The sunlight streaming through the tall windows feels almost mocking. It's bright, golden, and warm—everything I shouldn't be able to experience as a vampire.
But here I am, standing in the middle of Valentine's mansion, feeling the heat on my skin like it's normal.
Like I'm normal.
I hate it.
The mansion is quieter during the day, the air heavy with a stillness that feels unnatural. The staff move about silently, their footsteps barely audible on the polished floors.
Most are human, others are not. It's strange how I can tell now, and too fascinating to actually see immortals.
I wander aimlessly, my fingers trailing along the cold stone walls, until I find myself in the kitchen.
The scent of fresh bread and herbs hits me first, warm and inviting. A woman with silver hair tied in a tight bun stands at the counter, her hands moving deftly as she chops vegetables.
She doesn't look up when I enter, but her voice cuts through the silence like a knife.
"You're not supposed to be here."
I freeze, caught off guard. "Uh, sorry. I was just… exploring."
She sets the knife down and turns to face me, her piercing green eyes narrowing. "Exploring," she repeats, her tone flat. "This isn't a museum, girl. This is his domain. And you're a liability."
I bristle at her words. "I didn't ask to be here."
"No," she says, crossing her arms. "But here you are. And if you're not careful, you'll get us all killed."
Before I can respond, Achilles saunters in, a grin plastered across his face. "Mara, darling, must you scare the poor thing? She's already had a rough week."
She glares at him. "Someone has to be the voice of reason around here."
I glance between them, feeling like I've walked into the middle of an argument I don't understand. "Who are you?"
"Mara," she says curtly. "The witch who keeps this place standing. And you're the hybrid who's going to bring it all down if you're not careful."
He chuckles, leaning against the counter. "Don't mind her. She's just bitter because her last potion exploded."
She shoots him a withering look. "At least I don't spend my days shifting into a peacock to impress the human staff."
I can't help but laugh, the tension easing slightly. "A peacock?"
He shrugs, unbothered. "It was a phase."
Mara rolls her eyes and turns back to her chopping. "If you're going to loiter, make yourself useful. Fetch me the thyme from the garden."
I blink. "Me?"
She raises a brow. "Unless you see anyone else standing around doing nothing."
I glance at Achilles, who grins and gestures toward the door. "Better do as she says. She bites."
I mutter under my breath but head outside anyway. The garden is lush and overgrown, with vines climbing the stone walls and flowers blooming in every shade imaginable.
There are few staff around. Some shy away when they see me, whispering to the others who back away slowly, not knowing what I am.
Spreading the word, I guess. Some of them must have been here when I tried to drink from one of the gardeners.
I find a young man with tousled brown hair and a pair of gardening gloves is kneeling by a patch of herbs, humming softly to himself.
"Uh, hi," I say, feeling awkward. "Mara sent me for thyme."
He looks up, his hazel eyes bright and friendly. "Oh, hey! You must be North. Everyone has been talking about the Vampire that fell through the third storey windows in broad daylight. I'm Finn by the way." He stands, brushing dirt off his knees, and gestures to the plants.
"Thyme's right over here. Mara's always sending people out for it. You'd think she'd just grow it in the kitchen."
I smile despite myself. "She seems… intense."
He laughs, plucking a few sprigs and handing them to me. "That's one way to put it. But she's not so bad once you get used to her. She's just protective of this place. We all are."
I take the thyme, studying him. "How long have you been here?"
He shrugs. "A few years. The prince took me in after my pack… well, let's just say they weren't too fond of me." His tone is light, but there's a flicker of pain in his eyes.
I nod, not pushing further. "Thanks for the thyme."
"Anytime," he says, smiling. "If you need anything else, just let me know. I'm usually out here."
I head back inside, where Mara is now stirring something in a large pot. She takes the thyme without a word, tossing it in and giving the mixture a vigorous stir.
"So," I say, leaning against the counter. "What's with the whole 'liability' thing? You really think I'm going to get everyone killed?"
She doesn't look up. "I think you're dangerous. Not because you want to be, but because you don't know what you are. And that makes you unpredictable."
I frown. "I'm trying to figure it out."
"Trying isn't enough," she says sharply. "You need to be better. Faster. Smarter. Or you'll end up dead—and take the rest of us with you."
Her words sting, but I can't argue with them. She's right. I don't know what I'm doing, and that's a problem.
Achilles strolls into the kitchen, his grin back in place.
Normally, I would have been annoyed that he's everywhere I am, but I only realise he's everywhere I am to make sure I don't go bazookers with my new found power.
And if I do, he'll be damage control.
"Cheerful as always, Mara," he tuts. "Don't worry, North. I'll teach you everything you need to know."
She snorts. "Because you're such a great role model."
He places a hand over his heart, feigning offense. "I'm wounded. Truly."
I roll my eyes, but before I can say anything, he saunters over to the counter and plucks a piece of bread from a nearby loaf.
Mara slaps his hand away without looking up, and I can tell she's done this all too many times. "Hands off. That's for dinner."
He pouts, leaning against the counter. "You're no fun."
"And you're a nuisance," she retorts, stirring the pot with more force than necessary. "Why don't you make yourself useful for once and check the wards? Or are you too busy planning your next peacock performance?"
He grins, unfazed. "Jealous, darling? I could teach you a thing or two about elegance."
She scoffs. "The only thing you could teach me is how to waste time."
I watch their back-and-forth, a strange mix of amusement and exasperation bubbling up. "Do you two always argue like this?"
They both turn to me, their expressions identical—mild annoyance mixed with a hint of amusement. "Yes," they say in unison, then glare at each other.
I can't help but laugh. "Well, at least it's entertaining."
Mara shakes her head, muttering something under her breath, while Achilles winks at me. "Stick around, sweetheart. You haven't seen anything yet."
The tension in the room eases, and for a moment, it feels almost… normal.
But the weight of Mara's warning lingers in the back of my mind, a constant reminder that nothing about this place is normal.
I leave the kitchen, glancing up at the grand staircase, where Valentine's room is hidden at the very top of the mansion behind heavy curtains.
He's up there, asleep I think, shielded from the daylight. For a moment, I consider going up there, disturbing his peace as he's rocked my world off balance.
But something stops me.
Maybe I'm not ready to face him yet. Or maybe I'm just afraid of how everything would turn out.
Either way, I turn and walk away, deciding that I haven't seen the half of this place yet to pick a random fight with him.