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Kristina
We walk for what seems like hours rather than minutes. Or maybe the distance appears like a long stretch for me because I’m so fucking scared, it’s not even funny. Nyall’s sudden appearance, followed by his reaction, and then his added threat, makes me feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone. Is this any worse than being kidnapped at gunpoint by a pair of ruffians, days ago?
Emotional stability is what I need more of right now, but unfortunately, we keep bumping into these crazy individuals, all hell bent on killing us. I’m exhausted and only Hayden’s arm around my shoulders provides me with enough bravado to enter what, to me, closely resembles a museum than a house where apparently, Nyall resides.
It’s elaborate, with high ceilings, a white marbled fireplace, modern, exquisite furniture that looks far more expensive than any money I’ve made in a year, and floors that look so shiny I’m afraid of letting go of Hayden and slipping, falling, getting hurt to the point of bleeding. I’m consciously aware that I’ve set foot inside a vampire’s house and this is no laughing matter.
The moment we enter, a woman, no older than myself in appearance if not in age, enters the living room and stops a few paces from Nyall. Unlike Nyall, whose shoulder-length white hair and red eyes gives away his albinism, this woman is dark in complexion, with soft brown curls that cascade down the middle of her back, and big, chocolate eyes.
“You are back early,” she says, stepping forward to undo the top button of his shirt. “Did your weekly walk not go well?”
His hand reaches out to smooth a lock of her hair over her right shoulder adoringly, with care. It’s very easy to see these two hold much respect for each other, maybe even more than that. Affection? Love?
“It was interrupted.”
The woman’s gaze travels from Drake, to Hayden, before stopping on me. “I see you have brought guests. Of the most unusual type, I must add.” They are such a contrast from one another. He’s intimidating and incites nothing but fear in me. She is calm, with a welcoming demeanor that helps me feel somewhat reassured.
Nyall removes the woman’s hand from his shirt and holds it as he introduces her. “This is my wife, Akana.”
“Welcome to our home,” she says with a genuine smile. “Please make yourselves comfortable.” Akana gestures toward the living room. “You can have a seat if you’d like.”
Before we can move, Nyall adds, “The pair looks exhausted. The girl, especially. Would you take her upstairs so she can freshen up?”
I want to refuse, not particularly happy about being alone with a vampire, but I doubt blowing off their hospitality will be well received. Plus, I have the feeling Nyall is trying to get rid of me.
“Rest assured, no one will harm you here. You are my guest.” Nyall’s expression softens. His glowing, red eyes are no longer piercing in their intense scowl. “Accompany Akana. You can join the men and me in the kitchen once you’re more comfortable.”
In my mind, there are an innumerable scenarios playing out, most of which end in our untimely demise. My being the only human in a vampire house...what are the chances this is going to end well for me?
Supplicating, almost, I glance up at Hayden, hoping he will refuse to see me go. His answer is made clear when his arm falls off my shoulders, and he gently coaxes me toward Akana’s direction.
“Go on. Everything will be okay.” I might not be willing to put any trust in any of the residents of this house yet, but Hayden wouldn’t be sending me away if he believed I was in danger.
“All right,” I whisper as I accept the hand Akana offers me, trying very hard not to cringe when I feel the iciness of her touch, which for some reason, I find unexpected. I’d read many vampire novels in my day, but you never expect any of those depictions to be somewhat accurate, much less that the creatures themselves are real.
Apparently, not only are they young and attractive, but they practically exude power and wealth. It’s very unnerving.
Akana leads me away from the living room, to a large staircase at the other side of the foyer.
“Our quarters are up on the second floor.” She lets go of my hand and gestures up the stairs. “Please, follow me.”
I nod and trail behind her, amazed by how graceful she makes something as simple as going up a flight of stairs appear. She wears a scoop-neck, sleeveless striped sundress that reaches down to her ankles, bangles, and a pair of earrings. Her feet are surprisingly bare. Akana picks up the skirt of her dress as she ascends, revealing a golden anklet that perfectly complements her outfit. It’s easy for me to imagine her as goddess out in a jungle somewhere, surrounded by leopards and or other dangerous predators.
“I am very surprised by my husband’s choice of guests. Rarely does he bring home visitors. He is very particular about who calls on us. With you being human and the werewolf, I am at a loss.”
We reach the top of the staircase and she continues down a long corridor aligned with doors, without waiting to see if I follow or for a response.
“We’re here to ask for his help,” I say, lacking a better reply.
“Yes, I assumed whatever brought you here must be of great importance for all three of you to risk my husband’s hot temper.”
I chew on my lower lip. My nervousness keeps growing with each and every one of her words. Hot-tempered? That’s something I would’ve liked to know ahead of time.
“Nevertheless, Nyall brought you here, so he must trust you have something very important to discuss with him. He can be a gracious host, given the right guest. Since you are already here, he will do his best to ensure you are comfortable.” She stops in front of a set of double wooden doors at the end of the hall, and opens them. “Feel at ease in our home, please.”
“I’m just a little...disconcerted.” And that’s putting it mildly. “I’ve never been in the presence of vampires before. Up until a few days ago I thought your kind was nothing more than a myth. An entertaining read, but nothing much more than that.” I stop talking, realizing how offensive my comment is.
“I understand. You were thrust into our world and given no time to grasp it all, but be certain that you have nothing to fear.”
I want to believe her. I really do, but it’ll take some time. If I live another hour, I’ll start to give her the benefit of the doubt. “Uh, thanks.”
Her full lips split into a grin. I’m sure she can pick up on my nervousness, too, which makes me feel like a cornered rabbit, staring into the eyes of the predator that’s going to devour me in one gulp.
“Relax. As your host, I will make sure you are at ease and protected. Now come on in.” She steps to the side to allow me entry.
Hesitantly, I set foot inside a large bedroom decorated to meet the standards of a king. Like the first floor, every single piece of furniture in this room is modern, but classy. The drapes and bedding display intricate swirls and flowers in an array of golds, reds, whites, and the occasional silver stitched into the silk.
It’s apparent either Nyall or Akana has exquisite taste.
“The bathroom is through here.” She comes in after me and strolls to the opposite side of the room to a second door. “There are towels in the closet next to the shower.”
I stay put, listening attentively as she adds, “When it comes to clothing...” she looks me up and down, “you appear to be about my size.” Sauntering on past me again, Akana opens a third door and goes inside a walk-in closet. “Do you prefer casual?”
I nod, keeping my eyes on her back as she moves about the closet. It isn’t long before she pulls out some jeans, a couple of tops, and a pair of sneakers.
“Casual, yes?” She lays the clothing neatly on the king-sized bed to my right.
“Yeah, I’m not much of a dress wearing, frilly kind of girl.”
Akana’s brown eyes meet mine. “Comfort over beauty, I see.” She doesn’t sound condescending, so I decide not to take her words as an insult.
“Right.”
“Oh, I have forgotten a woman’s basic necessities.” She walks back inside the closet and emerges a moment later with clean underwear and socks. “Here you go.” Gesturing to the clothes, she says, “Choose whichever outfit appeals to you the most.” She sets a hand on my right shoulder. “I’ll leave now to give you some privacy. I will be back in a little bit.”
Without waiting for a reply, she hurries out of the room, leaving me brooding in my own confusion as to what exactly I’ve walked into now. There’s no doubt the craziness only continues, but the moment I decided to help Hayden, I knew I couldn’t go back.
***
Bathed, dressed, and with a renewed sense of tranquility, I walk out of the bathroom only to find Akana in the bedroom waiting for me. She’s standing beside the vanity, holding a hairbrush, her eyes smiling as she observes me from afar.
“You look revived,” she comments as she points to the vanity stool in front of her. “Come, let’s untangle that long hair of yours.”
She seems nice, meaning I have no reason to believe she’s aiming to suck all the blood out of me, but I can’t quite get past the thought that she’s a vampire and I’m all alone with her. Maybe she’s a little too nice, which creeps me out even more.
“Sure,” I murmur under my breath. What I really want is to go back downstairs and find Hayden and Drake, but nonetheless, I stride over to the stool and sit facing the mirror. A quick glance at the glass reveals her reflection, studying me as intently as I do her. I’d had this idea in my head, having seen so many vampire flicks in the past, to believe the contrary, but this is another myth blown way out of proportion.
She’s certainly not invisible.
I sit in total silence, unsure if it’s required of me to say something. I’m battling with the idea of bringing something up, but I’m unsure as to what would make for a decent conversation with a vampire who’s a total stranger.
“What’s your name?” I’m guessing this is her way of breaking the awkward silence.
“Kristina,” I say quickly, so quickly I begin to think she could have missed my response.
“That’s a pretty name,” she comments with a smile.
“I guess so.” Though I can’t bring myself to admit just how much I dislike my own name. It’s so common and ordinary.
“You are far too quiet, child. Why do you not ask what is really on your mind.” She uses gentle, easy strokes to get the tangles out of my hair.
“Oh, I...you have a reflection. I was just thinking about...” I stop because I feel incredibly awkward and stupid. Where was I going with this?
“The many times you thought differently?” she finishes off for me.
“Yes.”
Her smile broadens. “Folklore is not always correct. We are, indeed, immortal. We sustain ourselves by drinking blood, not only that of humans. Contrary to the belief, sunlight does not destroy us, but it does weaken us, limiting our abilities. We have no need for sleep, for we are physically dead. We do not grow tired. We breathe out of habit, and as you can see, we have a reflection.”
“Can you turn into bats or wolves?”
“Only shifters can go through such a challenging transformation.”
Shifters? She must mean werewolves. “I see.”
“It is a difficult subject. It was for me, too, when I was born into this immortal world, but I learned as I went along.”
“So did Nyall make you into a vampire?”
She laughs softly. “Goodness, no. That man has no will nor desire to punish anyone by giving them the gift. Besides, this not something that can be easily done.”
“What do you mean?”
“Not everyone bitten becomes a vampire. Many who are unfortunate enough to come under attack die within hours. The pain alone kills most of those chosen for the process. Others have an allergic reaction to the bite and perish even before the change has a chance to begin. As of recently, the survival rate is less than six percent.”
Akana’s explanation goes against everything I’d ever heard, read, or seen. “A bite to the neck won’t do it then?”
She shakes her head. “It has never been that easy, but things have reached a turning point lately. It is not clear why, but in the last millennium, humans have become very resistant to the bite. Nine out of ten die in the first twelve hours after being bitten.”
“Oh.” I’m blown away by all this information. “So how do you know if someone will survive it?”
“We don’t.” She finishes up with my hair and sets the brush down on the vanity. “Sadly, that is how I was introduced to this life. It was my older sister who became the obsession of a lone vampire.” Her chocolate eyes take on a sad look. “He wasn’t satisfied with coming after my sister, but he maimed our entire family. I, alone, survived. You see, this vampire did not anticipate my sister would die by his hand and that I would survive instead.” As I turn to face her instead of the mirror, she adds, “I was unaware of what had happened to me until a couple of days later. I woke up six feet underground, confused and with a hunger unlike any I had ever experienced in my young life.”
It must have happened years ago, but I can still see how talking about it affects her.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
Once again she settles a hand on my shoulder. “On a more positive note, some forty years after I turned, I found Nyall. Though I would not wish this existence upon anyone, loving him is the one thing I never regret.” And the love she feels for him is readable on her face.
True, I have yet to know what it’s like to love someone so dearly as I suspect she does Nyall, but Hayden definitely makes me feel things I haven’t with anyone else.
“Now, come, your mate awaits you downstairs. If I don’t return with you soon, he may grow restless.”
“He’s not...” I trail off. Why refer to him as my mate? We aren’t dating. While it’s true we had sex, there’s nothing more going on between us but an understanding. Is there some hidden code these people use for couples? Is that why Akana referred to him as my mate? “I’m not really sure what we are,” I confess.
“Ah...” She slides to the side as I scurry to my feet. “He claimed you. Perhaps he did so to protect you. If that’s the case, then he must care a great deal for you.”
“Claim? What did he mean by that?”
“It means you are off limits to any and all vampires and should someone try to hurt you, they will meet certain death.”
So that’s the reason for his apologetic look back at the museum. He was worried I would misinterpret his claim.
“Claimed it is then.” No need to clarify I’m not actually vowed for.
Her head dips respectfully. “Our abode or not, his wishes will be respected. You are off limits and a guest of ours.”
Admittedly, I’m less apprehensive about having a pair of vampires as hosts. As long as I can keep all the blood inside my body, where it belongs, I don’t see the harm. Though given a choice, I’d prefer to leave this place right now.
We walk out of the room a moment later, and head down the hall, when one of the many doors swings open and a tall, lean, blond-haired vampire with baby blue eyes steps out into the corridor. The first thing I notice about him is the nervous way he grips a piece of paper in his hands, squeezing his finger around it briefly before loosening his hold. The paper crumples in his hand over and over again, the state of his nervousness made clear with each fist.
“You have brought a human into the house?” he asks, though his tone is more curious than condescending. His light blue eyes never leave my face. He studies me, apparently trying to determine the reason for my presence. I’ve been scrutinized many times before, especially in the past few days, but the way vampires do it makes it potentially hazardous for one’s peace of mind. It’s almost as if they can bare your soul and expose it, without any effort.
“Gabriel, this is Kristina. She’s a guest of ours.”
He bobs his head up and down like a nervous cat. “Guest. Guest? She’s a guest.”
The second thing I notice about him is that he seems a little...off.
“That’s right.” To me, Akana says, “Kristina, this fine gentleman here is Gabriel. He’s been staying with us for a few years now.”
“Hi—”
In a flash he’s standing right in front of me, his face an inch away. I look on in shocked surprise as he cocks his head to the side and grins, his long, pearly white canines on full display.
“You brought him here.”
Unsure of who he’s referring to, I stand still and gape, too afraid to move either way.
“You may have me confused...”
“Maybe now that you are here they will believe me.”
“Gabriel!” Akana grabs my arm and pulls me toward her. “She is claimed. You hurt her and you will have to answer not only to her protector, but to Nyall and me as well, for she is not to be touched.”
The vampire retreats immediately, his expression shifting quickly to one of shame. “Hurt? I would never hurt her. I...” He looks at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Akana gives my arm a light squeeze. “Please forgive his ill manners. Gabriel is a little...different from the rest of us and sometimes he forgets himself.”
I’m shaken up but otherwise okay. Technically, all he did was scare me half to death.
“I’m fine.” I’m surprised by how steady and calm my voice sounds in spite of the unconventional meeting. For a split second, I thought I was about to meet my end.
Gabriel bows in what I can only call a sign of embarrassment. “I meant no disrespect. I just wanted to confirm if she came in with the special specimen down on the first floor.”
The second he says “special specimen”, my ears perk up. He might have more information than he’s hinting at.
“Don’t mind Gabriel. He’s usually docile, but your arrival has sparked something in him.”
“I’m not making up stories, Akana. I told you what took place behind closed doors at the Institutes. Why won’t Nyall and you believe me?”
My heart skips a beat at the mention of the Institutes. “I’m sorry?”
He’s been there. The haunted look in his eyes is all the confirmation I need.
“Let’s not preoccupy our guest, shall we?” I note that she handles Gabriel as if he were a misunderstood child, even when his appearance is that of teenage boy. “Why don’t we join the others and later, maybe, we can talk this through some more.” The smile on her face is compassionate. Understanding. Nonjudgmental. She cares for this seemingly lost being, in spite of his flaws.
“I think we should do that. Nyall needs to confirm it all for himself.”
Akana gestures for Gabriel to follow before taking off down the hall to the stairs. I make sure to stay close to her as we descend, but every now and again I glance over my left shoulder at Gabriel. Attention elsewhere, he remains silent as he trails behind us, but the things he said have me reeling.
Could he be another of Gerard’s victims? An escapee? Or unknown experiment like Hayden?
Can these vampires be trusted? Hayden thinks so, but I’m not too sure, anymore. One thing’s for certain, though: given the opportunity, I hope to be able to ask Gabriel what he meant and what he knows.