Page 75 of The Vampire's Lament
“Is it true what I heard the king say?” Jon asked.
“What did he say?”
“That you and him, you know, did things. Sexual things.”
My belly churned, shame burning across my face. “Fuck.”
He blanched. “So itistrue? You really did go to bed with him?”
I couldn’t answer, I was beyond embarrassed.
“Why would you do that?” he added. “Unless he made you do it, seeing as you’re a thrall.” His face crinkled with disgust. “Of course. He forced you, the piece of shit.”
We weren’t talking about this.
“I’m not sure what happens next,” I said. “I?—”
My vision blurred, my body and mind propelled back into the alleyway in Oreflame City. Reliving the magical dust, the mermaid, the frostbrood tunnels, none of it making sense. It was nothing but a replay, ending once again with frostbrood claws in my belly, and the screaming darkness.
I jolted out of it, still on my feet, gasping for breath.
“Paris?” Jon questioned, standing too close.
I backed away from him, my spine bumping the wall. I clutched at my chest, my heart going a million miles a second.
Whoa. My head spun, my stomach was a queasy acidic roll, and sweat poured down my face.
“You went from fine to sickly like that.” Jon snapped his fingers to illustrate his point. “What’s the matter? You having a freak out?”
“I… I… Shit.” I slid down the wall, arse bumping the floor. Resting my arms on my knees, I bent forward, on the verge of puking.
Damn vision.
“What are you?” I asked aloud.
“Executioner,” Jon responded.
I sighed, in need of a mistrock cig and cold beer. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
I heard a woman begging for help, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps pounding all around me. A crippling sense of defeat bound my senses, my eyes hot, my brain throbbing with too much horror.
I had to get out of this damn palace. Get on the road, be proactive, get this shit done. No more thinking, no more allowing my emotions to run wild. I needed a distraction, and what would be better than fighting to save the world?
But how could I leave with the likes of Jon slowly crawling toward a painful death?
“I can’t,” I rasped. “I just can’t.”
“You can’t what, mate?” Jon wondered, a lot of sympathy in his tone.
I loved the distinctive Mer Domain accent with its elongated vowels. But right now, the sound only contributed to my guilt.
Jon offered me kindness, and I couldn’t do a thing to save him.
Unless I appealed to the king’s mercy.
“Here.” He offered me his hand, a warm smile on his face.
Man, he was cute. With those copper scales, clean lines, and flawless bronze skin, he looked like the perfect catch. The kind of guy I should be making googly eyes at instead of a certain fanged hottie.
