The Grand Duke holds my hand as he helps me up into his carriage.
It's not what I expected. I thought vampire carriages would be dark red, made out of bones, or something monstrous. Instead, the carriage is the color of noir as dark as the night sky. The outer rims are draped in black velvet, and the entire carriage is lined with golden trim.
The cushions themselves are dark crimson. They are plush and warm against my thighs as I sit down and brace myself against the cold night breeze. A chilled bottle of something rests in a cup holder.
I don't want to know what's in it.
The carriage is silent with me in it, until he steps inside.
Grand Duke Xavier Bloodstone enters the carriage and sits next to me with an expression of calm coldness. His presence alone makes me feel like he thinks he owns everything. It's like a shadow wrapping around me, brushing up against my skin.
It's hard not to notice the presence of his arm resting across the back of our seat. His arm dangerously close to me. I steal a glance at him as I notice him looking at me.
"You still haven't thanked me," he says smoothly, like silk over a dangerous blade.
My brows lift. "For what?"
He smiles slightly, unbothered by my tone. "For choosing you. For saving you from the cells. For giving you a collar that means protection instead of punishment."
"Protection?" I reply back as I speak with attitude. "From others vampires or from you?"
His eyes flash crimson briefly. "Yes."
I wonder what those eyes mean as I look away from him and out the window. The Blood Palace is behind us now, replaced by the ghostly plains lit by the moonlight. It creeps me out, but at the same time, there is something beautiful about it. I feel his gaze still on me.
"You're afraid of me," he whispers to himself. "But I don't mind it. Fear is natural. It means you understand power when you see it."
I don't answer.
Ignoring him doesn't prove easy. I am too aware of how his voice captivates me, too aware of how close we are in this carriage. His leg brushing up against mine due to the jolting of the carriage every few seconds. The Grand Duke doesn't seem as scary as how everyone makes him out to be. He doesn't lunge for me. He doesn't make a threat or scare me with his fangs.
He simply watches me like a riddle he might have fun solving.
"You're not like others, you know?" he says tenderly. "The fear in your eyes doesn't cripple you. It sharpens your senses and makes you more passionate about being yourself."
"Why did you really choose me?" I whisper as I avoid his direct gaze.
He leans toward me slightly, enough to steal my breath for a moment as I look back at him.
"Because you looked at the crowd of vampires with such defiance," he replies. "You looked at them for who they truly are. Greedy ants crawling around waiting for a feast. The others looked too defeated. You still have some life in you. I knew, from that moment, you were someone worth owning."
His words leave me confused and feeling heavy in my chest.
He hasn't touched me yet, but his words?
They touch something much deeper.
The carriage jolts us more as we move down a stony path. The ride is fairly long, longer than I thought. The castle must be pretty far from the Blood Palace. Eventually, I grow tired of staring out the window for the majority of the ride and I turn back to look at him.
"Why do you keep looking at me?" I ask him as his gaze never seems to leave me.
"You are beautiful. Do I need another reason?" he says, his gaze falling down to my legs and back up again. I shift in my seat as I notice him do that.
"Do you want me to look away?" he asks.
I hate the fact my skin feels warm.
"You're disgusting. You vampires are all the same."
He chuckles as he smiles, his eyes exposing his desire. "You'll learn to enjoy my gaze."
The Grand Duke gestures for me to come closer to him as he wants to whisper something to me. I feel his soft breath against my ear as he whispers to me. "I am not the same like the other vampires. If you compare me to those scum of the earth, I will be forced to show you the difference, princess."
I let him lightly run his fingers across the inside of my wrist. It is a brief touch.
"Your pulse betrays your mouth, sweetheart."
I yank my hand away before he has the chance to touch it again. "You don't own me."
He tilts his head as he seems interested in my rebellious behavior.
"You will let me fully. One day."
The rest of the carriage ride is silent. Tense. The tension between us increasing as time continues to pass. The carriage finally rolls to a stop in front of the Bloodstone Castle. The door swings open as the Grand Duke leans over me to open it himself. He gets out of the carriage and offers his hand to help me out. I take it, his warmth protecting me from the cold breeze of the night.
The Bloodstone Castle is enormous with towering spires and polished black stone. Crimson-tinted windows stand in contrast to the dark sky. It seems as if the stars themselves are afraid of shining too brightly.
A line of vampire servants await us at the entrance of the castle. They bow as they see the Grand Duke. Xavier turns to me as we both stand by the entrance.
"They will show you to your chambers. Rest, eat, and sleep. We'll start tomorrow." He leans in closer to me, his lips brushing up against my ear before I can even reply. "You're mine now, Aurora. Let's see how long you pretend you aren't."
He turns and fades into the castle as he walks away.
The servant leads me inside as well and shows me to my chambers. She speaks to me about what the Bloodstone Palace has to offer. I hardly hear her words as I think about the Grand Duke. Soon enough, I am in my own room complete with a spacious bed, bathroom, and closet.
I don't feel completely free yet.
It feels like Xavier is the devil with the key.
Part of me wonders if I want him to turn the lock.