by E. J. King
It was strange for me to be drawn to a human so intensely. Occasionally, the latent bloodlust would rise to the surface when I was close to a human for an extended period of time. But I had learned to control that urge.
This, what I felt toward Grace, was something much different. It was an energy that went straight to my core and beckoned me to come closer to her. As I climbed out of the water, I felt that pull grow even stronger. I glanced up and found Grace staring at me from her bedroom window.
I could see the blood rushing to her cheeks when she realized she had been caught. But she didn’t look away, instead holding my gaze. It was at that moment that I knew she could feel the pull between us, too. She was just as enraptured by me as I was by her.
After a few more seconds of eye contact, I went inside to get ready for the party. I showered and dressed in standard party attire before pacing the main room as I waited for Grace to appear. I could hear guests arriving in the grand foyer.
“Do I look okay?” Grace asked timidly.
I glanced over just in time to see her enter, owning the room instantly. She had chosen a deep blue dress, one that I was certain was the exact same shade as her eyes. It fit her perfectly, hugging the curves of her body in a way that I couldn’t ignore. Her hair hung like a gold curtain down her back
“You are breathtaking,” I said automatically.
She ducked her head and glanced up at me through her long lashes. “You look nice, too,” she said.
“Shall we?” I asked, gesturing toward the door.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” She looked nervous for the first time since arriving in the Darkness. “That’s a room full of Vampires out there.”
“That’s not any more dangerous than being in this room with me,” I said truthfully. “It only takes one Vampire to kill you, Grace.”
She flinched. What I had meant to be a comfort had sounded more like a threat. “I promise I will keep you safe,” I said, staring hard into her eyes. “Always.”
“Let’s go to the party,” she said quickly, looking away.
I reluctantly turned away and headed toward the foyer. It bothered me that I felt so desperate to win her trust. I had never cared whether a human felt safe with me during my many decades as a Dark Soul. Why was this young woman so different?
We stepped into the main foyer in silence. Her heels made soft clicking noises against the floor. I was immensely aware of her presence next to me, our bodies just inches apart. At the foot of the stairs, she froze.
“Are we going down there?” she asked, sounding horrified.
It was easy to understand her concern. The stairs were made of clear glass, revealing the deep blue water beneath us.
“Don’t worry. This entire structure has been fortified with magic. It’s perfectly safe.” I took one step down to prove it to her. When she didn’t immediately follow, I held out my hand, not really expecting her to take it.
She surprised both of us when she did. “Don’t let go,” she whispered as her foot touched the stair next to me.
“I would never.” My words held a depth of emotion I didn’t expect. Her hand felt small and soft inside mine.
Grace gave me an odd look, confusion passing over her face. Then she blinked hard and said, “Okay. Let’s do this.”
I knew that she was only agreeing to go to the party with me. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something else was being promised in those words.
CHAPTER EIGHT
GRACE
Taking the first step was the hardest. It required me to put my trust in this stranger that also happened to be a Vampire. As if it wasn’t scary enough entering a room filled with bloodsuckers, it turned out that we would be trapped in an underwater glass coffin. By the time we reached the bottom step, I had just begun to relax. Then I looked up and saw that every gold eye in the room was pointed right at me.
I remembered what William had told me about the importance of keeping the appearance that I was his companion. But it wasn’t until that moment that I truly understood why. I was essentially a big slab of meat in a den full of lions. William was the pack leader, and the rest of the pack wouldn’t dare take his meal. I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse.
“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, again somehow reading my exact thoughts. “None of these people want to harm you.”
But they aren’t people. They are Vampires. I kept that thought to myself. Maybe they were “good” Souls that didn’t want to harm me, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t. Not killing me went against every instinct in their bodies.
“If they don’t want to harm me, why are they staring at me like that?” I asked, my mouth dry and cottony.
“You are kidding, right?” William shot me a skeptical glance. “Have you seen how stunning you look tonight?”
My cheeks blushed so fiercely I worried they might burst into flames. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say in response, so I just looked away. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
“Come with me.”
As he led me through the crowd, I kept my head up despite how strongly I wanted to do the exact opposite. I knew that I couldn’t afford to show any fear or discomfort. “This room is quite beautiful,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound as nervous as I felt.
I wasn’t lying. The ballroom was made entirely of glass. Water surrounded us on all four sides and beneath our feet. Above us, the night sky was filled with twinkling stars. A small band began playing on a stage in the middle of the room.
“Would you care for a drink?” William snatched two champagne glasses from one of the servers.
“Sure.” I wasn’t normally a drinker, but I figured one glass was okay considering the circumstances. Maybe it would help me relax. “Oh. This is good.”
He smiled at my surprised reaction. “I told you that we know how to party.”
“Liam!”
William turned toward the voice with a smile on his face. “Kittie.”
A young woman, probably no older than myself, came rushing forward. She was wearing a gold ball gown and her dark hair was twisted into an elaborate knot on top of her head.
“The party is marvelous,” she said, grinning at him before turning her attention to me. “Are you going to introduce me, Liam?”
“Of course. This is Grace.” His smile faded a bit. “Grace, this is my sister Kathryn.”
“So this is Grace?” she asked, eyes widening. “She’s marvelous, brother.”
My face flushed again. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It really is,” she agreed with a laugh. “You’ll see. I have a feeling that you and I are going to become good friends.”
“Please, stop scaring her,” William said. His body moved closer to mine and I couldn’t tell if it was intentional.
“You think I’m scaring her? Wait until she sees your dance moves.” Kathryn laughed again while whirling on one heeled foot. She vanished just as suddenly as she had appeared.
I turned to him expectantly. “Dance moves? There will be dancing?”
“Dancing is required,” he said, somewhat seriously.
“What does that mean?” I wondered.
He was still holding my hand and he pulled me toward the stage. I had no choice but to let him. While most people had returned to enjoying the party, a few eyes still tracked our progress across the room. It wasn’t until we were just a few feet from the stage that I realized we were headed straight into a family reunion.
Daniel, Alex, and Drake all stood next to the raised platform. Kathryn stood off to the side, slamming one glass of champagne while reaching for another.
“It’s about time, Will,” Alex said, greeting his brother with a hearty slap on the back.
Seeing the brothers all together, it was hard to deny the family resemblance. They all had the same strong jaws and thick hair. They also all had the same gold, hungry eyes.
“Anxious to fill your dance card?” William asked with an easy gr
in. It was the most relaxed that I had seen him look aside from when we were alone in his chambers. “I’m sure the ladies will wait a few more minutes.”
“It’s not dancing that I want to do with them,” Alex said, his eyes sliding in my direction.
“Easy, brother,” Drake said. He was staring at me with his usual blend of contempt and desire. “This one is already taken.”
I bit the inside of my cheek hard to keep from snapping. I took a modicum of satisfaction in a mental detour where I stabbed him in the eye with a cocktail fork.
William had less restraint. “Grace is not a piece of property. In the future, I request that you refrain from discussing her at all.”
It was a kind thing for him to do, defending me to his brother. But his words felt a little empty considering that I was supposed to be his companion, which seemed to be barely different from being a Soul’s property. Nonetheless, I appreciated the gesture.
“Careful, Will. The human has already got you taking her side against your family. This is how empires fall.” Drake glared at me.
“You are quite the drama queen tonight,” Daniel said, offering me a kind smile. “I don’t think Grace is a Trojan horse sent to destroy the Darkness.”
That was when I realized that the others didn’t suspect the truth about me. They didn’t know that I was a Hunter above all else. They believed that I had been compelled by William and that I was his companion.
“It’s time,” William said, dropping my hand. To me, he said, “Wait here.”
I didn’t have time to remind him that I didn’t take orders because he was already smoothly ascending the stairs. His siblings following close behind, including Kathryn. They lined up on stage, looking very dignified and royal in their fancy attire. William plucked the microphone from its stand and addressed the crowd.
“Welcome, all. We are delighted that you were able to join us here at the Blackwood Estate. It is a pleasure to open our doors to you, our dear friends.” He paused, glancing at his family. “As I am sure you have all heard by now, our enemies are closing in. We will be facing dark times very soon. That means tonight is even more important. We must enjoy the times of peace, however brief they may be.”
At this pause, his eyes found me. “Enjoy the company of your friends. Hold those that are dear to you close.” To the crowd, “Most of all, have fun. Celebrandum vitae!”
“Celebrandum vitae!” the entire room responded.
I knew just enough Latin to make the translation. Celebrate life.
The band had been playing soft music since we arrived, but now they began strumming a louder tune. It wasn’t any type of modern music, but it had a catchy beat.
“My lady.” William was back, holding out his hand and wearing a smile that oozed charm and sexiness. “May I have this dance?”
“Dance?” Alarmed, my eyes darted around the dance floor. A dozen or so couples were already moving in perfect synchronization. “I don’t know how to dance like that.”
“I will teach you.” He waited expectantly.
With a sigh, I slipped my hand into his. As we stepped into the middle of the dance floor, I said, “This night is going to end badly.”
“I am going to do everything in my power to make sure you are not right.” William tugged my arm swiftly, pulling my body against his. My breath was sucked from my lungs as his arm went around me. “Put your other hand on my shoulder.”
I did as he instructed, wondering if he could feel my heart pounding against his chest. “Now what?”
“Follow my lead.” He smiled again. “I promise you will enjoy it.”
I was certain that he was wrong. I barely tolerated the dances of my youth and that was mostly just people jumping around or grinding their bodies together. What we were about to do was much different, much more complicated.
William confidently began to move, his feet gliding easily over the glass floor. I expected to feel clumsy and inadequate, but instead I felt graceful and smooth. It wasn’t that I had magically become a good dancer, but rather that William was an excellent dance partner. He made sure to lead me without pulling and went slow so that I could keep up.
“Okay, you were right. This is fun.” I giggled as he dipped me low.
“I’m always right, Grace.” He straightened us in one fluid movement. “You are a better dancer than you give yourself credit for.”
“That’s not true,” I said instantly.
His arm was still around me and our bodies were still pushed together. His face was just an inch away from mine. “You are the loveliest woman at this party.”
“William.” For some reason, I didn’t feel embarrassed this time. “You know that I’m never really going to be your companion, right? I mean, you seem like a nice enough Vampire, but I will never be that kind of girl.”
“I know.” He had a hint of humor in his eyes. “I would never dream of asking you to do that. A forced companionship is not what I want from you.”
“What do you want from me?” I felt breathless staring into his eyes, barely noticing the abnormal gold shade.
“I just want you.” His face came even closer until our noses were touching. My lips parted expectantly, despite the voice yelling inside my head that I needed to get away. There was no denying that I wanted him, too.
At the last second, just before his lips closed over mine, I said, “Why?”
He froze. “Why?”
“Why do you want me? We just met. You don’t know anything about me. I’m not uncontrollably hot, so it can’t be a lust thing.” I did my best to keep my voice low, but a few people looked in our direction anyway. With the loud music filling the room, I doubted they could hear us, even with their super-Soul hearing.
“There is something I need to tell you, Grace. I have not been completely honest with you.” William glanced over my shoulder. “We can’t talk in here. Will you please come with me?”
He waited for me to nod and then took my hand, hurrying through the crowd. I didn’t know what he was going to tell me, but I knew that it wouldn’t be good. I had been suspicious of William’s motives since arriving in the Darkness, and now he was about to prove me right.
Up the stairs, through the foyer, and down the glass walkway that led to the beach. William walked in silence, taking big strides. I had to hurry to keep up with him. It wasn’t until we were several yards down the beach when he finally stopped. A large boulder rested a few feet from the water’s edge and we both took a seat.
William stared straight ahead, lost in thought. I decided to break the silence. “Are you planning to kill me?”
“What?” His head whipped in my direction. “Of course not. I told you I would never hurt you.”
“You also just told me that you haven’t been telling me the truth,” I reminded him.
“That’s not what I said. I said I haven’t been telling you the full truth. Everything I have told you has been true, there are just some things I haven’t told you yet.”
I took a deep breath, preparing for the worst. “You have my undivided attention.”
William leaned his head back, staring at the purple sky and twinkling stars. “You met me for the first time two days ago. But that wasn’t the first time I saw you.”
“How is that possible?” I breathed.
“I knew your parents.” He let those words hang in the air. “They were part of a group of Hunters that knew about us. They supported what we are trying to do in the Darkness.”
“My parents?” Nothing he said made any sense. I didn’t have a lot of memories of my parents, but I knew that they had always been loyal Hunters. It didn’t seem possible that they would have sided with William.
“They were wonderful people.” His head rolled in my direction. “They loved you very much.”
I didn’t want to hear him talking about my parents that way. He was a stranger. He didn’t have any right to pretend like he knew them. “Did my parents die protecting you and this place?”
It seemed like I should have some kind of reaction- anger or hate maybe. But instead I just felt numb. I had been told that my parents were killed by Souls, and now I was being told that they had actually been killed trying to help Souls.
“We helped them hunt evil and in return, they protected us. A group from the Guardianship found out and came after all of us. Your parents were killed along with several other Hunters and many Souls.” He kept staring at me with his unblinking eyes. “A few day before that happened, they sent you and your sister to live in one of the homes we used as a meeting place. It had been spelled by witches to keep it hidden. Other Hunters took turns caring for you.”
“I don’t remember that,” I said, frantically searching my memories.
“You wouldn’t. You were compelled to forget.” He didn’t seem at all sorry about that fact. “After they were killed, I had you compelled you to forget everything about us. Then I helped your parents’ Hunter friends get you placed in a normal foster home. I wanted to keep you as far away from me as possible to keep you safe.”
“Why would you do that for two kids you barely knew?” I asked.
He sighed. “Because your father asked me to look after you if anything happened to them. He wanted to know that you and your sister would be okay. It was the least I could do after everything they did for me.”
“So you’ve known about me for ten years? Why did you wait until now to bring me here? Why did you bring me here at all if you were supposed to keep me safe?” My stomach had twisted into a tight knot.
“For nine years, I stayed away. You were safe in the normal world, or at least as safe as anyone is in that world. I never even told my siblings where you were. But when the Hunters started to come after us again, I discovered that you might be in danger. I had to see for myself that you were okay. That was when I saw you for the first time.” There was an obvious catch in his voice. “I’ve been captivated by you ever since.”