In War, There Is Love

Marrying News

“Are we really doing this right now? Again?”

The familiar voice brought her back from her worrying thoughts. There had been a meeting with the Council of Peace just a few hours ago and the result of it would either mean war or just a temporary peace. And none of the options were what she would have chosen, though the idea of a war with the bloody vampires was growing more tempting by the day.

“Maya!” the voice called again.

“What?” she answered. “What are we doing again?”

The blond head between her legs lifted to show some angry eyes. “Are you even asking? You keep zoning out while I try to giving you pleasure.”

Sarcasm dripped from Maya’s lips along with a chuckle. “Perhaps you should try doing a better job at it then.”

Suddenly her lover was out of bed, running a hand through his hair, and for a second Maya was afraid he would pull them out. It would be a pity. His blond hair were most probably the only part of him she actually liked.

And now he looked offended. Pissed even.

Why she couldn’t bring herself to care, she wasn’t really sure. Nolan wasn’t her fated mate, and he couldn’t be called the most passionate lover, but he cared about her, more than anyone except her mother had ever cared about her in her life.

He had even asked her father for her hand a few times. As if it was her father Nolan was going to get married instead of her.

“Why am I even surprised?” he murmured, and for a flicker of a moment the disappointment in his face made her feel bad.

“Nolan, I have a lot in my mind right now.”

“Of course you do,” he kept murmuring as he got dressed as if he couldn’t wait to get out of her chambers.

“I have to gather the Council for an emergency meeting,” Maya felt the urge to explain to him, and that rarely ever happened. She didn’t give explanations. She never even excused herself nor her action. “Father can be back at any time now.”

“I know, Maya,” Nolan sighed again, but his voice sounded irritated. “It’s all you talk about. All you even care about. Your father should have never allowed you to be part of his Council. Not when you aren’t even a—” Princess.

Cutting himself off before it was too late, Nolan left. He didn’t dare to say it but it wouldn’t make a difference. She knew what he thought. She knew what everyone thought. She was a bastard, a female faerie, not at all deserving to be part of their Privy Council. No matter she was the best strategist King Silas had had in years.

Not a Princess.

Never a Princess.

Maya didn’t give a damn.

Once upon a time she had, back then when she was the small little Maya that was frowned upon just for existing. As if it was her own fault her father—their King—had cheated on their Queen.

Making herself presentable by putting on a black dress that contrasted her pale skin and hair, she wasted no time in announcing the emergency meeting and gathering the lords that were already presentable inside the Court.

She couldn’t wait for her father. They had to be prepared for the worst case scenario, that being a bloody war that would cost them everything they had.

The worst was, most of the lords even wanted that. Especially the father of the ambassador they had sent in vampires’ Royal Court—and received back only his head as a gift from the Vampire King.

Maya had always known he was a psychotic murderer, but going as far as killing the ambassador and risking war was simply insane even for him.

“Finally,” she whispered to herself as she saw the lords walk inside the Throne Room, all looking all sorts of emotions. Worried, mad, angry, but what caught Maya’s attention was the look on the face of her younger half-brother. He did look mad, but one simple glance at him was enough to realize the Vampire King wasn’t his target.

It was her, of course.

Her being the one that called a meeting with their Council first.

Her replacing their father despite of her being a bastard and him being the heir to the throne.

Yet no matter what he did, Liam didn’t have the same authority that she had. Not only he was nine years younger, he wasn’t the brightest Crown Prince the royal family had ever had.

And, the lords respected her. Some even feared her, though they didn’t like to admit it. A title didn’t mean much when she had earned her place among them and kept doing so day after day.

“I assume you are already aware why I have gathered you here today,” Maya said, wasting no time in pleasantries.

“Father isn’t even home yet,” Liam interrupted her. “Are you trying to act King now?”

Fighting the urge to roll her eyes was getting harder every day. “We’re on a brick of a war, Liam. Surely this is not what you’re worried about right now, am I right?”

“I demand war!” Lord Hold shouted. “Demetrius killed my son! King Silas promised me nothing would happen to him in the Court of Death.”

Maya winced. The Lord was right of course, her father had promised that despite the fact Maya had advised him against sending Hold’s son as the ambassador to the vampires’ Court. Determination and bravery weren’t the only personality traits you should possess in order to survive in the hellhole that place was.

“I am sure there will be a solution to all of this—”

There was an urgent knocking that cut her off. “The King is here,” the guard announced, and King Silas walked inside without much of a ceremony, for her surprise immediately announcing that the meeting was postponed for later.

Yet it wasn’t that that got Maya worried. It was the look of utter agony and regret in her father’s face when he looked at her and immediately avoided her gaze. “Maya, you stay,” he simply told her, and waited for everyone else to leave.

“Father.” There was this creeping feeling in her back as she waited for what the Council of Peace had decided. “There’s going to be a war, isn’t it?”

He simply shook his head, still not looking at her.

“What could possibly be worse than that?” she asked, but suddenly she didn’t want to hear the answer.

Maya didn’t fear anything. She hadn’t for many years. But the look of guilt—and worse—acceptance in her father’s blue eyes she had inherited suddenly scared her.

“Maya,” he started, “unfortunately, the Council of Peace decided for you to marry King Demetrius.”

Laughter bubbled inside her throat. “Father, this is no time for jokes.”

Only that he didn’t laugh. He didn’t say anything but gulped and tried holding the authority that was slipping through his fingers by the second.

“You aren’t joking, are you?” Her voice filled the suddenly silent room, and for some reason it was strong. Cold. Any other sane woman would be freaking out right now, yet she wasn’t.

Maya didn’t freak out. She was in control. She was always in control.

“I am sorry. The Council of Peace decided it was for the best—”

“No, you decided, Father. You did.” They had never had an affectionate relationship, but Maya had shown him respect. Most of the time at least. Now all she wanted to do was laugh on his hypocritical face. “I am sure the Council didn’t specifically want for me to marry him. Nor did Demetrius, I’m sure. No one, and especially not the most goddamned feared King of our world wants to marry a bastard and lose face to his people. But you couldn’t sacrifice one of your precious little daughters, now, could you?”

“Maya,” Silas whispered. “You know I love you just like I love them.”

His audacity made her laugh. “No, you do not. You wouldn’t offer me to a monster if you did.”

“If there is someone that will be able to survive him, that person it’s you.”

Turning her back at him, she let out a big sigh. At the same time hating herself for being just a little bit curious. Of how this could function. How it was to face him. How he actually looked liked.

They had spoken about the Vampire King in hushed voices since she was a child, but never once she had ever been inside the same room as the creature everyone feared this much.

Why didn’t she?

“How could you? After everything I have gone through?”

“Maya.” He placed his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to face him. “You have forgotten, haven’t you?”

There was silence, and then a nod from her. “I have forgotten.” She hadn’t. Not entirely, but what good would it do to admit it to her father now. “But you had absolutely no right to decide who I am going to marry.”

“I know,” he admitted. “The circumstances are different, however. It was this or war. You don’t want our people to go to war with the vampires, right?”

The guilt trip he was using on her made Maya hate all this facade even more. “Your people, Father. Your people. I was never their Princess.”

“Maybe in title no.” Silas took her hand in his warm ones. “But in blood you’ve always been one. You’ve always felt one. I have given you more rights that your own sisters have.”

She wanted to scream, but what good would it do except for the people her father was referring to calling her hysterical. And yet he was right when he said she did feel like that. Like these were her people no matter how much they disliked her.

It was strange, but deep down she had wanted to belong.

“Yet my sisters will get to marry their mates. What about my mate, Father? What about me? Isn’t mating among our specie our first law?” The conversation looked like it was physically hurting him. “What about Nolan?”

“I never thought you intended on marrying him.”

“Better him than a monster. Of course, if I had the right to chose.”

“Maya...” he paused again, taking a step closer before letting her hand go. “Choosing you instead of one of your sisters was because... because I want you to find a way to end Demetrius. For good.”

Maya looked at him for a few seconds, and it was like a ghost was speaking to her instead. “You mean... kill him?! Kill the Vampire King?”

“Yes.”

Her father was going insane, wasn’t he? “Are you hearing yourself? His many enemies haven’t found a way to kill him for centuries? What makes you think I will?”

“You will be his wife, Maya. It doesn’t matter if he wants it or not, there is no one closer to a king than his wife.” He sounded like what he was saying was totally possible. “You can find a weapon. Whatever it was that is capable of killing him, he holds it close. You can save us all.”

Much had happened in her life, and nothing had shocked her to her core as much as hearing this did. “Let’s suppose—hypothetically—I find a way to kill him. Or try to. What will happen to me afterwards?”

Silence followed her words just like she had predicted it would.

“You never once stopped to think of it, did you, Father?” Walking backwards, Maya reached for the door. “They could bring me to you in pieces and it would be alright as long as you finally get rid of him.”

“You don’t understand,” her father insisted. “I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted someone in my life.”

“I don’t want that kind of trust,” she simply said.

And who would? Who would want to marry King Demetrius, and be sent as his assassin all at the same time?