Filed to story: The Vampire Prince’s Bride
“Do you believe you have the willpower to control your own bloodlust?” I heard him clearly with my enhanced vampire hearing. “If you don’t, please don’t be ashamed to admit it.”
“I’ve never killed a human, Your Highness,” she replied, and I widened my eyes in shock.
A vampire who’d never killed a human was unheard of. I’d come to accept that if I eventually became a vampire, a few humans would likely die as I gained control over my bloodlust. I’d planned to make sure those humans were the worst of the worst-murderers, sociopaths, and the like-but even the possibility of killing scum still plagued me.
Now, according to Princess Isabella, it was possible to be a vampire and to have never killed a human.
I wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth or not.
But if she was, I was going to learn how she did it.
Scarlett
T he parade concluded back at the palace, and we were escorted to our quarters by the guards. My quarters consisted of a main bedroom, a bathroom, and another bedroom meant for my lady’s maid. Which I of course didn’t have.
“The ball will begin at four, which gives you some time to get situated and ready,” my guard, Tess, explained. “Are you sure you don’t want to call for your lady’s maid? You’re the only princess who didn’t bring at least one. Surely you’ll need assistance while you’re here…”
“As you know, the Seventh Kingdom is extraordinarily private.” I tried to sound as confident and royal as possible, despite the fact that I was totally making it up as I went. “My lady’s maid will remain there.”
Tess let out a long breath-I didn’t think she believed me any more than I believed myself. “Perhaps you would like assistance from a vampire of the Vale?” she suggested. “Princess Stephenie is out of town and her lady’s maid didn’t travel with her. Catie would be perfect for you. I don’t know exactly what you’re used to at the Seventh Kingdom, but I’m sure that Catie will be able to help you with anything you need.”
“Isn’t that your job as my guard?” I asked.
“My job as your guard is to protect you.” She straightened. “Not to select your dresses, do your makeup, style your hair, or unpack your belongings…” She scrunched her nose as she eyed up my still packed luggage-which was filled with whatever Geneva had deemed appropriate for a vampire princess-and looked at me suspiciously. “You do keep a lady’s maid at the Seventh Kingdom, don’t you?” she asked. “I know not every kingdom calls them the same thing, but surely you have someone to help you with these things? After all, the other princesses are all already unpacked. Their lady’s maids handled that for them while they were occupied with the parade.”
“Of course I do.” I tried to sound as aghast as possible about her accusation, despite feeling as out of place as ever.
“Then should I retrieve Catie and inform her that she’ll be serving as your lady’s maid while you’re here?”
“No!” I said quickly, since having a vampire sharing my quarters would risk exposing my fraud. But I forced myself to relax, not wanting to arouse further suspicion-as if I hadn’t garnered enough suspicion by claiming to be from a kingdom that many vampires believed to be a place of myths. “I mean, my lady’s maid is waiting to join me until I confirm that I’m permitted to participate in the selection,” I said as primly as possible. “I planned on making the call once I received confirmation that I would be allowed to remain. In the meantime, I’m perfectly capable of getting myself ready for this evening and would like some time alone to get situated. I’ll let you know if I need any further assistance.”
She nodded, the suspicion not leaving her eyes. “I’ll be back to retrieve you when it’s time to go to the ball,” she said, and then she finally left me alone.
The moment she shut the door, I reached into the hidden pocket of my underwear and pulled out the sapphire ring. I rubbed the gem, and out cameGeneva.
“Scarlett,” she said my name, looking around at our surroundings. She raised her eyebrow and turned back to me. “Quite the nice accommodations. Although I’m not surprised, since Laila always did know how to treat her guests. I assume all went as planned with your introduction to the Vale and your request to be included in the prince’s selection?”
“Sort of,” I said, and I gave her a rundown on everything that had happened this morning.
“Laila’s suspicion was to be expected,” she said once I finished. “She won’t find anything, since none of the rulers of the other kingdoms sired you.”
“She can still kick me out anytime,” I pointed out. “Sean may have vouched for me, but Laila’s the one in charge.”
“True,” Geneva said. “Given the excitement of this morning, your best move right now is to lay low and make sure not to do anything that pissesLaila off.”
“I know.” I took a deep breath and started pacing around the room. “For now, I’m just observing. Figuring out how to bring Laila and her kingdom down has to wait until afterSean chooses me as his bride. And that’s if he chooses me as his bride. The other princesses… well, let’s just say I have a lot of competition.”
“As expected.” Geneva tilted her head in amusement. “I assumed you knew that going in?”
“I did,” I said. “It’s just different to see them in person. They’re all so poised and beautiful. I feel so… inexperienced in comparison.”
“You caught the prince’s eye once,” she reminded me. “Surely you can do it again.”
“Maybe,” I said, although that was so different. I’d caught his eye because he’d wanted to toy with me-not because he wanted to marry me. “But I brought you here because I have another request.”
“What would you like?” she asked.
“I need a lady’s maid,” I said.
“Lady’s maids are always vampires,” Geneva said. “And as powerful as I am, I cannot simply whip up a vampire from thin air.”
“I know you can’t,” I said. “Which was why I was thinking that you should use a transformation potion to disguise your appearance, so that you can pose as my lady’s maid.”
“Seriously?” She laughed, looking at me as if I’d gone insane. When I said nothing, she pinched her lips together. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“I’m not joking,” I told her. “According to my assigned guard, it’s strange that I don’t have a lady’s maid with me. I’m going to need your help while I’m here, so I thought it would be easiest if you took on that role. That way you can interact with me without arousing suspicion.”
“Except that I’m a witch, not a vampire,” she pointed out.
“Can’t you do what I’m doing and drink vampire blood to appear as a vampire?” I asked.
“No.” She made a face, clearly disgusted at the idea. “Immortals cannot drink the blood of vampires. It makes us sick.”
“Hmm,” I said, trying to think of an easy solution. “Then why can’t we just say that in the Seventh Kingdom, witches serve as lady’s maids? It’s a made up kingdom, anyway. Which means we make the rules.”
“It’s a kingdom of myth,” she reminded me. “It’s not made up. There are many who believe the Seventh Kingdom exists.”
“But no one actually knows anything about it,” I said. “They won’t be able to disprove us.”
“Witches work alongside vampires-they don’t serve them as maids,” she said, sticking her nose in the air. “But if you’re willing to take the risk, it’s your call.”
“I’m willing to take the risk,” I told her. “And I assume it goes without saying, but you’re to tell no one of your true identity.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said. “If you die while in control of the ring, I die with you. And there are too many who would kill you on the spot if they knew you had my ring-because they know that would get rid of me. So your safety is my upmost concern.”