Love and Vendetta Read online

  Love and Vendetta

  Love and Vendetta

  Viola Tempest

  Published by Lena Ma, 2022.

  Love and Vendetta

  IT WAS ALL SO INNOCENT…UNTIL IT WASN’T

  VIOLA TEMPEST

  Love and Vendetta

  It was all so innocent…until it wasn’t

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  © Copyright 2022 Viola Tempest

  * * *

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.

  Cover Design by Moonpress

  www.moonpress.co

  ISBN-13: 978-1-952716-39-3 (Ebook)

  ISBN-13: 978-1-952716-40-9 (Print)

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Prologue

  The year was 1940, and Halloween was usually a time of great terror for the citizens of Romania. With the myth of vampires running wild in Transylvania, many feared that death awaited them outside their homes, hiding behind closed doors and under sheets instead of celebrating with parties and endless sweets. Children weren’t allowed to go outside, and neighborhood parents kept close together, hoping that the larger their crowd, the easier it’d be for them to ward off any abnormals.

  However, not everyone in Romania lived under the constant worry of being eaten alive. Or at least, they didn’t used to. Far off in the dark corners of Romania, sat a forbidden town torn by warfare and separation. The town of Marsonia was perched on the coast of the deadly Black Sea, where corpses floated and mercury poisoned. Marsonia used to be calm and prosperous, with its citizens living in peace and sharing their riches with each other; not a single calamity or argument was heard even from miles away.

  Unfortunately, the town of Marsonia became ridden with misfortune when Queen Azra and her royal family traveled far from across the Baltic Sea, setting up camp in Marsonia to conquer as their own. Queen Azra and her people invaded Marsonia, crushing buildings and exterminating everyone who stood in their way. The citizens tried to stop her. Oh, how they tried so hard to prevent her from taking over their land, even putting up a fight to defend themselves.

  But they weren’t strong enough; they weren’t prepared. Never before had they had to go into battle, so when one took them by surprise, they were no match. Not even close.

  Queen Azra seized the entire eastern part of Marsonia to build her own empire, declaring herself the new ruler and intercepting all the goods and resources from merchants to claim what she wanted before throwing anything that remained at the citizens. Usually, there was nothing left.

  Her empire, now called Luceria, was one of great stature and high status, from gold and platinum pillars and stairs to marble walls to a throne completely constructed from rubies and sapphires. She and her people ate well every night, with more food than any of them ever needed, incinerating many leftovers before sharing the rest with the west. People here lived prosperously, dressed like royalty and treated like kings and queens. They received the best medicine money could buy, education from the greatest scholars known, and they never had to worry about when they would get their next meal.

  The west, however, known as Hibernia, wasn’t so lucky. Hibernia was comprised of all the original residents of Marsonia. They watched in defeat as Queen Azra and her army burned down their homes, stole all their food and resources, and killed many of their friends and family. But there was nothing else they could do. They were powerless. Now, they were forced to live in closed corridors, hundreds of them piling up on top of one another due to the lack of space, and surviving on scraps, rats, and sadly, each other. They were also forced to live away from the sea, as the queen feared that they’d escape and tell the rest of the world what she was up to.

  No, instead, they were forced to live in darkness, with nothing but damaged roads and ashes that used to be homes. There were no shops or hospitals in Hibernia, the people having to rely on what little generosity Azra showed them instead. At least one person in Hibernia would die every day, either from starvation or from murder.

  On the last day of every month, the people of Hibernia had a chance, a chance to win more to eat than the mere scraps they were usually forced to live off of. On the last day of every month, Queen Azra would gather the men from every Hibernian family and send them off to survive or die. They called this Kismet. In this game of cat and mouse, the men of Hibernia were brought to the yard of the kingdom, where they were given exactly thirty seconds to run and evade the guards before they started going after them, gunning them down. Only the quickest would survive. Only the quickest would evade the piercing bullets. Thirteen minutes later, whoever remained from Hibernia brought back to the west a small basket of goods and medical supplies, more than they would’ve gotten over the course of an entire year.

  However, this year, Vladimir Covici had decided to switch things up, turning the game around and hunting down the upper class instead. No more than seven minutes into the chase, Vladimir grabbed onto the arm of one of the queen’s men, forcing him to drop his rifle, before sinking his teeth straight into the guard’s neck, draining him from his very essence until he was left with nothing but a shriveled and pale lifeless body.

  The audience gasped at Vladimir’s brute force of action, his pearly white fangs dripping with warm blood as he let the guard fall onto the grass. At first, the crowd was in shock, unsure of what their eyes were seeing. But then it registered.

  “Demon!” One of the members of the upper class shouted while pointing to Vladimir.

  Before Vladimir could even react, the entire crowd broke into a frenzy and began throwing pitchforks and torches at the man. He desperately tried to run, pushing bystanders aside and slashing at others to move out of his way, but there were simply too many of them. Soon enough, Vladimir Covici came crashing down as hundreds of guards lunged at him, tackling him to the ground and instantly killing him.

  Chapter

  One

  October 31, 1950

  Marietta Covici watched in anticipation and nervousness as her mother fussed with her hair, turning her long locks into tightly neat braids.

  She had been dreading this moment for the past several months, wishing that it was only a dream instead of the nightmare that she was currently living in.

  Any second now, she’d be forced to wed the most ruthless man in all of town.

  Oh, if only her father had been more careful! She could still hear her mother’s words. The way she always told him to keep his fangs in his mouth and avoid revealing them to Luceria at all costs.

  Never let the people see who you really are. Without hesitation, they will come after you and hunt you down until you are no more.

  Marietta always thought it was nothing but a rumor, a tale told to children just to scare them, but it had proven to be the truth, a gruesome truth. And that was more than enough to make her want to hide away and never see the light of day again.

  But no, her mother had other plans for her, plans she had no say in.

  “You have to get ready to meet Lord Blackwell,” she said as she combed thro
ugh her hair.

  Marietta was the most beautiful and desired woman in all of Hibernia, her beauty surpassing far beyond that of others, even more beautiful than the women of Luceria. And she didn’t mind all the attention, all the glares the men gave her whenever they saw her. But knowing that she’d have to settle down and become someone’s property was all beginning to get too much for her.

  As her mother tried to gather another loose strand into a braid, Marietta took a step to the left.

  “That’s enough, Mother,” she insisted.

  Desdemona Covici released her daughter and closed the bedroom door.

  “What you fear, my child, is the same thing I fear, but in order for you, in order for all of us, to remain safe from Queen Azra’s people, you must do as I say and marry her eldest son. It’s the only chance we have of surviving.”

  “Can’t you protect me, Mom?” Marietta asked.

  But Desdemona only shook her head. “You know I can’t, darling. I’m not like you and your father. I’m not special. I’m just… human. I couldn’t protect your father, and I can’t protect you. I’m sorry.”

  With a sigh, Marietta took a seat. Her hands were sweaty, her mind all over the place.

  “I don’t want to go against any of your wishes,” Marietta said. “I trust you, Mother.”

  Desdemona shook her head. Eyes placed on one of the pictures in the room. It was a picture of Marietta’s father, and he was donning an elegant three-piece suit while holding his hat in front of him. He was smiling the way she always remembered.

  It made Marietta uneasy to look at it, however. It had been over ten years since the incident, but she was still traumatized by his death. It was just so… so… unexpected. One minute, he was kissing her on the forehead and promising her he’d bring back a feast to die for, and the next, he was just gone, a motionless pile of flesh lying in the middle of Queen Azra’s backyard.

  In that picture, he looked so human, so similar to everyone else in town, which was why he had been able to get away with his hungry secret for so long.

  If only he hadn’t gotten so hungry, so ravenous for revenge and human blood. But he knew, they all knew, that animal blood could only get them so far, could only quell their hunger so much before they started craving more, an intensity so great that there was nothing strong enough to suppress it.

  And because of that, the men who had already inflicted enough damage upon them finished him off and burnt him to ashes, coming after Desdemona and Marietta soon after. They charged through their front door, but before they could seize them and burn them too, Desdemona grabbed her daughter and what little they could grab, and rushed out the back door, abandoning their home full of memories of how happy they were just the day before.

  After the murder of Vladimir, his wife and daughter went into hiding, camping out in the dark wilderness and spending every night in fear before they ran into Morgana Hastings, Desdemona’s childhood friend.

  “Morgana?” Desdemona asked.

  “Desdemona? Is that really you?” Morgana asked in return.

  Desdemona formed a smile across her face. “My goodness, everyone thought you’d died. No one has seen you in decades!”

  Morgana nodded. “Yes, my dear Desdemona. My parents and I have been living in these woods for the past thirty years We wanted a peaceful life, nothing too loud or chaotic. But then, Queen Azra and her men came. My parents went over by the Black Sea to fish, but they couldn’t make it back in time, not before Queen Azra blockaded Marsonia and… and…” Her voice cracked.

  Desdemona pulled her friend into a hug. “It’s okay, Morgana. It’s okay. Just let it out.”

  “She killed them! She bloody killed them!” Morgana broke out into tears, crying on Desdemona’s thick shoulder. “I told them not to go. I told them we were fine. But they wouldn’t listen. They assured me they’d make it back in time. Such fools.”

  “I’m sorry, Morgana.”

  “Desdemona, dear. Will you please stay with me? The days have been absolutely dreadful living all alone. And I’m too afraid to venture out into the rest of Hibernia. I know what happens out there.”

  Desdemona smiled again. “Actually…I’m glad we found you.” She ushered little Marietta out from behind her. “Say hello to Morgana, Marietta.”

  Shyly, Marietta gave a small wave. “Hi.”

  “We need a place to hide. Queen Azra’s guards are after us, and we are in great need of help. My husband, Vladimir… was killed.” Desdemona finished, bowing her head in sadness.

  “What happened?” Morgana asked.

  “Let’s… let’s just say he died in Kismet.”

  Morgana nodded in understanding. Although she didn’t know the full story, and Desdemona couldn’t drum up the nerve to tell her, Morgana didn’t press for more and allowed them to stay in her cabin.

  Her mother cried, her mind returning to the present. “Lord Blackwell is our last hope,” she said to her daughter. “He is of high power, the treasured elder son of Queen Azra. If anyone can convince the queen to spare our lives, it’s him. He still wants you, despite knowing who we are, who you are. You must take advantage of this. We have no choice. You must marry him.”

  “Yes, Mother,” Marietta obeyed, feeling all the venom and anger seep away from her.

  Despite her feelings of hate and disgust toward the man who was ten years her senior, she knew she had to follow her mother’s wishes. After all, she only wanted what was best for her. Her father had sacrificed his life for them when he tried to retaliate. To fall victim also and let all that go to waste would be a disaster worse than any other.

  Her father was gone. She had to be strong for her mother and keep them all safe. It no longer became a question of if, but when, she would have to make her way over to Castle Vesunna to meet her future husband. Sure, she contemplated running away, but with the guards out looking for her, she knew she wouldn’t be able to get very far.

  Sighing heavily again, she went downstairs, where Morgana was standing by the doorway with a suitcase in one hand. Although they’d only be there for a couple hours, after the incident with her father, Marietta knew she had to prepare herself for anything that may come her way.

  Chapter

  Two

  Whatever rumors were heard of Castle Vesunna didn’t do it justice. It was more ominous than the rumors had said, rumors that included stories of people walking through those doors and never coming out.

  Marietta gathered the folds of her skirt and dusted off her dress to shake the smell of horses and stable from her body. Part of her still hoped that the Lord of Castle Vesunna wasn’t actually as ruthless as the tales she had heard. With her luck, maybe he’d be as handsome as his castle was.

  The view from afar was nothing compared to the lavish hallways and sparkling chandeliers Marietta came face-to-face with as she entered the building, her dainty feet grazing along the silk red rug beneath her.

  Morgana followed her, looking displeased. Pursing her thin lips, she looked with distrust at the guards, who were all standing still with their swords, eyes unmoving. Ever since they took her parents away from her, she’d wanted nothing but revenge, but she was smart enough to know that even one wrong move would be deadly for her.

  Marietta chuckled at the silliness of the guards. Strong enough to take down a full-grown vampire but not strong enough to disobey even the slightest order from the queen. She waved a hand in front of one of the guards, trying to see if he’d blink. He didn’t.

  Morgana threw Marietta a look that would put Desdemona to shame. After all these years, the two of them behaved more and more similarly.

  Lowering her gaze to hide her amusement, Marietta felt Morgana’s eyes pass over her and then back again at the men.

  “This isn’t the time to be laughing,” she said. “This is your future we’re walking into. And ours. If you even blink weird and mess this all up, everything we had planned for is ruined.”

  However, Marietta had a different motive
in mind. She didn’t see this as walking into her future. No, she saw this as walking into her death, her life forever over as a free creature and forever bound as a slave once she uttered those two short words.

  He was dark, they said. The Lord of Castle Vesunna, his moods ridden with sudden outbursts, and his orders of death to those who betrayed him; he was truly a ruthless leader. Sure, she feared him, just like she also feared the wave of anger and rage that she needed to protect her family from, a personality even the toughest of men didn’t dare to go near.

  Morgana cleared her throat while Marietta wiped away a single tear as they stood in front of the ornate wooden door. They didn’t wait long before hearing a loud voice ordering the guards on the other side to move. The door soon swung open, and a man dressed in a long coat approached them, his brows low and his smile hypnotizing. Marietta felt her heart beat as she took a closer look at him. He was gorgeous, with his dark eyes and luscious hair. His natural beauty glistened under the light, enough to make her body swoon when he smiled at her.

  “Ladies,” he said, clearing his throat. His eyes passed between the two of them. “You are here to meet Lord Blackwell, I presume.”

  He said it as an omen rather than a big announcement. Marietta tried not to look too much into what that meant. She smiled her most seductive smile and lowered her gaze the way her mother had taught her to do.

  “Yes, Lord…”

  “Cross.”

  “Lord Cross,” she said, smiling.

  Marietta wondered if Lord Blackwell was as much of a gentleman or as handsome as Lord Cross was. It would be too good to be true, but she could still dream.