by Rye Brewer
“Yes, a little.”
“It’s normal,” he said. “Most humans would freeze down here in not much time at all. It’s well below freezing. To you, it’s just a little cold.”
“Do you think you have any clothing she could wear?” Jonah asked.
“We have chambers. There are articles of clothing inside.”
Great. I hoped it wasn’t one of his robes. There’s no way I’d fit in it. As long as they were warm, I guessed it didn’t really matter.
I couldn’t imagine living down there in the dank darkness. No matter how much torchlight, there was never enough. It was still dark, gloomy, and cold. I hoped there would be a fire in my chambers.
Steward stopped, and I guessed we’d reached our destination.
Jonah stepped in front of him. “You don’t know how grateful I am that you’ve welcomed us here,” he said.
“I told you I’d always be here for you,” Steward replied.
“Still, it means a lot.”
“We’re safe here—nobody knows how to find us.”
I could believe that, since I never would have found the bridge or the entrance on my own. Besides, I thought, it would take more than a little courage to venture in there alone. We didn’t have to worry about our enemies there, or my predators.
I entered one room, Jonah took a door that led to another. Somebody had even gone to the trouble of setting out a wardrobe full of jeans, sweaters, boots. I would be warm, thankfully. I wasted no time washing up, using the basin on the bedside table, then changing into decent clothes.
Then, I knocked at the door next to mine. Jonah stepped out in clean clothes of his own. We looked at each other for a long time before I spoke.
“Custodians, huh?”
“It was the only logical choice.”
“I’m not questioning your choice,” I said with a grin. “I’m only wondering what other surprises you have up your sleeve.”
He grinned back, and for the first time since rescuing him from Marcus, I felt him relax.
Safe, for now. Maybe.
3
Anissa
It felt good to be safe, to be clean and comfortable—to an extent. To the furthest extent we could be, considering we were in an underground cave. Or a series of caves, maybe.
Vampire eyes are stronger than human eyes, naturally, and it was easy for me to adjust to the darkness. While the Custodians did their best, lighting the halls with torches, the entire underground system of hallways and rooms existed in a cloud of darkness. It made me wonder how anyone had ever existed in the days before electricity.
I glanced over at Jonah, standing beside me in the hall as we waited for Steward to fetch us. He looked more beautiful than ever to me, which hardly seemed possible considering how crazy I already was about him. Beautiful seemed like such a strange word to use to describe him, but I couldn’t think of any other. He was sheer perfection. Inside and out.
He’d given everything up for me. He’d already taken huge chances, and then he’d given up his birthright. I knew how important it was to him, leading his clan. He was proud of them. What did that say about his feelings for me? It was overwhelming, but the nice kind of overwhelming. The kind that made my heart beat fast and my palms feel all sweaty. I’d never felt that way before, even though I’d always heard it was possible.
The appearance of Steward, nearly gliding down the hall in his hooded robe, pushed all thoughts of romance out of my head. I still wasn’t completely sure about him, but Jonah trusted him. Besides, he’d saved us. I had to give him a chance—and it was with that in mind that I smiled.
“I take it you’re both comfortable?” Steward asked in that gravelly voice of his.
“Very. Thank you.” I was far from comfortable, in reality, but it would be rude to voice my discomfort. Sure, the heavy cable knit sweater and fleece-lined jeans I wore helped with the incessant, bone-deep cold. I just couldn’t get comfortable with being underground. I’d already seen so many unfamiliar places in such a short time. It was a lot to absorb. Being in a cold, dank underground lair was just another surprise to adjust to.
“And you’re certain you didn’t lead anyone else here?” Steward asked Jonah as we walked.
I stayed one step behind. It was easier to look around, open-mouthed, when Steward’s eyes weren’t on me. The sheer size of the caves, the scope, made me wonder how long it had taken to create them. It was breathtaking.
“I’m sure,” Jonah said. “The humans couldn’t have caught up with us. And there were no vampires, fae or anything else on our track.”
The mention of vampires got me thinking. “What about Sara?”
Jonah and Steward stopped, turning to me.
“Who?” Steward asked.
“My sister. What about her?” I looked at Jonah. “I didn’t think about her. I should’ve thought about her. Oh, no.”
The cold seeped through my clothes, making me shiver. Or maybe it was the mental image of my sister’s torture. What if she suffered that again because I wasn’t there to protect her? My thoughts spiraled out of control.
“Relax.” Jonah’s hands cupped my shoulders. “Scott will take care of her. He won’t let anything bad happen.”
I wanted so much to believe him. I told myself I had no choice but to believe him. When I remembered the way Scott looked at my sister, I did believe. He wouldn’t let her fall into the wrong hands.
Jonah waited until I met his gaze before speaking again. His eyes burned into mine. “You can’t protect everybody, you know. You can’t fight everybody’s fights.”
“But she started it,” I whispered with a half-smile, what with her selling her blood and all that. But her reasons were pure. She was trying to help me. I knew that. I hoped that Jonah realized it, too. “She was the one who took chances for me.”
“And that was her choice. It doesn’t mean you have to jeopardize or punish yourself.” His hands squeezed my shoulders. “You’ll be all right, and so will she.”
I felt better. Just like that. His words and his touch were magic. “Okay.” I nodded, determined to believe him, hoping he was right.
We continued on.
Steward remained ominously silent. I wondered what he thought of me—really thought of me. Was I a nuisance? I was an outsider. It was clear he wasn’t comfortable with my being there—if anything, his friendship with Jonah was the only thing keeping me in his presence.
I also wondered what he looked like under that hood.
“What is this place?” I asked, hoping to draw him into a story.
Maybe he’d be more comfortable if he talked about history—after all, he was a Custodian.
I continued, still wanting to make him feel at ease. “It’s fascinating. To think, all of this exists without the knowledge of the rest of the world. How is it possible? I mean, granted, it’s hidden very well.”
“Yes, that’s generally what we strive for,” Steward replied, and I wondered if that was his idea of a little humor. It even sounded as though he tried to chuckle. “However, what most works in our favor is the fact that we rely on the discretion of those who know of our existence.”
“Understood,” I said as we walked.
So, he was reminding me to keep my mouth shut.
Well, there was no problem with that. I didn’t want to betray his confidence.
We stepped through a doorway carved into the rock and stepped into a room which reminded me of a railroad terminal. I’d visited a few in my day. The ceiling was many stories up, and into the walls had been carved rows on rows stretching from the floor all the way to the top—I had to crane my neck to get a view of what was up there.
Walkways lined the walls, allowing Custodians to come and go. There weren’t any around just then. I had the feeling we were sneaking around—that there was a lessened chance of our being discovered. Was everybody else sleeping? Maybe they slept during the day to avoid detection.
“It’s magnificent,” I breathed. Books. Book
s and books and scrolls and more books. I imagined having all that knowledge, all that history, at my fingertips. History was one thing I’d always excelled at in school.
“This is where we store most of the knowledge that’s come into our hands over the centuries,” Steward explained. “In the beginning, this place was called the Sanctum. That was many centuries ago. Now, it’s referred to as the Sanctuary.”
His words seeped into my consciousness as I looked around with wide eyes, still a little thunderstruck. “Sanctuary?” I asked, mouth agape. “Sanctuary for what?”
“For Custodians.”
My mouth closed with a snap. Oh. So, that was where they hid. It was their sanctuary. I should’ve known. I shouldn’t have asked. I needed to pay better attention if I wanted to avoid making mistakes like that.
“I see.” The discomfort was like a heavy blanket I’d just pulled over my own head. Like an idiot.
It didn’t seem to matter too much. He brushed off my clumsiness like it was nothing. Maybe he was used to it.
“How are you feeling?”
Even though the hood was pulled low and I couldn’t see his face in the shadow of it, I heard concern in his voice.
And it was funny, since I hadn’t noticed how weak I felt until then. “Tired,” I admitted.
“Me, too.” Jonah even looked a little more pale than usual. His shoulders slumped.
Steward nodded. “You’ve been through a lot.”
“Between fighting the Enforcers and coursing here, yeah. It’s catching up to us.” Jonah looked at me with concern written all over his face. “I’m sure it’s affecting you more than me.”
“Why me more than you?” I asked.
“Because I’m stronger than you.” He smirked a little.
“Says you. Remember, I have skills you don’t.” I heard the weakness in my voice, and I hated it and the fatigue that was setting in, draining me.
He only nodded. “We need to feed,” he said. “That’s the only answer. It’ll restore our strength.”
We both looked at Steward. He shook his head. “We have no blood here—there’s no reason for us to store it.”
My heart sank. Of course. They weren’t vampires, so there was no reason to store the synthetic blood produced for creatures like us.
“Is there any way for us to get it?” Jonah asked.
Another shake of his head. “We couldn’t run the risk of having a delivery sent here. I’m sorry.”
“And feeding on others is against the law of the League of Vampires,” Jonah murmured to himself.
Everybody knew that. The synthetic blood was produced to remove the need to feed on other creatures, which was one of the conditions the humans created when they agreed to make peace with us. They couldn’t have us killing them anymore.
“We could still feed on animals, couldn’t we?” I looked from one of them to the other, hopeful.
“I don’t think that would be advisable,” Steward said in a grave tone. “I didn’t want to have to share this with you, but there have been Enforcers spotted in the area.”
I couldn’t help but gasp, remembering the fight with the ones we’d come across earlier. “No.”
Jonah’s arm slid around my shoulders. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re safe here.”
“You are,” Steward assured me. “They could look every minute of every day for the next year and never see it—not just because it’s hidden, either.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a matter of what humans are willing to see. If we’re unwilling to see something, it can be right in front of our face but we’ll be blind to it. They could stumble over the bridge leading to us and blame it on a rock or branch in their path. You might be surprised at the number of excuses a human is willing to make to cover up their ignorance. But they can’t be blamed for it.” Steward’s shoulders moved up and down as he shrugged.
That was a relief. But it didn’t help solve our problem. I was feeling weaker by the minute and wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest. That wouldn’t help, at least not for a long time. I’d have to spend days resting to get my strength back, when blood—even synthetic blood—would restore me much sooner.
“There’s one solution we haven’t touched on,” Steward pointed out.
I had no idea what he was talking about, but Jonah clearly did. His head snapped around to look at Steward.
“No,” Jonah said. “I’m sorry, but no. You know it isn’t personal.”
“I understand,” Steward replied in an even tone.
“It’s just that I’ve tried it before and it didn’t go well for me,” Jonah continued. He was practically stammering in his discomfort.
“I have no idea what’s going on right now,” I admitted. “What’s happening?”
Jonah turned to me, concern all over his face. “It might not be the same for you,” he mused, one eyebrow raised.
“That’s great, but I have no idea what we’re actually talking about and if I had the strength, I would scream at both of you for being so cryptic. So please, please, somebody clue me in.”
From the look on Jonah’s face, he was almost pained when he opened his mouth.
“He’s suggesting you feed on him,” Jonah murmured.
“On you?” I looked at Steward, eyes wide again. Would there be any end to the shocks and surprises that day? “Is that advisable?”
“I’m suggesting you both do it,” Steward corrected. “I realize it’s a shock after spending much of your existence feeding on synthetic blood, but it’s better than suffering through the weakness you’re feeling now. Especially since there’s no telling how long it will take you to recover.”
I could tell from his expression that Jonah was fighting with himself. I wondered what the problem was with feeding from Steward, especially since it seemed like the only logical solution. Why was he so hesitant? I trusted Jonah’s judgement, so the fact that he was so reluctant didn’t give me much confidence.
“All right,” he sighed. “I guess we have to.” He took my hand. “It’ll be all right.”
That didn’t make me feel much better.
4
Anissa
“Let’s go somewhere you can be more comfortable once the feeding has commenced.”
It all seemed so formal, and the strangeness of the situation plus my growing weakness gave the impression that everything was happening around me without my having any say in it.
Because, really, I didn’t. I had no say. Decisions were being made for me and that was the way it had to be just then. By the time we reached the room Steward had picked out for us, Jonah was nearly carrying me. My head felt so heavy.
I couldn’t help but remember Sara’s weakness when we fled the mansion—she’d been so brave and strong, running as she had when she felt the way I did. In fact, she’d probably felt even worse. My poor sister. Would I ever see her again?
My eyes swept over the room. It was small, with a very welcome fireplace in which a very welcome fire blazed. There was a large sofa against one wall, piled high with cushions. I could almost forget I was in a cave, but the lack of windows reminded me.
Steward sat on the sofa, then motioned for Jonah to place me beside him. Only I would have noticed the hesitation as Jonah paused for the slightest of moments before moving toward Steward, his arm around my waist. What was holding him back? Why was he so concerned? If I’d had more strength, I would have asked.
I sat down and was sure the others could hear the pounding of my heart. How could they not? I was suddenly terrified. What had Jonah gotten me into? What could I expect?
“She’s fading fast,” Jonah said, but his voice sounded far away.
Was I dreaming? No, I was still awake. I could feel the heat from the fire on my skin—the little bit of skin still exposed, thanks to the bundling up I’d had to do. I could feel the cushions behind my back, too. And I’d never felt such deep, chest-clenching discomfort during a dream, either. Fear
, yes, but not discomfort.
“We shouldn’t waste time, then.” Steward turned to face me, and he raised his hands to take his hood in them.
I held my breath—what would I see? What was under that hood? I swallowed back revulsion even though I had no reason to feel revolted. I hadn’t seen anything yet, and I didn’t know if there was any reason to feel revulsion in the first place. I couldn’t offend him, either. He was allowing me to feed from him. That was no small thing.
When he slid it back, revealing himself, I marveled at the starkness and beauty. Steward’s dark skin gleamed in the light from the fire—smooth, unblemished. His head was bald, as smooth as the rest of his face.
It was his eyes which disquieted me. They were amber colored, and even in the dim light they gleamed. They reminded me of the fire burning beside us.
Who was he? What sort of creature had eyes like his? He wasn’t human, that was for sure. He wasn’t a vampire. He wasn’t fae. He reminded me of all I didn’t know about the world, and that wasn’t a reassuring reminder.
He tilted his head to the side, away from me, then ran a long finger down the side of his throat. “Here,” he murmured in that deep voice of his. “This is the place.”
I had no idea what I was doing, but I remembered the way Malory had fed from me. “Can I use your wrist, instead? It seems so intimate, using your neck.”
He nodded, smiling a little. “You’re right. Here.” He held up his wrist, inside up. I looked down at it and noted the way the veins pulsed. I could see them so clearly. There was blood beneath them, pumping, waiting for me. For the first time in longer than I could remember, my instincts kicked in. I wanted that blood. I was hungry. It was the only thing that would help me. All I had to do was give in and take what was right there.
I closed my fingers around Steward’s wrist, the sight of his pulsing veins hypnotic, pushing away all doubt. My fangs lengthened without my consciously choosing to make them do so. Centuries of evolution took over, as I closed my eyes and sank my teeth into his flesh.