Chapter 01

I failed my mate. I failed Zeus. I felt that cold, that familiar haunting sensation. One I had long tossed away flooded throughout my body like the ocean.

My tough wall crumbled, my body shivered and my breaths barely escaped as tears soaked my eyes. Trickling across my cheeks and down to my mate's lifeless face.

"Don't do this to me Zeus," I pitched but my silky voice came out in a tiny whisper. Broken and filled with guilt as my palms curled around his perfect face.

"Zeus!" I pleaded and for the first time that word didn't sound like an abomination for me. For the first time in years I was begging for mercy.

"Zeus!" I pressured again, tapping his face repeatedly.

"I love you," I mumbled without hesitation. "I love you Zeus!" I affirmed again, this time leaning against his blood coated shirt as I sobbed.

I had become weak, I had fallen to the chains of love. A feeling I had spent centuries hiding from. It finally caught up with me and just when I was about to accept it, to accept him, he faded. Like a dream, he was. A good man. A perfect Mate.

I wondered, how did I get here? How did I become this new person? It felt like I knew the answer but at the same time, it felt like I didn't.

And amidst my tears, amidst the scent of blood, amidst his lifeless body, amidst this large wooden room we were in, the twin doors opened.

The lights came dawning and as my eyes caught a glimpse of it, there I knew the answer to everything. How it all began.

************

The twin doors gradually opened, revealing a large room adorned in gold paints and strong pillars. The beautiful sun rays were given a chance by the tall windows to illuminate the room. My eyes started to inspect every detail. From the female guards sternly in their position to my Clan leaders. Three young fair, beautiful ladies, seated by their long rectangular table. They arose immediately as they noticed my presence. Bowing their heads and retaining silence as I stood proud and elegant in my luxurious green and black medieval gown.

My eyes briskly darted to the most glorious object in the room, my throne. Rooted at the center of the room, gleaming its shade of polished black and faint Gold. Reflecting the Ginger color of my long hair.

Like always, It never failed in reminding me of my past glories. How I had mercilessly killed the vampire king and his son. A tiny smile crept to my face and I began to take an elegant stride towards my seat. With every knocking sound my heels made against the marble floor, the tension further heightened. The scent of fear and horror reeked throughout the room. I loved it and so, with divine pleasure, I climbed up to my throne seat.

My eyes studied every detail once again in a jiffy, something wasn't right, something I couldn't pinpoint as I relaxed to my endearing seat. Crossing my leg over while a man servant immediately rushed up to my vicinity. His head bowed and his hands trembled as he held a tray, containing a glass cup of blood. Immediately I took the cup gleaming an irresistible shade of red, he briskly toured away.

"You may sit," I pronounced and then took a gentle sip. They nodded before relaxing in their respective chairs. My gaze focused on them again, and then it struck me that I had four Clan Leaders not three.

"Where is Rila?" I asked with a slight frown. My brows further furrowed as they shared known glances with each other. All of them hesitating to speak and it began to irk me. They were obviously planning to lie but just one glance at me made them lose their tongue.

"I said," I chorused in a devilish tone. "Where is the Clan Leader of the Northern Clan?"

"My Queen," one of them arose in a trembling fashion as she stuttered. "Today is Rila's mate's coronation ceremony as King of the Northern Province."

Anger ignited within me and my cup shattered into pieces instantly. Drooling its sweet content across my Throne seat to the floor. The tiny smile on my face vanished as my blood boiled with genuine hatred and rage. The tension in the room only heightened to a greater extent but I cared less. At this point, I was willing to have anybody's heart displaced out of their bodies. I arose sharply and they gasped. Even the guards and men servants.

"How dare she!" I growled as I climbed down the stairs slowly. "How dare she take my position and hand it over to a mere man!"

"My Queen, but he is her mate," The same lady uttered again.

"Mate or not, he is but a man!" I growled with my palms already curled into a fist.

"Not under my watch, will a man have a taste of power in my clan. Not under my watch, will a man be called King.

Not under my watch, will a man be allowed to dominate. Men are our slaves! And slaves they shall remain for eternity in the City of Marr!" I banged my hand against the table causing them to jerk in fear.

I stared at them but none of them could utter a word, let alone share gazes with me.

"Of all things I can tolerate, but no one, absolutely no one dares to defy me." I uttered.

"Martha!!" I yelled and immediately, the twin doors opened for my second in command to walk in.

Her white hair swayed freely across her shoulder and her blue eyes, sharp and dazzling. With every commanding step her heels gave against the ground, her black and green uniform gleamed of nothing but glory.

"Prepare my escort, we're visiting the Northern Clan today," I commanded. She nodded with a stern expression before exiting sharply.

"My Queen, please show mer--"

"One more word from you and I'll hang your head on a stake.” I cut her off with a ferocious glare.

"Leave, before my anger descends on you all," I ordered and in haste, they arose sharply, bowing their heads in a courteous gesture before exiting. And as my doors closed behind them, I walked to the window by my side. Staring at the river afar whilst waiting patiently for Martha's feedback. The doors opened again and there she was, except this time she didn't wear a stern expression, she was pleading. One I didn't want to see.

"Green,” she called softly but my gaze returned to the window.

"My decision is final, Martha. Rila defied me," I coldly responded. She joined me by my side, her pleading gaze on me. But I didn't want to look, I didn't want to change my resolve.

"But she is your strongest Ally, You have fought many wars alongside Rila just to kill her for this petty issue,"

I frowned while my eyes inadvertently met hers.

"Petty? She made a man a ruler. She gave that mere man power. And you call that Petty?!"

"He is her mate, Green."

"No," I stated. "He is her slave. That's what men are supposed to be here and they'll remain that for as long as I breathe." I avowed with utmost confidence. She heaved a sigh while her eyes lowered to the ground.

"Is there no way I can change your mind?"

I went mute.

"Your escort is ready," she added after a long silence between us.

"Good," I muttered with a sinister smile before turning away from the window, pacing towards my doors and across the gigantic long hallways and finally outdoors. Where I was greeted by solemn winds breezing across my body, the sun's warmth gracing my cold skin.

I stared at my Black Mercedes parked just a few meters away from me, waiting for Martha to join me. And when she finally arrived by my side, we gingerly stepped into my escort.

As the vehicle drove along the tarred roads, I stared across the beautiful green forest we passed by. In a strange way, it reminded me of my mother. Her smile, which never ceased to cheer my heart, her perfect gray irises that gleamed of hope. How she would go about making crowns out of twigs. Till today, I still couldn't understand why she loved tons of them. Perhaps it was a passion or perhaps, it was something else. A reason I knew not and will never know.

"We've arrived, My Queen." The chauffeur's voice tousled my thoughts. Only then did I realize our vehicles were packed in front of the Northern Clan House. As I alighted alongside Martha, I reviewed the magnificent environment already encroached with several luxurious vehicles. There was the sound of music and laughter emanating from the building but instead of it to soothe me. It irritated me to the very core. My teeth gnashed against each other while my palms curled into a fist.

Once the guards noticed us, their stern countenances easily shrunk into fear. Their once rigid stances were now nothing but a trembly fashion.

"Green,” Martha called softly beside me.

"Give your decision one last thought. Please."

I hesitated for a minute and in a strange way, another memory. The day my mother had died. I sealed my eyes whilst having a light sigh. Hoping this memory would fade away as usual.

And as I opened them, I wore a sinister smile and began to stride elegantly to the gigantic twin doors.

"The Queen of the Vampires, Lady Green, has arrived!" I heard one of the Royal guards proclaim as I emerged into the ballroom alongside Martha and my guards.

The orchestra came to an abrupt end along with the chatter and laughter. All eyes fell on me, and it only beheld one thing. Horror.

I maintained my sinister smile as I reviewed men dressed in fine tuxedos and the ladies in their splendid gowns. With a glass of blood dangling between their fingers. Amidst these people, my eyes darted to the center of the room where Rila and her beloved mate stood. Their countenances were more petrified than the others.

As I took a solemn stride towards them, my heels were the only sound that echoed throughout the room. And with my tint devilish smile I still maintained, I took a glass of blood from the man servant beside them.

"L-lady Green--" Rila pronounced in a trembling fashion while her eyes twitched.

"It's such an honor to have you here."

"An honor?" I arched my eyebrow upwards. "To a party I wasn't invited." I chuckled.

Her eyes lowered as tiny traces of tears dawned.

"Rila, you and I share a bond, you know that," I continued, not even in the slightest bothered about the pain and worry she was going through.

"But today, you brought shame to that bond. Today, you broke that bond."

I pursed as her eyes briefly met mine.

"None of this is her fault, My Queen," her mate sharply interjected. Only then did I choose to notice him.

"I asked her not to tell you, I asked her to throw this party, I-, I love her, my Queen."

"And who gave you the permission to speak?" I retorted in a slight growl and his body stiffened instantly.

"Please forgive him, Lady Green, but he is my mate after all. I love him and I just can't bring myself to despise him."

My fingers pressed tightly on my cup, causing it to crack. Yet I sauntered closer to Rila.

"Oh dear, why has love made you this blind? I'm not forbidding you to have a mate. I just won't tolerate any lady Vampire treating a man like somebody. Men are our slaves. That has been the rule ever since you've known me, but today you defied that order." My smile gradually faded.

"I can tolerate every other thing but not the sins of a man."

"My Queen," this time her eyes revealed the tears she had long embattled. "Please have mercy."

"Mercy?" I wore a sinister smile again and then returned my glass to the trembly tray of the man servant.

"No Rila."

She gasped while her mate gulped down his saliva.

"Lock the doors!" I ordered and immediately, the guards briskly shut the doors behind us. The tension in the room further heightened but no one dared to talk. No one dared to even move, for just one action could simply be the end of their life.

"Since you both claim to love each other, why don't you die together?"

"Lady Green!" Her mate blared, his shock looming all over his face. I glared and he instantly lost his courage. Tears only streamed across Rila's face. She knew my ways, and she knew my orders were final.

"We have defied you, and we're ready to bear our punishment." She whispered with her gaze holding mine. And for a split moment, I wondered the best method to inflict pain on both of them.

"Kill him," I stated. Her eyes shot up while his jaw dropped. Tears encroaching his eyes too.

"Kill your beloved mate."

"Lady Green, this is too much a punishment to bear. Ple--"

"I said," I cut her off with the most iciest tone my chords could offer but deep within me, I knew she couldn't do it. No one could ever. Hence, I resorted to my compulsion powers.

I took another step and my eyes transformed into a flaming shade of green. Holding hers so she found it hard to break from my enchantment.

"Kill your mate." I ordered again and like one who was charmed, she yielded to my compulsion. Her tears ceased and her eyes ferocious as a predator she was.

"Rila," her mate mumbled, his eyes staring in disbelief, "Rila this is not you, fight it! Fight it!"

I scoffed, she growled. Her eyes were now a threatening shade of reddish black and her fangs gleaming to the chill air.

"Rila!!" He held unto her but that was his mistake, and that was the last of his breath. Her claws had already found it's way to his heart.

And without any emotions, she ripped it out mercilessly. His body thudded lifelessly to the floor while blood soaked his tux. I smiled, deriving so much pleasure from watching his body turn pale white.

"Oh no, what have I done?!" Rila screamed. My compulsion was over. "James! James!" She cried helplessly as she knelt towards him.

"Lady Green," she mumbled amidst her tears. "You have done me no good!" She added as she arose towards me, tears still drooling across her face.

"I know darling." My smile deepened. "I wanted you to feel pain before you die. The same pain you gave me for disobeying me."

I closed the gap between us and in a sharp moment, my right hand dug into her chest.

She groaned and my smile faded once again. I wasn't happy doing this but yet I wanted to.

"Don't worry love, I'm going to put you out of your misery." I muttered while I briefly studied the look of horror on others.

"I own your life and I can as well take it. You've been a great leader, Rila," I whispered only for her to hear.

"Thank you." She whispered with a tiny smile of admiration intertwined with sadness.

And on that note, I pulled it out. That red heart that fell in love. She exhaled, another tear streamed across her cheek before she fell lifeless beside her mate. I stared at her heart for a second and in a strange way, it reminded me of my mother. But rather than let those memories haunt me, I let it fall from my blood coated hand.

"I want his head hanged on a stake till the sun burns his wretched skin off," I proclaimed while a man servant gently cleaned my hand.

"Rila was a great leader, give her a proper burial and this time, make sure I'm invited."

I finished with a cunning smile directed at their shocked countenances. And without further thoughts, I turned towards the doors, and off to the light where I was certainly going to wreak more havoc.