Chapter 12

I'm shaken. Not just by the weird magnetic pull between Dabin and I, not just by the fact I've crossed into a world full of things I frankly I have never believed in… but mostly by the theory taking shape in my head.

The people of this world see something in me. They want something, some kind of protection they think me showing up gives them.

For some reason, it galls me. I cut my eyes to where Dabin walks beside me, his horns glinting in the fading light as we walk towards a building on the edge of town, only just inside the city walls. More of the same ghost-white and thin-leafed trees flank the gray fa?ade, starlight lamps flickering on either side of the door. A sign sparkles in the dusk, advertising the place as an inn.

I purse my lips, irritated and out of sorts. Dabin needs to tell me the truth. I don't know the extent of what he's holding out on, and despite his reticence to play my silly ice breaker game, I get the feeling he's sitting on something big.

He opens the door to the building, dipping his head in a silent entreaty to enter. I grind my teeth and walk through the door.

With the sun slowly sinking past the horizon, the interior of the inn is darkened, save for the candles burning in a few massive chandeliers. Several starlight lamps blink into existence as we walk through door. A fire roars on an opposite wall, casting a seating area in a warm light.

The interior is slightly smokey, but clean. Furniture and tables appear grouped for conversation, and the vibe is surprisingly modern. I guess for them it's all modern, seeing as how they're living it.

Two men stand as soon as we walk through the door. There are only a handful of people besides them, and I sneak a peek at the closing door, frowning. The streets were emptier too, fewer vendors and shoppers out and about, now that I think about it.

"Why is everyone inside after dark?" Worry pricks my scalp.

"It is nothing to worry about," Dabin says smoothly. "You're safe."

Ah. Message received. Bad shit happens at dark. Got it. I narrow my eyes at him. I don't know who he thinks he's fooling with that garbage, but it isn't me.

"You know I expect you to tell me what exactly happens, right? Along with all the other info you've been holding out on." I scooch away from him, putting my hands on my hips. If I stand too close to him, I'm just going to want him. Even more than I already do, that is.

"I will, Danielle." He smiles softly at me, stepping closer.

A shiver trickles down my spine. Gah! What is it about the way he says my name?

"Well, I like her already." One of the men says, lowering his hood. He's tall like Dabin, but not as thickly muscled. There's something graceful about him, lithe and lean. "Where's the rest of her women?"

There's a challenge in his green eyes. Frankly, it pisses me off even more. I'm tired, my butt is sore from riding the horse all morning, and the momentary fun I had shopping and flirting with Dabin on our ‘date' has evaporated after the weird not-quite-fortune-telling-but-just-as-vague-and-unhelpful moment with Cygni. I blow out a breath, trying to collect my thoughts.

This must be why everyone looks at me like I'm their great hope. They think I'm somehow going to usher in a new era of Starbound women… or whatever. How the hell I would do that, I have zero idea.

"I'd like to know that too." I shoot Dabin an irritated look, and his eyebrows raise.

"This is Danielle," Dabin says. His hand lands heavy on my shoulder, possessive. A little thrill rushes through me at his touch.

The green-eyed man walks around me, looking me up and down like I'm a side of beef. I hate it.

"She's beautiful," he continues.

"She can hear you perfectly fine, you creep," I snap.

The second man laughs, light blond hair glinting in the candlelight. "I like her. Anyone who puts Kaus in his place is welcome here. We have many questions, Dabin."

The blond man approaches me. I shift on my feet. I don't want to be here. I want to be back at Dabin's house, drinking wine and getting answers and then soaking in the big tub and away from these strangers.

I attempt to hide my surprise at myself. I wouldn't rather be home? On Earth?

But they're talking, and I need to listen, so I don't have time to unpack all that! I tuck my arms around myself, scowling.

"Were there signs of the others?" The green-eyed man, Kaus, is asking. "Castor, have you heard anything? Any stirrings in Avleim? Or out west, of Lupus House?"

Dabin shakes his head. "You know Lupus House do not care for the rest of us. For all we know, even their numbers have succumbed to the sickness. They have long been content to run the wilds and ignore the world."

But the blond, Castor, I presume, only narrows his eyes.

"Come, gentleman, Danielle, let us go to my private quarters. It's quieter there." Castor doesn't wait for a response, simply turning on his heel and expecting us to follow.

It's plenty quiet here, considering there is only three or four other people in the whole place. Which, now that I think of it, also seems pretty fishy. It's a really nice inn and seems to be the only one in Kirdiff. Maybe this dude has another revenue stream, because from what I can tell, business is hardly booming.

Castor disappears around a corner, and I swallow.

I want to look at Dabin for reassurance, but I'm irritated with him for not telling me what I needed to know. For someone who wants forever, he hasn't been exactly forthcoming. Instead, I follow Castor. Kaus walks by my side, openly staring.

His attention sends skitters over my skin. It's too much. When Dabin looks at me, I feel warm and happy and sexy. Kaus looks at me like he's sizing me up. It's too avid, too open, and altogether uncomfortable.

"Stop looking at me."

"Why?" He tilts his head, looking genuinely curious.

I wheel around, and he stops in his tracks. "You talked about me like I couldn't hear you. I don't know if you've got a problem with me, or all women, or if you're just a poor excuse for car salesman, but it's rude. You're being rude, and I don't want you to look at me."

Behind me, Dabin lets out a low noise of warning. I ignore him just like he's been ignoring my questions all day.

"I am not a car sales man?" Kaus narrows his eyes. "I am of House Sagittarius."

"Great. Fine. Whatever." I sigh and rub the bridge of my nose. "And I'm of House Einstein, so back up."

"House Einstein does not exist," says Kaus. I groan.

"She said not to speak to her." Dabin wedges his big body between us. "Do not speak to her." He flexes his arms and shoulders, somehow appearing larger than normal. The tattoos under his rolled-up sleeves shift across his forearms. His chin tilts down, his horns more directly pointed at Kaus. My eyes widen.

This is not my Dabin, the one who makes me laugh and holds my hand.

Nope. This is the warrior. Slaughterer. I swallow thickly.

"I meant no offense," Kaus says. "I apologize, Danielle."

Castor clears his throat, waiting down the hall. "Come."

Kaus shakes his head, turning to follow Castor, who opens a gigantic, carved door. I half-expect it to creak open on noisy hinges, but it's silent.

Dabin rests his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the door. I don't know these other men, and I barely know Dabin, but I trust him to keep me safe.

I trust him completely, I realize. My fingers rub against a budding ache at my temple.

I like Dabin. I like him too much, and much too fast.

It's a recipe for disaster.

A fire blazes in the room, and as we walk in, dozens of starlight lamps flicker into life, casting their strange blue glow over everything. Curiosities line bookshelves, glinting gold and silver in the otherworldly light. Kaus sits in one of the lavishly appointed green chairs, and Castor busies himself with what looks to be some kind of bar cart.

At Dabin's gesture, I take the seat furthest from Kaus, avoiding his half-smile pointedly. A chair grates across the floor as Dabin pulls it closer to where I sit, and when he lounges in it, loose and relaxed, only the twitching of his jaw gives away that he's anything but.

"I'm sorry if I was rude to your woman," Kaus says.

I make an exasperated sound. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me. Apologize to me, not him."

"He will apologize to us both. Won't you, Kaus?" Dabin's voice is low, dangerous.

Castor offers me a clear heavy glass, and I take it as he smiles softly at me. "Please do forgive Kaus. Seems as though Dabin has not told you all that has come to pass here since the women of our kind left." My gaze flits to his hands, where I see familiar black tattoos peeking out on his wrists.

"Kaus has always been like this, do not make excuses for him," Dabin growls. "He wears the marks, same as us. He has not lost himself, no matter what he would make us believe."

Across the room, Kaus laughs. Castor laughs too, an odd look in his eyes. I take a big sip from the glass to hide my unease. Marks? Do they mean the tattoos?

God, I'm in too deep, and I know nothing that really matters about this place. Fear unfurls itself from my ribs, and I suck in a breath, heat blazing across my skin.

Dabin puts his hand on my thigh and squeezes, and even though I'm deeply unsettled by his choice in companions, the gesture is comforting.

"What I should tell you, my Danielle, is that the Starbound men, we have not been ourselves. Not for many, many years."

"Since that bastard Butcher King and his blood wizard arrived," Kaus spits out. His pupils are blown. One lip curls off his teeth in a snarl, any trace of handsomeness replaced by an animalistic expression.

Castor hands Kaus a drink, who tips it back, finishing it in one long swallow. He refills it, offering one to Dabin, and finally takes a long sip of his own. The moment drags on, the fire popping and crackling on the far wall. Tension ratchets up, and I jostle my foot. The drink coats the sides of the glass as I move.

What the hell is going on?Fuck it. I never was one to sit back and let other people make decisions for me. Instead, I lean forward, and the men's eyes move to me.

"Ah, okay. Blood wizard, Butcher King." I tick them off on my fingers, making myself ask. "No one out after dark. Wards and magic marks. Mates chosen by fate… except there are no Starbound women. Gotta say, this doesn't sound great, fellas. You're not really selling the place."

Kaus lets out another unhinged laugh. "I like her."

"She's mine."

"Ugh," I say, taking another swig of the spicy drink.

"Stop," Castor says. To my surprise, they do. He turns to me, his brow creased. "The Butcher King came through the gates years ago with his people. At first, we welcomed them, learned from them. Until their appetites became too much."

Kaus growls across the room, tipping back his glass and draining the contents for a second time. I'm not sure I want to know what he means by appetites, so I take a long drink, too. It's warm and alcoholic and burns the whole way down.

"We waged war when the blood wizard refused to adapt, to change to our ways, or to at least adapt a way that did not harm those of our kind."

"Foul creature," Kaus spits. Beside me, Dabin is still, his hand a reassuring presence on my still-bouncing leg.

"The Starbound women, the other half of our people, fled to save themselves, to save our species. The Cygnus who ran with them said their children's children would return when the time is right." Castor smiles at me, but his eyes are cold. "And here you are."

"Why did only the women flee?"

"Because the blood drinkers wanted to drain them. That was part of their purpose, at least." His eyes are cold on mine. Appraising. He reminds me of a professor I once had, who was way too fond of the Socratic method. Except, you know, way younger and way more dangerous.

I mull over his words, tracing my finger along the rim of the glass.

Women only… I can guess the rest of their purpose. Gross. Vampire babies. Wait. Wait a minute. I shoot out of my seat, my drink sloshing over the side of the glass. "Are you trying to tell me I'm now the preferred happy meal of some kind of vampire gang?"

Castor's brows furrow. "Why would you be happy to be drained? What is a vampire?"

Good grief. I sink back into my seat, rubbing my forehead. I so did not just hear that vampires are real. I know that's not what I heard.