Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 17

The reception was held in a varied grand hall. My brother, Lydia, Bridget, and I formed a receiving line by the entrance to thank and greet our guests. Damon endow it on a bit, bowing and pretending to know people he didnt. Compelling them into thinking he was an whatsoevertime(a) friend, no doubt. While Bridget showed wrap up her ring, Lydia gave everyone warm kisses or handshakes or smiles, whatever their relationship dictated. She however laughed when Bram tried to snatch a farewell kiss. Bridget stood by her facial expression, beaming with what formulaed like genuine joy.Thank you for glide slope today, I said time and time again, the words tasting like chalk on my tongue. Were so glad you could come celebrate with us. My thanks for being here today. Pleased to meet you, thank you so much for being here.Stefan Salvatore? demanded a matron in an al closely unmoving thick gray silk dress and pearls, dimension on to my hand for longer than was strictly necessary. She prono unced the e at the end of my last account 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 drive 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 out of my grasp, moving on.Several hundred people later we in conclusion got to sit d own. The bride and grooms board was festooned with palm fronds and garlands of huge flowers, and was covered with every valucapable delicacy you could want to sweep a behavior or show off that you could afford. There was a seafood appetizer of oysters and other delicacies including Scottish plentyd pink-orange and Russian caviar. Then came a main course that consisted of an absolutely staggering number of dead ani mals roasted 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 fruitcake covered in fondant and decorated with scrolls, swoops, columns, and sugar birds. The black-jacketed waiters poured methamphetamine after wish-wash of champagne, and everyone chatted gaily. besides my muscles were tied in knots. The wedding was officially over. Damon and I were legally married into the Sutherland family. It was only a theme 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 nigh ceremonies, its the ladys shopping mall to love, honor, and obey. Shouldnt you be getting one for me, little wife? he smiled, solely in a way I didnt like.Of course Anything for you, dear, Lydia said. Water, wineBlood? D amon prompted.Lydia laughed. If you wish, its my command.Bridget didnt eat any of the expensive repast, leaping up from the table constantly to talk to her friends, holding out her hand and showing off her ring. I spent most of dinner nervously pushing very expensive food around a very expensive plate with a very expensive, very heavy ash gray fork, never taking my eyes off Damon.As dessert came out, 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 n left over(p)ed miserably.Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland are just terrific. And Margaret well, shes a spitfire, but I trust youll be able to win her over eventually.My head snapped up. Have you noticed anything, er, odd about Margaret? Bram had known the Sutherlands since he was born. Perhaps he had some insight into what made Margaret able to wear Damons charms.Bram scratched his floppy black curls. Odd?Yes, shes differ ent from the others. Stronger, I said leadingly.Bram let out a remorseful laugh. Thats for sure. One time when we were younger, I stole her favorite doll to use it as a apply in a war game with my brother. I swear, the look she gave me She didnt even have to touch me to place a painful shock through my entire body. Needless to say, I never played with her toys again.She was able to hurt you without touching you? I pressed, trying to put the pieces together.But just wherefore, 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 strained to look out the windows. Through trees and towers I could see the mighty Hudson and the Palisades, a gold sun shining down on the sparkling river, the green 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 i nto the top of New Yorks highest society.We entered a dark-paneled smoking room, and Winfield immediately set about pouring some ruby-red 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, heave his glass.Winfield agreed 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 frame into a large desk chair. Damon leaned forward expectantly. I tighten in my seat, ready for whatever would come next.The matter of a dowry.I squeezed my hands together. Damon grinned, exposing his gleaming canines. He threw himself on to a velvet couch. Just what I was going to ask you about, Father. You dont mind me calling you that, do you?Not at all, my boy, Winfield said, offering Damon a cigar.My brother took it, circumspectionfully trimming and lighting the end in a matter so professional I wondered where he picked up the habit.The two sat snorting for a moment, releasing large clouds of smoke into the tiny 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 corner of his mouth, around the cigar.I have several mines in Virginia one is gold. They could use some managing. And wherefore there are the railway shares Ive bought intoMy brother widened his eyes. I looked away, unable to bear watching him have this poor man. I would prefer cash, 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? Winfield asked politely.to a sw eller extent like a quarter.An automaton, Winfield mindlessly agreed to everything Damon suggested.But I couldnt figure it out would this keep Winfield natural rubber? Would Damon just keep him around, ordering whatever he pleased out of him?Im glad youre so interested about taking care of my girls in the manner 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 checks and a pen. In a moment it was done, and Winfield presented me with a check with so many zeroes on it, it was but 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, u naware 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 Mystic Falls, and something no one wanted to be responsible for causing. It was a d resentmentous thing to disappoint my brother. He crumpled the check in his hands.You didnt mention that before, he growled, waving the sherry under my nose. I stiffened, my thirst making my fangs burn.Im going 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 darkness where I belonged.