I sit on a high stool, leaning my elbows on the counter.
I’m not sure what I was hoping to achieve by spying on my mother. To gain a sense of control maybe, something that’s clearly absent in my life. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t be at Bloodstone, I wouldn’t be studying to take my mother’s place, and most importantly, I wouldn’t be promised to a douche canoe from an important magical family.
Running my hands through my hair, I yank back the strands. “Fuck.”
The sudden knock on my door makes me jerk on my seat. What now?
“Who is it?”
“Aurora, it’s me, Saxon.”
A string of curses runs through my head. I don’t want to deal with him, but at the same time, I could use a punching bag.
I cross the room with long strides and then open the door with a brusque movement. “What do you want?”
His hand is braced against the wall, and he looks positively ill. With a grimace, he replies, “The potion you gave me didn’t work.”
“Impossible. That should have worked.”
“Well, it didn’t.” He stands straighter, imposing, feral. “You’re still my damn mate, and if you don’t fix this, you’re going to be a widow before you exchange vows with your betrothed.”
2
Aurora
A month before
Incredulity. Disgust. Rage. All those feelings compete for space in my head as I park my car in front of Havoc. Growing up, I’ve always known I wouldn’t have much control over my life. As the oldest daughter of the High Witch, much is expected of me. There was never time for play; studying witchcraft was my only priority. Responsibility and sacrifice were the bywords repeated constantly by my mother.
And damn, the woman can’t complain. I’ve always done what she said, even if I broke her rules in secret. I enrolled at Bloodstone Institute, a school for vampires—and the last place I wanted to be—without offering resistance. But what she’s asked me to do now is brutal.
Mother dearest wants me to marry a douche canoe from a prestigious magical family. Apparently, not only do I have to pledge my life to serve the ruler of vampires, King Raphael, but I also have to make sure my offspring will be sufficiently gifted to carry on our legacy.
I left her house fuming, but I couldn’t return to Bloodstone. I wanted to scream and break things. What would those bloodsuckers do if they saw the future High Witch losing her shit? I drove for hours until I saw the sign welcoming me to Boston. I could have simply spent the night in the big metropolis, but that wouldn’t change my reality.
It wasn’t until I was back in Salem that I made the last-minute decision to stop at the popular vampire club. I’ve never stepped foot inside before. I have my fill of vamps at the institute, after all. But I’ve heard stories about the place. Things can get wild in there and tonight that’s exactly what I need.
I pull the visor down and check my reflection in the vanity mirror to make sure my makeup is not smeared. I cried tears of rage earlier, which I’m not ashamed to admit, but I don’t need to flaunt the raccoon look. Surprisingly, my makeup survived the ugly crying. Hooray for waterproof mascara! I ditch my severe jacket and button-down shirt, glad that I forgot a bag from my latest shopping trip in my car. What I have isn’t by any means club attire, but I’ll take the tank top with the sassy quote any time over a lame combo meant for working in an office. Who knows, maybe the pissed-off unicorn saying “Back the fuck up, sparkle tits, or you get shanked” will deter vampires from annoying me.
There’s already a line of humans waiting to get in. It’s so long, it goes around the block. I veer straight toward the bouncer at the front—a tall, mean-looking regular vampire who is attired in a black suit and an earpiece. He glances in my direction, already sporting a frown, but before he can open his mouth to send me to the back of the line, I flash him the ring on my finger that bears the royal insignia of King Raphael. In an instant, his expression changes to one of respect. He nods, and then lifts the red velvet rope to let me through.
He must have alerted his coworkers inside because I’m ushered through the VIP entrance without having to pay the entrance fee. Finally, I get to reap the benefits