The Vampire Prince and His Slave Princess

Chapter Three

Jax's POV

I was finding it extremely hard to leave Carly alone in that hospital room, but I followed Alice nonetheless. I don't know what is happening to me, but I felt like it was my purpose to protect this girl with everything in me. The moment I saw her in that hallway, and heard her sweet voice, and our skin connected, something in my heart constricted and told me that I needed her to be mine.

She was so beautiful, it was physically making me hurt because all I wanted to do was hold her and keep her all to myself, but I knew that to every other vampire here it was unethical and, as the crown Prince, it was forbidden.

"Your Highness, I really can't keep her here for long. She's a slave and I can get into so much trouble for just treating her and even lose my license." I sighed and turned to look at her. She was one of the few friends I had here and I trusted her to take care of the girl my heart was fully set on.

"I just need you to make sure she's healthy and no longer in danger, Alice. I don't trust any other than you to do so because I know you hate how everyone treats humans, just like I do."

She bit her lip and put her hands on her hips, seeming absolutely torn over this, "Jax..." she started quietly and stepped closer, a confused expression in her obsidian eyes, "why do you care so much about what happens to her?" I sighed and leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest. In all honesty, I don't know why other than I feel it in my gut that we belong together and that she saved my life and in return put hers in danger, which made me feel honored and angry at the same time.

Unless... "I-I think this girl may be my fated mate," I said quietly. It was very rare for a human and a vampire to end up as mates, as each vampire had half a soul and when they found their other half they were finally complete and together forever, but it did happen and I felt it in my soul that she was my other half now that I'd said the words aloud.

Alice's eyes widened briefly and then they softened and she gave me a gentle smile. She hadn't found hers yet, but I knew she yearned for her other half just like I had for many years and she understood the need to protect them when finally coming together.

She nodded in understanding, "I will keep watch over her and make sure nothing happens to her when you're not there, but I can't stop your family from removing her when they come."

And they would too, if I knew Jada, and I did...she's probably already on her way to snatching Carly back into her grasp as we speak. I'd made it my business to find out everything about Carly the moment I met her and I knew she was Jada's personal slave and that she hated her with a passion, but didn't want to replace her because she knew everything about my sister and her preferences.

"I hate the world we live in," I muttered quietly, but I knew she still heard me as she nodded once in agreement. "I've got to find a way to keep Carly with me..." I needed to talk with my father, he'd understand as my aunt was his sister and she'd mated with a human but turned him into a vampire to keep him from dying. He'd help me, I'm sure of it, or at least get me to take over Carly's documents so that I could 'officially' make her my personal slave but keep her close to me at all times. "I need you to watch over her for me, I have to speak to my father real quick, but I'll return shortly."

"Of course. You have my word."

"Thank you," I placed my hand on her arm and gave her a smile before turning and heading towards his office.

I moved through the halls quickly, not bothering to stop for any chit-chat with the other vampires who greeted me, but nodding and saying hello to them anyway. His office was on the other side of the castle and being far away from Carly was setting me on edge already, but once I talked to him I could go back to her.

As soon as I approached, I greeted the two guards that stood on either side of the door and they bowed their heads in respect before opening it for me. Internally, I rolled my eyes, as I'm perfectly capable of opening my own doors and such, but they insisted, so I let it go. Plus, I had other things on my mind than to get into a discussion about how it wasn't needed. I'd been at the army camp too long to worry about having someone else doing simple things like that for me, but protocol states that they do it anyway. Stupid rules...

When I walked in, my father had his head bowed towards his desk filling out paperwork and important documents for the Kingdom, but his head raised as I strode confidently into the room.

"Ah, Jax! I'm surprised to see you here. What can I do for you, son?" He stood and embraced me enthusiastically, as his firstborn and heir to the throne, I was his favorite. Of course, my brother and sister were still spoiled brats that hadn't seen an ounce of combat like I had, so he had almost no tolerance for their antics, but the love for them was still there.

"I need some help," I said as we parted and took our seats across from each other, "I'm in a situation like Aunt Dina..."

He raised an eyebrow at me before giving me a grin, "You found your mate. Who is she?"

I sighed, "Jada's personal slave, Carly. I met her a week ago and then she saved my life yesterday by stepping in the path of a Nightshade poisoned arrow that Jada was shooting towards me."

The shocked look on my father's face showed that he had not been informed about Jada using poisoned arrows for shooting practice and that I would have almost died if not for Carly intervening. "Why wasn't I informed of that?"

"I've been watching over her in the hospital wing since then, and I imagine Jada hasn't told you because she almost killed me, and just about succeeded in killing her own slave."

He growled, "I will have to speak to her about this...but in time. Right now, let's get you and Carly situated." He pulled out a drawer behind him of all the slave files and scanned for Carly's name before pulling it out and opening it. After stamping it with the royal seal and making sure that Jada no longer had control over her life, he handed the file to me. "She is officially yours, son. Make haste in changing her though, so we can make her a Princess and move forward for your coronation. I will have a talk with your sister."

"I will. Thank you father," I took the file and stood, giving him another hug before leaving to go back to my girl.

I was absolutely elated that I had finally found my mate and that it would work out for us, she would become a vampire Princess and eventually rule by my side and never be in the danger that she's been in ever again. I couldn't become King without my mate; it was tradition that whenever a vampire became King or Queen, they had someone else to share the work load and responsibilities. Plus, having a mate makes a vampire stronger.

Once I got back to the room, I saw Alice leaving quietly. "How is she?"

"She's stable and sleeping, the food and medicine I gave her is helping her recover and rest peacefully. As long as the wound heals right, she should be good as new in a few days' time."

"I nodded, "Thank you, Alice."

She smiled and nodded before walking away to check on her other patients and I walked into the room to see Carly curled into a ball on her side.

I moved quietly so as not to wake her and sat back in the chair to watch over her. Her hair had been taken out of its braid and was sprawled out over the pillow in thick waves and her small hand was resting beside her cheek. I pulled the covers up over her gently and brushed some of her hair away from her face to look at her properly. She really was beautiful and so tiny it looked like she could break, but I knew she was strong enough to have withstood my sister's harsh treatment of her all these years.

With these documents in my hand, I could make sure she'd never get hurt ever again on my watch and with one last look at her, I sat back to read over the papers. They told of her parents dying from mistreatment; of her being left with one of the seamstresses that used to work in the castle; her list of duties that seemed way too long for just one person; and of her being Jada's personal slave, which was now crossed out and my name had been added. It did feel weird to officially call her my slave when she was anything but that to me, but I know that these documents were procedure and would help in making sure Jada couldn't take her back.

I closed the file with a smile and leaned back to get comfortable before gazing upon her again. It was like I was afraid of her being snatched away from me now that I had found her and I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Her almost dying for me must have made the urge to protect her that much more effective.

It was mere moments before I heard her make a small sound before opening her eyes. She looked around the room to get her bearings before settling her eyes on me; I could tell it was hard for her to keep eye contact with me because of her fear of being punished, but still those bright eyes stayed locked on mine and she even looked relieved that I was here.

"You're back," she said groggily.

I nodded and leaned forward to grab her hand, "Of course. I told you I'd return to you. How are you feeling?"

She tightened her hand on mine before answering, "Numb. I don't really feel anything now."

"I'm glad, you should still be resting though. You're nowhere near being healed completely." Although I was excited to tell her that her life would be changing, I still wanted her to get better and her taking it easy and sleeping was the best thing for her right now.

"I will, I promise. I just...I wanted to make sure that you were alright. You haven't slept all night yourself and you're more important than I am. So--"

I interrupted her, making sure that she knew that I hated her saying things like that when she was far more important to me now, "I'm perfectly fine, sweetheart. Don't worry about me when you're in such a state yourself." It took me a moment to realize what I'd called her, but it felt so right, so I didn't mind the slip of the tongue.

Her eyes widened in shock at my words, but she nodded anyway, staying silent. With her looking at me with those eyes, I really couldn't hold myself back anymore from breaking the news to her.

"I do want to speak to you about something though, if you're up for it?"

"What is it?"

I grabbed the file I'd put on the floor and handed it to her, "I've requested a transfer for you from Jada's staff to mine."

She took it tentatively and opened it, scanning the pages briefly before meeting my eyes again, "Why would you do this?" she asked softly.

"Because...you saved my life and you don't deserve to be treated the way she treats you. And also, because...I want you. Not to be my slave, but to be mine." She looked confused for a moment and she slowly sat up, which had me moving to grab onto her to keep her steady. "Carly, have you heard about each vampire having one mate for life forever?" She shook her head, so I went on to explain, "Every vampire has one person who shares the other half of their soul. It's almost always two vampires, but in rare cases, one is paired with a human." I looked pointedly at her, letting my words sink in, and I watched her swallow uneasily.

"What does that really mean for me?"

I cupped her cheek in my hand and leaned in a little closer, "Carly...you're my fated mate. The one I'm supposed to protect and love for the rest of our lives," she put her hand over mine and I felt her let out a shaky breath and lean into my hand, relaxing into me fully. "I had the documents officially changed so no one will know the real reason until I can make sure it's safe to change you."

"Change me?"

I nodded, "Yes, into a vampire, whenever you're ready for it and once the Nightshade is out of your system. I won't force it on you, but you should know that you'll be safer as one than if you stayed as a human. Your life will be in less danger and you will become a Princess. My Princess."

"But...I can't be a Princess," she whispered in a shaky voice, looking down at herself, "I'm nothing. I mean, look at me...I'm dirty and gross--"

"You're beautiful and you're mine, if you'll have me." She met my eyes then and I could see her soften as she melted into my arms.

"I will," she said with resolve. With a grin on my face, I did exactly what I've been wanting to do ever since I met her. I pulled her flush against me and leaned down to kiss her, tangling my fingers in her soft hair and holding her close as I tasted her lips.

She let out a small moan and gripped onto my shirt tightly; I could feel her heart racing with our chests against each other and it took everything I had in me not to take her right here and now. She was still healing, I'd have her soon, I told myself, and with that thought in mind, I pulled away to give us a chance to catch our breath. She leaned her head against my chest and I tightened my grip on her, my chin resting on her head.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure you're safe and unharmed, "I vowed gently before leaning down to kiss her temple and then the corner of her lips as she leaned back to look up at me. "Get some sleep now, I'll talk to Alice about having you move to my room in the morning."

She nodded as I helped her lay back down and covered her back up. I gave her one more quick kiss before she slowly drifted off to sleep once more.

I took my place beside the bed again and finally gave into sleep with the thought of everything turning out for the best for us very soon.