by E. M. Moore
Of course I’d heard about it. Another attempt at joining the guards and vamps. It was Connor’s idea. If we could change the young people’s minds, the hurdle of vamp-guard relationships would get smaller. “Oh yeah, I’ll be there,” I told them. “Probably not in this dress, but I’ll be there.”
“Cool,” Liv smiled and turned away, but Shannon moved closer.
She grabbed my hand at the wrist. “Hey. I just wanted to tell you how awesome it is that this is happening. More vampires have talked to me this evening than in my entire life. They all want to know what we do at The Fort and if we’re all like you and T.J. It’s kind of amazing.”
Happiness curled in my chest and flowed outward until I was full-on smiling. “That’s great, Shannon.”
“See you at the afterparty,” she said, turning and following Liv through the crowd.
Connor came up behind me and dropped a hand around my shoulder. “More fans, Princess?”
I elbowed him playfully in the gut. “It was just Shannon and Liv asking if we were going to the afterparty.” His eyebrows raised expectantly. “I told them, ‘Duh’.”
He laughed and swung me around before setting my feet back on the floor. “Do you want to know how many vampire families have come up to me today and told me that we’re so lucky to be getting you as a guard. I think some of them are secretly hoping to buy you out.”
“Tell them good luck. I’ve already found the place I want to be.”
“Speaking of…” he said, pulling me to the edge of the room, almost in the shadows. He lowered his voice even though we were close to the cellist and not even vampire hearing was that good. “Nic and I were talking about a certain special occasion you might’ve talked to him about.”
My stomach lurched and another warmth spread through me. “You want to talk about this right now?” I asked, looking back at all the vampires in attendance.
“Why not?” he said, his mouth teasing into a smirk. He shrugged while he laughed. “I just wanted to let you know I wholeheartedly volunteer to be the one.”
His finger bopped me on the nose and I gave him an exasperated sigh. “Did you tell Nic that? Or the others?”
“Well, no,” he said, staring at the ground. “Not exactly. I just wanted to let you know where my head was at.”
“Nic thinks we should all sit down and talk about it.”
“I think it should be a spontaneous thing. Like, it just happens no matter who it’s with. Maybe we could go up to my room right now and—”
“Connor!” I fake yelled at him. “You are so bad. There are hundreds of vampires here, including your mother and father.”
“Mom and Dad don’t care.”
“That might be possible, but I bet you someone else would.”
Connor’s blue eyes turned soft. He reached down for my hand and squeezed it. “You know I’m just joking, right, Princess? I’m good with whatever you want to do. I can say I’m more than a little excited you’ve decided to take that step with us. Whenever we get to, I know it’ll be special.”
I entwined my fingers through his and gave a quick squeeze. “I know so too. I—”
The lights dimmed and then sputtered to life, effectively cutting me off. For a brief second, my heart turned over, but then Gregor’s voice boomed through the speakers and I immediately relaxed. “It’s time,” Connor said, pushing me through the crowd until we were right in front of his father.
With the microphone perched easily in his hand, Gregor began talking about the blessings they, as vampires, had. Superior abilities, the fountain of youth and life, and to culminate his pretty speech that made me jealous to be only human, he looked at myself, and T.J., who had somehow worked his way to stand next to me, and said, “Along with the security provided to us by our human friends, the guards. Today, we’re here to recognize two superior guards who risked their lives for others, but we could just as easily say that for the other guards too, even the ones living under your very roofs. No matter the relationship you have with them, they are just like the two we’re celebrating tonight. If you didn’t bring your guard with you, please take the time to thank them when you return home. If you did bring your guard with you tonight, I ask that you take a moment or two to turn to them and tell them how grateful you are for their service.” He paused, allowing a myriad of conversations to start up around us. A lady with long, dark black hair tied back in one single pony tail approached T.J. Though her lips moved, I couldn’t hear what she said. I guessed it must have been a member of the clan he was placed with.
“Now,” Gregor said, his voice booming around us. “I’d like to move on to the reason why we are here. A lot of you asked ‘why now?’ Why single out two guards now? Well, the most obvious answer is because we hadn’t needed such a reason in all my years of leading. We are coming upon a time of great threat to our way of life, and in front of you stand two people who not only dealt with one threat, but ran into it to save their own, and our own. To them, there was no difference. To them, there were only lives that needed saving. Ariana Stuart even threw herself in front of a stake to save the females of the Rajyvik clan. She injured herself for their sake. In theory, we can all say, ‘Well, of course she did. Isn’t that what she’s supposed to do? Isn’t she supposed to risk her life for our own?
“Yes, she is. But let me ask all of you that same question. Would you risk your life for someone? Hers is a bravery some of us would not recognize in ourselves. It is a single reactionary measure that only speaks to the type of person Ariana is. Notice I didn’t say guard, I didn’t place a label on her. She is a person, and she risked her life for another person.” He turned toward the corner of the room as my heart beat like mad in my chest. Wow. I had no idea he thought that way. When someone put it out there like that, when they announced it like that to the world, I sounded pretty damn awesome. “Christian, please bring out the medals.”
I blinked. Medals? Was he serious?
Christian came forward with a wood box. In a plush of blue velvet sat two round, bronze medals. T.J. stiffened beside me and my heart leapt in my throat.
“These are the first Medals of Valor our world will ever bestow. With people such as those around us, you need only to look right beside you to see others that might be standing up here in a few months or a few years. I know these two won’t be the last. T.J. Carson. Please step forward.”
T.J. moved in front of Gregor. As Gregor listed his activities of bravery, Isabelle Ravana stepped forward to pin the bronze medal to his chest. The whole room applauded and the sound mixed with my manic heartbeat in my ears. Next, he beckoned me forward and I saw his hands waving at me more than heard him call my name.
“Ariana Stuart. I give you this Medal of Valor to congratulate you for your selflessness, for your bravery in the time we needed it most, and for your quick-thinking actions that saved lives.” The intensity of his stare burned his words into my heart. Whatever Gregor had thought of me before, I’d changed his mind. I saw nothing but a fondness for me there. I had finally proven myself to him. He was no longer afraid of what kind of problems I would bring to his sons, but what I could do to help not only them, but all his kind. To see the kind of change in someone, not just any regular old vampire, but Gregor Ravana, tears pricked my eyes, threatening to slide down my cheek and betray my bravery. I cleared my throat and blinked hard to hold them in check as Isabelle pinned the medal to my dress.
In the background, I heard cheers, picking out four voices I would know anywhere the most. When Gregor motioned for me to turn around, Natalie’s mother was right there. She bent forward and kissed my cheek. My mouth dropped open, stunned at the public outpouring of praise. At this moment, the words Gregor said were true. We weren’t two different species. We were just people. Just persons celebrating one another.
“I have one more thing to share with you all before we celebrate the rest of the night,” Gregor said. I turned to move to his left again, giving him center stage. He gave me a small smile an
d then addressed his guests like the king he was. “My son Christian shared something with me earlier that hit in me a way I’m hoping will impact all of you, too. He shared with me a conversation he had with Miss Stuart, a conversation in which she was speaking about how she became so brave. A conversation in which she talked about what guided her to throw herself in the path of a weapon she knew would hurt her only to save someone else.”
I searched for Christian on the stage with his mother and father. He stared at me, his face carefully controlled as he still held the now empty wood box with the blue velvety interior. He swallowed and nodded, and I once again turned my attention to Gregor.
“Some of you might ask yourself what spoke to her to do that and I mentioned up here about her selflessness and bravery, but what she shared with Christian all of us can relate to I think. All of us need to relate to it if we want to survive these times. While we continue to receive the attacks of the rogue clans, or humans spurred on by these rogue clans, I want you all to think of one thing. What are we fighting for? Ask yourself right now, what are we fighting for?”
“Now, let me tell you what one trainee said, a trainee who hasn’t even been in our world six months told my son. She said, it’s not about self-preservation. There’s something more. It’s not about basic survival. If we were just fighting to breathe another day, that’s not a good enough reason. You know what is? Fighting to love another day. Fighting to hug your children another day. Fighting to look at your mate in the eyes and know that there’s no where else you would rather be. Fighting to protect those around you. Fighting to love those around you. Fighting to secure another day on this Earth to live the way we want to live. That’s what’s worth fighting for.”
For a moment, the crowd was struck dumb. It was eerily silent as Gregor finished his rally cry. My skin tingled and burned, surges of energy spiked inside me. God, he was good. I looked behind me to see vampires and guards alike look at one another. I saw Natalie and Alexander nod at one another. I saw Isabelle take Gregor’s free hand.
Unity.
He took the microphone away from his mouth and looked down, his face a war of emotions as he struggled to keep his composure. Finally, he returned the microphone to his mouth and stared out at the crowd once more. “Remember that as we go forth in the task ahead. If we all work together, we will overcome this trying time and it will be nothing but the memory of not only how we persevered, but how we flourished. As you leave today, please take the packet of information near the exits. Thank you, and thank you again to Miss Stuart and Mr. Carson.”
I stood there speechless, unable to move as Gregor handed the microphone off and stepped down from the stage. He immediately came forward and shook our hands before fleeing to the recesses of the room. T.J. turned toward me. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.”
I still couldn’t talk. I was pretty sure my mouth was still open and gaping when the princes surrounded me to congratulate me on my Medal of Valor. In another world, in another life, this wouldn’t be happening. That thought always struck me. I should be thanking the Ravanas right now for this beautiful life they blessed me with.
Seeing as how I still couldn’t talk, Stephan told them they should take me outside to get some fresh air. We walked out the back entrance, the one through the kitchen at the Rajyvik house and spilled out onto the side lawn. The chill in the air bit at my skin and lifted the haze from my brain. I echoed T.J.’s thoughts. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Me either,” Nic said. “Was it me or did Dad just give a war speech like 300 and Lord of the Rings? One of those rally the troops, even if we die, it’ll still be worth it kind of a thing?”
“That was epic,” Connor agreed. “I’m inspired. Let’s go kick some ass.”
Nic chuckled. “Whose ass are you going to kick? We’re headed to another party. A party that was your idea, I might add.”
“I’m going to renege on that. I think we should all go to Ariana’s room and have our way with her. I mean, who else gets to say their girlfriend was awarded a Medal of Valor? Literally no one else in our world. Literally.”
I shook my head at him, but at least he brought me out of my funk. I could always count on Connor for that. “You guys are something else.”
“No,” Christian said. “I think we all just heard that you are something else, and we couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter Six
Wood smoke filled the air in front of me. Flames danced upward into the night, filling the space around us with heat and light. We sat in the same small clearing I’d been before when all the trainees went bridge jumping for initiation and then partied around the bonfire afterward. Surrounded by Stephan and Nicolai, it was fine to be here again despite what happened the last time I tried to fit in in these woods. I tried not to let what happened before ruin my night, how Zeke attempted to pawn me off as a blood whore to his vamp buddy. Mission number one—enjoy this for what it was. One of the rare times the guards and vamps got together to socialize.
Over the licking flames, I saw Christian in a group with some trainees from my class. Since he had stepped in as a teacher for Vamp-Human Politics, he helped bridge the wide gap between the two species more than the rest of us. Most of the guards seemed to love him, as well as the vamps. He was open, honest, and admitted some things weren’t fair and that they were working on fixing them. Trainees and vampires alike trusted him, which was a great thing considering his future. Out of the four princes, I had no doubt Christian would transition easily into the role as leader.
Connor, on the other hand, won others over the only way he knew how—by being his jovial self. When some of the trainees and a few of the young vamps who’d shown up mentioned they wanted to try bridge jumping again, he was all about it. I wasn’t sure how many times he’d plunged into the water, but every once in a while, he ran through, his clothing drenched, and shook his hair out on all of us ‘party poopers’. Evan of all people only a few steps behind him at all times.
“You good, Ri?” Nic asked, breaking into my thoughts.
Flames flickered over his face. Every bit the description of dangerous, sometimes it was hard to rectify his person with who he truly was deep down inside. His dark eyes looked even more sinister with the orange and red from the fire catching in their depths. No wonder why no one approached us here. Nicolai Ravana—tall, dark, handsome—looked like he would kill you in an instant if you tried anything. His brothers and I would have to work on him as far as bridging the gap between vampires and humans, especially after he punched T.J. in the face. We could start by asking him not to scowl so much, or, gasp, even smile once in a while. “I’m fine. You?”
His gruff monotone sliced through the crisp air. “I’m having the best time of my life.”
I squelched a grin. His words and his face a total contradiction, which I guessed was the point. “It is riveting,” I agreed, looking around at the groups of people talking as one of the bridge jumpers ran up to a towel on a log just to run it through his hair a couple times before jogging back toward the parking lot and inevitably to the side of the bridge.
To my left, Stephan picked up a small twig and threw it in the fire. The complete opposite of Nic, Stephan looked perfectly content just to sit the whole night while everyone buzzed and talked around him. He hadn’t left my side since we got here, making me think he wasn’t able to forget what happened the last time we were both here so easily. How he’d swooped in and saved me at the perfect moment. “Come on, guys. It’s not so bad,” he said. “Look at all of us getting along. Wasn’t that the point?”
He was right, which made me feel bad about not wanting to be here. It wasn’t that I didn’t like spending time with the trainees because I did. It just felt like there were more important things going on that should be dealt with first. Soren, for one. Maybe I’d been too hasty to run away from him earlier. Maybe I should’ve played into him a little more to see if he would open up. If I did, we could have a location on Dumont’s hiding p
lace right now.
We’d done too much waiting and seeing. We needed to move on this.
“Lex is taking care of it,” Nic said, his fighter mentality always so in tune with mine. I should’ve guessed he’d be thinking the same thing or at least understanding where my head would be at.
“What’s that?” Stephan asked.
“Lex,” Nic explained. “She’s taking care of Soren.”
Stephan locked gazes with me. “You know you do deserve a day off once in a while. You were awarded the first ever Medal of Valor, let that be a reason to relax.”
Nic snickered behind me as soon as Stephan said ‘relax’. I whipped toward him. “I can relax.”
“Okay,” he said doubtfully.
I crossed my hands over my chest and stretched my legs out in front of me before placing one on top of the other. “See. I’m relaxed. I can pretend like nothing else is going on. Everything’s fine. Peachy, even. No reason to fuss about anything.”
“Nothing is going on right now though,” Stephan said, his gaze narrowing. “Dumont went into hiding. He’s not going to make himself known for awhile. We talked about this before. He has to regroup. We took his people out and captured Soren. He doesn’t have anyone to come at us right now.”
I peeked at Nic. A vein in his neck protruded, the only sign he disagreed with his brother as much as I did. Well, it wasn’t that I disagreed with him wholly. Dumont wouldn’t be ready to fight, which was why we needed to go after him first. If we could preemptively—
Stephan’s fingers curled around my arm. “Relax.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could do this for him. They’d done so much for me that I could give them this one night to chill out and have a good time. One night wouldn’t kill me and it probably wouldn’t make a bit of difference whether I went back to talk to Soren right now or waited until the morning.
A stampede of feet made their way over to us. I hunched my shoulders and tried to hide my face. The last time this happened, spray from Connor’s soaked blond locks rained down on me from behind, turning the chill night air just that much colder. Nicolai stood, holding his hand out to stop his brother. “Connor, man. Back off. We’ve just gotten Ri to relax.” He couldn’t even hold a straight face while he said it.