“I lock myself in a coffin and watch TV on my tablet.”
I glanced up at him, trying to discern his flat expression. I didn’t understand the last word, but I could kind of work it out. I knew what TV was because of Dad's stories.
“You're joking aren't you?” I guessed.
“Yup.” He smirked.
Asshole.
We continued walking in silence, heading onto a stone path that wound through the grass. “So?” I pressed, not wanting to be dismissed so easily.
“The sun doesn't kill us, if that's what you were hoping. It makes us weak though. But we have a way of keeping the sunlight at bay in this part of the country.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, surprised by how candid he was being and hoping he might enlighten me further.
Erik cleared his throat, seeming conflicted. “It’s difficult to explain to someone who has no idea about the true powers in the world.”
I narrowed my eyes, curiosity flaming inside me. “Can you try to explain?”
He sighed, his brow furrowing heavily. “Vampires are not the only powerful creatures on earth. There are others. Or there were. Now there is only one left and she helps us to evade the sun.”
I frowned. He was talking in riddles, but fear grew in me at the knowledge that there were other beings like the vampires. “I’m not sure I understand.”
Erik tugged me to a halt as we met a smooth stone road. I followed the line of it with my eyes as it disappeared into the woodland, wondering what we were waiting for.
“You don’t have to understand. Because that, Rebel, is the last thing I'm going to say on the matter. Today is about preparing you for your time with Fabian tomorrow not discussing things that aren’t your concern.”
My gut knotted tightly as reality hit home. I glowered, remaining silent as we continued to stand on the edge of the road.
A noise filled my ears. A persistent clip-clopping. When the sound revealed itself, all thoughts abandoned me. Two white stallions appeared pulling a beautiful black carriage behind them. I'd seen the animals occasionally; vampires used them to pass messages between each other in the Realm. But these horses were magnificent. They were dressed in golden bridles with gleaming red gemstones on the edge of their bits.
My heart thrummed an excited tune. I didn't know why, but the idea of riding in that carriage looked kind of...enjoyable. I didn't realise a smile had spread onto my face until Erik noted it with a raised eyebrow.
I turned away, spotting a male vampire in a fine coat and hat sitting on a perch at the front of the carriage.
“Good morning, Count Erik,” he called, pulling the carriage to a halt in front of us. He glanced at me, then tipped his hat in acknowledgment. It was probably one of the most respectful greetings I'd ever received from a vampire. And it was damn strange.
The man jumped down from his seat, opening the door of the carriage and bowing low. Erik released my arm and I took the opportunity to approach the nearest horse. I'd always wanted to touch one, to see what their coat felt like...
As I moved in front of it, the horse released a soft snort and I grinned. Reaching out my palm, I spoke quietly to the dazzling creature. “Hello, what's your name?”
The horse pushed its nose into my palm and it was the softest thing I'd ever felt. My mouth parted as I slid my hand up between its eyes, gently rubbing the velvet patch of fur.
“That's Cain and the other one's Able,” the driver told me.
I glanced over at him with a nod and spotted Erik watching me like I'd gone mad. His expression quickly morphed into disinterest then he turned his gaze to the trees. “We haven't got all day.”
“I thought we did?” I teased, but Erik didn't answer. Mr Bossy clearly wasn’t going to indulge my time-wasting much longer.
I stepped away from the horse, returning to Erik's side. Snatching my hand, he tugged me toward the open door and gestured for me to go first.
I glanced over my shoulder in surprise as he pushed against my palm, helping me up into it. What the hell? Did the heartless Count actually have manners? And manners he gave to a human, no less.
Inside was a lavish space with dark leather seats and a gleaming lantern hanging on one wall. Windows on either side allowed us a view beyond it and I settled myself beside one, gazing out into the trees. My heart skipped and jumped as I realised we were about to see more of the landscape.
Erik dropped into the seat beside me, his leg pressing hard against mine. My throat grew dry at his proximity and I didn't know whether it was from fear or not. My anticipation was swallowing up everything else.
“Where are we going?” I asked, rounding on him with wide eyes.
His mouth tugged up at one corner. “Into the city,” he said then turned away. Evidently that was the most information I was going to get, but it was enough to set my pulse racing.
The carriage took off at a steady pace and I marvelled at the world unfolding beyond the window. The woodland stretched away from us into a fairytale landscape. Leaves floated down from the branches, twirling in the wind and scattering across the ground. Gold, burnt amber, fiery orange and lemon yellow. More colours than I’d ever seen at once.
We followed the winding path for a while then headed over a tiny bridge with a glistening river flowing beneath it. Fat ducks swam on it, heading downstream at a leisurely pace. Star-shaped leaves twisted on the surface, spinning under the force of the current. It was so peaceful to watch and I was glad when the path turned and we started following the line of the river so I could keep drinking in the sight of it.
The trees finally thinned and we emerged on a neat stretch of grass that led right up to the huge white wall ahead. Beyond it, forbidding skyscrapers reflected the dark clouds back at us, seeming to hold an entire sky within them.
The carriage slowed as we approached the iron gate and two guards hurried forward with swords strapped to their hips. They checked the carriage over before looking inside. Erik didn't pay them any attention, his eyes on a strange device in his hand. It was like a miniature TV and I wondered if this was what Dad had called a phone.
Losing interest, I returned my gaze to the view as the guards opened the gates and we passed through them. We headed onto a street that was so wide, it was big enough for five carriages side by side. A few gleaming black cars drove along the road and some green-robed vampires were on horseback, trotting along a lane that seemed to be specifically for the animals. The carriage pulled onto it and I pressed my cheek to the window as I tried to gaze up to the top of the buildings. I felt like a child immersed in a new world. It was thrilling and terrifying at once.
I wanted to see more. To know more. I'd never had those desires before. Dad's stories had always been entertaining but they'd relied on our imagination. This was so real. I could reach out and touch it, feel it, experience it.
I was half way out of my seat by the time we rounded a corner onto a narrower road, passing through imposing black tower blocks marked with the royal flag of red, white and blue. Vampires roamed the streets at ease, looking surprisingly normal amongst the strange surroundings. I spotted couples hand in hand, a female admiring a gleaming water feature, a male reading a book on a bench. I should have been angry with it all, but it was like watching animals in their natural habitat. Strangely fascinating.
Erik tugged my dress so I fell back into my seat. I turned to him with irritation but he just smirked and gestured for me to continue.
“It's so...big,” I murmured to myself.
“It's called New York City,” Erik supplied and I tried out the words on my lips in a quiet voice.
He gave me a bemused look, shaking his head before continuing to look at his phone.
“How does it work?” I asked, eyeing the object.
Erik frowned then promptly passed it over.
I weighed the cool thing in my palm, unsure what to do with it.
“Press the screen,” Erik directed.
I did as he said and it
lit up, revealing a series of colourful squares.
Erik reached over, tapping a button with a crescent on it. “You can call people from here.”
My brows lifted as I thought of Callie. “How?” I demanded and he snorted at my expression.
“Only vampires. Humans don't have phones. And even if they did, you can't call someone without a number.”
“Oh,” I breathed, vaguely disappointed but not really surprised.
I spotted his family's names amongst his recent calls and my finger hovered over Clarice.
“Can you show me?” I breathed, tempted to press her name.
“You wanna call my sister?” He barked a laugh, snatching the phone from my palm. “Another time, Rebel. We're here.”
I hadn't even noticed that the carriage had stopped. The driver opened the door and Erik stepped out first, offering me his hand.
My tongue became desperately dry as I took his large palm and he guided me down the metal stairs to the pavement. I craned my neck as I looked up at the huge stone building towering above us, tapering to a point at the top.
“This is the New Empire State building,” Erik informed me, nodding a goodbye to our driver as he pulled me toward a set of glass doors that seemed to rotate.
I clung to his arm, anxious as he guided me into one. We were pressed together, moving through it as it circled, allowing us inside.
“Nervous, Rebel?” he murmured as we stepped out.
“Something like that,” I whispered. I was a human at the heart of a vampire nest. How was I supposed to feel about that?
A glossy hall greeted us where several guards stood in corners. An Elite in dark robes hurried out from behind a desk, bowing low. It was their superior beauty which gave the Elite away. In comparison to the royals, however, they almost paled to normalcy.
“Your highness, we weren't expecting you,” the vampire said, seeming flustered.
“Is that a problem?” Erik demanded.
“No, sir,” he answered. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes were as bright as moonlight. “I'll have a table prepared for you immediately.”
“Thank you, Angus,” Erik said with a curt nod.
Angus beamed, gesturing for us to follow him as he headed towards a set of metal doors. He pressed a button beside them and the doors opened, revealing a large metal box.
I wrinkled my nose as we stepped into it, taking in our reflection on a huge mirror at the back. I didn't look anything like myself in the gorgeous gown with a royal vampire on my arm. It was a complete paradox.
Erik turned me to face the doors as they slid closed and I glanced around, feeling like I was missing something.
“How's business, Angus?” Erik asked as the floor seemed to jerk upward and a strange weight pressed down on my shoulders.
What the hell is happening..?
“Fantastic, sir. I've just opened another bar in Brooklyn which is booming. You should come along sometime.”
“I'll make sure of it.” Erik threw him a small smile and if I hadn't been so confused about what was going on, I might have been more surprised by his warmer demeanour.
The doors opened again and my heart slammed into my throat. We were in a completely different room. My feet were glued in place as I took in the huge space with high black tables. Beyond them were enormous windows, looking out at the sky. I finally put two and two together. The metal box must have been an elevator. I'd nearly forgotten about them, but there'd been old shafts in some of the apartments in the Realm which had once been designed for this exact thing. So now we must have been somewhere way up inside the building.
Erik drew me into the room which was full of vampires, standing at the tables with silver cups in their hands.
Angus guided us past them and eyes followed us as the vampires noticed Erik. Many of them whispered and pointed. And suddenly their eyes were roaming over me too, scouring, tearing me apart, sizing me up. My gut clenched and I fell back on my old ways, throwing them dark scowls.
Angus led us to a velvet rope, beyond which was a crescent-shaped leather sofa, pointing toward a large window. Two Elite sat there dressed in fine clothes, their heavenly faces fixed with surprise at the sight of us.
Angus snapped his fingers at them. “I'm sorry you'll have to vacate the VIP area, our royal highness is here.”
The two men rose to their feet, eyeing Erik before bowing low. They headed past us and Erik tugged me toward the seats they'd just vacated.
“A chalice of Realm A,” Erik ordered then glanced at me. “And food and water for my Courtier.”
“Food?” Angus squeaked and Erik rounded on him with a dark smile.
“Yes, human food. Is that a problem?” Erik inquired casually, his back now to me.
“N-no, sir,” Angus said, bowing so low his nose nearly touched the floor.
“I'm used to not having breakfast,” I said quickly. “It's not a problem.”
Angus straightened, eyeing me hopefully.
“Nonsense,” Erik bit out, ushering Angus away.
He hurried off and Erik turned to me with a frown. “What Realm are you from?” he asked as I moved to the window.
I forgot his question in an instant, sucking in a breath as I eyed the city unfolding below me. We were so high up, I could see for miles. It was more than my eyes had ever seen in one go. Beyond the gleaming skyscrapers were ruins, bombed remains of a huge section of the old city. And beyond that was a hint of green. A forest maybe? Or something else?
My veins sang with energy. It was kind of alarming. The vampires resided in such luxury, it was hard to believe I was really seeing it for myself. Living amongst it...
“Rebel?” Erik muttered, moving to my side. “Your Realm?”
I thought on it. I didn’t really know much about the other Realms, but I recalled what one of the vampires had said during my journey here.
“Realm G, I think,” I replied.
“West coast,” he said to himself. “Realm G is a lower brand of blood. Something to do with the climate, I suppose. The type of food you're given, perhaps...” He fell quiet in thought and my neck prickled with his words. There were classes of blood quality? Gross.
“A chalice of Realm A for your highness.” Angus reappeared, passing Erik an ornate silver cup. As Erik took it with a nod of thanks, I spotted the deep red liquid inside.
Realm A… urgh, was that a good brand? The thought made me ill and I drifted toward the sofa, dropping down as a weight hung from my heart.
“The human food will arrive shortly,” Angus promised before hurrying away again.
Erik sipped from his fancy cup, eyeing the view. My throat tightened. In all my lifetime, I'd rarely seen vampires actually drink blood. Humans gave it every few months and then it was bottled and sent away. They never drank from us directly. But seeing him sip from that cup seemed somehow worse.
Whose blood had it been? A man's? A woman's? A child's?
Erik neither knew nor cared. And that made the whole thing so much more twisted. If he saw the blood spilling from a human's veins, would it make him hungry?
I shut my eyes, feeling queasy, not wanting to watch Erik drink any longer.
“Something wrong?” Erik asked, his weight pressing down the seat beside me.
The metallic scent from his cup sailed under my nose and nausea gripped my stomach.
“Where's the bathroom?” I asked, fighting back a heave.
“Over there.” He pointed across the room toward a set of doors.
I rose to my feet, pressing my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Heat flooded up my spine, followed by a wave of ice. My legs didn't hold me and I hit the floor before I knew what was happening.
My vision darkened and when I regained my sight, I was lying on the sofa with my head in Erik's lap.
“You fainted,” he said and I noticed his chalice was now gone.
I gazed up at his chiselled jaw, unable to believe I was actually resting in a vampire's lap. I bolted upright, jerking
away from him and he thrust a glass of water under my nose. I gulped it down, the cool drink settling my knotted stomach.
“The blood upsets you,” Erik remarked.
My boldness grew again followed by a wave of embarrassment for having passed out. But it was all too much. Seeing them drink blood in front of me, I might as well have had my own veins hooked up to their damn chalices.
I am food. I will never be anything else to these vile creatures. My family's blood has gone down their throats. My blood too...
“If I sat here drinking the blood of your friends, wouldn't you be a little upset?” I bit at him. God, how could I have been excited about coming here? What had I been thinking?
Erik's lips pursed, but he didn't bite back at me. “I can avoid drinking in front of you, if you'd prefer.”
I'd prefer if you stopped drinking altogether and turned into a pile of soot.
I simply shrugged, growing angrier with him. With all of them.
“It's something you will have to get used to,” Erik murmured.
I continued to ignore him, angling my head away from him so I didn't have to think about the blood he'd just swallowed.
My dad was strung up in a blood bank somewhere and this was where his blood would end up. In glitzy bars designed for the vampires to feed. It was disgusting.
Erik's hand landed on my arm and I jolted in surprise, turning toward him. His face was contorted in a strange expression as if he didn't even understand the emotion he was trying to express. “When the ritual is over you’ll be made into a vampire and blood will no longer be unappealing to you,” he said and I could feel my face paling by the second.
“I don’t want that. Please don’t let anyone do that to me.” My mouth was raw and bile was pushing at the base of my tongue.
Erik gave me a concerned frown, his fingers tightening on my arm. “I don’t wish to put this curse on anyone, but it is the way of things now.”
I gaped at him, unable to believe what I was hearing. He ground his jaw, glancing over at the other vampires seeming worried that they might have heard him.
“You think it’s a curse?” I hissed, my heart strumming a frantic tune.
“I know it’s a curse,” he laughed dryly, then a heavy sadness filled his eyes. “Perhaps bringing you here was a little...insensitive.” he spoke the last word as if he was unsure. Was he seriously feeling bad about this? Did he actually have a heart in that ice-cold chest of his? And what had he meant about being cursed? Did he really believe that?
Age of Vampires- The Complete Series Page 16