A Hero of Realms
Page 17
I leapt from the bed and backed up against the wall, trying not to breathe in too much of the scent.
Where is it coming from?
I wondered if it might be that same cleaning man from downstairs, now come upstairs to do his work. I crept toward the door, and clutched the handle. What if he was standing right outside? No barrier between my fangs and his throat whatsoever… Just a few steps.
I groaned in frustration and slammed my fists against the wall.
The scent was driving me insane. As much as I couldn’t risk going outside, I also knew I couldn’t remain here in this confined room, with this tantalizing aroma invading my nostrils.
If I waited much longer, I didn’t trust myself to not burst outside of the room and hunt down the human. I had to get out of here while my vision was still clear.
I twisted the door handle and poked my head out into the corridor. It was empty, to my relief. I tried to place exactly where the scent was coming from—somewhere to my left, perhaps a few doors along? I looked to my right. At the end of the long corridor was another staircase. Grabbing the key to the room, I darted out and sped toward it. I climbed the stairs, passing level seven, eight, nine, and stopping at what appeared to be the highest floor—ten. I stopped at a window in the corridor and pushed it wide open. From here, I had a view of the sea over the high wall that surrounded this island.
The blustery wind blew through the window, surrounding me. It helped to soothe my senses, diluting the atmosphere with a salty scent. The knots in my stomach loosened. I planted my arms on the windowsill and poked my head out of the window, relishing the cool breeze ruffling my hair. This was better. Much better.
A door clicked behind me, followed by the sound of a familiar female voice. “You again?”
I turned around to see Julie standing half in, half out of Room 107. A couple of damp towels hung over one arm and she had changed into a dark green nightgown. I felt awkward as I looked at her.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “I think a human moved into the room right next to me or something…”
“Oh,” she said. “Wow, you really must be newly turned.”
I nodded stiffly.
“So you’re just going to stand there all night?” she asked.
Truth be told, I hadn’t thought past the next hour. For all I knew, Aisha could return before then with Arron.
“Perhaps,” I murmured vaguely.
Julie shrugged, then stepped out of the room. She passed by me and headed down the stairs.
When she returned a few minutes later, her arm empty of the towels, I was still standing in the same spot. She passed by me again and headed toward her door, but before entering, she hesitated.
“I remember when I was newly turned,” she commented. “It was really tough… I don’t mind swapping rooms with you if it could help prevent a murder…” She arched a brow in question. “I haven’t unpacked yet, so it doesn’t make a lot of difference to me.”
I looked at her, weighing her words and wondering whether there was any point in accepting her offer if Aisha was going to return soon… Still, I didn’t have any guarantee that the jinni would be fast. I thought it wiser to accept. If the corridors got busier, I’d be thankful for a private room.
“If you don’t mind,” I said. “I would be grateful.”
She moved back into her room and reappeared a few moments later carrying a large brown shoulder bag. She wore the black cloak she’d had on earlier.
She handed me her key, and I gave her mine.
“Well, goodbye… again.” She looked amused as she left the corridor and padded down the staircase.
Now that I had calmed down, I felt that it was safe for me to step away from the window. I entered my new room. It was no larger than the one I’d left on level six, and came with the same basic amenities—a single bed and a small bathroom attached. Although this one had a window, to my pleasant surprise. I pushed it open. Now I wouldn’t even need to stand in the corridor when I wanted fresh air. The more I kept to myself, the better.
I sat on the bed and leaned against the wall, staring out of the window at the glistening sea beyond. The moon still had full reign over the sky, but I guessed it would only be a few hours before the first signs of day showed on the horizon.
I found myself wondering whether the island was protected by a spell of night. And if it wasn’t, I wondered what most vampires did to cope during the day, especially those who lived here full time. I guessed that was why this place came so alive at night.
I hadn’t thought that I would stand a chance of drifting off to sleep that night, and while what I drifted off into could hardly be called sleep—my senses were still alert—it was a far more comfortable state than being awake. I managed to find some semblance of peace amidst the storm.
A peace that was broken an hour later when the window above me blasted open.
CHAPTER 13: BEN
Splinters of glass rained down on me. I leapt to my feet and found myself face to face with a tall, broad-shouldered vampire I’d never seen in my life. His hair was short, fine and black. A mask covered the upper portion of his face, but from the structure of his cheekbones and the tone of his skin, he appeared to be of Asian descent.
His brown eyes widened behind his mask and he looked just as shocked to see me as I felt to see him. He quickly recovered, however, and lurched forward, motioning to grab my neck. My leg shot out and I kicked him hard in the gut, sending him shooting backward and colliding with the wall.
Where is it coming from?
I wondered if it might be that same cleaning man from downstairs, now come upstairs to do his work. I crept toward the door, and clutched the handle. What if he was standing right outside? No barrier between my fangs and his throat whatsoever… Just a few steps.
I groaned in frustration and slammed my fists against the wall.
The scent was driving me insane. As much as I couldn’t risk going outside, I also knew I couldn’t remain here in this confined room, with this tantalizing aroma invading my nostrils.
If I waited much longer, I didn’t trust myself to not burst outside of the room and hunt down the human. I had to get out of here while my vision was still clear.
I twisted the door handle and poked my head out into the corridor. It was empty, to my relief. I tried to place exactly where the scent was coming from—somewhere to my left, perhaps a few doors along? I looked to my right. At the end of the long corridor was another staircase. Grabbing the key to the room, I darted out and sped toward it. I climbed the stairs, passing level seven, eight, nine, and stopping at what appeared to be the highest floor—ten. I stopped at a window in the corridor and pushed it wide open. From here, I had a view of the sea over the high wall that surrounded this island.
The blustery wind blew through the window, surrounding me. It helped to soothe my senses, diluting the atmosphere with a salty scent. The knots in my stomach loosened. I planted my arms on the windowsill and poked my head out of the window, relishing the cool breeze ruffling my hair. This was better. Much better.
A door clicked behind me, followed by the sound of a familiar female voice. “You again?”
I turned around to see Julie standing half in, half out of Room 107. A couple of damp towels hung over one arm and she had changed into a dark green nightgown. I felt awkward as I looked at her.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “I think a human moved into the room right next to me or something…”
“Oh,” she said. “Wow, you really must be newly turned.”
I nodded stiffly.
“So you’re just going to stand there all night?” she asked.
Truth be told, I hadn’t thought past the next hour. For all I knew, Aisha could return before then with Arron.
“Perhaps,” I murmured vaguely.
Julie shrugged, then stepped out of the room. She passed by me and headed down the stairs.
When she returned a few minutes later, her arm empty of the towels, I was still standing in the same spot. She passed by me again and headed toward her door, but before entering, she hesitated.
“I remember when I was newly turned,” she commented. “It was really tough… I don’t mind swapping rooms with you if it could help prevent a murder…” She arched a brow in question. “I haven’t unpacked yet, so it doesn’t make a lot of difference to me.”
I looked at her, weighing her words and wondering whether there was any point in accepting her offer if Aisha was going to return soon… Still, I didn’t have any guarantee that the jinni would be fast. I thought it wiser to accept. If the corridors got busier, I’d be thankful for a private room.
“If you don’t mind,” I said. “I would be grateful.”
She moved back into her room and reappeared a few moments later carrying a large brown shoulder bag. She wore the black cloak she’d had on earlier.
She handed me her key, and I gave her mine.
“Well, goodbye… again.” She looked amused as she left the corridor and padded down the staircase.
Now that I had calmed down, I felt that it was safe for me to step away from the window. I entered my new room. It was no larger than the one I’d left on level six, and came with the same basic amenities—a single bed and a small bathroom attached. Although this one had a window, to my pleasant surprise. I pushed it open. Now I wouldn’t even need to stand in the corridor when I wanted fresh air. The more I kept to myself, the better.
I sat on the bed and leaned against the wall, staring out of the window at the glistening sea beyond. The moon still had full reign over the sky, but I guessed it would only be a few hours before the first signs of day showed on the horizon.
I found myself wondering whether the island was protected by a spell of night. And if it wasn’t, I wondered what most vampires did to cope during the day, especially those who lived here full time. I guessed that was why this place came so alive at night.
I hadn’t thought that I would stand a chance of drifting off to sleep that night, and while what I drifted off into could hardly be called sleep—my senses were still alert—it was a far more comfortable state than being awake. I managed to find some semblance of peace amidst the storm.
A peace that was broken an hour later when the window above me blasted open.
CHAPTER 13: BEN
Splinters of glass rained down on me. I leapt to my feet and found myself face to face with a tall, broad-shouldered vampire I’d never seen in my life. His hair was short, fine and black. A mask covered the upper portion of his face, but from the structure of his cheekbones and the tone of his skin, he appeared to be of Asian descent.
His brown eyes widened behind his mask and he looked just as shocked to see me as I felt to see him. He quickly recovered, however, and lurched forward, motioning to grab my neck. My leg shot out and I kicked him hard in the gut, sending him shooting backward and colliding with the wall.
