Caressed by a Crimson Moon (Rulers of Darkness) (16 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Instinct and the sound of clicking glass lured Eva toward the solarium. The metal shutters retracted as she entered, signaling the setting of the sun. The only source of light was a small desk lamp burning brightly on the second floor, casting shadows about the massive room.

Eva dropped her packed bags and mounted the winding iron staircase that led to the loft study of the solarium. She was not surprised when she found Hadrian. She seemed to have a knack for stumbling upon him. He was busy riffling through a china cabinet filled with various dried flowers and foliage, which were kept in glass vials and beakers.

“Welcome,” he said over his shoulder.

“Good evening, Your Majesty.”

Without even glancing her way, he said, “You have packed.”

The statement made Eva wince. “Falcon has made arrangements for me to stay at another of your properties.”

“Yes, he has shared his plans with me.”

Hadrian turned from the cabinet, a slender beaker in hand. Crossing to the cool steel table, he gently sat the jar beside a sheathed dagger, a beaker of clear solution, and a less than full tall glass of blood.

Had he been drinking it?

He is a vampire. Drinking blood is nothing out of the ordinary.
She frowned as she realized she wanted to see him take a sip. She wanted to watch him put the rim to his perfect lips.

“Do you want to leave?”

Eva’s attention snapped back to the king. “After what happened…Falcon thinks I should go—”

“You did not answer my question.” Hadrian’s hand shot out, his cool fingers wrapped about her wrist and pulled her forward, making her lean over the table. “Do you
want
to leave, Eva?”

Wetting her suddenly dry lips, she answered with a quaking voice, “No.”

Hadrian brushed her palm with the pad of his thumb in rhythmic circles. “Your wound has healed nicely.”

“It was treated with a Shaw salve.”

He absently nodded as he turned her palm upward. Slowly raising her hand to his lips, he whispered, “You have beautiful skin.”

He kissed her palm and Eva sighed as her entire body began to tingle.

“I pray you can forgive me for my actions of last night.” His breath skipped along her wrist causing her pulse to flutter.

“Y–Your Majesty, I should be the one to apologize. If I had not followed you—”

Hadrian pressed another kiss to her palm, making Eva’s words end on a gasp.

“I should have exercised more restraint.” His eyes darkened as they traveled down her body, desire flickered in their cold, black depths. “My behavior was not at all kingly.”

Releasing his hold, Hadrian pulled away. Eva barely resisted the urge to reach out and draw him back.

“So, what is this project,” she asked, trying to sound casual, if possible.

“This is a test conducted on all new fledglings to determine how strong they will become,” he explained.

Eva stepped closer. Focusing on the flowers, she tried her best to ignore the blood.

“New fledglings? You mean, newly transformed vampires?”

He nodded and withdrew three shriveled flowers still attached to their stems.

“Have you changed someone?” she asked, glancing about the loft. They were alone.

“I have changed only one mortal. Falcon,” he answered. “I have put this test together for you.”

“Me? I have no magic in my blood.”

“I suspect you do.”

His statement surprised her. What was it about her that made him think she was anything more than a weak half-breed?

“I’ll participate, but don’t get your hopes up. I’m only half-shifter.”

“These dried flowers were once blooms of wolfsbane. If magic is present in your blood it will come back to life. The quicker it is revived and the brighter the glow of colors the stronger the magic. Do you know what determines a vampire’s strength?”

“No.”

“By sharing our cursed blood we can transform humans into demons. The magic that runs in our veins is very potent. The stronger the curse, the stronger the magic, the stronger the blood,” he explained.

“The stronger the vampire,” she added.

He nodded.

“Do you plan to test that blood?” She pointed to the glass.

“Yes, I want to show you the difference between mortal’s blood and ours.”

“I don’t think anything is going to happen, but I’m game. I’m warning you, I’m squeamish when it comes to blood. Can’t even look at the stuff and the smell…” her words trailed off with a shiver.

Hadrian smiled and unsheathed the dagger. He dipped the tip into the cooled blood and then held it over the first flower. The crimson liquid dripped onto the shriveled petals.

“Nothing happen,” Eva whispered.

“And nothing will. Human’s possess no magic.”

Hadrian licked the remainder of the blood from the blade before dunking it into the clear solution. When he raised the blade, the unmistakable scent of alcohol assailed her senses.

At least this is sanitary,
she thought.

Hadrian pricked the tip of his index finger. Blood welled and he held his hand over the second sprig.

Eva hadn’t noticed the gasp that escaped her lips as she stepped forward, hitting her hips on the edge of the table. Her gaze locked on the flower. Brilliant, vibrant hues of blue and purple blossomed to life as the stem began to sprout.

“Amazing,” she breathlessly whispered. “I have never seen anything like that. Well, except on TV. Your blood must be really strong.”

“I was sired by one of the original vampires,” he stated coldly. He rounded the table to stand beside her. “Now, it is your turn.”

“Damn,” she sighed, nervousness bubbled in her stomach.

He rinsed the blade again. “Your blood taunted me last night,” he said, his voice deepening, his breath sweeping along her ear. He drew a finger over her palm, mimicking her healed wound. “And it revealed your secrets.”

“Secrets?” Hell, she could not think straight with this man so close.

Her blood. He had been talking about her blood.

“I know what you are, little one.”

“What do you mean?”

“Allow me to show you.”

Eva knew she should close her eyes. He was going to prick her finger. He was going to draw blood. The thought made her stomach twist and she prayed she would able to hold down her Fruit Loops, but she could not look away.

She felt no pain as the blade pricked her finger. A tiny bead of blood welled and Hadrian held her hand over the last dried flower. One drop. Two. Three.

Eva’s heart hammered against her ribs as her breath seized. Shock cartwheeled down her spine. She felt her jaw drop and her legs went weak. Hadrian caught her to him, supporting her weight with his body. A bomb went off in her head and, for the first time in her life, she swore she would faint. Awe, confusion, astonishment, and fear whirled together like a hurricane in her mind.

This was…inconceivable. It had to be a mistake. It
was
a mistake. When Hadrian cut her finger, his blood must have mixed with hers. That was the only possible explanation for the wolfsbane blooming.

“It–That–I don’t…” Eva shook her head. Closing her eyes, she began to take in one slow, deep breath after the other. Collecting her scattered rational, she began again, “I think your blood mixed with mine.”

“It did not.”

“This has to be some kind of trick,” she argued.

“Never have I led you falsely.”

“But this,” she waved at her once shriveled sprig, its colors so intense it appeared to be glowing, “is impossible. I’m a half-breed. My blood is weak. Diluted.”

“Magic is thick in your veins.”

“No. It’s not. It
really
is not,” she protested. “I demand a retest.”

“By all means,” Hadrian insisted. Plucking another dried flower from the beaker he laid it on the table before her.

“Do you have something else I can use to draw blood?”

Hadrian went to the china cabinet and retrieved a small pocketknife. He sanitized it with fresh alcohol, flipped it in his hand and offered her the hilt.

Eva reached out with trembling fingers. She hoped she would have the courage to cut herself.

Time froze as she struggled to calm her nerves and ignore the storm of mixed emotions that whirled through her.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she held her breath as the cool metal pierced her thumb. Peeking from beneath her lashes, Eva watched her blood drip onto the new flower.

She expected to hit the floor, but Hadrian caught her. Her body was numb, her muscles slack, her breathing was shallow while her heart beat out of control as the blossoming flower stared up at her.

Eva sputter, her head reeling. It took some time before she could finally speak. “This isn’t possible. I’m a half-breed.”

“Yes, but you are not human.”

“W–what am I?” Eva’s voice quaked and angry tears stung her eyes as she silently prayed for strength. Chaos. Her thoughts were complete chaos as her world collapsed around her, falling like shards of glass from a perfectly polished, beautifully destroyed mirror. “What kind of freak am I?” she demanded, her hands forming shaking fists as the red of rage colored her vision.

“You are no ‘freak,’ little one, but a true treasure.”

She snorted, “Spare me the ‘you are special’ speech. What the hell am I?”

“You are of shifter and Shaw descendent.”

“Shaw? No.” She shook her head. “This can’t be. My mother was not a witch. She was mortal. She was human. She was…normal.”

“You have magic in your blood, there is no escaping, no hiding from what you are.”

“No.” She shoved against his chest. “I don’t have magic. This has to be a mistake.”

“Science does not lie,” he stated.

“No!” Eva began to thrash and Hadrian’s arms tightened like steal bands, trapping her. “My mother was not a Shaw,” she railed. Unleashing the storm of emotions that roiled within her, she pummeled his chest with her tiny fists. She kicked at his shins and scratched at his arms. Hadrian held her firm, absorbing every hit she delivered.

How could she not have known? Why had her mother said nothing? God, she had lived her entire life believing she was mortal and now…She had no idea what she was or what she would become.

“Let it out,” Hadrian crooned as she continued to fight. “Let all your anger out.”

After what seemed like a tortured eternity to Eva, her wild punches slowed until she sagged against his solid chest. She trembled as tears slipped down her cheeks like tiny rivulets, soaking his shirt. Hadrian gathered her closer, as if he were trying to shield her from the pain.

Fury simmered within her as confusion clouded her mind. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t focus. Everything she knew about herself, everything she knew about her parents had been a lie. Her vision wavered as the sharp, gnarled edge of betrayal pierced her heart. Why did her mother never tell her about her true heritage?

“All my life, I was lead to believe—Why would she do this?” Eva sniffled.

“I wish I knew.”

“And my father, he must have known.”

Hadrian rested his chin atop her head. He began to stroke her hair, the long silken strands slipping through his fingers. Eva burrowed her face into his chest. His warmth chased away the chill of shock that had taken root in her bones.

Closing her eyes, she savored the comfort he offered and wrapped her arms about his waist, hugging him tightly. No one had held her or shown her compassion since childhood.

The sound of a slow, steady heartbeat lulled her as he began to massage her shoulders, her neck, and her back. The tension in her body slowly eased until she was completely relaxed and…purring?

Yes and she felt completely content and exhausted. Her head ached and her eyes burned with tears. She needed a nice, long soak in the tub, hot chocolate, and some
Ibuprofen. But there was one question she had to ask before she could slink off to her room to self-medicate and hide from the world.

“I’ve growled and I was…just purring. I haven’t been able to sleep because I crave movement. Every night I pace my room for hours or swim laps in the pool. With every passing day I find it more and more difficult to stay still long enough to watch a movie.” Gathering her courage, she asked, “What is happening to me?”