A Shade of Kiev 3(37)

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Covered by an invisibility spell, I’d been sitting in a corner of the kitchen for a couple of hours before the vampire walked in. He made his way over to the pantry and returned with a handful of vegetables. Clearly he’d timed his arrival just before the cooks came in to begin preparing lunch.

I watched as he worked with furious speed, chopping the vegetables into small pieces. He boiled them, mixed them with milk in a bowl, then poured out the finished liquid into a bowl. Placing it on top of a tray along with a large jug of water, he rushed out of the room.

I vanished myself from the spot and reappeared in his corridor in time to see him come running up. He opened his door and slammed it shut.

I placed my ear against his door once again.

Heavy furniture scraped against the floor. And then came the sound of a voice I’d been expecting to hear all along.

A soft female voice said, “Thank you.”

I breathed in deeply, thinking carefully about what my next move should be.

She was still alive. That was a relief. Now I needed to get her out of there as soon as possible.

I decided to just do this myself. Still invisible, I appeared on the other side of his door. I crept along the hallway to see the cupboard pulled out from the wall, a pregnant woman sitting behind it as she sipped from a bowl.

My breathing became heavier as I prepared myself for what I was about to do.

I manifested myself.

The vampire shot to his feet, his eyes wide with shock. The human choked on her meal.

“Mona?”

“Novalic,” I said coldly. “This game is over. I’ve come for the immune. And I suggest you don’t fight. It will only make things worse for you and your siblings.”

I moved toward the human, but Kiev ran in front of her. There was no way I could reach her without dealing with him.

He towered over me, glaring down at me. Again, I experienced that unnerved feeling that settled over me whenever I was around him.

“What happened to you?” he asked softly.

“What are you talking about?” I snapped. “Get out of the way.”

“You don’t remember me at all, do you?” His eyes darkened.

“I barely know you. I believe I was introduced to you briefly once—”

He lunged forward and brought me crashing to the floor. His full weight was over me as he pinned me down by my wrists.

As I was about to wield my powers, I froze, staring up at him. His eyes had turned red.

I couldn’t fathom why, but watching that green give way to such a frightening red filled me with an overwhelming sense of loss. The sight left me more breathless than his weight crushing against me ever could.

It was like a fire I didn’t know still existed within me being extinguished. A candle being snuffed out.

“Your eyes,” I choked.

He continued glaring down at me, one hand closing around my throat. His claws scratched against my skin. He could rip through my throat in a split second, but I didn’t fight back.

And I didn’t understand why.

It was as if his change of color had made me lose all will to fight.

I caught the reflection of my own dark eyes in his crimson irises. And I remembered a time when mine had appeared brighter too.

I realized then that the sense of loss I felt was for myself.

I’ve lost something.

Who was I before I surrendered to the Ancient?

Why did I ever allow myself to sink into such darkness?

I found myself questioning everything I’d done since my visit to the Ancient, and suddenly it felt like it wasn’t me who’d done these things.

What am I doing with my life?

I’ve lost my way.

And I think I even expected that this would happen the moment I handed myself over to Rhys.

I reached my hands up and wrapped them around Kiev’s, trying to loosen his hold on me. Again, although I could have used my powers, I didn’t.

The vampire seemed surprised that I wasn’t attempting to fight back, and loosened his hold around my neck, though he still sat with his legs either side of my waist.

His eyes didn’t leave mine for a moment.

What was it that I made myself forget before?

I remembered the morning after I had taken the potion. I had woken up with tears staining my cheeks.

Could it have been this man?

I thought of Rhys, memories of his proposal the night before flooding back through my mind. The knots in my stomach became tighter. More painful.

Suddenly everything about the path I was on seemed wrong. Forced. I felt trapped by my own actions. Bound up in rope. Needing desperately to be cut free.

Just thinking about marrying Rhys now made me feel sick to my stomach.

That is not my life.

Rhys’ wife is not what I am.

“I knew you before, didn’t I?” I breathed, staring up at the vampire.