11. the road to what lurks

11

the road to what lurks

Lucynda

Something ticks in the echoes of my brain urging me not to freak out; to not react the way that my body feels necessary.

His hand is on my lower back as we continue to walk down the street. I don't try to wiggle out of his hold because, without rationale, I like the way his hand feels on my body. I've never had anyone touch me in such an urbane and careful way.

I know that he has my mind in some kind of trance right now, but I feel secure in the way he touches me. I also know he's possibly the most dangerous man I've come in contact with, given his spiel of superficial jargon, but that is also why I feel so protected. I sense that no one would stand a chance against this tall, dark and murderous handsome man just with the knowledge of the power that exudes from him.

I only ran from the party because I was afraid I was doing all of that to myself—the intimacy and the influence that seemed to have plagued my mind with intrusive thoughts was too much for me to handle. And though I quickly learned that there was something contributing to the mysteries happening around me, I still didn't fear the man in question more so than I was just pissed off and, even still, confused.

Besides, I've dealt with monsters before, I'm pretty sure nothing will compare to that .

So, without another word, he guides me down the dark curves of Echo Hollow Drive. I don’t ask any more questions and he doesn’t give me any other reason to believe that I’m in danger. But that doesn't mean that the questions aren't there, floating around in my hollowed brain.

He can read my mind?

A vampire prince?

My engagement?

Despite my better judgment being clouded, I can’t help but think about the moment we shared at the bookstore. He is the same man who’s been leaving me secret notes and roses and watching me from the shadows. I still don’t understand why I became his chosen victim, but that night when he found his way into my store, he had fascinated me. Truly fascinated me.

To know now that he was the one I was trying to report to the police, the one who is now mentally holding me captive as he leads me down the road on this chilled fall night, I can’t help but feel special, all while also feeling dazed and disturbed about his agenda.

His wife?

Nothing is making sense right now. But what's worse? The days I thought my mind was betraying me in the instances of hearing voices, feeling like others were out to get me, having thoughts that I was imagining things or feeling like I wasn't good enough. But now, having knowledge of the farcical information that explains all of those things away, lining up exactly with everything that had been going on, creates relief to cement inside me.

I look up at him, his emerald eyes swirl with microscopic dark specks of amber that, even in the dark, can be seen as he turns to evaluate my silence.

“What’s on your mind, Lucynda?” he asks me and chills cover my flesh at the sound of his smooth yet guttural voice, like a perfectly aged bourbon. It’s a comforting tone because, according to him, it’s been in my head all along. Though now it seems to scratch at my skin in ways that make me feel impure and shy.

Safe.

His voice has usually done more good than harm to me these past few weeks, but I still don’t find solitude in knowing that he claims to have the capability to invade my head like that. Though, I won’t lie. I did find myself craving his voice.

“Nothing,” I lie. But only because there’s so much going through my head right now and I don’t know where to start. I want to give him hell, scream at him for practically kidnapping me but again, it feels as if I wanted to go with him. I can’t explain it.

“I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I want you to know that I don’t have any intentions on making this hard for you. I simply wanted you to listen and you wouldn’t, so I had to do what I had to do to get you to see it my way. I don’t want to hurt you, Lucynda.” The use of his word, want , is slightly unnerving and only provides pessimistic beliefs, but I listen to him because I feel safe. Even though he’s probably convincing me with his mind control to feel that way, I hate that I can’t even trust myself right now.

“That’s not me,” he says. “I only compelled you to not give me any grief about coming to the compound with me. You’re allowed to still feel and think your own thoughts otherwise. And everything you do think and feel is on your own accord. If you feel safe with me, that’s because you are safe with me, Lucynda.” My shoulders tense a bit as I listen to him answer the thoughts that spin in my head, confirming that he really can read my mind.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, Rivian. I mean, some of these things seem to make sense after your very brief and cryptic explanations but I also don't understand how or why it makes sense.” I decide to speak my valid concerns out loud, seeing as he'll just invade my thoughts one way or the other anyway, right? "How am I supposed to believe you when I don't even know you?"

“Have I led you astray before?" His question sits silently between us as I stumble over what he means by it. I think back to my nearest memories of his voice leading me to calm waters just as the storm was about to hit. He's not wrong, I did find trust and comfort in those times, but that was before I found out that he was a stalker who abducted me mentally.

"A lot of things won’t make sense right away, but I really do want to make this easier for you. As long as you'll listen, I'll answer anything you want to know.” Rivian seems to be suppressing the villainous character I imagine him to be, but I feel the radiation of his power surge through me all the same.

I practice a deep inhale to prepare myself for even more answers that might further change the trajectory of my life.

“You said you were a vampire. How am I supposed to believe that? Vampires don’t really exist, do they?” I add the last two words, wanting to stop my statement as a conclusion because I can’t be sure if I believe that supernatural beings don’t actually exist.

His steps slow to halt, and I look around to see the area we’ve stopped in. This should be where Hollows Trace Manor is. I would recognize the surrounding trees anytime I travel down this road, the bridge where Shadow Creek flows under is right where it always is. But as I squint into the darkness, I can’t see any proof of the mansion having existed or even spot the gate that keeps its property private. Just like my internet searches, and just like that police officer had said.

It’s just a land of trees.

But I know what I saw.

Rivian turns to me, so I lift my chin up to meet his eyes.

“They are as real as the air that you breathe, Lucynda. And if you’d believe it, this town is crawling with more vampires than anyone would ever know. But that’s beside the point. I am real, and the party that you went to, the majority of the other attendees were also vampires. They’re all a part of my Society.” I hear his answer clear as day, but it just makes my head spin even more than before.

I don’t know what to ask next and I know that there are a million more questions that I could ask which will be accompanied by answers that requires more questions and-

Breathe .

I hear Rivian's voice soothe me and he doesn't actually speak it out loud this time. He decides to use the method that has eased my mind one too many times before and I fold to the request, allowing the safety I feel in his words and taking in a much needed deep breath once more.

“Why am I here?” I wave around to the quiet grounds surrounding me.

“In short, you’re here to take over as queen. The long story, well, that started a few years ago.” Rivian looks out into the trees while he answers me, as if reminiscing over a fond memory or rather needing to distract himself from the contents of what that memory holds.

But I can’t decide if any of those answers makes sense to me.

“ Queen ? I don’t get it. Queen of what? I’m just a regular girl. What could anyone want from me?” I start to feel panic rise in my bones again; I’ve done such a good job keeping my cool but there’s no way I can feign composure with the information I’m being fed.

“Little one,” Rivian speaks to me as I see a light glow wash over his body. I turn around to see a pair of headlights heading our way.

I look back over to Rivian who is watching me, forget the fact that he called me little one and it's doing even more things to me, because I can see that he's trying to figure out what I’d do if given the chance to escape him.

Would I escape him?

I can wave this car down and beg for a ride back home, tell the driver I’ve been kidnapped by some vampire. But who would believe that?

The car comes down to a slow cruise and as expected, it stops before it passes us.

I can still feel Rivian’s eyes on me as the window rolls down on the passenger side and a male driver leans his head over the center.

“Everything okay out here?” That’s when I hear static coming from inside of the car and realize that this is a police officer. I didn’t see his overhead lights before in the dark, but his badge shines in the cab lighting and my heartbeat quickens its pace.

If I asked him for help right now, he’d most likely not question it, and I can free myself of this monster in front of me. But I don't actually feel as though I'm in any real danger right now. Not any more than I could be getting into a stranger's car, even if he is an officer of law.

I feel Rivian step forward a bit, but it doesn’t feel like it’s out of concern for my loyalty, it feels like it’s out of protection. Possession.

Then it hits me, what if the policeman is a vampire as well?

So many things whirl through my mind and I know that I’m taking way too long to answer when the officer asks again.

“Miss. You in any trouble here?” He looks between the so-called vampire prince and me.

I close my eyes and take a quiet breath before speaking on what my heart is telling me to do.

“All good here, officer. Just enjoying an early morning walk.” I notice a small sliver of sunlight attempting to creep up over the horizon of dark trees, the moon is moving behind the tips of them.

Rivian dips his head to nod at the officer before he rolls his window back up and drives off. I feel a gentle touch at the small of my back and I shiver slightly, looking over to see Rivian a few steps closer to me now.

“He had impure thoughts. They all do,” Rivian explains his sudden need to stand his ground to me.

“Was he a vampire too?” I wonder and he simply shakes his head at me.

“I want to tell you everything. Come inside with me.” Rivian’s words sound comforting, and though I have a lot of apprehension surrounding his offer, I would like a full explanation. I want to know everything in hopes to make the puzzle whole.

But one more question eats at me. “Inside?” I ask, and Rivian simply turns us to face the hills beside us, and there it is again. The gate and the castle.

Hollows Trace.

“How did you-” I attempt to ask, but I close my mouth shut as the gate starts to slowly creak open.

“Welcome to my kingdom, Lucynda.”