The Vampire Heir

by Juliana Haygert

  The click of heels on the floor echoed through the large room. My heart thundering, I straightened and pretended to be admiring an old urn with hieroglyphs.

  A woman with long brown locks and smooth dark skin approached me. She had on a provocative red dress that hugged the generous curves in her body. She was gorgeous, and more importantly, she was powerful.

  Smiling, she tilted her head. “Thea, isn’t it?”

  I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

  “I’m Sarki.”

  “The oracle,” I said, knowing exactly who she was.

  “That’s right.” Her smile widened. “I see Prince Drake told you about me.” Not really. “He’s a good master, isn’t he?”

  I shrugged, not sure what the purpose of that question was. “He’s … okay.”

  “And where’s Thomas?” She glanced from side to side, looking for the boy.

  “He had to run a quick errand,” I lied. “He’ll be back any minute.”

  “Of course,” she said, and I was sure she didn’t believe me. His smile faded and her eyes gained a hard glint. “I heard Alex challenged Drake to a duel for you.” She tsked. “With everything going on, Drake doesn’t need that.”

  My hands trembled, but I lifted my chin. I hadn’t cowered when Drake had threatened me; I wouldn’t cower for a jealous woman who was trying to intimidate me. Even if she was a powerful oracle. “I didn’t ask him to. He did all of that on his own.”

  “Because Drake has a good heart. He can’t help gathering pets.” She spat the word as if she had said worms instead. “And now all he has worked so hard to achieve will crumble if he loses a hell damned duel.”

  All he had worked so hard for? Like what? His position as a prince? What the hell was she talking about?

  “There’s nothing I can do—”

  Suddenly, her eyes turned all white, and she said, “What you look for is right in front of you. All you have to do is look.” My heart stopped. Sarki blinked and her eyes returned to normal. She raised an eyebrow at me. “What was that about?”

  “I … I don’t know.” Right in front of me? Right in front of me were Sarki and the old urn, and I had already checked the damn urn and its pedestal.

  “Are you sure? I can help you decipher the fortune,” she said, her voice dripping with honey. “That’s one of the things I did for Lord Reynard. I had the visions, and then I helped him decipher them.”

  “I-I really don’t know what that meant,” I lied, hoping her powers didn’t involve detecting lies.

  “All right.” She stared at me with cloudy eyes. She didn’t seem convinced. “If you think of something, let me know. I can help you.”

  She smiled, then sashayed out of the museum. I followed her with my eyes, and when she was gone, I let out a long breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

  Could Sarki have it? But why? And where was she hiding it? It didn’t make sense.

  Heavy footsteps sounded from the other side of the museum. Deep voices reached my ears, though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. But I was sure it wasn’t Thomas or Drake.

  My insides stilled.

  All right, I was done for the day.

  As fast as I could without drawing attention or bumping into anyone, I went back to the maze. I followed the broken branches until the last spot I had seen Thomas.

  “Thomas!” I yelled. I went in farther, breaking the hedge branches like I had done before. “Thomas, where are you?”

  “Thea!” I heard his voice, low and far. “I’m here!”

  “Keep talking,” I shouted back. “I’ll find you.”

  “Talk about what?”

  “I don’t know.” I advanced through the maze in the direction of his voice. “Tell me something about you.”

  “Like what?”

  “What’s your favorite color?”

  “Green.”

  “Favorite food?”

  “Five cheese lasagna.”

  “Hm, that sounds delicious.”

  “I can have the cook make one for you tomorrow, if you want.”

  I turned a corner and smiled at him. “I would like that.”

  Thomas rushed into me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “God, where were you?”

  I disentangled myself from him, suddenly self-conscious that I had tricked him and he was now so happy to see me. Something like guilt snaked around my chest. “I guess I got lost. Sorry.”

  “It’s okay, I guess.” He glanced around the tall hedges and sighed. “We still have to find a way out of here.”

  “I might not know how to get to the end, but I’m pretty sure I can retrace our steps and find the entrance.”

  His eyes widened. “You are?”

  I smiled at him. “Yup. Let’s go.”

  14

  Drake

  As usual, Thea sprawled on the couch, her legs folded over the cushions, and her nose buried into a book. Today, she was reading the Picture of Dorian Gray.

  Why didn’t that surprise me?

  However, what did surprise me was how much I liked watching her. Like she was at home, carefree and happy.

  I knew she wasn’t happy, though. I guess she would never be while she lived here—which would be until the day she died. Unfortunately, I couldn’t let her go.

  To be honest, even if I could, I wasn’t sure I wanted to anymore.

  As much as I fought it, I was getting used to her presence in my chambers. It had been nine days of constant watching—watching her having breakfast, watching her sweetly teasing Thomas when he was embarrassed over something, watching as she walked around the library and took her time choosing the next book she would read, watching as she ate dinner and bid me good night. She didn’t know, but I sometimes watched as she strolled through the back gardens with Thomas.

  Even her scent, as alluring as it was, had become a permanent fixture, something I craved, something I needed.

  I frowned, thinking of the duel for her. The mourning period was almost over, and the duel was imminent. I couldn’t lose to Alex. I couldn’t.

  “Something wrong?”

  I smoothed my brows and willed my features into a neutral expression. “Nothing is wrong.” Besides the duel and the fact that she was wearing a summer dress and half her thighs were exposed, her smooth, shiny skin a beacon to my senses, there was nothing wrong. “I just … have something to do.” She lowered her legs and sat up straighter. Her luminous hair fell around her shoulders, emphasizing her long neck and slender shoulders. I cleared my throat. “Do you need anything before I leave?”

  She shook her head. “No. Thank you.”

  I bowed my head, then zipped out of the room, too fast for her to follow.

  Once outside, I took a deep breath. What the hell was I doing? Why did I care if she needed anything? Why couldn’t I stop watching her? My mind wanted to explore a crazy answer I couldn’t acknowledge, so I shoved those thoughts out of my head.

  Tank, one of my guards, glanced at me. “Everything all right, my prince?”

  I straightened my back. “Of course.”

  Without another word, I walked away. Going down the stairs, I passed a couple of blood slaves who bowed and didn’t move until I was out of sight. They were probably going to some prince’s chambers as a meal.

  A growl rose from my chest as an image of Thomas or Thea becoming a simple food source flitted through my mind.

  Once more, I pushed unwanted thoughts from my mind.

  By the time I walked out of the castle and onto the largest stone balcony that opened up to the back garden, I had cleared my head.

  I sensed her presence half a second before she appeared in front of me, and I barely stopped in my tracks before bumping into her.

  “Hello, young Drake,” Sarki said, grinning at me.

  “Sarki.” I dipped my head at her.

  She glanced from side-to-side, her long, dark curls bouncing around her shoulders. Tonight, she wore a dark red suit and high heels that put her almos
t at my eye level. She returned her gaze to me, now serious. “Ready for the meeting tomorrow?”

  “If it were up to me, we would have had this meeting days ago.”

  She tilted her head. “I heard about the duel. It seems we’ll have to talk about that too.”

  I grunted. “Alex and his childish acts. Yes, we need to plan the duel.”

  She leaned closer. “Don’t worry. I’ll try to postpone it. Who knows? Hopefully, you’ll be appointed as the new Lord DuMoir and then you can cancel the duel.”

  Now that made me anxious. As much as I would rather be lord of the castle over Alex, I wasn’t sure I was ready to take on so much responsibility. Accepting becoming a prince and joining Lord Reynard’s ranks had been a step I took so my existence wouldn’t be lonely. I didn’t mind obeying his orders and commanding his army.

  But taking care of everyone in the castle? Vampires and humans? I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

  “We’ll see about that,” was all I said about the matter.

  Sarki reached out and placed a hand over my shoulder. “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, I’ll be by your side.” Her voice was throaty, and her heart hammered inside her chest.

  What the hell?

  I took a step back and her hand dropped. “Thank you.” I started walking past her.

  Until she said, “I know what today is.” I halted. “I know what you do on this night every year. Do you want company?”

  I frowned. I guess after living in this castle for almost four hundred years, someone was bound to notice.

  “It’s okay.” I glanced at her over my shoulder. “I prefer being alone tonight.”

  She offered me a small smile. “Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind.”

  “Thank you.”

  I turned and resumed my walk.

  In no time, I stood atop a small hill at the end of the large garden. From here, I could see the lake and, on the other side, the village. During two days of the year, the village became a beautiful place with a luminous fountain, fancy restaurants, wine shops, antique stores, and happy people walking around. During the other 363 days, it was a simple place where low-ranked vampires lived with their blood slaves.

  But no matter what, it still reminded me of home.

  Before becoming a vampire, I lived in Europe with my family in a village much like the one across the lake. A village that was burned to the ground hundreds of years ago tonight.

  I sat on the cold grass and watched the village’s twinkling lights under the night sky.

  15

  Thea

  Tired of being inside Drake’s chambers, I asked Thomas to go with me for a stroll in the gardens. He didn’t like it, but after a few emphatic pleases, he relented.

  It was hard to say, but it seemed he was warming up to me. At least, I didn’t get his glares more than twice a day now. While we took our usual walk around the maze—he never went inside with me again—I tried making him open up to me a little more.

  “So, tell me,” I started, forcing my voice to be innocent. Sweet. Friendly. “How is it to grow up in a castle full of vampires?”

  He raised an eyebrow at me. “You mean as a blood slave?”

  I cringed. “I mean … yes, I guess that’s what I mean.”

  He shrugged. “It’s not like I have a choice, is it?” He stayed quiet for a moment. “I guess it could be worse. I was fortunate to be chosen by Prince Drake. Otherwise, I’m not sure I would be still alive.” He lowered his voice as he said, “Most blood slaves don’t last a year here.”

  My heart squeezed. “That is …” I had no words.

  “It’s cruel,” Thomas said it for me. “It’s a terrible fate.” He lifted his chin high. “Like I said, I’m grateful for Prince Drake. I’m sure I’ll live a long life because of him.”

  But was it worth it? I tried wrapping my mind around living as a blood slave, even a well-treated one, and I couldn’t. No privacy, no dreams, no friends, family. No freedom.

  Well, it was not as if I had a choice right now either.

  “What about friends?” I asked, trying to keep the subject less dark. “Were you able to make friends with any of the other blood slaves?”

  “Here and there,” he confessed. His cheeks gained a red tint.

  “What is it?” I elbowed him in the ribs. “Tell me.”

  “There was this girl,” he started, his voice low. “She was pretty and around my age. I liked her and I think she liked me, too.” My chest constricted. I already knew how this tale was going to end. “Prince Nolan claimed her. She didn’t last six months in his hands.”

  I rested my hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

  He shrugged, making me drop my hand. “It’s okay. It was a lesson. To not let my guard down or get attached to anyone here. It’s not worth the heartache.”

  I wanted to tell him I was sorry again, but I couldn’t muster the courage. At first, I hadn’t given him much credit, but now I saw how strong and loyal Thomas was.

  Maybe … maybe if he showed me any signs that he wanted to escape, that he wanted a real life, I could include him in my plans. It would be harder, but if he wanted, I could try. We could try.

  We strolled in silence a little while longer, while my mind wandered through different scenarios of how I would find out if Thomas would want to join me or not.

  I was lost in thought when I spotted an unusual sight in the distance.

  “What’s he doing?”

  Thomas followed my line of sight. “Oh yeah.” He halted and stared at Prince Drake, who was seated alone atop a hill. From here, we couldn’t see him well, but it seemed Drake was gazing at the lake. “He comes here on this night every year and sits there alone.”

  “Why?”

  The boy pressed his lips tight before finally answering my question. “It’s a special night for him.” I took a step toward Drake, but Thomas grabbed my arm. “No. He prefers to be alone.”

  I stared at Drake, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why someone would want to be alone.

  “Let’s just check if he’s okay.” I jerked my arm free from Thomas’s grip, and approached Drake. I didn’t know why, but from his reserved mien and tense body stance, this special night looked more like a sad night, and for some reason, I wanted to make sure the prince was okay.

  I was still fifty yards from him when Drake said, “I thought Thomas said to leave me alone.”

  I halted in my tracks. Of course, he had heard my conversation with Thomas. He was a vampire. “He did, but I ignored him,” I said, my tone normal since he would hear me anyway. Perfectly still, I waited three heartbeats. When he didn’t protest again, I resumed my walk. I stopped again only a few feet from him. “Are you okay?”

  His gaze wasn’t on the lake. It was on the village. And I had been right. He did seem sad.

  After a long moment, I didn’t think he would answer me, and I was about to turn and leave, when he finally let out a long breath and said, “Tonight is the anniversary of my family’s death.”

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  “My family and I lived in a village like that one.” He jerked his chin toward the other side of the lake. “I can’t really explain why, but I come here every year and watch the village at night, as if my family was somewhere in there, asleep and dreaming of a better future.”

  Cautious, I took a large step toward him and lowered myself on my knees. “You miss them; that’s why.” Missing his family. Such a human feeling. Once more, Drake surprised me. He really wasn’t like the other vampires. Curiosity welled inside me. He was a five-hundred-year-old vampire. His family had died a long time ago, but I wanted to know how. What happened to them? The courage to pose that question was missing. And before I could gather any, Drake turned his head and locked his gaze on mine, robbing the air from my lungs. The moonlight illuminated his pale skin and emphasized the sharp angles of his handsome face. By all that was sacred, I couldn’t deny he was handsome. H
eat crept up my cheeks. “I’m sorry.” I started getting up. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

  “Stay.” It had been low, almost a whisper, but I had heard it nevertheless. “I never wanted company before, but now that you’re here, I don’t feel like being by myself.”

  I should have gotten up and left. I should have scoffed in his face, laughed at his misery, said, “Who cares?” But I couldn’t. Vampires were monsters, but not Drake. At least not right now.

  I scooted a little closer to him and stayed seated by his side the rest of night.

  16

  Drake

  Last night, Thea stayed with me for hours. We didn’t speak. We barely even looked at each other. But for the first time since I had started this ritual hundreds of years ago, I hadn’t wanted to be alone.

  Close to dawn, we returned to my quarters, and I walked her to her bedroom. I stared at her door for a long while, wondering why I felt such a pull toward her, a pull that tugged deep in my chest, a pull that I couldn’t understand.

  And now, as the sun set, I was once more staring at her closed door and resisting that pull.

  What the hell was happening to me?

  I heard her rising from bed and shuffling around her bedroom. Ashamed of my weakness, I scurried to the dining room, where I found my usual bottle and glass of blood.

  I downed half the bottle in two seconds.

  The moment her bedroom door opened, her scent reached my nose. I guzzled the rest of the bottle. I would have preferred waiting for her to have breakfast together, but I knew she didn’t like seeing me drinking blood.

  More importantly, I needed to make sure I was in control of my instincts before she got too close.

  “Good evening,” she said, taking her usual seat at the center of the table.

  Desperately, I tried not to stare at her. At how the dark orange and purple rays of the sunset streaming through the window illuminated her fair skin and gave her a smooth, sun-kissed glow. At how the beautiful dark blue dress emphasized the light gray of her eyes, hugged her curves, and showed off her long legs. At how the vein in her neck popped when she glanced at me, and how much it called to me.