Page 20 of Stolen By the Vampire

“A map?”

Esmae was sprawled out on the covers of the bed, her hands pinning the opposing curling corners of parchment open. It didn’t match any of the other maps she’d spent the past few days poring over in her spare time, but then, the ink on this one was scarcely dry. She’d come to be able to recognize the telltale signs of Silas’s craft. Her eyes greedily devoured the winding curves and paths.

“Indeed. A map of the Cliffs.”

Her lips parted in surprise. A map of the Condemned Cliffs… no, the caves of the Condemned Cliffs. No other living creature would be able to step foot in them and live to tell, let alone mark down the paths. If she hadn’t seen a similar map in his collection, then this was likely the only one in existence.

And he’d made it. For her.

“And what will I find if I follow this map?”

Because it wasn’t just any map—it was a treasure map. Just the idea of it had her heart fluttering with the promise of adventure. A dotted line revealed a path carved from the maze of tunnels.

Silas grinned, his teeth gleaming. “You’ll have to see for yourself.”

Her own lips turned up to mirror his expression. She hadn’t felt this giddy since she was a child, unaware some things would be forever out of reach. “When can I start?”

“Once you dress.”

And with that, the vampire was gone.

Esmae tossed the blankets aside without a care and retrieved her trousers and tunic. The red-and-black locks of hair were quickly tamed into a braid. She had to try to tie her boots twice, because she was so excited she kept trying to get up early.

Frost clenched her heart, but she warded it off with a focused stare at the map. She traced the lines with shaky fingers, centering herself. This was just the distraction she needed.

A tentative chirp came from the corner and she answered with a whistle, calling Dirt over to her. What adventure wasn’t made better with companionship? Dirt scurried up her leg and into a pouch she’d fashioned opposite her deck of enchanted cards. She’d secretly hoped Silas would stick around and let her lead them, even if he knew the path, but perhaps he had other plans. Maybe this was a diversion while he searched for his mate.

No. She wouldn’t let anything sour this moment.

Orienting herself to the map took a moment. The cavern was so full, finding the right way out wasn’t exactly intuitive. But she relished in the challenge. Once she found the right passageway, the hunt was on. Esmae plucked a torch from the main cavern as she moved into the first dark branch.

The caves were far more complex than she’d initially realized. Paths wound in circles at times and doubled back. Without the map, she’d have been utterly lost. Even with it was a slow journey. Perhaps she should have been scared she’d be lost, but… He’d find me. If I was truly lost, he would search for me and find me.

Where did that certainty come from? She hadn’t even trusted her own father enough to confide in him about her relationship with Jared, yet in the vampire, she had complete faith. He wouldn’t set her on a path she couldn’t solve, and if she was in trouble, he’d get to her.

The thought gave her the confidence to continue. Dirt didn’t mind the dark, happily chatting about his latest finds now that he’d been granted the privilege of exploring Silas’s hoard without risking his life. He was as partial to the fruits as Esmae was. She slipped him dried slices of pears when she needed a moment to concentrate.

The trickle of water sounded at her periphery. Esmae grinned wildly. The stream. Silas had marked it on the map—if she could hear the water, then it was close. She was nearly there.

Sure enough, a moment later, she intersected with it. Her strides grew longer with renewed excitement. Her torch held steady, but the deeper she went, the less it was needed. Not because new fires lit the path, but something else. Could it be?

The cave was lit in blues and greens, cool tones bouncing on the water. She gasped. Luminescent moss appeared on the walls, lighting the entire space. She set her torch down with care and went further, twisting her head from side to side in awe. It was the most glorious thing she’d ever seen. A natural wonder, just like she’d always dreamed she’d discover. The cave walls widened as she followed the stream until she was in a sizable cavern, absolutely covered with moss from the ceiling to the ground.

And there, in the center, was her vampire.

He stood on a blanket at the midpoint of the cavern, right by the stream. A wicker basket was at his feet, which were cased in fine leather boots. He’d dressed with unusual care, a crimson velvet cape tied at his shoulders. The waves of his dark hair were combed back, revealing all the stark planes of his face, the bright red eyes fixed on her in delight as he took in her presence. After a few hours of adventuring, she was no doubt untidy, and she’d spent the barest of moments dressing before starting on her quest. Yet from how he looked at her, she may as well have been wearing the finest silk in the latest styles.

“You’re even faster than I imagined,” he greeted.

She lifted the parchment like it was a flag of victory. “I had a good map.”

The light rippled under each of her steps as her boot hit the moss on her way over to Silas. He hadn’t abandoned her to her quest—he’d used the time to set up a picnic.

He’d remembered. All that time ago, when she’d accused him of being like Jared. For some reason, she’d brought up the time she’d made a picnic basket with his favorites after scrimping on her own dinners for weeks and saving up her coin, and he’d gone off with friends without so much as a word.

He was nothing like Jared.

“Why are you crying?” Silas asked with alarm.

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