Gabriel reached down to grab the lapels of my frock coat and pull me up. He dragged me to a chair not far from the bed and pushed me into it. The pain had crept into my jaw. My mouth and gums ached. My eyes stung with a dry soreness. I eyed Gabriel defiantly, still lost in my denial of reality. And yet, a creeping realisation that all he said made sense invaded my robust thoughts and fought for dominance. Still, I arrogantly persisted. For to accept my identity was to condemn myself along with Juliet to the same family as the clergyman murderer. I could not stand the idea of that vile man being my kith and kin.
‘Jason, feed him whilst I take care of Juliet,’ Gabriel ordered. ‘We do not have a lot of time, their death is approaching. They must taste blood beforehand or the process will not occur.’
‘No. I won’t do it. I will not allow you to force us to commit such an abominable act,’ I groaned.
Gabriel growled. He moved towards a mahogany dresser and lifted a ladies gilded looking glass from it. He thrust it in my face as Jason gripped my hair forcing my head back over the round rim of the chair. He held me there as Gabriel roughly pulled back my top lip.
‘Now do you see?’ he bellowed.
I could not deny the truth. Two newly lengthened incisors were sprouting from my gums, viciously pushing their way between my other teeth. I stared at them in the looking glass, realising I had no choice over what I was about to become. Juliet and I were in the hands of fate itself.
I slowly nodded with resignation as he let go of my lip. He threw the mirror onto the bed next to Juliet in annoyance. Another man entered the room and I found myself pinned down in the chair. Jason rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and bit into the ulnar artery at the base of his wrist. I reeled away as he came at me, blood beginning to flow abundantly down his arm, spotting the floor of the room. Tilting my head back again, Jason pressed his wrist against my mouth, covering my nose until I was forced to open my closed mouth to breathe.
The warm blood flowed thickly down my throat. I felt the sudden urge to vomit as it reached my stomach, just as I had done when I’d believed Sophie’s blood was inside me. However, my attempted convulsions did not deter my enforcers. The bright crimson liquid overflowed from my mouth, escaping from the corners of my lips to dribble down my chin. I imagined myself looking just like the clergyman vampire after a fresh kill.
I heard movement from Gabriel and directed my weakly focusing eyes at him. Having removed his coat and vest, he was now unbuttoning his shirt as he stood over Juliet. Alarmed, I watched him pull his shirt open and pick up an object from the table beside the bed. It was a small knife. I vainly intensified my struggles to free myself and go to Juliet’s aid, terrified for what Gabriel was about to do to her helpless body. But even if I were free, I doubted my dying body would allow me to reach her.
My heart pounded as I watched him sit on the bed beside her. To my relief, Gabriel brought the blade to his own chest. Without hesitation he plunged it deeply into his skin, cutting through the taut muscle. He made no sound of pain. Only the brief tensing of his shoulders and the sudden tightness of his features told me he felt the cut of the blade.
Blood coursed down his body in a flurry as he swept his arm under Juliet and lifted her up to him in one swift movement.
‘Wake, Juliet. I have commanded you twice,’ he told her firmly. ‘Do not disobey me; your life is at stake. If you continue to resist I will have to force you to drink.’ But Juliet remained still. I heard him rebuke her once more. ‘You are a stubborn child and you leave me with no choice.’
Juliet’s closed eyes seemed to mock him, testing his patience. He placed one of his hands to her throat and squeezed whilst his other hand sharply pulled her hair. Juliet’s eyes flew open, displaying both her anger and her fear. Gabriel wasted no further time. He curled his fist around her hair and brought her head roughly to the seeping wound in his chest, forcing her tightly pursed lips to press upon it.
She squealed, gripping at his arms, twisting the cotton material of his shirt sleeves through her fingers in a frenzy as he held her in place. He gave another tug on her hair when she refused his order to open her mouth wider and take more blood. The punishment for her refusal finally proved effective after the third twist of her hair. When this was over, if I was still alive, I vowed Gabriel would answer for his harsh treatment of my ward.
The nausea in my stomach began to recede along with a little of the pain. I suddenly began to feel a hunger for the blood. My coughing and spluttering ceased, and my mouth began to move restlessly against Jason’s wrist, desperate to take more. It was pure instinct. He appeared relieved.
Juliet’s sobs of protest had also died away. I could see her throat moving as though drinking and swallowing the blood contentedly. The gentle noise of her suckling filled the room. Gabriel still held her head to the wound in his breast but his grip was lighter than before. He gave a low groan of satisfaction, displaying the obvious sensual gratification he took from the act, and leaned back to offer more of his blood to her. It was a powerfully erotic sight to behold, but one that stirred my envy. I could not help but wonder why she could not have been fed from his wrist.
Darkness began to creep into the sides of my vision. I felt my heart slow from its natural, healthy rhythm even as I continued to feed. I knew there was no escape from death now. My blurring eyes rested upon on Juliet. I hoped with all my soul that we would make it through our ordeal to rise from our macabre slumber together. If we did, Gabriel would have to learn that Juliet belonged to me. In time I would make him see the error of his ways.
Chapter Five
I woke to the sound of chattering birds and the haunting smell of early summer. The delicate scent of cherry blossom and fresh, lush green grass floated across the air. Warmth caressed my body and wrapped its comfort around me. I felt no pain. A gentle breeze brushed against my face as I slowly opened my eyes into bright sunlight.
I found myself sitting upright in a chair, outdoors at a table elegantly set for afternoon tea. An array of finger sandwiches, pastries, sweets and summer berries covered the white table cloth. The table was placed on a lawn not far from a large lake rimmed with bulrushes. A small wooden jetty protruded from the shore. Juliet stood upon it feeding bread crumbs to the regal swans that floated around her on the water’s surface.
The sunlight cast small jewels of brilliant yellow light across the surface of the lake and upon the soft white dress Juliet wore. The effect gave her appearance an ethereal quality. She was an exquisite vision; I could not take my eyes from her. I wondered if I was dreaming, or perhaps this was death. Either way, I was more than grateful for Juliet’s presence. I did not wish to ever leave the idyllic scene before me.
As though she had sensed me watching, Juliet turned and smiled at me. She appeared happy and content as she walked up the jetty towards me. Her titian curls were untied, cascading in a red and gold waterfall over her shoulders. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I marvelled at her beauty.
‘At last you are awake, Nathan.’ She raised her eyebrows with amusement, ‘Well, awake in a matter of a fashion.’
She sat down at the table next to me. ‘What is this place?’ I asked her. ‘Are we dead, or dreaming?’
She picked up my cup and saucer. ‘No, silly.’ But she did not answer my question. She reached for the tea pot. I stopped her, lightly covering my hand over her own, forcing her to rest it on the table. I spoke softly, not wishing to spoil the scene.
‘What is happening to us? Is any of this real? How did I get here?’
She smiled gently, but there was anxiety in her eyes as though I might scold her for the answer she was about to reveal. ‘I brought you here,’ she said quietly, dipping her eyes coyly to the table. I stared at her, waiting patiently for her to continue. ‘I thought you might welcome the peace after everything we have been through.’
I became impatient. ‘Juliet, please answer me.’
Her lips formed into a small pout at my sharp tone. ‘You are in my
dreamscape. It is one of the many powers and gifts given to females of our race. I can bring whomever I want into my own dreams. I can even enter the dreams of others to manipulate them. Everything is so vivid, so real, that I wonder if it is more than just a dreamscape. I don’t understand, but it is one of the most wonderful gifts I have ever been given.’
I stared at her, letting go of her hand. I remembered the speed with which Gabriel had run up the staircase carrying Juliet and wondered what other powerful gifts we now possessed. My thoughts became excited as I allowed my imagination to run wild.
‘You’re frowning, Nathan. It does not become you.’ Juliet was indignant at my silence.
I looked up at her quickly, tearing myself from thoughts. I smiled. ‘It is a wonderful gift. So we are still asleep in the bedroom?’
She tilted her head to one side, clearly considering the possibility. ‘I believe so. But as I have said, I wonder if it isn’t real.’
She reached for the tea pot and began to pour into my cup. ‘Look at the tea, is it not real?’ She handed me the cup and saucer. I sniffed at it curiously, and then brought the cup to my lips. It certainly tasted no different than usual. I nodded. The sandwiches and pastries were the same. It was certainly plausible.
I looked upon her with interest. ‘Where did you learn you had this gift?’
‘Oh, from Gabriel or I should say, Lord Masters. I crept into his mind and discovered some of his secrets. He believes he is so powerful and, as a mere child, I will not be able to get past his defences. But I did,’ she told me gleefully. ‘I am growing stronger in my abilities and my health by the minute. I have learnt things he meant to keep from me for a while. He will be vexed,’ she giggled. ‘He is so pompous and I fancy very sure of himself. It is nothing short of arrogance. But I must confess, he is rather handsome with it all. Don’t you think, Nathan?’
I attempted to cover the spark of jealousy that tensed my features, but to my dismay she had seen it. Her emerald eyes brightened mischievously. There appeared to be a glint of satisfaction in them. She had been testing me. The smile that began to lift the corners of her pretty mouth told me I had passed. My envy settled contentedly, but I refrained from answering her question. I felt both joy and unease at the power she now wielded over my emotions.
I reached out to caress my finger tips across her cheek. ‘The bruise is gone. You are truly beautiful Juliet, with or without it,’ I told her softly. Another gentle blush momentarily coloured her features. She was unable to meet my eyes. I felt her pleasure at my words and touch radiate inside my mind, and became satisfied I wielded power over her emotions as strongly as she did my own.
It was Juliet who broke the silent spell between us. She held out her hand to me and stood from the table, ‘Come and walk with me. I have much to tell you.’
I brushed my thumb over her knuckles as we walked to the water’s edge and on around the lake. It was wonderful to be in the summer sun again, feeling the warm light on my face. I felt at peace. In our waking world it was still winter with short, cold days. Juliet had rewarded us perfectly with a welcome escape from its harshness.
‘Nathan, do you know anything about the Druids?’ she asked.
I nodded. ‘A little.’
‘Our ancestors existed at the same time as the Druids and the Celts in a large section of England called Talus. It is unclear exactly where our lands began and ended. Our Taleian forefathers were peaceful people, endowed with great gifts of power in the mind, the body, and in healing. We possessed great warriors, both male and female, each powerful in their different ways. There appears to have been an equality between our people and the sexes that we have so much trouble repeating in our society today.’ She finished with such a large sigh of hopeless resignation that I could not help feeling a little amused.
‘Are you a suffragist, Juliet?’ I teased.
I was surprised when she scowled at me and gazed upon me with disappointment.
‘What if I am, Lord Valancourt?’ she asked haughtily. That enticing pout displayed on her lips again as she abruptly stopped walking and turned to face me.
I could not help but laugh out loud. However, her eyes became glassy with frustrated tears as she defiantly tilted her chin at me. Politics and society had rarely concerned me, only what I could take from them to serve my own purpose. The Suffragists were loud, raucous women who held meetings for the precise purpose of moaning about their lot in life. I had paid little attention to their opinions about voting rights for women, considering their annoying groups as a detriment and a slander to their sex. The important business of voting for a leader for the country was best left to the intelligence of men. I chose my words carefully.
‘Nothing of it. I am merely surprised. Let’s not talk of it anymore; we have more to concern ourselves with. And why so formal? It is Nathan, not Lord Valancourt, Lady Gaudain,’ I finished with a grin.
Her features softened. The beginnings of a shaky smile covered her lips. ‘You are nothing short of wicked the way you tease me Nathan. I shall use your formal title, Lord Valancourt, when you annoy me. That way you will know when you have displeased me.’
I laughed, a little shocked by her forthrightness, but it only endeared her more to me. I liked a woman who could speak her mind. She turned away from me to look out over the lake, desperately trying to hide the amusement on her lips. Mischievously, I lifted her hand up causing her to look at me as I bent to kiss it. ‘Then I will be careful not to displease you, Lady Gaudain.’
She nodded, lowering her lashes again, unable to look me in the eye like the coy virgin she was. I smiled darkly at her as she tried to move away and break my hold. But I would not allow it. She would not escape me. Lowering our hands, I began walking again, giving her no choice but to follow. I urged her to carry on informing me of what she’d learnt from my rival, Gabriel.
‘The Druids did not trust our people. Jealous of our powers, they devised a powerful curse to settle over our kind, turning our ancestors into vampires. The curse created a blood lust in the Taleians so strong that they turned on each other. Violence and killings overtook them, even the children did not escape murder. The Druids made sure that if any of our kind survived, they would be hunted down and killed in fear by other races. Nowhere would be safe. The Taleian people would have no home, no refuge, tormented constantly by bloodlust and the need to kill to survive.’
I listened to Juliet intently, my mind conjuring up scenes of ancient Britain and the people she described.
‘We had a royal family, or clan as Gabriel refers to it. A great magician advised our Queen. The curse had been sent to wipe our race from existence. The magician did all he could to stop it from taking hold, but it was too powerful. He could only manage to change it. That is why some Taleians are able to mate with a human and produce a child.’
I studied her critically, stopping by the water’s edge once more. ‘Does he know which of my parents was the vampire?’
‘Yes, it was your father, as it was with my own. Our families were murdered because of it. Your mother and father did not die of tuberculosis as you were told. Lord Leggatt has always known what you were to become Nathan, and still he loved you like his own son.’
My thoughts immediately returned to my uncle. There was concern for me in Juliet’s eyes. ‘I am sorry Nathan . . . he died yesterday morning.’
I nodded grimly, swallowing my emotion. I would grieve privately.
‘Tell me more about our powers.’
‘Your powers lie predominantly in your strength as they do in a human man. Mine are mental abilities. I have some physical strength, but my mental powers far surpass those of a male Taleian. All female Taleians are stronger than males in mental capacity. Gabriel does not approve of this and he cannot reconcile himself to it. He believes fate has been misguided, that all abilities should belong to the males. We women should have nothing. We are not worthy of such great power. Insufferable man.’
‘Yes, indeed.’
; ‘Oh, there is worse . . . The courtships and mating rituals of our people are very complicated and intense. It is shocking.’
I raised an eyebrow at her embarrassment, intrigued to learn more about this shocking, intense, and complicated mating ritual we were perhaps to undergo ourselves. I allowed my imagination to drift. She gave me a disapproving look. ‘Please remember I am in your mind now. You can do little to hide anything from me, but I implore you to make the effort, sir.’ But there was an amused smile twitching at her lips that she was desperately trying to hold back.
‘Of course, madam,’ I mocked, tilting my head towards her. ‘I will do my best.’
She gazed ahead; a faraway look entered her eyes. ‘Nathan, I am afraid for our souls.’
I was no famous religious believer, but then I was not an unbeliever either. ‘God will take pity on us, Juliet. This is no fault of our own. Maybe one day the curse will be lifted and we will be free.’
‘I hope so.’ She tugged at my hand and started to walk again.
The tone of her voice changed, becoming distressed as she continued her historical account of our people. ‘Some of the Taleians found ways to live amongst humans and not treat them simply as prey. But others sought power by betraying their own kind. They set up a slave trade in Taleian women and female hybrids. They capture our women and sell them to human men in exchange for positions of power. These women are then traded in bride sales and used to produce powerful heirs for their husbands. Imprisoned in marriage, they are forced to use their powers to elevate the men in business, government and society.’
Knight of Swords: The Swords Trilogy Page 5