Chapter 2

Chapter Two

DATE NIGHT

‘W hat will you wear?'

My mother, her hands clasped together, surveys the contents of my wardrobe. She turns, her long skirts swirling, deep red like her lips. They look even darker in the dim light of my room, the electric candle-lamp on its lowest setting. Vampires can't really tolerate anything stronger.

‘I don't know.' And I don't care, either. When I was small I used to like getting dressed up for events with my parents, putting on the small coronet, blurring my eyes in the mirror to pretend I looked like my mother. Now I'd rather be almost anywhere else.

What is the point? I want to scream the words, but instead I sit there, rage churning in my stomach, as my mother keeps rummaging through my cupboard.

‘You don't know? How about this? Or this one?' The hangers rattle as she tosses dresses towards the bed. I wrap my arms around my knees, wishing I could burst into flames or disappear somehow. I may not have a choice about going out. But I refuse to pretend I'm happy about it.

‘I feel like some things are missing,' my mother says, rifling through the hangers. ‘Didn't I get you a black velvet shirt last month? Where is it?'

‘In the laundry, I think?' I'm lying. I hope she can't tell.

‘How about this, then?' She holds up a dress I never wear. It's short and tight and dark green. ‘You'll look great in it.'

‘Mother!' The word comes out as a snarl.

Her face falls. She comes to sit on the bed, putting the dress carefully on top of the others. She reaches for my hand, her fingers cool and satin smooth.

‘I don't want to do this,' I say, trying to remain calm. ‘I won't know anyone, other than Stella.'

‘Which is why you should go.'

Sadness descends on me, smothering my anger. ‘Am I the only one?'

The question that haunts me, through my lonely days. The idea of someone else like me out there, blood borne but not vampire. Someone who cannot be changed, even if they wanted to be, the blood magic already in their veins. Someone who doesn't belong anywhere. It's why they kill babies like me. Because we're useless. My fingers rub across the scars on my wrist. Their counterpart is etched into my soul.

‘What?' A wrinkle appears on my mother's smooth brow, like a fold in silk.

I raise my eyebrows. ‘The only human? You know, that isn't, um, food? Like, have any of the other families?—'

My mother doesn't look at me. ‘There might be.'

‘There might be?'

When I was small I used to ask about it a lot, until I got old enough to realise it upset my mother. This is the first time I've mentioned it in a while.

Mother reaches to smooth my hair. Her perfect face is like a cameo, creamy white and sharp-edged in the soft light. ‘I don't know for sure,' she says, ‘but I did hear there might be one other.' I frown, my head down. ‘Emelia, I swear, if there was another like you that I knew of, I would bring them here for you. But you are Raven,' her hand cups my face, ‘and that brings you privilege beyond the norm. Don't be so quick to assume other vampires wouldn't want to befriend you.'

‘We tried that before. Remember? It didn't go well.'

My mother's hand clenches. Yeah. She remembers. There's a reason I'm not supposed to go anywhere, not even to the kitchen, without an escort. Not that it stops me. The vampires on the estate are trained to resist my human scent, but it doesn't always work. I try not to think of the snap of bone in my old tutor's arm as she was dragged away by the guards after attacking me. She was sent to the pits, my mother taking over my lessons, my world shrinking further.

‘But you're Raven,' she says again. Like it makes a difference. Like I haven't spent almost my entire life aware of how different I am, how I shouldn't even be alive. Like I've ever had a choice, in anything I've done.

‘Oh, that's great.' I twist away from her touch. ‘So I can expect people to befriend me because of my family name. It's going to be really fun when they want to eat me, but realise they can't!'

‘Not every vampire is bloodthirsty.' My mother sounds disapproving. ‘Once you go out more, you'll see.' Her tone turns pleading. ‘Emelia, just try. For me.'

I sigh. I can't say no to her. Despite the fact I see absolutely no point to doing this, and don't want to shame my family any more than I already do.

‘Fine,' I say, through gritted teeth. ‘But not the green dress. The blue one, instead.'

Her face lights up. I'll miss her, so much. She jumps up from the bed, pulling me to my feet and dancing, like we used to when I was small. I play along for a few moments, my chest aching, then dance her towards the door. ‘Let me get changed.'

She laughs, and I think I hear relief in it. She opens the door. ‘I'll see you soon.' Then it closes, and she's gone.

I resist the urge to scream.

* * *

A short while later there's a knock at my door. I stand, smoothing my hands down my skirt. My anger is mostly gone, but I wish it wasn't – I can hide behind rage. Fear is a more difficult thing altogether.

Because I am scared, no matter how I try to deny it. This is the third reason I think tonight will be a disaster. The knock comes again, sharper this time. Wonderful. Maybe it won't be that hard to find my anger again.

I open the door. Kyle is standing there, dressed in black – jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket. I try not to roll my eyes. He's also wearing a small silver badge. Our house insignia, a silver raven with wings spread inside a silver circle, against a black background.

‘You ready?'

Charmed, I'm sure. ‘Don't I look ready?' I don't mind the dress I'm wearing, I suppose. It's short, and deep blue like my eyes, with a low V-neck and flared skirt. I add an extra spritz of anti-feed, the violet scent masking my natural perfume so I smell like a vampire, of velvet purple petals. Kyle wrinkles his nose. I hide a smile, tucking the small vial of spray in the pocket of my leather jacket.

‘I suppose.' Kyle bows and holds out his arm, the elbow bent.

Whatever, pretty boy. I ignore his arm, starting along the hallway. After a moment, he falls into step beside me. When we reach the stairs to the main foyer my parents are waiting, their expectant faces turned up to us. ‘Seriously?' I mutter. This evening is just getting better and better. Kyle glances at me. Annoyance digs its claws into the fear roiling in my gut. It helps with the nerves, but not much.

My mother comes over in a flurry of silk and kisses. ‘You look lovely. Call me if you need me.'

‘We are trusting you with our daughter tonight. Stella Ravenna is hosting, but you will have been briefed already.' This is my father, talking to Kyle. God . He sounds every one of his 547 years. I'm surprised he hasn't got his sword out.

‘Of course, sir. I'm honoured.' Kyle bows. ‘I promise to take good care of her.' My father smiles, his handsome face lighting up.

Oh god . I stare straight ahead, my arms folded, wishing once again that I could call the whole thing off. My fear and the fact that this is completely pointless aside, I feel stupid, think this idea is stupid, know that I'm going to look stupid compared to all the vampires, Raven or not.

The guard standing by the front door opens it.

‘Your car is here.'

Gravel crunches outside. The black Mercedes pulls up to the bottom of the steps, Raven insignia on the doors silvered by the bright moon. My stomach lurches.

‘Please convey our regards to Stella,' my father says, his hand on my back propelling me gently forward. ‘And remember, you're representing Raven.'

How can I forget?

My mother frowns at him. ‘But have fun! It's almost Halloween, after all.'

I go outside because I have no choice. At least Kyle isn't trying to take my arm anymore. But my stomach won't stop churning as we head down the steps. The driver opens the door and I get in, sliding across the seat, dark leather soft under my thighs. Kyle gets in next to me, folding his tall frame into the space.

‘This is pretty nice.' He rubs his hand on the upholstery. I watch it, distracted momentarily by the long fingers, his smooth skin.

‘Is it?' My mouth twists and I turn away, watching night stream past the tinted windows, black upon black. I can hardly breathe.

‘Who's Stella Ravenna?' I turn to see that Kyle has moved closer, one arm sliding along the back of the seat, and all at once it's oh-so-intimate to be enclosed with him in this space of leather and metal, the smoked glass panel separating us from the driver as though we're speeding along in our own little bubble. It's an uncomfortable feeling. I know I need a personal guard, but why did my parents have to choose someone so annoying? I clear my throat.

‘Er, she's a cousin. Sort of.' I move away from him.

He huffs out a sigh, folding his arms. ‘So, it's just going to be a party with all your rich Raven friends tonight?'

My rich Raven friends? How dare he. ‘They're not my friends.'

‘No? Not fancy enough for you?'

I don't say anything. First, because I need to control myself. And second, because he couldn't be more wrong. I have no friends. How could I? My mind shies away from the recollection of small hands grasping, needle-sharp teeth biting, blood trickling from a graze on my knee. These are not fun memories. I blink back tears.

‘Sorry,' he mutters.

Oh no. That's the last thing I need. Pretty boy vampire pity. No thank you. I turn away, staring into the endless night. The landscape flashes past, dark humps of trees, the occasional building. I wonder how far we are from the nearest Safe Zone.

Safe Zones were set up two years after the Rising, during the Famine. Humans were dying, everywhere. And vampires realised that, if they wanted to feed, they had to take care of their food. So the four families got together and created the Safe Zones. Vampires were forbidden from hunting in them, their borders guarded, sun and wind powering silver lights to bind them in glittering strands of safety, keeping out the night, so that humans could live how they used to. I've never visited one. But I'm desperate to.

On impulse I lean forward, tapping on the glass partition. It slides down, the driver glancing back at me. ‘My lady?' he says.

‘How far is the Safe Zone?' I ask.

‘About a twenty-minute drive,' he says.

‘Really?' I bite my lip. ‘Is it along this road? Can we go there, on the way?'

The driver shakes his head. ‘I'm sorry, my lady. I'm under strict instructions from your parents. Perhaps you should speak with them.'

I sit back, disappointed. Something makes me glance at Kyle. He's looking at me, frowning. I return the frown, then turn away.

We reach the outskirts of Dark Haven, the closest town to our estate. It was a human town once, before the Red Rising when the great families came to power. The shops are decorated for Halloween, the streets full of people, some already in costume despite the fact it's still weeks away, everything painted silver and grey by the moon.

I spot a group of people dressed in black moving through the crowd, walking in formation. As we get closer, I realise they're Raven guards, moonlight catching the silver details on their uniforms. I sigh. Does my mother not think… My mouth drops open as I spot another group of guards, marching in the opposite direction. What the hell? Have my parents actually sent a battalion of guards to watch out for me? Even by their standards this seems excessive. I turn to see yet another group of guards on the other side of the road, moving quickly through the crowds. And I realise Kyle is still staring at me. His arm has returned to the back of the seat, his fingers tapping on the leather behind me.

Already this night seems far too long.

As we turn the corner we pass a building I recognise. It's a restaurant – well, at least it used to be, an old-fashioned soda place, they called it. I remember being taken there when I was younger, the colours muted by darkness, the smooth surfaces and mirrored wall fascinating.

Now it's derelict, the walls half collapsed, beams like blackened shards against the moonlit sky. The damage looks recent, too. I knock on the driver's partition and he lowers it again. ‘What happened to the restaurant, on the corner there?'

‘It burned down, my lady. A few weeks ago.'

‘Oh.' I sit back, frustrated. It's obvious it burned down. As the car slides past, the crowds parting, I glimpse writing on the wall, scrawled on the soot-stained white paint. It says ‘The North Wind will blow'.

I'm about to ask what that means when the car slows. We've arrived. My stomach drops. We're pulling up outside a nightclub, the Dome. There's a queue of waiting patrons, the doors blocked by several huge vampires. They're Ravenna guards, their silver-grey livery banded with black signifying their status as a branch of the Raven family.

As we pull up, all eyes turn to us. Vampires tend not to use cars. Petrol is scarce and they're expensive to maintain, so only the wealthiest families have them. Our sleek black Mercedes is going to turn heads. I practise smiling, but my lips are dry and stick to my teeth. I consider telling the driver to keep going, to take me away from here, safe behind metal and smoked glass.

The car door on my side opens. Kyle is standing there, his hand out.

‘Get out,' he hisses.

I stare at him. He widens his eyes at me.

Right. Pull yourself together, Emelia. The waiting line of people are craning their heads and chattering excitedly, some of them holding up their phones. But when I take Kyle's hand and step from the car, their tone changes from excited to questioning.

My stomach sinks even further.

Heir to half the planet, and these people don't even know who I am.