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A knock sounds at the door, and I hurry to open it. Raúl stands there, and when he sees me, his mouth drops as his eye darkens. “Penny. You look…” His grin widens, sharpens. “Ravishing.”
I twirl for him and look up through my lashes. “It was in the closet. Can I wear it?”
“Anything in there is yours,” he says without hesitation. He offers me his arm and I take it gladly. “I came to see if you were hungry.”
“Famished.”
“Perfect. I’ll have Chef Louis bring us food in the library.”
I shake my head emphatically. “No. Not tonight. I want to try eating with everyone.”
Raúl raises his eyebrows. “You are sure?”
“Yes,” I say. “I want to try. They’re your people, after all.”
He grins, delighted. “Of course, of course. I would love that. You can sit right next to me. If you’re uncomfortable at any second, tell me immediately. We will leave.”
We walk down the stairs in the throne room, heading into the door opposite the one that led to the kitchen. This room is large, with a long wooden table right down the middle. The table is made of a dark wood and is decorated with greenery and candles all along the center. The chandeliers above are still, their light reflecting on the stone walls, which are covered in red and gold tapestries. Raúl leads me to one of the chairs in the center and pulls it out, and I sit down, sweeping my skirts aside.
He sits down beside me just as a stream of vampires flow in. My heart races and I reach over to grip Raúl’s hands as they fill the seats around us.
Chapter Forty-Two
The vampires settle into the seats, many of them still talking. “Do you mind if I introduce you?” Raúl asks. “Some have heard of you, but most haven’t had a chance to see you.”
I smile up at him, grateful that he asked. “I think that would be okay.”
Raúl stands up and waits for silence, which happens almost instantly. He gestures to me, pride on his face. “I’m sure you’ve heard talk about someone staying with us. This is Penny, and she is our esteemed guest. Please treat her kindly.”
My cheeks warm slightly, and I smile and lift a hand at the vampires. Some wave back, others call out my name, welcoming me. My chest tightens. I feel like I belong more in this moment than I ever have in my own home. I look down at my plate and Raúl continues talking, greeting everyone to breakfast and the start of a new day together. They rumble in agreement and a line of people dressed in white tops and black pants walk in from the door at the other end of the room. They carry platters of all shapes and sizes, setting them onto the table.
Laughter and conversation fill the air as people load their plates and begin eating. A pitcher circles the table, and Raúl fills up his glass with the scarlet liquid.
I take the pitcher and start to pour, when Raúl whispers into my ear. “You won’t want to drink that. It’s blood.”
Bringing the pitcher closer to me, I sniff the contents and wrinkle my nose at the metallic smell. Carefully, I pass it on, making sure none of it spills. I don’t know how difficult it is to get blood into a cup in the first place, and I am not about to waste any of their supply. “How often do you need to drink?”
Raúl leans over and kisses me on the cheek. “Thank you for not running away screaming. I’ve started relationships with humans before. It ends terribly when they discover what I eat.” He pauses. “Or when they find out I’m a vampire.”
“Only seeing you at night doesn’t tip them off?”
“It’s amazing how much gold can distract. Now, your question. We need to feed at least once a day to keep any magical powers from dwindling. Other than that, once a week to keep from turning into a mindless drone. All from willing donors, of course.”
Raúl went on to explain that a mindless drone is a vampire whose only concern is blood. They hunt humans, animals, other vampires, with no discretion. All of those unlucky enough to be in their path are gruesomely killed. Raúl’s been working for the past hundred years to weed these monstrosities out of the realm. For obvious reasons, they taint any treaties or relationships with humans. The five queens had power over the monsters while they were alive, but obviously Raúl did not have access to that power. While he talks, I eye the food on the table.
Chef Louis outdid himself today, providing delicate salads, roasted meat, vegetables of all kinds. They are even as fresh as the ones Mother has in her garden, and I instantly regret not exploring the castle grounds more. It will be my new goal now that I can venture outside without crumpling. I eagerly fill up my plate.
The food is divine, and I have no problem devouring all of mine. During the third course, the vampire on my other side leans over and whispers to me. “Hi! My name is Helena. Raúl is my cousin, if you didn’t know.”
“I recognize you. You did my hair. My name is Penny. It’s nice to meet you.”
She smiles brightly. “I did. I’m so glad you’re here.”
My eyes widen slightly. “I appreciate that. I’m glad to be here, too. What do you like to do to entertain yourself?”
Helena grins widely, a spark of mischief in her eyes that reminds me of Raúl. “All sorts of activities, naturally. I enjoy trying different things. Currently, I’m experimenting with molding chocolate.”
“Molding chocolate? You have enough to try that?” I say, astonished.
