Rhiannon Frater - The Fallen King

“Do you like her?” Vanora asked, spooning up some broth and trying not to sound or look too concerned.

“She’s a bit flamboyant for my taste, but she’s fine, I suppose. Roman loves her though. You can see it. The way he looks at her is the way my Ryan looks at me. It’s real love there.”

“And she loves him?”

Miss Robbins pondered the question. “Yes, I do believe she does. I hope they’ll be happy.”

They both fell silent as they ate.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Miss Robbins disappeared into the pantry and emerged with two gallon jugs. She placed them on the counter before returning to her meal.

Vanora could not take her eyes off the white plastic containers. The liquid within was clearly red. Blood. Vanora pushed her food away and quickly swallowed what she was chewing.

“They like it warm,” Miss Robbins stated with a shrug

“Aren’t you ever afraid anymore?”

“I got over it one night. I was late leaving and scared out of my wits. I decided to go down the back stairs. It had been raining all day and they were awfully slick. I slipped and fell over the banister and barely held on. I was screaming my head off. If I would have fallen, it would have been two stories down onto the cement. Then suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw this lovely girl with black hair floating toward me. Then from me other side came this young man. He took one arm, she took the other and they floated me down to the ground between them. It was Zachary and Emily. I was very shaken and they helped me to my car. There were as sweet as peaches and I just lost my fear of them. I know they won’t ever hurt me. Have you ever flown with the vampires?”

The memory of the night she had fled filled her mind. Armando had carried her down to the ground from her bedroom window. “No, not really.”

Finishing her meal, she retreated from the uncomfortable conversation with Miss Robbins and returned to her room. In spite of her fear of dreaming, she climbed back into bed. Snuggling down into the covers, she listened to the wind murmuring against the window panes. She wasn’t even aware of falling asleep until she was being awakened by her phone ringing. A look at the screen filled her with dread.

It was Dan.

Vanora pondered not answering, but finally swiped the screen. “Hello?”

“Hey, Vanora,” Dan said, sounding awkward. “Are you with your family right now? Can you talk?”

“I can talk. I was just taking a nap.”

“I just got off work, so I wanted to see how you’re doing. I thought maybe I could swing by and pick you up for a coffee in a little bit.”

“Oh, uh...” Vanora slid from the bed, her fingers combing nervously through her hair. “I’m in Houston.”

“You are?”

It was difficult to ascertain exactly what Dan’s tone implied.

“I guess I should have called you,” Vanora said, wincing.

“Yeah, you should have. I would have come by to see you.”

The hurt in his voice filled Vanora with sadness. Peering out the windows, she saw the sun was nearly below the horizon. The day had passed by while she slept and now the night was coming. Her stomach clenched at the thought.

“I’m so sorry, Dan. Once I made up my mind, I just... “ Vanora sighed. She had run away yet again and she knew it. But at least this time she was trying to save not just herself, but the ones she loved. “I was just so overwhelmed with all that’s happened, I wasn’t really thinking straight.”

“It’s been so awful for you. I don’t even know what to say.”

Dan was so innocent and oblivious to the evil that loomed in the darkness. Vanora realized that she had been living a lie since she ran from her home, her siblings, Houston, and the dark. She had never truly escaped.

“Vanora?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking.” She didn’t know what to say or do.

There was a long beat of silence, then Dan said, “You’re not coming back, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

A bitter laugh was followed by a sigh. “Things seemed to be going so well and then... Vanora, they kinda went wrong, didn’t they? Our last date?”

“Yes,” Vanora replied softly.

“I really thought we had a chance. I thought you were the one.”

She didn’t even know what to say in answer to that. Resting her forehead against the cool glass, Vanora stared down at the growing gloom surrounding the mansion.

“Is it because of that Armando guy?” Dan asked, anger lacing his voice suddenly.

“No, it’s not because of Armando. Like I told you, we’re old friends,” Vanora said, now wanting to get off the phone and leave this chapter of her life behind.

“Because there seemed to be something between you two,” Dan continued.

Vanora struggled to keep the annoyance from her voice. “Dan, we’re over now. Let’s end this amicably.”

“I just don’t understand how we could have gone from being so happy to you running away.”

“Dan, the reality is I don’t love you. I don’t have a future with you.”

“And you have one with Armando?” The nastiness in Dan’s voice surprised her.

Vanora didn’t even know any more if she had a future. Fate seemed determined to drag her kicking and screaming into the darkness. “Dan, the truth is Armando and I were lovers and I never got over him. I’m sorry.”

“That’s all you had to say,” Dan said, and killed the call.

With an irritated sigh, Vanora slid her phone into the pocket of her jeans. Turning around, she was startled to see Armando standing in the center of her room. Dragging a hand through his dark curls, he gave her a surprisingly sheepish grin.

“You heard that, didn’t you?”

Smiling coyly, Armando nodded.

“You were under the bed, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I’m over you,” Vanora said defiantly.

“No, you’re not.”

Vanora found it increasingly hard to take a breath.

“No more than I’m over you,” Armando finished.

“We’re doomed, you know,” Vanora said sadly.

“Yes.” Armando drew closer to her. “We are.”

Every step he took made her heart beat faster. The vampire was almost to her, when he paused. Appearing a bit uncomfortable, he took a step away from her.

“Armando?”

“I need to go. I need to feed.” He quickly opened one of her windows and perched on the ledge. “I’ll be back soon.”

“There is pig’s blood here.” Fear flitted through her. Despite all the tension between them, Armando did make her feel safe. The thought of facing her siblings without him made her very uneasy.

“I have to drink human blood, Vanora,” Armando said simply. “I need to be at my most powerful to defend you.”

“You said we were going to talk!”

“We will. When I return.” Armando lashed out, gripped her hand, and drew her close. “I won’t be long. Speak to Roman. Stay close to the other vampires. Don’t leave the house.”

As always, his touch did wonderful, yet terrible things to her nerves.

Then he was gone in the blink of an eye.

Closing the window, Vanora took a deep breath.

It was time to face the vampires.

After a hot shower, Vanora dressed in a long, wine-colored velvet skirt, black angora sweater, and black ankle boots. She wasn’t exactly sure how she should dress for a party she hadn’t even expected to attend, but she had found something suitable in her closet.

The house was strangely quiet when she emerged from her bedroom and hurried downstairs. Tonight, her body was tingling all over for the night was charged with danger. There was an ominous presence in the gloom that lay beyond the sanctuary of the house. In the kitchen she found Miss Robbins.