Secret Worlds (192 page)

Amaia nodded. In some ways, it was a relief. If she wasn’t expected to say anything, she would be free to observe and learn. Part of her supposed that vampires couldn’t be that much different from humans, but she wasn’t prepared to potentially embarrass Lawrence due to lack of knowledge.

Thirty minutes later, Lawrence grimaced. “It appears Zenas is not traveling alone. I should have known. He’ll want to make this a public spectacle.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing for you to worry about.” Lawrence patted her hand. The gesture was not as comforting as he probably hoped. “The only people with whom you need to concern yourself are me, Zenas, and his mate, Sabine. Ignore the others, even though they’ll be interested in you.”

A few minutes later, a large limestone manor came into view. The full moon’s light reflected off the white snow dusting everything, making the entire building glitter. The only sound Amaia heard in the still air was the snorting of the horses as they trod toward the front door. The carriage drew closer, and her heightened hearing detected the hum of voices. As the hum grew louder, so did Amaia’s nerves. Lawrence was right. There were plenty of people present. Not people: vampires.

Amaia and Lawrence stood together in front of the imposing double door as the carriage departed. Amaia met Lawrence’s eyes, hoping her apprehension didn’t show on her face but knowing that he would sense it just the same. He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “You’ll do fine.”

Without another word, he strode to the door and opened it, as if it was perfectly normal to barge in without waiting for a manservant. The sound of the heavy wood creaking open silenced the hum of conversation. Amaia passed Lawrence into the unlit entryway. Her eyes adjusted to the absence of light as if she had always been able to see in the dark. From her vantage point, the house appeared deserted. The echo of Lawrence closing the door behind her only added to the feeling of emptiness.

Lawrence removed her cloak and stored it somewhere nearby; Amaia didn’t bother looking.
“Come, they’ll all be in the hall.”
He didn’t spare her another glance as he swept past her, clearly familiar with the home. Amaia tamed her curiosity and followed silently behind, keeping her eyes focused on Lawrence.

Dozens of faces greeted them in the hall, silent and still as wax figures. Amaia tried not to be distracted by the eyes focused on her, but these were the first vampires she had met outside of Lawrence, and it was almost impossible not to return their stares.

“Focus.”
Lawrence’s voice centered her, and she followed him. At the front of the room sat a couple who had to be Zenas and Sabine. They both had hair blacker than anything she had ever seen. Zenas had an exotic air to match his olive-toned skin. Sabine, on the other hand, was as pale as snow, with clear blue eyes that sent a chill through Amaia. They were a contrast to Zenas’s hard brown orbs.

When Lawrence stopped, Amaia followed him to her knees. Only after they both humbly bowed did Zenas move. He stood and came to Lawrence, circling him, ignoring Amaia completely. “Lower.” The word came out deeper than she would have expected from such a young-looking man. Zenas appeared to be barely older than Amaia’s twenty-two years.

As soon as the word left Zenas’s lips, Lawrence lowered his head to the ground.
“Do it.”
Lawrence’s voice commanded her. She didn’t think Zenas even cared about her, but her eyes flitted up to see that Sabine’s icy stare stayed fixed on her while her mate was busy with Lawrence.

“Lower.” The command came again, and Lawrence sank deeper until he was laid out completely prostrate on the ground. Amaia grimaced as she followed suit. It felt unnatural to see Lawrence in such a position. He had always been so strong and powerful in her world. Seeing his face pushed against the flagstone, his lace cuffs and silk doublet resting on the dusty floor, evoked Amaia’s disdain. How could Lawrence be so weak as to humble himself this way?

“I should have you killed, Lawrence. I should do it myself.”

“Yes, Sire.”

Amaia nearly choked. Why was Lawrence acting so contrite?

“Did you name her?”

“Yes, Sire. Her name is Amaia. If it pleases you.”

Zenas moved so quickly that Amaia didn’t even see, just felt the whoosh of air. Zenas had Lawrence off the floor and pinned to the wall by his throat. “None of this pleases me, Lawrence. You know the rule.” Amaia watched the proceedings through her eyelashes. She didn’t miss that Sabine had taken a keen interest in her mate’s show of power.

“Yes, Sire.”

“What is it?”

“Your children are not allowed to create vampires, Sire.”

“No, they are not. It keeps our happy little clan at peace, doesn’t it? Why do you want to disrupt the peace, Lawrence? Hadn’t I told you I would turn her when the time was right? Do you suspect that you know better than I when that time should be?”

They made an incongruous picture, this old gray man scraping to a boy who looked less than half his age.

“No, Sire. I swear I did it for you. Please, give me a chance to explain.”

“Very well. You have your chance. I would make it count if I were you.”

Zenas released Lawrence and stepped back, giving him space to move. Lawrence took advantage of it and walked around the room, the natural salesman coming to the forefront as he told his story to the whole assemblage. “She was almost lost to us, Sire. A mortal had proposed marriage to her and was preparing to take her from me. I had to act. The subject must be willing, and at the time, I was the only one who would be able to convince her. She fancied herself in love with this man. If I let her go with him, she would have been lost to me—to you—forever. I told her what a fool she was being and then revealed the truth of my existence. She’s always been very intelligent, Sire. Isn’t that why you were interested in her in the first place?”

Lawrence waited for Zenas’s nod. It was a simple sales trick he had taught her when she was still a child. Get the buyer agreeing with you early. “When I showed her what we could offer, that she would no longer have the cares of a mortal existence, she was eager to be transformed. If I hadn’t turned her then, she would have gone off to her lover, and who knows how he would have poisoned her mind against us. I couldn’t very well break one of the cardinal rules and let her leave with knowledge of what I was without turning her.”

“Hmm.” Zenas walked back to his seat next to Sabine, as if thinking this over. Lawrence seemed to take it as a cue. He approached and knelt, kissing Zenas’s hand in the process.

“Please, Sire, if I have offended you, burn me now, and do what you will with the girl. I only did it for you, as a present. I knew you wanted her, and I wouldn’t tolerate her getting away.” Lawrence stayed bowed over Zenas’s hand, waiting for judgment.

Amaia watched, forgetting to breathe. The dynamics were interesting. A softness entered Zenas’s eyes, and he turned his hand, cupping Lawrence’s cheek in his palm. “I forgive you. It’s clear that, though you were in error, you were trying to please me.”

“Thank you, Sire. Your mercy is more than I deserve.” Lawrence kissed his palm and then rose.

“Now, let us take a look at the girl who has caused so much trouble. Rise, Amaia. Let me see you.” Zenas’s voice was smoky and compelling, reminiscent of burning incense. She envisioned him as a mortal walking amongst desert tents in the East. She wondered if he’d so easily commanded people then.

Amaia ascended to her feet as gracefully as she could, all the time picturing herself moving through water. A grin graced Zenas’s lips.

“She has learned quickly, Sire.” Lawrence beamed.

“So I see. Come here, child.”

Amaia approached, maintaining eye contact the entire way.
“Watch yourself,”
Lawrence’s voice warned.

“She is bold, this one. Perhaps she would be better off burned.”

“Forgive me, Sire, if I err. My vision is new to me. I don’t know how I can be expected to turn away from such magnificence. You and your mate make a most handsome pair.”

“I told you not to play him. It won’t work.”

“Like your little performance didn’t work?”

Zenas chuckled, and the rest of the room followed. “You are a good girl. You take after your maker.” Amaia caught a quick look between Zenas and Lawrence. There was fondness there. “I’ve seen prettier.”

“It wasn’t merely her looks you were after, Sire.”

“No, it wasn’t. She has done well, for being less than a day old. She could pass as a human without much scrutiny.” Zenas sneered the word “human” as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. “But how do I know she will be loyal to me?”

“Sire, how could you think I would tolerate anything less? If she is loyal to me, as all vampires are to their makers, then how could you question her loyalty? To be loyal to me is to be loyal to you.”

There was silence as Zenas considered Lawrence’s words. “Very well. Train her. If she is to be allowed to live, she must be an asset to this clan, otherwise I will destroy her. She shall continue in her old profession. When she is ready, I will have an assignment for you.”

“Of course, Sire.”

Zenas and Sabine rose as one. “Since that’s clear, I’ll be leaving. This country is too fucking dreary. Everyone, back to your territories. I want Lawrence and Amaia left alone.”

Everyone in the hall bowed as Zenas and Sabine left. As soon as they were at the door, Lawrence moved to follow, and Amaia did the same. Outside, Zenas clapped Lawrence on the shoulder. “It was good to see you, Son. You do me proud.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Zenas grasped Sabine’s hand and lifted it to his lips, the mates sharing a smirk that went from their mouths to their eyes. Then they took off at a run, flying over the snow so quickly that the only trace of their movement was the footprints marring the perfect stillness.

“You are a weakness to him. If he were wise, he would have killed you.”
Amaia strained her eyes trying to see Zenas and Sabine’s retreating forms as she shared her observation with her sire.

“Then give thanks that he is not wise.”
Lawrence placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. His eyes burned with sincerity.
“But don’t underestimate him. He has one of the largest clans on Earth. His children are spread throughout the entire known world, even in some places that are unknown to the people here.”

“I don’t like him.”

Lawrence ignored her and dashed inside for her cloak just as other vampires emerged from the manor. He returned a second later and fastened the blue wool around her neck. “Do you want to run, my dear? There’s plenty of cover in the woods. It would give you a chance to stretch your legs.”

“In this dress?”

“Why not? It’s not nearly as restraining to you now as it was when you were a human.”

“It costs more than most people make in a year.”

“So? I’ve been alive for over three hundred years. Zenas has been alive for twice as long. You’ll soon learn to think in terms of lifetimes, not years. You don’t need to worry about money.”

Amaia’s stomach dropped. For the first time since waking, it dawned on her that she really was going to live forever. Time held no meaning. All of her mortal concerns were gone.

“In that case, I’ll race you, old man.” Her feet flew across the ground, and her laughter danced on the wind as her hair broke free of its pins. Her eternity had begun.

London, February 1623

The still night air was alive with smells. Each shape in the darkness took perfect form in her moonlit vision. The current of the breeze against her skin as she ran was like a thousand fingers caressing her body. The useless air in her lungs was moist with the scent of grass, leaves, dirt, deer, rabbits, and a hundred other things. The muscles in her legs moved swift and smooth over the forest floor, adjusting instantly to every hole and root, keeping her gracefully upright, all without tiring. She knew she could continue forever, even though her mind was still trying to adjust to what “forever” meant.

Lawrence ran behind her and off to the side, giving her enough space to revel in the freedom of her new life. She caught glimpses of him, but she was much more interested in focusing on her own body and what it could do. Her muscles didn’t cramp, and her lungs didn’t burn, but she did feel a thirst forming in her mouth—a thirst that water would not sate.

“I need something to drink.” The air distorted her voice as it carried her words to Lawrence. It was a strange phenomenon. The only explanation was her speed. Concentrating on the ground beneath her feet, she noticed that it flew by faster than she could ever remember seeing.

“Stop before the tree line. You’ll feed before we re-enter London.”

With the promise of fresh blood—blood as rich and intoxicating as her first kill—Amaia’s thirst leapt to the forefront of her mind. What had been a peripheral awareness became an all-consuming ache. She stretched her legs to their full length with each stride, covering the ground at an even faster pace.

When she saw the break in the trees ahead, she stopped. Her legs ceased moving, and her body jarred as her feet remained planted. She felt the pressure of the abrupt halt, but it wasn’t painful. “Can I even feel pain?”

“Yes, but it will take more to cause it. You’ll find that you feel things differently as a vampire. What you experienced as pain as a human will feel like a myriad of different sensations in your new form.”

Amaia reached up to straighten her hair, and her hand came away from her forehead dry. “Why aren’t I sweating?”

“Why would you? You don’t need to regulate your body temperature, and you don’t generate heat. You leech it from the blood you drink. That’s why you’re thirsty now: all the blood you had in your system has been used. It’s time to replenish.”

Hearing Lawrence reference her hunger made it even more acute. “Do I just find someone then?”

Lawrence chuckled. “No, my girl. I’ll bring you someone. Stay here.”

Amaia waited in the darkness. The absence of the wind rushing in her ears allowed her to focus on the multitude of sounds around her that she wouldn’t have even noticed as a human. Instead of a wall of nighttime chorus, she could make out each animal’s particular voice. Instead of hearing the symphony as a whole, she heard each individual instrument.