Savor, Warm Delicacy Series, Book 1 Read online

Chapter 2

  My plan to sleep in as late as possible was dashed by the sound of my mom’s incessant knocking on my bedroom door. “Claire! You need to wake up!” I pulled the covers over my head and tried my best to ignore her, but when she got no response, she barged into my room and flung open my curtains.

  “Mom! I don’t have anything to do today. Leave me the heck alone and let me sleep in. Please?” I rolled over to turn away from the window, burying myself deeper under the covers. Being woken up so abruptly made me feel more tired than before I had gone to sleep.

  “Sorry, Claire, you need to wake up; you have a visitor. Now come on.” She gently swatted me under the covers before I heard the hangers in my closet sliding back and forth. “Where is that outfit you wore to your last job interview?”

  “What? Who’s here? Liz? Tell her I’ll call her later.” I didn’t know what my mom was talking about, nor did I care. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep, but as hard as I tried to resist, I was reluctantly becoming more alert.

  “Put this on,” she ordered, tossing the clothes on top of me. “You need to be downstairs in ten minutes, Claire. I’m serious. Now wake up!”

  “Fine! What’s the deal anyway?” I was so annoyed, I didn’t bother trying to hide it.

  “There is someone here to see you.”

  “Duh… You said that. Who? Who is it?” I crawled out of bed and made my way sleepily to my private bathroom. My mom busily laid out the clothes she chose for me while I splashed some cold water on my face. I looked at my reflection to survey the damage my lack of sleep and all-night partying had created. What caught me totally off guard, however, was the sight of my mom’s face in the background, reflected in my bathroom mirror. She looked absolutely, positively ecstatic, which oddly enough, scared the crap out of me.

  “A representative from the Vampire Royal Family is here!” She tried to hold back a squeal of elation and only half succeeded.

  “What?! Why? What did I do?” I rushed to my bedroom window and spied a large, black limo with the darkest window tint I had ever seen, parked outside our house.

  “He won’t tell me. He says he has to speak with you personally, but he did say that it is very good news for you. Isn’t it exciting? A representative from the royal family is in our house. Our house!”

  “Yeah, super exciting.” I faked a smile and started to pull on the clothes laid out for me. I couldn’t imagine what news he could have to tell me that would justify waking me up at six in the morning. I glanced at my clock to check. Yep, six in the morning.

  The black slacks and button-down, navy blue, silk blouse my mom chose might have been too formal, but I wasn’t quite sure of the appropriate attire for meeting with a representative from the royal family. I was sure I had never even heard of anyone actually meeting someone from the royal family before. It was common to see them on television being interviewed, or during political campaigns and such, but never in person.

  A grimace of panic coursed through me when a wild thought entered my mind and blurted out of my mouth. “What if he is a vampire?” I always wanted to meet one, now and even more so, after seeing the blood bank. But my mom quickly answered my query and told me I was being ridiculous.

  “Claire, it’s six in the morning; a vampire can’t be out during the day. Besides, I’m sure the royal family has far more important things to do. That’s why they send human representatives.”

  “Have you ever met one? A vampire, I mean.”

  “Oh, I wish… but I have seen one, during one of the charity events I helped organize a few years back. His name was Merrick. He was all the way across the room from me, but probably the most handsome man I have ever seen, even from that distance. It was hard to take my eyes from him, I remember. Vampires have a way of commanding a room without having to say anything, like they have some sort of innate magnetism.”

  She smiled at the memory of it and then gave me a quick look-over before practically shoving me out of the room and down the stairs. As I entered the living room, I hesitated for a moment when I saw the man standing there with his back toward me. He was looking at the framed pictures on our mantelpiece. Most of them were my school photos, which I had framed myself and placed there.

  I stepped further into the room and he turned to face me. His gentle expression did not match the nobility of his presence. The whole room seemed to tingle in a way that made my hair stand on end. I’d never seen a man so formidably built. He had to be over six feet tall, with dark brown hair and cloudy, grey eyes, shadowed beneath a strong brow. As a mere representative he definitely commanded respect. I couldn’t imagine how daunting it would feel to meet a real vampire.

  “Ah, you must be Claire?” He waved his hand toward a chair, offering me a seat like I had just entered his office. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and took a seat across from me. The juxtaposition between his kind grey eyes and his obviously intimidating aura made it hard to look at him. I settled my eyes on his red tie for as long as I could before he spoke again.

  “I am Foxworth Harding. You may call me Fox. I am a representative for the Vampire Royal Family. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand in greeting and I took it. I appreciated the firm grip he gave me in return as opposed to the flaccid handshakes most men give women when they first meet. It was obvious he had manners and diplomacy, which made me feel the tiniest bit less defensive.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said. He smiled at me and nodded his head slightly. My eyes flashed to his pearly white teeth with no hint of fangs anywhere. I was a little disappointed, but felt ridiculous to look for them, knowing that vampires couldn’t go out during the daylight hours.

  “Am I correct in assuming that your mom has already told you that I come bearing good news?”

  I looked at my mom, who was standing behind the couch. Her face was bursting with excitement showing how hard she found it to contain herself, like a child on Christmas morning, anxiously itching to tear open her presents.

  “Yesterday, you went to the blood bank to get a Donor ID, correct?” Fox said.

  “Yes.”

  “After obtaining the results of the tests conducted, we have discovered some startling outcomes. You may want to sit down for this.” He gestured to my mom and she quickly took a seat beside me.

  “Is there something wrong with my blood?” I asked. I was still completely unconvinced of this whole “good news” charade.

  Fox smiled again, flashing his perfectly aligned and blindingly white teeth. The oddest thought crossed my mind; I wondered if he ever drank coffee or soda? “On the contrary, Claire,” Fox replied. “Your blood was found to be very…well… for lack of a better word, it is perfect.”

  Fox looked at me expectantly, but my reaction was obviously not what he anticipated. “So… What exactly does that mean?”

  His eyes flashed to my mom and I felt the slightest stir in her body before he looked back at me. “Human blood such as yours has not been in existence for hundreds of years. The rarity and implications of this momentous discovery were quickly brought to the attention of the Vampire Royal Family. Your blood, young Claire, is a phenomenon that has sent the entire royal family as well as the Vampire High Council into a frenzy. It is most exciting, if I dare say so myself.”

  “You still haven’t explained what this means for me. What does it matter to the High Council what kind of blood I have?” I bit my lip to restrain my anger when I felt my mom’s hand squeezing my knee.

  “Excuse me,” Fox continued. “Clearly, I have failed to properly explain the happy tidings of this situation. There is no need for you to feel upset. This is an occasion to celebrate.”

  “What should we be celebrating then?” my mom asked as she looked at Fox expectantly.

  “As I am sure you both well know, the blood received from donors supports the Vampire Royal Family and represents the trust, devotion and loyalty we share with them. What many do not know, however, is for the vampires, blood donations are much m
ore than that. You are sustaining their immortal lives with your gracious gift. Each donation must be carefully tested and then labeled for correct distribution. Every vampire receives the blood that is most beneficial for them.”

  My mom interrupted him, expelling vampire history in a torrent of words. “Vampire King Nicolae Noire created the system. By providing vampires the blood that suits their individual needs, fewer feedings are required. It was his research that eventually civilized our region and brought peace to our lands.”

  “Ahh, yes! I see you possess an in-depth knowledge of vampire history.” Fox smiled at my mom and she giggled.

  “Oh, I find it quite fascinating,” she replied. “I run the local vampire/human rights group. We have new members joining all the time.”

  “Good, good. Your efforts do not go unappreciated.” He turned his attention back to me. “Now, shall I get down to business? What I have been sent here to tell you, Claire, is not only an honor, but a privilege. When the royal family was told about you, they could not hide their elation.”

  Fox rose, and walked over to me, kneeling with his head bowed. I looked at my mom, wide-eyed, but she had no clue what he was doing. Fox pulled a small box from his pocket and held it out to me. “Bine ai venit, Claire.”

  My mom clasped her hands to her chest and her mouth fell open. I didn’t understand what Fox said, so I stared blankly at the box he held in his hand. When he didn’t move and remained kneeling, still bearing his offering, I tentatively took it from him. I held it out before me as if it might burst into flames. With all eyes on me, my heart hammering in my chest, and my mind swirling with countless scenarios for what the hell was going on, I lifted the lid.

  Inside the small box was a pillow of red velvet, upon which lay a sparkling gold chain. I lifted the delicate necklace and fastened my eyes on a small ruby dangling there. It was exquisite, yet as pristine and new as it appeared. I sensed the antiquity behind the item. “It’s magnificent,” I said, in honesty and wonder. “But why are you giving this to me?”

  “Claire! Show some manners.” My mom controlled her tone, but couldn’t restrain the anger from reaching her eyes.

  Fox waved her off. “It is a gift from the royal family, Claire… To their new daughter.”

  I instantly dropped the box and necklace onto the floor and had to bite my tongue to refrain from slinging a mouthful of profanity at him. “What?”

  “You have been chosen. It is a rare honor for the family to welcome a new member and it heralds a time of great celebration. Your presence will maximize the strength of our region. Blood has a potency that comes not only from its ability to sustain, but in the power it represents. Having another pure-blooded vampire would make our region a formidable force against any who seek to destroy us.”

  “Wait! So, they want me to make them more powerful? And who is seeking to destroy us?” I couldn’t wrap my head around what he was telling me. The Vampire Royal Family wanted to adopt me? This was crazy.

  “There are those who do not agree with our way of life in this region. They flaunt their hatred and try to poison our people.” Fox spat the words with such intense enmity that a tingling sensation, which I felt when I first saw him, returned.

  “I don’t get it, what could I possibly do?”

  Fox picked up the necklace off the floor and handed it to me as gently as someone would a newborn child. “You have been chosen, Claire. You will join the Vampire Royal Family and be rewarded with the gift of immortality.”

  I collapsed in my seat in complete and utter shock. I didn’t know what to say to that. I just turned eighteen and now was being offered immortality? I had plans, I wanted to get my own place, find a boyfriend and a great job. I didn’t want any of this. He had to be out of his mind.

  I just sat there, shaking my head, fighting to restrain the stinging tears that were bound to fall. “My daughter is going to be a vampire?” my mom said, wrapping her arms around me. Fox simply nodded, looking quite pleased with himself.

  “Claire will live with the royal family, where she will begin her training and transformation.” I looked up, ready to protest, until I saw the fierce look in his eyes. “Your mother will also be compensated. Anything she will ever want or need, will be provided.”

  Fox handed my mom a thick envelope and she accepted it, still staring in shock. “This is amazing,” she said. “My daughter is going to be a vampire.” Suddenly, she hugged me excitedly, jumping out of her seat and said we needed to celebrate and share our wonderful news.

  “What if I don’t want to?” I asked Fox after my mom went into the kitchen, folding my arms defiantly.

  “I’m sorry, Claire, but this is not a gift you can refuse.”

  “You can’t just come in here and take away someone’s life!” I snapped back at him.

  “You should feel honored to be presented with such an opportunity.”

  “But I have a life. I have friends.” I started to sound pitiful as I realized there was no fighting it. How could I refuse the ruler of our entire region, our vampire king? I couldn’t.

  “Let us toast!” my mom chimed in as she strolled back into the room, carrying three glasses filled with wine. “To our king, and to the soon-to-be latest Vampire Royal Family member, my daughter, Claire!”

  We each raised our glasses and drank, but I didn’t share their expressions of happiness. I felt trapped and could only wonder how I was going to say goodbye to my best friend and the life I intended to have for myself.

  After listening politely to my mom rant about her political views, Fox allowed me the rest of the day to get my affairs in order. By nightfall, I would have to have all my things packed and all my goodbyes to everyone said.

  There was really only one person that I wanted to say goodbye to and that was Liz. I had known her practically my whole life. It wasn’t like I was just moving away; it was more like I was going into the witness relocation program. We would probably never see each other again.

  When I reached her house, it was already buzzing with excitement. Half the neighborhood had seen the limo on our street bearing the seal of the royal family. She didn’t even believe me at first, that they had come for me, until I pulled the gold and ruby necklace from my pocket. Her shock instantly turned to sadness and I vowed that I would find a way to see her again.

  I knew she wasn’t really upset with me, but with the situation. It wasn’t just my life that Fox’s revelation had forever changed, but those of my mom, Liz, and who knew who else? Liz and I had dreams of going to college together and buying houses on the same street after we got married so our children could play together. Liz and I wanted the whole fairytale life that we had dreamt up when we were little, but now it had been snatched away from us and I feared our friendship would never be the same. I knew I would never be the same.

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