Heads nodded as they agreed with my statement, the hope and recognition of a new life shining in their eyes.
“Look at the men and women next to you. Look into their eyes and recognize your brothers and sisters in this new family that will never leave you to fend on your own. We are stronger as one, and that is what my ruling offers you. A family. A way of life where there is no more hatred and war. Where we live our best lives among humans, who willingly donate their blood to our survival, just as we donate ours to eradicate the illnesses that threaten their existence. We are stronger as one.”
I glanced at my sired sons and daughters, seeing them smile at each other as their gazes met, acknowledging my words as true.
“I vow you will live peacefully with human allies who no longer see us as abominations, but as protectors. Humans who appreciate us just as we do each other. Who love us, not in spite of what we are, but because of it. This is not an illusion, but a reality that already exists among us.”
My gaze found my father taking Anne’s hand in his and raising it to his lips for a kiss. I gestured towards them, just as movement from my right called my attention. A smirk stretched my lips with Antoine and Zoe’s arrival.
“Proof of this can be seen here tonight,” I continued. “Confirmed by the marriage between your Count Alekxandru Andrei Dracul and Anne Vernier, a human. As well as the union between the Vampir Chancellor of France, Antoine Laurent, and Zoe Dimitropoulos, also a human… and many more.”
Antoine winked at me naughtily when I gestured towards them, while his girlfriend, Mathew’s other best friend, simply smiled at my husband and I. Taking two champagne flutes, he handed one to Zoe; the waiters had begun offering them to everyone present.
Mathew handed me a champagne glass too, and I lifted it, seeing everyone follow my signal.
“So, let us honor the wonderful opportunities placed before us by this new era, and let us celebrate once and for all, our first Christmas as a new family. We are stronger as one!” I cheered our new vow to unite us.
“We are stronger as one!” everyone answered, clinking their glasses together and drinking.
“To the Adevărată Imperiu!” Sebastian lifted his flute again.
“Long live the Adevărată Imperiu!”
Laughter and cheers rose in the air as they drank in my reign’s name, and the music began to play all around us, officially beginning the festivities.
“Well done,” Tată offered, walking to my side with Anne, and I stood to meet him halfway. He kissed my hand. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to dance with my dazzling wife.”
Anne’s cheeks blushed as he pulled her with him to the dance floor, and I chuckled, facing my husband. Grinning, he retracted his wings into his back, and I followed suit.
“I told you everything was going to go well. You had nothing to worry about.” He pushed my skirt back with his knees and yanked me close for a stolen kiss.
Laughter escaped me the second before his lips claimed mine… unfortunately, his delicious touch was not the only thing to reach me. Suddenly, the scene before me stopped—everyone frozen in time except for me—and another one of my powers flourished to life.
The Future’s ghost.
My eyes followed what looked like the spirits of the people present begin to move again, but much slower. Mathew and I were still on the stage, but most of our guests were no longer dancing. Instead, most of the Vampiri stood in a line, waiting to make their way to me and personally pay their respects to their true ruler.
Antoine’s ghostly figure slowly danced with Zoe in the background, alongside a few other couples, including Alfie and Dove, who was the only person wearing a white gown instead of the black attire. Sebastian and DeLorean also swayed to the romantic tune, while a new couple found their way to the stage, taking their turn to personally meet us.
“Our Absolute Sire, Countess Dariah Dracul,” the Vampir introduced me to his lady friend after bowing to my husband and me. His ghostly form moved as though in slow motion when he gestured to us.
The woman smiled as she glanced at Mathew instead, an evil gleam sparkling in her crimson eyes at the same time I recognized she wasn’t a Vampir but a Witch.
“My pleasure.” Her voice lingered eerily in the glimpse of the future, and I witnessed her hand grip Mathew’s arm.
The image of them swayed like a wisp of smoke when the Witch’s touch did something to his magic. Green energy rushed over Mathew’s hands like lighting, uncontrolled, and my husband’s eyes widened, seemingly electrocuted by his own power. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed on the stage, convulsing.
“Mathew!”
Blinking out of the dreaded vision, I saw Mathew pull back from our kiss, his expression becoming troubled when he noticed the strain in mine. “Okay, my kisses are not that bad,” he teased. “What happened?”
“I just saw something.” I turned from him, frantically searching the crowd just as the music changed and the song from my vision began to play.
“A glimpse of the future?” he asked knowingly, and I nodded. “What was it about?”
“Let us take a moment now for each of you to personally introduce yourselves, and pledge your loyalty to the Countess,” Sebastian announced at the same time, motioning for people to form a line at the right side of the stage.
My heart began to slam against my chest, and I continued to look for the Witch in my vision among the guests.
“Baby, what is it?” Mathew insisted, bringing my attention back to him.
Forcing myself to calm, I gripped his hand and brought him back to the throne, taking my place on it. “Just stand beside me and don’t let anyone touch you.”
Confusion spread over his features, but he nodded. Straightening beside me, Mathew’s magic flourished to life, his runes and mint-green irises glowing as he became ready for anything that could happen, like the Slayer he was.
“Absolute Sire,” the male voice brought my attention to the front, to find the Vampir Chancellor for Africa standing a few steps before me. He was alone. “It is an honor to have been chosen as part of your court, and to extend your supremacy into my lands. I vow to protect and continue to teach your way of life to my Vampiri and all new sired. Those of our race in Africa have been craving structure for too long, a family, and you have finally offered us one.”
“Thank you,” I answered, accepting his pledge, and watched him bow to Mathew as well.
“Nyvith Master.”
Mathew slightly bowed his head, and we saw the Vampir Chancellor move on so the next person could meet with me.
“Absolute Mother,” another Chancellor greeted, but it wasn’t the man from my vision. “It is an honor to swear devotion to you. Thank you for ending the tyranny the dynasties enforced on us.”
“Thank you for your loyalty. Welcome to our family,” I offered, my gaze turning to the woman and girl standing beside him. The child couldn’t be more than twelve years old. “Is she…?”
“Yes, she’s a Vampire like us,” the mother confirmed.
“She was attacked and fed on by one of Charles Martel’s guards, then left for dead,” the father informed, jaw tightening with disgust. “My wife found her and nursed her back to health, but her transformation had already begun.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” I offered to the girl, my heart squeezing for her. “I’m glad you are safe now.”
“We adopted her and became a family,” the woman added with a heartwarming smile, turning to the bright side of the story. “We have taught her everything we remember from your father’s kingdom, and we are truly blessed that you are our Countess now.”
“We will protect our family above all,” I swore, and they nodded, believing my words as true.
The little girl pulled her mother’s arm, whispering something in her ear that made her chuckle. “My daughter, Camilla, has a few questions she’d like to ask, but I told her it is best not to bother you with such trivial things.”
/> “Oh, that doesn’t bother us at all,” Mathew assured, grinning at the girl. “We would be glad to answer.”
“Okay,” Camilla nodded excitedly, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Her bright brown eyes glanced at me. “Is it true that you have more than one power?”
“Yes. I have nine different abilities, like my mother had,” I offered, preparing for the next question, but her attention shifted to Mathew.
“Is it true that you are part Vampire, part Fae, and part Wolf Shifter?”
He crouched before her, lifting a hand and letting his magic flow through his fingers. “Don’t forget part Witch.” He winked at her, smirking, and her entire world seemed to stop.
I knew the feeling.
“Woah. And is it true that you are a Vampire Slayer?”
“Yes,” he replied mysteriously. “But I only slay evil Vampires that threaten humans and our family, that is why I married the most beautiful of all.”
Lips twitching, I rolled my eyes. “I guess I’m not as interesting as I thought. I only serve as arm candy.”
Camilla’s parents chuckled while their daughter continued to ask my husband questions. “Is it true that you have Vampire wings and you can fly?”
“Yes, I flew into the ballroom tonight. You didn’t see us?”
She shook her head, sadness capturing her expression. “There were too many tall people in front of me.”
“Well, you want to see them now?”
“Yeah!”
While my husband turned the throne stage into his own catwalk, and began to flaunt his Nyvith assets to his latest admirer, I looked beyond him to the dance floor, my eyes falling on Sebastian and DeLorean as they danced, passing Antoine and Zoe just like they had in my vision.
Urgency filled me, but when I turned my attention to the front, the sweet family had left us, and a new couple had replaced them. “Our Absolute Sire, Countess Dariah Dracul,” the Vampir introduced me, and my eyes snapped to the woman beside him. Her crimson eyes twinkled with mischief.
The Witch.
I reacted.
Pulling all gravity from around me in a split second, I jumped to my feet, thrusting the force at her with everything I had. It slammed into the Witch’s chest before she could touch my husband, sending her flailing back along with her Vampir friend.
She didn’t go down without a fight.
A hand lifted as she fell, shooting a green ball of fire towards Mathew. His wings blocked her attack, and as they reopened, his whip suddenly materialized in his hand. The fiery leather cord shot through the room, cutting the head off the traitor Vampir that brought the evil Witch to attack us, its green fire consuming what was left of his body on contact.
Sebastian, DeLorean, and a few other Vampiri, ran towards the Witch, wanting to rip her to pieces for threatening us, but it was Mathew’s whip that slashed her back, blowing her against the wall.
Gripping the wall with a wail of pain, she turned livid eyes on me, as though she hadn’t expected us to be so powerful, and threw a curse at us. A sphere of green fire slammed against her magical attack, rendering it useless, and she roared in ire, creating a portal to escape.
The Witch rushed to cross it before Sebastian could reach her, but not fast enough to evade the second whip that hurled towards her. The end of Decebal’s weapon sliced the side of her face open, and she fell through the portal, her scream of pain and anger lingering in the air.
“Son!” Decebal’s voice split the room and he ran towards us, and I whirled around to notice my husband’s wings had stopped the attack, but the Witch’s magic had somehow still affected him.
He swayed on his feet, stumbling backwards, but Antoine’s arms caught him before he could hit the floor.
“No!” I breathed.
Chapter 4
“I assure you, I’m fine,” Mathew protested for the millionth time while Decebal continued to examine him. His father was the first Nyvith warrior created to fight evil Vampires, and as such, he had far more experience with their type of magic.
“Stay still!” I ordered, walking out of the closet after Dove and Zoe helped me get out of the monster of a dress I wore, and I changed into a simpler one.
Mathew grunted, but bit his tongue, remaining still on the bed while his father scanned him with his energy yet again, trying to make sure the Witch’s curse hadn’t hurt him.
“Everything seems to be well,” Decebal finally answered, the magic going dormant in his hands as he turned to look at me.
“I told you I was fine, I—”
“Stop!” Decebal scolded his son, then glanced at me again. “We’ll have to monitor him to be certain he is in the clear. We still don’t know what kind of spell the Witch’s attack contained, or what her intention was against Mathew.”
“I blocked it with my wings. There is nothing wrong with me.”
“You lost consciousness, Mathew,” I argued, walking to stand next to Zoe. “Her magic affected you.”
“Yeah,” Antoine huffed, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “If it hadn’t gotten to you, you wouldn’t be in bed, Sleeping Beauty.”
“Don’t call me that...” Mathew warned, dangerously narrowing his eyes at our friend. “I’m a Nyvith Master. Don’t forget I can slay your pretentious French ass if I want.”
Antoine snorted. “Tell that to your fat ass while I was carrying you up the stairs and laying you on the bed. I was half tempted to kiss you just to see if you would wake up.”
They glared at each other something fierce, nostrils flaring, but then burst out laughing. “Okay, that was a good one,” Mathew admitted.
“I know, right?” Antoine chuckled, sitting next to my husband on the bed.
Zoe and I rolled our eyes. “Do me a favor,” Zoe asked. “Next time, don’t let your ex-boyfriend enter a bromance with your husband. Save us all the pain of having to witness this level of stupidity.”
“I promise,” I grinned just as Decebal reached our side. “Thank you so much for checking on him and helping drive that Witch away.”
“I’m sorry. I should have been here earlier. I might have sensed her among your kin and stopped her, but time passess so differently in the land of the Fae.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. You arrived just in time.” My hand squeezed my father in law’s arm reassuringly. “It just happened so fast. Not even I could stop her, and I had a vision beforehand,” I admitted. “We did what we could, but she was determined to hurt him.”
“The question is why?” he pondered.
“Just have DeLorean search for her Witchy ass and burn her to hell and back,” Zoe huffed.
“She’ll pay for what she did,” I assured, I wasn’t one to let things go so easily. “But I don’t want a war with the Witches right now,” I confessed. “I need my kingdom strong before we go after them.”
“Maybe that is what she wants,” Decebal mused, and I made a mental note to reach out to Amorah, my Witch friend.
“Can we return to the party now?” my husband asked, and we all turned to see him standing while Antoine fixed his bowtie.
“Stay still!” Antoine protested.
“Then stop trying to strangle me!”
Even Decebal shook his head at them, and we stepped out of the room to find my father walking towards us.
“Is everything okay down there?” I asked, fearing our first Christmas had been ruined by this disaster. “I worked so hard with Dove to plan this evening, I—”
“You have nothing to worry about,” Tată assured. “DeLorean sent a group of his guards to recheck the perimeter, but the Witch was alone and there are no more traitors among our guests. Sebastian made sure of that.”
That gave me peace of mind. Sebastian’s ability was Mental Supremacy; he could read and manipulate minds without anyone even noticing. If he said there were no more traitors, then I was satisfied.
“It might still take a bit for those loyal to the dynasties to get used to our new way of life. It’s normal, we j
ust have to be vigilant.”
“Everyone is enjoying the spiked punch, and dinner is being served,” Anne confirmed, reaching us too. By spiked she meant the drinks had been infused with a dose of human blood to keep all Vampiri happy, and I appreciated that. “Are you guys ready to return to the party? How is Mathew?”
“He’s fine. Should be out soon,” I assured. “He’s having a moment with Antoine apparently.”
She and I chuckled while my father’s lips twitched. Everyone who knew them was amused by Antoine and Mathew’s bro love.
“Just make sure he doesn’t use his magic for the rest of the night,” Decebal warned beside me. “It might be unstable from the encounter.”
“I will. Go ahead and join your wife at dinner. We’ll be right there,” I offered, kissing his cheek, and he conceded, walking with Zoe and Anne towards the staircase to go to the dining hall.
“This might be a good opportunity to introduce Ivas,” my father suggested. “It will lighten what is left of the dark mood, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy meeting new people.”
“Great idea, Tată,” I agreed and turned to open the door. “Mathew, can you bring Ivas with you? It’s time for everyone to meet him.”
My husband stopped his conversation with Antoine and nodded, opening the balcony. “Ivas, come here boy!”
“Okay. Do you remember what you have to do?” Mathew asked Ivas once we stood outside the dining hall.
“Faaamily…” Ivas answered, bobbing his head.
“Yes, baby,” I replied, stroking his crest. “You are going to meet your new family.”
“Now, just to make sure you don’t forget,” Mathew added. “Mommy is going to enter the room and call you. When you hear her voice, you are going to fly inside and glide twice around the room.”
Ivas nodded once more, his eyes turning to me.
“Then you are going to stop on one of the columns for a quick nap, then do one more fly around and come to our side. Okay?”
“Baaaby,” he replied in acknowledgement and hugged me.
Mathew and I exchanged a heartwarming glance, before I let my Gargoyle Shifter go, and I walked inside the room.
Holidays Bite: A Limited Edition Collection of Holiday Vampire Tales Page 19