The Vampire King’s Captive

MARIA

“Why are you dressed like that?”

It was the day for Iris’ welcome party, and the host, currently standing on Maria’s doorstep, was wearing a simple straight gown that reached her ankles.

“What’s wrong with my gown?” Iris frowned, pulling the material away from her body to examine it.

“There’s nothing wrong with it except for that fact that it’s too casual to wear for your own party, don’t you think?” Maria subtly stepped out of the way, making space for Iris to pass but she kept her feet firmly planted on the mat.

“Oh,” Realisation flicked across her features and she waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll change once I get to the castle. There’s time.”

Maria nodded, now understanding why she was wearing that gown. She had probably showed up like this because she didn’t want her gown to get rumpled or stained while coming here.

Still, Maria hedged. “Do you want to come inside for a few minutes before we go?” Her eyes flicked to the car sitting in the driveway. “Your driver wouldn’t mind, would he?”

“We can go now.”

“But-”

Iris rolled her eyes and linked her hand through Maria’s, tugging her out of the house and down the steps.

“Wait, I didn’t lock the door.” Maria complained, trying to get her arm out of Iris’ hold but if anything, Iris held on tighter. “I can’t just leave it open!”

“I’ll lock it for you!” A voice called back and Maria turned to see her mother standing at the threshold of the house, grinning wide as she watched Iris drag her daughter away.

She knew that Iris was Bran’s sister and she also knew about the party. Her mother had supported her going, telling her that the best way to get over a man was to see him constantly until his face blended with the hundred other men’s faces she saw until there was nothing special about him anymore.

It didn’t quite make sense to Maria because seeing him would remind her of her loss-she was sure of it-so how was it possible that she would become so used to seeing him that she wouldn’t care for him anymore?

“Have a good day!” Iris shouted to Maria’s mother as they entered the car, sealing Maria’s fate.

Oh gods.

Two days ago when she’d agreed to attend the party, all that she’d been thinking about was making Iris happy. Now that she was sitting in the car, on the way to the vampire realm to see the man that had broken her heart so thoroughly, now that she was facing reality, she was freaking the hell out.

How was she going to react when she saw him? Would she walk over and say ‘hello’ like nothing had happened?

Or what if he came to her? Could she actually string words together and speak to him or would she cower away with her broken heart?

“Hey,” came Iris’ soft, lilting voice that had Maria’s head turning to the right. “I can literally hear you thinking over there. It’s going to be okay.”

Maria shook her head. “I know, I just… Your brother is going to be there and…” She trailed off, unable to find the right words to express what she was feeling. Her thoughts were utter chaos and she could not make sense of them.

Iris covered Maria’s hand with hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I understand. I’ll be by your side when you have to face him, I promise.”

“I’ll appreciate it.” She didn’t know how much that could do but at least it was something.

The remainder of the journey went on with mild conversation. When they reached the portal that each dimension had, Iris kept talking about how cool-and deceptive-they were. It reminded Maria that she now possessed the ability to trace into another dimension without using a portal and a smile graced her lips as she thought of how powerful she had become.

She was now an immortal-yes, she’d found out when she nicked herself and the injury healed in less than a minute-and the Queen of Sorceri. After a long conversation with her mother, she’d found out that she hadn’t known the extent of her powers before because she hadn’t hit her immortality. Her mortal body had been too weak to contain her full powers so they had decided to wait until she was immortal before they merged with her.

Maria blinked when she realized that the car wasn’t moving anymore. They were parked at a very crowded street. In fact, it was so crowded, she could barely see past the throng of people.

“What’s going on?” She asked, and it was Iris that spoke, not the driver.

“The road is blocked and we can’t get through.” Iris was already moving to open the door. “We’ll have to walk the rest of the way to the castle.”

Iris, the vampire princess, was going to walk? Past these people?

As Maria stepped down from the car, she craned her neck but she couldn’t see any signs of the castle. Turning to Iris, she asked, “How long is the walk to the castle exactly?”

“Not long,” Iris called back. She rounded the car and clung to Maria’s side as they fought their way through the crowd.

Wait a minute…

They weren’t fighting their way through. Not at all.

The crowd was parting for them, people stepping out of the way for them to pass as if they were people of authority. Well, Iris was a person of authority but Maria was not-or maybe she was as of recent, but not here.

Why were there no looks of surprise on the people’s faces as they passed?

Or was it so common for the Princess to move around the city on foot?

Maybe it was, but Maria couldn’t help but feel like something more was at play here. The looks on the people’s faces as they parted for them to pass was both curious and expectant, like they were waiting for something to happen.

It was then that Maria remembered that these people now knew who she was. And that they hated her with a vengeance.

Her hackles rose and she became ten times more conscious of herself, of the way the people were looking at her, wondering if it was malice she saw and not curiousity. She was even sure she saw sneers on some of their faces.

“Iris…” She tugged on the teenager’s arm, her steps slowing. They were now in a clearing which happened to be the center of a very wide circle. A circle of bodies. Her heart started racing. “Why are they-” she stopped abruptly when, up ahead on the opposite side she and Iris had come from, the crowd parted, revealing a man so huge and tall that she didn’t know how it was possible that the crowd had covered him in the first place.

A man whose sheer presence made Maria’s heart quicken, her breaths shallow and rational thoughts flee her mind.

The first and only man she had ever loved.

Bran.

His shoulders were so wide, they brushed the people on the sides as he walked past them in that predatory stride. Sure and so fucking sensual it reminded her of the kind of explosive passion they’d had, it made Maria’s heart race. And he seemed to be coming towards the circle too.

Yet then his steps faltered, a leg hanging mid-air in a half stride when he saw her standing there. His eyes didn’t move to Iris, not for the briefest moment. He just stared at her and Maria stared at him too and they just stood there, staring at each other.

He was leaner.

That was the first thing Maria noticed.

She’d seen him wear that shirt before and he usually filled it beautifully but now, he could barely even fill it. His jeans, too, seemed to hang lower on his hips and not because he wanted it too but because they were now slightly bigger than him.

Lines of stress and sadness marred his face, taking his handsomeness and cloaking it in something that looked a lot like sadness. His lips were downturned, his once lively green eyes lacking their fire and appearing bleak and empty.

He was unhappy. Terribly.

And he wasn’t eating well either.

A truckload of emotions slammed into her and she turned abruptly, pulling free of Iris. There was no welcome party. Iris had obviously set her up.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

How could she not have known that there was something fishy going on?

She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t face Bran. She had to leave.