by Casey Lane
Suddenly, an explosion of emotion burst from her. She frowned and was grasping her shirt tightly, her face twisted in sorrow. “You sent the maids into my room. They took all of my clothes, the ones my mother made by her own hands. Is there anything at all that is precious to you? Do you have to have your way with everything?”
I took a step back, alarmed by her sudden burst of fervor. “You are under my protection, and as such, will wear clothing appropriate for a woman under my charge.”
She frowned and stepped closer to me. “I was sent by my father to pay off his debts. To cook and clean, to scrub your floors and light your fires. And yet, you allow me no penance, no way to pay off his debt.” Her face scrunched up and alarm bells rung in my mind. “Will I ever have a way to be free? To be free to choose what I wish to wear and how I wish to wear it?”
“Is my household so shameful, the clothing that I purchase for you so horrible, that you wish to flee from my house and never return?” My heart was beating wildly and I held my breath, for such was my desire to know the answer in her heart. Would she ever see me as a man and not for the wild untamed beast that was always ready to unleash itself upon the world?
As soon as I realized that this was the true desire of my heart, I grew angry. She was a human, to eat and to tame, not to hold or caress with loving kisses. I would not fall for this beautiful creature who had managed to tempt me with her sweetness.
I looked away, growling, but still holding my breath in anticipation of her answer, when I realized that her mood had swung again and an intense sadness overcame my senses.
“You took everything from me. My only home that held such great memories, of times with my dear sweet mother, and my kind and loving father. Lily has taken over my mother’s bed and vanity, and the clothes on my back were the only materials that I owned that my mother touched. You took that from me.” Salty tears pooled in her eyes, but she held them in, unwilling to show her weakness and an immense shame overcame me.
I opened my mouth but there was nothing I could do now. Angry at Lily’s boldness, I determined to recover the vanity and ban her from my house. But the clothes were now gone, destroyed. I probed her gently, unable to determine what to say. She missed her mother, the one woman she thought could guide her through her new life that was filled with the constant anticipation of the many dangers that befell women of this time.
Instead of apologizing I stepped closer to her. “I loved your mother also, and wish that there was something I could do to bring her back.”
She blinked, surprised at my answer. “You loved her?”
Now I was surprised. “She never told you?”
She shook her head. “Why? How?”
I looked away, not wanting to reveal the truth of my defenselessness because I never desired to appear weak. However, she had shown me her weakness and I felt obligated to give her something in return.
“Your mother found me once.” I looked off towards the water, remembering. “I was grieving one night and drank too much, which weakened me. Someone attacked me and they caught me unawares.” I remembered the way it felt, the stake that broke me. How it burned, so close to my heart that it tore through me. “Your mother, she found me, and chased off my attacker.” I laughed and looked at her. “You reminded me of her, that night I met you for the first time. Though you won’t remember.”
“I do remember.”
My mouth dropped. “How is that possible? I entranced you.”
She shrugged. “What happened next?”
“She ran for your father and they drug me home, nurturing me back to health.” I looked away again. “Your mother gave me her blood, and it saved me. Even after that, I visited them from time to time, and I grew to love their kindness, which they allowed me to demonstrate, even though I knew they were also afraid.”
Adelade was silent and I turned back to her, curious.
“They never told you?”
She shook her head. “I think they wanted to protect me. Is that why my mother could never forget you? Why she called for you in her sleep?”
I frowned. “No. When your mother fell ill, the only way I could heal her was to give her my blood.” I swallowed hard. “When I partake of someone, they become a part of me in a sense. I can feel them if necessary, even across great distances. But if I have partaken of someone, and then they, in return, partake of me, they also can feel me. As strigoi, our powers reduce the effect that this has, but your mother, she was human and therefore,” I looked into Adelade’s eyes as they stared intently into mine, “she would always struggle to block me. My feelings and emotions, and even my hunger.”
Anger sparked in Adelade’s eyes. “How could you do that to her?”
I lifted my eyebrow. “It was her choice, Adelade. And your father agreed. In fact, they begged me to help so that she could live, even though I had no desire to curse her so.”
Adelade grew silent and I suddenly realized that Lula and Landon’s fighting had grown silent and I turned towards them. Lula’s face and armpits were sweaty and she grabbed some water to clean her body. Landon watched her out of the corner of his eye and I made a noise to get his attention.
“Are you leaving?” I faced Lula but my question was directed at Landon.
“I must return home.” Lula smiled shyly, and by the pink tinging of her cheeks, I knew that she was returning home to Rowan. That she could hold an interest in both Rowan and Landon, I was not surprised, but I knew that if she gave herself fully to Rowan, she must never act on her feelings for Landon, or he would die. Or worse, be turned.
Landon bade her farewell and Adelade hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek and gripping her hand tight for a moment before Lula walked towards the door, pausing only for a moment to give me a knowing smile. When she was gone, Landon turned towards us and shifted uncomfortably.
“Should I stay to continue your lesson?” He looked at us expectantly.
“No.”
“Of course you should.”
I turned towards Adelade and grunted. “You will practice with me from now on.”
She folded her arms. “He’s done a perfectly acceptable job. I’ve killed one already, remember?”
I frowned and pulled her close to me, my lip turned up. “That doesn’t count. He was unconscious and lying still on your floor.”
She faced me stubbornly. “It counts because I could’ve easily missed, but I staked him just where he needed it.”
I growled. “I will teach you. I can teach you moves that no man or being could teach you. I am swifter, smarter and—”
“Completely full of yourself,” she completed my sentence. “Landon can teach me as well as any other person, can’t you Landon?”
She turned and realized what I already knew, that Landon had quietly slipped away, unwilling to get in between us.
“Looks like your partner has abandoned you.”
She took a step back. “And who’s fault is that?”
I grinned and swung around her, gripping her neck softly as my voice breathed in her ear. “The one who will teach you from now on.”
The sweetness of her blood called to me and, pleased that the Fae’s renewed magic was keeping me from ripping her throat out, I ran my nose up her neck.
She moved forward, determined, and turned, pulling the stake between us. “Teach me then, to defeat the strigoi.”
I pulled her close again and swiveled her so that her back was to me. Her chest rose and lowered as she breathed rapidly.
“Landon taught you how to strike downward.” I took her hand and pulled it up and downward in an arc. She followed my motion as I imitated Landon.
“That works perfectly if you are facing their backside.” I shifted her so that she was looking at me now. “But if you are facing your attacker, there is too much room for the strigoi to take your stake from you.” I bid her to strike me. As her hand came down I caught it easily.
She nodded, understanding. I took her hand and, starting from her ches
t, I swung it forward. “If you move from here,” I put my hand on her, and the vibration of her heart beat through my hand, “there is little room for error, or for the strigoi to disarm you.”
She stared at me with wide eyes, and I realized that my hand on her chest was causing her heart to beat faster. I moved my hand away from her. “Practice.”
As soon as I moved my hand, my sway over her broke, and, with her lips in a set line, she attempted to stab me. I allowed her no room for mistake and, moving quickly to disarm her, I slapped the stake to the ground. If a strigoi, or any other beast attacked her, they wouldn’t give her mercy, and I gave her the same favor.
She shook her hand as she bent to retrieve her stake, and the sight of the swell of her breasts made me feel as if my useless heart was beating faster. I closed my eyes against the temptation and focused on the lesson.
“Again.”
She rose and began to move. At first, she moved slowly and I turned with her to keep her in my sight. And then she was suddenly beside me, aiming for my chest. I still moved fast to disarm her, but this time I gripped her close to me, the stake on the floor again, and she breathed heavily. She was good; she’d almost caught me by surprise.
“Is this what Landon has been teaching you?”
She grinned, happy that it had worked so well, and shrugged.
I pulled her away from me. “Again.”
We worked tirelessly, and her movements became a graceful dance as she tried to attack me. Again and again I disarmed her but she didn’t give up, and soon we were both drenched in perspiration. As she moved, I noticed the way her body swayed rhythmically, the way her hair flowed behind her like a graceful lion and I had to push down my strigoi to keep my emotions at bay. I couldn’t entirely compel her as I could with the others. She was beauty and she was danger, a siren call for my strigoi.
I should run from her as fast as my feet could take me, but I found myself waiting for something, although I knew not what.
After several attempts, I gripped her hand and moved her fingers so that they were held loosely on the stake. “If you hold it too tight, it will break your hand when you pierce one.”
The look on her face betrayed that indeed, it was hurting from when she’d staked Treveti and a feeling of such tenderness overcame me that before I knew it, I was kissing her fingers one by one. She stared at me, eyes wide, and unsure how to react. Her chest rose in quick breaths and the desire to have her under me came upon me so quickly that my fangs slid out. She gripped my shirt as I tasted the tips of her fingers, placing small kisses on them.
I placed my hand on her back, pulling her closer and she dropped the stake. It clattered to the ground forgotten, as she stared at me so intently that every intention to flee from her was abandoned. I couldn’t leave her, for she had bewitched me with a powerful magic, and I was under her spell.
I breathed in and growled; she smelled faintly of the dianthus from the garden, and the smell was so sweet, that I wanted to take her here in the filthy workshop.
But it was too dirty for my sweet Firewitch, as the dianthus was commonly called, and so I gently pulled her chin towards me and kissed her soft and tenderly, exactly the way she should be kissed. Her reaction was so strong that it took me a second to realize that her arms were around my neck and she was kissing me back with such feeling that I made a guttural noise as my passion poured over me. I gripped her tight, trying to rein in my desire to rip off her clothing and mark her as mine.
Then there were was the sound of quickened footsteps and I pushed her behind me to face the man who appeared in the doorway.
Dominique, my loyal servant, clasped the edge of the doorway breathlessly. I moved towards him, pulling Adelade with me.
“Sir,” he managed to gasp out, and I pulled him up.
“Speak quickly.”
“Your house. It’s been lit on fire.”
Adelade gasped. “Lula and Sophie.”
The Fae. Those nasty things. The king must’ve exacted revenge for burning his wares and for taking the Queen into my arms.
I pressed Adelade’s hand into Dominque’s. “Take her somewhere safe.”
She pulled her hand from his and ran for her stake. “I’m going with you.”
I growled. “You will do as I command, or I will tie you to the mast of my ship to keep you from harm.”
Suddenly she was beside me, the tip of her stake centered over my heart, scowling. I stepped back, surprised. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m coming with you, that’s what.”
I put my arm around her back, pulling her to me. Her face held a scowl and I ran my hands through my hair. When did I become so weak? Her chest rose and fell against mine and I frowned. “You are slow, and will only delay my coming. I’ve already lost precious time arguing with you.”
She took a step back, dancing out of my arms. “Go swiftly, and I will meet you there.”
Rolling my eyes, I gripped her arms and marched with her towards the house. Dominique ran ahead of us to summon men from the city streets to help us.
Agitated over my impediment, I pushed her further and soon she was running to keep up with me. Spotting a leashed horse, I pulled its reins loose and pushed her upon it. A man came running out, and I reached in my jacket and pulled out a stash of coins. Throwing them on the ground, I mounted behind her and we raced towards the house.
I leaned forward, clasping her to me, and she gasped when she saw the house. Before I could stop her, she slipped from my arms and tumbled towards the ground.
“Stupid Firewitch.”
I jumped gracefully to the ground, but she was already up and running towards the flames. I ran swiftly to stop her, and grasped her arm tight. “Don’t be an idiot. You’ll burn to the death if you go in there.”
She turned towards me, a look of desperation on her face. “No. You’ll burn to death in there.”
In a temporary madness, I released her and she was gone.
Chapter Seven
I faced the smoldering house, searching the windows for any sign of my strigoi. The flames licked the east side of the house where the servants generally slept alongside the kitchen, but they were moving quickly towards the rest of the house. It was hell opened up.
I clenched my fists, feeling helpless and cursing the flammability of the strigoi. The King Fae would pay for this and I imagined all the things I would do to him as I ran towards the line of men now bringing buckets of water from the bay. Growling, I took one and splashed it against the wall. It splashed feebly against it and I threw it to the side. This was useless.
The front door was thrown open and Rowan carried Lula out of it. I flew towards them and a wave of joy washed over me as I gathered them into my arms. I held them tight, crushing them close as I breathed in their scent.
Then I pulled back. “Sophie and Adelade?”
Lula looked at Rowan and he turned from her, unwilling to look her in the eyes. “They’re still inside, sir. Adelade went to find her.”
I raised my eyebrow at him, and an uneasiness came over me. I pushed them aside and went towards the front door, unable to stand by any longer.
Suddenly, my whole body was on fire and I fell to the ground in pain. Confused for a moment, I realized the flames were inside me. One of my strigoi was on fire. I moaned, gripping the ground tightly. I tried to crawl towards the door but it began to rain burning bits of roof around me. One of them caught my arm on fire and then Rowan was there with a bucket, pouring it over me. “Don’t go in, sir. Or you’ll burn for certain.”
I was completely useless and wanted to stake myself in the heart, so great was my apprehension burning through me. I cried out, threatening the fae King Orin with every curse I could think of, knowing that I would kill him as soon as I was able.
The fire burning inside me dulled briefly and then became a throb of pain. I stood up and paced the lawn, waiting for anyone to flee from the house. And then one of Sophie’s thralls ran from the
door, followed by my Firewitch. She appeared in the doorway like a ray of light, with Sophie leaning heavily on her arm.
As I moved towards them, a hand clasped my arm and I growled, swirling towards the offender. It was King Orin, and his eyes were wide as he stared at my house.
A deep snarl started in my throat. I was going to tear him apart.
He let me go and backed away swiftly, his hands held in front of him. “This fire is not of my making.”
Undeterred, I advanced on him, my fangs extended, and my strigoi senses alight. I could already taste the bitterness of his blood in my mouth, as saliva dribbled down my chin. I jumped and knocked him to the ground, growling.
I bit into his arm harshly and tore a chunk of his flesh from it.
“Detrand, I swear on the life of my Queen, I didn’t do this!” He pushed out a magical wave and I flew back and tumbled into the grass. Recovering quickly, I moved to my knees, crawling slowly, a hunter ready for the kill, until he was a meter from me.
He stood and waved his arms, quickly mumbling his spell and I pounced, pushing him to the ground. A blue flash burst from him and shot towards the house. I turned to stare at it, feeling my rage burn deep inside. When I was done with him, I would stalk his whole kingdom, and they would pay for his rashness.
Suddenly, the fire which was only growing bigger as it consumed everything I owned, hissed and began to diminish. We all turned to stare at it, and even the line of humans stopped what they were doing to stare openmouthed and in shock at it. After a while, it dwindled into smoking flames, as did my anger as I stood up.
He pulled himself up and, dusting off his clothes, he began to turn away. “You’re welcome.”
I gripped his arm tightly. “Who did this, if you didn’t?”
He yanked his arm away, his eyes glowing a bright red. “That is your responsibility to discover, king.” He bowed, a look of scorn on his face. I was tempted to teach him how to treat me properly, but at that moment Rowan called to me. I turned to see that the whole left side of Sophie was charred and I immediately turned my attention to her, ignoring the Fae’s insolence except to call after him to make sure the humans didn’t spread tales of magic.
