The Vampire Gift 2: Kingdom of(46)

That effectively ends the conversation with him.

I wander back to my spot on the ground. I cross my legs and try to think. Am I a fool for falling in blindly with this group of vampires? Then again, what choice did I have? It was either this, or remain in the cell until Mother’s sentence was executed…

I look around me once more. The niggling feeling that we’re doing something wrong won’t go away.

But until I’m in a position to do something about it… all I can do is endure.





Chapter Twenty-Seven




ELEIRA



All the things Phillip warned me about roil through my mind as I walk alone over the hanging bridges connecting the vampire residences on top of The Haven.

The humans are hard at work beneath me. Their grim determination to rebuild their residence is both distressing and inspiring. I hate the inequality of this place. It’s unfair that vampires would live in such luxury while the humans toil away in a lifestyle that ceased to exist in the 1500s.

But such is Morgan’s rule. I cannot go against her now. I hardly know a tenth of what there is to know about this place. Hardly a hundredth! It’ll take time for me to find my footing, discover my strengths, understand the ebb and flow of power amongst the vampires in The Haven…

I’m mired so deep in my own thoughts that I hardly notice when I bump into somebody walking the other way.

Alarm grips me when I see who it is. Smithson.

“Hello, Princess,” he says in a deep, smooth voice. “What an unexpected pleasure to run into you this evening.”

Something tells me that this meeting was no mere coincidence. I shy back. He takes my arm.

“All alone?” he asks. “That might not be the smartest idea, considering what the other vampires are whispering. Let me escort you.”

I jerk my arm away. “No,” I say. “Let me pass, Smithson. Morgan told me I have full freedom to go where I please.”

“Yes…” he nods slowly. “Morgan.” He looks around. “You would do best to refer to her as Queen when others are in hearing.” He steps closer to me, bringing his mouth to my ear and lowering his voice. “You would not want to give them reason to hate you more. Vampires are a treacherous bunch.”

Before I can respond, he steps away. “I bid you a good night.”

I stare after his back until he turns the corner and disappears from my vantage.

What was that all about? I wonder.

“I wouldn’t trust him if I were you.”

I jump at the sound of Raul’s voice. I twist around—and find him standing nearly nose-to-nose with me.

He smiles as he reaches up and touches my cheek. “Hi,” he says, softly.

“Hi,” I whisper back. I can’t do anything against the bloom in my chest when his voice makes goosebumps run down my back like that.

He turns aside and twines his fingers together with mine. “Walk with me?” he asks.

I nod. “That would be wonderful.”

Raul leads me to the forest. The humans don’t pay us any attention when we emerge. They keep their heads down and remain hard at work.

“What do you make of all this?” I ask, gesturing at the remains of the village. “Why don’t the vampires help? It would go so much faster if they did.”

Raul shakes his head. “The Queen forbids it. They must be self-sufficient, and they need to be kept busy, so they don’t have time to dwell on the truth of their lives.”

“The truth?”

“That they are slaves. They are our food supply. And nothing more.”

I shiver. “I think they know that.”

“Of course they do. But idle hands make for conspiring minds. If the humans are kept busy with their chores…” he shrugs. “It’s been this way for very long.”

I hate the cold-hearted way he can speak of them. “Do you really believe that?” I whisper.

Raul looks at me. He brings a finger to his lips. He touches the tip of his nose, then his eyes move to the left, then to the right. “Certain things, you have to believe,” he tells me. “When others are watching.”

I follow his gaze… and realize that he’s right.

We have an audience. Off to one side is a member of the Royal Guard. He’s staring at us openly. Across from him is a richly-dressed vampire, only slightly less obvious about the reason for his proximity.

“We must both be careful,” Raul says. Under his breath, he adds, “I don’t know what I would do if I were to lose you.”

Is he really so enamored with me? I stare up into his beautiful green eyes, and am taken away by the sincerity I find in them.

“You won’t lose me,” I tell him. “I’m here, aren’t I? I came back.”