"Do you truly think holding back your screams will make you look good?" Maria giggled as she lashed out again and again. "It doesn't change the fact that you are a disgusting human!"Laughing, I continued to remain quiet. I didn't know what this vicious woman wanted from me, but one thing I did know was that I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of me begging for mercy or crying.Biting my lip hard enough to taste blood, I endured her beating.As she grew more and more frustrated, Maria intensified her lashes. It seemed that my silence wasn't what she expected, and it was making her angrier."SPEAK!" She screeched as the whip slammed against my skin. "Beg me to stop! Show how weak and cowardly you actually are!"Clamping down on any words that may want to come out of me to argue, I remained silent, allowing Maria to continue with her assault until she grew bored.Breathing heavily and covered in splatters of my blood, the angry princess stormed out of my cell, leaving me still cuffed ag
"PRINCE!" The healer's voice rang out around us. "You're going to kill her!"For a moment, nothing happens, but finally, seeming to realize exactly what he was doing, Elias' face softened ever so slightly as the crushing pressure I had felt seconds before disappeared.Sucking in deep breaths of air, I closed my eyes, waiting for the black spots to stop blocking my vision and the dizziness to subside."Thanks." I gasped as I continued to fill my body with the oxygen it had been deprived of.Shooting Elias a glare, the healer went back to his work, cleaning my back and sewing up the deeper whip marks. Once done, he stood back, wiping his forehead with a blood-covered hand."All done." He announced proudly taking me in. "Give her about two weeks to fully recover; during that time, avoid strenuous exercise and avoid dipping the wounds in direct water.""Sure." Elias murmured as his gaze continued to take in my tattered back."Do you want her to stay here for a few days?" The healer asked.
Pleasure coursed through my body as Elias' venom began to invade my senses. Any and all pain I had been feeling began to disappear, and in its place were pleasant surges of warmth and deisre.'Not today,' Elias said, seeming to catch onto what I was wanting. 'Not with you in the state you're in.'Confused I couldn't stop the whimper that escaped me. Why would he do this and put me in this state if he intended to do nothing?'Tease," I growled defiantly, trying to cover my disappointment.Pulling away, Elias wiped my blood from his lips and smirked. "Still feeling your wounds?"For a moment, I didn't speak as my hazy mind tried to process what he said, but then, as I waited for the pain to return, I realized that it wasn't."What did you do?" I asked in wonder while carefully lifting my arms, and I found that it didn't hurt to do so."My venom has multiple purposes." Elias explained. "It can work as a numbing agent.""Convenient." I murmured, continuing to move my body this way and that
The room around us grew silent as Maria looked from me to Elias and back. With each passing minute, her expression shifted from shocked to angry, and when it finally settled on enraged, she reached down and grabbed me by the hair."YOU BITCH!" She growled, yanking my head to the side in an attempt to sink her fangs into my skin once more. "I WILL KILL YOU!""ENOUGH!" Elias bellowed, moving forward and grabbing her so he could pry her off of me. "YOU'VE CAUSED ENUGH TROUBLE!""BROTHER!" Maria yelped as Elias tossed her aside before kneeling down in front of me."Are you alright?" He asked, picking me up off the hard ground while ignoring his sister's snarls of anger.Too shocked by his reaction I remained silent. I hadn't expected him to be so violent with his little sister, especially in front of an outsider like me."Maria..." He continued, tearing his gaze from me. "What do you think you're doing to my slave?""BROTHER!" Maria yelled as tears began to form in her eyes. "How could you
For the next week, I remained locked up in my room, healing and avoiding the outside world.Wilson hadn't come to find me, nor had Elias. The only thing I could guess was that Elias understood that I needed my space and had decided to allow me as much as I needed.At least for a week at most. By the time that week was up, a knock sounded on my door, indicating that he had enough and that it was time for me to get back to my duties.Answering, I found Wilson looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, Miss Valerie, but the prince requires your presence."Nodding, I forced a smile. "Let me wash up and change; I will be out soon."Agreeing, Wilson remained in place as I closed the door. I didn't waste any time heading to the washroom so I could quickly wash myself up and change clothes. After pulling my long hair into a ponytail, I deemed myself acceptable and went to meet Wilson, who was still waiting in the hall.Looking around, I tried to ignore the curious looks from other servants as I began to
Even though Elias' mouth was clearly on my neck, his teeth never pierced the skin; instead, he simply pressed his lips against my skin, planting a gentle kiss that sent pleasant chills racing through me before pulling away. Immediately, a whimper escaped me from disappointment, proving Elias' point and making me out to be a fool.Flashing a smile Elias folded his arms across his chest, looking proud of himself. After his little experiment, there was no convincing him that I wasn't expecting something. Feeling embarrassed, I averted my gaze, pretending to be interested in one spot in particular on the wall."Still going to be dishonest?" Elias asked, grabbing my chin and making me look at him. "Wouldn't this be so much easier if you just gave in to your desires?""What good would doing that do me?" I asked quietly.This was nothing more than a physical relationship; if I gave into my desires, then feelings would get involved, and that wouldn't be good in the end for me.Instead of speak
"Don't you remember?"The three simple words are all I hear before the world around me fades and I'm thrown into darkness.Eyes flying open, I took in the dark room around me to find that what I had just witnessed was a dream, or rather a fragment of my missing memory. Despite having seen that man twice now, I still couldn't remember who he was or what he meant to me. The only indication I had that he was someone important was how my heart felt after seeing him.Closing my eyes, I tried to will the memory to come back, even if it was another small piece, but I was coming up empty-handed, and a headache was beginning to form.Giving up, I got out of bed and headed to the washroom so I could clean myself up since I was covered in sweat and other...things... from my time spent with Elias. His scent covered my body, and I wanted to be rid of it so I could stop the desire I felt from it. Even if I didn't love him or even like him, I still seemed to want him.Once inside, I stripped off my c
Fiance, had this woman just openly announced that she was Elias' fiance? Elias was engaged and would soon be married while he was doing all those things to me?Looking proud by my dumbfounded expression, Veronica drew herself to her full height, smirking."It seems you weren't aware." She chirped happily. "Everyone in this kingdom knows about this; too bad they failed to mention it to you. Poor thing, going around looking like a slut and a fool.""Hold on." I said, holding up a hand, still trying to keep up with this. "I think you've mistaken something here."Narrowing her gaze, Veronica seemed to be caught off guard by my words. "What could I possibly have mistaken?""The relationship between me and Elias." I sighed. I couldn't help but feel the uncontrollable urge to strangle that damn vampire."I don't think I'm mistaken." Veronica challenged her gaze still fixed on my neck. "You're walking around with proof.""I think you need to speak with him about this matter." I continued tryin
That evening, in the dead of night, Tristan appeared, escorting a single Griffin. He seemed slightly nervous, and I wondered just how much danger he was putting himself in to help us."Are you sure this is okay?" Elias asked as he took the creature's reigns from him. "Won't they notice one is missing?""I have a plan." Tristan smirked."Okay," Elias murmured, holding out a hand. "Thank you for all your help, my friend.""Anytime." Tristan beamed. "Just try to stay out of trouble, got it?""Sure." Elias chuckled.I could feel tears beginning to prick at my eyes from the warm send-off between the two men. I couldn't explain it, but to see Elias having someone on the other side that has his back made me feel a little more at peace with the fact I could leave him at any moment."I'll see you when I see you, then." Tristan announced taking a step back. "Hopefully next time will be under better circumstances.""We can only hope." Elias agreed.With that, he turned and grabbed my waist. A sma
For the next few days, Elias and I laid low in the cabin that Tristan provided for us. Each morning, he would bring us food and a change of clothes and then disappear for the rest of the day, leaving us to our own devices. It was a good time for us to grow closer—much closer. It was also a good time for me to tell him a bit more about my past than I now remembered, starting from when I was born to the time I was murdered.I knew that it pained Elias to hear these things, but he listened quietly and didn't ask many questions. Likewise, he told me more about his past, like the time before the curse. Back when he was a happy young boy, the king wasn't so strict and smiled more. It looked like we were a pair of ruined souls that somehow managed to find each other despite the difference in universes and time."You awake?" Elias murmured on the morning of the third day.I was, but I was still thinking about everything, including the fact that I hadn't told him that I was slowly dying. As tim
"Listen." I said, slowly sucking in a breath. "I know maybe this sounds ridiculous, and honestly, it could be highly offensive towards you.""Offensive?" Elias repeated, lifting a brow. "What exactly is going through that head of yours?""I can't help but wonder if it is me that you care for or my blood." I said quietly, feeling the blood begin to rush to my face.There, I expressed my biggest worry. It was now out in the universe, and I couldn't take it back. I could only hope that I wasn't ruining the moment entirely, but before we proceeded, I had to know.Lifting my eyes, I met Elias' unreadable gaze and found myself wishing that I could read his thoughts. I wanted to know what he thought. I wanted to know how he felt about what I had just confessed to him."You think..." He said slowly, clearly trying to get his thoughts together. "That I would possibly mistake my feelings for you for an addiction to your blood?"Flinching, I realized just how bad what I had said sounded. Of cours
I felt a shiver rush through me at Elias' sweet words and tender touch. It was definitely going to take a lot for me to get used to him being like this."I think I will go find a healer." Tristan said slowly, drawing my attention to him."You don't have to." I said, quickly blushing ferociously. "I'm really okay."I was okay, truly. However, I wasn't going to be okay. I had almost forgotten what I had been told about slowly dying. That meant that eventually I would start to show signs of the end, and I wasn't sure how Elias would take it."What's wrong?" The man in question asked, immediately catching on to my discomfort. "Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?""I'm fine." I assured him, plastering on a fake smile. "I just want to be able to go back to Allsbrook."For now, I simply wanted to go back to the place that had become my home and spend the rest of the time I had left with Elias. I didn't want to have to worry about a major battle or about having to kill someone."Soon," Elias s
The room around me grew quiet as my words sank in. We were in for quite a fight with the fake Vladimier. I knew from experience how nasty and terrifying he could be when he wanted something. What the hell was he even planning?"Tell me how the original curse was cast." Elias spoke, causing shock to roll through my body. "That way, we know what we are up against.""A life." I whispered, shivering. "In order to cast the curse, a life must be sacrificed.""A life?" He hissed, seeming unable to quite believe what he had just heard. "If that's the case, then who..."The rest of his question never managed to escape, as realization began to show in his eyes, followed by a horror that left me feeling happy and sad at the same time."You're saying..." He managed as his face paled. "That bastard."I could feel Elias' aura beginning to seep off of him as his anger at Vladimier's method of cursing his land sank in."You need to calm down." I murmured, reaching out a hand and touching his arm. "We'
Elias held me while I cried, not speaking a single word. Instead, he just made comforting noises while his hand rubbed soothing circles against my back. I knew that I didn't deserve this kindness that he was giving me, but I couldn't bring myself to try to pull away from it. After days of being with Vladimier and dealing with conflicting emotions at all times, it was just too wonderful to be in the arms of the man that I truly loved."I know you're upset, and now isn't the time to be asking this," Elias began, finally breaking his silence. "You mentioned that you were used to cast the curse."Tensing I began to realize exactly what it was that he wanted to know. He wanted to know if there was a way to break the curse since I knew how to cast it. Of course, I knew how to break the curse, but there was only one way to do it. To break the curse, I would have to repeat what happened to cast it."There is a way to lift it." I responded slowly while sitting up enough to wipe tears from my fa
"Why do you look like you're a criminal up for execution?"Elias' voice was calm as he spoke, but there was a hint of unease in it as well. It was like he was expecting the worst but hoping for the best. That made two of us, I guess, but it made what I had to say that much harder."Maybe I am." I responded bitterly.I knew he was trying to lighten the mood with his words, but he had no idea what I had discovered. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if he would look at me the same again once I revealed it to him."What could you have done so wrong for that?" He countered, stepping forward and reaching out a hand.Instinctively, I found myself flinching away from his touch. As I was now, I didn't think that I deserved to be treated like that by him. Not when I was solely responsible for how much he and his people had suffered."You don't understand." I whispered as tears pricked at my eyes. "Elias, I've remembered everything. From my time before meeting you and before that even.""You've rememb
"Elias..." I hissed as I watched the group of wendigos that were beginning to make their way towards us. "What should we do?"Behind me, I could hear him moving, but I didn't dare turn my attention away from the trouble that was fast approaching. One wrong move and I could become monster chow, and I wasn't about to let that happen so easily."When I say move, you move." Elias finally responded close to my ear, sending a shiver through me.Tensing, I nodded, knowing that he must have a plan in place. At least, that was what I hoped."Ready..." He murmured, "Set... GO!"As the word left his lips, I could feel a hand wrapping around my wrist and tugging. With wide eyes, I found myself being pulled in the opposite direction of the wendigos while they began to chase."This is your plan?" I demanded, managing to not fall on my face despite the roots that were threatening to trip me. "You aren't going to attempt to fight them?""Are you really going to sit here and fuss about escaping?" Elias
"Good bye." I murmured as my body began to fall toward the earth. "I'm sorry we couldn't meet one more time, Elias," I continued, feeling regret that I wouldn't see his face before I died. However, before I could fall into misery, I felt an odd tug at my consciousness.Confused, I tried to allow whatever was happening to happen. Slowly, flashes of the past appeared one by one. Each showing Vladimier with a crazed look on his face, pulling at chains that I could only assume were attached to my wrists at the time."You belong to me!" He hissed as his hand shot out and connected with my cheek. "HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO KILL YOURSELF?""I don't want to be part of your plan!" I heard my voice speak as fear clutched at my heart."You don't have a choice." Vladimier snapped, turning and leaving.Finding myself alone in a cell with whip marks across my arms and legs, I finally realized what was going on here. This was another memory of my time with Vladimier. Only this was the one that showed h