Dance with the Devil

Dance with the Devil
The car door swung open, and a wave of whispers crashed over Viv like cold water.

"The human bride," someone hissed.

"Blackthorn's pet," another voice mocked.

Viv froze, her hand still on the car door. Hundreds of eyes watched her from the steps of the big stone building. Red eyes, blue eyes, gold eyes—all hungry, all interested, all dangerous.

Damien emerged beside her, offering his arm. "Remember," he whispered. "Show no fear."

Viv took a deep breath and stood tall. She took Damien's arm and walked forward, her red dress swishing around her legs. She kept her chin up, even as the crowd of vampires parted for them like a sea of hunters.

"They're staring at me like I'm dinner," Viv whispered.

Damien's mouth twitched. "More like they're wondering how a human dares to walk among them as an equal."

Inside, the building was even more busy. Music played somewhere, spooky and strange. Vampires in fancy clothes danced and talked, but all chatter stopped when Viv and Damien entered.

An old vampire with silver hair stepped forward. "Damien Blackthorn," he said in a voice like grit. "You bring a human to our sacred gathering?"

"Not just a human, Lord Corvus," Damien answered. "My blood bonded bride."

Murmurs spread through the crowd. Lord Corvus narrowed his eyes.

"A true blood bond? Impossible."

"See for yourself." Damien held out his wrist, where a tiny blue mark now glowed. Viv looked down and saw a similar mark on her own wrist.

Lord Corvus leaned close to examine the marks. His face paled. "The ancient bond," he whispered. "How is this possible?"

Before Damien could answer, Lilith emerged in a black dress that seemed to be made of shadows.

"The Council requests your presence, Damien," she said sweetly. "Both of you."

Damien's hand squeezed on Viv's arm as they followed Lilith through the crowd. Viv felt the stares on her back like knives.

They entered a smaller room where seven vampires sat in high backed chairs. Six guys and one woman, all with the same ageless look that Damien had.

"The Seven," Damien whispered to Viv. "Leaders of the ancient bloodlines."

The woman in the center spoke first. "Damien Blackthorn. You break our laws by bringing a human here."

"I break no law, Lady Morana," Damien said. "Vivienne is my bonded bride."

"So we've heard." Lady Morana's voice was like ice. "Show us."

Damien led Viv forward, and they both held out their hands. The blue marks glowed brighter under the Council's gaze.

"The Twinned Souls mark," one of the male vampires said. "Not seen for a thousand years."

Lady Morana leaned forward. "If this is true, then the prophecy..."

"Is none of our concern," Damien cut in. "My bride and I are here as is our right. We will participate in the gathering as tradition demands."

Lady Morana's eyes sharpened, but she nodded slowly. "Very well. The Blood Dance begins at midnight. We will all see then if your bond is true."

As they left the Council room, Viv whispered, "What's this prophecy they're talking about?"

"Later," Damien said. "For now, we need to mingle. Stay close to me."

But as soon as they returned to the main hall, vampires swarmed around them, pulling Damien into talks. Viv found herself pushed to the edge of the circle, forgotten.

"Feeling lonely?" Lilith appeared beside her, a glass of red drink in her hand.

"I'm fine," Viv said stiffly.

"You know," Lilith said, sipping from her glass, "in the old days, human brides didn't survive the first night among us." She smiled, showing the tips of her fangs. "Such delicate creatures."

"Good thing those days are over," Viv responded.

Lilith laughed. "Are they? The Blood Dance will test that." She looked across the room where Damien was surrounded by vampire elders. "I wonder if Damien told you what happens to couples whose bond isn't strong enough during the dance?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Viv said, trying to sound stronger than she felt.

"They tear each other apart," Lilith whispered. "It's quite a show."

Before Viv could reply, a bell rang out, silencing the crowd. A voice stated, "The Blood Dance will begin in five minutes. All bonded pairs, prepare yourselves."

Damien appeared at Viv's side, his face tight with worry. "Vivienne, listen carefully. The dance is a test. The music will try to make us turn on each other. We must resist it."

"How?"

"Focus on our connection. On what binds us together, not what pulls us apart." He took her hands in his. "Do you trust me?"

Viv thought of the secrets he was keeping, the lies about her father. But looking into his blue eyes, she felt something else too—a need to protect her that went beyond duty.

"I trust you," she said, and was shocked to find she meant it.

The crowd made a circle in the center of the room. Three other vampire pairs stepped forward with Damien and Viv. The music began, slow and hypnotic.

Damien pulled Viv close, one hand on her waist, the other holding her hand. "Look only at me," he whispered. "Feel only our bond."

They began to dance. At first, it was like any other dance, though the music made Viv's skin tingle strangely. But as it grew louder, darker, she felt a change. Anger rose in her for no reason. Images flashed in her mind—Damien lying to her, Damien hurting her, Damien betraying her.

She stumbled, her nails digging into his hand. A voice in her head whispered, He's your enemy. Kill him before he kills you.

"Vivienne," Damien's voice cut through the fog. "Stay with me."

Viv blinked, seeing Damien's eyes had turned blood red. He was fighting it too, she realized. Fighting the urge to hurt her.

Around them, one of the other couples had stopped dancing. The vampire male had his partner by the throat, his fangs bared. Guards quickly pulled them from the circle as the crowd murmured with joy.

"Focus," Damien growled. "Remember who we are."

Viv closed her eyes, fighting the rage the music placed in her. Instead, she focused on their bond, the blue thread of light she could almost see connecting them.

Suddenly, she wasn't in the ballroom anymore. She was in a garden at night, watching a younger Damien laugh with a human woman in an old fashioned dress.

"Eliza," the young Damien said. "My love."

The vision shifted. The same woman lay dying in Damien's arms, blood on her white dress.

"Promise me," she whispered. "Promise you'll wait for her. She'll come when you need her most."

"I promise," Damien sobbed. "I'll wait forever if I must."

Viv gasped as she returned to the present. Damien was staring at her with shock. He had seen it too.

"The music stopped," he said hoarsely.

Viv looked around. The entire room was silent, watching them. They were the only pair still dancing. The other two pairs had been taken, one partner bleeding, the other restrained.

"Impossible," Lady Morana whispered from the edge of the circle. "A human shouldn't be strong enough."

Lilith pushed through the crowd, her face pale with anger. "She must have cheated somehow. Vampire blood before the dance, perhaps?"

"Test her," someone called.

Lilith smiled coldly. "Yes, let's test her." She stepped into the circle. "A simple test of knowledge. If you're truly bonded, you'll have access to vampire memories." She turned to the crowd. "What shall we ask her?"

"The Ancient Rites," Lord Corvus proposed.

"Perfect." Lilith turned to Viv. "Recite the Seven Steps of the Blood Offering."

Viv's heart sank. She had no idea what that was. Damien started to speak, but Lilith cut him off.

"No help from you, Blackthorn. She answers alone."

Viv was about to accept defeat when a strange feeling came over her. Words bubbled up from somewhere deep inside, somewhere that wasn't quite her.

"First, the blade of silver," she began, her voice steady. "Second, the cup of bone. Third, the words of binding. Fourth, the willing sacrifice. Fifth, the taste of life. Sixth, the exchange of power. Seventh, the seal of fire."

The room went totally silent. Even Lilith looked shocked.

"That's... correct," she admitted reluctantly.

Lady Morana stepped forward. "The bond is true." She looked at Viv with new attention. "But what are you, child? No ordinary human could survive the Blood Dance, much less know our ancient rites."

Before Viv could answer, a crash came from the main hall. Screams followed, then the sound of fighting.

"Hunters!" someone yelled. "The Crimson Guardians are here!"

The room burst into chaos. Vampires scattered, some running, others moving toward the fight.

Damien grabbed Viv's arm. "We need to go. Now."

As he pulled her toward a side door, the main doors burst open. Men and women in red leather armor poured in, carrying strange weapons that glowed with blue light.

At their head was a tall man with gray streaked dark hair and familiar green eyes—eyes exactly like Viv's own.

He saw her and froze. "Vivienne?" he called across the room.

Viv felt the world tilt sideways. "Dad?" she whispered.

The man started toward her, but three vampires struck him at once. He fought them off with amazing skill.

"Vivienne!" he yelled over the chaos. "Get away from Blackthorn! He killed your mother!"

Viv turned to Damien, who had gone completely still. "Damien?"

His face was like stone. "He's lying."

"Am I?" The man had fought his way closer. "Tell her the truth, Blackthorn! Tell her what you did seventeen years ago!"

Viv looked between the two men—the father she thought was dead and the vampire she'd started to trust.

"Damien," she whispered. "What is he talking about?"

"I didn't kill your mother," Damien said, his eyes never leaving the coming man. "But I know who did."