The Carvagi Sisters: Book One--The Rise

Chapter Eight

A gasp of breath sounded throughout the garden, much louder than it should have been. Nicola's eyes snapped open, and immediately she shut them again. It was supposed to be night, so why was it so bright out? Cautiously, she opened her eyes a bit, letting them adjust before she opened them fully.

It was nighttime. Nicola sat up, glancing around her. Actually, it seemed closer to dawn. How much time had passed since she had seen Kleon? All of the shadows seemed brighter, and suddenly she could pinpoint even the smallest mice hidden under the bushes and leaves. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed. Yet the noises only grew in volume, heartbeats and footsteps and breathing of any individual within a mile. Her head pounded, and she felt as if she were drowning in the sounds.

"STOP!" She screamed, and suddenly it all went dull, back to normal. Warily, she opened her eyes again, coming out of her fetal position on the ground. Glancing around, she saw blood on the ground next to her.

Immediately, her stomach grumbled. That was her blood. And like a flood, all of it came rushing back.

Kol was a vampire.

She was a vampire.

Her stomach grumbled again, and her ears picked up a noise far off, more towards the hunting paths leading north. Confusion crept through her mind. How could she tell? But the thought was suddenly pushed aside as the gnawing pains of hunger tore at her stomach again. Then she heard it more clearly--heartbeats. At least fifty of them. She could smell them.

Her eyes closed as she stood, breathing in the scent.

She opened them again, the deep red catching the early grey light sifting through the leaves above. The veins underneath her eyes stood out stark red in contrast to her pale skin. 

She was hungry.

And she was on the hunt.

"Klaus! My boy!" Rufus bellowed at breakfast the next morning. "How are we today?"

Klaus smiled, pulling Rosalina into the room behind him. Rufus grinned at them, gesturing at the chairs across the table from him.

"I was saving the third for Nicola, but I suppose she's sleeping in today." He swallowed, washing his last bite down with the leftover wine from last night. "What can I do for you?"

Klaus stayed standing behind Rosalina's chair, hands on her shoulders. "We have something we'd like to propose to you."

Rufus nodded. "Go on."

Rosalina smiled up at Klaus, and he squeezed her shoulders tenderly, then looked back to her father. "I received word from my brother that our mother is getting worse, and may not make it through the next two weeks. So, as a last request of hers, she wishes to see me get married. Now, I realize we had planned to have the wedding here, but it's my mother's dying wish. I'm sure you understand." He stepped around the side of her chair. "So, we're most likely going to be leaving today." Klaus made eye contact with her father. "I understand you'll probably respect my mother's wishes to see her daughter-in-law before she dies." His pupils dilated as he continued, Rufus' mirroring his own. "We'll leave late afternoon, and be married up in my home country in two week's time."

Rufus nodded slowly, breaking the eye contact. "Yes, I am so happy for you two. Please, respect your mother's dying wish. Send a messenger for me so I know when you two are married." He stood to hug his daughter. "You have my blessing."

Rosalina squealed with excitement, hugging her father back. Klaus smiled, shaking hands with him before dismissing themselves to go pack. 

"This is all so exciting!" Rosalina said, eyes bright and staring ahead. Klaus gave her a genuine smile, grabbing ahold of her hand. With all that was soon to be, he hoped this sweet girl would not lose her outlook on things. He smirked to himself. After all, she had her sister to do the dirty work.