Oh yeah. ‘Big trouble’ didn’t begin to cover it.
Bernard’s voice was low and deferential.
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you.” As much as I wanted to apologize, I didn’t think we needed to do this in front of company. “I needed air. And pancakes.”
A young-looking Vampire with dark hair and black eyes smiled at me. I blinked. He was the best-looking Vampire I’d ever seen. He looked like a TV vamp, with his leather jacket and dangerous smile.
Though to be fair, I hadn’t seen all that many in person. Real life Vampires, that is. I’d seen plenty of TV. I was a bit of an addict, when we were on the road at least.
What else was there to do cooped up in an endless string of hotel rooms?
“So that’s what that delectable smell is.”
“Shut up, Maxim.”
The older man standing nearby shoved him, but Maxim didn’t drop his gaze. Or his smile.
A very friendly smile. Too friendly. And far too familiar.
I scowled and crossed my arms. He was not showing the proper respect. It was one thing from a human who didn’t know my lineage, but he knew my true identity. He knew I would someday be his Queen.
“Who are our visitors?”
Vlad stepped forward and cleared his throat. He bowed again and I almost rolled my eyes. Caleb hissed at me in warning.
I knew that I was more than an individual. I was a symbol. Symbols were important. They gave the people hope.
Even if the people in this case were thousand-year-old Vampires.
“My Princess. You know me, your humble servant Vladamire. This is Marietta, Helene, Gerard, and Maxim. They have come from the continent.”
I frowned, crossing my arms. They had come a long way. Vampires could travel overseas but it was a complicated process. Most preferred long boat rides — passing through customs with bags of blood was impossible.
Which meant they had to feed on people during the journey. Crew or passengers. There wasn’t much of a choice.
I had heard of vamps supplementing with raw and bloody foods like steak tartar, but that would only buy you a few hours before you had to feed.
It’s not like a seagull had enough blood to sustain one of our kind, let alone five. It was also a huge social group for vamps. We were solitary creatures by nature.
Or, supernature.
Whatever.
So, it was kind of a big deal that they were here. The size of the group was unusual in itself, but I was mostly impressed that they had come that far. And it meant they were most likely European, as most older vampires were.
Unless they were newly made, they must have all sworn allegiance to my father. And now they were under the rule of the New Leaders. I wondered how deep those allegiances went.
I waited, my pulse thrumming in my ears.
“We bring news.”
Bernard came closer and laid his hand on my shoulder. I flinched and then I felt it. I was suddenly steady.
Bernard was giving me his strength.
“They have a psychic.” Vlad paused theatrically, his accent making the words even more dramatic. “She’s dreamt of you.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“What?”
Maxim stepped forward, his eyes open and guileless. He radiated an earnest and passionate zeal. I realized I was picking up on emotions in a strange way. I was feeling them. Not just observing how those around me felt.
I was absorbing them.
First Bernard, and now Maxim.
I could almost… see the intention that was being expressed towards me. It was coming in waves. I frowned at this new development. Was it a new power? It didn’t seem all that helpful, to be honest.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to feel everything someone sent my way.
That could get extremely awkward.
“She only knows that you exist, nothing more. And she did not want to reveal even that.”
“How do you know?”
He bowed again and when he lifted his eyes to mine, they were full of pain.
“She is my mother. By blood.”
I gasped. Was he born, like me? Or—
“We were turned the same night. By a rogue vampire who had taken a liking to her.” He smiled at me ruefully. “She had a tendency to take in strays, to feed them. She let him sleep in the barn during the day, even though he frightened the animals.”
“Did she have this gift then? When she was still human?”
He nodded.
“Yes, but it was augmented by the blood curse.”
I chewed my lip.
“Do you have this gift?”
It might explain why I was feeling his emotions. But I’d also felt the strength that Bernard had tried to lend me. I glanced at Caleb.
Thankfully, I was not feeling his wrath. But maybe he was the one in control of that. He was known to keep his emotions on a tight leash.
Maxim hesitated, then shook his head.
“No, not to my knowledge.”
I exhaled and turned to the other newcomers.
“What do they know?”
“They have sketched your image.”
I stepped back, feeling a fission of real fear. Maxim sighed ruefully.
“But it does not do you justice.”
Maxim bowed again, smiling at me in that cocky way of his. I felt like even the way he bowed was a flirtation.
I snorted.
The world was crashing down around us and he was flirting. That was so typically immortal. Vampires had a tendency not to sweat the small stuff.
I forced myself to relax.
“Great, so they have an unflattering drawing of me. Lots of girls look like me. There’s no way—”
Caleb cut me off.
“Princess. This is serious.”
I exhaled. He was right. It was serious. But I wasn’t frightened. I was invigorated. All the years of running were coming to an end. I could feel it.
“We must go. Tonight.”
I shook my head slowly.
“No. Let them come. I’m through with running.”
“But—”
“No, Caleb. If they can find us here they can find us anywhere. And Maxim has said his mother does not wish to betray us.”
“They keep her half mad and starved, like—”
My eyes cut to Gerard. He clamped his mouth shut at the ferocious look in my eyes. I only pulled rank once in a while. This seemed like a good time.
“Like my father?”
He swallowed and nodded. Maxim was the one who answered me. His eyes were clear.
“Yes. Like your father. Our King.”
He stared at me and I felt it again, his zeal. His dedication to my father. To me.
“She’s a liability. We should remove her.”
I stared at Caleb. How could he be so cruel? Maxim was standing right there. He and his companions had travelled so far to meet me. They had risked their lives to warn us of the danger.
“You are speaking of his mother, Caleb.”
“Yes. I am.”
His gaze didn’t waver. I shook my head firmly and exhaled.
“No. I won’t sacrifice another innocent. We can’t run forever. No one else has to die.”
Several of my father’s loyal subjects had been tortured and killed throughout the years. Each one only hardened Caleb’s resolve. And I suspected, his heart.
It was easier not to love anyone in these dangerous times. Safer not to care. But how lonely it must be to cut yourself from everyone else. Even the two closest to him, Bernard and me.
Maybe that was why Caleb was so stubborn about romancing his protégé…
Bernard squeezed my shoulder and let go. With that simple gesture, I felt his intention. He was telling me I didn’t need his strength anymore.
I knew he was right.
“It’s nearly time. If she can hold out, we only need a year or more.” I turned to Maxim. “Can she last
? Would it be kinder to end this? Remember, if we send someone in, it will likely be two lives lost.”
It was true. Entering the castle alone to assassinate the psychic would mean almost certain death. And not a pleasant one either.
He nodded.
“She can survive.”
“Good. She will be among our first priorities when we liberate the castle.”
Maxim nodded and I felt his gratitude wash over me.
Caleb finally pushed away from the wall. Any pretense of calm was gone in an instant. He practically glowed with his anger.
“You aren’t ready.”
I smiled at him coldly.
“Maybe not. But I’m almost ready.”
Chapter 10
“Can I come in?”
I rolled over in my bed. It was late and the house was finally quiet after hours of late night talking and planning. It was nearly dawn, the sky turning a soft pink outside my window.
I knew our guests were most likely asleep. It was a good thing we kept extra cots in the blacked-out basement. Old school camp cots, a futon for Bernard and an actual coffin for Caleb.
He was legit old school like that.
“Are you alone?”
Bernard chuckled and whispered ‘yes.’ I told him to enter, not ready to come out from under the covers. Yes, I was hiding under my blankets like a child.
But I didn’t care.
For maybe the second time in my life, I was tired.
I had already forbid Caleb from speaking to me about this further last night. I’d listened to them to squabble and debate, but I would not hear another word about running as a first resort.
I had never laid down the law with him before. It was going to take some getting used to, but it was too important to let them take charge of this completely.
Besides, I knew I was right. I had the courage of my convictions on this one. If I didn’t, or if I wasn’t completely sure, I would have listened to arguments. Hopefully, that would make me a good ruler someday.
I was almost seventeen, and close to the age of my majority. If my father had never been overthrown I would be ruling by now. Not the entire kingdom, but I would have responsibilities and authority of my own.
I was almost there. So close to being ready. But right now, it felt so far away.
Eighteen was the age when Caleb suspected that my powers would reach full strength. Then I would be strong enough to face all challengers. To save my father and take back the throne.
We hoped so anyway.
Until then I was just a teen with supernatural speed, strength, and a wicked left hook. I had some sporadic and uncontrollable powers. Not all of them had been very useful thus far.
I heard the door shut softly and smiled. I felt the weight of Bernard as he sat on the edge of the bed. Caleb never sat with me like this. I peeked out from the covers. Just a tiny bit.
In a weird way, Bernard was the one who had nurtured me all these years. The big man was surprisingly gentle and affectionate. Far more so than Caleb, who took care of all the details of our survival.
But Bernard gave me more than his absolute loyalty. He gave me his love. Maybe that was what truly frightened Caleb. Maybe Bernard’s big heart was too much for him.
“You shouldn’t have stayed away. He was terrified.”
I sighed and pushed the covers down to my shoulders.
“Caleb doesn’t get terrified. He gets ‘concerned.’”
“If you say so.” He arched a brow at me, his expression skeptical. “At any rate, it was beyond reckless.”
“I know.”
He patted my arm and it was over. I knew he wouldn’t bring it up again or hold it against me. Bernard was cool like that.
“So.” He crossed his arms expectantly. “What did you do with your freedom?”
“I got pancakes.” I exhaled. “With a boy.”
“A boy?”
Bernard’s eyes lit up and he leaned in. For a moment, I felt a giddy sense of camaraderie. Then he frowned.
“A human?”
“Who else? I haven’t met any eligible trolls lately.”
“You know that’s a terrible idea.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Did you glamour him?”
I bit my lip, debating about how much to reveal about Dylan. I didn’t want him to get hurt. But the fact that he was unaffected by my powers was… disconcerting. To say the least.
“No.”
“Is he cute?”
I sighed and pulled the covers up over my face again.
“Yes.”
Bernard tickled me through the covers. It was something he’d done to cheer me when I was a small child. He hadn’t done it in years though.
Not since I’d grown up enough to make a mess of things.
“Tell me everything!”
I was giggling as I pushed his hands away and sat up.
“There is nothing to tell really. I went to hang out with some people.”
“People?”
I shrugged.
“For some reason, the people I’ve met seem a little bit chiller here.”
“Chiller? Is that how teenagers talk these days?”
Bernard was laughing at me so I threw a pillow at him. He caught it and held onto it, still smiling.
“I guess it is.” I sighed and leaned back again. “I don’t feel like such a freak here. I’ve actually… talked to a few people. I even have a friend.”
He nodded in understanding.
“That’s good. Just don’t get too close. You can’t expose yourself to… well, anything.”
“I won’t.”
He took my hand and squeezed it.
“You can’t do that again you know. Disappear like that. He almost lost his mind.”
“It hurts you to see him get upset.”
He nodded. This time I squeezed his hand.
“I don’t want to leave.” I looked away. “I like it here.”
“You know what Caleb will say.”
“Yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “‘Want’ and ‘need’ should not be in your vocabulary, Your Highness.”
I looked down my nose at Bernard, executing my best snooty Caleb impersonation. He laughed softly, but his eyes were sad.
“Get some rest. Tomorrow will be hard.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“You can’t hide from him forever.”
“Good night, Bernard.”
He smiled as he shut the door.
“Good day, Princess.”
Chapter 11
The house was quiet as I woke up. At first, I assumed I was up before everyone else. The sky was still light. It was glowing outside my window with warm afternoon light. I sat up and sniffed. My nose immediately caught the smell of something that sent alarm bells off in my head.
Smoke.
What if they had found us? Smoking us out while we slept. It was the best way to confuse and divide us. It’s what I would have done if I was trying to hunt down a pack of sleeping vamps.
Maybe I’d been wrong to insist on staying. Maybe the visitors had arrived just in time to warn us…
Or maybe it was a trap.
I was racing down the stairs, fearing the worst when I heard it. Caleb was… cursing. I heard him banging something in the kitchen. Not in pain or anger. He just sounded frustrated.
I sniffed the air cautiously as I tiptoed down the downstairs hall.
“You know, if there was truly a chance of danger your responsibility would be to remove yourself from the premises. Not come barreling down here to investigate.”
Caleb didn’t turn from the stove. I smelled batter and… syrup. He used a spatula to flip an oddly shaped blob in the air. I felt my heart twist a little in guilt when I realized what he was doing.
Caleb was doing the unthinkable.
He was making me breakfast.
Caleb never cooked. Now he was doing this kindness for me. After everything I had put him through last night.
&n
bsp; “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?”
“You never cook.”
“I couldn’t sleep. Besides, how hard could it be?”
I stared at him, not sure of his mood.
“Are you making… pancakes?”
He glanced at me over his shoulder. He was so handsome and dignified in his black silk shirt and dark wool pants. The man never wore jeans or shorts. He was formal and proper at all times.
And now he was making me pancakes.
After I had hurt him.
“That was my intention, yes.”
I bit my lip, trying not to smile. He scraped something off the griddle and carried it to the kitchen table. I sat gingerly, ready to run. I knew I was still in for a lecture.
But maybe he’d let me eat first.
I stared at the misshapen lumps of lightly browned pancake batter on my plate. It looked unevenly cooked at best. And most likely barely edible at worst. But there was no way I could not eat it. Not after he’d gone to such effort for me…
I cleared my throat.
“I’ll just get the butter—”
“Allow me.”
Caleb opened the cabinet door and peered into the shelves. I dashed to the fridge and back to my seat with the butter. He turned and gave me a suspicious look.
“Fridge.” I held up the butter dish. In it was half a stick wrapped in waxed paper. “Or it goes bad. It’s, um, perishable.”
“Oh. I see.”
He sat down across from me, watching expectantly as I slathered my food with butter and syrup. I cut it into small pieces slowly, dreading the moment of truth. Finally, I lifted a tiny bite to my lips and tasted it.
“How is it?”
“It tastes…”
He leaned forward. I swallowed my bite and tried to smile.
“Very similar to pancakes!”
He gave me a look of wounded disgust and I almost laughed. Caleb had a glare that could have dropped a charging elephant at fifty feet. But now he just looked put out.
I dug in, pretending to savor each bite. I was hungry and they weren’t terrible-terrible. They just weren’t good.
And they were definitely not pancakes.
“So…. What’s with the breakfast?”
He leaned back and crossed his arms.
“I wanted to see what the fuss was about.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Why would you stay out until two o’clock in the morning for these—” He gestured at my plate. “Fluffy bits of goo?”
Vampire Princess Page 6