Page 19 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Kiss

He tilted my chin up to look into my eyes, his palm cupping my cheek. “You’re strong, Leonora. Powerful. Even if you had wanted to spare Rowan, the part of you that’s driven by blood, by predator, could never have allowed it.”

Predator. There was something in that word that resonated, even if it wasn’t what I’d chosen for myself.

“It’s not a bad thing,” he said, picking up on the thought. “Predator doesn’t mean evil. You can decide what it means for you.”

“Protector,” I murmured without even thinking and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I just thought that going to Ashvale, searching for answers, I thought it would fix things. Fix me.” There was a tightness in my chest that made it hard to breathe, even though I no longer needed air. It was like drowning in emotion, in pain, and my muscles clenched as I tried to hold it in, my teeth creaking against one another as I set my jaw, forcing the words out like they might ease the ache. “But it didn’t. I tried to fix it, so why do I feel more broken than ever?”

I didn’t need a response, not really, and this version of Hayes, the sweeter, dream version, didn’t offer a solution. He just held me tighter, my face buried in his chest, his hand curled protectively across the back of my head, and when the first sob shook my body, I didn’t hold back. Had I really cried for myself yet? For Rowan? For the people I couldn’t remember but who had once been my world? I wasn’t sure, but it felt like the floodgates were open now. At least crying in a dream wouldn’t have real repercussions. My eyes wouldn’t get red and puffy, my throat hoarse, I was half-surprised that I could cry. It seemed so human.

“Thank you,” Hayes said softly, the words a breath in my ear. “For trusting me. I know the hearing for Elowen is tomorrow, and I know it’s going to be hard for you. But Cal will be there, and I will be too.” My brows scrunched as I frowned. But before I could ask him any questions, the dream became hazy and he sighed. “You’re being woken up.”

He seemed awfully lucid for a dream. “What?—”

“Nora… Stay safe. Okay? I’ll see you soon, love.”

My eyes flew open and I was met with the unfamiliar darkness of my room at court. My head felt fuzzy, confused after the hyper-realistic dream. A knock sounded at my door, thumping impatiently, and I could only assume that was what had woken me.

The floor was cold under my bare feet and if I’d been human, I might have shivered, as it was, I barely felt the cold anymore.

I pulled the door open a crack, peering out before opening it wider. Novalie. There was dark, smokey eyeshadow around her eyes and a deep red colour painted on her lips, the corset-top Emerson had convinced her to bring hugged her waist and highlighted the slender curve of her chest, dipping down dramatically to the low-rise jeans that hugged her hip bones.

“Why are you dressed like you’re going to a party? Shouldn’t you be asleep?” In all honesty, I had no clue what time it was. My schedule had become a little flipped since I’d been away from Ashvale. Most undead avoided the sunshine, but I was determined to soak in as much of it as I could, while I could. The same couldn’t be said for the nocturnal traditionalists in the catacombs.

“Because we are.”

Emerson appeared, closing the door opposite mine gently. Her clothing choices were a little more reserved than Novalie’s, but she still looked unreasonably hot in a short, tight dress that hovered between red and coral. Against her bronzed skin, the dress made her glow.

“I was sleeping,” I said, reluctant to change out of the comfortable T-shirt that hit mid-thigh and into something appropriately slinky.

“You can sleep when you’re dead,” Novalie said with a grin, like it was the most original joke I’d ever heard. “Come on.” She pushed past me and Emerson gave me a little shrug, as if to say, what can you do? Before following her roommate inside my room.

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But this better be good.”

Novalie raised a sly eyebrow, mischief sparkling in her eyes as she turned to my wardrobe and began rummaging for a suitable outfit. “We’re at court. We might as well have some fun while we’re here.”

“You mean, the frequent attempts on my life aren’t your idea of fun? Strange.”

Em snorted and Novalie tutted before hurling several items of clothing at me. “There. Put those on and let’s get out of here.”

I grumbled but complied and had to admit I never would have thought to pair this dark mesh top with the long bodycon skirt she’d picked. It would have been boring, except for the slit that ran nearly to the top of my thigh and the fact that my top was sheer. I’d snagged a black bra to go under it, despite Novalie’s protests that going bare would be ‘fucking hot.’

She might have been right, but I had no idea what kind of vibe we would be walking into and it would have seemed gauche to have my tits out at a formal cocktail party.

“Ready?” Novalie said, hovering by my door as I finished the last flick of my winged liner.

“Yes, yes, fine. Let’s go.”

The door closed behind the three of us and I couldn’t help the slight buzz of excitement that ran through me. Maybe a party was exactly what I needed to take my mind off of the unsettling dreams and the upcoming trial.

Chapter Eleven

Leonora

Novalie had the nose of a bloodhound when it came to parties, it seemed. She’d found us three of them in the past hour, strolling in as if we had every right to be there and deciding within a matter of minutes whether or not she was interested in staying.

I wasn’t sure what the selection process included, but when she somehow stumbled upon party number four, I had my suspicions.

The room was black. Not the kind where you could still make out some shapes, or even just dimly lit, no, it was more like someone had poured a black hole into the room. Intrigue had lit Novalie’s eyes and I knew before she said anything that this was where we were staying.

---