by S. E. Lund
“I’ll get a trial?”
“Of course you’ll get a trial,” Evan said, practically spitting the words out. “Do you think I’m a corrupt tyrant?”
I shook my head, not wanting to enrage him any further. “No, not at all. You must understand how I feel.”
“I don’t. I don’t know how you could conspire with the Spencers to kill our father. How you could plan the deaths of our family with the notion that you could take over as Prince of the City.”
“I didn’t,” I said, pleadingly. “Evan, you must believe me. I would never do such a thing. Never.”
“Spare me your protestations of innocence. Save it for the magister.”
Then, he turned and left, the guards closing the heavy steel door behind them, leaving me alone once more.
Calla
Chelsea and I were thrown unceremoniously into a cell a few doors down from where they were keeping Kier. The room had a tiny window in the upper corner admitting only a thin sliver of light, which shone on the far wall. The walls were thick and damp, and the floors smelled of wet earth. A bucket sat on the floor beside a cot with a stained mattress and a hard stone bench.
That was it.
“What now?” Chelsea asked as we sat together on the mattress.
“I have no idea,” I said. “Kier’s brother is supposed to decide what to do with us. Maybe he’ll pay Gerard to protect us while we’re here. Kier promised he would…”
We sat in silence for a moment, both of us lost in our own thoughts.
“Do you think they’ll let us go back?”
I shrugged, unsure of what Kier’s brother would decide.
Time passed and no one seemed interested in us. Several hours later, a guard opened the door and admitted a beautiful young woman inside. She wore a long black jacket and black slacks, and her dark hair was piled high on her head in a messy bun. She was a vampire, her skin white. She resembled Kier in her bone structure, but had dark eyes.
She glanced at us both, her eyes moving over us. “My brother wants to protect the two of you. He wants to send you back to your home and families.”
“He apologized to us both,” I said, defending him. I believed him that he was set up, and had been falsely accused of killing someone. “He never meant either of us to be harmed. He planned to wipe both our memories before he left, when his brother came to rescue him.”
She nodded. “Tell me what happened — from the beginning,” she said and motioned to us both to sit.
I did, recounting everything I could remember about Kier from the time I saw him in the flock of bats to the time the guards showed up. I even told her about him lying in bed with me but not touching me. Only taking a mouthful or two of my blood.
She sighed like this whole thing was a burden. “I’ll plead your case with my brother, the Prince, but you must know his heart is hardened against Kier. He believes that Kier arranged with an enemy to kill our father.”
I frowned, unable to believe that Kier would do that. “He never said anything bad about Evan or your father. He had no idea that your father was dead. He only wanted to get back to his family. He was sure that Evan would rescue him. He’s innocent,” I said, convinced of it. “I know he is.”
She nodded her head, her eyes softening. “I believe he is as well. I’ll do what I can to convince my brother to send you two back at least. I can’t promise anything else. Hopefully, you’ll wake up back in your home and remember nothing of any of this.”
I bit my tongue, wanting to protest, not wanting to forget Kier or any of what happened to Chelsea and me. I wanted to remember Kier.
“Can I see Kier before we go back?” I said, not wanting to leave without saying goodbye.
“As his pet, he has rights to remove your memories. You’ll see him once before you go — if I can convince my brother.”
“Thank you.”
She left us, the guards closing the door behind them and then Chelsea and I waited, wondering what our fate would be.
Hours later, two guards came and opened the doors, motioning to us to come with them.
We obeyed, walking between them down the hall to the cell where Kier was being imprisoned. The door to Kier’s cell was open and inside I saw the back of a tall man wearing dark clothing, jacket and slacks. His bearing was regal, and his hands were on his hips. When he turned, he had a scowl on his face.
Evan.
I’d seen his photo on the business website. He looked enough like Kier, except for the dark eyes, that even if I hadn’t seen his picture, I’d know who he was.
“There you are,” he said, his voice impatient. “Come in and let’s get this over with.”
We were shoved closer to Kier, who stood, his hands in silver shackles, a heavy chain attached to similar shackles on his ankles.
“Calla,” he said, his voice soft, apologetic. “Chelsea. Please accept my apologies for this—.”
“Get on with it,” Evan interrupted, his voice impatient.
“Come closer,” Kier said. “Chelsea first.”
Chelsea stepped closer, glancing at me before she did. I nodded, urging her forward.
Then, Kier raised his cuffed hands up and held onto Chelsea’s face. He looked in her eyes and spoke to her, his voice firm.
“Chelsea, you’re going to go back home to your family. You won’t remember anything about what happened from the time you arrived at Calla’s cottage to the time you return. You won’t remember anything about vampires once you cross the threshold of this house. When you get off the plane, you will forget everything that happened up until that time. You will think that you had a wonderful time with Calla while her parents were away. The two of you talked about everything, spent time on the beach, and nothing more. You won’t remember anything about me as soon as you leave this room. Do you understand?”
Chelsea nodded, her voice low. “I understand.”
“Good,” Kier said and pointed to me. “Now, you, Calla.”
I went to where Chelsea had stood and Kier took my face in his hands as he had Chelsea. He looked deeply in my eyes and I expected him to start compelling me but instead, he leaned down and kissed me, his eyes closing as he did.
We kissed, our mouths pressing against each other, and I felt so much emotion sweep through me. My eyes tearing up at the thought I’d never see him again or remember him.
“Get on with it,” Evan repeated, his voice gruff.
Our kiss ended and Kier’s eyes were soft when he pulled away. He wiped my tears off my cheek with his finger and then cleared his throat.
He repeated what he’d said to Chelsea. I didn’t feel compelled, but what did I know about vampire compulsion?
When I looked in Kier’s eyes, I tried to see meaning in them, see some kind of message in his voice or the way he held my face in his hands, but I could detect nothing different.
I repeated the words “I understand” even though I didn’t feel compelled, but I knew that if I didn’t, they would never let me leave.
When we were escorted out of the cell, I glanced back before I left the room and saw Kier standing there, such pain on his face, like he regretted that I’d forget him, and that we’d never see each other again.
His kiss had been passionate. He didn’t want me to forget.
When I left the room, though, and as Chelsea and I were led out of the building to a waiting SUV, I remembered him.
I remembered him…
END OF PART ONE
PART TWO of THE VAMPIRE’S PET to be released in August!
About the Author
S. E. Lund is a writer and former policy wonk who lives with her family of humans and animals in a century-old house on a quiet tree-lined street in a small city in Western Canada. She dreams of living in a warmer climate by the ocean where she can smell the salt air when she opens her window and snow is just a word in a dictionary.
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Also by S. E. Lund
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
THE DOMINION SERIES
Dominion: Book 1 in the Dominion Series
Ascension: Book 2 in the Dominion Series
Retribution: Book 3 in the Dominion Series
Resurrection: Book 4 in the Dominion Series
Redemption: Book 5 in the Dominion Series
THE VAMPIRE’S PET SERIES
The Vampire’s Pet: Part One: Prince of the City
The Vampire’s Pet: Part Two: The City on the Hill (August 2017)
Contemporary Erotic Romance
THE UNRESTRAINED SERIES
The Agreement: Book 1
The Commitment: Book 2
Unrestrained: Book 3
Unbreakable: Book 4
Forever After: Book 5
Everlasting: Book 6 (Coming October 2017!)
THE DRAKE SERIES (The Unrestrained Series from Drake’s Point of View)
Drake Restrained
Drake Unwound
Drake Unbound
NEW ADULT ROMANCE
Mr. Big Shot
THE BAD BOY SERIES
Bad Boy Saint: Book 1
Bad Boy Sinner: Book 2
Bad Boy Soldier: Book 3
Bad Boy Savior: Book 4 (C0ming in July 2017)
