“Bash,” tears fill her eyes and my heart seizes in panic. Does she not want to go? Does she regret this; us? “Thank you for tonight. No matter what happens now or in the future, what you gave us tonight is something I will never forget. I have never felt how I did out there, beyond the walls.” I am absolutely gutted by this statement. She is trapped here because of us. We are why she has to stay here. I want to fix it for her but I don’t know how.
My own breath hitches in my throat and I hold her against my chest, breathing in her scent. “Elina, I love you. The sun rises just for you. You are the sun in my sky—the moon that holds me close. Every moment I existed before you I was waiting, I didn’t know for what, but it was this. It was you in my arms. You hold my heart in your hand and only you have the power to destroy me. I want to spend eternity making up for the first 28 years of your life and I promise I will do whatever I can. I swear it.” We spend the drive to my mother wrapped in each other’s arms, occasionally sharing a slow deep kiss. Itcould be a goodbye or it could be coming home after a long time apart. What happens next will determine the path we take forward.
Walking into my mother’s office—Elina at my side and holding my hand, looking small and fragile in this place of vampires—I am afraid. I don’t often admit when I am afraid. I do not think my mother will hurt her, at least not physically, but that doesn’t mean she can’t wound her all the same. I have finally gotten Elina comfortable with the idea of us, I don’t want my family to scare her away.
“Mother.” I bow my head respectfully, she does the same in return. “This is Elina. Elina, this is my mother, Vespera. You requested our presence?”
“Vespera, it’s wonderful to meet you.” Elina extends her hand toward my mother, who does not move or offer her own in return. Vespera watches Elina, assessing every nervous breath and uncertain movement. Elina lowers her hand but refuses to allow embarrassment to affect her demeanor. I swell with pride, watching her. The quickest way to get through my mother’s defenses is to stand tall and confident in the face of her scrutiny.
“So, you are the woman my son has forsaken all reason for?” Her tone has a mocking edge to it, though her question is kind enough.
“She is.” I move closer to Elina, offering her the comfort of my presence, prepared to shield her if necessary—if only from my mother’s glare. Her heartbeat accelerates in the quiet of the office and I know my mother can hear it too.
“Bash speaks so highly of you. Thank you for having me.”
Gesturing to the seats across from her she commands, “Sit.”
I exhale a loud breath, we have passed the firsthurdle. She has decided, however begrudgingly, that Elina has earned a seat, a conversation.
“Elina, do you love my son?” She starts her interrogation as soon as we sit. “Do you know what it means to love my son, the heir? It is his nature to covet treasures, to feed, to loveso stronglyit may hurt. You are young and mortal—how do you intend to stand at his side?” I wonder if she connects my mother’s taunt about treasures to the nickname I gave her weeks ago. Is it a coincidence or has my mother learned that, too?
“My life may be fragile and short—fleeting—but my love is not.In eterno.” She raises her chin so that she appears to look down at my mother despite my mother having the advantage in this room. I want to take her in my arms and never let her go.
Mother watches her, something in her eyes, approval, perhaps? She is interested, at least. It is a battle of wills and I hope, more than anything, that Elina is winning. A long, quiet moment stretches out, tension hanging like fog in the air. Elina’s and my mother’s eyes never break contact. My mother has a look of consideration on her face..
“Hmmm, ok.” She leans back in her chair, relaxing slightly. “I want nothing more than for my son to be happy in his existence, and it is a long existence. If you are making him happy, then I want to believe in that. I am not here to be your enemy, Elina, but you have not yet made yourself an ally. I will be watching. Once you have proven you are worthy to stand by his side, for however long you do, I will be at your back. But I will not allow weakness to affect this family.Proveyou are worthy of him.”
Elena holds my hand tightly in her lap, palm sweaty with nerves, but her voice does not waver. “I will.”
With that, mother smiles, fangs on display. It is not a warm smile, but it is not cruel either. We may not have yet won thewar, but a battle was fought this night, and Elina has gained a little bit of ground.
“Let us begin,” mother exclaims as she snaps her fingers. The door behind her large mahogany desk swings open and three vampires enter the room, holding trays. Elina tenses beside me, gripping my fingers so hard, it might have hurt if I were not a vampire.
“It’s a meal service,” I lean in and murmur in her ear. “I’m so proud of you. You were glorious. Perfect.” She preens under my praise and I am reminded of her in my bed, coming for me when I praise her. It seems my girl has a praise kink. I can smell her on the air in the room, and I know she is remembering too. I clear my throat and she blushes.
On the desk, the team sets two teapots—one close to my mother and one closer to Elina. I can smell the metallic blood in the air mingling with the scent of oranges and black tea. Presumably, my mother’s teapot has blood and this is all for show. Each teapot is picked up along with a cup and saucer and filled from its respective pot. A cup is placed in front of me, full of tea. The fact that my teacup is full of tea and came from my mother’s pot means that—I turn my head quickly in Elina’s direction as she smiles up at the man pouring her tea, ready to accept his offering.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“Mother!” I growl quietly under my breath. She only smiles serenely, excitement lighting her eyes at what is unfolding. My fingers twitch against my knee, I want to reach out and stop this from happening, but I know that mother has set the stage and now I must watch the show. Elina takes her cup and looks down, seeing the cup full of blood, and blanches. She freezes and I watch her intently, unsure of what to do but knowing this is some kind of fucked up test.
Elina gazes at the cup and looks up at my mother, noemotion on her face, and says, “I wonder if any of my own blood is in this cup?” She stares into my mother’s face for a heartbeat before setting it down on the desk, the porcelain tinkling delicately. I hand her my cup of tea, which she takes gladly and sips from slowly, her eye contact with my mother over the rim challenging. Mother smiles again, this time with a bit more warmth, as though she has finally found a worthy opponent.
We walk in silence back to my apartment after we finish the meeting with my mother. I’m not sure what to even say. She did a phenomenal job, handling my mother and her games. The only problem is I don’t know what she’s thinking and now doesn’t seem like the right time to break the silence. I would rather she let me know when she is ready.
