Escape (Vampire King Book 1) (3 page)

This
must be Samuel.

“You’re late, Octavia.
I almost left.” His lips formed into a line. His hands rested flat on the
table.

“Well, I’m here now.
Don’t be so dramatic, Samuel.” Octavia dropped her bag on the table and pulled
out her peacock fan. “The supplies you asked for are in the bag.”

Samuel’s liquid-gold
eyes centered on me. “And who is this?”

“I already told you
before,” Octavia huffed and fanned herself, “this is a maid from the castle who
wants to leave the city.”

“And where shall you
flee to, domina maid?” Samuel asked me with a hint of humor.

Or
was it sarcasm?

“I want to go to
Zumaya.” I maintained a mask of neutrality. “I only need help leaving the city’s
borders. I can find my way home after I’m beyond the gates.”

On the right, the bald-headed
vampire chuckled to himself.

“My friend, Ty, is
laughing because escaping the city is no simple feat.” Samuel gripped a tall bottle
of blood wine in front of him. “Your soft skin will be scratched and your
pretty robe shredded. Gunk will cling to your hair. And that’s just the fun
part.”

Samuel took a swig of
the wine straight from the bottle and passed it over to Ty. “You should go back
and clean The Quiet King’s castle instead of hitching a ride with me.”

I gritted my teeth,
struggling with myself not to yell or curse at him. According to Octavia, he
was the best pathfinder in the city. I didn’t know if she was exaggerating or not,
but for me, he was the only person I knew who could aid my path to freedom.

I sighed. “I’ve
survived a lot. I can deal with any obstacle in front of me. Right now, I
really need your help.”

“To escape out of the
city, it will cost you a large amount,” Samuel replied.

“Oh, Ambi. I’ve
prepared her for the price. Just get on with it,” Octavia said with an edge of
impatience. “Show him the payment, Brie.”

I moved my locket out
of the way and took out the two vials of my blood I’d hidden within my
cleavage. “I don’t have money, but I do have blood.”

I placed the vials on
the table. They rolled over to Samuel as if he’d commanded them to come.

“It’s domina blood,” I
declared.

“I know what it is,”
Samuel hissed and glared at Octavia. “What game are we playing today?”

“No games.” Octavia
slowly fanned herself.

“Whose blood is this?”
Samuel’s fingers tightened around the vials.

“My domina offered it
to me,” I replied.

Samuel and Ty exchanged
glances, but I couldn’t tell if they thought I was lying or not.

My story wasn’t
unusual. Dominas created unshakeable bonds with their maids, since they always
spent time together. The most popular play in the theaters now told a tragedy
in which a domina gave up her life to save her helper. Songs played all over
the city, boasting of a domina’s love for her maids. Even the majority of
bestselling books about domina romances and mysteries narrated the story
through their most beloved servant.

“How long have you
served your domina?” Samuel raised his striped eyebrows.

“Long enough for her to
give me two vials of blood.”

Ty laughed and banged
the table with his hand. “This one will be fun to bring along.”

Samuel didn’t laugh or
smile. His gold eyes studied my face and clothes.

Maybe
I shouldn’t have lost my patience
.

“These two vials are
worth a lot more than the price of my services,” Samuel said after Ty stopped
laughing.

“I don’t care.” I
shrugged. “I just want to be free.”

Samuel tucked the vials
in his shaggy coat.

“If I find out that
there is a drained domina somewhere on The Quiet King’s grounds, I’ll hunt you
down and it won’t be a pleasant visit.” Samuel rose from his seat, appearing
bigger than I’d thought, massive in fact. He towered over us with broad
shoulders, informing me there was no small frame under his coat. He stalked my
way and gripped my hand, surrounding me in warmth. It surged deep into my flesh
and heated my core. Not in entirely in a sexual way, but in a way that spoke of
great power.

A
warm, full-blooded vampire? Not possible. Maybe he’s a halfling with high body
temperature.

“Let’s go,” he ordered.

“What do you mean
let’s go?
” I pulled my hand away from
his. A creak sounded as Ty stood from his chair.

“We leave now or we
don’t leave at all.” Samuel crossed his massive arms around his chest. “Second
thoughts?”

“No,” I said as he
grabbed my hand again.

That same warmth hit
me, seeping into my skin. I bit my lip and forced myself not to relish in the
tingling heat. Samuel’s eyes widened. Fangs erupted from his gums. His nostrils
flared as he inhaled me. His thumb drew a small circle on to my skin. My blood
charged everywhere he touched as if he could control my body.

“I don’t want you to
touch me.” I jerked my hand back a little, trying not to show my fear, but he
didn’t release me. Instead, he gazed into my eyes with gleaming gold pupils.
The sharp tip of two fangs peeked out from the top lip.

“Maids smell like
cleaning liquid and dust.” He sniffed. “You smell like roses and domina blood.”

My mouth dropped open.

“Leave her alone,” Octavia
said. “I watched her help the domina put the blood in the vials. That’s
probably why she smells like one. Besides, it’s a maid’s duty to put roses in
her dominas’ hair. You worry too much.”

Samuel’s lips pressed
together. Ty rubbed the bottom of his chin as he appeared on my right. Chatter
ensued all around us. The music’s volume increased. I attempted to yank my hand
back. Samuel maintained his steel grip and leaned toward me. His lips stopped
near my ear.

“This is your last
chance,” he whispered. “Are you a maid?”

“Yes, and do you have
to hold my hand?”

“I don’t trust you yet.
The whole trip to Zumaya, you’ll stay next to me. Just be happy I’m only
holding your hand.”

What
does that mean?
An herbal scent floated from his skin. I
could have leaned in closer to identify the sweet herb, but he was already too
close and overwhelming.
It doesn’t matter
what he smells like. Concentrate on getting out of here.

“Fine. If it will make
you feel better, you can hold my hand the whole way.” I squeezed his fingers as
hard as I could and flashed a grin. The muscles in Samuel’s jaw twitched.

“I’m ready,” I
announced.
And now I can’t wait to escape
Capitol
City
as well as you.

“You’re ready, huh?”
Samuel’s thumb circled one of my knuckles.

I averted my eyes, not
willing to show him my discomfort. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“We’ll see how ready
you are.”

Chapter Two

Black-and-white striped
horses towed the four steel carriages down the pebbled street. Many people rode
in the metal vehicles, singing and toasting, as they clinked their wine glasses
together. Flowery perfume mixed with blood lingered in the air. I had no idea
if the carriages carried only vampires or if there were a few humans scattered
in the mix. White-glittered masks concealed their faces. Pearl gowns draped the
women. Crimson-red suits adorned the men.

“Happy Lunation! May
Ambi bless you all!” A woman giggled from the last carriage and flung white
feathers out on to the street. Once the party-goers’ caravan traveled by,
Samuel and I crossed the intersection.

Lunation Night
celebrated the beginning of the new moons. It took the moons sixty days to
complete their cycle around the planet. Darkness arrived for a full week during
the last phase when neither moon could be seen in the sky. On the first night
after the week of darkness, the two moons reappeared and brightened the land.

“So have you murdered
many dominas before?” Samuel asked as we maneuvered through a crowd observing a
female street performer. Dressed in a glimmering white bodysuit, the woman
balanced upside down on her index finger. Everyone applauded.

“Well, have you?”
Samuel tightened his hand around mine. Ty lingered several feet behind us.
Every now and then he whistled a tune.

“I told you. I didn’t
kill her,” I said. “She gave me the vials.”

Maintaining a steady
pace, Samuel turned his face to me. “If I discover differently—”

“I know. I will burn.
My city will burn as well as all who I love.” I did a dramatic wave in the air.
Samuel had been questioning and threatening me about the vials for the past
twenty minutes.
My
patience had completely drained away.

“Happy Lunation. Come
and buy a flower for your vampire.” A toothless woman beckoned me over. Roses,
dipped in liquid brass, sat in pots next to her.

“No thank you, ma’m.” I
bowed my head.

Swollen gray clouds
crowded the night sky and almost concealed both moons as they positioned
themselves across from each other. When the moons were in a straight line, dawn
would arrive. Most vampires slept during the daylight. The more power a vampire
contained, the less he or she had to sleep. However, very few strong ones
existed anymore. The king had slain all of them. It guaranteed no one could
revolt against him as he expanded his empire beyond vampire territories and
where other enchanted creatures lived.

We entered the Midnight
District.

A huge banner draped
the front gates and read
Lunation
Celebration.

Salesmen placed
themselves in front of glass cargo boxes and boasted of possessing exotic
creatures to eat or own as pets. I scanned the boxes and was amazed to discover
the men did have striking animals—from wild turquoise tigers enclosed in silver
cages to tiny pixies embossed in jeweled smocks that matched their wings. Human
vendors littered the sidewalk and held blood sausages made from ostrich meat
and tempico intestines. The savory scent drifted to my nostrils and caused my
stomach to ache.

“Five pocks for one
sausage,” one vender announced. “One vial of midlevel blood gets you ten
sausages.”

“Are you hungry, little
killer?” Samuel asked.

“No. Feel free to get
one for yourself.” I rolled my eyes.

“I hate ostrich meat.”

I
hate people who accuse me of murder.

A five-member band
played from a platform across the street where several vampire children carried
balloons and raced around their parents’ legs. A few people danced. Others clapped
with the music’s rhythm.

I glanced up to see
Samuel’s gold gaze still on me. “I’ve answered all of your questions honestly,
but you still don’t trust me.”

“I don’t trust anyone Octavia
introduces me to.”

“Are you past lovers?”

“Interesting. So she
didn’t tell you what we are to each other. I don’t know if I should be relieved
or worried.” Samuel dug in his pants’ pocket, pulled out a few bills, and
handed it to a pregnant human woman sitting on the ground. Raw red bites
decorated her neck and cleavage. She wore tattered clothes. A breeze blew
through her disheveled brown hair.

She beamed at Samuel.
“I can give you blood, sir.”

“No need.” He waved her
away. “Get something to eat for you and your child.”

“Please,” she begged.
Her fingers shook as she held the money and licked her lips.
She is addicted to vampire bites.
She
yanked the top of her dress down and exposed two erect pink nipples. Bites spread
across each breast. “I’m quite tasty, sir.”

A growl expelled from
Samuel’s throat. She leaped up and scurried away.

We turned the corner
and journeyed down a darkened street where no lamplights existed, just concrete
huts stacked on top of each other. No one walked the street.