Page 2 of Blood Secret

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Vale

It wastime to wake up again.

And something was different.

My eyes snapped open and above me stood a vision of beauty. Tall, slender, with creamy skin and long, shimmering brown hair that reminded me of chocolate. Amazing, the things that would run through a vampire’s head on waking up after his century in The Fold.

I couldn’t afford to pay attention to those random waking thoughts when the taste of blood was on my lips, my tongue, running down my throat and spreading through my body like wildfire. It lit me up inside and brought me back to life.

The familiar chanting filled my cell, as the witch and the High Council presided over the ritual.

I would imprint on this witch, this High Sorceress, and be her Nightwarden throughout her reign over her coven.

I didn’t particularly look forward to my job, but I supposed none of us ever did. It wasn’t as if we did it because we wanted to.

She looked down at me, and her eyes were almost purple. Intoxicating.

I wondered if she was as lovely on the inside as she was outside. I had already done my time with beautiful but impossible witches, and didn’t look forward to another such assignment.

More of her sweet, life-giving blood dripped into my waiting mouth, giving me a glimpse of who she was. I sensed her hesitation, her apprehension. That seemed natural—she was undertaking a very serious vocation, leading a coven.

I’d be nervous, too. I sensed a gentle nature, which was a relief. The only thing worse than being forced into service was serving a shrew who thought the world revolved around her.

Still, something was wrong. Not just apprehension over her new role. Something deeper, more troubling. A great deal of uncertainty. I had the sense to stay silent until the chanting ceased and the ritual ended.

“You may rise,” the witch said, stepping back to give me room.

Sitting up was a relief.

I could hardly wait to stretch my limbs. I saw in all the information granted by those first drops of blood that she lived in a large house with plenty of ground. I hoped to have the room to run, to expend some of the century’s worth of pent-up energy.

Her smooth brow creased when she frowned. I looked over her shoulder to where the members of the High Council stood.

I recognized them from my last awakening, and from the visit they paid before I went into stasis. Esme, Serena, and Maeve. They looked just as concerned as my new charge.

“Your name is…?” I asked, trying to at least seem willing for the sake of appearance.

I wasn’t any more thrilled with the prospect of living with another witch than she was about living with me.

“My name is Isobel,” she said. Her voice was soft, flat.

“I am Vale.” Shortened from Valerian.

“I know.” A slight smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Of course, she knew. But one has to say something when introductions are being made.

“Vale.” Serena stepped forward, and her robes swirled around her feet. “The situation you’ve awoken to is somewhat different from what you’re accustomed. We’ve had to loosen a few of our rules pertaining to this unique set of circumstances.”

I waited for her to continue, looking from her to the other witches.

They loved creating dramatic scenes and drawing every last ounce they could.

“What will I do?” I prompted.

“Why don’t you get dressed first, and we’ll meet you in the chambers?”

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