18. when darkness falls

18

when darkness falls

Lucynda

October 15th

It’s nearing total nightfall. The song of the wind plays harshly against the windows as rain threatens to break from the sky. It’s the perfect October night. I was feeling hopeful about my new start of life but as soon as Rivian came for me and my poor excuse of a packed bag—nearly hours after he had promised me—we came straight to the castle without so much as a single word spoken between us.

I felt insecure in the back of his car as his driver drove us the short drive, but I feel even more so now that he just dropped me off in this ridiculously large bedroom, leaving me here without reassurance or direction. Just silence.

"If you need anything at all, please let me know, Miss Claire. All you have to do is ring this bell," the old lady with gray hair and smile lines nods her head at me as she points to a red button next to the door of the bedroom, "and I'll be here in a jiffy." I smile at her and give her a polite nod.

She followed behind Rivian and I shortly after he disposed of me in this room. The old lady seems so small and too sweet for a place like this, but I don't question her presence as a more pressing question slinks into my mind.

“Excuse me?” I ask for her attention before she can leave.

"Natasha," she tells me, allowing me the courtesy of knowing her name.

“Natasha,” I smile gently at her. “Can you tell me, have I done something wrong to upset Rivian?”

“Oh, the prince?” She steps up to me in the way that friends tell secrets to each other. “Between you and me, he is a bit of a hothead. His temperament deceives him just as your mindless thoughts of loneliness betray you.”

Her knowledge of my internal revile shouldn’t shock me. She must be a vampire after all.

I don’t respond to her words, I simply smile as she bows her head at me and walks off down the hall.

That's when I see the bodyguard from earlier—the same one from outside the Gilded Hollow and the one who let me into the castle earlier—standing across the hallway. I believe I heard Rivian call him Kacian.

"You gonna stand around and what . . . watch me?" I ask him with a bit more sass than I should, considering he's been nothing but kind to me both times we've met. But my irritation with the situation grows unnervingly. Rivian should be here to get me settled in. What were all his efforts for if he was just going to leave me alone.

I'd say that maybe he was just in a hurry, and he wanted to give me some more time to adjust, but he's been giving me time. I know I requested it at first, but then when he sent me off back to my house, I was already in a state of annoyance. Now it just feels like he's trying to hold me off for one reason or another and it's irritating.

Kacian nods his head but doesn't smile. "I am your permanent guard, Miss Claire."

"Guard for what?" I give him a stupid look as if I don't need a babysitter.

"You'll need protection." Protection. Well, I guess that makes sense. And I'm somewhat grateful that at least Rivian is willing to provide that to me if nothing else.

"Are you a vampire too?" I ask the tall man. Taller than Rivian, so seeming to be about six-seven at least. But he's also burly with muscles. Definitely intimidating to say the least, with his dark features, thick arms, and tattooed neck.

"Yes." His answer is straight to the point.

"Is Natasha?" I cross my arms.

"No. She is compelled to be here." He doesn't even move when he speaks, his face remains expressionless, and I wonder just how much control he thinks he's going to get away with over me.

"Well, that's women's rights for ya," I say more so under my breath, but I know if he hears me even though he doesn't react.

"How long are you gonna stand there?" I uncross my arms and put my hand on my hip. I’m uncomfortable here, to say the least, I don’t know how to act.

"Until curfew ends." Another monotoned answer.

"Curfew ends ? You mean start?" I grow curious.

"No, Miss Claire. I mean ends . In about an hour." That would be about ten o'clock if my time is right. Who has a curfew that ends at ten at night? Normally curfews start at that time. You know, be home by curfew . Or have her home by midnight . So, what? Curfew ends at ten at night meaning then I’d get to leave the house? Ass backwards if you ask me.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes at him.

I turn back into the room and smile at him sarcastically as I close the door, leaving him out in the hallway by himself.

I sigh against the door. This is now my life. The only thing preventing this whole exchange from being a complete letdown is the fact that the room I'm supposedly to be confined to is the most gorgeous bedroom I’ve ever stepped foot in.

At first glance, when I turn the lights on, I notice the silky, plum-purple drapery that hangs behind the queen-sized bed in the center of the room against the furthest wall. The bedding is gold, cream, and plum crushed velvet that lays in layers against soft nude-colored pillows.

On either side of the bed there is an expansive bay window with benches that have cushions to match the drapery lining the tops of them.

Beautiful columns with intricate lace designs etched into the frame, the two end corners of the bed that lead into tall ceilings adorned by ivory colored crown molding, centered with the most stunning chandelier that drips with luminescent crystals. I can imagine exactly how the sun catches them and projects tiny little rainbows in the room during the height of the day.

The opposite wall of the bed holds a built-in fireplace and is etched with ornate trim dressed in gold encrusted filigree, seemingly only for a design element and for no real purpose. I can't deny that the appeal and the character of it all is stunning, giving the whole space a medieval yet ethereal effect.

There's a sizable recessed oval mirror framed in gold on the far left wall that sits behind a luxurious vanity. On both sides of the mirror are built-in wall shelves that look to go at least a foot deep. I can't imagine having enough belongings to fill them with; the idea of having all this space seems a little overwhelming when I examine how much of it there truly is.

I wander over to the walk-in closet—I didn't even know it was there at first until it caught in my peripheral—which is nearly as big as the bedroom itself. Similar attributes paint the walls, gold and cream colors mix effortlessly to give it a classical fairytale look all while still seeming to display gothic-like features. There's so much space in here that I wouldn't even know what to do with it. The stuff I brought over—my clothes and my hygiene products—could seriously take up just one of the wall-shelves by the main-room vanity.

Just outside of the walk-in closet is a beautifully framed door that goes into the bathroom and as I walk in and take a look around, I can't help but feel my smile spread as my eyes widen with wonderment. The most beautiful pearl-colored claw-foot tub cozies up to a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks the cliffs. It's one of the dreamiest bathrooms I've ever stepped foot in, with gold marbled tiles for flooring and matching countertops on the sink vanity. I can see where the midnight sky kisses the water of the ocean, waves shimmering in the light of the moon.

I take a deep breath as I take it all in. This is not what I was expecting when I was told that this would become my home. I honestly didn't know what to expect but this . . . this is a lot to consume.

As I exit the bathroom back to the bedroom, I toss my only bag on the bed. Then I panic and frantically remove my luggage to set it nicely on the white plush, carpeted floor, realizing that I probably shouldn't treat this space like I would with the stuff at my apartment, seeing as everything in this room looks way more expensive. I know a single drape would cost more than what's left in my bank account. It doesn't take a genius to realize that even that amount of money doesn't mean anything under the roof of this castle. That has to be chump-change here.

That thought causes me to draw concern over the bookstore and my lease on the apartment.

Why didn't I think about those things beforehand? I know I'm going to have to end the lease for the apartment which I don't think will be an issue but am I going to have to sell the bookstore?

Questions run through my head about what my old life is to become when my new life officially takes over. When will my new life officially take over?

I hate that I’m left here alone as my questions pester me. Despite what either Rivian or I want out of this, the last thing he should do is make me feel like I’m doing this alone. I’m starting to feel hostility toward my husband-to-be for his lack of forethought in this situation. His neglect of my feelings seems cruel, then again, he is a vampire and what, if anything, is crueler than the creatures who stalk in the night.

But how can he think that leaving me here would benefit anyone? Does he not want me here? Because he worked really hard to get me to believe that this is my fate, my destiny. He seemed eager to get me here, like something in his world depended on it; something more than just a stupid soul bond and a craving for power.

But I have to calm myself down, anger is not something I want to express right now when I've already been so hot and cold with the man, and with myself honestly. But I also don't want to be some agreeable pawn that he can just use and then ignore in times like this when my mind is racing, and I just need someone to talk to.

Stella would have listened. The silly thought makes me giggle but also creates a sadness within me. Am I really that lonely that I think back to how a spider would let me talk out my problems to her. I hate feeling like I have no one, and even my so-called soulmate is treating me as if I don't exist.

Before I know it, another hour goes by—I sat in the empty tub in the bathroom and stared out the window, watching the water dance in the moonlight as time went by—and I still haven’t heard from or even seen Rivian.

I start to pick at my fingernails—the chipped purple nail polish now litters the bottom of the tub—as worry weaves its way into my mind and I start to overthink everything once more. I find myself biting so hard on my lip in anticipation, that I start to taste blood.

I decide I have to take this situation into my own hands. I can't just sit around and wait to be rescued, so to speak. So I jump out of the bathtub and head for the door. I didn't have time to pay attention to details because he was walking so energetically, varied with anger, that I was worried I might lose him if I didn't attempt to keep up.

Why would he give me my own room? Why wouldn't I just share his room with him, seeing as I am to become his wife? I thought when we walked through the hallways earlier, remembering when I kissed him.

After finally deciding that I'm brave enough to leave my room, I open the door carefully, hoping that Kacian isn't standing guard. When I peek into the hallway and see the coast is clear, I silently tiptoe out and close the door as quietly as I can behind me. I peer down the hall to make sure no one is around. I don't want to get caught trying to sneak out in case I wasn't supposed to leave my room. But also, it's late and I don't want to wake anyone. But if that's the case, then he should have said something to me . . . anything . But no. He just walked me straight to my fancy new room and closed the door on me as if I were some kind of child that had just been grounded for misbehaving. Not to mention, curfew just ended, whatever that means.

I start to really let it bother me that he acted that way. This whole time he's been feeding me tricks with his eerily distorted whispers and convincing me that my life is practically only relevant to better his.

I start to feel the thread of panic unravel at the thought that I did something to cause him to be so frustrated with me. But I've been doing what he's asked of me. I listened to his crazy offer and took in everything he said. Even now, I waited for him to come around while I wasted my night in a fucking bathtub.

Why is he allowed to get upset with me and toss me away like a crumpled-up piece of paper? And for no reason at that.

So, you know what? No . I refuse to let myself feel like I did something to deserve his anger. I've spent my whole life trying to figure out what I did wrong to deserve hatred from so many people and I refuse to start this new chapter of my life doing the same damn thing.

I trudge angrily down the stairs, not really caring anymore if I wake whoever else is sleeping in this stupidly large castle. I don't know where I'm going but I know that I need to find Rivian somehow, someway.

I feel like my emotions have been chaotically scattered more than I'm used to and it's serving resentment in myself and with Rivian. I've shown vulnerability to this man more than I have to anyone else on the planet and I fear that might have given him reason to think I am easy to manipulate or that I'll bend to his control. I want him to know that me marrying him is my decision, and that I won't be thrown around like some doll. We can either do this together and come to a mutual understanding on some things or we can battle this out the hard way, which probably won't do either of us much good. Either way, he will fucking respect me. But he also needs to know that he can't just treat me like gum on the bottom of his shoe.

I cringe as I think about the time when I sat in gum at school, and everyone laughed at me. Every single person in that cafeteria that saw what had happened laughed at me. Not one person opted to help or do anything to lessen the blow.

Fuck all of them.

Every person who has ever fucking laughed at me or left me alone with my intrusive thoughts, not caring to ease the pain or to help settle the negative in my mind can go to fucking hell.

I round the corner to the hallway that leads back out to the foyer, pissed as I try to decide where to go to look for the asshole who brought me here. I look down the expanse of the rest of the house and I can't even see the end of it, that's how I know it's big. I don't see signs of anyone else walking the halls like I am, and it creates an eerie feeling to blanket the darkness around me. But my curiosity draws me to the large room east of me.

I wonder over, a little more calmly now than I was when I was stomping down the steps, and I walk in to see that it resembles an oversized dining room. There's a large table in the center that looks like it could fit about two dozen people at one time. When I glance at the rest of the room, I see that nothing else takes up the space. The details are just as exquisite in this room as they are in my room, except it's darker in here. Power is born in this room, or at least that is what it feels like.

"See you've found the great hall." A familiar voice sneaks up from behind me and because of the echo the room provides her, it makes me jump a little.

I turn around to see a shadow of a girl standing in the doorway. There's no lighting, save for the small stream of moonlight provided by the one window, but as she walks closer, I start to recognize her from the other day.

"Troian?" My question creeps up my throat in a shocked tone. Deja vu sinks into the moment even though I know it's only because I've seen her once before.

"You can call me Troy," she says to me as she walks further into the room to meet me.

Her face comes into view, and I can barely make out her midnight eyes in the darkness, her black hair also blends into the shadows around her.

I cross my arms and tense my shoulders up, trying to mask the chill that just came over me suddenly. I didn't think to change out of the dress I'd had on before leaving with Rivian.

"You live here?" I ask her, looking around to see if anyone else can be spotted trotting around the castle, but so far, I haven't seen any other being, vampire or otherwise. Almost as if they don't want to risk being seen by the likes of me.

"I can do you one better, Princess," she says with enthusiasm coloring her tone. I perk up a little to wait for what she says next.

"I'm your sister-in-law."