Page 3 of Crimson Devotion (The Sacred Seven #1)

THREE

Ophelia

The sound of a branch snapping somewhere on the property causes my eyes to snap open. The footsteps are light, and whoever it is, is trying to be as silent as possible. Unfortunately, my keen sense of hearing would never let that slide.

With a sigh, I brace myself to confront another nosy human who dared to set foot in my family home. I toss on a sheer silk robe over the thin nightgown, sliding my feet into the home slippers.

I don’t feel cold, nor do I feel the warmth that the slippers are supposed to provide, but they’re very pretty, and since I paid for them, I might as well use them. My breathing is shallow, the hunger within slowly starting to surface.

The paleness of my skin is more prominent now that I haven’t had any blood in a while. Has it been a week, or perhaps a month, since the last time I ate properly? The castle is located in a very secluded part of the woods, and since I’ve lost my bracelet, I was unable to go out and feed freely.

I have to count on Valerio, or perhaps our other sister, Juliana, to bring me a human or blood bags. Though, I do prefer blood bags. Humans are messy, and getting rid of a corpse is tedious. Who has the time for that?

My sharp sense of smell picks up on a scent that I have never smelled before. It’s sweet, yet it has a certain depth to it that doesn’t make it nauseating. In fact, it’s a pleasant scent. It fills my nose, and I close my eyes, taking in a deep intake of the sweetness.

My eyes snap open, and I leave the castle, looking around. Footsteps are coming from my right side. The darkness of the night has never been an issue — and I can see perfectly clear, as if it were daytime.

One of the perks of being a creature of the night.

All my senses are seven times better than those of a mere human; their speed and strength could never measure up to my own.

They’re all beneath me, and although this isn’t the first time a human has tried to enter the premises, it’s the first time they’re trying their best not to be noticed.

But I noticed it immediately.

Of course I fucking did.

“It’s useless.’’ My voice is even, flat, with a hint of authority.

I lean against one of the pillars, the cold wind causing my hair to fall down my back.

“I’ve heard you. And now, because I’m curious, I’ll give you a minute to decide whether you’ll reveal yourself.

If you don’t, you’ll be dead within the next three minutes. Choose wisely.’’

Their footsteps come to a halt, and for a couple of seconds, there’s silence. Except for the rapid beating of their heart that reaches my ears. Blood is pumping in their veins, and the hunger that washes over me is nearly impossible to subdue.

After another beat of silence, the leaves rustle from the sides, the trees swaying as they step forward. My brows narrow, and I can’t help but tilt my head to the side, inspecting the pest that dares to set foot on my property.

It’s a woman.

Shorter than me, with long hair that’s neatly tied in a ponytail. What catches my attention is the way her shirt clings to her body, her muscled, toned arms flexing as she clenches something in her hand.

A smirk tugs at the corner of my lips.

“A hunter.’’

“You must be Ophelia.’’

My eyebrows lift to my hairline, a genuine, amused smile on my lips. I step forward, my feet carrying little to no weight, making no sounds. There’re still a couple of feet of distance between us, and she seems eager to close it.

“My, my, how unexpected,’’ I muse. “It’s been two centuries since someone has addressed me by my first name. Especially a mere human. How…cute.’’

Her lips thin into a line, and she’s clearly unhappy with the mockery in my tone. She steps forward, holding the stake tightly in her hands. An almost defiant look flashes through her expression, annoyance radiating off her.

“You don’t know who I am,’’ she states, voice low. “But I do know who you are.’’

“Fantastic.’’ I smirk. “Mind telling me why you’ve decided on this act of bravery?”

Her jaw clenches tightly, the grating of her teeth reaching my ears.

Another step forward, and I’m thrilled about the amount of confidence — perhaps arrogance — that she’s displaying.

The distance between us starts lessening, and the rush of excitement that rushes through my body is almost impossible to ignore.

“You killed my parents, Ophelia.’’

I lift an eyebrow, folding my arms in front of my chest. “Quite possibly.’’

“Quite possibly,’’ the woman repeats, slowly, almost caught off guard by my simple response. “No guilt? Nothing?”

“I’m a vampire, Miss Hunter. I drink human blood to survive. It’s only natural that there would be casualties here and there.’’

“You have the ability to eat from them, then heal them.’’

“Yes, but by healing them, they turn into blood vessels. And I don’t need that kind following behind me. Quite tedious, if you ask me. Having all those humans desperate for my attention. Clinging to me as if I’m the second coming of Christ is rather annoying.’’

Her pretty aqua eyes widen with something I could only describe as shock. Her mouth parts and then closes. She’s taken aback by my responses, and I’m not sure why. I’m a vampire — humans are beneath me. They’re nothing more than food. Why would I ever care about their silly little lives?

She takes another step forward, and the wind blows. The same scent I smelled earlier fills my nostrils, and it’s difficult to focus on anything else. It’s such an odd feeling. It makes it worse that for a split second, and I can swear my heart starts beating.

Which is impossible.

I’m dead.

My heart hasn’t been beating for the past five hundred years.

There’s no blood there for it to suddenly start beating, and for a moment, that’s all I can focus on.

I’ve forgotten what it felt like to be human — to be alive.

Yet the feeling of something beating against my ribcage does not falter.

In fact, it’s growing stronger with each passing moment, intensified the more this hunter starts walking toward me.

My breathing is shallow, and something is preventing me from moving. Now, she’s standing a couple of inches away from me. And I can see her face perfectly.

Her bright blue eyes are big, round, with a small birthmark on her left eyelid. Her thick, dark lashes are curled, nearly to perfection. She has a couple of scars all over her face — small ones, but they simply add more to her beauty.

I take a deep breath through my nose, and that’s the fatal mistake. The smell of lavender is stronger than ever; the fresh scent mixed with something that’s uniquely this woman is hard to ignore.

That’s when she strikes. She lifts her arm up, swinging the stake, and aiming for my heart. I have to give it to her — for a human, she’s fast. Unfortunately, not fast enough. My hand catches her wrist before she can even come close to my heart, her eyes narrowing a fraction.

My grip on her wrist tightens, and for a second, nothing happens. Then, pain unlike I’ve felt before. A piercing scream comes from the deepest parts of my throat, the burning sensation in my palm worsening with each passing moment.

Quickly, I pull my hand back, staring at my palm. It looks as if I’d just put my entire palm on the stove, the burning wound deep, painful, and red. I step backward, lifting my eyes to meet hers.

A look of surprise is on her face, then she chuckles. My eyes dip to her neck, and I can feel the magic oozing off it. Not just any magic — no, the magic of the oldest witch alive. The same cunt that cursed us for life.

“You know her,’’ I state, tension lifting off my shoulders when the wound starts healing. “Yvonne. You know her.’’

“I do.’’ She smirks, stepping forward. “And looks like her magic works. She did promise it’d keep you away.’’

“Unfortunately, I also know Yvonne. And being as old as I am, did you not think I would’ve found a way around her nasty little tricks by now?”

Her smirk falters briefly, but she forces it back. “Still, it works. Meaning, you’ll have issues killing me.’’

My laugh fills our surroundings, the sound reverberating through the deserted halls of the ancient castle. The woman is caught of guard, surprised by the sound of my laughter.

“What’s your name, little hunter?”

“Faith,’’ she responds, a hint of skepticism in her tone.

“Faith,’’ I repeat, not quite liking the way the name rolls off my tongue.

It’s almost as if the name itself was made for me to say, for it to come out of my mouth, and my mouth only.

My chest tightens, and I don’t like this feeling, not in the slightest. “Well, Faith,’’ I draw out. “You’ve come to kill me, haven’t you?”

“Yes.’’

“How about I make you a deal?”

She tilts her head to the side. “A deal?”

“Yes,’’ I hum, stepping closer. “Starting now, you have forty-eight hours to kill me. I will not try to hurt you, in any way, shape, or form. If you succeed in immobilizing me enough to kill me, my life is yours.’’

“Just like that?” she asks, eyes narrowing. “And what happens if I can’t kill you?”

“Where did all that confidence go, little hunter?” I chuckle. “If you fail, I’ll keep you as my blood vessel.’’

“You said you hated them.’’

“I do.’’ I nod. “But the thought of rendering a hunter of your caliber to nothing more than a blood bag for me is such an exciting concept, don’t you think?”

Her hand clenches around the stake, and her mind starts working.

She’s contemplating whether to take the deal, and I can’t help but find it all amusing.

I don’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun, because the mere prospect of keeping this little hunter all to myself is making me shake with joy.

“Well?”

“Fine.’’ She releases a deep breath. “I’ll take the deal. Forty-eight hours.’’

“Use them wisely. You’ve managed to intrigue me, little hunter. It’s a first in a long time.’’

“That sounds like an insult.’’

“Perhaps it is.’’ I chuckle and turn on my heel, walking slowly back to the inside of the castle. Pausing, I look at her over my shoulder. “Oh, one more thing.’’

“Yes?”

“Basement is off limits,’’ I warn, my tone leaving no room for argument. “If I so much as suspect you even dared to lay your hands on my little brother, I’ll kill you in the most painful ways possible.’’