“Thank the Gods you’re safe. Come, you must be starving. You’ll ride with me.”
“Father,” she said as he helped her onto his horse. “Did you send men to look for me last night?”
He climbed on the horse. “Ride, men!” he said.
“Father, why won’t you answer me?”
“I was worried sick. I thought I was never going to see you again,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“You’re safe and that’s all that matters.”
They rode in silence. Lela understood that her life was never going to be the same again. In one night, her heart was broken twice, once by a stranger and once by her own father. Oh, how she missed her mother. If only she were alive and could offer her soothing words.
Sitting at her tea table in her bedroom, Lela inhaled the bread and fruit her handmaiden had brought her. She then took fast sips of her tea.
“Slow your pace, Princess,” Lady Rema said to her.
Lela set the tea cup on the table and stood. “How many hours until sunset? Has to be no more than three or four, do you agree?” She walked to her window.
“You’re safe.”
“Am I?”
“Of course you’re. What makes you think you’re not?”
“You have been with me since birth, Lady Rema, have you not?”
“I have,” she said, looking at her feet.
“Are you loyal to me?”
“Of course.”
“Are you an honest woman?”
“Of course.”
“Then tell me the truth. Did my father send men to look for me last night?”
Lady Rema returned her gaze to Lela. “He wanted to. Blessed Gods, he wanted to. But he couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“He was afraid,” she said, wringing her hands.
“Of what?” Lela asked.
“Why are you asking me these questions? I should go. I’m not feeling well,” she said, rubbing her forehead.
“Answer me.”
“Our duty is to protect you.” She looked away for a moment.
“Yet, no one came to my rescue last night,” Lela said, raising her voice.
“We could not.”
“Speak the truth or I will have you imprisoned!”
“Oh, Princess, I beg you,” she said, tears trickling down her cheeks.
“Speak!”
“When darkness falls…”
“Continue,” Lela said.
“That’s when they come out.”
“Who?”
“I can’t say the word. I just can’t,” Lady Rema said, now sobbing.
“Gather yourself and say it. Shall I call the guards?”
Taking in heavy breaths, Lady Rema said, “Vampires.”
“So, it’s true. They do exist,” Lela said, putting her hand to her mouth.
“They have roamed the forest for thousands of years, killing humans and animals alike.”
“For their blood?” Lela asked, despite already knowing the answer.
“Yes.”
“You must be completely forthcoming with me. What happened to my mother?”
“She was taken.”
“By vampires?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She sacrificed herself to…”
“Finish.”
“To save you.”
“I don’t understand your words. Speak clearly,” Lela said.
“The vampires…when they learned of your birth, they threatened the King and Queen. They wanted you…they thought your blood could lift their curse.”
“Curse?”
“They believe your blood can make them human again.”
“Why do they believe such a thing? Absurd!”
“Because of the golden ball.”
“You know about it?” Lela asked.
“It has followed you since you were born.”
“I have no memories of it.”
“It’s never made itself known to you. It followed you from a distant, hiding from you. The golden ball belongs to the vampires. They worship it. It’s their God. It is written in their sacred book that the ball would someday choose a human to follow. That human is you. It chose you.”
“Chose me for what?” Lela asked, her throat threatening to close.
“Clear your mind and grasp what I’m telling you. It chose you to save them…to make them human again. Vampires despise what they are. They want to walk in the sun again. They hate immortality…they consider it torture…cursed to live in darkness forever.”
Lela sat on the edge of her bed and put her face in her hands. “I believe your words. Bloody hell, I do believe you.”
“Your mother offered herself to them. Since you were born of her womb, her blood was also sacred to them. They craved to drink from the woman who had given birth to their savior. In exchange for her blood, they agreed to leave you alone for ten years. Her blood saved you…kept them away from you.
“The ball made itself known to me yesterday,” Lela said.
Lady Rema wheezed. “Oh no,” she said. “That means…”
“This is not the time to hold your tongue.”
“They are coming for you. The pact is over. And nothing will stop them.”
“Leave my room,” Lela whispered.
“Princess, please, the King must not know I told you.”
“I need you to leave my room.” She had to be alone with her thoughts…her fear…her desire to perish right then and there.
“Yes, I’m sorry, please forgive me,” Lady Rema said and left.
Lela dashed to her window and said, “Eldrich, you bastard!”
Then she threw herself on her bed.
Lela did not know how long she had been asleep when in semi darkness she opened her eyes to find a figure standing at her bedside. Groggily, she whispered, “Eldrich.”
“I didn’t want to leave you,” he said.
“But you did,” she said, standing.
He caressed her face. “Now that I’ve returned to my true form, I can’t be in the light.”
Lela glanced at the lit candles on her walls.
“Only the sun can hurt me,” he said.
“Then may the sun rise now,” she said.
“I’m sorry I left you,” he murmured.
“Are you a vampire?” she asked.
He kissed her forehead. “Yes.”
“Your kind killed my mother,” she said. A part of her wanted to take hold of a sword and sink it into his chest.
“Now they want you,” he said.
“Are you here to take me to them?” She did not understand why she wasn’t afraid of him. By all reason she should scream and run away from him. But she found herself paralyzed.
“I’m here to protect you from them.”
“Why?” In spite of what she had just learned, she trusted him.
Although she would deny it to her death, his presence warmed her and she wanted nothing more but to take him into her bed.
“You helped me. And now I will help you,” he said.
“Is that the only reason?” She closed her eyes and thought of the night before. His body against hers…his lips on her mouth…his everything. Ashamed by what she was feeling, she opened her eyes. His kind killed your mother!
“Do you want me to leave?” he asked, his eyes on her as if he meant to swallow her.
“Yes.” She lied.
“I’m yours,” he said, coming closer to her.
“Leave,” she said, biting down hard on her lip. She could not resist her desire. Yes, she wanted him.
He moved in and kissed her. His energy ran through her, nearly knocking her to the floor. She pushed him onto the bed.
“I hate you,” she said.
“I love you,” he said.
“You cannot love someone you don’t know,” she said.
“Are you mine?” he asked.
She brought her body on top of his and ran her fingers down his chest.
“Are you mine?” he asked again.
“I belong to no one.”
“Sweet princess,” he said, flipping her on her back. “There are so many things I want to do to you. Will you let me?”
“Yes,” she said, shaking.
He glided his hand under her dress and up her inner thighs.
The pleasure she was feeling was almost too much for her to take; any second she thought she would fall into unconsciousness.
“Do you want me to caress you?” he asked.
“With your mouth,” she said. Her bluntness baffled her.
He spread her legs. Disappearing underneath her dress, he brought her to near tears.