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Chapter 541
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 542
“No way to tell until the fangs come out, that is,” a guy in front remarked, drawing more laughter.Professor Clerval chuckled. “Well, there is that. But it’s probably a bit late at that point. No pun intended.”The class laughed again. I turned toward Leesa to see if she found the joke funny. She had a smile on her face, but it faded when she raised her hand. I watched her draw a deep breath before she spoke, and could tell that speaking up in a group like this was not easy for her. All of which fit nicely with my earlier impression of a shy young woman, uncomfortable with attention. Her limp may have contributed to that, but I was pretty sure there must be more to it. I wondered what it might be.Professor Clerval extended a finger toward her. “Yes?”“Have you ever heard of a one-fanged vampire?” she asked.To say her question startled me would be a major understatement. Very few humans knew about the one-fangs, or grafhym, as we call them. The creatures are very rare—where on earth
Leesa's Advent Chapter 543
For several hundred years, our coven has used the perpetual night of our caverns to avoid the hated sun and to remain hidden from the ever-increasing human population as well. Cut eons ago under the tree-covered hills on the eastern side of the Connecticut River by a now-vanished underground waterway, the caverns provide the perfect hideaway. Thousands of hours of labor have shaped the various chambers to suit our needs—but what are hours, or even years, to those of us who have all eternity stretching out before us?The largest of the natural chambers serves as our Council chamber. It’s a vast natural amphitheater more than one hundred feet across with a ceiling almost thirty feet high at its tallest point. Rows of stone benches carved from the uneven floor can hold the more than three score vampires who make up our “family.” The benches face seven seats hewn directly out of the limestone wall. When our entire coven gathers, the members of the High Cou
Leesa's Advent Chapter 544
Leesa’s features tightened. Despite my attempt to keep things light, I was afraid my words might have made her aware of how alone we were out there.“So, what brings you out on a night like this?” she asked.I had just told her how much I liked the rain, but I didn’t want to make her feel bad by calling attention to it. I was more than happy to have the conversation continue on a surface level for awhile.“I like walking in the rain,” I repeated. “It’s so quiet and peaceful, especially at night.” I looked at the building behind her, pretending to notice it for the first time. “Is that your dorm?”She took a moment to respond. I would have given anything to know what was going through her mind right then. Was she worried about letting
Leesa's Advent Chapter 545
He wore a dark blue raincoat that covered him down over his hips. He’d come upon us in that silent volkaane way while I was distracted by the complexities of my talk with Leesa. I could see the tension in his limbs, showing he was ready to spring if given the chance. Tiny blue flames flickered menacingly from his fingertips. I imagined I could hear them crackling. I wondered what was stopping him. Why had he given me warning? Besides their magic fire, surprise has always been the volkaanes greatest weapon against us. Slowly and with great care, I rose to my feet and let my fangs drop from my upper jaw, ready for battle. A low growl escaped my throat. “I said get away from her, Stefan,” the volkaane repeated, his voice dark with barely restrained fury. How did this volkaane know my name? And if he did know me, he should know of my strength as well. So why had he given up the advantage of surprise? Distracted as I was by my conversation, he could easily
Leesa's Advent Chapter 546
One thing I knew for sure — my conversation with Leesa was far from finished. And after my parting remark about Edwina, I knew she would be equally interested in talking with me.I waited a couple of days—leaving the caverns too frequently would set a bad example for my fellows, not to mention that it might be seen as taking advantage of my status as a Council member. Normally, I have the patience of a saint—an undead, blood drinking saint to be sure—but this time my eagerness was difficult to contain. My talk with Leesa had left too many questions unanswered. Something inside me told me that somewhere in those answers might be the opening I was looking for. I needed to find it.The day had dawned bright and sunny, but I didn’t care. I could contain myself no longer. As much as possible, I would stick to the shadows. My hooded sweatshirt would protect me from the sun when necessary.Now that Leesa was aware I knew where she lived, I
Leesa's Advent Chapter 547
I raised my eyebrows. I had not expected that answer.“His girlfriend, huh?” I repeated. I let a small smile played upon my lips. “Edwina always did like to play with her humans.”Leesa’s expression darkened. “What do you mean ‘play with’?” she asked tremulously.I had to be very careful with how much I told her. “Vampires don’t usually take human boyfriends or girlfriends,” I said. “We kill them, or turn them vampire, sometimes make one a feeder.” I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table and letting a little more feeling into my gaze. “If there’s a human we are especially drawn to, we turn them and make them our consort.”I watched closely for he
Leesa's Advent Chapter 548
The bargain was a simple one: in exchange for Bradley’s freedom, Leesa would agree to let me turn her vampire and become my consort. Simple does not mean easy, however—giving up one’s humanity is a huge decision for most. I told her to take as much time as she needed to think about it. She promised to have my answer within a week.The arrangements we agreed to were also simple. Every evening at sunset I would wait for her in the parking lot of Gillette Castle, a place located not far from our hidden caverns. If her decision was no, she could simply tell me and leave; if her answer was yes, I would be ready to release Bradley.For six nights I waited in vain, but I didn’t mind. I told myself the wait was a good sign—if she had decided to accept my answer, she would probably h
Leesa's Advent Chapter 549
Leesa stepped forward and placed her hand lightly against Bradley’s cheek. I could only imagine what his skin must have felt like to her. “Bradley?” she said.The boy lifted his head. His eyes seemed to find some focus as he looked at her.“Pumpkin?” he said hoarsely.Tears streamed down Leesa’s cheeks at the sound of his voice. She dropped the umbrella and threw her arms around her brother, holding him close, as if she could will warmth and life back into him.“Yes, it’s me,” she said. “Leesa.”“Leeee-saaa,” Bradley whispered. He seemed to gain strength from her presence, from her touch. After a moment, he pulled his head back and
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