Darling

by Claudia D. Christian

  “I need you to be as quiet as a little mouse for me, my dear. We are trespassing and must not be found.”

  Cassandra nodded. Her gaze darted around Lady Kamilla to see where they were. A brightly-lit beige corridor stretched from their end all the way to the opposite side. Numerous doors lined both walls, each decorated with a numbered plaque.

  She tugged on Lady Kamilla. Looking into her silver eyes, Cassandra asked silently, “What is this place?”

  “A hotel. You have never heard of such a thing, have you? It is a place where humans rent a room for one night or many.”

  Cassandra tilted her head in question.

  “They do this when visiting a place far from home or for the reason we are here now.”

  Lady Kamilla’s features sharpened. Her predatory nature came to the forefront. Eyes rose-red demanded Cassandra’s silence.

  “We are hidden around this corner but only if you remain still. Regardless of what you see, little girl, do not speak and do…not…move.”

  Cassandra’s heart thumped a jerky rhythm. Too frightened to disobey, she dipped her head in a stingy nod and waited.

  What could be so dangerous to see that Lady Kamilla is afraid we’ll be discovered? What does this have to do with Lord Constantine? I really want to be with him right now…

  Cassandra’s thoughts hit a wall. Her limbs became dead weight. She dimly sensed Lady Kamilla covering her mouth with a small hand, as if she didn’t trust Cassandra to remember the imperious demand for silence.

  Lord Constantine strolled down the hall, dressed very differently from what Cassandra had remembered him wearing since forever. His tousled hair made a lie of the dignified vampire who made perfection an attainable virtue. He wore a dark suit, crimson collar open at the throat, necktie no where to be seen.

  Cassandra thought him beautifully vulgar.

  A statuesque redhead adorned his arm. She giggled at something he whispered in her ear. Cassandra noted how the woman’s bronze dress shimmered like liquid with each step. It was so thin she could see the outline of thigh, hip, and waist.

  She looks as if she is not wearing anything at all.

  They stopped at one of the doors. Lord Constantine opened it with a small, flimsy card. Cassandra smothered the hysterical urge to laugh. She had never seen him do something so ordinary. His immense powers ensured any barrier opened without physical touch. Lord Constantine ushered the woman in, hand on her naked back, before closing the door.

  Lady Kamilla sighed. “He did not see us, my dear.”

  “What would have happened if Lord Constantine did see us?”

  “I cannot say for sure. Let us both be glad we do not find out.”

  “Then why take this risk, my lady?” Her rote words barely disturbed the air, they were so low.

  “You may know of these other women but knowing and seeing are quite different. Now it is real and not just something you can push away when you no longer want to think of it. Now you see this is where your lord was before he came to you tonight.”

  “You have taken me to the past?”

  Believing Cassandra’s sharp inhale was due to disbelief, Lady Kamilla explained, “Time is liquid, my dear. The past, present, and future are all happening at the same time. This allows us to go where we please.”

  Cassandra believed the world had disintegrated. Nothing of importance made any sense anymore. “What are they going to do in that room, Lady Kamilla?”

  The vampiress paused, perhaps unnerved by Cassandra’s ridiculously calm state.

  “Speak freely, my lady. You have meddled into my life this far—surely you do not need to adopt a conscience at this late stage.”

  She was wrong in thinking her words would be acidic enough to prick the other woman into anger. Lady Kamilla squeezed her hand with something akin to sympathy. Cassandra wondered if her skin felt as cold as the vampiress’.

  “Lord Constantine is going to be intimate with that woman.”

  “Intimate how?” The question rang hollow.

  “Are you truly this innocent? Stop looking at the door and give your attention to me, Mistress Cassandra.” Lady Kamilla waited until the much younger girl settled her gaze on her. She studied Cassandra’s blank expression. “You already know, my dear, don’t you?”

  “Why?” Rage contorted Cassandra’s face, carving fluid lines of betrayal and misery. “Why will he go to someone like her while I am here waiting, always waiting, for him? Why am I not good enough but she is? Why?”

  Lady Kamilla chose her words carefully. “His being with her does not mean he loves you any less.”

  “Lord Constantine has broken faith with me!” Cassandra accused through a strangled scream. Her maddened attention swung back to the door. She lusted to break it down and murder the pair. Tears burned her blind.

  How could I think of killing my lord? How could I not?

  “You are not of the same species and you cannot apply the same rules to one another.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Do you remember the first question I asked you? No? Let me remind you. ‘Yes, little girl. Do you understand what your lord is really trying to teach you?’”

  Cassandra’s fingers curved. She suffered to wrap them around Lady Kamilla’s neck. “You have broken my heart all for the sake of a question? You are truly cruel, my lady.”

  “Truth is often mistaken for cruelty. Lord Constantine takes these human women because he does not want to take you.” She held up one hand. “Do not misunderstand me. He does this not because he loves you less but because he loves you too much. He wanted you to understand him, to understand one can appreciate another’s beauty but still love their loved one. He wanted you to know his love for you is all that he feels.”

  “You lie.” Cassandra collapsed against the wall. Her agonized gaze fixated on the closed door. She believed her heart withered a bit more with each passing second. “If Lord Constantine loves me at all it is as a pet. A silly, ignorant, human pet.”

  “My dear, do not be stupid.” Lady Kamilla’s tone pelted like ice bits, digging deep and refusing to be ignored. “Attempt to be less human and think like a vampire.”

  “I cannot, my lady. Not when I’m dying.”

  “Do you know your lord is coming to this world more and more? Why do you think that is? It is because of you, little girl. His lust for you is overcoming his good sense. You must stop this.”

  “How?”

  “Seduce him. Force Constantine to put an end to this stalemate between you. Make him lose.”

  “No.” Cassandra pushed off the wall. “If he cannot only see me then I will not see him at all. I will not play these games.”

  “Do not be stupid I said! I did not bring you here for this purpose!”

  “My apologies for not falling in line as an obedient human dog, my lady. Now take me home.”

  Lady Kamilla shook her head, mouth pursed, and fury bleaching her gaze of all color. Cassandra wasn’t impressed. She held the vampiress’ stare, challenging her to do her worst.

  “You waste your time in daring me to kill you, little girl. I would never do it.”

  “Why?” Cassandra sneered. “Do you fear Lord Constantine so much?”

  “I fear for Lord Constantine that much.” Lady Kamilla reached for Cassandra’s hand. “I will take you back.”

  Cassandra closed her eyes, feeling the ground disintegrate before rebuilding itself into the familiar world of eternal night and macabre magic. She found herself back in the frozen scene of carnival revelers. She approached Lord Constantine. His eyes still sparkled with merriment, mouth soft with affection. Cassandra wondered if he showed this lying face to the human he kept. Rage licked at her, making her visible aura thick with fire.

  You have made a fool of me, my lord. I could kill you for this.

  Cassandra raised a hand. It shook. Placing it on the side of his face, she wondered if he could feel her through Lady Kamilla’s enchantment.

  “This w
ill seem a nightmare, my dear, but remember it is true. What you do with it is up to you.”

  “Why did you do this, my lady?” Cassandra’s raspy whisper held the scorn of a million screams. “Do you have any idea of what you have just destroyed?”

  “Anything destroyed can be repaired.” Sadness rippled across Lady Kamilla’s exquisite face. “I want him happy, my dear. His happiness lies with you and so I want you both happy. I know you may not believe that right now but that does not make it less true.” A gentle kiss to the temple followed Lady Kamilla’s whisper. Cassandra watched her fade away into the night.

  “Darling? What is it?”

  7

  “Darling?” Lord Constantine smoothed his hands over her small shoulders.

  Cassandra heard the fire surrounding her, felt it licking across her skin like a thousand tongues, and wondered how vampires read humans in their world without the benefit of literal representation.

  Or does he know his mistresses so well he does not have any trouble?

  Lord Constantine lifted her up until they were eye-to-eye. “What is wrong, darling? Why are you upset?”

  She fixed a corpse gaze on him, relishing the confusion scurrying across his. “Put me down.”

  Her disrespectful address surprised Lord Constantine into compliance. “Cassandra, tell me what is wrong. Now.”

  She exploded and howled like a banshee. “You want to know what is wrong? You. You are what is wrong with me, Lord Constantine!”

  Puppet faces turned to watch them. Whispers buzzed about. They had just become the most entertaining spectacle in a world full of spectacles.

  Lord Constantine took her by the arm. Anger tightened his mouth. “You are overwrought. We are leaving now.”

  “Let go of me!” Cassandra slapped at his much larger body, wrenching her limb back until he either could crush it or obey. “I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you!”

  Lord Constantine’s eyes bled the color of freshly spilled blood. “You will take back those words, Cassandra.”

  “No!” She spun on her heel and ran away. Pushing through the sudden crowd, she ignored their jeering faces and babbling laughter. Every part of her body hurt so badly. How could it have turned out this way?

  I have to disappear. I do not want to be here anymore.

  Cassandra shouldered her way past a trio of green-winged fairies and wished she could rip their wings off and fly away.

  “Cassandra!”

  She cried out in shock as her feet left the ground. Lord Constantine wrapped her tightly in his arms and forced them both up higher into the sky.

  “You are a very, very bad girl and you are in very, very big trouble.”

  The threatening rumble seared her ears. Wind forced the bottom of her dress up, letting the air freeze Cassandra’s delicate legs. Her gorgeous hat fell off, forever lost to the undulating crowd beneath them. Cassandra whipped her head away from him only to have Lord Constantine shove her face back against his chest.

  His scent, so familiar, brought Cassandra pain. His touch, so craved, wounded. She screwed her face up and forced her useless tears to recede.

  Hold onto your rage. Let it be your power.

  Lord Constantine released her as soon as they landed in the empty castle courtyard. Cassandra fisted her dress and fled up the gigantic stone staircase. Her legs trembled as they pounded over the midnight-blue runner, numb and pained from their exposure to the bitter cold. Lord Constantine’s slow, measured steps gained steadily behind her. Cassandra cursed in panic as soon as she realized she would never reach the top.

  Stop sniveling and stand up for yourself.

  She whirled around, stuck halfway up the staircase. Lord Constantine carried himself with the nonchalance of a man who had all the time in the world to hunt down his foolish prey. Cassandra drew herself up and forced her voice to be that of a disinterested stranger.

  “Let me go in peace. I have nothing to say to you tonight.”

  Lord Constantine stared her down while keeping his unhurried pace. His continued silence released a vicious diatribe long coming.

  “I am not a child for you to punish! You do not have the right to change the world around me! If I want to go to my rooms then I have that right without your interference!”

  The vampire finally stopped on the step below her. He still towered over Cassandra, making her feel tiny, insignificant, and unworthy of his attention. A suffocating weight settled in her chest. She remembered his betrayal and wondered why the ground didn’t split beneath her tired feet.

  “Why?”

  Lord Constantine misunderstood her plaintive question. He assumed it to be a welcome sign of her appropriate submission. “Your disrespect must be seen to. You have shamed me in front of my kingdom, darling, and that is not something I can excuse lightly.”

  Agony contorted her doll-like face. “And what of the shame to me, Constantine?” In all their years together, Cassandra had never addressed him without use of an honorific.

  His eyes widened a fraction of an inch before narrowing. He took a deliberate step backwards. “What did you say to me?” Devoid of all emotion, Lord Constantine’s voice sounded like death. It should’ve been enough to send Cassandra straight to her knees to beg for forgiveness.

  “I know where you were! I saw you with that woman!”

  He made no attempt to hide his confusion. “Have you lost all sense, Cassandra? I have been with you this entire time.”

  “NO!” The scream unleashed all of the misery and betrayal she had suppressed, all the countless nights of wondering why he couldn’t stay by her side and terrified he would eventually abandon her.

  “I. . .saw. . .you both. I saw you. I saw her.”

  Lord Constantine’s already pale face lost its normal pallor. He croaked out her name in horror. “What exactly did you see, darling?”

  “I saw your pretty redhead, Constantine. I saw you in that. . .that. . .hotel. Are you going to deny you were there tonight?”

  “How could you have seen. . .” Lord Constantine reached out for her only to have Cassandra back away. Devastation marked him for a ruined man. “Darling, no!”

  “No, you were not there or no, it never happened?” Cassandra scented blood. “Answer quickly, Constantine. It is not a difficult question.”

  “Darling, let us go inside.” He held her hands in his and pitched his voice soft. “You are overwrought. We can discuss this after you sleep.”

  Cassandra yanked back. Blood exploded between them in a fine mist. “I am not a child! Do you understand? I may be small, I may not look like your mistress, but that does not make me any less of a woman!”

  Lord Constantine retracted his claws, stunned at the unintentional violence wrought by his carelessness. “Darling, your hands! Hurry! Let me see them!”

  “Do you think I care about my hands?” Cassandra pulled off her ruined gloves. She held her arms up high. Long gashes marked them crimson. “Do you see this? Do you? This is nothing compared to what my heart looks like.”

  “Precious, please! I have to heal you.”

  Cassandra stumbled back, nearly falling over the hem of her gown. “You put me in these suffocating dresses so that I drown beneath a sea of petticoats, corsets, and stockings but she is all but naked! Is that what you like? Is it? Do you bring her pretty dresses too? Do you?”