Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen 1)

I roll my eyes. “He doesn’t like me. He’s just trying to win me over so this whole king and queen thing will work out.”

My mom sighs. “Oh, Raven, you have no idea.”

“No, I don’t,” I tell her. “I have no idea about anything anymore, and no one seems to want to tell me stuff.”

Another sigh, and then she loops her arm through mine and starts up the stairway. “Come on; let’s go inside, and then we can talk more.”

I hope by talk she means explain to me why everyone acts like they’re keeping secrets from me.

Almost the instant we step foot inside the doors and into the lit-up castle, I open my mouth to bombard her with questions. But I don’t get a single word out as her face pales and her eyes widen, her gaze falling to my neck.

“What happened?” she whispers in horror.

I peer down to find that the dragon’s fire burn has returned in full form, the skin molting away, charred flesh fluttering to the ground like dying snowfall. “You didn’t hear what happened with Gabe?”

“No, I heard. I just didn’t realize …” She hurries down the hallway without finishing.

I rush after her. “Mom, what’s going on?”

She continues powerwalking. “Did Rhyland see those burns?”

“Yeah.” I struggle to keep up with her empress super speed. “He said he was going to find some dragon’s fire on the black market. That it would cure it.”

“He must not realize …” She quickens her strides, zipping down the hallway and breezing through a set of open doors.

I dash after her, arriving several star rises later, and find her standing in front of a colossal fireplace, talking heatedly with Rhyland. Neither of them notice me enter, and following a strange instinct, I duck behind a bookshelf to listen.

“And you didn’t think to take her to a vampire witch and get an exact diagnosis?” The crackling fire casts light across her hardened features.

“I figured it was too dangerous.” Rhyland stabs the fire with an iron stick. “And I know what Gabe is, so I didn’t think my diagnosis was incorrect.”

“How very arrogant of you,” she hisses. “Always thinking you know everything. It’s part of the reason we’re here.”

He turns to her, his face a shadow against the orange spark of the fire. “I don’t think I know everything. I just didn’t know what to do.” He stabs the fire again with the iron stick. “We’re in new territory … What happened on the street with Gabe … that’s never happened before.”

My mom’s face turns even paler. “I know.”

The cackling of the fire fills up the silence that stretches between them.

“What do you think that means?” Rhyland whispers, gripping the iron stick.

“I don’t know.” Firelight reflects in my mom’s wide eyes.

“What’re you doing?” Kingsley asks from right behind me.

I let out a scream that would put wild Banshees to shame, and Aeribella lets out a high-pitched roar.

I whirl around. “Fuck, you scared me.” I pet Aeribella to try to calm her down.

His brow rises. “Yeah, I got that.” His gaze wanders over my shoulder then centers back on me. “Why’re you so jumpy?”

Before I can answer, my mom rounds the side of the bookshelf. “Raven, honey, what’re you doing?”

“Looking for you,” I lie. “You ran off and it took me forever to find you.”

Kingsley gives me a look, and I wonder if he knows I’ve been eavesdropping. Probably. But he won’t tell them. I’ll make him my puppet if he does.

“Why did you run off?” I ask. “What’s going on?”

Just then, Rhyland rounds the corner of the bookshelf. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, his sleeves rolled up, everything about him screaming I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-anything.

And there’s the old, emotionless Rhyland I’ve grown up with.

“I misdiagnosed your injury.” Rhyland stares at my neck.

I lightly pick at the shedding flesh. “So, it’s not a dragon fire burn?”

“No, it is.” He takes off his crown, sets it down on a table, and rakes his fingers through his hair. “It’s just a specific kind of dragon’s fire burn. And by specific, I mean, really rare. As in, one of a kind.” He shakes his head. “Gabe must be learning new tricks.”

“New tricks meant to lure the queen out of the castle,” my mom agrees with a nod. “Which more than likely means he suspects she’s the queen.”

Undiluted fear pummels through me. “He does?”

Rhyland nods, gripping the bookshelf and breathing in and out. “Which means the rest of the rebellion probably does too. Which is going to make it even more dangerous when she has to leave the castle.”

I rock Aeribella as she begins to whine. “Why do I need to leave the castle?”

He takes a few deep breaths before looking at me. “Because the only way to get the cure for your burn is to track down a dragon living in the Land of Moonlight. And the only way for us to go there is for you to come with us.”

“Why?” I whisper.

Strangely, I swear I know the answer before he utters it.

“Because you have Moonlight blood inside you.”

16

“Since when?” I feel as though I should feel more shocked.

Why does it feel like I know this already?

“Since the day you were born.” My mom acts like I might shatter. “It comes from your dad’s side.”

“Maybe he should go there with you,” I suggest, though I want to go.

My mom smiles sadly. “I wish that were a possibility, but your father was banished a long time ago.”

“For what?” I wonder.

She hesitates. “It’s probably better if he tells you.”

I have moonlight blood in me. The most powerful magic runs through my veins. The most powerful magic that can drive a vampire insane.

I shudder at the thought. I’ve heard rumors of the moonlight descendant losing their minds against the forceful magic flowing in their bodies. I’d be more nervous, except …

“How is this possible?” I ask. “First, I’m supposed to be the queen, who’s the most powerful vampire there is. And now I’m supposed to have moonlight blood in me.”

“I don’t know why you’re confused,” Rhyland says. “The two go together well.”

“Yeah, but I’m not powerful,” I remind him. “Not even a little bit.”

He brushes his knuckles across my cheek. “You’ll get there. You’re better than you think.” His eyes stray to my mouth, as if remembering the kiss.

His gaze is so intense I have to look away.

I focus on my mom. “Why have you never told me this?”

My mom hugs her arms around herself. “I was waiting for the right time to tell you.”

“And now seemed like the best time?” I ask, and she shrugs. “What else have you not told me?”

“Probably a lot of things, but most mothers can say that.” She presses her fingertips to her temple. “I’m getting a blood headache. I need a drink.”

“I think we all need a drink,” Rhyland says, looking at me. Or, my neck, anyway. “You definitely need one.”

“Yeah, probably.” My lack of enthusiasm doesn’t go unnoticed.

Kingsley chuckles while my mom sighs exhaustedly.

“Such a handful,” Kingsley remarks, resting his elbow against the shelf.

I toss a scowl in his direction before looking at Rhyland. “So, I have to go to the Land of Moonlight to fix this?” I gesture at my neck.

Rhyland nods. “And we should leave as soon as possible.”

“We probably can’t go for a few days or so.” My mom fishes her phone out of her pocket. “I need to call in a few favors to some witches first and then we’ll go from there.”

I smooth my hand along Aeribella’s head as she begins to stir. “Since when do we associate with witches?”

My mom casts an edgy glance at Rhyland then look

s back at me. “Since we need some extra protection spells. It’s going to take a lot of magic to make sure you’re protected while in the Land of Moonlight.”

I crook a brow at Rhyland. “Maybe you can ask your little witch friend who helps you cast all of those spells.”

He scratches his neck. “Yeah, maybe.” He lowers his hand to his side and straightens his stance. “Come on; let’s get you fed while your mom makes some calls.”

He doesn’t give me a chance to protest, snagging ahold of my hand as he strides out of the room.

“Why do we need to leave the room for you to feed me?” I ask as he guides me down the hallway toward my chambers. Or, well, I’m fairly positive that’s where we’re going.

I really need to take a tour.

He glances at me curiously from the corner of his eye. “Do you want to do it in front of everyone?”

Since my fangs twitch simply thinking about the taste of his blood … “Probably not.”

He grins as if I just handed over the key to my heart. “Well then, you have your answer.”

“I guess I do.” Wanting to regain the upper hand, I pick up my pace and hurry down the hallway, being the one to lead him.

He chuckles, letting me take the lead.

Thankfully, I find my chambers without too many wrong turns.

“My stuff is here,” I say as we enter the room I slept in last night. The curtains are open, and outside the window, the night sky is dusted with glimmers of silvers, pale purples, and sun-kissed golds.

“Your mom must have had some of the guards bring it inside.” Rhyland walks around my room, taking everything in.

As he passes by my silver jewelry box, he stops and fiddles with the latch. “What’s in here?”

“Just some old jewelry. Honestly, I haven’t looked in it for ages.” But my fingers long to open it up now to see if the choker is inside.

Wait until he leaves.

I set Aeribella down on the bed and move in front of Rhyland, drawing his attention off the jewelry box. “So, are you going to feed me?”

His eyes darken. “You seem eager?”

I shrug. “Just eager to get these burns tamed down.”

His eyebrow cocks. “Is that the only reason?”

“Yep.” Liar.

Sucking his lip ring between his teeth, he rolls up his sleeve with his gaze glued to mine, his fangs materializing from his lips. Then he lowers his mouth to his forearm to split the flesh open. His scent instantaneously floods the air. Before I can even process what I’m doing, I lean in, seal my lips to the open wound, and suck in a mouthful of his warm, intoxicating blood.

“Raven …” he groans, threading his fingers through my hair and urging me closer.

I suck in another shallow breath and somehow manage to keep my fangs tucked in so I’m not directly drinking from his vein. I worry how much longer my self-control will last, how much longer I’ll be able to not give in to my queen title, to him. To his blood.

He tastes so good …

My eyes slip shut as he begins to steer us somewhere.

A suck of blood later, my legs bump against the side of my bed. With a gentle nudge, I fall back onto the mattress, and his arm breaks free from my greedy lip grip.

I open my mouth to beg for more, but he’s already climbing onto the bed with me and lining his body over mine. Then he lowers his arm to my mouth and closes his eyes as I seal my lips to his cool skin. My legs wrap around his waist and he presses down against me, groaning.

“God, you’re killing me, Raven,” he moans hoarsely in my ear.

I grind my hips against his in response while I drink and drink and drink, drinking myself into a magical frenzy, my head spinning … Or maybe it’s the room. I start to lose control, my fangs snapping out—

He jerks back, panting, his eyelids fluttering open. “Easy,” he whispers.

I bob my head up and down, exhaustedly content, feeling more than blood high.

Trailing his finger along my cheekbone, he places the softest kiss to my lips. “Sleep,” he whispers.

“I don’t want to …” Sleepiness encompasses me and drags me under, pulling me away from reality.

I capture a little piece before I pass out entirely. A little truth. A little revelation.

He put another sleep spell on me …

17

“What’re you doing?” Rhyland asks as he steps into my chambers.

He’s wearing a button-down shirt, dark pants, and boots with buckles on them. And I’m lounging in bed, wearing a silky midnight blue dress with a notebook opened in front of me, a feather pen in my hand.

I shrug. “Writing down my thoughts.”

He eyeballs the notebook. “What sorts of thoughts?”

“The ones in my head,” I tease with a smirk.

He rolls his eyes. “Such a smartass.”

“Don’t pretend like you don’t enjoy it.” I dunk the tip of the pen in a vial of ink. “What’re you up to today?”

He slants against the doorway with his arms crossed. “I was thinking that I might start training you today.”

I perk up for the first time since I arrived at the castle. “I thought you said I had to wait until my powers manifested before I did that.”

“I did.” He nibbles on his lip, mulling something over. “But I think it might be time to change things up a bit. Maybe take a new path.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.” I hop off the bed. “But I’m definitely up for training.”

He smiles, but the happiness doesn’t reach his eyes. “Do you want to feed first to build up your strength?”

I crinkle my nose. “I don’t know … The last time I almost lost control.”

He rubs his lips together, deciding. “You know, you could always just let go.”

I shake my head. There’s no way I’m going to feed from his vein until I must. Not after he spent years making me miserable.

Hurt flashes in his eyes. “Okay. But eventually, you’ll have to.”

“Eventually.” Unless I can convince Fate that I wasn’t meant to be queen.

Sighing, he straightens. “Get dressed in some comfortable clothes and meet me in the main chambers.”

I smile and nod, waiting until he shuts the door before letting my calm mask drop. Then I rush back to the bed, scoop up my notebook, and hurry toward the bookshelf. Patting my hand against the side, a secret compartment I had Dex install drops open.

“Hopefully, he’ll show you these when the time is right,” I whisper to myself as I stuff the notebook in the middle of several other notebooks, all of them blank but one. “Maybe you can put the pieces together better than I can.” Then I close the compartment and move for the closet to get changed, preparing to meet my fate …

My eyelids pop open, and I suck in a gasping breath, dizziness swirling through my head. Blinking several times and rubbing my eyes, I clear the cloudiness the sleep spell instilled in me and drag my ass over to the table where I left the notebook Dex gave me.

My fingers tremble for unknown reasons as I open it to the first page and read the words scrawled in my handwriting:

Hopefully, this is Raven reading this. If not, you’re probably going to get upset. Consider yourself warned.

Raven, if this is you, I’m going to get straight to the point. Your story always starts the same. You’re born, you grow up being tormented by Rhyland and Kingsley, then you and Rhyland get chosen as king and queen and everything changes.

Everyone you thought you cared about is playing you. Your parents, Rhyland, Kingsley. They all know what’s going on and they all pretend they don’t, but I think they might be silenced by magic that forbids them to speak of the curse.

If you have friends, though, you can probably trust them—they aren’t part of this since you rarely have them. But everyone else probably is. Trust no one; otherwise, you’ll never figure out the end game to this vicious cycle that goes around and around.

You’re probably

wondering what I mean by cycle. You probably wonder it every time you read this.

I know what you’re thinking. That you haven’t read this before, but you have. Many, many times. Just like you’ve lived this cursed life many, many times. You’re stuck in a loop, forced to live the same life over and over again. Although, occasionally, the cards change or get messed up. But all the players are always the same, your mom, Rhyland, Kingsley, and the fey queen are the biggest players. The fey queen is probably the worst. In fact, I have my suspicions she caused the curse to begin with. I just haven’t figured out why she cursed you.

But what I do know is trust no one. Not until you figure out what’s going on, what the point of this all is, why you’re under this spell, cursed to live the same tragic life over and over again.

They’ll try to tell you that you’re in danger because of the rebellion, but the rebellion has nothing to do with this. In fact, the rebellion only exists because of this, growing bigger and more powerful every time you die. It’s all part of the curse. A curse only you can break. You just need to figure out how.

And make sure to document all the secrets you find in this notebook. That way, you have an easier time figuring out the puzzle next time.

Hopefully, this is the last time you have to read this.

I flip to the next page.

Tonight, Rhyland kissed me underneath the moonlight after giving me a fire seer falcon for a pet. I was excited to get the fire seer falcon, but secretly had been wishing to have a lilywolf tiger for a pet. He also gave me this beautiful choker with a rose pendant that I’m pretty sure he’s given me before…

“What the hell is this?” My mind tumbles with confusion as I try to piece together what’s going on.

I wrote this journal.

I wrote in this journal many times.

I’ve been in this castle many times. Been the queen …

I’m cursed …

Everyone is lying to me …

Pieces of sharp and broken memories flicker through my mind, but I can’t connect all the shapes and colors, as if I’m under a blocking spell. Maybe I am. A single, faded memory brinks through the barrier, though. One of Rhyland giving me the choker on my birthday. Just like he did in my dream.