Page 25 of King of the Damned
“It’s a vow,” he whispers. “On my life. If my words at any point in the night become untrue, then the vow is broken, and I’ll die.”
My lips part as I hold up my hand in the space between us to examine the markings. If what he’s saying is true, then the cost of his lie would be more than I can possibly comprehend. He’s proving that I can trust him, at least in this. His vow combined with the thoughtfulness of his gift easily breaks through the lingering anger and disappointment I was harboring.
“Thank you…for my shoes. That was,” I sigh and try my best to give him a genuine upturn of my lips, “very thoughtful.”
I swallow the burning in my throat and rest my hand gently against his chest, carefully avoiding the ruby. “I’ll attend the celebration with you,” I concede. His hand squeezes mine, and the moment feels intimate, unlike anything we’ve shared before; even more than when he revealed his worst memory to me. “But there’s one problem,” I add.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
He chuckles in such a way that his fangs are on full display. “Are the dozens of dresses I had made for you not to your liking?”
“None of them match you. We wouldn’t want to clash, would we?”
His face falls as if he’s taken aback by my response. “I see.”
He turns over his shoulder and motions behind him to reveal three dresses on mannequins. Each of them are striking, matching the black and silver details of his attire, with a matching feathered cloak.
The one on the left has a plunging neckline and long sleeves. The one in the middle is sleeveless with an elegant high neck and a keyhole between the breasts, and the one on the right is completely strapless and has a perfect sweetheart neckline.
I walk towards the middle one, calling to me because combined with the cloak, it's the least revealing. If I’m going to be at Kaius’ side all night, I’d rather not draw more attention to myself. Especially since I have no intentions of letting anyone near my neck, having it exposed seems like I’d be asking for trouble.
“Dress. I will wait for you,” he says softly, then leaves to wait out in the hall. I take a deep breath and shed my robe before slipping into the gown. A perfect fit.
I use magic to dry my hair, twisting it into a neat chignon at the base of my skull. I have no jewelry and no makeup other than a light pinkish balm for my lips, so I apply that and look over myself in the mirror.
I feel so…plain. Out of place. Like I don’t belong here.
I suppose I don’t.
I’m a human living in a palace full of vampires, and the only place I’ll ever truly belong is strewn across the dinner table with fangs in my neck.
But somehow, I know that Kaius won’t let that happen. Not tonight or any other night.
I fasten the cloak to my shoulders and when I open the door to meet Kaius in the hall, Cassius has joined him, coiled around his right arm. Cassius perks his head up when he sees me, as if in approval.
And Kaius…well he seems as disappointed as I felt looking into the mirror. I take a step backward, tears of humiliation welling up in my eyes when Kaius uses a finger to lift my chin.
“I am so jealous of the sun,” he whispers.
“Why?”
“Moonlight is just reflected sunlight, which means the sun gets to admire your beauty twice as much as I can.” He runs a knuckle along my cheek. “It gets to caress you, to kiss your cheeks and warm your skin.” He sadly chuckles. “How can I compete with that?”
“I didn’t realize you were competing with the sun for my affection.”
“Neither did I,” he whispers, as if it’s a secret we now share. He holds out an elbow for me to take, to escort me to the celebration. Cassius is still tightly wrapped around his other arm. I’ve never known snakes to be affectionate creatures, but I also have never understood magic and how casually one wields it either. Kaius uses it as an extension of himself, and I often find myself curious about what that kind of power feels like and how it might have changed him through the years. I can’t imagine sharpening a skill for centuries upon centuries as he has.
Of all the power that he’s shown me, there must be more he has yet to reveal.
Does he do that for my sake, or his own?
“You’re nervous. I can smell your terror,” Kaius says, breaking through my racing thoughts.
“Normally you keep me hidden away from other vampires, and now you’re taking me right to them.”
I wish I could ask him why, but I know he’d only return a non-answer. The only thing keeping me at his side is the vow he made earlier. Surely someone with the wisdom a thousand years gives wouldn’t make such a pact lightly, nor would he risk something so permanent if he didn’t mean it.
