They held the swords aloft and allowed me to pass, touching the bloodied tips to the edge of the golden embroidered swords designed into the cloak I wore. As good a blessing as any vampire got.
As they mounted the stairs carefully and steadily, the five overlords stood, until one foot in front of the other placed me in front of the throne.
With a rustle, the cloak was arranged, but I didn’t sit.
Lord Belshazzar commanded the audience’s attention with his authoritative voice. “Gwynnore of Luxor, the Council of Overlords, has called you and seen that you have passed all five Challenges, along with the approval of the Monitor of Challenge and Witness of the Final Challenge. Upon this moment, you are hereby the Queen of Vampires, the Queen of Gods. We welcome you to the throne with your crown.”
Lord Pippin ambled up from behind me and held the crown out for me to take.
I grinned. I was sure that everyone watching was thinking I was smiling because I had won this crown and finally had it in my hands. It wasn’t though. It was my personal victory that no one crowned me. Only I was suited to put the crown on my own head as the queen.
I held it aloft and lowered it down until it feltjust righton my head.
In fact, it felt more than just right.
It was as if it were settling in and had finally found its proper home.
Which it had. This was who I was meant to be.
Lord Belshazzar spoke again, “Gwynnore of Luxor, as the Queen of Vampires, the Queen of Gods, you are hereby granted the Black Heart Star, the very heart of your subjects. It must always be worn and guarded. Without it, you are diminished, your crown tarnished. So it has been since the beginning of time, and so it shall continue.”
This time, Cato held out a small, exquisite pillow with the ring placed on it. The crown was beautiful but impractical. This ring, with its dark black star sapphire shining from the setting, was the real sign of power, the signet that identified the queen at all times.
Some sick bastard dared to have my father offer this ring and pass the legacy to me, a legacy he had abandoned me for.
I lifted the Black Heart and slipped it on my finger on my right hand.
It was done.
I was the Queen of Gods.
The chamber erupted in applause and cheers.
I marched the curve of the dais once, looking at all the vampires that had gathered to welcome me. There were thousands here, and there were thousands more in enclaves around the world watching me as I walked.
With my head held high, I was finally where I was meant to be.
* * *
The goblets of blood were lifted high again, and cheers exploded around the room.
I didn’t totally dislike this gathering, all here to see me crowned and to celebrate. But, in my current mood, I would have preferred to be left alone, to hunt, to brood, to think on what I had to do for these people who would now bend knee to me.
This vainglorious celebration reeked of everything I didn’t want as I rose to the crown, but the overlords were insistent that this was how a crowning was celebrated: a human brought from below, left in Thrall, strapped to an upright board. Each arm stretched out, held there, looking very much like the Christians’ bloodied Savior. Both arms were sliced and left to bleed freely as those in attendance filled their goblets again and again from the veins of this sacrifice.
I was disgusted, come to think of it.
This was how the spoiled and elite acted, and I wasn’t feeling either at that moment. I was also dying to get out of the dress and back into my regular clothes. I stepped out of the room with no one really noticing—they were all blood drunk and on the sixth or seventh human.
Chattel. I couldn’t stand it.
Meandering through the stone passageways of the stronghold, I marveled that this was now my domain. Mine. I passed a few vampires as I walked, all of them immediately bowing as they caught sight of me.
Now that made me happy. I was immensely pleased by their actions.
My apartments had been moved a few days earlier, and I was now installed in the massive suite that allowed a queen to entertain guests and retreat to rest if she so chose. It needed more decorating, but for now, I was content enough to leave what was there.
I made my way to the back and up the stairs to the room that held my now massive closet.
