Crimson Desire (8 page)

“So, for this party, I am the Red Queen. Although I prefer the Green Queen. Green is my favorite color, did you know that?” Her words were slurred, and her menacing aura pulsed off of her freely as if it was an electrical tower.

“I would’ve never guessed,” I spoke, resisting the urge to laugh.

“And you, Chester, you’re the Cheshire Cat, and Lily is Alice. Doesn’t it fit us all so wonderfully?” She batted her otherworldly long eyelashes.

She fit the Red Queen perfectly. She was heartless, cruel, and seriously off her rocker-er-throne.

“You know, Lily, I love having you here. You add so much to my power pool. I think I’ll keep you. Just like a kitten. You’re so cute.” She chuckled and took another swig of ‘alcohol.’

I mumbled, “Thank you,” and ran to the table with the sweets. Yes! Cake! I piled a bunch of little cakes, tarts, and brownies onto my plate and hurried back to the table to eat them. I was starving and drooling from the decadent aroma of baked goods.

I started on the chocolate fudge cake first while Sang watched me in interest. He stole a pink tart from my plate and nibbled on it like a bird. Was he not hungry?

I peered at Annabelle, and she chugged down another one of those blue drinks, her face was rosy red.

“Lily, Chester…” she drawled and got out of her seat and stepped over to me. “Don’t you disobey me. Don’t you ever disobey me. You’re so lovely, both of you. You’re both mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.”

Before I could get away, she crouched low, and her lips crushed against mine. Ew! Ew! Ew! They were like satin and were cool, but I couldn’t stand a woman kissing me. I flung my head back, and Annabelle’s knees buckled, and she fell.

Lord Grey was the first one beside her. He gave me a nasty glare and helped Annabelle to her feet. “Your Highness, I believe that you should retire for the night. Aren’t you exhausted?”

Her eyes were half-lidded as she nodded and whispered, “Yes, get me to bed please.”

“You two go back to your chambers. I don’t have the time to deal with you,” he ordered sternly.

Sang and I gave him a thumbs up, which he sneered at, and he carried Annabelle back to her room. All the people stopped what they were doing, whether eating, drinking, or dancing. They all stood up in unison and were gone before I blinked.

Sang spoke as low as he could, “Wait till she goes asleep?”

I smiled. “Definitely.”

When we were dead positive she slept, Sang and I checked the party to see if anyone still lingered around. When we couldn’t hear or see anyone, I decided now was the time to act.

“Follow me,” I whispered. I didn’t care we might get caught and what-not. Everything had become quiet, and not a sound was heard except for the occasional owl. With a sigh of relief, I clasped Sang’s hand in mine and sprinted to the stable on silent feet.

I quickly put Franz’s bridle on. I’d remembered where Kristy grabbed it from my ride with Annabelle. I didn’t have time to put his saddle on. I was scared shitless. I patted the gelding’s neck in admiration before Sang and I jumped on his wide back and took off into the night. I’d wanted to use our vampiric speed, but both Sang and I were incredibly weak from the tiny amount of blood we were given, and so I thought,
Hey, why not ride the horses?

I sat in front while Sang clung to my waist. He hadn’t ridden a horse for centuries. Franz’s nostrils flared as he galloped at full speed up the craggy mountain, past the dirt trail, and onto a rocky hill through ferns and bushes. Sang’s hands wound tightly around me, and I pushed the horse onward. His breath wafted out as white wisps in the night air, and I trembled, forgetting how cold I was due to being an undead. You kind of overlook it from time to time.

My vision blurred, and I swayed in my seat, but Sang’s hands held me upright as we continued to ride along our own self-made path. What? Was the tea spiked?

“Drink my blood.” Sang panted and offered me his wrist. I shook my head and told him that I’d be okay and not to worry.

My hair whipped in my face, and I felt the adrenaline rush through me. I was terrified of being caught but excited and thrilled to be attempting to run away from a powerful vampiress who ruled almost all of Europe, or at least claimed she did. It sent shivers across my body and made me ache with wonder at what would happen. Would we escape? Would we get caught? The answer eluded me, but it was the sheer thrill of the ride that exhilarated me to no end.

I kicked Franz harder so that he went faster and faster. When I thought we were a suitable distance away, I stopped and let the horse rest while Sang and I dismounted and sat on the ground.

The grass was cool and moist against my bare ass, and it felt relaxing, calming even as the moon’s silver hue shone in the cloudless sky and shimmered upon us in a dim light. Franz’s coat gleamed in the moonlight, and I was in pure awe of the animal’s beauty and slid my gaze to Sang, who was equally as beautiful in his own right.

I got up, tied Franz’s reins around a tree trunk, and lay back down onto the cold ground. Sang joined me and wound his arms around my stomach, kissed the hollow of my neck, and sat cross legged on the grass.

“So, no fire?” he joked.

“No,” I hissed with a scoff. “The smoke will give us away.”

“So, Lily,” Sang began, hands plucking at the grass. “Do you believe that Darius will come? Because I do.”

I patted his wild black hair. “For sure, I do. He’s probably so angry he must’ve drank everything in his liquor cabinet by now.”

“I just don’t know why he hasn’t come yet. He knows where this place is. He’s been here before.”

“I don’t know. Maybe this is a different place.”

He placed a hand to his temple and said, “No. This is it. I’m sure of it.”

“Well, he’ll come. I know. And I promise.”

He stretched out his legs, and I joined him so his body spooned me. I would’ve liked to have a pillow, but beggars can’t be choosers. My body relaxed, and I felt silly going to sleep in a dress, but hey, what was I going to do?

* * * *

I stood near a cliff, and the wind was like a feral wolf, howling to the moon as it whistled past me and brought my hair around my face in a fluttering mess. Below the cliff’s edge was a wide expanse of sparkling water, glimmering with the silver glow of the moon and the reflection of the dark grey clouds.

My bare feet were planted firmly on the soft, cold soil, colorful leaves sliding around the ground and being whipped up into tiny whirlwinds around me. Insects chirped and buzzed in the background, and I felt as if I was on a stage, put there for someone else’s amusement.

I turned around, golden hair flaring with the motion, as I heard footsteps approach me from behind, crinkling the dry leaves, and stopping just centimeters from me.

Darius was dressed in a magnificent cream silk shirt which left his muscled chest bare and pale for all to see and tight beige leather pants which hugged his thighs and ass firmly. His feet were covered by tall calfskin boots, and his wavy chocolate hair came in thick rippling waves down his back and below his knees. I stared into his bright amber eyes and felt a longing like never before stir inside me and begin to burn like some great inferno.

I pushed myself into his arms, rubbed my face against the soft curly hair of his chest, and kissed his freezing skin hard. He looked down at me and grinned, although there was a glint of sorrow and worry in his gaze that made my heart skip a beat. I could not fathom the pain he was going through as his lover was in the arms of another, on another continent, held captive by a powerful vampiress.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he laid his index finger on my lips and told me to be quiet as he shuffled his feet and drew one arm around my waist while the other affectionately brushed through my hair.

“I know you are scared, my dear. I know that you have escaped from Annabelle’s castle and are sleeping with Sang right now,” he uttered and nuzzled my ear with his fangs.

“I know you know,” I said with a pout. He could read my mind whenever he pleased. I hated it but also found it strangely romantic.

Weird.

“Your freedom is not long-lived,” he stated. “She is already on her way to bring you back. You are afraid of her, I know. But do not show her that you are afraid. Show her a determined and strong woman, and she will back off and become bored. Boredom is her greatest weakness. If she is bored, she will not act. That is how Annabelle is.”

I asked, “How do you know all this? Where are you? Why aren’t you here with me now? In reality?”

He sighed and pressed his lips to my forehead. “The tea you drank earlier, Lily. The tea was laced with her blood, and I felt it. I wanted to tell you, but she blocked me from your mind and filled you with fear and the idea to escape. It was a failed plan to begin with. Her blood is in you and yours in her. You cannot escape her. She will always find you.” He tightened his grip on my waist and ground his hips into me.

I was scared. Really scared. “She has my blood in her, and I have hers in me? So she can track me because she, well, because she just can? My plan was a failure from the start?”

He slowly nodded and kissed me on the lips, tongue parting them and entering inside me as he slid himself over my teeth before withdrawing and taking a deep breath. “Yes, that is correct. Now, Lily, I want you to promise me that you will resist and you will wait. I am in Europe and searching desperately for you and Sang. Just be patient. Be patient and have faith in me. Please.”

I hugged him and didn’t want to let go, but he was already fading away, slipping from my dream like some kind of ghost. It hurt to see him go.

I answered, “Yes! Yes, I promise to be good and wait. I’ll wait for you as you waited centuries for me.”

A sly smile graced his face, and he said, “Good.” His body fully vanished into nothing, and I found myself hurling my body off the cliff and falling quickly into the water.

I gripped Sang’s side with my hand and examined all around me as I waited for Annabelle’s arrival. Sang tossed in his sleep and groaned, and I could only imagine the nightmare he was having as sweat dripped from his brow.

I waited.

Bats circled above by the trees, and a small breeze whistled past. I laid there, stomach twisted and throbbing.

I waited.

I waited for what seemed like hours, and sure enough, not long after, my captor came to take me back. Hounds surrounded us and barked loudly, and one little mutt came over and licked me on the face as I lay still. It whimpered as Annabelle came over on a large grey horse and cracked a whip on the ground, scattering the dogs and leaving a clear view of Sang and I curled on the ground together.

She jumped off her horse and in an instant was beside me, deep green eyes drilling into me as she scrutinized the sleeping man near me. Her face was the image of anger and rage contained within a façade of airiness and joy.

“Lily, Lily, did you enjoy your short hours of freedom?” she asked, lifting me by the neck and digging her fingers into my flesh.

Wait? Wasn’t she drunk? How could she ride a horse? Why did she seem all right? Unless…she faked all of it. It was all a ruse to see if we would carry out an escape or not. Damn, I felt like such an idiot.

I smirked and replied, “Yeah. Yeah, I did. Thanks for asking.”

She sneered, and her lips curled into a fake smile. "Oh, you just think you're all that, don't you? Well, you won't when I'm finished with you. You should've known better than to test my patience. There was no way from the start that you could've possibly escaped, you know."

Her black hair was like shimmering spun silk as the wind combed through it with ease. Her skin was as pale as milk, and she had an inhuman appearance like a porcelain doll with her plump scarlet lips and fierce emerald green eyes. She stood straight; chin held high with such dignity, you would think she was a modern-day knight. Or princess. Whatever you prefer.

She was clad in a black long-sleeved shirt with golden buttons and matching riding breeches with tall boots and leather gloves. She was illuminated beautifully in the moonlight and looked so majestic and regal.

The way she held herself emanated a noble air of dignity as she gazed down at me; her long eyelashes sweeping her face like wings, made me feel such a dark poisonous void within me it made my stomach knot.

I struggled for breath as her hold became stronger with each passing second; she twisted me with silent fury.

I seethed through clenched teeth, "I'll try to be a good girl this time.”

"You will,” she said angrily and while still clasping my arm, swung her leg over the horse and settled into the saddle. She picked me up so that my feet didn't touch the ground and hefted me onto her lap. I was spread across the tip of the saddle, my arms and legs dangling from the sides of the horse. I loathed the position I was in. It was uncomfortable, and I tried to change it, but I suddenly felt so weak, so weak, and lost and hopeless. I hated this feeling. This feeling of helplessness.

I groaned and felt dizzy as Annabelle turned her horse in a three hundred and sixty degree circle so we faced Sang. He peeked from behind a tree, entire body quavering with renewed fear.

Annabelle reached an arm out and made a gesture for him to come. "Chester," she called in a soothing voice, and he stepped forward, crimson eyes glazed over with surrender and abandonment.

His voice was low and monotone. "Yes, my mistress?” He was under her spell again.

"You will get on Franz, the black horse, and follow me back to the castle," she told him.

"Understood,” he replied and before getting on Franz, walked beside her and fervently kissed her boots until she held a hand up to stop. He was on Franz in a split-second, faster than I could follow, and clicked his tongue so the gorgeous gelding trotted behind the grey horse.

She yanked my hair and uttered coolly into my ear, "You will regret your decision to run away."