Page 10 of When Night Falls

Annoyed and now more curious than ever, I stomp over to snag my coffee and chug nearly half of the lukewarm liquid as I cross the street to the bookstore.

I smile at everyone as they walk in and apologize for the wait. After the last few customers wander in, I close the door and flip the sign fromclosedtoopen. I attempt to turn around to rush to open my register, but somewhere deep inside me, within the mix of utter confusion and frustration for the lack of simple answers I’ve received this morning, something foreboding washes over me in waves of chills and awareness. That's when I see it. Or ratherhim. The man in black standing near the flowershop again. I can’t make out his face and I don’t have time to analyze him before the bell on my desk by the register rings and I see that people are already ready to check out.

“Coming,” I holler behind me as I give the man across the street one last glance wondering who the fuck he could be and what he wants with me.

6

hollowed & homicidal

Rivian

Blood drips from my lips as the sticky substance creates a pleasant coating on my skin. I pull my hand away from the chest it’s buried in; the heart still pulsing its last few beats in my tight fist. I examine the way it loses life from lack of oxygen and the insufferable man it belongs to bleeds out on the floor. Veins hang loose as drops of the viscid liquid slip slowly from my fingertips. I look down to see that a small pool of the scarlet sap has made it onto my custom leather shoes, and for that, I squeeze the heart to a bloody pulp, crushing it in the palm of my hand like a stress ball.

The fact is, this truly is my stress relief.

“Seems like you’ve had some fun.” The door to the dungeon echos as it creaks open.

I let the hollow organ drop from my hands, more melodramatically than anything, and a loudsplatresounds grotesquely causing more blood to squirt onto my shoes. I reachfor the pristine handkerchief from the inside of my suit jacket to clean off the mess I've made.

“I suppose I did. However, it’s a shame that this leech tastes like dirt.” I look over my shoulder to Zharus who crosses his arms and leans against the big, wooden door.

“What did-” he looks down at my feet at the blood-soaked cement, “this one do to deserve the wrath of the Dark Prince?” Zharus asks me, enthusiasm playing in his tone. “Last time I was down here, you’d only cut out his tongue for not answering your questions.”

“I don’t take to imbeciles very well. Especially those who have been compelled to not talk.”

I explain to my Factotum that about an hour ago, this pitiful excuse of a Nocturne entered my compound. I know he was not one of my own and while access between societies is not fully provoked, it isn’t entirely welcomed. I simply asked him who he was here for and what he needed and I was met with silence while he walked past me and toward my office.

That was the first sign that he wasn’t here for good reason and when I couldn't compel the answer out of him, I realized that he was sired by a royal Nocturne, more than likely from another Society.

I took him down here, chained him to the chair, then tortured the truth out of him. What he was after, who sent him. When he didn’t answer, I simply pulled his tongue from his mouth and soon after, he proved useless so I delighted myself with a much deserved drink.

“Besides, I haven’t eaten in weeks.” I drop down to my haunches and pick up the large chunk of pink muscle that was once attached to the back of his throat—now turning into a rusty sort of discoloration—and hold it up in the air as if to examine it, before tossing it back down at the dead body it belonged to.

“Speaking of eating,” Zharus imposes, brow arched, and a smirk painted on his clever face.

“Malnourishment for a Nocturne is simply not acceptable, Zhar. Besides, he deserved what he had coming to him by refusing my questions. I can say that it quelled the blood lust, that’s for sure.” I use the white silk cloth to clean up the red that stains my face, allowing myself to lick the corners of my mouth before doing so, only to get one last taste.

“Still suffering, are you?” Zharus finally lifts himself off the door as I saunter towards him, leaving the bloodied intruder behind me.

I didn’t anticipate the curse of bloodlust to hit me quite as hard as it did. It started right after my father, Renard, died about a month ago—the former king of Hollows Trace. Usually,sanguis maledictumhits the royal next in line when the current crowned king passes, ravaging them with the visceral need to drain warm bodies of their blood. Almost in ripper fashion. It's meant to incentivize one to want to speed up the process, knowing that bloodlust can be deadly to both prey and predator. The time between death of a king and coronation of a new one is called the trial period for the next in line and the longer the trial period, the weaker the Society's blood gets.

This signifies my need to find a wife as soon as possible, exchanging vows to make her my queen. That’s something that’s been in Nocturne lore for ages, unifying a kingdom in marriage and initiating the blood-tie. The longer I hold off, the worse the curse of this tyrannical and fatuous bloodlust gets, taking over and leading me to my demise.

If I fail to finish my trial period successfully, whether that be without a solidified marriage or the curse successfully destroying me, I will lose my title as prince thus handing over the title of king to the next in line. And that cannot happen.

My plan depends on my completion of my trial period, and I need it done sooner rather than later.

But more than just my bloodlust has taken over my every thought.Shehas also taken over. And if that’s not bad enough, I fear my curse has only gotten stronger because of her which can only imply one thing . . .anima vinculum.

Anima vinculumis another rare Nocturne lore. The last time a tether has been connected was nearly thirty-one years ago when my father met and married my step-mother.

It’s a bond of sorts that pairs two souls together and oftentimes it can be in or out of true love. The idea is that these two souls connect in strength and can provide the utmost power in a blood-bind. If one is lucky enough—or unlucky if the fate of a mate feels burdening—then it is imperative that security of the tether conclude by entering into marriage and tying the bond, especially if one or both participants are of royal blood.

I have found myanima vinculum. She just isn't aware of it yet. Outsiders are not safe from the lore of soulmates within vampire realms. It just takes an appreciable amount of convincing to get them to accept their fate.

By now, I’ve been a month into my trial period and I’ve had to subdue my hunger in order to save my kingdom from my blood-thirsty wrath. Because I am thirsty. And knowing that my bridal prospect is within reach, my cravings are tenfold. Everyone is aware of the intense burdening that happens to crown prospects in trial periods, but right now Zharus is the only one who knows that I've made contact with Lucynda.

“Ihave it under control,” I answer his question as I look around and breathe in the dusty smell of humidity while twisting the hideous, gaudy family heirloom that resides on my middle finger.

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