Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Mary
“So what’s it like being the blood slave to the king?” Nevaeh asked me as we were sitting down at the table enjoying some fresh squeezed orange juice and scrambled eggs. Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.
After my rendezvous with Nikolai this morning I was starving. Who knew that being a meal for a Vampire would leave you so damn hungry.
“Umm.. I’m not really sure yet.” I answered honestly. “He’s pretty brooding and really bossy, but I guess that’s what comes with being King.”
“Hmm..” Nevaeh said, while pushing her eggs around her plate with her fork, I could tell something was on her mind, but she seemed nervous to ask.
“Nevaeh,” I called to her, causing her eyes to look up from her plate and look into mine as I reached over the table to grab her hand in mine, hoping to calm her nerves, “You know you can ask me anything right?”
Nevaeh squiggled in her seat; from the way she was acting, I knew whatever she wanted to ask was going to be bad. She looked around to make sure no one was within earshot before whispering, “Is there more going on between you and the Vampire King, than just the feedings?”
I’m sure my face looked as confused as I felt because Nevaeh quickly backtracked, “ All I mean, is that he went batshit crazy when he was looking for you last night, this morning Kade casually mentioned that The King wouldn’t kill his subjects for just anyone, and then when we walked in on you guys, it just seemed like we were interrupting a moment.” Nevaeh spit out quickly, her ears tinging read with embarrassment, “You know what, just forget that I even asked.”
“Nevaeh,” I responded, looking into her eyes. “You’re my friend, my only friend. You can ask me anything, and I’ll answer to the best of my ability. As for your earlier question, No, nothing is going on
between the Vampire king and I. Last night Nikolai was in a fit of rage because I disobeyed him once again, I’m afraid, that I’m the reason those women are dead.”
Nevaeh let out a hiss, interrupting me. “Those women are dead, because they deserved it. They treated you, a human being just like them, like you were nothing. They locked you up and tortured you. Don’t you ever blame yourself for their deaths,” Nevaeh spat out angrily.
“But.. If I had listened and gone to the Queen’s quarters as Nikolai had instructed, then none of this would’ve happened.” I mumbled quietly, my head cast down starring at the table.
“That doesn’t matter Mary.” Nevaeh said in a calming tone. “Even if you did listen, the moment you entered that Blood Slave corridor, the women would’ve still found you threatening. They would still have captured and tortured you. All your not listening did was speed up the process.”
“Hmmm.. I guess that is true.” I said, feeling some of the weight lift off my chest, “And to the second part of your you guys didn’t interrupt anything this morning, Nikolai fed off of me.” I said pulling my hair off to the side, to show her my newest scar, two fang marks imprinted in my neck.
Nevaeh let out a sharp gasp, her hands flying over mouth.
“What? What is it?” I asked concerned, wondering if the bite had become infected.
“He..” Nevaeh stammered, pointing at my neck, “H…He…He ma…ma…marked you.”
I looked a Nevaeh puzzled trying to comprehend what she was saying, “Well yeah he marked me.” I replied nervously, kicking my legs back and forth on the chair, “It’s just a scar though, it’ll fade in time. Don’t all vampires leave fang marks?”
“Marking isn’t the same as scars from a bite.” Nevaeh said in a hushed tone, continuing to look around, afraid, someone might walk in at any given moment.
“Ummm… okay, so what is marking?” I asked Nevaeh, my voice laced with concern and worry
“He’s made you his. If anyone sees that mark they know that you belong to him. He’s basically injected you with his DNA.” Nevaeh whispered.
“Wait what does that mean, injected me with his DNA?” I asked worriedly. Was I going to turn into a vampire now?
At that moment a female vampire walked into the dinning hall. She glared at Nevaeh and I before passing by into the kitchens.
“We shouldn’t talk about this here.” Nevaeh whispered. “We will talk in your room.” Nevaeh said standing up from the table and walking towards the door. “Oh and Mary, make sure to keep that mark covered, it’ll cause you to have many enemies.”
My heart pounded in my chest as I followed Nevaeh out of the dinning hall. Just what exactly did Nikolai do.
As I walked down the hall towards my office, I felt happy. Mary had willingly let me feed on her, and it had been an amazing experience, one I cannot wait to repeat. And with Nevaeh reaching Mary the correct behavior for a blood slave, I felt like I was on the top of the world, like nothing could bring me down today.
I skidded to a halt right outside my office door, taking my focus off of Mary and onto the matter at hand. I was going to talk to a Fae to find out what it was about Mary that intrigued me so much. I tried my hardest to maintain a neutral expression. I needed to be seen as the fierce Vampire King- not some giddy little school boy.
As I entered my office, I saw none other than Ambrose, the Fae Prince. Why would the send such a high power Fae to meet with me? Was it a show of power, did the Fae want to make it seem like they were
willing and ready to aid me? So many questions rushed through my brain all at once, but I couldn’t voice any of them
“Prince Ambrose.” I said nodding my head towards my guest, acknowledging his Prince.
“King Nikolai,” Ambrose replied walking towards me with a smile on his face, his hand extended out, “What an honor.”
I took his hand in mine, shaking it. “The honor is all mine Ambrose, thank you for coming all this
way.”
“The Faeries are ready and willing to assist the supernatural king, with whatever it is he needs.” Ambrose said with a smile on his face.
Ah, so Ambrose’s presence is a basic pledge of fealty, what do the Fae know that I don’t. The Fae sometimes got glimpses of the future but they hardly ever talked about what they saw as they didn’t want to mess with the fates.
“So,” Ambrose said, taking a seat opposite my desk,” How may I assist the king today?”
“Well,” I said suddenly feeling nervous, “there’s this woman….”
“Ahh, say no more,” Ambrose said interrupting me. “Do you need me to enchant her? Will she be our future Queen?”
I chuckled dryly, trying to hide my annoyance at the mention of a future Queen. “No, no, no, none of that.” I said waving my hands and shaking my head trying to stir the conversation away from love and future Queens. “It’s about a human woman.”
“Oh,” Ambrose said, leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs, his interest peaked. “Please do continue.”
“I met her at the blood auction, her scent drove my vampire side mad, he just had to have her. I have never felt so much bloodlust before, I felt like if I didn’t sink my teeth into her right then and there, I’d shrivel up and die.
“Hmm interesting,” Ambrose said raising his hand to stroke his long white beard. “And did you given in? Did you drain her dry?”
“No,” I said shaking my head again. “Instead, I found myself buying the blood slave and taking her here with me. Once she was in the palace my beast has felt this strong urgency to protect her.”
“Is that so?” Ambrose inquired, and is there anything else weird that happens between your beast and her, or either you and her.”
I took a deep breath, not wanting to tell Ambrose anymore, but also feeling the urge to chat with him and see if he could discover anything.,
“When I’m near her, my beast purrs, and when we touch, it feels like tiny sparks of pleasure are running up and down my body.”
“Tell me king Nikolai, have you ever heard of soul mates, or of the mate bond?”