Filed to story: The Vampire Prince’s Bride
Perhaps the wolves that lived outside of the Vale were different than the ones who resided outside of the Carpathian Kingdom? I could only hope so. Because the ones who prowled along the fortified walls of our castle were monsters.
“Is that an agreement that you’ll do it?” he asked.
“It was an agreement that the plan could possibly be done,” I began, since I didn’t intend on doing this for nothing. I expected he knew me well enough to be aware of that. “But as you know, doing this will be a huge risk to my person. The target that will be on my back if I get caught will not be one that can be erased.”
“So don’t get caught,” he said simply.
“I don’t intend to,” I said. “But if I do this for you… what’s in it for me?”
“The ability to continue to live in this kingdom once your task is complete.” He raised his voice, his gazed locked on mine.
“You would truly kick me out?” I raised an eyebrow and smiled, since I knew he wouldn’t. Firstly, I resembled Laila, and he would never harm Laila. Secondly, as one of his sired princesses, I was like a daughter to him. The original vampires would never admit it, but there was a chemical bond that formed between a sire and the vampires they turned. It was one of those things that we all knew and understood, but never discussed. “What would become of me if you kicked me out?” I allowed my voice to quiver so he could hear my fear. “You would feed me to the wolves? Let their monstrous teeth rip at my flesh, leaving not even the bones?”
He flinched, and I knew I had him.
“No.” I shook my head, letting out a long breath. “I know you wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“What is it you want?” he asked with a tilt of his head. “You’re royalty of the Carpathian Kingdom. You have everything you could ever need within the castle walls.” He motioned around the cavernous throne room to demonstrate what he meant.
“The one thing I want-the one personI want-is one I can never have,” I said, allowing my gaze to drift to the floor.
“Peter,” he said simply.
“Yes.” I blinked away tears at his name.
“My dear Karina,” he said slowly, pity showing in his eyes. “Peter has been gone for decades. We both know it’s impossible for him to return…” He sounded as if he was about to continue, but then his gaze went far off, as if an idea had crossed through his mind.
“What?” I asked, taking a step forward. “What is it?”
“The last time Marigold reported back from the Vale, it was with interesting news,” he said. “The Crystal Cavern has been disturbed.”
“And you think that what?” I asked, since like all vampires, I knew all about the Crystal Cavern and the dark artifacts it held. “Is there something inside of the Crystal Cavern that can bring Peter back to our world?”
My breath caught at the chance. Could it be possible? Like all vampires of the Carpathian Kingdom who were killed, Peter’s body was kept in the crypt of the castle. It was locked inside to be kept safe for all of eternity. Vampires didn’t erode like mortals did, so Peter’s body was still in tact.
The only thing missing from it was his soul.
A soul had never been returned to a vampire’s body before. But if there were a chance…
“The sapphire ring,” Nicolae spoke. “More specifically, Geneva herself.”
“But Geneva’s a witch,” I said, and all of the hope that had gathered in my body left as quickly as it had arrived. “No witch in all of history has been able to restore the dead.”
“No witch in all of history has been as powerful as Geneva,” Nicolae reminded me. “Her power scared all other supernaturals-so much that they locked her away forever. If anyone can succeed where the others failed, it would be her.”
“It’s a miracle they didn’t kill her,” I said. “That’s what the vampires would have done.”
“The witches are a generally peaceful people,” he said with a chuckle. “Which is why they don’t have anywhere close to the political power of vampires in the supernatural world. It’s also why they were so scared of Geneva. She was different… she had a hunger for power that the witches never quite understood. Locking her in the sapphire ring was supposed to get rid of her without resorting to murder. But I know for a fact that Laila has a personal reason for wanting to bring back Geneva.” He narrowed his eyes again, anger blazing across them. “And I’ve never known Laila to not get something she wants.”
“So you think she’ll get Geneva’s sapphire ring?” I asked.
“I know she will,” he said. “I’ve expected it since Geneva was banished. And I promise you that if you work with the wolves to successfully bring down the Vale, I’ll get that ring from Laila and command Geneva to bring yourPeter back.”
“Are you willing to make a blood oath on that promise?” I asked, not allowing my gaze to leave his.
“I am.” He nodded.
“Good.” I smiled. “Then once the blood oath is complete, we have a deal.”
Sean
I was gazing out the window and finishing my morning cup of blood when Laila entered my room-without knocking, of course.
“Have you heard from Stephenie recently?” she asked, joining me by the window.
“No.” I savored the final drops of blood and placed the empty glass down on the windowsill. “You know my sister and I are hardly close.”
That was the understatement of the century. Stephenie was only considered my sister because we were both turned by the same sire-Laila. Stephenie had been turned decades before me, just following the Great War. She was a jet setter and a major partier, always out with her latest boy toy-usually a human she would forget about in the next year.
She spent far more time traversing the globe than staying home at the Vale. She hadn’t even bothered to come back for my coronation. Not that I’d minded, of course. Stephenie might technically be considered my sister in accordance to vampire politics, but she would never replace the family I’d been torn away from when I’d had my humanity stolen from me one year ago.
“I know,” she said with a sigh. “I always wished Stephenie would take more interest in the politics of the Vale. But oh well. We can’t force her to be who she’s not, and now we have you to be a respected face in our kingdom, don’t we?”
“Of course.” I forced a smile. “I’m sorry I can’t help you get a lead on her location.”
“No worries,” she said. “She’ll return soon enough. And your sister isn’t why I came here to talk to you, anyway.”
“Enlighten me then,” I told her. “What was so urgent that you needed to come to my bedroom first thing after sunset?”
“I hope I’m not disturbing you?” She raised an eyebrow, smirking.
“Disturbing?” I returned her smirk with one of my own. “
Never.”