Rhiannon Frater - The Fallen King

Vanora gave him a slight nod, acknowledging the truth.

“About what?” His voice sounded stringent and he hated that fact.

“Darkness consuming me.” Sliding her gaze toward him, he could see the fear in her lavender eyes.

“I won’t let that happen.” It was a vow. A sacred vow.

When she pulled away from him and pressed herself against the door, the pain of her rejection drew a desperate sound from his throat. Anger flashed through him. Not at her, but his nature, his curse, his role in Aeron’s plans, and his helplessness.

“Armando, what aren’t you telling me?”

Concentrating on the road, Armando floundered in his thoughts to form an answer. What could he say without infringing on Aeron’s edict? He considered changing the subject of their possible impending deaths to how much he loved her, would do anything to save her, and how she must trust him. Yet, he knew she would be angry with him if he tried to speak of anything other than the threat against her family.

“Well?” Her voice was demanding and annoyed.

“Tell me about your other dreams.” Armando inwardly winced, awaiting her wrath.

“They’re not important.”

The defensiveness in her voice frightened him. “You’re keeping something from me.” What if she was dreaming of Aeron? What if she knew more than she was sharing with him? He dared to look at her though his eyes felt like fire.

Vanora graced him with a cocky smile. “Then I guess we’re even.”

“This isn’t a game, Vanora. This world is very dangerous.” Now he was angry with her, but how was that fair? They were both keeping secrets, yet their lives depended on them trusting one another.

“I know that! Why do you think I ran away? I know what you really are. What my brother and sister really are. Remember, I saw it!”

Vanora still feared him. He could sense it to the core of his being. That night haunted him. It had been both glorious and terrible. With frustration, he slammed his hand against the steering wheel. If only he had taken her away that night and never allowed her to see what was in the ballroom.

“Armando, you can’t be angry at me for being afraid of you! Of them! Of what they did! I thought you weren’t like…like…”

“Like the one who made Roman?” Armando laughed bitterly. “Vanora, we are monsters with human faces and human hearts. The worst sort of hell, don’t you think?”

“What happened that night...what they did…it haunts me. Terrifies me.”

Watching the road, Armando tried not to see the young woman trembling at his side. He didn’t want to see her fear, her pain, and her sadness. “The hunger is a power so overwhelming it crushes us into slaves.”

“And nothing can defeat it?” Her voice was hoarse with pain and more.

Armando dared to touch her, but she withdrew. “No, Vanora. Not even love.”

They both fell silent.

Armando concentrated on the road.

Vanora gazed at anything other than him.

The road stretched out endlessly in the illumination of the headlights. The tall trees lining the road sank back into pastures as open fields took their place. Buildings drifted out of the night to vanish once again. They were alone in the darkness.

Armando bought Vanora breakfast at a drive-thru. Her hands had yet to stop trembling and she looked a bit ragged. He suspected she hadn’t eaten in some time, so he turned off the highway. After he ordered, she giggled beside him.

“What is it?”

“A vampire going through a drive-thru just seems weird,” she answered, shrugging.

They had spoken much to each other in the last hour. They had mostly watched the darkened world speed past the car windows. Vanora had put on music for a while, but then turned it off after a bit. She was restless and anxious.

Once back on the road, he had to cajole her into eating. Finally, she obeyed, though she had to be very dramatic about it. When she stuffed a huge bite in her mouth, it had made him smile. He liked it when they ignored all the unspoken things between them and pretended to just be friends. But it never lasted too long. They would fall back into awkwardness.

Without realizing what he was doing until he had already tucked her hair behind her ear and saw a flash of discomfort in her eyes, he understood that perhaps there was no way to avoid the unspoken things.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that.”

“Do what?” Armando couldn’t help but play it coy with her. It was difficult not to demonstrate his affection toward her and he felt a bit peevish about it.

“I came back for Roman. Not you.”

“I know. You’re seeing someone.” How he hated Dan. He hated him with a vengeance. It grieved him to no end that a man that did not fully understand how wonderful Vanora was had her affections. Armando knew Dan didn’t see her strength, her intelligence, her loyalty, or her power. All the stupid mortal saw was a supposedly virginal future bride. But he also knew that their romance was doomed. Vanora would lose yet another person she loved to the darkness. No matter how much he despised Dan, he loved Vanora and he dreaded seeing her wounded yet again.

Vanora looked away with annoyance. She nibbled on her breakfast to keep herself occupied most likely. After a few minutes, she said, “What if it’s too late? What if he won’t listen?”

It took Armando a moment to realize she was not talking about Dan, but changing the subject of their conversation entirely. “If there is one thing about your brother that I know for certain, it’s that he loves you more than his own life. He’ll listen to you.”

“And not Alisha?”

“Alisha fights with Carlotta all the time. Roman tends to listen to his fiancée more than his sister.”

“I still can’t believe he’s marrying her. “ Vanora discarded the last of her sandwich and crumpled up the white paper bag.

Armando still couldn’t believe Roman was so enamored with Carlotta. Yet, the couple was obviously smitten with one another. It was best that Vanora realize that all was not the same as when she had left. “In your absence, he’s become…different. But he still loves you.”

Armando’s fingers flexed on the steering wheel. There was so much more he wanted to say to Vanora, but didn’t dare to speak.

“I have no regrets about leaving.” A bit of defiance was in her words.

“I know. It was the right thing to do. At the time. Just like it’s now time for you to return and hopefully convince your brother to do the right thing before it’s too late.”

“Run away?”

“Or prepare to fight a war.”

“A war.” Vanora appeared to ponder the words. “A war against who?”

“The older vampires.”

“Give me names. Descriptions.” Vanora glared at him.

Armando remained silent. He concentrated on the road leading them back to the Socoli Mansion. They were closer now. Almost there. Which was a good thing, for he was exhausted and the rising sun was sapping away the last of his strength.

“Well?”

“Just convince him to leave, Vanora.”

“God, you’re so annoying.”

“Yet, you adore me.” Armando couldn’t resist needling her just a bit. It had been tiresome trying so hard to behave and keep his mission in the forefront of his mind. During the drive he had wanted to pour his heart out to her, swear his eternal love, convince her to run away with him, yet he knew he couldn’t. She needed to save Roman and Alisha. She needed to escape. This was not the time to be a lovesick puppy in her presence.

“I wouldn’t say I adore you...” she answered, rolling her eyes.

“Love with a fiery passion?” Armando suggested. His control over his emotions and tongue was slipping as the sun rose.