3. Tavia
Chapter 3
Tavia
I could almost convince myself that this was a nightmare. I had the eerie feeling of being suspended in space, not truly going anywhere. That I hadn’t actually left the only home I’d ever known, nor said goodbye to Amy for the last time. Her tear-streaked, heartbroken face wasn’t real, because we were still together. I wasn’t traveling across a dark landscape at high speeds, wind whipping at my skin while I clutched for dear life onto a vampire’s leather jacket. I was just floating, disconnected from it all.
I’d never been on the back of a motorcycle before. It must have been freezing, tearing through the windy night while holding onto a vampire’s waist, wearing nothing but the stupid white dress the council had put me in. But I felt so numb to the bone that I couldn’t truly feel anything at all.
At some point, the out-of-body experience ended and everything felt real again. Biting winds gave way to stagnant air. Instead of the constant roar of motorcycles in my ears, silence poured in, then echoing voices and footsteps. I blinked and realized I was in a garage. Concrete floors, a high ceiling with florescent lights, and a sea of motorcycles stretched out before me.
Reality hit me like a brick wall then. I was completely alone in a den full of vampires, and I would never see Amy or go home again.
“Shit. You’re freezing.”
I turned stiffly toward the voice and saw him , the vampire I now belonged to. Despite living in Sanguine my whole life, I had never seen one this close. And like a rare wild animal, he was fascinating to look at.
He appeared mostly human, but a little different. It wasn’t something I could put my finger on, even before I had noticed his red eyes and elongated canines. He was dangerous in a way that set my instincts on edge. His dark hair was buzzed close to his scalp, nothing hiding his incredible bone structure. He was beautiful in a masculine way, his face boyish with full lips, prominent cheekbones, a straight nose, and dark lashes framing those ruby eyes.
Even his pinched frown was painfully gorgeous.
“I should have given you my jacket,” he said. The tips of his fangs flashed in the overhead lights as he spoke. “I forgot that your kind is more susceptible to cold temperatures.”
Looking down, I saw his hand around my upper arm and found myself curiously inspecting the differences in our skin tones and textures. I had a bronze tan from years of working out in the sun, plus plenty of small scars and freckles dotting me all over. His skin was completely unmarked, smooth like it was airbrushed, and much paler with reddish undertones.
“Come inside.” His tone was commanding but held a warmth I didn’t expect. “We’ll get you warmed up and settled in.”
He didn’t pull me off the motorcycle, but waited with his hand firmly around my upper arm.
My insides felt like a gated horse just waiting to bolt. I wanted to run back to Amy, away from him, his fangs, and this strange place. But the metal door had since dropped closed behind me, and my legs were cramped and stiff after hours of riding. I would never make it even if I tried.
Plus, this was the fate I signed up for, after all.
I slid from the motorcycle’s seat to the floor with his assistance. Once my feet hit the ground, he released my arm and proceeded to lead the way.
We left the garage through a door, entering a massive, open room. The ceilings were high and vaulted at steep angles, with the only windows being small rectangles near the tops of the walls. A small, elevated stage with a stripper pole stood in the center of the room. Classy. I’d heard stories that vampires enjoyed their debauchery on a whole other level.
My protector, or whatever he was, Cyan, cut a path straight through the room, bypassing the many couches, bars, large flatscreen TV on one wall, stripper pole, all of it. The opposite side of the room contained a huge, ornate kitchen, even bigger than the community kitchen in Sapien. This looked much nicer and more updated than ours, but Cyan walked quickly and I hustled to keep up. When he crossed the room, opened two heavy and intricately carved doors on the far wall and kept walking.
There was a spacious landing and then a staircase leading down. I followed Cyan carefully down the steps, noting how much cooler the air felt as we descended. This level had to be underground. I could vaguely remember from my early education on vampires that they preferred to be underground when asleep during the day. It was more comforting to sleep under the surface where the sun’s rays couldn’t reach them.
I once thought going underground would feel incredibly claustrophobic, like being buried alive, but the corridor we landed in was spacious and well-lit. The angled ceiling continued on the second level above us, so there was no sense of being crushed under the weight of the earth.
Cyan marched down the corridor, his booted footfalls echoing. The walls were lined with doors, with sconces placed between each door. The wall lights were warmer here, giving off a yellow glow that was almost soothing. There were also side tables holding plants and portraits on the walls between the doors.
When Cyan stopped at one door to unlock it, I touched the plant at the nearest side table. It felt real and looked like some kind of fern.
The portrait on the wall below the light was of Cyan and another vampire I didn’t recognize. He hadn’t been part of the small group that collected me. Their arms were around each other, mouths open and grinning with laughter. The other vampire had longer hair brushing the tops of his shoulders, and his eyes were a darker shade of red, almost brown.
“Here we are,” Cyan said brusquely. He stood aside and gestured the way through the open door.
I didn’t exactly want to be in a confined room with him, but what other choice did I have? I stepped through.
To my surprise, the room was far more spacious than I imagined. It was more like a small apartment, or a hotel suite. There was a small living room with two couches and an armchair, a TV, and a bar overlooking the room. Not much of a kitchen besides the bar and sink, but I supposed vampires didn’t do much cooking.
“There’s a second bedroom through there.” Cyan pointed to a door off the living room. “It’s a bit small, but it’s all yours. The bathroom is shared.”
“Um, thanks,” I croaked, realizing it had been hours since I said a single word.
Standing in the entryway, I turned to look at him, my confusion only growing. First he didn’t want to kill or even bite me in front of everyone back in Sapien, now he was showing me a bedroom like we were going to be roommates? What had I actually signed up for here?
His shoulders sagged a little at my expression, the youthful boyishness of him suddenly looking much older and weary. “Have a seat.” He gestured to the couch. “Would you like anything to drink? Water?”
I wet my cracked lips, only then realizing how thirsty I was. “Sure, thanks.”
If he was planning on drinking my blood at some point, he wouldn’t give me anything poisonous, right?
Cyan took his leather jacket off, dropping it over the back of a barstool before he opened a small, countertop refrigerator on the bar and pulled out a sealed, plastic water bottle. He handed it to me, then seated himself at the opposite end of the couch with a strained smile. I started entertaining the radical thought that maybe he didn’t want to hurt me.
“If I may take a wild guess,” he began. “You weren’t exactly jumping for joy to become the Half-Century blood pet.”
As he spoke, I unscrewed the cap on the water and gulped down half the bottle. “What gave it away?” I wiped my mouth.
He let out a soft chuckle, propping an arm on the back of the couch. His T-shirt sleeve rode up with the movement, exposing a flexed bicep. “I’m not sure how you were selected, and you don’t have to tell me. But we drew straws and I got the short one. That’s the only reason you ended up with me. Nothing against you personally, but I didn’t want a blood pet. Still don’t.”
I blinked at him, my confusion mounting. “You don’t want my blood?” The question I didn’t dare ask screamed loudly in my brain. Does this mean I can go home?
“It’s not that. I’m sure your blood is perfectly fine.” Cyan’s eyes narrowed. “What do you know about being a blood pet?”
I shook my head. “Nothing really, aside that I belong to you and you drink from me.”
He let out a long breath, running a hand over the short fuzz of his hair. “Right, okay. Well, here’s the thing.” He sat up taller. “A blood pet has to be claimed by a vampire. This means no one else can feed from you, and likewise, it’s frowned upon for a verakt to feed from anyone besides their blood pet. There is,” he gestured between us, “supposed to be a commitment here, on both ends.”
My mind reeled as I sucked down the rest of my water. “So it’s like…a relationship?”
“A type of one, yes. Blood pets and verakt often end up with romantic or sexual feelings, but that isn’t always the case. There are plenty of platonic situations as well.”
I took in his posture on the couch, the way he settled into the cushions. He was like a tiger at rest, beautiful and alluring but deadly even when relaxed.
“If I were to drink from you, that would be seen as making the relationship official,” he went on. “Sort of like a consummation. Not exactly, but similar idea.”
“And this kind of relationship,” I hedged. “Is not one that you want.”
“You get it,” he said with a fanged smirk and approving nod. “I like variety in my blood meals, and have never felt the need to claim a pet. So, yeah.” He scratched at his temple, his smile charming. “We both got kind of screwed on this, didn’t we?”
“Then what does this mean?” I tried to smother the hope brimming in my voice. “If neither of us want this, then what’s the point? Why do this at all?”
Cyan’s smile dropped, his eyes sharpening. “Because this agreement is the only thing keeping up your people’s so-called independence. If it weren’t for this, nothing would stop the vampire clans from moving in, gorging themselves on blood, and dismantling everything you’ve built for generations.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t make a difference to me, but I’m guessing that’s not what you want.”
I shrank back against the couch. “Right, sorry. Forget I said anything.” My head was so scrambled, I’d forgotten what Nancy had been beating into our heads the moment before she announced Amy’s name up on that stage.
Cyan’s expression softened. “You’re already here and I’m not completely heartless. I’m also never one to go back on a deal.”
Neither was I. I didn’t want to imagine the kind of stress Amy would be under if she were here instead of me.
The vampire rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. “The deal is done, and there’s no undoing it. But,” one of his fangs dug into his lower lip, “maybe we can make our own deal.”
I didn’t know whether to feel suspicious or hopeful. “What kind of deal?”
“I can release my claim on you as a blood pet at any time. But you’re in an unfamiliar place where you don’t know anyone, so for now it’s best that I continue to claim you for your own protection. But,” he stared at me intently with that ruby gaze. “It will be as a verbal claim only. I will never take your blood, and continue to sample variety like I always have. Just…more discreetly than I have been, I guess.”
“So…” I took a moment to process his words. “I’ll still be yours outwardly, to the vampire world. But you won’t drink from me.”
“Correct.” Cyan nodded. “And no one else will try to drink from you as long as they know you’re mine.” He gestured once again to the bedroom door. “You can stay here as long as you like. I’ll never go in your room and your privacy will be respected.” He flashed another smile, one that I was certain worked in his favor when he sampled variety , as he put it. “And hopefully my…daytime activities won’t disturb you.”
I snorted. “None of that bothers me.” The walls of our mobile homes in Sapien were thin, and people often left windows open on hot nights. I was pretty sure there wasn’t a sexual noise I hadn’t heard before.
My nerves were relaxing by each passing minute. Cyan had only touched me to help me off the motorcycle and was respecting my personal space now by keeping to the far side of the couch. He had no desire to use me as a drinking fountain, which had been my main concern in the beginning. I hadn’t completely let my guard down yet, but my instincts were no longer flashing in fight-or-flight mode.
Cyan laughed a little, the sound low and rumbling almost like a purr. “As you get comfortable here, maybe meet a vampire you’ll actually want to attach yourself to, I’ll release my claim so you can become their blood pet instead. Just let me know when that time comes.”
That instantly soured my mood. “Do I have to be someone’s blood pet?”
He gave me a sympathetic look. “You, yes. Because those are the terms of the Half-Century Selection. Humans in general have a lot of freedom here, but there is safety and security in being claimed by a vampire.”
I could see how some people tolerated having their blood drunk in exchange for guaranteed basic necessities. But outside of dire circumstances, who would want a life like that?
“While you’re under my claim,” Cyan said, “I can arrange visits to your human settlement, if you’d like that.”
Like a yo-yo, my mood soared with hope at the thought of seeing Amy again, but the cautious side of me activated as well. It felt like a dangling carrot and I did not want to be manipulated. “You will? You really mean that?”
He grinned. “I thought that might make you happy.”
“Sure, it does.” I tried to keep my tone casual, leaving hope out of it. “But you don’t know me. What do you care about my happiness? I’m not giving you blood or…anything else. I’m just an extra mouth to feed here. Why are you being so accommodating to me?”
“Like I said, I’m not heartless.” Cyan cocked his head, studying me. “To be perfectly honest, I think the Half-Century Selection is fucked up. You seem like a nice enough human, and brave as hell. I can’t imagine any clan sacrificing one of our own like that, and yet you handled it with dignity.” His head tilted in the opposite direction. “I don’t know you, true. But I can sympathize with being thrown into a fucked up situation that’s unfair to you and out of your control.”
Cyan’s jaw clenched and I wondered if that last part referred to some specific experience he’d had.
“I actually volunteered for the Selection,” I admitted. Why I thought he should know that, I had no idea. Maybe it felt good to tell someone who didn’t have any preconceived of me as Amy’s guard dog.
Plus, he had called me brave and said I had dignity. I couldn’t pretend those weren’t nice things to hear.
“Really?” Cyan’s eyebrows went up in surprise.
“My best friend was actually selected first,” I hurried to explain. “I believe she was targeted for, well, fucked up reasons. I volunteered to go instead of her because…”
“Because you didn’t want to send her into the pit of bloodthirsty monsters,” Cyan filled in for me.
“I mean, I didn’t know you would?—”
“Relax,” he said, smirking. “I’m not offended. We certainly are bloodthirsty monsters, depending on who you ask.” He gave me an appraising look. “But you’re even braver than I thought, Octavia.”
Having his respect felt good. At this point, I was pretty sure it would keep me alive as well. And if I could visit Amy too? That was more than I could ever ask for.
“I go by Tavia usually. Or Tavi.”
Cyan grinned, fangs on full display like a smiling cat. “Tavi. I like that. My name isn’t short for anything, but the guys call me Cyanide sometimes.”
“Why’s that?”
He rubbed a palm over his head, looking almost bashful. “They say I’m a smooth talker. I smooth out a lot of our conflicts with the other clans. Some say I’m so good at getting the upper hand in negotiations, the other side doesn’t realize what hit them until too late. Like sneaking a cyanide pill.”
“And is that true?”
He winked at me. “You’ll have to let me know.”
Heat surged within my body, the sensation just as overwhelming as it was unfamiliar. Was he…flirting with me? And the bigger question, was it actually affecting me?
“So, uh, what you said before.” I looked everywhere but at him, smoothing my palms, which felt sweatier than a moment ago, over my knees. “Did you mean it, about being able to visit Sapien?”
“I did.” Cyan dropped the charm and became serious. “It’s clear this friend means a lot to you. She was the crying one you said goodbye to?”
A lump formed in my throat. Fuck, I missed her already. “Yeah, that was her. Amy.”
“Good friends are priceless,” he said softly with a sympathetic nod. “I don’t want to be the person who tears two friends apart.”
His voice thickened on the last part of that sentence and I wondered again if something happened that caused him to feel that way.
“If you’re serious, I appreciate that more than I can express.” I laced my fingers and then released them. “I just don’t know if I can trust you.”
Cyan leaned away from the couch’s backrest, sitting up straight. “Here. Let me show you how serious I am.” Before I could react, he whipped off his T-shirt.
And drew out a long dagger from his boot.