Page 71 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood
The tanned male storms past us, a stern-faced female following closely behind him. Her straight black hair brushes against her shoulders as she turns to assess me, a look of suspicion sending lines through her tawny beige skin. I try to control the beating inside my chest, but it ceases to slow.
I sweep my eyes across their leather uniforms and realize that they must be members of the prince’s royal guard. I’ve never seen one before, but the rumors of their black uniforms and deadly reputation are undeniable—each chosen for their unique shadow-wielding abilities and unmatched combat skills. I’m currently standing in a hallway with three of the most powerful vampires in the court, and I just murdered their prince.
The final of the three stands in front of the mass of shadows that still block the way, making it clear that we will not be passing through. Her face is unnaturally beautiful, her dark brown skin smoother than any I’ve ever seen. Above her shaved head, the shadows pulse, making it clear that she is theone controlling them. I take a cautious step back, joining the servants as we all follow the others to the dining room.
I straighten my back and suck in a breath, ready to tell the best lie I’ve ever told. We move silently down the hall and turn into the dining area. The two guards stop just in front of where I left the prince lying. I squeeze past the two servants in my way, ready to explain what he ate and everything that followed, but the words die on my tongue when I stare down at nothing but a black stain on the ground. The prince has gone.
Fear clutches my chest, and I know without a doubt that I need to leave this place now, but there is no escaping.Who moved the prince? Was somebody watching from the shadows? Do they know what I did?
A slight gust of wind sends a few strands of my hair into my face as my body is slammed against the hard stone wall of the dining room. The force of it takes my breath, and I find myself gasping for air, but before I can find any, a large hand curls around my throat. My eyes snap open, widening in desperation, but the entire world seems to pause when I find the dark eyes of the prince piercing into me. Gone is all hint of flirtation and arrogance, and in its place is a deadly wrath. His eyes narrow on my face as his hold on my throat tightens.
How the hell is he still alive?I ask in a panic.
I have no idea.
Athriel’s fear whirls within me as I fail to free myself from the prince’s iron-clad grip. This isn’t possible. No vampire has ever survived the effects of my blood. My attention is drawn back to the room as the prince’s hold on me loosens, and I watch his stance falter as he steadies himself against the wall with his other hand. He dips his head, and I can tell that the effects of my blood are still working. Perhaps being the prince means that it just takes longer for it to work. Maybe the bastard will still die after all. Either way, I’m dead. There’s no denying that everyonein this room now knows that I had something to do with the prince’s current state.
Two blurry figures move across the room before appearing beside the prince, holding him steady on either side. He turns defensively but seems to relax when his eyes meet the male’s.
“Tried…to poison me. Dyin…dying.”
Those are the only words he manages to get out before his body slumps and all consciousness leaves him. The female’s expression turns to thunder as her eyes meet mine, and before I can react, her fist connects with my face so hard that the entire world around me fades to black.
The sound of dripping water awakens me, as I try to remember where I am. The memory of being punched rushes back to me. I lift a hand to my swollen eye and run a finger across the sensitive skin, trying not to wince at the sting of the movement.Why the hell am I still alive?My body slumps against the cold stone wall, but as I try to sit up, a sharp tug on my wrists forces me back down.
Using my one good eye, I look around the small stone room, taking in a set of metal bars that separate me from my freedom. Not metal, something far stronger.Shadow.I’m in a fucking cell. Panic grips my chest as I fight against the chains encasing my wrists and ankles, but it’s the same black wispy tendrils as the bars, and they are keeping me firmly in place. Despite my shackles being made of shadow, I still feel the rusty sensation of metal biting into my skin every time I move. That doesn’t determe. I pull against the restraints relentlessly, causing trickles of blood to trail down my arms, only stopping when exhaustion forces me to still.
“Fuck!”
My ragged breaths fill the dark space as my head rests against the uneven wall. Angry tears prick the edge of my eyes.I need to get out of here if I want to find Willow.Deep inside, I know that it’s wishful thinking, but I can’t give up. Not now. I have to bring Willow home; otherwise, all of this was for nothing.
I peer through the bars of my cell into the darkness, willing my eye to focus. All I can make out is the dark silhouette of an empty cell and a puddle of water that grows with every drip that falls into it.
“Hello,” I call out, but am met with nothing but the echo of my own voice. I’m completely alone down here, which may or may not be a good thing. I push to my feet, almost stumbling as I do. I rest my hand against the rough surface of the wall to steady myself, but cry out when a jagged piece of stone pierces my palm.
“Shit,” I hiss, pulling back my hand to examine it. The cut is small, thankfully. I blow out a breath, trying to regain some composure, but my stomach only grumbles in response. How long have I been down here?
I do not know, but we need to find a way out,Athriel says.
I don’t understand why they didn’t just kill me. Surely an assassination attempt on their precious prince deserves death.
It is a curious thing, but it tells me that you have something they want, and if I am correct, then you must stall for as long as you can while we search for a way out.
The sound of footsteps halts my response as I sink deeper into the shadows of my cell. I’m not sure who is coming, but I refuse to wait around like prey. I straighten my back as much as I can, my eyes fighting the darkness to see who arrives. Perhaps this isit. Maybe these are my final moments, or maybe Athriel is right, and I have something they want.
A short, stocky male with black eyes comes into focus, and my muscles tense. He’s a noble vampire, and if he’s down here, it can’t be for anything good. Though he isn’t wearing the royal guard’s uniform, so perhaps there’s a way I can get my blood into him. The thought dies as soon as I see the female who comes to stand beside him. The bitch that punched me. She watches me like a predator, her black eyes scanning my feeble attempt to stand upright. Thank the lost gods I ate with the prince, or I might have died already.
“Who is your leader?” Her tone is clipped.
There’s no denying that she’s been trained to be nothing more than a warrior. A killing machine. I can see the desire to rip me to shreds in her eyes, the clenching of her fists that keep her from attacking me, but the question is, why? I think about what Athriel said, and I lean into the wall casually, trying not to cry out at the sharp parts that dig into my side. If I have something they want, then I’m going to find out exactly what it is.
“That was quick. You already burned the prince’s body?” I let a smile curve my face, and her eyes narrow into slits. “You didn’t want a little time to mourn before we did this?”
You better be right about this,I warn Athriel.
If I were wrong, you would be dead by now. Look at her, she thinks you have something that she wants, it’s the only thing keeping her from killing you where you stand.
Good.
