“Indeed.” Quindici nodded sagely, though he was still sober. “And for thousands of years, Dark Fae were tolerated by Fae and Vampire-kind because they had their own citadels, their own lore and training for those opening to their power. Unfortunately, for the past six hundred years, those citadels have ceased to exist, and so there is no training available for a Dark Fae such as yourself, opening anew to her abilities.”
“Why not? Where did the Dark Fae go?” Ariana asked as she listened.
“They did notgoanywhere.” Quinn spoke very quietly now as he stared her down with a dark swirl of his aura. “They are in the ground, Ariana. They are all dead, the Dark Fae citadels wiped out by your Summer Fae King. And all their knowledge of helping one such as you is gone as well – burned in the very fires that razed their cities to ash.”
“My god.” Ariana breathed, something sick churning inside her now as she stared at Quinn.
“The War of Rome, you must understand,” Quinn spoke darkly now as he watched her, “was a very vicious series of battles between the Vampires and Summer Fae six hundred years ago, centered in Rome. Since our Lineages share a common ancestry of Archangels that Fell in the area long ago, Rome is ancient territory for both Vampires and Fae, the palaces and ruins there still hotly contested over. The Forbidden Lineages sided with the Vampires in this most recent War, and the Dark Fae were among them. Though the Summer Fae lost the War, and their Court were kicked out of Rome by my Vampire Council, a peace treaty was drafted that allowed your King to have a new high seat here in Florence. Known as the Treaty of the Light and the Night, all was well once the dust settled. Until your King decreed the other Lineages who had joined the Vampires in the War as Forbidden – and began hunting them down to the ends of the earth.”
“Including Dark Fae.” Ariana understood, as that sick sensation churned inside her again.
“Your King was successful at his pogroms – too much so.” Quinn spoke sadly now as he twisted his martini glass upon the table. “He hates Dark Fae, which I believe is why he is so eager to have your head now rather than listen to his son the Prince argue that you are no threat. But for now, King Archivolio Bellari has stationed his Brightwatch all around my establishment for the past three days, waiting for you. Vampires are not fond of Summer Fae either, and since most of the people who come here are Vampire, this entire situation is now scaring off my clientele.”
With a blink, Ariana realized the depth of Quinn’s political problem, a darker sensation pouring all through her now as that spot deep within her burned. “My King is creating a problem for your Vampires here at the Hotel, and your livelihood… because of me.”
“I do not blame you,” Quindici spoke gently as he nodded, though his gaze was still piercing. “Your situation is unique, and I deeply support the downtrodden and displaced. But it harms my Vampires, my Hotel, and this entire city to have the Brightwatch swarming around waiting for you to come out. For thousands of years, my Dark Haven has occupied this area, ruling Florence and the other Lineages that call this city home. Though the Vampires and Fae here have never really gotten along, the Treaty has been the cornerstone of our mutual tolerance in this area of the world since the War. Though the Summer Fae King treats Vampires as little more than dangerous animals, it is not so – we are a highly civilized people. And the Red Letter Hotel Florence is the primary means of wealth for thisentirepopulace. And your King’s Brightwatch are scaring that income off.”
“You can’t let me stay.” Ariana spoke suddenly, understanding the problem. Though she had been worried at first about staying at a Vampire-run establishment, she was suddenly more worried about what might happen if shewasn’tprotected here. Swallowing hard, she felt her stomach drop. “You gave me amnesty at first, but it won’t hold the longer my King puts pressure on your Hotel. Then why did you insinuate earlier that I might have a path here among your Vampires, if you can’t let me stay?”
“Icanlet you stay here – indefinitely, actually.” Quindici spoke softly now, his onyx gaze boring into her as his dark power swirled more purposefully around the table, a mirage of shadows in the descending night. “But to ensure that you are protected by Vampire law, Ariana, you would need to be claimed and have a master over your vastly wild magic as it develops. If that were so, by the Treaty’s stipulations, your King would have no more jurisdiction over you. And would thus need to remove his men from outside my Hotel. And you could remain, and find a home here.”
“What do you mean,claimed?” Ariana spoke with a small shiver now as she watched him.
“You could beclaimed,” Quinn spoke back with a glint in his eyes, “if you were blood-sworn to me as a Master Vampire; taking my Master’s Kiss and binding you to my service. The contract would make you mine instead of your King’s – and thus, free of the Summer Fae King’s edicts and laws. And blood-oathed to me.”
Ariana’s breath ceased. Her heart stopped with a hard thud in her chest before racing on, her entire world reeling as she stared at Quindici DaPonti, seeing what he hinted at. He’d told her that claiming asylum here at the Red Letter Hotel Florence would fail eventually, due to the pressure of the Summer Fae King upon his Vampires. She also understood that escaping was likely to fail, considering the intensity with which the King pursued her as a rogue power. Going back to the human world was off-limits also, as Ariana knew the Twilight Realm’s magical police force, the Intercessoria, hunted down anyone who exposed their magic to humans. But now, the Master Vampire before her provided her with a new option – to take his Vampire’s Kiss and become oath-bound to him.
And everything that went with it.
“Oath-bound to a Vampire…” Ariana breathed as she stared at him, terrified of this last option but also strangely intrigued. Deep inside, she felt that energy within her swirl like molten light and darkness all at once. Inhaling, Ariana set a hand to her chest, feeling that movement deep inside – the movement of her magic, she understood now. Feeling it, Ariana had a vision of a tiny star inside her, silver and gold-bright in its intensity, in addition to dark. Watching her alertly, Quinn’s gaze lingered on her hand, before coming back to her eyes.
“Oath-bound to me.” He spoke quietly. “And to no other Master. Including your King.”
Lacing his hands before him on the table in his dark crimson suit, Quindici DaPonti stared Ariana down, watching her process. Taking a hard breath, a shudder wracked Ariana as she thought about what he’d said, as that tiny star flared erratically inside her. All her options sounded awful. But as the Master Vampire sitting before her stared her down, Ariana knew she had to explore every option, even as heinous as it seemed.
“Tell me about this oath-bond.” She spoke defiantly now, though another shiver wracked her. “What is it, and what does it entail?”
With a deep nod, Quinn acknowledged her, though he weighed her gravely now with his dark onyx eyes. “Blood-oathing to a Master Vampire,” he spoke at last, “otherwise known as being Kissed or taking a Master’s Kiss, is a deep pact, Ariana Summers. Many Vampires cannot bind anyone to their service at all, nor Sire anyone. Most Master Vampires can blood-oath and Sire only humans to their Dark Havens. But some Masters can blood-oath and Sire magical Lineages into Vampire-kind. I am one of those.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Ariana asked, cocking her head. “If I’m a Dark Fae, then I already have some Vampire powers in my magic, right?”
“I tell you all this so you may know whom you choose to align yourself with.” Quindici spoke with a dire light in his dark onyx eyes. “If you choose this option I am now presenting, taking my Master’s Kiss, you would not be bound to a weak Master. But you would be bound to a Master all the same.”
“Bound. Like I would have to do your bidding?” Ariana arched an eyebrow at him.
“Doing my bidding when I ask for it would be part of our engagement, yes.” Quindici spoke calmly, and Ariana realized he wasn’t going to bullshit her about what becoming blood-oathed to him would entail. “But when a person becomes bound to a Master Vampire by Kiss, it’s less of a slavery and more of a subtle understanding. My magic would be intermingled with yours. My will would influence yours, and as your Master you would feel compelled to do what I asked when I truly wished it. But generally, you would enjoy your own life. Until I called for you to do something to support my Dark Haven of Florence.”
“If I became blood-oathed to you, how often would you call on me?” Ariana asked now, narrowing her eyes at him. Deep inside, her budding power swirled again, darker this time.
“That I cannot say.” He lifted a straight russet eyebrow at her, though he shifted his posture in the booth so one ankle crossed over his knee. “As a Dark Fae, you would retain your own magic after being Kissed, though with far more control from my Vampire powers as your magic blossoms than you would have without our bond.”
“Could you control my power?” Ariana narrowed her eyes on him.
“That remains to be seen.” He spoke honestly, strangely not bullshitting her, though she sensed there was a lot he was leaving out. “Each Dark Fae is different, Ariana. The strength of a Dark Fae’s power depends on the character of your inborn Fae magic, and of the Vampire who turned you Dark now living within you. Regardless, Dark Fae are generally tremendously powerful among both Fae and Vampire-kind. And now… tremendously rare.”
“Can you create Dark Fae?” Ariana asked with a deep breath. “Was it you that did this to me?”
“No. That is not within my power. Unfortunately.” Quinn returned softly now, his dark onyx eyes penetrating her with a deep fire. As he watched her, Ariana saw his dark nimbus swirl through the gallery again like a leviathan, devouring every corner and causing the chandelier lights in the nighttime sky-bar to shift in flickering shadows. It was terrifyingly beautiful, and as she saw it, Ariana felt those tendrils of magic ease over her again, breathing over her legs and curling around her wrists and ankles as if wanting to pull her under. Erotic, the sensation made Ariana’s chin rise as her eyelashes flickered.
