The Sacrifice Read online

  “Long may the Sacrifice continue!” the crowd shouts back. I try to join in the shout but my voice seems to be stuck in my throat. Aiden James is scanning the Glen as he talks but those cool gray eyes keep coming back to me. I wish I could hide—I want to duck behind Lexy who is so much taller than me but somehow I can’t move.

  “As most of you know, your old Sovereign, the venerable Zandor Quaid, who served long and well for over two decades, has now gone to his final rest.” Aiden James bows his head for a moment in respect. When he looks up, his eyes flash pale fire. “Now the Vampire Council has chosen me as your Sovereign and as such, I demand my Sacrifice!”

  The crowd starts to chant. “Sa-cri-fice. Sa-cri-fice.” I see several females, who are closer to the stage than I am, leaning forward eagerly. Clearly they wouldn’t mind giving their all to the hot new vampire overlord. I, on the other hand, am shrinking back, trying not to be seen. But still those gray eyes pick me out of the crowd.

  Aiden James raises his hand and silence falls immediately over the rowdy supes. “There are many ways of finding the appropriate Sacrifice,” he says, still looking at me. “Some Sovereigns chose to hold a lottery. Some consult an oracle to learn the name of the right female. Some even brew divining potions, though this sort of magic is best left to our lovely witches.”

  Lexy and the other witches around us hoot and cheer and fellow witch yells, “Witches do it on a broomstick!”

  Somebody else yells back, "Witches do it with a broomstick. Or is that a dildo? I always get those two mixed up."

  "So do the witches," a satyr says, causing a general roar of laughter.

  "You want me to strap the stick on and come after you?" the first witch asks, making a mock threat. "I'll show you exactly how magical my broom can be."

  More laughter and catcalls follow but I can’t join in their excitement. I feel almost sick with fright—the divination potion—he’s talking about me. About us, this afternoon in the shop! I’m sure of it.

  The new Sovereign raises his hand again for silence. Once again, a hush falls. “I, however,” he continues, “Need none of these methods to assist me. I know the name of my chosen Sacrifice.”

  From the corner of my eye, I see several of the gorgeous fairy girls primping their hair and smoothing their iridescent wings. Clearly they think one of their number is about to be chosen—as always. I think so too—at least I fervently hope so. I hope—

  I become aware that the soft murmuring around me has stopped. Even worse, everyone in the entire crowd seems to be looking at me. I realize that in my desperate concentration on the fairy girls, I have missed something very important.

  “What?” I hiss at Lexy, who’s staring at me as though I’ve suddenly grown a second head.

  “Oh my Goddess, Emma…” She shakes her head, unable to go on.

  Then the deep, commanding voice of the new Sovereign booms from the platform once more. “Emma Krist, come to me. Come take your place at my side.”

  No, it can’t be. It can’t. But somehow it is. Aiden James is looking directly at me and so is every other person in the entire Glen. It’s an introvert’s worst nightmare and it’s happening to me.

  “Go! Go on, he already called you twice,” Lexy hisses, giving me a little shove toward the stage. I stumble clumsily and she grabs my arm, somehow keeping me upright. Her perfectly shaped fingernails bite into the bare skin of my upper arm but I barely feel the pain. “Hurry,” she says urgently.

  Somehow I manage to put one foot in front of the other and make my way to the stage. I feel like a clumsy little kid who has somehow found her way into the adult party and is now being punished for her intrusion. Aiden James watches me every step of the way, which doesn’t help a bit, I can tell you.

  I get to the stage and I’m about to head for the stairs on one side but James apparently can’t wait for that. Leaning down, he slides his hands under my arms and picks me up as though I weighed no more than a doll. Then he sets me down beside him and firmly takes my hand.

  I feel a shock go through me again as he interlaces our fingers and nods to the crowd. They are murmuring uncertainly and several of the fairy girls look pissed. How dare the new vampire Sovereign pick a dud over one of them?

  That’s right—a dud. I’m a dud! I think and a sudden rush of sweet relief floods me. I just have to tell him this—that I have no magic—and surely he’ll realize what a poor choice I am. After all, one of the Sacrifice’s main purposes is to feed her master’s power. (I don’t like to think about what other appetites she’s supposed to feed.) But if I don’t have any magical power of my own, how can I possibly augment Aiden’s? It’s impossible and I feel sure that as soon as I get a chance to explain, he’ll let me go and pick someone else.

  “Aiden,” I hiss at him from the corner of my mouth. “Uh, Mr. James, I mean.” I’m honestly not sure what to call him.

  “What is it, Emma?” To my intense discomfort, he stops looking at the crowd and turns his full attention on me, staring at me as though we were the only two people in the world.

  “I…” I swallow hard and hear a little clicking sound in my dry throat. “I just think there…there’s been some mistake,” I stammer.

  “Oh?” He raises one eyebrow at me. “And why is that?”

  “I…I’m a dud,” I say and it’s never been harder to get that word out. I hope the people in the crowd can’t hear me admitting to my magical incompetence but from the spiteful glee on some of the fairy’s faces, I’m pretty sure they can. Aiden James is still just staring at me so I have to elaborate. “I don’t have any magical power,” I explain.

  “Yes, I know what a ‘dud’ is, Emma,” he says patiently. “But that description does not fit you in the least.”

  “Yes, it does,” I say desperately, still hyperaware that every eye in the Glen is trained on the two of us. “I’ve never been able to work a spell in my entire life. I know herbs and their magical properties but, well, that’s about it.” I shrug uncomfortably. “So I can’t be the one you want. There’s no way I could help, uh, feed your power because I don’t have any of my own.”

  His gray eyes flash silver in the deepening twilight. “Who says I want you for your power, Emma? The Sacrifice gives her master far more than that.”

  “I…but…I…” The dark promise in those predatory eyes has my heart pounding against my ribs. “Mr. James…Sovereign…”

  “That’s correct, I am your Sovereign, in more ways than one,” he growls softly. “And as such, I will put up with no more backtalk. You, Emma Krist, are the female I choose. The only one I want. I will have no one else by my side this first year of my reign.”

  “Oh,” I whisper faintly. Well, so much for the idea that he’ll let me go because of my magical defects. His eyes are boring into mine and I am powerless to look away. My knees feel like jelly. “All right,” I whisper at last.

  “The correct response is ‘Yes, Master,’” he says softly.

  “Yes, M-master,” I repeat, only stumbling over the words a little.

  “That’s good. Very good, Emma.” He strokes my cheek gently and the touch of his large hand seems to start a slow fire under my skin. “A good first step. You must submit to me in this, as in all things. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Very clear…Master,” I add hastily.

  He nods approval. “Very well. Then bare your throat for my pleasure.”

  My insides clench with a mixture of fear and longing. Oh Goddess, I can’t believe this. He’s going to bite me, claim me as his in front of the entire supernatural community. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it. To be honest, I’m not even sure I want to stop it anymore. There’s something about Aiden James—he’s overwhelming.

  Slowly I tilt my head to the side, baring my throat for him. He leans toward me and I can smell his scent—a dark, spicy musk that is entirely masculine and completely intoxicating… But then he draws back, frowning.

  “What?” I look up at him uncertainly. Has