Chapter 2: The Devil or the Deep Blue Sea?

(Kate)

“WHO ARE you? And what are you doing inside His Majesty’s quarters? If you don’t want to get hurt, drop your weapon, raise your hands, and face me.”

I flinched. I didn’t know I’d get caught. The inspection around this area took place half an hour ago. Why did the guard come back just when I was almost done copying the files? I quickly grabbed my flash drive and fixed my mask before turning to the guard.

I did what I was told. I dropped my dagger before slowly turning to him.

“You haven’t answered my question yet.”

This was one demanding guard. If I speak, regardless of my mask, he would know who I am. And I can’t risk that.

“Are you the son of Dela Torre, the Hunter? The one we’ve been trying to search? So, you finally came on your own accord, huh. How foolishly brave. You came right on time, though. This is my chance to earn the King’s favor!” he exclaimed; his expression was already celebrating as if he had caught me in his hands.

If I remember it right, his name was Parker, the vice-captain of the guards in the Castle. Despite his role, he was replaceable. The higher-ups had been talking about him with pure disgust and was planning to kick him out. His personality was at rock bottom. He liked to power trip and bully the younger guards. To think that his skills weren’t even that good.

Come to think of it. Even if this guy were to die now, I’m sure his victims would even thank the culprit secretly. And since the inspection was over, it just goes to show that Parker came here either to steal or spy from his King.

I guess this encounter was a blessing in disguise. I was already feeling annoyed because I know that more female Vampires would lash out at me after what Zachary did to Claudia. I always end up suffering the backlash of his actions. His fans were just as crazy as him. He didn’t even know it. And I couldn’t fight back. I always had to hold it in.

But even just for tonight, I wouldn’t hold back. I took my mask off and threw it on the floor.

Parker gasped. “You look familiar. Wait. Ugly duckling? It’s you? You’re a spy? How come you don’t look so ugly tonight-“

Before Parker could finish his sentence and add more insult to the injury, I already crossed the distance between us. I stole the dagger from his waist and shove it inside his rotten mouth.

But since he was quick to recover unless I’d hit his heart, he managed to pull out the dagger. He was fuming when he turned to me and pointed his dagger at me.

His eyes narrowed. “You two-faced bitch! You are going to pay for this!”

The King was very meticulous. He personally oversees the training of his Knights. And since I was constantly by his side, I’d memorized all their fighting techniques that evading Parker’s blows had become so natural for me. When he stopped to catch his breath, I was already in front of him again. I took the daggers in my boots. My left hand stabbed his forehead and pierced his skull while my other hand targeted his heart and slit it.

“You overestimated yourself, Parker. That was your biggest problem. You are not the person I should watch out for,” I said as I watched his body burn after I pulled out my daggers.

I hadn’t fought in two years. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t train. If my twin brother were to find out that I died because of a mere Vampire guard, he would laugh on my grave.

I made sure to clean the ashes before I went out of Zackary’s room. I had already reverted back to being the plain Jane the Vampires hated so much when I realized that I had lost the flash drive. I glanced at my wristwatch.

The King normally comes back in his quarters at one in the morning which meant that I still have less than an hour to search for the flash drive. I was only a few meters away from his room when the Castle grounds suddenly shook. My eyes widened after seeing the nearby Knights on the floor. They were still alive, but they seemed to have fainted.

But why? What happened? Were their other spies that I didn’t know of?

I ran over the bodies of the Knights only to stop when I saw Zackary’s figure in front of his quarters. He was sweating so much; his cheeks and lips had lost its color. He seemed to be in pain but at the same time, he looked more dangerous than ever with those blood-red eyes.

My instincts immediately warned me to get away.

But when I saw another shadow standing behind me, my heart thumped. When I turned around, I saw Alucard, the last person I dreaded to see. I had no idea how he got here. All I know was that he should never meet Zachary.

In front of me was the Vampire King who looked like he could devour me if I took a step closer. But behind me was the man who would either expose me, lock me up, or kill me. It was like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

“Kate, I finally found you. Let’s talk-“

My hands trembled. I can’t believe Alucard still had this terrifying effect on me even after all these years. Before he could finish his sentence, I had already rushed toward the devil who had been blessed by God because of his sinfully good looks.

When Zachary grabbed my hands, I felt his heat. My eyes widened. His General called it a curse. But I just refer to it as ‘rut’. Was he in his rut again? How could that be possible? There were still eleven days before this was supposed to happen.

Zackary was a rare breed. When he was in this period, he needed to feed. And no blood would do when it happens since he only satiates his thirst and hunger through the people’s energy which he only gets whenever he had sex with them. That’s why whenever he was in his rut, we prepare female Vampires for him to feed on.

Black Roses were actually the best candidate for feeding, but not during Zackary’s rut since he would need stronger women to feed on, women who wouldn’t die easily.

Sometimes, it would take three days for his rut to subside. Sometimes, only a couple of hours. It depends on how hungry he was.

But tonight seemed different. If he had stolen even the Knights’ energy to the point that they passed out from exhaustion, then how come he didn’t look better? In fact, as his eyes darkened while looking at me, he seemed… hungrier.

Did I make the wrong choice? Should I just dive in the deep blue sea, after all?

I swallowed and took a step back. “Your Majesty-“

When he suddenly revealed his fangs, he pulled me close to his body and bit me in the neck. I screamed from the unbearable pain. But it didn’t last long.

Before I knew it, his lips were already on mine.