The Pageant

by Leigh Walker

  “The contestants are ultimately my responsibility.” The prince took a step toward him. “I don’t want you harassing the girls, Tariq. We both know you get a little grabby when there’s power lying about.”

  The emissary’s eyes flashed. “My lord, I wasn’t—”

  “I do not approve of the tone you were using with Miss West, nor do I approve of you dragging her away from her maids and into this room. It’s our responsibility to keep these young women safe, and I don’t want them to feel vulnerable or scared while they’re here at the palace. Yesterday was bad enough.”

  Tariq nodded, any trace of dissent vanished from his handsome, now-compliant face. “Of course, my lord. You’re right.”

  “And as for having Miss West out after curfew last night, my sincere apologies. To both of you.” He bowed deeply. “I would like you to keep the breach to yourself, Tariq. My parents went through enough yesterday. They don’t need to know I had one of the guests out of their rooms in violation of the rules.”

  “I understand.” Tariq returned the bow. Then his laser-like gaze flicked over me. “About this guest. What is she going to say about being the only candidate from Settlement Four?”

  “She will say nothing, as it’s nothing to do with her.” The prince stepped toward me protectively, and I caught a whiff of his scent again.

  Tariq nodded, the picture of deference. “Of course, Your Highness. What about the other girl? What steps are being taken?”

  The prince’s shoulders sagged. “Eve has no family to notify. The poor girl’s an orphan. Once she’s feeling better, I’ll explain that she’s welcome to remain here with us for as long as she likes. The palace will be her home if she chooses to stay here.”

  I had a million questions about that, but I kept my mouth shut.

  “Very well,” Tariq said. “Should we bring in a backup candidate from Settlement Four to replace her?”

  The prince scrubbed a hand across his face. “I was thinking about it. I don’t want to bring attention to the fact that Eve isn’t participating. We need to rethink the launch. The televised portion, at least. I want it to be seamless, without giving the audience any reason to panic.” He shook his head. “I feel terrible about what happened to the girl. I wanted this contest to be a reason for the settlements to unite.”

  “We can still do that. I give you my word that we will.” Tariq rubbed his hands together then started pacing. “What if we eliminate the first round of the competition and leave that portion un-televised? We could prepare a montage to briefly narrate the events—”

  “What’s the first portion of the competition?” I asked.

  Tariq kept pacing. “The prince was supposed to meet with each of the girls individually, several times, and then make the first cut at the end of next week. Fifteen girls will be going home.”

  The prince crossed his arms. “So you’re saying we do the cut immediately?”

  Tariq’s eyes glittered. “Yes. I can prepare footage that includes Eve’s arrival yesterday so there will be proof she was here. She can be listed as one of the contestants who didn’t advance to the second round.”

  “And the other girls?”

  Tariq waved the question away. “I can easily eliminate fourteen of the other girls. I’ll spread it out among the settlements. This will be good, actually. I think we’ll increase excitement by narrowing the field right away. And I’ll make sure all the girls who are going home have crystal-clear instructions about what they can and cannot say about the experience.”

  The prince nodded. “Very good.”

  Tariq pointed at me. “One more thing. I think we need to make sure that Miss West advances. The viewers from Settlement Four will be so enthralled to have one of their own continuing in the contest that they’ll never question why the other girl got cut in the first round. Do you have any objection to that?”

  The prince glanced at me. Did I imagine it, or did he look tense?

  “I don’t have a problem with that.” I had a lot of other problems, but advancing in the competition after making so many blunders wasn’t one of them. “Do you?” I asked the prince.

  “Not at all.” He smiled, forcing me to confront that dimple. “Just try not to pass out.”

  Blushing, I took the opportunity to smooth my immaculately ironed dress.

  “I want to make sure she’s featured heavily,” Tariq said, “to throw them off the scent.”

  The prince turned to him. “Fine by me.”

  Tariq beamed at me, still rubbing his hands together. “Then, Miss West, congratulations. You’ve officially survived the first round.”

  As they discussed the details further, I pondered whether I should laugh or cry.

  Chapter 10

  About Last Night

  The prince held out his arm. “I’ll escort you to the common room.”

  Tariq watched me from under his long eyelashes as I accepted the prince’s offer. “I’ll see you shortly, in our first class.” He nodded, then sidled off.

  I waited until his footsteps disappeared down the hall. “Thank you for saving me from him.”

  “Any time.” The prince smiled. “The royal emissary’s been with my family for a long time. He’s been pushing for us to do something like this, and he’s thrilled about the contest. He’s particularly thrilled about running the contest. It’s my responsibility to show him that I’m still the boss.”

  “I think you made that clear.”

  “I hope so. I have to keep him on a short leash, lest he scare you and the other girls off.”

  “He’s just intense.” I shrugged. “I’m not afraid of him.”

  The prince gave me a quick look. “I wasn’t suggesting you should be. But watch your step, and don’t underestimate him. He’ll be paying close attention.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  He frowned as he led me down the hall. “Would it be too bold of me to ask you to use my given name?”

  The Dark Prince? “Do you mean Dallas?” It sounded funny on my lips.

  “That’s right.”

  “Are you named after the old American city?” That had been the topic of much speculation in the settlements, but none of us knew for sure.

  “Yes. It was in one of the larger states.”

  I nodded. “Texas.”

  Dallas smiled at me. “That’s right. My parents believe some of our ancestors came from there.”

  “Really?” I didn’t know vampires had lived in the old America. But…had the Blacks always been vampires? Or did they have human ancestors?

  How exactly did this whole vampire thing work?

  I bit back the question. I had a million more, and none of them were particularly appropriate.

  We continued down the hall, arms still linked, and I tried to ignore the feel of his muscled forearm. I could smell him again. For the love of all things holy, do all vampires smell this good?

  My cheeks burned. Get a grip, Gwyn.

  We reached the stairs, and Dallas paused. “I know you’re curious about your friend, and I wanted to give you what information I can.”

  “Thank you, Your—Dallas. I mean, not your Dallas. Just Dallas.” I bit my lip, willing myself to calm down so I stopped blathering. I needed to hear about Eve.

  “I understand.” He smiled kindly. “You’ve been through a lot in a short amount of time.”

  I sighed. “Thank you. But… How is she?”

  He peered down the stairs, making sure no one was coming. “I have good news. Eve made it through the night. Her fever’s come down, and she’s sleeping. It won’t be long now.”

  My breath caught in my throat. “What won’t be long?”

  Keeping his voice low, he said, “She is turning from human to vampire. She won’t exactly be different when the transformation is complete, but she won’t be the same, either.”

  “How will she be different?”

  The sun shone brightly through the windows, and I gasped. “Wait a minute. Should you b
e up right now?” The question sounded borderline hysterical, but I had my reasons.

  He laughed. “You have nothing to fear from me, Gwyneth. I’m perfectly capable of moving about in the daytime, and I’m not going to bite. I promise.”

  “I’m sorry.” Ashamed, I exhaled shakily. “Can all vampires withstand the sun?”

  His smile vanished. “No, they cannot. And that’s why we maintain certain rules here at the palace. But I’m sorry. We should keep this conversation focused on Eve.”

  “Of course.” Still, I was pleased to have another piece of vampire intel to file away. “About Eve. What will she…eat?”

  The prince watched me carefully. “Blood. And a fair amount of wine, I’m guessing. It’s quite an adjustment.”

  My mind whirled. Eve hated vampires. And yet, when she awoke, that would be her new life. “Can you reverse the transformation?”

  “No. The change is permanent.”

  We looked at each other for a moment.

  “I know this isn’t what she’d choose for herself,” Dallas said. “But I promise you, I will take care of her. She won’t be alone, and she won’t suffer.”

  “Will you find food for her? Or will she have to hunt?” I refused to let a picture form in my mind.

  “We have everything she’ll need. And I promise it’s all very sanitized and civilized. She won’t be hurting anyone. All of our blood comes from donations.”

  “Oh. From the…staff?”

  “And other sources. But I can assure you she’ll have the best medical care and transformation guides. Everyone on the royal staff is well-equipped to deal with these sorts of situations. They’re rare these days, but we’re quite capable.”

  “You say it’s rare—do you mean, for a vampire to bite a human?”

  “Of course, it’s rare.” He tilted his chin and examined me. “Do you think I’m a savage?”

  “No, but your mother could probably work on her table manners.” I clapped a hand over my mouth as soon as the words tumbled out, cursing myself.

  But Dallas threw his head back and laughed. “That’s a good one, Gwyn.”

  I twisted my hands together, miserable. “I should never have said it.”

  His big shoulders stopped shaking as he calmed down. “Probably not. But I’m not used to people speaking freely in front of me.”

  Because it’s likely a very, very bad idea. “It was rude of me. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s refreshing to be around someone with a different perspective, who isn’t plotting and scheming and on their guard all the time.” His expression sobered. “I wonder if the other contestants will be so forthcoming. I rather doubt it.”

  Crud. I needed to be plotting and scheming and on my guard all the time! This was a contest, and I was trying to win. So why did I keep saying the terribly inappropriate things that popped into my head? The other girls would probably dazzle him with calm demeanors, sentences that made sense, and pretending to be perfectly at home with a palace full of vampires.

  I seriously suck at this.

  Dallas leveled me with a look, as if he could read my thoughts. “It’s okay if you don’t want to be here. I understand.”

  “No, no. I want to be here.” I swallowed hard, heart thudding. “I’m sorry for what I said. It’s nothing personal. What happened last night frightened me.”

  “Of course, it did.” He pursed his lips, his face stormy. If I hadn’t upset him with the comment about his mother, I’d managed to do it just now. “I couldn’t expect you to overlook something like that.”

  “Will Eve be able to stay out during the day, like you?” I asked, anxious to change the subject.

  “I don’t know yet,” Dallas admitted. “Each transformation is different, and our kind evolves at an individual pace. Eve will be unique in many ways. We’ll just have to wait and see what she’s like in her new life.”

  “Will she have her same memories?”

  “Many of them. Strong memories come through, but many of the details of everyday life become blurry.”

  “Like what?” In spite of myself, I was fascinated.

  “My friend Lucas was turned. He always regretted that he couldn’t remember what a cheeseburger tasted like, or why he’d enjoyed them so much.”

  “Is Lucas here?” I asked.

  His eyes darkened further. “No, he’s not. But enough of all this. We can’t have you out past curfew and late for your first meal. Tariq will see me flailed.” He held out his hand for mine. “Shall we?”

  The guards stared straight ahead as Dallas swept me into the foyer and down the hall toward the common room. I could hear the other girls inside, eating their breakfast and talking amongst each other.

  We paused outside the door, and I swallowed hard.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “Nothing. I haven’t really spoken with any of the other girls, is all.” My nerves thrummed as I tried to gather my courage. Being thrust into a situation with a large group of strangers was not my thing.

  “But you have friends back home?” Dallas asked.

  I nodded. “Two.” Tavi, who’s on her honeymoon with a husband she barely knows. Lyra, who’s probably cursing me for coming here. As if I had a choice!

  “Two’s something.”

  “And my family.” I’d do well to remember them. I adjusted the collar of my dress as if I were adjusting armor.

  His gaze flicked to my gown. “You have nothing to worry about. You look perfect. Stunning, actually.”

  My cheeks flamed again. “Thank you, Your—Dallas.” I smiled at him, trying to make a joke, but his brow stayed furrowed in a deep V.

  “And you have a sense of humor, albeit a mildly inappropriate one. You also just survived your first night in a den of vampires. You can probably survive a bunch of girls, don’t you think?” He arched an eyebrow, all cool formality, where he’d been warm and protective earlier.

  I’m royally screwing this up. Pun absolutely intended, ha ha.

  He eyed me indifferently, and I tried to keep the disappointment from my face. “Of course.”

  But as he opened the door, I didn’t feel certain about that or anything else.

  Chapter 11

  Pop

  All the girls stopped talking, staring at me then at Dallas then back again.

  Eve’s words came back to me. You have met other girls before, haven’t you?

  “Well, good luck, then,” Dallas said in a low voice.

  He bowed and took his leave.

  Coward. I was left standing solo, with forty-eight girls giving me disdainful side-eyes. I wanted to explain that I was no threat to them, but I didn’t dare.

  A kitchen maid rescued me, taking me to a seat in a far corner and pouring me tea. “Are you hungry, miss?”

  “Not really.” Still reeling from the missteps I’d just made with the prince, I was shaking.

  She patted me kindly on the shoulder. “I’ll get you some toast. You’ll have your lessons all morning, so you need to eat.”

  I nodded, relieved that she was taking care of me when I didn’t feel capable of it. I stirred some milk and honey into my tea then took a sip. Mmm. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had honey. The tea warmed me, giving me some strength back. The kind maid brought my toast, and I slathered butter, another luxury, onto it.

  I ate as delicately as I could manage, examining the other girls from the safety of my corner.

  With the addition of the western settlers, the sheer volume of contestants seemed overwhelming. I barely recognized anyone from the day before. The girls were transformed by their beautiful dresses, elaborately arranged hair, and glistening jewels. They whispered to each other, intermittently looking in my direction, until one finally stood up and came over.

  She was very tall, with blond braids wrapped around her head and a sour look on her face. In her ruby gown, she should’ve looked beautiful, but her disdainful expression marred her good looks.

  I motioned to th
e chair across from me. “Would you like to sit?”

  “I don’t think so.” She scowled down at me. “I’m just here to find out if you have news about the other girl from your settlement. Everyone wants to know.”

  “I don’t know anything. Not yet.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “So what were you doing with the prince just now?”

  “He showed me to the common room.”

  Her eyes flashed. “He didn’t show me to the common room. Or any of the other girls.”

  “Oh.”

  Not getting any answers, she gave me one last nasty glare. With a flick of her braids, she turned on her heel and was gone.

  “I’m Gwyneth, by the way. Settlement Four. Very nice to meet you,” I mumbled to myself.

  The maid brought me more toast and, no longer caring what the other girls thought, I greedily stuffed it into my mouth.

  I wanted to call the vinegary blonde back to my table and tell her, through a mouthful of toast, that the Dark Prince was all hers. He wasn’t interested in me and my unruly mouth, and I wasn’t interested in him, his fangs, his mood swings, or his godforsaken mother.

  Talk about the mother-in-law from hell.

  But of course, I said nothing. I couldn’t be a coward, and I could no longer be honest. I’d made it through the first cut by sheer luck. It might’ve even been bad luck, I couldn’t be sure.

  Still, I had to collect myself and get back in the running for the prince’s heart.

  I need to win to save my family.

  Even if winning meant lying to everyone and turning my back on what my father and brother had fought for. Even if it meant a death sentence instead of a new life for me.

  So be it.

  The breakfast dishes were cleared by the time Tariq and his band of sentinels appeared. He smiled approvingly at us in our finery. “Ladies, please follow me to the salon. We’ll begin our first lesson shortly.”