The Devil's Fool (Devil Series Book One) Read online

  3

  Every fiber of my body screamed to run. There was an energy, dark and ancient, that filled the area around him. Despite my instincts, I found it difficult to look away. His commanding presence sucked me in as if an invisible cord were pulling me toward him. I resisted, and a sharp pain stabbed in my lower spine.

  Sable whirled around and dug her nails into my wrist and jerked me forward. “Don’t you dare insult him.”

  Erik, who was shaking hands with the vampire, turned. His slicked-back blond hair looked as greasy as his tanned complexion. “Eve, darling, this is Boaz. Boaz, meet my only daughter, Eve.”

  The light seemed to flee the room as Boaz’s eyes met mine. He was strangely captivating with black hair, high cheekbones, and a distinct jaw line. My heart fluttered, and I grew faint. If it weren't for Sable’s hand on my elbow, I would’ve staggered back. But it wasn’t his appearance that made me weak. My mind tried to capture what it was, but his stare became too intense, forcing me to look away.

  Erik said something under his breath and then chuckled.

  “She may be, but I’ll have to find out for myself,” Boaz said.

  Erik smirked, and Sable laughed obnoxiously. I was disgusted with all three of them.

  “It was nice to meet you, Sir.” It took all the strength I had, but I managed to yank my arm away, turn, and walk off, my heart racing. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sable begin to follow, but Boaz grabbed her wrist and held her in place.

  I walked calmly, yet briskly, toward the stairs leading to the second floor. I nodded and smiled politely to several people who said “hello,” but I refused to stop.

  As I stepped upon the first stair, cold fingers touched my back. I gasped and whirled around. To my amazement, no one was there. I slowly continued upward but again felt the touch of a hand caress the skin of my naked back. The icy coolness of it stole my breath. I spun back around, peering into the crowd.

  I scanned the many faces, some of which appeared human, but I wasn’t fooled. My eyes settled on the only one who stood out—not because he was different, but because he was their leader. They circled him like starving dogs anxious to devour whatever scrap of attention he might toss them. But Boaz paid little heed—his focus was entirely on me. His eyes bore into mine like those of a predatory animal. I could practically hear him snarling from across the room.

  Frightened, I turned back to continue up the stairs, this time using the handrail for support. The invisible caresses continued until I was out of his view.

  Safely hidden on the second floor, I leaned against a white pillar, my breaths coming in short gasps. My toes tingled, and a familiar, dark feeling crept up my body—magic. Relax. I couldn’t let myself feel it, not here, not now, not ever.

  A ways away, I spotted the narrow staircase leading to the kitchen. I descended the steps quickly and darted through the hot, steamy room, ignoring the staff’s curious looks. I paused at the entrance to the ballroom. It would take twenty steps to reach the glass doors that opened to the veranda. I can make it.

  I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and counted to three. Go! My eyes snapped open, and I bolted.

  Fifteen steps left.

  Ten steps.

  Three.

  I reached to push the door open but froze when I heard my name. The beguiling voice of the devil himself. I turned around slowly.

  “Yes?” I asked Boaz, desperately trying to sound curt.

  “Will you give me the pleasure of dancing with you?” He extended his hand.

  “I don’t feel well.”

  “One dance, love.”

  Before I could refuse, he took hold of my arm and pulled me onto the dance floor. When we reached the center of the room, he spun me to him and wrapped his arm around my waist, pressing me to his chest.

  “Try to have fun,” he said. “This is a party after all.”

  I avoided his eyes, instead staring beyond to envious faces. The song ended and another began: a bitter harmony of plucked violins and sobbing French horns. It was a torturous melody—one that should be played for the dead, not the living. Boaz’s lip twitched into a subtle smile, as if he knew what I was thinking.

  I did my best to act indifferent, but if I came across as cold, Boaz gave no indication. He held me close as if we were lovers, and I couldn’t help but blush. Every touch, every sway of his body, overwhelmed me—whether from revulsion or pleasure, I couldn’t be sure.

  Finally, he pulled away and asked, “Why are you afraid?”

  I swallowed hard. “I’m not.”

  “You’re a horrible liar. Look at me.”

  I turned to him. My body weakened, and he tightened his grip.

  “Why are you frightened?” he asked again.

  I bit the inside of my cheek. “There’s something about you. I don’t know—”

  “What do you feel?”

  I tried to articulate my emotions. “I feel as if I’m spinning and can’t keep my balance.”

  “The power. Intoxicating, isn’t it?” Boaz danced flawlessly, every step obeying his silent command like the tides obey the moon. Other dancing couples retreated from his path as if he were royalty. I didn’t know his real age, but by the way he spoke and carried himself, I’d guess centuries. Maybe he had been royalty at one point in time.

  “Do you always get this much attention?” I asked.

  “They know to respect power when they see it.”

  “Arrogant much?”

  He moved his head back and looked at me, dark eyes wide. “It’s not me, love. It’s us.”

  “There is no us.”

  Boaz smiled. “Your parents are watching.”

  I glanced behind him. Sure enough, Erik and Sable stared in our direction. Sable especially looked excited, her nose scrunched up, hands rubbing together as if anticipating a winning lottery number.

  “Why do you think they look so eager?” Boaz asked. He spun me out and brought me back into his arms.

  “Because you are their type, and they’d like nothing more than to see me with you.”

  “And what would you like, Eve?”

  His question surprised me. No one had ever asked me that. “I want to be free to do as I please.”

  The smile on his face spread.

  “Is something funny?” I asked.

  “How would you like to play a little joke on your parents? Teach them a lesson for spying?”

  “Like what?”

  “Slap me,” he ordered.

  “What?”

  “Slap me as hard as you can and walk away. Your parents will be furious, and you may pay for it later, but I promise their expressions will be well worth it—and you might actually enjoy it.”

  I didn’t have to think twice. I stepped away and let my hand fly. It struck his face hard, stinging my palm.

  I glanced over at my parents who looked as though I’d struck them rather than Boaz. Their eyebrows were pulled tightly together, and their mouths turned down. Lines I never knew existed appeared in sync with bulging veins on their necks. It was a comical scene, for they were still trying to keep up the appearance of having a wonderful time. Their poor faces looked as if they were having twin seizures.

  I grinned and walked away. That felt much better than I’d expected. I headed straight to the veranda and stepped into the night, strangely elated. That was the first time I’d done exactly what I wanted without fearing the consequences.

  “Very good,” Boaz said.

  I jumped. He was resting in a chair as if he’d been there all night. There was no trace of a handprint on his face. Next to him, a massive black wolf stared with one blue eye and one white.

  “How did you—” I looked back toward the ballroom. There was no way he could’ve beaten me here.

  “Don’t be naïve, love. You know what I am.”

  My gaze lowered to the strangely still wolf. Without a sound, he bared his sharp canine teeth. “And who’s this friendly beast?”

  The wolf growled
.

  Boaz ran his fingers through its thick, bristly fur. “This is Hunwald.”

  “Interesting name. Where did you get it?”

  “I didn’t get it anywhere. He chose it.”

  “All right,” I said, not understanding. “How long have you had him?”

  “He’s had me since I was a child,” he corrected again.

  “What do you mean?”

  Boaz leaned forward. The movement was too quick, too smooth, reminding me again how inhuman he really was. Instinctively, I stepped back.

  “My mother was a vicious woman. The kind of woman who should never have had a child, but apparently Fate thought it amusing, and she bore me. Though in the end, I’m not sure who the joke was really on.” He smiled to himself. “My mother used to carry a big stick everywhere she went. She called it Thorne, and every time she said its name, she would laugh atrociously, as though it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Her saying Thorne meant only one thing—that I was to receive a severe beating for failing to fulfill one of her absurd expectations. It was in the middle of one of these beatings that Hunwald found us in the woods. He tore my mother to shreds right in front of me.” He turned to Hunwald and ruffled the fur on his face between his hands. “Didn’t you? You good boy!”

  “That’s terrible,” I said.

  Boaz’s head snapped up. “Don’t tell me you haven’t ever wished your parents dead.”

  “I couldn’t, wouldn’t—”

  “Give it time.”

  I stepped toward the ballroom. “I should go inside—”

  Boaz appeared in front of me, blocking the door. Air caught in my chest. He took hold of my wrist and, with his thumb, rubbed the flesh beneath my palm, exactly where my pulse beat.

  “Stay for just a moment longer,” he said, his tone commanding.

  My head spun. The circular motion of his thumb on the sensitive part of my wrist made me lightheaded as if I’d had too much to drink.

  “I want to wish you a happy birthday,” he purred.

  It took me a moment to process his words. “How did you know?”

  “How could I forget?”

  I tried to communicate that I didn’t understand, but I couldn’t clear the growing fog from my mind.

  While continuing to stroke the underside of my wrist, he said, “Your dress is extraordinary.”

  He lifted my hand to his slightly parted mouth and pressed his lips to my flesh. I felt the gentle pressure of his tongue wet my skin. I slowly shook my head.

  Finally I broke free of his spell and stepped away, my arms falling limp at my side. I looked down at my dress, suddenly realizing why Sable had chosen it. “This dress was meant for you.”

  He laughs. “I hope not. I don’t think it would fit.”

  “Sable,” I stutter, hating that he’s flustering me. “She chose it because she knew you would like it.”

  “Mmm. She does have impeccable taste.”

  “You can have it if you like.”

  “Only if I can have what’s inside, as well.”

  In response to my growing anger, the power within me stirred to life for the second time that night, but I resisted its pull.

  “Let me make this perfectly clear,” I said, pointing my finger at his chest. “You will never have any part of me.”

  “But, my love, I already have,” he said, licking his lips.

  My bravery exhausted, I darted around him and returned to the ballroom, leaving him and the wolf to the darkness where they belonged.

  4

  I returned to my bedroom for the remainder of the party. I knew it would upset my parents, but by their earlier expressions, they couldn’t get much angrier. Alone, I waited for my punishment, my heartbeat growing louder by the minute.

  Several hours later, the party died down, until all I heard were the servants cleaning up after the guests. I didn’t get ready for bed. My night was not over. Not yet.

  It wasn’t long before Erik and Sable’s heavy footsteps slapped against the marbled floor. The steps reminded me of a hammer and a pickax. I slowly stood from my bed, swaying slightly, prepared for what was to come.

  Erik pushed open my door. He was still dressed in a black tux that looked too tight for his solid frame. Behind a row of perfectly shaped teeth, his tongue clicked repeatedly. Next to him, Sable, who must’ve sensed his impatience, said, “Eve, dear, if you would just use your abilities, we could stop these training exercises.”

  I pulled on my slippers, knowing I would be leaving soon. “I’ve told you both a thousand times: I can’t use magic.”

  Erik clicked his tongue again. “Nonsense! You’re pretending, but don’t worry, we will break you. I’m trying something new tonight.”

  I wrapped a thick robe around my nightgown. It was cold where I was going. “Whatever you say, Erik.”

  Sable moved to my red dress, hanging from the top of the bedpost, and inspected it. “Did you get anything on it?”

  “No.”

  She glanced back at me. “Are you sure? You’re not very graceful when you eat.”

  “I didn’t eat.”

  “Good.” Sable removed the dress and draped it over her arm.

  “Let’s get this over with,” Erik snapped.

  Sable’s long fingers caressed the satin material. “You go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Erik scowled but didn’t argue. “Don’t take long,” he said and walked out of the room with me in his shadow.

  I knew exactly where we were going. I could’ve made the trip with my eyes closed. Our footsteps echoed as we made our way down a narrow, circular stairway to the very bottom level, hidden far below the mansion. The only way to get there was through a secret door in Erik’s office. The smell of alcohol drifted behind Erik, turning my stomach inside out. I quickly covered my mouth to stop from gagging. The smell was always a precursor to pain.

  Erik removed a key from his pocket and pushed it into the keyhole of a thick metal door. The creaking and groaning of the hinges furthered my nausea. I remained where I was, my heart pounding.

  “Get in here,” Erik said from within the room. I heard him open a drawer.

  Knees weak and shaking, I stepped into my father’s “training” room. The smell of jasmine hit me, forcing me to stumble back into a wall. The plants hung everywhere; some draped from the ceiling while others had been arranged in specific patterns in the corners of the room. I had a sudden urge to smash them all, but my body wouldn’t move.

  Long white counters lined the walls; inside their drawers held all the tools Erik thought necessary to force my compliance. On the surface of the counters, cages contained different animals, from spiders to rats—Erik kept them as pets and treated them each with great care. And finally, in the center of the room, rested a single, immoveable metal chair with black straps bolted to its underside.

  After Erik had carefully inspected each cage for proper food and water, he said, “In the chair.”

  My nails dug into the wall behind me. “Please, father—”

  “Do it.”

  By the time I reached the cold chair, my legs were shaking so badly that I had no choice but to collapse into it, sweat breaking on my brow. Stay calm.

  Erik ran his fingers across the different animal cages on top of the counter. “I don’t understand why you make this so difficult. This would all end if you’d only accept your birthright.”

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. “I told you. I’m not like you. I have no magical abilities.” I’d said this so many times I almost believed it.

  “I’ve heard that before,” he muttered. He lifted a basket-like cage and peered in between the tight weave. I couldn’t see what was inside. “It is utterly impossible for a child born to the Segurs and Whitmores not to have powers. You are deliberately holding back.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  Erik’s head snapped up as if he’d been shocked. “Quit wasting my time!” His slicked-back hair left its place and fe
ll to his forehead. “I am not a fool. You have power—I can feel it.”

  “No I don’t,” I whispered, wishing desperately it was true. But even now, with fear about to crack through my feigned calm, I felt magic’s ancient power as strong as the overpowering smell of jasmine. Only my vow kept me from using it.

  “Have I missed anything?” Sable’s voice asked behind me. She crossed the room to her usual place in the corner and sat on a stool surrounded by jasmine. She’d changed into a silky green, short-sleeved housecoat. Tucked beneath her arm was a watering can.

  “We were just beginning,” Erik said, smoothing back his hair. He walked over to me and set the cage down before proceeding to fasten the straps around my chest and legs. In my ear, he whispered, “For your protection.”

  Sable poured water into the nearby plants and touched their leaves tenderly. “I trust this won’t take long? I have a meeting in the morning.”

  Erik glared. “It will take as long as it needs to.”

  “Very well.” She sighed as she plucked off wilted leaves from a plant hanging above her. “Just make sure Eve is punished for her behavior tonight.”

  Erik knelt in front of me and removed my slippers. “Don’t worry, darling. I was going to do that first.”

  I tried not to let my mind wander with what new torture he may have devised. He lifted the cage and peered inside its tight slits again, the corner of his mouth rising. I shivered.

  “You embarrassed us, Eve,” he said as he opened the top of the cage. Whatever was inside bumped the whicker walls, almost knocking it from Erik’s hands.

  “What are you going to do?” I didn’t mean to whimper.

  “Teach you to respect us once and for all.”

  Water poured from Sable’s can.

  I closed my eyes and prepared for the inevitable. As if sensing my thoughts, Erik took hold of my foot and guided it into the trap. Something bit me hard, and I yelped.

  “This rat hasn’t eaten for days. Hope your foot has enough flesh on it—”

  My screams drowned out the rest of his words. The hungry rat was tearing into my skin with teeth and claws. I tried to kick at it, but that only made it madder, and it clamped onto my pinky toe with sharp teeth.