Winter Legacy -4.2-

Hayley was exhausted, all the hypnotizing and mental work was starting to wear her out. She had awakened the next morning to some of the most beautiful music she had ever heard. She stepped out of the bedroom and stared at the man she had been assigned to. There was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched him play, she realized that for a human he was remarkable, tall, muscular, handsome. But she knew that Shawn's fascination with him was more than skin deep. 

Mentally Cupid Winter was on a higher level than any human she had ever explored. On the outside he was ridiculous, he was an idiot, he was immature. It made no sense, he was unaware of his own potential. 

She stood, watching as he strummed the guitar, sweet music surrounded her. Hayley felt somewhat guilty for what she had done to him, what she was still doing to him, what she was about to do to him. Her eyes met his and she frowned. Cupid's eyes looked so dull, listless, she couldn't delve into his mind anymore, he was at his limit.

Hayley whipped out her cellphone and pushed a button which speed dialed Shawn. "Hayley, how's our newest member doing?"

"He's at his limit, I've shown him everything he will ever need to know. Do you want me to turn him now?"

"Hayley darling, there's been a change of plans, invitations have been sent out, the entire clan will meet at the Winter house for your wedding this evening."

"Wedding?"

"Yes Hayley, Cupid is very important to my plans and so are you."

"Shawn...I...I can't."

"I never asked you if you could, I already told you that you would. You will marry him and turn him. As you are both still 'babies' there should be enough human in you to reproduce. You are my best huntress and as far as what I want from Cupid, well, I wish for your best assets to be combined."

Hayley was taken aback, being a huntress did not require her to actually marry and have children with her prey, just bring them over to the dark side. She was not at all pleased with Shawn's change of plans.

"Is there a problem? Let me remind you that even though you have a few characteristics that I desire in my clan, you are disposable."

Hayley's heart hammered inside her chest. "Yes ma'am."

"Oh, one more thing."

"I'm listening  Mistress."

"Cupid's younger brother, I want him changed."

"Mistress, Shayne is not a part of..."

"He knows too much about us after Rudolph messed up, you either change him or he dies."

Hayley heard Cupid coming up behind her. Shawn was an ancient vampire, any emotions she had was gone with the blood in her veins. "Further, I am not oblivious to your obvious attachment to Cupid, remember that it is your mission to wed and reproduce but Cupid is mine."

"Yes ma'am."

Hayley was celebrating her twenty-first birthday when she was turned, amazing how oblivious drugs and alcohol could make a person. Shawn targeted those who joined her clan, it was important for her clan to be the best, the elite. Hayley, like all young women dreamed about the moment the love of her life proposed to her, she dreamed about the perfect wedding day. Having a man who was so deep in a trance that he didn't even know what day it was was never a part of her plan. 

Hayley looked at the rock on her finger, true it was beautiful, a family heirloom but she couldn't appreciate it.

Her guests began to arrive just as the sun was setting. Cameron brought up the dress that Hayley immediately changed into. "You're beautiful." He told her.

"You know your words mean nothing to me." She told him darkly. "This is my wedding day, it should be perfect. Instead I get a zombie and the undead."

"You also get your sister."

"My sweet innocent sister that I nearly killed after somebody changed me. She hates this as much as I do, she was engaged to be married."

Cameron stared at the woman, "It's not ideal but you've taken a liking to the human and I'm sure you will love your future children. Think of this as an opportunity to get what you were robbed of."

"My children are going to be Shawn's servants just like you and everyone else in this clan of the damned. Now, I will meet you downstairs."

"You change him after the vows." Cameron said as he departed.

Hayley trembled out of reflex rather than discomfort as a light, drafty breeze blew past her. Vampires were gathering at the arch as Hayley stood under it with Cupid. She wanted to wake him now, but then what? He couldn't run, someone would jump in the second he even thought about it, Shawn would kill her and then fry Cupid's brain. She had no choice but to go through with the plan.

The vows were said, the kiss was planted.

Then the vampires stood, their eyes glowing in the darkness. Shawn clenched her fist in anticipation, she had been the first female leader of this clan and she'd be damned if she messed things up, she would leave her name on this clan and would be remembered for millenia. 

Hayley hesitated at Cupid's neck, trying to gain some self-control. She had been eating plasma fruit and plasma juice since she attacked her sister, the thought of Cupid's warm fresh blood nearly sent her crazy with desire.

She took a deep breath then sunk her teeth into Cupid's neck, slurping lightly, biting her own tongue and allowing her blood to mingle with his.

When the deed was done she gave Cameron a forlorn look, the other vampire's eyes told her that he knew what she was feeling.

Hayley looked up at the night sky. Twenty-five years, that's how long she had lived under Shawn's reign, a ridiculously short time compared to most but she had had enough. She wondered how the others did it, how they bowed to the ruthless woman. Fear. Fear made them do it, but Hayley was too much of a rebel to live in fear for too long, too much of a rebel to live under any kind of system for too long, that's what got her to this point in the first place. 

How much longer would it be before she finally broke?