Venom (Book I) ✓

Chapter Eighteen

Sunlight showered over the massive oak tree, dripping from its branches like crystalline raindrops. Its impossibly wide trunk seemed to glimmer in the dying daylight, a state that had always fascinated and confused Ulric. Of course he knew that magic surrounded the tree, which explained its impossible size, but he had never known a magician who could make a tree sparkle.

The foot of the tree was wide and surrounded by dark, twisting roots, which parted to create a path to a crimson door set into the wood. Ulric had knocked on this door often, but never with a situation like the one he was currently carrying. He was stressed and trembling, but he played at being confident when he shifted Red in his arms to rap thrice on the door.

"Enter." A silky voice purred and the door swung open without being pushed.

Ulric obeyed, remaining beside the door stiffly until it had swung shut once more, compelled by a warm stream of magic that Ulric felt vibrating past him. He had been through this ritual regularly for years, but the unique sensation of his master's magic still unnerved him.

"And here I thought you'd never come."

Ulric trained his face into a mask of indifference then looked up into the woman's face. She was stunning. Her skin was a warm caramel color and her almond eyes were dark and exotic, complemented by the chocolate hair that tumbled in effortless waves to her waist. She had gotten more beautiful since the last time he saw her, which reminded him that the face she currently bore was not really hers. He knew that were she to let down her facade for even an instant she would surely not look so...human.

Then she smiled. Her crimson lips parted and revealed ivory teeth, each sharpened into a perfect and lethal point. He readjusted Red in his arms to hide the shiver that passed through him at the sight of those needle-like fangs.

"And you've brought company. Oh, what fun!" She purred, stepping forward to get a better look at the unconscious form in Ulric's arms.

"You always say that I can have a pet of my own." He shrugged, forcing himself not to shrink away from her. If he couldn't recognize Red after all of those years there was no way his master could. She never even saw her as a child.

"Of course dearest, and look, you've chosen a human!" She answered, her smile glittering maliciously. "How very charming. Why don't we have Eira take her to your rooms? We'll even have her cleaned up for you. Eira!"

A young woman scampered down the stairs and dipped into a low curtsey. Ulric watched dully as her gaze darted to him, then to the girl in his arms before once more focusing on the other woman.

"Yes mother?" She breathed and once more Ulric marveled at how different the child looked from her mother.

Her mother's honeyed facade dissolved and she appraised the beautiful young woman cooly, first inspecting her ivory skin, then her ebony hair. Her mouth twisted into a look of distaste before nodding to Ulric.

"Take the pet up to Ulric's quarters and make her presentable." She demanded impatiently.

The girl dipped into another curtsey and promptly approached Ulric. He was shocked at how much the girl had grown in his absence before realizing that she now would be seventeen. The girl was no longer a child.

"I will take good care of her." Eira said softly as she easily lifted Red's delicate frame from his arms, reminding him that she, too, carried more inhuman blood than the blood of a mortal.

He looked up at the girl for a moment, gauging the sincerity in her icy blue eyes before nodding. She had always been twice as gentle as her mother. There was silence as Ulric watched Eira once again ascend the staircase with Red cradled in her arms. Red's face was still covered by the scarlet hood she seemed so attached to, but the single pale hand that hung exposed was covered in blood and Ulric's chest constricted at the thought of being separated from her.

"So, you've been with this human for seven days?" His master asked once her daughter was out of sight.

Ulric shrugged and tried to look bored as he stated, "I happened upon her on my way back."

His show of indifference must have worked because she only nodded and turned away. When she began to walk he followed, accustomed to her silent demands and unspoken expectations. She led him through an elegant dining room and an overflowing library before stopping in the center of a well-lit study and turning to face him. 

He cast his gaze around the familiar room, hastily taking stock of the usual fixtures, polished wood floors, tall bookcases filled with ancient tomes, a single spotless desk, and a tall, ornate window that looked out over the forest. Having reassured himself that nothing here had changed he turned his attention to his master.

"It has been such a long time." She purred, loping to a low bench before the window and patting the cushion beside her.

He moved forward cautiously, careful to keep his gaze trained on her sun-bathed form. She watched his progress with amusement dancing darkly across her expression, and he knew that she was aware that the way her floor-length gown shimmered in the dying light was enrapturing and her hair looked as if it was streaked with gold and her eyes seemed to be alight with fire. She could not know, however, how these things made him despise her. She had never known that piece of her appearance.

"Do sit with me darling." She prompted when he hesitated and he stiffly obeyed. "How was your vacation?" She asked gently, smoothing down his unruly hair fruitlessly.

"It wasn't a vacation really." He growled, not daring to bat her slender fingers away.

"You were allowed to go to that little town you're so fond of, though." She continued, seemingly surprised at his venomous response. "You are always visiting, I though you might enjoy a more...valid excuse to go."

"I daresay my reason for visiting did suck much of the joy from the experience."

"I am so sorry to hear it, but we must do what must be done." She purred, tapping his nose with an unapologetic grin. "And my friend?"

"Slowly being consumed by the venom."

She smiled darkly and nodded, pulling away from him. "Of course you've come through once more." She said, standing, "You may have a bit of a break now. I do hope you will stay here...Your pet is always welcome of course. But for now, shall we dine, just us two? I do believe we have so much to catch up on."