CHAPTER 29 #2
I toy with my diamond and pearl choker as Nella brushes my curls softly, taming them into loose, shiny waves.
She’s dusted my eyelids in sparkling silver glitter and painted my lips with just a touch of bleeding red.
When she takes out a diamond-encrusted diadem from a black velvet box, I frown and shake my head.
“I’m not wearing that, Nella. It’s too much. ”
“But, Aimee, the King instructed you should wear it all. Besides, it goes so well with the rest of the ensemble.”
I don’t hide the sigh that escapes me.
It really goes well with the dress. Altogether, they make me look like his Vampire Queen. And therein lies the problem. I cannot make such a statement in front of my sister.
“I don’t care what he instructed Nella. I am good without the headpiece. It’s my head it would rest on, and I say no.”
“As you wish, my lady,” Nella says before returning the stunning, yet highly offensive, piece of head jewelry to its box.
I stand to leave and wave a hand to Nella as she tries to follow me. “I know my way around the castle very well by now, Nella. You don’t need to escort me.”
She nods, and I exit the bedroom, trying to keep the lid tightly shut on my nerves.
I direct myself on wobbly legs towards the chambers that were assigned to Aurora, on the second floor.
Thank Gods, she is not staying on the same floor as me and Killian, as my fraying mind wouldn’t have survived that.
Although all I want is to run and hide from my vengeful sister, I have to face my fears and try to talk her out of whatever cruel game she is playing.
I’ll let her rip into me as usual, if that is the price I have to pay to keep Killian and Wrahta safe.
They call anxiety a silent swindler. Most often, it takes you by surprise, tightening your muscles in a death grip and knotting your stomach painfully without apparent reason.
I’ve had so many panic attacks in my lifetime that I know to spot the exact second when my thoughts start racing without explanation, or the dreadful flutter in my ribcage emerges.
My chest constricts painfully, and the stone walls seem to close in on me as I descend the steps to the floor below and stumble towards her room.
The threat looming vaguely out of sight has never been faceless for me. My face has always stared back at me, sinister and distorted to cruel proportions. Aurora’s face.
I press my numb fingers against my throat, willing my lungs to work properly and take gulps of air.
I’ve reached her door.
It’s now or never.
My mind screams in protest as I watch my own knuckles knock on the wooden frame twice. It’s like I’m both trapped in my betraying body and floating somewhere in the distance, watching it all unfold below me.
Silence.
I hear no movement on the other side of the door. I knock another time and nothing happens. Holding my breath, I open the door and I’m greeted by an empty chamber. I exhale loudly, gazing around. Where the hell is she?
“Maybe she already went to the dining hall”, I say to myself and go back to the stairwell to go downstairs. As I reach the ground floor, I bump into Blaise, and his presence somewhat fortifies me.
“Kitty cat,” he rasps, “you’re a midnight vision.”
My smile is genuine as I offer to take his hand. “Ready for this shitshow to be over?” I ask in earnest.
“Your sister is definitely not the apple of my eye, but I wouldn’t call her a shitshow either,” he chuckles. “You know she tried to pry out of me what my intentions towards you are. She seems convinced we’re an item,” he laughs, and I freeze.
“You didn’t tell her…” I trail off, afraid to speak the words out loud.
“No, of course not. It’s not my place to meddle, as meddling as I usually like to be.” Blaise half smiles, waggling his brows in a suggestive way.
“Thank you.” I sigh in relief. “Shall we then?” I point toward the dining hall.
“I’m afraid I’m not invited to tonight’s soiree, kitty cat. It will be just you, her, and Killian. I’m off to see Marhus to discuss our next steps,” he says, bowing slightly before continuing his stroll towards wherever he’s going.
And just like that, my anxiety returns tenfold. I watch his retreating back before I continue on my path.
The dining hall’s door is wide open, and as I step inside, I realize I’m the first one to arrive. I take in the opulent room, draped in black and gold, with gilded mirrors hanging from the walls, and a long, rectangular table placed in the middle of the room.
Several decadent candlesticks sit on top of the burgundy tablecloth, and the twinkling light of the candles bathes the room in an eerie glow.
Three sets of porcelain and gold dinnerware are sparkling in the candlelit gleam—one at the front of the table, the other two on each side.
The sound of the door closing behind me with a loud bang startles me, and I spin to find my snarling sister, dressed in a shimmering golden off-the-shoulder gown with bell long sleeves and a flaring bodice.
That silver-chained headpiece is still adorning her straight hair, making her look like a malevolent deity.
“Look at you, little sister. All dolled up and prancing around like a vampire’s whore. Must be really proud of yourself, sinking your clutches into the King’s second-in-command.” Her voice drips with venom, just as I remember it. There it is, her viciousness making its grand appearance.
“I don’t…” I shakily start saying, before I think better of it. Let her think I’m fucking Blaise. It’s better than her sniffing out the truth. “That’s none of your business, Aurora,” I say with a meek voice.
“Oh, but it will be my business once I’m Queen, filth,” she snarls back. “I will not allow your magicless, trashy ass to live in my castle, fuck my subjects, pollute my air with your worthless presence. End it with the vampire, before I do it for you by killing him.”
I suck in a breath at the vile ultimatum, knowing full well that Blaise’s existence is now in danger because of me.
Before she can say anything else, the door opens and in comes Killian, glancing between us with weariness.
“Is everything okay?” he asks, the question directed at me, although he is looking at Aurora.
“Of course, Killian, darling. Just catching up with my dear sister here. We haven’t seen each other for such a long time,” my twin responds in a deceitfully sweet voice. “Are we waiting for anyone else?”
“No.”
Killian looks at me for confirmation that all is truly well, and I cowardly nod. I just need to get through this blasted dinner, and then I can tell him everything tonight.
We take our seats at the table as the servants pour in, bringing trays upon trays of exquisite delicacies, as well as chalices of blood for Killian.
I have no appetite for food, and I mindlessly play with the roasted vegetables on my plate, while Aurora shamelessly flirts with Killian, deflecting his attempts at discussing the prophecy. Does she even plan on helping at all?
“As I was saying, darling, your castle is absolutely astonishing. You have impeccable taste. I could see myself living here forever.” She licks her lips seductively, reaching to touch his hand that rests on the table, and I suck in a harsh breath before her fingers graze his.
My heart hammers in my ears, and I clench my fist around the fork I’m currently holding.
I don’t know how much more of this I can take, not when she’s trying to touch what’s mine, to steal him from right in front of me.
“Little umbra, what’s wrong? You haven’t been yourself since I entered the room.” Killian’s eyes lock with mine reassuringly as he draws his hand back from the tabletop.
You could hear a pin drop in the ensuing silence. Aurora narrows her eyes into venomous slits at Killian’s nickname for me, as if she’s heard the word before—as if she despises it.
“What did you just call her, Killian darling?”
I recognize that stone-cold tone of voice. The calm before the storm. She has used it many times with me, right before viciously tearing into me.
“It’s nothing, Aurora, I swear.”
My voice trembles, as it always does in Aurora’s presence. Killian frowns at me, and I shake my head at him fervently. Please, please shut up! I plead him with my eyes.
“It’s not nothing, sister. And I wasn’t talking to you,” Aurora says with restrained contempt, before directing her gaze once again to Killian. “I will ask again. What did you just call her?”
Killian straightens in his seat, exuding ruthless confidence and authority like the Vampire King that he is. “I called her umbra. I fail to see how that is a problem, or any of your business, Miss Vaureghain.”
Aurora’s left eye twitches in disdain, and her teeth grit when she responds.
“I’m just wondering how your second-in-command feels about you having endearing nicknames for the female he fools around with?
And to call her little shadow, of all things!
I’m the one mastering shadows, not her!” Tendrils of her silver power unfurl from her fingertips, crackling with electricity.
I gasp as my pulse quickens. How does she know what the word means?
Killian clenches his fists at his sides, shadows pouring out of him in response. “She’s not fooling around with Blaise, nor anyone else for that matter. She is mine!”
His claim on me feels like a punch in the gut. He just fucked everything up beyond repair! My palms are sweaty, my breath coming out in shallow puffs.
A horrid cackle pierces the tense silence. My twin is finally shedding her personable facade, more silver tendrils of smoke gushing out of her hands.
“Oh, Akaori, you’ve always been a sentimental fool.
I held hope that this time around you’ll see reason, but it does not matter.
You can make the same choices until the end of time, and it still won’t matter.
It’s in my power now to sway you, to make you eternally grovel at my feet in complete submission and adoration.
You are mine!” Aurora spits as she rises from the table, shaking in unkept rage, her silver shadows thrashing around her.
What the hell is she on about? She actually wants Killian? Why does she talk as if they had met before? And since when does she pray to Akaori?
“And you! You despicable filth! How idiotic can you be not to learn your place? Do I have to compel countless vampires to rape your crummy ass, just like I did with Jonathan and the rest?! Get it through your stupid brain, slut! You’re nothing but a worthless whore, unworthy of love, unworthy of HIM! ”