Her Royal Blood

by Felicity Jordan

  A vaguely familiar man – vampire – hurried into the room. “Assa, you’re awake! You must be thirsty.”

  Rachel nodded as she gulped the water, but it didn’t seem to quench her thirst. She puzzled at it and drained the glass, but she was somehow just as thirsty as she’d been before she started.

  “You need blood, Assa, not water.”

  Rachel turned to the vampire, terror suddenly seizing her heart. “What did you say?”

  “You need blood.”

  Memories came crashing back with brutal clarity. “The change went through? I’m… I’m a monster?”

  Both Tim and the vampire protested, but Tim spoke the loudest. “You’re a vampire, but you’re still Rachel. You’re not a monster.”

  She only realized she was shaking when Tim grasped her hands, trying to still her tremors. “It’s ok, Rachel. We’re going to get through this.”

  “The clinic.” Rachel nodded. Of course, there was a way out for her.

  “NO!” Both Tim and the vampire leapt up.

  “Jexin, let me handle this.”

  The vampire didn’t listen to Tim but talked to Rachel past Tim’s outstretched arm. “I don’t want to disobey you, Assa, but I will if I must to protect your life.”

  It was difficult to think past the burning thirst. Already, Rachel would do almost anything to quench it. She clamped her lips shut, suddenly aware of the pulsing of a vein in Tim’s neck. No. She wasn’t going to attack Tim.

  Jexin turned to him. “Keep her here. I’m going to call for a feeder and her uncle.”

  Wait, uncle? Before Rachel could ask, Jexin whisked out. He was back mere moments later, leading someone by the hand. A flash of gold eyes told her it was a donor. Another vampire followed behind him. He looked vaguely familiar, but Rachel was finding it hard to focus. She could only think of how good the donor smelled. She could see faint scars on the woman’s neck. She wore a red dress made of fine satin with delicate embroidery on the sleeves. She looked like a princess.

  “Assa,” the new vampire breathed. “You don’t remember me, but I’m Dasek.”

  “Why do you keep calling me that?”

  “We’ll explain later, when you’re able to take it in. For now, you need to feed.” Jexin gestured to the donor, who eagerly came forward, kneeling by the bed.

  “I’m ready, Assa. It’s an honor. Please, take my blood.”

  The pulse in her neck was irresistible, and Rachel felt her face burning with shame. She glanced at Tim, horrified at the thought of him witnessing this. He understood her silent plea and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be right outside. Everyone else, out.”

  Dasek stiffened at the order, but after glancing at Rachel, he nodded. Jexin, however, didn’t move. “I’m not leaving you, Assa.”

  She was too close to losing control to fight with him. Rachel’s eyes were drawn to the donor’s neck. A strange feeling in her mouth had her fingering her teeth. She snatched her hand away in horror. Fangs were growing, and she was practically salivating at the thought of blood.

  She locked her muscles in place, staring helplessly at Jexin. She didn’t want to do this, but she didn’t know how to stop herself. The call of blood was too great.

  His face softened in sympathy. “Here, Assa, let me show you. You bring your mouth to her neck and bite in here, at the artery. Don’t worry for her, your venom will seal the wound once you’re done.”

  Rachel watched, transfixed, as Jexin bit into the donor’s neck. She gasped, seemingly in pleasure, and tilted her head back. Jexin drew back after only a moment, licking the blood off his lips. “Now, you.”

  He put a hand behind her head and gently guided her to the donor’s neck. With a sigh of surrender, Rachel did as she was bid. The skin parted easily under her fangs and she found her mouth filled with sweet, delicious blood. She sucked deeply, suddenly desperate, clutching the donor close. The woman didn’t protest but leaned into her.

  Suddenly, Jexin’s hands were pulling her back. “That’s enough for now, Assa. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

  Rachel snarled and struggled, intent only on getting back to the donor’s neck, but Jexin’s arms around her were firm. After a few moments, she came back to herself. She was suddenly filled with shame. What had she done?

  “I’m so sorry.” She lifted the donor’s head, begging the woman’s forgiveness.

  The donor shook her head. “Don’t be. I am honored, Assa, to be the first one you fed off. I’d be honored to serve you again. You have but to call for Bethany, and I’ll be here.”

  Bethany hurried out, with Rachel staring after her.

  “Feeding is pleasurable for the donors,” Jexin explained. “Trust me, Assa, you’re not hurting anyone.”

  Her head was clearer now, but Rachel still hadn’t quite shaken the horror of what she’d done. “Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Rachel.”

  “Tim,” Jexin called softly. “You can come back in now. You should be here for this.”

  Tim burst in and Rachel wiped at her mouth, suddenly terrified there was blood there. If there was, Tim made no sign of it. He looked tenderly at her, with no sign of disgust on his face. “Feeling better?”

  “Yes,” Rachel admitted. “Where’s the other vampire? Dasek?”

  “He was called away for something. It sounded urgent, something about turmoil in the kingdom.”

  “He will come and speak to you later, I am sure, Assa.” Jexin moved back a little, surrendering his place by her bedside to Tim. “I guess I’ll just have to explain as best I can. Where to start…”

  “Why don’t you start with why you keep calling me Assa?”

  He nodded. “That’s easy. Assa means queen.”

  Rachel blinked at him, sure she’d misheard. “But I’m not a queen. I’m no one.”

  “You are not, Assa. Tell me… what do you remember of your childhood?”

  Rachel didn’t know where this was going, but she answered anyway. “Not much. I have a few memories of my sisters and parents, but it’s all a bit blurry.”

  “Then let me fill you in. You were born to Assa Reina Cherki, queen of our kingdom, and one of her husbands, Favelo Cherki. You are the first born, your sisters shortly after you. When you were three years old, the palace was attacked by a rival house.

  The guards all fell in defense of your mother and her husbands. When it became clear that we would lose, Assa looked me in the eye and told me to get her daughters to safety. I ran with you, but I was pursued. I couldn’t stay ahead of those after me, not with three little girls in tow. I left you at a small farm and led the chase away.

  “I was captured and tortured. By the time I escaped, you and your sisters had disappeared into the human foster care system, and I could find no trace of you. I’ve been searching for you ever since.”

  Rachel couldn’t take it in. It couldn’t be true… Yet his words evoked a sense of memories, of running through the night, of screams and desperate oaths. She shivered, not sure she wanted to remember any more.

  She glanced at Tim, whose face was painted with shock. He squeezed her hands. “I’m with you, no matter what.”

  Those words were just what she needed to hear to give her strength, and even Jexin nodded approvingly. “What if I don’t want to be queen?”

  “You may abdicate, if one of your sisters is willing to take up the throne, but for that, we’d need to find them. I’m hoping you can help me there.”

  “I wish. I’ve been trying for years. But I mean, who is king or queen now?”

  “Your uncle has been running the kingdom since you were lost, but only a queen can rule. A prince, or Issa, is only able to keep the throne safe while waiting for a princess – Essa – to come of age and take the throne. Usually, you would have been turned when you reached adulthood, but that has been remedied now.”

  “But… I don’t want to be a vampire.”

  Jexin gave her a helpless look. “It is who you are, Assa. It’s who you
’ve always been. Young vitlings – children born to vampires – can pass as human, but you were always meant to be turned. No Essa would turn away the chance at immortality and rule.”

  “What if I would?” Rachel turned to Tim. “You promised me. You said, if I still wanted to go to the clinic, you’d take me.”

  Pain flickered across his face. “Please, Rachel, think about this before you decide. At least speak to your uncle. This doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Think. The whole reason you hate vampires is because you remember them taking your family from you, but that memory is false. Jexin saved you.”

  He was right. Rachel found herself wondering if her entire life had been based on a lie. She stared at Jexin, who looked steadily back. He could be lying, but Rachel found she believed him. She took a deep, steadying breath. “Alright. I won’t decide anything yet. I’ll talk to Dasek.”

  Jexin and Tim’s faces were mirrored pictures of relief. “I will send for him at once.” Jexin stood and left. Tim moved in closer, pressing a kiss to her lips.

  “You taste like blood,” he murmured.

  Rachel flinched. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’ll get used to it. You’re a vampire now.”

  “How are you so OK with this?”

  Tim laughed. “In truth? OK wouldn’t exactly describe me right now, but I love you, and I’ll find a way to deal with it. We both will.”

  He was being strong for her. Of course, he was. That was who Tim was. He’d do anything for her, and Rachel loved him all the more for it.

  “Come here.” She beckoned him closer. “This bed is awfully big. I think it calls for two to fill it.”

  Chapter Five

  Rachel

  It took hours for Dasek to return, but Tim never left her side, and neither did Jexin, who returned shortly after sending for the prince. Issa, she reminded herself.

  “So, where do I go from here?” Rachel asked, slightly overwhelmed. “Even if I did want the job, I have no idea how to be queen. I don’t know anything about vampires, other than the fact that they drink blood. I –” Her voice was getting higher and Rachel was suddenly struggling against tears.

  “I will help you, Assa,” Jexin interrupted, reaching past Tim to take up one of her hands. “Most vampires are educated when they are young, but no matter, we can start now. You’ll need to know history and the structure of the other royal houses, as well as how to run the Cherki court. Dasek can help you there; I suspect he’ll have you shadow him for a while before asking you to make any decisions on your own. As for the rest, I will find you the best tutor in the land.”

  Rachel bit her lip. She was already in a world filled with strangers, and she wasn’t sure she wanted more. She trusted Jexin, at least as much as she could trust anyone in this new world. She remembered how patient he’d been helping her through her first feeding, and how he’d barely left her side since she’d woken.

  “Can’t… can’t you teach me?”

  Jexin’s face flooded with pleasure. “I would be honored, Assa. I am no tutor, but I will consult one at once and begin preparing lessons.”

  “I’d like to be involved in that, too,” Tim spoke up. “If this is Rachel’s world, it’s mine now too.”

  “Assa?” Jexin tilted his head in question. “Each queen allows her mates different liberties. If you wish them to be involved in ruling with you, it is of course permitted.”

  “Tim is with me. I want him involved. But you keep mentioning mates, husbands. I… what if I only want Tim?”

  Rachel loved Tim and she’d never betray him, customs be damned.

  Jexin seemed confused by the question. “Of course, who you marry is your choice, but why would you not want more than one? Surely, multiple mates can more adequately fulfill your needs than just one?”

  “I only want Tim.” Even as she spoke, Rachel couldn’t help noticing just how fine Jexin’s body was, and she wondered if he’d consider himself in contention to be one of her ‘mates’. She angrily pushed the thought aside, feeling bad for even having it.

  Jexin nodded, and was that a flicker of disappointment she saw in his eyes? She must have been imagining it. Rather than leaving the room, he called a tutor in and the two of them had hushed discussions about lessons in the corner. It was sweet, and Rachel appreciated it.

  She and Tim spent time talking quietly, wondering about their current situation. “Hey, what about you? Are you feeling better? You were sick?” She suddenly felt guilty for not remembering sooner.

  “Not anymore. Jexin didn’t want any diseases near you while you transitioned, so he had the Gali heal me. It was incredible, she just touched me and chanted some vampire voodoo, and I was completely fine.”

  That was incredible. Rachel would have to find out what else vampire healers could do. If they had such advanced skills, those skills should be used in the human world, too. At the very least, human doctors could learn from them.

  She and Tim were discussing this when Dasek came in. He bowed to Rachel. “Assa. I am glad to see you looking stronger.”

  Rachel had been hoping for a less impersonal introduction to her uncle who she didn’t remember. She didn’t want to receive him in bed, and gestured him to a table of rich, polished wood and two padded chairs. They sat opposite each other, while Tim wandered over to Jexin and the tutor, sensing she wanted to have this discussion alone.

  There were a few moments of awkward silence, and Rachel suspected he was waiting for her to speak first. “I don’t remember you,” she admitted.

  “You were very young when you were taken. I remember you and your sisters well, though, and your parents.”

  Rachel leaned forward eagerly. “Can you tell me about them?”

  Dasek smiled. “I can.”

  They spent the afternoon talking. Mostly, Dasek talked and Rachel listened. He seemed to want to discuss the running of the kingdom with her, but she wasn’t ready to face that just yet and kept the conversation on her parents. Dasek wordlessly acceded to her wishes.

  It was a bit eerie, the way everyone obeyed her. It would certainly take some getting used to. Jexin finished his discussion with the tutor and came to stand behind her, his arms behind his back.

  Rachel turned to him. “Jexin? Is everything alright?”

  “Yes, Assa, of course.” He didn’t move from his position, seemingly relaxed.

  “Then why are you hovering? Come and sit down.”

  He hesitated. “I am your guard, Assa. I need to be on my feet, so that I can act to protect you at a moment’s notice.”

  Oh. She hadn’t thought of that. Jexin seemed to be waiting for something, his head tilted as he looked at her. “Do you command me to sit, Assa?” he finally asked when she didn’t say anything.

  “Oh! No, of course not. You know how to do your job, I’m sure. Are there… are there other guards, or are you the only one?”

  Dasek chuckled as he answered. “There are dozens of guards, Assa. There are four outside this room, and they will follow you wherever you go. Likewise, I have guards with me at all times.”

  Rachel didn’t like the sound of that. “Um… perhaps I’ll stick with just Jexin trailing me for now.”

  “It would be safer if others came as well.” Jexin looked hesitant to be contradicting her, and he had his head tilted again, waiting for an answer. An order.

  “Maybe when I’m not in the palace we can have more, but in here, I’d like just you.”

  He nodded, accepting her decision without a word of argument. “Yes, Assa.”

  “You know, my name is Rachel. I’d like it if you called me Rachel.”

  “Of course, Assa.” Jexin didn’t quite manage to hide his small smile.

  Rachel rolled her eyes but let it go.

  “Don’t even try.” Dasek leaned in close, speaking confidentially. “I’ve been trying to get them to call me by my name for years. You’d have better luck convincing the sun to shine at midnight.”

  The two of them shared a la
ugh. It felt good. Rachel loved her adoptive parents, but she was still delighted to have a blood relation.

  “Now, we should talk about the running of the palace. There are a number of issues that need your attention –”

  “I think that will be better dealt with later, Issa, once Assa has acclimatized.” Jexin stepped forward, putting a protective hand on Rachel’s shoulder. She was grateful for the intervention. She didn’t want to make a bad impression, but she really wasn’t ready for all this.

  “As I said, there are some imminent problems –”

  Once again, Jexin interrupted, surprising Rachel. So far, he’d shown deference toward both her and Dasek, accepting their word without protest, but not now. “No, Issa. I am her guard, and I say no. She is not ready.”

  For a moment, it looked like Dasek was going to explode, but he finally controlled his expression, his voice tight. “Fine, but it can’t wait forever. I will deal with things as I see fit, but Assa, events will not stand still for you. Not even Jexin can protect you from the passage of time.”

  “Understood.” Her voice came out smaller than she would have liked.

  Dasek smiled kindly. “Then we will speak no more of it for now. I’d best get to dealing with those issues.”

  He swept out, taking the tutor with him. Rachel was surprised to see that it was evening. Jexin had food brought in, promising her to bring the donor back tomorrow. The food was good, and after Rachel and Tim had eaten, they showered in the expansive bathroom before retiring to bed. It had been a weird day, and tomorrow was sure to be weirder.

  #

  True to her prediction, the next day was a strange one. Rachel spent most of the day being showed around the palace by Jexin, trailed by Tim. It really was magnificent. Everyone seemed to recognize her, and she couldn’t move two paces without people bowing to her and murmuring her title. She felt like she might soon forget her own name and was soon responding to Assa like she had to Rachel her whole life.

  It was late afternoon when the real surprise came. A tall, handsome vampire strode across the garden lawn toward her. His clothing was similar to Dasek’s; he looked noble.