Dinner With a Vampire (The Dark Heroine #1)(81)
Author: Abigail Gibbs

A drum sounded and the music surged, the rhythm faster, the beat making my ribs pound as though a thousand stampeding horses were thrashing their way from one lung to another; with the drum I was upright again, swallowing back bile. The vampire who held me let out a heavy sigh and I started to turn towards him; in a flash he had placed both his hands on my shoulders and rammed me backwards. My mouth was wide open as I was flung away, watching as he was swallowed by the whirling figures.

As I was enclosed in waiting arms, I felt my temperature soar, my skin was flaming and flushing. Perhaps it was because I recognized the colour of the sleeve around my middle, crimson, and knew the emblem etched into the cuff links or perhaps it was because I could feel a tiny vial pressing into my back.

‘We meet at last, Violet Lee.’

I swallowed hard, knowing exactly who this was. ‘You’re Ilta’s father.’

‘That’s the Earl of Wallachia to you, human scum,’ he hissed in my ear, throwing me back over his arm just as the others had done but with so much force I heard my joints click. My head dangled just inches from the floor – I could feel the cool marble as I stared into a pair of dark blue eyes. His lips pursed in disgust and I thought he might be considering dropping me onto the hard floor. I would not mind: his touch was sickening; unclean; it left scorch marks on my shoulders and in the palms of my hands.

‘Your son was the scum, Crimson.’

He snarled at that, his mouth lowering to my ear. ‘My son was doing this Kingdom a favour when he tried to rid it of you and your impurity. Your little Prince should have rewarded him that day, not killed him.’ He opened his mouth a little wider and a single fang pressed to my neck.

I shuddered. His breath left a dirty trail behind, one that could not be washed away. ‘What are you doing here? You were banished.’

He laughed: the laugh of someone who knew they stood on the higher ground. ‘The King revoked his decision almost immediately. It seems I, like my son, know too much to be forgotten. I am of great use to them, you see.’

‘How?’

‘To put it plainly, little girl, I know too much about the Dark Heroines and I know too much about your future.’

Abruptly he pulled me upright, but before he could push me away I grabbed his arm. ‘What do you know?’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘That you don’t deserve the path destiny has created for you.’

‘Path? And what are the Dark—’

Before I could finish he had wrenched my arm from his and tossed me away, leaving me sickened and confused, but more than that, intrigued. That in itself was revolting. I should want to be far away from this man, but instead I wanted to return and get answers.

Vampire after vampire caught me and as I got closer to the throne I began to recognize more and more faces. Charlie, Declan and Felix had all had their turns mishandling me, Declan depressed, his eyes transfixed on a demure girl not too far away. Alex had winked with a friendly smile on his lips; his younger brother Lance was a little too friendly.

Fathers, sons and brothers of the vampires I had come to know all took their turn, mocking the bite coming ever closer. Izaak Logan had been by far the gentlest, whilst Fabian, his expression cold and distant, had averted his gaze and even dug his nails into my sides to the point where I thought they might draw blood.

It was your fault, Fabian, I thought. You made it Kaspar or you. You pushed me away.

I was incredibly near the Varns now and had figured that it worked in ascending rank; the only person standing between me and royalty was Eaglen, who snatched me with the strength of a much younger man.

Yet again, we paused mid-dance. My head was dangling precariously close to the floor and the couples that just a second ago had surrounded us seemed to disappear. Stars danced in front of my eyes but I kept them open, transfixed. A high window, cathedral-like in its construction was reflecting the eerie spectacle below of which I was the victim. According to the glass, the room was completely empty, save for two pasty, wide-eyed figures dressed in white. One had his arms pinned behind his back, totally rigid apart from his head which was lolling at an awkward, painful angle. The other was suspended mid-air, back arched, her feet just brushing the floor.

I closed my eyes for a second, stunned at what I was seeing. When I looked back at the glass, it reflected reality – a room packed with people.

I wouldn’t fret, mortal child, because soon your decision will be made for you. My skin ran cold – colder than it already was. It was Eaglen’s voice in my head; in my mind that I could supposedly guard and had done quite successfully against any other.

Get out … I started but was unable to finish as stars blinked behind my closed eyelids. I really needed to stand up or sit down; either would be better than being caught halfway between.

The music crashed. I screamed and had no choice as I was yanked upright again; swaying, blood slipping down towards my feet and making them tingle. There were no other colours but emerald and black. I wanted to close my eyes, but I was afraid of what I could not see: sunken eyes and rough hands on my back, no compassion, no leniency, just hatred for a girl who had slept with their Prince and heir.

Faces, old and young, faster and faster, the music gaining momentum as the shrieks of the woman and the choir matched the pitch of my screams. My mind raced, almost keeping pace with my body, thrown from one to another. I longed for the bite, but only for it to be over.

Cain; a glimpse of Arabella seizing John who was taken away because he would not be bitten; Jag looked worried but his eyes were not focused in my direction; Sky fought to restrain me as I struggled, eyes to the floor, refusing to look. I knew it came ever closer, but at the same time I knew the hierarchy and who should be next.

I finally raised my eyes. A circle was forming, a circle of swirling, whirling couples. In its centre was the King, his partner abandoned in favour of me. She was standing close by, her usually serene expression twisted with bloodlust as her eyes bore into me.

Two people broke from the circle, their backs to me. Both were dressed in black, emerald sashes around their shoulders. One wore a long sweeping dress, backless, lace floating about her ankles. Her hair was twisted into a knot; a flower, just like those dangling from the pillars, was tucked in-between the loose strands. The other was a man wearing court dress, sword hanging at his hip, his dark hair dishevelled.

I already knew who they were as I found myself staring at two pairs of green eyes.

One pair stared back.

A small smile upturned the corners of my lips and my limbs unconsciously became still. My heart jumped, warming and growing. But my mind was ahead of my heart. He was next yet I knew I could not touch him, and I tore my eyes away from him to the figure standing just behind, whose grey eyes were darting between his son and me. Kaspar met my gaze, caught my expression and whipped around to face his father.