Dinner With a Vampire (The Dark Heroine #1)(36)
Author: Abigail Gibbs

She folded her arms as she curtsied. ‘No. And the Prince will receive some courtesy when he is so kind as to show some himself.’

I smirked. ‘In your dreams, Girly, in your dreams.’ When she started to back away, that smirk only widened and I grabbed her wrist. ‘No, you don’t get away that easily. You’re having a second dance.’

She looked at my hand like it was a manacle, and shook it off in much the same way. ‘I have to go,’ she muttered with a frown. ‘But I’m sure Charity would love a dance.’

In the second I was distracted by the platinum-blonde to my right, the brunette somehow slipped away. Nowhere amongst the crowd was there a purple dress.

My hands found themselves in my pockets again. That was twice in one night she had escaped. I really am going to have to do something about that.

TWENTY-THREE

Violet

The truth was, that dance had been a little too easy. Too comfortable. I shouldn’t have enjoyed it. Especially when it was with him.

He brought you here. Don’t forget that, Violet.

Forced, more like, my voice added and I was inclined to agree.

I stood there for a while, content to be alone with my thoughts. Yet I was interrupted when Fabian stepped into the gloom.

‘Where’s Kaspar?’

‘Where’s Lyla?’ We spoke in unison, before laughing.

‘Kaspar’s dancing,’ I explained.

‘Lyla said she was going to go and get a drink,’ he explained. I raised an eyebrow. Gone to get a drink. Sounds familiar.

‘So you two just had the one dance then?’ I probed.

‘Yes. She seemed flustered,’ he said, clearly puzzled. I almost smiled at his ignorance. Honestly, men.

‘You really have no idea, do you?’

He shrugged his shoulders.

I couldn’t take it. I had to tell him. He had to know. ‘Lyla likes you.’

I expected his face to light up, or a smile to curl his lips, or at least to acknowledge what I had said. But he didn’t. He just stood there, as the minutes fell away.

‘Fabian?’

‘This makes things complicated,’ he eventually said, sighing and moving further into the darkness.

‘How?’

He sighed again and I saw his eyes go slightly black. ‘I don’t feel the same way about Lyla, if that is what you are thinking.’ He looked out towards the ballroom, before turning back to me, his eyes back to their original colour, but brighter, more alive. More stunning. ‘You’re so young and ignorant. I don’t blame you for not realizing sooner. But I know you don’t feel the same way, so don’t let this change anything. Not one thing, okay?’

My mouth fell open as the realization of what he had just said hit me. Fabian doesn’t like Lyla. He likes me. I nodded mindlessly, edging around him.

‘But maybe, one day, you might feel differently. Maybe when you become one of us—’

‘No,’ I whispered. ‘No, no, no.’

‘Violet! Please, listen to me!’

‘No,’ I breathed. I wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

‘I-I’m t-tired, I think I will go to b-bed,’ I stuttered, turning on my flimsy heel, fleeing from the room.

‘Violet!’ I heard him call, but too late, I had passed through the great doors and out into the entrance hall. I walked towards the open marble door, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air. I gazed out at the expansive lawns, knowing it would be so easy just to run right now.

But I wouldn’t.

I took another heaving breath. How can I have been so stupid? It was obvious! So blazingly obvious! Why else would he have invited me to the ball? And all those weeks ago, he had volunteered to stay with me whilst the others hunted. Is this why? And what about the others? Do they know? Kaspar must surely know. But does Lyla know?

But he doesn’t like me. He can’t like me. He just thinks he likes me. He doesn’t know me, not properly, I reassured myself, and it was true. He only knew the defensive mask that I was using to survive and stay sane here.

My eyes began to droop and I trudged up the stairs towards my room. I felt eyes on my back, as some of the passing vampires left through the entrance hall, but I did not have the energy to care.

I reached the top and took one last look down, remembering the first time I had passed through those great doors, wondering if I would ever make the return journey a human.

Ignorant.

For a moment, I wondered what it would be like to be a vampire. What it would be like to truly leave humanity behind. What it would be like if these were my last few minutes of true human life. Could I leave it all behind?

I blinked and a corner became dark for a moment as one of the gas lamps blew out. Sleepy, I turned away, dismissing it. I walked the last few steps towards my room as a single tear fell down my cheek.

Where is the mask now?

I leaned against the wall beside my door, forcing myself not to cry, taking deep, shaky breaths. I had to become stronger. I had to. I leaned my forehead against the cool wall, breathing becoming more regular, hands pressed up against the wall. Something cold brushed against my neck, tickling me, and my hairs immediately stood on end. It felt like a bitter draft.

Except bitter drafts don’t snarl.

I wrenched my whole body around, heart beating at an impossible rate. I clutched at the wall, searching for my door handle.

A figure stepped from the shadows, outlined by the little light that slivered in from downstairs. He was tall and a liquid version of silver seemed to trickle down the side of his face. A red vial glowed around his collar. I breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Oh, it’s only you, Ilta.’

TWENTY-FOUR

Kaspar

My eyes searched the room, but to no avail. Some faces stared back, others scowled, but nowhere amongst them was there a small girl wrapped in purple.

They’re not here. Fuck.

I spotted Fabian and Alex deep in conversation in a dark corner near the door and flitted over, anguish rising. I could sense the tension mounting in my family, as they too shared my worry.

‘Fabian.’ They both turned to look at me. ‘Where’s Violet?’ I asked urgently.

‘She went to bed, about ten minutes ago,’ he said, averting his gaze. So he told her.

‘What? Didn’t you go with her? Why aren’t you with her?’ I demanded, anguish turning to panic.

It could be nothing. It could just be a coincidence.

‘Kaspar, what—’

‘Ilta Crimson has gone too.’

They looked to each other and then back to me, eyes wide.