Chapter 4

Aldric's POV

The next two days pass in a bit of a blur. Despite his aversion to religion, Baron honours the rituals and celebrations to the letter of The Book.

I don’t usually come here to celebrate, but this year Baron insisted that I attend. Almost all the elders are here. The only exception is Vesper, my brother. He’s an open traitor, working with the human rebellion. Baron placed a price on his head years ago, but no one can seem to find Vesper. I know exactly where he is, but I’d rather drink battery acid than tell Baron.

Every morning after the others have gone to bed for the day, I check on Simone. It’s as if some kind of invisible force pulls me to her. I can’t help myself. I have to see her, I have to make sure that she's all right.

This morning, I was just in time to see Baron climb off her. She lay there for a long time afterwards. Limp like a ragdoll, her sad eyes empty, staring off into nothingness.

I wanted to take her. God help me, I wanted to go into her room and take her out of there, but I couldn’t do it. I’d give myself away, and they need me. There are so many who depend on me, and to help them I need to know what Baron is planning.

“One more day,” I say to my reflection in the bathroom mirror. “Just one more and you can go home. You can return to you work and forget all about her.”

I splash water on my face and ignore my stubble. I can shave when I’m home.

This is the holiest day of the festival. The day Asmodeus rose from the dead as a vampire. At exactly midnight, we’ll hear his howl from the catacombs. The irony of the celebration is completely lost on most vampires. We’re honouring the rebirth of a vampire trapped in a tomb right under our noses.

I dress in all black, as is required by The Book, and go to the massive ballroom. Only the elders are allowed to attend this part of the festival. We’re all direct, first-generation descendants of the originals, and they are in turn descendants of Asmodeus.

Long tables in the shape of a horseshoe have been set up along the walls around a platform on which a variety of naked humans are already on full display, tied together so they can’t escape. One for each of us and a few to spare.

Damn. I hate this day.

I take my assigned seat and fold my hands on the table, staring at the terrified humans. The Book demands that we fight against our desires and that they should leave here alive, but we will kill them. There are too many of us and we’ll get caught up in the bloodlust. We’ll whip each other into a frenzy and destroy these poor people.

Baron enters the ballroom and my stomach drops out from under me. He brought Simone. What is he thinking? Why would he bring her today of all days? The most dangerous day for a human to be surrounded by vampires.

She’s wearing white today, which stand out against the sea of black around her.

Clenching my shaking hands in my lap, I keep an eye on the overlord and his human. He steers her to a chair in the corner of the ballroom, where she sits down like an obedient lapdog. Her eyes dart around the room. She’s terrified. I catch her eyes and hold her gaze.

I can get her out. If it gets bad. I can get her out. I will not give in to the bloodlust. If it means revealing myself, then so be it. I can’t sit here and watch them devour her – and they will. The delicate scent of her special blood is already attracting their attention.

Baron gets up onto the platform, standing among the humans to symbolise his dominion over them. “Welcome,” he says, and a hush falls over the gathering. “On this, our holiest of days, may I present you with a gift to celebrate the day of our creation?”

Right on cue, the butler walks into the ballroom, carrying a silver tray high above his head. He’s followed by a whole string of neophytes, all of them dressed in black suits, white shirts, and white gloves.

They place a perfect sphere on a large ceramic spoon in front of each of us. A blood ball of some kind. Simone’s blood.

Oh fuck. No.

“Please,” Baron says when the butler and neophytes leave, closing the doors behind them. “Enjoy.”

I stare at the crimson sphere, my mouth watering. No one will have the same experience. The flavour of the golden blood adjusts to the vampire’s favourite taste. I pick my spoon up and bring it to my nose. It’s so sweet and delicate, like rose water.

I will not do it.

Baron takes his own spoon and pops the sphere into his mouth. Around me, vampires moan in delight. We have minutes.

Shaking like a leaf in a tornado, I put the spoon back on the table and then haul myself over the table. I grab Baron by the front of his jacket. “What the hell are you doing?” I hiss. “Bringing your bride here tonight?”

“They won’t dare touch her.”

“They will drain her dry, you fool. Is that what you want?”

“They all need to know…”

He’s gone mad. I don’t know if it’s Simone’s blood or if he finally lost his mind. His eyes are already glazing over, and there will be no more arguing with him tonight. He won’t remember anything tomorrow anyway. I dash past him, grab Simone by the hand and drag her after me out of the ballroom.

I slam the door shut with my foot, sweep her up into my arms and run upstairs with her.

Clearly used to being carried away at high speed, she pushes her face into my shoulder and holds on to me for dear life. There’s no need, I won’t drop her, but I know it’s frightening for humans.

No one tries to stop us. Most just get out of our way. There are no werewolves here this weekend, and all humans that aren’t on the menu had been locked up for the night.

I carry Simone into her room and lock the door behind us. She was safe up here for two nights, but I don’t know if she’ll be safe tonight. The door is enforced, but a determined vampire will be able to get in.

Breathing heavily, I put the terrified human on the bed and stand back to give her some space. “Thank you,” she says.

I expected something else. Tears. Fear. Screaming. Perhaps even anger, but I did not expect her to thank me. “Are you okay?” I ask.

Mute, she nods.

“Why did he do that, do you know?” I ask.

“Apparently, I wasn’t enthusiastic enough last night. He said it was time to teach me a lesson in gratitude.”

Fucker. The problem is that Baron absolutely believes what he says. He does actually believe that he’s treating her well and that she’s supposed to be thankful for being his captive. “And the dress?”

“While he was educating me on gratitude, he planned to introduce me to the elders as his bride.”

“That makes absolutely no sense.”

“He’s been acting strange lately.”

“I noticed,” I say and walk back to the door. Apart from the chaos downstairs, all is quiet. “I don’t think anyone will be coming up here.”

“No, they won’t. They never do.”

I slide down the length of the door and pull my legs up. I rest my wrists on my knees and stare at her. She looks so small and vulnerable, sitting on that big bed in her white dress. “Do you want me to help you take that off?”

She nods and gets up, turning her back to me as she does.

I jump to my feet and walk over to her. My fingers brush against her skin, sending little sparks of delight throughout my body. It was the same on the night I met her when I snuck in here in my mist form and undid the tight laces of her blue gown.

She looks over her shoulder at me. “Were you in my room three nights ago?” she asks.

“Yes,” I admit.

She nods and looks away. “I recognise your touch.”

That’s impressive for a human. “Sorry. I didn’t know that Baron…I wouldn’t have done it if I knew.”

“Knew what?” she asks and steps away. Holding the dress to her chest she turns to look at me. “I have never said no to him.”

“Can you say no?” I ask right back. “Are you even allowed?”

“I’ve never tried.”

“My guess is he won’t care one way or the other.”

“Turn around,” she says.

She surprises me. She’s showing me a bit of fire and a quiet strength that she has hidden very effectively until now. I listen while she bustles around the room, opening the closet and dresser drawers. It feels like it’s taking her an eternity to change, but in truth, I just tend to forget how slow humans move compared to us. “I’m done,” she says less than five minutes later.

The dress lies on the floor. She angrily kicks at it as she walks across the room to her vanity.

She sits at the dressing table with her back to the mirror, looking for the hundreds of pins buried in her thick mane. Even dressed in a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, she looks exquisite. I spin her around to face the mirror, and put my hands on her shoulders. She doesn’t even flinch. “Let me help.”

“What do you know about hairdos?”

“More than you think.”

I run my hand through her hair and start to pull out the pins. When I’m done and I’m sure I’ve found each of them, I brush out her hair. She sits with her eyes closed. While I watch her in the mirror, a quiet tear escapes and runs down her cheek. “He’s right, isn’t he?”

“What?” I ask, and put the brush down.

“Baron. He’s right. I should be more grateful. I’ve not exactly been a barrel of laughs lately. I’ve been so miserable.”

My heart nearly tears out of my chest. “Oh, sweetheart, no…your way of thinking is all messed up.” A little sunshine probably wouldn’t hurt either. “When is the last time you were outside…during the day?”

“I don’t know. I’m not allowed out…because of the wolves.”

“And what will the wolves do to you?”

“Eat me?” she asks.

“No,” I say. “That’s a myth. Wolves don’t eat humans.”

The door to her bedroom explodes inward, sending pieces of wood and splinters flying into the room.

Shit. I had been so caught up in Simone that I have forgotten to listen out for danger. I just assumed that the lot downstairs would be too busy with their orgy to bother with her.

Baron storms into the room, snoring and snorting like an enraged bull. His eyes are red, and he's covered in blood from the waist up. “What are you doing with my bride?”