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

Darius

Keeping Viola in my arms every step of the way, I head to William’s office first and check in on Sophie and Elliot. I find Sophie sitting on the floor with Elliott fast asleep beside her, draped in a blanket. Sophie quickly scrambles to her feet when she sees Viola in my arms.

“So much blood…” she whispers, patting Viola’s head. “Will she be all right?”

“Yes, Sophie, she’s fine but needs rest.”

“Is your maker gone?” She asks, her voice hushed.

“Viola poisoned him. Let’s get these two upstairs. I need to take care of William and Stefan before sunup.”

“Right,” Sophie nods. “Of course.”

Sophie’s composure in handling these situations makes me wonder about what else she’s experienced in her lifetime. It’s remarkable how she can accept such strange sights and situations with such ease. I look forward to the chance to share stories with her in the near future.

As I lay my blood-spattered Viola in her bed, I feel a sense of déjà vu. As much as I want to promise her this won’t happen again, this life of blood and corpses is somewhat inevitable for our kind.

Sophie starts to prepare the washbasin, and I leave her to it, knowing Viola and Elliott are in safe hands.

Lucky for me, William has an incinerator in his basement. Over the years, I heard him burning up three of my kind down there. At least, I assumed they were my kind—who knows with William.

I take the charm from Stefan’s corpse before tossing him to the incinerator without incident. Cleaning up outside is the next task, but there’s not much I can do about the blood staining the Earth and gravel paths.

Fortunately, not many of the house staff venture this far from the house, and the gardener will be occupied in the front yard for the next few weeks. The rain will most likely wash away the evidence before anyone goes exploring.

Dealing with William presents a greater challenge. Stepping into the room that once served as my dungeon, I discover his body carelessly thrown inside. Despite the grim scene, a smile tugs at my lips as I contemplate Viola’s handiwork. She tapped into her Daemon half and fought back—I’m relieved she had the chance to avenge her father.

I pull up the chair Viola would sit in to keep me company and take a moment to consider my options. I didn’t want it to end like this. With all the legal documents still being processed, it’s not ideal to have him die under suspicious circumstances. Viola would naturally be the first suspect. As Elliott’s now only legal guardian, she would control his entire fortune until he came of age.

I load William’s belongings into a trunk, arranging them to create the illusion of a hasty departure. Then, I drive his favorite car toward the lake, and to avoid leaving any tire tracks, I fly the car over the water and release it with him inside.

“This will be your eternal prison, William. May you rot in whatever hell your god condemns you to for your sins,” I mutter as I watch the car sink into the depths of the lake.

Returning to the house, the first light of dawn creeps over the horizon. I’m out of time—the house staff will be up and about soon.

I hurry to William’s room and craft a note for Mrs. Norris using his stationery and mimicking his handwriting, explaining that he will be absent for the next few months.

Returning to Viola’s room, I find her cleaned up and peacefully asleep in her bed. Sophie is also asleep in the adjoining room, resting on the armoire in Elliott’s room.

It’s over. Finally, it’s over, and Viola is safe.

Sophie had considerately filled the bath with water. It’s only when I pause to inspect myself in the mirror that I realize just how filthy I am, and the shirt that Viola bought for me is already in tatters. After cleaning off most of the blood, I sink into the tub to soak. This bath is undoubtedly the best I’ve ever had. The sensation of the warm water against my skin is so comforting that I nearly drift off to sleep.

I drag my weary body out of the bath and slip into bed beside Viola, wrapping her in my embrace. I lose myself in her scent until sleep claims me. In my dream, the gentle rhythm of waves lulls me, accompanied by the familiar fragrance of salt and sea. Yet, this dream feels different—it’s Viola’s—she’s brought me into her dream

I find myself lying on warm sand beneath an endless sky painted with seagulls. Viola’s hand seeks mine, and as I turn to her, she lies beside me, her smile radiant.

She rolls onto her side, resting her head on her hand, softly tracing my face with the other.

“This is it, Darius,” she whispers. “I can sense it, like a burden lifted from my chest.”

I stroke her cheek, seeking confirmation of her presence in this dream. Meeting her grey eyes, I feel the same weightlessness wash over me.

Viola drifts closer, delicately touching her lips to mine. “Will you take me to your homeland now? I’d love to see where you grew up.”

“Anywhere you choose on the map, and I’ll whisk you away.”

I didn’t think her smile could get any more beautiful, but there it is.

“What did I do to deserve you, Viola? You’ve saved me, revived me, and now we’re expecting a child? It’s more than I ever imagined for myself.”

Viola leans in to kiss me tenderly once more. “You’re doing the same for me, Darius. All I ever wanted was to be free, to feel safe, to be loved. I’ll give you everything I have and more.”

I intertwine my fingers with Viola’s hair, drawing her lips to mine, her skin tasting of salt, as if she had just emerged from the sea. Her warmth against my body feels so tangible, awakening every sense. It’s only then I realize we’re both naked.

I glance down. “I could have sworn I was wearing something a moment ago.”

Viola grins and shrugs. “This is my dream. Here, I make the rules.”

Viola’s hand wraps around my length, guiding me to her eager core, and in the golden glow of sunlight, my beloved Viola claims me.

The desire to be closer to her propels me to sit up, embracing her as she has her way with me. This aspect of Viola, so confident yet tinged with a hint of shyness, captivates me. It’s a captivating contradiction to witness her blushing cheeks as she boldly pursues her desires.

Lost in our intimacy, we’re unaware of time and space until a little presence interrupts our reverie. I awaken to find Elliott nestled between Viola and me, eyeing me with suspicion as he pushes my hands away from her.

He lies there silently, reminiscent of Emily’s stern demeanor. His lack of speech at his age raises concerns, hinting at possible mistreatment by William’s sister.

I hold out my hand and use my magic to try and will Elliott to give me his finger—children his age are easily manipulated. Elliott holds out his hand. I gently prick his finger with my fang, drawing a small drop of blood. With his gaze locked on mine, I delve into his memories, confirming my suspicions of mistreatment by William’s sister.

Releasing Elliott, I sense his sadness at reliving those painful moments.

“Elliott, would you like me to ease your burden by removing these memories?” I ask him quietly.

Elliott nods, leaving me to ponder whether to erase them or transform his memories into ones filled with positivity.

As I delve once more into Elliott’s mind, Viola’s hand gently covers his eyes. When I glance at her, she shakes her head tenderly. “These memories will fade with time as we bury them with love.”

I chuckle softly. “Very well. Elliott, how about a drive today? I thought we could embark on an adventure. Have you ever sailed on a ship before?”

Elliott shakes his head.

“There is a place across the sea with snowy mountains, fields of flowers, and trees with leaves so red they look like fire. Have you ever seen a deer with fags?”

Elliott’s brows knit, and Viola behind him looks unconvinced.

“Oh, I assure you, they’re very real, though you’d be more interested in seeing the weasels or the Yellow-Throated Marten. Adorable but very smelly.”

Elliott giggles.

“The aunties are going to love you. She we go visit and meet your birth mother’s family?”

Elliott nods eagerly.

“Alright then, go wake up Sophie, and we’ll prepare to leave.”

Elliott excitedly scrambles off the bed and darts into his room to rouse Sophie. The sound of his little footsteps brings a smile to my face.

Viola’s hand finds mine. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while.”

“Anything.”

Viola snuggles closer. “What name did your father give you?”

“My family name is Han, and my name is Dae.”

“Dae…” She repeats with a smile.

“I haven’t heard anyone say that name in a very long time.”

“You were right, Darius Kane is dead. Does it have a meaning?”

“Greatness.”

Viola smiles and caresses my face. “You certainly are that, Dae.”