Page 22 of Elegy of Twilight
Captain Elroy stood, eyes narrowed. “Why is this so important to you?”
I bit my cheek and closed my eyes, summoning my courage. Allowing my voice to dip into a whisper, I said, “I know about you and Edith.”
Captain Elroy staggered back, a hand coming up to grasp his short beard. He shook his head, eyebrows knitting together. “How? She told you?”
I closed my eyes. “I. . .no. I came looking for you and. . .” I trailed off. It was enough.
“And what, exactly, is your proposal?” His voice was still rough, but this time he was listening.
“Use me as bait, a lure to expose the vampires, once and for all. People are leaving. They are afraid to live in this village, and if they all go, what will we have left?”
Captain Elroy pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m aware. The odd thing is, in the past month, only one person has been found dead. Something has made the vampires turn to animals instead of humans.”
I squeezed my hand into a fist. “Then let’s use it to our advantage.”
I dared to hope that this time, we’d catch the real vampire king. If Titus didn’t know I was coming, would he fall for another trap?
The forest was dark and gloomy as Captain Elroy, along with five of his most trusted knights, and I stole back to the glade. The scent of rain hung in the air, warning of a storm that would eventually break.
“I don’t like this,” Captain Elroy said as he led me to a tree close to the waterfall. “You never fully explained what happened the last time either.”
“Nor will I,” I told him. “Just give me a knife, and don’t tie up my arms.”
He did as instructed. Winding the rope around my waist, he tied me to the tree, then pressed a knifeinto my hands. He glanced at the cloudy sky. “This is what’s known as the glade of sacrifice. You’ve chosen to stand in place of the people, to offer yourself. That is admirable.”
“It’s what you were hoping for the first time,” I reminded him.
“It is.”
“Then we can only hope that fate is on our side.”
He nodded, hesitated, and then faded into the trees, shoving wool into his ears.
I waited, squeezing the knife, watching the shadows to see who or what would emerge. The waiting was the hardest part. My skin crawled, and every sound made me flinch. I had no idea how long I waited, but it felt much longer than last time. Finally, a shadow appeared, walking toward the pool—toward me. I swallowed hard. This time, there was no music. This time, there was no Titus.
The shadow moved quietly, silently, lingering in the edges of darkness, making me wonder if Captain Elroy could see this being creeping up on me. I shouldn’t be tied up. I needed to run. I moved the knife toward the rope but sawing it would make noise. My captor would know that I didn’t intend to be his prey. No, I needed to be silent, to wait until hewas closer, then scream before he tore open my throat.
My eyes strained with the pain of watching. Then I blinked, and he was gone. I strained, listening for a step, a sound, anything.
“So, you’re his woman,” a low voice came.
I jerked my head to the left, to the right, and finally pinpointed the shadow leaning against a nearby tree, watching me. My heart raced, both elated and terrified.Thismust be the vampire king. He was around the same height as Titus with longer hair, the pale light only indicating it was dark. The scent of tobacco pipe wafted from him, along with an unwashed, sour scent. I wondered if he’d been feasting before I drew his attention. Where were the knights? Were they coming?
“Who are you?” I whispered, hoping to engage him in conversation while I stealthily cut myself free.
A rough chuckle burst from his lips. “I find you tied up in a glade, and you’re more concerned about who I am? I came to set you free before he comes.”
“Who is thishethat you speak of?”
“You’ve been tricked, besotted by a fool, so take my warning and run back to your abbey. The man you’ve been entertaining in the dark is not who you think he is. As soon as he has your trust, your love,he will ruin you. Run while you have the chance, and I’ll deal with him.”
My eyes darted back and forth, my breath turning shallow. Was it true? No, I couldn’t listen to his words. This must be the vampire king, a jealous creature, for his sacrifice had been stolen by another. Why else would he be here?
“Why should I trust you and your lies?”
“Why should you trusthimandhislies?” he retorted.
True. I didn’t know Titus, but the times we’d spent together were like a taste of fine wine. Delectable, forbidden yet delicious at the same time, leaving me wanting more than just a taste.
