by Raven Steele
“No.”
He puffed air out his nostrils. “You said you would show us your full power, something you’ve clearly kept hidden from us.”
“You broke our deal. You will get nothing.” The words fell from my lips, no emotion behind them. Not even fear for what my parents might do to me.
There was a long pause. Had I glanced behind me, I probably would’ve seen my father and mother staring at each other with daggers in their eyes, each of them blaming the other for the sudden turn of events. But they had both pushed me too far. I didn’t know I had a breaking point until now.
“Maybe this isn’t the best time to show us,” my mother finally said but the words sounded sour leaving her mouth. “We’ll give you some time to grieve for your old nanny, even though she did tell the police lies about our family.”
“She spoke the truth. You’re horrible people who have been keeping me prisoner here my whole life.”
“We’ve been protecting you!” my father said.
Another lie. Hatred for my parents seared my heart. I slipped my hand into Madelyn’s. It was still warm. “I’m done. No more magic.”
If this is what my parents wanted most, then I wasn’t going to give it to them.
“What do you mean no more magic?” my mother asked slowly.
I squeezed Madelyn’s hand and swallowed the emotions threatening to overwhelm me. They could come later. I rose to my feet and turned around.
“My whole life you’ve had this obsession with trying to get me to use my abilities, and even though I did, it was never good enough.”
“Because you were holding back,” my father said. “We could feel it.”
“And you’ve just confirmed our suspicions,” my mother added.
I shifted my gaze to her. “Did I? Maybe I was only saying what you wanted to hear to save my friend’s life. Either way, you’ll never know.”
My father snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know we can hurt you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And you know I can withstand it.”
“So it’s a battle of the wills, is it?” my mother asked.
“One day, dear parents, I will be free of you, but until that day, you will never see me use a speck of magic. I would rather die than be like you.”
I spun on my heel and walked away from them, feeling the most free than I had in all my life.
Chapter 2
A splash of cold water hit me in the face. The shock of it forced me awake, and I gasped for air.
“You shouldn’t sleep in, Eve,” Jane said. She was my teacher and sometimes an unwilling maid. She held an empty glass in her hand. Strays of thick, red hair had fallen from the loose and messy bun on her head and past her round face. I don’t think she liked wearing her hair up, but my mother required it.
I wiped at my face and pulled the covers over my head, already wishing the day away. Tonight, Erik and Sable, I’d never call them father and mother again after what they did to Madelyn and her daughter several weeks ago, were hosting an early All Hallows Eve ball to try and raise more money for their political favorites. It was also my twenty-first birthday, but like my other birthdays, it would go unnoticed. Not like I felt like celebrating anyway.
“I’m serious.” Jane nudged my bed with her leg. “Get up now before I lose my job.”
“Why are you even here?”
It was Saturday, and Jane only showed up on weekdays to tutor me and make sure I got my studies done. I wished I attended a real college, but my parents said that would be for my future husband to decide if I could leave the house or not. They also reminded me that our current arrangement could change any time, if I’d just show them the magic I promised them in the forest.
“As if I had a choice,” she said. “Your parents wanted me here to help you get ready, so get up so I can get out of this hell hole.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled and sat up.
I wished I could leave this hell hole too, especially after discovering they were murderers, but I’d never get past the invisible, magical wall circling the property nine miles wide. I knew because I’d tried many times.
Jane moved to help me up, but I pushed her hand away. “I can do it myself.”
“Not according to your mother.” She jerked the covers from my lap. “Hurry. You don’t want to make her angry.”
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, cringing when my bare feet touched the marbled floor. “Is she ever anything else?”
“Yes, terrifying.”
I was painfully aware how much she and everyone else who worked for my parents hated the employment, but either the pay was too good to pass up, or they were too afraid to quit. Jane had been working for us for almost three years. She’d taken Madelyn’s place but only as a teacher. Jane didn’t care for me, not like Madelyn had.
As a child, Madelyn used to sing to me at night, and she’d take me on picnics that would last for hours. Anything to give me a break from my parents. The thought of my old nanny brought another wave of guilt crashing down on me again. I should’ve done more.
Jane fumbled through my closet, her wide backside knocking several of my schoolbooks off a chair. She handed me a black slip. “Put this on. Your mother is coming.”
“Why so early?”
Jane’s pudgy fingers wiped sweat from her forehead. “She wants to make sure you look your best for tonight. Now hurry!”
She sucked in a deep breath and fled the room.
I bit at my lip and rubbed at my chest. Sable never cared how I looked unless we were going out. Something different was going to happen tonight, and with my parents, different was never good.
I removed my pajamas and pulled the slip down over my head. Goosebumps broke across my skin, but not because I was cold. Magic. I could already feel it swelling inside me, tingling my toes and fingers. It was always there, threatening to rage out of control, especially after what had happened. I took a few precious moments to silent it and send it back into the confines of my mind where my parents wouldn’t sense it. It’s all I had.
When I no longer felt it whispering inside me, I moved to my vanity and combed my hair. After the restless night I’d had, thanks to another nightmare, it would take time to untangle my long tresses.
Just as I set the brush down, Sable burst through the door, bringing with her a gust of icy air and two women I’d never seen before. Her face, framed by gold hair curlers, was the same color as her white satin robe, making me think of a blizzard. Instinctively, I pulled my arms against my chest.
“You slept in.” She said the words as if I’d committed a treasonous act.
I glanced at my alarm clock. A little after eight. I kept my voice calm. “Did you want me up sooner?”
“I want you to use your brain. Can you do that?”
“I’ll try.” I lifted my chin a little, trying to convey some air of defiance. I may be forced to stay in this house, but I didn’t have to like it.
Sable’s thin upper lip twitched; her left eye mimicked the movement. She might’ve been beautiful if it wasn’t for the hateful expression permanently plastered to her face.
She closed the distance between us. She smelled like jasmine and my father’s cigars. I’d learned early in life that those smells brought pain. Inwardly, I trembled, but I refused to look away from her.
“This is a rat’s nest,” she said, grabbing a fist full of my hair and snapping my head back. “If tonight wasn’t so important, I’d have it shaved.” She let go of my hair and inhaled deeply. “This is going to take a lot longer than I thought.”
The next two hours were a whirlwind of demands and insults. Hold still. Stand up straight. Don’t talk. I willed myself to get through it to avoid the least amount of suffering possible. The two women Sable had brought with her had been hired to help me look my best. I’m sure Sable had paid a high price to find the very best stylists around. The dress she chose for me was a backless, blood-red evening gown she’d purchased from some designer I’d never he
ard of. This was not like Sable at all. It was Erik who purchased all of my clothing for the times they wanted to parade me in public, which wasn’t often.
After I dressed, Sable instructed one of the girls to sweep my hair up into a tight French twist, leaving no strand out of place. The poor girl, who couldn’t help but check the time on her phone every few minutes, had to redo the style four times before Sable was satisfied.
“Can we do anything about her green eyes?” Sable asked the youngest girl. “I prefer blue.”
The girl frowned. “Do you want her to wear contact lenses?”
“You’re useless,” Sable snapped, but she continued to stare at my eyes as if conjuring a spell.
Sable looked me over one final time and left with a flick of her wrist and an unsatisfied grunt. The two women hurried after her.
The moment the door closed, I replaced the dress with jeans and a t-shirt and planned my escape to the forest. I had to get outside and take a break from the contention that poisoned every person in this house. I would never make it through the night otherwise. Plus, it didn’t make sense to remain dressed up all day, a torture in and of itself.
It wasn’t difficult to sneak away, my head down, and a small bag draped over my shoulder. It also helped that I hid my face by carrying a tall vase of flowers as if I were part of the event staff.
The moment I opened the back door, I bolted toward the edge of the nearby forest and didn’t stop until safely behind a thick oak tree. The sun in the sky warmed my flesh and whispered of a better future. Its light shined upon so many places. One day, I hoped to see them all.
I glanced back at the home. It was an ugly site. It wasn’t really a home but more of a gaudy mansion made of brick and stone. It was several stories above ground and several below, though only a select few knew of its depths. My room was in the east wing, opposite my parents.
What I wouldn’t give to live in a suburban area, surrounded by normal people, or even better? A college dorm. Have friends, mess around on social media, go to parties … I wasn’t allowed to do any of those things. They did give me a laptop on my eighteenth birthday for my online college courses, but, in addition to several parent control apps, they used magic to make sure I accessed only content they deemed worthy. They controlled every aspect of my life as they attempted to mold and shape me into the person they felt I should become.
But I was not something you could mold. Thanks to Madelyn’s private teachings, I had learned more about people and life than my parents would ever want me to know. She’d brought me books about good, kind people and how they had made a difference in the world. She also taught me to protect my magic and never let my parents near it. Even until the day she died.
Inhaling a hitched breath and wiping at my moist eyes, I sunk to the ground, mindful of my hair, and unzipped my bag. From within, I pulled out some bread and fruit and, the most important item, a book. I’d get lost in someone else’s world today. Be anywhere else than here.
I ran my fingers over the worn cover of one of the few books I’d managed to keep hidden. A book set in the future about a woman who sacrificed everything to tear down the oppressive society she’d been raised in. It always gave me hope.
The sun tracked across the sky, highlighting the red and orange leaves above me. The sounds of the hired orchestra practicing drifted outside. The hauntingly beautiful tune made the forest feel more magical, and I sunk further into the grass. The music was the only part of these events I liked.
Erik put on many of them throughout the year. Anyone of importance, human or fiend, received an invitation. These events were the only times the different species willingly crossed paths. Of course, many of the humans had no idea who or what was sitting beside them. Demons, vampires and other creatures were required to appear human-like. The whole occasion was a ruse to gain power over others. And Erik and Sable were the puppet masters, using their magical abilities to manipulate those who could further their political agenda in the human world and gain more clout in the supernatural one.
When the first few guests arrived, I groaned and gathered my belongings. I couldn’t delay getting ready any longer. My parents began letting me attend these events a few years ago. I thought I would enjoy them since I was rarely allowed to socialize with others, but I never did. Everyone wore masks, saying what they thought you wanted to hear. Because of who my parents were, people were especially careful around me. I yearned for a meaningful relationship, like what I’d had with Madelyn.
Pushing myself up, I straightened my shoulders and prepared for the worst. It would all be over soon.
Back inside my room, I slid into the red evening gown just as Jane opened the bedroom door, panting heavily. “Your parents need you.”
“I’ll be right there,” I said, but she had already closed the door.
I finished forcing my arm through a strap of the tight gown and sighed wearily. I didn’t recognize the reflection staring back at me in the mirror. Black eyeliner framed my eyes like the edge of storm clouds, and my darkened eyebrows and reddened lips only added to the illusion. The two stylists had commented on my beauty, but to me, I looked like my mother. Not something I wanted.
Quietly and carefully, I snuck downstairs and slipped into the ballroom that smelled of freshly baked pastries and wild roses. As usual, the spacious room was immaculate: diamond-laced curtains, golden satin linens, and crystal chandeliers the Queen of England would envy.
I kept to the edge of the room, weaving in and out of the guests, my head down. Make an appearance, that’s all I had to do. Maybe speak with a few of the guests. Just enough interaction to satisfy my parents.
I did just that, then endured the evening by staying outside on the veranda as much as possible. The cool night air felt good against my bare arms and was a welcome distraction from the boisterous noises echoing from the brightly lit party.
“There you are,” a voice said behind me.
I turned around. The black silhouette of my mother stood in the doorway of the ballroom.
“Get in here,” she ordered. “I want you to meet someone special.”
“Not tonight. Please.” It was a dumb thing to say. I knew it the second the words left my mouth.
“It wasn’t a request.”
Reluctantly, I stepped forward. Sable took hold of my arm and dragged me through the room and past all the guests. I tried to see where she was guiding me, but dancing couples blocked my view. When she nudged aside two women in the middle of a conversation, I finally saw whom I was to meet.
I yanked my arm free and froze. Though he looked human, I knew better. A murky blackness clung to him like thick tar.
This was no man.
This was a powerful vampire.
Chapter 3
Every fiber of my body screamed, run. There was an energy, dark and ancient, that filled the area around him. Despite my instincts, I found it difficult to look away. His commanding presence sucked me in as if an invisible cord were pulling me toward him. I resisted, and a sharp pain stabbed in my lower spine.
Sable whirled around, dug her nails into my wrist, and jerked me forward. “Don’t you dare insult him.”
Erik, who was shaking hands with the vampire, turned. His slicked-back blond hair looked as greasy as his tanned complexion. “Eve, darling, this is Boaz. Boaz, meet my only daughter, Eve.”
The light seemed to flee the room as Boaz’s eyes met mine. He was strangely captivating with long black hair, high cheekbones and a distinct jaw line. My heart fluttered, and I grew faint. If it weren't for Sable’s hand on my elbow, I would’ve staggered back. But it wasn’t his appearance that had weakened me. My mind tried to capture what it was, but his stare became too intense, forcing me to look away.
Erik said something under his breath and then chuckled.
“She may be, but I’ll have to find out for myself,” Boaz said.
Erik smirked, and Sable laughed obnoxiously. I was disgusted with all three of them.
&nbs
p; “It was nice to meet you, sir.” It took all the strength I had, but I managed to yank my arm back and turned to hurry away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sable begin to follow, but Boaz grabbed her wrist and held her in place.
I walked calmly, yet briskly, toward the stairs leading to the second floor. I nodded and smiled politely to several people who greeted me, but I refused to stop.
As I stepped upon the first stair, cold fingers touched my back. I gasped and whirled around. To my amazement, no one was there. I slowly continued upward but again felt the touch of a hand caress the skin of my naked back. The icy coolness of it stole my breath. I spun back around, peering into the crowd.
I scanned the many faces, some of which appeared human, but I wasn’t fooled. My eyes settled on the only one who stood out — Boaz. Not because he was different, but because he was their leader. They circled him like starving dogs anxious to devour whatever scrap of attention he might toss them. But Boaz paid little heed — his focus was entirely on me. His eyes bore into mine like those of a predatory animal. I could practically hear him snarling from across the room.
Frightened, I turned back to continue up the stairs, this time using the handrail for support. The invisible caresses continued until I was out of his view.
Safely hidden on the second floor, I leaned against a white pillar, my breaths coming in short gasps. My toes tingled, and a familiar, dark feeling crept up my body. Magic. Relax. I couldn’t let myself feel it, not here, not now.
Not far away, I spotted the doors leading to the second-floor balcony. It would be in plain view of the guests should they look up. I could make it.
I closed my eyes, inhaled a deep breath, and counted to three. Go! My eyes snapped open, and I bolted.
Fifteen steps left.
Ten steps.
Three.
I reached to push open the door, but froze when I heard my name. The beguiling voice of the devil himself. I turned around slowly.
