The jolt of the car stopping yanks me from dreams of falling glass and chrome grills. My head snaps up, neck cramping from the awkward angle I'd been sleeping in.
"What the fuck are they doing here?" Emily hisses, her knuckles white around the steering wheel.
I blink the sleep from my eyes, taking in the scene before us. When Emily said "castle," I thought she meant some fancy house with turrets or something. But this... this is a legitimate medieval-looking fortress looming against the night sky. Floodlights illuminate the structure from below, casting dramatic shadows that make it seem even more imposing.
To either side of us stretches nothing but dense forest and a winding dirt road leading up to massive iron gates. No streetlights, no neighboring houses, not even a convenience store. Definitely not the Salem I remember from elementary school field trips to the witch museum.
Then I notice the two sleek black cars parked near the entrance, both with windows tinted so dark they seem to absorb light rather than reflect it.
"Is that my new owner?" I ask, nodding toward the vehicles.
Emily's jaw tightens. "No... those two... they're just an annoyance."
Without another word, she pushes her door open and steps out into the night. I reach for my own handle, but it doesn't budge. Child safety locks. Because I'm clearly the dangerous one in this scenario.
I watch Emily circle around the front of our car, her movements precise and efficient like a soldier on patrol. When she reaches my side, she yanks the door open with unnecessary force.
"Do you need help?" she asks, though her tone suggests she's hoping I'll say no.
"I'm good," I reply, swinging my legs out and standing up.
The second my feet hit the ground, a blast of frigid air slaps me in the face. The kind of chill that seeps straight through my clothes and into my bones. I wish I had a jacket.
Emily's hand shoots out and grabs my wrist as she positions herself between me and those mysterious black cars. She's practically using her body as a human shield, which is both confusing and oddly flattering.
"Stay close," she mutters, tugging me toward the entrance.
As we approach the huge doors of this ridiculous castle, I hear car doors opening behind us. Emily's pace quickens, almost dragging me along.
The enormous wooden doors swing open at our approach without Emily even touching them. We step inside, and my jaw literally drops.
"Holy shit," I whisper, craning my neck to take in the soaring ceilings and sweeping staircases. It's like walking into a European cathedral. The entrance hall alone could fit my entire apartment building. Tapestries hang from walls that must be three stories high, and honest-to-god suits of armor stand at attention along the perimeter. "This can't be real. There's no way this was built in America."
Emily doesn't respond to my architectural critique. Instead, she suddenly shoves me behind her, creating a barrier between me and the entrance we just came through.
Two women stride in like they own the place. The first is tall with vibrant red hair cascading down her shoulders, dressed in what looks like designer everything. Behind her comes a curvy Latina woman in tight black jeans and a leather jacket, moving with the confident swagger of someone who's never doubted herself a day in her life.
"Victoria, Valentina," Emily says, her voice flat but with an undercurrent of tension I hadn't heard before.
They nod in acknowledgment.
"How's it hanging, day walker?" Valentina asks with a smirk that doesn't reach her eyes.
Day walker? What the hell kind of nickname is that?
"What do you want?" Emily counters, ignoring the weird greeting.
Valentina's eyes flick to me, and she nods in my direction. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips in a way that seems almost... predatory. That's when I notice something odd about her teeth. Two sharp canines that definitely look longer than normal human teeth.
"So…" she purrs. "Maeve bought herself a man."
Victoria says nothing, but her eyes travel over me slowly, like she's appraising a used car she's not particularly impressed with. There's something unnerving about her gaze, cold and calculating.
Emily shifts her weight slightly, keeping herself positioned between me and the women. "Yes," she answers tersely.
I can't help myself. I point directly at Valentina's mouth. "Are those... are you a vampire?" It's a new world with new rules. Even if I die again this is just borrowed time anyway. Might as well be more foreward this time.
Valentina throws her head back and lets out a delighted laugh that echoes through the massive hall. Victoria's composure cracks just slightly, her lips twitching as she fights back what looks like amusement.
Emily whips around to face me, her eyes blazing. "Shut the fuck up," she hisses before turning back to the women. "Now what do you want?" Her tone has shifted from merely annoyed to downright hostile.
Valentina's smile fades, replaced by something that looks almost like genuine concern. "I lost one of my girls yesterday."
Victoria finally breaks her silence, her voice smooth and cultured. "As did I."
"Wait," Emily says, her posture stiffening. "Two girls in one night?"
Valentina nods grimly. "They were married. Lived in the same house."
Victoria's face tightens as she steps forward. "There's a hunter in Boston."
"And she's probably a fucking thin-blood like you," Valentina adds, shooting Emily a look of disdain.
Emily's eyebrows shoot up. "Why would you say that?"
"Because there's no way a human could just kill two of us that easily," Victoria replies, her voice cool and measured.
I bite my lip to keep from smiling. Vampires. I knew it. I fucking knew it. The teeth, the strength, the weird castle. It all makes perfect sense now. I mean, it's completely insane, but at least the pieces fit together.
Emily runs a hand through her blonde bob, her expression hardening. "I'll send out a team immediately, and I'll tell Maeve when she gets home."
"Where the fuck even is Maeve?" Valentina asks, glancing around like the owner of this medieval monstrosity might pop out from behind a suit of armor.
Victoria pulls her phone from her pocket, checking something on the screen. "Are the Bruins playing tonight?"
"First playoff game," Emily confirms with a sigh.
The two vampires exchange a knowing look at each other.
Valentina's face breaks into a wicked grin as she saunters over to me, moving with a fluid grace that's almost hypnotic. She steps right into my personal space.
"You'd better hope they win," she purrs, running one finger down the center of my chest, "or else you might not make it to morning..." She pauses, tilting her head. "Or maybe you'd better hope they lose? She gets rowdy when they win..."
Her finger traces lazy circles over my heart, which is now pounding so hard I'm sure all three women can hear it. She seems genuinely confused about which scenario would be worse for me.
"I'm not really a hockey fan, so…" I start, but my words die in my throat as Valentina suddenly freezes.
Her nostrils flare, and her eyes go wide, pupils dilating so rapidly it's like watching ink drop into water. Her nose traces the curve of my neck, inhaling deeply with each breath. My whole body goes rigid, but I'm not entirely sure if it's from fear or... something else.
Victoria cocks an eyebrow.
"Stop it," Emily snaps, trying to pull me back. "He belongs to Maeve."
Valentina doesn't budge, her fingers dig into my shoulders as she takes another deep breath. "Just let me get a sip, Emily," she murmurs against my skin, her lips brushing my pulse point. "There's something about him... something unique."
Victoria glides over. She stops directly in front of us, her electric-blue eyes suddenly flashing with the same hungry intensity I'd seen in Valentina's.
"Just a few droplets, Emily," Victoria says, her voice controlled despite the obvious interest in her gaze. "We wouldn't even have to tell Maeve about it."
Emily's grip on my arm tightens painfully as she pulls me away from both vampires. "Absolutely not," she declares. "Now back off."
Valentina huffs dramatically, running her tongue over her fangs in a way that sends a shiver down my spine. "Whatever," she mutters, finally taking a step back.
Victoria's face returns to its perfect mask of indifference, though I can see the annoyance simmering beneath the surface. She says nothing, but her eyes linger on me for a moment longer than necessary before she turns away.
Both women stride toward the massive entrance doors. At the threshold, Valentina pauses, glancing back over her shoulder."Keep us updated," she calls out, her tone casual but her eyes still fixed on me with unsettling intensity.
And then they're gone, the heavy doors swinging shut behind them with a resounding thud that echoes through the cavernous entrance hall.
Emily immediately drops her hold on my arm and steps away, putting a good three feet between us. She pulls out her phone and starts typing furiously, completely ignoring me.
I've been purchased by a vampire who's currently at a Bruins game. This is either the weirdest coma dream ever or I've somehow slipped into an alternate reality where the supernatural is just... normal. God I hope Maeve is hot.
"So," I say casually, leaning against one of the stone pillars, "since they called you a day walker, that makes you what? Like a half vampire?"
Emily doesn't look up from her phone, her thumbs still moving rapidly across the screen. The silence stretches between us, punctuated only by the soft tapping of her fingers.
I clear my throat and try again. "Can you fly?"
That gets her attention. She finally looks up, fixing me with a stare so withering I almost expect to burst into flames. Her expression is a perfect blend of exhaustion and contempt, like I'm a particularly stupid child.
"Seriously, Vincent," she says, her voice flat and cold, "shut the fuck up."