I am a vampire. A gods damned vampire.
This discovery also brandished a massive red flag. If this was true, then hunters were coming for me and my family. And I only had a few hours to figure out how to get my new vampire ass to safety.
Would Trystan send someone to the Moonlight Tavern to meet me? As frightening as it seemed, his offer was the only option I had at this moment. There was nowhere I could think of to run, except Brynna’s, and there was no way I was putting her in danger.
I paced the entire cottage at least a hundred times, waiting for the sun to set, wondering how my world would change once I stepped outside the door. If I could, I would have holed myself up in this cottage and wait it out. But this place was far from a fortress. It was small and easily accessible. And completely destructible. If anybody was coming for me, I would be captured in no time.
Captured. It sounded so ludicrous, but I wasn’t going to wait here and find out if it was true or not.
I wanted to take my horse, Shadow, but the thought of leaving him behind, especially at the vulgar Moonlight Tavern, made me ditch that plan.
Shadow was my non-mortal best friend, a present given to me by my father on my tenth birthday. He was a Friesian, with a sleek black coat, thick mane, and long tail. He was magnificent, powerful yet agile, and extremely careful with me on his back.
When my parents were abroad on business and I was left alone, Shadow would carry me to secret places on deserted shores where he would graze, and I would spend hours reading and relaxing.
No, I wouldn’t risk taking him. Shadow was too important to me. The stable boy would take care of him while I was gone. And hopefully this dilemma could be over, and everything would return to normal.
Wait. Who was I kidding? My life would never be normal again. Good gods, I had fangs and was deathly allergic to the sun.
From the split in the drapery, I watched the sun’s rays gradually inch across the floor. Tick. Tock. Tick Tock. It seemed like an eternity until it faded altogether.
As the last trace of light vanished, my apprehension grew. I snatched the pack I’d filled and opened the door. A burst of chilled wind accompanied me as I rushed out into the night. The pack on my back bore a few items: a change of clothes, a couple day’s rations, a bag of gold skrag I’d been saving, and Trystan’s flask. I wasn’t certain why I took the flask, but I’d persuaded myself it was because it was valuable, and I didn’t want it to be stolen.
Filling my lungs with the icy air was invigorating. My senses were on full alert, and I paused as my eyes adapted to the darkness. Everything around me was alive and humming. The world seemed more appealing—the brilliant hues of fallen leaves, the whispers of wind through the trees, and the earthy aromas of the surrounding landscape. Details I hadn’t recognized before. Beautiful scenery I’d taken for granted.
Feeling awkwardly slow and weak, I realized I hadn’t eaten in days, and I had a sinking suspicion I knew what my body needed. I’d resisted the thirst as soon as I’d opened the flask, and I knew from this day forward, there would be an endless battle raging inside me.
All the stories I’d read about vampires weren’t exaggerating. The thirst was real. But the thought of consuming blood made my gut churn.
After walking the five miles, much quicker than expected, I finally reached the Moonlight Tavern.
Standing outside the olive, paint-flecked door, I cringed. The heavy smell of urine stung my nostrils and I started to second guess myself. This place was a rowdy pigsty filled with drunken patrons and nightly brawls. A place my parents instructed me to steer far away from. I doubted I’d even get through the front door without anyone noticing me.
After a cursory glance of the area, I was surprised to find there was no guard. But I supposed they didn’t need one. No youth in their right mind would show up at a place like this. I just hoped that Trystan kept his word and had someone waiting for me.
Gathering my courage, I stepped up to the door and pushed it open.
Darkness enveloped the hallway, and the only sign of patronage was the raucous laughter and obscenities thrown from intoxicated men socializing deep in the tavern’s underbelly. After a few shallow breaths, I made my way across the sticky wooden floor. The smell of urine mingled with other vile manly odors smacked me in the face.
Sneaking past the toilet rooms, I prayed repeatedly to the gods that Trystan remained true to his word. I was placing my complete confidence in him—someone I didn’t even know. And that terrified the crap out of me.
Building up enough courage, I rounded the corner. Lingering in the shadows, I scoured the room. Wooden tables and chairs were crowded to the brim with drunken men. A few of them had women splayed over their laps. One had her skirt dragged up way too high, and a man’s grimy hands receding even further, her hips swaying back and forth across his thigh.
Was this a brothel?
What the hell had I gotten myself into?
I kept tight to the wall, trying to stay concealed along the dark edges, searching the inside to find someone, anyone, who looked respectable enough to be my rescuer. And it didn’t take long to discover him. A young man sitting at the bar, well-suited and handsome, looked quite out of place. He twisted to me and smiled, so I took that as a signal and promptly made my way over, sitting on the vacant stool beside him.
“Hey,” I greeted, anticipating he would immediately get us the hell out of here.
“W-what brings you to this pigsty, lovely?” His speech was slurred, his eyes bloodshot and droopy.
My conscience waved a massive red flag before smacking it upside my head. Good gods. This guy was not my contact. And now I’d opened myself up to the rest of the drunken riffraff. I could practically feel their lustful eyes raking down my back.
“I’m meeting someone,” I returned.
The barkeeper, a towering man with a bald head and tattoos running down his neck and arms, paused in front of me. “Aren’t you a little young to be in here, darlin’?” he asked. “I could get in a lot of trouble serving alcohol to a youth.”
“I’m not here for drinks. I’m here to meet someone,” I reiterated, trying to suppress my inner trembling. Gods be damned. What was I supposed to do now?
“Who would ask you to meet them in a shithole like this?” the barkeeper queried, shaking his head.
“I don’t know,” I sighed. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
He produced a half-witted grin, shrugged, then grunted at a man a few stools down, who was pounding his empty glass on the counter, demanding another brew.
Heavy footsteps pounded across the wooden floor until they came to a sudden halt directly behind me. I caught a whiff of strong body odor and practically got drunk off the alcohol emanating from whoever it was. If I still had a heart, I imagined it would be bursting through my rib cage and running far, far away.
Damn Trystan. And damn me for believing him.
“Hey, precious.” A firm hand clutched my shoulder, forcing me to turn around. “You’re new here. You lookin’ for a good time?”
I’d read that new vampires had super strength, but I wasn’t about to test that assumption, because three burly, bearded men stood behind me. Their heavy, wasted eyes bore looks of lust and ill intentions.
“No. I’m waiting for a friend. A male friend who should be here any minute,” I responded boldly. “I was just about to head outside and check.”