Page 27

Ruby

We arrived in the Capital after dark.

I was tired from the long trip and the excitement of seeing Luc again, but as we approached the city, my breath was taken away by the spectacular sight of all the lights and activity of the city. I had heard that the Capital was a magical place but this was more than I had expected. I was blown away by the modern buildings and cars, the walkways in the air, the drones and driverless cars buzzing through the sky.

It was like a different world, and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. We couldn’t talk much while we were in the air, the noise of the helicopter drowned everything out. My mother was asleep most of the way, an auto-hypnotic suggestion by Luc.

As soon as we landed, Luc took us to a car that was waiting for us. We drove to a hotel outside of the capital. Luc told me it was where most of the mortals lived and that we could feel completely safe here. The hotel was an old-fashioned one, a grand old house converted into luxury suites. Luc roused my mother and she seemed confused at first but I told her we had arrived at our destination.

“Where are we?” she asked, somewhat groggy, but got out of the car and followed us inside.

Luc hung back as I explained to her that we were going to spend a few days at the hotel to rest and get our strength back.

“Why did we leave Cape Falls again?”

“It was about to be attacked by vampires,” I said, looking nervously at Luc, who pulled a face. I had figured this much out in the helicopter, he hadn’t said anything to me. A porter came to show us to our rooms, Luc had reserved two rooms for us. He waited for me to check into my room, then knocked discreetly on the door.

“Have dinner with your mother, then I will see you later?”

I pulled him close and kissed him. “Promise?”

A sexy grin spread across his face. “Oh, you can count on it.”

I couldn’t wait to see him later but first I had to have dinner with my mother who was very fuzzy on the details of how we had gotten here. Finally, I gave in and told her the truth.

“You were being difficult, so Luc hypnotized you to get you here.”

“What?!” she was outraged.

“You were going to get us killed,” I said.

She stared at me open-mouthed. “Has he hypnotized you too?”

We ordered wine and delicious steaks and I refused to let my mother’s doubts about Luc affect my happiness.

“I love him, mother. You can rage about it all you like but he loves me too and whether you like it or not, he saved your life tonight.”

She stared at me, shocked.

“He’s a vampire, Ruby. Do you know what that means?”

“I think I know more about it than you do,” I said to her.

She blinked, surprised at my tone, but I wanted her to face facts.

“He didn’t have to come down there to get us, but he did. Risking his own life to save us. I know you hate vampires, but I hate broccoli and I know sometimes you have to stomach it.”

“What?”

I had to laugh. “Ok, so bad example but Luc is good for me, is what I’m saying and I want you to see that. If you can’t, keep your opinion to yourself.”

“But what about your life? Your future?”

I shrugged. “I am just happy we got out of Buzzard Creek. Aren’t you?”

My mother had to concede this. “Of course. I thought…well, we were stuck there forever.”

I leaned forward and touched her hand. “If you want, we could go down to Cape Falls after the war is over?”

She sighed. “Are the wars ever over?”

“I think this one might be.”

She thought about it. “Let’s talk later, I’m feeling a bit tired.”

I’d noticed that and I thought the excitement of the past few days had worn her out. I walked her to her room and bid her good night. Then I took a shower and got into bed and waited for Luc, completely naked.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up at some point in the night as he came into the room and slid into bed next to me.

“I thought you’d never come,” I muttered as he moved in to kiss me. The room was quiet except for the faint rustle of the curtains in the night breeze. The moonlight cut through the darkness, casting pale light across Luc’s face. He pulled back and I could see the steady intensity in his gaze, making my pulse quicken. Luc tilted my chin up and kissed me again. It was slow at first, deliberate. His lips pressed against mine with a kind of restraint that didn’t last long. Soon, the kiss deepened, and I felt myself overcome by feelings of love and tenderness. I wanted to be closer to him, to feel every inch of him.

His hands moved over my body with increasing purpose. My own fingers ran over his chest, tracing the lines of muscle under his skin. Luc kissed along my neck, his lips lingering just below my ear before moving lower. I felt a tightening in my groin as his hands ran over my back. I arched into him as his hands slid down my sides, pulling me closer.

It was tender and loving and we didn’t speak, there was only the sound of our breathing and the rustle of the sheets as we moved together. We fit together easily, our bodies finding a rhythm that felt natural. When he entered me I shuddered in delight, pulling him deeper into me, wanting to melt into him. I clung to him as we climaxed, never wanting to let go of him.

When it was over, we lay tangled in silence. Luc’s arm was draped over my waist as I rested my head against his chest. His breathing was steady now, and I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into this perfect moment. There was no need to speak; our bodies had said everything there was to say.

I must have fallen asleep again because a short while later, I woke up as Luc was getting out of bed.

“You’re leaving?”

“I must…I’ll be back soon,” he promised.

I sat up in the bed.

“Where are you going?”

He pulled on his shirt and I could see him contemplating what to tell me.

“I want to know,” I said.

“Ok,” he said, telling me how they were dropping a bomb on the Sunside Swamp in a few hours and he wanted to be present at the launch. It would end the war and bring peace.

His words sunk in and I realized that many people I had known would be killed. Perhaps everyone I’d ever known. I thought about friends that I’d had, people I’d met who I’d been friendly with. Not everyone was abusive or horrible. I thought about Shelley and hoped she’d make it, wondered where Grace was and if she would survive.

I swallowed hard.

“You okay?”

I nodded but I wasn’t really.

Luc sat next to me on the bed and put his hand on my cheek.

“I know this is hard to hear and believe me, this is not what I wanted to do. We were willing to make peace with the shifters but they weren’t interested in an agreement. The only way to bring an end to the violence is by forcing them to their knees.”

“Shifters aren’t exactly known for their logical thinking,” I said sadly.

“Our aim is to take out the underground network they’ve been using.”

“The tunnels,” I said and thought of the room they’d kept me in. I was glad they would be destroyed.

“Yes, the tunnels but it is hard to know how the fallout will be in the surrounding area.”

“So Cape Falls might be okay?”

“It could,” he admitted, “but I didn’t want to take that chance.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I don’t know if I thanked you yet for coming to find me.”

He grinned. “Of course, and I’m glad your mother is okay, I really am.”

I pulled a face. “Of course, I don’t know if she’ll ever come around to the fact that I fell in love with a vampire though.”

It took me a moment to realize what I’d said.

Luc noticed it right away though. I saw the look in his eye, waiting for me to take it back, but I didn’t.

“I love you too,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. He kissed me and I wanted that kiss to last forever but he had to go. I let him go.

There was a war standing between us and I wanted it to be over as soon as possible. I was impatient for the rest of my life to begin.