Frailty: The Darkshine (8 page)

“Which one do you prefer, Gaijryc?”

Iena tapped a perfectly red manicured nail on a swatch of silk fabric with gold inlaid throughout it. He looked at her before glancing at the two fabrics, a burgundy one and then the black velvet with silver vines embossed within the fabric. He could care less which one they picked, could care less about the damn ball that they were planning. All he could think about was Helina.

“I suppose this one.” He slid over the black velvet to his mother, looking between the two females. His mother gave a big smile before patting him on the hand. He’d told them what they wanted to hear, his words only meaning to placate them for the time being.

“I told you he would like this one, Iena. Gaijryc, I would like you to speak with the class this week. They need the explanation about the transition period and what they are to expect.”

He looked at his mother with disinterest as she went back to sorting through different fabrics. His mother really didn’t care if the DarkShine fledglings learned about what their life was to become. She was only making him do this as a punishment for not yet taking a mate. She knew how much he loathed speaking with the children, how little patience he had when it came teaching them.

They were no more than one hundred years old, mere teenagers when it came to DarkShine years. When they were that young, they had no control over their emotions, had no attention spans. They were more interested in the opposite sex, in how they were going to woo them for when their transition period arrived.

His mother picked up a gold bell and rang the dainty thing gently. Despite the miniscule size, the sound was loud as it echoed off the cathedral style ceiling. Within the next second a servant walked through the doors, a silver platter in her arms and three glasses filled with thick red liquid atop it.

“Ah, Lucie. Come, dear.”

Castalia cleared off a small space as the servant set a glass in front of each of them. Gaijryc looked up at Lucie and thanked her. Lucie had been a servant of the family for hundreds of years and had earned his mother’s trust. He looked up at her and smiled, and her cheeks got pink from his attention. She bowed her head, her blond hair in a perfect bun at the nape of her neck.

“Thank you, Lucie.”

The servant bowed her head again, gave a small glance at him, and walked out of the room briskly.

“Such a sweet child she is. Gaijryc, what do you think about the guests wearing masks at the ball? I personally think it would add a little flare of mystery to the evening, don’t you?”

He looked at his mother, knowing very well that she wasn’t asking him her opinion, but rather telling him what they would be doing. He nodded, not bothering to answer her second question, just replying to the first. “Yes, she is a sweet child.”

“You know, Gaijryc, if you had just mated with Iena, then we wouldn’t even have to go along with this silly ball.”

He glanced at Iena, who in turn gave him a smile as she leaned back against her chair. The dress she wore was cut impossibly low, her breasts practically spilling out of the nearly transparent fabric. Her nipples were prominent through the whit material, the deep red of her areolas clearly visible. If he didn’t know how she was, the nature of her very soul, then he might have been inclined to follow his mother’s wishes. She was a striking creature, but the fact that her heart was black made his cock shrivel up in distaste. She noticed him examining her and no doubt thought it was because he found her attractive. In all reality he was thinking what DarkShine would be crazy to be associated with such a female. She ran her hand up her neck, her blood red nail polish glinting off lighting.

“Is there anything I can do for you, my lord?”

He looked into her amber colored eyes, eyes that showed no emotion. He knew what she wanted, knew she wanted to sit next to him on the throne and rule over their kind. She was too cruel to be queen of the DarkShine, too heartless when it came to their people. He needed,
wanted
a queen that shared his compassion, shared his empathy for all creatures. What he wanted was Helina, for himself as well as sitting in the throne next to him. He knew that could never happen. His kind would never allow a human to rule over them.

He could just leave with her; take her away to a place where they could spend their time alone together. Even though that was the ideal thing he would love to do, he knew he would never be able to escape. Any of his kin could find him, their blood matching his own and making the hunting and tracking easy.

“What are you thinking about, Gaijryc?”

He brought his attention back to Iena and realized that he had been thinking so deeply that his eyesight had been trained on her breasts. He hadn’t even realized the fact, but Iena hadn’t missed that little detail and had taken it the wrong way. He looked over at his mother’s now empty chair. “Where is my mother?”

“She said she had something to do, said she wanted to give us some alone time.”

Iena stood up and smoothed a hand down her breasts and over her mound. Her pussy stood out through the fabric, the hairless slit clear even from where he was sitting. Her dress was so short he wondered why she even bothered to wear it. It barley skimmed the bottom of her pussy as she walked toward him.

“You know, Gaijryc, all you would have to do is mate me and we wouldn’t have to go through this whole female selection at the ball.”

She sat on the table in front of him, squeezing her way through so he was forced to lean back. She placed her feet on the arms of his chair, her dress sliding up her thighs and presenting her bald pussy to him. He looked at it momentarily before looking back at her face, disgust overwhelming him. She did this every time they were alone—attempted to offer herself to him even though he made it clear he wasn’t interested.

“You should really stop this, Iena.”

She pulled her pussy lips farther apart and leaned back on the table. “Try a taste, Gaijryc.”

He pushed his chair back and stood. Her eyes dropped to his pants, her face becoming the dark mask as she realized he wasn’t aroused.

“Is there another, Gaijryc? What female could possibly compete with this?” She made her point by spreading her legs as wide as they could go.

“There will never be anything between us, Iena.”

“You weren’t saying that when you were fucking me.” She smiled at him, all teeth and fangs as she sat back up.

“That was over a hundred years ago. My tastes have changed.”

She jumped off the table so fast if he had been a lesser being he might have been intimidated. As it was, he was just bored of her actions to try and manipulate him.

“Your mother loves me, Gaijryc. You would please her if you just mated me and we gave her grandchildren.”

He laughed at her comment. There was no way he would ever have children with her. She was much too cruel to take care of his young, to be a mother to his offspring. When he did have children, it would be with a female that he loved, with a female that he would give his life for. He wanted that woman to be Helina, and the fact that he knew he could never have that with her made him feel despair and defeat. He didn’t bother replying to Iena, just left the ballroom and headed to the basement.

He took the steps two at a time until he reached the marble tiled floor. Antique style candelabras lined the pristine ivory walls as well as oil paintings from the old world. He could hear deep male laughs as he pushed open the double doors that led to a large room. Wine racks lined the walls, every bottle ages old. Several tables were sporadically placed, several DarkShine males seated at them and playing poker. Near-empty bottles of vodka and whiskey sat by their sides.

“Ah, Gaijryc, my brother!”

Gaijryc threw his hand up in greeting as he walked over toward Adais. Aires nodded in acknowledgement as he threw his hand of cards down and folded. Ryce, Dridge, and Cooldred sat with Aires, engrossed in the game. They all nodded in welcome. He moved toward the next table as Bischop, Emmoch, and Gideionn sat, playing Russian roulette. Several other tables had DarkShine males playing other various card games, laughter and swearing ringing throughout the room. Gaijryc walked over to the wall and leaned against it, watching the games being played around him, staying quiet as anger and irritation still pulsed through him.

“You know I can smell her on you.”

Gaijryc’s head wiped to the side as Gradeall stepped out from the shadows. “What did you just say?” His voice was no more than a low, deep whisper. Gradeall leaned against the wall, so close his arm brushed against Gaijryc’s.

“I said, I can smell her on you, the human female.”

Gaijryc growled. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say anything.” He turned back and watched the games being played, trying to ignore what Gradeall had just revealed.

“I meant no disrespect.” Gradeall had grown up with Gaijryc, both of them being young boys and practicing their swords together. Gradeall was a typical DarkShine male, very unemotional, detached, and ruthless. He was a force to be reckoned with, and when he wanted something, he got it.

“You have known me for thousands of years, my lord. You know how acute my senses are. You might have fooled the males around you, but I can pick up on the most subtle of scents. I would never do anything to break the trust we have, you must know that. You like what you like, even if it
is
a human female.”

He looked toward Gradeall and lifted the corner of his lip at him. “You do not speak about this to anyone, not even me. Is that understood?” He watched Gradeall’s profile, his black hair hanging loosely around his features, the color shining almost blue under the lighting. Gradeall turned at looked at him, his pale gray eyes seeming void and distant.

“You should know better than to request that of me. How long have you known me? You should already know I don’t speak things to others.”

He pushed off the wall and walked past the tables and out the double doors. Gaijryc watched him the whole way, knowing that he wouldn’t speak about what he revealed to anyone. He looked at the antique clock sitting off to the side and casually walked away from the wall. He wanted to go back to Helina, wanted to see her beautiful face, wanted to smell her innocent aroma, but what he craved to do most of all was to bury himself deep inside of her until he’d fully claimed her.

He bid farewell to the males and headed out of the mansion and into the night. He didn’t like the fact that Gradeall had found out about Helina, didn’t like that another DarkShine male had picked up on her scent. He was territorial and possessive of her. He knew from the very first scent of her that she would be his undoing. Knowing that another male knew about her made his fangs ache with jealousy and the adrenaline pump through his body. If there was one thing that he knew with certainty, it was that he planned on making Helina his, even if it did damn him.

Claiming her

G
aijryc ran as
fast as he could to the cabin. He scanned the area and made sure no one followed him. He took the steps up to the porch quickly, yet stealthy. The dim glow of the lights through the kitchen and living room window illuminated the small porch. He breathed heavily, could hear it in the silence and willed himself to calm down.

He closed his eyes and sent his senses inside, searching for what he wanted most. He could hear her heartbeat, the soft and gentle rhythm that calmed and soothed him. He walked to the front door and lifted his hand, his pulse racing so quickly he thought she would surely hear it. He brought his fist down on the wood, the sound seeming too loud even to his ears. She didn’t come to the door, but he could easily hear her little heartbeat pick up a frightened speed.

He sensed her coming closer, her fear going through the wood and into his body. He placed his palm on the cold wood and closed his eyes. His head dropped between his shoulders as he let the feeling of her life force course through him. His fangs ached to pierce her, and his cock throbbed to be buried inside of her until she was fully his. His nails dug into the wood, little shards embedding under his fingernails. “It’s me, Helina.” His voice sounded haggard, deep and scratchy as he continued to let his head hang.

He heard her heart take on a different beat, a beat that showed how excited she was—a beat that showed her desire. He wanted nothing more than to break the door down and take her right there, claim her as his own. The lock on the door clicked open and he dropped his hand as she pulled it open. She stood before him, wearing nothing more than an oversized shirt, the light from the room showcasing her slender form.

“Hi.”

Her voice was soft, her small nipples poking through the white fabric. He licked his lips as he stared at them, the color of her areolas showing faintly as her breasts rose and fell to the rhythm of her breathing. He didn’t say anything, just walked in and shut the door behind him with his foot.