Lurking in the Shadows (Completed)

Chapter 9

Nyx

With the spring ball around the corner Father and I aren’t risking anything. More guards around the manor and in the gardens. That way none of our guests will get hurt like Mina did at the winter ball. Father and I have been looking for months for this guy but he’s good… he’s too clean. Ugh, I wish I could find something that could lead me to something! I want justice for Mina… it hurts me to see her not herself. She’s getting darker and moodier by the day. This isn’t the Mina I know… the Mina I know would wear her light and floral dresses, not wearing my dark ones, she’d be gardening which she isn’t anymore, nor has she been helping mother prepare for the ball. I’ve been helping her! Not that I don’t enjoy helping my mother, but it’s Mina’s thing. She likes to make it just right for our guests and make sure the decorations are to her liking. I’m brought out of my thoughts when there’s a knock on my door.

“Yes?” The door opens, and it’s just father. His once clean, long blonde ponytail is all in disarray. Probably having a hard time just like I am.

“Are we all set for tonight?” He asks me worriedly.

“Yes father, we’ve done everything we can to make sure no attacks happen.” I try to be as serious as I can, but all I can think about is Mina.

“Good, your mother says it’s time to get ready, so let’s get this thing over with. Personally if it were up to me, I would’ve canceled it, but these things matter to your mother and we need to feed off of someone besides each other.”

“Why?”

“Adds variety, plus if the person wants to be a vampire and wants a decent sire I’m more than willing to help that fledgling. Speaking of fledglings, have you and your mate fed off each other?” Father smirks at me and I couldn’t be more mortified.

“Not yet… but I know Edward wants to.” I’m blushing so hard they’d be red apples…

“It’s ok Nyx take your time. Being someone’s fledgling even if they’re your mate is a big deal. If you two do. Come to me or Jasper and we can help you.”

“I just don’t want what happened to Mina happen to me.” I look down on the floor trying not to cry.

“What happened to her shouldn’t have happened? Some ruthless vampire saw her as a prize to get to us… but now that he has us he doesn’t know what to do. That’s why he’s hiding… the damn coward.”

“Want to pick out my dress? Mina took a decent amount, but I still got some left.” I chuckle as I remember Mina ransacking my closet a few weeks ago.

“Sure, but be warned I’m not a fashion guy.” True, father wasn’t very good with fashion, but he at least knew what he liked and didn’t like on us girls. I look around at what I got left and I find this dark purple dress that has dark purple flowers all over it. A V-neck top that just comes to my chest in case father is right about tonight, a dark purple belt to match and a slit that goes just past my knee.

“How about this one, father?” I point to the purple dress I want and he smiles.

“If it makes you happy then go for it, I’ll go find your mother and make sure she’s not going over the top again.” He gently makes his leave to let me change and I’m actually excited for tonight.

Mina

I’m not looking forward to this at all. Normally I would be, but with what happened last ball. I don’t want to set my hopes too high. I let out a deep sigh and looked into my new closet to see what appeals to me. Looking around at the new darker dresses that I took from Nyx seems appealing, but I glance under the sheet of my old dresses that make me smile a little, but drop the blanket.

“For once I just wish that my sire wouldn’t have a hold over me anymore!” I scream out loud talking to no one in particular.

“He won’t.” I scream a little when I hear that I’m not alone.

“Who’s there!?” I try to get an answer from the voice, but all I hear are heels clicking on the floor.

“Nyx? Willow? Is that you?” I call out again, but nothing. I grab a blade that Jasper gave me to defend myself that I intend to hide under my skirt.

“Relax young fledgling, it’s not the Nyx you expected.” I freeze in fear when I realize I was about to attack a goddess!

“A thousand apologies!”

“No need, and as much as your father and sister are finding this deadbeat sire of yours, they will find him soon. Also, put away the dagger you won’t need that.” I stood there stunned, but I eventually put it away for now.

“Why won’t I need it? Last ball I was attacked, I should be smarter than last time.”

“Because something good is going to happen tonight. Instead of going to the gardens like last time, go to the greenhouse.”

“That’s oddly specific, but ok? When?” Now this is getting weird.

“After you change.” She gives me a little smirk and I’m getting confused.

“Alright?” She giggles and also looks around at my dresses. She gives me a confused look with the blanket over my clothes and I cover them back up. “They were from another life… I’m not ready to go back to that yet.”

“Very well… how about this one?” She holds up an emerald green Victorian gown with ruffles and I was tempted with that one. That or a regency dark blue floor-length dress.

“I suppose that can work.” I go behind my screen and put on the gown. The sleeves are off the shoulder, a corset top and the skirt has three layers of ruffles. I curl my hair and put on natural makeup. A Victorian necklace with emerald glass stones and an antique chain that my mother gave me. It looks handmade, but it’s just so pretty. I never had a dress to wear it with, but now I do.

“You look lovely dear!” Nyx smiles at me and I give her a small curtsy.

“Thank you.” I finish the look with simple teardrop emerald earrings and regency 2in heels with a diamond buckle on it, to go with it. “Well, here goes nothing…” My heartbeat matched my heels, loud and thumping. I grabbed my white lace parasol and a white floral fan and I met up with Nyx and Willow and it doesn’t surprise me what they wear. Willow picked a soft light fuschia purple empire waist with cap sleeves and flowers all over it with a white lace parasol, Nyx doesn’t surprise me at all, a dark purple dress that has dark purple flowers all over it, and a black lace parasol.

“Guess I missed the purple memo.” They stare at me in my green dress and smirk.

“I guess so. Come on, we don't want to keep guests waiting. I want to see Edward again.” Nyx squeals at the thought of her beloved… I rolled my eyes and gently went down the stairs. My eyes scour for Jasper or father but haven’t seen them. Once I get to the bottom of the stairs, I look up at the chandelier and just admire the sparkle. I take a deep breath and just hope that I don’t think about the last ball. I can’t even drink champagne without thinking about him. Am I the one to blame? I don’t think so… I take another deep breath and figure some food or a drink will help me clear my head. I want to go to the greenhouse like goddess Nyx suggested but how do I know when to go there? The orchestra plays Dance of the Hours by La Gioconda and I see couples going out onto the dance floor. I give myself a half-hearted smile as they dance. Who am I kidding? I don't really want to be here. I feel a little tap on my shoulder and a strange man is behind me…

“Can I help you?” I ask the stranger. He seemed friendly, but something just felt off about him. He smelled of whiskey, pine, and rosewood with a hint of snow. When he touched my hand, it felt like I was touching the snow without gloves. The gentlemen had long black straight hair, and a leather coat. His piercing red eyes gave away that he was definitely a vampire, but he felt much colder than a normal vampire. I feel like I’ve seen him before, but yet I don’t remember where or why I know him.

“I thought I’d ask you for a dance.” He gives me a polite yet creepy smile, and it gives me the chills as if it was winter instead of spring.

“Uuhh… I don’t dance with strangers.” I try to walk away from him, but I give him credit… he’s persistent. The Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky plays and the stranger gives me the same creepy smile and his hand out waiting for me to accept it.

“Please? I insist.” Clearly he’s not going to take no for an answer. I put my fan over my face to clearly say ‘no I’m not interested’ in the art of the fan but his hand is still out waiting for me to answer. “Please?” Ugh this guy just won’t go away even with the music already starting.

“Ugh fine.” I was about to reluctantly take his hand when Jasper finally found me.

“Ah Mina! Just the girl I was looking for, I want to introduce you to someone… Stoker, what are you doing here?” STOKER!? The guy from the council meeting?

“I was invited by Mina’s father.” Seriously, father invited him?!

“Right… of course, council members have to go.” That’s why Jasper was always at these things. Here I thought he just enjoyed dancing.

“Well… glad you two are trying to get along… but I must take her away for a moment. Sire stuff.” He holds out his arm for me, and I gladly take it.

“You’re her sire?? I thought the man was still loose?” He seems too interested in my deadbeat sire.

“No, I’m not formally the one who bit her, but I’m teaching her our ways and making sure she’s being well taken care of, unlike the guy who attacked her last ball who just left her to die in the cold!” Jasper growls at him and I hold on to him tighter. “Now if you excuse me.” We get away from him and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank you for saving me! That guy gives me the creeps!” He taps my arms my hand in comfort and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.

“Yeah, the whole family makes me feel that way too. Personally I think the family is just power hungry. They’ve been wanting to rule Shadow Falls for centuries. And every member of the family till now has been the same creepiness. Guess it’s genetic.” I hide a giggle behind my fan and the scent of applewood, bourbon and fallen leaves hits me again like a brick wall. My eyes went wide and Jasper was just smirking at me.

“I guess you figured out my surprise.” A young man close to my age comes to us with a smile. He is certainly charming. His suit is prim and proper with a red and black rose boutineer on his lapel. The colors on his flower looked swirled together. His mahogany brown hair with reddish highlights glimmered in the chandelier's glow and was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, his eyes were an icy blue.

"I thought vampire eyes were only amber or reddish amber or red?" I whispered to Jasper, hoping the handsome stranger didn't hear me.

"When a fledgling is under control, they're icy blue and after being a vampire for a while they'll turn amber." I never knew that…

"Interesting, good to know." He gently takes my hand and kisses it and I couldn’t help but blush and hide it behind my fan…

"My name is Victor Lycidas. It's a pleasure to meet you." I swoon at his North London accent!

"Pleasure to meet you too." Man, my plain Southern Virginia speech seems so boring to him! He takes my hand to kiss it and I’m fully blushing.

“Are you the lady of the house?” He asks me, and I almost miss his question because I was caught up in the moment.

“No, no, sorry I spaced out. My mother is the lady of the house. I’m her eldest daughter.” He continues to hold my hand and smiles.

“You hardly look to be the eldest, you look like you're in your early 20s.” I blush even harder if that’s even possible and Jasper just smirks near us.

“I’m in my mid-20s so not far off guess I’ll stay this way for the rest of my life since of my… situation… You?”

“I’m in my upper 20s technically…” He tells me shyly.

“You too?”

"Yeah, I was bitten by some random person on my way home from the winter ball. Luckily Jasper found me otherwise I probably would’ve bled out… he's been my sire, but I felt so bad for my mate… which I think is you, Miss Mina…" I looked to Jasper who just nodded his head slowly confirming the story.

"Oh, my gosh I'm so sorry! I had the same thing happen to me! My father sucked out my attacker's venom too before it could fully transform me… but I'm mid transformation… I wanted my mate, apparently you, to bite me out of love like my parents did and I've felt so guilty…"

"It wasn’t your fault!" He looks around the crowd and pulls me away from the party along with Jasper. He pulls me to the greenhouse… just as Nyx had said… we're all surrounded by my night flower garden that's somehow still alive and beautiful even before all of this happened.

"I know you're scared I am too, but we can figure this out together." He kissed my cheek under the pink full moon and it was absolutely romantic.

"Awww" Jasper smirks at us trying not to laugh and I just glare at him to leave! "Right, I think your father needs me, Mina… I'm gonna go."

"Uh yeah you do that." He smirks at me again and goes back to the party.

"Now that we're finally alone… I felt so guilty these past few months thinking about how my mate would feel if he found out about all this…" I pointed to the mark on my neck.

"If you're trying to point to your mark, it's practically gone. I can barely see it." What?! I find a mirror in the hallway near the greenhouse and sure enough the mark from my attack is practically gone! I'm so shocked that I cry happy tears.

"My goodness, I hadn't even noticed it." He takes my hand and grabs my waist.

"He wasn't your mate so it doesn't stay… but mine will." He smirks the same as Jasper and I can totally tell that they've been hanging out together.

"Victor!" I couldn’t help but giggle. He goes over to the flowers and grabs a rose to put in my hair.

"Beautiful…" I've been blushing so hard tonight. I'm so glad that I was wrong about tonight… “So tell me what happened with your attack.” I tell him with as much detail as I can remember, but it’d be better if I had my journal. That has more detail than I could tell him. “I’m so sorry my dear… I’m sure that was so scary. I’m here now and we’ll get through this together. You, me, Jasper and your father.” He pulls me into a hug and he’s surprisingly muscular. I enjoy the hug and just don’t want to let go. I wish time was frozen right now. I'm so blissfully happy. We sat on a nearby bench surrounded by flowers. I lean against his shoulders and he cuddles me. After about ten minutes of being alone, I hear the clicking of heels in the hall and our little moment is ruined.

“Mina? Are you out here?!” I hear Nyx calling for me and it’s just typical that she’s my buzzkill.

“I’m out here Nyx!” I call to her and her heels get louder.

“Here you are! We’ve been looking for you!” Nyx looked worried and it's making me worry.

“I’ve been here the whole time, what’s going on? I ask her timidly.

“Willow was just attacked! Father is helping her right now!” I get up from the bench and now I’m in defensive mode.

“Show me!” I demanded of her and she showed me where Willow is.