chapter 5
Light pierced through my lids and roused me harshly from a deep, dreamless sleep. My eyes opened despite my desire for sleep, squinting as the beam glared at me. A moment of panic clutched my heart, but released quickly when I discovered it wasn’t the deadly rays of the sun that were assaulting me, but something entirely different. Liz lay beside me, breathing deeply as she slept. Louie was curled up by her head, his tail curled across her face like a furry mustache. I held back a giggle knowing how much that annoyed her. She’d probably be sneezing all night.
Every one of her fingers was sparkling, reflecting light from the bedside table lamp that had been left on. Each of her fingers held a ring from my jewelry case. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds. They were just as beautiful as I remembered them, but somehow they looked better on Liz than they ever would on me. She always enjoyed the finer things in life. I thought all the jewelry was gorgeous, but I never much cared to wear any of it. It was too flashy for me, but for Liz, it just seemed to amplify her beauty. Or, maybe she was amplifying its beauty. Either way, at least it was being enjoyed and not collecting dust in the closet.
I leaned over the side of the bed and pulled the cord that dangled below the lampshade. Darkness swallowed the room, and I snuggled back into my covers, ready to revisit the world of slumber. However, the tickets had apparently sold out.
No matter how hard I tried, my mind wouldn’t quiet down and the longer I laid there trying to sleep, the more alert I became. There was no stopping the questions and worries that ran rampant through my head like a stampede of wild bulls. Would I be able to keep Liz safe? Was Ana still out there waiting to come after me? Would we win this war against Baal? Would the Zakarian region and the Noire region be enough to defeat him? All these thoughts and more rushed through me. With a growl of frustration, I pulled my sleepy body out of bed and dragged my feet all the way to the bathroom.
A chilling autumn breeze blew in from the window, setting my nerves on edge. I wrinkled my brow, marching over and slamming the window shut. I wanted to be left alone, and it seemed not even the wind was allowed in my presence at the moment. I knew I would have to get my mood in check before I interacted with anyone tonight, especially Arrick. For all I knew, he probably already sensed my agitation. The thought of him broke through the knot of anxiety that was twisting in my chest. I wouldn’t be able to defeat the evil I despised by becoming some angry monster myself. I needed to take his advice and calm down. There would be plenty of time to allow my rage to overflow when it was time to face down Baal, which could be sooner rather than later.
After a long shower I began packing for our trip to Naos. I grabbed a large shoulder bag off a shelf in my closet and stuffed a few things in. I wanted to pack light. I had everything I needed at home, so I didn’t need much. Just a couple changes of clothes and some bathroom supplies and I’d be good to go. I slipped on a pair of dark jeans and a soft, forest green sweater. I would probably be too hot in it later, but I had opted for comfort and the sweater was perfect. It was a bit oversized, yet that’s what made it just right. I moved over to my large, free standing jewelry table and slid open the second drawer. I latched onto a small, leather watch and then moved the rest over to the side with my palm. Along the edge of the drawer was a small piece of black ribbon that stuck up between the seams. I pinched it between my fingers and pulled. A small compartment opened up underneath the bottom of the drawer. There lay the locket Robin gave me, and the stones. I hadn’t worn them since the funeral, and I missed feeling their weight around my neck. I touched them with my fingertips, gently caressing the cold, black jewels. They were once a thing to be feared, but now they were something entirely different. Now I felt the need to protect them, to fight for them. I felt like they were lost souls I needed to set free. I didn’t know how, but I’d figure it out.
Someday.
They were victims of Baal too. They deserved vengeance, they deserved retribution, and they would have it.
“What are you looking at?” Liz asked sleepily from the doorway.
“Nothing.” I slapped the compartment shut but not before snatching up the locket and the stones, and sliding the drawer closed with impeccable speed.
“Whatever.” She walked over to the mirror to gaze at her drowsy face. “What are we doing tonight?”
“We’re going to Naos.” The thought of going home and seeing my parents immediately lifted my spirits. Even though I called them nightly, and they repeatedly told me they were doing fine, I still worried. I needed to see for myself that they were healing, and the wounds they endured during the attack hadn’t caused more damage than I’d feared.
“Looks like you had fun last night.” I eyed the rings on Liz’s fingers, noting that she also had on the largest ruby earrings that were on display, as well as several bracelets and necklaces.
“Nothing wrong with playing a little dress up.” She posed in the mirror, then licked her finger and placed it on her hip as she made a sizzling sound. “I must say, I make these look good.”
“Oh boy, here we go.” I rolled my eyes and tried my best to hold back a snort as I hefted my bag off the floor.
“Don’t be such a downer, Claire.” Liz followed me back into the bedroom. “You could be so beautiful if you just gave it a little effort. I mean, look at that sweater!” She picked at my sleeve like I was wearing a pair of dirty gym socks.
“What’s wrong with it?” I looked down at myself, relishing the softness of the fabric against my flesh.
“That shade of green is a crime,” she said as she strolled back into the closet and began rummaging through the clothes. “You’ve got every designer in the region in here and you’re wearing that!” she called out to me, but I ignored her as I slipped on my favorite pair of black ballet flats. She was being her usual annoying self, but I enjoyed every second of it. Liz might be shallow, vain, and materialistic but at least I knew she’d always give it to me straight. That was one of the things I had always loved about her. She was who she was and she didn’t care who knew it, or what they thought. I could take a tip from her and start embracing who I was. Anger, fangs, and all.
“So, what’s the deal with you and that Arrick guy? Are you two hooking up?” Liz walked out of the closet minus the sparkling jewelry but had donned a pair of skinny jeans, pale white camisole and a light peach blazer. She had a knack for pairing items that alone looked ridiculous to me, but on her were straight off a magazine cover.
“Not exactly.” I evaded her penetrating gaze as I gathered Louie’s things into an extra bag.
“That’s a big yes then.” Liz giggled wickedly as she tossed an empty suitcase onto the bed and began raiding my closet again. “Seriously, Claire, a guy like that? You better reel him in quick or he’ll be fishing in another pond faster than you can blink.”
“Arrick isn’t like that,” I said, stuffing Louie’s cat toys into the side pocket of the bag. I knew she was only trying to look out for me, but there were details about Arrick she didn’t know yet. He and I were bonded, and I was fairly certain there was no way that bond could ever be broken. I knew his feelings better than my own. He loved me more than anyone I’d ever known. It was me he should be worrying about, not the other way around. I was the one fighting my true feelings. My hot, cold moods were going to have to end. Arrick deserved better than that.
“If you say so. I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said, delicately folding clothes and setting them in her suitcase with extreme care. “I wouldn’t want to have to kick his ass. I could ruin a perfect pair of heels that way.” She winked at me.
“Whose butt are we kicking?” Robin asked curiously as she stepped into the room. Her face was bright and friendly, yet I could still see the shadow of sadness in her eyes.
“Robin!” I flew over to her and wrapped her in my arms. It wasn’t till she squeezed back that I finally released her. “Robin, this is Liz. Liz, this is Robin.”
“Hi.” Robin waved with a wiggle of her fingers and plopped down on the bed.
“Hey,” Liz replied, her attention sucked onto a black miniskirt. It was still clipped on a hanger, and she kept switching it back and forth under three shirts trying to decide which it matched with better.
“The red one. It’s totally classic,” Robin piped in, sounding more chipper than she had in days.
“That’s what I was thinking too.” Liz smiled approvingly. Anyone who agreed with her fashion tastes were okay in her book. Robin beamed back widely, her fangs on full display.
“Wow, you’re one too?” Liz dropped the miniskirt and red blouse into the suitcase and looked at Robin with wide eyes. “You don’t look like a vampire at all.”
“What do I look like?” Robin looked confused, and looked at me with a worried glance but all I could do was smile. I knew exactly what Liz meant. I had thought it myself when I first met her.
“You just look so…” Liz planted her hands on her hips.
“Sweet,” I answered, sitting down next to Robin. “I thought the same thing when I first met you.”
“Yeah! You don’t look like a bloodsucker at all.” Robin winced at her words, but I knew Liz hadn’t meant them to be mean. She just didn’t have a filter between her brain and her mouth. Liz strolled back into the closet with a swish of her hips and began searching through the racks of shoes.
“She didn’t mean it like that,” I said, searching Robin’s hurt expression. “I thought you looked more like an angel when I met you.” Her expression softened at my words.
“There are no such things as angels,” Robin replied with a smirk, the hurt look vanishing from her face.
“Maybe there is, and we just don’t know it yet.” Her face lit up with amusement like it had in the past whenever I said something completely ridiculous. “Are you packed?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yes. We’re all ready to go.”
“Who’s we?”
“Dmitry and I.” She looked confused. “Didn’t you know he was coming?”
“No, it’s cool. I just didn’t think he’d want to, I guess.” I mean, I had killed his brother. Luka had it coming, but that didn’t change the fact that I had killed him. Plus, his parents were here. Did he really want to leave them behind?
“Why wouldn’t he want to?” Robin leaned over so she could look at my face. “Oh.” She sat back, having found everything in my expression that revealed my feelings. “He’s not mad at you.”
“He should be.” I sighed heavily, feeling the emotions tumbling into my stomach like rocks. I spied Louie across the room, playing with a hair tie he’d probably stolen from the bathroom. I snatched him up, and placed him on my lap to help keep me calm. For once, he didn’t mind being stolen away from one of his favorite toys and purred happily as I scratched his head.
“Don’t say that, Claire. We all know what really happened that night. He and I have even talked about it. He’s mad at Luka, not you. He’s mad at himself too,” she said sadly.
“Why would he be mad at himself?” I asked. Robin shook her head, wiping a tear away before standing up.
“What time do you want to go?”
“As soon as everyone is ready, I guess.” I was bummed that she had changed the subject, but it was probably for the best. Now wasn’t the time to talk about that. “I need to track down Arrick and see how long he needs to get a car ready for us.”
“Oh, he and Dmitry are doing that right now,” Robyn answered, sounding back to normal. She was really making an effort to hide her pain, I could feel it. I wanted to let her know that if she needed to vent, I was here, but if she needed to keep things bottled up, I understood that too. I was the queen of bottling things up.
“Who’s Dmitry?” Liz asked, applying lip gloss as she walked into the room. She’d done her long tresses half-up into a hair bow, and applied her usual smoky eye.
“He’s Claire’s…” Robin looked at me curiously. What exactly was Dmitry? My ex-boyfriend? We never really were official, even though he was my first official major crush. Things had ended between us as quickly as they had begun.
“He’s just a friend.” I knew Liz wouldn’t buy it, but I didn’t want to hash out the details again.
“Wait? Is he the guy you were telling me about?” My evasion had piqued her interest. “The vampire you made out with when you first moved here?”
My cheeks flashed red at her words. “It’s not like that anymore, Liz. We’re just friends now.” I didn’t know why I was so embarrassed, but talking about Dmitry like that didn’t feel right. Even recounting what had happened between us made me feel like I was cheating on Arrick.
“Is he as hot as that Arrick guy?”
“Liz!” I shouted at her, though it wasn’t in anger. More in shock. I might have been worried about the vampires taking advantage of her, but perhaps it was going to be more the other way around.
“What?” She smiled wickedly at us and began zipping up her suitcase. “Can’t a girl have a little fun?”
“Oh, I’m sure you will.” I laughed at the thought of all the trouble she’d probably get herself into in Naos. There was no shortage of attractive men there; vampire, or human.
Arrick had packed up a large suburban for our drive to Naos. We loaded up the rest of the luggage, and after introductions we were on our way. For a second I felt bad for not saying goodbye to Nicolae, but it would have been too awkward, too forced. Luckily, Arrick had saved me the trouble and explained he’d had a discussion with Nicolae before we’d left. That didn’t stop the guilt I felt for not saying goodbye to Evilyn… again; though she probably wouldn’t have wanted to talk to me or anyone anyway. I still planned to mend things between us when everything was over. Nicolae, on the other hand, I was still a little angry with him. I probably always would be.
Robin said her mother had gone back to the crypt. It was painful to see Mara so broken, but even more so to see the hurt she was causing Robin. She’d already lost her father; I didn’t want her to lose her mother too. I imagined it would be difficult for her to stay here and watch her mother spiral into depression, but it had to be hard to leave her as well. Robin was obviously trying her hardest to be strong, but she couldn’t hide how much she was still hurting. I could almost feel her anguish just from sitting beside her. I slipped my arm around hers and squeezed.
The drive to Naos seemed surprisingly shorter than it had before. Maybe because I wasn’t fleeing for my life. We spent most of the time answering Liz’s endless array of questions, most of which Robin was more than happy to answer. She loved vampire history, and giving Liz the run down on all the facts was right up her alley. To my surprise, Liz wasn’t as shocked about the truths as I had been; in fact, she was all the more fascinated. If she didn’t worship vampires before, she definitely did now.
“So, you’re telling me you can seriously run faster than this SUV?” Liz asked Arrick, completely flabbergasted.
He chuckled. “Yeah.”
“But you can go out in daylight, and they can’t?” she asked, pointing to Robin, Dmitry and me.
“Pretty much,” Arrick answered, sounding less uncomfortable being in her presence then he had at her house.
“Well, why aren’t all vampires like you then?”
“They aren’t allowed,” Robin answered. “The vampire high council in our region has only permitted a handful of Blood Mates to be created in the last hundred years.”
“That’s dumb,” Liz scowled, sounding offended.
“It’s more like they’re scared than anything,” Dmitry said, finally speaking.
“Scared of what?” Liz questioned.
“They believe Blood Mates are more powerful than vampires.”
“It’s true,” Robin commented, shifting in her seat so she could face Dmitry who was sitting shotgun next to Arrick. “I think in some ways they are. Maybe if we had more of them we would stand a better chance against Baal.”
“Baal? That’s the evil, mutant vampire guy, right?” Liz wrinkled her brow looking utterly confused with the situation. I didn’t blame her; it was a lot to take in. But, she was handling it rather well, considering.
“Yes,” Robin giggled, making us all release our own laughter, and easing the tension that we had been hiding inside.
Liz kept asking questions ranging from the kind of shops available in Naos, to what the weather was like and if it would affect her hair. She even asked me if I could hook her up with any available guys! Now wasn’t the time to go gallivanting around on a date, but could it really do any harm? I agreed that I would think about it, but I told her that she wouldn’t be allowed out of the Château without a guard. It was just too dangerous.
It was uncomfortable sleeping in the car, but it was our only option. Like the Mercedes we’d taken before, the SUV had blackout curtains that hid the sunlight during the day. Arrick drove the whole way, only stopping to refuel or get himself and Liz some food.
“Are we there yet?” Liz asked through a yawn after the sun had finally set and we were starting to wake up.
“Almost,” Arrick replied as he turned the SUV to the left. I was expecting us to come to a stop, thinking we’d made it to the parking location, and walk the rest of the way like we had before. Instead, I felt the engine roar as we drove up a steep incline. The sound of gravel crunched beneath the tires.
“Where are we going?” I leaned forward, placing my hand on Arrick’s shoulder. I missed touching him, being near him. I felt that same yearning emit from him, coursing its way through my fingertips and straight to my heart.
“Just going the back way. I thought it would be better than making everyone walk through town with all this luggage,” he said, sounding more in control of his emotions than he felt. Not to mention it was rather awkward having Dmitry just inches away. He’d been a large point of jealousy for Arrick, and I could tell that just a bit of it was creeping back.
“Good thinking.” I’d completely forgotten how much we’d brought with us. Louie growled angrily behind me, shouting his desire to be free of his cage and the car. “We’re almost there, big guy.” I stuck my finger through the cage and he rubbed his head against it.
“Good! My legs are so cramped and I think my butt is asleep,” Liz groaned, stretching her arms up to touch the roof of the SUV.
“We wouldn’t want that.” I pinched her arm and she slapped my hand.
“No picking on the human!” she cried out playfully.
As if on cue; Robin, Dmitry and Liz all gasped in sync as the Château came into view. From this distance I couldn’t even tell it had been attacked at all. Though the sun had set, the sky still carried a luxurious pink hue tinged in lavender and red. Everything seemed to be soaking in the beauty of it, glowing with the last ounces of light before being swallowed up by the dark curtain of night.
The cylindrical towers stood grandly amongst the arched windows, and ornate architectural details that accentuated the intricate stone statues that stood watch over the Château. Lush plants embraced the structure, hugging every brick with vibrant, green life. Pops of color speckled the landscape giving proof that the coming autumn hadn’t withered the summer’s vibrant blooms.
“It’s even more beautiful in person,” Robin said in awe.
“Wait, you haven’t been to Naos before?” I asked, completely confused.
“No,” she smiled at me, “I’ve just seen this Château before, but only in pictures. Pictures that didn’t do it justice at all.” I don’t know why I was surprised; Robin hungered for vampire history as much as a vampire hungers for blood.
As we drew closer, Arrick pulled the SUV aside and parked in a graveled area amongst several other vehicles. All of them were dark in color with blackout windows. There was a beautiful royal blue convertible that I thought was a bit out of place, but I suppose a night drive with the wind in your hair would actually be kind of nice. Maybe when the war was over Arrick and I could go on that drive.
Liz oohed and ahhed over the cars until her attention was drawn back to the Château. Rounding the front, scaffolding outlined an entire wing like skeletal bones. The repairs were well under way; my parents weren’t wasting any time getting it back to normal, either.
Arrick’s urgency slammed into my chest like a freight train as he quickened his pace toward the entrance. I’d told him what had happened, but no doubt seeing it in person was a lot to take in. Hell, I was here when it happened and it still shocked me. Despite the maintenance and restoration that had begun, the magnitude of the damage did not escape me. I could almost feel the Château’s wound as if it bled from my very own limb. Pain seeped from it like a river. I knew it wasn’t really the building that was crying out, but those inside it. My parents, the guard, the elders, the servants, the humans. Everyone.
I ran to Arrick’s side as he dropped to his knees. “Are you okay?” I kneeled down beside him, wrapping my arm around his waist.
“I should have been here,” he said, staring at the Château. His voice was laced with anger and regret.
“Don’t blame yourself. This would have happened whether or not you were here. If you hadn’t left then Robin and Dmitry might not be alive.” I looked back at my friends who were trying their best to give us space by unloading the luggage from the SUV.
Arrick blinked hard, finally looking at me. “Don’t!” I pressed my finger to his lips when he opened his mouth to speak. I played the blame game enough for the both of us; he didn’t need to play it too. Plus, I hated seeing him like this. He’d always been my rock, my symbol of strength and I wanted to be that for him too. “You’re here now and that’s what matters. Baal might have attacked first, he might have tried to burn down our homes, but he failed!” I pointed to the scaffolding where it was obvious repairs were not far from being done. I could smell the scent of cement and fresh paint mixed in the breeze. “All he’s done is made us stronger.”
“Look at you being all optimistic.” He smiled appraisingly at me.
“Well, I did learn from the best.” I winked at him playfully. He pulled me to him, wrapping me in his arms as he dropped a kiss onto my lips. He was warm and inviting, lacing his fingers in my hair with one hand and squeezing my hips with the other. Passion surged through me as our embrace tightened and our tongues danced. Moments later he pulled away, caressing my face with his fingertips. I sighed as his warm breath tickled my skin. He teased me, nudging my nose with his and pulling his luscious lips away with a smirk when I tried kissing him again.
“Come here.”
I slid my fingers through his hair, leaning into him until our lips locked again. If he wanted to tease me, then two could play at that game. I tugged on his lip, hoping to torture him like he had me, but he jerked underneath me. My eyes popped open to see his finger on his lip. As he pulled it away a single drop of blood stood at the edge of his bottom lip.
“You bit me,” he said with surprise. I stared at the blood, hunger roaring inside me. I hadn’t meant to bite him; to play so rough, but now that I had… it had been so long since I’d last eaten, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out. This fast was growing more difficult every hour. How were Dmitry and Robin managing so easily? It took all my strength the whole drive here to not beg Arrick to let me drink from him again. I could never forget how delicious he tasted, nothing like the coppery flavor of blood before I was changed. No, Arrick tasted like honey. Honey that filled every inch of my body with energy, and strength.
I could feel my breathing growing faster, my vision zeroing in on that single droplet. I wanted to slide my tongue across his plump lip, but would I stop at that? No, I doubt I could. I managed to pull my eyes away from his lip, but every sensation in my body still focused on it. Arrick was looking straight at me, passion hidden in his gaze. The heat between us was sweltering. I hadn’t realized it, but I pushed my every desire outward, wrapping our bodies together like lovers. It accentuated our desires, fed our passion, and shared our emotions.
His chest heaved against mine, but he dropped his gaze. He took his finger, and slid it across his lip. My heart sank as he pulled away the droplet, making me sigh in disappointment. I unlatched my arms from around him, ready to pull myself from his grasp when his finger slid across my lip. He spread the blood across my lips like a crimson gloss. I stared at him with wide eyes, as the sweet smell wafted into my nose. His touch was so sensual it made my heart hammer in my chest.
I hesitated for only a moment, as I stared into his smoldering eyes, before licking my lips. He smiled lovingly at me, pulling me toward him and planting a kiss on my forehead.
“Why did you do that?” I touched my lips, still able to feel the tingle of his touch. I had been starving, hell, I was still starving, but that gave me no right to bite him. I hadn’t meant to and I felt a little guilty. I didn’t want him to think that’s all he was to me. Arrick was more than just a meal. He was my friend, my guardian, my protector, and… the man I believed I was starting to fall madly in love with despite my stubborn brain trying to fight me on it.
“You’re hungry,” he answered simply. “I can feel it.” I turned away, ashamed that he had felt how much I wanted to sink my teeth into him.
“Get a room!” Liz stuck her tongue out at us, as she shouted from beside the SUV. She was followed by Dmitry who rolled his eyes while Robin gave a playful wink. We had been caught red-handed. Arrick and I untangled ourselves, and after dousing our passion we strolled up to my friends hand in hand. I couldn’t stop the heat that rushed to my cheeks in embarrassment. That wasn’t exactly a situation I wanted an audience for.
Arrick and Dmitry carried most of the luggage as we made our way to the Château. Louie growled angrily as I hefted him in my arms, refusing to let him go until we were safely inside. This was a new place for him and I didn’t want him wandering around until he understood this would be our new home.
The moment I stepped into the entry relief washed over me. Being home made all the fears, and doubts I had disappear. Maybe everything was really going to be okay? My parents were healing, the Noire region was going to join forces with us, I had my friends with me and Arrick by my side. We had everything going for us. The possibility of winning this war finally broke through my pessimistic nature.