A gasp sounds from behind me, and I grip Aldeon’s arm as I spin around. Everything quietens as I gaze into the eyes of six women. All alive. All human. They watch me as I stare like a deer frozen in headlights.
“You were outside," one of them says. She has plump cheeks with dimples on both sides, and a mess of tight curls that fall from her head down to her boobs. Her cheeks are dotted with freckles, and her brown eyes are wide and frightened.
I exhale heavily, gripping Aldeon's arm so I don't fall. The girl steps forward as the others hang back, watching with wide eyes.
"Hey, it's okay. We can help you." She offers me her hand. Aldeon hisses, pulling me to his chest, and the girl jerks away.
The new vampire, who has been quietly observing this interaction, jumps in front of the curly haired girl. "Do not hiss at my female. We have welcomed you into our home, and this is how you repay us?" His jaw hardens and his eyes flash red.
"Jacel, back the fuck up. I'm not yours, remember? I can handle my own." The curly haired girl pushes against the vampire's shoulder, knocking him out of the way. She glares at him before turning her attention to me. "Are you okay? Is he hurting you?" She looks from me to Aldeon, and her eyes narrow.
I look down to my chest, where Aldeon's arms are wrapped. I pat his hand. "No, I'm okay.” I look up, meeting his eyes. “Aldeon, it's okay, let me go." His hands loosen and drop, but he grabs my hand and threads our fingers together.
I do not trust these people. Aldeon's thoughts are more of a growl than words.
It's just a bunch of girls. Do you know what this means? I watch each of their faces. They're human, all alive and well. I'm not the last one. I'm not alone.
"If you come with me, I can get you fed and warmed up. You look like shit," the girl says, still side-eyeing Aldeon.
I squeeze Aldeon's hand. I'm going with her. I'll be okay for now. You figure out what the deal is with the other vampire.
But I do not want you to leave my sight. His fingers clench over mine, keeping me locked in his grasp.
I'll be fine. Plus, you won't leave my sight, remember? We can talk just like this the whole time. I dislodge my fingers, which is more of a struggle than I expected. The girl looks at me in concern, her eyebrows furrowing together.
Very well. I will kill them all if they harm you. Aldeon crosses his arms over his chest, and then declares loudly to the room. "If anyone harms her, you will all die."
My cheeks turn red as the girls gasp collectively. One of them starts to cry.
"Sorry," I murmur, as the curly haired girl takes my arm and leads me down a sloping hallway. We’re heading deeper underground.
She looks behind her, eying the vampire she called Jacel. "Nah, I understand more than you think."
Aldeon
My eyes remain locked on the dhampir. I stroke my chin as Jacel watches the humans. Is this a trap after all?
I invade the mind of the human who leads Kora away. Poor girl, all alone with a bunch of vampires. I think she has PTSD or some shit, maybe we can get her to talk to us… I see no malicious intent, but that doesn’t mean hostility isn’t brewing in Jacel’s mind. I try to connect with him next, but his mental shield is strong.
He glares while clearing his throat. His teeth flash under the fluorescent orbs that hang from the ceiling. This hall is strange, unnatural. The white floors are spotless, void of dirt or grime.
I watch as Kora is led through a doorway, and then she is gone. I tether our thoughts. The humans may not be able to harm me, but they could gang up on my mate during her time of crisis.
“Follow me, males.” The dhampir waves us forward, and Brone follows him effortlessly. I am not as trusting of this male, and I linger behind. Jacel is tall and muscular, but the way he holds himself speaks of privilege. Who was this dhampir before the darkness? He reminds me of them… the Council.
The dhampir pulls out a bundle of metal keys from his coat pocket, and they cling together as he unlocks a door. He strolls inside, leaving the door open.
“After you.” I extend my hand to Brone as he enters, following behind. Boxes of flashing lights and moving pictures cover one wall, and the dhampir plops himself down onto a cushioned chair.
“I am glad you made it here in one piece.” Jacel pops the top off a bottle before pouring the red liquid into a cup.
“Blood in a bottle?” The scarlet liquid is meant to flow from warm bodies, not packaged in a manufactured container.
“No, brother. This is a human beverage called wine. It’s quite refreshing.” Jacel takes a sip.
I grimace. “No, thank you.”
“I am sure you wonder why I have allowed you to enter my sanction.” Jacel swirls the glass, gazing down at its contents.
I nod. Right to business.
"Yes, and I would like to know who you are." The council members, the elders, all of them are long gone. But Jacel lifts the glass, sticking his pinky finger out as he sips, and I know he is one of them. A chancellor, perhaps. The greedy imbeciles who hoarded blood away from the poorest dhampirs in Azure.
“It doesn’t matter what happened in Azure. What matters now is this world, and how we will shape it,” Jacel says, dismissing me with the flick of his wrist.
“And how would someone like you wish to shape it?” I ask.
Jacel glares as he places his wine onto the wooden desk at his side.
“Jacel, I believe you were about to explain why you called us here?” Brone says, injecting himself into the conversation as he leans against the far wall.
“Ah, yes.” Jacel tilts his head and crosses his hands over his lap. His dark eyes study me with interest. “As much as I would like to claim that I was acting in good nature, that just wouldn’t be true.”
Jacel’s fangs show as he smiles, and I grit my teeth. My hands tighten into fists at my side. The only thing preventing me from striking is the thought of my mate, safe and sound within these walls.
“The real truth is that I stumbled upon your thoughts.” Jacel rubs his finger over his temple. “And I realized you hold all of the answers I seek.”
“What answers?” I ask.
Jacel clears his throat, and he looks uncomfortable for the first time since we stumbled through the doors.
“I want to know how you flattered your human into bonding.” Jacel’s eyes rise to meet mine.
He wishes to claim his own mate.
Kora
“Are you okay, sweetie?”
“Can we get you anything?”
“How did you survive for so long?”
“How did you get caught up with two vampires?”
The questions whirl through my mind as the women crowd around me. It's a miracle. I'm not dead. They aren't dead. I'm no longer alone.
They brought me into a large community kitchen, and now, I'm sitting at a round table as they watch me, gawking openly.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. Here." The curly haired girl shoves a piping hot mug into my hands. “I apologize. This must be so overwhelming for you. We just haven’t seen anyone new since, well, you know…” The girl trails off, and she takes a shaky breath.
“Since the end of the fucking world,” another girl says, rolling her eyes.
“Don’t start being a bitch, Jezebel. We have company.”
Jezebel, the tallest and blondest of the group, tosses her hair over her shoulder and huffs. “Fine, whatever. I don’t need this shit anyway.” She kicks her chair back, shimmying her way across the cafeteria and out the double doors.
The girl with the kind face turns back to me, shrugging as if this was a normal occurrence. “Sorry about her. Anyway, my name is Maggie.” She holds out her hand, and I grasp it.
“This is Alora.” Maggie points to a red haired woman, and she dips her head in greeting.
“That’s Lyra.” I focus on the new woman, as she waves with a hopeful smile on her face. She has vibrant bronze skin and tight curls falling down past her shoulders.
“Over here we have Ha
rper,” Maggie says, pointing to the next girl. She has straight black hair, cut choppy around her neck. Her skin is as pale as Aldeon’s, and she nods, her lips pressed together in a tight line. I’m grateful to see someone who isn’t praising me with a fake smile.
“And this is Evelyn.” Evelyn cocks her head to the side as she waves. She’s wearing a gray tank top that exhibits intricate tattoos trailing up her arms and across her chest. Her hair is a faded purple, bobbing with her movements.
All the girls stare, prompting me to introduce myself.
“Oh, I’m Kora.” I wave, and they wave back, like I’m the new girl in grade school. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but what is this place?”
“It’s a military base,” Maggie says, her smile straining.
“So, where are the soldiers?” I take a sip from the mug, swallowing chocolatey warm cocoa.
A long stretch of silence fills the air around us. One of the women, Alora, bursts into tears. I tuck my hair behind my ear, and my leg bounces under the table with nervous energy. Something must have happened to them.
Lyra hugs Alora to her chest, and someone passes a box of tissues. Alora grabs a handful and shoves them over her eyes and nose, muffling her sniffles.
“It’s a long story,” Maggie says, grimacing. I stare at her pointedly. I want to know everything about this compound. The world is a dangerous place, and I didn’t get this far by staying blind to potential dangers.
“We were in our dorm house, at Belmont University just inside of Nashville,” Maggie begins.
I’ve heard of the school. Cece drove across the city to go attend the parties there, because ‘all the hot guys showed up’.
“When people started getting attacked outside, we freaked. Jezebel called one of her ex-boyfriends, some military guy, and they came to evacuate us.” Maggie snorts, looking away.
“And then what happened?”
“They were already AWOL. There was no government to keep them in check. They brought us here to play out their own sadistic fantasies,” Harper bites out.
My palms begin to sweat, and I wipe them on my pants under the table.
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine. They got what they deserved.” Harper stares at her fingernails.
“What happened to them?”
“That’s where the big guy comes into action,” Maggie says, rolling her eyes.
I place my hand over my heart, inhaling sharply. “God?”
“Ha! If only,” Maggie laughs, and a few of the girls snicker. My cheeks heat.
“The boys went out to grab a few last minute supplies before locking themselves in here with us indefinitely,” Maggie shudders. “And they never showed back up. Instead, Jacel walked through the door covered in blood and rambling about wonderful scents and shit.”
“Jacel’s the vampire’s name?” I ask.
“Yeah, and he’s got the hots for Miss Maggie here,” Evelyn pipes up, smirking.
Maggie’s legs move under the table as Evelyn winces.
“What?” Evelyn complains, rubbing her shin.
“He’s just… misguided.” Maggie crosses her arms over her chest.
This time, I’m the one who snorts. “In my experience, when a vampire sets his sight on you, it’s for real. They don’t know how to do anything without laying all their cards out.”
“So it’s true then? You’re screwing a vampire?” Harper’s eyes narrow.
“It’s not really like that-” I begin, but Maggie cuts me off.
“Harper, you know they aren’t all bad. Look at what Jacel has done for us! He puts a meal on our plates and protects us from any breeches,” Maggie says.
“Yeah, sounds like you know exactly what Jacel does for us. It’s because of you that he gives a shit at all,” Harper bites back.
The tension rises as both girls glare at each other.
Maggie’s jaw is clenched as she speaks, “That’s. Not. True.”
“Whatever. I’m out of here.” Harper pushes back her chair and turns, escaping through the same doors Jezebel used minutes prior.
A long stretch of silence follows Harper's departure, but then Lyra speaks, "So how did you survive out there?"
"Hey, not now. We'll drill her later. Look at her, she needs some rest. Maybe even medical." Maggie pats my shoulder.
The red haired girl, Alora, leans across the table. "Your eyes are so bloodshot. And you look as pale as a ghost."
Oh shit. I forgot about my change. The redhead pulls a micro flashlight from her pocket and switches it on, shining it in my eyes.
"Head injury," I blurt. "I, uh, hit my head a while back." A nervous laugh bubbles from my lips. "That's why my eyes are rimmed with red."
Alora clicks her light back off. "Interesting. I'd love it if you’d come to the medical bay. Let me run your vitals."
"Oh, I'm fine, really." There's no telling what kind of changes I underwent with the bonding. What if my heart rate is different? I know my temperature is elevated. Damn it.
I will come to you if there is a problem, Aldeon says.
No, not a problem yet. Stay put.
"Come on. I'll show you to your room. I imagine you'll be staying for a while." Maggie pushes out her chair. I nod and stand, following her out of the room. The hallways are bright, lit by industrial bulbs.
"You have power?" The marbled floors glisten under my feet.
"Yeah, generator somewhere outside. We've had power this whole time." Maggie tosses her curls behind her shoulder and turns, leading me down another hallway. We pass by three wooden doors before she stops. "Here you go, this room's empty. The bathroom is there." She points to a door on the opposite side of the hallway.
I nod, and her hand grips the doorknob. She turns abruptly, biting her lower lip. "You're okay, right? That vampire dude isn't hurting you? He isn't trying to control you or anything?" Her brows pinch together.
I swallow, my throat bobbing. "No, nothing like that. Um, he's probably the only reason I'm still alive."
Maggie's frowns, biting her lower lip again. "Right, well, I just wanted to make sure. We don't take any shit around here." She laughs as she opens the door, and her voice echoes through the room.
White concrete walls, ugly tiled flooring, and a metal framed bed in one corner. It wasn't much, but it was more than I've had in... what seems like forever.
"Thank you." I blink quickly, pushing back tears.
Maggie shifts from foot to foot. "Alright, well, I'll leave you to settle in. If you need me then holler, I'm just a few doors down." She pats the door twice before turning, shutting me inside.
Aldeon
I make my way through the building, searching for my mate. Already, she has been gone for many hours, and I'm eager to get to her so she isn't left unprotected.
I take a sharp turn, following Kora’s scent. I push a brown door open, finding her asleep in a lifted bed. Her eyelids flutter in her dream state. "Kora?"
She sits upright, her eyes widening. "What? Who's there?"
"Shh, it is only me." I approach her slowly, arms raised.
"Aldeon," She blows out an audible breath. "I must have fallen asleep. Is everything okay?"
I cross the room in two strides, pulling her against my chest as I nuzzle her neck, inhaling her scent. The aroma rolls off of my tongue, and I exhale into her hair.
"Yes, we are safe. Everything is fine now." I dip my head, my eyes on her plump lips.
Kora wrinkles her nose. "I haven't had a shower in a long time, and Maggie showed me where the bathroom is. Maybe I should wash up before we get too close."
I laugh, nuzzling her close again. "That hasn't stopped you before."
Kora pushes against my chest, and I release my hold on her. "Yeah, well, I didn't have the option back then. Now?" She smiles, wiggling her eyebrows. "Now, I can get squeaky clean. As long as you're sure it's safe."
Nodding my head, I thread my fingers through hers. "Jacel has made his intentions known, and he’s n
o threat to you. We will be safe here for a very long time."
Kora bites her lip. "So I guess I need to start making friends, huh?"
"Only if you want." I flash a fangy grin. "Though I don't imagine they'll put up much of a fight. You are delicious, after all."
Kora rolls her eyes as a knock sounds on the door. A human heart beats on the other side. "It's for you," I say, extending my hand in offering.
Kora whizzes past me and opens the door. A small female with red hair stands on the other side. She notices me behind Kora’s shoulder and shifts her feet. "Oh, um, Maggie wanted me to send these to you." She shoves a handful of fabrics at my mate before backstepping twice. Her eyes fall to the ground. "If you need us, we'll be in the lunchroom tomorrow." She turns, quickly retreating.
"Thank you!" Kora calls down the hall.
She closes the door, tossing the fabrics onto her bed. "Towels, leggings, oh man, a fresh sweater! These girls have it made down here." Her eyes light up as she holds up different garments, laying them against her body. "I can't believe we found this place."
"I can. You have a great deal of good luck."
Kora laughs, lifting her eyes to meet mine. Her throat bobs as she swallows. "Okay, well, I guess I should go shower now." She bites her lower lip, her cheeks flushing. How do I ask him if he wants to shower with me? Is that weird? Do vampires shower? I wonder if he thinks-
"Yes, I will come." My cock jerks in my pants, straining against the material. I push it down with my hand, shielding it from view.
Kora smiles, her cheeks still a bright shade of pink. "Then come on, let's go." She grabs a bundle of clothing and crosses the room, cracking the door open. After a quick peek both ways, Kora waves me outside.
I follow her quietly. Are you worried what they’ll say when they see us entering the washing room together? I smirk as Kora’s back straightens.
Not at all. It's just rude, is all. Her thoughts admit their lies.
They will come to see that dhampirs are great mates. Trust me.
Kora opens the bathroom door motions me inside. The door closes and she locks the deadbolt. She turns, her eyes ablaze with fierce hunger. She bunches her hand into my shirt, pulling me down to her lips. We crash together, and I flatten her against the door with my body.
Blood at Dusk: A Dark Vampire Paranormal Romance Novel (The SoulBlood Series Book 1) Page 13