Read Opulent (The Opalescent Collection Book 1) Online
Authors: Isabelle Gallo
The simple abode my parents invited me to was below my usual standards. Their humble mansion was the house I grew up in, although even
that
seemed plain in comparison to the new luxury that surrounded me back on Catastrophe. When I walked into the dining room the first thing I saw was the long dining table, every seat occupied by a werewolf family member. The chatter among them stopped and they all looked at me. My father rose and welcomed me in a hug, though it was probably more to appease my mother who instantly embraced me after my father moved away.
She
was not displeased by my presence or by the fact that I was not one of
them
.
My father was always very robust-looking to me. His simple Earth clothes did him injustice, though his eyes carefully scrutinized my own foreign clothes, expressing his distaste without having to say a word.
“Chenille is here,” he exclaimed as if the family had failed to acknowledge my presence. “You can go and have a seat near Timothy.”
Timothy had always been my favorite cousin. Surprisingly, this was a memory that surfaced easily. His blue eyes flicked up to greet me before he uttered a word and I tousled his blond hair without thinking.
“I haven’t seen you in the longest time!”
“I know! How old are you now, eighteen?”
He shook his head. “Nineteen.”
“We have a lot to catch up on.”
Something sharp jabbed into my back, making me turn. It was my Aunt, the crazy one. Her boney finger poked me to catch my attention. She had her black hair situated to look like a mountain was on her head, gold earrings dangled from her ears and a silver necklace with rubies practically choked her. She kissed the side of my face, leaving a sticky red imprint behind.
“Oh darling I haven’t seen you in ages,” she chimed and, to my relief, turned away from me, having already wasted enough time acknowledging me.
“I can hardly imagine of what she looks like when she is a wolf.” I whispered to Tim.
“Oh, I’m sure you can. Don’t even get me started.”
“I’m sure glad I’m not a wolf.”
“Oh that’s right, you’re a vampire.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Your dad isn’t happy about that. He wants you to be a part of this family. He wants you to be a werewolf.”
“What can he do? It’s not like
he
can turn me into a wolf.”
“Have you performed the Blood Ceremony with another vampire yet?”
“No, why?”
“Damn.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Have you ever heard of arranged marriages?”
“Yeah.”
“Well your dad is going to sort of…going to make you perform a Ceremony. It’s called a Moon Ceremony and it is performed on the night of a full moon. Think of it like an arranged marriage. You will be bonded to whatever wolf your father chooses.”
“And tonight is a full moon. I don’t believe him. That’s so typical,” I said through my teeth.
“I’m going to help you, don’t worry.”
“How will you help me?”
“Leave that to me.”
“Family, we have gathered to discuss some issues on Chenille’s behalf.”
“Wait, before you start with that, can someone please tell me how it’s possible that you’re here, being wolves and all?”
“And by
here
you mean on
Earth
?”
“Yes.”
“You see, since you were born a mortal we made an agreement with the other mortals. Your mother was a mortal when she had you. We promised the mortals to have you raised as a mortal, without Catastrophe’s influence, unlike Zaire, who was born a wolf. We suspected you would one day join our pack, which was fine with the mortals. Many vampires kill to kill, but we take mortals strictly to bond, not to feed. And so the mortals made an exception and appointed me as head wolf of Catastrophe and allowed me to remain stationed here.”
“Zaire had to be sent to Catastrophe because we weren’t ready to show our identity to you. We were going to have you bonded by your eighteenth birthday, but we could not protect you from everything. Somehow, someway, a vampire slipped under our radar.” My mother said quietly.
“So you sent Zaire to do your dirty work for you?”
“Zaire was our last option…our last chance to save you.”
“
Save
me? Zaire is dead now because of you!”
“I’ve heard enough!”
My father stood, immediately causing me to back away from my seat. He pointed to my cousin.
“End this now Timothy!”
To my horror, my cousin fell to his hands and knees in obedience. He transformed into a wolf before my eyes, without thinking. His silver-white coat mesmerized me for a brief moment.
“Go on Timothy, what are you waiting for?”
My cousin’s gaze fell on me, filled with regret. I knew exactly what was happening.
“You…you can’t do this. Family members can’t bond!” I cried.
“Denver, please do something-,” my mother began, only to be silenced by a simple warning glance.
“I don’t want to be a wolf. I don’t want to be one of you. And you can’t make Tim change me,” I stuttered, frightened.
“Timothy!”
My cousin stood on his hind legs, his massive paws pressing me up against the back wall. Struggling, screaming, I tried to move my cousin away, although, to my relief, he did not make any further motions. He exposed his teeth, his eyes almost pleading to continue my cries of horror. He had other intentions and for my own sake, I played along.
Lucian’s figure flashed into my peripheral vision. At the sight of my sudden urgency to leave, my cousin released me, retreating away as if I had just injured him. The distraction gave me just enough time to make it out of the house with Lucian – in one piece.
Chapter 18 - Blood Ceremony
A Blood Ceremony is analogous to that of mortal marriage, but more complex. The bond of two vampires creates a Blood Ceremony. Each drink the blood of the one they love. The two vampires, Eternal Mates or not, can perform this ceremony anywhere at any time just as long as they both have pure trust in each other and both agree on performing the Ceremony. If one of the vampires dies after a successful Ceremony, they will reincarnate into another form. If not in their original form, but that of another such as a dragon, the new reincarnated vampire will find their Eternal Mate.
However, the Ceremony must be renewed every time reincarnation takes place to ensure that another successful reincarnation will occur if an Eternal Mate is killed again. Failure to renew a Ceremony will result in total death for the killed Eternal Mate without hope for reincarnation.
“B
“What happened to him,” a voice cried up to us.
“He perished along with his planet.”
“We’re not sure, but do not be afraid. He will not be coming back.”
“As your new leaders, we have great pride in…great pride in-,”
“Chenille? Chenille, are you feeling…Healers! Get the healers over here!”
Prusaious ran out onto the balcony with several vampires behind her.
“Chenille will be fine. Finish your speech,” she insisted, barely flicking her eyes in my direction.
“Is she going to be all right?”
“She will be fine, finish the speech!”
Prusaious led me away, as if I was more of an obligation to her. Once in the palace, Prusaious made me sit down. A wave of exhaustion fell over me. A few healers and unfamiliar faces surrounded me. I could hear Lucian’s voice, barely, but I could hear it.
“What do you mean you won’t let me come in? I am King, you must let me through!”
“I am sorry sir, I cannot let you pass-,”
“No, let me in! Chenille is in there! I need to know what’s going on!”
“Lucian,” I cried, “where are you?”
“Calm down Chenille,” Prusaious said calmly. She grabbed my hand, not so much to comfort me, but more to prevent me from scrambling to my feet.
“Where is Lucian?”
“Let me pass!” I heard him cry from behind the door.
“Lucian, where are you?”
“Stay still Chenille!” Prusaious scolded.
“Where is he?”
“Clear the way.”
The healers moved aside as a vampire took his place at the foot of the bed in which I lay. He had his cape hood shielded over his face, the handle of Fitzray’s blade held firmly in one hand.
“That’s not Lucian! Where is Lucian?”
“Let me in! What’s going on in there?”
“The child won’t take my throne,” the vampire spat darkly.
“No!” I screamed.
The blade came up, pointed down in my direction and slid through the air towards the target the vampire aimed for – me.
In a flash, I was on the Bridge of Secrecy. Confused, I rubbed my arms, surprised I was all in one piece. Pete was there, standing as the antagonist in my intrusive nightmare. He strode up to me before I could even move, his wicked smile leaving me immobilized.
“You look…different.”
“I…well I-,”
“You bear a child.”
“Yes.”
“Whose child is it?”
“Mine.”
“And?”
“Yours?” I said with a shrug.
He shook his head. “It has a blood beat.”
“So?”
“No child of mine would have a blood beat.” He fingered the knife in his hands, the same blade that I had just seen.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“You wouldn’t be harmed-,”
“You are malevolent.”
“If that child is born, I will be kicked from my throne. And if he performs a Ceremony, so will you.”
“You have no throne. Lucian is King now.”
“Is he?” His lips curved up, exposing his fangs deviously as he jutted out his chin.
Hesitantly, my eyes turned in the direction to where he motioned. A stream of black blood flowed on the beautiful white stone at my feet.
It isn’t possible. It can’t be.
There was a faint gasping sound in the distance and following it, I saw the dark stream, once a shallow puddle, now an
ocean
around me. I fell to my knees, my legs unable to support my weight from the shock. A frail body was huddled before me on the stone.
“No,” I whispered, “Lucian, no.”
“Leave me…here on the Bridge to die. Go back. Save yourself, save the baby. With the power I have left I will create a place for you to be safe. I will create a planet for you and the baby to be safe.”
“No…I can’t-,” I turned to Pete. “What have you done?”
“Someone had to put that mutt in his place.”
I turned to face the side of the Bridge wall and proceeded to climb it. Pete climbed up the side of the wall to stand beside me. He grabbed my arm, helping me catch my balance.
“You finally have it my way.”
“And you finally have it
mine
.” I took Fitzray’s knife from his hands to hold it beneath his chin. His eyes widened.
“No, that knife-,”
“You used it against my wishes. You killed Fitzray’s dragon with this knife and in turn, killed him too. And now…you will be killed by your own revulsion.”
“And you will come down with me, like I promised all of your friends.”
I struck the dagger through his chest and heard a gasp of disbelief. He glared at me, gritted his teeth, but his breathing did not falter, making me face the possibility that I might have missed his heart. I kissed him and his poison goodbye. And, to my relief, when I pushed him away he did not bounce back, but fell off the Bridge wall and into the oblivion of the universe.
* * * * *
“Chenille! Chenille what’s wrong? Wake up.”
“Where am I?” I cried, sitting up.
“Easy, everything is ok. We’re at my place.”
The thick darkness made it impossible to confirm that what he said was true. Lucian lit a candle, which emitted hardly enough light for me to see his face.
“Lucian, it was terrible. Pete came back and you couldn’t help me. He killed you,” I said through sobs.
“It was just a bad dream,” he assured me quietly.
“He wanted to kill my baby.”
“Baby?” Lucian shook his head. “What a crazy dream.”
My hand flew to my stomach and he caught my sudden movement with astonishment. “I tried to tell you. When we last went to the City, I knew something wasn’t right.”
Lucian’s shoulders tensed as I spoke. If he got to his feet, left, and never came back, I would understand. I told myself to accept his choice, even if it meant never seeing him again.
“Lu…Lucian,” I began, hoping he would say something or at least snap out of the trance that made him irresponsive.
“It all makes sense now,” he said slowly. “No wonder you were all stressed out.” He slowly wrapped his arms around me, offering the comfort I had doubted he would give me.
“I thought you would leave.”
“Leave? What makes you think that? A king wouldn’t leave his queen,” he whispered.
In the silence that enveloped the room, the loud thrum of a pulse rang in my ears.
“Is that the beat of the baby’s heart?”
“It is.”
“Does that mean…it’s a mortal?”
“No. There is a beat of life in its veins. It doesn’t mean it’s not a vampire.”
“Do you think it would overthrow us and claim the throne?”
“What makes you think that?”
“Pete said so. In my dream he said that once old enough, the heir can fight his father for the throne or can overthrow the current rulers by performing a Ceremony.”
“No one, not even an heir will take the throne unless we are both killed.”
“Do you think the baby is yours?”
He rested his chin on my head thoughtfully. “I don’t see why not.”
“Goodnight Lu.” His acceptance made me smile with relief.
“Goodnight my Queen.”
Chapter 25 - Vampire Pregnancy
Bearing a vampire child is not much different from a mortal. The vampire will be extremely protective of his vampress and the baby she bears. Some vampress mothers have died in childbirth, but this is rare. The baby will most likely survive with the care of its father, with hope that the mother will reincarnate within only a couple of years. There are bad side effects from vampire pregnancy such as bad fevers and hallucination.