The Chalice (Luna Vampire Series)

by Christine Asher

  Chapter 7

  "William, funny seeing you here," I growled, shooting him a hostile glare. I wanted nothing more than to punch the sleeze bag. Not only had he taken me from my home, he'd lied to me for three goddamn months. The piece of shit. And, yeah, get this. The smug bastard stood there as if none of it'd happened, dressed to the nines in his usual black suit, white shirt, red tie ensemble with his dark hair tied neatly into a ponytail.

  Infuriated, I shifted my gaze onto the other guy that'd walked in with him. "Are you as much of an asshole as he is?"

  "Princess, um," the gigantor stammered, glancing away sheepishly. "No, princess, I'm here to serve you in the manner in which I serve your father."

  In spite of having risen to my feet when they'd entered, the guy still towered above me. His build was akin to that of a WWE wrestler and, oddly, he wore the same exact getup as William. In fact, he would've been a mirror image if not for the extra muscles, military buzz cut, and goatee.

  "This is Petrus," William announced, motioning toward his companion.

  "Was I talking to you?" I sneered, immediately adopting my most haughty affectation. "Nope, definitely not. From now on, don't speak to me until you're spoken to, you lying snake."

  His demeanor abruptly changed then, as regret glistened in his eyes. "Princess, I'm sorry..."

  "Oh, well! You should've thought of that before you kidnapped me! And don't call me princess!"

  "I didn't kidnap you. I merely followed the king's orders, his commands."

  "But you did! You accosted me in front of my home and, somehow, caused me to black out. After which, you locked me up in a cement cell." Irritated, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Sure sounds like a kidnapping to me. What do you think, Petrus?"

  "Princess, my, uh, my intention isn't to displease you. However, William is correct. If presented with a command from the king, we must obey."

  "So what? You're his puppets? You have absolutely no free will? For some reason, I highly doubt that."

  "I wouldn't refer to us as puppets," William answered flatly. "We're foot soldiers and we had a choice initially. Nevertheless, once the king turned us, we were sworn loyal to him."

  "Oh god!" I grumped, shaking my head in exasperation. More vampire nonsense. "So, you're basically saying that Tsedaka made you, therefore you have to be loyal to him?"

  "Yes, princess," Petrus affirmed. "When your maker gives you a direct order, you have no option other than compliance."

  "Quit calling me princess!" I shouted. "My name's Luna. And I just don't see how that really works. I mean, we all have free will. No one can take that away. Seriously, have you ever considered the possibility that you're brainwashed? In a cult? Maybe, in need of..."

  "I'm sorry, Luna," William cut in, his condescending mood firmly back in place. "We simply don't have the time for any more of your antics. In the future, please take your grievances up with the king."

  "You're such a piece of..."

  "No more arguing," he insisted. "You must go get dressed; the king awaits your presence."

  "Whatever," I huffed, rolling my eyes. All the bullshit was driving me totally nuts.

  I hesitated for several moments, before finally deciding that I might as well get on with it. Otherwise, I'd probably be forced to see the stupid lunatic naked or, well, something worse. So, without saying another word, I marched into my bedroom and slammed the huge door behind me. Fuck this shit!

  After a multitude of calming breaths and a tirade of silent cussing that'd make a person's ears bleed, I eventually came to terms with my reality. I understood that it was in my best interest to bide my time until I could manage an escape. And, to truly be successful, I'd need intel on the layout of the facility, the number of guards, and their schedules. Beyond that, I'd have to figure out the pass code to my door. Not simple tasks.

  In the meantime, I needed to stay alive which meant playing their games and hopefully gaining a couple of sympathetic people to help me along the way. With that in mind, I steeled my resolve and put on my stage face, just as I'd done during numerous college performances. Out walks Luna, rational human being - in walks Luna, vampire princess.

  I promptly went over to the bed, unzipped the garment bag, and proceeded to pull out the most beautiful scarlet dress I'd ever seen. When I read the tag and saw that it was a Versace, I almost fainted. A Versace, a freaking Versace? Wow. I guess Tsedaka wanted the princess to be dressed to impress. Sadly, there weren't any bras or panties, but screw it. A girl can't have everything, right?

  Feeling like I was playing dress up for the prom, I shed my robe and slipped the delicate silk over my skin. The gown fit flawlessly, seeming to have been tailored specifically for me. Its v-line neck plunged to my waist, showing off the area in between my breasts, while its long length floated around my ankles. An ideal combination of sex appeal and elegance.

  The shoes were next. And, as I opened the box, I was astounded yet again. It held a pair of strappy Jimmy Choo's and, of course, they were in my size. They complemented the dress perfectly, giving me the appearance of an actress ready for a stroll down the red carpet. Truthfully, I'd never worn anything so expensive in my entire life. And I luxuriated in it.

  I rushed to the mirror in the bathroom, my emotions giddy with excitement, and was met by an absolutely gorgeous reflection, well, disregarding my hair, that is. It remained neatly wrapped in the towel from earlier. Logically, I knew if I was gonna play the part, I'd better go all out. So, I grabbed a blow dryer and worked a bit of magic. Then found some makeup and added a light layer to my face.

  When I finally sauntered into the living room, William and Petrus were visibly awed by my transformation. In short, they started drooling like I was a dog in heat which led to a few minutes of uncomfortable fidgeting on my part and, ultimately, a nervous chuckle or two. Luckily, it didn't take long before recognition sparked in Petrus's eyes and his cheeks flushed a bright crimson. William, on the other hand, kept his attention trained solidly on my boobs. The bastard.

  Apparently, the son of a bitch had no shame. I wondered if the king knew how up close and personal he'd gotten with the princess. Considering Tsedaka believes he's my father, you'd think the guy wouldn't want one of his lackeys to have been groping me at the club. Perhaps I'd get a little retribution if dear old daddy suddenly became aware of William's activities...

  "Come, Luna, we must go," William grunted, abruptly about-facing and entering the pass code. Despite his body's expert blocking of my view, I heard him press five keys. A lot of combinations, too many to guess. Damn.

  And with that, William exited first, glanced down the hall from right to left, then motioned for me to follow while Petrus brought up the rear. Resigned to my mission, I didn't fight them as we made our way through the series of pipes, or tunnels, or whatever. Although, after orienting myself and realizing we were in the main passageway, I began rethinking my strategy in a hurry. We were headed straight for the large room with the pit. Bad news, very bad news.

  "You're, um, you're not putting me back in that cell are you?" I asked, eyes anxiously darting around. Without a weapon, I'd have to stick with biting, scratching, and kicking. Still, no matter the consequences, they weren't returning me to that dark, horrible place. I wouldn't let 'em.

  Petrus reached forward and patted my shoulder gently. "No need to worry, princess. The changing room isn't even a remote possibility. The families have gathered for the ceremony, that's all."

  "Ceremony? What..."

  "You'll see soon enough," William interjected and, as his words trailed off, I started hearing the hum of a large crowd.

  And classical music? Oh, that's appropriate! Vampires, how cliché! I giggled under my breath, yet covered it up at the last moment with a hasty bout of coughing. Not a very princess thing to do, making fun of her devotees. C'mon, Luna, stay in character.

  So, with my mind recentered, we rounded the last curve and stepped into the cavernous room. Immediately, I was accosted by the sheer
number of people. There must've been two hundred, or maybe three hundred, and they were all immaculately dressed. A wedding style string quartet played music in the far corner while attendees chatted with each other in muted voices. However, as soon as the crowd became aware of my arrival, their idle chit-chat quieted.

  And, of course, Tsedaka loomed over everyone. He sat, center stage, on the wooden throne I'd gawked at during my post-pit haze. Unsurprisingly, it was now accompanied by a slightly smaller chair, a new addition probably reserved for the princess.

  As one would expect of a king, Tsedaka wore a glittering gold crown that appeared to be encrusted with thousands of diamonds and rubies. If the monstrosity of a headpiece was real, it had to be worth at least a million bucks. He also sported a penguin-esque tux, complete with long tails and a red bow tie.

  Behind him stood a mass of William and Petrus look-a-likes, different faces all wearing the same black suits. The group shared an identical stance and inspected their surroundings as if they were a bunch of secret service types. And, once we'd climbed the steps of the platform, my companions took their places with the rest. Nonetheless, they positioned themselves at the front with William directly to the king's right and Petrus to his left.

  I remained in middle of the stage, not knowing whether to face Tsedaka or the crowd, and felt awkward as hell. He must've enjoyed my discomfort because he let me sweat it for several never-ending minutes, before eventually rising to his feet. "It's time we officially welcomed you to the family," he explained, his voice clearly meant for my ears alone. "There's no reason to be nervous, child, the ceremony will be over shortly." Then he paused and nodded in the direction of the smaller throne. "Take your rightful place, daughter."

  Inadvertently, my eyes focused on the elaborate chair as my brain tingled, legs trembled, and everything within me yearned to take a seat. Was this what Petrus and William were saying about being unable to refuse an order from their maker? Granted, his pull was strong. Although, it didn't feel anywhere near as bad as when he'd forced me to drink from the chalice. The evil prick.

  My intuition screamed at me to fight, to refuse the puppet master's strings. So, I squared my shoulders and resisted. My hands shook under the pressure, yet I struggled for control regardless. At first, it seemed like I couldn't win and I thought my head might explode. Pain, throbbing, strange vibrations. However, after awhile, the tide turned in my favor and I was actually able to shoot Tsedaka a big, fat, disobedient glare.

  And let me tell you, it was a mistake. A horrible, excruciating mistake. A flash of anger slid across his face, a mere millisecond ahead of his hand latching onto my right arm. Rapidly, his skin warmed to that of a white-hot poker and the smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils. The onslaught caught me off-guard and instantly seared away my willpower. My temples pounded, my eyes were about to pop out of my head, and my heart gave off a sharp twinge at the end of every beat.

  "You will not oppose me!" he boomed, his scorching ache penetrating my consciousness with waves of pure agony.

  "Okay, I'm sorry!" I whimpered, automatically shrinking back. "Please! Just let my arm go! It hurts! It really hurts!" Goddamn the pain was intense! And, honestly, at that point I would've done anything to make it stop, even beg.

  "Don't defy me again, child. In the future, I won't be so merciful." And with a flick of his wrist, he propelled me in the direction of my throne. This time, I followed his orders without complaint, briefly peeking at my burned arm. The exact shape of his handprint. How in the hell?

  "Ah, now that we're all in our correct places," Tsedaka bellowed, turning from me to jovially address the audience. "Let's get on with the ceremony."

  The crowd responded to him with laughter as though his abuse had been nothing more than a superfluous joke. Shortly thereafter, one of the guards stepped forward carrying a red velvet pillow. It held a petite crown that was gold, inlaid with diamonds and rubies, and a perfect match to the king's larger version. Within moments, the guard fell to his knees in front of Tsedaka and lifted the pillow high above his head.

  The room hushed as dear old daddy took hold of the adornment and moved to stand at my side. "I crown you, Princess Luna," he proclaimed, his gravelly tone echoing throughout the room. "As heir apparent to the throne of the United States." He then placed the crown on my head and whispered, "Now stand and show them your left forearm."

  To avoid his wrath, I did what he said. I begrudgingly leaped from my seat, held out my arm, and waited for his next request. Meanwhile, I surveyed the room which was basically divided into five sections with each group strangely wearing clothing of the same color. A person, or pair of people, stood at the forefront of every subdivision and, yep, they were wearing crowns. I know, freaking weird, right? And, as expected, Adrian was one of 'em, heading up the purple section in a flashy piece shimmering with gold and diamonds.

  "This is my blood daughter," Tsedaka called out, bringing my thoughts back to him. "My family mark graces her arm." Upon hearing his words, the crowd's murmuring increased which, in turn, caused him to raise his volume. "My friends, we must press on. It's time for the heads of the families to swear allegiance."

  And so, one by one, the crown-wearing vampires approached to kneel at my feet. Adrian was first, confidently striding forward in the same purple velvet suit coat he'd been in earlier. As he moved, the group behind him went to their knees and bowed their heads. All the while, everyone remained eerily quiet. The stupid string quartet even quit playing.

  Reverently, he said, "I, Adrian the duke of sector six, swear allegiance to you princess Luna. I recognize that you're the rightful heir to the throne of the United States." With his vow complete, he returned to the purple throng and didn't spare me another look. What was he up to? All the secrecy and hiding? All the acting like we'd never met?

  Regardless of his reasoning, I didn't get a chance to ponder the conundrum for long because, minutes later, an African American man had already replaced Adrian on the stage. This guy led the green group, as evidenced by his forest green cape, and he wore a silver crown that was engraved with symbols similar to those on the chalice.

  He spoke in a strong voice. "I, Marcel, duke of sector five, swear allegiance to you princess Luna. I recognize you're the rightful heir to the throne of the United States." Finishing quickly, he descended the platform to be with his people.

  Next came a couple, announcing themselves as Jacob and Mariah the duke and duchess of sector four. They were dressed in stylish yellow outfits, the type of thing somebody'd wear to a business meeting, and their crowns were a combination of gold and silver weaved together in celtic knots. They swore allegiance, both taking turns repeating the same words as Adrian and Marcel, prior to rejoining to their group.

  Following close behind them, was an overweight bald man. He seemed to be around Tsedaka's age and sported a white suit with an orange dress shirt. Truthfully, the guy reminded me of a damn easter egg. Round, bald, and pastel. And, let me tell you, fending off the giggles took shitloads of self-control. Vampire easter eggs. Sigh. He introduced himself as Eric the duke of sector three while he knelt and droned on with the standard pledge.

  Finally, a tall redhead stepped forward. She wore a silver crown accented by sapphires and pearls atop waist length, curly hair. Her midnight blue gown, layered in black embroidery, was an exact replica of the dresses you'd see in period movies depicting the 1700s. The bustier and petticoats must've been hella uncomfortable. I certainly wouldn't have suffered in such a relic. Nevertheless, she announced yourself as Isabella the duchess of sector two, swore loyalty, and then returned to her section.

  I saw that she was the last one and felt relieved. What a pretentious sham! It did make me wonder, though. I mean, how could all these people be so delusional? There had to be a fragment of truth to their fantasy, right? Maybe they were some of those role-players, you know, the ones who held sci-fi conventions and stuff. Or perhaps...

  All at once, the vampires rose to their feet in a sy
nchronous mass and started cheering boisterously. As a result, Tsedaka raised his hands forming a sharp gesture that put an instant damper on the commotion. "Listen, my friends, the party cannot begin just yet," he declared. "I have one more surprise for my daughter."

  Chapter 8

  With a look of amusement sliding across his face, Tsedaka nodded toward the group of guards standing behind us. "You may bring them in now."

  Promptly stepping forward, William bowed like a total kiss ass and replied with a slightly whiny, "Yes, your majesty." Then he turned and rushed away. God! He was such a loser. I really hated...

  "Child, why don't you join me?" Tsedaka grunted, squinting in my direction expectantly a few seconds after taking a seat in his throne.

  Damn lunatic. I seriously wondered what in the hell he was gonna put me through next. As a result, I wavered indecisively, allowing the crowd's hum to increase. A part of me wanted nothing more than to tell dear old daddy to go screw off, but in the end I thought better of it. Getting burned again wasn't on the top of my to do list. So, feeling dejected, I slumped over and flopped down into my own ostentatious chair.

  Several minutes later, William sauntered back into the room and ascended the platform with two people hot on his heels. The newcomers wore white dresses that, honestly, reminded me of christening gowns. And they were young, seventeen or maybe eighteen years old, sharing lanky builds and straight brown hair.

  "I present this time-honored gift to you, my daughter," Tsedaka bellowed, his voice quieting the audience. "Lucien and Amelia will attend to your needs for the duration of their lives. And from this day forth, they'll be bound to you above all others."

  "Um, okay," I muttered, truthfully not caring. I mean, my stay at vamp central would definitely be short-lived. So, whatever. If the king felt like giving me a couple servants, well, I guess I'd play along. No reason to risk his wrath over something trivial, right?