Cassian Legacy: The Vampire Prince
Chapter 31

Once it was done, I let Ms. Ingramfall lifeless, upon the rooftop. She was dead and completely devoid of blood. Afew drops were left on my hands from where my nails pierced the skin on her armwhile I held her. I licked my fingers, relishing in the taste of her sugaryblood before I turned my attention towards Finn and his friends. Now that thethreat was gone, I could focus on them.

His eyes caught mine instantly, buthis expression wasn’t one that I anticipated. I expected fear and revulsion,knowing that he wouldn’t understand what I was doing here, protecting him, whenI had just killed four vampires, including a rather powerful one with warlockblood in her. It didn’t matter that the creature was our science teacher, orthat it was a rather powerful vampire. Most of his confusion would stem fromthe fact that I had drained the blood of a vampire in front of him.

I swallowed the rest of the gooeymess, making sure there wasn’t any more blood on me, and looked down at theground. He didn’t flinch or move with my reactions like I expected him to. Hejust stared right at me. Emery and Thalia weren’t getting up anytime soonmostly because their wounds were severe. I tried forgetting the fact that Finnstared at me as I moved over to Thalia first and felt for a pulse. It wasthere, and she was breathing. I rolled the bodies off of her that had fallenduring the commotion. I pulled her up, and propped her against the wall of achimney. I moved to Emery next, and twisted his neck back into place whilefeeling for a pulse. He was alive still, which was a good thing - the damagewasn’t extensive.

“Abelia,” Finn whispered, suddenlystanding quite close to me.

I jumped away from him, and met hisworried face. All trace of shock was gone - he had finally recovered.

“Abelia,” he whispered again,practically feeling concerned for my health.

“Get away from me,” I warned himand took a step back for good measure.

He shook his head. “You won’t hurtme.”

This time when my eyes watered, Ifelt the tears fall. “Yes I will. You don’t know anything about me. What I am…”I whispered.

He didn’t look frightened, thoughhe should. “I know who you are.”

I froze. He didn’t phrase thatright or maybe it was the manner in which he phrased it, but however he saidit, it didn’t belong or pertain to this situation.

“But please Abelia, what exactlyare you?” he asked me sounding more curious than afraid.

I didn’t want to answer him, but Iknew I must. He had seen too much to not be curious. “Not here. We need to getthem to safety. I need to get you to safety.” Just because the immediate threatwas gone didn’t mean that this part of town was a haven for him. The nest wasstill several blocks away and by the time Ms. Ingram’s creator found out abouther death, which would be soon, he would send out his soldiers against me and theTierney’s.

He walked over to me, closing thegap I had put between us until we stood less than a foot apart. “Alright.Safely home it is.”

He agreed with me. I expected himto make a phone call or something, but he didn’t move at all, and I wasn’t goinganywhere until I knew that this area was secure. His hand reached up suddenlyand he caressed my cheeks. I flinched under his touch. If he only knew…

“Go home, Abelia. I’ll handlethis.”

I shook my head. This area was notsecure and there would be others coming for Ms. Ingram eventually. I couldn’tleave him knowing that there were more threats in the vicinity. “Not untilyou’re safe. I can’t leave.”

He pulled his phone from the pocketof his jeans. “My family’s coming, and they can’t see you like this.”

Like this? Like what? Did I haveblood drooling from my mouth?

My eyes drifted over to the screenthat he held up for me. He had sent a distress call from his phone ten minutesago, before I had even arrived. I turned my head, already hearing the sound ofapproaching cars including two huge trucks. They were headed straight for us,but still several blocks away.

“Abelia,” Finn pleaded again. “Youneed to go, now.”

I nodded and turned, half in shockfrom the situation. He should be afraid of me, and not afraid for my safety.Suddenly, I felt like I was the one who was in danger though I didn’tunderstand why. My instincts churned anew and I ran from the roof and flew offinto the night.

When I returned home, I spent anhour or two staring at myself in the floor length mirror. I wasn’t used tothis, looking at myself like this. Tonight’s struggle had taken its toll, notonly on my health and my alliance with Finn, but also on my physicalappearance.

I stared at the things protrudingfrom my back. I had never seen anything like it before. It didn’t make anysense as to why they were attached. But as I remembered the tingling from myback, the sudden rush of power from the blood I drank, and the burningsensation I had when I fought with Ms. Ingram, the wings made it clear to mewhat had happened. I had evolved again into something that resembled an angelfrom pictures.

The feathers were long and black,trailing the floor with their beauty. They looked like the wings of a dovedespite the color, rather than the wings of an angel. I wasn’t anything like anangel. I was a vampire, well not technically. But this new transformationdidn’t make any sense to me. Where had they come from? And why had they onlynow appeared?

I heard his approach before he saidanything. “Abelia.”

I watched his reflection in themirror. Tears streaked down my face, marking my skin with a milky whitenesslike the stars of constellations. But he didn’t seem to notice my tears at all.He gazed at me with wonder and pure curiousness. I moved my gaze back to myfigure in the mirror, not clearly understanding why he didn’t run away from me.I know he saw me drain Ms. Ingram’s blood. I know he must think of me assomething bad, a monster, and he should.

Idid.

But he did the unthinkable. Hishand reached out, and he touched them.He actually touched the feathers on my wings. The shock of his touch filled mewith a sensation I had never felt before. I couldn’t describe this happyemotion, because it was happiness, peace, and joy all rolled into one. As if oncue my wings ruffled with an involuntary sigh that escaped my lips. I facedhim, without resorting to the mirror.

“What are you really?” he asked meagain, his eyes locked onto mine.

I smiled, no longer feeling scared,but powerful. And when I spoke, my fangs descended of their own accord. “I’m aKrusnik.”