Emory
I take a bath, soaking in notes of rose and lavender, letting my muscles relax as much as they will after the hellacious day I’ve had. King Kane had suggested taking a nap, and that does seem like a good idea, but I know I won’t be able to sleep. My mind keeps puzzling over everything that’s happened. How, exactly, did I come to be here? At what point did my father reach such desperation that he was willing to trade his own child to his enemy to pay off his debts?
I can’t say, and by the time the water has cooled, I have decided it’s futile to keep going over such questions in my head. What’s done is done. Now, I need to figure out the rest of my life anew.
I get out of the tub and dry off with the most luxurious towel I’ve ever felt in my life. The maids have brought in all kinds of lotions and creams, as well as all sorts of makeup and hair accessories. I’ve never been one to spend too much time on my appearance, but Nellie already told me she’d be happy to help me get ready for dinner and that I would be expected to look, “presentable.”
As the two maids help me dress, put my makeup on, and fix my hair, I can’t help but wonder what will happen at dinner. King Kane didn’t answer me as to whether or not I am a guest at dinner or the meal, and I can’t help but feel nervous. I might be able to handle one or two vampires feeding on me for a bit, but if there are a lot of them there… they might drain me completely.
At least then I wouldn’t have to worry about what the future holds….
“Are you all right, Princess?” Nellie asks in her sweet voice. “You look worried.”
“Oh, uh, I was just thinking about… dinner,” I reply, pressing a smile to my face.
“You should be,” Helga says in a thick accent that makes her difficult to understand. She always sounds mad. Maybe she is always mad. “One wolf, lots of vampires.”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” Nellie says. “King Kane sent out a decree earlier today that no one is to bother you. No one is to approach you or attempt to feed off you, so that should make you feel better.”
My eyebrows raise in surprise at that statement. It does make me feel better, but I wonder why he would feel it necessary to make such a statement.
I clear my throat. “Do either of you know how many… others… I should expect at dinner?”
“Presently, there are about fifteen guests in the castle,” Nellie says. “Plus the king and his family, and his four consultants.”
“As well as the other princess,” Helga adds, and I immediately feel a tightening in my gut. “Her brother is also here.”
“That’s right,” Nellie says, her smile fading as a dismal look takes over her pretty face. “How could I forget about her?”
“I have no idea,” Helga replies.
“So… maybe twenty-five vampires?” I ask.
They both nod. “Something like that,” Nellie agrees. “It’ll be fine. The king will keep you safe.”
I manage a small smile, but I have no idea whether or not she’s right. He hadn’t been so quick to assure me I wasn’t the meal.
A half hour later, at 6:45, I am ready to go. I am looking in a mirror, but I don’t recognize myself. My hair is piled on top of my head with curls framing my face. My eyes look so bright thanks to the makeup colors the girls used, and my lips look luscious and full.
The dress I am wearing is almost the same shade as my eyes. It hugs me tight at the top before settling over my hips and swinging out near my ankles. A slit runs up so high on my right side, it seems almost scandalous to me, but the girls assured me I look like a high-fashion diva. I’m not sure that’s what I want to look like, but it beats looking like an entrée. I also have on diamond earrings and a necklace that probably could be sold to repay my father’s debt—if it were mine to sell.
I’m not used to walking in heels, so I try the black pumps out a bit before I decide I’ve got enough balance and coordination to fake it. If I take a wrong step, I’ll go tumbling down, though. I am not overly confident.
With a final spritz of rosewater, I am ready to go, just as there’s a resounding knock on the door, and my heart lurches into my throat.
I can’t help but wonder if it might be the king himself come to fetch me, but I remember him saying that he would send someone for me, and I get the feeling that it isn’t him behind the door.
Helga goes to throw it open, and I stand behind her, only slightly disappointed to see Rainer standing there with a big grin on his face.
My own smile widens as I see how happy and carefree he looks. It must be nice to be so good natured all of the time. “Holy wowza,” he says, stepping into the room. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone use that expression before, but I think it must be a good thing. “Look at you!”
I do as he says and stare down at my dress. “Does it look okay?” I ask him.
“You look… stunning,” he says, finally dropping his outstretch arms. “I mean, you always look beautiful, but this is… damn. That’s all I can say.”
I feel my cheeks pinking as he offers me his arm, and I take it. “Thank you, ladies,” I tell them.
“Have a good time!” Nellie says. Helga says nothing, doesn’t even wave, but I think she will soften up eventually. At least she was speaking freely by the time they were done getting me ready to go.
As we walk along, Rainer points out where we are in the castle, based on the important rooms, like the library and the exit to the rose garden. I try to keep everything in mind, but I probably won’t remember. After a little while, he grows quiet and asks, “Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” I say quickly, though I’m not telling the truth. “It’s just… can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he says in the same good natured tone he always uses. “Just don’t ask what I really think about the salmon.” He makes a face that has us both giggling.
“Actually,” I tell him, keeping my voice low. I am a bit embarrassed to be asking him this because I’m not sure it’s fair for him to have to answer me. “It is about dinner.”
“What do you want to know?” He is more serious now than he was before.
“Well, uh….” I look around and see two large doors in front of me and imagine that’s probably the dining room. I’m about to find out whether I ask or not. “I’m, uh… not… the main course, am I?”
Rainer stops walking and turns to look at me, his face frozen in an expression I cannot read, and for a moment, I think he’s trying to decide how to tell me that I am, but then he says, “Why would you—no! No, of course, not, Emory.”
I let out a deep breath, so glad to hear that. He seems so certain of himself, I can believe him.
“Sweetie, I’m so sorry you thought that was a possibility.” He pulls me into a hug, and I suddenly feel so much better about the entire situation. The scent of pine fills my nostrils as my face is crushed against his shoulder, his black vest soft against my cheek. He has an extremely manly scent, and for a moment, I forget he’s a vampire. He’s not stone-like at all, despite his large muscles.
When he releases me, he says., “Don’t worry. You are a guest at the dining table, just as you are now considered a guest in the castle.” He offers me his arm, and I take it again.
It’s nice of him to say that, but I’m not convinced.
We walk into the dining room to see several people mulling about. They all turn and look at me, and I feel like I have two heads. I’ve never seen any of them before, and I have no idea who any of them are, except for perhaps the strikingly beautiful woman who is standing near the chair at one end of the table. She has long black hair that is pulled up into an opulent braid and wrapped up in a bun, with hints of silver streaking through it, though she doesn’t look old at all.
“That’s Queen Agatha,” Rainer whispers. “None of the rest of these people are important.” He bows to the queen, and I do the same. She nods in response, but he doesn’t take me over to meet her, and I’m glad.
Instead, he leads me to the other end of the table, and I suddenly realize I’m about to cause a problem. “Whose seat am I taking?” I whisper to him. I have been at enough of these fancy dinners to know everyone wants to sit next to one head of the table or the other, and the closer to the middle of the table one gets, the less important one becomes. So unless they’ve pulled up another chair for me smack dab in the middle, someone is going to hate me.
“Oh, uh… Clark’s,” he says with a shrug as he releases my arm and shoves is hands into the pockets of his slacks. “He couldn’t make it.”
“Oh. Why is that?” I ask.
“Because he’s on house arrest.”
Rainer is serious. I can tell. He’s rarely serious, so when he is, I have already learned to spot it. “He is?”
“Yes, he’s in charge of the feeders, and Kane was not at all happy with the way that they’ve been treated. Especially you, but everyone else as well.” He nods his head and adds, “It’s been a long time coming. I never liked that guy.”
I don’t know what to say. I remember how angry King Kane had been when he spoke to that guard in the dungeon. I am glad that the feeders are finally going to get some help, but I’m also afraid Clark will come after me for causing trouble.
I am about to say something to that degree when the double doors swing open again, and a flourish of laughter hits my ear. I turn to see a strikingly beautiful raven haired woman float through the door on the arms of two handsome men. One has blond curls that frame his thin face. He is almost lovely in his elegant beauty. The other has dark hair and looks a lot like the woman, though he has a sharper nose and square jaw. He is more muscular than the blond, though nothing like Rainer.
“Who is that?” I ask, feeling my stomach twist into a knot. Something tells me I already know who she is and who the blond is, though I don’t know why she’s here… at the castle.
“That’s Prince Jacob of the Clan Maxwell, from Scarlett Thunder,” he explains, and I know he means the dark-haired man. “The other fellow is Prince Luther Alexander, otherwise known as Lex.” I nod, seeing only a faint resemblance to King Kane but having heard a description of the prince before.
“And who is she?” I ask as the woman stops laughing, her sapphire eyes turning to look right at me. I gulp back my apprehension.
“Princess Opaline Maxwell,” Rainer says. “The king’s… fiancée.”
My eyes widen as I shift my gaze to look from her to Rainer. “His… fiancée?” I ask.
Just then, Opal asks in a loud, high-pitched voice, “Who the fuck invited a mangy dog to our dinner party?”
All of the blood leaves my face as I feel myself begin to react. I’m not sure if I should hide behind Rainer or throw a plate at her, but something tells me Princess Opal and I are not going to get along.