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
The sound of someone knocking on my door roused me from my slumber. It had been three days since my encounter with Veronica, and within these three days, Elias hadn't come to bother me once after drinking his fill and satiating his need for me. It had been a pleasant three days with no drama and no worrying about which woman would appear from the woodwork at any time.Groaning I got out of bed as my almost-recovered back screamed at me. The deepest of the wounds were now nothing more than scabs that littered my skin, while the less severe had become itchy scars. After a week and a half, I had finally grown used to the sight and wasn't as disturbed when I saw it, but I was still coming to terms with the fact that I would forever carry the scars."Miss Valerie." Wilson's voice called from the other side of the door as I made my way across the room."I'm coming." I muttered more to myself as I reached out, grabbing the door knob and turning.Wilson's smiling face greeted me as I peeked ou
"Stay still." Patricia hissed for the third time since she had begun attacking me. "If I mess up, Prince Elias will have my head.""Is all this truly necessary?" I asked as I tried to keep from flinching due to the eyelash curler that was coming dangerously close to my eye. "I mean, I'm not an important player for the banquet, right?""Nonsense." Patricia responded, swatting my arm. "If you weren't important, why would Prince Elias insist on taking you instead of Miss Veronica?"Sighing, I tried to ignore the headache that was beginning to form. From the minute I was handed over to Patricia, this was how it went. She kept gushing on about how lucky I am and kept bringing up Veronica, whom she clearly didn't care for, all the while poking and prodding me with her makeup tools to make me the perfect partner for the prince."Here we are." Patricia, who had been digging through her makeup bag, announced pulling out a silver eyeliner. "This will most certainly make your beautiful blue eyes
Just as others had done while out in the main hall, many eyes found me, taking me in as if I were some foreign creature. Trying to pretend to be unphased, I looked around the hall, trying to locate Elias, while Wilson said something to me."Pardon?" I asked, realizing I was too distracted to catch his words."Prince Elias is over there." Wilson repeated, pointing a finger towards the front of the hall.Turning my eyes in the direction Wilson was indicating, I felt my breath hitch in my throat. Elias, who was dressed in a black shirt with red embroidery, black pants, and a pair of black boots, stood looking bored while an older gentleman talked at him animatedly.His hair was slicked back, revealing his perfectly chiseled face, which, for some reason, this evening looked even more defined and regal. He was a sight to behold, and even though I knew better, I couldn't stop the flutters I began to feel in my chest and other places."Shall I take you over to him?" Wilson asked, drawing my a
"What was that?" Elias demanded, fixing his red gaze with mine. "Are you attracted to my brother?""Are you kidding?" Was he really accusing me of that right now? "Of course not!"If anything, I was so damn startled by how similar he looked to the man I had been seeing that I was left stunned."Then why were you oggling him?"Why was I oggling Roland? How could I possibly explain the reason I was so taken with Roland? I knew anything I said would set Elias off. One thing that I was beginning to learn about him was that he was extremely possessive."Well?" Elias pushed, his patience growing thin with each passing second. "Explain!""I don't have anything to explain." I snapped."Woman, if you value your life, then you will steer clear of Roland." Elias warned, his voice dripping with malice. "You are my blood slave, and you are not to have any thoughts about other men.""I had no plans to." I responded, refusing to back down. "You have nothing to worry about."The area around us began t
Gasping, I reached out, grabbing for whatever I could find while my vision blurred with tears and my ears began to ring, making the scene around me disappear."It's okay." The soft voice drifted to my ears through the ringing. "I've got you; you're going to be alright.""Don't go." I murmured, clinging to the person, even though at the moment I couldn't tell who he was. "Please, don't go."Sobs overtook me as strong arms embraced me, pulling me against a hard, strong chest. And even though the body was ice cold, it was comforting as I clung to it, allowing tears to stain my cheeks."Please don't go." I begged again and again as the person continued to comfort me. "Stay with me.""Don't worry..." They murmured near my ear while their hands caressed my hair. "I'm not going anywhere."Nodding, I tried to meld myself against the person's body, wanting to feel one with them so the suffocating loneliness would subside."What do you think you're doing?" A cold voice growled.Jerking, I snappe
Two guards rushed forward, grabbing me by either of my arms and lifting me while the king watched on."Are you the reason for this disagreement between my sons?" He asked, narrowing his gaze on me. "What do you think you are doing by coming into my kingdom and stirring discord?""King Nigel, this woman is a nuisance and a threat. You need to do away with her immediately." Veronica announced, acting weakly. "She is trying to seduce your son.""Seduce my son?" King Nigel repeated eyeing Veronica. "Do you think that the Prince's are so easily swayed?""N-no, of course not." Veronica stammered, her eyes widening. "I am just saying that this woman needs to be done away with.""Veronica!" Roland hissed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "Are you insane?"For a moment, Veronica doesn't speak as she takes him in with a look of disbelief and disgust."Don't tell me that you've fallen for this tramp too!"Eyes widening, Roland immediately looked to Elias as if worried that he would snap again d
"Duck!" Derrick called as Roland swung a fist at me. "You don't want to get hit!"Huffing, I quickly dodged Roland's attack as sweat poured down into my eyes. We had been training for a little over a week now, and I was beginning to get used to his movements—not enough to fully avoid, but progress was progress, right?"You just got lucky." Roland chuckled, readjusting his footing. "But you won't be so lucky this time."Lunging forward, his hand shot out towards my chest, moving out of the way. I managed to avoid the attack, but I wasn't quick enough to stop him from kicking my feet out from underneath me.Gasping, I tried to suck in air as my back slammed into the ground. Black spots danced in front of my eyes as Roland stood staring down at me, smirking."You alright?" He asked, holding out a hand.Coughing, I nodded. "I'm good; I can keep going.""I think it is about time we called it a day." He countered, heaving me off the ground.We had spent a good part of the day running simple
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