The Sun Child

Chapter 25

Lila threw herself against him, kissing him deeply. “Yes, yes, please. Yes.”

Ambrose smiled against her lips, and kissed her, holding him tightly to her. He interlocked their left hands, rubbing her ring finger.

“Then consider it a deal. My forever for your forever.”

Lila’s heart swelled, and she couldn’t help but kiss him again. When they pulled apart, she lifted their hands, feeling a tingling sensation where he’d caressed.

Around her ring finger, by the base, was a new tattoo. Lila gasped at the sight. A small crow, with its wings flared to the sides, wrapped around her finger. But in the center of that crow, was a tiny ornate sun. It was an engagement ring. It was . . . them.

“The bargain . . . it’s between both of us. So it fused the Crow Lord and the Sun Child.” Ambrose moved their hands, showing her his ring finger, where he also had the crow and sun tattooed around his ring finger. “I gave one to myself too. And I’ll get you a real ring—one of gold and jewels—but these are ours, to remember this moment when we bargained our hearts away.”

Lila was shocked into silence. She couldn’t speak as the words caught in her throat. She loved him, she loved their rings, she loved their combined symbols—the crow and the sun—and most of all, she loved their forever. Even if his forever were longer than hers.

At the thought, doubt settled in.

“You don’t like it?” Ambrose asked, concerned. Finally, he sat up, pulling her into a seated position on his lap, with his arms still wrapped around her waist.

“No, I love it! I just . . . I just realized I said forever, but . . . my forever is much shorter than your forever. Does that—” she paused, remembering what he’d told her of bargains. If either end isn’t upheld, the promiser will die. “If my forever ends, but yours continues . . . will you die when I do?”

Ambrose considered for a moment. “I’m not sure.” She saw a nerve in his jaw tick, as he clenched his teeth together. “But let’s not worry about that now.” He took a deep breath and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I think we should clean up, get dressed, and go enjoy that party. Nostro knows how to throw them, and it’d be a shame to miss it completely.”

There was something behind his smile, Lila almost thought it was fear. But she let it go, not wanting to ruin their joyous moment. As he said, they had forever to figure it out. Right now, she just wanted him.

Lila smirked, and climbed in his lap, straddling him once more. “Mmm, yes to your plan, but not just yet. I plan on fucking you forever, and I want that forever to start right now. Fuck me again, Ambrose Draven.” And with a devious grin, she kissed him.

Washed and dressed, Lila and Ambrose returned to the booming floor of the party. Ambrose put on the clothes he wore earlier, the sheer top tucked into the high-waisted black pants. He looked absolutely divine, and Lila had to fight herself not to jump his bones for a third time.

She decided to wear a matching all-black outfit. She wore a dress with a snug corset, hugging her ribs and curves in all the best places. The long sheer skirts pooled from her waist, revealing her bare legs, and the bodysuit under the skirts covered her modestly, while still leaving her feeling completely sexy. It didn’t help that Ambrose seemed to be having a hard time taking his eyes off his future wife. Before they left their room, Ambrose buckled black heels onto her feet, and gave her a set of mismatched earrings—one was the pair with his long sun earring, while the other was a small stud of a moon.

You look like a goddess,his voice sounded husky through the Concord—the same voice he used when he was hungry for her. It seemed he was having an equally difficult time not taking her again as well.

Would you worship me?she teased, as they made their way through the booming room.

I would be on my knees night and day, worshiping you, praising you, giving you everything you want. In fact, that is exactly how I plan to spend our marriage.

Lila smiled, pressing her lips together. For now, she wanted to keep this joy to herself and Ambrose.

“There you two are,” called a voice getting close to them. “We’ve been looking for you.” It was Rebekkah, and behind her were Bogdan’s two daughters.

“Well, looking for you is putting it strongly. We’ve glanced around the crowd whenever we got a drink.” The older one—Alyssa, Lila thought—smiled.

Ambrose grinned, “It’s good to see you, Alyssa, Elizabeth. And your father?”

The younger one, Elizabeth, looked around the room. Her big blue eyes were like saucers as they scanned the crowd. “He’s around somewhere, probably trying to keep Uncle Gustov in check.”

Uncle? Lila thought briefly.

He’s not related by blood, Ambrose said to her, reading her mind as always. But they’re close enough to be family. Like us with Kaz and Constance.

Lila smiled at the mention of their names, of the familiarity in her heart. She missed them desperately and couldn’t wait to see them and Pollock, and to be reunited—finally—with Marcus.

Rebekkah turned to the girls, “Alyssa, Elizabeth, this is Lila Bran. Lila, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out, these are Bogdan’s daughters.

“The reason he’s bald, as he always says,” Alyssa giggled.

“Sorry, if our father’s a bit . . . intense,” Elizabeth huffed. “He looks scary, but he’s not really—well . . . vampires, right?”

Lila smiled. “No worries, he was a perfect gentleman. You want to talk about intense vampire meetings? Do you know Ambrose pushed me from a window the first time we met?”

“He did what?” Rebekkah gasped. “That first night you went to his manor?”

Ambrose dragged his palm down his face. “Not my finest moment.”

Lila giggled, “Definitely not.”

“Ah! Why if it isn’t the finest group of ladies in all of the Malvania!” Nostro appeared next to her, grabbing her arm and spinning her. “And Draven. Why are you all standing around? I haven’t seen you on the dance floor all night, darling!”

Lila spun and spun, and when she finally stopped, Nostro held up a frozen drink for her. It was a light lavender in color and had a lemon wedge on the glass. “I think you’ll like this, it’s sweet while still packing a good punch.”

“What is it?” she asked, taking it anyway.

“Alcohol, of course. A drink I’ve made just for you! I’m calling it the Sun Child.” He winked. “It’s sweet lemons and a special, sweet pea blend of gin. Drink some of that, and then you and I are going to dance, all right?”

Is it safe?she asked Ambrose.

He reached over her, took the drink from her hand, and sipped it. “Mmm. Delicious, Gustov. A Sun Child you say? I would love to drink one of those.” He winked at Lila. Then, Ambrose took a breath in her mind. I think so. He’d never do anything to actually harm you, but if you start to feel odd let me know. Cute drink, though.

He handed it back to her, and as Lila sipped she let Nostro guide her to the center of the dance floor. The crowd of people moved for him, creating a pathway of dancing, smiling bodies. It wasn’t regal dancing like on Sanktus Pernox, and Lila was so ready to experience the jumping and jiving. She sipped her drink and turned to Nostro. He smiled at her and slid his shades over his eyes.

“Get ready for this, my dear.” And immediately after, he popped his arm, flicked his wrist, popped his chest, and bobbed his head back and forth. It took a moment, but Lila realized the man was dancing. She burst into laughter before copying his movements, and jumping along whenever she felt it. The rhythm was a heavy beat, and as Lila sipped her drink, she felt herself care less of how she looked, and care more about the freedom she felt from swinging her limbs around.

You two look like fools, Ambrose chuckled through the Concord. The two happiest fools in the entire room.

Lila’s laugh came from her chest, and then she told him, Well, make it three fools. Get out here! I want to dance with my future husband.

Ambrose didn’t hesitate. He sauntered up to Lila and Nostro—who was still spinning in circles with his hands above his head—and took her hand.

Ask me for anything, love, and I will do it.

Lila blushed as she started dancing with him—though, it was still much less dancing and much more jumping. Eventually, another hand touched her waist, and Rebekkah was by her side, red faced and smiling as she joined the small crew, all following Nostro’s strange lead. And soon after, Bogdan’s daughters dragged their father behind them and joined their small jumping, dancing, bundle.

Lila thought, as she snapped her arms to and fro, shaking her hips, and spinning whenever she had the chance, this was fun, and Lila had been in desperate need of fun.

Nostro took her arm and called in her ear, “See, I told you I knew how to throw a good revel.” And damn him, he was right. Though, she thought more than once he’d pop a hip or break a bone with the moves he was doing.

Lila had no idea how long they’d been dancing for, there were no windows throughout the floor to indicate daybreak, but Lila was sure it should be well into the morning by the time the music began to quiet and the bodies of revelers slowly dwindled. She spotted some still using the curtained rooms for pleasure, but most now had vampires passed out, laying on top of each other. Others seemed to have gone to the many rooms Nostro had available, and others—she assumed—left the Maggot Mansion tower altogether.

Bogdan and his daughters said their good mornings, and disappeared up the staircase, and only a few moments later, Rebekkah excused herself, stumbling toward her room with a lazy smile on her lips.

Shall we retire too, love?Ambrose asked, as a slow song came on.

Yes, maybe after this—

Nostro turned to her, gently grabbing her hand. “I’m afraid this old man is officially worn out. Lila, dear, will you honor me with one last dance?”

She grinned and nodded, following Nostro’s lead.

I’ll be right back, she told Ambrose.

Take your time, love. And she could feel his eyes watching every sway of her hips.

As the song played slowly, Nostro spun Lila, his hands gently guiding her as they rested high on her back and the other holding her hand with those incredibly long and decrepit fingers.

“What do you think of the Maggot Mansion so far?” he asked.

“Honestly, not what I expected.”

“Oh?” he spun her again. “And what did you expect?”

She shrugged shyly. “Before meeting Ambrose, my entire knowledge of vampires came from my time with the Reinicks. Lord and Lady Reinick weren’t awful per se, but they still kept murine, and then my encounters with the brothers—it led me to believe all vampires were like that. That all had murine and were just awful monsters. Even when I met Ambrose, I thought the worst of him.”

“And then?”

“Then I met him. He saved me from that place, and though he pretended to do it only for his benefit, I quickly learned it was . . . more. Then I met Constance, and some of the vampires of the Crow Court, then Darius Maronai, the Cambrias, and Bogdan at Sanktus Pernox. At first, I thought everyone treated me well because of Ambrose. But the Crow Court nor the Arachnid Estate employee murine, and while I’m not sure of the Maggot Mansion, you have been nothing but kind to me, Gustov.”

He smiled bashfully. “We do not have murine in the same sense the Morada holds them. Here, they are murine in name alone. Like the Crow Court, we pay for blood. Murine come and work in the tower for as long as they please, and are paid. They do more than just give us their blood. They cook, clean, build, and live here. Murine here is just another word for servant or maid.” He paused, watching her. “In fact, the word murine originated in the Maggot Mansion four hundred years ago, during the Mass Death. We gave work to those cast out by society for sympathizing with the vampire cause. The Reinicks took the word and exploited it, mistranslating servant for slave. I know you are not unfamiliar with what they made you become, but the vampire manors of Malvania had been very against the murine blood bags. Has Ambrose told you of the eight manors?”

She nodded, remembering the other four manors that hadn’t made it.

“Many of them believed in murine. Thought themselves better than humans. From what I’m told, it is very similar to what Drusilla Reclus currently believes in and is fighting for. With Ambrose Draven having been a slave of man, myself a peasant, and Darius Maronai a romantic, we fought to protect that line in the sand. To protect that which feeds us. After all, if humans went extinct—”

“So would vampires.”

He spun her again. “Precisely. I think at some point, Lorent Reinick just chose the winning team, and of course his wife, Cassandra, and their children followed. The other manors fell, and murine as slaves were all but extinct. Until, they suddenly weren’t.” He watched her for a moment. “I truly am sorry for all your brother and you have been through, Lila. Truly. And please know, humans are treated very differently here.”

She smiled softly, and stopped swaying. “For a time, the Reinicks stopped using murine, when they preferred my brother and me over the starved citizens of their lands. It didn’t last long, though. In fact, the last revel I attended was one of theirs.”

“Let me guess, mine looks like flowers budding in springtime in comparison?”

Lila giggled. “You could say that. The bodies . . . they weren’t even drained. It was all just for the pleasure of killing them—killing us.”

Nostro studied her for a moment before extending his arm out to her. “Can I show you one more thing before we retire for the day?”

Lila nodded and took his arm.

I’ll meet you in the room,she told Ambrose.

Call if you need me. Remember, he’s still a vampire. And I’m sure he still wants a demonstration—be on guard.

Always.

She felt Ambrose leave, and as she followed Nostro back to the elevator, she saw they’d been the last in the room.