Page 7 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Thrall

“You were murdered.”

Murdered. I blinked, the only sign of shock I would allow myself to show. It happened, of course, but it was rare that a living vampire awakened as an undead before their memories were returned. It was dangerous, as I supposed I had proved by killing that girl and biting Hayes, to have undead vampires running around freely, unable to control their impulses. Our race survived through secrecy. Was that why I’d beenretrieved?

“You’re sure?” The undead vampire nodded and I couldn’t even look at Hayes as my world was ripped out from under my feet. “How did you know to find me?”

Her dark eyes blinked slowly at me, like a predator watching prey. “I received an order for retrieval. Rare,” she explained, seeing my confusion, “but not unprecedented. As such, one of our most-promising second years was selected to recover you and bring you here.”

“Who gave the order?” Hayes said and the undead vampire’s gaze cooled significantly as she looked to him.

“I don’t know, but it’s certainly no business of yours. Congratulations on a retrieval well done—wait outside. You’re to be Leonora’s guide, on account of your bond.”

Hayes stood, the smirk that had seemed a permanent fixture on his face morphing into a blank mask as he nodded and I felt a shadow of something like fear as the door closed and I was left alone with a vampire.

Of course, compared to the humans we probably seemed barbaric and even as a vampire myself I could appreciate that. What other race sent their children away into the world at the age of five, without their memories of their world, purely for natural selection? If you survived, then you’d earned your place in our society and would make your way to the closest sanctuary, ready for training.

“How long until my memories come back?”

“Of your human life?” The woman considered me, tapping her chin lightly with one finger. “Maybe tomorrow, maybe never. I imagine it will largely depend on you, dear.”

Silence fell as we considered each other and I tried to ignore the slight dryness of my throat that had been steadily rising since the block had been removed from my mind. New vampires needed more blood than usual to counteract the effects of their death and transformation. Then throw in the effect that magick had on the vampiric body and… well, it was no wonder I was a little thirsty.

My eyes drifted to the door that Hayes had left through and a shiver of awareness coasted over my skin, like he was looking back at me from the other side.

“Welcome to Ashvale, Leonora. I trust your stay with us will be pleasant. You may call me Elowen, I am the head of the sanctuary.”

My eyes pulled away from the door with effort and the sensation faded.

“In your time at Ashvale, you will make your debut to vampiric society—it is a particularly big cause for celebration when a new undead joins our ranks and this will give your sire line the chance to claim you as part of their lineage. Typically this happens once per year and you’ve arrived in time for our ball next month. Perfection—” Elowen grinned and I shivered at the glimpse of her fangs “—cannot be rushed. Given your predicament with Hayes, I think it best that he be your assigned guide for the first year of your stay. You will have classes each week that will train you for life as an undead, though it appears you are a fast learner. Classes are not compulsory, but we strongly advise you attend in order to make the most of your time with us.” She nodded to the door and where Hayes stood beyond it. “The living vampires are strong, but even one such as Hayes can only last so long in thrall. Make sure you put him out of his misery before he shows you to your room.”

I wasn’t sure what thrall was or how I’d accidentally placed one on Hayes, but I would figure that all out later.

“And my murder?”

“It’s being looked into,” Elowen said dismissively and I nodded, unsure how much I trusted that. Vampires, as best I could remember, didn’t treat death in the same way as humans—they preferred to think of it as an unfortunate necessity that could be as cumbersome as it could gratifying. It might not seem like a big deal to them, but I wanted to know who had done this to me, and why.

Taking her words as a dismissal, I stood. Awareness of my new body’s speed finally sank into my brain, and I could process it in a way it couldn’t before. That same odd tingle swept over my skin as I opened the door opposite to the one I’d entered and practically caught Hayes as he slumped against me.

He panted as I grasped his bicep and tugged him up, half-carrying the blonde menace away down the corridor. His skin burned with heat and I shivered as our hands brushed.

His pulse thudded unevenly by my ear and my hand tightened involuntarily around his elbow. I thought I heard Elowen’s laugh as the door swung shut and we were left in a corridor not unlike the one we’d previously passed through, but better lit.

I dragged Hayes onward until his hand reached out and snagged at an alcove I hadn’t noticed, halting us in the corridor before he pulled us inside.

The stone was cool at my back, but I probably wouldn’t have noticed if not for the heat of Hayes at my front. He shoved away from me until his back hit the opposite wall in the tight space, chest heaving as though he fought for breath. When he opened his eyes they were clear but surprisingly bright, almost feverish.

“Leonora,” he growled and I fell unnaturally still. “Please.”

I didn’t know what he was asking for, what he needed, but he seemed to loathe begging for it. He seemed to read the confusion on my face and his head fell back against the stone. I watched the movement of his throat in fascination as he swallowed hard, surprised I’d caught the motion in the darkness the torch-lit corridor couldn’t quite reach.

The castle was silent, which I would have thought odd for vampires, except that the majority of those in Ashvale were likely living vampires who tolerated the sun much better than the undead. Hayes’ ragged breathing seemed to reach a fever pitch and his hand moved so quickly that it was a blur even to me as it slapped against the stone next to my face.

“Please,” he repeated, voice tight as he titled his chin and bared his throat.

My eyes fixed on the pulse thudding fast in his neck, my fingers brushing over it in anticipation and Hayes moaned breathlessly. “Why?”

His voice was a growl that was barely decipherable as he balled his hands against the stone wall. “Because we are bound, for better or worse.” I didn’t know what he meant, but it was clear thatworsewas the descriptor he was favouring. “I feel your hunger as if it were my own, my body aches for your bite as a result, not to mention the power you’re exuding right now. So please, just fucking do it.”

I swallowed as he arched his back, tilting his head further to welcome me in. The hunger rose up in me, and this time I didn’t try to fight it—I embraced it.

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