by Julia Laque
Adam had flinched a little at the mention of “bedroom” and “we’ll have air conditioning.” Before he could stop himself he stepped, barefoot, up to the cabin’s steps. “Change of plans. I’m getting her.”
****
Evangeline asked her family to give her a little space as she prepared to leave for the King’s Coven. She sat at the vanity in her bedroom, checking her make-up to be sure there were no signs of tears. Her father had asked her to dress in appropriate attire, but all she wanted to do was throw on her favorite jeans and t-shirt. She knew Cyrus would probably see this as an insult, but what did she care?
She reminded herself she was doing this for her family. Besides, perhaps the famous vampire king would have a change of heart and release her from the engagement. He did have a heart. It just didn’t beat.
Evangeline forced herself to get up and walk out of her room. In the hallway she ran into her mother. They had spoken earlier that morning. She’d tried to soothe her mother’s worries, but Rachelle could not stop crying. Before they could both succumb to another bout of tears, Evangeline bent slightly and kissed her mother’s cheek. “I’ll be back, Mom.”
Evangeline sounded as if she was just stepping out to get the paper, but she didn’t want to worry her mother. She was so fragile. No, Evangeline was going to put on a calm façade...all was well. There was no point in crying over the matter anymore.
Rachelle didn’t say anything. She returned the kiss, ran her hand over Evangeline’s hair and let her go.
Evangeline was driving herself to the King’s Coven. Her father had insisted he go along, but she refused. She didn’t want to meet Cyrus Stewart veiled behind her father.
He was waiting in the foyer for her with Katherine. When she came down the last step, he came toward her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you? You’ve never been inside a vampire coven. It might be frightening for you.”
In truth she was both scared and curious to see the inside of a coven, but she’d never tell her father of her fear. “I’ll be fine, Daddy. They can’t hurt me.”
Geoffrey flinched. He looked at his daughter. She saw the anger, and panic he felt. Her father wanted to kill Cyrus, because he knew, as she did, the terms of a vampire betrothal, and it made him sick.
Chapter Four
The King’s Coven was located on the west bank of the Kankakee River. In the nineteenth century it was once The Soldiers Widows’ Home, founded by The Women’s Relief Corps. In 1963 the ladies were moved to Quincy, Illinois and the home was left abandoned. In 1972, Cyrus Stewart purchased the home before it could be burnt down. The king had traveled for centuries and upon receiving the title of King of North America, decided to take up residence in the most quiet and remote places in the Midwest.
Evangeline had always admired Cyrus Stewart for saving the old home from destruction and choosing to live in a quaint little town like Wilmington. Those cozy feelings were now dead and gone, replaced with rage at his audacity and superiority.
The King’s Coven, as it was referred to now, was three stories high with a winding porch along its perimeter. The king had made several renovations over the years and even added a wing to provide a better view of the river. On the outside it looked like a simple mansion with freshly cut grass and rosebushes on either side of the front steps. No one would ever suspect it was home to a number of vampires.
Evangeline drove past the open iron gates, taking a curious glance at the empty post where she assumed one of his guards were supposed to be on duty. She pulled into the long driveway and turned off the ignition. She sat for a moment before getting out of the car. Looking to the left, she saw a man walking away from her. He passed behind a tree and never reappeared. He simply vanished. Her heart leapt. The king had several vampire guardsmen. He must have been one of them. Evangeline wondered where the others lurked.
She turned to look in the review mirror and instantly felt eyes on her. They were watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she shivered slightly. Shutting down her cowardice, she stepped out of the car, hoping she wore her most calm expression. Evangeline refused to show her fear. After all, she had wanted to meet a vampire for ages and now she was going to meet a whole coven. She wasn’t going to take out her hatred on vampires who had nothing to do with her predicament. There was only one vampire she hated.
As she approached the steps, a woman opened one of the two heavy front doors. Evangeline guessed she was about to meet her first vampire, if the woman’s porcelain skin and cool demeanor were any indication. She had dark long hair and dark eyes, wearing a black scoop-necked silk blouse, and a white pencil skirt. Her high heels were the same Stuart Weitzman’s Evangeline wore. She was beautiful, more than beautiful. Perfect. Her pale, fair skin seemed to sparkle and her hair had not one strand out of place. Evangeline thought she recognized the woman from television, but then she noticed the woman’s avid expression.
They stared at each other appraisingly for a moment, one beautiful woman to another before she spoke. “Welcome, Miss Wolcott. Won’t you come in?” Her voice was deep and husky. The woman didn’t smile or sound as inviting as her words.
Evangeline nodded at the first vampire she’d ever seen up close and walked forward. She lifted her chin slightly, showing the female vampire she wasn’t afraid and that she came willingly…kind of.
She stepped into the foyer with its gleaming hardwood floor and high ceilings. The staircase was something to behold. It took up the entire foyer with two separate flights of steps coming together at the top. The chandelier above looked like it once graced a European castle. Evangeline hadn’t known what to expect, but clearly, the king fancied audacious décor. She guessed if anyone could get away with a castle-like home, it would be the vampire king.
As Evangeline took in her surroundings the door slammed shut behind her at the same time the female vampire instantly appeared in front of her with barely an inch to spare. Startled, Evangeline jumped back.
“Mary, stop showing off,” a sweet voice said. Evangeline turned, her hand over her racing heart. A petite blond stood in an open doorway. She had kind blue eyes and a warm smile. By the looks of the tan line over her collarbones, she was also human. “Never mind Mary, Miss Wolcott, she’s just trying to scare you. Please, come in and make yourself at home.” She gestured toward the room she’d been in and Evangeline obliged, still a little shaken. Evangeline gave Mary a hard stare before turning toward the room, but the woman’s flawless face didn’t change from its serene expression.
With all these beautiful women in the coven, what does Cyrus Stewart want with me?
She strode into a large modern parlor. Royal blue covered the walls and a massive brown U-shaped sectional sat in the middle of the room across from a large flat screen. The stereo was turned on and Evangeline recognized the overture to The Marriage of Figaro.
She turned to face the women. The dark-haired vampire, Mary, had followed them. She walked over to the sectional and sat, crossing her long legs.
The blonde woman held out her hand to Evangeline with a kind smile. “My name is Jane and this is my wife, Mary.”
Oh.
Evangeline shook Jane’s hand and turned to smile weakly at Mary. She knew most vampires didn’t shake hands with humans. Mary didn’t smile, but inclined her beautiful head. “It’s nice to meet you,” Evangeline said, more to Jane than to her bitch of a wife.
Jane gestured to the couch. “Please have a seat.” She wore a blue A-line dress with spaghetti straps. It reached just above her tanned knees. Jane looked like she had once been a head cheerleader. “We were just playing a game of chess. Do you play?”
Evangeline sat on the other side of the sectional, crossing her legs at the ankle. A beautiful jeweled chessboard sat on the marble coffee table. “No, I’ve never learned.”
“That’s too bad,” Jane said as she sat next to Mary, who leaned back casually against the cushions with one arm draped on the back of the couch behind
her wife.
Jane, who seemed eager to have a houseguest, sat up straight, smiling at Evangeline.
“My goodness, where are my manners? Would you like something to drink? Wine, perhaps?” Jane was standing.
Evangeline wanted to refuse alcohol, but the woman was being so kind. She didn’t want to appear rude. “Wine would be great. Thank you.”
“Wonderful.” Jane’s lovely smile brightened.
“I’ll get it, my love.” Mary’s sultry voice spilled over them as she stood, towering over Jane. She ran her porcelain hand down Jane’s arm. The blonde shivered and gave her wife the most alluring smile. Jane stared after Mary for a moment, a warm blush on her cheeks.
Evangeline had thought she was in love once, but it was nothing compared to the love these two women obviously shared. Evangeline felt like she’d walked in on the two women making love. She felt her own cheeks burn and looked away to survey the artwork around the room. There were a lot of Picasso’s and other works she didn’t recognize. She noticed a huge sideboard just below one piece, complete with crystal decanters of some dark liquor and crystal glasses.
Mary walked over to a wall encased with small round holes where bottles upon bottles were shelved. It reached from the ceiling to the floor.
“So, I hear you’re a dancer. How fantastic,” Jane was saying and Evangeline returned her attention to her. “I took lessons when I was little, but I’m afraid I wasn’t very good.”
Dancing was the furthest thing from her mind right now. She wanted to ask Jane a million questions. She wanted to know how Jane came to live in a vampire coven. How did she meet Mary? Was she planning on turning herself? What did it feel like to be bitten? The questions were endless, but she couldn’t ask her outright. She needed to be tactful. “Yes, I’ve been dancing since I was a little girl here in Wilmington. Did you grow up in our little town?”
“Oh, yes. I was actually born in the bedroom just above us.”
“Really.” Evangeline wore her sweet conversational smile. She glanced over at Mary and saw the woman was staring at her. Jane’s wife smiled stiffly and lifted the two glasses she’d poured and walked over. Mary handed her a glass of red wine, her eyes never leaving Evangeline’s.
Jane went on to explain happily how she came to be here as Mary handed her a glass and resumed her seat. “My parents are vampires and they adopted me. The king actually named me,” she said with a bright smile. “My birth mother was only fifteen when she had me. She lives in California now. My mother is the king’s lawyer and my father is on the Vampire Rights Council. He’s on the Transition Committee and helped organize the new Vampire’s in Transition facility.”
Evangeline squirmed at the mention of the facility her father had stolen from. She wondered what this sweet girl would say if she mentioned that bit of news.
“Now I’m a supernatural researcher for the king, but I’m also getting my masters in finance,” Jane continued as Mary gazed at her proudly. “Mary is one of the king’s publicists. We met about three years ago when she interviewed for the position.” She turned to smile at her wife. “I’ve lived here for twenty-five years. We have a condo in Chicago, but when we’re working, we stay in the King’s Coven. After all, I was born here,” the girl ended breathlessly.
“And her blood type is O positive.” Mary spoke, finally to tease Jane and spook Evangeline. She was surprised the woman knew how to joke.
Jane giggled and took a sip of wine.
Evangeline couldn’t help her eyes from roaming over Jane’s neck and down her arms. There were no visible bite marks. She knew vampires fed from their spouses and wondered if Jane covered them somehow. When she looked up, she saw Mary’s eyes grow dark.
Oh, shit. Evangeline hoped Mary didn’t think she was checking out her wife.
“I’ll go see what’s keeping His Grace,” Mary said in a stern voice.
Jane turned to Evangeline. “You’ll have to excuse my wife. She’s very overprotective.”
“I can hear you.” Mary’s voice carried from the foyer.
“You were meant to.” Jane called out. She shook her head and smiled. “She wasn’t supposed to answer the door, but when we saw you get out of the car, well…you’re gorgeous and I said so, which made Mary jealous.” She shrugged. “Anyway, His Grace asked me to greet you and keep you company so you wouldn’t feel scared or nervous.”
Evangeline gave her a small smile and nodded in assent. Meeting the two women had certainly distracted her, but now she was beginning to feel nervous again.
“I can tell you have a lot of questions you’re dying to ask,” Jane said with a twinkle in her eye. Evangeline liked her. She was sweet and intuitive. The king knew what he was doing when he suggested Jane greet her.
The truth was she had a million questions; some she wanted to confirm and some rather inappropriate. She decided to confide in her new acquaintance. “Do you know why I’m here, Jane?”
Jane glanced down at her lap and clasped her hands together. The look she gave Evangeline showed she knew, and wasn’t quite happy about it, but wouldn’t say anything against her employer. “Yes, I do.”
Without thinking about her next words, she asked, “Is there anything I can do to persuade the king not to do this?”
Jane looked worried. “Miss Wolcott—”
“Thank you, Jane.” A cool voice rang out from the doorway and both ladies jumped.
Cyrus Stewart the Vampire King of North America stood, towering in the doorframe in a tailored dark blue suit.
The vampire king. Her future husband.
Oh, God.
Evangeline froze. She felt like she was on the verge of a serious panic attack, her heart pounding against her ribs. She told herself to calm down and suck it up. She didn't want to show him how much this was affecting her. It was best to be cool and collected…at least that was what she was attempting.
Evangeline thought about how her demeanor changed when she was in front of her ballet students. She was no longer Evangeline or Eva, she was Miss Wolcott, instructor. Putting on a different persona with the king might do her some good. Her chances of persuading him to forget his insane marriage plan had quickly dwindled the instant she laid eyes on him. There was no deterring this man. So why not put on an All-right-I'll-marry-you-when's-dinner persona? When they were better acquainted and relaxed, she would spring on the What-the-hell-why-are-you-doing-this?Evangeline straightened and took her fill of him. "Hello, Your Grace." Her eyes looked up into his. Way up. He stood about six feet five inches and her eyes lingered on his long neck.
He was very tall with classic features. Evangeline read some years ago he was turned while fighting for Britain during the American Revolution.
The traitor in her noticed how handsome he was with dark blonde hair reaching just below his jaw and black eyes. He was pale of course, with the same glow Mary’s skin bore.
As she stared at the king, Evangeline wanted to feel joy and excitement over meeting the man she’d yearned to meet for years, but all she saw was the stranger who would be her husband. The frightening words repeated in her head: This is going to be my husband. This is going to be my husband.
“You have been a wonderful hostess, but I think it is time for Miss Wolcott and I to become better acquainted.” Cyrus stepped further into the room with an easy swagger and one hand in his pant pocket.
Evangeline watched Jane walk out and close the door behind her, wishing she could stay and help break the ice.
His lids drew down over midnight eyes, a boyish smirk on his wide full lips. "Miss Wolcott, I am very happy to finally meet you."
She tried, but couldn't summon a smile for him. Evangeline chose to study him instead and noticed a hint of an accent, a mixture of southern and British. His stubble across both cheeks and chin contrasted strikingly with his dark Valentino suit and Prada shoes. He was a fascinating combination of rugged meets chic.
Ordinarily she would appreciate a handsome man as the king certainly was. But
instead of attraction, she felt loathing.
As he stood there, with his hand still in his pocket, Evangeline thought she saw a glimmer of apprehension behind those midnight eyes. But as soon as the thought came he blinked and stepped forward with purpose.
“I’m glad you could make it. I hope Mary and Jane served as polite hostesses. I hold them both in high regard.” He stopped in front of her, leaving only about two feet between them, too close for her liking.
“Uh…yes, they’re both lovely.” Except for Mary, Evangeline thought.
“I see you already have a drink.” He motioned to her untouched glass of wine with his free hand and turned to the side to pour a glass of dark gold liquor. His big, long arms skillfully handled the delicate crystal. “Please, have a seat.”
She took one step away from the sofa. “I’d rather stand.” Damn it. She was trying for cool and collected and giving off bratty.
Cyrus paused to stare at her for a moment with the decanter in hand. “All right, we’ll stand.” He sat the decanter down and picked up his drink. He took a long swallow, his eyes locked on hers.
She’d read vampires ate and drank like everyone else, but for different purposes. They ate food for enjoyment, not sustenance, however, raw meat provided a little. They drank coffee and tea to keep their body temperature warm to the touch and liquor to…for fun. Liquor had the same effect on vampires as it did humans, even more so when they haven’t fed. To her understanding vampires needed to feed about two or three times a month, depending on how old they were.
Crap, why was she thinking about feeding right now when she was standing in front of a vampire? For years she wondered what it might be like. Would it hurt? Was it pleasurable? Now, just the thought of it made her heart leap with anxiety. Thank goodness vampires couldn’t read minds, but they could hear with amazing acuity and Cyrus’ eyes shifted to her chest and back up, curiously.