She woke up late afternoon and tried to go back to sleep. After tossing and turning a few minutes, she got out of bed, releasing a frustrated sigh. She hated getting up when it was still daylight outside. She could tell by the sun’s glow filtering in from the thick, white drapes it was sunny outside.
What was the use? She couldn’t leave the castle and enjoy the beautiful afternoon. The only thought that gave her any sense of happiness was she would see her daughter soon.
Eve’s worry about Katya returned. Her sleep had been restless thinking about her daughter and more than she cared to admit, thoughts of Drago, too.
Well there was nothing she could do now but wait until the sun set.
After washing in the bath chambers, she got dressed and left her weapons on her chair. She’d strap them on later when the sun went down. She had no use for them now, sitting in her chambers, waiting for the night to come.
She was a good ten stories up and her vampire hearing picked up the busy sounds from the courtyard below through the open window. Reaching for her cloak, she put it on and tucked her head in the hood, making sure no skin was exposed. She reached for her gloves and slipped them on. Once she felt secure, she went to her window and drew the drapes aside.
She breathed in the fresh, crisp air and looked down. Below she saw guards tending to their horses, villagers stopping by market stands and people milling about, enjoying the warm afternoon. A flash of envy rose in her breast. She missed the days when she basked in the sun, but it was so long ago she’d almost forgotten what it felt like.
Her gaze caught a little girl who couldn’t be more than six years old by a well. She was holding a doll with one hand and tossing pebbles into the well with the other. Eve smiled. The little girl reminded her of Katya when she was little.
She leaned against her window pane and continued to watch the little girl toss pebbles. She wore a small print dress that draped her little body and fell to her knees. Her hair was the same colour as Katya’s, chocolate brown, framing her cute face. Eve’s vampire sight made out her cherubic cheeks.
She sighed with nostalgia, missing all those years she shared with her daughter before Balkathan’s attack. Eve had known almost immediately she had given birth to a human child and she had thanked the Gods above for their mercy.
When Katya was born, Eve had decided her daughter would choose when she was old enough if she wanted her mother to turn her into a vampire.
Thinking of Katya, she saw the little girl bend and pick up a pebble with the same hand that held onto her doll. Eve watched her walk to the well and toss the stone in, her doll following.
Eve tensed, straightening. The hair at the back of her neck rose as she watched the little girl’s shoulders crumble and shake. She was sobbing quietly. Frowning, Eve looked around the girl to see if her parents were close by. She saw adults all around the girl, but no one seemed to notice her.
A man stood close by, talking to a guard, and Eve silently willed him to turn around. She stiffened violently, watching the little girl walk to the edge of the well and peer inside. Then Eve grew cold. The little girl raised her body on the ledge and leaned over.
‘Turn around, dammit!’ she hissed at the man close by.
The thing she feared most happened. The little girl slipped and fell into the well. A violent stab of fear wrenched her gut as her vampire rose to the surface and she hissed, releasing her longs fangs.
She snapped her gaze to the man. ‘You imbecile! Turn around!’ she hissed.
There was no more time. A moment had already passed and the child would drown if no one saved her. She knew it would be suicide with the punishing sun beating down on the courtyard, but she couldn’t stand back and watch an innocent child die.
Grimly, she raised herself on the window ledge and vaulted through the air, clasping the hood and cloak close to her body. Her feet touched the ground and she sprinted towards the well. She heard gasps and screams as she sailed past stunned villagers. Without another thought, she flew in the air and dove like a sharp needle down the center of the well, her cloak catching a snug of mortar behind her, ripping from her shoulders.
Damn it! She’d worry about her cloak after she saved the child. As she dove, the well grew darker and colder, until she splashed in the water. She sputtered and gasped as she rose for air and looked around wildly in the small, round enclosure. She couldn’t see the girl anywhere. Pushing her vampire sight to the full extent, she twisted around and looked again. Nothing. Taking a deep breath, she dove in the water and felt around, her heart racing.
She felt something. A tiny hand! Grabbing the little girl, she rose to the surface of the water and touched the little girl’s chest. She wasn’t breathing! The child was still and Eve couldn’t see a flicker or movement anywhere on her sweet face.
A violent rush of maternal love splintered her soul. She hadn’t been able to save Katya from the two years of torture she’d endured, but she sure as hell was going to save this child.
How could she make the child breathe? Thinking fast, she opened the little girl’s mouth and breathed air into her little lungs. Nothing! She tried again. ‘Breathe, little one. Breathe!’ she said, her voice thick with emotion.
Again the little girl didn’t stir. Eve choked back on a rising sob and tried again, this time drawing a longer breath into the little girl’s lungs. The girl choked and coughed, water sputtering from her lips.
Eve wanted to sob with relief. She held the child close to her breast. ‘It’s okay, honey. You’re going to be okay,’ she said, her voice breaking.
The little girl stared at Eve and her face puckered into a frightened scowl. ‘Your eyes! They’re glowing. Scary red eyes!’
Quickly, Eve pushed her vampire down and she felt her fangs retreat, her eyes revert to their human blue. ‘Is that better?’
‘Yes.’ Her little face crumbled.
She could tell the little girl was frightened and any second she was going to start crying. ‘What’s your name, honey?’
‘Becca. What are you? You’re not like papa. He’s a Lycan.’
‘I’m a vampire, honey. Are…are you a Lycan, too?’
‘No. Papa said we choose if we want to turn when we get older.’
‘I see,’ Eve said slowly. So Drago’s Kingdom was both Lycan and human and everyone born human was given the choice to choose their fate. Admiration and respect rose in her breast for the king. His rule was honourable.
‘Papa said Vampires are bad.’
‘There’s good and bad in all people, honey. Not all Vampires are bad.’
‘You saved me.’
‘That’s right. So now you know I’m not bad.’ She felt something floating next to her and smiled. She grabbed the doll and gave it to her. ‘Here. I think this is yours.’
‘I want my mommy. It’s cold here.’
‘I know, honey. I know.’ She knew she could hold the girl and fly straight to the top of the well, but without her cloak, she would burn the moment they hit the surface. Becca’s teeth began to chatter and Eve held her closer. If no one tried to save them soon, she would have to use her flight to save Becca. The cold was too much for a six year old.
Her heart thudded, knowing Katya would be alone if something should happen to Eve. She pushed her morbid thoughts away and looked up. She couldn’t think about that now.
‘Hello? Hellooooo! Can anyone hear me! The child is safe!’ she called loudly.
* * * *
‘Your Highness! There is a big commotion outside. The blacksmith’s daughter, Becca, has fallen into the well and some villagers say they saw your guest run like the wind and dove in the well after her. We don’t know if either of them is alive.’
‘What?’ he roared.
He rose and vaulted out of the Great Hall before Nolan finished speaking. Becca was the sweet child who kept asking him if she could sit on his throne. His heart thudded with dread. As soon as he stepped outside, another fear rose in his chest. The sun was at full peak and Eve had told him she’d burn to a crisp if she were exposed to it. Hysteria and panic was all around the courtyard as he ran towards the crowd near the well.
‘She sprinted like the devil, I tell you! Covered in a dark cape,’ someone said. ‘She dove in the well like a demon possessed.’
‘I saw her leap from the window up there and land on the ground like it was nothing,’ someone else shouted. ‘Even our best Lycan can’t leap that high.’
‘She’s staying at the castle. She’s a vampire.’
‘Katya’s mother.’
‘Dear God, I hoped she saved our little Becca.’
The comments were running rampant around him as he reached the well and glanced at her cloak snagged on the edge.
‘Hello? Hellooooo. Can anyone hear me! The child is safe!’
‘Quiet everyone!’ he bellowed.
All hushed except for a spatter of quiet, intermittent sobbing.
‘Eve, can you hear me?’ he roared into the dark depths of the well.
Her cry was faint, ‘Yes. Becca is fine!’
Thank God, he thought. ‘Stay against the wall,’ he roared. Ignoring Nolan who was about to toss a rope into the well, he tore his metal armour from his shoulders and dove inside. He heard screams behind him and Nolan yelling, ‘Your Highness!’
He landed in the water and rose quickly to the surface. It was pitch black.
‘We’re over here,’ she said quietly.
He waded towards the sound of her voice and felt around with his hand. He touched her cheek and growled softly in the darkness. ‘Do not be alarmed, Eve. I am going to shift in my Lycan form.’
‘I…I am not afraid,’ she whispered.
Of course she wasn’t, he thought. She was the bravest, most courageous woman he’d ever met. Clenching his jaw, he released his Lycan. He wondered if she could see him in the dark.
‘Give me the child,’ he said, his eerie Lycan voice echoing in the dark.
He felt Becca’s little body up against his chest and gathered her gently in his arms. ‘Put your arms around my neck, child. If you hold on tight and do not fall, I will let you sit on my throne.’
Becca screeched. ‘Oh, yes. Yes!’
Drago heard Eve chuckle in the darkness and his entire, nine foot frame went completely still. Her laugh was soft and pleasant and made a warmth rise from his gut to his chest. ‘I’ll be back for you,’ he told Eve.
‘I’ll be here. I’m not going anywhere, not at least until the sun sets,’ she said.
He heard the smile in her voice and again his blood stirred. Without another word, he climbed the walls of the well, vaulting from side to side, until he reached the top. His villagers and guards cheered while he handed Becca to her father.
‘Bring Becca to the Great Hall before dinner time,’ he told her father.
‘To sit on your throne?’ squealed the little girl.
‘Yes.’
Drago reached for Eve’s cloak and pulled it from its confines. Without saying another word, he let himself drop back down into the well. He surfaced from the water and reached out with his taloned hands. He heard her inhale sharply. He growled softly, realising he was touching her breast. Withdrawing his hand, he pushed the cloak towards her.
‘Here is your covering. Conceal yourself as best you can and I will carry you up.’
He heard her movements in the water as she put on her cloak. ‘Okay. I’m covered.’
‘Wrap your arms tightly around my neck. Do not be alarmed. I am not in my human form.’
He felt her arms go around his neck as she pressed herself close to him, her body stiffening for a split second. ‘Dear God, how big are you?’ she whispered with wonder.
‘Nearly the length of two men.’ He paused. ‘You cannot see me?’
She didn’t say a word as he peered where her face was. Slowly, he saw two red, glowing orbs appear in the darkness. ‘I can see you now,’ she whispered.
‘Hold on tight.’
‘And you’ll let me sit on your throne?’ she asked lightly.
‘This isn’t the time to be funny.’
‘It’s nerves. I may burn to a crisp in a few moments,’ she replied, her tone wry.
‘I won’t let anything happen to you,’ he said and began his ascent.
Just before he reached the top, he paused and stared down at her.
‘What are you waiting for? Just do it,’ she mumbled against his chest, but he detected a thread of fear in her voice.
‘I’m making sure you are properly concealed.’
‘Oh.’
Speed was of the essence. He had to get her out of here and back in the castle as fast as he could. ‘Hold on,’ he growled and vaulted in the air.
There was no time to acknowledge the wild cheers and applause the crowd made as he sprinted through the courtyard. His guards held the castle doors open and he sprinted inside, heading towards the grand staircase. He ran up the huge winding flights and sped down a corridor. He gently set her down before her bed chamber door.
He reverted back to his human form and opened her door. He heard her weary, relieved sigh through her hood as she entered the room.
* * * *
If Eve had a choice, she would have definitely preferred being drenched as she was now, than being burned to a crisp. Shaking the wet cloak off her body, she looked up and saw Drago dressed in his black loin cloth. He regarded her silently. Her stomach jolted at the magnificent sight of his muscular, towering strength.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘It is I who should be thanking you. That was a very brave thing you did. You risked your life to save a child.’
She threw her wet cloak on a chair nearby. ‘No one knew she fell in.’ She puckered her lips. ‘There really should be some kind of gate by the well. You have too many children running about and all it takes is one second for an accident.’ The moment she spoke, she regretted her words. She sounded like she was reproaching the king for his lack of security on his grounds.
‘You are right,’ he said quietly. ‘I do, however, have other security measures in place to protect my people from attacks from Balkathan.’
Without saying another word, he walked to a paneled wall next to the armoire and pulled a lever. Eve gasped as the wall separated, revealing a dark tunnel.
‘Only my people know of these tunnels,’ he explained. ‘Our human villagers hide in here in the event of an attack from Balkathan. They travel all the way down to a cavern where there is food and water. We had to use these tunnels on last month’s full moon when he attacked.’
‘He was looking for Katya,’ she whispered.
‘Yes. He sent thirty of his Lycan soldiers, but we were victorious with very few casualties.’
‘Thank God. I…I didn’t realise. Forgive me for telling you your grounds lack security with the well.’
He raised a hand. ‘You were right and I will have a gate erected tomorrow.’ He pulled the lever again and the wall closed.
She was relieved he didn’t take offense. She was also aware he’d taken her in his confidence, showing her the tunnels. He trusted her and the thought warmed her.
‘What matters is Becca is safe.’ She looked down at herself. ‘I’d…I’d better get myself dried off.’
‘Of course. Do you want me to send for Lena?’
‘No. I’m fine. I’m…I’m going to try and get some sleep.’
‘As you wish,’ he said deeply and left her chambers.
