Vampyre | Book I of Bloodlines | Free on Inkitt & Kindle Unlimited
The Games Begin

Darius

Completely powerless—there’s nothing I can do but listen as William plays games with Viola. I heard him coming and knew it was over—the dream Viola had for us was now in danger of permanently fading into nothingness.

The first thing William did upon arriving was check on me, only to replace me significantly improved and the curtains drawn.

“Well, well, what little creature found its way in here?” He asked, making his way through the field of crucifixes surrounding me.

William maintained a safe distance, aware that I could snap his neck if he approached too closely.

He tucked his hands into his pockets and sighed as he examined my face. “I saw Viola taking Elliott into the barn just now. What do you suppose she’s up to?”

William’s smug smile filled me with fury, and I tested the strength of my chains once again, albeit in vain.

“I see. You like her then?” William scratched his stubble thoughtfully as he started to walk a wide circle around me. “Are creatures like yourself capable of love, I wonder.”

He finished walking his stupid circle around me and finally looked at me, his gaze piercing, scheming within.

“Let’s experiment and replace out,” William shrugs, “I might have something to add to my family’s guidebook.”

“If you lay a hand on her—” I started.

“You’ll what? Possess me again?” William reached under his shirt to retrieve a charm from around his neck.

He held it up for me to see—it was a protection charm encrusted with a large emerald. The moment I saw it, I knew I wouldn’t be able to control him or use him as a looking glass while he wore it.

“I finally figured you out, Darius. I could feel you poking around every now and then, but when you took over the library like that, I knew for sure it was you,” she said, backing off.

“Plus, I’ve already laid my hands on her, Darius. I own Viola, legally. She is my wife, after all, and I plan on laying more hands all over her.”

I saw his cruel mind at work—he had found a way to hurt me the way I hurt him, using Viola.

William smirked. “I think it’s time we end this, Darius. Your imprisonment no longer amuses me, and as for my wife, well, we can chalk it up to irreconcilable differences.”

William turned around and sauntered toward the door.

“You know, I always wondered how you managed to get Emily to marry you,” I snickered.

William paused at the door.

“Did you isolate her the way you did Viola? Is that the only way you can attain a wife, Willy? Isolate them, make them feel all alone, and present yourself as the safest way out of whatever tragic predicament you’ve put them in?” I laughed.

“The irony of my Emily, the wife of a Vampyre Hunter, turning to a lifeless, soulless creature like myself for rescue from you is what kept me amused all these years,” I added.

William turned to look at me, his anger simmering beneath the surface, making me laugh. Good—whatever jabs I had left to make would have to suffice before my inevitable fall. I just prayed he didn’t hurt Viola too much.

“I have watched everyone I ever loved die—my father, sister, her children, her children’s children. You lose one woman and turn into a beast crueler than the bloodsucker trapped within me,” I shook my head in disgust.

William stepped closer, his anger propelling him forward, almost within my reach. The hungry beast within me lunged at him, claws and fangs outstretched. William dodged, stepping backward. I couldn’t help but laugh like a lunatic at hearing his heart pounding away in his ribs—it had been years since he’d seen me this strong.

“Do what you will, William. I’m already dead, and the thought that your body will one day be worm food just like the rest of them is enough to bring me peace of mind,” I lied.

William eyed me before going around the room and opening all the curtains, flooding the room with light before leaving me to bake in there.

I could have screamed, I could have shouted obscenities at him, begged him to leave Viola unscathed, but at the end of the day, there was literally nothing I could do but listen to whatever he did to her.

I fell to my knees, and any strength I had managed to gain was seemingly instantly sapped, as my one hope in all the world remained ignorant to the stalking hunter about to lay traps all around her. My curious, clever, beautiful, blood-gathering angel didn’t even know he was coming for her, and I would be stuck here to listen to every injury he inflicted upon her.

William didn’t go to her straight away—instead, he sat in his office for a long time, flipping through pages and scribbling something. I tried to look through his eyes, but his charm worked to keep me locked out.

I heard Viola rummaging in the garage, showing Elliott all sorts of objects and explaining how they work. I allowed myself to get lost in that simple moment of her being an attentive mother to little Elliott.

“This one even has measurements on it here, see. Some plants like to be planted deeper, some closer to the surface; you can use the spade to measure how far it goes into the ground,” Viola said.

Elliott was silent the entire time but started banging on something most annoying.

“Or you can use it to hit things, very good. What a wonderfully irritating sound, Elliott; keep it up,” Viola laughed.

I chuckled to myself, imagining the proud smile on Viola’s glowing face, which she was undoubtedly beaming at Elliott.

That’s when William left in search of her.

Now, they’re all enjoying cake in the small dining room, engaging in light conversation about birdhouses. William agrees to help them make one, and they fall silent for what feels like the longest minute of my entire life.

“I found your little pet, by the way,” Viola says flatly, her mouth full of cake. “The one in the library. I must admit I snooped around and found your guide. Utterly fascinating. I wasn’t sure if it was your intention to let it starve, so I fed it, just in case.”

I don’t understand what prompted Viola to say these things or what her plan is, but I sure hope it’s solid—simply referring to me as “it” instead of “him” speaks volumes.

“You allowed him to feed off you?” William asks.

I can practically hear her shudder from here. “Heavens no.”

Then, she smoothly changes the topic, leaving me questioning her loyalty.

“I’ve noticed some of Elliott’s clothes are too small for him. Can I have Sophie order some new ones for him? There’s nothing in his trunk for winter; are the winters harsh here?”

William scoffs. “They can be harsh. Order anything you want, especially for yourself.”

His tone is surprisingly warm. Whatever she’s doing, it’s working, and I begin to suspect that William might actually like Viola, possibly even love her in his own twisted way, but I stopped trying to figure him out long ago. Elliott might be the one soft spot he has, and she’s using it to her advantage. However, Viola doesn’t strike me as the type of woman who would use a child like a pawn.

Sophie comes to collect Elliott for his nap and coos at him in French, making him giggle.

“Sophie, I’d like to spend the rest of the day with William. Can you make sure Elliott has a more balanced meal after his nap? I’m sure crepes for breakfast and cake for tea aren’t the best for a growing boy.”

I was correct—Viola won’t use Elliott as a shield. With him around, Viola is safe, but she is keeping him away for his own good, leaving herself vulnerable and alone with William.

Once Sophie and Elliott are finally gone, it’s Viola who speaks first. “William, I don’t think you should be getting too close to that Daemon. That night in the library, your eyes were glowing red, and I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but now I believe it was that thing controlling you. God knows what he might do if he’s able to do it again.”

Viola’s words effortlessly pour from her lips, smooth as silk, leaving me to wonder if any of what happened between us these last few days was even real.

Our magic was the one thing William and his family were still ignorant about—sure, he has his charm now, but Viola doesn’t know that, and she’s trying to protect him.

She’s either a master of deception, a complete lunatic, or more cold-hearted than even William.