Chapter X

After I packed, I figured it would be a great idea to get some sleep. I tossed and turned for what felt like hours. I was anxious about going to Rahab's...I was anxious about the tensions between Raziel and Dumah...and I was definitely anxious about Dumah. I felt like I had to always toe the line with him...say the right thing...and I always felt like what I had said was the wrong thing around him. I wondered what Rahab was like—was he, like Dumah, gentle until provoked? Was he cool and calculating like Raziel, or sweet like Eph...?

Finally, I managed to fall asleep. But when I dreamed, the dreams weren't pleasant as they had been for the past few nights. I was haunted by images of blood and death, so vivid that I could have sworn that I was not dreaming. And in the worst dream of all, I saw that woman, Dragon, killing me and Ice while a man I couldn't see laughed.

My eyes snapped open after that dream. I shook my head, trying to clear the images, telling myself that it was all just a dream. There was a faint light streaming in through my window—it must have been dusk. I heard a faint knocking at my door. Groaning, I climbed out of bed and opened it. There was Dumah, looking down at me, arms crossed over his chest. He looked amused.

"Well."

"Well, what?"

"You're up early."

"So're you."

Dumah's smile only grew broader. Was this it? Was Dumah going to kill me now? I closed my eyes and bit my lip...and Dumah laughed.

"Goodness, girl. I smile at you and you think I'm going to kill you!"

What am I supposed to think? That was a very predatory smile...

Dumah shook his head, chuckled, and noticed that the pendant he'd given me wasn't around my neck.

"Amara...does my gift not please you?"

"Oh!" There was a nightstand in the little room that Dumah had given me. I'd set the necklace there, not wanting to sleep in it and risk choking. I quickly picked it up and put it on, hoping I hadn't offended Dumah.

"That pendant looks fetching on you," he said when I'd put it on.

"Thank...you..."

Dumah nodded, then told me he'd be sending a slave to get my things, so I was welcome to accompany him down to the carriage we'd be taking. I followed him, mutely, trying to think of something, anything to say. Dumah noticed my uneasiness.

"Amara. Remember, you have that pendant. If anything at all goes wrong, just hold it and will me to be by your side, and I'll be there."

I didn't tell him that I wasn't reassured. What was the point?

I followed Dumah outside, and toward the carriage. It wasn't there yet. Dumah seemed miffed, muttering something about punctuality.

"At least you're on time," he said, looking me straight in the eye.

"I...do try to keep you happy, Dumah." Because if I don't you'll gut me.

He chuckled again. "You do." He absentmindedly traced my jaw with a clawed finger. I shivered, unsure of what he was about to do.

"You jumpy thing," he said, "I don't intend to harm you. No, no. I've become too fond of you."

I looked up at him. "Too...fond...?"

"You talk too much." Dumah said simply. Before I could react, he pulled me to him and kissed me. Note then when I say he kissed me, I don't mean an innocent Boy-Scout kiss. Finally, Dumah broke it off, and, seeing the shocked look on my face, he smiled.

"You look shocked, Amara."

"You're way too old for me," I blurted out. Dumah blinked, and then laughed, so loudly that a few slaves looked around to see what had put their lord in a such a good mood.

"Perhaps where you come from," Dumah said, when he had finally caught his breath, "But here,you're old enough to be married."

I was about to reply, but the carriage, with all of our luggage already on it, pulled up, with what looked like a vampire at the reins.

"Forgive me, Sire," he said, "It was entirely my fault--"

"Later," Dumah said, dismissively waving his hand. He climbed up into the carriage and offered me his hand. "Come on, Amara."

Hesitating, I took his hand and climbed in. The carriage was ornate, with red velvet seats and a gilded interior. I'd never been inside a carriage before, and I stared in wonder.

"You like it?"

"Yes..." I breathed. I wondered what riding in it was going to be like. I took a seat, next to the window, and Dumah sat across from me. After a few minutes, I heard a whip crack, and the carriage started moving. To my surprise, the ride wasn't as bumpy as I expected.

"Enjoying the ride?" Dumah asked, after a minute. I nodded, unsure of what to say.

"Good," he purred.

I looked out the window. It had been a long time since I had seen the world outside Dumah's keep—unfortunately, it was the dead of night and so I saw nothing but the silhouettes of the trees and the occasional star. I was exhausted, for some reason, and since the gentle movement of the carriage was strangely relaxing, I fell fast asleep. Thankfully, there were no dreams this time.

I was awakened by Dumah gently shaking my shoulder. "We're here." I yawned, and stretched, blinking a few times. Dumah helped me climb out of the carriage. Directly in front of me was a huge castle that towered over a vast expanse of marshland.

"Rahab's second palace," Dumah said, "Normally, he and his brood live in the Drowned Abbey, but as he's the only vampire that water doesn't harm and since he can be considered a "social butterfly"...well, he had another palace built so that he could hold parties."

He started walking toward the entrance, and he motioned for me to follow. As we neared the doors, a pair of guards greeted Dumah, ignored me, and swung the doors wide open. Dumah led me down various corridors, all of which were decorated extravagantly. I saw a few servants adding even more decorations. Finally, Dumah reached a set of double doors, which he flung open. There was a vampire with reading glasses and long, long black hair tied back in a loose ponytail, immersed in a book. He was dressed the same way as Dumah, but his cape was teal, and had a different symbol on it. He heard the doors open, and looked up. "Brother. My, my, my. You're unusually early. And I see you've brought a guest..." He closed the book, took off the glasses, and stood up, pacing around me. "Boyish, isn't she? Not as voluptuous as the women you usually bring, either... and a little young for your taste, hm? My, but she has a pretty face...give her a few years and I imagine she'll be a great beauty. If you tire of her by then, may I have her?"

I stared at Rahab. Pretty? Pretty? Dumah was chuckling. "Rahab. This is...Amara. Amara...this is my brother, Rahab."

"Pleased to meet you," Rahab purred. He was quite attractive, with a long face and high cheekbones...and green eyes. There was a look of intelligence in his eyes, but also one of flirtatiousness. I had a feeling that he, like Dumah, was as likely to kill me as he was to look at me, so I just smiled, and giggled. I sure was getting good at acting like a simpering girl when people expected me to.

"Oh, Dumah, she's adorable..." Rahab said, moving closer to me and tipping my face up so that he could see it better. "She's a fine specimen...perhaps I'll take her from you..."

Dumah shook his head, obviously irritated that Rahab was moving in on what he deemed to be his property...in this case, me. "Why can't you prefer books to women, brother?"

"Why can't I love both?" Rahab shot back. "Both are beautiful in their own ways. Both have something to offer me, and I find that I enjoy both." He smiled at me, then at Dumah, then curtly told us where our rooms were, and that we should find some way to occupy ourselves because the party wasn't going to start until tomorrow. One of Rahab's maids showed me where to go, and I decided that I wanted to do nothing but sleep. On the way, though, Dumah stopped me.

"My dear...it's nowhere near dawn. And you slept the whole way here."

"I'm tired, Dumah," I said, "I...had trouble sleeping last night." Those nightmares hadn't exactly made sleeping easy...

"But you slept all the way here," Dumah purred. "Surely..."

I sighed. "What do you want, anyway?"

He grinned mischievously. "What do you think I want?"

I groaned. Not this game again.

"Very well. Go get some sleep, Amara. I wouldn't want you to be tired." I thanked him, and turned to go on my way, but before I could, Dumah caught my arm and pulled me to him again. He kissed me again, more gently than before, and then walked off toward his own room.