CHAPTER 9: Thanks for Letting Me Know
I need to unwind.
As soon as I come home from work, I change into a dress that goes well with a leather jacket and boots and grab my helmet. Soon, I'm on my bike heading toward Downtown Isle and my favorite place to go to release tension.
Comet.
I've been visiting Brock's nightclub since I've been a teen. Sure, I hadn't been old enough to enjoy the nightclub at the time, but Brock had allowed me, Brendan, and our friends to hang out there during the daytime. And since no one else would be there when we were, we'd always have all the sodas and finger foods to enjoy where no one can judge royalty and commoners from associating with each other. The perks of being a princess.
It's been two days since Drew had slept over at my place. I've agreed to have dinner with him this Saturday night, and I'm nervous like crazy. Even more nervous than I am at work, where the quality of life of thousands of people relies on me and my board members. Maybe it's because instead of avoiding intimacy by giving and not receiving, I'm now in a position in which I'm very vulnerable to whatever Drew gives me next. I've just admitted that I miss him, for fuck's sake—which also implies that I like him too.
And isn't that the scariest thing?
So, I'm going to spend my Wednesday night at Comet. Brock has opened the club in Isle Kingdom because there has been a demand for nightlife. Since then, he has been the king of nightlife. Lines of people wait on his streets to enter a world of live music, strobe lights, and high-shelf alcohol. Because I'm the princess, I can afford the VIP treatment that lets me skip lines and access that private lounge above the main floors. There, I get a better view of the scene, fewer crowds, and better food and drinks. Most importantly, I can also get privacy. There are private booths always available to book so I can enjoy the club without being disturbed or discovered. And at this time of the day, the lines at Comet are just starting to form, so there will be even fewer eyes to see me there.
I veer into the valet area and park the bike myself. Still, I tip the valet attendant who approaches me. My helmet only comes off when no one on the sidewalk can see me. The staff at Comet won't say anything. They've been carefully chosen and trained well.
"Good evening, Your Highness," the attendant accepts my bills. "Do you have any requests you'd like me to relay as you settle in?"
"There is a request I'd like to make, actually. Please tell Brock I'd like to speak with him. In the meantime, please prepare a booth for me with mozzarella sticks and a bottle of synth at the table."
"Very well, Your Highness."
The well-known human princess just asks for vampire food, and he doesn't flinch? The staff doesn't ask questions either. Good.
I go to the VIP entrance and use the bathroom. That's when I see in the mirror that my normally blue eyes are purple. Specks of red spatter on my irises, threatening to complete the transformation. When I gasp, my elongated fangs poke my lip.
Uh oh.
I keep my mouth covered and my eyes low as I rush to the VIP lounge. There, the hostess escorts me to a booth on the right side of the tinted glass windows. On the red tablecloth are my requested plate of mozzarella sticks, marinara sauce, and a bottle of synth.
I pour some synth into the wine glass and watch it leave temporary stains on its surface. It would have passed for red wine if it isn't a little thicker. There's also the faint scent of metal under a sweet, fruity aroma that gives it away. I bite into a mozzarella stick and sip it with the synth.
That's good. That's really good. The synth has flavor notes of peach, lychee, and honey, cutting through the fat and salt of the cheese. I eat more. More and more until all that's left on my plate are crumbs, and the bottle has only a quarter of synth left.
Brock comes to the booth in a suit much neater than his shaggy brown hair. His slender eyes squint when they see me. "Hi, May! It's good to see you again."
I smile. "It's good to see you too, Brock. How have you been?"
"The club has been selling more alcohol due to the cold weather, so business is good," he takes the seat across from mine. "Trevor told me you wanted to talk. How can I help?"
"Well," I lift the nearly empty bottle of synth, "things have changed."
"Right. At first, I thought you were just experimenting—non-vampires dare themselves to drink this all the time—as you already know."
I roll my eyes at our shared memory of my foolish teen experiment.
"But I sense the change in you, May. You're a vampire now."
"Yeah. Wait, how can you tell? Are my eyes still red? Can you see them in this lighting?" My fangs are back to normal size, so it can't be them.
"I just can. Vampires can sense other vampires. You can hide from other species, but vampires can recognize each other anywhere. A blind vampire will know what you are and—before you ask—yes, they exist. I've met a few. How long have you been a vampire?"
"Since last Saturday."
"Hmm, makes sense. I've heard that King Andrew arrived in Isle around that time, so that fits the timeline."
"How did you know it was King Andrew who turned me?"
"He's the only one who can turn people into vampires. If we try it, all we'll do is cause pain...or an infection."
I let out a breath of relief. Drew has mentioned having the transformative venom since he's the head of all vampires, but I haven't been sure if lower vampires have some too. I've been scared of accidentally turning Max or my employees, so my bedroom stash of the synth is close by to make sure that never happens. I don't know if that'll work, but it's better than nothing.
"Didn't King Andrew debrief you when you turned?"
"On some things but not everything. Things between him and I are a little weird right now, so I don't want to ask him all the questions."
Brock flinches. He tries to hide it, but I catch it. "Got it."
"You're not going to ask?"
"It's none of my business unless you want to tell me."
"No, I'd rather keep it to myself." Explaining how my judgments about Drew are clouded by my attraction to him will be a lot, and I don't want to get into that right now.
"So, what do you know about vampires?" Brock asks. "I can correct or explain some things if you want. That's probably why you're here."
"That, and to visit a friend."
"Aww, thanks, May! I'm glad to have you here too."
A moment passes for me to collect my thoughts. Heavy bass beats shake the furniture, and the patrons on the lower levels sway around and against each other, lulled by the music and the alcohol.
They bring back memories. Days that have felt like they were going to last forever are suddenly distant now—unreachable now.
"Drew told me I can only drink synth because real blood would drive me crazy. He also told me that blood is an all-healing elixir for us, and also an anti-aging potion that keeps us looking the same age for as long as we live."
"All true."
"Do we have specific weaknesses?"
"Depends on what you think is a weakness. If you get too hungry, not only do your eyes get red and your fangs get long, but you also get into what we call bloodlust. That means your consciousness takes a back seat, and you become a beast whose only purpose is to drink blood. You better hope no one you care about is around if this happens, or you may end up hunting them for food. I guess it's not the kind of weakness that makes you vulnerable, but it's still a situation you don't want to end up in. Also, if you don't get blood after the bloodlust phase, then you starve and die."
I cup my mouth. My theorized preventative measures have been correct. I'm relieved and frightened at the same time.
"Regarding weaknesses that can hurt us, that depends on each vampire. No one is born a vampire; vampirism is a long-term spell, not something you're born with. As a vampire alone, hunger is your true enemy. But if you were a forest fairy before your transformation, for example, you may retain your weakness to fire."
"There are vampire fairies?"
"There are all kinds of vampires. Not just the ones King Andrew turns but also the ones turned by the Vampire Rulers before him. And since vampires live for a long time, they can get pretty unique recruits during their time on Nua, hence the variety."
I've heard of fairies but never seen one in person before. Now, I'm learning they can be vampires too. Wow.
Also, not all vampires have the same weakness, so Drew's weakness is unique. But why keep it a secret? If people know he's part dragon, won't they also know his weakness by knowing what dragons are weak against? Unless the fact that Drew is part dragon is a secret too.
"You said that no one can be born a vampire, so what happens if a vampire gets pregnant?"
"Vampires can't conceive children. That's a drawback to being a vampire if you want to start a family. Your best bet is adoption."
"So, I won't ever have kids?"
"No, but on the bright side, you won't get sexually-transmitted diseases either. Blood takes care of those too. I know it's none of my business, but if you're into having lots of sex, vampires are known for being one of the most sexually active species on the planet, so the turn will work for you. We don't tell this to the public, but we have orgies all the time. You can wear masks to hide your identity if you're worried about that. Either way, everyone is safe and respectful. Let me know if you want to participate, and I can get you into a party."
I guess that explains why Comet is only available to me and my friends during the day only sometimes. "Can we change the subject now, please?"
"Sure, May. Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."
"It's fine, it's fine." Too much information from Brock there, but the fact that I can't conceive as a vampire bothers me more. "Do Vampire Kings and Queens die? What happened to the past ones? And why is there only one ruler instead of several?"
"That, I don't know. The Vampire Monarchs aren't required to tell us everything. They issue commands, and we obey them."
I blink. "Drew rules every single vampire on this planet, and they're all required to obey him?"
"Exactly. Can I give you some advice, May?"
"Sure."
"You told me things were weird between you and King Andrew. It honestly shocked me because I've never heard of a vampire conflicting with a Vampire King or Queen. Please tell me you'll be careful with King Andrew, May. It's hard to defeat a vampire, but it's even harder to defeat him."
My eyes narrow as Brock's suit shudders. "You're afraid of him."
"Everyone is, May, and so should you. I know there isn't a lot you know about the world because you used to be human, but you'll understand when King Andrew permits. And when you do, you'll know why everyone fears him. You'll know what he's capable of."
My cell phone vibrates from my jacket pocket. I pull it out with an unsteady hand and glance at the bright screen. Max is calling me. "Excuse me, I have to take this."
"Go ahead."
I need to get fresh air anyway, so I rush out of the lounge and—forget it. I leave the premises entirely. I slip into a nearby alleyway and ignore the pungent smell of trash and urine. My nose is more sensitive now, so that's easier said than done. The phone stops ringing when I don't answer it, but that's okay. I'll call Max back. He's just going to ask me what's going on.
If I'm going to explain it to him, I need to understand it myself first.
Brock's words frighten me. I've known Brock since I was fifteen, and for all the years I've known him, he's always been the big brother type of friend who will stand up for me against the biggest, baddest lowlifes on the streets. Not that I've ever needed it, but that doesn't matter to Brock. He doesn't look out for me because I need protection. He does it because he can provide it regardless. He's the most influential vampire in Isle with other vampires in his command. He's one of the most powerful people I know.
So why is he scared of Drew?
When my phone rings again, I answer it this time. "Hi, Max."
"May, where are you?" My brother demands from the other end. "No one's holding you hostage, are they?"
"No, of course not. I just need a break."
"Maybe a long one. When was the last time you took a vacation? Have you ever taken one since you started Allistar?"
"No, never." Work is a coping mechanism. At least, it used to be. "I should take one. It sounds like a good idea."
"What will you do?"
Staying at home isn't an option, not while I'm still figuring out how to live as a vampire, and anything can happen during the learning process. "I do have a touring motorcycle. Maybe I'll finally use it for its purpose."
"By yourself?"
"Well, it's not like I have someone to go with anymore."
Max's tongue clicks. He's one of the small few who knows about Brendan. "Where would you go?"
"I don't know. Anywhere outside the kingdom. There's…there's too much happening here."
"I get it. Okay, well, today's Wednesday. Want to stay in this weekend and then take off on Monday?"
"I might leave sooner. I'll probably—"
"You!"
I freeze as Bastien, Brendan's older brother, storms toward me. It hurts to look at him because he has light brown hair and gray eyes as Brendan did, but I hold my gaze because he's also angrier. "Max, I'll call you back."
I pocket my phone before Max could respond. Bastien looks older than the last time I saw him, which is notable because he's always been grumpy when I'm around Brendan and the rest of their family. Maybe he doesn't like me. He's backing me into an alley with his fists clenched, so I may be right. "Bastien, what are you doing here?"
"I've been planning this day, but this is better. You're alone in a piss-covered alleyway like Brendan had been when he died. You didn't think I'd ever find out? You didn't think I'd ever figure out how he died?"
"What are you talking about?"
Bastien whips something out of his coat. I can't see what it is, but I hear it slice the air.
A knife.
"It was you, May! You had him killed!"
