Vicious Royals

by Margo Ryerkerk

  Because of the vamps, I wasn’t returning to my family. After tonight, I wouldn’t have any friends or even teammates. I’d be on my own. But if I escaped, I’d have my freedom. I’d choose what I ate and when, how to dress, how to earn my money, and most importantly where to go. This was what I was fighting for. After tonight, I’d escape somewhere far away, perhaps to California where it was warm and sunny.

  Fae musicians that I had never seen before began playing classical music, and many of the vamp guests rose. The vamp students followed suit, emerging from behind their feast and blood goblets to survey the pickings. Even some of the guards peeled themselves from the walls.

  I glanced around, not knowing who I was looking for at first when my heart clenched at not being able to find Lily. She’d be fine. She was probably hiding from the old vamps. She wasn’t my responsibility.

  I needed to focus on escaping Nocturnal Academy. I searched for Kristen, but instead found myself gazing into arctic eyes. Thorsten was walking straight toward me, and a traitorous wave of longing shot through my core. Stupid body. It needed to catch up with my head. Thorsten was a psycho like the rest of them.

  Thorsen took my hands before I could say anything, guiding me out into the center of the ballroom. What the hell? The only reason I didn’t push him away was because I didn’t want to make a scene and draw unnecessary attention toward myself.

  “What are you doing?” I hissed, forcing myself to look up into his darn eyes that had mesmerized me countless times.

  The song dropped to a low lament, and Thorsten’s features tightened. Something flashed across his face too quickly for me to name. Was it hurt, regret? No, I was done wishing he’d be different. I was done participating in his sick games.

  “Don’t trust anyone, Onyx. And don’t look back.”

  How dare he give me advice after everything? How dare he pretend like he cared? I pulled away from him. Thorsten could’ve stopped me, but he didn’t. Instead he let his arms flop to his sides as I hurried away, needing to take a moment to steady myself before everything began to unfold. Because whether or not I liked it, tonight was the night that would change everything.

  If I failed, I’d become the worst kind of slave.

  If I failed, Vulthus would decimate me day by day until death would seem like mercy.

  But if I won…

  If I escaped, I could start over.

  I could be free.

  Freedom. That was all I had left.

  Chapter 21

  I could still feel Thorsten’s gaze on my back as I made my way across the ballroom and through the dancing fae and vamps. Maybe I could get Kristen to come with me into the restroom if I promised that I knew something about Thorsten. Given the last twenty-four hours, it wouldn’t be hard to convince her that I hated him. Then, when she followed me into the bathroom for the gossip, I could take my chance. But was I really knocking her out? Or simply gagging and binding her? Neither sounded great, but I had already done much worse. And I needed to do whatever was necessary to escape Vulthus.

  A blue dress with lace caught my eye to the left. Kristen was dancing with Kassius, nodding eagerly as he was telling her something. I gritted my teeth.

  The last thing I wanted was to get on his radar and have to flirt with him as he pawed me. I really didn’t have the nerves or patience for that right now. I stood off to the side, waiting for the song to end. The seconds seemed to trickle on forever, but, eventually, the piano player hit the final key. Kristen curtsied, and Kassius nodded, clearly too good to bow, then strode away in the opposite direction. I rushed forward, ready to grab Kristen’s hand as Lady Cardinal’s voice boomed through the room from the direction of the buyers’ table. “Attention, everyone. We have our first contract.”

  My hand dropped to my side, and my body turned to stone, my feet refusing to move. The contract could’ve been for anyone, but a horrible sense of foreboding slammed into me.

  “Onyx Logan, step forward.”

  Everyone around me scooted away, making any attempt at hiding impossible. With heavy steps, I made my way toward Lady Cardinal, tears gathering in my eyes. I swallowed them. They wouldn’t help me. I needed to remember that even if Vulthus bought me, I still had a chance. As long as I didn’t leave Nocturnal Academy with him, there was hope.

  I joined Headmistress Cardinal at the front of the room, and she gave me a wicked smile. Dropping her voice so that only I could hear, she hissed, “You’ll fall in line. I did my best, but he’ll finish the job.” She faced the crowd. “Onyx Logan, sold to Lord Vulthus for one million dollars.”

  My muscles clenched, breathing became impossible, and my heart stopped beating out of fear. I had expected that it would be him, and yet, like a foolish, weak girl, I had hoped for a miracle. I had hoped for a bidding war, that someone would at least stand up and try to rescue me. But there was no one. I had to wake up. There were no miracles, no allies. I was on my own. I had always been on my own.

  “Lord Vulthus, please claim your latest courtesan.” Headmistress Cardinal bowed her head as Vulthus joined us. He pressed his rough hand against my face, and my food rose in my stomach. His eyes had that red, veiny look, a sure sign of vampire hunger.

  “Finally, you’re mine, Onyx.” His voice slithered over me as every muscle inside of me contracted. He stepped behind me and twisted my head sideways. Something cracked, but I felt no pain, just numbness. I was beyond fear or pain. I was in survival mode. His teeth grazed my skin. “I’ve waited so long to taste you.” And then his fangs pierced my skin and tore into my flesh. A silent scream ripped through me at the burning pain, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of reacting. I stared straight ahead, unblinking, unseeing, unfeeling. The faces before me turned into blurs as the pressure at my neck increased to the point where I thought I would burst. Only one thought kept me standing. Kristen. I repeated her name in my head like a mantra, diving into it, vanishing inside.

  I no longer cared what I had to do to her. I’d turn into a monster if it meant freedom.

  Lightheadedness settled in, and my ears rang.

  “Vulthus.” Headmistress Cardinal’s voice came from far away, tearing me away from my safe place. “Certainly, you don’t want to drain her already and lose all your fun.”

  More pain seized me as the fangs slid out of me, leaving two gaping explosions of agony. Hot blood trickled down my neck, and I stumbled sideways into a set of arms. I glanced toward my rescuer, and a maniacal laugh escaped me at the familiar sharp cheekbones, the proud chin. Thorsten. Of course, one final game, one final pretense for old times’ sake. I allowed myself to feel safe in his arms, relax for a moment, and wish that I could kiss him, that he could be good for me. Then reality slammed into me as my instincts took over, adrenaline pushing me back onto the right path.

  “Let go of me, you psycho,” I hissed and stumbled away from him.

  “And now, our second contract of the night,” Headmistress Cardinal announced, grinning, probably counting all the dollars she was making tonight. “Kristen Rovsek, please step forward.”

  I faltered. I was too late. The Wus were about to buy and whisk Kristen away.

  “Kristen Rovsek, sold to the Wus as a servant for a quarter million.”

  I registered weakly that her sum was only a quarter of what I was worth and pride filled me, followed by disgust. Was this really how I wanted to define my worth?

  “Mei Wu, please claim Kristen.”

  I exhaled as Mei walked up to Kristen. The Hong Kong heiress was alone. Her parents hadn’t showed up to the bidding ball, clearly busy with other responsibilities. I took a breath, urging the ringing in my ears to go away. I could fool her. I could do this.

  Kristen tilted her neck of her own accord, exposing her jugular willingly. Mei didn’t play around either. She bit down quickly, sucked two times, and lifted her blood-stained mouth, which she cleaned with a monogrammed handkerchief as I staggered away. Vulthus had returned to his seat and tapped his fingers agai
nst the tablecloth with impatience. It appeared that he was expected to stay until the end of the ball, which was good for me. I had time to make my move, but I had to act quickly.

  Pain continued to throb through me, but I tuned it out and returned to my mantra. Kristen. Kristen. Kristen. Then I breathed in and let the soothing sensation of ice rise in me, which helped to numb my neck. I would have to go to the bathroom and wipe away the blood. So would Kristen even if her wound wasn’t as bad as mine and her bite marks had already clotted. The dancing and bidding continued in the background. I moved through the room, stalking Kristen who twirled from one vamp to the next like a carefree butterfly, safe in her position, unaware of my plan.

  Lady Cardinal's words continued to boom through the ballroom, along with numbers. Everything blurred together.

  At last, the clock struck midnight.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have successfully sold fifty fae so far, but almost as many remain. Remaining fae, line up now.” Lady Cardinal tapped her stick against her palm. “Dear guests, if you wish to bid on these remaining fae, please do so now. Otherwise, they’ll be offered to our non-preferred buyers.”

  So there was a second tier of buyers, those who were less posh and had less money and probably treated their servants even worse. I registered this numbly just as I registered the fact that Lily dragged herself toward Lady Cardinal, her shoulders slumped forward, her face drawn down in misery. She hadn’t been claimed yet. What did that mean for her?

  A flash of blue strode toward the exit. Kristen. She pushed open the door and slipped out. My heart pounded. I had helped Lily enough. This was my only chance. Vulthus caught my gaze and licked his lips. I rushed toward the hallway. Nobody stopped me. Vulthus only grinned wickedly, probably hoping I’d try to hide and make a scene, allowing him to punish me in front of everyone.

  If he locked me up in his mansion, my life would become one of terror and pain. He’d destroy me. But I wouldn’t let him.

  My feet were quiet, my motions robotic as I hurried out of the ballroom after Kristen.

  Kristen was clearly on cloud nine because she didn’t notice me following her toward the bathroom. Carelessly, she opened the door and didn’t even look up from reapplying her lipstick as I joined her in the ladies’ room.

  It was only as I strode toward the sink that she noticed me and met my gaze. “Onyx?” A note of worry lived in her voice.

  “How are you, Kristen?” I asked slowly. Everything was slowing down. Nothing existed outside these walls. It was just Kristen and me.

  She shrank back even as she put a haughty look on her face to mask her fear. “Much better than you. I’m going to the Wus, who’ll treat me with respect while you’re going to rot away in Vulthus’s dungeons.”

  Ice shot into my fingertips, chilling the room. Despite my blood loss, my senses sharpened. Goosebumps exploded on Kristen’s arms. Her mouth dropped in confusion. She was unaware of what I could do, then. Clearly, Peony had never mentioned my magic to her. Good.

  “Thank you for that,” I said, filled with calm as a glob of ice formed in front of me.

  Kristen didn’t notice it, too focused on capping her lipstick. “For what? You enjoy torture? You freak.” Then her gaze landed on the glob, but it was too late.

  “For relieving my guilt.” And with that, I released the icicle. It knocked into her temple, and she swayed, eyes rolling back into her head. I caught her as she collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes. There was no remorse, just determination. She was fae. She’d be fine in a few hours.

  Now, where could I put her? I glanced toward the door. Too risky to drag her through the corridors. The stall, then. I opened one of them and closed the toilet seat, then dragged Kristen on top of it, locking the stall behind us. Not wanting anyone to see her feet, I arranged them in a lotus position on the seat. They wouldn’t stay. More ice shot into my fingers, and this time, when I pushed her limbs into place, I used a little bit of ice to hold them there. Good. She’d stay like this for a while. Would she get lasting damage from the ice in her limbs? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. Not everyone could come out of this unharmed. We all had to make sacrifices.

  I studied her for the final time, then reminded myself of all the people who had wronged me—Mom, Peony, Cardinal, Sullivan, Vulthus, and Thorsten, the worst of all. The anger shot through me, and I let it, channeling my ice power into glamour as I studied Kristen's seated, unconscious form.

  My magic filled me and the red gown I was wearing transformed into Kristen’s blue dress. My body shifted and tingled as it changed shape. Grabbing my hair, I saw that it was now dark with blonde highlights. I had done it and would hold onto Kristen’s form. Now was not the time to let fear grip me. I left the stall locked and climbed over the top, which thanks to Mr. Chad’s PE class was a child’s game even in a floor-length dress.

  I glanced into the mirror, confirming I was a copy of Kristen. My brown hair with blonde highlights hung straight, reaching my square shoulders. My hazelnut eyes were set too close together with even the white eyeshadow unable to hide that. My make-up was overdone, the foundation caked on to hide my skin’s imperfections except for the two pale bite marks on my neck from Mei. I smiled. I had pulled it off.

  Part one of my plan was complete.

  Now, I needed to convince the Wus to take me out of here before Vulthus suspected that his latest one million dollar purchase wasn’t crying hysterically over her cruel fate but actually doing something about it.

  Chapter 22

  With her dainty features and elegant cream sheath gown that made her look like a Chinese princess, it wasn’t hard to spot Mei when I returned to the ballroom. I made a beeline for her, thanking Kristen that her usual neediness would serve me well in this situation.

  “There you are,” Mei said. “What took you so long?”

  “Sorry.” I tried to look contrite. “I just wanted to look my best and size up the competition.”

  Mei rolled her eyes. “The ball is almost over.”

  “Are we leaving now?”

  Mei glanced around, her gaze landing on Peony who was surrounded by several vamps. She was twirling a blonde curl around her finger and throwing her head back, laughing, probably bragging about her plant magic and what she could do for the vamp museum. I balled my fists, knowing she had gained her new position by taking the video of Thorsten and me for Mei.

  Mei nodded at Peony with satisfaction, then focused on Virgie who was at Griffin Steinberg’s side. Griffin had his arm around her waist. Him buying her was more than a rumor, then. I had been too nervous earlier to pay attention to any other bids. I wasn’t sure about this match. Hadn’t Thorsten hinted that his sire wasn’t in the market this year? Or perhaps Steinberg senior simply didn’t want me. Or maybe Thorsten had never asked. Anything was possible when it came to the deceiver.

  “Let’s go,” Mei said, pulling me out of my rage. “The ball is concluded, and I need a change of scenery.” She whooshed out of the room, and I followed after her like a good little lamb. In my periphery, I noticed Lily. She was bent across a table. Was she crying? My heart clenched, but I ignored it. I had to get out of here. I had to focus on anger, not fear or sadness, or the glamour would be broken.

  Nobody stopped us as we exited the ballroom, and a sigh of relief escaped me.

  Mei shot me an impatient glare. “What?”

  I smiled, hoping it looked friendly. “I’m excited to get out of this place.”

  Mei snorted. “I bet. It’s so boring here.”

  I nodded, but didn’t say anything. How would the real Kristen have responded?

  We reached the main hallway, in which I had been drugged before and where I had woken up after our last outing. I prayed Mei wouldn’t force me to take anything. I was pretty sure that sustaining glamour in an unconscious state was impossible. Also, while the Wus were better than Vulthus, I didn’t want to end up as anyone’s slave.

  I needed to make a run for it.

&n
bsp; We walked to a side corridor. A guard in black stood before the bare brick wall. What gave? I’d never seen a guard here before. Thankfully, Mei didn’t force me to swallow anything, but simply said to the guard at the main entrance, “I’m taking my newest fae servant home.”

  The guard didn’t even blink, only extended his hand. “Contract, please.”

  Apparently, the rules for bought fae were much more relaxed. The exit had to be nearby.

  Mei pulled out an envelope from her purse. My pulse hammered. Please let it all be all right. No, I had no space for fear. Everything would be fine. I was Onyx Logan. I would make my own destiny.

  The guard scanned the document and then turned, moving his hand in a quick manner to a greenish stone brick. He pressed it, and the wall began to open with a quiet whoosh to a set of stairs that led downward. A bit of sweet, fresh air greeted me. There had been a secret door here the whole time and I had walked past it the whole year I had been here. Once I had even seen Thorsten hanging around here. What an idiot I was. I needed to be more alert.

  “Your limo will be waiting, I assume,” the guard said.

  Mei nodded. “Yes, thank you. I’ve got it from here.”

  I stepped through the secret door of Nocturnal Academy. My palms were sweating, and my throat drier than sand. I’m not afraid. I’m strong. Brave. Adrenaline pumped through me, getting me ready to strike for the final time.

  All I had to do was endure the ride to wherever Mei would take me. Then, once, the limo pulled to a stop, I’d knock Mei out and make a run for it.

  We descended the steps and passed more stationed guards. There was a whole underground network under the castle. Even if I had found the door myself, there would’ve been no escape, which made me feel a bit better about not noticing the hidden exit before. We descended step after step, walking past crates, guard kiosks, and double doors that must lead out onto the mountain.