AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Look what I have here. She hates your beautiful betrothed just as much as I do,” said Vedoma.
Well, that made more sense. Still, why did evil people have to cluster up to wreak more havoc on us?
“She is ready to be bitten, my lord,” said Vedoma as she presented Smaranda’s neck. “I already have some of your blood in a vial. You just need to devour her completely. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Gabriel flailed and growled, fighting all his restraints.
“You are far too weak, my lord. A meal would replenish your vigor. Don’t refuse the gift.” Vedoma smirked and pushed Smaranda closer to him.
Except Smaranda was scared out of her mind. “Will I be fine, Mistress?”
“I believed you to be braver than this. Then again, you do not have a say, my dear. Once you vowed your pledges, you are to follow my orders. My promise to you was eternal life. And that you shall receive.”
Why did she want to turn Smaranda? Initially, I thought her plan revolved around killing Gabriel in the most torturous of ways. What changed?
Vedoma brought his mouth closer to Smaranda’s neck. Though visibly affected, Gabriel turned his face to the side, refusing even to regard them.
“I assumed your ignorance would be this high.” Vedoma scowled. “No worries, my lord. We’ll have to help you a little so you can realize the real pleasures of your eternal life.” Vedoma traced her hand along Smaranda’s trembling neck, stopped on her side, and jabbed two claws through Smaranda’s skin. She could’ve used anything, a knife, a spear, or even a sword. But no, she had to use her claws. The dramatic witch. Not losing sight of her evil theatrical talents even in times of urgency.
Slowly, blood began trickling from the wounds while Smaranda tried to hide the terror in her eyes.
At the smell of the coppery red liquid, Gabriel’s nostrils flared, and his eyes turned silver.
“Come, my lord. Taste her. She’s waiting,” Vedoma said as she guided Smaranda’s bloody neck toward Gabriel.
On the verge of succumbing to his hunger, Gabriel bit his lips and released the little he had left of his own blood. Vedoma didn’t hesitate and swiped a finger in Smaranda’s blood, smearing it with his own.
The final pillar of his will crumbled as he grabbed Smaranda’s shouldered and sunk his fangs into her neck. At first, Smaranda let out a whimper but later warmed to it in his embrace.
Vedoma took a few steps back and appraised her hard work. “To think that Gabriel Stoica, son of Mircea Stoica, second-in-command to Vlad Dracul, would survive the turning curse. I don’t have enough fingers on my hands to count how many I helped become avampyr. None had lived to tell the story. None except you, my lord.” She appraised him with admiration.
Oblivious to her words, Gabriel focused on draining Smaranda’s blood completely.
“Thanks to you, my lord, I had an epiphany. Why would I fight the prophecy when I can use it for my benefit? An army ofstrigoiseemed like a wonderful idea until the opportunity to gain an army ofvampyrsappeared.And you will help me with that, my lord. Won’t you?” Vedoma walked to Gabriel and Smaranda and trailed her fingers through Smaranda’s hair. “What a great army we will have.” She hummed.
I assumed Vedoma harbored a new plan, and unfortunately, I was right. She wanted complete control of everything, be it The Other Realm, The Ordinary One, or Gabriel’s life.
After finishing, Smaranda dropped like a dead fish to the ground. Vedoma turned her over and poured Gabriel’s blood into her mouth. “It will be over soon, my dear. The world will beg at our feet for all they had done to us.”
After not more than a minute, Smaranda woke as if from a nightmare. Her eyes glowed in a softer silver, her fangs grew, and slowly her beast took over her.
“Bring the peasant in,” Vedoma yelled.
Two servants brought a young woman into the bedroom.
“This is your first meal, my dear,” Vedoma said.
Smaranda, in the form of a four-legged beast, plunged into the poor woman and began sucking her blood. The more she drank, the faster Smaranda returned to her human state.
“You must stop, Smaranda,” said Vedoma. “She’s going to be your meal more than once.”
Smaranda growled at the Vedoma, which infuriated the witch. She conjured a spell and zapped Smaranda, ending any form of insubordination.
While the entire ruckus took place, Gabriel remained absentminded, still delirious from all the eating. I turned and ran to him, but as I moved, the fog increased, and the scene was lost.
I found Gabriel still shackled and still in bed while Smaranda tended to him. This time he didn’t have a gag.
“Smaranda, please. Loosen the shackles. I am in pain. The silver is burning my skin.”
