by Leigh Walker
“Yes.” I dropped into a curtsy beside him. I had no idea what the future held, but for this moment, in the present, I knew I was where I was meant to be. “Yes, we shall.”
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THE PACT CHAPTER 1: DOMESTICATED
I sank down lower into the tub. I could hear Mistress Olivia bustling about in my room, probably fluffing the skirts of the gown she’d chosen for me or dusting the already immaculate armoire. “Are you all right in there, dear?”
I sank down another inch. “Yes, thanks.” I wondered how long I could stay in the bath before she yanked me out to go on about my day. I wasn’t hiding from Mistress Olivia, of course. She was the kindly vampire maid who took care of me in the castle.
But just because I wasn’t hiding from Mistress Olivia didn’t mean I wasn’t hiding. I most certainly was hiding from any number of things.
The blood sacrifices wanted me to work out with them. The queen wanted to start fitting me for my wedding dress. My vampire BFF, Anthony, wanted me to keep working on developing my power to erase vampire brains.
And then there was my fiancé, the prince, His Highness Dominic Allard. I’d get out of the tub for him. Then maybe we could pick up where we’d left off last night, when he’d been kissing me, his hands sunk deep into my hair…
I shivered, then splashed water on my face so I’d snap out of it. I needed to keep my eye on the ball, which in the kingdom, meant staying alive.
I should explain.
My name is Victoria Edwards. I’m eighteen, from New Jersey, and was previously a high-school senior somewhat (okay very) behind on my college applications. I had reasons, though. Good ones.
My mother and my little sister, Isabel—well, I thought they’d died in an accident. But they’re alive, at least, I think they are. More on this in a moment.
I’d been living a foster family when I got this strange, anonymous letter. It asked me to go to a nearby pond in the middle of the night. It said I might find the “things I’d lost.” I thought maybe what I’d actually lost was my mind, but having nothing better to do, I went. To add to the crazy, there was another (strange, anonymous) letter waiting for me at the pond. It asked me to go into the water and come out on the other side, “the side you can’t see from here.”
Again, perhaps having lost my mind, or maybe just too curious for my own good, I went into the water. I swam to the other side. I know that’s crazy. But think about it. When everything you love’s been taken away, what do you really have to lose?
When I came up out of the water, I was in a different place and time. I learned that although there was no electricity or cell phones, and people rode horses instead of driving cars, I was in the future. The year 3130, to be exact. And I’d somehow traveled to the other side of the world, a region that most likely used to be a part of England.
You know what’s crazy? That that’s not even the crazy part!
I met Mistress Olivia and my friend Anthony, and I learned that they were vampires. Then I met the prince, Dominic Allard, and learned that he was a vampire. Then he picked me out of a lineup to be his bride. I’m not even kidding! I met his parents, the king and queen, and learned that his mother wanted to take vampires out of the closet and rule the world, enslaving all human kind.
That’s where I come in—well, that’s the other thing. That’s where I keep coming in. Dom told me that I’ve traveled back in forth in time repeatedly over the past nine years. And each time I come back, I can’t remember anything. I never remember him, or that vampires exist.
One other quick thing, before I forget: my blood is poisonous to vampires. If they drink from me, they die. In smaller doses, my blood makes anyone who ingests it forget they ever met me.
I told you this was crazy!
Dominic told me we fall in love each time I travel through time to the kingdom. Now that I have no problem believing, even if I was skeptical at first. The only thing is, we’re supposed to get married in about two weeks, per order of the queen. She’s planning a big fancy wedding. She’s making some sort of public statement. She wants her son to feed from me on a permanent basis.
*gulp* Like, literally.
Did I mention that I’m only eighteen? And in no way, shape or form ready to tie the knot? Not to mention that I’m not ready to be a human feedbag?
But I’m getting ahead of myself, again.
I am going to get married, at least, I am going to keep pretending that I’m getting married. Because the queen plans to invite foreign vampire dignitaries to the event, and therein lies the rub. Dominic told me that my mother and sister are here, somewhere. They’re in this time zone, in this land, property of a notorious vampire emperor. Apparently, my mother is married to the guy. And he’s my sister’s father.
I haven’t explored the ramifications of how that may or may not pertain to me, not yet. My poor, addled brain has had quite enough to deal with, thank you very much!
Anyway, even though I’m currently hiding in the bath, I’m actually doing whatever it takes to please the queen. I’m working out with the blood slaves, the other human girls who live on the property for the benefit and enjoyment of the royal family. I’m learning how to please vampires so that I can satisfy my future husband. I’m being polite and I’m not running away, screaming, in the other direction even though the queen’s wicked scary and sometimes I want to.
I’m being brave. I’m playing the game.
I am going to see my mother and sister again, and I am going to save them.
“Lady Victoria.” The knock on the bathroom door made me jump. “Anthony just popped in,” Mistress Olivia said. “He said he needs you for a little bit. Something about a project?”
Anthony was my friend, and he was also Dominic’s best friend. I knew what “project” was code for. He wanted me to work on my vanishments.
“I’ll be right out.” I drained the water and wrapped a fluffy towel around myself. Duty calls. I’d love to stay in the bath for the rest of the day, but how was I going to win like that?
“What did you tell Mistress Olivia?” Anthony asked as we hustled down the hallway to the stairs.
“That you needed help organizing books in the library.”
He frowned at me from beneath his shock of red hair. “That was dumb.”
“What was I supposed to say? That we were going to the dungeons to work on erasing vampire brains?”
“Shut up, Tor.” Anthony whipped his head around, making sure no guards or spies had heard my outburst. “If we get caught, it’s the stake for me and the pyre for you.”
“What do you mean, the pyre?”
“That’s what they do with witches—they burn them.”
“I’m no witch,” I hissed, as I followed him down the dimly lit stairs to the dungeon.
He gave me a dirty look over his shoulder, his green eyes narrowing above his smattering of freckles. “You’re not exactly normal.”
“And you are?”
“Let’s argue later. We’ve been putting this off for too long.” He zipped down the stairs, his long legs carrying him much faster than I could go in my wretched high heels. We didn’t have much time. Soon, they’d be looking for me, to bring me to lessons, a workout, or another dress fitting.
We quickly made it to the bottom. Anthony opened the heavy door, looking both ways before he motioned for me to follow him into the gloomy hall. It was dark down here for a reason. Only prisoners and vampire tombs occupied the castle basement, along with the guards who got stuck with sub-terrain duty.
We made our way quietly down the hall. Anthony knocked on one of the doors, holding still so he could hear what was happening within. “Be quiet, you beast!” a voice hissed from inside. “There—stay under the bench or I’ll decl
aw you myself!”
Anthony cursed. “We’re coming in, Fitzy.” He opened the door and pulled me through, closing it immediately behind us.
“Well, hello there. If it isn’t my favorite visitors.” The prisoner smiled at us placidly from where he sat, on a stone bench, chained to the wall behind him. “Did you bring me another present?”
Anthony crossed his arms against his chest. “Where is it?”
“Where’s what?” Fitz asked innocently. With his large, crooked nose, bulging eyes and thick, wrinkled skin, the prisoner looked just as much like a giant condor as he did a vampire.
“The bloody cat. I heard you talking to it!”
Just then, there was a tentative yowl from beneath the bench.
“Damn you, Fitz! I brought you that so you could eat it, not domesticate it!”
The cat, a skinny tabby with yellow eyes, came out and stood between the prisoner’s feet. It stared up at Anthony as it rubbed itself against Fitz’s legs. The prisoner chuckled. “They really don’t listen, do they? They do just as they please.”
“Apparently so do you!” Anthony went to grab the cat and it hissed. “Don’t hiss at me, you mangy beast! I’ll toss you in the moat!”
The cat hissed again and Fitz frowned at Anthony. “Don’t talk to him like that. He hasn’t done anything to you.”
Anthony threw his hands up in the air. “I thought you liked cat blood—that’s why I risked myself to bring you the cursed thing. Haven’t the guards found it yet?”
“The guards never check on me. They’ve left me here to rot, you see.” Fitz chuckled and leaned back against the wall. The cat sat down, still staring up at Anthony. “That’s why I kept my little friend, here. I decided I’d rather starve to death than be alone one minute more. Solitary’s a wretched business, I tell you. I’d take a public staking any day. Get it over quick and done with.”
Anthony just stared at him. “So you kept it as a pet.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Fitz considered him. “So why’ve you come back? Brought your mouth-watering witch friend to experiment on me some more?”
“That’s right.”
Fitz leaned forward, sniffing in my direction. “Never smelled a witch like that before.”
I clenched my hands into fists. “Will you both please stop calling me that? I’m no witch!”
The prisoner shrugged, then nodded toward my left hand. “That’s some ring. The stone’s about as big as this ginger’s brain, I reckon. Who did you bewitch into giving you a jewel like that?”
“It was a gift.” I put my hand behind my back, eager to hide the enormous sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring the prince had given me. “Speaking of gifts, I’m glad you like the cat. I don’t think I properly thanked you, Mr. Fitz. I appreciate what you did.” The last time I’d been in his cell, a guard had surprised us. Fitz hadn’t helped us, exactly, but he hadn’t turned us in either.
I’d managed to vanish the guard’s brain, a trick that only vampires had mastered. The guard had been so confused, I’d convinced him that he’d stumbled into my chambers in the middle of the night. He’d left us quickly and without a backwards glance.
“You got that guard pretty confuzzled.” Fitz cackled. “And it’s a good thing, because he was a nasty one. Would’ve taken you right before the queen.”
“Enough with the chit-chat.” Anthony stepped forward, then pointed to the cat. “Anthony giveth, Anthony taketh away. So will you help us again, Fitzy? The lady needs to practice her vanishments. It’s not like you’d be sad to not recognize her, right?”
The prisoner shrugged. “She didn’t get very far with me last time.”
“She’s learning. That vanishment she did on the guard was legitimate—he didn’t know what hit him.”
Fitz nodded. “I’ll do it on two conditions.”
Anthony crossed his arms against his chest. “What’s that?”
“Get the cat some food. Tibby, his name is Tibby. And write that down, in case I forget it. He’s just getting used to it, no sense in going backwards.” The wizened old vampire turned to me. “Now go and do your magic, witch. If you somehow managed to erase my memory, it’d be a blessing. I’d probably owe you a cat. Just don’t take mine.”
“I won’t, Mr. Fitz.” I smiled at him. “Now relax, all right? This won’t hurt a bit.”
Keep reading The Pact here: www.amazon.com.
Also by Leigh Walker
Vampire Royals
The Pageant (Book #1)
The Gala (Book #2)
The Finale (Book #3)
The North (Book #4)
The Siege (Book #5)
The Division Series
Premonition (Book #1)
Intuition (Book #2)
Perception (Book #3)
Divination (Book #4)
Dear Reader
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xxoo
Leigh Walker
About the Author
Leigh Walker lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three adorable, brilliant children who only help clean the house when she threatens to take away Fortnite.
Once upon a time, Leigh was lawyer, with a degree in High Technology Law from Suffolk University. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Journalism. Now she's a full-time writer and sports-mom, which are the two best jobs she could ever ask for.
She loves to hear from readers! Email her at [email protected], and sign up for her mailing list at www.leighwalkerbooks.com.
www.leighwalkerbooks.com
[email protected]
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my readers for joining me! Your support means everything. Readers for the win!
Love to my family, who puts up with me, my blank stares, and my crazy ideas. Love, love, love you. Love for the win!
Thanks to my mom, who always supports and helps me. She is literally THE BEST. Moms for the win!
That’s a lot of exclamation points in a few short paragraphs, lol. But my books get me excited, and so does the fact that you’re coming along for the ride. I’m signing off to write now, but I want you to know how grateful I am for you.
See you in the next book!
xoxo
Leigh
PS: Sign up for my mailing list at www.leighwalkerbooks.com so you know when the next book comes out!