Page 20 of Crimson Devotion
She hums. “It takes you a while to get used to vampirism. I’ll catch you, don’t worry.’’
As soon as her sweet voice hits my ears, I start feeling drowsy. It reminds me of that one time when I had a few too many shots of tequila on an empty stomach, my vision blurring, and my legs barely supporting my weight.
Ophelia’s right there, catching me by the forearms before I slump to the floor. Yet again, the last thing I see before I close my eyes are her red ones, the gaze burning me on the inside.
—
When I wake up, I find myself in the same bedroom from earlier. This time, I take a moment to look around, and it doesn’ttake me long to realize it’s Ophelia’s bedroom. It’s big, easily twice the size of my dorm back at the agency. It has an ensuite bathroom connected through the door, and a walk-in closet.
Ophelia’s scent lingers in the air, the vanity filled with her makeup, her perfumes, and all of her jewelry. It’s all gold, though. Not a single thing that isn’t made out of gold chains, and on a couple of things, there are rubies. The gold is thin, and some of it seems very old, as old as the bracelet she’s wearing.
I stand in front of the big mirror, looking at myself.
My hair is shiny, the split ends I had before turning now in perfect state. It’s silky smooth to the touch, and there’s not even a single matted or tangled spot. It has more volume, too.
My skin has no blemishes. The scars I’ve gotten over the years as a hunter are gone, replaced by skin so perfect that reminds me of Botox. My nails are stronger, too. They’re long and don’t seem as fragile as before.
My cheeks have lost the pink color they always had, but my eyes are…not as dead. The strangest part of it all is my eyes. They’re a bright, honey gold shade. I was born with eyes as brown as they could possibly get, and all vampire’s eyes turn pitch black when they transform. Why the fuck are mine gold?
I step closer, leaning into the mirror for a clearer inspection. There are small specks of white mixed in with the gold, and that’s what makes them look outstanding. Quickly, I step back, giving myself a glance over.
There are so many things I want to ask Ophelia, to know why the fuck she turned me into this creature. But before that, I need a fucking shower.
The bathroom is just as I’d expect of a castle. Everything is very much vintage, reminding me of the Victorian era. Surprisingly, she doesn’t have a mirror in the bathroom, but has two shelves filled with clean towels and another one with some products I doubt she needs as a vampire.
I’m quick to use her shampoo, her conditioner, and her body wash. My eyes close, jaw clenching shut as her scent fills me. Now, it’s on me, too. And I don’t know if I hate it or love it. The thought of basking in her scent makes my heart skip a beat.
I pause mid-rinsing out the body wash.
She said my heart would stop beating, which is to be expected, given that I’m dead now. The vampire venom has killed all the cells that make a human, and my blood is being replaced by that liquid of theirs — whatever it is.
My palm flies to my chest, and I feel the heart pumping inside of me. Something in me flutters, happiness consuming me. Although it’s impossible to reverse vampirism, it’s making me more hopeful for the future that I can feel my own heartbeat.
Quickly, I finish up in the shower, going back into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around me. My feet carry me toward the walk-in closet, and…well, it feels like a blast from the past.
I highly doubt any of these have been used in the fashion industry in the recent fucking centuries. Ophelia owns a lot of suits, a lot of dress shirts, and a lot of heels. They’re as high as they could possibly get, and the thought of having to walk in those longer than an hour makes me wince.
My hands reach for a sundress, and I pull it out to try it on. The cotton feels fantastic on my skin, hugging my figure in all the right spots. It falls to the floor, covering my feet, and I’m assuming it reaches Ophelia’s ankles perfectly.
It’s white, with deep purple small lavender flowers scattered around. It has spaghetti straps, and as someone with bigger chest, I’m scared they will fucking spill over. But everything else in this closet is either definitely not my style, or I have no idea how to put it on because it’s from way before my time.
Barefoot, I exit the bedroom, my footsteps silent against the floors. It’s early in the morning, and all the torches have beenblown out. Immediately, I pause. There’s a wide window on the left side that sunlight peeks through. It’s the first glimpse of the sun I’ve seen since turning into a vampire.
Hesitantly, I reach out, only the tips of my fingers hitting the sunlight.
The reaction is immediate. A low scream tears from my throat, reverberating in the narrow hallway. I pull my hand back, looking at the tips of my fingers. They’re pitch black. My eyes widen at the sight, but before I can properly look at them, it heals up, returning the flesh to its original state.
“Holy shit,’’ I mutter, glancing upward. I’m not sure how to walk through this, because if I allow myself to get burned, I’ll die. The moment the sunlight touches my skin, specifically, my chest, it’s game over for me.
How fantastic.
NINE
Faith
Asmall gasp leaves my mouth when I feel a pair of arms sneak around my waist. Without looking back, I can immediately tell it’s Ophelia. That damned unique scent of hers surrounds me, and my heart beats faster.
Her chest is pressed against my back, and my emotions go into overdrive. This fucking proximity shouldn’t be as calming as it is, nor should I be at a loss for words. By now, I’ve seen that she has no fear of physical contact, and she’s been touching me a lot. Why am I still surprised whenever she does something like this?
