by Myers, J. L.
A pang of grief tugged at my heart as the breeze dwindled around us. The sound of the hedges’ rustling died down. For the first time ever, I was experiencing emotion for the father I had never known, for his sacrifice and his love.
But that wasn’t all that gripped me in this moment, wasn’t what caused my body to turn as rigid as solid steel. I could hear Ty’s steady pulse. It was louder than before. And even though I couldn’t smell it, I could imagine the taste of his rich blood on my tongue. Involuntary tingles swarmed my gums, threatening to extend my fangs. I shot to my feet. “I have to great guests. I’ll see you inside.”
Darting back up the stone path, I paused just outside the marquee’s curtained entrance. I doubled over breathing hard.
“You wanted to bite him. Didn’t you?” Kendrick’s strained voice caused me to jump.
I stared up at him in disbelief. “You were watching?”
Kendrick shrugged. “No. I mean, yes. I was just looking out for you.” His eyes dropped with a sigh. I couldn’t be angry with him. He looked so defeated, jaw set and shoulders slouched. “Just be careful.”
I watched after him as he walked past me and into the marquee. People buzzed with excitement inside, all dressed to the nines and sipping champagne from crystal flutes. White candles were suspended in glass holders from the pitched roof, which was woven with black silk and taffeta. With the sunlight now gone, the warm glimmer of flickering flames made the room feel like it was illuminated by thousands of fireflies under a black-as-night sky. Kendrick wove through the excitement without notice and dropped into a white cane chair at our table. Polished, gold-plated cutlery, white china, and lily centerpieces surrounded by more glassed candles filled the table. A plastic bidding paddle also sat beside each place setting. All our hard work had paid off. But I really didn’t care. Kendrick was hurting, and I didn’t understand why. Was he just worried that I couldn’t control my instinctual urges with Ty? Or was it something more?
Feeling powerless, I slid through the transparent glittering curtains, picking a path through the groups of rich locals, who were unknowingly conversing with vampires. At the front wall, I paused before the stage Dorian, Ty and I had built that morning.
Desperate for a distraction to erase Kendrick’s defeated expression from my mind, I glanced around the stage. There were so many auction items. Most were perched on columned pedestals. There were antique vases and clocks, stone-carved statues, and a multitude of expensive-looking jewelry, new and old. An array of large and small paintings also lined the walls. Each was strung between the silk and taffeta that had been draped from the pitched roof to fall delicately down the walls.
With my head clearing, I began to turn away. It was time to bite the bullet and endure an evening of uncomfortable tension between Kendrick and Ty. But before I could take one step, a single piece caught my eye. It was a gold jewelry box. Amethyst stones encrusted the intricate rose design and sparkled with the flicker of candlelight. I couldn’t look away. Or move. An invisible force had taken hold of me. It was like the gravitational pull of the sun that forced my body forward. The auction would be called to attention soon. I should be getting to my seat. Still, I couldn’t break the invisible and gripping hold. My fingers grazed the cool metal, curling around the jewelry box to pick it up. As I did, something clinked. There was something inside. I lowered the piece back to the pedestal and tried to lift the lid. It wouldn’t budge. Then I noticed a keyhole carved into the front. Was it locked?
“Amelia, sweetheart.” My mom’s voice echoed behind me, snapping me out of my hypnotized state with a body-jarring jolt. “Look who’s here.”
I turned to see Mom gliding toward me, bringing an invisible cloud of lavender with her. A pleased smile lit her face. With her blond hair pinned back, and ivory layered gown flowing in ethereal waves after her, she looked like a goddess, a creature too beautiful to be of this world.
A vampire stepped out from behind her. In his hand was a single black calla lily that held the deepest hint of purple. He was dressed in black Armani. The surrounding candlelight emphasized his shadowed face of dark-circled eyes and gaunt cheeks. He looked terribly tired, and old.
“Uncle Caius!” I squealed, darting past Mom with outstretched arms. Caius enveloped with firm open arms. “I can’t believe you’re here. Mom didn’t mention you were coming.” I shot a mock glare at Mom who smiled with pure delight.
With a chuckle, Uncle Caius released me from his paternal embrace and handed me the vibrant flower. They were my absolute favorites, the same flowers Caius used to bring for me during his weekend visits in Anchorage. “It is wonderful to see you too, my dear Amelia. I have missed you greatly. And please forgive your mother. It was my idea to surprise you.”
“You’re staying, aren’t you?” I swayed back and forth on my heels like an excited child and almost lost my balance. Why had I agreed to wear these stupid things?
“I would love to,” Caius said. He leaned his weight against a white cane chair at the hostess’s table, being front and center of the stage. Small place cards scrawled with calligraphy sat before each china place setting. My uncle’s name was printed in the spot next to Mom’s. “Unfortunately, I can only stay for the auction. I have pressing council matters to tend to,” he went on. To which I pouted, a move that usually worked in getting my way. Not this time though. Caius’s staid expression refused to falter. “Now, now, I promise we will see each other again, very soon.”
“Alright,” I said, sounding like a stubborn child and reluctant to give in that easily.
The parting of the curtained entrance evaporated my ability to argue further. Over the heads of formally dressed attendees, two people had just entered, Ty and Vanessa. Mom and Caius had begun talking beside me. Without a scent to alert them, they seemed unaware of Ty’s presence as he sat with Vanessa at our table across the marquee. Kendrick half glanced-up, acknowledging their arrival with disinterest.
“Who are they?” Caius’s sharp voice stabbed through me, causing my heart to jump.
I didn’t need to follow his outstretched arm to know he was pointing at Ty and Vanessa. I tried to speak but couldn’t. My tongue was suddenly dry and sticking to the roof of my mouth. Even without a scent, if anyone can tell what Ty is, he can.
“Oh,” Mom spoke, now following Caius’s line of sight. Puzzlement scrawled across her unlined face. “They’re Amelia’s friends. Why?”
Caius shrugged and buried his hands in his black pants pockets. “No reason.”
“How about we introduce you?” Mom suggested.
Panic bolted through my bones and my eyes darted from her to Uncle Caius. I couldn’t risk the possibility of Ty’s eyes flashing gold. “But the auction,” I said, voice quaking and words rushed. “It’ll be starting any minute. You two should settle, get seated.”
“Amelia is right, Lamayli.” Caius’s voice was level and devoid of concern. “We should get seated.” My sudden relief was quickly overshadowed. Caius tilted his head toward me, his expression turning grim. “Amelia, I am glad you have made friends.” His eyes shifted back to our table. For a second I thought I saw a flash of contempt mixed with fear stealing across his disheveled features. Then it was gone, and he just looked incredibly tired. “But don’t forget what happened back in Anchorage. You almost killed a boy there.”
Images of that night flashed through my mind like the turning pages of a picture book. In the background of my mind the song ‘Let you down’ began to play. The monster was still inside of me. It always would be. And I would always struggle to control its predatory instinct, the primal thirst for blood. Uncle Caius was right to be concerned, right to fear me screwing up again.
“It would be wise to refrain from forming any close relationships,” Caius went on. “At least until you can trust in your restraint.”
Feeling empty inside, and discounting any progress I had convinced myself I had made, I nodded obediently. “Thank you for your concern, Uncle Caius. I will not let you
down.”
Caius smiled. It was a strained, lip-thinning smile.
Mom held out a hand to him. “Let’s get settled,” she suggested. “And Amelia,” she said as they took their seats. “Please send Dorian over to say hello once he arrives.”
“Of course,” I said with a stiff nod. Mom and Caius began greeting guests already seated at their table. The conflict was already forgotten. But I couldn’t forget my uncles warning words. Am I kidding myself? Will I ever be able to fully trust myself with Ty, or anyone with a pulse?
I took my seat between Kendrick and Ty. Kendrick totally ignored my arrival by beginning a snowboarding game on his iPhone. Fan-freaking-tastic! Ty smiled from my other side and placed a warm hand over my knee. I dropped the black calla lily across my plate. But before I could sort through the four-sided conflict of Caius, Mom, Kendrick and Ty, a new one surfaced. Dorian and Marika had just ducked through the curtains. Dorian raised his eyes with a nod, greeting us all as they took their seats across the table. I couldn’t help the sneer that crossed my face on glimpsing Marika. Her black, wavy hair hung loose around her dark-olive shoulders, bouncing in time with her generous bust. The red dress was something else, low at the top and short below. It fit so snugly it could have been a mistaken for a second skin.
“Or painted on,” I muttered under my breath.
The auctioneer up front cleared his throat at the podium, distracting me from my sneer. “Welcome all. This promises to be a wonderful evening.”
I subconsciously tuned him out when Marika laughed flirtatiously. The sound drew not only my eye but also numerous disapproving looks from surrounding attendees. She began nipping at Dorian’s neck, her eyes set across the table at Ty. Fire flared up my throat and my stomach knitted.
Ty however, appeared unaware of her antics, inclining his head in my direction. “Who’s that with your mom?” he asked, lifting his chin in their direction.
Stifling my animosity for Marika, I turned in my seat to view Caius. His back was facing us with his head raised to the still babbling auctioneer. “My uncle…” I leaned into Ty, my lips brushing his ear. “I don’t think he could tell. But we need to steer clear, just in case.”
Ty nodded with understanding. “If you want me to leave…”
“No,” I cut in with a whisper, collecting and squeezing Ty’s hand. “The elixir’s working.” This morning was the first time I’d seen him since the party a week ago. And I’d missed him. “It’s fine. It’ll be fine.”
Vanessa leaned her head forward to glance past Ty to me. “Is there a problem?”
“Mind your own business,” Ty grumbled, shooting her a dirty look. “Not everything has to do with you.”
Vanessa, with an expression of contempt, pulled her head back in. She mumbled under her breath something that sounded like, “not yours to order around.”
The auctioneer had finally begun describing the first item in detail. It was a portrait of a young girl. Black and white clad waiters discreetly moved about the room. They delivered gold-plated platters topped with delicately displayed canapés to each table. The marquee was a quiet hum of chatter and mouths chewing. Our table sat in relative silence, apart from Marika whispering something nauseating into Dorian’s ear. To my right, Ty and Vanessa had their heads twisted, their eyes focused on the item up front. Kendrick was still playing his game and blatantly ignoring me. I sighed, craving chocolate. Even though it wouldn’t enlighten me to Kendrick’s mood, it would make me feel better. I sighed again, frustrated. We’d never really had an argument before that had resulted in silent treatment. This tension was new, and I wasn’t going to let it go on. After the auction I would force him to talk.
“Oh, Dorian,” I voiced across the table, just remembering what I still hadn’t told him. “Uncle Caius is here, up front with Mom. You should go and say hello.”
Dorian’s eyes lit up like the naked flames of the burning candles between us, and he sprung to his feet. For a split second he hesitated, expression turning blank. “I’ll be back soon.” He squeezed Marika’s shoulder and skirted around the tables to Caius.
After the auctioneer’s long-winded description, bidders began raising their paddles. The price hiked rapidly until it slowed and settled at thirty-four thousand.
I realized then that I hadn’t been bothered by Marika’s tactless, over-the-top flirting since her whispers across the table. Usually it was all I could do to keep my eyes off her disgusting flaunted sexuality. Except right now she sat quiet and poised. What’s she up to?
Marika twitched, seeming to feel my sneering eyes. She flashed me a wicked smile before turning her parted, full-red lips to Ty. “You’re staying tonight,” she whined in a sugary-sweet voice. “Aren’t you, Ty?”
“Staying where?” Ty asked twisting his head from the stage to meet Marika’s batting brown eyes.
“Didn’t Amelia invite you?” she questioned, flashing me a mock frown while clicking her tongue against her teeth.
I bit my lip. It had completely slipped my mind to invite Ty to tonight’s sleep over. After Caius’s surprise arrival, it was the last thing I wanted to deal with. A night enduring Marika and her ability to make me want to hurl would be bad enough. To top it off, I still had to decipher Kendrick’s mood. And just to make it fun, there would be Vanessa, making her little comments and butting in. Even worse than all of that was the possibility of being left alone with Ty, of losing control and biting him, again. No, tonight would not be fun. But as Ty looked to me, eyebrows raised, I couldn’t explain all of that to him. I couldn’t say no. Pursing my lips, I nodded.
“Well then,” Ty spoke quietly, rising to his feet. He dug into his pocket to retrieve his mobile. “I have to make a quick call. Let my father know I won’t be home tonight.”
“Use my room,” I said catching his free hand, “left at the top of the stairs, last door.”
More and more auction items passed. Each piece was nice and unique in its own way; hand carved this and hundred year old that. Though none caught my eye until the sixth item was moved with its pedestal beside the podium and auctioneer. It was the delicate jewelry box that had drawn me in with a magnetized pull. Even from the other side of the marquee, the undeniable draw was evident.
“This gold-plated, antique jewelry box is from the seventeen hundreds. It’s encrusted with polished, amethyst…” the auctioneer was rattling on.
But I wasn’t listening. My free hand was clutched around the twisted cane of my chair. It was all I could do to keep my body from vacating my seat, from moving closer to the item that beckoned me to its raw beauty.
“… needs re-hinging,” I managed to hear the auctioneer say as he replaced the floral-footed item on its pedestal.
Instantly bids began to fly, paddles shooting up in an erratic wave. Most of the bidders, with their pale complexions and silvery-blue eyes, were attending vampires. They rapidly spiked the price to fifty thousand dollars.
“One hundred thousand!” a man’s distinct voice bellowed up front.
I raked over the jaw-dropped crowd to find my uncle with his paddle raised. “What would he want with a jewelry box?” I mumbled to myself.
“One fifty,” shouted a female vampire across the room. She appeared to be in her thirties, with skin so pale it was almost translucent beneath a veil of crimson-red hair.
I barely had time to wonder who this elegant vampire was, or why she seemed so intent on winning, when another bid rang through the air.
“Two hundred,” Caius returned, shooting the bidding vampire a warning scowl.
The bids continued to fly, batting back and forth between Caius and the female vampire. Finally the price slowed at six hundred thousand.
The female vampire raised her nose indignantly and lifted her paddle again. “Six hundred and twenty.”
The whole room sat in hushed suspense. Everyone was perched on the edge of their seats in wait for another bid. Caius leaned back in his seat. His arms were crossed over his chest and his f
ace set with frown lines.
“Well,” the auctioneer’s voice emerged shaky, rattled. He was clutching to the wooden podium like it was greatly assisting his ability to stand upright. “I have six hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Will anyone give me six forty?” He glanced from Caius to the crowd, scanning for the next bid. “I have six hundred and twenty, going once…twice…”
“Seven hundred!” Caius bellowed.
A succession of gasps erupted. The boom of Caius’s voice and jump in the bid had caught not only me but also everyone within the marquee by total surprise. With eyes of wide Os, the auctioneer belted the hammer down then directed it at Caius. “SOLD…for seven hundred thousand dollars!”
Much like everyone else in the room, I sat in quiet shock, my face mirroring everyone’s astonished expressions. I couldn’t believe it. What could Caius possibly want with a jewelry box? It just didn’t make any sense. I swiveled to ask Kendrick’s opinion and realized that Ty’s seat was still empty. He still hadn’t returned from his call.
While the auctioneer continued with the next item, I silently rose to my feet. Only Kendrick and Vanessa still occupied our table. My eyes shot back to Uncle Caius. Dorian was still crouched beside him, talking in congratulatory animation. Marika and Ty were no-where to be seen. “Where’s Marika?” I whispered.
“Probably getting another drink,” Vanessa said shrugging.
But I wasn’t convinced. My gut, now clenching like a vice, told me she was up to something, something bad. “I’m gonna go see what’s keeping Ty,” I said to no one in particular.
Kendrick’s hand caught my wrist as I began to move away. “Want help finding him?”
“No,” I replied bluntly while thinking now you’re talking to me. I yanked my wrist free. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The kitchen was a mess of discarded platters and champagne flutes. Waiters rushed around preparing more food and drinks for the distinguished guests. Ty, and more disturbingly Marika, were nowhere to be seen. Ty must still be up in my room, I tried to reassure myself. Still clearing tonight with his father… But no amount of reassurance could shut down the clenching of my gut. The nagging sensation of something not being right just wouldn’t budge.
