Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 17

The reception was held in a different grand h wholly. My brother, Lydia, Brid earn, and I formed a receiving line by the entrance to thank and woo our guests. Damon put it on a bit, bo allureg and pretending to know plurality he didnt. Compelling them into thinking he was an erstwhile(a) friend, no doubt. musical compo presention Bridget showed off her anchor ring, Lydia gave everyone warm kisses or handwritingshakes or smiles, whatever their relationship dictated. She tied(p) laughed when Bram tried to snatch a farewell kiss. Bridget stood by her side, beaming with what looked care genuine joy.Thank you for coming today, I express date and time again, the words tasting comparable chalk on my tongue. Were so blithe you could come celebrate with us. My thanks for being here today. Pleased to fulfil you, thank you so much for being here.Stefan Salvatore? demanded a matron in an well-nigh unmoving thick gray silk dress and pearls, holding on to my hand for longer than was str ictly necessary. She pronounced the e at the end of my extend name and fixed me with an eye as stony as her skirts.Yes, maam, I said, giving her as warm a smile as I could.Of the Florentine Salvatores? Prince Alessandro?Im not rightly sure, maam, I answered, trying to keep my smile. When my mystify came to this country he declared himself an American. He didnt keep up with our old relations.Her eyes widened and her grip on my hand became loose. An immigrant. How charming. She didnt smile and pulled her hand give away of my grasp, moving on.Several hundred people later we finally got to sit down. The bride and grooms t fitted was festooned with palm fronds and garlands of huge flowers, and was covered with every high-priced pettiness you could want to eat or show off that you could afford. There was a seafood appetizer of oysters and other delicacies including Scottish spated salmon and Russian caviar. hence came a main course that consisted of an absolutely staggering numbe r of all of a sudden animals roast beef, quail, venison, pheasant, woodcock, duck, lamb, roast pork, hot and cold, braised and grilled, minced and sauteed, sliced and in pies.It was all crowned off by a wedding cake, five tiers of the finest orchis covered in fondant and decorated with scrolls, swoops, columns, and sugar birds. The black-jacketed waiters poured chalk after internal-combustion engine of champagne, and everyone chatted gaily. that my muscles were tied in knots. The wedding was officially over. Damon and I were de jure married into the Sutherland family. It was only a matter of time before he began the next phase of his plan whatever that ended up being.Darling, get me a glass of water, would you? Lydia was asking my brother, touching him tenderly on the cheek.In some ceremonies, its the ladys place to love, honor, and obey. Shouldnt you be getting one for me, little wife? he smiled, but in a way I didnt like.Of course Any occasion for you, dear, Lydia said. Wa ter, wineBlood? Damon prompted.Lydia laughed. If you wish, its my command.Bridget didnt eat any of the expensive repast, saltationing up from the table constantly to talk to her friends, holding away her hand and screening off her ring. I spent most of dinner nervously energy very expensive food around a very expensive plate with a very expensive, very heavy silver fork, never taking my eyes off Damon.As dessert came stunned, Bram took pity on me and sat down in Bridgets place for a moment.Congrats, old chap, he said, shaking my hand. You and Damon snagged two of the best New York has to offer.I nodded miserably.Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland are equitable terrific. And Margaret well, shes a spitfire, but I trust youll be able to win her over scourtually.My head snapped up. Have you noticed anything, er, odd ab verboten Margaret? Bram had know the Sutherlands since he was born. Perhaps he had some insight into what made Margaret able to with fend Damons charms.Bram scratched his flo ppy black curls. Odd?Yes, shes different from the others. Stronger, I said leadingly.Bram let out a rueful laugh. Thats for sure. adept time when we were younger, I stole her favorite doll to call it as a prevail in a war game with my brother. I swear, the look she gave me She didnt even have to touch me to send a painful shock through my entire body. Needless to say, I never played with her toys again.She was able to digest you without touching you? I pressed, trying to put the pieces together.But yet indeed, Winfield tapped me on the shoulder and nodded toward a back room. Damon came with us, a mock-serious look on his face. As we quietly filed past the guests and down a side corridor, I laboured to look out the windows. Through trees and towers I could see the mighty Hudson and the Palisades, a golden sun shining down on the sparkling river, the yard forests, boats and barges parading slowly up and down the water. I almost did feel like a king surveying his countryside, since marrying into this family set me into the top of New Yorks highest society.We entered a dark-paneled smoking room, and Winfield immediately set about pouring some crimson sherry. Damon pulled out a silver flask and right there in front of Winfield spiked his drink with blood. Human blood.To marriage eternal, Damon said, raising his glass.Winfield hold energetically. To marriage.I just nodded and tossed back the drink, hoping the cool liquid would sate my thirst.Theres a serious matter I need to talk to you lads about. Winfield settled his haoma into a large desk chair. Damon leaned forward expectantly. I tensed in my seat, educate for whatever would come next.The matter of a dowry.I squeezed my hands together. Damon grinned, exposing his intimation canines. He threw himself on to a velvet couch. Just what I was waiver to ask you about, Father. You dont mind me calling you that, do you?Not at all, my boy, Winfield said, offer Damon a cigar.My brother took it, carefully tr imming and lighting the end in a matter so professional I wondered where he picked up the habit.The two sat puffing for a moment, releasing large clouds of smoke into the picayune room. I coughed. Damon, enjoying my discomfort, took the effort to blow a smoke ring my way.Now heres the thing. I want you two boys to be able to stand on your own two feet. My girls deserve real men, and if anything should happen to me, I want to make sure theyre taken care of.Of course, Damon said, out the box of his mouth, around the cigar.I have several mines in Virginia one is gold. They could use some managing. And then there are the railway shares Ive bought intoMy brother widened his eyes. I looked away, unable to bear watching him compel this poor man. I would opt gold, he said.All right, that seems reasonable, Winfield said without pause or even blinking. An annuity, then? A living salary?Up front. All of it, Damon said pleasantly.One twentieth of my estate, capital, and holdings, then? Winf ield asked politely.More like a quarter.An automaton, Winfield mindlessly agree to everything Damon suggested.But I couldnt figure it out would this keep Winfield safe? Would Damon just keep him around, ordering whatever he pleased out of him?Im delightful youre so concerned about taking care of my girls in the mien to which they have been accustomed, Winfield said, but his voice sounded hollow, as if somewhere some tiny part of his mind knew something was terribly wrong.The poor man drew out some commemorates and a pen. In a moment it was done, and Winfield presented me with a check with so many zeroes on it, it was barely readable.Damon bared his teeth in something that was less a grin than a rictus of victory. He stood up, holding his glass of blood-laced sherry next to me. The smell was intoxicating. It took every ounce of my strength not to leap up and drain the cup.And then Winfield said the most amazing, banal thing in the world.Those checks will take a while to clear, he apologized, unwitting of how those eight words might have just saved his life.Damon glowered, thunderheads in his eyes. It was a look of angry frustration that was famous in hidden Falls, and something no one wanted to be responsible for causing. It was a wicked thing to disappoint my brother. He crumpled the check in his hands.You didnt follow that before, he growled, waving the sherry under my nose. I stiffened, my thirst making my fangs burn.Im passing to have to sell a great deal of my estate, capital, and holdings to get the cash to back this, Winfield answered so plaintively it made me sick.So do it Damon ordered. But I was no longer paying attention. I had to get out of the room. My Power reacted to my hunger to my anger and I felt the beginnings of a change.I have to I didnt even bother making up an excuse.I pushed my way out of the room, past my evil brother and our sad father-in-law, out of the castle, and into the black night where I belonged.