Vampyre | Book I of Bloodlines | Free on Inkitt & Kindle Unlimited

Viola

The transformation Darius undergoes after drinking the blood is nothing short of magical. His eyes, now a crystal shade of blue, dominate my thoughts, completely captivating my mind as I sit at my dressing table, braiding my hair before going to bed.

I had hoped to start re-reading my Vampyre book, but my eyes are tired from poring over medical journals in the dim light. I’m still uncertain which parts of the novel are based on truth and which are fiction. Most of all, I’m curious about what Darius looks like in his “normal” state. I’d rejuvenate him purely to satisfy my curiosity.

Stealing fifty bottles of blood before William returns is out of the question. I’ll need to devise another plan to save him. Additionally, I must find a way to release him from those chains, but how can I do that if I’m unable to get close enough to examine them? If I can’t get close enough to even touch his shackles, I’ll never be able to hold him. He wanted to hold me.

I fear I may be losing my mind, consumed by impure thoughts of him like this. There’s something undeniably beautiful about his spirit that draws me to him. Regardless of what I hear about his past deeds, good or bad, I feel an inexplicable connection to him. I almost wouldn’t care if he set the world ablaze with everyone still on it—I would still care for him deeply.

It’s clear that he cares for me as well, or perhaps he cares so little for himself that he would prefer to perish than to accept help from anyone.

I try to envision Darius as a human warrior clad in ancient armor. There’s a book on Korean history in William’s library that I started reading before diving into the medical journals. The culture there is so different from that in England—I yearn to travel to that part of the world and experience it firsthand.

Now that I think about it, the name “Darius Kane” doesn’t sound like a foreign name—it must not be the name his father gave him. I’ll have to inquire about it soon.

After tying off my braid, I inspect my swollen eye—it’s painful, and tears threaten to fall, but crying earlier only intensified the pain.hoping my bed would open beneath me and swallow me whole. It doesn’t—another disappointment. Instead, I find the escape I desperately seek in thoughts of Darius.

The image of his eyes stirs a deep longing within me, and without a second thought, my hand wanders between my legs. I fear I’m losing my mind—Darius isn’t even attractive, he doesn’t look strong, and there’s nothing physically appealing about him. Nothing except for his soul. And his voice today was richer and fuller than ever before—almost familiar.

As the tension builds, I exhale deeply and inadvertently let out a moan that surprises even myself. I’m unconcerned about who might hear, not even Darius with his heightened senses. In the fleeting moment of release, my world shrinks, and my worries dissolve. The ache of heartbreak, the apprehension of the unknown, and the sting of loneliness all recede into the background.

When I wake up, I check the clock and see that it’s already past noon. How nice, even Mrs. Norris has left me in peace.

I bury my face into my pillow and decide that today will be a day of reflection and planning. I need to get out of this situation before William gets back, which would make everything more difficult. But first, I need to free Darius—I can’t leave him here—I’m his only hope. Besides William, I’m the only other living being who knows he’s a prisoner here, and even then, if others discovered his true nature, they’d likely abandon him to die or take his life—William might even receive a reward for capturing a demon from hell.

Perhaps if I were to uncover evidence of William harming my father, I could have him arrested. If what Darius claims is true and William did indeed harm my father, what I truly desire is to set Darius free and watch him tear his limbs from his body and leave him a useless, powerless lump of meat reliant on others for survival. Healed, he would be a glorious sight, I’m sure.

I’m confident Darius would relish the opportunity for vengeance, and I wouldn’t lift a finger to stop him. The next time I see him, I need to inquire how William managed to capture him. If Darius, a seasoned warrior who nearly defeated a vampire as a human yet somehow fell into William’s clutches, then William is not to be underestimated.

William’s secret office is the only plausible place where I might find incriminating evidence, but I can’t afford to isolate myself for hours and hours in the library again. I mustn’t raise any suspicion. The idea of continuing my mundane routine as the mistress of the household while Darius remains shackled and alone fills me with overwhelming guilt.

I exhale heavily and push myself out of bed. I ring the staff bell and take my laudanum, though it hardly offers much relief. Amber enters just as I closely examine my swollen eye in the mirror—it doesn’t seem to be getting better, and I worry about permanent damage. The thought of having a life-lasting reminder of this period of my life so clearly visible on my face troubles me deeply.

“This too shall pass,” my father used to say—words that apply to both good and bad times.

I should have listened to Polly and made better plans for my future. I should have appreciated what I had more before coming to this place—it was safe and perhaps a bit dull, but it was good and safe.

“Don’t worry, milady, it will heal,” Amber says, putting down my breakfast tray.

I stand up and clap as I turn to face her. “Amber, you did wonderfully yesterday. I was in such awe of your performance.”

Amber beams and bows theatrically as if she were performing on stage. “Did you get what you needed?”

I nod as I inspect my tray of food. “I did, Amber. All thanks to you.”

I intend to assist Amber with something in her life, although I won’t divulge my true intentions—I plan to interfere in matters that don’t concern me for her benefit, and I know exactly what that entails.

“Mrs. Norris mentioned the groundskeeper needs to meet with you today regarding planning for next season,” Amber continues, “and Dr. Gibbons will be stopping by to check on your eye.”

By the time I manage to get away and visit Darius, it’s already past bedtime, and my head is pounding. Thankfully, the house is calm, and most of its residents are asleep.

I drag the small chair over to sit amidst all the crucifixes arranged around Darius like a protective barrier. As I settle down for the first time today, I lean back in the chair, the weight of the day finally off my feet.

“I have more questions for you,” I begin.

“I would be disappointed if you didn’t,” Darius smirks, “and I have a few of my own.”

“Really?”

He nods. “You go first.”

I observe Darius shifting his body weight—being on his knees like that, hanging by his arms, can’t be comfortable. As he adjusts his large bat-like wings, I’m reminded of his potential power, making my first question the most significant.

“How was William able to capture you?” I ask.

“He shot me full of liquid silver. Silver is a major weakness of ours,” Darius replies rather disdainfully.

“Liquid silver? How did he even know to use that?” I inquire further.

“As it turns out, William’s great-great-grandfather was a Vampyre hunter. Something I wish I had known before I barged in after Emily. My fault, really. I was ignorant of who and what he was, and I underestimated him,” Darius explains.

“What exactly does the silver do?” I press on.

“It prevents my body from healing and keeps me in a perpetually weakened state. I can still feel the silver in my blood; these shackles are also silver-plated. There’s a book in William’s office that he sometimes refers to, something passed down from father to son about how to deal with my kind. I’d be curious to know what is in there.”

“William is a hunter of your kind?”

Darius nods. “And others, not just Vampyres.”

“That explains all of those strange items in his office,” I say, standing up and taking my candle with me to the secret office.

I stand before the shelves filled with hundreds of books. There are so many of them, and I don’t even know what I’m looking for.

“Top desk drawer,” Darius calls out.

Intrigued, I walk around to the desk and open the top drawer. There, I find a green leather-bound book with no title. I take it back to my chair and open it.

Reading the title page inside, I can’t help but scoff in a very unladylike way. “A Complete Guide to the Capturing and Slaying of Vampyres.”

I glance at Darius, who scoffs and shakes his head in disbelief.