Then I remember myself, remember who waits for us in the next room. I can only hope they are all distracted enough to have not heard us. I look over at the banquet hall doorway to make sure; tension seizes my body as Damon approaches us.
Wherever Damon goes, the cold of the cavernous realm that waits for us below follows him. Egor is no better. Both are every bit as evil and terrible as the stories about us depict. They’re the creatures a mother warns her children about at bedtime, why humans are taught to never step foot outside at night. They are also the reason we all suffer down here, hidden from the world. Between Damon and Egor’s violent appetites, they could’ve wiped out an entire continent by now if we were able to live as we used to.
I clench my fists at my side as he comes far too close to Danni for my liking. Her blood sours, just like the expression on her face. A part of me is glad she isn’t as taken with him like every other stupid human.
I allow myself a brief moment to indulge in the fury that burns beneath my skin before schooling my face into boredom. Danni notices my shift and thankfully follows suit; her blood calms, but the fear is still enough to put Damon off drinking his fill right now.
“Are you both joining us? I believe Megan is spent after enjoying more orgasms than the human body should be able to achieve.”
“That’s quite ambitious,” I reply, silently reminding myself to unclench my jaw.
Priming the humans for feeding is supposed to be forbidden if they are a potential Familiar. But Damon and Egor always seem to find their own way around it. Perhaps my father, as our ruler, has become too soft in his old age and gladly turns a blind eye. The Five’s Familiars always choose to stay once their time here is complete, but they never last.
Turning a human is also forbidden in our coven. It’s not been successfully done in about a hundred years, due to our dying magic.
The Familiars Damon and Egor try to turn into vampires either end up as the rabid creatures that stalk our streets and live by their own rules, or they die. My father either doesn’t know or simply doesn’t care enough to do anything about it, but I have been keeping myself all too well informed on their activities.
“Ambitious, yes.” Damon moves closer, eyes narrowed as if he concentrates hard enough, he can scent the bond between us. “How… interesting.”
Danni takes a step back. Her warm body presses against mine, her fear spiking again. I wrap my hand protectively around her waist, hoping that the sparks the bond provides is enough of a distraction to quell her fear.
“I’ll admit,” Damon continues, “she is an exquisite beauty. But then again, we have had better.” His eyes meet mine, curiosity dancing in his gleaming garnets. “And yet… she was enough for you to break your vow and forgo your modern views on the Familiars.” Danni’s soft gasp seems to thrill him. He grins, exposing both fangs. “Knox’s reaction to you in the circus instantly caught the attention of The Five. We simply had to come up to the inbetween earlier than planned to see what kind of woman had made him fall back into the old traditions he detests so much.”
Damon suspects something, but I can tell he isn’t quite certain. He must have the same doubts I do, knowing It’s unheard of for a vampire to be mated to a human. His hand tentatively edges towards Danni as if he thinks she’s the illusion instead of the magic all around us. I track the movement, fighting back the urge to reach out and cast him into a roaring bonfire for daring to touch what is rightfully mine.
His finger hovers above her exposed collarbone when my patience finally snaps. I slap his hand away a little too hard to be considered playful.
“Uh, uh, uh. You know the rules.”
Damon’s eyes darken at my touch, but he holds up both hands in surrender as he backs away, a sickly smile painted on his face. “Let’s eat. Then you can tell us all how this came about.”
Danni flinches at the wordeat.
Good. You should be afraid.
My hand glides from her waist to the small of her back as I guide her slowly towards the now—thankfully—clear dining table.
I can already tell we are the hot topic of the evening. But I ignore the piercing gazes of curiosity from my coven as I pull out an empty chair for her. The scent of her blood turns back to that sweet honeyed elixir as my fingers possessively graze her exposed shoulder. I mentally kick myself for acting like a gentleman. She needs to hate me, and yet, she feels genuine desire for me.
I’m not the only one who has noticed. The pupils of my coven dilate with the change, but thankfully Danii remains unaware. I give them all a warning look. Being my potential Familiar gives her some measure of safety, but the ritual has not yet been completed. To the others gathered around this table… she is still fair game. The thought makes me want to set fire to the entire expanse of the inbetween.
My father, Cyprian, and his council sit around the table like they’re the kings of the world. I suppose in this realm, they are. They dress in traditional coven robes, an ancient custom they’ve upheld since we first descended into the cave. I personally prefer a well-tailored suit to the heavy, shapeless garments embroidered with rich colors. Looking around, I see the chosen Familiars have all decided to stick with human clothes, too.
Except for the completely naked woman sitting between Damon and Egor.
As I examine each one, I notice that as usual, none of them reek of fear. They all smell of hope, joy, lust, excitement. It honestly makes my stomach churn. Since Celeste, I haven’t taken another Familiar. I loved her unconditionally, but she loved the thought of immortality more. Now she is trapped here forever, just like me. Alone with the same faces and scenery.
A magical wonder to a human, monotonous prison for a vampire.
My father clears his throat, commanding the attention of the room. “I believe introductions are in order.” He speaks with as much authority and wisdom as a person would expect a six-hundred-year-old vampire to have.
“My name is Cyprian, ruler of our realm below.” He clears his throat again. “Tonight is a very special occasion, for my son has decided to finally—after years of persuasion—pursue our ancient tradition of binding himself to a Familiar. As his father, this is a very proud moment for me, and it gives me the utmost confidence that he will be suited to fill my role once I retire. Especially now since he has embraced his true nature.” He picks up his glass of fresh blood and raises it in a toast, his eyes locked onto mine. His expression begs me to not fuck this up and make him look bad.
Danni shifts in her seat next to me. As I turn to her, to my surprise, I find her already looking at me. Her eyebrows furrow with the cutest frown I’ve ever seen. She’s curious about me. My heart stutters at the thought of her wanting to get to know me better. I can practically hear the questions racing in her mind.
See me, love me, adore me.
“Tonight is for you and Danniella: I welcome you both to a year of bliss.”
