Free Caressed by a Crimson Moon (Rulers of Darkness) by Amanda J. Greene

mausoleum. He hadn’t been “normal” for over three hundred years. He no longer understood the definition of the word.

 
    Chapter Five
     
     
     
     
     
     
    “This first level is considered the social floor. Here, you will find everything,” Falcon had stated at the beginning of the tour and he was right.
    He had kicked off the excursion with breakfast, showing Eva the massive kitchen, large enough to cook for an army, and the smaller dining room, which could easily seat fifty. While Falcon explained how he had done everything possible to maintain the historical integrity of the castle through the extensive construction, Eva had savored a bowl of Frosted Flakes, a staple she had sorely missed while living deep within the Amazon.
    When she had finished, it was on to the billiards room, complete with seven tables, a full bar that extended across one wall along with a collection of old video arcade games. What interested her the most were the various polished suits of armor and medieval weaponry that decorated the room.
    Next, the monstrous movie theater with rows upon rows of oversized recliner seats, a popcorn machine, a slushy bar, and vending machines filled with a three-year supply of candy.
    “I thought vampires couldn’t eat food,” she said as she paused to snag a Snickers bar, another delicacy she had been deprived of far too long.
    “It’s not that we can’t, but we generally abstain from food. Occasionally, I do like to enjoy a hot fudge sundae,” he answered with a shrug. “Now, we have an obscenely large movie database which begins with silent films and ends with the latest box office releases. This theater is also connected to the Internet and you can instantly stream videos on the screen.”
    Eva’s eyes grew wide with shock. She now knew what she would be doing for the next few days, catching up on all the films she had missed over the years.
    As she tried to plan her movie marathon, debating whether she should begin with chick-flicks or horror, Falcon showed her into the solarium, w ith wall-to-wall windows, which were covered by heavy, retractable metal shades and housed only night blooming flowers.
    Eva’s jaw dropped when Falcon took her across the hall to the five-story library. Books extended from floor to ceiling and lined every wall. Tight, spiral staircases stood in each corner, every level accessible by wrought iron landings and walkways. It was a windowless space, except for a small reading nook tucked in the far left corner.
    “My king’s book collection is so extensive that we’ve changed many of the smaller rooms in the keep into storage. Feel free to read whatever you like, we have every genre you can think of published in every language. Even a few from antiquity and various other periods.”
    Has the king read all of these books? Eva wondered.
    Still dazed, Eva let Falcon guide her through the castle to the gym. She had never seen so many pieces of workout equipment. Dark blue mats covered the floor up to the full sized basketball court and stadium stands.
    “I’ve saved the best for last,” Falcon said ushering her from the gym. They entered the hall and ascended a wide staircase to the second level. He pushed open a set of double doors and Eva was swept away.
    The pool was long and narrow with glistening, tropical blue water. Lounge chairs lined the sides while a fully stocked bar was situated along the back wall, which was lined with covered windows. White, smooth marble columns reached to the ceiling, which was also lined with steel window covers. At night, the shades would retract allowing the brilliant moon to light the pool. The stars would twinkle as snow fell all around. The room would look like something out of a travel magazine, a pool area that belonged to an extravagant hotel.
    Eva was speechless as she wandered about the expansive room. This castle had everything. Never in her life had she imagined she would be staying in a place this beautiful.
    Stepping