The Rise Of The Queen

Chapter 3.

Ravens POV

* * * * * * * * * It's 19:03 at night, or early morning if you ask me. I had gotten a shower and gotten dressed, I was laying on my bed reading a book about some sloppy love story where the man is chasing the woman he wants and the same man is being chased by three other women. I never understood this part, why doesn't the man tell the other women to f**k of? Wouldn't he have a much greater chance with the woman he wants? 

Regardless of my thoughts about the book, it was my third time reading it and I couldn't get enough. That is until there was a knock on my bedroom door. I yelled for whoever it was to come in, the door was opened hard and slammed into the wall, and in came Xander, my father, the king's, right hand. 

”Where is Domenic?” He asked me as he walked over to my bed. 

”Don’t you mean the king?” I asked in a sassy tone making Xander roll his eyes. 

”My bad princes, where is the oh so mighty king of ours?” 

”Haha, I don’t know, sorry, maybe his study?” Xander wasn't like the rest, he wasn't what you'd expect the king's right hand to be like. He was fun, humorous, and just as unserious as I was, we got along well. His brother, on the other hand, Nathaniel, was the polar opposite. My father wanted Nathaniel and the position was rightfully his seeing as he is older than Xander, but he declined, he said he didn't want to be apart of 'the royal court’. His father had the position before him, and his father before that, the only generation that declined the position was Nathaniels. 

Xander was twenty-five, he had a sharp jawline, light brown eyes, and curly hair that reached just above his shoulders, he was by all means very good-looking, he was like a brother to me. Nathaniel was more like a thorn in the small of my back that I couldn't get out, he may be opposed to the royals, but he upheld traditions. Including those on how a princes should behave and dress, the only thing we had in common, was our dislike towards the selling of women. 

”Do you really think I would come up into your room if I hadn't checked his study first?” He asked me with one raised brow and a grin on his face. 

” Why I don’t know, I am quite the pleasant company, perhaps that is why you made your way to my chambers, sir.” Talking in the old ways with etiquette was something that the staff has tried to get me to do for years, but I only ever did it when I and Xander were messing around with each other. 

”Haha you sound like you have a stick up your ass when you speak like that. Alright, I’ll continue searching. Princess,” He said with a full-body bow, I smirked and bowed my head slightly, dismissing him. 

I continued reading my book until it was finished, I then placed it back on its shelf and moved downstairs, it’s almost completely dark outside which means I can roam the streets. 

As I was making my way to the living room, planning to play the piano for an hour, a deafening scream was heard echoing through the house.

”PRINCES!” One of the guards yelled as they all used their speed to surround me and take me to safety, I, however, broke free from the circle of protection and ran upstairs, searching for where the sound came from. 

I smelled something.

Blood.

Vampire blood. I moved In the direction of my fathers' study and when I reached the door the sight before me made me wish I had stayed downstairs, I was prepared to fight, I was prepared to die, but I wasn't prepared to see Marco lying dead on the floor of my fathers' study.

With a stake through his heart and his eyes open. His skin was grey and black blood was drying on the carpet and on his clothes. 

This can't be real. 

One of the maids who regularly cleaned the rooms was standing over Marco's body, her hands were covering her face as she sobbed. She was also Marcos aunt, her name was Melania, she had lost her daughter in one of my fathers' pathetic attempts to prevent a war, and now she had lost the boy she called her son. 

”WHO DID THIS!?” I screamed, all eyes turned to me, including Melania's, 

”Princes,” A soft voice spoke behind me, I turned around and saw Xander standing there, next to my father. They both looked unfazed by the sight of Marcos dead body, but I knew that Xander took a liking to him after finding out Marco thought me too fight, after that, they were like brothers. My father, however, probably didn't give a s**t. 

”Did you do this !?” I yelled at my father whilst pointing to Marco's body. He took a deep breath, still no emotions showing on either his face or in his eyes, he relaxed his shoulders and shook his head. 

”No Raven, I didn’t, I would never hurt an innocent boy,”

”I wouldn't put it past you seeing as how you've hurt THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT GIRLS!” 

I saw black, I was raging, my father pretended to care about the life of one when he sacrificed the lives of thousands. 

”Raven calm down, this is hard enough for everybody as it is. I didn't do this, but I believe I know who did.” He said as he took a few steps towards Marco, I quickly got in his way, refusing to let him pass, he didn't deserve it. Not until he can prove that he wasn't the one behind this.

I stared up at him, I felt the need for blood, the urge to kill, it was stronger than ever and it was directed at my father. 

”I didn't kill the boy, but I believe Fredrick might have.” He said, he took a deep breath before continuing, 

” The stunt you pulled when his brother was here, when you refused marriage, nothing goes without punishment for that man, you refused to marry Frederick and embarrassed the Whitlock family by doing so. This must be his retaliation.” And for the first time in my life, I felt a chill run down my spine, not because I was afraid, but because I might be the reason why Marco is dead.

"They are coming here in two hours, both the brothers this time, we must make sure that this doesn't happen again, and in order to do so,” My father spoke and then looked at me. 

”I need to marry him.” I finished the sentence and my father nodded his head, I looked over at Xander who was almost shaking with rage, in the way that he was an older brother to me, I was like a little sister to him. 

My father tapped my shoulder and then exited, Xander stood still for a while, trying to gain control of his anger before following his king, and the guards started tending to Marco's body. While two of them were dragging Melania away from him, her fangs came out and her eyes were bloodshot red as she tried to get to Marco, but too no use, she stood no chance against the guards. 

I walked back to my room and closed the door behind me, I walked out on the balcony, noticing how the sun had set, and I looked out over the city. New York was said to be the city that never sleeps, but I must say that New Orleans is the city that never dies. 

I admired everything in my view as much as ever, it never ceased to amaze me, the lights, the people, the vehicles, and the music, it was like looking at a beautiful theatrics display. 

I heard my door slamming open and then felt the hot breath of someone behind me, fanning my neck. I slowly turned around and faced Xander, I cupped his cheek with my hand and stared into his eyes, he was holding in so much pain that he wasn't allowed to show. 

I turned back to the view of the city, 

”Do you ever wonder how it would be, to be like them? To be human?” I asked him as I leaned over the railing. 

”You mean weak, prone to deices and mortal?” He countered as he too leaned over the railing next to me. ”I mean happy, free, alive, and in love with life.” Xander combed through his hair with his hand and released a breath. 

”I have, and I quickly regretted it, imagine watching everyone you love die, or having kids and not being able to see them grow up, imagine everything in the world being able to kill you, they're all living on borrowed time.” 

I pondered on his answers for a while, he did have some valid points, except for one. 

”Not all vampires get to see their children grow up either.” Xander’s head took a quick turn and he was now looking at me, he engulfed me in a hug and gently stroked my back. 

”I know, I'm sorry, if she were here she would have killed the king.” He said and I laughed at accuracy, she really would have had she been here. 

”She loved you, Raven, what happened had nothing to do with you.” 

”But everything to do with my father.” Xander pulled away from the hug and looked down on me, his eyes glistening, and the sorrow behind them emerging more and more. 

”You’re not marrying Frederick Raven.” I knew he was going to say something like that, as much guilt as I may feel for Marco's death, my life being sold of won't bring him back. I gave Xander a devious smile, 

”Of course I’m not,” 

Fredericks POV

* * * * * * * * * * * * ”How long before we’re there?” I asked my brother who was driving. 

I really hope this girl is worth it. Alexander had told me a great deal about their first encounter. How she was headstrong, feisty, and not at all daddies little girl as so many thought she was. They believed the princes of the largest clan in the south-west of America, to be the kings' special gem, his diamond, oh how wrong they seem to have been. 

”Almost there, twenty minutes give or take.”

I also heard that she is in no mood to get married, whether it be to me or any other man, I do wonder how a woman can be so defiant. 

”Pull over.” I said to my brother, I was getting hungry and there was a pub just around the corner. 

”In the mood for a drink huh?” Alexander asked me, I smirked as we stepped out of the car, it was 20:00 so the people were just at the peak of their drunken state, which was the best time to strike. 

Neither I nor my brother have ever had any difficulties getting a woman to come with us, which of course was a plus when you wanted to drain them on their blood. 

As we stepped into the pub all eyes turned to us. There were a few girls sitting by the table closest to the window, one of them had beautiful blonde, glistening hair, that framed her somewhat chubby face. I could smell her all the way from here, there was much alcohol in her system.

I started walking towards her and as I got closer I saw her cheeks heat up and she turned her body, facing me as I approached her. I reached for her hand and she gladly accepted, I took it up to my lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles while keeping eye contact.

”What’s your name beautiful?” I heard one of the guys beside her scoff but it didn't faze me. 

”Umm, Alisa, hey.” She said in a stammer. She pulled her hand back as her eyes were gazing into mine. 

”I’m Frederick, it’s nice to meet you. I've never been here before and I was just looking for a restroom to use before me and my brother over there continue our journey. But your eyes, there's something about them, they captivated me the second I stepped in.” Her mouth was wide open and her cheeks were a bright red, I could practically feel my brother rolling his eyes behind me as he always does, jealousy is what I presume it is. 

”The-the, umm, the bathroom is around the corner.” She said slowly, still leaving her mouth open as she barely tried to regain her composure. 

”Would you mind showing me?” I asked her as I took a step back, she nodded her head and stood to her feet, obediently showing me the way.  

We walked into the men's-room, Alisa was practically hypnotized. She was looking into my eyes and didn't object to a single thing, at least not until I opened the stall door and walked in. She seemed to come to her senses, she tried jerking her hand away from mine, I let it go and she turned around walking to the door. I grabbed her around her waist with one arm, pinning down her arms as her back hit my chest and with the other, I bit into my wrist and pressed it onto her mouth. 

She unwillingly gulped down my blood, trying with all her might to wrangle herself out of my grip, but the more blood she gulped down, the lesser in control she came to be, and started to relax. I let her go and turned her to face me, her eyes were white, I had given her enough to do what I wanted for the next fifteen minutes. I walked into the stall and she followed behind, I sat down on the toilet lid, and placed her on my lap, she leaned in towards my lips and started kissing me, well, I guess there’s no harm in having a little fun. 

I tangled my hand in her hair and pushed her further into the kiss, I pushed in my tongue and started tasting her, her hands were going wild as she dragged them over my body, I could feel her core heating up with every touch and kiss I gave her. 

”Sorry sweetheart, I have a princess to meet, so we’re going to have to cut this short.” With that said  I yanked her head to the side and dug my fangs into her neck, feasting on her warm, sweet blood, not everyone tastes alike but I must say, Alisa here was a real treat. 

When I was done I cleaned us up and cleaned her wound, I then cupped her face with both my hands and stared into her eyes, making sure she understood what I was saying.

”This wound is going to be healed by the time my blood leaves your system, you followed me into the bathroom stall and we fooled around a little. We kissed and we touched and we had fun, but then I had to leave before my brother noticed my absence. You had fun, you're memories are dazed and all you remember is a hot guy making out with you, no details, nothing. Do you understand?”

She nodded her head, 

”Words please.” I said in a dark, somewhat horny voice, seeing as we didn't get to finish what we started.

”Yes, I understand.” 

”Good, what color are my eyes?” I needed to make sure that I didn't leave any loose ends. 

”I don’t remember, but you were hot.”

”Good girl, now stay here for another five minutes and then go out to your friends.” I fixed my suit in the mirror and walked out of the bathroom and headed towards the exit where my brother was waiting. I wiped the side of my mouth with my finger and my brother shook his head and opened the door. 

”Was it good?” Alexander clearly didn't enjoy himself, he can sure be a stickup when in a crowd. 

”It was delicious, you sure you're not hungry?” 

”I ate before we left, remember?” He said with a grin. 

”Oh right, what was her name, Claire? I guess she’ll do. Now let's go meet the princess.” We got into the car and headed towards the Kings' mansion, I had a feeling that this evening would be much more interesting than predicted.