Queens and Monsters: A Vampire Shifter Romance (The Blood Falls Book 1)
Queens and Monsters: Chapter 17

“This way, Rhysa,” Lord Antyne Axl said to me with a wave of his hand as we moved through the enormous House of Axl mansion in wine country. Even though Dray was gone now, I could still feel him. Just a little. Like a string connected us through time and space. It gave me the smallest bit of comfort in this cold, foreign place.

“It’s a beautiful home.” At least it seemed to be. We were walking pretty fast from the front to the back, no time to stop. But the glimpses I caught were gorgeous even if they were fairly dark. The only lighting in the house seemed to be candle light. There were lots of heavy, dark wood beams and black metal accents.

“The House was built in 1802. We started one of the first wineries in the area and supply both samhain and human businesses.”

The business must be good to build a house this grand and with this many acres around it. From the outside the Axl land extended as far as I could see in each direction, and the house looked like it had at least two wings.

Fancy.

“The entire family is assembled for dinner in our dining hall. After the meal we’ll get you settled in your chambers.” Antyne opened another door and ushered me out into a courtyard. A couple of the armored guards had followed us through the house. The rest I now saw waiting for us at the entrance to a building built right into the side of a hill.

As we stepped into the vestibule Lord Axl nodded to one of the guards who opened a wooden door off to the side, leading us down a long hallway. Each time we passed a door the buzz of voices grew louder and then softer. There were a lot of people inside that building.

“Wait here.” Antyne opened yet another door and stepped inside. The sound of hundreds of voices flooded the hallway. I watched as he stepped up to a long table with four people already seated and waiting. Two chairs remained empty.

Hecta stepped closer. “The older man is Presymus, Lord Axl’s brother, and the woman seated beside him is his wife, Mary. The other woman, the blonde, is Helena, Lord Axl’s mistress.”

It was the nicest thing my former bodyguard had ever said to me. Mostly because she never said anything to me unless it was strictly necessary.

“And the younger man?” The very unhappy man sat between Presymus and Helena.

“That is Presymus’ son, Rhymus. Until today he was the heir to the throne.” Hecta looked down her nose at me, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

She enjoyed this.

“And now I am?” I got a sinking feeling I was not very welcome at this table.

“And now you are the heir apparent and he is second in line.”

Antyne walked back, waving me inside. I found my feet glued to the floor. I didn’t want to go in there and stand in front of the entire House of Axl, and I especially didn’t want to do it with three people who hated me sitting beside me. This sucked and I wanted to go back to the House of Wren.

But I couldn’t.

“Good luck,” Hecta cooed, then pulled the door shut behind me, leaving me to my fate.

I gathered my wits and joined Lord Axl, giving each of my new relatives a nod while meeting their unhappy gazes. They didn’t like that. Probably because they wanted to intimidate me. Well jokes on them. I, unfortunately, had joining a new family or school, sitting at a table full of strangers and feeling uncomfortable, down to a science.

I was cold, so someone brought me a sweater. It was long and black and fluffy, and I cuddled into it as I took in the great dining room. I guessed it was so cold in here because the enormous room was built right into the side of the hill. The center of the dining room was lined with three long wood tables where the members of the House of Axl sat. The ceilings stretched up at least three stories. On either side of the dining area were stacks and stacks and stacks of wine barrels that reached all the way up to the top. Large circular wood and metal chandeliers lit by dozens of white candles hung above each table.

“We’ll take the first course and then I’ll formally introduce you,” Antyne said quietly. “In two nights time we’ll have your formal coronation.”

My what? “Is that necessary?” I understood the samhain—House of Axl in particular—loved their traditions and rituals, but a coronation? He made it seem like they were royalty. That I was royalty. The pomp and circumstance was too much.

He glared at me. “You must formally take your place in the line of succession or else we leave ourselves vulnerable.”

My fingers twisted together in my lap, hidden inside my sweater sleeves. The secret fidgeting allowed me to keep a cool look of calm on my face and constant shield of power around me. “As you wish then.”

He nodded once and sat back as servants poured wine and brought out the first course of appetizers. I waited and observed, taking my cues on how to act from Antyne and Helena. This course was eaten entirely with our hands. Breads and dips and vegetables mostly. The wine was light and slightly sweet.

“Is this wine made here?” I wanted to ask questions that would hopefully lead to hints of information while also appeasing his ego.

“All the wine on this property is our own,” he said with a nod of pride.

“It’s wonderful.”

He relaxed a little. Mission accomplished.

I took my time studying the people in front of me. Everyone was dressed nicely but not formally. They laughed and carried on conversations. It all seemed normal, if normal came in the shape of a large family gathering at a winery. Except all the candles. Humans would never have this many candles this close to that much alcohol. It was the same at the House of Wren. Candles everywhere.

“What’s with the candles? Isn’t it a fire hazard?”

Antyne smiled a little. At least that’s what I think was happening. His lips curved at the corners just a touch and his eyes seemed to dance a bit. “Ah, there is so much to teach you, little one. Not a drop of human blood runs through your veins and yet your mind is almost entirely so. Fire,” he moved his hand a quarter turn and the flames all around the room brightened for a moment, “is one of the elements that joins the Plane and the Earth. It exists in both states simultaneously. Humans sometimes refer to people as an element, yes? They have astrological signs and other spiritual beliefs. They are a fire sign or a water sign, things of that nature. Correct?”

I nodded slowly, understanding beginning to dawn. “Yes.” I was a Sagittarius. A fire sign. (If that was even a real thing in this samhain world.)

“They have but a basic comprehension of what the elements are. Fire is part of the Earth. It does indeed give us warmth and light. But it is also part of the Plane. It connects us, it enhances the connection between the two, it serves as a tool and as a guide.” He waved his hand again and the candles all flickered.

Damn. The fluidity of things that involved the Plane still baffled me. Every day I went through a rollercoaster of emotions. Sometimes in awe of this new reality, sometimes frustrated at my own ignorance. Right now I felt both.

My nerves jumped as the dishes were whisked away. Antyne cleared his throat and stood, commanding silence from the room without a word. I felt the attention of the crowd wavering between Antyne and me. Back and forth. Curious and filled with so many questions. I let myself feel a fraction of it all, still too overwhelmed by the Plane to be completely open to it at all times.

“We all felt the Awakening,” he said, his voice echoing off the walls and wine barrels, “the news of my granddaughter’s existence has already been shared, but tonight I am pleased beyond measure to introduce you to the heir to the House of Axl. Come now, little one.” He urged me up out of my chair.

The sound of the heavy wood scraping across the floor made me cringe. Several eyebrows shot up and I realized my mistake immediately. I felt their doubt, their mistrust of me, and my lack of composure gave them more fuel to fire those doubts. So I put my nerves aside and pushed out confidence and a power I hoped scared them a little.

To my great pleasure, those eyebrows dropped and several heads bowed before me.

“Very nice,” my grandfather murmured. Then he addressed the crowd again. “I claim Rhysa of Axl as my granddaughter and heir.”

I somehow managed to not jump at the sound of a hundred fists thumping the wood tables.

“Let us dine in celebration!”

They thumped again and again until the food was brought out. The thumps were replaced with triumphant cheers and the clinking of glasses.

“To the heir!” Someone shouted.

“To Lady Rhysa!” Someone shouted back to more thumps and roars.

The claiming and crowns all seemed ridiculous to me, but as I looked down on a crowd cheering my name, I began to realize none of them thought it was silly. They bought into all of this completely.

In two days I’d have a crown on my head for a destiny I knew nothing about. The one thing I did know was that the people seated beside me didn’t feel the same enthusiasm as the crowd. Helena never acknowledged me, putting up an ice-cold barrier between us. Mary and Presymus closed themselves off from me completely. Rhymus hadn’t stopped glaring at me.

I might be the heir, but I was also an imposter that had just usurped their throne.

I had a target on my back for a crown I wasn’t sure I even wanted.

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