Page 11 of Cruel Vampire King

Heat rushed to my face at her words. “No. No, I only saw him that day. When he asked for me to go with him.”

Mom’s relief at my words quickly fell away. “Asked? More like demanded. I was afraid he was going to slaughter us allwhere we stood. But no matter. If you are still pure, that’s all that mattered.”

Her words rankled me. And that was the day when the resentment started to grow. What was purity, anyway? And why was it so important? She wouldn’t have said it if my brothers had caught the eye of a female vampire. It was only because I was a woman and somehow the thing between my legs was magic, so long as nobody touched it.

That night, I started to pack. I wasn’t sure if I’d have the bravery to leave but the idea of slipping away, of running to the palace excited me. Daydreams filled my mind of the soft smile that would grace the king’s face when I turned up on his doorstep. I imagined him pulling me close in his arms, his lips against mine…

My door opened and Darcie wandered in, looking annoyed. She flopped onto my bed and groaned. “Can I move in with you? I’m tired of sharing with Jessica.”

A twinge hit my heart. We lived in a large house just next to the inn. All at once, the same doubts that had made me tell Luken—I glowed with joy just thinking about his name—no the first time hit me again. What sort of situation would I be leaving my family in if I was to leave?

Darcie pushed herself up on her elbows and glanced at the bag I’d been packing. A frown crossed her face. “What are you doing?”

My heart started to beat faster. I could lie… but I’d been breaking myself to pieces for these last few days, trying to hide my true feelings. “Darcie… I have a secret. You can’t tell Mom and Dad.”

Darcie held her breath, her large brown eyes growing wide. She nodded seriously, the excitement barely contained inher expression. I had to smile. If anyone could understand this, it was Darcie. She was still very young, but out of all my siblings, she was the only one with a romantic soul.

“I’m running away,” I told her. “I made a mistake by telling the vampire king no. I’m going to him.”

“Oh, Elara!” Darcie clasped her hands together. “Are you in love with him?”

Love. The word sent chills through me. Even though we’d only spoken once, I knew truth when I felt it. I nodded. “I love him, Darcie. And he loves me, I just know it. It’s why he wanted me to go with him. When I’m with him, everything is going to be perfect. And I’ll take care of everyone.” It seemed so simple, so clear, now. Of course Luken would take care of my family. I wasn’t needed here, when I could be with such a powerful, handsome man.

“How will you get there?” Darcie asked, her brow furrowed.

I hesitated, unsure how to answer. How would I get there? I didn’t have much money myself. The trains to the capital were cheap enough, but once I was there…?

“I’ll find a way,” I decided. “Because it’s love. And we will find a way to each other again. I’m certain of it.”

***

“I expected to have been in a fight by now,” Ysara groused when we set camp that night.

Thessa sighed heavily. “I’m glad we didn’t have to fight. Maybe the other teams have been caught by the beasts of the forest. Maybe we’ll get the artifact and get out easily.”

“Maybe,” Greyson said with a laugh. “And once we’re in the colosseum, which one of us would you prefer to kill you, Thessa? I’d make it quick for you.” She stared at him in horror and he shook his head, regret crossing his face. “I’m sorry, young one. It’s just that there is no happy ending in this. There will be bloodshed enough by the time this is over. Nobody refuses King Luken and lives to tell the tale.”

His words made me wince. They reminded me of the general four years ago. A half-dozen elven mercenaries had come to the inn while Darcie and I were talking. My guess was that they demanded me once again and my father refused. I’d never know. They cut him down where he stood.

Darcie heard the screams before I did. I got her out of the house and saw the torches flickering as the mercenaries headed for the house, yelling for me. I’d told Darcie to run, to hide in the forest. I never had the chance to hand myself over to the elves. Mom had stepped out. I remembered her silhouette in the darkness, backlit by the torches. Why were they using torches instead of flashlights? The thought had seemed distant, like I already knew.

“He can’t have her,” Mom said.

There was a sick noise and her silhouette changed. Something thin erupted through her back. She didn’t scream.

“Nobody refuses King Luken,” the mercenary general said. “Consider this as punishment for refusing to have over what is his.”

The rest of the night was a haze of blood and smoke. I didn’t know if the elves realized I was the one they’d come for when they threw me back into the fire, to die with the rest of my family. Darcie had saved me, somehow, but she’d never told me what she’d seen, never told me how she got me out of the flames.

I ground my teeth and I made a space for myself to sleep near the fire. Thessa was doomed. They all were. But as I fell into a fitful sleep, it wasn’t the flames that greeted me—at least, not the ones that I was used to. Instead it was a pair of glowing amber eyes and cool fingertips on my scars.

Chapter 5

Even though no vampire whisked me off that night, I knew they’d been around. Because in the morning, a small, silver tablet had been left on top of Thessa’s pack. Ysara proved herself a wolf shifter by taking her wolf form and sniffing around the area, but couldn’t find any traces of them.

“What do you think it’s for?” Kael asked, picking up the tablet. “A message? I don’t recall this being in the Blood Trials before.”

“We never had a year with the Trials that didn’t start with bloodshed, either,” Greyson pointed out lazily. “Something’s different this year. Wonder what it is.”

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