by E. M. Moore
“Just one more thing. Ariana, you are dismissed. I shall see you next week.”
I froze for a second and then stood. I’d literally just been shooed out of the room. I could feel the heat already on my face as I pushed my chair in. The princes better tell me what was said once they get out of here. I gave the Ravanas’ father a curt nod and then walked from the room, pulling the door closed as silent as I could.
Movement caught my eye and I whirled, my hands coming up into fighting position. Truly, it wasn’t my fault. I’d been taken off guard too many times. I was ingraining this reaction into me so it would never happen again.
Samuel smirked at my hands. “Good conversion. I think you can be quicker next time though.”
My heart beat once in my throat, then started to subside as I realized there was no real threat. “Did you wait outside just to see my reaction?”
Samuel chuckled. His handsome face was clear of any defect, which was common amongst vampires. He was the first vampire I’d ever seen and even when I didn’t know they existed, I knew there was something different about this person. He pushed himself away from the wall. “Sadly, no. I hadn’t thought of that. I could start adding that to training if you’d like, though.”
I shrugged, not wanting to give him any ideas that he could take and run away with. Since he was a Rajyvik, he was in charge of our training at The Fort. That’s what their clan did in the vampire world and had been doing so for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. “I am keeping my mouth shut on that one. What would the rest of the trainees say if you told them it was my fault you had another excuse to torture us?”
He gave a cocky nod of his head as if to say he wouldn’t care. I believed him. Though we’d come to a bit of a mutual understanding lately, Samuel hadn’t liked the fact that I was brought here in the first place. Then, after he saw what I could do—or should I say, could not do—he was even more upset about it. Now that my training had improved, we were on firmer ground with one another, but it was tenuous at best. I still felt like an outsider around him. In some ways, I still was. I didn’t have the normal life other trainees here at The Fort had. Not by a long shot. For starters, if I didn’t screw it up, I knew exactly where I’d be stationed when I completed my training. The other trainees weren’t so lucky. The better you did, the more prominent your station was. Though I was pretty much guaranteed the Ravana Clan as long as I didn’t fall flat on my face, that still didn’t hold me back from wanting to earn it. At least in that, I believed Samuel respected me.
“How did it go in there?” he asked, not bothering to curb his curiosity.
“Fine, I guess. The Council wants the princes and myself to go to a meeting to tell them exactly what happened with Zeke’s mom.”
“You, too? He wants you there?”
“Yup,” I said, not even attempting to mask my anxiety about it. “The princes said a trainee has never been asked to report to a Council meeting before…”
Samuel rubbed at the scruff on his chin. Unlike humans who sprouted the stubble because they didn’t bother to shave, Samuel’s hint of a beard was almost a piece of art on his chin. It made him look more refined and sophisticated. “I suppose they haven’t. It is kind of odd. How did the princes react?”
I looked at him for a long time, wondering how I should answer. The truth was, I didn’t think they were all that thrilled about it, but I also didn’t know if that was something I should be saying to Samuel or not. Probably not. “Father’s orders, right? He said it’s next week.”
“I suppose that’s a good a time as any to leave here. Since we’re heading into a new semester, we’re going to take a short break. We’re waiting on some new instructors to get settled and with what happened with Zeke’s mom, I think we all could use it.”
That was the truth. I’d thrown myself into training when I got back here, and not totally because I desperately needed it. The other part of my reasoning was because the other trainees were starting to stare at me instead of ignoring me. Even Shannon, Liv, and Evan had kept their distance. The guard dying—wait, scratch that. It wasn’t really her dying, it was her being killed by Stephan that set everyone on edge. The tension that thickened the air when one of the Ravanas was seen on campus now was palpable. Then, the whispers started. Was that the one? No, I don’t think so. It was the blond-haired one, right? I don’t know. Maybe. It went on and on until I noticed even the princes had started to feel the impact.
I pulled my hands through my hair, thinking about Stephan again, but smiling at Samuel anyway. “I’m glad I won’t have to lose any time. Training is very important to me.”
Samuel’s eyes narrowed as he took stock of me. My shoulders had started to fill out and now when I put tension in my arms, I actually had muscles that popped out. I was pretty excited about that fact. The other day, I noticed a refined line around my calf as well. After appraising me, Samuel’s eyes lifted to mine. “Good. Vampire safety should be your number one priority.”
I nodded, glad to have the door open behind me and hear the voices of the princes as they walked out. I was too close to telling Samuel that it wasn’t all vampires who I was worried about. It was just my princes and would always be just my princes.
Chapter Four
I looked at the choices in my closet, which had slowly begun to build since knowing the Ravanas. It wasn’t just all black Fort uniforms in there, I now owned other types of clothes even though it wasn’t much. I figured The Council meeting would be an occasion where I’d have to semi dress up. Then again, maybe they’d want me in my trainee uniform. I blew out a big breath and shoved both choices into a small duffel bag Connor had let me borrow. Then, I threw in a few more. I had no idea how long we were staying or when the meeting even was. All I knew was that we were leaving in a little bit and for the first time since being captured, I would see a different room other than the one here at The Fort.
Was it weird that I was kind of going to miss this place? It had become a lot like a home to me, especially with the Ravanas near by. I zipped up the duffel bag and looked around the small space. I’d gone from having almost nothing, this room a lot like my apartment in Calcutta, from slowly filling it with things that told me a lot about the person I had become or wanted to be. There were barbells in the corner that Nic had insisted he purchase for me so I could work out without even leaving my room. There was the slew of pictures we’d sat for in one of those small picture booths in the movie theater we went to that one time. It was crazy trying to fit four Ravanas and myself into one frame. It was cramped to say the least. Not that I minded much. In fact, it would’ve been perfect except for the fact that it was right after I’d gotten my new tattoo and Christian kept accidentally elbowing me there. In a few of the pictures, I was even wincing in pain.
I picked up the duffel bag and threw it next to the door. As soon as it landed with a thump, there was a knock on the door. I started to laugh immediately. “Well, that was fast.” I ran to the door and swung it open, only to have my mouth drop and step back a few times when I saw who it was. It wasn’t Nic like I expected it to be. It was Evan, Liv, and Shannon. “Oh, hey guys,” I said, my smile immediately dropping from my face. “I didn’t expect you.”
Shannon tucked her red hair behind her ears while Liv hid herself even more behind the corner. “We heard you had to go to a Council meeting,” Shannon started. She eyed the bag at my feet. “Soon?”
I ran my hands through my hair and picked up the bag for something to do. It was awkward to say the least. “Yeah, I leave today.”
I threw the bag back onto my bed and then faced them again. All of them just stared at me. The silence was so long I was about to ask them why they were even here other than to say they knew I was going to a Council meeting, when Evan shuffled his feet. “We wanted to just come say goodbye. We know we’ve—”
Shannon finally threw her hands up. “We know we’ve been pretty shitty. It’s not your fault a vampire killed a human guard so we shouldn’t
be avoiding you for any reason. Not that we were avoiding you, really. It’s just that, I guess, none of us really wanted to be reminded of it and you would remind us of it.”
I mentally sighed. Well, this was going well. My very face reminded them that a vampire killed a guard. So? I wanted to say. I was glad Stephan did. If he hadn’t, something terrible could’ve happened. “You know there wasn’t another option, right?” I asked, my eyebrows raising. “She captured me and was going to use me as bait against the Ravanas. Not to mention that she damn near killed Christian. Stephan did what he had to do to save his brothers.” Their gazes met, then they looked at the floor. Honestly, I didn’t see what the problem was. It was unfortunate she was dead, for anyone to die, but when you behave like that, what did she think was going to happen? Should we have let her go with a promise not to hurt anyone else again? I sighed. “Did Zeke put you up to this?”
Liv finally came forward. “No, he’s barely talking to anyone either. I guess it’s just kind of hard for any of us to understand. We’re all going to be guards someday and to think that it could happen to one of us…”
“Listen, Kay was off the reservation. All I know is she was totally distraught and not thinking clearly. She took her anger out on the Ravana Clan—or tried to. Thankfully it didn’t work.”
Shannon narrowed her eyes. “But aren’t you upset with Gregor too? You were mad when you found out he’d made the deciding vote to kill Zeke’s mom’s baby.”
I groaned inwardly. I couldn’t very well tell them that Gregor Ravana was going to make things right. Well, as right as he could anyway. “I’m upset about that, but you still don’t take your revenge out on innocent people because of it. I didn’t have anything to do with it and neither did the princes.”
Evan held his hands out. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. We just wanted to let you know that we don’t blame you for what happened. When you come back, maybe we can all hang out, go get dinner or something?”
It didn’t matter? I had to disagree. What if I’d had the opportunity to kill Kay? Would it have been better if I’d killed her instead of a vampire? Was this a vampire-human thing I wasn’t aware of? Because I could say for certain right now that had I been in Stephan’s position, I would’ve twisted Kay’s neck in a heartbeat too. The scene of blood soaking Christian’s shirt was still too raw to bare. I wouldn’t have thought twice. I knew I wouldn’t, and that didn’t make me a bad person. “Yeah, maybe,” I shrugged, not committing to anything. If they didn’t like the princes because they saved me, we might as well cut ties now.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I took it out. It was Nic letting me know they were waiting outside for me.
I smiled at them. “Well, I have to go. I guess I’ll see you guys when I get back.”
I turned, retreated to the bed to grab my duffel bag and then made them make space for me as I walked through the doorway. I was just about to walk down the hallway after locking the door when Evan grabbed my hand. “Be careful, Ariana. It seems kind of…weird that the vampires want you to go to one of their Council meetings.” He bit down on his lower lip. “Just think for yourself, and stay safe. Okay?”
He pulled his hand away and I gave him a half smile. What he said was really sweet, but honestly, I didn’t need it. All I was going to do was step in there and give them my side of things. What could possibly go wrong?
Still, the knot of apprehension that had started in my stomach when I first heard about the Council meeting tightened even more as I walked down the hallway and out the front entrance. I was leaving The Fort again. Almost nothing good happened when I left The Fort.
Chapter Five
I circled around the side of the building and almost came to a complete stop when I saw all the unmarked SUV’s in the back parking lot lined up one right after the other. “What the…?”
Christian jumped down from the passenger seat from the Jeep in the middle of the pack and strode toward me. When he saw the look on my face, his lips pulled up into a grin. “Crazy, right?”
I nodded. “What the heck is all this? I thought we were all riding up together?”
“We are. This is my dad being paranoid.”
I gazed at the other SUV’s. Some had guys in black tactical suits standing just outside the front while others I could peer into the vehicle windows to see similar uniforms looking straight ahead with no emotions on their faces whatsoever. “Are we in trouble?” I asked, my mind going back to what Evan had just said. Was this really not a good thing that I was going to a Council meeting? What was with all the guards if this was just a routine thing?
“No. It’s just that my dad has really amped up our security. Especially since we’re on our way to a Council meeting, he doesn’t want anyone who sympathized with Kay to think they can finish what she started.”
He put pressure on my back forcing me to walk forward. “This is nuts,” I said, still peeking at the guards. By my count, there were at least ten. “Where did you get all of them?”
Christian didn’t answer, only pushed me along and then held open the back door for me. “Hey, Princess,” Connor said. He’d had to poke his head around Stephan in order to see me.
I gave him a small wave as I looked back up at Christian, waiting for his answer. He had that pensive aura about him again. “Some are on loan. Some are probably retired and just came back for this one event. I don’t know about the others. I didn’t ask. Do you want me to?”
I shook my head and waited as Stephan got out of the Jeep and lended me a hand to help me inside. As soon as I got in, Connor bounced his shoulder off mine. “What do you think? You feel special?”
“A little overwhelmed,” I said truthfully. I spun in the backseat to look at the SUV behind us. There were two guards in the vehicle as far as I could tell and both of them were in the front seat with no emotions passing over their faces. “Should I be riding with them? I am supposed to be your guard, right?” Suddenly, panic kicked down a door and settled in my stomach. Why wasn’t I riding with one of them? Did they think I couldn’t handle myself because of what happened with Kay?
Connor put his arm around me, calming my nerves. “No way. We wouldn’t give up this time with you. Besides, we talked them into having you in the Jeep with us because it would be safer. Plus, I don’t know if you’ve seen the looks on the others’ faces, but they look like they have no sense of humor whatsoever and I cannot deal with that right now. It’s either you or no one in the vehicle with us.”
“Your dad really okay’d me being in the Jeep with you to keep you safe?” Wow. That was something.
I met Nic’s stare in the rearview mirror. He was sitting at the steering wheel, his hands draped casually over the leather binding. What I saw in his eyes didn’t look like what I’d said was true so I just dropped it. One of these days I was going to prove myself to them and to me. I had to.
“So, are you excited?” Connor asked.
“About what? The Council meeting? Not really. I’m actually kind of nervous.”
He cracked a smile. “No, I mean about seeing our house.”
My eyes bugged out of my head. “Your house? That’s where we’re going?”
As I said that, the Jeep started to crawl forward. A quick peek in front of me told me the other SUV’s had started to move too.
“Well, yeah,” Connor said. “Where else?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t realize The Council meetings were held in your house.” A new form of nerves fluttered in my stomach. I’d finally be able to see where I would be stationed when I graduated at the top of my class. (Yeah, it wasn’t even an option anymore to not graduate at the top of my class.) “This is…great,” I said, and meaning every emotion behind it. I could tell the guys were excited, too. Even Stephan was loosened up at the prospect of showing me where they’d grown up. It was Connor though, who’d kept on being his goofy self making the miles and the minutes pass by so fast. We were in Central Pennsylvania and headed to the Adirondacks in
New York. It was a several hour drive that didn’t feel that long at all.
When we passed over the New York border, Connor announced that we needed a pit stop. With that, Nic radioed to the other SUV’s and told them we’d be stopping at the next exit. There was no argument from them, though Nic hadn’t said it like a question either.
It was kind of amazing watching them interact with others. They were the Ravana Princes and held a lot of power, but that power also left them with being babysat at times such as this. They were important. No one would risk losing them, so at the same time they were also reserved in some ways. With power should come freedom and in a lot of ways, that’s what they had. But in some ways, they really didn’t have that. They were constantly called on by duty. Take for instance when they’d had to leave me a few weeks ago to attend that Council meeting. I knew they didn’t want to go, but given who they were, they really didn’t have a choice. They gave up a lot for being who they were. I was in awe of them sometimes. It was like this natural push and pull. No, I didn’t think they liked being princes all the time, but also, I think they reveled in the fact that they had the power to bring much needed change to their world.
Stephan squeezed my knee and I looked up at him. He was regarding me in a way I’d never seen before. You feel alright? he mouthed. I nodded, and the relief on his face was clear. “What are you thinking about?”
I shook my head. There were some thoughts a girl wanted to keep to herself. It was still scary admitting how enamored I was by the princes. How much my life had changed since they came into it. They’d literally saved me from a miserable existence. There was no way I could ever repay them.
He leaned over and kissed my temple, leaving his soft lips there for a beat longer. I closed my eyes, mesmerizing the feelings that surged inside me. I would never get used to this. This would never grow old or tiresome, and I would never take it for granted.