Chapter Two

Kayla waited anxiously in her room for Nicolai to return to walk her downstairs to the gathering. She'd been ecstatic about getting into her father's good graces, but he'd surprised her by throwing this event. What was the reason? Still refusing to drink human blood since she was six, she knew that her control would be tested. Wherever there was a large group of vampires, blood and death followed, and as she grew closer to being a full-fledged PureBlood, the hunger inside her became increasingly more difficult to resist. She hadn't known she was pacing until a single knock against her door stopped her in her tracks.

Opening her door, she smiled at Nicolai. He looked handsome in a tailored black suit and a dark emerald tie. Your father may have picked the suit, but I chose the tie. I believe it's still your favorite color." It was a statement, not a question. Although he didn't smile, his one was playful. "Let's go. We don't want to be late." And with that, he was back to being the ever serious bodyguard.

Offering his arm, she looped her arm through and once they took off down the hall, Kayla swore under her break.

"What is it?" Nicolai asked.

"My hair, I didn't get to do anything to it."

It had taken them about fifteen minutes to reach the first floor, which was decorated with iron cha The Thorne manor was a very large 4-story estate that somewhat resembled a gothic castle, except the inside been updated with electricity and modern technology. When they reached main floor, Kayla looked up as she always did. As much as she hated her home, she couldn't deny its beauty. The black and white marble flooring had been recently polished, and they reflected the original wrought iron chandeliers above. "Somethings had to stay original," her father would say.

As they stopped at the bottom of the main staircase, Nicolai reached for a lock of her black hair and twirled it around his finger. Although her and Nicolai had some sort of attraction towards each other, he never showed his affection so openly, and she was never completely sure of how he felt about her.

"Your hair is fine. You look like you're ready to take your rightful spot at the head of the Clan." Worried that someone might see then, she took a small step away and turned to head towards the door that led to the ballroom.

Once inside, she sucked in a sharp breath. In the center were Purebloods, some of them Thorne's, and others from nearby Clans. They danced and laughed, and the room was filled with the sounds of quiet conversation and classical music that was being played by a mortal symphony, who were likely not their of their own free will.

Against the walls of the room were velvet chaises, colored red to hide any spilled blood. There was no food around, as vampires had a severe allergic reaction to anything other than a living being's life force. Lounging across one of the Chaises was a human servant, a young woman, and draped across her with his mouth latched to her neck was Ross. Kayla shuttered and took a deep breath. Yes, she was tempted, but it was easier to ignore since she'd fed from Nicolai.

Feeling a cool hand against the small of her back, she looked up into the glowing eyes of her guard. He cleared his throat and glanced around the room, and so did she. Her heart nearly dropped to her stomach when she saw that many of the Clan members were watching her. Her father sat a table and stared at her over a glass of red wine spiked with blood. Kayla felt like she'd walked into a lion's den, and she was their prey. They were sizing her up, wondering how easy it would be to tear her apart.

Taking a deep breath, she schooled her features, pushing her anxiety to the back of her mind. These people would never see her as a weakling again. Jutting her chin out, she narrowed her eyes and made eye contact with everyone who gawked, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as each person began to avert their gaze.

With a newfound confidence, she turned to Nicolai and held out her hand.

"Nicolai."

"Kayla," he replied.

"Dance with me."

Bringing her hand to his lips, he grazed his lips across her knuckles before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. As music played, they began to dance, and the party resumed. She enjoyed dancing with Nicolai, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong. And although she wanted to ask Nicolai, now was not the time. Even if she whispered, everyone would be able to hear. Pushing the thought aside, she busied herself with dancing with with Nicolai. They swept across the ballroom along with a few other dancing pairs, and Kayla almost forgot her negative feelings. Almost.

Her anxiety crept up the the sun when the music ceased unexpectedly and Elijah cleared his throat. He stood from his table and walked to the center of the room. As he did, the dancers hurried out of his way, standing along the walls.

"Good evening, everyone. It is such a pleasure to play host to my Clan, as well as a few other Pureblood families. I understand that this was such short notice," he began, looking around the room. Everyone stared at him expectantly, and Kayla's expression grew weary. Her father was definitely up to something, but she couldn't figure out what it was. But whatever it was couldn't be good considering that her twenty-first birthday was tomorrow. Elisabeth Thorne stood at his side, a wine glass filled with blood in hand. On her face was a polite yet disinterested smile.

Nicolai, sensing her discomfort, grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. It did nothing to lessen her panic.

"As you all know, my second creation, Kayla Thorne, will be twenty-one tomorrow, the age at which she will stop aging and reach peak strength. She will rule alongside her brother and their future spouses, ultimately deciding the fate of our Clan. That is why my wife Elisabeth and I have taken it upon ourselves to find a husband for her."

All color drained from Kayla's face. Now it all made sense. Why her father had been nice to her for the first time earlier. Why he'd thrown this gathering without giving her timely notice. What her father said next nearly broke her.

"I'd like to present Nicolai, Kayla's future husband and one of my Awakened."

Glancing up at him, she found that he was unable to look her in the eyes. Releasing his hand, she took a step back and looked around the room. She was met by a series of red stares. Her mother was indifferent, maybe bored. Ross also looked guilty.

"Nicolai… Ross… You both knew? You all think I'm useless," she said tonelessly.

"Kayla, that's enough-" her mother started, but was cut off.

"No! I've been working hard, despite my father's constant disrespect. He was never going to trust me to rule this clan with my brother. And Nicolai? He's an Awakened for Christ's sake! He is literally bound to my father for the rest of his immortal life. With him calling the shots, it's as if my father never stepped down."

Her tirade was met by a deafening silence. Her father's face was set in a deep frown of displease. Taking a step toward her, he raised a hand and slapped her with lightning quickness. The feeling wasn't foreign to her, but it still surprised her, especially since they were in public. Again, she looked at Nicolai, who both said and did nothing. <i>Not that he could anyway</i>, she thought. <i>He belongs to my father. All of them do.</i>

Cradling her cheek in her hand, Kayla turned her back on her father and ran from the ballroom as fast as she could. As soon as she made it to her room, she kicked off her shoes and allowed the tears to fall. Sure, she was attracted to Nicolai, but she never imagined marrying him, especially now that it was being forced upon her.

There was a gentle knock on the door before it opened and Ross came in.

"Listen Kayla, I didn't know about this. I mean I suspected, but if I knew-"

"If you knew, you would have kept it from me because you'll do whatever father tells you, just like everyone else," Kayla said, her voice wavering.

Just then, the door burst open and in came Elijah Thorn. "How dare you cause a scene in front of the clan and our visitors? You are such a disgrace! You'll be marrying Nicolai tomorrow whether you like it or not," he ground out. When Kayla glared at him, he bared his fangs, urging her to submit.

During a challenge, one had three choices: fight, surrender, or flee. Kayla chose the last option. It was night time, and so her white curtains were open, showing a beautiful view of the forest bathed in moonlight.

Knowing her intentions, Ross tried to reach for her. "Kayla no, it's dangerous beyond the clan walls!" Missing him narrowly, she ran toward to window and jumped, sending glass shards flying.

Her room had been on the top floor, so it was quite the fall. Landing on her feet, she yelped in pain as her ankle twisted painfully. While she had a sprain, a human would have broken both legs or worse. Looking up, she saw both Ross and Elijah sticking their heads out of the broken window. When her father spoke, his tone was terrifyingly calm, and the wind carried his words like a promise.

"I will find you daughter, and you will be punished."

Although his words struck fear into her heart, it only lasted a second. It had been years since she'd left the manor, and she had never felt more free. Turning her back to her home, she dashed into the forest and was swallowed up by the trees. It wasn't until Kayla stopped to lean against a tree to check her ankle that she felt the first drop of rain land upon her head. Most Purebloods didn't experience the feeling of coldness due to the energy the acquired from blood consumption, but Kayla drank a fraction of what she should. A chill settled deep into her bones until her teeth rattled from the strength of her shivering. By now she was miles from home, and it didn't feel far enough.

She'd been trying to decide what direction to head in when a bright light flashed in her eyes. It must have been a UV light. Her skin instantly began to burn, and she hissed, raising her hands to shield her face.

"Did you see the color of her eyes? They're a dull red. She's weak. Starving," a male voice said as if he were teaching a lesson.

When she was able to open her eyes, she saw a man with his hair tied in a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. His features were sharp, his cheeks hollow. He was dressed in black combat wear, and Kayla knew this group were the hunters that she'd been taught to avoid growing up. <i>The wolves are terrible, yes, but hunters are worse</i>, her sparring teacher had once said. If she didn't fight, she would surely die.

Giving her a sinister smile, he pulled a blade from his weapons belt. Crouched low and fueled by the anger caused by the pain she felt from her ankle and the UV light, she lunged at him. Before she could make contact with him, lightning stretched across the sky, followed by a booming clap of thunder.

Feeling as if she'd been shot, Kayla fell to the floor, eyes wide as memories flittered through her mind in brief flashed.

<i>The blood pooled into her room from the other side of her door. "No more hiding, Kayla", her father had said. </i>

Shaking her head, she tried to get to her feet, but she felt a knee at her back and the burning pain of silver cuffs around her wrists. While it didn't burn her nearly as much as it would a werewolf, she still clenched her teeth to hold in a yelp of pain. As the rain went from a drizzle to a downpour, the hunters hauled Kayla to her feet.

"A vampire who's afraid of storms. Who knew?" someone taunted. Kayla didn't't care about what they said, for she was trapped inside her own mind, reliving her past.