Filed to story: The Vampire Prince’s Bride
I opened the door to the balcony, and the sunlight poured through, so bright that it felt like I was looking directly at the sun. I blinked a few times, but that didn’t stop the light from feeling like it was burning my retinas. I needed a seriously strong pair of sunglasses. But I didn’t have any right now, so I forced myself to step out onto the balcony and into the sun.
As expected, it burned my skin. You know that feeling when you’ve been sitting outside for too long and you know you’re going to have terrible sunburn? It was like that times ten. Every instinct in my body told me to go back inside, but I fought it. I even pushed up my sleeves, forcing myself to feel the sun against as much of my skin as possible. Forcing myself to endure the burn.
I deserved this pain after killing those people. I should make stepping out into the scorching sun a routine-a reminder of everyone who’d died because of me.
I walked to the railing and placed my hands down upon it, gazing out at the kingdom before me. Walls surrounded the perimeter of the palace. Right outside of them were the magnificent, ornate buildings that made up the vampire town. Empty merchant stalls were out on the main squares, and the streets were deserted, as the vampires were inside and likely asleep.
Beyond the magnificence of the town were the old, cracking buildings of the human village. The village was also quiet, as the humans kept the vampires’ nocturnal schedule as well.
The entire kingdom was tucked between colossal mountains covered in powdery snow. The sky was a crystal clear blue overhead-it all came together to look like a perfect photo one might see on a postcard.
Come see the Canadian Rocky Mountains! Just watch out for the vampires who might bite you and kill you-or worse, turn you into a monster.
I didn’t have time to chuckle at my terrible joke before a gust of wind blew from the mountains, bringing forward a smell that sent my senses on overdrive and coaxed my fangs out of my gums.
Human blood.A red, filmy haze passed over my eyes. I needed that blood. And it was all there, in front of me for the taking.
So I was going to take it.
My room was too high up to jump, so I leaped from the balcony and scaled the wall down, careful not to get near any windows. I couldn’t risk anyone spotting me.
If they spotted me, they might try to stop me. And if they stopped me, I’d continue to starve.
No one was going to stand in my way of that fresh, warm blood.
It didn’t take long before I dropped down to the grass below, and I brushed myself off, hurrying to the wall surrounding the palace. However, unlike the stones that made up the exterior of the palace-the stones that allowed me to find placeholders for my hands and feet-this wall was made of smooth concrete. Climbing it was impossible, and it was too high to jump.
If my room had been at the back of the palace, I would have been home free, since the back of the palace made up the back of the wall. But of course, my room-a room for a prince of the Vale-was in front, overlooking the kingdom.
I supposed I’d have to leave the way everyone else did-through the front gate.
I glanced up at the open doors to my balcony, and something tugged at the back of my mind. A quiet voice telling me that the wall around the palace was there for a reason and that I should go back while I still could.
But I pushed the voice aside in favor of the tantalizing scent of human blood that had sent my senses buzzing. If I didn’t get that blood, I would starve to death. Or go crazy. I was already going crazy. I wouldn’t take much-not enough to kill. I’d only take enough to keep me satiated. Enough to make me feel sane again.
Laila had wanted me to learn to control my bloodlust.
Challenge accepted.
I followed the wall to the entrance. Four guards stood at alert, under a covered awning to stay out of the sun. They wore clothing that covered nearly every part of their skin, and sunglasses over their eyes. Gleaming swords were strapped to each one of their sides.
“Prince Sean.” The guard closest to me-the only woman of the four-recognized me in a heartbeat. “You’re not allowed to leave the palace. Queen Laila’s orders.”
She and the other guards lined up along the entrance, creating a barrier between the town and me. But they didn’t reach for their swords. Thanks to the reading I’d been doing in the library, I knew why. The vampires of the Vale were very intense about their royal hierarchy. They wouldn’t raise a hand against me-a prince-unless absolutely necessary.
I itched to run past them to get to the humans as quickly as possible. But the moment I stepped outside the palace walls, I’d be going against Queen Laila’s orders and they’d have the right to attack. I was strong, but I didn’t have the fighting experience to go against four trained guards.
However, since I was a royal, there was one thing I had that they didn’t.
Compulsion.
I didn’t know how to use compulsion-I’d never tried before. But it was my best chance to get to those humans, so now was as good of a time as ever to try.
“Queen Laila changed her mind.” I focused on how desperate I was to get to that human blood and forced every bit of determination and willpower into my voice as possible, looking at each of them as I spoke. “You will let me pass, and you’ll mention this encounter to no one. And you.” I looked at the guard wearing a sleek pair of Oakley sunglasses. “You’re going to give me your glasses. And your hat.”
Yes, my original purpose of coming outside was to torture myself by sunlight. But now that I had a greater purpose-getting to that human blood-I needed as much protection against the sun as possible.
He removed his sunglasses and hat and handed them to me, his eyes dazed.
I couldn’t see the others’ eyes behind their glasses, but they all stepped to the side, giving me room to pass.
My compulsion had worked.
But I didn’t have time to marvel over this new discovery. Because that blood was waiting, and the more time I wasted, the hungrier I became.
So I put on the hat and sunglasses and rushed through the vampire town toward the human village, following the scent that called to me like a siren’s song-the human blood.A few more guards stopped me in the vampire town, but they were as easy to compel as the ones at the palace. Still, I kept to the edge of town, so I’d run into as little trouble as possible.
As I ran, the smell of the blood grew stronger and stronger, until I crossed the invisible line to enter the ramshackle human village.
The glorious scent of warm blood surrounded me, wafting through the tiny windows that had been open to let in the crisp winter air.
I zeroed in on the nearest building and ran toward it. The door was locked, but the lock was cheap-it was clearly meant to keep out humans, not vampires. With my strength, I forced it open without a problem, barely making a sound.
The building was some sort of laundry facility-the first floor was filled with washers and driers. There wasn’t a soul around. But my body was working on instinct now, and I headed straight to where the scent of blood was coming from-the stairs.
I ran upstairs, staying light on my feet so I didn’t wake anyone up, and… jackpot.
It was a room full of bunk beds, with women sleeping on each bunk.
Now that I was in the same room as the humans, the red haze of bloodlust took over completely. I needed blood, and I needed as much of it as possible. The blood sang to me, urging me to stop fighting what I’d become and to take what I needed.
Fighting wasn’t worth the hunger, the anxiety, and the sleepless nights. I was strong, I was an immortal, and I wouldn’t let Laila deprive me of the blood I needed.
Rage consumed me at the thought of the deceptive queen, and I ran for the closest woman, smiling and sinking my fangs into her neck.