The Art of Darkness (Part 14)
"In love there is but little rest." - Geoffrey Chaucer
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12
Previously on The Art of Darkness:
Despite Morvinus and Amber's best efforts, the unexpected battle at the hospital has left their plans in tatters and issued fresh obstacles to conquer. Wanting to escape the overwhelming stress, they retreat into each other, taking a bold step in their relationship. The following day, there's a new plan and with it, restored hope. But at what cost?
Part 14
There was a tension in the air I couldn't even begin to describe. More than when I defended my dissertation, even more than the night before when I stood naked and trembling in the shower. I knew we could do this, I told Morvinus as much just this morning. Yet, somehow, over the course of the day, I grew increasingly uneasy about it. Not so much the demonstration itself. If last night taught me anything, Morvinus and I had pretty good handle on this whole feeding thing. And certainly not anxious because our very lives depended on this, though any normal person would be.
No, my worry this time came from somewhere far less mature, something that bothered me greatly. Stupid. He said he loves you. You, Amber. This deal with Lady Umbria is over, remember? Or don't you trust him? Ouch. That last part hit like a baseball to my throat. Still, I found myself at odds with her already. And I didn’t even know her, other than, at the moment, she was our last hope.
I stared in the mirror trying to find myself through all the added fluff. Lord Cawston insisted Morvinus and I be in our finest for the occasion so, two hours of ruffling and curling later, here I stood, a heavily decorated dress up doll. An emerald gown hugged my hips, cascading to the floor. I twisted to get a better look at my back, uncomfortably bare from the low hem. The front wasn't much better, my hair pulled up out of my face, leaving my neck glaringly open, on display for everyone to see. It may as well have had a sign saying “free meal here.” I wasn’t sure if it was the nerves or the material, but it felt stifling and stuffy against my skin, the sweat already beginning to bead. I tugged at each sleeve, not sure what to make of it. It wasn’t me. Though, I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely certain what “me” was supposed to look like these days.
About the tenth time I attempted to calm the storm building inside, a knock on the door pulled me out of it, Morvinus’ collected voice echoing from the other side.
“Amber, are you-“ He paused as I opened the door, his eyes growing wide.
Seemingly always pristine without effort, he stood a picture of a suitor befitting a debutant. His white button down shirt was impossibly stark and crisp, every line in place, sitting flatteringly against the hills and valleys of his chest, dampened only by a fine black tailcoat. His hands, once fiddling with his cufflinks, fell as he continued staring, his lips gaping.
I smoothed down the ripples on my dress, beginning to think there was something amiss. “I know. It’s…a lot. Do I look all right?”
The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile as he leaned over slightly, bringing my hand to his lips.
“You are breathtaking, my lady.”
My cheeks flooded with warmth. No one had ever called me that before.
“Come. Lady Umbria awaits.”
I released a tense breath, finding it hard to move. His grin faded.
“Amber, are you all right?”
Get it together, Amber. I took another deep breath, nodding.
“Are you certain? We can postpone if you need more time.”
“No. I’m ready.” I struggled out a small smile of my own, though I wasn’t sure if I completely sold him on it. Either way, he didn’t push further.
Leading me gently by the hand, I followed him through the stone corridors and past the foyer, venturing into unfamiliar territory. Though I had been by this part of the house before, this time felt different. Something about it seemed odd, even more so than the rest of the house, as though the air here was thinner, more frigid. It gave me chills and I stopped, overwhelmed by the uneasy feeling I was a lamb being taken out for slaughter. My stomach churned and I snatched my hand from Morvinus’ grasp, bracing myself on the wall.
“Amber…”
I was losing my breath, my heart sprinting. What little wavering confidence I had rushed out the door. I closed my eyes trying to chase the demons away, but it was no use.
“I can't, Morvinus. I-”
He came to me, tucking me against his chest. A wave of emotion hit me hard, letting loose a canon of panicked tears into his shirt.
“Breath with me,” he comforted, holding my hand to his heart. I followed his rhythm as best I could, keeping my eyes shut, rising and falling, in and out. He sighed, stroking my hair softly, his warmed lips leaving a kiss against my forehead. In and out, in…and out.
After a moment, the well began to dry, and he pulled back, his hands cradling my face, thumbs wiping away the rivers from my cheeks. “Better?”
I managed a small nod. “What if this doesn't work?”
“Amber, listen to me. You have opened my eyes to a life I never thought possible. And you have shown more courage than anyone I have ever met before, vampire and human alike. If there is anyone in this universe that can carry this out, it is you. I believe that with all my heart. You are right, running is not the answer. And if this is indeed a way forward, for all of us, is it not worth it?”
I huffed out the air in my lungs. He was right, I knew he was right.
Without another word, I replaced my hand in his and he led me further into the maze of hallways until we came to a room at the end. Heavy oak doors marked its entry and he took the nearest one by the handle, opening it enough for me to walk through, his hand at my back, a comforting reminder of his presence.
The door opened to an intimate and opulent sitting room, a rug threaded together by various shades of green and blue layered over the sandstone tile floor. In the middle, sat two ornately designed plush sofas opposite each other, a small glass table filling the space in between and a few high back tufted chairs closing the gaps on either side. One was empty. But on the other rested a female vampire I had never seen before. Tall and slender, she rose as we entered, the bottom of her silver gown spilling onto the floor, a grin easing up the corners of her painted red lips. Her copper hair, long and rippled, framed her ghostly face like a veil, adorned with a small but glistening diamond headdress.
“Ah, here we are,” exclaimed Lord Cawston, his smile beaming from across the room. As he approached, he brushed aside the edges of his cape, slung over the shoulder of his navy blue jacket.
“Lady Umbria, I present to you my granddaughter, Analise.”
“Amber, just Amber,” I corrected. I wasn’t ready to give up the last bit of me I recognized just yet.
“My, you are a beauty,” her soft voice sang as she closed the distance between us. Morvinus kept his hand settled in the small of my back and I tried retreating into it to no avail.
She brought a cold finger underneath my chin, her head tilted slightly, her piercing blue eyes boring into mine, as though she were looking for something.
“Lord Cawston was right, I see much of your mother in you.”
Dropping her finger, she finally looked over at Morvinus still standing next to me, her smile widening, “Morvinus, how nice to see you again,” she said.
“Lady Umbria,” he replied coldly, giving her hand a ceremonial kiss.
“Now, now, no need for the formalities. You and I are old friends, are we not?”
He didn't respond, but I could sense a tension in his fingers as he stiffened, the warmth in his hand fading a little.
Lord Cawston didn't let the awkward silence linger. “Lady Umbria, may I extend our gratitude for your presence here tonight. I know it must not have been an easy decision, considering.”
She smirked, “Indeed, the two of you have created quite the dramatic stir within our ranks. Undoing this mess will take finesse. Luckily, I do hold some sway yet. Emperor Cesare has decided to rescind your sanctions, for now. If you can convince the Curiae of her value-”
“Her value?” Morvinus interjected, “You speak as though she is a commodity.”
“Is she not?”
“No. She is far more.”
“So defensive. Careful Morvinus, one might think you care for this creature. This human.” Her tone felt more of curiosity than disdain, still, Morvinus didn’t care for it.
“She carries vampire blood in her veins. Same as you and I.”
“Yet, she does not drink, she does not thirst for blood. She knows little of our ways. Of you and I she is merely half. No more. To some on the council, even less so.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I, for one, have come to realize all of that means nothing if our species does not survive. If she is the key after all, as you believe, we must learn to open ourselves to new possibilities. Emperor Cesare happens to agree. That is why he sent me here. If you are to convince the council that she is worthy, you must first convince me. So,”
She replaced herself gracefully on the chair, clasping her delicate hands in her lap, “when you are ready…”
Morvinus turned to me, bringing me close, his gaze fully enveloping mine. My heart was already racing, my breath about to run away from me again. “Ready?” He whispered, his hands stroking my arms.
I nodded, fighting back against my looming anxiety.
In a way it felt much like the first time we tried, the nerves suddenly returning in full. I held onto him as he laid me across the empty sofa, head draped over the rounded arm. He sat on the edge next to me, leaning over, his fingers cradling my neck, his other hand at my waist.
His icy breath danced on my skin as he traced the curve under my jaw. First with the tip of his nose, then his lips. I began to panic as something stirred within. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. It should’ve been cold and without feeling. Mechanical, like we had practiced. But this? I wasn't prepared. I wanted to object, to bring him down off this ledge he had brought me on, but I dared not speak. Too much was at stake.
He must have sensed my tension. “Relax,” he said.
Relax? Is he serious? How could he even ask this of me when every graze of his nose, every brush of his lips made my heart leap out of my chest? It was taking all I had not to get lost in it, to let myself be thrown back into that shower, remembering the warmth between us, the touch of him against my bare skin.
Moment after anxious moment, awaiting his next move, he finally found the spot he wanted. And without hesitation he plunged his fangs into my neck, letting out a low and menacing growl. The force was more than I anticipated and I gasped, gripping the back of his tailcoat trying to steady myself. It was getting harder and harder to focus, the euphoria starting to take hold, blurring my already clouded mind. My blood screamed, a fierce fire pouncing like a feral cat from artery to artery, and despite my attempt to ward them off, memories of last night's encounter came flooding in. I could feel what little grip I had slipping away. Keep it together, Amber.
“Enough,” said Lady Umbria.
Morvinus retreated carefully, retracting his fangs, and easing back to the seat next to me, out of breath, wearing the same stunned expression from last night.
I pushed myself up a bit, trying not to let the dizziness and roiling stomach overwhelm my senses. The last thing I wanted to do here was faint. I could feel the little streams of warmth as my blood trickled down my neck to my shoulders. I closed my eyes, taking control of my tiny soldiers, bringing a stop to the flow.
When I opened them again, everyone was staring, including Lady Umbria.
“Marvelous!” Lord Cawston exclaimed, clapping his hands together.
Lady Umbria looked perplexed. “Gentlemen, will you excuse us a moment?”
Lord Cawston’s eyes furrowed. “Um, certainly. Morvinus, shall we-“
“What do you want, Amelia?” Morvinus’ tone reeked of skepticism.
She tsked her tongue, “Relax, Morvinus, I only mean to speak with the girl.”
“Have you not put her through enough?”
“Morvinus, it's all right,” I reassured him.
He looked at me briefly before returning his hard gaze at her, “Fine. A moment,” he warned.
“Understood.”
Lord Cawston tried taking Morvinus by the arm but he jerked it away, marching out the door.
When it was just the two of us, her grin widened. “Would you care for some water? You must be parched.”
Without even waiting for a reply, she got up from her seat, taking a pitcher from one of the narrow side tables and pouring me a glass. When she returned, she held it out for me, that same strange smile on her face.
I took it hesitantly, sipping on it as she replaced herself in the chair.
“Well, that was quite…illuminating. So, tell me, how long has Morvinus been bedding you?”
I coughed out the water I had just gulped, “Excuse me?” Is she asking what I think she’s asking?
“How long have you two been sleeping together? Come now, Lord Cawston may not have noticed but you can not hide that from me. I am familiar with those glances. Intimately.”
I cleared my tightening throat, placing the glass on the table between us. “Respectfully, Lady Umbria, I don't- I don't think that's really any of your business.”
“Fair enough,” She straightened up in her seat, “however, I can assure you the Curiae will undoubtedly make it their business. As of this moment, the only ones standing at your side are those who are already heavily influenced. And as noble as their intentions may be, they are irrevocably prepossessed in your favor. While that may hold little sway with me, the council will most certainly take that into consideration when deciding your fate. And the fate of everyone in that room. Right now, they hold only unsubstantiated rumor. If they were to see what I just witnessed, however, I fear it will only make the situation worse. For all of you.”
She leaned over a little, her eyes growing somber. “Amber, I do not say this to frighten you, but as someone who once cared for him as you do now. You must exercise more caution, at least in your performance. Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“Good. Well,” she let out a heavy breath, her smile returning, “shall we summon the men? Morvinus must be fuming by now.”
“Lady Umbria, can I ask you something?”
“Anything, my dear.”
“What happened between you?”
“He has not told you?”
“He won't talk about it.”
“The simple answer? I took him for granted. Be certain you do not do the same, yes?”
“I don't intend to.”
“Good.”
Standing from her seat, she smiled, heading for the door as I fidgeted with the ripples in my gown.
When they returned, Morvinus sat by my side on the sofa, and I grasped his hand, weaving my fingers in between his. He looked at me, that sweet crooked smile nudging the corner of his lips.
Lady Umbria took a place behind the opposite sofa, her hands resting on the back molding.
“Well gentleman, Ms. Hollings, I believe it is time I leave you. You have given me much to think about. I will discuss my findings with the Emperor. Perhaps, he can be persuaded to allow us a more public demonstration. In the meantime, stay the course with your rehearsal. I will be in touch.”
Public? What did she mean by that? I didn't get the chance to ask.
As we accompanied her to the foyer, I found my pace had slowed. The hope that I had before had all but been replaced by more anxiety and apprehension. And the guilt of realizing just how selfish I had been behaving finally found it's voice. It wasn't just my life on the line here. How could I forget that?
I watched her retreat through the doorway, already antsy to pull these heels off my feet, but before the door could even shut all the way, Lord Cawston shoved Morvinus back into the nearest wall, his hand wrapping tightly around his throat.
Continued in Part 15
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Ooh, Cawston twigged too. 🫣