She sat down beside me as we lost ourselves in a fit of giggles.
“I know it sounds ridiculous. And it is. But, that’s the truth.”
Our giggling fit finally slowed to a halt. Karen took my hand and looked at me.
“You don’t have to go.”
I looked at her, hope flaring in my heart.
“I don’t?”
“No.” She exhaled and squeezed my hand. “I won’t tell him. Or anyone. If you end it.”
“You mean, you want me to break up with him?”
“Yes.”
I looked away, biting my lip.
“He won’t just let me go.”
“Make him.”
“I think he’s in love with me. And I think I feel that way about him too.”
“I know. But you have to stay away from him.” Her eyes softened. “It’s not safe. For either one of you.”
I didn’t speak for a while. Then I nodded. It was the last thing I wanted to do. I decided to do it now, so I wouldn’t have a chance to change my mind.
“Can you ask him to come out here? To talk to me?”
She put her hand on my shoulder and walked away. I sat there for what felt like forever, my mind blank, with no idea what I was going to say.
He was smiling when he appeared on the path, though his eyes looked worried. I didn’t try to reassure him. I could barely even look at him.
“Is everything okay, Soph?”
I stood and shook my head, turning to face him. He stepped forward and I held my hand up.
“I can’t— I mean, we can’t be together anymore.”
“What? Why?”
“I can’t explain. It’s just better. For both of us.”
His handsome face contorted in anger. I should have expected this. But I didn’t.
I hadn’t really had a chance to think this through.
“Better for you maybe! Is it because of him? Your cousin?”
I grabbed onto that desperately. Yes. I’d let him believe I didn’t want him anymore. That I was with Maxim.
It would hurt, but maybe it would help in the long run. If he hated me, he wouldn’t be as sad.
I didn’t want him to be sad.
Why should we both be miserable?
“Yes.”
He cursed and punched a tree. I flinched, knowing that it must have hurt his hand. Maxim had made him do that twice now. And I wasn’t even really with him.
Dylan strode forward and gripped my shoulders.
“I won’t let you do this.”
“You can’t stop me.”
“I could report him. To the police. It’s illegal what he’s doing!”
“He hasn’t touched me.” I realized I was confusing my story so I lifted my chin. “And even if he had, I would lie.”
I saw it. I saw the exact moment that his heart broke. And I felt mine breaking too.
He staggered away from me, holding his head in his hands. He crouched down, looking like he was trying to disappear. I knew the feeling, unfortunately.
“But… I love you, Sophie.”
I stood up and backed away, moving further down the path. I hated this. I felt like I was splintering into a thousand pieces.
I wanted to run. To go so fast that I forgot him. To outrun the pain.
I wanted to feed.
More than anything, I wanted to tell him that I loved him too. That I was doing this to protect him from the monster inside me.
From the monster that wanted to eat him alive.
“Don’t follow me. Don’t talk to me. Just… forget me. It’s over.”
He didn’t look up as I turned and ran into the dark woods. I got as far as I could and then I stopped, wanting to sob hopelessly. I wanted to fall to the ground, to curl up at the base of one of the old trees. To run far away and never come out again.
But I couldn’t. I couldn’t show my true feelings to Dylan, or to Caleb and Bernard. If they knew, they would make us leave, or worse.
I reminded myself not to touch anything. I couldn’t mark the trees with my magic without leaving a trail for our enemies to follow. And worst of all, I couldn’t go back and tell Dylan how I really felt.
I could just move forward, try to survive, one foot at a time. A light mist washed over me and thunder cracked overhead. I had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, I was the one who had called the storm. The sky was weeping when I could not.
I ran through the woods as the rain started to fall.
Six Months Later
“Here, you’re supposed to wear this on your wrist.”
I stared at the clear plastic box in Bernard’s hands. A spray of tiny magenta roses and baby’s breath were sewn to a pale pink elastic strap.
“Really?”
He shrugged.
“It’s tradition.”
“Okay.”
I stared in the mirror at my pale pink tulle dress. I’d picked it out myself after a three-hour round trip drive to the nearest major department store.
It was happening.
I was going to prom.
But not with the boy who’d asked me. Not with the boy I wanted to go with.
I sighed, fighting down the sadness that had overwhelmed me every time I thought about it.
Every time I thought about him.
Dylan.
It had been months now and he hadn’t given up. He stared at me with such pain in his eyes every time I crossed paths with him. Which wasn’t too often now that football season was over.
I didn’t eat lunch with Karen anymore either. We still talked, but not very often. It was more like a truce than a friendship now.
I missed my friend and my boyfriend.
But at least I had a date.
I walked down the stairs slowly, afraid to ruffle my hair with a burst of speed. Maxim stood at the front door, looking indescribably handsome in his suit.
The handmade charcoal jacket and slacks fit him like a glove. It was way too stylish for a high school prom. The lapels were streamlined, laying cleanly over his broad chest. His hair was perfectly combed, but not too stiff. A lock of dark brown hair curled charmingly over one mischievous looking dark eye.
Every inch of him was pretty much perfection.
I shook my head.
My date was prettier than I was.
Not that this was not a real date.
He was my escort-slash-bodyguard.
Still, it was hard not to notice the blatant male appreciation in his dark eyes. Maxim liked me, I knew that. It was more than just because of my title. We’d formed an alliance since the night he’d taken me hunting.
It was more than an alliance, really. He had taught me the rules of being a young vamp in the modern world over the past few months. The rules, and how to break them.
Now, I considered him a friend.
He was pain in the butt, and far too handsome for his own good. But still… I had to take what I could get.
“You look stunning.”
“Thank you.”
“Ready?”
I nodded.
“Let’s do this.”
His smile was mischievous as he took my arm and led me outside.
“Alright, Princess. Let’s go to the prom.”
End Of Book One
Sneak peak of the next book in the Vampire Princess series
Book Two
I stood to the side of the auditorium, awkwardly holding a cup of punch. It was decked out in blue and white. There were balloons everywhere, and cheap paper streamers hanging from above like vines in a rainforest.
Somehow though, the decoration committee had worked wonders.
It looked magical. It was magical. It was my first prom.
I loved my dress. I was surrounded by friends. Mostly my fellow cheerleaders and other kids I’d gotten to know this year. People actually liked me.
But I was miserable.
The reason was standing about twenty feet away, looking heartbroken and gorgeous in a ligh
t gray suit.
Dylan was here. He hadn’t brought anyone as a date. He was just standing there, stealing glances at me from across the room.
I looked away, an unsettled feeling in my chest.
I should be used to it but I wasn’t. I caught him staring a lot. He had never really given up on us. I had done everything I could to discourage him. I’d stopped hanging in the cafeteria during lunch, instead finding a place to go and eat alone on campus. If it was raining I’d find a quiet classroom and sit alone, reading a book.
I hadn’t been to a single party since I ended it. I hadn’t even hung around after a game. Once football season was over it had been easier. I’d just laid low.
Yeah, I’d pretty much done everything I could.
Except show up with another guy. Until tonight.
“I guess you really are with him.”
I swallowed, my heart thudding in my chest. Dylan had come up behind me. I had been trying so hard to ignore him that I’d actually missed him crossing the room.
Maxim was outside, walking the perimeter of the grounds. Running probably. He was more security than a date. Besides, we were just friends, I reminded myself.
It was kind of suspicious how many times I had to tell myself that though.
I turned to face him. The look of hurt in his beautiful blue eyes almost undid me. I exhaled shakily, not sure what to say.
Nothing I could say would mend what I had done. What I’d had to do. The lie that I didn’t care anymore.
“Dance with me.”
I put my hand on his shoulder and followed him to the dance floor just as a slow song started.
Great timing, DJ.
I could smell him as he pulled me close, his hand sliding to my lower back. His familiar scent made my eyes well up with tears. And something else.
The hunger.
Why did he have to smell so good?
I ran my tongue over my teeth, telling myself to stay cool. To keep those fangs in check. I braced myself, focusing on fighting the need to feed instead of the sadness overwhelming me.
We danced in silence for a little while, but Dylan’s eyes never moved from my face. I could feel them boring into me. Finally, I looked up and our eyes met.
My breath caught in my throat.
Dylan’s eyes were dark and full of pain. I realized that he looked like he’d lost weight since we broke up. He looked haunted.
He still loved me.
There was no doubt in my mind.
His words echoed my thoughts, eerily similar.
“You still care about me. I know you do.”
I nodded, looking away. I owed him that truth at least. I just couldn’t tell him how much.
“Of course I do.”
“Why, Sophie? Can you tell me that at least?”
I shook my head.
“I’m sorry, Dyl. I can’t. I just…”
It was too much. His heartbreak and my own. I pushed away and slipped through the crowd.
I fought to hold back tears as I ran outside into the darkness.
Maxim was nowhere to be found. But as soon as I rounded a bend into the darkness I felt it.
I was not alone.
A tall figure stepped out of the trees. Not a human. It was one of our kind. He bowed mockingly. I felt a wave of contempt wash over me.
His contempt.
“There you are… I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Your Highness.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading Vampire Princess. If you enjoyed this book you, please leave a review.
To learn more you can sign up for my mailing list here
XO,
Cameron
Acknowledgments
Cover: The Cover Collection
Editor: Red Lily Publishing
Formatting: Pincushion Press
About the Author
Cameron Drake is an emerging author of paranormal fiction. This is Cameron’s first book.
Look for the second Vampire Princess book coming soon, along with the Dreamshifters series, a new collaboration with young adult fiction author Kara Sevda!
Sign up for my mailing list here.
Also from Pincushion Press
Second Sight
The Dune Walkers
Vampire Princess Page 15