Savor, Warm Delicacy Series, Book 1

by Megan Duncan

Chapter 14

  “Business… yes… so what kind of business is that exactly?” I knew very well that it would involve my getting ready for the ceremony, but I was still hoping to pry a bit more information from her.

  “Well, you need to get ready of course, and the queen wants to speak with you beforehand.”

  “She does? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Robin’s eyebrows furrowed between her eyes in confusion, “I just did.” I laughed and stood up to follow her out of the media room. She led me to the eastern wing of the palace which I had seen very little of. Double doors opened to a long hallway that was completely lined with windows, much like a green house.

  The hallway ended with another set of large wooden doors, however these were carved intricately and portrayed a magnificent scene of vampires praying to a starry night sky while an ethereal figure looked down on them lovingly.

  That must be Nyx, I thought. She was as beautiful as I had imagined and I thought that whoever carved this scene must have taken care to ensure her beauty would shine through the multiple grains of wood. “This is so amazing,” I said as I ran my fingers softly across the smooth polished wood.

  “Mhm,” Robin nodded as she eyed the carving with admiration. “There is a great story about this scene. Thousands of years ago, according to legend, vampires were hunted by humans and lived in constant fear of extinction.” My eyebrows rose in surprise as she continued. “Since we could not be out during the day, the vampires gathered at night and prayed for help so urgently and with such ferocity that the goddess, Nyx appeared. They begged her to give them peace and save them. Nyx, in her great wisdom, blessed those who prayed to her and showed them how they could survive without the blood of humans. She taught them to see how strong and powerful they were and urged them to forgive the humans.” Robin traced her finger along the carving of the goddess.

  “If the vampires were scared of humans, then how did the dark ages come about?”

  “As they began to realize their strength, many grew arrogant and believed they were part of a superior race. An uprising spread throughout the world like wild fire. Hundreds of thousands of humans and vampires were killed, but not until the vampires started killing each other did the war finally end.”

  “But why would they kill each other?” I never heard that was what caused the war to end and was surprised, although I had no doubt that it was the truth. That fact appeared to be deliberately left out during history lessons in school. I presumed the vampires preferred not to be portrayed as predators of their own species.

  “There were two… um, factions of vampires, I suppose you could call them. There were those who favored their newfound power and those who still followed the ways of the goddess. The latter claimed that Nyx called them into action to protect the humans from the vampires who had forsaken the goddess. In doing so, they were looked upon as traitors to their breed and attacked openly.” As Robin told the story, she opened the doors to reveal a beautiful temple with a glass ceiling that allowed the brightness of the moon to bathe the statues and pews inside with glowing moonbeams.

  “Wow,” I gasped as I took in the beauty of the room. I immediately felt a connection with Nyx that reminded me of the night I was turned. I could tell this temple held great power. We walked along the center aisle and then turned to our left into a smaller chamber, which was a dressing room. A large mirror stood at the right, along with room dividers for changing. As with everywhere else in the palace, there were huge porcelain vases that held freshly cut flowers of countless varieties. The aroma was intoxicating and filled the room heavily. Evilyn wasn’t waiting for us, so we took our seats and Robin continued her story, clearly enjoying her role as history teacher.

  “Among the believers, there rose a powerful vampire. He followed Nyx and was willing to fight to the death for her. It was through his guidance and training that allowed them to overcome the evil, taking us out of the dark ages.”

  “Nicolae,” I whispered in realization. I had never heard the true version of what had happened and a newfound respect for my vampire dad was beginning to blossom inside me.

  “He is an inspiration to us all,” Evilyn smiled from the doorway. She was wrapped, head-to-toe in a velvety black cape. Her lips were full and painted in a luscious red. A band of black stretched across her eyes like a mask, yet a tiny hint of love escaped her.

  Robin and I immediately rose and curtseyed toward her. “Mom,” I tried my best to show respect and did not hide my happiness at seeing her.

  “Oh, Claire. Please rise, you need not bow before me.” She reached for my hand and pulled me up. An amused expression lifted the corner of her lips into a slight smile. “You tell the story beautifully, Robin.”

  Robin beamed and stepped aside as Evilyn sat down on the loveseat and patted the empty place next to her. She looked at me expectantly to take my seat. As I obeyed, Robin smiled and excused herself to get ready for the ceremony.

  We sat in silence for a moment and I hesitated several times when I found myself dying to ask a thousand questions. Evilyn caught on to my feelings, as she always did, and rested her hand on mine. “It will be alright, child. I know of what you are suffering and I promise you, all will be well.”

  I gave her a weak smile as my heart missed a beat and made my eyes start to burn before tears began to fall. I wiped at them, angry for allowing myself to break down in front of her. I wanted to look strong, and crying like a baby was quite the opposite of my intention.

  Evilyn lifted my chin so that I looked into her dark eyes and I saw a sparkle of the woman she used to be visible deep within them. I had never noticed it before and found comfort that somewhere hidden secretly, she carried a piece of her former human self. “If he truly loves you, this will not affect your devotion to each other. In truth, it can make things stronger.” I looked at her in surprise and she wiped the tears from my face with the hem of her cloak. “Do not look so surprised. A woman knows well the tears of a lost love.”

  I sniffled as the tears ceased their onslaught and regained some composure. “How did you make it work?”

  “It took time, my child, but because of it, Nicolae found a deep respect for Foxworth. It is difficult for a man, especially a vampire, to allow another to do what they cannot. Eventually that began to change. In the beginning, when times were still unsettled after the dark ages, Foxworth was able to protect me when Nicolae could not. Saving the life of a loved one is an action that Nicolae could not ignore. In doing so, Foxworth earned his respect and Nicolae realized they shared the same goal, my safety, because nothing else mattered.”

  Evilyn’s tale sounded like a romantic love story, and although I wanted to ask her for more details, I knew there wasn’t time. I made a mental note to ask her again someday. I wanted to know more about my new mom and it comforted me to find that there was a loving romantic hidden under her stern vampire exterior.

  “Who will be my Blood Mate?” I feared asking this question and wondered if it would have been best to remain ignorant of the truth; but I didn’t want to be unpleasantly surprised at the altar.

  “His name is Arrick. I have spoken with him myself, Claire, and I believe he will be an excellent match for you. Not only his blood.” She rose and began to sort through a pile of black capes that lay draped heavily over a chair. I wanted to ask her what he looked like, and what made her think he would be an excellent match for me, but another question seemed more important.

  “What is going to happen in this ceremony and what exactly does it mean to have a Blood Mate? I know that I willingly joined this family, but it isn’t right to expect me to do things without giving me some information about it.” I knew I sounded a little defiant, but I was hoping that she would admire my strength for standing up to her.

  “As I am sure you have already learned, it is a very old custom that has not been practiced in our region in many, many years. There are many duties a Blood Mate is created for, but first and foremost, they exist to
protect their mate.”

  “How can they do that?” I interrupted too quickly and saw the slight annoyance that wrinkled Evilyn’s lips, but her tone remained neutral.

  “As with vampires, a Blood Mate is created. However, the method is dramatically different, and it takes an altered path of transformation. With this change, they take on extraordinary abilities, unlike vampires.” Evilyn held up a cloak in the air, visualizing whether or not it would fit me. When she determined that it would, she directed me toward her to sit on a small stool in front of a dressing table. She draped the cloak around me and started styling my hair, continuing her explanation.

  “As I said before, a Blood Mate can protect his or her mate in places where a vampire cannot. Tell me, Claire, where might such a place be?”

  I thought about it for a moment while she pinned the last of my hair back. She braided it on each side, allowing small strands to fall around my face, framing it delicately. A black velvet gown that matched the cape was laid on my lap and Evilyn asked that I quickly change before she did my makeup.

  As I dressed, I couldn’t help getting a little excited. Not about the ceremony, but about spending more time with Evilyn. It was the mother-daughter moment that I never had with my human mom, and although it made me miss her, I was savoring every bit of it.

  “Daylight!” I answered triumphantly as I twirled out from behind the screens in the black, floor-length gown. As with most vampire dresses, it was low-cut and revealed an ample amount of skin for such a long frock, but I was slowly becoming accustomed to this fashion. Vampires didn’t have the same reservations about nudity as humans did. They viewed naked bodies as objects of beauty and not something to be ashamed of.

  “That is correct. Well done. Blood Mates can exist in direct sunlight; they can also stay awake during the day, and we cannot.”

  “How else do they differ?” I asked, eager to learn as much as I could.

  “They do not need to feed on human blood as we do. Blood Mates can survive on human food, much as they did before, although many do enjoy feeding.”

  “Feeding?” That sounded to me like they liked to drink blood.

  “This is where much of the jealousy can be born, should you already have a lover when you are matched with a Blood Mate.” My cheeks flushed at the word “lover”. I definitely wouldn’t say that Dmitry was my lover, but my feelings for him did run deep, and I wanted to see where they would lead. “Many vampires and Blood Mates become lovers and feed on each other.”

  “I thought vampires weren’t allowed to feed and that’s why we have blood banks.”

  “They aren’t allowed to feed on humans. A Blood Mate is not a human, although they can still walk under the sun’s light. As Robin’s dad would say, they are a sort of ‘hybrid’. They are equally as strong, if not more so, and they do not age. That’s what makes them the perfect bodyguards! They can stay bonded to their vampire for eternity.”

  I pondered this and started to prefer the idea of being a Blood Mate myself, rather than a vampire. There seemed to be more advantages. “Why haven’t Blood Mates been made in a long time?”

  “Well…” Evilyn thought about it as she prepared my makeup, creating the same black band she had across my eyes. “There was great speculation, and I would say fear as well, that Blood Mates might become more powerful than vampires. If there is one thing a vampire will not share, it is power. That is something very important you must learn as you begin your journey in this family.”

  “Are you and Nicolae… I mean Dad doing the same thing? Eventually, when I take the throne?”

  “No, Claire, there is a great difference between choosing a successor and having your power wrested from you by force. Hence, the urgency for you to join our family.”

  It sounded like Evilyn might have wanted to say more, but she stopped mid-sentence, staring off into space like she was suddenly lost in a memory. I remained silent, hoping that she would continue and confirm what I suspected that a vampire in the palace was plotting to steal the throne from Nicolae. Just who that vampire was, I didn’t know for certain yet.

  A small knock on the door snapped Evilyn out of her trance and she quickly rose from her seat in one smooth motion. Robin popped her head in, adorned in the same matching black outfit that the queen and I wore. “Come in, Robin.” Evilyn waved her in as she headed for the door.

  “The king requests your presence,” Robin said with a small bow.

  “Thank you,” Evilyn exited the room in her usual manner, floating above the ground, but not before she stopped to take one last look at me. “I am very proud of you, Claire. I see in you a spirit much like your dad’s. A phoenix that rises from the ashes of chaos. Should our world be threatened, I am grateful we have you on our side.”

  My dad. It was a weird thought to process, my revealing a trait of a man that I was not born from. Nonetheless, I took the compliment gratefully and bowed my head to her before she left. I still feared that I wouldn’t be able to do the great many things everyone expected of me, but I did know that I wanted to with all my being.

  When the door was solidly shut, Robin pulled her hood down and plopped down on an arm chair. Even with her gothic-like attire, her happy disposition showed through the dark garment and black streak across her face. “Interesting attire we have to wear for this thing,” I said as I blew a strand of hair out of my face and sat on the loveseat.

  “It’s traditional for vampires to wear black in this ceremony. It’s to set us apart from the Blood Mate who must wear red. Many say red was chosen to both honor and shame them, but most Blood Mates feel no shame in wearing it.” Robin beamed at being able to give me another history lesson. “So it looks like you and the queen had a good talk. You seem happier now.”

  “I am… I think,” I replied, returning Robin’s smile. “So have you found out anything else that is going on?” I was secretly hoping the ceremony had been called off and I could run to find Dmitry as quickly as possible.

  “Nicolae refused to give them Blood Mates and they aren’t happy about it, to say the least.”

  “So what happens now?”

  “The ceremony is going to be conducted as scheduled. I was told to make sure you were ready and to request that the queen meet with him.” I knew that’s what she was going to say.

  “What am I supposed to do during this ceremony? Is it going to be like my transformation?” I didn’t want to sound like a wuss, but I wasn’t particularly looking forward to going through any more horrific pain at the moment.

  “No. At least I don’t think so. From what I’ve read, and what my dad has told me, it is a fairly short ceremony. Much like a wedding rite in some respects,” I gulped loudly and Robin giggled. “Don’t worry; you won’t actually be married to the guy.”

  “Good.” It sounded easy enough and my nerves settled. “How much longer ‘til it starts?”

  “My mom will come in and get us when it’s time.”

  Robin and I chatted for a while about everything except the ceremony. I teased her about her dancing partner from the coronation ball, and she didn’t seem to mind talking about him at all. I liked seeing her happy and wondered if there was anything I could do to make this vampire dream boy of hers have a reason to visit us more often.

  When Mara entered the room, my nerves had successfully settled and I was ready to proceed to this mysterious Blood Mate ceremony that would forever bond me to another man. It sounded a lot like marriage to me, so to keep my fears at bay, I prayed that when I walked down the aisle, it would be Dmitry waiting for me, dressed in a red cape with his devilish grin. The thought brought a smile to my face.

  Robin left when Mara entered and I was then led through another hallway that brought us back to the main doorway of the temple. Seeing the doors again made me remember the story Robin told me about Nicolae. I thought about him rising from the fearful and oppressed vampires of old, and leading them to freedom and a new life. “A phoenix from the ashes,” I whispered
to myself.

  “What did you say, dear?” Mara asked.

  “Oh nothing.”

  “When you hear the bell toll, these doors will open for you.” I nodded as she lifted my hood over my hair. “Walk slowly down the aisle and keep your focus on the statue of Nyx.” I figured that would be easy to do. At the very end of the aisle stood a tall, stone statue of the goddess. Her head was cast down to look at the altar below her.

  “Then what?” I asked.

  “Just follow the priest’s instructions, Claire, and you will do fine. Now remember, do not enter until the…”

  “Until the bell tolls. I remember.” I smiled at her and she sped off the way we had come.

  I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing as I waited. The world seemed deathly quiet and any miniscule sound seemed to be amplified as it was carried down the hall to me. For a brief moment, I thought I heard the clatter of pans in the kitchen… or was it Ana’s evil cackle bouncing off the palace walls? Either way, it made goose bumps prickle across my skin.

  When the bell rang, it was incredibly loud and I felt like I had been standing at the top of a bell tower. My very bones rattled at the sound and if I hadn’t already been biting my lip, I might have screamed aloud.

  The wooden doors parted of their own accord, silently yet heavily rolling across the marble floor. When they came to a stop, I waited, unsure of when I should begin walking. I expected everyone to turn toward me as they would during a human wedding to watch a bride walk down an aisle. But each hooded figure kept their faces pointed forward and cast slightly upward toward the face of the goddess.

  At the end of the aisle stood a vampire priest, his face shadowed by a hood. Unlike the rest of us, he wore a cape of shimmering white and I assumed it was to represent the moon. He beckoned me to walk toward him and I obeyed. I slowed my pace, much slower than I was sure Mara had instructed me to, but I was desperately searching for Dmitry. I couldn’t use my eyes to scan the room, since everyone was hooded. I didn’t know who was whom, so I stretched out my emotions, trying to connect with Dmitry’s familiar feel. By the time I reached the altar, however, I was still unsuccessful. Had he not come? I knew it would be hard for him to see me go through with this, but I needed him to be here for me.

  I fought the urge to turn around as I looked toward the priest. He turned his back to me and raised his hands to the goddess who looked down on us. I sensed the crowd behind me mimicking his motion, so I did the same. Looking up at her, I noticed that her hands, which were down at her sides when Robin and I first saw her, were now raised to the heavens. One was holding a giant red ruby while the other bore a luminescent, glowing orb that looked much like the moon.

  Everyone in the room began to pray. In unison, they chanted, “She walks in beauty through the night, upon darkened hills and starlit skies. We call upon the moon and elemental light. A child of the night births a child of the light, all shall follow your worthy might. All-seeing, all-hearing goddess, you witness this night a most solemn oath. Unfurl your wings, oh goddess of the night and bless us your children in this ceremony of new life.”

  After the prayer ended, we all lowered our hands and the priest turned toward me. He extended his left hand and I followed it, focusing on every vein and hair. I needed something to focus on to keep me grounded. The room felt electric after the prayer and my head grew began to spin like I had gotten up too quickly from sitting.

  A red figure approached from my right and my entire body stiffened. It was both incredibly painful and amazingly pleasant. As the figure drew nearer, he stood so closely, our capes brushed against each other. My nerves were so on end and I was suddenly so aware that even that sensation rippled through my body as if he had taken his hand and touched me himself.

  “Join hands!” The priest spoke in a deep throaty voice. It commanded obedience, but was somehow soothing. I guessed he had been a priest of Nyx for a great many years.

  The red-cloaked figure at my side raised his hand. It was steady and I looked at it for only a moment, hoping I would recognize something that would give away who he was. I placed my hand atop his, careful not to take too long in doing so. I felt the heat of his skin against mine. He was the first human I had touched since turning into a vampire and the warmth made something inside of me stir. It wasn’t a hunger for his blood, like I had expected, but something else. I wondered if my hand felt as cold to him, as a vampire’s touch felt to me when I first arrived. If it did, he didn’t show it. His hand remained motionless under mine.

  The priest held his hand over ours as he lowered his head in another prayer. Everyone followed his actions again, however this time, I couldn’t hear his words. I lowered my head, but kept my eyes open. I wanted to be completely aware of everything that was going on.

  Two black-hooded figures approached the priest, each carrying a large wooden box. Each box was ornately carved; one had a large ruby encased on the lid, whilst the other had a crystal that appeared cloudy with a silvery sparkle to it. Apparently, vampires loved symbolism.

  The box with the ruby was opened first, and inside it, was a dagger much like the one I had seen the night of my transformation. My body immediately protested at the sight of the blade and I was beginning to tremble. I fought the urge to run, but I couldn’t keep my eyes from flashing about the room, searching for an escape route. The priest raised his eyebrows at me, clearly disapproving of my reaction.

  I didn’t want to go through the transformation ceremony again and didn’t know if I could. I was quickly losing my composure and my breathing grew ragged when the red-hooded figure beside me squeezed his fingers between mine and held them gently. It was an unexpected kindness, which gave me a sense of comfort I had not anticipated, and I found myself squeezing back.

  Seemingly appeased, the priest continued. The dagger was raised to the night sky and it glittered, sending fragments of moonlight around me. He then opened the second box, which contained a beautiful crystal goblet and a small vial of a shimmering liquid. He again raised the items above him as if he were showing them to the goddess, Nyx, for her approval.

  He poured a single, shimmering drop of the silvery liquid into the goblet and handed it to the man at my side, who accepted it after releasing my hand. I was surprised to feel that I longed to hold his hand again. Not sure what I should do, I left my hand aloft as the priest then handed the dagger to me. I looked at him expectantly, but was offered only a grimace and an emotionless stare. He was clearly annoyed that I didn’t know what to do.

  The man beside me kneeled, his head downcast and the crystal goblet raised upward. That’s when it dawned on me and my mouth fell open in shock. I had to fill the goblet with my blood. How the hell did they expect me to do that? By cutting myself? They had to be crazy.

  I knew there was no way out of this and I couldn’t leave this man waiting next to me forever. Everyone watched me patiently, and all were waiting. I knew somewhere in the crowd, Nicolae and Evilyn as well as everyone else expected me to cut myself, they were waiting for me to complete the ceremony. There was no chickening out, I didn’t have a choice.

  I turned fully to him, and with a deep breath, I dragged the edge of the blade against the flesh of my palm. Pain seared through me like a burning flame. I held in a scream as tears escaped my eyes and allowed my blood to drain into the goblet. As the first crimson drop hit the shimmering silver liquid, the glass began to sparkle and shine like the moon. When it grew full it emitted tendrils of silver that were visible unlike any ribbons of emotion I had ever felt. As soon as they touched me, I realized they were ribbons from the goddess herself. They licked my wound, healing it instantly and wrapped around me in a loving caress. I felt like I was hugging the moon as the bright light warmed my skin and showered my face with silver. They lifted my hood and that of my red-capped mate.

  As his hood fell back, he rose to stand tall before me and my eyes widened in complete shock, although his appeared to smile at me, yet his face remained emoti
onless. He was incredibly handsome and somehow familiar though, I had never seen him before. I watched him unblinkingly as he raised the crystal goblet to his lips and drank its contents in a single swallow.

  He fell to his knees as his body heaved and retched. His groans of pain were deep and echoed throughout the temple. I looked about, not knowing what to do, and saw no one coming to his aid. I knelt beside him and hesitantly rested my hand on his back as his body shuddered. When he finally began to breathe normally, I stood and waited for him to rise.

  We then turned to the priest and looked up toward the statue, towering before us like a colossus. “In the eyes of the goddess, let these two be bonded!” the priest loudly proclaimed.

  Instead of the crowd breaking into applause, the room illuminated in an orange glow of candle-light as every wick ignited a single flame. I turned and gazed up at my new Blood Mate.

  “I am yours,” he said as he looked at me longingly. His eyes flooded with emotion and lingering pain. There was so much love in his eyes. I sensed the crowd was slowly exiting the temple, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him. He was the figure in the dark that I had searched for, he was my mysterious man, who now belonged to me. He was now my Blood Mate, my sworn protector.

  ~