Struck (A Vampire Novel) ✔

Twenty-Seven

We were packing somewhat in haste. Though honestly it appeared only I was packing. Xander had packed within half a second, basically grabbing a few days’ worth of suits along with extra apparel. He had finished before Aveline or I made our way to begin grabbing things. As for us girls, we took a considerable amount of time for two different reasons.

Aveline couldn’t decide what extravagant gowns and outfits she wanted to show off to the other coterie while visiting. She paced back and forth, trying on clothes to showcase. I ignored her efforts while Xander, being the Mate he was, praised nearly all her outfits equally. Essentially, we weren’t helping her pack any faster.

As for me, I didn’t want to pack at all. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t necessarily want to stay here, either. I also didn’t want to have to spend an entire visit wearing fancy clothing, or just revealing outfits as Aveline suggested, in order to present myself as a prized prisoner.

“Why am I going again?” I asked for the hundredth time.

“I told you, you’re company,” Aveline responded once again. Then she stuck her head out from the closet, her grin wide and devious. “Though I guess I should have mentioned, you won’t exactly be our company.”

I hesitated midway through packing, glancing at Xander in confusion. He shrugged.

“Wait, what do you mean by that? And what did Corentine mean when she said the coterie vowed to protect me? What’s going on lately? I can’t keep up,” I threw my hands in the air to show how confused I was before collapsing on the bed dramatically.

“Well…,” Aveline was bouncing up and down pulling a too-tight dress over her form, “Oh, Xander, you tell her.”

I threw my glance to Xander once again. He was watching Aveline intensely, as if just now realizing the answer himself. She ignored his watchful eyes, moving to try on a different outfit without explaining herself. Finally, he looked at me.

“After your punishment, a majority of the coterie offered their protection. It isn’t very common, not like claiming a human. Wyatt Callum, who you met earlier, was the first to make the vow,” Xander explained solemnly. I raised a hand to put on my head, still not understanding.

“But what does that mean? Why would they do that? I thought everyone hated me?”

“You took the punishment that wasn’t yours to take. You offered yourself as payment over the death of a coterie member… You asked Jacobi to break our claim, specifically to keep us from feeling your pain,” Xander listed before smiling brightly. “You proved yourself much more than a typical Monet.”

“You’re a forgivable Monet,” Aveline sang happily. “A good trophy and an exotic pet, like a tiger that hasn’t bitten anyone yet.” I felt uncomfortable at my label as human goods. I didn’t want to prove myself to be anything other than innocent of the crime of being a Monet.

“So the coterie offered what you gave them; protection,” Xander continued easily, “Like I said, it isn’t like being claimed. It’s more like… well, if anyone tries to hurt you, they’ll protect you out of honor rather than because they’re bonded.” A part of me was grateful that the coterie was protecting me rather than wanting to kill me. Another part of me felt like this was another nail on my coffin; another thing dragging me permanently into the world of vampires.

“Whose company am I going to be, then? Wyatt’s?” I asked Aveline, who smirked again.

“Well, as subordinates, Xander, Wyatt, Corentine, and I will be very busy with… vampire things,” Aveline waved her hands as if the whole ordeal of properly entering another coterie’s territory wasn’t actually an annoying situation. “Jacobi, while being the main guest, won’t be doing much except basically being there when he’s supposed to be- up until he presents his request for Corentine.”