Royally Cursed, page 3
part #2 of Vampire Princess Series
I stepped forward unconsciously. I wanted—
My fangs were back out in an instant.
“Sophie, what is going on?”
Maxim stopped drinking and looked at me, his eyes full of intimate knowledge. He wasn’t surprised by what was happening to me, I realized. He seemed to instinctively understand so much about me. About what I needed.
“She needs blood.”
Bernard rolled his eyes.
“Here, there’s more downstairs.”
“No. She needs my blood.”
I shook my head, refusing to acknowledge what was happening.
“What?”
“The prom did not end well.” He crumpled the empty blood bag, tossing it in the trash without looking. “Her Highness almost tore apart a room full of teenagers.”
“Did anyone see your fangs? How did you get out there? You should have brought her home immediately!”
“It was too late for that.”
He shrugged, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.
“She drank from me instead.”
Caleb stepped forward, his ancient wrath palpable.
“What do you mean she drank from you?”
Maxim just stared at him. I stepped between them, trying to keep Caleb from tearing Maxim apart. He and Bernard were very old and very strong, but no one was as strong as Caleb.
“He helped me Caleb, what’s the big deal?”
He turned on me, his eyes blazing.
“Do you know what this means, Sasha? You are connected now. Forever.”
“What do you mean connected?”
“You will always sense him, always know where he is.” He sneered, turning back to glare at Maxim. “And he will know the same of you.”
“What? But he didn’t drink my blood!”
Bernard was silent as I looked to him.
“It’s true Sasha. Drinking from each other is an… intimate act. Usually reserved for long time lovers.”
I glanced at Maxim.
“Lovers? Why would you offer me your blood then?”
Maxim said nothing. Bernard’s voice was angry when he answered me instead.
“Perhaps he wishes to secure a place by your side.”
I watched Maxim’s face carefully. He didn’t defend himself or protest Berbard’s words.
“No- he wouldn’t…you wouldn’t manipulate me that way, would you? We’re friends.”
“You two are bound now. It’s something that no one else can breach. In fact, you will always crave his blood now. Forever.”
I stared at Maxim. He looked back at me, unapologetic.
“What do you mean, forever?”
“I mean forever. Even if he… departs this Earth.”
I could tell that Bernard was seriously considering sending Maxim on his journey. But we needed him. He was loyal and had many contacts in the Vampire world.
Maybe he was too loyal. Too dedicated. Too obsessed.
Maxim met my eyes steadily, not ashamed in the least. In fact, he looked as confident as ever. But not as smug as usual.
“You knew about this.”
“I knew.”
I lifted my hand and smacked him, as hard as I could. His head snapped to the side and he flinched. A trickle of blood ran from his lip.
He was smiling as he looked back at me. He touched the trickle of blood with his fingertips, staring at it. Then he slowly licked it away.
I felt as if he’d touched me. Licked me, instead of his own lip. That’s how smoldering his eyes were.
“Get out.”
“You need me, Princess.”
“No, I don’t!”
He stared at me, his face hard.
“Trust me, you’re going to want me to come back. The hunger will come again.” He stepped closer, running his hand down my arm. “I doubt you’ll make it to dawn.”
I screamed and he flinched, stepping away from me. The sound was high-pitched and didn’t stop. Lightbulbs and glass shattered.
I stood there, panting in my rage, and shut my lips. It was total silent. No one dared to even breathe.
I walked out the room slowly and started up the stairs. Maxim followed me. I barely noticed as Caleb ran to the basement. He threw Maxim’s bag at him and Bernard opened the front door.
“Sophie, I did not do this to hurt you.”
I took another step, and another. I couldn’t answer him. I wanted to hurt him, I realized. My fangs descended again as the hunger returned. I wanted to drink him dry.
“Now you will know how I feel when I look at you.”
I stopped without turning to look at him. I was afraid of what I might feel. What I might do.
“I already knew how you felt, Maxim.”
“But now… Now, you will feel the same.”
And then he was gone.
Chapter 5
My stomach turned over as I ran through the woods. I’d gotten zero sleep last night, tossing and turning with the hunger. I drained at least five blood bags by dawn. And the hunger was still roaring inside me.
How could it be this bad?
Why? Why now?
And how much worse could it get?
I ran faster, hoping to burn it off with physical exertion.
Unfortunatley, that also made me want to hurl. That would go over well if anyone saw me.
Teenage girl, puking her guts out with blood.
Totally normal.
NOT.
I swung deeper into the woods as the sound of a car drew closer. Nightfall. I should be paying attention.
I’d been up most of the night, arguing with Caleb and Bernard. Well, Bernard mostly. Caleb had left to deal with the photographer who had taken my photo for the paper and the yearbook. We knew there were still smart phone pictures out there, but hopefully they wouldn’t go farther than Facebook. And since I didn’t have any social media accounts, it shouldn’t lead back to me.
By the time Caleb got back around dawn, he still had plenty to say.
I moaned at the thought. I should have been able to sleep from pure mental and emotional exhaustion but I wasn’t physically tired. Another side effect of my immortality.
I’d had enough. And those two were stuck in the house, unable to follow me when I announced I was going for a swim.
Anything to get out of the house.
I could hear the waterfall before I got there. It was still early. I’d hoped that it was empty enough that I could swim before anyone showed up.
Anyone human anyway.
I stared at my hands as I calmed my breathing. I was wearing thin leather gloves. It wasn’t an ideal solution, but I hoped it would stop me from creating more spirit trees if I accidentally touched the bark.
Or anything, really. I had no idea what my touch would do to a living creature at this point. I’d touched other vamps of course. And Dyl. But a deer?
Nobody needed glowing deer running around the woods.
Though… actually that would probably prevent a lot of accidents. Make them too easy to hunt though. And I couldn’t stand the thought of anything else dying because of me.
I didn’t want Caleb to have to destroy one more inch of the forest. I hated the thought of destroying another living creature.
Kind of crazy for a Vampire, right?
Well, I didn’t ask for this. For any of it. Being born the way I was, not belonging to either world. Feeling like a freak most of the time. The thirst. My abilities and immortality.
Being born the daughter of a king. The only king our kind had known for thousands of years.
I hadn’t asked for any of it.
I crept forward, observing the steep drop and the sandy beach below. With my vamp eyes, I could see where the water was deep and where there were rocks. I could dive into it without worry.
Not that repairing my bones was an issue anyway, but I’d rather not be a gory mess even for a little while. I still had the instinct to avoid pain. Caleb said it was a human thing, an instinct.
Either way, I didn’t enjoy getting hurt.
I exhaled, scanning the trees for company. No one was here. I was so pent up and angry and frustrated. And thirsty. Let’s not forget that.
I needed to do something drastic.
My feet moved without thought. I took a running leap and arched high into the air, curving my body gracefully into a streamlined shape.
And then I dove, straight down. The drop was over forty feet. It felt like flying.
It was wonderful.
I hit the water like an arrow, diving down twenty feet or more. There were underground caverns beneath me, and even darker water.
Wow, how deep did this thing go?
I swam upwards, breaking the water in a clean arch. It was definitely more than most humans could do, but I wasn’t worried about being seen. I felt relaxed for the first time in days.
I let myself float in the crystal-clear water, staring at the sky as the sun rose.
A furtive sound made me lift my head. A branch snapped. Definitely not furtive. Whoever was out there wasn’t hiding.
Someone was here.
I stared at the edge of the woods, not seeing her at first. Her dark green dress almost disguised her, even from me.
Almost, but not quite.
Karen.
Why, oh why, was I not surprised it was her?
Oh well, at least I didn’t have to glamour her to forget she’s seen my fancy high dive. Not that it would work anyway.
I swam towards the shore, walking slowly towards her. She was perched on the edge of a large rock. There were smudged symbols on the rock around her.
So, she had a reason to come here before the humans showed up as well.
Karen had been doing spell work.
She looked lovely. Her glasses were gone. Her hair was unbound. She was sitting in front of a bowl full of crystals. The smell of burnt sage filled the air.
It was disconcerting that I hadn’t detected her presence, but not surprising. She was partially supernatural. Like me, but not immortal. Just long-lived and magical.
Karen, my ex best friend and cousin to my ex-boyfriend, was part Fae.
And everyone knew that Fairies were sneaky little bastards.
“Hey.”
She raised an eyebrow in greeting.
“You were supposed to stay away from him.”
Oh so, skipping the small talk. Okay. I crossed my arms.
“It’s not my fault we got elected King and Queen, Kah.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, well, I could have predicted that.”
“With your tarot cards?”
“No. With my knowledge of high school hierarchy.”
“Please, I’m not even popular.”
“You are popular enough. And you’re hot. Plus, you still have that new girl smell.”
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.
“How are you, anyway?”
“I’m okay. You?”
I looked away.
“Fine.”
I looked around the picnic area and parking lot, realizing that people might start showing up soon. Joggers. People with small children. They were all likely to come before the summer heat made the day unbearable.
“Okay, well… this was fun. I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Sophie, wait.”
“What?”
“How are you, really?”
“You want me to pour my heart out to you of all people?”
“Yes.”
I exhaled. Fine. I would tell her. She was the one person I could still be honest with.
“I’m lonely, Kah. And I’m scared.”
“Why would someone like you be scared? You’re indestructible.”
I stepped closer to her.
“That’s not entirely true and you know it.”
“Fine. But that’s not what is bothering you. Tell me why you’re scared.”
“Because I’m starving. Nothing seeems to satiate me. And I don’t want to accidentally hurt someone. Maybe even someone I love.”
I tilted my head to the side.
“Speaking of which, you smell delicious.”
She jutted her chin out. With her hair loose and her glasses tucked in her bag, she was lovely. Prettier than I’d ever realized, not that I cared what she looked like.
I freaking loved her, even when she was nerdalicious.
She was my best friend. My only real friend. I would have died for her, even if she looked like a troll, not that she ever had.
I still wasn’t clear whether trolls were even real or not.
“Not funny.”
I stepped closer, leaning forward until we were face to face.
“Not meant to be.”
I let my fangs drop. I didn’t hide them. I showed her everything that I truly was.
Her eyes widened but she didn’t back down. She didn’t back away. I stared into her eyes, realizing how close I was to losing control.
Karen smelled almost as good as Dylan did.
“Crap. I gotta go.”
I ran. I had to get away from her. I cursed as I my wet feet pounded the ground, carrying me away from the second most delicious thing I’d smelled in my life.
Karen and Dylan… they were my pancakes, I realized. My favorite food. Nothing else would do. Not fresh human blood. Not even Maxim and his intoxicating blood.
Maybe it was because I was part human… Maybe it’s because my kind craved Fae blood. Maybe it was just nature, or supernature.
I wanted to drink the only three people besides my guardians who had ever cared about me. Even though I was furious with Maxim, he had sacrificed so much for me. I still cared about him.
But this was worse than just wanting to take a sip of my friends.
My hunger was out of control. It was taking everything I had not to turn around and run back to Kah. To hurt her.
It was over. My attempt at a normal teenage life hadn’t been destroyed by someone knowing my secret, or even my enemies. No. It was me.
Finish high school was impossible, I realized. I’d have to stay far away from them all. Maybe even be locked up for good.
I was well and truly cursed.
Chapter 6
“Okay so check the mirrors.”
“Really?”
I rolled my eyes at Bernard.
“You need to follow a very specific routine.”
“Nard… I read the manual.”
“Ugh, please don’t call me that.”
“What? Nard?”
“Yes. It’s undignified.”
I chuckled and made a big show of adjusting all the mirrors. I raised a brow, waiting for him to tell me what to do. I knew what to do, of course, but I could tell Bernard was nervous.
He did love to make a fuss over me.
“Now put the car into reverse and slowly back out.”
It was late afternoon and we were in an empty parking lot for a big box discount store. The place was actually packed, but they had grossly overestimated how many cars might be there at a given time.
Lot A was full. Lot B was half full. Lot C and D were empty. We were all the way in E, with not a single car in sight. It was so far from the actual store that they needed a bus.
In other words, it was the perfect place to learn to drive.
But not drive slowly, like an 80-year-old lady. There was no way I was doing that.
I grinned and peeled out, turning the wheel hard so we did a donut. A backwards donut. Then I switched gears and did figure eight’s while Bernard cursed at me in what sounded like 18th century peasant French.
Actually, I was sure it was 18th century peasant French because he called me a ‘mud trout’ and a ‘forest witch.’ Both of which only made me cackle louder.
Finally, I slowed to a halt. Poor Bernard was about to lose his mind. I didn’t think that Vampires could have heart attacks, but I didn’t want to risk it.
I stared at him, my smile huge.
Man, that was fun.
“Ooooh, I like driving.”
“That was not driving, Sophie.”
“Yes, it was.”
“No, that was shenanigans.”
I burst into laughter. Bernard almost had color in his cheeks. It was adorable. But he was upset, so I schooled my features.
“What if someone comes, Sophie?”
I shrugged.
“Nobody is coming. And I’m pretty sure this is an acceptable human pastime. Anyway, we could just glamour them.”
“We don’t glamour lightly.”
I pulled a face and sighed heavily. He was right. I hated doing it. I felt guilty afterwards, knowing that the human in question would have a tiny piece of their memory gone. I often wondered if they could feel the blank space. The absence of time.
“Okay, okay. Sorry.”
He exhaled and nodded.
“I think that’s enough for today.”
I tilted my head back and pretended to wail like a two-year-old. I knew I was being bratty. But I was a princess. I might be exiled but I was allowed now and then to have a bratty moment.
“Wahhhhh!”
“Don’t be a baby. Climb over me.”
“Okay, okay. You win, Nard.”
“Shut up.”
We switched seats awkwardly, with him sliding to the side and me monkey climbing over the seats to the back and then the passenger seat. I was just too lazy to get out. He legitimately couldn’t risk the sun exposure.
I didn’t bother asking if he would let me drive back myself.
Bernard was 100% buzzkill today. He’d been giving Caleb the cold shoulder for days. I could read both of their moods, which was not fun. And for the past seven months, I could feel them.
It was my least favorite ability. Give me super speed and strength any day. Knowing how people felt about you was just annoying.
Embarrassing too.
Especially around boys.
Even thousand-year-old ones.
I stared out the window, trying to tune out the pressure building in my belly. It was happening faster now. And I got cranky as hell when it did.
The thirst was back. It was far too soon. I’d drained three blood bags before we left a few hours ago. It was getting to the point where I couldn’t go anywhere.
