My Vampire Queen

I was in a haze, I could understand that I was, somewhat, awake. I was half sitting up, my body still limp as my mind tried to push through the haze and I tried to keep my panic at bay. I have never felt like this like I couldn’t move my body even though I tried to, and I couldn’t make my mind work as fast as I wanted. My upper body was on something hard, and it felt like there was a vice wrapped around my upper body under my breasts with my arms hanging limply. My mind is slow to start, slow to realize I was in my room, it was light out and tingling broke over my limbs like they all had been asleep.

My eyes open slowly, my vision blurry as my room slowly comes into focus I try not to move my body, the tingles turning painful. My eyes squeeze closed as I try to will my body to stop with the painful tingle, I was used to one limb asleep, not all of them. Something moves slightly underneath me making the tingle turn sharp, a gasp escaping my lips. I couldn’t even process that something on my bed moved, well barely processed. I was too focused on the pain to notice the fact another wave of sharp pain jerked my body. Something pressed to my lips and my eyes snap open.

It looks like tan skin, dark hair covering what was pressed to my lips and I felt a thick liquid coating my lips. The smell of a bonfire was overwhelming, my mouth opened enough for my tongue to dart out and a ragged groan left my throat. I latched my mouth onto what was pressing to my mouth, I think it was an arm, I couldn’t seem to care as I swallowed a thick smokey-tasting liquid. The tingling in my limbs slowly subsided with every pull. The problem was, I got five pulls into it, and the arm moved away from me. My limbs are still weak. I couldn’t hold it to my mouth and I let out a whimper.

“I’m sorry my Queen, but I can’t let you weaken me until you call more Blood.” The deep ragged voice makes me jerk back from the hard wall I was leaning up against. My body doesn’t move as fast as I want it to, but he makes no move to stop me from gaining space from him.

Dark completely black eyes stare at me, no pupils, no whites just completely black and unblinking. “Demon.” That is all I can say because I was caught between horrified and curious.

“Yes, my Queen.” His voice sounded like his throat had been through some shit, and looking at him I could visibly see that. His square face, nose slightly too wide, eyes lined in thick lashes. He would have been masculine and very handsome once upon a time, especially with the dark hair that curled messily around his face, and the deep tan of his skin.

All of his visible skin was littered with scars or tattoos, maybe both. The bridge of his nose was crooked, half of his right eyebrow was missing, and a thick scar cut across where it should be. All over his face, his neck, and down into the shirt he was wearing. My hand goes out to touch the shirt because it looked like one of those pirate shirts, sheer white with the tie-up v-neck, the poofy arms that tighten at the wrist and let loose around his scarred hands. Those hands bring my eyes down to the black pants, pulled up high enough that his shirt was tucked into them, a large black belt wrapped around his waist. And then boots, like none I’ve seen outside of movies. They are a dark soft looking leather, more like a fuzzy texture not smooth, they lace up just beneath his knees, where his hands are resting.

I notice one of the sleeves on his shirt is loose, allowing me to see a peek of the deep tan skin with black arm hair.

“Demons are real,” I said it more to myself, looking back up at him his head is tilted forward, I couldn’t tell what he was looking at. A little louder I ask. “You’re a demon but you’re calling me your Queen? Do demons even have a Queen?”

His head tilts ever so slightly to the side, a curl falling from his face. “Technically you would be the demon’s princess, but you are my Queen as I am... your Blood.”

“Demons can be Blood?” I had thought only vampires could be Blood.

“No.” His head shakes and he looks at me full-on. “You are the only Queen who can have demons as Blood, I wouldn’t be surprised if you called other things to be your Blood.”

“So you are the gift from my father?” I asked, his head did that tilt thing again, maybe that’s his way of nodding? “I feed off of you, do you feed off of me?”

There was something in his eyes like something rolled underneath the black pits. It was eerie. “You feed on power, which you get from blood. I feed from the power that leaks off of you, touching you or fucking you is the best way to absorb more at once.”

I could feel my cheeks heat even though I managed to keep my face schooled. He gave away no emotions, just stated it as fact, it was odd, but then again he was a demon. Did he feel emotions?

“What’s with the pirate clothes?” I had to change the subject for now. My body was lighting up in ways it hadn’t before, both with wanting to test if he could show emotion and wanting to taste his blood again.

“They are the clothes I was last in on this realm.” He stated. Looking down at what I was wearing, a Deadpool graphic tee and camo sweatpants. “As we both gain power I will be able to change my clothing when needed.”

That would be a handy power to have. “Would you need clothes before that?”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “I can ride you until we get somewhere where I can get proper clothing.” My face heated more, and I thought I saw the start of a smirk on his face but it was so subtle maybe I was imagining it. He grabbed my wrist in one of his hands lightly. “My name is Caine, my Queen, when you need me all you must do is ask. For now, I can’t hold my physical shape for long, when you gain more Blood and power I will be able to move around more freely.”

I was about to ask him what that meant, but my words caught in my mouth as his form shrunk into a black mist. The black mist curled around my wrist, settling into my skin. Within seconds Caine went from a man, to what looked like a blackout tattoo on my left arm, from wrist to elbow. It or well he, is a ragged black ink on my skin, lightening in some spots and the edges differed making it look like someone quickly scribbled shadow on my arm. I didn’t hate it, in fact, I really loved it. I had always wanted tattoos but never knew what I wanted, this was simple and amazing, yet not permanent because well it was just Caine on my arm.

That was going to be something to get used to.

I didn’t know what to do then, my mind racing as I looked outside of my window. The sun was beaming into my room, making me guess it was mid-afternoon, I hadn’t been... What, asleep? Dead? For that long. Unless it was a whole day.

Scrambling for my phone I lit the screen and sighed that it was still the same day, I had only lost a few hours. It would be dinner time soon though, I had to do something before then. I felt I needed to get something done. Grabbing the edge of the envelope I ripped it back open to see the card on the back had changed. Once blank it now had an address on it, one in Chicago.

Within half an hour I had my hair up, a small amount of makeup on, and my eyes had changed from a brown and green to a white blue. I wasn’t going to touch that. So with makeup and my new clothes on, I’m out the door, not bothering to talk to my mom. I couldn’t find it in myself to talk to her, I was trying to process other things, I couldn’t process the fact that she hid I was adopted my whole life. That was something I couldn’t handle trying to think about. I wasn’t sure what I would do, hide in my room, or go on a screaming rant. It would break me.

Shaking off the thought I force myself to put the address into my phone and start up the car. I drive in silence, trying not to think too deeply about things, trying to keep myself calm. Instead, I tried to think about it at a surface level, I was a vampire, I was supposedly an all powerful Queen and half a god. I was also adopted, my mother was dead, how I don’t know, why I wasn’t raised with other vampires I don’t know. I did know I had a Blood, who was a demon, I would also get more Blood. I would need more information on what Blood was exactly. I also needed more information about a lot of things. Hopefully whoever was at this address could help me, or maybe Caine could answer more questions soon.

The forty-minute drive went by fast because my mind was going a mile a minute. The building I pulled up to was an office building, not a house or apartment building from what I could tell. I had to find a parking structure a few buildings away, I didn’t know if the office had its own parking, even if it did I had no idea how to get into it or if I would be allowed into it. The car was shut off and I was out of it, I felt like I needed to meet this person as soon as possible to get answers as soon as possible.

The building itself isn’t the biggest, though I wouldn’t call it small by any means. It’s made of completely glass, dark from the outside, unable to see in until you’re right against the building. I walk to the front of it, two large glass doors that I’m able to push in easily. The front room is two or three stories tall, with white and black marble-looking floors, and a silver highlight highlighting some of the cracks and bends in the stone. Everything in the room, from the sitting area to the large desk is modern, with lots of shiny glass, black metal, and green from paintings and some plants littered around the room, trying to get rid of the cold feeling the building gives off. They didn’t help that much.

There are only a few people in the lobby, two people behind the desk, a guard at the elevator doors, and two people softly chatting in the corner waiting area. No one paid any attention to me, besides the guard who gave me a once over, apparently my five foot-two frame was nonthreatening. When I got to the desk, a woman with dirty blonde hair, and a pretty face behind wire-rimmed glasses looked up at me with a smile. “Hi, how can I help you?”

“I have this.” I handed her my card, the address up, and when she flipped it she let in a loud gasp that drew my brows together.

“Miss Tyet.” That made the other woman stop and stare at me, the blonde shook her head before giving me a slight bow from her chair and then grabbed the phone by her computer screen. “I will call Miss Tallow, you can head straight to her office, 12th floor, her assistant will show you which room from there, she will be with you as soon as possible.”

I take the card back from her, before turning on my heel and heading to the elevator. The guard there gives me a shallow nod before moving aside and allowing me to get in. I hit the button for the floor and my stomach drops from the feeling of the elevator. Maybe not just the feeling of the elevator, of everything that was going on.

I took a deep calming breath so I could put on my game face just as the doors opened, that was a fast ride up. The area up here, at least the lobby area, seemed more comfortable. The black tile has cream colored rugs on it, a small area off to the side like the main lobby, just smaller, with two cream colored sofas littered with pretty throw pillows, a warm-colored coffee table, and an end table between the two. The desk as I walk forward has one woman behind it. She looks older, with slightly tan skin, and graying hair up in a neat bun. It made me feel sloppy with my own messily put-up hair.

When she sees me, her eyes go wide and she stands suddenly, whatever she was doing on her computer forgotten for now. “Miss Tyet, Miss Tallow is on her way back, it will only be a few moments.” She hastily makes her way around the desk to do a shallow bow in front of me, without giving me any time to respond she turns and starts walking as she speaks. “I am Miss Tallow’s personal assistant, Maggie Cormack, if you need anything please don’t hesitate to come to me and ask.”

Maggie had led me down an open hallway, the last door on the right, one of two doors anyway. She pushed open the frosted glass and let me walk in first. “Thank you, Maggie.” I felt like it was the right thing to say because she looked absolutely nervous, or frightened. I’ve never gotten that response from someone. “I’ll just wait for Miss Tallow.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Tyet.” She actually bowed and stayed bowed when she walked out. Is this what it’s always going to be like? People scuttling around me, bowing and nervous? Because if so I’m not sure I like it at all.

The office floor is carpet, to match the rugs outside of the room, the furniture in here is a black stained wood, not much glass or metal. It seems like this Miss Tallow wasn’t a huge fan of the modern look, even if two of the walls were floor-to-ceiling windows. I made my way over to the windows, we were up high enough that I could see past the smaller buildings, and only a few buildings were large enough to block my sight. From here I could also see down to the street, barely able to make out the small shapes of people, animals, a few street vendors, and performers. I had never been up so high in my life. I’ve never been in a building more than five stories tall, and have never been on a plane.

Seeing people mill about or racing to their destinations was interesting. Because it gave me something to focus on besides my own problems. The wind outside made things whip around and it made me frown. When I had been outside, it was windy and should have been chilly, even with my jacket I was wearing thin leggings. I didn’t feel the temperature other than to note it was cool when the wind blew in my direction. Even now with my jacket on in the room that felt okay, was it really warm? The women I had seen coming up weren’t wearing much more than a dress shirt and pencil skirts.

Is that a vampire thing? To not really feel the temperature?

I could hear my phone buzz once again in my bag, I doubt it was my mom. She would only message me if it was dark out and I wasn’t home yet, as it stands she probably thinks I just got the urge to cook something that I needed something from the store for. So that only left my uncle, who might message me to ask if I could get him a snack, or my boyfriend who is more likely the one who is blowing up my phone. I talk to him every day, like clockwork. Even if I have to force myself to send something. He would know something happened if I don’t message back. Would it be so bad though to distance myself and then tell him I’m done? It seemed cruel to do it that way. I would have to figure out something though, I didn’t want to be with him. I felt more attracted to Caine who I had only talked to for five minutes than my boyfriend.

My phone buzzes again, I let out a sigh as I pull it from the small purse I brought along. It’s the only actual purse I have. A small Prada purse was just big enough for my phone, wallet, and a few other small items. I had gotten it at a garage sale, the women had never used it before, and in turn, I had used it maybe twice so far. The black leather of the bag and the strap looked perfectly new. My phone, on the other hand, was dusty from all the work I had been doing every night. Even if I tried to clean the case every day, the nooks and crannies gathered dust and dirt like a magnet.

When I unlock my phone I’m not surprised at the six messages I have waiting, I text him back a simple‘Doing something’to try to get him to calm down. I put my phone on silent just for good measure. The soft whisper of the door opening makes me turn towards it. The woman walking towards me is, I don’t know. I’m not sure what I expected when I came here.

She’s tall, much taller than me, with short heels on and in one of those skirt-suit things. Her skin is almost as dark as the black of her jacket and skirt, and her hair has a golden tint, only when the sun hits it just right. She looks not much older than me, maybe ten years older, and very pretty.

“Luna.” Her voice was nice, calm as she walked right up to me. She didn’t bow but there was a look to her like determination. “I am Tabitha Tallow, your consort.”