“I don’t think there’s any other way, my love,” Beon finally said after the group had been silent for some time.
Tears immediately stung the back of her eyes, because she felt like she hadn’t had enough time to ponder it thoroughly. Fighting them back before they spilled down her cheeks, she nodded her head and sighed heavily. “I know… In light of all we’ve learned the past two days…but I just.”
“Yes, there’s a world of cursed beings out there that mean us harm. It is my duty as a knight and as a husband, to protect you. And the thought of spending immortality with you by my side—well, I can’t imagine a more blissful life.”
“I’m not ready…I can’t…I mean, just not yet.” Of course, the idea of being with him for eternity appealed to her, which is why she was so confused about it all.
Beon looked at her with concern. “I understand you’re frightened, but this is for your protection—well, for our protection.”
“Please don’t make me, Beon. Not until I’m ready!”
“All right, all right, my love…not until you’re ready.”
“I will wait as well,” Eva interjected.
“Eva,” Seth said with surprise.
“I must stand with Sophia in this. She and I will turn when she is ready.”
Seth cast his eyes heavenward, sighed, and then mumbled to himself, “Agree and compliment. Agree and compliment.” After pausing for a beat or two, he finally added, “Beon, I find we have ladies who are not only lovely but wise beyond their years and therefore unwilling to make a hasty decision, even on matters as pressing as this.”
Catching on to the reference of Seth’s advice when wooing a lady, Beon nodded and said, “Indeed, so it will be.”
Sophia did not miss the fact that while the men were allowing the ladies to wait, it did not mean Beon would wait with them. She knew Beon was moving ahead with this plan. “When will you…do it? When will you make the turn?”
Beon considered her tenderly before saying, “Tonight.”
Sophia couldn’t stop the flood of tears that burst forth, and her shoulders slumped.
She felt Beon lean forward and press a kiss to the back of her head as she sat before him on the horse, his breath heating her skin beneath. “Come now…it’s not as if I’m dying. Well, not really.”
“Perhaps we should have a little funeral,” Seth said, obviously trying to lighten the mood with a little humor, but it only made Sophia cry harder.
“Sophia, I assure you, I can detect very little difference in Seth. He’s still spouting as much silly nonsense as he was before.”
Seth gaped in surprise for a moment, and then he burst out laughing. “Well done, my love, you’re a quick study in the art of irony.”
Eva let her signature high pitched laughter and Sophia couldn’t help but smile a little. While Seth’s jest had only made Sophia weep more, Eva’s finally drew giggles out of her.
“Yes, you see there? The biggest adjustment Beon will have to make is properly managing his unusual strength,” said Seth.
Sophia felt a mixture of excitement and fear as Seth’s castle came into view. It was massive with tall turrets at every corner. The dark color of the stone and the gothic details embellishing the structure made it look menacing, and Sophia imagined it might be the perfect place for a secret order of vampire knights to operate from. The cloud-strewn sky overhead reflected on the water of the inlet it overlooked, and while she would miss the sea at Bamborough, she decided this would do well enough.
“Welcome to Vyndon Castle,” said Seth proudly as he led them inside. “Once we have enough men in our garrison, this place will be lively indeed.”
“‘Vyndon?’” asked Beon.
“I thought it best if I renamed it, don’t you agree?”
“Sure, but why Vyndon?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
A moment of silence had passed before Beon said, “V for vampire and the rest for Lyndon, is that right?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Seth asked, frowning at Beon’s tone.
After passing his gaze over the cavernous great hall, Beon shrugged his shoulders and said, “Works for me.”
“Great!” Seth clapped his hands. “As the daylight is waning quickly, I think it best if we prepare your last supper.”
“I’m sorry, ‘last supper’ did you say? What do you mean by that?” asked Beon.
“Well...I must confess that I left out one drawback to this curse.”
“Another drawback besides the fact that it’s a curse?” Sophia asked.
“It’s a minor detail.”
“And that detail is?” asked Beon a bit nervously.
“You will no longer be able to taste food.”
Sophia watched Beon’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.
Silence settled around them before Beon squared his shoulders and announced, “Anything to keep Sophia safe.”
“Are there other ‘drawbacks’ to this curse you’ve neglected to tell us?” Eva asked. “I do fancy a good custard tart or a lovely elderflower fritelle. You know the one, it’s dripping with so much honey it seems as though your fingers are sticky for a week. Just the thought of not being able to taste those only renews my decision to wait a bit.”
“Other drawbacks?” Seth held onto his chin in a thoughtful pose. “To be perfectly honest, I’m not exactly sure.”
The silence stretched on longer this time, but again, Beon notched his chin a bit higher and said firmly, “The two of us together could better combat Percy and his sisters. I cannot leave you alone in this.”
Knowing by the determination in his voice that Beon would not change his mind, Sophia said, “As there are no servants yet, I will prepare your last meal.”
This drew a smile to his face, and he looked at her with devotion. “Truly, I am grateful to have you.”
Turning to Eva, Sophia asked, “Do you know how to make fritelles?”
“I do, but a recipe would be helpful.”
“I stocked the larder in preparation for our arrival,” said Seth.
“Shall we see what there is for us to make a fine supper then?” Sophia asked Eva.
“I would be happy to help.”
Upon entering the kitchens, Sophia immediately noticed a book that she assumed would contain recipes. Pulling it down from the shelf, she opened it and found directions for making fritelles as well as oatcakes, crispels, fish pies, pike in brase, rye bread, leek soup, and spiced cabbage.
As Sophia listed off the ingredients, Eva gathered them together and set them on the big cutting board in the center of the kitchen. “Oh, just looking at all these items makes me so hungry I could eat a mangy horse, and then go back for the knight.”
Laughing, Sophia said, “Oh my, you are hungry! I hope you can hold out until this feast is prepared as we only have two horses at the moment.”
Sophia checked the recipes again and then went out into the garden to see which herbs were available for the fritelles, hoping to find either elderflower or clary.
Still exploring her new home, Sophia took it all in as she made her way to the kitchen garden. Planted geometrically was just about every plant she’d seen at the Priory and more. Unable to resist them, Sophia plucked a few gooseberries.
Just as she spotted the elderflowers, she heard Beon say, “This seems like a fine garden for us to walk hand in hand whilst we begin our new life together as vampire and mortal, wouldn’t you say?”
Turning to face him, she laughed and asked, “Couldn’t you have said man and wife instead?”
Beon shrugged his shoulders. “I see a perfect boxwood to sculpt into a bird that would delight my little dove.”
He considered the sky as the colors of sunset had only just begun rising from the west. “Once we’ve had supper, Seth plans to make the turn...”
Sophia had plucked a few elderflowers but paused in her task at his words. “Don’t do it, please, Beon.”
“I know it’s difficult to und
erstand. All that’s happened is so unbelievable...but listen to me when I tell you that nowhere is safe any longer. We must protect ourselves from the evil that surrounds us. That is the duty of a knight. A knight adapts and uses all the tools at his disposal to protect what he holds dear...and you, Lady Everard, are what I hold dear. I am bound by life and blood to do all in my power to safeguard you, those we love and this country. I have no choice but to take up the sword against evil. I have no choice but to follow this dark path and do my best to shed light upon it and cast out the demons that would destroy us.”
“By becoming a demon yourself?”
“What choice do I have?”
He didn’t have a choice. Her conversations with Sir Percy had been enough for her to know that. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that I didn’t have to marry Sir Percy.”
“I find I’m equally relieved.”
She looked up into Beon’s eyes with such love brimming over in her heart she thought it might burst. Beon had grown to become every bit the man Sophia knew he would be. Sophia dropped everything she was holding and slung her arms around his neck, kissing him with more hunger than she’d ever had for food. He reciprocated with such passion that whatever fears and doubts still lingered faded like the waning sunlight.
“Come,” he said, pulling away from her.
Gathering up the items she needed for supper, Sophia followed Beon inside.
Seated at the long table in the great hall, it did seem rather sparse with only the four of them there, and Beon tried to imagine it filled with vampire knights. The last rays of sunlight spilled in from the narrow windows running along the west wall. The space was clean and furnished, but it still seemed empty. Even the fire they had built within the great hearth seemed lacking in some way.
Beon knew he needed to help Seth build this order of knights they’d been discussing. Within the depths of his soul, he knew it was part of his purpose in life to do this. To save as many people as they could from vampires like Sir Percy.
And it was somewhat uncomfortable to consume a meal with Seth in attendance when he basically just watched them eat with a bit of envy written within his expression. Beon knew he too would soon be in the same position, and as he bit into the rather delectable crispel, he couldn’t help but reconsider his decision.
Knowing it might not be wise of him, mainly because it could weaken his resolve, Beon asked, “Is food truly flavorless?”
“Yes,” said Seth, shuddering at the thought of it.
“I can’t even imagine that.”
“The textures are all you feel since the taste is gone.” Seth shuddered again.
“And that’s a problem?”
“Well, soup is just wet. Meat is slimy, and pastries are... I honestly don’t know how to explain it.”
Feeling quite satisfied with his last meal, Beon leaned back in his chair and stared at his empty trencher. On second thought, perhaps it had been a mistake to indulge in a last meal because it could make him miss food more. But no matter how he circled the problem facing them, this threat, he could find no other solution. Seth interrupted his thoughts by saying, “Ho there. Are you still with me? It seems as though you’ve gotten lost in contemplation.”
Beon chuckled and said, “Yes, old man, I’m still with you.”
“Have you decided to join me and become the first knight of our order? Am I turning you into a vampire tonight?”
Beon held out his left wrist toward Seth and said, “I’m ready.”
“Hold on,” said Seth “I’m not sure if I’ve shared enough information with you yet.”
“Such as?” Beon asked settling his arm back down onto the table.
“I don’t know how long it was between Sir Percy biting me and my transformation...it could’ve been a moment or a month.”
“Does it matter?”
“I suppose it doesn’t. But the sooner the better, I say.”
Beon offered up his wrist again but turned to look at Sophia when she suddenly took hold of his other hand. “I love you...I’ll be right here,” she said.
Seth cast a glance toward the windows as the rays of sunlight faded to black, and then he said, “Now I must ask you to look in my eyes. Ladies, it’s time for you to look away.”
Black, Beon though, Seth’s eyes were such a dark shade of brown that they were almost black. While held within his trance-like gaze, Seth blew into his face. As a strange magic filled his lungs, it began to muddle his mind and make his limbs feel boneless. Beon sank against the back of his chair, fearing he might fall. But he didn’t care if he fell or if he died, at this point, all he wanted was a bite. Even though he was rather alarmed at that idea, he also realized he actually wanted Seth to kill him.
Seth took hold of his arm, opened his mouth with fangs now visible, and began to lean over his wrist.
“Wait!” Sophia said, grasping onto his sleeve frantically.
What is it? Beon wanted to ask, but couldn’t.
“Can vampires have children?” she asked.
Silence fell for a time, and Beon closed his eyes. With this magic clouding his mind as it was, he honestly didn’t give a fig about children. If Seth would just get on with draining him, that would suit him just fine.
“I—I’m not sure if they can. I know that Sir Percy and his sisters are quite old and they do not have children. So if I were to hazard a guess, I would say no, they can’t,” answered Seth.
Sophia tugged on his sleeve, probably trying to get him to focus on her. Beon was listening, but he couldn’t do much more than open his eyes and look at her. “Please, Beon, don’t do this until we know for certain.”
“You want children?” he managed to ask as the spell began to dissipate.
“You don’t?” She sounded hurt.
Beon bent forward and pressed the palms of his hands against his temples as he tried to clear his head. Once he felt less wobbly, he said, “I...well, I guess I hadn’t really thought of it, but I think you’re right, we can’t risk this until we know. I don’t think I could bare it if we never had any children.”
Beon glanced at Eva, and when he noticed how pale she looked, it was obvious she had just realized that she and Seth would never be parents.
Eva fidgeted uncomfortably and then rose from her seat. “I think it’s time to clear away this mess.”
“I’ll help,” Beon said. He kept his hands on the table to test his balance, but it would seem the magic had completely released him from its grasp.
Helping to gather up bowls and trenchers, they all brought it to the kitchen.
Beon stopped cold when he saw the state of the kitchen, however, because it was an absolute disaster. “Is Vyndon Castle infested with trolls or some other such creature?” he impulsively asked Seth, half joking, for only a mythical being could create such a mess.
Eva started laughing so hard, Beon feared she might hurt herself while Sophia looked extremely guilty. “Hold on. Am I to understand Sophia did this?”
And his gorgeous wife, the woman who still reminded him of angels, the woman who fulfilled all of his fantasies, just shrugged her shoulders while biting her lip.
Chapter 23
Mythical Beings From Heaven and Hell
Sophia was so happy Beon had not yet become a vampire that he found it a bit disconcerting. She was practically skipping as they headed toward their bedchamber. This concerned him because while he wanted to ensure they started a family first, he still meant to become a vampire knight. Was she hoping he’d changed his mind? And if she was, how would he convince her otherwise? And how many children did she want? Please, God, he prayed as she dragged him along the corridor, please not an entire brood of angelic-faced, naughty little cherubs...running about...making all kinds of noise...demanding hugs and kisses as they press sticky fingers against his cheeks...
Just before they got to their chamber, he had seriously considered breaking free of her grasp, running the other direction, and begging Seth to bite him posthaste
. But as she swung the door open and turned to face him, the beauty looking up at him with such an incredibly tempting ‘come-hither’ look on her face, he lost any resolve he might have had. Bring on the misbehaving little monsters, he thought, because he just couldn’t deny her.
While walking backward, Sophia grasped onto a handful of his gambeson and drew him in after her. Holding her eyes with his, Beon yanked the clasps running up the front of his gambeson free, shrugged out of the garment, and threw it to the side. Once he’d discarded his shirt, she silently asked for help in undoing the laces running up the back of her dress by turning away from him and moving her hair out of the way.
Making quick work of that too, it wasn’t long before they tugged the dark blue drapes surrounding the four-poster aside and fell into bed. As he made love to his wife, Beon never once thought of children or vampires until after their bodies had been sated...whether by lips moving over lips, fingers linked with fingers, or just skin against skin, Beon found such contentment that he was grateful she’d stopped him from turning when she had.
He didn’t yet know what it would be like to live as a vampire but he did know what life was like as a man, so how could he squander these moments just to defeat a ruthless villain? He shouldn’t, and he hadn’t.
As she drifted off to sleep with her head resting on his shoulder, and as the candles burned low, Beon gathered up a lock of Sophia’s soft hair and wrapped it around his finger as he pondered their plans. A part of him never wanted any of this to change, but another part of him ached to fight and defend the weak just as he’d trained for years to do. The war within himself waged on.
Beon was just about to drift off to sleep when a sound from somewhere within the chamber wrenched him from the edge of unconsciousness. Everything inside him tensed as he mentally prepared for a fight.
As if a ghost had just materialized from the shadowed corner of the room, Sir Percy came into view and then moved toward the bed. Having prepared earlier by tucking weapons beneath the pillows, Beon untangled himself from his wife’s sleeping form and grabbed a silver stake with one hand while he lifted up a dagger with the other. Reminding himself what it was like to be spellbound by curse magic from the vampire’s eyes, Beon took great care not to make eye contact. Watching his body was the only way to track his movements.
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