AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He runs toward Raúl, a zip my eyes can barely track. Raúl grabs him by the throat and throws him to the ground. The vampire struggles in Raúl’s grip but isn’t strong enough. Raúl’s fangs slide out and he leans forward and rips the throat of the vampire. I stare at the fight with detached fascination as cool drops of my own blood slide down my neck.
The other vampire escapes into the forest. Raúl leaves his prey and immediately crouches in front of me. “Penny. Listen to me, Penny. I’m right here.”
He puts a hand on my shoulder, after glancing at my neck and hand. “Penny, my hand is on your shoulder. You’re sitting on the cold dirt. The air is cool, but not cold. Remember? It is month eight.”
He sits down next to me until his ribs are touching my side. He breathes in and out in a steady rhythm. “Follow my breathing, Penny.”
My scattered mind comes together, little by little. I stop shaking. I wipe my eyes and stand up, cradling my wrist, embarrassment replacing whatever feelings had just happened. Raúl stands up with me, watching me carefully. “I’m so sorry,” I say, staring at my bare and dirty feet.
Raúl puts a hand under my chin and tilts it up. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
He gestures toward my wrist, and I place it in his outstretched hand. Gently, he presses on the bones, stopping immediately when I cry out in pain. “I’m afraid it’s broken. Quick work, though, to heal.”
Fishing around in his pocket, he pulls out a handkerchief, one with a small spider and moon embroidered in the corner. Carefully, he mops up the blood on my neck, then holds it to the wounds until the blood stops flowing. “This will heal quickly, too. Thank the moon.”
He reaches into his pocket again, pulling out a small vial with red liquid in it. “Here. This will heal any broken bones.”
I take it, but then stare at the stopper, unsure how to take it out myself. Realizing his mistake, Raúl unstops the vial, tilting it into my mouth, holding my chin up. The warm liquid courses through me, and I feel a pressure on my wrist. I hold it up to my face and watch in gross fascination as my wrist pops and twists back into place. “Will I turn into a vampire?” I ask, gesturing to my neck.”
He laughs. “It takes a lot more than one bite to turn someone into a vampire. A rational one, at least.”
He drops his hand and takes mine. An unexpected zing races up my arm and I raise my eyebrows. Raúl glances around, then looks at me. “Now, what are you doing outside this late? Have you finally decided to come to my castle?”
I laugh, the embarrassment forgotten. Then immediately sober up, remembering why I had left in the first place. “I dropped Mother’s mirror out the window. I need to find it before she gets back.”
Chapter Fourteen
Raúl doesn’t let go of my hand, the contact keeping me grounded. “Where did it fall?”
“The garden.”
He tugs me around the tower, and I stare at our intertwined fingers, steadying my mind as I feel the cool grass squish beneath my feet. We arrive at the garden and Raúl steps inside, bending down to pick up the mirror. He grimaces, and he turns it around, showing it to me. A spiderweb crack spreads across the glass.
“It is quite broken.”
My breaths start to shorten again, and Raúl immediately puts a hand on my shoulder. “Penny, we can fix it in time. The witch will never know. I promise.”
I look at him forlornly. “How do you know? How can you promise?”
He grins, his fangs sliding down momentarily before disappearing. “Let’s just say I know people. Now, the question is, what do you want to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, would you rather stay in the tower without a mirror? Or return with it fully fixed?”
“I have nowhere to go.”
His smile wide, he pulls on my hand. “Of course you do. You are always welcome at the vampire castle.”
I raise my eyebrows. “But I’m human. Won’t everyone want to eat me?”
He snickers. “Not if they want to live to see another day.”
I debate for a minute before nodding. “Yes, I would like to go with you, if that’s okay.”
He bends down and kisses the top of my hand. “I invited you, did I not? First, we need to gather your hair together. It is quite long.”
I snort at the understatement, and we work simultaneously to pile my hair at my feet. Raúl instructs me to hold my arms out and then places my hair in my arms. I hug it close, and suddenly, he picks me up underneath my knees and shoulders.
