A Vampire's Life Book 7

Chapter 22

Larcon nodded solemnly as a tear slipped out, now realising that he deserved so little yet they gave so much.

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Lucian watched from the kitchen window as the guards tugged Larcon through the rock face, his attention turned to the four ghosts, his great grandfather gave him a nod and then they disappeared. He had heard everything his great grandfather had said to Larcon but didn't agree with the allowances he had been granted. Larcon stabbed Danika, leaving her to bleed out on the dirt. He had also seen the bite marks on her, knowing that he had fed from his beloved. Live feeding was still allowed but it was becoming unfashionable and many were leaning towards the bags as their preferred source of sustenance. But the fact that he had done it angered Lucian, he knew she would never have let him do it willingly. She was the mate of a vampire and Larcon had taken from her by force, something that didn't sit well in the vampire world. It was taboo to feed from another vampire's mate. Lucian knew that the shifters would be glad to get rid of him, Phabel had mentioned that he was becoming rogue and was live feeding on shifters. They both knew that the werewolves wouldn't take his crap, he would be hunted at full moon like one of the animals if he disobeyed their rules.

Lucian could feel the weight of the morning bearing down on him, seeing Danika pale and cold left him feeling worse than ever. Her limp body in his arms was an awful feeling but it paled in comparison to her coughing up his blood. Blood poured out of her mouth, running lines down her fair skin, dripping to the ground below. Lucian looked at his hands, stained with her blood. His palms were coated with red, no amount of scrubbing them in the kitchen sink could have ever taken it away. Lucian thought he could scrub them raw and he would still feel her blood burning against his skin. Tears had slipped from her eyes as she stared up at him, glassy green eyes that begged for forgiveness. He would have gladly given it, so long as she gave forgiveness to him too. But the time for forgiveness was long gone. Lucian picked up the bag of blood, the cold plastic squished under his finger. He wanted to throw it against the wall, he wanted to smash everything in the place for what Larcon had done to Danika. The strangled sounds of her dying had torn through him, something that would haunt him for a very long time. A tear slipped out as he thought of her, the memory of those moments was killing him. His heart vibrated a little harder than usual, the pain in his chest was unbearable. Lucian was always one to love the smell and taste of blood but today had turned it around on him. He couldn't stand the sight of it and he was still covered in her blood. It smelled tainted, the smell of Larcon was heavy around him. He could also smell the fetid stench of the tomb. It was a hidden part of the tomb where Larcon had hidden her, something that had upset his grandparents no end. The whole nightmare could have been avoided, if they had known.

'Your highness?'

Lucian looked up from the blood bag in his hand, Elena was standing by the entry to the kitchen. He could see the mornings events had taken its toll on everyone. Danika had a spark that had livened this old castle, the memories of the once happy family were returned when she was here. And after the past week and what had transpired this morning, the staff thought that they were never going to have a happy master again. Lucian took a deep breath and smiled softly at Elena.

'Yes Elena.'

'She is stirring.'

'Very good, thank you.'

Lucian tossed the bag of blood onto the tray and picked it up. He had put a few things on there for her, unsure of what Danika might need.

'Can you draw a bath for her, I am sure she will want to freshen up. And some clothes too.'

'Certainly.'

Danika had been resting in her room, the room that she had spent the week in when she was here last. She hadn't noticed it at the time, but it was obvious to her now that he wanted her close. Everything about the room was grand, the whole room was toned with cream furniture, its embellishments in gold, snippets of pink on the soft furnishings. It was ornate and feminine. Danika wondered if this room had originally been made for the queen when she was a child, it looked like it was definitely made for a girl.