The Vampire Prince's Blood Slave

She arrives in the lion's den

Don rushed out the room. Damn! It was too soon. Tavek wasn’t in the right mind to meet her. Don came to an abrupt halt in the hallway as he found Celeste leaning casually against the opposite wall. She inspected her nails as if there was nothing unusual with her presence. She wasn’t supposed to be in that part of the castle, but there she was.

Don shook his head at her entitled behaviour. She had been part of Tavek’s father’s consort when he was still alive and she was the only one of them who remained after the king’s death. And believed she deserved to be treated like a queen. A notion she didn’t let them all forget.

Don didn’t have time for her antics today. He needed to stop Keegan from bringing the human female up to the prince’s rooms.

“Celeste,” Don said. He surreptitiously checked that the door had closed firmly behind him. He couldn’t have her telling tales about what she had seen. She could smell the blood, he was sure of that. But seeing was knowing. It wasn’t uncommon for a vampire to spill blood during s*x. So the scent of blood could mean anything.

Don took a step down the hallway. But was stopped by her saccharine voice. It held a threat he didn’t like.

“Seems to me he’s getting worse,” Celeste drawled. Her voice loud enough for anyone close by to hear. She came up behind him, and he could feel her cold presence like the blistering wind of the wastelands. “Your sweet Tavek is unraveling at the seams. And there’s nothing you can do.”

Celeste ran her bony fingers along his back. Don moved like a blur, and snatched her hand from his back. He squeezed almost crashing her bones. Celeste stifled a wince.

“Your tricks won’t work on me.”

“I know.” She smiled through the pain. Her eyes gleamed with an insane glint. Don let her go feeling like he had revealed some deep seated secret. He turned and rushed towards the staircase with Celeste’s laughter nipping at his heels.

Before going to meet the carriage he made a detour to the servants’ quarters and quietly commanded two of his trusted boys to clean up the blood and discretely remove the body and dispose of it. They jumped to do his bidding in their need to please him.

He’ll have to reward them tonight. Erotic images flooded his mind at that thought. Don shook his head as he returned to the great hall. The other vampires who have not gone out for the night lounged around sipping on blood spiced wine and whiling away the night.

Don turned to the double doors as they were pulled open to reveal a rather tired Keegan and an overly excited Marek.

Marek? What was he doing here? The barrier couldn’t be left unguarded.

Don rushed the few steps to the door. As he got closer the figure behind them came into view.

Don gasped, stunned. She was a vision. Her hair was red like burning flame, and her skin was like porcelain. And she just had to have rosy lips to add to her already arresting appearance.

Don stared at her sniffing deep.

She was an innocent, pure. And she held herself with pride with her head held high. There was defiance in her every step.

Don breathed a sigh of relief. She might survive the night yet.

The devil will be scared to touch an angel. Well he hoped. Or the Mowari dynasty will be thing of the past.

Robin blinked the dark spots in her eyes as she tried to adjust to the darkness that lingered around in the castle like a living thing. A crystal chandelier threw weak shafts of light in the great hall adding to the already depressing atmosphere. It seemed vampires didn’t need much light. Robin blinked trying to see more of her surrounding; all she could see were blotches of furniture here and there which were occupied by stiff beings. They stopped their chattering and stared at her with glowing eyes that saw far too much. Robin’s heart sped up in her chest. Her knees wobbled and fear filled her, and she could feel it seeping out of her pores to stink up the place. The room filled with a menacing tension as the vampires homed in on her. And Robin suddenly felt like she had stepped into the lion den. To an extend that was true. To the beings sitting around casually she was food.

Robin shivered not knowing how to react.

“Don’t let them know you’re scared.” One of the vampires stepped close shielding her from the others. “Fear is like an aphrodisiac for vampires. I’m Don, the prince’s second in command. They won’t hurt you, not if they want to feel prince Tavek’s wrath.” The latter he said loud enough for the whole room to hear.

The tension dropped a notch. And most of the vampires turned back to whatever they had been doing ignoring her completely.

Robin swallowed hard not sure she was glad how easily prince Tavek’s name defused the situation. What kind of man was he?

Did they obey him because he was their prince or? Robin felt there was a more sinister reason behind their easy submission.

Oh she was in trouble, Robin thought. Her knees wobbled further and her stomach liquefied. She was going to be sick.

Don and Keegan exchanged a strange look.

Keegan pulled her to his side and steadied her with his own body. Robin was grateful for his support as she was about to crumble into a heap on the ground. Until he said, “It’s time you met the prince.”

He dragged her towards the staircase. And she had to pump her weakened legs to keep up with him.

“I’ll wait right her.” Robin heard Marek say. She’d forgotten he was still there. “I’ll see him once he’s finished with her. It won’t take long I presume. I hear his women don’t last the night. Tell him I’m here will you, Don. I’ll see him at his convenience.” The smugness in the vampire’s voice couldn’t be missed. Robin wondered if he provoked everyone he spoke to. Robin couldn’t hear Don’s response as she was dragged farther into the castle.

She wished she had heard it. Heard if the rumours were true.

What are you going to do if the rumours are true, Robin? Run? She couldn’t run.

“Here we are,” Keegan pulled open a door and ushered her inside. The room was well lit, and there was a fire going. Robin didn’t even realize she was cold until she saw the flames. She looked around her – the wealth of the vampires was clear in every piece of furniture in the room. Plush carpets dotted the floor giving the room a cozy atmosphere that could have been comforting if not for her situation.

“Do exactly as he says.” Keegan repeated the words he’d said in the carriage. He turned away from her and peaked behind a beautifully decorated screen. “I’ll tell them to bring you something to wear after you freshen up. The bathroom is through there,” he said pointing behind the screen.

He walked to the door and then hesitated. He shook his head and then walked out.

Robin’s eyes drifted to the large bed. She’d never seen a bed that large.

How big was he? She shook her head, she didn’t need to know that.

Then she noticed that the covers where turned down.

What was supposed to happen there? Robin’s breath hitched in her throat. Her knees finally gave out. She crumbled in a chair next to the bed. A sob formed in her throat. A lone tear trickled down her cheek. She wiped at it as a knock sounded on the door.