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Seven Years Ago
day 264 since capture
The highest tower in the mansion made up Master Benjamin’s private quarters. Some people were allowed into his office for business, but access to his bedchambers was usually restricted to Master Benjamin himself and a select vampire or two that he trusted the most.
As of today, however, everything belonged to Drake. Lord Drake. Which of course meant that Shiloh and Devon were also allowed up to his room.
The first thing Shiloh noticed when they walked in was an explosion of burgundy. The walls, canopy, carpeting, and velvet furniture would have made the room feel dark and gloomy, if not for the large bay window letting in plenty of sunlight. The Victorian-style of design contrasted sharply with the view of the Sonoran Desert outside the fixed window panes, stretching as far as the eye could see, but it made the room look like an ancient royal’s residence.
Nobody could have guessed that Drake, in his black sweatpants and hoodie slung low over his head, was now the master of this place. Neither of the two other teenagers at his side seemed to belong, either, in their washed out denim jeans and casual tops.
Still, Shiloh had to admit, there was a sort of rush about being in the room. A couple of kids like them never imagined they’d be handed such power, yet there they were.
“This is insane,” Shiloh murmured when they stepped in. “Seriously, who puts a fireplace in the bedroom anymore? Central heating exists.”
Drake flashed her a boyish grin, but she could only offer a half-hearted smile in return. She had grown too accustomed to avoiding direct contact with golden eyes like his. Every once in a while, when she caught him staring, the color startled her so much, she would physically jump.
Not too long ago, those same eyes had glared up at her with unbridled hatred, while their previous owner delivered a brutal warning.
‘Staying will destroy everything I’ve worked to build. If you value your own life, leave him. By whatever means necessary.’
The memory sent chills down her spine, but she had to remind herself of one crucial thing.
Lord Benjamin was gone. No one would ever hurt her again.
When Drake had first told her about his transformation, she’d been afraid that the change would make him evil, but other than his eyes and his powers, he was largely the same. Her Drake. He still loved her as much as always and tried his best to make her smile. He noticed when she was frightened and immediately made her feel better—even when he was the source of her fear.
If anything, becoming a supernatural had made him more caring, because now he could actually protect her. And unlike Lord Benjamin and his progeny, Drake would never hurt her.
Their situation wasn’t ideal, but it was still new. With time, she would get used to all the supernatural things about him. She had to. The alternative was simply too unfathomable.
“Can you imagine me unironically wearing this thing?” Drake smirked as he slipped into the gold and wine-colored dress robe.
Devon unexpectedly guffawed. “You look like a straight-up arse.”
Shiloh gave a small smile and raised an eyebrow in his direction. He wasn’t usually so cheery. He must have sensed his brother’s unease about the monumental task ahead of him and was trying to lighten the mood.
“You should probably wear it around the vampires, though,” Devon added, sounding more like his normal self. “Just to keep up the pretense.”
That elicited an eye roll from Drake. “Let me worry about the vampires. Remember, you need to become friendly with the werewolves, and Shi—”
“I’ll take care of the humans,” she finished, stepping in to help him button up the robe. “I already started talking to people before the succession was announced. I plan to at least know everybody’s names by the end of the week.”
“Good. Figure out which ones are struggling the most, what they might need, anything useful, really. The sooner we know which ones are likely to want to stay long term, the easier it’ll be to eventually set the rest of them free.”
“Adam might know. Maybe I could ask him if—”
“No!” Drake’s voice was abrupt, but he softened when she jumped in response, looking contrite. “Sorry, it’s just... I want to keep this between the three of us. At least for now.”
Seeing her still hesitate, he held out his hand toward her elbow, his eyes darting between there and her gaze as if asking permission to touch her. There was such vulnerability on his face, such fearful anticipation of her response, that it melted her heart, compelling her to step into his embrace. He was even more tender than before in the way he held her, as if he was aware of his newfound strength and was trying to be as gentle as possible.
Beside them, Devon let out a choked sound. “Well damn, at least pretend to notice me here.”
Shiloh chuckled—a real, sincere sound. It erased her anxious thoughts, bringing back the familiar sense of safety she always felt near Drake.
“Okay, I’m just gonna go watch your speech from my room,” Devon announced before he made his exit.
After he was gone, Drake pulled back and stared down at Shiloh, eyebrows raised. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay,” she assured him. “It’s gonna take some getting used to, but I’ll get there.”
Nodding, he pulled a strand of hair away from her cheek, his thumb lingering on her skin. “I love you.”
He said it almost like a question.
Shiloh lifted herself up on her tiptoes and laid a kiss on his lips, delighted to discover that it felt just as exhilarating as ever. When his arms then wrapped around her waist, slipping just a tiny bit under her shirt as he pulled her closer, she leaned into him. Fire erupted under her skin, and she remembered they hadn’t touched much since he told her he was the successor. The transition had been too hard on his body, and all she’d wanted was for him to get better.
Now, as she felt the softness of his skin on hers, it was as intoxicating as ever, which was a relief. She had truly missed the intimacy part of their relationship. Before him, she’d never felt this intense passion for anyone, nor did she want to experience it with anyone else anymore.
Then and there, she knew that no matter what happened next, no matter how much he changed, he would always belong to her, just like how a piece of her heart would also always be his.
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
Her favorite of his smiles lit up his face.
“Now go, they’re waiting for you.”
He kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment before he stepped back. “Don’t go anywhere.”
With that, he turned to the balcony doors. He paused for a moment, as though to gather his strength, and Shiloh couldn’t peel her eyes off him. She took in every detail of his face, studying the way his dark eyelashes fluttered as he closed his eyes, the movement of his chest as he took a deep, steadying breath. She watched the nervousness melt away, the resolve hardening his face.
And then he straightened his posture and finally opened the doors, stepping out like he was going on stage.
To get the best view, Shiloh stood by the window in the farthest corner. She deliberately positioned herself at the very edge before peeking through the curtains, so that no one would notice her from outside.
Nearly every soul at the estate was gathered on the grounds beneath the tower, the light of the moon and two high projectors illuminating the area as well as the balcony. Initially, Shiloh had wondered why they couldn’t sit in the banquet hall, where most formal events usually took place. But since humans weren’t allowed there as guests, she supposed it made sense. Drake couldn’t risk changing too much, too fast.
The crowd was segregated by race. Vampires sat on the fancy chairs and tables typically reserved for special occasions. They seemed to be having a grand old time, exchanging pleasantries and laughing together. For a handful of them, this wasn’t the first ascension they witnessed, so they knew what to expect and seemed eager to watch it unfold.
Behind them, the werewolves also sat on the fancy chairs. They didn’t seem as relaxed, but they weren’t apprehensive or nervous in the slightest. It was hard to gauge exactly how they felt, but most appeared indifferent. The only miserable crowd was the hundreds of humans on the opposite side, seated on pull-out lawn chairs. They had moved their seats close together, staying as far as they could from the supernaturals.
Shiloh knew how they felt. Her heart was pounding so hard, she was sure some vampire or werewolf might hear it, despite her being high up and yards away.
A hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes turned up to the balcony the second Drake stepped into view. He didn’t have any voice amplification device, but it was so quiet, he didn’t need it.
“Tonight marks a historic day,” he began, his voice booming across the crowd. “The end of an era which lasted for nearly three centuries. I know some of you are apprehensive about what the future holds. Change is a frightening thing, after all. But rest assured, the future will be bright. I stand before you now to make this solemn vow: that I will honor my predecessor’s legacy and fight for the causes he stood up for while we usher in this new dawn. I swear to you that under my leadership, this estate—our home—will become a place of peace and harmony. We will all thrive, together as one.”
He was born for this, Shiloh thought, marveling.
She was safe with him, he would make sure of it. As long as they were together, everything would be okay.
***
DEVON WAITED UNTIL after Shiloh had gone to bed—in her very own private bedroom—before approaching his brother. They hadn’t had the chance to see each other much in the past few weeks, so Devon was itching to talk.
“How is everyone taking the news?” Drake asked first as he took off his robe. His golden eyes were apprehensive, his eyebrows drawn so closely together, they nearly touched.
“About as well as to be expected,” Devon said. “The vamps are acting like it’s business as usual. And I’m pretty sure the werewolves are just waiting to see what happens.”
“What about the human faction?”
“Hard to say. It’s the first time any of them see a change of leadership. No one’s saying it, but I think those who knew us before are hoping you’ll release them. They stop whispering the second they see me.”
Drake turned away, opening his dressers one by one and sifting through the various suits and formal wear on display until he located a pair of comfortable pajamas. Devon remembered that at this estate, a vamphyr’s sleeping regimen included two hours at sunset and two at sunrise—which was minutes away.
“We can’t release anyone yet,” Drake was saying as he changed. “Or even let them know that that’s an option until I’ve dealt with the vampires.”
“I know. But that speech of yours isn’t going to hold them off for long. It’s only a matter of time before one of them does talk to me, or even Shiloh.”
“You know what to say.”
“The rules haven’t changed.”
“Exactly. It’s all I can do for them right now. And it’s better if they come to you guys, anyway, at least ‘til I have better control over the vampires. Right now, I can’t have the supernatural factions see me as soft or this’ll never work.”
Devon gave a small nod. His eyes roamed over his brother’s figure, taking in how much better Drake looked physically compared to how he was in the last few weeks of his transition. He seemed more energetic—current sleepiness notwithstanding—and the pallor was gone from his face, replaced by a healthy glow.
And yet, despite being better on the outside, Drake seemed to have aged a decade. Gone was his mischievous attitude and youthful optimism—or at least subdued. He was a lot more serious now, more determined, which made sense considering what they were planning to do.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell Shiloh?” he asked, to be sure.
“This is the whole reason we volunteered,” Drake said with a head shake, as if Devon needed the reminder. “I don’t want to bring her into this until we know for sure.”
“She’s tougher than you think. I mean, she survived everything Lord Benjamin threw at her. And she’s been putting up with the two of us for months now, which I personally think is the biggest challenge of them all.” Devon grinned, but the joke didn’t land as he’d hoped.
“Maybe, but I won’t take the risks. She’s been through a lot more than we have, and we’re barely holding it together. I can’t give her more reasons to be frightened. I won’t do that to her.”
Devon was only asking to be sure, but he actually agreed with his brother on this. Shiloh had suffered enough.
After a moment, he took a deep breath and crossed his arms, bracing himself to speak out loud the thoughts he’d been keeping hidden for months, now.
“So how do we find out who killed Dad?”
