AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“For a pack of blood-thirsty creatures, you all seem very nice,” I say, setting my half empty dessert on the table. My stomach is simply too full to eat any more.
Raúl grins and his fangs lengthen, his eyes sharpening. My heart skips a beat as my eyes widen. “We aren’t when it’s needed.”
I continue to stare at his fangs as they slide back under his lips. “Are vampires really allergic to silver?”
He bursts out laughing. “Determined to find our weaknesses?”
“Yes, to destroy you all,” I say jokingly.
He flashes me a wicked look. “Yes, yes, that is one fact the werewolves are right about. Did you know they’re allergic to wolfsbane?”
“Actually, I did. Mother spelled the tower against any visitors, but keeps wolfsbane in a jar for me if werewolves come by, since I have no magic.”
He snorts. “Let me guess, she would light them on fire if it were just her.”
I look at him in surprise. “How did you guess?”
“We’ve watched that witch for a long time now.”
My nose wrinkles as I think about vampires observing the tower night after night. “Is that what those two vampires you asked about were doing?”
His hand automatically flies to his forehead, and he rubs his scar. Frowning, he replies, “No. No, that is something else, I’m afraid.”
I watch him as his eyes go out of focus. Today, he has his hair tied back at his nape, but a few wisps have fallen out. His eyes focus on me, but the troubled look in them remains. “What do you mean?” I ask, a small hint of fear in my voice.
“It’s complicated,” he says with a shrug. “Let’s just say not all my vampires are peaceful.”
He’s said that before. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask.
Raúl smiles genuinely at me. “No, no. If you ever sense anything… off, tell me.” He stands up and holds out a hand for me. “Now, let us shed these worries. What would you like to do for fun?”
“Fun?” I purse my lips. Honestly, sitting here with him is about as much fun as I’ve ever had. I take his hand and get to my feet. “What are my choices?”
He grins, a twinkle in his red eye. “Oh, there are so many. That’s the joy of living here.” He threads my fingers through his. “We can walk through the garden or I can show you more of the castle. Of course, we can go anywhere outside of the castle grounds, too. The night is young, after all.”
I shiver. “I’m not sure if I can handle going outside very much.”
The last time did not go so well. Every time I think about it, I get anxious. I much prefer lingering in the smaller, recognizable rooms. Raúl stops, unwrapping my hand from his. He faces me and pulls me close. “Listen, Penny. You have to remember this. The chains of fear bind you, keeping you from living, being free. One day you will need to loose them, or risk staying trapped, whether inside your body or that tower it is the same.”
My heart pounds and I lick my lips, fear spreading through me as I decide. “All right,” I say. “Let’s go outside.”
Raúl kisses me gently on the forehead. “You are the only one who can be brave for yourself, Penny.”
He holds my hand, and we walk down the hall toward the grand doors. Each step presses fear into my heart, and I shake. My breaths are short, fast, and I grip Raúl’s hand as if it will save me.
Raúl opens the door. I stare outside, my heart pounding. The stars and moon are out, lighting the world with an ethereal glow. It should be beautiful, but all I can see is the darkness. The endlessness. “Ready?” he says.
I say nothing, only nod with a shaking head. We step outside, just a tiny step, onto the other side of the doors. I suck in the cool air and snap my watery eyes closed. Memories, horrible memories, not just of the vampires the other night, cloud my mind. A sense of dread pushes my breathing into a frenzy. Only a single thought shouts in my mind. Outside means punishment.
Over and over, the words outside and punishment chant through my head, a chorus of my mother’s voice ringing in my ears.
“Penny,” Raúl whispers. “Look at the beauty. See the stars dancing?”
I crack an eye and look up at the sky, but I feel as if I can’t breathe and I close it quickly again.
“Penny,” Raúl whispers. “Look at the moon. She is smiling at you.”
Can the moon smile? I wonder. I try again, opening my eyes and glancing at the moon. Raúl is right. It does seem like a sideways smile. I grin in response, and the action temporarily distracts me from the overwhelming sensations.
