All Chapters of The Vampire's Tribute: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Olivia’s POVFor a length of several very long heartbeats, I stood frozen, fear clenching me in its ice cold grip.How could this be happening to Keri? So many others of us had been passed over for years, but here, in her first time in the lottery, she was to be so unlucky as to be chosen?There must have been some kind of mistake.Immediately, I started forward, ready to confront the King’s Voice. Perhaps he had remembered the wrong name. They must have meant someone else.I only made it one step before Jacob snaked his arm around my waist and gripped me tightly, restraining me fully from stepping forward.In my ear, he hissed, “What are you doing?”“This can’t be right,” I said. This couldn’t be real. “She’s only fifteen.”“Fifteen is old enough for tribute,” Jacob said.“She’s my sister.”“I’m sorry, Olivia,” Jacob said, his voice softening. “But that’s just the way of it.”Could he be so resigned if this had been his sister?No, maybe I was being unfair to him. He had a good relat

Olivia’s POVLeft in this room for a time, with the vampire guards watching but not touching or directing us, the other tributes started to talk and gossip.I overheard Number 4 introducing herself to the other girls, and learned her name was Lucy. She was proud of having such a low number, though, and insisted that a few of the girls address her as such. I imagined, had she deigned to speak to me that she would give me the same direction.Ignoring her, I tried to focus on some of the other girls’ gossip instead. From them, I learned that tonight was a Blood Feast, a ceremony for vampires who would choose and take away their favorite tributes. The highest ranking vampires had priority, picking first about the rest.To my shock, many of the girls were actually hopeful to be chosen by one of these high ranking members. Lucy, it seemed, was one of them.“I’m sure with my low number, that I will be chosen right away,” Lucy boasted. “I have good breeding, and my blood is strong.” She shot

Other POVWith the Vampire Duke Damien’s fingers still hooked under Olivia’s collar, she fainted.Damien’s red eyes, usually cold, dropped into subzero temperatures as he took in the sight of fingerprint bruises and vampire bite-marks on Olivia’s skin.The other vampires were afraid of Damien. Even those who had not personally witnessed his strength knew of his reputation.The Vampire Duke was not to be trifled with.After his visual inspection of Olivia’s body, where he counted each and every mark, he lifted his gaze to the vampires who had been sitting at this table. To those who had dared to touch and taste that which did not belong to them.“Who has hurt this tribute?” Damien demanded of the group.As the original vampire, Damien had many special abilities that other vampires did not. His most powerful of which was his ability to control other vampires and other creatures, no matter how strong they were. No one could escape Damien’s command.He used this ability now, stretching ou

Damien’s POVI wasn’t even supposed to be here. The Blood Feast was still ongoing, and while I didn’t ever directly participate in the activities, I generally observed them.When I was told that my wolfless tribute’s wounds continued to worsen, with Sophia even relaying that the tribute was inferior and would die soon, I didn’t seem much point in continuing to oversee the Blood Feast.My hopes had been mildly lifted at the thought of being entertained by such sweet-tasting blood. To know that was no longer possible soured my mood straight back to indifference.I certainly wasn’t going out of my way to visit the PET hospital, I just happened to go for a walk, and that walk led me near the exterior building. And from there, I caught a whiff of the blood I had hoped to savor tonight.I still didn’t understand why that blood called to me. But I couldn’t deny the smell… the taste… was somehow special to me.It was annoying to not be able to remember, but that wasn’t all that uncommon for m

Olivia’s POVThe blood drained from my face, but I wasn’t ready to admit defeat yet. “I don’t understand what you mean.”Damien hummed. Lightly, he said, “Vampires have very good hearing, mine even better than most. I can hear your heartbeat from across a crowded room. Of course I can hear it flutter as you lie.”I stiffened, realizing I was truly caught now.Damien dropped my hair then caught my chin, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. He wasn’t gentle as he forced my gaze back up to his. “A pet could never lie to her master. This is two mistakes you’ve made so far. Two slights against me. You must be punished now, if only a little.”“If you let me explain, I can –”Damien did not allow me to finish my plea. Instead, in a flash, he lifted the chains high enough on my neck to expose my artery. Then, extending his fangs, he sank them into my flesh.His fangs were so cold and the pierce so sharp that I cried out in pain. I tried to get away, but he grabbed me roughly by the s