Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
But it’s the large group of scions who have my attention. One of them, Nioh, is standing at the open front door, talking to someone.
I nod my head with satisfaction, pleased that it all worked out, as I continue my descent.
Two more scions enter, each carrying one end of a coffin. Then another pair with a second coffin.
“Put them in the dining room.” My voice booms through the foyer, echoing off the ceiling.
Everything in the room stops. Even the scions bringing in the coffins. Every face turns up to me. They immediately bow their heads and go down on one knee. “My lord,” they say, nearly in unison.
None of them were the chosen one. That was Ryet.
But they are still alive and Ryet isn’t.
He’s not back in the dirt under his house, either.
He’s in one of those coffins. Because we are not done with him yet.
Or sweet little Syrsee, who is in the second coffin, though for different reasons. She is carrying the new Darkness inside her and it’s just easier to transport bodies all the way across the country using a commercial transport if said body is in a coffin.
“Good.” Josep’s voice booms the way mine did just a moment ago. He’s in his vampire form too. And it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen him in the flesh like that. “You’re back. How did it go?”
“Scions.” They all look up at me with their full attention. Eyes filled with adoration, ready to be told what to do. “Resume your duties. Those of you with no assigned duties, please go find yourself a place to stay on the compound.”
There’s about thirty seconds of bustle as the scions get out of our way, and then it’s just Josep and me, standing opposite each other in the foyer, right under a massive chandelier made of moose antlers.
He starts first, repeating his last question. “Did you have any problems?”
“Not a single one. The coffins are here and we’re good to go. How about you? Did you run into any trouble?”
“None at all. I’m ready.”
We’re both lying. But neither of us cares. Because regardless of what comes after the ritual we’re about to do, the ritual itself will be flawless.
“Then by all means, blood brother.” I smile at him, then pan my hand in the direction of the dining room. “Let’s eat. We have a lot of hungry scions to feed.”
Josep leads us into the dining room where Ryet’s and Syrsee’s bodies have been laid out on the long table, their heads positioned on either end for easy access, their feet touching in the middle.
The room of scions is quiet as we enter and take up our positions at the head of the room where two massive golden wingback chairs have sat since the day this place was complete.
Maybe Lucia sat in them, over the years. Or a halfbreed.
But these chairs belong to Josep and me.
And when we sit it all becomes real.
He and I look at each other, smirking.
Because while we might both be in the middle of betraying each other, teamwork makes the dream work.
This is the dream.
I raise my right hand in the air, commanding my scions to give me all their attention. “There will be no frenzy, do you all understand?”
Some of them are licking their lips in anticipation, but all of them nod out an affirmative.
I let Ryet do whatever he wanted for the most part. Because he only plays a small part in my ascension to Dark Lord.
Not only is he the first third-born vampire in hundreds of years, he is the one who will save us all. But just because he’s the one we’ve been waiting for—and the start of a brand-new vampire bloodline— this doesn’t mean he’s the one who gets to see it all through. Because, realistically, when it all comes down to it, he is just food.
These men—well, these men are a whole other breed of scion.
And when I pull the new Darkness out of Ryet when that baby is born, they will be my Dark Army.
I lower my hand and command them to, “Proceed!”
They start drinking. One at Syrsee’s neck, one at Ryet’s. And then they move on, following the men in front of them, until they have had their drink of my two blood lovers.
When they have gotten both sides of the Darkness inside them, one by one, they come up to Josep and me and we begin a new version of the long drink.
A death that isn’t death, but a revival.
Not a drink to kill, but one to renew.
And when we have drained them to the point where they are almost unable to stand, we lead them out into the back woods where the dirt is loose, and rich, and wet. Where they dig their own shallow graves, lie down inside, and cover themselves with the earth.