Kaige

A nocturne and a human shall unite,

Love will blossom, overpowering all that is right.

Great disaster will befall

Ending both mortals and vampires, one and all.

I read the words of the prophecy over and over again, my hand gripping the cold marble wall in my room. Plaques of it were hung all over Castle De La Divin to remind us why we couldn’t feed from humans or even associate with them.

It was vague to say the least. How could the love between a nocturne and a human kill us all?

Then again, my short encounter with that human girl had shaken me to my core. I couldn’t imagine what loving one would do.

That would never happen.

The glass bottle of synth shook in my hand as images of the girl bombarded my mind. The temptation of her blood had ahold of me. My tongue ran along my fangs, pushing them back into my gums. The little human had done something to me. My nostrils flared, and I drank the rest of the synth.

I was still thirsty.

My fingers tightened and tiny cracks spiderwebbed across the glass. I cursed and tossed the bottle in the trashcan, shattering it into a million pieces.

Over a century ago, one of our seers foretold this prophecy. The same day our respective leaders decided there would be no more unions between a human and nocturne. That meant no drinking their blood. No contact at all.

And I, Prince Kaige, was the first one to break that no-contact rule. It felt as if I had “Traitor” stamped on my chest. Or maybe on my wrist where she had willingly taken my blood.

I yanked the towel from my shoulders and tossed it on my large bed, wrinkling the black and silver coverlet. I showered and still couldn’t rid my body of her scent. It lingered around me, a constant reminder of what I’d done.

A constant temptation.

She was still unconscious when I left her, but alive. I bound her broken leg, and I also tied her to the bed. I couldn’t have a human wandering around Draconis.

A knock resonated on my door, and I jumped. Did someone know? Had someone seen me with her?

I mentally cursed and clenched my fists. My lids squeezed shut as I shoved the memories from my mind and then schooled my expression. My features went lax and unreadable. Cool. Calm. And collected. That was me.

“Prince Kaige?”

My composure shattered. Garridan had been my servant since I was a boy. He may be old as dirt, but he knew more about me than anyone, even my own twin. He was going to see right through my thin façade.

The door creaked open, and a gray head of fluffy hair appeared. Wise hazel eyes surrounded by crinkles found mine. “Ah, there you are, sir.”

My brow arched. I was pretty sure I’d locked that. Sometimes I swore Garridan was an alchemist. “You know I hate it when you call me sir.”

He chuckled under his breath and strolled in. “That’s exactly why I do it, sir.” He was dressed in plain gray slacks and a white button-down shirt. When I turned fourteen, I forced him to stop wearing those ridiculously uncomfortable servant shoes and gave him a pair of handmade loafers only nobles could afford. It was probably the only time I’d disobeyed the king.

Until now.

Why couldn’t I have done something trivial like have a fling with a taranoi? Instead I had to commit treason.

Garridan’s eyes lingered over me too long. “What’s wrong?”

My jaw ticked. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

He motioned a finger toward my neck. “That little vein is fluttering like hummingbird wings. It only does that when you’re hiding something.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I spun around and trailed toward the large mahogany dresser, my movements purposefully slow. It was difficult considering I wanted to run away from his knowing gaze as fast and as far as I could. I yanked a black t-shirt out of a drawer. “How mad is my father?” I asked, diverting the subject.

Garridan clucked his teeth. “He’s not pleased. He expects this kind of behavior from Xander but from you?”

“Perfection,” I mumbled under my breath.

“You should have seen how shocked he was when Xander was right on time and you were absent.”

Like I’d thought, exactly my brother’s plan.

“Zabrina thought it was funny.”

The edges of my lips curled, thinking of my eight-year-old little sister. She was every bit the hellion I never was and sweeter than Xander could ever be.

“Your mother had to finally pry her from the room before your father lost his temper,” Garridan said, humor lacing his words.

I scoffed and tugged the shirt over my head. “Zabrina thinks his anger is hilarious.”

The sound of Garridan shaking out my towel echoed. “That’s because he’s never angry with her.”

I ran a hand through my damp hair, brushing it from my face. “That’s why she’s spoiled rotten.”

“What is that smell?”

My head snapped around. My first thought was he could smell that little human’s scent on me. “What smell?”

Garridan stalked toward my closet. He was already inside when realization slammed into me. Cold panic sliced open my chest, seizing my muscles. He had the t-shirt clutched in his hand by the time I made it to the door. He’d never moved that fast.

Why didn’t I burn the damn thing?

A dark, primitive part of me wanted to savor the left behind blood. An even darker part reminded me the source was hidden away in a little cabin. No one would know. One little taste…

“What is this, Kaige?” Silver flecks began to spot his hazel irises as an uncharacteristic darkness hollowed his face.

I swallowed hard and averted my gaze to the soft, ornate rug beneath my bed. “Nothing. I just got a little careless while I was hunting in the woods.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue.

“What exactly were you hunting?” There was no mistaking the hidden meaning in his words.

“Deer.” I resisted the urge to wipe the beads of sweat forming on my brow.

Garridan tossed the shirt at me and cursed. I caught it with lightning reflexes, my eyes snapping to his. He rarely uttered a mean word much less cursed.

“I’ve been around a long time. I know what deer blood smells like.” He marched toward the large, ornately carved door, shutting and locking it. He pointed to the shirt. “And I certainly remember what human blood smells like.”

Color drained from my face, and I lowered the soiled material, my hands trembling. There was no hiding it from Garridan. He was one of the few that had been around before the prophecy. “I can explain.” Breath shuddered in and out of my lungs. “But you have to promise not to tell a soul. My life depends on it.”

“You have my word, Kaige.” He crossed his arms against his chest, looking a little less frail and ancient than usual. “Now start from the beginning.”

The truth, no matter how horrible and treasonous it was, flowed from my lips. The more I talked, the deeper the lines appeared in Garridan’s brow, and the tension in his body grew. He was so taut that one hard flick to the chest and he might shatter like brittle glass.

“You brought a human back from the brink of death with your blood?” His eyes pierced mine, too dark and unreadable for my liking.

“Yes. I need to know what was in those crates. The Collective has no business with anything of ours and vice versa.”

Garridan sighed and dropped onto the end of my bed. He drew a hand through his gray tufts of hair. “Kaige, I told you things from the old ways to educate you, not for you to break the rules doing them.”

My jaw clenched, and I staunched the urge to throw my hands up and growl. “I know, but what was I supposed to do? She was dying, and I needed answers.” I spun around and averted my eyes to the fire. “She’s my prisoner.” Honey and jasmine flared through my nostrils mixed with her salty blood. “Nothing else,” I hissed, shattering the betraying thoughts. Spending time with her was the last thing I wanted to do, but the sooner I questioned her, the sooner I could send her back to Imera.

Garridan’s gaze bored into the back of my head, searing right through my skull before his raspy, withered voice broke the silence. “Why couldn’t you have simply asked the king about it?”

I swiveled around, my brow arching. “If he knows what was in those boxes and why a human had them, my father wouldn’t tell me. And on the other hand, if he had nothing to do with it, he could start a war with the Collective and whoever else was involved.”

“Possibly.” Garridan rubbed his chin, his gaze pensive. “Perhaps I should go to the cabin and speak—”

“No!” A possessive feeling burned through my veins. “I-I just don’t want you getting in trouble. This is all on me.” Was I afraid Garridan would find the little human and drink her before I could?

My fists clenched. Gods, she cursed me. I sounded more like my brother than myself.

Garridan slowly stood, his head tilting as he scrutinized me. “Kaige, what are you feeling right now?”

I crossed my arms against my chest. “Nothing.”

He stood and took a few steps toward me, his eyes falling on the shattered blood glass in the trashcan. “Did you drink from her?”

My mouth watered at the thought of opening one of her veins. “Of course not,” I scoffed and marched toward my dresser. My hands shook as I rummaged through my drawer for a pair of socks.

“Sometimes there are consequences to sharing blood with humans, Kaige.”

The pair of socks fell from my hands. “What are you talking about? What consequences?” All I could think about was the little human’s scent clinging to me and the way my fangs ached every time I thought about her blood.

Garridan’s presence coalesced directly behind me. “A bond can form. You might be able to feel her emotions, know if she’s in danger.” He stooped and picked up the socks, slowly placing them in my hand. “A connection forms out of the blood you’ve shared. It’s called a blood bond.”

A line formed between my brows. “That doesn’t happen when nocturnes share blood with each other.”

“Humans are different.” Garridan’s hazel eyes never looked so knowing. “But you’re not feeling anything like that, right?”

“Right.” I swallowed. “I’d rather toss her back over the border to Imera than keep her locked in the cabin.” The thought of being near her made me bristle.

The phone on my dresser buzzed again. I quickly answered it to dodge Garridan’s intrusive stare. “Yes?”

“The king has requested your presence in his quarters.” My father’s personal servant’s voice flowed over the line with even more pretention than it did in person. “Shall I tell him you’re on your way, Prince Kaige?”

“Yes, Anders,” I gritted out. I wanted to get away from Garridan’s prodding questions, but facing my father wasn’t that much better.

I hung up the phone and gently placed it back on the dresser before I crushed it with my bare hands. “I need to see my father.”

He nodded. “Of course. What reason will you give him for missing the summit?”

I shrugged. “I’ll think of something.”

As I walked the wide marble halls toward my father’s study, I had trouble focusing on an excuse. All I could think about was the conversation with Garridan. Would I start feeling strange effects from the girl? Would I think nonstop about her—crave her blood even more than I already was? Would I crave giving her mine?

I needed to be rid of this human fast.

Soft footsteps echoed along the marble and my mother appeared around the corner. I hid my fidgeting hands behind my back and cleared the turmoil from my expression. When her deep emerald eyes caught sight of me, her steps quickened.

“Kaige, are you all right?” The charcoal silk and chiffon dress floated around her, the intricate beadwork glinting in the silvery moonlight. “I was so worried when you never arrived for the summit.” Auburn waves cascaded down her shoulders, the color a deep contrast to her porcelain skin.

I swallowed hard. “I’m fine. I just…” My words trailed off. I hadn’t been prepared to lie to her. Deceiving my father was one thing, but a mother’s intuition was a hard thing to fool.

Her expression softened. “Did Xander get to you?”

“Of course not.” Admitting that would be like poking my own eye out.

She sighed, and her delicate hand gently touched my cheek. “I really wish you two would get along. You’re twins. You should be closer than anyone.”

“We’re just too different.” I wasn’t lying. We were like night and day.

My mother dropped her hand. “Well, at least I hope you enjoyed whatever it was you decided to do instead of attend the summit.”

A knot fisted in my gut. If she only knew I’d committed treason.

“Oh, I’m sure your father will let you off the hook for this,” she said, mistaking my grave expression for something else.

I simply nodded, unable to force any more lies from my mouth.

“It’ll be all right, Kaige.” She patted my shoulder as she walked by.

I highly doubted that.

By the time I knocked on the door to my father’s study, my insides were a tangled web of panic and uncertainty. But, as usual, I was cool as ice on the outside. It was a skill I’d perfected as a kid.

Anders answered the door, his thin lips spread into a placating smile. “Ah, Prince Kaige.” He motioned me in with a large wave of his hand and a dramatic bow.

I staunched the urge to roll my eyes. Anders was the biggest kiss-ass in Castle De La Divin, maybe even all of Draconis.

My father’s study was large, the ceilings high and dome-shaped. He liked it best because of the acoustics that made his voice seem even larger than it already was. Flickering firelight from a massive hearth danced across rows of books centuries old. Windows overlooked a pristine courtyard, polished statues, fountains, and lush gardens, all adding to the grandeur.

My gaze fell on a large plaque hanging on the wall carved with the prophecy. My stomach knotted, and I breathed deeply through my nose. This girl was going back to Imera as soon as I got my answers. And if she wouldn’t talk… I’d make her talk. Quickly.

King Razvan stood to his six-foot frame and slowly stalked toward me, his onyx suit impeccable. He was a few inches shorter than my brother and me, but his posture made him seem like a giant. He was a force to be reckoned with and boasted a cold blue stare that could freeze any nocturne’s blood to ice.

Except my sister’s.

The firelight danced across his sleek black hair as he scrutinized me. “You’re not injured so I couldn’t possibly think of why you missed the summit tonight.” Although his voice was low, it held enough power and authority to make me feel feeble.

“Yes, brother, what were you thinking?” Xander strolled into the room from another entrance, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a button-down shirt.

I glanced at my own jeans and black t-shirt before narrowing my eyes at him. Clearly Xander had wanted to one-up me in the wardrobe department. It was just fuel to the fire after he purposefully riled me up enough to skip the summit. “I hear you showed up for once in your life, Xander.”

There was a sharp edge to his smirk. “Disappointed I’m not the slacker you thought?”

“Oh, you’re still the slacker. You just want the throne.”

“Boys.” My father lifted a hand, stopping our impending argument. Tension still swirled between us, clogging the air.

“Care to explain what was so important that it kept you from the summit, Kaige?” The king waved Anders over.

He scurried toward us with a silver tray of synth blood, his nose so high in the air he could have tripped over his own feet. Xander and my father took one, but I waved mine away. My thirst had disappeared the moment my father’s eyes landed on me. If I let what I did slip, I was done for.

My father wasn’t a bad man, but he was stern. He was a king. It came with the territory. His decisions affected thousands of people, and he couldn’t afford many mistakes.

It was a pressure I didn’t want.

“Well,” he said, motioning for me to explain.

Xander’s smirk grew in my periphery.

I ignored his silent taunts and swallowed hard. “I went out hunting in the woods. I just lost track of time.” My voice was calm and even, the opposite of how I felt.

My father’s gaze remained on the synth as he swirled it around in the bottle, contemplating my words. “These trials seemed to have put a lot of strain on you.”

“Yes, sir.” I tucked my hands into my pockets to keep them from trembling. “Whoever wins will be king of Draconis. It’s not something I take lightly.”

Xander dramatically rolled his navy eyes. He wanted the power and authority of king and none of the responsibility. I didn’t want any of it. If only Zabrina were older. She’d be better than Xander and me put together.

“Hunting is a good way to clear your mind.” He took a sip before his eyes landed on me. The cold blue irises seemed to penetrate into my very soul.

Could he see the things I’d done?

“I’d been known to lose track of everything during a hunt when I was younger.” He gave me a nod. “Very well, Kaige. Don’t let it happen again.”

Xander nearly choked on his synth. “That’s it? He gets a stern look from you and all is fine?” He jerked his free hand toward me. “He skipped the summit!”

My father shrugged. “It’s Kaige. He’s never shirked any responsibility. He can get one pass.”

“But, Father—.”

“Enough, Xander,” he interrupted, his shoulders tensing. “Do I need to remind you of how many times you disappeared when something important came up?”

Xander’s jaw clenched. “That was before.”

“Yes, before you considered the trials for my throne.” He spun around and walked toward his desk, setting his bottle on it. “Don’t think you can just turn it all around in a matter of weeks, and I’ll name you king.”

My twin’s body shook, and his nostrils flared. “I know that. I’m going to win.”

“Then win—at least try anyway.” My father muttered that last part under his breath.

It was no secret my father wanted me to win. Not because he didn’t think Xander was good enough. He just thought I was better. That supreme confidence in me had been creating a wedge since we were teenagers. Naturally, we’d always been different, but my twin had distanced himself a long time ago. I did the same.

I glanced in my twin’s direction, his eyes burning silver. It was a good thing we weren’t closer. If we were, he’d see the storm of emotions raging beneath my calm exterior. And if he found out what I did, he’d be the first to condemn me.