Chapter 3 The black rose

Alara did not stop running until she saw the warm glow of the village lights.

Her breathing came in short, frightened bursts as she hurried along the familiar path, clutching her basket against her chest.

She had left the moonwort behind.

She had left the stranger behind.

The vampire.

The thought made her stomach twist.

She could still see his eyes.

Blue at first.

Then red.

She reached the cottage and pushed the door open.

"Mother?"

Silence.

Alara shut the door behind her.

"Mother?"

Her mother appeared from the adjoining room.

The moment she saw Alara, the color drained from her face.

"You came back."

Alara frowned.

"Of course I came back."

Her mother's eyes moved quickly over her daughter.

Her face.

Her arms.

Her dress.

Her hands.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

Her mother stepped closer and took Alara's hands.

Her fingers trembled.

"Where were you?"

"The forest."

"I know you were in the forest."

Something in her mother's voice made Alara pause.

Her mother released her hands.

"You're late."

Alara stared at her.

"Mother, I found someone."

Her mother's expression changed.

"Who?"

"A man."

The silence that followed was so complete that Alara could hear the fire crackling in the hearth.

"He was injured," she continued. "Very badly."

Her mother looked away.

"What did he look like?"

Alara hesitated.

"Dark hair."

Her mother's breathing changed.

"Blue eyes."

The cloth in her mother's hand slipped to the floor.

"Mother?"

"Did he tell you his name?"

"No."

"Did he touch you?"

Alara thought of his arms catching her when she nearly fell.

"Yes."

Her mother closed her eyes.

"Did you give him your blood?"

"What?"

"Alara."

"I cut my finger gathering the herbs."

Her mother's face went pale.

"But I didn't give him anything."

Her mother turned toward the fireplace.

"Thank God."

Alara's confusion grew.

"What is going on?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

Her mother looked back at her.

For the first time in Alara's life, she saw something in her mother's eyes that she had never seen before.

Fear.

Not ordinary fear.

Terror.

"Mother," Alara whispered, "who was that man?"

Her mother didn't answer.

Alara stepped closer.

"Was he a vampire?"

Her mother flinched.

That was answer enough.

Alara's heart began to race.

"They're real."

Her mother remained silent.

"I thought they were stories."

"They are not stories."

"Then why have you never told me?"

"Because I wanted you safe."

Alara stared at her.

"Safe from what?"

Her mother looked toward the window.

Outside, the village was quiet.

Too quiet.

"From them." her mother said.

"Why would they care about me?"

Her mother swallowed.

"They shouldn't."

The words were barely audible.

Alara felt a chill run through her.

"What does that mean?"

Her mother walked toward the door and locked it.

Then she checked the windows.

She pulled the curtains closed.

Alara watched her in silence.

"Mother."

Her mother finally turned.

"There are things about our family that you don't know."

Alara's heart sank.

"What things?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because knowing them could put you in danger."

"But I'm already in danger."

Her mother looked at her.

"You don't understand."

"Then help me understand."

For a moment, her mother looked as though she might speak.

Instead, she crossed the room and pulled Alara into her arms.

It was such an unexpected gesture that Alara froze.

Her mother rarely hugged her.

Not because she wasn't loving.

She simply wasn't a woman who expressed affection easily.

Now she held Alara as though she were afraid to let go.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

Alara's eyes filled with tears.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Her mother didn't answer.

A sound came from outside.

Three slow knocks.

Alara pulled away.

Her mother froze.

They looked at the door.

Another knock.

Alara's heart pounded.

"Who is it?"

Her mother grabbed her wrist.

"Don't."

The knock came again.

Three times.

Slow.

Patient.

Her mother moved toward the window and carefully lifted the curtain.

She looked outside.

Then she stepped backward.

"What is it?"

Her mother's face had gone white.

"There is no one there."

Alara stared at the door.

Neither of them moved.

Finally, after several minutes, her mother unlocked it.

The village street was empty.

Only the cold night remained.

But something had been left on the doorstep.

A black rose.

Alara stared at it.

Her mother did not move.

"What does it mean?"

Her mother whispered the words so quietly that Alara almost didn't hear them.

"It means he knows."

"Who?"

Her mother closed her eyes.

"The king."

Alara's blood ran cold.

She looked toward the dark forest.

The stranger's face appeared in her mind.

His icy eyes.

His red gaze.

His voice telling her to run.

She had thought she had left him behind.

But somehow, she knew that was not true.

The stranger had found her.

And now, whatever secret her family had spent decades hiding was no longer hidden.

Somewhere beyond the village, something was coming.

And Alara's mother knew exactly what it was.