The truth had started to become apparent the moment that the dragon-man had stepped into the Bright, and the moment that Sibold had arrived – the world definitely wasn’t what I thought it had been, and that truth had become part of me once I’d realized it.
The grief had been so harsh, so new, so raw, that I had hardly been able to breathe as I’d pulled away from my mother, who had still had hold of my hand, her head bowed down as if Sibold might try and strike her, though it was obvious at that point that he wouldn’t, since he hadn’t done so to my father. My mother’s gaze had actually risen a bit, come to meet mine as I’d tugged and then freed my hand from hers, tears already beginning to slide down my cheeks.
I had looked at her in disbelief, and the look she had given back to me had nearly ripped my heart out, it had been so sad, so broken...and yet, so full of hope.
My mother – my parents – had truly believed that they were doing the right thing, but I hadn’t understood that then. In that moment, my whole world had been ripped out from beneath my feet as my mother had stared at me, and I’d stumbled back, tears streaming down my cheeks, my gaze catching my father’s as he turned his eyes towards me as well, the same emotions reflected in his gaze as in my mother’s, though a bit sharper, more determined.
I hadn’t been able to understand the looks in their eyes, and that had caused me to stumble further back – because in those eyes, the main emotion had been hope, not sadness. I hadn’t been able to understand why they weren’t crying, weren’t screaming, weren’t begging for me to stay, even though I had said that I would go; my mother had begged Sibold to forgive me for speaking harshly to him earlier on so why, I had wondered, wasn’t she begging him for me to stay?
Why didn’t she love me enough to try and keep me, to fight?
Why didn’t she love me?
Strangely enough it had been Sibold who’d given me comfort when I needed it most, the vampire I barely knew showing sadness and understanding when my parents could not; this had begun paving the long, hard road to trust between us.
“Don’t be ashamed of tears, little one,” I had heard his voice first, and it had caused me to pause, quickly sucking in a breath of the cold, icy air before I’d felt his hands on the tops of my arms, holding me up; I hadn’t realized that I was close to falling, stumbling as I was. I had craned my neck upwards, tears still streaking down my cheeks, to find him standing hunched over me – so tall, and yet not quite as imposing as before, his small smile sad then, understanding reflecting in his hazel eyes; understanding that hadn’t been in my parent’s gazes, understanding that had shown that Sibold, vampire or not, would one day understand me better than my parents ever had. “Without tears, the greatest of emotions would never be expressed,” his words had confused me, but the kindness in his voice had soothed my soul, because it had been what I was looking for – kindness, understanding.
Even though I’d resented him for taking me away, my opinion of Sibold had grown a little bit brighter that day, had become just a small percentage more endearing.
I had blinked up at him, my eyebrows furrowing as I fought more tears, though he had just told me not to hold them in; I had hardly known what “shame” was, thus my confusion. This had caused him to sigh, his grip on my arms tightening as the rest of the world – the soft murmurs of my parents, Miss Mercy’s nervous sighing, and the rumble of the automobile – had faded away. Then suddenly, faster than I could ever watch, Sibold had knelt in front of me, the happy smile returning to his pale face, though the sadness never left his eyes. He grasped both of my hands, causing my eyes to widen even more at his proximity.
Up until that point, I had never been so close to a vampire – save Miss Mercy, who had often pulled me into hugs, and sat beside me by the fireplace, where she would often talk, and even sing to me. I had seen other vampires before of course, since it wasn’t abnormal for Masters to visit the Bright to pick out the birth parents of the slaves that they would one day have; certain traits were liked by certain vampires, and I had once been told that, previous to the destruction of the human’s reign, there had been science to pinpoint or even create the features of a human child before they were born…but the Masters had chosen to destroy this science, finding it appalling. I had only ever seen the vampires from afar though, Miss Mercy always making sure to keep me in the back where they would never find me.
Strange, I had thought then, how one mistake had led to me staring at Sibold as he’d faced me on my level, noting how beautiful, how unlike Miss Mercy he was; Miss Mercy had been beautiful in her own right, but in a more endearing way, years of hard work apparent though she didn’t age; hard work was what was important to her, though, and that passion had added to her beauty. I had lamented in the fact that, if we hadn’t been sitting by the fire, and the dragon-man hadn’t come to the Bright, I never would have had to leave my parents—
But then I’d remembered the fact that they were giving me up, allowing me to leave without a fight, and my resentment had returned.
Sibold had been kinder in that instance than they had, had better understood my feelings.
“As a consolation, it is my duty to present you with a name,” Sibold had told me then, causing my heart to beat more quickly in prospect, my hidden desire resurfacing now that I had seen my parent’s ‘betrayal’. He had taken a moment to study my face as Miss Mercy had gasped, no doubt shocked by the kind way that he was treating me, and as he’d studied me, I’d also studied him.
I still hadn’t liked him, but I had resigned myself to the fact that I would probably be spending a lot of time with him from then on, at that moment not quite sure how to feel about my departure. And of course there had been the confusion towards my parents, the fact that I had felt like the only home I’d ever known was home no longer due to their betrayal.
My heart had broken that day, and it would be a while until it was mended, becoming different than its original self.
“This world is so full of darkness, but you are so bright,” Sibold had told me, his hazel gaze once again piercing mine, as if he could see everything there was about me just from looking into my eyes, searching for the real me lingering inside. He had debated a moment, and then an almost sly smile had graced his mouth, upturning it as his eyes narrowed slightly, and he chuckled. “I shall name you Juliet – as the sun,” his eyes had begun to draw me in then, the world around evaporating even further as I’d focused solely on him, the grief and anger in me quelling a bit, replaced by an odd sort of calm; humans of old had myths that vampires were capable of hypnosis or mind-control, but I knew the truth – the kind of connection that you share with someone when you’re looking directly into their gaze often calms the soul, because it's a real connection, not a false one.
Sibold’s words had been audible only to me – and perhaps Miss Mercy – as he’d then whispered: “Will you be my guiding light, Juliet?”
The question had hung in the air for more than a few moments as I’d debated, not fully understanding that he was giving me a choice of whether or not I wished to leave with him or stay, though really it was best that I didn’t understand, because in staying my heart would have broken even further.
My answer had been unexpected, as I’d told him: “I’ve never seen the sun.”
This had caused Sibold’s smile to become sad once more, his hazel eyes darkening to a shade that resembled black as he had nodded, and had then leaned forwards until his forehead matched mine, his hazel orbs closer than ever, causing a shiver to ripple through me in a way that was foreign. “Yes, I know,” he’d said sadly, sighing once before his eyes had slowly slipped closed, and he had become heavy, tired; then, our roles had been reversed, because I had been the one who was holding him up. His age had shown as he’d quietly whispered: “But I remember it.”
~ A Sneak Peak of “The Legend of Juliet: Part Two” ~
My moment of peace was shattered when a loud, harsh knock sounded on my door, causing me to jump, my demeanor quickly
shifting to that of a good human slave; it had to have been a vampire, a call from Sibold, because Luke would never knock – especially with the anger he’d displayed towards me earlier…if he even returned tonight.
I gathered a deep breath as I stopped directly in front of the door, listening for a sound though there was none, since the vampires were swift, silent beings, capable of moving quickly without making so much as a faint echo. I exhaled as I opened the door.
A hundred thoughts rushed through my mind as the door swung inwards, most of them pertaining to Master Delouge and my confrontation with the vampire maid, worry over what had been told to the Master racing like icy blood through my veins. I was Sibold’s slave, so I probably wouldn’t be killed, but if the maid were to tell Master Delouge a false story, and he were feeling particularly spiteful, he may find me in need of a whipping or worse; Sibold could do little to hide me from his father’s wrath.
I steeled myself as I prepared to greet whoever it was that had come to see me, making sure to keep my head lowered to a proper, polite incline, only to be greeted with...nothing.
An empty hallway stood before me, only a few red tapered candles offering light in the long expanse. My eyebrows furrowed, and I wondered if the vampire maid was seeking revenge in the form of teasing me, a less violent approach that I wouldn’t have minded, when suddenly I noticed something from the corner of my eye, and—
A scream, loud and shrill, broke forth from my lungs as I stumbled back, tears automatically appearing in my eyes as I attempted to cover them, to hide from the horror…but it was too late.
I had already seen, and the image would remain forever imprinted in my mind, never to leave me—
Never to let me forget.
The Legend of Juliet: Part Two
Available Autumn 2013
~ Loved “The Legend of Juliet: Part One”? Great! ~
Please share it with your friends, and spread the word about this unique reader experience. And don’t forget to vote for what happens next!
You can also share your thoughts with Alexandra at: AlexandraLanc.com/contact
The Legend of Juliet is a reader’s story, and after the directions you’ll find a poll, staged by the author, asking for your opinion on what should happen next!
Directions:
1: Read the question,
and choose your answer.
2. Log into Google, and visit Alexandra’s Blog
to select your answer for the The Legend of Juliet poll
(located on the right-hand sidebar).
3. Click “vote”, and your vote is in!
Don’t have a Google account?
Creating one is easy!
Just visit: Google Accounts
to sign up today!
Voting ends on August 23rd, 2013!
Reader Participation Poll
Question: Will Luke leave the Manor?
A) Yes
B) No
Visit Alexandra’s Blog – Words of the Worlds – to vote!
~ Author’s Note ~
Another Reader Participation series has begun!
Back when I received the idea for Reader Participation, I had no intention of adding Juliet to the list of Reader titles, but I’m very glad that I did. This story is one that has been roaming around in my mind for years, and I’m thrilled that it’s now seeing the light.
I love dark fiction, and I love vampires; most people who know me know this. They are characters that I never get tired of writing and putting new spins on – I even like to put spins on my own spins, if you know what I mean. It was a few years ago that I initially decided that I wanted to write a story where vampires were Masters, and humans were slaves. This actually came to me before I really delved into any Dystopia books, though I can say that reading has helped a lot when constructing this interesting society.
I have a love of the play “Romeo and Juliet”. Years ago I took part in a theatre camp where we had four days to perfect the (shortened) hour-long version of “Romeo and Juliet”, and I played Juliet in our performance. It was the first time I had ever had a major role (before becoming a writer, I dreamed of life in the theatre), and it taught me a lot about performance. I definitely believe that parts of that experience helped to shape my Juliet.
I wrote the first draft of Juliet, probably as long as this chunk of what will be the novel (or perhaps a bit shorter), and then set it aside for a few years, until around the beginning of Summer 2012, when I decided to pick it back up and try adding to the story – expanding the plot, and delving much more into darker territory. I worked feverishly at it for months, and really surprised myself with what I was writing. I definitely believe that this is one of the stories that has pushed me along and challenged me as a writer, and I have my great friends Dest and Ree to thank for that; they are my Betas, and I don’t know what I’d do without them.
A Note On Juliet’s Name
Some of you might be wondering what Sibold means when he says that he will name our lovely protagonist ‘Juliet’, and refers to “…as the sun”. This relates directly to the quote at the beginning of the book; Sibold likes Shakespeare, as we will see later on in the story.
“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”
Romeo and Juliet: Scene 2, William Shakespeare
I look forward to finishing writing this story with your help, and seeing where the plot and your votes take us. Thank you so much for reading, and being part of this story’s creation!
Best Wishes,
Alexandra ~ April 2013
If you liked The Legend of Juliet: Part One,
you’ll definitely want to read:
Read the Flower: The Beautiful Beginning
NOW AVAILABLE
Twenty-year-old Lorine Stringfield’s life is about to change forever, and she doesn’t even know it.
Weighted down by the death of her father, her overbearing mother, and the sadness of her little brother, Lorine has less than high hopes for her family’s trip to France. But all of that changes when she is invited to visit the illustrious Château du Jumeaux – a premiere nightclub that only the most privileged attend. Lorine jumps at the chance to do something for herself, but gets more than she bargained for when she discovers the terrible truth: the chateau isn’t a nightclub at all, but a feeding ground for perhaps the most ruthless of beings, the creatures known as vampires.
Part one in the Fleur Passages, a collection of novellas to later be sewn into one novel, The Beautiful Beginning starts the epic tale of Lorine. This novella marks the first in a series of ebooks in which readers can take part with "Reader Participation" -- inside of the ebook there is a question directly linked to the next volume in the Fleur Passages, and readers can vote for their favorite answer, to have a say in what happens next!
Voting closes on: June 28th, 2013.
Visit the Goodreads page
Midnight
(A Knight Blood Novella)
NOW AVAILABLE
Life has always seemed impossible for IxBryn Rowan, and it's about to get even more complicated.
IxBryn is a Knight Blood, an immortal human rendered by science to bring about harmony between the two races of Earth, the humans and the vampires -- at least, that was the plan. A terrible tragedy occurred, and IxBryn is now the only surviving Knight, hunted for the potency of her blood, which will render any Immortal nearly unstoppable for a time.
With nowhere left to turn, IxBryn makes her way to Variance, the most prestigious and important City on Earth, in order to stay with her cousin Bristol, the only person alive who truly understands her, and in turn stumbles upon a secret war breeding within the shadows – a struggle in which she soon becomes the prize.
With danger at every turn, IxBryn may have to learn to rely on those who appear untrustworthy – even the labeled sociopath Zarrod Kingsbury, an Ancient vampire, and one of the Elite, who has interests of his own.
Midnight<
br />
Book One of the Knight Blood Novellas
Visit the Goodreads Page
~ About The Authoress ~
Alexandra is A New Adult, Young Adult, and Adult author who loves writing Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Paranormal, and traditional Horror stories (though she’s known to dabble in Contemporary, Dystopian, and Poetry, too). She started writing at a young age, and is inspired by fellow writers (hats off to Eoin Colfer, Ridley Pearson, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, and Jeanne DuPrau), her writing friends, and her dreams.
Alexandra is also an artist (her art is featured on her book covers), a screenwriter, as well as lover of all things nerdy, geeky, and fun.
Alexandra lives in Florida, USA, with her family and calico cat, Sanura.
Visit Alexandra on the web at:
www.AlexandraLanc.com
Visit Alexandra’s blog: Words Of The Worlds
Follow Alexandra on Twitter @AuthorLanc
Follow Alexandra on Google+: Alexandra Lanc
Alexandra’s Goodreads Page: Alexandra Lanc
~ Also By Alexandra Lanc ~
Visit AlexandraLanc.com
The Snowflake Triplet
Book 1: Clara Claus
Clara Claus Short Story: The Christmas Wish
Book 1.5: Sugar Plum Dreams
Clara Snow Short: Christmas In July ~ July 2013
The Legend of Juliet: Part One (A Vampire Dystopia) (Finding Freedom Novellas) Page 6