Chapter 3 - A Royal or not?

Viktoria’s POV

I was shocked when he burst out laughing. I was being serious and he was laughing at me!

“I’m so fucking glad that you think my family dying is funny!” I screamed and stormed off. I had no idea where I was going, just as long as it was away from him, but he caught up to me, unfortunately.

“I’m sorry, Viktoria.” He grabbed the sides of my arms and turned me to look at him. “You are right. I shouldn’t have laughed, but you haven’t given me a chance to explain anything. We are actually peaceful people.” I looked away. I didn’t want to look into his eyes and see that he was telling the truth. I didn’t want to believe him.

“Could have fooled me.” I huffed and he sighed.

“Okay, so I kidnapped you, but have I hurt you in any way?” He took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and I realized for the first time how incredibly warm his skin was. It was the complete opposite of my family. They were all cold. I shook my head as I looked into his eyes. “Well, then? Don’t you think you at least owe me the opportunity to explain?” He was frowning and it didn’t look good on that beautiful face. How on earth could beasts have such beautiful faces?! “Come on. I have something to show you.” He hooked my arm in his and we walked back inside.

Turning into the first door, I gasped. The entire room felt like home! The walls were covered in paintings and tapestries of wars where the beasts were fighting right beside the vampires and, sadly, vampires were fighting each other. The art was exquisite and I wasn’t surprised when Fynn explained that it all came from the castle. Apparently, it was thrown out centuries ago and the beasts somehow got their hands on it. As we moved through the room, I saw books that looked very old and Fynn explained that those books contained what he called “the true history of what happened”. I wasn’t so sure about that. I would have loved to just curl up and read through all of them, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to show him that I was interested in their history. I knew what the history books said! I believed in what my teachers taught us. These beasts could have written anything in there. Made up some sort of …

“Careful!” Fynn caught me just as I was about to fall flat on my damn face. I was so busy thinking that I wasn’t looking where I was going and I tripped over something! A shock ran through my entire body as I tried to push him away. Angry at myself for being so damn stupid. “I know you won’t believe me now, but in time, I’m sure you will see the truth for yourself.” I couldn’t stop the sarcastic little giggle from escaping and he looked amused. After our little stroll through history, he took me to a room in the back and I nearly burst out laughing again.

“Am I going to be locked away and forgotten?” It wasn’t very funny, I know. My teachers were always telling me not to try and make jokes but he actually laughed!

“I will never be able to forget you.” He winked. “But I will be locking your door for the night and there will be a guard for your own safety."

“See! I was right!” I huffed. The room was beautiful. Rustic and not to my taste, but beautiful. “I am your prisoner!” He didn’t say anything as he closed the door and I heard it lock. I looked around the room and noticed two doors. Quickly rushing over to find an escape, I found a closet and a bathroom. I checked the windows, but they had bars in front of them. There was no way out. I decided that I needed a shower and was surprised to find clean clothes in the closet in my size. Although, I shouldn’t have been surprised since he told me they knew everything about me. It was clear from the satin nightshirt and pants.

When I looked into the mirror, I noticed the embroidery on the lapel! “VR” Seriously! I told them I wasn’t a damn royal! That just showed you! They knew absolutely nothing about the vampires and dhampirs. Only male vampires were royal! It was such an insult in my mind, that I quickly took off the shirt and tried to look for something to undo the “R” but there was nothing in the room. I ended up scratching at it with my nail until I finally got it off. I left the “V” behind because I liked it. Putting my shirt back on, I made myself comfortable in bed, thinking I would probably be up all night.

I was wondering about the castle and what could be happening there tonight. The vampires would wake to yet another attack on the wall, but as long as none of them were hurt, it wouldn’t be a problem for them. I wondered if my father would even ask about me. Would he even realize I was gone? I yawned and soon after I was asleep.

Victor’s POV

“WHERE THE FUCK IS MY DAUGHTER?!” I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t been notified the second she was taken!

“Brother, she’s just a dhampir.” Dimitri laughed as he bit into one of the young women who was holding out her neck so willingly. I watched as a smile started to form on her face and it made me nauseous to think that he could eat at a time like this.

“She’s also the only heir to the throne, my dear son.” My mother walked into the dining room and kissed both my cheeks before going to greet my brother. She couldn’t resist using each opportunity to remind my brother that he still hadn’t produced a son.

“SHE’S NOT A VAMPIRE!” He hissed and my mother rolled her eyes. This exchange between them was so damn old that I didn’t even want to talk about it anymore.

“Yes, my darling boy, but she might one day produce one which at this moment means she is the only heir to the throne.” My mother waved her favourite blood bag closer and I stormed out of the dining room just in time to meet up with my father.

“You don’t have to say it.” He held up his hand as we made our way to the security office. “She has to be found and brought back safely.” He hissed. Viktoria might just be a dhampir, but she had not yet reached the age of twenty-one. There was an ancient prophecy that said a royal daughter would shift at the age of twenty-one and for the past eighteen years we had all been hoping it was Viktoria. At least, my parents and I had. If a female vampire had been born and not created, it would have far-reaching repercussions for our kind.

We would for the first time be able to think of the possibility of finding love in our own ranks. We wouldn’t have to keep concubines to breed. It opened the doors to so many possibilities. The human female wasn’t built to carry a vampire baby. If Viktoria turned on her twenty-first birthday, she might be the first female vampire who could have a vampire child.

Fynn’s POV

A vampire daughter as my mate. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The elders weren’t going to be happy when I told them. If I told them. If I took her as my mate. My mind was all over the place as I tried to figure this out. One thing was clear. She didn’t feel the bond like I did. We knew that vampires didn’t have destined mates as we did, but I had always thought it was just because they couldn’t produce female vampires.

Their chemistry always fascinated me and I would have loved to get some blood samples from Viktoria, but it was too soon to start prodding her for blood! I needed to figure out how I was going to keep my hands off her first. My beast side was howling to just grab her and make her mine! Nobody knew that I put the guard at her door to keep her safe from me, and it had to stay that way until I could figure out how I was going to deal with this.

Would she even be affected if I rejected her? Since she couldn’t feel the bond.

“AAHHHH!” I screamed in frustration and my Beta stormed through the door.

“Alpha?” He frowned.

“I’m fine.” I sighed. “What is it?” He wouldn’t be hanging around outside my door for no reason.

“They are here!” We were expecting the vampire guards to come for their princess and they were here a lot faster than anticipated.