3

“Breathe baby, damn it, come on honey breathe.” I could hear a man’s voice, panicked.

“Your Highness, the doctor is on his way.” Another man’s voice.

“He better get here soon or I’ll rip his arms off and beat him with them,” the first man snarled. All of a sudden a rush of oxygen filled my lungs and I began to cough. “Finally! I finally come to claim you and how do you repay me? By almost dying. Don’t you ever scare me like that again. I’m nearly six hundred years old. It’s not good for my health.” I opened my eyes and saw two dark chocolate brown eyes looking down at me, full of concern.

“You’re in perfect health, stop whining,” a third male voice said. “I’d drop dead too if this is how you came to claim me. What were you thinking? She’s a human, they’re frail, you can’t just stalk them in the dark. You, get the electricity turned back on and get a light on in here.”

“I didn’t do this to her,” the first man hissed. “That idiot over there did.”

“Good gawd Trick, did you kill him?”

“Not yet. I want to know if he’s a purist or just plain stupid.” All of a sudden a light came on, making me wince. I blinked several times. “She’s coming round Chem.” I realized the man was cradling me, my head resting on his shoulder.

“Do you want me to check her?”

“No, I want you to read her fortune. Of course I want you to check her!” All of a sudden a face with oversized eyes appeared an inch from my nose. I shrieked while trying to scramble away. The first man held me firm. “CHEMIST! Take off those fucking goggles. You look like an underwater psychopath.”

“Oh sorry, I forget that I have them on sometimes. My apologies Miss, oh what does she want us to call her?”

“We hadn’t gotten there yet.”

“Didn’t you lead with that?”

“I tried but she was being choked to death!”

“And you didn’t notice?”

“CHEMIST!”

“R-r-raya. My name is Saraya,” I hoarsely whispered. The two men stopped talking and looked at me.

“Alright Saraya,” the one called Chemist said gently, “do you mind if I listen to your lungs?” He pulled a stethoscope out of a vintage doctor’s bag. “See,” he said pointing to the bag, “I’m a doctor. I just want to make sure you’re okay.” His voice took on a very soothing quality. I looked up at the man who was holding me, and he gave a small smile.

“It’s alright. If he hurts you, I’ll kill him.” I’m not sure that was the reassurance I was looking for but he seemed to mean it. Chemist gently pressed the stethoscope to my chest, asking me to take a deep breath. I did and started to cough.

“Here,” he handed me a bottle of water. I took a long drink. “Okay, another deep breath.” This time the urge to cough was there but not as bad. “I think you’re going to be just fine Saraya. Keep drinking that water. See your color is coming back. Humans come in such lovely shades.”

“That’s it?” the first man asked.

“For now Trick. We need to keep an eye on her for the next day or so. Humans are incredibly oxygen dependent. It’d be best if you brought her to the palace for observation.” The palace?! Why would I go there?

“I’d like to avoid taking her to the palace just yet. I'm not sure she’s ready for that kind of exposure.” Chemist nodded.

“Shall I arrange for some of the nursing staff to come here then?”

“I don’t think we have any other option.” These two were talking over me, literally, and I was getting more confused. I tried to sit up.

“Hey now, where do you think you’re going?” Two firm arms held me in place.

“Ple-ease, let me go.” My voice came out as a whisper.

“Not yet.” Suddenly, I was scooped up into the air.

“Gently Trick! She’s already been traumatized once. She’s going to have to live with you for the rest of her life, isn’t that painful enough?” Chemist pleaded. The man frowned and carried me down the hallway to my room. He gently placed me on my bed, then turned on my bedside lamp. The light illuminated his face, a face I had seen on the cover of a thousand magazines, in newspaper articles and all over the internet. The Vampire King.

“You’re…” my voice trailed off. He raised an eyebrow.

“Handsome? Charming? A beacon of hope for all who wish for a better existence?”

“Terrifying.” He let out a bark of laughter.

“So I’ve been told.” He sat on the bed next to me and I pulled my legs up to my chest. “Baby, if I was going to hurt you, I would’ve done it while you were unconscious.”

“That is not helpful,” Chemist said from the doorway.

“Don’t you have nurses to arrange?” Trick hissed, turning to him.

“I do. Miss Saraya, I will be in the living room if you need me.” He held up two fingers to his eyes and then pointed them at Trick before disappearing.

“He’s right,” I said softly. Trick turned back to me, a surprised look on his face. “Knowing you could hurt me is almost as terrifying as you actually hurting me.” Trick reached out and I flinched. Instead of pulling his hand away, he gently rubbed the backs of his fingers across my cheek. The touch was feather soft.

“I could never hurt you. I don’t even know you yet but every fiber of my being wants to protect you. Do you know why I’m here?” I shook my head. “You’re my mate. I should’ve claimed you a long time ago but you had your shop and you seemed so happy. I didn’t want to disrupt your life by pulling you into my crazy corrupt world.” My jaw dropped. He knew about my shop?

“But I’m twenty-eight.”

“I know. I thought by waiting I could protect you. Twenty-one is still a volatile age for you humans.” Well, can’t argue with that. I still thought body shots and eating my weight in nachos was a good idea at twenty-one. Now they both just gave me heartburn.

“Why now?” Trick dropped his hand.

“Because, our mate bond can’t continue to survive while we are separated. Any longer and we’ll go into rejection.” I stiffened. “You’re familiar with the concept. It really is as painful as they say it is. I’ve watched men, vampire and werewolf, who’ve survived the most gruesome battles in war be ripped apart by rejection.” My heartbeat began to pick up. Rejection was rare. Most did not dare defy the fates, but for those who did, they did so at the risk of their souls. During rejection, the fates reclaimed the soul, leaving behind a shell devoid of feeling and emotion.

“Are you sure I’m your mate? I mean, I have zero knowledge of palace life. I’m not a noble. I don’t even look the part.”

“Would you like me to prove it?”

“You can do that?” He nodded. I narrowed my eyes at him. “How?”

“Kiss me.”