Marked By Four

ARIA

If this is heaven, why does it still feel like I’m being dragged down?

My eyes snapped open, body surging forward with just as much vigor. “Huh?”

Wordlessly, I began patting each and every part of my body, trying to confirm something that left a gnawing feeling in my stomach. I was alive. And breathing.

Why was I still breathing?

A cold chill ran down my spine as I further took in my surroundings. The soft mound beneath me was the first eye opener. I’d seen a lot of places in my life but this…this was nothing short of magnificent.

Shadow and light seemed to blend into each other, dark spires ringing like a certain omen in the center of the room.

“What the hell?” I mumbled to myself, trying to push my body back onto its feet.

Something happened. Right before I ended up here. A small wince left my lips as different images wracked my head.

The car barreling fast through the highway. My failed attempts at hitting the brake. And a loud bang before…darkness.

I stared down, taking note of how bad my hands were trembling. “Am I dead?”

“She’s awakened?”

Instantly, I bristled, whipping my head to the source of the sound. The girl sunk further into her friend as she saw me, eyes curious and somewhat fearful. Her skin was as pale as paper, eyes a churning shade of black.

“The bride’s awakened?”

“Should we go tell the others?”

Bride?

“I—I’m not a bride.” I took a step forward.

A small squeal left the girls and they immediately scurried away. I frowned. Bride? Why were they calling me a bride? Scratch that. Why did they look so…unearthly? Nothing about that place was normal, and the thought alone made my heart continue to thunder.

“She’s awakened.”

I whipped my head back to find a stout looking man, staring back with shocked eyes. I bit my lip, immediately reaching out a hand. “Excuse m—”

Fearfully, he dropped a small tray on the table before scampering off. My hands dropped, defeat clinging hard like dead-weight.

First those girls called me a bride. And they’d said the same thing with the servant. Something about me ‘awakening’? Each thought only made me feel more nauseated. My mouth was dry and the shakiness in my hands still hadn’t stopped.

I took another good look at the room and ran straight for the mirror. “What the hell?”

The silk nightgown on my body seemed to radiate the glow of moonlight itself. That wasn’t mine. So why was I even it? How did I end up in this…place in the first place? With how hard my heart was pounding, I was sure it would surge out of my chest in a matter of seconds.

“You’re awake.”

My blood went cold. Slowly, I turned to face the most stunning man I’d ever seen before. Tall, graceful with dark long hair that swept all the way to his shoulders and cold blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through to my soul.

Simply put, he was beautiful.

“Who are you?” I took a step back. “And why am I here?”

His eyes were unreadable. “The prophecy wasn’t wrong after all. You’re still breathing.”

“Proph—What prophecy? What’s the meaning of this? And—And how am I not dead? That crash should have killed me.” My voice was shaky and trembling at best.

Saying the words out only terrified me even more. How was I still breathing? I put a hand on my heart, feeling the pulse of my pounding heart. It shouldn’t be possible. And yet—

“I am Draven Ashborne,” The accent lulled over his tongue smoothly. “Vampire King of Shadows.”

“Vampire king?” I gawked. “No way.”

Except it had to be true. He had an unearthly glow to his pale skin that screamed ‘not human’. Blue eyes continued to search through mine.

“Three days,” he continued. “That’s how long you’ve been dead for.”

My mouth went dry. So I’d actually been dead. It explained the exhaustion that seemed to drill right down to my veins.

Noting my shock, he went on. “You belong to the Pact of Four. And as such, you are mine to guard until the others arrive.”

“I don’t get any of this. I—Who are the others? And what do you mean I’m yours to guard?”

“You ask quite a lot of questions, Aria.” He noted, eyes never wavering even once.

Do vampires even blink? That didn’t matter. He knew my name. As if that didn’t spell trouble enough.

I tried again. “Will you tell me what I want to know?”

He was silent, reading right through my soul with cerulean eyes. Of course, he’d be silent. Pact of Four? His to guard? The more he spoke, the harder my head throbbed. Making sense of anything he said proved futile. And I didn’t think I could stand being in his presence anymore.

“I—”

Our eyes were only inches apart now. He’d already crossed the distance between us in blinding speed.

Instinctively, I tried to back away. But he was faster, reaching for my wrist with a certain softness that made my stomach flutter.

I followed his gaze just in time to notice the silver burn in my veins. The spot continued to burn making me wince.

“Ow…” I tried to pull out of his grip but Draven wouldn’t budge.

A mark slowly flared around my wrist, the silver glow still very much present. It was a small, crescent moon, barely noticeable but demanding attention nonetheless.

“What?” The word left my lips breathlessly.

Draven’s eyes rose to meet mine and my stomach did another flip. I opened my mouth to speak again right before the castle began to tremble. The vibrations seemed to pulse from the ground into my body.

A long howl echoed through the halls outside my room. I turned to Draven, silently pleading for some answers. His eyes were on the doors, slowly narrowing into slits.

“He’s here.”