The Reign of Darkness

by Britney Jackson

  Rose and Kara watched bewilderedly as the princess rushed away, leaving them alone in the chapel. Rose shot a wary look at Kara. “What did that mean?”

  “I don’t know,” Kara admitted, “but I wonder…” Her piercing, blue eyes shifted toward Rose. “We’ve been trying to define your power in terms we know.”

  “Well, that is kind of how definitions work,” Rose said with a sassy smile.

  “We’ve been comparing you to what we’ve seen in other vampires,” Kara continued, her brows furrowing, “but you’re not like other vampires, are you?”

  Rose’s smile faded. “I’m like other vampires with telekinetic abilities.”

  “Not really,” Kara said. “You’re just more like them than anyone else.”

  “I can move things with my mind,” Rose reminded her. She shrugged, a nervous smile curving at her lips. “Telekinesis is the only explanation, isn’t it?”

  Kara watched her curiously. “Or maybe it’s just the only one we know.”

  10

  The Attack

  Rose was beginning to wonder how many rooms could fit in one temple. The banquet hall was on the left side of the temple, next to the throne room, and it was much larger than the chapel. Long, stone tables stretched across the right side of the room, with backless chairs—almost like stools—on each side. On the left side of the room, there was a single, stone table with a large throne behind it.

  On either side of the throne, there were several smaller seats—probably for the royal family. And of course, there were many jugs of blood-wine scattered across the table—already sampled by the princess. Many of the guests already had their own glasses of blood-wine, given to them by the servants roaming the hall.

  One of those servants crossed the dance floor now, making his way over to Rose and Kara. He bowed, his long, white-blonde hair falling forward. “Would you like a drink, my Eklektos?” he asked. But he’d already started to pour it before she could answer. He handed one glass of red liquid to Kara and poured a second for Rose. “The princess will give a speech soon, and then, everyone will drink.”

  Kara sniffed her glass, inhaling the sweet, appealing scent. “So, a toast?”

  The vampire shrugged. “I don’t know the English word for it, honestly.”

  Rose stared at the dark red liquid in the glass, and her heart began to race, as a cold rush of fear poured through her veins. She took the wine glass, but the thought of tasting it terrified her, still. “I can’t,” she breathed. “I…I don’t drink.”

  The vampire frowned, clearly puzzled by that. “But…you’re the guest of honor. The Eklektos. If you don’t participate in the toast, everyone will notice.”

  Kara stepped toward him, her light blue eyes flashing with defiance. “She doesn’t have to do anything that she doesn’t want to do, and you’re not going to manipulate her or pressure her into it. Try it again, and I’ll make you regret it.”

  Despite the fact that the ten-thousand-year-old vampire was obviously more powerful than a fourteen-hundred-year-old Viking, he swallowed nervously.

  Rose had to admit…Kara could be absolutely terrifying when she wanted to be. Which was something that Rose probably shouldn’t have found attractive. She blushed, as she tried to focus on the matter at hand. “Kara, it’s okay. I’ll try.”

  “Rose,” Kara said with a frown, “don’t let this asshole guilt-trip you.”

  “That’s not what I was doing,” the vampire argued. “I was just saying…”

  “No one cares what you were saying,” Kara interrupted, shooting a very deadly glare in his direction. She turned to Rose, her gaze instantly softening. “If you don’t feel comfortable with it, you don’t have to do it. Period. Just say no.”

  Rose glanced at the wine. “Honestly, I’m only afraid of it because it’s an addictive substance—or at least, it was, when I was human—and addiction played such a terrible role in my life,” she said, her voice thick. “But it’s an irrational fear that is rooted in my past, and I’m tired of letting what happened to me dictate my life.” She looked up at Kara. “Besides…do vampires even experience addiction?”

  Kara shook her head slowly. “Not in the physical sense. Our bodies don’t become dependent on things—other than blood, of course. We heal too quickly.”

  “Then, maybe it’s time for me to conquer my fear,” Rose said nervously.

  Kara stepped closer. “It’s brave to face a fear head-on like that,” she said, “but it’s not required. It’s all right to avoid things that make you uncomfortable.”

  Rose smiled, warmed by Kara’s concern. She turned toward the Skotalian vampire. “I’ll participate in the toast, but I’m probably only going to drink a sip.”

  The vampire nodded. Then, he bent forward at the waist, bowing to her. “I’m sure the bride and groom will appreciate your participation, my Eklektos.”

  As the vampire walked away, Rose sighed, “But why? Why won’t anyone tell me why? If I were a cat, this curiosity would’ve taken all nine lives by now.”

  “Are you sure about this, love?” Kara asked. “It might intoxicate you.”

  Rose looked at Kara, her heart skipping in fear. “How long does it last?”

  “Wine, spiked with blood, is burned off quickly,” Kara said, “because it’s more wine than blood. If it affects you at all, it shouldn’t last but a few minutes.”

  “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Rose said, “and I won’t drink much of it.”

  “It probably won’t even affect you, then,” Kara told her. “I usually have to drink quite a bit to even get a rush. And if I want to get drunk,” she paused, as she added it up in her head, “my sweet spot is usually about three drunk women.”

  “Three women,” Rose said, her eyes wide with disbelief. “In one night?”

  “Only a little from each,” Kara said. “I don’t like to kill them, you know.”

  “Right,” Rose mumbled, a little too stunned to think of a better response.

  Kara tilted her head toward Princess Myrinne’s table, motioning for Rose to look—just as the princess stood up, holding a glass of red liquid in her hand.

  “The musicians will start to play in a moment,” the princess announced, as the crowd turned to face her. “But first, let’s congratulate our fellow Skotalians on this new step in their relationship.” She turned toward Akilina and Timotheo, who stood among the crowd on the other side of the room. “We wish you love.”

  Everyone in the room—except for Rose and Kara—repeated the phrase.

  “Oops,” Rose said, when they missed it. “I should’ve asked for a script.”

  Kara watched, as the crowd lifted their glasses to their mouths to drink. “At least this part is self-explanatory,” she said, as she glanced down at her glass.

  Kara lifted the glass of wine to her mouth, watching out of the corner of her eye, as Rose lifted her own glass. She waited for a moment, watching curiously as Rose sipped the dark liquid, as a small, red drop spilled onto her bottom lip. It distracted her for a moment, as she ached to lean in and lick the drop from Rose’s lips. But then, Rose lowered the wine glass, her eyes widening. Kara lowered her own glass, forgetting that she was supposed to drink it, as she wondered if Rose was all right. She was just about to ask, when Rose turned up the glass and drank the rest of the wine in one, continuous gulp. Kara laughed, her eyebrows lifting.

  Rose glanced at Kara, and then, as she realized what she’d done, her face reddened. She lowered the wine glass, cradling it against her chest. “It’s…good.”

  “Is it?” Kara said, taking a step toward Rose. With one finger, she turned Rose’s face toward her own. “Let me taste,” she whispered, before tilting her face toward Rose’s and licking the drop of wine from Rose’s lips. Rose’s eyes instantly fluttered closed, and then, she leaned forward and pressed her wine-stained lips against Kara’s. When their tongues met, Kara moaned. Not just because of how much she loved kissing Rose—though that was part of it—but because t
he taste of the wine was on Rose’s tongue. And that wine—it tasted unlike anything Kara had ever tasted before. She’d expected it to taste like wine, spiked with blood, but it hadn’t. It had tasted so much better. Sweet, like fruit and power. Satisfying, like blood. Kara pulled back, her eyes wide. She glanced down at the glass in her hand.

  Rose watched Kara, her cheeks flushed, her skin hot. She wanted to pull Kara back toward her, to kiss her, as if they were the only ones in the room. She’d normally be too shy, too embarrassed, to do such a thing, but as her heart began to pound quicker, she couldn’t bring herself to think of anything but Kara’s lips.

  Kara’s light blue gaze shifted toward her, as she sensed Rose’s emotions, and her lips curled up at the corners. She held up her finger, motioning for Rose to wait a moment, as she lifted her own glass to her mouth and downed the thick, delicious liquid. The taste of blood awakened her hunger instantly, and it was easy for her to see why Rose had drunk her own wine so quickly. It was impossible to stop, once you’d started. When she’d emptied the glass, she reached out blindly, setting it on the closest surface to them, which happened to be a decorative table.

  Then, Kara stepped forward, sliding her fingers over Rose’s cheek, as she tilted her head and kissed Rose again. She rested her free hand on Rose’s hip, her grip loose at first. But then, she felt Rose moan against her, and she found herself gripping Rose tighter, pulling Rose against her, arching her back to press more of her body against Rose’s. She worried for a moment that she was taking it too far, that Rose would be uncomfortable, kissing her like this, in such a crowded setting.

  But Rose kissed her with the same fervor, sliding her arms around Kara’s neck, the wine glass in her hand brushing lightly against Kara’s back. Her tongue tasted so sweet and warm, as it moved against Kara’s, the wine still on her breath.

  The realization that Rose wanted this—even here, even now—was more than Kara could stand. She slid her hands over Rose’s body, feeling the soft, silky texture of the clothes that they’d given her, the clothes that were so thin that they left nothing to the imagination. Kara could feel every curve, every soft place on Rose’s body, and it sent a delicious heat through her body, pulsing in every vein.

  The arousal left her dizzy. It made her head spin, as if she were drunk.

  Kara’s eyes popped open, suddenly, and she pulled back. Rose staggered a little, but Kara held her close, preventing her from falling. She frowned at the empty glass she’d set on the table, squinting as its shape blurred before her eyes.

  Rose realized, suddenly, that they’d been making out in a crowded room, and she cast a nervous glance around her, breathing out a sigh of relief, when she realized that none of shadowy shapes were looking their way. She leaned her head against Kara’s shoulder, an embarrassed giggle escaping her lips. “That was nice.”

  Careful to keep her arm around Rose’s waist, Kara glanced down at her, a smile tugging at her lips, as she saw the peaceful smile on Rose’s face. “Which part?” Kara asked, brushing her lips against Rose’s ear. “The wine? Or the kiss?”

  Rose moaned against the leather that covered Kara’s shoulder. “Both.”

  Kara’s smile deepened, and she pressed a gentle kiss against Rose’s head. She watched the people around them dance and laugh, and she couldn’t help but notice that all of them seemed intoxicated already. “How are you feeling, love?”

  “After that kiss?” Rose said, a soft giggle escaping her lips. “Turned on.”

  Kara snorted. “You’re only that honest when you’re intoxicated.”

  Rose lifted her head, staring at Kara with wide, terrified eyes. “Oh, no.”

  “It’s all right, love,” Kara murmured gently. “It should wear off quickly.”

  Rose nodded slowly—a bit too slowly…and kind of wobbly, honestly.

  “The weird thing is,” Kara said with a frown, “I never feel anything after one glass of wine. Maybe a slight rush from the blood. But that’s it.” She paused for a moment, studying the drunken party taking place around them. “But I, eh, definitely feel something now.” She looked at Rose. “That was…very good wine.”

  “Mmm,” Rose murmured, leaning heavily against Kara. “I want more.”

  Kara laughed, “You’re getting a little ahead of yourself there, aren’t you?”

  “I guess so,” Rose sighed, feeling the coolness of leather against her face, hearing the quickened pace of Kara’s pulse. “Ooh, I know,” she said, lifting her head a little too quickly—so quickly that everything spun for a moment. Her gaze shifted toward Kara’s lips. “You drink more, and I’ll just taste it on your tongue.”

  Kara lifted her eyebrows, as a painful wave of desire poured through her body. “I am…absolutely on board with that idea,” she said breathlessly. Another pulse of heat coursed through her body, as she watched Rose’s bright blue eyes darken. She laughed softly, “Just stand here, and I’ll go get another glass of wine.”

  Rose gave her another wobbly nod, and then, she leaned against the table, as Kara wandered off to find more wine. The table tipped as she pressed against it with a little too much strength, and the wine glass fell into the floor, shattering.

  Rose glanced down at the blurry shards with a bemused frown. “Oops.”

  A vampire appeared before her so suddenly that she almost toppled over. He bowed to her, his white-blonde hair falling forward. “Allow us to clean that up, my Eklektos,” he requested. When Rose shrugged bewilderedly, he motioned for another vampire to join him—this one carrying some sort of flat, metal object that he used to scoop up the glass. “Would you like more wine, my Eklektos?”

  “Ha,” Rose laughed, her smile wide and sharp. “I think I’ve had enough.”

  “I’ll take more,” Kara said, as she returned with another glass already in her hand. She drank the wine quickly and handed it to the white-haired vampire.

  He stared at her, his blue eyes wide. “Are you sure you can handle more?”

  Kara scoffed at that, “I’m a Viking. No amount is too much for me.”

  “It’s very strong,” the vampire said, “and you’ve already had two glasses.”

  Kara lifted her eyebrows at him. “I didn’t ask for your advice, asshole. I just said…if you’re offering more wine, I’ll have some. If not, just fuck off, okay?”

  Rose giggled. Then, she blushed and clasped her hand over her mouth.

  “Very well,” the vampire said, taking a bottle of wine from the other guy who was with him. “Are you sure you don’t want more, as well, my Eklektos?”

  “Nah,” Rose said. “I’m just going to make out with my sexy Kara.”

  Kara doubled over with laughter. “Ah, this side of you is…a lot of fun.”

  Even the extremely serious, white-haired vampire smiled a little at that.

  Kara took the glass back from him, after he finished filling it. “Don’t go far,” she told him, smiling. “I’ll be ready for more in about ten or fifteen minutes.”

  The vampire’s pale blue eyes widened, but he nodded. “Good luck.”

  Kara drank that full glass as well, downing it, as if it were water—rather than a drink that was meant to be sipped slowly. Then, she set that empty glass on the wobbly decorative table that Rose had knocked off-balance, and stepped closer to Rose. She cupped Rose’s face in her hands and kissed her deeply, sliding her tongue into Rose’s mouth, letting Rose taste the blood and wine on her lips.

  Rose moaned, pressing her body against Kara’s, feeling the hard, leather armor against her skin. She slipped her fingers into Kara’s dark, silky hair, feeling the blue and black strands slide between her fingers, holding Kara closer to her.

  Kara slid her hands down Rose’s back, feeling the arch at the base of her spine, the curve of Rose’s backside. She pressed hard against Rose, and the table finally toppled over completely, hitting the floor with a crash. They separated for a moment, laughing, but no one else had even noticed. By this point, the music had begun, and ev
ery vampire in the room was laughing and stumbling drunkenly.

  Kara watched them for a moment, wondering how they’d gotten drunk so fast. Then, she beckoned the white-haired vampire over again. “More, please?”

  The vampire stared at her. “I wouldn’t advise any more, at this point.”

  Kara snorted, “I feel fine.” Though, as she said it, she swayed a little.

  Rose glanced back and forth between them. “Kara? Maybe he’s right.”

  Kara’s icy blue gaze shifted toward Rose. “Don’t worry about me, sexy,” she said, laughing. “It’s just a little wine. I’ve drunk entire barrels of it before.”

  “Not of this,” the vampire assured her. He turned toward Rose, bowing. “My Eklektos, may I suggest you advise your warrior to take it easy on the wine?”

  “She’s my girlfriend,” Rose said, “and she can make her own decisions.”

  Kara leaned heavily against her, kissing Rose’s neck. “Fuck, you’re hot.”

  Rose blushed, as she tried to stay in control of her body. She nodded to the vampire, and with a roll of his eyes, he filled another glass of wine for Kara.

  Kara straightened and took the glass from him, already lifting it to her lips, but Rose curled her fingers around Kara’s wrist. Kara froze, frowning at her.

  “He sounded truthful, I think,” Rose said seriously. “Just…be careful.”

  Kara smiled at Rose, over the top of the wine glass. “Thank you for being concerned, love, but it is entirely unnecessary,” she said. “I can handle my wine.”

  Rose nodded, watching as Kara drank yet another glass of blood-wine.

  Kara set her empty glass aside and circled around Rose, taking one of her hands. “Dance with me,” she said, already moving her hips in time with the music.

  Rose watched the sensual movement of Kara’s hips, feeling that tingling warmth spread from her head to the rest of her body. She longed to touch those hips, to feel them against her own, so when Kara took her hand and led her onto the dance floor, she didn’t resist. Normally, she would’ve been mortified by the mere idea. Normally, she would’ve put up more of a fight. But not tonight. Not with the blood-wine dulling her senses, buzzing in her veins. She began to dance, draping her arms around Kara’s neck, as Kara draped hers around Rose’s waist.