The Darkest Song (The Eternal Darkness Duet #1)

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

T he next few nights passed without incident. Julian had disappeared, busy with “business matters,” according to Maria. Another load of boxes arrived. It was shoes this time, everything from Nikes to Jimmy Choos. Twenty-two pairs in all.

I continued to explore and eventually got up the courage to question the servants. They all adored Julian, much to my annoyance, and absolutely refused to talk about Valentina. Whenever I asked about her, they clammed right up. One night I was in the music room, missing my violin, when Maria walked in. She knew I’d been questioning the servants about Valentina and wasn’t pleased.

“I warn you, not to bring up the subject again,” she said, her tone firm.

“I feel like I have the right to know,” I told her. “Since Julian said what was done to her will be done to me.”

Maria’s eyes widened, and she put a hand to her throat. “You must be mistaken. Julian would never-”

“He said it right in front of me.”

She seemed flustered by this news. “No one here will talk about Valentina. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask Julian.”

“And when am I supposed to do that?” I threw up my hands. “He’s never here!”

“He’ll be back tomorrow night. That’s what I came to tell you. We’re hosting a ball.”

I frowned. “A ball .”

“Yes.”

“An actual ball.”

“Balls are very common in our world,” Maria said. “Vampires are creatures of habit, and since most of us are centuries old…” She shrugged.

Okay then. I was going to a vampire ball.

I stood in my closet the following night, staring at my reflection in the full-length mirror. I could hardly believe it was me looking back.

My gown was emerald green, which made my eyes pop. It was off the shoulder, with a sweetheart neckline that came to a low V in the front, exposing more of my chest that I was comfortable with. It was form fitted to the waist, with long flowing skirts made of silk so fine that they swirled and floated around me when I walked.

Helen had styled my hair into an intricate updo. I feared if I turned my head too fast it would come tumbling down, but she assured me it would stay put the entire evening. On my feet were gold Jimmy Choo stilettos, covered with sparkling crystals.

I twirled slowly from side to side, mesmerized by the way my dress moved. For a moment I felt like Cinderella. Then I remembered it would be Julian escorting me, not a handsome prince. Not Adam. I stopped twirling. Adam was dead, and here I was playing dress up. I felt tears well, and I blinked furiously.

The sound of someone clearing their throat snapped me out of my melancholy, and I walked into the bedroom to see Julian standing there, wearing a black tux. He looked gorgeous, but that didn’t for a second make me forget who he really was.

His eyes traveled over me. “You’re breathtaking.”

I snorted. “I don’t understand why I even have to go to this thing.”

He nodded once. “I know, I apologize.”

Why was he agreeing with me? It was so much easier to stay mad at him when he showed his true horrible self.

“This ball was planned long before you came into the picture,” he explained. “Everyone is curious about you, and our situation. If I canceled now, it would raise suspicion.”

“About what?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“About you. Everyone would assume I was hiding you away for some reason. Or that I’d killed you.”

My eyes widened. “Why would they assume that?”

He shrugged. “Vampires are suspicious creatures, and they love to gossip. The best thing we can do tonight is present ourselves as an amicable couple.”

I narrowed my eyes. “But we’re not a couple.”

“No.”

He stepped closer, and I noticed that thanks to my five-inch heels he was only a couple inches taller than me now. Ha! No more intimidating me with your height! I decided at that moment to wear heels from then on.

He lifted his hand and ran his fingertips over my collarbone, then lower, brushing the swell of my chest. I leaned away from his touch, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he pulled a sparkling necklace from his pants pocket and fastened around my neck. It felt heavy, and I raised a hand to touch it.

He stepped back and offered me his arm. “Shall we?”

I reluctantly took his arm and let him lead me from the room. The moment we stepped into the hall I could hear the sounds of the party stirring below.

“Tonight will probably be overwhelming for you.” He spoke quietly as we walked. “But you have absolutely nothing to fear. We’ll mingle and dance, just like at a human party.”

I hadn’t been to many human parties, but I knew this would be nothing like them.

When we reached the top of the stairs, I saw a crowd of vampires standing around at the bottom. They all turned as one to watch us come down. I gripped Julian’s arm tightly, deciding he was the lesser of two evils tonight. Better the vampire you know, right?

The ballroom was like a scene from a movie. A string quartet was set up at the far end, and an entire wall of French doors stood open, allowing the night breeze in. It carried the scent of roses with it, and I inhaled deeply.

There were hundreds of vampires present. The men all wore tuxes, but the women were dressed in a variety of styles. Some wore sleek modern dresses, others wore full ball gowns. I couldn’t help but stare at the jewels the women were wearing, and I raised a hand to touch my necklace, wishing I’d gotten a better look at it before Julian put it on me.

The other vampires treated Julian like royalty, stepping aside and bowing as he passed. Some women actually curtsied. I gripped his arm, trying to appear calm, even though my heart was pounding. The people were beautiful, but that didn’t make me forget they weren’t actually people .

A waiter passed by and Julian snagged two glasses off his tray, handing me one. Of course it was blood. I wondered where it all came from, enough blood to serve a crowd this size. I took the glass, trying not to think about it. I didn’t want to drink here, in front of everyone, and was grateful I’d had a glass in my bedroom before getting dressed.

We stopped several times so Julian could talk to people. Everyone looked at me with curiosity, so I kept my eyes on my wine glass. Everyone wanted a chance to speak with Julian. They hung on his every word like a bunch of groupies.

I stood at his side for what felt like hours, watching the dancers while he talked. Watching vampires dance was hypnotic. They moved with inhuman grace, seeming to float on the air as they spun around the room. It made me wonder how Adam and I had appeared to the humans in the club the night we went dancing.

The thought of Adam brought me back to reality like a slap to the face. Adam had been executed less than a week ago and here I was at a ball. My chest began to feel tight, and my breathing quickened.

Julian glanced at me. “Excuse me gentlemen,” he said, still looking at me. “I think my companion would like to dance.” He took me by the hand, and the three vampires he’d been talking to bowed their heads as we walked away. Julian led me to the floor, and the other dancers fell back, leaving a large space cleared for us in the center of the room.

“I don’t know how to dance this way,” I whispered.

The corner of his mouth curled up as he took me in his arms. “It's easier than it looks.”

He swung me in a circle, causing my dress to swish around us. I gasped and gripped him tighter. He moved us around the room, and I was astounded at how easily it came to me. Did becoming a vampire somehow come with the ability to waltz?

“Are you alright?” he asked, looking down at my face. “You seemed upset before.”

I wasn’t about to discuss Adam with him, so I lied. “It's a lot to take in. Remember, two weeks ago I was human, living in my crappy little apartment.”

He nodded. “This must be difficult for you. I’m sorry, I should have been more sensitive.” I stared at him, surprised by his kindness. “So much time has passed since I was changed, I’ve all but forgotten what it was like.”

Then I was swept away once more. We were in a sea of silk, dresses in every color swirling around us. Jewels sparkled under the chandeliers. And despite myself, I began to have fun. Julian spun me faster and faster, smiling at me in such a devilish way that I actually laughed.

He pulled me closer. “I love the sound of your laugh.”

“Oh, really?” I arched an eyebrow at him.

“Really.” His tone changed, and I feared we were heading into dangerous territory, so I attempted to change the subject.

“Where have you been all week? It's like you’ve been avoiding me.”

“I have been.”

I frowned. “You’ve been avoiding me? Why?”

He looked down into my eyes as he spoke. “Because I want you, and I know you don’t feel the same.” My eyes widened, and I quickly glanced away. “When I’m with you, I feel-” he paused. “ Feral . Like I might lose control.”

Oh. Damn.

His eyes fell to my mouth. “It seemed like a good idea to stay away.”

My heart was pounding, and I told myself it was from fear. Liar. I laughed nervously. “You find me so desirable you had to stay away? I doubt that.” Why did I say that? Was I trying to provoke him? Shut up Sarah!

“I told you, I never lie.”

When the song ended Julian led me off the floor. We were heading towards the exit, and I feared he was taking me somewhere to act on his desires. Just as we made it to the doorway, Maria stepped out of the crowd.

“That dress is amazing,” she said, smiling at me.

Julian stopped walking. “Maria, please escort Sarah to her room.”

Her smile froze, and her eyes moved back and forth between us. “Of course.”

Julian looked at me for a moment, then turned and walked away.

“ Well, ” Maria huffed. “Come on.” I followed her out of the room, totally confused. “Did you have a good time?” She asked, looking over her shoulder at me.

I caught up to her, so we were walking side by side. “Yeah, I guess.” I glanced at her. “You look incredible, by the way.”

She was wearing a black sparkly dress that hugged her body, revealing curves I’d never noticed before, and her hair was loose, hanging in dark waves halfway down her back. Her eyes were heavily lined, and her lips were painted red. She looked ten years younger, and sexy as hell.

She laughed softly. “Thanks.”

We walked the rest of the way in silence. She left me at my door and headed back downstairs. I locked my door after she left, even though I knew it wouldn’t stop any of the vampires that were downstairs from entering if they wanted to. I just had to hope that Julian was telling the truth when he said no one would harm me.

I undressed, washed my face, and took my hair down. Helen had been right, it had remained beautifully in place the entire evening. I put on some pajama shorts and a camisole top before climbing into bed. I lay there a while, staring up at the ceiling, before getting back up. I was way too wound up to sleep. I sat in one of the chairs in front of the windows and stared out into the night.

I replayed the evening in my mind, feeling confused. Being surrounded by that many vampires had been frightening, but they treated me respectfully. I wondered how they would treat me if Julian wasn’t at my side.

The dancing had been dreamlike, and wonderful. I’d actually enjoyed myself. Then Julian told me he wanted me. And that was bad. Wasn’t it? I pressed my hands to my face, hating the direction my thoughts were heading in. How could his words excite me? I flung myself out of my chair and started pacing.

I loved Adam. It had to be some kind of vampire thing that had me wanting Julian all the sudden. I stopped pacing as it dawned on me. I drank Julian’s blood. That’s what was causing these feelings. Or maybe he was using his mind control powers to make me feel this way. Was that even possible? Until now, he’d only used his power to call me to him. That's all he said he could do. But what if he lied? I shook my head. He never lies. Okay, what if he left that part out?

I flung myself onto the bed and buried my face in my pillow. I pictured Adam’s face and remembered sitting on the porch steps with him at night. I thought about the night at the pond, and when we went dancing.

I rolled onto my back and looked up at the ceiling. I fell in love with Adam after just five nights, but it was real, wasn’t it? Or did I have those feelings because Adam was the one who changed me? Was he the one? I didn’t want to believe it, but after what happened in his cell I could no longer deny it. Adam made me a vampire. He attacked me in my apartment, and left me to deal with the change alone. I killed a man because of him. I was now the property of another vampire, because of him. I’d never see Allie again, because of him.

I punched the mattress with my fists and jumped up from the bed. I grabbed my pillow and ripped it half, sending feathers flying everywhere. But it wasn’t enough. Rage was boiling up inside of me, and I had to let it out. With a scream, I grabbed a chair and smashed it against the wall, breaking it to pieces. God, that felt good. I grabbed the other chair and smashed it, then I picked up the table and threw it across the room. It hit the wall, cracking the plaster.

I continued to demolish my room, destroying everything in sight. I shredded the green dress, littering the floor with torn silk. Then I picked up the loveseat and threw it out the damn window. I heard shouts from below and looked out to see several guards looking up at me. Two disappeared, and I assumed they were going to tell Julian. Good. I was ready for a fight. I leaned back against the wall and waited, but he never came.

Eventually my rage wore off, and all that was left was exhaustion. I made my way over to the bed, stepping carefully over pieces of broken furniture. I lay down on the bare mattress, having shredded all the bedding, and curled myself into a ball. A moment later the steel shutters closed over the windows, and I closed my eyes and soon fell asleep.