I can’t even begin to describe it, but these last few weeks being with him...he’s a good man, he really is.”

  Liam glanced around. “Are you certain you want to do this?”

  “I am,” she said and stood straighter. “He is different from any other man, I know that, but he has a side that is gentle and caring. I feel like I’m back home when I’m with him. Don’t you feel the same way with Mary?”

  Her brother grinned crookedly. “Yes, I do. It’s like I’m running through the barley again.” He sighed then reached out and took her hand. “I am happy for you, sister, as long as you are happy with him.”

  They embraced again then Liam invited her in to speak with his friends and catch up. She accepted and spent the rest of the night with her brother as if they were once again back home. But this was their home now and she hoped he could learn to accept it and make it his own…as she had.

  ***

  The wedding was quickly upon them and Catherine felt her nerves on fire as Rose and Mary helped her into her delicate lace wedding dress in Bastian’s rooms. Many months ago she had almost married Michael, a man she did not love. And now it was happening for real. At least this time she loved the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

  “You look stunning,” Rose said as she and Mary stepped back to admire the bride.

  Catherine reached out and held each of their hands. “Thank you both so much.”

  A knock sounded at the door and Maxine entered and for the first time since meeting her, the woman smiled. “Catherine, your groom awaits you.”

  Catherine had worried all throughout the morning what the other slaves would think of such a union, but had been surprised to hear most were elated. Their master was happy once again and if he was happy then things would remain good on the plantation. Catherine was determined to make the slaves’ lives better. She would be in a higher position now and felt it her duty to at least try to make some changes.

  But first she had to get married to the man she loved. Vampire, the vampire I love, she reminded herself. It would take some getting used to, but that was what he was. There was no more hiding from that fact.

  Catherine made her way downstairs following the other three and waited just inside the doors that would lead out into the courtyard. All the slaves had gathered, along with other vampires that lived on the island. Her face fell for just a moment as she realized she’d never actually met any of them. Was Bastian worried about her around them…or them around her?

  “Are you ready?” Maxine asked.

  Catherine pushed the thought from her mind and nodded. Maxine pushed the doors opened and delicate violin music met her ears. The makeshift aisle was lined with slaves and Bastian’s associates, leading to him at the end. The moment her eyes met his, she saw his face brighten and a faint glimmer of wetness reflected in his eyes. She started to walk, letting her lace train trail behind her and held her bouquet of bright orange and red tropical flowers tightly in her hands.

  The walk towards Bastian did not take as long as she thought and before long, she stood beside him. A man she assumed was a priest from the town on the main island stood nearby, holding a bible in his hands.

  “Good evening,” Bastian said to her as he reached for one of her hands.

  “Evening,” she managed to say.

  “Nervous?”

  “No,” she said with a smile. “You?”

  He laughed lightly. “A bit, I was worried you wouldn’t make it.”

  She squeezed his hand as the priest cleared his throat and opened the bible. But before he even opened his mouth, Bastian’s demeanor changed and he growled. His head went to the door to the house and he immediately pushed Catherine behind him protectively.

  “Victoria,” he said with a hiss and Catherine peered around his shoulder and froze in fear.

  The woman that stood at the end of the aisle grinned wickedly, blood trailing all down her front, and holding the head of one of the overseers. “You bastard,” she growled as she glared at Bastian. “You cannot marry her!”

  Catherine shook in fear as the woman stalked her way down the aisle, as the head she carried left a trail of blood behind her.

  Victoria

  Chapter 1

  Catherine stared at the blood dripping from the severed head and fought back the urge to vomit. She recognized that man, the overseer, but his name didn’t come to mind. His eyes were frozen open in terror and his mouth gaped, tongue lolling out to the side. Catherine’s stomach churned again, but she swallowed it back. There was a more pressing matter than her being sick.

  Victoria had returned and she was not pleased.

  “You bastard,” Victoria snarled again and Catherine forced her gaze higher to the woman holding the head. “You think you can marry this mortal? This human?”

  Bastian moved his body in front of Catherine and blocked her view of the raging vampire. She was safe behind him, but there was something about the way Victoria growled the word human that sent her heart to pounding and chills down her spine. The woman she’d written about, she thought she was horrid, but this woman standing before her was terrifying. She’d ripped off a man’s head for the fun of it, carried it into Catherine and Bastian’s wedding. Clearly she had gone farther away from sanity than even Bastian thought she would.

  “You are not welcome here, Victoria,” Bastian said, his voice low, his anger brimming under the surface, his muscles tense in his arm holding me behind him. “Leave, now.”

  “And why should I? Once this was my home.”

  “Once, but no longer. You wore out your welcome many years ago and now you try
my patience.”

  Victoria laughed darkly and Catherine shifted so she could see her face once more. Her eyes were glowing red and she clutched the head so tightly in her hand the skull cracked and broke apart. Slowly she uncurled her fingers from it as the slaves in attendance cried out in fear. Catherine had forgotten about everyone else there. What were they all thinking? Where was Liam or her friends? They had to be terrified!

  “I will change your mind, Bastian my love,” she said, words like silk as they slipped from her mouth. “That girl behind you is only that, a girl. I am a woman, your woman, your vampire and I have returned to take you away from this wretched life.”

  “I didn’t know it was wretched. I quite enjoy it here.” Bastian’s arm tightened even more. “If you find it so wretched then by all means leave before I force you out.”

  “You just don’t understand what is out there! You enjoy this place for now, but you are too much of a coward to leave. That is where we can help you.”

  Catherine felt Bastian stiffen as his head moved around the crowd. “We?”

  She brought more like her? Oh God, Catherine’s thoughts raced. Where were they? How many had come with Victoria? Bastian could not fight them all off, could he?

  “Yes, I brought some friends along with me. Some I’ve met on my travels while others, well let’s just say I know how much you enjoy seeing old friends.” She nodded her head and three figures emerged from inside the house. “You remember Anton of course?”

  Bastian snarled and stepped back, taking Catherine with him as her fear ratcheted up more. “You dare bring him to my home!”

  Anton paused at the end of the aisle and grinned, flashing his wickedly sharp fangs as his eyes flashed red. “Hello, friend.”

  “Do not call me friend,” Bastian snapped. “I should kill you where you stand for what you did here.”

  Anton shrugged and shifted his gaze from Bastian to Catherine. Her blood ran cold as that red gaze locked onto hers. It was nothing like when she met Bastian’s eyes for the first time, or even when he was in a state of anger. This was pure evil, wanting to tear her apart from the inside out. Wanting to drain her dry and toss her body to the sharks. Catherine felt a sudden tugging in her stomach and made to step forward, but Bastian’s arms wrapped around her tightly and his gaze replaced Anton’s.

  Catherine shook her head furiously and stared at him wide eyed. “What’s happening?”

  “I am sorry, my love, but I fear we are going to have to put our wedding on hold,” he whispered and kissed her lips gently. Catherine leaned into him, wanting for them to disappear from this madness, but he pulled away too soon. “They will take you inside and keep you safe.”

  “Who?”

  “Tula and Ivette,” he said and nodded behind her. “I must see to Victoria and the slaves. I can sense their fear, their panic. This night is not going to be an easy one.”

  “We will look out for her,” a woman said quietly and Catherine turned to see a woman she’d noticed a few times before. Her hair was long and blond, trailing over her shoulders. Her smile was gentle as she reached for Catherine’s arm. “Come, Catherine, best get you inside.”

  Catherine nodded and glanced at the other vampire beside Ivette: Tula. He smiled at her as well, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Instead he turned his gaze to Bastian and it immediately soured.

  “Tonight will not end without bloodshed,” he said.

  “I know, my friend, I know. Whatever you do, keep her safe for me.”

  Tula bowed his head, but Catherine didn’t want to leave him out here alone. “If you do not come for me soon, I will come looking for you,” she said with more strength than she felt. Leaving Bastian out here with Victoria and her…friends…did not sit well with Catherine. What if they killed him? The thought of him dying, permanently, made her breath catch. She couldn’t lose the one man she loved, undead or not.

  Bastian’s lips slanted over hers once more, the kiss slow and languid, much as she knew it would have been that night if they were wed. “I will return to you, I swear it, my love. Now go with them. Please.”

  Catherine held his hand tightly then forced herself to let go. She walked between Ivette and Tula towards the main house, narrowly avoiding Victoria and the others.

  On their way around the guests, who Catherine now realized were too quiet for what was happening before them, she glanced at the other vampire guests standing along the perimeter. Their eyes all glowed red and their focus was solely on the slaves.

  “What are they doing?” she asked quietly.

  “They are keeping everyone calm until Bastian can get rid of them,” Ivette said.

  “You sound as if he will not be able to make her leave.”

  Ivette and Tula exchanged a look, but she couldn’t read them as well as she could Bastian.

  “It will not be easy,” Tula finally said. When they reached the door, he froze and whipped his head around. “It’s not just Anton she has with her.”

  Catherine looked towards the end of the aisle and felt an immediate wave of sickness hit her. “Who are they?”

  “I do not know,” Tula whispered, “but the woman, she is old. Very old.”

  Ivette gripped Catherine’s arm a bit harder. “No matter. Let’s get you inside and upstairs. Would you like some food, or wine? I always find wine in these situations can be most helpful.”

  Absently Catherine nodded. The woman vampire turned to her and smiled. Catherine rushed inside the house and followed Ivette quickly upstairs to Bastian’s room. That woman, she never wanted to be near her ever again.

  ***

  Bastian needed to get Victoria away from the slaves. The strain of holding so many entranced was going to take its toll and the last thing he wanted was panic to erupt amongst the slaves. It would tear the island apart and then true chaos would set in.

  “You will come with me now and we will discuss you being here,” he said and turned his back.

  He wasn’t worried if Victoria would follow or not. She’d come there for him, she wouldn’t leave unless she tried to get him. He led the way around the main house towards the stables. It wasn’t nearly as far away from Catherine as he wanted to be, but it would do for the time being.

  “You have changed,” Victoria said as she entered behind him.

  He felt the presence of the three she brought, but they remained outside. “It happens to people over time, Victoria. You yourself have sadly not it seems.”

  She grinned as her tongue played with the tip of her fang. “There was once a time you loved me.” Victoria moved forward and dragged her hand across his shoulders as she circled him. “There was a time you could not get enough of being inside of me, of loving me.”

  “And then you killed someone I called friend and nearly destroyed everything we worked to build,” he snapped and stepped away from her touch. “I will never go back to you Victoria.”

  Her hand fell to her side and she snarled. “Because of a human. You love her.”

  “Yes, I do,” Bastian said. Simply thinking of Catherine made him feel stronger, feel more like the man he used to be before he was turned into this monster.

  “Why? She is nothing to you. A fleeting moment in time…unless you plan on turning her.”

  Bastian forced himself to keep a straight face. That was something he planned on talking with Catherine tonight after their wedding vows had been given. If he had known Victoria would show up, perhaps he would have turned her already. “We have not discussed such things yet. I wanted to marry the woman first before I turned her into one of us, or at least what I am. Catherine could never be as cold as you.”

  Victoria moved fast and shoved him back against the stable wall, hand on his chest and fangs at his throat as she growled. “You made me this way,” she said with a hiss. “You turned me into the monster that stands before you. I was just a woman alone and vulnerable and you…you killed me!”

  “I saved you,” Bastian snarled and turned his red glare to
hers. “I found you dead on the floor of your home and I brought you back. You were happy enough then to wreak your vengeance on the world for all its slights against you. Then you turned that rage on my own. I did not put that darkness in you; that came from you Victoria, and you alone.”

  She released him and stalked back. “You cannot blame me for those early years.”

  “I can when your early years of killing only grew worse.” He straightened his jacket as he pushed back from the wall. “You need to leave, Victoria. I do not want trouble here.”

  “I never said I wanted trouble, but now that you mention it,” she whispered, “there are some friends I’m dying for you to meet.” She snapped her fingers and the sound echoed loudly around them in the stables. “Anton of course you know, but Ridley and Haddie are my newest companions and they are interesting to say the least. Especially Haddie.”

  Bastian didn’t want to meet her new companion, but he didn’t want a fight to break out either. He’d been with Victoria long enough to know she was not about to let him go this easily. Especially when there was another woman involved, a human woman. He felt the vampires before they entered and gritted his teeth reminding himself to stay in check. He had a decent number at his call, but the less fighting that happened the better.

  The slaves were already on edge and he knew come sun up there would be need of explanations. They could not know who their master truly was or the others who handled them on the island. As for now, he would have to come up with a reason why the wedding had been put on hold…a freak accident with an overseer being beheaded did not sound believable…even to him.

  Anton entered the stable first pulling Bastian from his worries. Bastian recognized his power before he even saw him and glared at the vampire who betrayed him. Behind him were the two he’d seen at the end of the aisle. Ridley looked young, barely a man and Haddie looked at Bastian once and he felt how old she was. It crawled over his skin and his feet wanted to take a step back. He struggled not to move as she walked closer to him.

  “Pleasure to meet you, sir,” Haddie said and held out a hand, her old world accent giving Bastian more of a hint at where she came from.