The Vampire's Witch Page 8

  But now I had time: plenty of time, plenty of books, and plenty of interest in learning how the people of this world handled their literature.

  I sat the books down on his bed and turned to my scattered garments from before. While I was not what I’d precisely call thrilled with the idea of reusing my clothes, Elliott hadn’t established any rules on what I could and couldn’t do in here. I didn’t want to really push it, so I begrudgingly climbed back into my school uniform. Oddly, he hadn’t commented on it; perhaps he thought it was some bizarre human fashion of a sort.

  Well, yeah, I reminded myself with a shake of the head. It’s a school uniform, Claire; that’s kind of exactly what it is. One silver lining was that, if I’d woken up still here in this vampire world, it was increasingly unlikely that I’d ever have to wear the stupid thing again.

  Over two hours, my interest in the books waned as I found myself having to repeat entire sections. Disgruntled, I set them aside for the moment.

  Very few of his hardcovers appeared to be actual novels; it was all mostly non-fiction, and they unanimously lacked most of the context.

  It felt like every other sentence in whichever books I picked out seemed to reference a common event or entity I was expected to already know. After I stopped bothering to check the indexes or glossaries that were sometimes attached, the entire thing only frustrated me.

  But this was all that there was to do.

  Nervously, I glanced over at the large, nearby pair of doors. They looked like the entrance to a large walk-in closet, and had caught my eye a few times while trying in vain to comprehend Elliott’s historical books.

  The curiosity consumed me. The longer I thought about it, the more I had to know what the wardrobe of a powerful vampire ruler looked like.

  Just to be on the safe side, I poked my head out and checked the suite again. Yet again, there was no sign of Elliott, although I was beginning to get hungry now and would need food soon.

  But for now, the coast was as clear as ever.

  Satisfied with the solitude, I strolled back to his bedroom and hesitated my fingertips at the closet doors. Maybe just a tiny peek…

  Dim interior lighting began to illuminate the large closet as I gradually pulled the doors apart. Oh right. Chrysm, I recalled with the tiniest dose of pride. Elliott explained that it powers practically the entire castle…

  I had been completely right about the space. This closet was less a walk-in and more a live-in. As I took in the scope of his wardrobe, it occurred to me that the entire upper floor of Harold’s ramshackle house could fit in here… and this was merely where Elliott kept his regal attire.

  It wasn’t just that. There wasn’t a garment in sight that looked cheap; I suspected the whole collection was the equivalent of a small fortune. Half of these fabrics looked like nothing I’d ever seen in my world; I wondered how much they had to do with the difference in wildlife here.

  Do vampires even have farms? Looms? Weavers? What about textile factories?

  My eyes found themselves already drawn to a handful of exquisite outfits, even if they were quite obviously cut and delicately designed with a broad-shouldered, young adult male in mind.

  “Wow,” I groaned aloud as I reached to touch a nearby sleeve. It felt smooth but elegant against my skin. “I think I’d probably kill to have clothes like these…”

  All of a sudden, a powerful and sinister voice whispered against my ear. “…Is that so?”

  11

  Elliott

  In a rage, I slammed her up against the wall: hard enough to scare her, but not enough to hurt her.

  “This is the thanks you show me, Clara?”

  My combative fangs instinctively bore stiffly against my lips. “I protect you. I resist a hunger like you couldn’t imagine. I send you to the single place in the whole damn castle where I can personally guarantee your safety, my own private quarters... and then, your idea of showing me gratitude is to sift through my possessions?”

  It should have delighted me to feel her cower. But Clara’s obvious fear brought me nothing.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered sadly. “You left me here with nothing to do, no warnings, no note… I was bored out of my mind. I don’t even have any clean clothes…”

  I couldn’t let her see how my rage subsided, replaced by regret that I couldn’t grasp. Nor could I let her see the part of me that came out roaring the moment I awoke to her in my bed.

  It was foolish, I snarled in my head. Of course I wouldn’t remember her at first…

  Awakening to a human in my bed was a trial I was not keen on repeating so soon. From my half-asleep state, the insatiable bloodlust had almost controlled me. Luckily, I’d regained my senses; in my haste to not feed on her, however, I’d fled the room as quickly as possible.

  The downsides of such a choice hadn’t truly occurred to me until I saw that look in her eyes…

  She isn’t blameless, I reminded myself.

  This tower suite was my sanctum; it was my most private, innermost place in the castle. Out of the kindness in my heart, I’d allowed her in; even with my lack of foresight, my human visitor had shown a lack of respect in less than a day here.

  Perhaps not my human visitor, a deeply dark part of myself possessively considered.

  Perhaps simply my human, altogether…

  There was logic there. It disappointed me that I felt inward pushback against the idea, even with such flagrant disregard for my home. Don’t grow weak on me now, Elliott, I thought to myself. Once you start allowing this human to walk all over you, you’ll dull your edge – and soon, you might need it sharpened and more ready than ever before.

  The necessity of protecting my people settled my mind. Perhaps, in my surprise, I’ve been far too hasty in bringing the girl into my home.

  How well do I really know her, anyway?

  If I showed her any vulnerability – if she saw weakness in my heart now – there was a chance that she would make me a puppet on strings.

  Many things I was, but a puppet? Never.

  “You must be punished,” I concluded firmly.

  Clara pitifully met my smoldering eyes with a desolate look. “Okay,” she conceded. “If you think that’s best, Elliott, then do what you must.”

  Her words penetrated me to the core.

  I couldn’t bring myself to harm her.

  This wasn’t what I expected or even wanted. Robbed of better options, I felt myself slowly relax as I released her from the wall. Conflicted and confused, I intensely studied the way she kept her eyes focused on the floor.

  “Go ahead, then,” the human repeated.

  Never before had I felt such frustration. There was no logical reason for me to hold back my anger at her insolence, especially with her explicit permission. Yet, something deep down would not let me raise my voice at her, let alone cause any her any harm. Hell, I already regretted shoving her against the wall in the first place…

  The other vampire lords would all come for me in an instant if they thought I was growing soft, I reminded myself silently. Like prowling sharks, swimming in circles with blood in the water…

  Glancing up to me now, her curious eyes were full of fear and sincerity. As if she could sense the clashing, bitter storm in my emotions, the newest member of my stronghold offered me a look of quiet patience.

  “The last twenty-four hours has been hard on both of us,” she told me sadly. “Maybe I can try to keep that better in mind. I don’t want you to think for a second that I’m not entirely grateful, Elliott, for your patience and sympathy...”

  That’s when Clara did the unexpected.

  She took my hand in hers.

  For a moment, I looked down at that coupling of fingers. Her skin was warm against mine; I could just faintly feel her heartbeat, how different it was to vampire physiology. It was the reminder that while she might vaguely look like a vampire, and certainly speak like a vampire, she was still a fundamentally different creature from a radically sep
arate world.

  I did not like this feeling she drew over me. My hand pulled free from hers.

  “Do not mistakenly presume to know me, Clara.” I glowered down into her hurt, fearful eyes. “Until I know what to do with you, you are a guest in this castle. Tread lightly, or I will make you a very different kind of guest…”

  Clara swallowed in fright.

  “There is still the matter of punishment,” I thought aloud as I turned my back on her. The scent of her was starting to drive me wild, and I had to take a few steps away. With a devilish look, I whirled back to face her. “Perhaps I should feed on you after all…”

  She retreated a few steps, her eyes drenched in terror. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea…”

  “Is it not?” I grinned evilly, letting her see my bared fangs again. Yes, I thought. Embrace how this feels. Show her how powerless she really is. “I’m sure you would make a delicious treat, human…”

  She shrunk under my gaze. “Please don’t.”

  I ignored how abruptly that pitiful, saddened little request twisted a knife in my heart.

  “No?” I took a quick stride forward, startling the girl. My eyes traced along her silhouette with a hungry smile. “Then perhaps you’d rather be a delicious treat for me in… other ways…”

  There was nothing genuine behind the threat; it was only meant to push her buttons, forcing a reaction to make her uncomfortable.

  Clara looked mesmerized but afraid.

  Yet her reaction still defied me, somehow. I could not ignore the enthralled way in which she looked at me; her crimson hair framed a tentative look of concern, and her bottom lip had caught neatly between her teeth. Something about the striking image of her quiet, conflicted expression instantly burned deep into my mind…

  I knew right then, for better or worse, that I’d never forget how she looked here and now.

  “I’m a virgin,” Clara admitted quietly. Her soft eyes suddenly reflected a new vulnerability. “If I can, Elliott, I’d much rather … stay that way.”

  The realization hit me like a wall.

  I truly have power over her.

  Not just as an intimidating creature from her world’s folklore, or even as the indomitable ruler of my kingdom. Whether or not she had made it a conscious decision, I held power over Clara simply because she allowed me to.

  A deep, shadowy part of me smugly smiled in sinful recognition. But this revelation made other parts of me uncomfortable.

  With anyone else, I reveled in the thought of wielding power over them. I flaunted the feeling until they realized not only their mistake but how utterly powerless they were to fix it.

  Yet, in Clara’s case, I felt responsibility.

  She gazed into my eyes not with defiance, but a longing and vulnerable request. Those beautiful eyes told me everything that I needed to know.

  “Elliott?”

  I snapped out of my thoughts. “No. I do not wish to punish you in that way.”

  Clara’s eyes betrayed immediate relief, and I felt something soften in my soul. The feeling greatly annoyed me. I instead pulled my attention towards other things.

  “Perhaps a demonstration is best.”

  She looked afraid. “A… demonstration?”

  I smiled, taking a step closer. “Yes.”

  “Demonstration of what?”

  Clara frightfully backed against the wall as I caged her in, placing a palm up on either side. While a sinister grin crossed my lips, I poured my undivided attention into her alarmed face. It felt so good to savor the position I held over her, but I found myself annoyed at how much I enjoyed the closeness to her.

  “My power,” I smirked malevolently.

  Fearfully, Clara swallowed and shrank.

  The human was right to be afraid. In one deft movement, I swept her from the wall, kicked open a tall pair of closed windows, and lunged out from the tower – with her shrieking body clinging tight around me all the while…

  12

  Elliott

  My hand grasped the edge of the window shutter as I effortlessly pivoted my momentum, pulling us back to the tower’s outer wall.

  She was panicking. “What are you doing?!”

  “Watch and learn, human…”

  Shifting Clara’s terrified body onto my back, I held the fingers of one hand to the rounded wall of stone, running alongside the edge of Craven Keep. Wind rippled through our hair as we began to gradually spiral downward. Together, we defied gravity as my boots pounded hard against the stone.

  Her arms tightened around my throat in a hug; as the threat of danger began to subside, her shrieking faded into joyous laughter.

  “Your castle looks amazing, Elliott!”

  I was incredulous. “You haven’t seen it yet?”

  “Are you kidding? I woke up in an abandoned cellar!” Her laughter was infectious to my ears. “I got to look out a window for five seconds before your guards grabbed me!”

  I tried to imagine what it would be like to see my home for the very first time. As the heir to the Craven dynasty, all I had ever known were these walls and the lands just outside them. But it all took on a new, vicarious meaning through her wonderment as I kept Clara on my back. I could feel the merriment in her as she squeezed tighter; her elation rolled out of her lungs.

  The walkways atop the tall castle walls were rising up quickly towards us. Deftly, I launched us from the keep’s brink to the closest walk, never stopping or slowing for an instant.

  I darted us between surprised guards as we raced along the high path, surrounded on either side by blocked parapets. Effortlessly, I bounced along barrels and crates of supplies, or ascended walls atop the walkways that were designed to break apart a siege against my stronghold.

  Comfortable on my back now, Clara relaxed her muscles. She gazed to either side and awed at the castle and its backdrops.

  To the left, the woods of the great forest rose in a great sea around us as a defensive cloak for concealment of our warriors; to the right of us stood the main bailey of the castle’s interior, its lush lawn divided by stone paths.

  “What are those buildings down there?”

  “Stonehold Castle’s standing army requires a great amount of upkeep,” I answered loudly over the wind. “Our blacksmiths and tradesmen need open air and space to properly do their jobs. They work from inside the safety of the castle walls.”

  She nodded in awe.

  Clara wasn’t the only one enjoying this. With her clutching me so closely, the exhilarating rush of my new extrasensory perception allowed me to scan all of my nearby subjects as we passed. I was keenly aware of every stone and barrel as we ran, able to anticipate every movement I needed to an astonishing degree; further still, I could read the hearts of all these lesser vampires.

  To my complete surprise and irritation, none of the dedicated exterior guards had any of the seriousness or vigilance that I expected. Instead, the entire regiment was lazing about – or, even worse, clearly bored out of their minds.

  Their tunes changed as I rushed into view. The guards all individually snapped to attention, filled with bewilderment, but a majority of them felt deeply aggravated to see me.

  This would not do.

  I dove down off the walkway, holding a hand to the interior castle wall as we ran down the wall towards the ground. Near the bottom, I bounced us to a stone path and rushed along the bailey, allowing my guest to finally see the splendor of the castle from the inside.

  Her voice came in a whisper near my ear.

  “This is magical, Elliott.”

  As I thought of the deepest and darkest floors, buried far below the castle, I suspected that she didn’t grasp the truth of her own words.

  My speed tore us across the bailey in no time, and soon the closed entrance to the castle proper stood at attention before us. Pivoting in front of it, I took us up a stone staircase on the outset of the wall. I dodged a series of stunned onlookers across the steps as we raced up to the battlements
that defended the stronghold. The saw-tooth merlons of the walkway greeted us again, and I gave Clara a sprawling view of the castle’s main courtyard on our way back.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she gasped in admiration. “Those hedges… all those colors… I’ve never seen something so majestic in my life.”

  I followed her glance.

  “Lorelei would appreciate that.”

  Before her crowning, the courtyard had been a rudimentary, oversized pavilion for the reigning vampire lord to accept or entertain company. True to her character, my mother had eventually seen to the end of such wasted opportunity.

  After painstaking renovation, the Stonehold castle gardens were Lorelei’s pride and joy. For the past century, particularly under nightfall, the former vampire lord could be found in her gardens if nowhere else on the castle grounds.

  Strategically, it was a disastrous hobby to spend so much time outside the walls of her own castle, but it was one she refused to give up.

  “Your mum designed all of this?”

  “Designed it?” I chuckled, shaking my head. “Lorelei practically built the damn thing herself.”

  “Can we go look at them?”

  “You can see them from here.”

  “Sure. They’re a beautiful sight from afar,” Clara agreed gratefully. “But what if we went to see them from ground level? I’ll bet they’re even nicer to see up close!”

  “Another time, perhaps,” I answered.

  Clara stayed quiet. I thought her dissatisfied with that answer until I stole a look back over my shoulder, but that wasn’t the case: she was quite obviously still enraptured by the gardens.

  I rushed us back the way we came, darting in a straight line towards my private tower. As my extrasensory awareness continued to skim the feelings of my nearby subjects, I still picked up on their annoyance at seeing me.

  I was troubled to realize this.

  Without a word, I darted back to the base of the tower. Instead of taking her inside and up the stairs, I leapt back onto the tower’s edge and ran up the side, spiraling us at an angle back up to the open windows.