by V. Vaughn
“Margaret.”
A vision of a dungeon cell with a cot and a toilet flashes in my overactive mind. “What exactly does that mean, anyway? Where would you put me?”
Sebastian chuckles. “Not where you are envisioning, my dear. If you don’t, and that’s a very big if since I’m confident you’ll be able to master bloodlust, you’d go to live on the O’Kellys’ island. Where Lyndsey is.”
“Oh no.” Compassion fills me as I imagine the girl I accidentally changed is banished to an island.
“It’s not what you think.” Sebastian smiles at me. “On the contrary. Lyndsey is an O’Kelly. A princess. And I believe she’s quite happy with her new life.”
“Whoa.” I picture the surfer girl with her braids and lithe athletic body wearing a beaded dress and crown. “Really?”
“Really,” says Alexander as he enters the room.
My heart fills with joy as I gaze at the love of my life. Then it jumps into my throat as Alexander smiles at me. I move toward him slowly, but I can’t control my impulse to be in his arms and practically throw myself at him.
“Maggie,” he says as he catches me in a hug and lifts me off my feet.
His arms are like a warm blanket as my heart begins to overflow with love. When he sets me back down on my feet, I take his face in my hands and kiss him. Any doubt I had of my feelings for him disappears because I’m nearly engulfed in our connection. Alexander kisses me back with passion, and he breaks away reluctantly to gaze down at me with a delirious look that must mimic mine. He lets out a low noise from the back of his throat. “Maggie.”
“I know.”
I reach up to pull his head back down, but he pulls back, and his brow knits. “I hate to do this to you.”
“What?”
He looks over my shoulder toward Sebastian. “The king has summoned us for a hunt.”
“You can go feed anytime,” I blurt out. I don’t bother to hide my disappointment and pout.
“Ah, my sweet Maggie,” says Alexander, “one doesn’t say no to the king. Especially when it’s to help the princess with her first hunt.”
“Lyndsey,” I say, and my bitterness comes through in my tone. I squint at him before turning my gaze to Sebastian. “Did you know about this?”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Margaret. Alexander is right. We can’t say no.” He turns to his brother. “When is it—”
A loud knock sounds on the door, and Alexander smiles. “Now.”
Chapter 5
Maggie
Panic rises in me. I’m afraid of what I might do while the Hart brothers go feed. “You’re seriously going to leave me alone?” I ask Alexander.
He frowns as Sebastian says, “No. Adly will stay with you.”
While I enjoy Adly, he’s got to be sick of babysitting me. The hunting party with Princess Lyndsey bangs on the door again.
Sebastian moves toward the door, and Alexander shrugs. “Sorry. Duty calls.”
I sigh. “I know.” I’d love to pout and have a temper tantrum. It’s not as if I don’t need to train to feed too. I scowl instead, though, because the reality is that royalty is about to enter the foyer, and I have a feeling that’s not something I should mess with.
When I hear voices, I step out of the study with Alexander. There is a group of eight or so vampires in addition to the Hart brothers, and I notice Lyndsey. She was a beautiful girl before she changed, but now she’s stunning. “Hey, Maggie,” she says.
We weren’t exactly close as humans, but I feel we have a lot in common, being new vampires, and it would be nice if Lyndsey and I could become friends. I smile at her and wonder if I’m supposed to address her formally. I opt to avoid possibly offending her and say, “It’s good to see you. First time, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s true what they say. Bagged blood tastes awful to me now.”
She smiles back, and Alexander moves next to her. He says, “Don’t be nervous, Princess. You’ll be great at it.” He bumps against her. “Like everything else.”
I narrow my eyes in annoyance that bubbles up in me out of nowhere. When did they get so chummy?
I notice an attractive vampire grinning as he checks me out. “Nice blouse,” he says. I glance down at my green silk top that I put on to be sexy for Alexander. “Too bad you’re not coming with us,” he adds in a suggestive tone.
It’s truly horrible of me, but since Alexander doesn’t seem very upset about leaving me behind—he’s standing next to Lyndsey instead of holding on to me as if he never wants to let go—I flirt back. “There’s always next time.”
Sebastian clears his throat, and I look over at him. He’s standing next to a man with dark hair and blue eyes like Lyndsey’s. Sebastian says, “Margaret, this is King O’Kelly.”
My face flushes because I’m not sure what to do. Fortunately, the king holds out his hand, so I shake it as I say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
He grasps my fingers tightly. “Welcome to the kingdom.” He chuckles as he glances at Sebastian. “Robert does have a thing for redheads. I see why he’s so taken with her.”
Robert? I frown because I would have thought my situation with the evil vampire wouldn’t be a topic of general conversation.
The king releases my hand, and another vampire says, “Let’s go already. I’m starving.”
Alexander steps over and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
I nod and offer him a wry smile, and I notice he moves next to Lyndsey again as they leave. I have no doubt my lower lip is out in full force with my pout the moment the heavy door thuds shut. Why couldn’t they have taken me too? It’s not as if Lyndsey needs all of them to keep her in control. I cross my arms as my anger builds, and I hear Alexander’s voice in my head. “You’ll be great at it. Like everything else.” I let out a huff. “I bet.”
I turn on my heel to go find Adly and see what he’s up to because I need a serious distraction. But as I climb the stairs, another thought comes to me. Why can’t I go too? I bet that hot vampire would be more than happy to assist me with feeding. I act on my impulse and race up the stairs with vampire speed.
When I get to my room, I strip off my clothes as fast as I can. As I yank my hair out of a black turtleneck, I glance in the mirror then pause a moment to fully look at the stunning vision before me. My hair is a fiery shade of orange that cascades in curls around my shoulders as my green eyes nearly jump off my pale face. Damn. I’ve been so against being a vampire that I never took the time to notice how hot I am. No wonder that vampire noticed me. Hmpf. I’ll show Alexander what he’s missing.
I grin before I grab a hair tie to wear on my wrist in case I need it. It would be a shame to get blood in my hair. The thought of feeding on a human again makes my craving throb in my veins, and my mouth waters as if I’m about to get a juicy steak. But the sober truth of what I’m about to do hits me. Not only am I about to feed on humans, but I’m defying Sebastian. I shake my head at myself. I’m not going to let Lyndsey wiggle her way in between me and Alexander. I turn to rush back down the stairs.
When I get outside, I tune in to the sounds around me to track the hunting party. I hear light conversation and determine they can’t be very far ahead of me. They’re not in a rush, but I am in order to catch up, so I pour on my vampire speed in the direction of the hunting party.
Once I get to the woods, I slow down when I realize I should try to be stealthier. There’s no need to draw attention to myself and have Sebastian ruin my plan. As I begin to pick my way along a path, a man appears by my side and says, “Maggie. I’ve missed you.”
I jerk away and gaze at the stranger, who seems to have magically materialized. There’s something familiar about him, and a chill runs down my spine when I realize who he must be. I say, “Don’t touch me, Robert.”
“I’m flattered you know who I am.” Robert grins as he steps forward and holds out his hand. “I promise not to bite.”<
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I shake my head. “That’s not what I’m afraid of. I know you’ve controlled my mind and that you have to touch me to do it.” I glance in the direction the hunting party went. “Besides, I need to catch up to my friends.”
“Really.” He grins, and his fangs glow in the moonlight as he reveals them to me. “Sebastian didn’t notice you fell behind?”
I shrug as I begin to back away from him. My muscles tense on high alert. “Guess not.”
I’m about to turn to run when Robert’s hand reaches out in a flash to latch onto my arm. I gasp, and he yanks me close and wraps his other arm around my waist as if he’s going to kiss me. “Not so fast, precious.”
His breath on my skin makes tiny hairs stand up, and a whimper of fear escapes before I say, “Please don’t control me again.”
He twirls a lock of my hair around his finger, making me wish I’d pulled it back. “Not to worry, Maggie. You’re going to remember everything we do tonight.”
Suddenly, I’m not so sure I want to remember, and I ask, “What are we going to do?”
Robert loosens his hold. “You’re going to feed with me. It’s so much better in an intimate setting.”
“But I—”
He places a finger on my lips. “Shhh. I’m doing you a favor. Imagine the trouble you’d be in right now if I didn’t stop you. I don’t think Sebastian would be very pleased if you crashed his hunting party with the O’Kellys.”
While Sebastian would be angry when he discovered I weaseled my way into feeding with them, I’m sure he’s going to be angrier that I’ve let myself be accosted by Robert. Again. “Maybe not,” I say. “But me feeding with you isn’t better.”
“I’m going to show you that it is.” Robert releases me and takes a step back. “I’m a very good trainer.”
Apparently, he did keep me from killing last time, but I’m not sure why he wants to train me. “If I screamed right now, Sebastian and the group of vampires would descend on you in an instant.”
“Not fast enough to stop me from killing you.”
I should be afraid, but Robert wouldn’t be toying with me if he didn’t want me for something. Even so, it’s probably wise for me not to call his bluff. “What makes you better at training a new vampire to feed than most?”
He taps his temple. “I get into your head.”
“Oh no you won’t.”
“You’re a feisty one.” Robert chuckles. “You act like you have a choice.”
I glare at him. “I can still scr—”
Icy-cold fingers lock onto my throat, cutting off my ability to speak. I dig my nails into his skin, trying to yank him off of me as I squirm in his grasp.
Robert leans in to hiss in my ear, “Try me.”
Now I’m not so sure he won’t kill me, so when he lets go, I croak out, “Fine.” I lock my gaze with his as I rub my throat. “Lead the way.” I do want to learn to feed with control. And I suppose, with his ability to control my mind, he’s an effective trainer, but I’m not sure what he’s training me for.
Chapter 6
Lyndsey
A twig snaps under my foot as I walk through the woods with the hunting party, and I think about the way Maggie appeared mad at Alexander earlier. I know the two of them are a thing and wonder if they’re fighting. I ask, “Why didn’t Maggie come tonight?”
“One new vampire out of control is enough,” jokes Alexander.
“Really. Because it looked like you’ve got one angry redhead on your hands.”
Alexander sighs. “I don’t want to talk about my love life.”
“Well, I don’t have one.”
“Huh.” Alexander tugs a branch aside to let me walk by. “Then you should probably refrain from killing any guy that’s into you.”
He’s got to be referring to Liam, and I laugh, but I do feel a twinge of regret. I recall how courageous Liam was when faced with knowing I was about to chop his head off. He was definitely the kind of guy I would have wanted to be with if circumstances had been different.
The scent of blood slams into me like a freight train, and I stop in my tracks as Des says, “Shhh.” My desire is so much more powerful than when it was just the Harts’ housekeeper. It must be because there is more than one human ahead. My instinct tries to take over, but I fight back to keep myself from thrashing through the woods to get to the people ahead. It’s no use because I feel like I’m stepping on a brake that doesn’t work.
Before I can run, Tadhg appears by my side, and he grips my arm tightly as we move closer. I see a group of teenagers around a fire, and I begin to tremble as I nearly drown in my need to feed. I let out a whimper as the last thread of my control snaps, and I go with the urge to attack. Tadhg tightens his grip and whispers in my ear, “Patience. You’ll get one.”
His voice is far away because I’m blind with my desire. I let out a growl and twist free with the technique I’ve been working on for weeks during my training with Des. I don’t take time to break any of Tadhg’s bones, though. Instead, I let him go and lunge forward to grab a boy, who gazes at me with terror in his eyes. I chomp on his neck as if I’m ready to tear meat from a bone. The moment the sweet nectar of his life hits my tongue, I’m beyond ravenous. I bite again to get as much blood as quickly as possible. I wallow in the sheer pleasure of it as my vampire lets loose. His body is like a rag doll in my arms, and blood splashes as I sink my teeth into him over and over to get every last drop. I’d be afraid of the way I’m being pulled under by my desire, but I’m too immersed in it to care.
“Stop!” yells Tadhg. He and Alexander grab my hands and pull me off the boy. I let out a groan as I struggle to get back to my meal. “Lyndsey!”
I glare at Tadhg as I spit out, “What?”
“Damn it,” I hear Des say. “Sebastian?”
“That’s enough,” Tadhg says.
I scowl at him for scolding me as if I’m a child. We’re vampires, after all. I lick my lips and relish the metallic flavor of blood as I try to lick my fingers too. I squirm in the hold he and Alexander have on me as I say, “I’m not even close to done.”
I glance around and notice bodies slumped on the ground as if the teens are sleeping. There’s still blood in their veins, and every single one smells delicious. My mouth waters as I set my sights on a girl with a blond ponytail. “More,” I hiss out as I struggle to get free.
I hear Dad chuckle as I thrash in my captors’ grasps. He says, “That’s one royal appetite.” I look over in his direction and see him crouched by the boy I fed on. The kid’s neck is a mass of blood, and his eyes are wide-open but glazed over. Somewhere deep in my consciousness, I realize that I killed him, but I feel no emotion since it barely registers above my craving for more blood.
Tadhg says, “We have to get her out of here.”
“No!” I scream as Des, Alexander, and Tadhg drag me back into the woods. They move with vampire speed to get me back to the Hart brothers’ house. I don’t stop struggling until we get out of range and I can no longer smell blood.
I let my vampire fade, and when I do, the vision of the dead boy fills my mind. It makes my stomach begin to churn. “Oh god,” I say as we walk across the lawn to the Harts’.
“Yeah,” says Des. “You’re a shredder.”
Alexander opens the door, and the ruby eyes of the dragon door knocker flash with the light of the moon. “A what?” I ask.
Alexander says, “It’s a slang term for vampires who get carried away like you did.”
“Crap. So I did kill him?” As we walk by the grand staircase, I recall coming here for the first time and launching myself in a sexual frenzy at Alexander within seconds of meeting him. I thought I was out of control then, but that was nothing compared to the way I just felt while feeding on the boy.
“You did,” says Tadhg. “But we’ll beat it out of you.”
We enter the study, and I crack a smile that quickly disappears when Tadhg faces me with a stone-cold expression. I raise my eyebrows at D
es, but he doesn’t smile either. When I look at Alexander, he appears concerned too. Damn it. “What does this mean?”
Alexander ignores my question and looks at Tadhg as he says, “It was a good crew. Nobody’s going to talk.”
“Talk?” I ask, but apparently, I’m invisible since nobody answers me.
“Where are Adly and Maggie?” asks Des as ice cubes clunk into glasses as Alexander prepares drinks.
“They won’t talk either,” Alexander says.
Tadhg lets out a grunt as he takes his glass from Alexander, and my chest tightens as I begin to fear what I’m going to find out. I ask, “Somebody please tell me what’s going on.”
Des says, “You’re the kind of vampire the Harts would like to prevent from ever feeding on a human.”
“Great. So I haven’t got an ounce of control, but I’m sure I can learn it.” I take in the somber faces. “Guys?”
Des sighs. “Sure. I mean, you have to. You’re going to take over the throne one day, and that means you’ll need to leave the island.”
“Wow. That’s encouraging.” I suck down my drink and walk over to the bar to pour myself another.
“Lyndsey,” says Alexander. He looks over at Tadhg. “You’re considered untrainable. And honestly, we usually—well.”
“Oh.” I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but I can’t believe my royal lineage didn’t keep me from being the worst kind of vampire there is. Although it apparently keeps me from being extinguished. And I suppose I should be embarrassed too, since they’re discussing how this news shouldn’t get out. “So you’re saying I suck and might not ever be able to be around humans again.” I take a big swig of my drink and hold the alcohol in my mouth until it burns before swallowing it down.
Tadhg comes over to me and holds out his glass as he says, “Maybe.” Liquid gurgles as I give him a refill.
Des rakes his hand through his hair as he holds his glass out for more too. “Damn it, Princess. I’m sorry.”
