Chapter 33
As we walked, I stared in disbelief at what could only be accomplished through magic.
The night market. Since discovering the existence of supernatural creatures, I’d faced vampires, witches, a few demons, and a goblin bounty hunter.
None of that prepared me for this. The market was like the submerged portion of an iceberg.
Before tonight, I’d only witnessed what could be seen above and this was the supernatural world’s underbelly.
Brightly colored tents and stalls spanned as far as I could see. Farther than the limits of any cathedral interior. Colorful flags and fabric awnings zig-zagged over a maze of walkways, tethered to poles and tent tops. Lamps and lanterns cast light in dizzying patterns over everything.
Some tents were open, showing off wares.
Others were mysteriously closed, hiding their secrets.
Smaller booths were mixed throughout. There were also carts selling refreshments.
All sorts of mouthwatering scents mingled in the air—spiced meats, exotic fruits, and things I couldn’t begin to identify.
The cart on my left had a dark spiced drink and colorful pops the size of candied apples, but definitely weren’t.
It looked more like a circus than a market.
Especially given the clientele. Crammed into the walkways was an eclectic assortment of beings—some nearly human in appearance, others decidedly not.
It was like stepping into every fairy tale I’d ever read, except these creatures were real and breathing.
I gasped as one such individual passed right by us. “Is that a…”
“Leopard shifter,” Laurent answered for me, taking in my amazement.
The leopard was far from the only oddity.
Animals of every size and type meandered through the crowd.
No one paid them a second glance. I spotted a black bear, walking on all fours beside a human-looking female, whose fingers were tangled in his fur.
I looked more closely at those resembling humans. The vampires were easy to spot with their impossible beauty. There were far more of them than anything else. I’d grown accustomed to their appearance and graceful movements.
“Is that…a fairy?” I breathed, unable to look elsewhere as the pointy-eared female strode past us. Her eyes lingered on me. Her orange hair was pulled back, with a dainty tiara atop her head. Luminescent freckles dotted her skin. Her gauzy dress seemed to float around her legs.
“Vittorio and I will circle back later,” Marco said, eager to break away from us.
“Sure,” Laurent murmured, then added, “That’s a fae. Fairies have wings. See? There’s one over there.”
“Oh!” I sucked in a breath. The pixy looking male stood a few inches shorter than me. He had stunning gossamer wings that flexed as he talked with a booth owner. His white hair was short but messy. The air around him glowed with a pink aura.
“How does this place even exist?!” I breathed. To think, Laurent had intended to keep me home tonight! The thought of missing this was unimaginable.
“Magic, darling,” Zola said, pressing herself against my other side as we walked. She linked her arm through mine. “Lots of magic. Wait until you enter the booths.”
“Yes, let’s!” I clapped my hands together.
“We’re not here to dally,” Laurent said, his words clipped. I finally spared him a glance, only to find his eyes in constant motion, his jaw tense. He gripped my free hand tighter than necessary.
“Oh, come now, Laurent. The girl is mesmerized. Let her enjoy this while we are here.” Laurent grumbled something unintelligible as I gave him my best puppy dog eyes.
“Vittorio and Marco will sniff out our quarry. Until then, we can enjoy ourselves. Yes?” This last part Zola said to me, smiling. My head bobbed in eager agreement.
“Very well.”
I squealed, caring little for my overabundance of excitement.
With Marco and Vittorio gone, my vampire guard consisted of Hassan taking the lead, with Laurent and Zola at my side.
They kept close. I spared a moment to look up at the ceiling and grinned.
The night sky was plastered above me, small clouds drifting by. “Are we still inside?”
“Yes.” Laurent’s eyes remained in motion, as if seeing a threat in every creature.
I was too caught up to pay much attention to the lingering gazes we attracted.
Some of them were hungrier than others. All it took was spotting Laurent at my side, though, before they moved on.
No one would dare cross the head of a vampire household.
Zola tugged on my arm and said, “It only looks as if it’s outside.
Very strong enchantment. The magic is fed by emotion, mostly pleasure, gluttony, and so on.
Every attendant here helps fuel it. It’s a witch’s spell, you see.
The interior space is magically expanded—much larger than the cathedral that contains it. ”
I faltered, even knowing most witches didn’t use blood for magic. The night market was proof that magic could be used for something beautiful. Perhaps that bit of information allowed a thimble of my resentment and fear to unspool in the depths of my chest.
A chorus of hissing stole my attention. A group of demons passed by in a cluster. They looked at us with open animosity. I was learning that demons didn’t much like vampires. My muscles tensed.
“Is this place owned by Draz—“
“Don’t—say his name,” Laurent cautioned, sparing me a warning glance. “And speak quietly. There are ears everywhere.”
Wide eyed, I nodded, taking in more of my surroundings. We passed stalls with hanging herbs, jewelry, figurines, small toys, books, and more. Some of it looked safe for human use. Most of it didn’t.
“Come, you will like this one,” Zola said, pulling me toward a brightly colored tent with shelves upon shelves of decorated bottles and jars. They came in every shape and size, exquisitely crafted. Many glowed with various colors within. There were little golden labels beneath each one.
“Potions?” I breathed.
“Indeed,” Zola said. Behind me, Laurent scoffed.
“Do they work?”
A portly woman materialized beside us. Before I could blink, Laurent blocked me from view.
I nudged him aside. The woman was layered in shawls and more rings than I could fit on my fingers.
She gave me a bright smile and said, “Eugenia, dear, at your service. And I would be driven out of business if my products didn’t work.
” She spoke with a heavy accent. Her eyes passed over me, assessing.
When her gaze snagged on Laurent’s hand, now resting on my hip, she said, “Not a love potion, it seems.”
I breathed a laugh. “No, definitely not.”
“Perhaps a cloning potion, or something to make your fingers spark? Great for starting fires.” She motioned toward a reddish gold bottle that glowed from within.
It had painted sparks on the outside. “Or you might like this levitation potion, if ever you need to float. I’ve got all manner of animal transfiguration potions here on this shelf.
You wish to be a cat for a day? No? Perhaps a fox?
No? Very well. A protection potion, then.
Your enemies’ eyes will slide right over you.
Almost as good as invisibility, costs less, too. ”
She went on and on, listing potions I couldn’t dream up. I wanted all of them. “How come you don’t use any of these?” I asked Laurent, grinning.
“Potions don’t work on vampires, little flower. Nor demons.”
“Oh.” I waited for more, but it was clear he had no intention of elaborating in front of this stranger.
“Vampires, no,” Eugenia confirmed. “But witches, fae, elves, shifters, and many others.”
“What shall you pick, darling?” Zola nudged me.
I turned thoughtful, stepping over to browse the shelves, moving from one to another. My vampire guards kept close. I pulled a few bottles that caught my attention and Eugenia rushed to my aid, procuring a cloth basket. “I think that will do for now,” I said, after I had several.
I had no clue how much something like this might cost.
Eugenia took my basket to a small counter and began tallying up the amount with a quill and parchment.
I nearly choked when she gave Laurent the balance—three hundred thousand dollars.
He haggled, grumbling, but at last the bill was settled and I was the proud owner of a batch of potions.
I couldn’t wait to try them out. Most I planned to save for the right moment.
We emerged from the booth, swallowed up into the current of shoppers.
Not long after, I stepped into a booth that sold galaxies in jars.
I got one for my nightstand. Then I found myself in a crystal ball booth.
There were glass orbs suspended in beautiful holders.
I picked out a medium sized orb that had a network of enamel vines and flowers holding it on a stand.
My final purchase was a crystal chime. It had a cluster of enamel flowers at the top with dangling crystals that did more than catch the light.
They created light of their own. I planned to hang it in the corner of my room back at the Braxton manor.
Vittorio and Marco’s reappearance brought an end to my shopping. I hadn’t even explored a fraction of the market. I’d all but forgotten the real reason for our visit until they returned. “He’s holding court,” Marco said to Laurent, his voice too low to carry. “Come.”
Vittorio noticed my bags and took them from Laurent.
We made our way through the aisles, past more stalls.
I had to force myself to keep from getting distracted.
Strange murmurs came from a closed tent and Zola had to nudge me to keep walking.
Another closed tent had a fortune teller sign.
Other closed tents advertised all manner of curiosities, but there was no time to explore further.
The scent of seasoned meat and vegetables made my mouth water.
I regretted not stopping at one of the food carts earlier.
How long had it been since I’d last eaten?
The night market made me loose all sense of time.
I had to focus to recall the gelato Laurent and I had enjoyed.
It didn’t help that it had been days since I’d last fed from him and I was starting to get itchy with craving.
The path before us widened. I caught sight of a raised dais. A small throne held a figure cloaked in shadow. People milled about like courtiers.
Laurent’s hand wrapped around my wrist. He squeezed, then leaned in to say, “You will stay by Zola’s side.” I nodded. His thumb brushed over my pulse before he stepped away.
Zola crowded in close. Vittorio stood at my back, Hassan at my front.
Marco filled the spot Laurent had vacated.
They stuck to me like glue. We filled in at the edge of the crowd, getting a good look.
Laurent swept into the middle of the open space before the demon’s throne.
He gave an exaggerated bow, then tossed something at the base of Drazgus’s throne. It rolled, then clattered to a stop.
Some of the shadow faded from Drazgus, enough to make out a humanoid figure. He was bald, with tribal markings covering his skin. Drazgus leaned forward, dark eyes narrowing on the item, a golden wristband. He straightened and said in a grating voice, “Laurent Sarkas. A token for me, I presume?”
“Took it off a trespasser.” Laurent slid his hands casually into the pockets of his pants. “Thought you might like it back.”
Drazgus tutted, leaning back on his throne. “Bands like that are easy to come by. It is nothing to me.”
“As are the servants who wear them? I do not take kindly to uninvited guests in my home, Drazgus.” Whispers broke out around us.
“Is that a threat, vampire lord?” Drazgus leaned forward. The black shadows about him churned. It set the hairs of my arms on end.
“Hardly. Just stating facts. While I am at it, another for you. I do not part so easily with that which is mine.” I swallowed, knowing that he referred to me.
“We vampires are fiercely protective creatures. You ought to know that.” At Laurent’s words, Drazgus’s eyes flicked in my direction.
I felt the chill of his gaze. It made me want to squirm.
I steeled my spine, standing tall. “Ah, yes. You see to whom I refer. She is mine—stay away from her.”
Drazgus lingered over me a moment longer, then pulled his gaze away. With its retreat, I breathed a little easier. Something about the demon unsettled me deeply.
“I care nothing for humans,” Drazgus said, shrugging. “And I care little for your facts.”
My eyes darted about the gathered crowd, eager to witness the spectacle unfolding. I found a pair of blue-green eyes and blond hair. Unlike most onlookers, he was not looking at the transaction but directly at me. A spike of recognition blazed through me. I gasped, blinking.
Laurent whirled in my direction, then followed the direction of my gaze. It was too late. The man I’d seen was already gone. I blinked again, but I must have imagined it.
“Perhaps you’d like to introduce your pet?” Drazgus was saying. I pulled my attention back to him. “She is human, after all, and all humans must receive my express permission to visit the night market.”
I noticed the subtle clench of Laurent’s jaw.
He gave a brief nod, encouraging me forward.
I stepped over to him, flanked by my group of vampires.
“Pleasure to meet you,” I said, feeling brave with so much power at my back.
I purposefully didn’t give him my name since he knew who I was.
He had to know, given that he’d sent demons after me.
I offered a mocking curtsy, then looked him over as I said, “I haven’t met many demons. The one I did meet didn’t impress me, but perhaps he died too quickly for that.”
Laurent’s lips twitched. “Careful, little flower.”
“Ah. Unfortunate,” Drazgus murmured. “As with every kind of creature, there are always some better than others.”
Was he referring to himself?
“Of course,” I said, dismissively. “Do I have your permission to be here? Or shall I depart?”
Drazgus flicked his fingers. “Very well, little flower,” he said mockingly. His use of Laurent’s pet name made my nose wrinkle. “Enjoy the market. I’ll be seeing you again very soon.”
Chills skittered down my spine.
I shot Laurent a wary glance. His eyes flashed with malice, gaze so dark his silver irises had disappeared.
Every line of his body screamed predator, barely leashed violence waiting for an excuse to strike.
“Come,” he said to me, reaching for my hand.
I took it, and we swept into the crowd. It didn’t matter how far we retreated, Drazgus’s threat seemed to follow me all the way home.