The Dark Rose

by Ramsey, Valentine

  Dom rested back as Deacon pulled out. “Blood, sex and politics—is that all there is?” he asked.

  Deacon snorted. “What more could you ask for?”

  + Chapter 2 +

  Snarls, Quarrels and a Party on the Morrow

  On the other side of the tracks, the children of Rose, enemy of Gray, but so similar in ways as they also cruise the night looking for fright rather than fight. Finding it a bust they settle for lust.

  Coal in color, sleek in style, sitting on twenty-six inch rims with chrome trim, tinted bulletproof windows and doors, front stainless steel grille guard, and a handcrafted V-8 engine with a finessing growl that held nothing to the predators inside, the Mercedes G55 AMG SUV turned onto Primrose Blvd, its glossy finish rippling under the lights like a prowling panther.

  A chariot fit for royalty as this ride spoke of power and exclusivity, nobility and patronage. And none other than a grumpy, petulant Princess sat inside.

  Pandora la Juliet Rose sat scowling, arms crossed like a child who hadn’t gotten her way. She had no reason for such a dark mood as it was a glorious night full of potential mischief and mayhem. However, none could be had as she was constantly tailed by her bodyguard Andre. The lights of his black H2 Hummer glared in the rearview mirror and since she was seated in the middle between Brighton and Danna, they shone directly in her eyes as a constant bitter reminder she was a slave to her heritage and could never escape.

  Though laughing around her, her entourage of vampire born lower class royalty of Rose, didn’t seem to mind.

  “Why so sullen, Pan?” Paul, who was driving, caught her eyes in the mirror.

  All fell silent. Brighton, Danna, and Isla in the front, turned to look at her as a submissive tension descended. If their Princess was miserable, they should be too. Those were the rules.

  Annoyed by this, that she just couldn’t have been left in peace instead of made a spectacle by over observant eyes, Pan glowered and said, “I’m on restriction.”

  Brighton frowned. “Restriction of what?”

  “Blood.”

  Not yet changed, but not completely human either, the vampire born had a slight craving for blood. Though being a descendent of royal heritage from one of the oldest and strongest bloodlines, Pan possessed a stronger desire for it than others.

  He looked at her appalled. “For heaven sake, why?”

  “Raphael,” she said, speaking of her father’s protégé from the Stone coven with bitterness and disgust. “He has recently convinced my father that an overindulgence of it will turn me into a savage when I change.”

  Paul frowned. “Why would Victor agree to deprive you so?”

  “He is under the Raphael’s minor sway. It is with his implanted word he denies. Raphael hopes it will break me into asking for his sang-real.”

  Danna’s perfect brows furrowed. “Why would he do that?”

  “To punish me.”

  None needed to ask why. Raphael del Torro Stone had had an ugly obsession and infatuation with her since birth. He was determined that if he couldn’t have her no one would and as it is he was in high favor with her father.

  “Then it is good you have no taste for venom,” Brighton said darkly.

  “I know where we can score some sangria,” Isla said.

  Danna rolled her eyes. “Besides all our parents houses?”

  “I mean somewhere not boring. You know, have a little fun.”

  Pan was all ears. She was in need of an adventure. The pampered life was growing tedious and unexciting.

  She leaned forward eagerly. “Where?”

  “I was naughty,” Isla said with a devilish grin. “I—”

  “Since when have you ever been naughty?” Danna spat. “You’re nothing but a goody good who still wears lily white cotton panties.”

  Pan arched her eyebrows at Brighton who mumbled, “Bitchy, party of one,” as Danna’s bitchiness was nothing new to him and usually directed at him as well.

  Ditsy and naïve Isla frowned with hurt. “You don’t have to be such a bitch Danna.”

  “You don’t have to be such a bitch Danna,” Danna mimicked, scrunching up her face mockingly. “God, you sound like a child. Grow a vagina already, would you.”

  “Danna,” Pan said. It was time to intervene or face a nasty scene. Her temper was already on the edge. “Is there something you wish to share?”

  Danna looked at her with false innocence. “By whatever do you mean, Pan?”

  Pan drew in a breath for patients. “What I mean is what crawled up your butt?” Paul chuckled. “Because if you don’t pull it out, I’m going to kick your ass to the curb and make you walk home. The night is already ruined by Andre, you don’t need to be make it worse by pissing me off even anymore.”

  “I know what crawled up her butt,” Paul said.

  Danna’s eyes popped. “Don’t you dare!”

  Paul snickered. “She’s already been kicked to the curb.”

  Danna shrieked, bunching her fist.

  “By Gregorian.”

  Isla looked disgusted as Gregorian was her older brother. “Eww! How did I not know about this?”

  Danna bared her teeth. “Because you were too stupid to figure it out.”

  “Hey,” Paul snapped. “Don’t take it out on her. No one knew because it only happened once and then he was done with you.”

  “How did you know?” Isla asked, sulky.

  “Because I was there when he threw her out shrieking in her bra and panties.”

  Scowling, Danna crossed her arms. “It was humiliating.”

  “Why didn’t I know about this?” Pan asked.

  Paul met her eyes in the mirror, looking worried as he saw his mistake.

  “I was going to blackmail her into giving me back my vintage Rolex,” he said carefully, then mumbled, “Too late for that now.”

  “I won that in a bet,” Danna said snootily.

  “You don’t even like it!”

  “It’s ugly and plain, I like diamonds.”

  “Then you’re a dumb ass!”

  “Enough!” Pan said, ready to strangle someone. Paul shook his head in exasperation, knuckles tightening on the wheel. “What do you have in mind Isla?”

  Isla glanced at Danna.

  “Ignore her,” Pan snapped. “I do all the time.” Danna harrumphed. “Now tell me.”

  “Well—” Isla dug in her purse and pulled out a gray envelope. “I thought this was interesting.”

  Pan snatched it from her. As she was about to rip open the wax seal she noticed the crest on it. She looked at Isla with wide eyes.

  Isla nodded smugly. “Uh-huh.”

  Pan unfolded it and read. Brighton and Danna leaned close, neither needing light to read by; a gift of being born to the undead.

  Pan read quickly, chest filling with excitement and terror all at the same time.

  Danna turned on Isla. “Are you crazy?!”

  “We’ll be spared and killed instantly!” Brighton said. “Pan will be tortured and raped and beaten and drained and used for ransom!”

  “They don’t know what she looks like,” Isla defended, looking a little scared by Brighton’s intensity. He was usually as mellow as yellow.

  “Where did you get this?” Pan asked, looking up from the Gray Prince’s birthday invitation for next week.

  “Gregorian’s blood servant runs with one of the Gray’s. Thought she’d like to cause a little trouble giving it to him, but I caught her first.” There was a wicked gleam in Isla’s eyes as she said this.

  Gregorian ran in Raphael’s circle. He would have told Raphael about it and they would have found a way to ruin it, causing this war to boil further more.

  Biting her lip, Pan thought for a moment, so tempted. While it would be fun to infiltrate the Gray’s as they had no clue what she looked like since she was kept guarded from much of their knowledge, her father fearing abduction or assassination, it would be easy to get in.

  But—Pan shook her head
. It was too risky. Her father had always drilled it into her how dangerous the Grays were though she had never experienced their viciousness. She had always figured it was his hatred fueling that assessment.

  Disappointed, Pan handed the invitation back. “Think of something else.”

  “Sounds fun though,” Brighton said in minor regret. “Oh well!” he said, recovering quickly. “For now, rest your luscious lips here my sweet Princess.” He tilted his head back, offering his neck.

  Pan smiled. The offering of blood from one vampire to another was of high regard of trust and adoration to that creature as they were absorbing part of your essence. Not to mention the act in itself was very sexual. Brighton and Paul were the only males she trusted to be this free with. She had been raised with them since infancy, and they always strived to take care of her in any way they could.

  Waiting, Brighton glanced at her. “Don’t make me beg.”

  Ignoring Danna’s glower, Pan maneuvered to straddle Brighton’s lap as he scooted to the middle to give her legs more room. She didn’t need much as she was very petite.

  Crossing her arms, Danna turned to glare out the window. Brighton and Danna had dated off and on since middle school and were currently off. But when it came to Pan, as far as Brighton was concerned, they were always off since he was in love with her. A fact Danna could not see past and was not so secretly jealous of.

  Pan couldn’t blame her, but nor could she feel sorry for her either. As the Princess of the

  House of Rose, domination of her underlings was her birthright. If she wanted Brighton she had him.

  Pan kissed his neck and Brighton let out a content sigh. Not yet having her fangs, her incisors were sharper than the average humans. She bit. There was a moment of resistance, but then his soft flesh broke.

  Only biting enough to create a small flow as she cared for him to dearly to make him gush and not being in a rush to satisfy her craving, Pan fastened her lips on his neck and let her mouth slowly fill with his warm nectar before swallowing.

  Brighton shivered. Trailing his hands from her waist, he slid them under the skirt of her metallic navy blue dress to hold her bottom. Aroused, Pan pressed harder against him, rocking into him. With her heightened senses and having his blood, she could sense his pheromones calling for her.

  Brighton groaned. “Marry me, Pan.”

  Isla snorted and Paul chuckled. Danna remained in pissed silence. It wasn’t the first time Brighton had asked for her hand.

  Worried she was taking too much and making him delirious, Pan laughed and pulled away, licking his rich blood from her lips. Now that her thirst was quenched, she was feeling euphoric, her body buzzing with awakened life.

  Brighton’s bright blue eyes snapped open to pin her with hurt. “You laugh! Why don’t you take me serious, my love?”

  Pan could almost hear Danna rolling her eyes. She should be careful or they might get stuck in the back of her head. Or Pan would claw them out.

  “My love!” she laughed. “I am only your love when it is convenient.”

  “I disagree,” he said with the air of a stubborn child. “You are always my love.”

  Pan cupped his cheek. She loved how he was not the ideal vampire. Still young for their kind his true handsomeness had yet to push through. She hoped it never would as she loved his boyishly charming face and expressions.

  Pan sighed. “Before you bleed all out, your heart is pumping so hard from ire—”

  “Because it hurts as you deny my desire.”

  Pan sighed heavier. “Let me rephrase. I am only your love when I show possible interest, but wandering far and in between moments of our short bliss I find your eyes wandering far and not so nearly in between those of other girls.” Pan sweetly kissed his lips. “My dear Brighton, you are a man-whore!”

  He scowled hard.

  “And don’t be absurd, I cannot marry a Rose!”

  “Maybe my eyes would cease to wander if you ceased to take flight after our short moments of bliss such as this.” He kissed her chest, holding her in a lovers embrace.

  Pan closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her cheek against his head.

  “If you were to clip those wings for me and stay grounded at my side, you would be my only.”

  Mind having wandered, barely paying attention to him now, Pan said decidedly, “We shall go to the party. What fun is life without a little mischief?!”

  Isla clapped in excitement, her auburn eyes as bright as her auburn hair.

  Brighton sighed in disappointment realizing the moment had passed. “Curious. That’s all you ever are. I can say, “oh, no, don’t, stop, you’ll get killed,” but you won’t listen. You never do.”

  “And no man who claims true undying love would ever request his beloved to clip her wings,” Pan said, addressing his previous comment. “For they give her heart and spirit flight. They would know to ask such a thing would crush her soul.”

  “You didn’t even listen to what I just said!”

  “I listen when you have something important to say.”

  “Fine, it’s my fault as your feistiness is what fuels my love for you. Here—” he pulled her head back to his neck, “drink a little more.”

  Pan didn’t protest, but suckled lightly. His fingers caressed her hips then slid under the waistband of her panties. Pan didn’t speak words, but he stopped his feel before he crossed a line.

  “If not marry me, then when will you let me have you?”

  No matter that he spoke quietly all heard, but all remained silent pretending not to exist in this intimate moment of theirs.

  “You surely don’t want to remain a virgin forever.”

  Pan laughed against his neck. Pulling away a bead of blood ran from the bite. She licked it up and he shuddered.

  “It is hardly forever when you have eternity. And my virginity is a trophy I must save for my chosen husband, or so I’ve been raised to believe,” she finished, tone dripping acid.

  “I can’t win!”

  Pan tried to smile at his teasing, but it wouldn’t come.

  She wanted to be with who she chose, not who her father chose. Give herself to who she pleased, not who pleased her father. She wanted love, but there was no love in politics and her father was gambling hers away. And she would never accept that she may be bound to… Raphael. Pan cringed. God help her, anyone but.

  “That is my responsibility as the Princess,” Pan said, almost as if trying to convince herself. The duty of a Princess, blah, blah, blah. “I am not afforded the luxury to spread them whenever to whomever I please.”

  “Pity pretty you,” Danna said sourly.

  Snarling, in a flash, Pan grabbed Danna’s blond hair and slammed her head into the window. “Do not mock me!”

  Breaking their silence, Paul and Isla cackled like hyenas.

  “Forgive me,” Danna said, cowering in her seat.

  Pan’s eyes narrowed. In a moment like this she didn’t know if it was her friend Danna, apologizing or her underling groveling. She could tolerate being teased about most things, but this was a sensitive subject and not one Pan was afraid of asserting her power in.

  Her beautiful craving destroyed by cruelness, Pan shifted off Brighton’s lap back to the middle. Oblivious to the tension, he was still trying to feel her up, kissing on her neck. Pan shoved his face away.

  “I’ll take that as a hint,” he said, resigned.

  “Pan, I’m sorry, that was mean,” Danna said, her tone speaking her earnest.

  Pan flipped her long chocolate wavy hair over her shoulder.

  “It was.” Her coldness only lasted an instant as her dominance was something she didn’t like to exert. “Forgive me as well,” she said, turning to Danna.

  Her father argued that she was too soft with her subordinates, but Danna was a dearest one. Though her birthing was higher, Pan never saw her friends as lesser. However, sometimes alpha instinct took over and a few got their heads bashed as the resul
t.

  Holding Danna’s face, Pan lightly kissed her lips.

  “My Princess,” Danna said, emerald eyes gleaming with undying love and adoration.

  + Chapter 3+

  Pure Poison

  Dom had always felt the bigger the mansion the more you realized how alone you really were. Filled with gilded, gothic, and expensive unsentimental objects that were used to fill empty spaces, the metaphor being for the heart or the home he didn’t know, but it was depressing all the same.

  Wandering the halls of the Gray Mansion, Dom thought it even more so as the only people he encountered were skittish servants who fled in fear once spotting him. Catching a glimpse of himself in a mirror, he thought he would have fled too seeing his expression. Angry and brooding, he looked ready to slaughter. He felt it too, irritable and easily annoyed. None wanted to play prey to that monster.

  He could simply summon some people to entertain and hang out with him as there were plenty willing to sacrifice their self-respect to be the Prince’s friend, but he didn’t enjoy the pretenses of counterfeit relations. In other words he hated ass kissers. Urijah would be back with Dove from the airport soon enough as Dove was returning from Europe having scouted some vineyards Dom’s father was interested in.

  And God knew where Deacon and the others were; probably creating another mess for him to clean up. As it was, Deacon was still in the doghouse and had been avoiding Dom not allowing a proper chance for discipline.

  Deacon had found the fight he hadn’t gotten the other night. A group of newborn Rose vampires had wandered into Gray territory by the simple mistake of attempting to be braver than they were and Deacon along with other sentinels had been there to intercept them. A vicious fight had ensued, the Rose clan being the worse abused. Some knew how to use their newborn strength and speed to their advantage, these, however…didn’t.

  Tension was high and if Deacon didn’t contain his temper blood would be filling the gutters in no time.

  Dom ducked under some dangling cords. Ladders were propped everywhere as lights were being strung from the ceiling to the railings, along every surface possible, preparing for his party this evening. Turning four, he was hardly deserving of one. Preserved forever in the body of an eighteen year old he could barely entertain the idea of eternity like this, undermined in society because of his youthful looks.