Cassian Legacy: The Vampire Prince
Chapter 21

I dressed Saturday morning withease, replaceing the items of clothing in my closet without worrying that theymight not be there. I slid some cream colored sandals onto my feet and thendecided I needed a different kind of shoe. But as I slipped them off again, Irealized he’d just buy the pair he wanted me to wear and then tell me to putthem on after they arrived by post. But that was only if the pair I wore didn’tmatch his taste.

I skipped trying on the shoes andgot to work on my hair. I hated doing this. It always looked tangled unless Ithrew it into braid of some sort. But it wouldn’t do to go running into hishouse with twin braids sticking out on the sides of my head. I resorted totalking to Emily about this. After all, I needed to check in on her. Last nightshe came home and cried most of the night, which worried me.

She let me into her house easily,thanking me again for helping her earlier this week. When I told her mypredicament a smile formed on her face. In about twenty minutes, she had fixedmy hair, braiding it from one side of my head to the other, pulling it into anintricate style that rested against my left shoulder. I glanced at it in themirror completely in awe with the do.

Before I departed her house, Iasked if she was alright, that I thought I heard her crying on the sidewalklast night while she was returning home. She mentioned having issues with herboyfriend but didn’t say anything more. I didn’t pursue the conversation,because I didn’t want to push her away from a possible friendship, and her mindwas already fragile with the attempted murder I put a stop to. I thanked herendlessly for the help and left to meet Finn. When he pulled up the street, Iwas already standing by the curb. His eyes never left my face as I climbed intohis car. And not one word about how I was dressed escaped his lips as we droveout of the town and into the countryside.

Of course once we approached hismassive home, I broke the silence. “You live in that?”

He nodded, but didn’t smile, likehe hated the place though I couldn’t see why. It had been years since I hadmoney to afford something as nice as the apartment I currently lived in. Thisdidn’t even compare with what I thought his house would look like.

Judging from depth of it, I decidedthat it wasn’t even a house, but a mansion with a housing complex that made itlook almost like a castle, but not quite that medieval. It was huge, though,making the Vanderbilt look small if the two stood side by side. I had neverseen anything like it in this part of the country. Already I cowered at thesight of it because large houses made me feel small and meek, like I didn’tbelong there already.

We pulled up on the paved drivethat led right to the massive front doors. He got out and opened my car door asI gawked at the heavy wooden panels that opened from some unseen force. Butonce we were inside the foyer, I snapped my gaping mouth closed. The interiorwas completely bare, save for a chandelier and a staircase. There were nopaintings or rugs, no adornments of any kind. The walls were cream and themiddle was lined with a gold circular pattern. The black and white marble flooroverwhelmed me with its simple and dull design.

He led me down the long hall into asmaller room, but still incredibly big for its size. A large grand piano restedin the middle of the room on a raised platform. Several chairs occupied thespace to the right of it, but behind the piano was a set corner composed ofcouches and a square coffee table. The walls were bare in this room just likethe hallway, but the windows allowed a multitude of sunshine in, perking up thedull cream tone and making the gold lapel shine.

Finn left me in here alone, whilehe went to gather the others. I drifted over to the black piano, awed by thesight of it. It had been ages since I’d even come near an instrument of thiscaliber. It was expensive, and polished, and looked like it had never beenused.

Tentatively I reached out andpressed a key. The note was clear and crisp. I recognized it the moment I heardits soft pulse. The thing was tuned correctly. A few lost memories of mychildhood rushed into me. I felt like I was nine again, sitting at the keys,memorizing the piece set in front of me. Before I knew what I was doing, Iseated myself on the bench and started playing the cadence. It flowed from myfingers like I hadn’t been away from the piano for this long. It seemed onlyyesterday I had stopped the music, though that was nothing but an illusion. Iallowed myself to feel the notes, the ones I loved long ago. Those were happiertimes, memories from my former life.

Somewhere in the middle of thesong, I heard movement to my left and I halted my fingering. My fake realitycrashed down, and I awoke to my current surroundings. I turned toward theintruders of my perfect dream, replaceing Finn standing next to another man I hadnever seen. He approached me. Finn’s facial structure resembled the man to somedegree. He gestured to the instrument and asked that I resume playing.

Finn’s eyes were unreadable as Ifaced the keys once more. I stared at the black and white wooden items as ifthey could open the door into my mind once more, like they were the secretkeeper of memories I had forgotten. It took longer than it should have, but Icaught the threads of the melody humming in my mind right where I left off,waiting to be discovered. In another minute or so I had ended the lullaby.

Even though I had an audience, asmile tugged at the corner of my mouth. I had actually remembered somethinghappy, from before… and not something I hated.

I looked back up at the two men.Finn’s expression remained unfathomable.

The man that I guessed must be hisfather bowed low. “Finn never told me you played,” he greeted with a rich lightvoice, exactly like Finn’s.

I smiled gently. “He didn’t know.”

He clasped his hands in front ofhim. “You played it beautifully, but I have to ask. How do you know thatmelody?”

I shrugged. That was something Ididn’t remember. “I don’t know actually. But I think I learned it when I wasyounger.”

His eyes flickered slightly, but hedidn’t say anything more about it. I took that to mean he didn’t believe me forsome strange reason, like I purposefully lied to him, but he didn’t question itfurther.

Finn remained quiet and unapproachable.He stared at me like that first day when we spoke to each other, and he told meI was a puzzle he was trying to figure out. I still didn’t understand why hethought that, but I wasn’t bringing up that discussion at the moment. I feltlike it might make my situation worse than it already was. According to him hehad gone to extremes keeping his family from hunting me, and I wasn’t about toruin that when they finally wanted to meet me. I followed them over to thecouches quietly. Finn sat next to me on one sofa, while his father sat acrossfrom us on the other.

I expected a barrage of questionsto follow, but the two never spoke a word, and we all stared at one another,daring the other person into speech.

Finally his father stood up andlooked pointedly at Finn. “I’m going to go see what your mother is up to.”

As soon as he was gone, Finn spoke,barely mumbling in my direction. “Why didn’t you tell me knew how to play?”

I glanced at him. “It was neverimportant. And I really didn’t remember until I saw the instrument.”

His hands clenched up and relaxedagain. “But why did you have to play thatsong?”

I frowned and caught his attention,turning his dark eyes onto my face. “What do you mean?” I hissed. “There’s nopossible way that you recognize that song…”

He shook his head slightly, cuttingme off. “It’s Tiberius’ Lullaby. Themelody is played over our cribs for a full year after we’re born and has beenfor several generations. Every Tierney knows the tune.”

What he stated was impossible.“That doesn’t make any sense. When I learned that song, it wasn’t Tiberius’lullaby.”

He closed his eyes. “That’s not thepoint.” He met my gaze again, leaning forward so our faces were only an inchapart. “You just played our family’ssong, the crest, lullaby, whatever you want to call it. This is not to be takenlightly. I don’t know how my father will react to this - technically youshouldn’t even know the tune.”

I froze. I never thought for onesecond that I had done something wrong, but his tone implied it. “I’m sorry, Ididn’t know.”

“And how could you?” he whisperedharshly. “I never even mentioned it. But if he asks, tell him I did.”

I nodded slightly. “Alright.”

This new development had Finnworried, though I didn’t understand why and he wasn’t about to explain it here.

His expression softened. “By theway, you look amazing. I love what you did to your hair.”

I smiled tentatively. “That’sEmily. She did it for me. It always looks messy when I try to put it up.”

Finn’s parents walked in togetherthis time. His mother was absolutely gorgeous - I wasn’t prepared for herinnate beauty. Her long blond hair was like gold resembling the paint on thewall. Now I knew where his sister got her looks from. Atria mirrored the imageof this woman. Her blue eyes met mine and she smiled.

“We finally meet the famousAmelia,” she greeted me.

“Abelia, mother,” Finn correctedher. “Her friends call her Abel.”

Her eyes met his briefly and sheblushed from her error. “Pardon me, Abelia. It is such a peculiar name I don’tthink I’ve heard it before.”

I smiled feeling childish. “It wasquite popular when I was born.”

She took her seat next to Finn’sfather on the couch opposite us. She relaxed back into the cushion and crossedher legs. Finn’s father leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

I noticed that both of them haddark blond hair, whereas Finn’s was black. I thought it odd that his hair colorwas different from theirs, when genetically he should be blond like Atria andhis parents.

“Finn told us that you hail from aclan in the south,” his father began. “And their manners are quite differentthan what the covens have been raised with. We expected you to visit the houseprior to your arrival here, but you did not know the usual custom.”

“Finn has vouched for you and yourignorance,” his mother continued. “But we know of the gifts you have beenbestowed with. Because of this you pose a threat to us. You have a choice. Youcan either leave here and never return, or…”

“You become his bodyguard,” hisfather finished with a smile that looked more like a front for some otheremotion I didn’t want to picture.

I hated the way they spoke to melike I was below them and easily dispatched, but there was truth in theirstatements. I was a threat, and that I already knew no matter how much it wastold to me. “I’m not ready to leave this area yet.”

His father’s smile widened. “Thenit’s settled. You will become a bodyguard until you choose to travelelsewhere.”

His mother stared at me like shedidn’t really trust my answers, but I knew she shouldn’t. I didn’t like beinggoaded into contracts - it wasn’t in my nature to become a prisoner. But thistime I knew what I had to do. In order to keep them from hunting me, and putFinn in my protection, I had to make the contract. I nodded in agreement.

His mother looked like she wantedany excuse to tear me apart, but was placated for the moment. “We will expectreports from you. Once a month we convene and discuss new security measures orproblems that arise. Finn told me about the burglar that invaded Sylvia’sapartments. Thanks to you, we don’t have to worry about our own being harmed,and now we needn’t worry about Sylvia’s establishment and patrons beingattacked.”

I glanced over at Finn. He hadembellished the truth of things, and hidden the fact that I resided in one ofthe cottages there. I also recognized the disgusting tone she emphasized on thelast few words, and quickly understood that even when Sylvia loathed his familyshe was still respected in their social circles.

Guessing from my sudden eye contactwith Finn, his mother felt the need to explain further. “We don’t normallycontract with Sylvia, but because of these odd circumstances we’ve sent out afew more guards so they can scout her area. Finn says you can be stationedthere when you’re not at school. We will arrange for you to rent a room.”

“That’s alright,” I butted inbefore her mind could take flight with the idea. “I can take care of my ownlodgings.”

From my peripheral vision, Finnsmiled, probably pleased that I didn’t want to mooch off of their riches. I hadseen that smile before from the upper class and recognized it instantly.

His mother floundered with herwords for a second or two until she regained her bearings and continued on likeI hadn’t interrupted her. “Well, regardless of where you spend your nights wewant you to be comfortable.”

I shook my head, knowing at oncewhat she referred to. “I’m not drawing a salary or anything. I don’t want yourmoney.”

“She wasn’t talking about money,”Finn whispered in my ear.

I glanced at him. “I don’tunderstand…”

“You’re old.” He raised an eyebrow,trying to throw me a hint I couldn’t comprehend.

How could I respond to that? Justwhat did they imply regarding my age?

His mother took the hint, however,knowing that whatever they suggested didn’t register in my head. She sighedheavily and cleared her throat, like I was too ignorant for my own good and shewas explaining ‘vampires for dummies.’ “You are far more older than Finnoriginally thought. You’re probably one of the oldest vampires that reside inthis town. That gives you power over the rest of us. This is probably whyyou’re gifts are so profound and why they work on our family when others havefailed. They’ve had time to manifest and develop.”

I really didn’t understand what sheexplained at all. I looked back at Finn wondering what her speech actuallymeant, but he avoided my gaze. Hopefully he’d describe this to me later.

“You really should take up yourresidence here in the house with the others, but obviously you don’t wantthat,” she continued with contempt.

Finn’s father smiled genuinely andpicked up where his wife left off. “We will respect your wishes on the subject.Now on to better things. We have a ceremony next month for the winter solsticeyou’ll be required to take part in. Finn’s told me that your wine of choice isthe zinfandel, so we’ll make preparations to include you at once. It is aformal occasion, black tie. At that time we will announce your inductance, andwe’ll need your formal name, not the name that you go by at school.”

He stood up. “I would normallyrequire you to take the blood oath in front of the other subjects, but we’llsettle for something much less… formal, since we don’t have the time for aproper ceremony.”

Finn’s mother rose as well.

I stood up, following Finn’sencouragement from beside me.

Finn held out his hand. His mothersliced open the palm of his skin with the nail on her index finger. As soon asthe blood pooled from the open wound I smelled it - his scent flew into my noseright as I inhaled. It was more delicious than anything I had ever smelled inmy life. I stiffened my back and involuntarily moved away, knowing what thismeant. His blood was so potent that I pinched my nose between my fingers,because I didn’t dare trust myself to continue this ceremony as long as I couldsmell the syrupy scent.

Finn questioned my body languagewith his eyes. “Do I stink?”

My eyes watered quickly so ratherthan explain what I was feeling, I nodded and remained quiet.

Finn didn’t take this badly though,he actually chuckled.

“We need your hand,” his fatherbeckoned.

I held out the one that wasn’tholding my nose. His mother’s nail tried to slice open my skin, but I alreadyknew that was a waste of time. It didn’t crack open. She frowned at once andscrutinized my face like I was being dishonest with them about what I was.

Settling for an excuse so that Icould explain my weird abilities, I sighed and pulled out a pin from my skirt.“Old, remember?” I reminded them and put the pin between my teeth, I made atiny prick on my forefinger. I took the pin from my mouth and hooked it backinto my dress, taking care not to get blood on the fabric. I offered up thedrops to Finn, who grasped my finger with his bloody hand.

“I guess that will do,” his fathersighed. “You are now bound to protect him.”

His mother walked out of the room,without a single good-bye. His father followed shortly after, though he gave asmile.

Finn let go of my hand, once theydeparted, and offered me a tissue, but I immediately stuck my finger in mymouth to close the wound. I completely forgot it was doused in his blood, whichonce I tasted it, it sent me into a state of pure bliss. It was like having thebest tasting delicacy in my mouth. It was like cake and ice cream, with honey,hazelnut, and cinnamon all rolled into one. I held my nose and closed my eyes,savoring the flavor.

Eventually I tasted my own blood,which had a mild honey scent to it. I licked the wound with my tongue and itclosed instantly.

When I opened my eyes, Finn staredback at me with shock written all over his face. He had wiped his hand cleanwith a handkerchief of some sort, but it still had drops of blood on thetissue, so to keep myself sane I didn’t let go of my nose. The cut on his palmwas already gone and healed, showing no trace of a scar.

He didn’t say anything about what Ijust did, and led me from the house. It was still daylight when we climbed intothe car and he pulled away. Once we were on the road and outside of the estate,he spoke.

“We don’t normally taste each others blood,” he announced.

Whoops. I had botched that trial. Istill held my nose because the tissue was in here with us. “Sorry. I had toclose the wound.”

He glanced at me. “Your salivaheals?” He sounded intrigued by this idea.

I nodded. “My own skin, at least.”I didn’t know about anyone else’s, and I wasn’t about to try anytime soon.

He sighed and gripped the steeringwheel tightly. “I’m glad you waited to do that until after my parents left theroom. This whole idea that you’re one of us is unraveling far too quickly. Yousurprise me at every turn with this knowledge pool about our history thatdoesn’t make any sense.” He was stressed, that much I could tell.

“What does tasting your blood haveto do with your family’s history?”

For the first time he lookedexasperated. “Everything! Our kind doesn’t do that. It’s called the sacredkiss. Only the crazed and wild vampires drink each others blood on a regularbasis or even taste it in the way that you did.”

I froze. Crazed and wild? I closedmy eyes. Oh those crazed and wild. What would he think of me if heever found out? I pushed the thoughts from my mind quickly. He could neverknow… I had made myself a promise that he would never replace out the truth.

“Are you mad at me? Did I saysomething wrong?” he suddenly asked me in a much calmer and softer voice.

I had withdrawn into myself socompletely that I had missed the drive back home. We were outside my cottagenow or at least the gate that led to it.

I shook my head. “No, I’m justthinking.”

This sense of normality was growingdifficult for me to maintain. I let go of my nose and glanced at him, no longerworried that I might push him over and lick the closed wound on his palm like abear after a honey pot.

He went back to staring at me likeI was a puzzle. “Do I need to leave you alone for a while?”

I nodded and opened the door forthe effect. I hurriedly climbed out of the car. He let me walk away and didn’tcome after me like he had all the other times we reached an obstacle. I headedstraight for my house and didn’t look back, wondering if something had brokenbetween us.