Called by the Vampire - Part 7

by V. Vaughn

  “I’m sorry, Margaret.” He yanks at my other arm too, and this time I hear something crunch before he slams my face up against the window. The glass is cool on my cheek as white-hot pain makes my stomach lurch, and I hear Adly chuckle before he says to the girl, “I think it’s working on you too.”

  “Argh!” I twist to pull away from Sebastian, and agony makes stars float before my eyes.

  I watch the girl get in her car, and gravel kicks up from under her wheels as she punches the gas pedal and squeals out onto the main road to speed away. From me.

  Chapter 5

  Maggie

  Once the girl at the gas station drives off, I let out a whimper. I no longer smell a fresh meal, and my vampire fades along with my bloodlust. I relax my muscles, and Sebastian finally lets go of me. Tears stream down my face as my limbs cry out in pain and my human side emerges again. I try to wrap my head around what just happened. I was a crazed woman trying to get to blood, and I had absolutely no control over my actions. Even though I was focused on resisting the urge, I didn’t have a prayer of distracting myself. I had strength I didn’t know I could possibly possess, because I almost got away from Sebastian, a man twice my size. I wince as I imagine what I must have looked like clawing my way across the pavement to get to the girl, and if I’d gotten to her— I shudder at the thought. I had no regard for her life, and I would have taken what I wanted. Fortunately, Sebastian found a way to stop me. I squirm a bit and grimace with the pain in my limbs. I ask, “Did you break my arms?”

  Sebastian’s hair is disheveled, and his usual dress shirt is untucked and missing a button from his struggle. “I dislocated your shoulders.”

  “What the hell?”

  Sebastian lifts both of my hands from my lap, and I notice the raw, bloody skin is smooth. They’ve healed completely, and I take a moment to inspect them in wonder, but fresh agony makes me want to vomit. I let out a small cry. He says, “Lean back and pull against me.”

  “Okay.” I grit my teeth as I brace myself. When Sebastian yanks quickly, I hear two pops, and my pain subsides to leave room for shame to take its place. I almost killed a girl. I’m seriously afraid of my vampire side. “Oh my god. I’m out of control.” I glance at Sebastian and see another expression I’ve never seen on him before. Is it fear? “Sebastian? What’s wrong?”

  “You are out of control.” He leans forward and speaks to Adly behind me. “Get us out of here before anyone else comes.”

  His tone worries me, and as I roll my shoulders, amazed at the lack of pain, I ask, “My behavior is normal for a new vampire. Right?”

  “It is normal to be unable to control your bloodlust at first.” As we pull out of the gas station, Sebastian is focused on smoothing out his shirt instead of looking at me as he speaks. “Yes. Bloodlust is difficult at first. You’ll get better at it once you’ve cycled.”

  “Cycled?”

  “Yes. You’re going to go through a few stages, and once you’re done, we can work more on your control.”

  I frown because if that’s true then why is Sebastian worried? “But what? You’re not telling me something.”

  He glances up at me with a wry smile. “You don’t make things easy on me, Margaret. You never have.”

  I recall how Sebastian hired me so he could be with his true love’s heart, only to discover getting to Elizabeth wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought. But I’m not sure that’s all he’s talking about. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that controlling your bloodlust is going to be harder than we thought.”

  “Harder? As in years-to-accomplish harder?” Even though I don’t breathe, I feel as if air has been sucked out of my lungs, and I gasp.

  Sebastian scoots forward on his seat to lean closer to me and reaches for my hands. “I don’t know.” He squeezes my fingers gently. “We have to take this one day at a time.” He pauses as he rubs a thumb over the top of my hand, and his voice softens. “You never know when something might click.”

  Oh god. I think Sebastian is waiting to see if I feel anything for him, but I can’t deal with that now. Tears fill my eyes. “What if it doesn’t?” I pull my hands away. “What if I can’t ever be around people? I don’t have any vampire friends.” I sniff. “I don’t have a job anymore.” I think about how I can’t eat ice cream again, or popcorn at the movies... or in bed with my mother while we watch a movie. Thinking of Mom makes me want her to hold me and make this horrible day go away. I let out a wail as I wrap my arms around myself, because I can’t have that either. “I want my mom!” I sob loudly and break down completely.

  He reaches for me, but he’s the last person I want to comfort me. “Don’t you come near me. You did this!” My body shakes as I curl into myself and cry without any restraint.

  Sebastian waits until I’m almost out of tears. When I resort to hiccups, he holds out a handkerchief for me. “Margaret, you will find happiness as a vampire. I’m sure of it.” I snatch the antique version of a tissue out of his fingers and blow my nose loudly on it. “There are plenty of vampires you can be friends with. You already have Alexander and me.”

  “And me!” Adly calls out. “And what about Lyndsey? Weren’t you two friends before she became a vampire?”

  I think about the first time I met Lyndsey. She was running on a beach with her surfboard, braids flying. She was the athletic type of person I could never be. And now she can’t be either because I took it away from her. My throat tightens as if I’m going to cry again. She has to be pissed at me, because I totally get the reality of what I did to her. I grumble, “I doubt she wants to be my friend.” I glare at Sebastian. “I did turn her against her will, after all.”

  Apparently the guilt trip is over, because he glares back. “Lyndsey is quite happy as a vampire.” Sebastian smiles slowly as if he’s remembering something. “She’s a prime example of someone who has managed to make the best of her situation.”

  I let out a huff. “Really? You think shaming me is going to make me be happy about what you did?”

  “No, Margaret. I’m trying to point out that in a few months this won’t be as awful as it seems right now.”

  Adly says, “I wasn’t thrilled about becoming a vampire either, Maggie. But I swear, it does get better.”

  I turn around and get up on my knees to lean over the seat so that I’m closer to Adly. I recall he told me he was on a motorcycle and hit by a teenaged drunk driver the night he was changed. I ask, “How long did it take until you liked it?”

  “The vampire who found me splattered on the road the night of my accident thought I was too young to die forever. Boy, was I pissed when I realized what he’d done. I didn’t get a choice either.”

  “How long until you started to like it?”

  Adly chuckles. “When I hit the nympho—”

  “That’s enough!” barks out Sebastian.

  I ignore him, and the seat edge digs into my leg as I climb over it to sit in the front with Adly. “You met a nympho?”

  “No.” Adly flashes me a grin. “When you first change, you go through cycles, like Sebastian said. You’re going to go through a hyper-sexual stage. When I did, there were plenty of female vampires who were happy to accommodate my needs.”

  “Oh.” I turn to grab my seat belt to hide my embarrassment. And it occurs to me that I need to stay very far away from Sebastian when that stage comes. “How long until I hit that phase?”

  “In a few days. I can—”

  “You will do no such thing,” says Sebastian. He has moved to where I had been sitting and says, “Margaret, I’ll make sure you are safe from any accommodating vampires.”

  I know I shouldn’t, but it’s too easy not to poke at Sebastian. I say in a sweet voice, “Oh, I’m sure Adly can help me too.”

  Adly clears his throat and says, “Once that phase passes, you’ll—”

  Sebastian cuts him off again. “Adly. I think you’ve said enough.”

  “No,” I say in a
stern tone. “He’s telling me what’s going to happen, and I want to know. You’ve lost the right to boss me around.” I say to Adly, “Go on.”

  “You’re going to get depressed.” He glances at me. “You won’t want to eat, and everything will make you sad, but remember it passes.”

  “That’s going to suck. What happens after that?”

  “The most dangerous phase of all.”

  Sebastian says, “Adly,” in a warning tone.

  “Tell me,” I say.

  “You become suicidal,” says Adly.

  “Wow.” The only way I know how to kill a vampire for sure is sun exposure, and I imagine burning to a crisp. “The fun never ends, does it?”

  “Yeah. It sucks, but we’ll be there with you for it,” says Adly. “I promise we won’t let anything happen to you.”

  I reach over and touch his arm. “Thanks.”

  “Once you get through that phase, you’re done cycling,” says Sebastian. “It’ll be over before you know it. Then we can begin to work on controlling your bloodlust.”

  The three of us sit in silence, and I watch headlights flash as cars on the other side of the interstate pass us. I’m a bit overwhelmed with what’s about to happen to me, but I’m glad I know. A car with a headlight out goes by, and I pause to make a wish. I think of my go-to hope. To wake up knowing I’ve got years ahead of me before I’m gone. I shake my head at myself. Little did I know I had to clarify how many.

  Chapter 6

  Lyndsey

  The man holding the sword I’ll use to kill Liam extends the handle toward me. The leather is smooth but slightly sticky to the touch and easy for me to grip when I take it. When I yank the saber from its sheath, the heavy blade zings, and I step back to give it a few practice swings. My vampire strength fuels my confidence as I wield the weapon with ease. The crowd has formed a semicircle before me to watch, and behind me are my father and his men, while Liam is still being held off to the side. I’ve never been much of a showoff, but I imagine the vision of a princess in a dress with slits that let my strong legs show as I crouch in a stance of readiness must be quite a sight. I chuckle to myself when I hear the low hum of vampires speaking words of awe and praise as they watch me. I’m tempted to even perform a backflip, but I can’t afford to ruin the display with a wardrobe malfunction.

  When I’m confident I can slice Liam’s head off with one swipe, I turn to my father and say, “I’m ready.”

  He nods at the men holding Liam, and the vampire who took my life without any knowledge of who I really was steps forward to accept his fate. It occurs to me that the courage Liam continues to exhibit is remarkable, and I’d want a man like him by my side. He’s bound to be a great loss for Robert, and it makes me wonder what he thought he’d gain for such a large price. I glance over at the evil vampire. Robert’s jaw is set, and his expression could be one of pain or disgust.

  I walk up to Liam and move in close. I’m taking a chance because with his vampire speed, he could snap my neck before anyone could save me. He’s got nothing to lose since he’s going to die anyway, but something tells me he’s as impressed with me as I am with him. I think about how attractive I found him the night we flirted at his bar. The night my life changed and I stepped into the world I was destined for. On impulse, I cup Liam’s jaw and kiss him. I make it a good one. One that would have said “Take me home” if we were on a dance floor or in a crowded room, and he responds with the same passion. I linger in the kiss as regret fills me. I think Liam would have made a good companion, and it’s a shame I’ll never find out. I release him and let him see a flicker of my disappointment. I say, “You should have asked for my number instead.”

  He smiles as he shrugs. “You were too hard to resist, Princess.”

  I let my smile fall and step back. Once I’m in position, I suppress my humanity. I take a long, deep breath as I stare at Liam’s thick neck. All sound is muted as I focus on the rage I have inside of me for Liam taking my life, and I let my vampire rise up in a whirlwind, as I did earlier tonight.

  My need for revenge is bubbling inside me as I train my gaze on Liam with laser-like accuracy. The energy of my anger fuels my limbs, and as I spin to gather speed, my muscles flex with more strength than I knew I had. My sword is no longer heavy, and I swing. I let out a scream when the blade makes contact with Liam’s neck. The slice is clean, and only a small tremor runs up my arms as I follow through. Liam’s head flies across the room before it lands on the floor with a solid thud and rolls away.

  There is a moment of silence as if everyone is as stunned as I am by what I just did. Then cheers erupt, but I’m not ready to bask in the glory yet. My vampire side retreats, and the sword is suddenly heavy in my hands as I seek out Robert to gauge his reaction. My stomach sinks when I find he’s smiling. He’s pleased? I just killed one of his best men, and he’s smiling. The reality of what I just did hits me. While I doubt Robert expected his sacrifice to work so well in my favor, I realize he now knows just how powerful I am. I swallow as one of my father’s men approaches me, and I hand the sword to him. Shame burns in me, because I can’t believe I was so stupid. Any element of surprise I possessed is now gone.

  Victoria takes my arm and leads me out of the ballroom as people call after me. One man steps in front of us, but Victoria stops him. “Princess Lyndsey needs a moment to freshen up. I’m sure you understand.”

  I glance down at my gown and notice a torn section as the sound of Liam’s head hitting the floor pounds in my mind like a headache. What have I done?

  I let Victoria lead me away, and I’m still numb when we enter her quarters. She explains what she’s doing as I let her strip my dress off my body and help me into one that she pulls from her closet, but the words don’t register as the vision of Liam’s head flying across the room fills my mind instead.

  It’s not until we’re in my room and I’m sitting at my vanity for her to fix my hair that I finally speak. I look at Victoria in the mirror. “Was I as scary as I think?”

  She pulls a hairpin out of her mouth. “If humans had been present, yes, that would be the right word. To vampires? You were exactly what your father hoped.” The pin scrapes my scalp as she shoves it into my hair.

  I just killed a man— a vampire. And I didn’t even hesitate. I shudder. “I scare myself.”

  “Because killing was easier than you thought?”

  I nod.

  Victoria grips my shoulders, and her fingers dig into my skin more than necessary. “Your father was very proud of you tonight. You’re a warrior, Lyndsey, and that’s an important trait for a vampire princess.” She grabs a makeup brush, and I turn to face her. “You live in a world that is very different from that of humans. We don’t coddle our weak. We don’t value our existence the same way either. Every one of us is expendable, and the sooner you accept that, the easier all of this will be.”

  A knock sounds on my door, and even though we can’t tell who it is, Victoria calls out, “Come in, Daniel.”

  My father enters with a big smile on his face. “You. Were. Awesome!” he says as if he’s one of my surfing buddies who just watched me crush a sick wave. He mimics the motions of what I did, and it makes me think of a superhero movie, especially when he lets out a “Ha!” at the end.

  I frown. “Are you sure it wasn’t too much?”

  “What? Of course not.” Dad chuckles. “Where did you learn to swing a sword like that?”

  “A TV show.”

  Dad shakes his head in awe. “They’re all down there talking about when you’ll kill me off to take over, and I think half of them are willing to help you.”

  “Daniel,” chides Victoria.

  My father’s reaction makes me want to be proud of what I just did, but I can’t shake my shame. “Robert knows how powerful I am now,” I say. “Wouldn’t it have been better to keep some of that secret?”

  “No.” Dad waves his hand in dismissal. “He would have heard about your abilities eventually. Vampir
es like to brag.” His brow knits, and he walks across the room. “I have to say, that was brilliant of him to force our hand that way. It could have gone very badly considering you’re a new vampire. But...” Dad drops into an overstuffed chair. “O’Kellys rise above.”

  I give him a wry smile and wish I could be as excited as my father.

  Dad leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees, and his expression turns serious. “How are you doing with your first kill?”

  Victoria is done with my makeup, and she places a hand on my shoulder as if she’s offering me support. What I think she’s trying to tell me is that if I need to talk about it, she’s the one I should do it with. So I say, “I’m okay.”

  “Good. Because we gave everyone a show they’ll talk about for centuries.” He stands up and lets out a small sigh. “I couldn’t be prouder of you, Lyndsey.”

  “Thanks.”

  Dad crooks both of his arms. “Come on, ladies. There’s a party downstairs happening without us.”

  Victoria says, “Hold on.” She steps in front of me and places her hands on either side of my head. “One final makeup check.” She gives me a smile my dad can’t see as she nods. “You’re perfect.” I smile back. I think she’s proud of me too, and I’m a little surprised that it makes me as happy as it does.

  I think she’s going to be my biggest ally, and I say, “Thanks to you.”

  When we get back to the ballroom, I see Sebastian and Alexander. Relief fills me because they’re the perfect escape. I excuse myself to go to them. Sebastian’s expression is one of fatherly concern, and I say, “I’m fine.”

  He relaxes a bit. “Can I get you a drink?”

  “God, yes. And make it strong.” The moment he leaves, I notice what I think is a glass of whiskey in Alexander’s hand, and I grab it from him to throw it back. The amber liquid burns its way down my throat as I wonder how much alcohol it takes to get a vampire drunk.