“Of course,” I said as I quickly sat up and tried to fully wake myself. Louie ran for my bed angrily after I scooted over to make room for Evilyn on the couch.
She took a seat next to me and seemed to relax her posture more than usual when I smiled at her. “Tomorrow night will be a big night for you.”
We didn’t speak for a moment. We just sat silently, watching the program on the television while a slight feeling of awkwardness hung between us. The Queen then spoke suddenly as if no time had passed. “I remember the night before I was turned. Although, I of course didn’t know ahead of time that I would be changed, but now when I look back on it, I feel it was a very happy night in my human life.”
I wanted to ask her what it was like, but I felt that was probably a very personal moment for her and I wasn’t quite that comfortable with her to ask whatever I pleased. Not giving me any more time to toil mentally as I always did the Queen continued.
“I would like tonight to be very special for you. Although of course we will be celebrating soon after you are completely joined into our family, your last night as a human should be a night you cherish and think of fondly. It is important to me and Nicolae that we make this as smooth a transition as possible.”
“I think I am handling it alright. Well as good as I possibly can I think,” I said as I smiled feebly at her. My weak attempt at confidence did not fool Evilyn’s keen perceptiveness.
“I know we are asking a lot of you Claire and there are no words I can ever to say to express the gratitude we have for the sacrifice you are making. In a way you are our savior. Our symbol of strength, loyalty, tradition and honor. If you decided against us… our world would surely lead to ruin. You may not realize it, but you and I have more in common than you think. Unlike the younger vampires, who were given ample time to understand this change in their life, you and I have both been thrust into this life, with little to no warning.” Evilyn rested her hand on mine and squeezed it gently.
“I guess I never thought of it that way. It may not look it, but I really am happy about my decision. I imagine it will take a good long while for me to fully grasp my new life, but I am looking forward to it.”
“I am glad to hear you say that. You are displaying such strength and courage and I am very proud of you. Now, how did your discussion with Edgar go earlier this evening? I trust you learned a great deal?”
“A lot, actually. He was a very good teacher,” I said as my cheeks blushed in slight embarrassment as I recalled a how Edgar nervously explained the changes I could expect to occur in my body.
Evilyn caught onto my embarrassment and smiled kindly as a small laugh escaped her. It was a beautiful soft sound and it made me want to hear her laugh more just to hear the loveliness of her voice. “Oh, Claire, you do remind me of myself when I was young. I assure you Edgar is as good a teacher as any, although it is customary to have a female vampire direct you on these transformations. I am here now to answer any questions you may have.”
She looked at me expectantly and I could barely organize the multitude of questions I had quickly enough. “Edgar said I would immediately recognize changes in my body, but he did not go into much detail. Do female vampires go through different changes than males?”
“Every single vampire has a slightly different transformation as some abilities are stronger or weaker in others. It all depends on your disposition before the change takes place. For instance, some are faster, some are better at charming while others can sense emotions in others more accurately. Like young Robin Willow, she is extremely attuned to other’s emotions. I haven’t seen anything quite like it in a long time.”
“What do you think I will be good at?” I had wondered this myself. I feared that I was worrying less about my actually becoming a vampire and more about whether or not I would be as great a vampire as they all seemed to think I would be.
The Queen stroked my head as a mom would a small child and smiled widely at me, her porcelain fangs sparkled behind her ruby lips. “You will be good at a great many things.” I sighed and silently prayed that she was right.
“Now Claire, what is it that we can do to make this an amazing night for you?” Evilyn asked excitedly and I couldn’t help but be slightly infected with her enthusiasm.
“Honestly, I think I would like to just hang out with Robin and Dmitry and watch a movie. I don’t need anything special, besides we are having a big coronation ball, right?” I probably sounded silly, but I truly did love to dance and I didn’t dare ask what I really wanted which was to see Liz and my human mom.
“Anything you wish my dear. You will be the most beautiful vampire Princess there ever was at a coronation ball. There haa been many young vampire men already inquiring as to your beauty,” the Queen said as she winked at me her dark eyes sparkling.
My jaw dropped in response and I wasn’t sure what to say. I tried to think of all the different vampires I knew of in our region. There were so many lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses that I always found it hard to keep track. They each had their own “children” and their families slowly grew in size over time. I did vaguely recall Liz commenting on the brutal hotness of a vampire duke’s son in the southern part of our region.
I saw the Queen smiling at me as she no doubt could feel my heart fluttering with emotion. “Don’t you worry, there will be plenty of time to worry about men later. You will have many new duties to keep you busy, there is still much you need to learn and once you are turned, you can begin.”
What Evilyn said raised a question and I couldn’t help but ask, “Are there things I can’t learn until I am turned?”
She nodded at me and her expression returned to the emotionless vampire mask. “Very perceptive Claire, perhaps you will be more gifted than you realize. Yes, there are some traditions that must be fulfilled, but such secrets can be discussed only with vampires no matter what the circumstances.”
She rose then and walked toward a large vase near the entrance to my room. She sniffed at the flowers and relished their fragrant scent before addressing me again. “Go and enjoy your night. I don’t want to keep you any longer. Please let your mind rest tonight, so that you can enter your new life with a clear head.”
With that, Evilyn exited my room. I felt a little miffed at her departure. She completely evaded my question and almost seemed eager to leave after I asked it. My anger quickly subsided when I thought perhaps I might have offended her. She was very attuned to emotions; maybe she felt the fear I had when she answered me.
Not wanting to let myself get sucked into my thoughts, I gave Louie a hug before I exited my room in search of Robin and Dmitry in the hope of having a relaxing evening in what would be my last hours as a human.
It took some wrong turns but I eventually found the media room and everyone was waiting on my arrival. Even Luka and Ana who both openly sneered at my entrance.
“No one said the stray was coming,” Ana spat.
“Didn’t think I needed to.” Dmitry flashed a wicked grin at me and grabbed the remote to get the movie started.
I hopped on the couch next to Robin and she pulled up the blanket so I could snuggle in beside her. Dmitry soon plopped down beside me and his presence made my skin tingle even though we were barely touching. I started to get nervous that he might be trying his charming trick on me again, but then I realized we had to be looking at each other to do that and he was intently fixated on the previews.
Even with Luka and Ana present, the night was enjoyable. Though at times I felt I could almost feel the heat of Ana’s hateful stare trying desperately to make me spontaneously combust. The heat disappeared instantly when she and Luka quickly slipped out obviously not wanting to spend any more time in the same room with me. They blatantly groped each other as they walked out. The rest of us made our way out of the media room sleepily after the movie, as dawn seemed to be quickly approaching.
“Claire, would you like me to walk you to your room?” Dmitry asked politely.
I glared at Robin as she seemed to fly down the hallway and twisted on my first finger the gold chain from which delicately hung my locket and the ruby pendant Fox had presented me as a symbol of the vampire royal family.
Dmitry grinned at my obvious nervousness and my determination not to make eye contact with him. “Shall we?” he asked as he held his arm out to me.
I couldn’t resist taking it. It was such a rare occasion that a man acted like such a gentleman, even if he was a vampire. I tried to focus on my breathing so that Dmitry couldn’t sense the emotions that were coursing through my body.
“Relax Claire. I’m not going to charm you. Unless you want me to?”
“Not particularly and that wasn’t very nice by the way,” I decided I wasn’t going to let him get off the hook.
“Oh, come on, after tonight I won’t be able to have so much fun with you. Since you’re going to be this big, bad vampire Princess and all,” Dmitry teased.
“Well that gives me an idea, since I’m going to be so all powerful I believe I may charm you and see how you like it,” I teased, trying to sound as proper and poised as he did.
“Dear Claire, I truly hope you do not change,” Dmitry said as we stopped outside my bedroom door. “At least not on the inside.”
I watched as Dmitry lowered his perfectly styled blonde head to kiss my hand. My body exploded in electricity at the sensation and when his body stiffened I realized he felt what I felt and I quickly tried to hide it.
We lingered for a moment just staring at each other, frozen in a moment in time. Then without any warning Dmitry smiled and disappeared without a word. I was left breathless outside my bedroom and completely in shock. Incapable of thinking of anything I dragged myself into my bed and snuggled up with Louie as I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Chapter 7
I woke up with a start and felt disoriented by the light that was flowing through an open window. Even though I was exceedingly tired, something seemed to draw my attention to the shaft of light that was seeping into the room.
As I pulled apart the curtains, the brightness of the last days rays nearly blinded me. It was sunset and the crimson skyline burned brightly on the horizon. As my eyes adjusted, I realized that this would be the very last sunset I would ever see. A small wave of sadness lingered in my heart over this small but significant loss. I always thought that sunsets and sunrises were some of the most beautiful acts of nature and I would never see them again.
I pulled off my socks and lifted myself up into the window as I hung my legs over the edge, savoring the last moments of the sun’s warmth. My skin was soaking it up like a sponge and I sighed in pleasurable content as the sky darkened until something caught the corner of my eye.
A large tree stood atop a small hillside not far from the palace and just under the tree I again saw the figure of the man I saw in the garden. He was watching me.
Normally the sight of a man spying on me would be terrifying and I would immediately retreat into my room, promptly after flipping him the bird, but there was something about this man’s presence that seemed to draw me to him. I thought he might be charming me, trying to lure me to him but he was too far away for that to work. There was some other type of connection, a deep pull in my heart that was unrecognizable.
I watched him as he took confident steps toward the palace, yet still remaining far enough away that I couldn’t determine his features. In that moment, I so badly wished I had the acute eye sight of a vampire, so I could see his face. I studied what I could in hopes that I would see him again and recognize my silent and distance admirer.
He stopped a couple hundred yards from the palace. I could tell his skin was a perfect golden tan and his hair was cut short and light brown. The longer we stared at each other the more I sensed that he had the same dominating presence of a vampire, but there he was, standing in the fading light of day. The urge to call out to finally say something, he took off. He wasn’t quite as fast as Robin or Dmitry but he was still faster than a human. Who, and what, was he?
I waited a short while longer to see if he would come back and when he didn’t I closed up the window securely and crawled back into bed with Louie. When sleep refused to come I decided to start the night early and enjoy my last couple hours of privacy before my whole world was turned upside down.
I had expected Robin would be the first to arrive to my room once the sun had finally set and the night grew darker, but she didn’t. Instead three servants entered and began getting me prepared. The transformation seemed to be more ceremonial than I had thought and I was required to clean thoroughly and be dressed in a specific garment for the occasion.
They dressed me in a sheer white dress made of some sort of shimmering, mesh cloth. It reminded me of the Grecian togas I had seen woman wearing in some of the tapestries throughout the palace. One of the servants braided my hair and wove small white ribbons within the braids. I watched them work in the mirror and I felt as if I was being dressed for some sort of wedding. Imagining that I was a tortured Princess, being forced into an arranged marriage by my evil parents. I giggled quietly to myself, which only seemed to annoy the servants.
When I was nearly complete, all but one of the servants left my room and the last one dabbed drops of some sort of perfume on my body at various locations. As she wiped it onto my neck and my wrists I could smell the delicate scent of eucalyptus drift throughout the room.
“What is that?” I asked.
“Eucalyptus and lavender, Princess,” she said. “It is meant to help soothe you throughout the transformation. They are two of the most favorite scents of vampires. Do you not approve of them?”
“Oh no, I like them very much. Thank you.” I worried that I may have offended her and realized that although I had not been changed yet, the servants were instructed to treat me as if I already were their Princess.
Shortly after, Robin’s mom arrived to my room and I saw that she was attired in a similar outfit as mine. She smiled warmly at me and I thought for a moment trying to remember her name. “Mara, it sure is good to see you,” I said as I smiled at her.
“Oh Claire, you look beautiful,” Mara said as she entered my sitting room. The servant bowed at her and quickly exited. “Are you ready?”
“Uh…” I was confident that I wanted to go through with it, but I was still a bit scared.
“Come child,” Mara held her hand out to me and I took it hesitantly. I took a deep breath as she guided me out of my room.
I was a bit startled to see that the entire palace was dark with the exception of a single row of candles that led down the hallway. As we made our way hand in hand, I saw vampires and humans lining the hallways, each of them bowing at me as I made my way past them. Even Ana and Luka bowed, although nowhere near as deeply as anyone else. I was certain I could almost sense their hatred toward me, especially Ana as her eyes pierced mine.
I recognized Robin and Dmitry’s bowed heads and smiled broadly. I know it’s probably against protocol, but I let my fingers brush the tops of their heads gently as I walked by as a silent acknowledgement of their presence.
I realized that the candlelight was illuminating our bodies through the sheer fabric, displaying a shadowy image of our figures as we walked. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel self-conscious, but strangely at peace as if I were part of some beautifully spiritual moment and I delighted in the feeling of peace it was giving me.
We followed the candles as they led into a large room and just as we entered I saw the top of a light brown haired head that made my heart stop and my steps nearly falter. I wanted to stop and pull this man up, to finally look at his face up close, but Mara’s hold on my hand was secure and she pulled me forward as if she hadn’t even noticed my hesit
ation.
Nicolae and Evilyn stood waiting for me. Tears threatened to fall down their faces. I was more shocked to see such emotion in Nicolae, but somehow his posture didn’t seem to match his expression. He was standing triumphantly at the doorway. His stance resembled the post of many vampire men in paintings throughout the palace as they towered over their defeated foe. I had to be reading him wrong. He was just as proud as was the Queen to know I accepted as was just moments away from joining their family forever.
They each placed a cold kiss on my forehead, and Evilyn’s tears dripped coldly onto my face. Mara then pulled me forward and into the room.
The doors were quietly closed behind us as we entered and the room quickly began to illuminate brightly to reveal an elegant room covered in marble. A large alter was adorned with a ruby as large as my head. Intricate carvings surrounded the stone.
Beneath was a tall white marbled platform that Mara guided me to. I walked slowly as nervousness and fear started to trickle through me. The windowless room was cold although the décor was beautiful and obviously meant to be comforting as vases nearly four feet tall contained a variety of tropical plants and exotic flowers.
As I reached the small steps that led to the platform, I noticed that it was lined with white rose petals. Mara and another vampire helped me onto the table and I immediately closed my eyes. I could feel the cold stone on my skin, but the scent of the flowers comforted me slightly. Desperately trying to distract my thoughts, I heard the silent whispers of the vampires as they prepared and the noises of what sounded like surgical tools. I tried to focus on the coldness of the room and the sensation of the goose bumps that were certainly appearing across my flesh.
“Open your eyes Princess Claire,” Mara whispered to me as she smiled down at me. Her fangs startled me for a moment as I tried to control my emotions.
“Sorry, I’m just a little scared,” I admitted. I took deep breaths and centered myself.
“There is nothing to fear. Keep your eyes open and focus on the night. It will be your shelter and the stars will be your guide. Let them comfort you as you journey into the realm of the goddess of the night,” Mara said with comfort and confidence.
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