Page 8 of Until the Heart Stops (The Oylen City #1)

T he young vampire’s hands flew off me in an instant.

I stumbled backward, gaze affixed to Callum’s murderous face. His growl was so low I barely heard it beneath the music, but from the way the fledgling shrank back, he did.

“Do you think that will save you, boy?” Callum rasped, fingers flexing around his throat.

“I-I did not real-realize sh—” the boy spluttered, but his air was cut off with the next squeeze of Callum’s hand as his frightened eyes flicked to me and away again.

The blond vampire appeared to grow larger as he towered over the fledgling. “You touched what is not yours.”

He was merely a fledgling with an irresponsible maker.

The terror was plain in the boy’s face and my heart squeezed even through the panic skittering up my spine.

Did he deserve to die for the indiscretion of his sire?

There was a reason young ones were not allowed to wander without supervision.

It was in their nature to hunt. I could not begrudge this fledgling that, even if I would have been the one to pay for it.

“My lord…” I started, but my voice was too shaky. Callum either did not hear or chose not to.

Against every survival instinct, I took a step closer. “He’s just a boy.”

But he ignored me, squeezing tighter, and though I knew vampires did not need to breathe, the face of the young vampire turned a shade of purple which spoke volumes of Callum’s grip. He was much too young to be here if his body reacted in such a mortal way.

I wrapped my hand around Callum’s elbow—firm and immovable as granite. But he gave no reaction, though I knew the heat of my body was scorching to immortals such as him.

“Lord Auguste.” I tightened my grip on his arm when he did not stir. “Callum.”

All at once he froze, as vampires were wont to do when surprised.

His lips moved almost imperceptibly and the fledgling nodded, hands raised in supplication.

Callum let go with a push, sending the boy falling to the floor.

Henry appeared in the next moment; eyes gleaming with a different fire than his usual delight as he wrenched the young vampire to his feet.

“Let’s find Andros. Seems he is in need of a reminder on how to care for his fledglings,” Henry murmured, dragging the boy into the crowd.

A beat later I remembered my hand was on Callum’s arm and I dropped it quickly.

He turned, eyes wild and searching my face, sliding down my throat to linger on the necklace.

They made the circuit three more times, my eyes, my mouth, the necklace and back again until slowly he took one step away, then another .

“Lord Auguste…” I breathed, stomach twisting painfully.

Don’t leave , I wanted to beg.

When he was out of reach, he bowed his head, pressed three fingers to his lips, and vanished into the night through the open door.

“And he just left?” Noah spluttered, hands spread wide across the counter.

I shrugged, rising to my toes to reach the sconces and light them. It took a few tries with how much magic I’d used last night, but finally the wick caught and I settled back on my heels.

“He didn’t even deliver you to Eamon or Rehal to be safe?”

Rehal, I found out, was the first Vyenur I’d danced with. I perched on the stool and dragged the ledger toward me. “I didn’t need to be delivered to anyone, Noah. I left soon after.”

He ran a frustrated hand over his face. “That vampire scented you. If they just let him go?—”

“We didn’t,” a voice snapped behind him.

Noah’s eyes widened comically and he turned on his heel to find Callum and Henry standing a few paces away. The former had a stony expression on his face, while Henry’s blue eyes slid the length of Noah, that telltale grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

“Hello there,” Henry murmured, sidling closer to my best friend.

A muscle jumped in Noah’s neck before he dipped his chin. “My lord.”

“Oh, he doesn’t like that,” I interjected .

Henry threw me a wink before offering his hand to Noah. “Henry Auguste.”

“Noah Iyer.” Hesitantly, Noah grasped his hand, but before he could completely pull away Henry covered it with his other, thumb running across his palm.

Behind them, Callum stared at the awning hanging over my head, twisting a small scroll between his fingertips.

“My lord?” I murmured. “Are you well?”

Those gray eyes darted down to me and he took a small step forward. “Yes.”

I nodded and he closed the distance between himself and the counter while Henry and Noah engaged in whatever battle of wills occurred beside us.

Callum offered me the letter, his attention dipping to the cuffs of my dark gray dress and the smudges of bruising across my wrist. Once my magic was recovered fully, they would fade in an hour or so.

A small furrow appeared between his brow, as if the marks were an insult to his honor.

I’d fallen asleep in the small hours of the morning replaying the sound of his voice as it had rumbled through the room.

Remembering the wild look in his eyes which had been so different from the stony control I most often saw.

He had been right on the edge of destroying the fledgling, all because the latter had been intent on drinking from me and I had refused.

Perhaps he was merely offended by the idea that the young vampire would go against his maker’s decrees forbidding drinking from a life source. But all the same my pulse had raced with the memory of his words.

Let her go.

His voice now was a mere approximation of that growl, as if he were a replica of the predator he’d been last night, breathed into life. That male had been another person entirely, someone who I was unsure if I would have refused if he entreated me as the fledgling had.

Those fangs in my neck, those long-fingered hands around my waist, pulling me closer, the ring on his index finger glimmering in the moonlight as it dipped beneath?—

“And you?” he offered, breaking me from my reverie. His gaze remained fixed on my wrist and I shook myself, breaking the seal on the scroll. “Are you…are you well?”

Slowly, I lowered the scroll without opening it. “I am quite well, thank you.” Taking a deep breath, I leaned down to try to catch his eye. “Thanks to you.”

His throat bobbed and I wondered what it was that made him feel so uncomfortable. The hand on his silver-tipped walking stick flexed, the movement rippling up to the firm set of his shoulders. “I’m sorry I did not see it sooner.”

Offering him a small smile, I returned to the scroll, unfurling it. “You arrived when it mattered most. That is what’s important.”

He gave no reply, but the heat of his attention returned to my face as I read the beautiful handwriting flowing across the fine parchment.

Mademoiselle Searah,

As you have given no reply to my previous missive, I can only assume my frankness has had the unintended effect of offending you further. This was in no way my intention and I beg you to accept my sincerest apologies.

I frowned. Had I been offended? Surprised, yes. Wary, absolutely. But no…not offended, at least, not truly .

However, I find myself in the unfortunate situation of being too stubborn to accept defeat without a resounding rejection. Last night you were a vision and around your neck you wore a gem that has allowed the flame of hope to survive, perhaps foolishly, inside my chest.

Put me out of my misery, my darling, I beg of you.

Sincerely,

Your ever faithful servant

So he had been at Eamon’s ball. I flicked through the dozens upon dozens of vampires I’d seen but I couldn’t settle on a single one.

“Have you a reply for our mutual friend?” Callum asked after I’d read the note three times through.

He was the picture of relaxation, obviously having not read the message. Any lingering inclination that he might have been the mysterious patron vanished. If anything, Callum appeared irritated by being the messenger.

I re-rolled the scroll and placed it inside my ledger for safekeeping before drawing out a fresh parchment.

The quill in my hand was long past its use, the nub now rounded and dull.

He had asked me what I needed and though my true answer was to know who you are , I had a feeling to ask would get me nowhere.

And regardless of the small voice in the back of my head that urged me toward caution—to reject him and settle the matter once and for all—I continued to return to the plea again and again.

The flame of hope.

It was a warmth I had not felt in quite some time but desperately wanted to feel again .

My lord,

If it’s not too much trouble, I find myself in need of more quills.

Mlle Searah