The vibrant green of the Scottish hills could be almost blinding when the sun was out in full force. From her window seat, Amaia enjoyed the warmth of the sun without worrying about the human stench. She had long since learned to tolerate the smell of humans baking during the day. It wasn’t the green of the hills that held her attention, but the people.
More than two years had passed since her arrival at her new home, a castle she’d learned belonged to Zenas. Every so many years, one of his vampires would take up residence as lord and switch out the staff, travel a lot, and through it all, no one suspected that there was something not quite right with the family. Zenas found pleasure in human politics and liked to be in control. Amaia quickly discovered that his power reached into nearly every crevice of human and immortal life.
Her own interests were much more limited. She enjoyed her power over one man at a time. She had begun regular work and stayed busy at various social engagements, adorning the arm of whichever man paid enough. Though she traveled often, she enjoyed the time she spent at home.
When not entertaining clients, she studied with tutors and buried herself in books. As a mortal, her wealth had afforded her a good education, but it didn’t compare to her current undertaking. She studied every major European language. Lawrence had her schooled by a French fencing instructor to improve her movement and impart the principals of fighting. Anytime one of Zenas’s clan made a new scientific or mathematical discovery, Lawrence shared it with her. And of course, Amaia reported back the political intrigues and conspiracies she observed from her clients.
Through it all, Lawrence never let her lose sight of their goal. On her advice, Lawrence played matchmaker, using his influence to arrange marriages between humans with extraordinary auras. She had already witnessed the power of Lawrence’s plan in the energy of the resultant offspring. Not only did Lawrence request her evaluations of the mortals around her, he also urged her to attempt to manipulate the energies. On that front, she hadn’t yet been successful, although she had become proficient in brushing her energy against that of a human. It was a small first step.
She had little time left for herself, but the time she had she spent observing the world around her. At night, when she wasn’t needed, she would run to a nearby lake. The way the light of the moon bounced off the water fascinated her. The stars in the sky were countless. She would watch the nighttime animals, feeling a strange camaraderie with the only other creatures who were awake. She felt no camaraderie with the humans she watched during the day, only a fascination.
The humans below her scurried like ants, interested in only their own lives. She knew that, to them, their own problems seemed large and insurmountable. It was all meaningless. Their problems and lives existed amongst thousands. Whether or not their problems were resolved, these people would die. She might even be the one to kill them. All this fuss for nothing. How had she ever been mortal?
She spied a young man and woman, their heads close together. With concentration, Amaia picked up their whispers. They were lovers. Their families didn’t approve. They would run away together. The world had never known such love, and each would die if they didn’t give it wings to fly away. Disgusting.
How stupid did a girl have to be to give up her life for the promises of love from a man? Such promises were empty. Amaia received them on a weekly basis. Love was not a motive worth exploring. Even though she couldn’t understand them, and even despised them, she couldn’t stop watching. She felt like a child watching ants march to and fro building their fragile home.
Gray eyes flashed before her. They peered at her with a depth that she had only ever seen from those eyes. She shook her head to clear it. The eyes had appeared not long after she had settled in to her new life. Without warning, they showed themselves. Sometimes, they were warm and deep. Others, they were shallow and glassy. She hadn’t discovered the secret cue that made them appear. They unsettled her every time.
“I’m in the great hall. Come to me.”
Grateful for Lawrence’s summons, Amaia jumped from her seat. The eyes appeared less often when she was busy.
Several men occupied the great hall. She wished she had known they had company. She would have worn something more appropriate. As it was, her blue and gold dress with only her pearl ring as an accessory would have to suffice. At least her hair had been properly styled with the sides woven in intricate twists to the back of her head and the rest falling in tight curls.