LOGINShare
Chapter 10: Promotion
Last Updated:
2022-04-15 14:01:40Related chapters
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 11: Meeting Arabella
Waking up next to Isaac felt much more natural than it should have. It felt somehow incredibly normal to wake up and shift slightly, moving closer to him under the covers. Looking at him in the early morning light, Lavinia could tell that he truly was asleep. She smiled slightly. So, there were some human needs left after all. Eating, sleeping, what else would he need?Unbidden, the thought arose to Lavinia of herself as one of those needs. Of her being as necessary to Isaac as his instinct to feed. She quickly pushed the thought away, reminding herself that while Isaac seemed earnest, this could just be a whim. Her trust was not yet guaranteed. Though, the previous night had certainly garnered more of a bond.It was hard to take his actions and care as a ploy, but Lavinia could not help but remain cautious. Surely, had Isaac only been playing with her he would have served only his own pleasure. He would not have given so much attention to Lavinia, waiting for her to respo
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 12: He Lets You Call Him Izzy?
Isaac moved to the door."Oh, and Izzy? Tell mother I'll be over budget. With three dresses to commission my previous limit will be too stifling.""Why don't you tell her?" asked Isaac indignantly. "It's your problem, you're the one who wants to use someone else to play dress-up with.""No thank you. I'd rather you do it." Arabella put her hands on Isaac's shoulders and started pushing him towards the door. "Just make her look presentable.""Yes, fine. Bye now, I'll give her back later, don't wait up." She slammed the door behind him and slumped her back against it. "God he's exhausting."Lavinia stood still for a second, taken aback. Arabella, despite her looks, was nothing like her brother. This short girl exuded warmth. While her hair had the same cool sheen, her skin was slightly tanned and seemed to burst with life. Arabella pushed herself off the door and went back to snatching items off the floor and stuffing them haphazardly away. "He lets you call him Izzy
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 13: Leaving the Manor
Arabella and Lavinia spent the morning sitting and talking. Lavinia found Arabella to be surprisingly enjoyable company. While she was certainly a departure from Isaac's serious tone, her levity was infectious. Lavinia felt herself smiling easily and giggling at Arabella's jokes.It was fascinating to her to hear about Isaac from a different perspective, through closer eyes. Arabella tended to close off a bit the more Lavinia tried to broach the topic of Mrs. Astor, but she readily spoke about Isaac's nature in private and what he was like before he was turned. It confirmed many of Lavinia's suspicions. Isaac from Arabella's eyes was much softer. He seemed to dote on his sister, serving as her protector and her playmate. He had used to be quite popular, frequently having friends over from the private school he attended. That all ended when Mrs. Astor turned him and started bringing him along to meetings for the business. He had become much more vicious and distant, a shel
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 14: Consulting the Dressmaker
After speaking briefly with the carriage driver, Arabella jumped down onto the sidewalk. She froze for a second and then turned back to Lavinia."Look who's here," she smirked, pointing to the corner. Lavinia followed her indication and spotted a young man sauntering slowly towards them. His gleaming hair was smoothed back into place but he kept his eyes downcast, flicking them up only to see the other pedestrians. "Is that-""Funny running into you, Izzy," Arabella said.Isaac jumped, looking up at the pair of them. "Arabella. Lavinia. Uh, yes. I was not expecting to see you two here.""We're right outside the shop that you knew we were visiting.""Yes, well, I also have to get fitted.""We still have three weeks and you certainly know you don't need that much lead time on a suit."I thought you two would have left by now. It's midafternoon.""I think," said Lavinia, stepping down from the carriage. "That he was rather hoping to see us.""I think you're right, Vini.""Tha
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 15: First Day in a New Job
That evening Lavinia was escorted to a new room. It was on the floor below Isaac and Lavinia's rooms and not nearly as grand, but in comparison to the shared room far below it was pure luxury.The linens on the full bed were clean and starched, the pillows full and thick. Lavinia threw herself down onto the bed, stretching her arms above her head. She lay there for a moment just resting, then started to take down her hair. She had let Arabella braid her hair intricately and her deft fingers had left more plaits than Lavinia could count. After removing most of the pins, Lavinia gave it up as a bad job and decided to let the rest fall out naturally. She had been told by Arabella to rise early. Her day dress should be arriving and she was expected to wake Isaac. This task yesterday morning would have seemed simple, but now a rising sense of panic swirled in her gut. She could see now the danger she was in. The previous night with Isaac she had thrown caution to the wind. She d
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 16: Reviewing the Options
At first, it was jarring to watch Isaac and Arabella interact with the household staff. Lavinia quickly realized that what she had taken for guards were nearly interchangeable with the rest of the faculty. Their uniforms, crisp and ironed, matched the ones worn by the kitchen and cleaning staff and were mirrored in the dresses worn by maids. All of them had the same spreading black veins. Arabella caught Lavinia staring and shook her head."I'll explain later," she whispered.Isaac and Arabella seemed dedicated to the divide and conquer method. Isaac focused mainly on the technical side of things while his sister engaged with the details. She made remarks about color and shape. Arabella insisted on white and green centerpieces, much better to contrast the dark mahogany and stone of the manor house.Isaac watched the staff set up the ballroom. He made adjustments to the tables they placed and pulled tablecloths to be more centered. The young woman waxing the dance floor shook s
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 17: The Arrival of Guests
The weeks leading up to the ball passed with shocking speed. The manor transforms before Lavinia's eyes. It loses its gloomy facade and starts to come alive. The floors become finely polished and the windows are washed and open. Even the weather seemed to clear. The grey of the skies broke into a welcome flush.For a time, Lavinia became Isaac's shadow. She acted as his personal assistant and constant aid. She woke and dressed him, ran errands through the day, and tried to blend into the household personnel. Isaac himself took on the role of director. He wielded the manor's staff as a precise tool, insisting that perfection was a baseline rather than a lofty goal.The first family to arrive did so just a day before the Betrothal Ball. Lavinia was not quite sure what to make of them. They offered no family name and Isaac simply referred to them as shades. They were definitely people, or at least they had been. They sported limbs and heads and bodies, but otherwise no disce
Last Updated : 2022-04-15Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 18: On the Edge
She had hardly spent a day in recent memory outside of the confines of a corset, but Lavinia has never a corset feel like this. She struggled for air as Arabella pulled the laces taut. Her chamise creased under the pressure, the folds more pronounced as the corset cinched Lavinia's waist to a daring angle."Some of us," gasped Lavinia. "Still need to breathe.""Not tonight you don't. And in any case, we breathe too. Just less." With a flourish Arabella tied off the laces, winding her excess under the modesty panel. She stepped back, picking up a thick bundle. Opening the waist, she held the petticoat out for Lavinia to step into. She then buttoned the crinoline into place, spinning Lavina around to face her."Now the hoop.""The hoop too?" Lavinia complained."Trust me. The hoop is easier to dance on. Way more space to move. I've worn layered crinolines before." She shook her head. "Simply put: a nightmare.""So we're compromising on the skirt and you still insist
Last Updated : 2022-04-15
Latest chapter
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 50: The End
Isaac stood at the head of the conference room table, hands splayed out on its surface. He stared at the assembled board of trustees. Cyril sat at his right hand, the bruising around his eyes fading. To Isaac's left was Sonia. Her hair was pulled up into a smooth bun. At the opposite head of the table was Lavinia. She sat upright, stacks of papers carefully arranged in front of her. "In the months since my mother's… shall we say, untimely passing," he said. "I have been disappointed in this board's performance. Its care and dedication to this company has waned."Several of the trustees sank back into their seats, not looking at Isaac. Sonia sat forward, trying to initiate eye contact with Cyril, who kept his gaze fixed on his own hands. "It feels as though your loyalty was to Vivian Astor, not to Astor Industries. And in light of that, I question whether your services are still needed.""Sir," an older man spoke up. "I think there is just some discomfort about the ch
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 49: Matricide
Mrs. Astor turned as the two of them stood close together in the doorway. She smiled."So good of you to join us," she said. "I was beginning to think you were just going to lurk in the hall all day."She stalked towards them, giving Sonia a once over. "Sonia, dear, I would have much less of a problem with you if you stood to inherit anything. As it stands, Arabella has already had two eligible offers and I simply cannot allow her to risk our empire for something as frivolous as feelings."She looked at Lavinia. "You, on the other hand, were never an option. Though, I cannot exactly blame you for this whole affair. It's Isaac's weakness that led you here. He should have taken care of you when he had the chance.""Which time?" Cyril asked with a smirk. "When she was kept in his pantry or after you gave the order to kill her?"He vaulted over the couch, coming to sit on the armrest. He crossed his legs and leaned forward. It was impossible to deny his beauty. Every detail in
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 48: Waking up Alone
When Lavinia woke up, it took her a moment to realize where she was. The heavy drapes around the bed blocked out all the light from the open window, leaving her almost entirely in darkness. She reached out, her hand brushing Isaac's pillow. Empty.Lavinia rolled over, turning onto her side. Isaac was gone. She sat up, pulling the curtains aside to look out into the bedroom. The door to the room was open and cold air rushed in. She pulled the comforter tightly around herself, trying to maintain the little bit of warmth still left.It was Isaac's room. They were back at the manor. For all the horror she had experienced within these walls she could not stop the thought that she was home. For a moment she sat there, wrapped in the warmth of belonging. She wished that Isaac were there to share the moment, so that she could tell him that his room finally felt welcome.But the cold from the door had started to curl around her, creeping into the open side of the bed. Isaac's ab
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 47: Homecoming
Inside the manor, the four of them made their way to the upper floor, pausing in between Isaac and Sonia's rooms."Be careful, and lay low," Isaac said. "I have no idea who is still here. Cyril could still be waiting, and I know mother will not be happy that we were gone.""We'll be okay, Izzy," Arabella said. "You need to go lay down. You're no use to us if you're barely on your feet.""Call me if you need-""Lavinia," Arabella interrupted. "Just get him in bed, no messing around. He needs to rest. Tomorrow is going to be a nightmare." She put her arm through Sonia's, pulling her back towards her bedroom. Lavinia stayed close to Isaac as he limped towards his own room. She opened the door for him and he staggered to the bed, all but falling onto it. He unbuttoned his shirt, peeling it away from his open wounds. He threw it to the floor, trying to lie back, but Lavinia stopped him. "We need to get you cleaned up. You're not going to sleep with gashes like that."
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 46: Going Home
The four of them stumbled out of the castle, finding it surprisingly empty. No one was waiting for them in the halls, no one was lurking to see the happy couple. It seemed that no one had heard anything coming from the ritual room. Still, they kept quiet as they crept across the front plaza, stopping just in front of the stables. Isaac motioned for the girls to wait, holding his hand out. "I'm going to get the carriage. Stay here." He leaned heavily on his right leg as he made his way to the stable. Lavinia caught up to him and pulled his arm over her shoulder so he could put his weight on her. She was all but carrying him as they passed through the wooden doors. As they swung closed behind them, Isaac sank down. He was shaking badly, his head falling forward against Lavinia. "Isaac?"He smiled weakly, looking up at her. His eyes glittered, red lines radiating out from his irises. "I am not doing well, Vini. As much as it pains me to say it, I might be out of my depth."
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 45: Marco's Last Stand
Sonia picked Arabella up, holding her to her chest. She glanced at Isaac and Marco, still grappling each other in the center of the room. "Promise me," Sonia said. "Promise me that when this inevitably gets out of control, you will run.""I can't promise that," said Lavinia sadly. "Now go."Sonia nodded and stood up. She darted out the archway and her footsteps disappeared down the hall. Lavinia stayed where she was, still gripping the fireplace poker. Neither Isaac nor Marco was looking at her. Quickly, she pulled herself towards the fire pit.Lavinia ripped the ribbon from her neck and pulled off Isaac's ring. She pressed it on to the tip of the poker, twisting it until it stuck fast. She thrust it into the middle of the flames."Come on, come on" she watched the ring start to change color, starting to change shape around the poker. The fire was superheated, enchanted from the spattering of Rosie's blood. She looked back to the ongoing fight. Marco had pressed Isaa
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 44: Severing the Link
Marco lept forward, now a huge wolf. His silver pelt was almost glowing in the firelight, his eyes a brilliant orange. Lavinia fell back, unable to break her fall as Marco's heavy paws landed on her shoulders.Her head hit the ground with a resounding crack. Spots of color blossomed in front of her eyes, almost blinding her. The room seemed to go quiet. Lavinia felt like she was underwater; everything around her was a mess, a blur of action. A low rumble brought her back to reality. She blinked, her vision clearing. Marco had his snout inches from her throat. With all the strength she could muster Lavinia struck him, her fist hitting him on the nose. He whined, shaking his head. His lips curled into a snarl and Lavinia braced herself for the feeling of teeth against her skin. Lavinia could feel his breath, hot on her neck, shudder. He had brushed up against Isaac's ring, still hung around her neck. He tried to swipe at the ribbon with his paw, attempting to sever it,
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 43: Ritual
The man dropped Rosie's body to the floor where she curled onto her side, hands scrabbling to put pressure on her neck. Marco lowered his and Arabella's clasped hands into the basin. She stared at him, eyes wide as Rosie's blood started seeping into the long sleeves of her dress. The fabric clung to her wrists as Marco drew his hands back. He reached forward, using the sticky gore to draw a line across her mouth with his thumb. Shakily, Arabella raised her own hand to Marco's face, mirroring his actions. With a sudden motion, Marco pulled Arabella toward him and kissed her. She rested her hands on his shoulders, trying to push him away and end the kiss. Mr. Brogan rose from his seat and Isaac followed suit. Isaac took Arabella by the arm and she yelled something at him, her words drowned out by the applause from the Brogan family. He held onto her tightly, the blood spreading from her arm to the sleeve of his suit. Mr. Brogan lifted the basin from the top of the podium, ca
Bound to the Vampire's Heir Chapter 42: Ceremony
The morning of the ceremony was bright and clear. The sky was nearly cloudless, just thin whisps of clouds hanging like strings across the blue expanse. It felt almost ironic. Lavinia could feel the weight of the plan ahead of her pressing hard on her shoulders, but the day itself seemed entirely open. Isaac joined her at the window. Had they been at the manor, he would have suggested a walk. But today wasn't about that.As the two of them dressed, they thought only of the struggle ahead. Isaac took off the silver ring he wore on his right hand and threaded it through a ribbon. He tied it around Lavinia's neck. "Keep it tucked under your gown.""Will that actually work?"Isaac shrugged. "It will be better than nothing. And in all the days we've spent here I have not seen a single member of the pack wear silver. Even their tableware is made of a different metal."Lavinia touched the ring. It was far too large for any of her fingers. It was an element solely for protecti
