10. Bella

In frustration, I kicked the door before me as hard as possible. I”d pushed, pulled, climbed, even threw a large stone, but nothing budged the thick wood. At first, I thought the doors were locked from within, making the claim that I wasn”t a prisoner a blatant lie. However, I realized an important detail after examining each outside door around the castle walls.

It was sealed, immovable.

I turned briefly to glance back at the castle, tall and imposing, yet the walls before me seemed just as tall and staggering. The layers of stone, tall and thick, were built to keep enemies out or, in my case, to keep me in. Though I knew I had sanctuary here, I liked having options—an escape route if needed. I needed to know what I was dealing with.

This wall was in my way.

It wasn”t until I tried to climb over the wall that I realized the real issue. I reached the top of the wall and looked out for the briefest moments to see thorns and vines so big and thick it was its own forest. It encased the castle gate, its width making it impossible to pass through or even around. The thorns and vines were larger and denser than anything I had ever seen before.

The large thorns were sharp as daggers. I reached out to one to test it, and my hand sliced open. I lost my balance, only just grasping the stone with my other hand to keep myself from plunging to a death of impalement.

”Seriously!” I yelled into the space beyond, but it bounced off something, hitting me like an echo. I ground my teeth together as I tried to push the pain down.

I looked at the clothing Alysha had left me with a grimace. A tunic with long sleeves, simple stitching covering leggings, and boots that fit like a glove. I hadn”t worn anything this fine in a long time. With a sigh, I tore the sleeve off my opposite hand to use to bandage my bleeding hand.

I stared at the vines that seemed to go on forever in a thick wall. As I stood and turned, I could see it surrounded the entire area in the same thick radius. The woods took up the mantle of protection in the near distance. As I moved along the wall, I studied how the vines clung to the castle, the door to the outside world pressed in and sealed by them.

I walked the length to what looked like a front gate. I leaned over, studying the vines that stopped where the stone crumbled in areas, and once again reached out to them to see if I could cut through them with my dagger. As I reached to slice through the nearest vine, something threw me backward off the wall and into a heap in the castle courtyard. I slammed into the ground hard enough to knock the air from my lungs and bring stars to my eyes.

I rolled over and groaned, pulling my throbbing hands to my chest as the blood once again flowed freely. The sun over my head became heavily shadowed as I realized someone was standing over me, and slowly, I peeled my eyes open.

Eyes as blue as a cloudless day peered down at me from the most stupidly attractive face I”d ever seen. Too bad it belonged to one of the biggest prejudiced assholes I”d ever met.

”Done trying to escape?” he asked, studying me with an arrogant smirk.

”There”s no way to get out, is there?” I groaned as I rolled over, ignoring his offered hand. As I stood, his eyes went to my bloody hand.

”Not unless it wants you to go.” Lore”s eyes were still on my hand as his nose flared.

”So that whole thing of wanting me out?”

He shrugged. ”Wishful thinking.” He moved closer, his eyes raking over my prone form. ”Come, we need to get that treated quickly.” His eyes landed firmly on my bleeding hand.

”Why? It”s just a cut.” I jerked back as he reached for my hand, refusing his help.

His lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn”t reach for me again.

”Do you like your hand?” He sounded annoyed as if I were ruining his day with my existence. He threaded his hands through his auburn hair, pulling it from its tie as it came undone. The long strands brushed his broad shoulders.

I stared as my lips suddenly felt dry. I licked them. ”What do you mean?” I asked, my pulse pounding again. His presence made my heart change cadence to its own rhythm, which seemed determined to beat its way straight out of my chest. Traitor.

”The thorns.” He pointed to my hand.

”Yeah, and?” I asked sharply as I forced my breathing to slow. An odd flush was now spreading across my body.

Lore stepped toward me, his arms outstretched as I felt the world tilt on its axis. He grasped my arms, and I didn”t jerk out of his grasp this time. ”And,” he snapped low before taking a deep breath and exhaling, speaking as if talking to an injured animal. ” It”s poisonous.”

It was three steps before I stumbled. My tongue seemed to grow as every word I uttered sounded like I was talking with a ball in my mouth. Lore took pity on me, lifting me into his arms.

“Ith thar ah ahntihdoh?” I tried to utter, but it made no sense to my ears, and the drool that followed each carefully formed syllable was enough for me to shut my mouth and accept my fate.

”There is an antidote, yes.”

Lore surprised me by deciphering my slurred and garbled words. My eyes must have shown my shock because he chuckled. The sound was deep and infectious, warm in a way that seemed in stark contrast to the situation. In his arms, I was close to him—me, the half-vampire enemy.

I was literally drooling all over him. Not in the oh, he”s so attractive way—which he was, much to my chagrin—but in the literal sense. My head lolled to the side, and the spit in my mouth dribbled out and onto his now-wet shirt. Soon, it was drenched, and I wanted to die of mortification. Just my luck, I finally drooled for an attractive guy, and it was with actual drool.

I knew I needed to keep my guard up as Lore walked us through the courtyard, but soon, my head seemed to swim so fast that I closed my eyes. Lore”s hand pressed my head down, and I felt it connect with his neck and shoulder. He no longer allowed my drool to wet his shirt but now his actual skin. If I wasn”t in a dire situation, I”d snatch his dagger up and jam it in my heart just to end my embarrassment because how in the world could one person drool this much?

”Ith thenkth yew need ah nee…” I stopped as spittle flew at each word I tried to say, only furthering my humiliation. I wanted to tell him he needed a new shirt and to just put me down, but instead, more slobber covered us both. What the hell was in those thorns?

I closed my mouth tightly, trying my best not to further the issue, and rested my head against his skin.

Gods, he was warm, enveloping my senses like a toasty embrace. The crisp, earthy aroma of pine needles clung to his skin, evoking images of a lush, green forest after a morning rain. Beneath it lay traces of hickory wood smoke, tendrils of the rich smoldering scent wrapping around him and conjuring cozy evenings curled by a crackling fire.

The tantalizing hint of sweetness, some sugary and mysterious nectar, pulled me in like a siren”s call, making my mouth water with longing. It conjured visions of lazy summer days filled with sticky fingertips and stolen kisses under the shade of a peach tree.

His scent was a delicious contradiction—the rugged wilderness and raw masculinity of the outdoors marbled with an irresistible sweetness and warmth. I breathed him in, letting his aroma fill my lungs and awaken my senses. He smelled like temptation, adventure, and comfort, all rolled into one intoxicating aroma that left me desperately craving more.

For a moment, I forgot I had been poisoned and almost choked on my tongue.

”Already?” a deep voice called somewhere in the distance, and I felt the atmosphere change.

A fire crackled in a fireplace, and the shuffling of feet sounded nearby. The aroma of freshly baked bread filled my senses, and I knew exactly where we were—in the kitchen. Cool hands touched my forehead, and I vaguely felt my body placed on a hard surface.

”She”s turned feverish,” Alysha”s frantic voice admitted. ”Get me the tonic and quick!” she yelled to someone.

I tried to open my eyes, but they refused to budge as if glued together. I sensed what was happening around me, not as if I were truly there, but as if I was a blind observer unable to move or see.

”Lift her head and open her mouth,” Alysha commanded whoever held me.

I felt nothing until something burned down my throat, setting my insides on fire. Something that tasted of fire, herbs, and blood. I choked, and only then did I feel myself turn my head and my lips pressed tightly together. My tongue began to feel more normal as I protested.

”No,” I said, my eyes still closed as I violently shook my head. ”Not bloo—” More searing liquid was forced down my throat, and then my lips and nose were closed, and I began to fight. Until I swallowed. The hold on me was released as my eyes flew open, and I tried to spit what remained in my mouth out.

Glaring at everyone in the room, Alysha stood over me with relief in her blue eyes as they softened on me. Alastair stood stoically close by, and I felt what I was laid back upon. It was a rigid body with hands still holding me loosely now in place. I turned my head to see Lore.

His stern glare seemed at odds with the situation. ”A vampire that doesn”t like blood. Imagine that.”

”There”s vampire blood in that.” I clamped my lips together, refusing to take another drop even as I felt the effects begin to work.

The acrid taste of old blood. The slight taste of rot that came with the undead numbed my tongue, and then, in horror, I realized it turned sweet. I was ashamed to admit I enjoyed the taste.

“This… I…” I couldn”t form words as I tried to process it. I”d drank vampire blood. The memory of the day my father had forced some down my throat and was planning to kill me only to conveniently forget. I”d waited all day for my mortal death. I”d never forget the taste.

”Yes, necessary evil to clear the poison.” Lore shrugged unapologetically. Unaware of the turmoil boiling inside of me.

”I hate you.” I spat whatever was left over of the tonic onto his face.

He didn”t flinch; he only pushed me up, stood, and paused shy of the door. My mortification over slobbering on him ceased as I hoped he was drenched in it. Served the bastard right.

”And I hate you too, vampire,” he barked as the door shut behind him.

He”d known. That bastard had known I”d hated blood and yet didn”t care. Even if it was a tonic to save my life, he didn”t have to use vampire blood. Though vampire blood wouldn”t hurt me or turn me in such small quantities, having it in my system, anything could happen. If I died, it could be enough to transition me to a full-fledged vampire. The fear was enough to send a sharp pain of fear through me.

Yes, it had healing properties, but it had far worse consequences for me. It could entirely turn me. Anger boiled inside me as I thought about the possibilities. A little bit probably wouldn”t affect me as much, which was a relief. I still felt the tenseness of my muscles as the anger dissipated. Soon, I forced myself to relax, and resolve filled me.

In that moment, everything clicked, and I knew exactly how to escape this place and save these people. All I had to do was take out Lore and break this cursed hold he had on us. It was nothing less than he deserved.

Only my dagger was now lost in a dangerous, poisonous jungle of thorns and vines.

I slowly stood up, then went to brush the dirt from my now bloodied clothing, wincing when I remembered my hand and the cut.

“Give me your hand.” Alysha held her palm out.

I stared at her palm for a long moment before my gaze traveled to look around. Alysha had supplies ready to clean and bandage it, and as my eyes met hers, I realized it would be a losing fight to deny her. With a sigh, I placed my palm in her hand and let her sit me in front of her as I watched her unwind the makeshift bandage.

”That was the last nice tunic in your size,” Alysha chided. ”You”ll have to wear dresses from here on out.”

She eyed the torn sleeve for a moment before going back to her work, tenderly cleaning the blood from the wound I now saw was deeper than I”d initially thought. Some green substance seemed to stick to my skin as she washed it away gently. I pressed my teeth together to keep from wincing from the pain, and then, as she began to clean the wound deeply, I bit my lip, stopping quickly when I tasted the coppery tang of blood. It was so different from the blood in the tonic, which had tasted like death.

I watched silently, already seeing the slow healing take place. It would be a few days, and only a red line and a scar would mar my hand.

”Do you know the story of how dragons came into existence?” Alysha asked as she leaned in close, sniffed the wound, and then pursed her lips together as if concentrating.

”The sun goddess created them.” I shrugged, careful not to move. ”Where I”m from, not much is taught about the sun clan other than they are the enemy.”

”Seems not much has changed in the world outside our walls,” Alastair muttered from close by.

”No, I suppose it never does.” Alysha nodded as she used something sticky to press my cut together, holding it tight. I tried to jerk back, but her grip became firm. So, I relented.

”I”m sure some things have changed…” I trailed off, unsure of how long they”d been here. Leggings and long tunics were a style from long ago.

Alastair sighed. ”For me, it”s been a few centuries.” He paused, his gaze going to Alysha and softening. ”But for them it”s been longer than they can even begin to remember.”

Alysha nodded. ”Our real curse is time, it”s true.”

Alastair nodded with her as if they were synced to one another. ”The dragons were born when the sun goddess was walking through her garden and came upon the most beautiful red flower. She reached out to touch it but, when she did, a thorn cut her hand. A drop of blood fell onto the earth and, from it, sprang the first dragon.”

“Born of Blood and Thorns,” I mumbled, suppressing a snort from the fable. I vaguely remembered the same tale, which, so long ago, was told as a bedtime tale. It was obviously a myth. I wanted to add that we had ways of knowing those things weren”t true and that there was a predictability to magic and the goddesses. Instead, I held my tongue.

Alysha began wrapping my hand up again and then created a makeshift sling. ”Do not move it until I say you can. You won”t lose the use of it, but if you”re not careful, your grip will never be the same if you don”t let it heal properly.”

”I think I need some air. Am I good to go?”

Alysha murmured, ”Of course, dear.”

These people needed me. They”d been kind in a way I”d not felt in a long time, and I felt a strong need to help them escape this situation. They were trapped in a cage made by the man and dragon holding them hostage. Just like my father had held me captive and forced me into a cage of my own. I couldn”t just sit by and let this happen without doing something.

My thoughts drifted as I thought of our similarities: They were stuck under a curse, and I was stuck under a different kind of curse. There was no reason that we couldn”t all get out of this and live the lives we truly deserved.

As if they had forgotten me, I left, again alone. This time, I had a purpose. Find Lore, interrogate him, and maybe kill him. I was undecided on that last part, but it looked like the solution the longer I stayed here. Because I was convinced, the monster part of Alysha”s warning had been of him. A dragon roamed the night, and if I wasn”t mistaken, Lore was that dragon. He was the reason everyone was trapped. If that was the case, he needed to die.