Chapter 2
Two
VAUGHN
THREE DAYS LATER
The time I spent under King Raphael’s care went by in a blur. I barely remember a thing besides being extremely hungry all the time. Truthfully, I’m glad I don’t remember much of my stay with him. The king scares the crap out of me.
I was at the brink of death, and Lucca was able to turn me into a vampire, something that hadn’t been possible for centuries.
Newly made vampires suffer from bloodlust, hence why I was sent to King Raphael’s mansion.
Being under heavy guard was both for my protection and to make sure I survived my transition without going on a killing spree.
In theory, that was my sire’s responsibility, aka Lucca’s.
But with everything going on thanks to Boone’s death, King Raphael took me in.
Lucca will be under too much scrutiny, and the last thing we need is for others to find out he sired a vampire.
A couple of hours ago, I was told by Mauricio Libell, the king’s familiar, that I’d be leaving tonight. The news motivated me. I’ve missed my friends and my family, but I didn’t dare to hope. I only really believed it was true when I saw Vivi and Lucca waiting for me in the living room.
“Vivi!” I run to her and, forgetting that I’m no longer human, miscalculate. I would have knocked her down if Lucca hadn’t jumped in front of her and shoved me back.
“Watch it, newbie,” he snarls.
I end up sprawled on the floor, but I barely feel the fall. This is so weird.
“Vaughn, are you okay?” Vivi asks, stepping from behind Lucca.
“I’m fine.” I jump back onto my feet, nimble as a cat. “It’ll take time to get used to all my new abilities.”
“You may feel like you’re invincible now, but you’re as weak as a child,” Lucca grumbles.
“I don’t feel weak,” I retort.
“Trust me, you are. I shouldn’t have been able to send you to the floor that easily.”
I suppose I did topple like a house of cards, and he barely touched me. “Way to rain on my parade, dude.”
“Luc, give Vaughn a break. It’s only been three days,” Vivi intervenes.
“I can’t give him a break. He’s coming to Bloodstone tonight, and he has to act like he’s a born vampire.”
“Man, I didn’t know your boyfriend was such a grump, Vivi.”
Lucca’s eyes flash red. “I’m not a grump!”
“Whoa. What was that?” I massage my chest, trying to dispel the irritation that feels foreign to me.
“What’s wrong?” Vivi steps closer, her brows pinched together.
“I don’t know. I felt so aggravated all of a sudden, only it’s not me.”
Lucca’s brows shoot to the heavens. Then he rubs his face. “Son of a bitch. It’s our bond.”
I blink fast. “Come again?”
Now Vivi is looking at him as well with her arms crossed. “Bond? Like a familiar bond?”
Lucca shakes his head. “No, it’s different. Vaughn and I are linked now. I can feel his emotions, and he can feel mine.”
“Are you kidding me? I so do not want you feeling my emotions and vice versa.”
“I can block you, but I guess you still have to learn how to block me.”
“Yes, and pretty fucking fast, please.”
“We’ll add that to the long list of things you need to learn. Shall we go?” He starts toward the door and doesn’t even wait for Vivi. Man, he’s rattled.
I step closer to Vivi and whisper, “Do you think he really knows how to block me?”
“I sure hope so.”
Despite Lucca’s bad humor, I pepper him with questions during the ride to Bloodstone Institute.
I don’t want to mess up, and the only way I can be sure to blend in is if I have as much information as possible about how to be a vampire.
He’s annoyed as hell. I can feel his emotions swirling in my chest. I haven’t learned to block him yet, but I can ignore it for now.
Vivi reaches over and takes Lucca’s hand. His irritation decreases a notch. Shit. A thought occurs to me. I shouldn’t ask, but… I have to know.
“Hey, if I feel when you’re angry, do I also feel when you’re… er… happy?”
Neither Lucca nor Vivi says a word, but both now seem tenser than before.
“Bueller? Anyone?” I press.
“In theory, yes,” Lucca hisses.
“Hell. I was hoping not.” I look out the window, already dreading the moment Lucca and Vivi are alone together.
“But you didn’t feel anything while you were at King Raphael’s, right?” Vivi asks in a higher-pitched tone.
“No.”
“He was in bloodlust,” Lucca chimes in. “He wouldn’t sense anything besides his thirst for blood.”
“Thank goodness.” She relaxes against the car seat.
“Do you have any tips on how to block you?” I ask, because the idea of feeling horny when these two are getting it on isn’t on my bucket list.
“I’ve never sired a vampire before, so no, I don’t have tips.”
Vivi turns to him. “But how are you blocking Vaughn?”
“It’s different for me. I do it automatically.”
I let out an exasperated breath. “Maybe you should take classes on how to be a better sire.”
“And you should show more respect. I saved your life, and I didn’t have to,” he retorts, snuffing the bravado out of me. He’s right. He did save my life, and here I am giving him attitude. I can only imagine the pressure he must be under.
“Lucca, how can you say that?” Vivi complains.
He shakes his head. “Sorry, love. I shouldn’t have said it. I’m sorry, Vaughn.”
“That’s fine. And I’m sorry too. I think we’re all a bit on edge.”
We don’t speak for a minute or two, but then Lucca lets out a relieved sigh. “Thank heavens.”
I look out the window to see what caught his attention. The Bloodstone Institute building comes into view. That explains his relief. He must be tired of me already.
Vivienne laughs, and Lucca asks, “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.”
I forget about the tension in the car and stare wide-eyed at the Gothic building. “Wow, this is awesome. I feel like I’m Harry Potter when he arrived at Hogwarts.”
“Who?” Lucca asks.
“Wait, you don’t know who Harry Potter is?” I ask, thinking for sure he’s yanking my chain.
But then Lucca glances at Vivi. “Should I?”
“Dude, there isn’t a person on this planet who doesn’t know who he is,” I say.
Grinning, Vivi shakes her head. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll introduce you to him.”
Lucca is annoyed again. He really needs to learn how to relax.
He drives around the building and parks in the back. There’s someone there waiting for us, a short man with mad-scientist hair.
Once we’re out of the car, I step closer to Vivi and ask in a low tone, “Who is that funny-looking dude? Is he a vampire too?”
“That’s the headmaster, Solomon Corvicus, and shh. He can hear you even if you whisper,” she replies.
That deranged-looking man is the headmaster? Yikes.
I’m still staring at him when Lucca throws his arm around Vivi’s shoulders and steers her toward the door. Thanks a lot for waiting, guys.
I take a step to follow them, but Solomon steps in my way and eyes me from head to toe. “Uh, I’d think the first vampire sired after hundreds of years of a drought would at least be brawnier.”
“Hey! I work out.”
He rolls his eyes. “Sure you do. Come on. I have a long list of things to teach you and not enough hours in the night.”