“You might not want to trust me,” my father goes on, “but you’ve heard the plan and know of my fleet. I’m your only hope for survival.”
I will say this: my father is the biggest piece of shit and worst father since Cronus. He’s also pretty smart and seems to have his bases covered in this impossible quest.
As we head toward the entrance of a small building, more and more vampires circle around us. It doesn’t take long for me to feel a modicum of comfort having Timót by my side, which I find disgustingly ironic. The vampires don’t bother to keep their distance, and I can feel some of them breathing against my neck and shoulders. I keep my arms wrapped tightly around Rain, who’s thankfully fallen back to sleep.
We walk through the rounded doorway of the stone building. The entrance leads to a stairway that descends into the rocky ground, and I’m suddenly worried that Timót’s plan has a giant flaw--how are we going to get a squadron of dragons underground?
The vampires lead us down the steps and into the darkness. Before we get too deep, the stairs turn into a level hallway. Looking past the people in front of me, I can see a sliver light trickling in from an opening at the end of the passage. The light gets steadier as we get closer, and at the end of the hall we step into a giant, open room. The ceiling above rounds into a dome, with an open mouth at the top, which allows me to breathe a small sigh of relief. Dragon door: check.
Then I see what stands in the middle of the space, and my breath catches again.
A large, stone slab sits in the center of a raised platform. The stone is at a slight incline, with grooves running down toward the vertical sides. Those deep creases lead to more lines, spider-webbing into a vast network that surrounds the altar.
A series of channels.
Below the altar.
For my baby’s blood to drip.
Do not let this happen, I plead to Darius.
It’s too late.
The words send a shock of horror through my body. It’s not just the sentiment, but the voice that’s doing the speaking.
Welcome to my kingdom. Vladimir’s voice pierces my mind, cutting it open to speak as he faces me from across the room while sitting in a large, obsidian throne.
I try my best to wall off my mind, praying I’ll never have to hear his thoughts again and hoping to God he’s not going to keep listening to mine.
The vampires that walked into the temple with us have climbed into seats above in rafters that circle about the room. We’re on a stage, everyone here to watch something abjectly grotesque.
Through an entrance at the other end of the temple, Emerus leads in a trio of men, their faces obscured by hoods. They move over to three stone benches that are stationed around the altar. I can’t see their eyes, but I know each of them is staring at me. Staring at my baby.
My body jolts when two hands tightly grip my arms. I struggle briefly to break free but it’s no use. I’m no match against vampire super strength, and I feel even weaker when my boiling blood shows that the one gripping me is Darius. A touch I used to long for now pushes me closer to my deepest despair. As he holds me, I feel the straps of the baby harness loosen and fall away from Rain. Vladimir coaxes the air with his fingers, controlling her little body as she lifts from the harness and floats toward the altar. A muffled sob escapes my lips as I watch her move away from me, my heart bursting from the gut-wrenching fear that I’ve touched my darling girl for the last time.
I glance down at my hands to see a familiar glow building within. I’m not sure I’ll be able to fend off the evil surrounding me for long, but I’m damn willing to light this place on fire and see what happens.
The moment I entertain the thought of putting my magic to use, a pair of fangs diving into my neck sucks all the air from that idea. Darius drinks away my magic, my blood, and my hope.
No, I think, perhaps not even audibly as I feel myself drain.
Wait, he says in response.
I don’t know what it means, but I’m surprised to finally get any connection from him in return. Wait for what? For my child to die? That’s exactly what I’m not willing to wait on.
“Do you plan to save any for the rest of us, Darius?” Vladimir’s joke is met with a chorus of laughter from the gallery above. My eyes open as Darius releases me, and I see that Rain now lies flat on the stone altar, the Ancients standing about and inspecting her.
“Just keeping her powers from overwhelming and killing you, father,” Darius snaps back. There’s no love lost between these two, and I’m not sure why he didn’t just let me burn the piece of shit to a crisp.
The Ancients move back to their benches, having completed whatever inspection needed to happen. Rain is now awake but completely still, as she looks around but makes no noise. She’s still under the control of Vladimir and I know she’s terrified.
Everyone’s attention shifts as my sleeze of a father steps forward. “I have fulfilled my end of the agreement,” he says. “Now I expect the same.”
The room falls silent as Vladimir stands and approaches Timót, the vampire king taller than I realized as he towers over my father--not a small man himself.
A kind of ancient power radiates out of him, and I bristle at the nearness of it even though he’s still several feet away from me.
I try to study everything and everyone, to learn what I can that might be of use in rescuing my baby.
It’s so hard to tear my eyes off her, but I know my focus should be elsewhere if I have any hope of getting us out of here.
The king leans in to speak to Timót, his voice cold and bloodthirsty. “Not everyone survives a Turning,” he hisses.
To my father’s credit, he doesn’t flinch. He’s still an ass of the highest order, but it’s good to see someone standing up to Darius’s super awful dad.
Looks like I’m not the only one with daddy issues.
“I’m prepared to accept any consequences of this decision,” Timót says with an air of confidence that doesn’t sound fake. He really believes he’s going to win.
That might be the scariest part of all of this. His unwavering confidence in the face of the king of vampires.
“Very well,” the ancient vampire says. “I will honor my son’s word--foolish though it may be--and give you our gift that very few receive. Let us hope you are worthy.”
My father just smiles, so freaking smug in his worthiness.
My heart thuds in my chest as I watch my child, praying for a way to save her before it’s too late. Hating Darius for taking the only means I had of protecting us. How could he condemn us to this fate? None of this makes sense.
Vladmir’s teeth extend into predatory sharpness and pierce Timót’s jugular. My father’s face is stoic as the vampire feeds on him, but after a few moments it’s clear the blood loss is having an excruciating effect.
The color drains from his face at an alarming rate. His body is shaking, and he looks ready to collapse at any moment.
Is Vladimir going to kill my father? Like, for good?
I want him to. I want my dad to pay for what he’s done with his life. At the same time, it can’t happen yet. Not until he’s done his part to save me and Rain from a city full of vampires.
The king lets my father fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes. I flinch, but I don’t feel any sympathy for my mom’s sperm donor.