by N. M. Howell
Soft, massive hands rested upon my petite shoulders. I shook them away.
“It offends me that you defy me in such a horrid manner,” Sirus whispered as his grip returned over my shoulder. “Why do you pull away from me after all I've done for you?”
“I'm just uncomfortable, Sirus,” I replied.
“You will address me formally, or you will remain silent. You know the rules,” he said sternly.
My lower lip quivered. I looked down at the ground with mournful eyes, wishing Draven was at my side to defend me as he typically did. But he was out in the courtyard. I was alone here.
“Address me formally,” Sirus repeated in a low voice.
“I am uncomfortable, Master,” I whispered.
He turned me around slowly, hugging my shoulders with his giant hands.
“And why would you be uncomfortable in my presence, little vampling?” he asked.
“I am not accustomed to this place,” I replied. “It frightens me. This place, these people. I’m not cut out for this.” Perhaps honesty would help him understand.
Sirus shook his head, his long blond hair flowing like silk over his shoulders. A cold thumb ran over my soft cheek and landed on my still-quivering lip.
“You are cut out for it, you just need to see it for yourself.”
I tilted my head and met his gaze. “Why me? Why waste your efforts on me?”
Sirus let out a slow breath and looked me up and down with a quizzical eye. “The timing was right. We needed a twelfth in our coven before the Centennial de Sang. It’s as simple as that.” His sharp voice snapped me out of my daze. That was the first I’d heard anyone admit it was just a matter of timing. I knew I wasn’t anything special. I was just filling a hole so they wouldn’t sink.
“Well, there you have it, I guess. That’s what happens when you have to pick from the bottom of the barrel of what’s available. You’re stuck with someone who refuses to feed on humans and who is too weak to feel comfortable among your kind.” My voice was angry and bitter, more so than I intended.
“Our kind, Riley. And don’t say such things. You’re one of us now, and you will act as such. There is no need to fear this place. We want nothing but the best for you. I've already made the arrangements for your twenty-first birthday,” he said. “It's going to be extravagant.”
His green eyes were glowing with excitement as his thumb rested on my chin, a sharp nail curling over my cheekbone.
“I've called the caterer for some delicious human foods that I'm sure you've missed, and we've arranged for the orchestra to visit. We'll have dancing, red wine, and we'll let you choose which human you get to sacrifice for the lot of us to see,” he explained. His voice then darkened slightly. “And, of course, the council will be there to observe.”
I shook my head. “I can't,” I whispered. My throat tightened as I spoke and I barely managed to get the word out.
I pulled away from him again and crossed the room, leaning against his desk.
“You must,” he said firmly. “You must, or you face death. There is nothing worse than a vampling's death, my dear, and you won't be the first or last, but it would pain me to put you through such a thing. Do you really want that?”
His voice had risen to a booming pitch that shook me to my core. The tears fell freely now and landed on the mahogany desk, little dark circles decorating the luscious wood. I relished in those tears, letting them fall freely, knowing full well that if I were to turn into a full vampire that they would be among the many things I would no longer have. They were my tie to my own humanity, and I had no reason to hold them back from him.
“I've given you everything!” he roared. “And you still defy me!”
“You've given me darkness,” I growled as I slammed my hand against the desk. “And I'm paying for your crimes!”
I fled from the room and sprinted down the hall, nearly colliding with a servant as I turned a corner. I muttered a quick apology and continued to run until I reached the front doors. I hadn't intended to come out towards the courtyard, but perhaps I needed the air. It might have done me well to be out in the open.
Or would I just be scorned by the others?
I shook my head and pushed against the doors, greeting the cool night air that met my burning eyes.
Chapter Three
As the cool breeze met my face, all eyes turned to me. They glimmered in the pale moonlight and met my gaze, challenging me to speak. I took a deep breath and offered a light bow, then made my way slowly towards the center. I walked past the whispers, the stares, and the scoffs without much of a word or a thought. They could sense my tension. Maybe they could even taste my tears. They were the very underbelly of the night and were cursed with all manner of dark gifts.
They could probably smell my fear.
“Some family,” I whispered as I pushed on through the courtyard. My words garnered more glares, but I looked down to my feet and ignored them.
While passing a small group, I heard a whisper followed by a few stifled snickers. I forced a polite smile and continued to walk until I reached the very edge of the courtyard that looked out over the gargantuan maze. I leaned against the willow tree and sighed. It was gorgeous, illuminated by the milky moon above. The rhythmic song of cicadas carried in the wind. I breathed in the gentle breeze and closed my eyes, pretending I was back home.
Home, I thought timidly. Will I ever see you again?
As a memory flashed over my vision, I heard rustling from a nearby bush. I turned to find nothing, but that didn’t stop my heart from raging within my chest. I pressed my hand against my beating heart, the gut wrenching realization crashing down on me that within a few days I would no longer have that link to humanity. I never thought something so simple as a heartbeat would mean so much to me. My hand lingered as I stared into the bush, my fingers tracing the protruding bones in my chest. I really had grown thin since being turned. Draven was right, my feeding habits hadn’t been sustaining me as much as I had hoped.
A shuffle of footsteps behind me drew my attention back toward the courtyard. The vampires were dwindling back towards the castle, taking with them their smug noses and sympathetic stares. I watched their groups diminish until there were none left, and turned to direct my gaze back to the comforting maze.
How many hours I'd spent wandering in that beautiful work of art. It passed the dark hours of the night when I didn't fancy the company of the judgmental coven, tucked away from the horrible sounds of the feast that typically occurred at this hour. I would always wait to visit the dining hall after the feast was over to avoid looking at the carnage, but I had once stumbled upon it by accident.
The coven in attendance had laughed as I fled from the room and hurled in a nearby trash can. Draven found me sobbing hysterically in my room and immediately offered me comfort, but I pushed him away. I simply couldn't handle the thought that he had potentially enjoyed it.
After all, he was also a vampire.
I tapped my shoulder pensively. The breeze picked up again and rustled the leaves above, the branches swaying listlessly to a silent tune. I smiled up at the strange and twisted bark, admiring how complex and beautiful it looked in the pale moonlight. Another rustling sound caught my attention. I turned to find the courtyard empty. I was alone, but my senses alerted me that I wasn't.
While turning back to the maze, I slipped my hand into my pocket and curled my little fingers around my dagger. It sat cool in my hand, pulsing with the desire to be used. Soft footsteps approached. I leaned back against the tree and waited until I saw a figure appear next to me.
“Beautiful night, isn't it?” asked a smooth, masculine voice.
I cocked my head to the side and gripped the dagger harder, my free hand gripping the bark of the tree. The figure turned with a grin, and two piercing blue eyes greeted mine. They washed over my figure and drank in my appearance, responding with a gentle nod.
“Little one, I mean you no harm. That dagger would be of no u
se on me anyway,” he said.
“How do you—?” I shook my head and gave a light chuckle. “Of course. I understand.”
“I'm sure you're cold. Would you like my cloak?” he asked.
“I, uh...” I trailed off and leaned back against the tree, tucking my hands under my arms as my face flushed. The cold and blushing. Two more things I would have to kiss goodbye when I completed my change into a full vampire.
“Really, I mean you no harm, Riley,” he repeated.
I nodded and offered a smile.
“I'm not cold. Thank you,” I replied.
“Well, I will give it to you anyway,” he said.
As he removed his cloak, his dress shirt fell open, revealing part of his chiseled upper chest. I admired the silky skin beneath and swallowed hard as I resisted the urge to reach out and run my fingers over the defined lines of his chest. The cloak landed over my shoulders and shook me from my fantasy, and I bit down on my lip as I tried to politely smile again.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Are you out here alone?” he asked.
“No, actually. I have Draven nearby gathering some herbs for his...potions,” I replied.
“Ah, yes. He's rather interesting, isn't he?” he commented.
“Yes, very interesting,” I agreed.
“I could understand your allegiance to him. He's quite a friendly fang. He's always been the best mentor for vamplings,” he continued.
“Of course,” I said.
“I mean, not that you really knew that to begin with,” he added.
“Not really,” I said.
“Oh, I didn't mean that as an insult. I meant that you're not familiar with our customs yet,” he said quickly.
“I think I knew what you meant,” I said.
He stammered over a few words, offered a handsome smile, and then smoothed a lock of brown hair behind his ear. I found my eyes drifting back down to his uncovered chest.
“I'm Adrian,” he said while extending a hand. “I thought I would check on you just to make sure you're adjusting properly.”
I accepted his hand and smiled. It was the warmest introduction I had received yet aside from Draven's. But I knew this vampire. He was second in command of the coven, next to Sirus. He was one of the ancient ones, having been around longer than I dare imagine. I’d also heard rumors of his dark past, but looking at his smiling eyes before me I found them hard to believe.
“That's very kind of you, Adrian. It's lovely to meet you,” I whispered.
“Would you maybe care to take a walk through the maze?” he asked. He carried himself with a stillness only the extremely old vampires could manage. It was eerie in a sexy sort of way.
“Well, Draven will be back soon with the, um…” I trailed off as I gestured behind me.
“Oh, yes. Of course,” he said while waving his hand toward the maze. “I understand. Perhaps another time.”
“I think I would like that.” My voice trembled slightly. I could hardly believe Adrian was showing interest in me. The interaction felt surreal, almost dream-like.
“That would be great,” he said with a wide grin. He may be ancient, but he carried himself like a young enough man.
I watched his blue eyes glitter in the dim moonlight and blushed as I realized they were still studying mine. My eyes darted away, looking out over the maze and searching for something else to occupy my mind other than those beautiful blue pools and that handsome, chiseled chest.
“My apologies,” he said. “I realize my gaze can be rather intimidating.”
“Not at all,” I said quickly. “I'm just shocked at the gesture.”
He frowned and looked down at the ground, kicking at something. After a moment, he raised his sympathetic gaze and took a timid step forward.
“I realize you haven't had the friendliest of welcomes,” he said. “And I apologize for that. This coven is very tight-knit. We've been around for centuries and have always kept our own safe. It is rare to bring in someone at random.”
“Why didn't you just kill me?” I asked.
His blue eyes dimmed and his trim brows furrowed together, eyes darting back to the ground.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you with the question,” I whispered. There was something about his gentle face that made me want to trust him. But I had made that mistake before and was smart enough to know that a pretty face didn’t always mean a kind heart.
I gripped the bark of the tree.
“You're fine, little one. I'm sorry you have had such a traumatic experience,” he replied.
“It's not your doing,” I said.
“No, but I take collective responsibility for the actions of my coven. I hold myself accountable for them as well as myself,” he explained. His husky voice washed over me, sending a slight tremble down my spine.
“That's rather noble of you,” I said.
He shrugged lightly.
“They're my family. I want them to make the right decisions and be safe, but they don't always get it quite right. Myself included,” he said.
My knees nearly buckled as I leaned back against the large tree. Okay, maybe I wasn’t as smart as I wanted to believe. “And how have you sinned?” I bit my lip as I awaited his reply, my eyes lost in the depths of his own.
“I've done my fair share of nearly outing ourselves to the nearby villages,” he replied with a playful smirk.
“Sounds terrible,” I commented.
“They're not as superstitious these days. I think I got lucky,” he winked.
I laughed and looked down at my bare feet, realizing I hadn't pulled on my shoes. I curled my toes into the moist earth and shivered.
“We should get you inside. It's getting colder by the minute,” he said.
I sighed, not even bothering to try and hide my shivering. “I suppose we should.”
His gaze didn't waver as I extended my hand. Those blue eyes were captivating. I had not felt this comforted in months with anyone apart from Draven. I had only ever seen Adrian in passing, never having given him more than a quick glance. Most of my time was spent hiding away in my room from the dreadful and smug vampires that lurked around the castle, but this man—this particular vampire—was absolutely stunning. I didn’t know how I hadn’t noticed it before.
“I can assure you I'm much more than a stunning fang,” he joked with a wink.
I paused and turned to stare at him, my eyes wide. “Get out of my head,” I said while playfully smacking his arm as my heart thumped violently against my chest. I hoped it came across as cute. I couldn’t believe he had just heard my thoughts. I let out a slow breath to try and steady my heartbeat, but by the smirk on his face, it was plain that he could sense my every emotion.
“I'm sorry. It's such a habit,” he said.
“Sirus told me some vampires in the coven would read my mind, but not as extensively as you do,” I said.
He squeezed my hand gently and led me across the courtyard to the front door. The touch of his cold skin against my own sent a bolt of electricity up my arm. It took every ounce of self-control not to squeeze his hand back.
“I will do my best not to invade your thoughts,” he said. “My mother always told me that was rude.”
“Who is your maker?” I asked.
“Lady Serenity. She lives on the fourth floor and tends to the events,” he replied.
“I've heard of her, but I haven't met her,” I said.
“You'll meet her soon. She'll call on you for your party,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve noticed our numbers have grown in the castle these past few weeks. Even I’ll admit she’s going a little overboard on the invitations.”
I frowned at the thought. It had felt crowded lately, but I had no idea the guests were there for me. A knot formed in my stomach at the thought of all these people watching as I take a human life. I hated how they were making a huge spectacle out of my ritual. My body shivered as I tried to push that thought from my mind.
&
nbsp; As Adrian opened the door, I pulled the cloak tighter around my body. It was no longer cold, but I couldn't shake the chill from my bones. I took it off and handed it to Adrian who took it with a look of confusion.
“I appreciate the gesture, but I must be getting upstairs,” I said.
“You won't be attending the feast?” he asked.
My bit my lip harder this time. I tried to formulate the proper explanation, but my stomach hummed with nausea. I covered my mouth.
“I didn't mean to frighten you,” he whispered while reaching out to me. “I can get you something if you like, something to ease the nausea.”
“Like what?” I asked timidly.
I teetered forward.
He paused a moment, then placed his arm sturdily against my chest, sending more shockwaves through my body. “Let's get you upstairs.”
I didn't fight. I allowed him to lead me up the velvet-covered steps and walk me towards the second floor. We walked past statues of knights and lavish portraits, each one depicting an older century than the last. They were ancient, those portraits and their faces were worn from dust and age, their eyes following us even as we walked around the corner.
Wordlessly, he pushed open my door and helped me to the bed where he lay me out and tucked a blanket over my shivering body. He reached into his pocket and procured a small candy.
“What's that?” I asked.
“Ginger,” he replied. “It should help settle your stomach.”
“Are you an alchemist?” I asked with a slight grin.
Adrian chuckled as he held it to my lips.
“I promise,” he whispered. “It will make you feel better.”
Chapter Four
I woke with a start and peered around the quaint room. No sun twinkled from behind the curtains. No birds chirped. I sighed and looked down at the satin sheets, running my fingers over the silky material. As I raised my hand to my eyes to rub away the sleep, a lingering taste of ginger sat on my tongue. It tasted sweet with a slight pinch that reminded me of the time I had bitten down on a piece of black pepper. I licked my lips and savored the moment.
