Chapter Sixteen
Azurdee slept soundly through the day, feeling safe and secure inside her little nook. The duvet clung around her like a lover, soothing her into a peaceful slumber.
When she woke up, she had no idea what time it was. All she knew was that she felt well-rested.
Rolling out of bed, she stretched her limbs in the darkness before she fumbled around for the doorknob. Finally finding it, she blinked at the light of the hallway, squinting slightly until her vision adjusted.
Once she stepped out of her room, she closed the door behind her, the sound of hushed whispers coming from the kitchen.
“We can’t let them know we have her here. If the nobles find out, we’ll be brought to the gallows.”
“What do you suggest? We just hand her over to that scumbag? You know Fredrick will use her as nothing more than a breeder for his offspring.”
“I want her to stay safe as much as you do, but we have to think of our own safety as well. We’re wanted in at least a dozen districts. Ever since our father died, we haven’t exactly been model citizens.”
Noah growled. “Don’t talk about him. Those nobles deserved exactly what they got for killing our father. He missed one payment on his rent – one – and they thought that was a good reason to kill him in cold blood. You weren’t there, Kai, you didn’t see it happen. You didn’t see his head roll onto the ground, his eyes lifeless before they kicked it to the fire and burned him to ash.”
There was silence for a moment. Azurdee bit her lip, remembering her own father’s death. He had been publicly executed for helping a lesser vampire rather than punishing him. Azurdee had been forced to watch, along with everyone else. His death hadn’t been justified, it had only served as a warning to other members of the nobility. Her heart tightened, remembering her dad. He had been a friend to her, comforting her when she was lonely and scared. After his death, she had felt helpless, especially in her mother’s cruel care.
Quietly, she tiptoed into the kitchen. “Good evening.” She said as if she had heard nothing of their conversation. She looked at them in a new light now that she knew what they had been through. No wonder they hated the nobles so much and felt entitled to steal from them. She didn’t blame them.
The two men turned, facing her. “Good evening,” Kai answered with a soft smile. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did, thank you.” Azurdee nodded, noting the awkwardness in the room. “What are you guys doing, just standing in the middle of the kitchen anyway?” She glanced at the stove to see if anything was cooking, but there wasn’t even a frying pan to be seen.
“Looks like you’ve been reported kidnapped.” Noah handed her the newspaper where a sketch of her took up most of the front page. “From what the article says, your mother is distraught and paying a handsome reward for whoever brings you back in time for your wedding.”
Azurdee snorted. “My mother isn’t worried about me. She’s worried about the bad publicity this will give the family. Why do you think she staged it as a kidnapping? If she said I was a runaway, she’d be the laughing stock of the nobility, unable to control her own daughter.”
“That may be so, but it puts us all in danger.” Kai pointed out. “If they find us – “
“You don’t think they will do you…?” Azurdee asked, concern in her voice. She looked out the kitchen window as if royal guards were about to march up to the house this very instant.
“Unlikely. We live in the middle of nowhere. Besides, no one knows you came here, do they?”
“No… I left unannounced. Haven’t said a word to anyone about you guys.”
“Then, there’s nothing to worry about,” Noah said in his usual, nonchalant manner. “Stop looking so glum. No one is going to take you, and even if they try, they’ll have to do it over my dead body.” He whispered, tilting her chin upwards until she was forced to look into his eyes. Since he had not fed in a few days, his eyes were a soft red color, almost violet.
Azurdee felt herself shudder in the heat of his gaze. She bit her lip, finally looking away. “Okay… but I’m only staying until Fredrick is married off to another vampire.”
Noah frowned but didn’t say anything. He just shrugged, heading toward the counter to start making breakfast.
“Do either of you have a computer?” she asked.
“Of course.” Kai nodded. “It’s one of the objects we search for the most during our ventures. They sell extremely well on the black market, especially to middle-class vampires trying to get an education. They all think they can advance into nobility that way.” Kai shook his head, retrieving a state-of-the-art laptop from a cabinet in the living room. The cabinet was full of electronics, which the nobility tried very hard to keep away from the lower class, pretending that such items didn’t exist.
Azurdee grabbed the laptop and sat down on the couch. She chose to take advantage of the stolen items in the cabinet, thinking the brothers were at least somewhat justified for their actions after the death of their father.
Kai left the room, joining his brother in the kitchen.
Alone, Azurdee opened the laptop and started to do a little research. There had to be something online that would tell her how to prevent her mother from marrying her off. Finally, the third link gave her some answers.
Reading quickly through the article, she learned that the only way to officially dissolve a marriage was to lose one’s virginity. Members of nobility could not arrange one without the female party being a virgin, guaranteed by the girl’s family.
So, in order for Azurdee to get out of this mess, all she had to do… was lose her virginity.
She looked into the kitchen where the two men were preparing breakfast.
But, which one did she choose?