His Hidden Jewel

Chapter 14

Volkari runs a hand through his messy strands, sighing heavily as he takes a long sip of his whiskey.

He’s spread out on a black couch, there’s a coffee table in front of him with his whiskey, and a roaring fire in a fireplace behind the table. He stares with dead eyes at the fire, unsurely turning the cup of whiskey in his hand. Jazma notices her husbands and life mates odd behavior, and frowns.

Gliding towards him, she gently runs his shoulders, ignoring how he jumps at her touch.

Something is very, clearly wrong. She can feel it.

“You’re so tense, my love. You’ve been tense since the ball the other night. What is the matter?” She asks softly, pressing loving kiss to his cheek.

He sighs. “Nothing that won’t be fixed soon, my dear. I can promise you that.” Jazma steps back and raises an expecting eyebrow at her husband. It isn’t like him to be elusive around her; he usually tells her everything, at least she thought he did.

Jazma narrows her red eyes, “what is it you’re not telling me?”

“I tell you everything my dear,” Volkari assures, grabbing her hands lovingly and pressing a sweet kiss to the back of them. The Queen isn’t moved however, instead she continues to glare down at him, not letting him try to sweet talk his way out of this one.

“What is V? Did something else happen on the trip to Picaria that you’re not telling me?” Jazma asks, nibbling her lip worriedly.

Her eyes are suddenly distrustful, she has always been distrustful of Marz, and suddenly Volkari feels a little guilty visiting the pixie queen alone but he knows he can’t let her know what they truly spoke about that day. She wouldn’t understand. Jazma may appear strong and always on the same page as him in front of everyone, even his nephew, but secretly she has a soft heart and she can’t handle the dark parts of being a ruler.

“No, I promise you my love, nothing else happened. Marz just wanted to catch up, it’s been a long time and she is one of our greatest allies. That’s all.” Volkari lies easily as he stares deeply into her light red eyes, cupping his wife’s face.

Jazmas frown deepens. “I don’t like you being around Marz a lot right now. I can understand you and her mother’s fear of humans during the Crimson-era, but there’s no reason to be fearful of the human now. She’s just one, single, human. And I’ve heard Marz talk many times speciesistly (1)* of humans before, I wouldn’t be surprised if she pulled all of us into some drama over keeping one creature alive.”

“Human.” Volkari corrects.

Jazma raises a brow. “You forget, no matter how much we can deny it, humans are a creature-species. They just happen to not be a creature protected under the abolition law. I believe many are confusing that,” his wife adds gently at the end.

The king stares at his wife in a mixture of incredulous and disgust; it was starting to sound like his life mate feels the same as his nephew did about humans. Volkari almost chuckles aloud, it’s funny no matter how much his nephew tries to hide it, he clearly is some sort of human-sympathizer. Ugh, even the word in his mind made him irritated. And now it seems his wife may be one as well.

“It almost sounds like you’re a humam-lover,” Volkari spits, not able to hide his fury at his mate. Jazma narrows her eyes.

“Don’t you dare try to treat me like that! I’m your life mate! I’m just saying, there’s no use to kill her. We would just be senselessly killing at that point. We don’t want to have that around as an image of our rule; the people wouldn’t like that.” Jazma points out sharply.

“I doubt they’ll cause one revolution for some human,” he waves off with a chuckle.

Jazma lleans back out of his arms, giving her husband a long look. “What’s really going on? Why are you acting this way? Why would you let the human live if you only going to kill her?” She demands.

He clenches his fists. “Her.” That’s what his wife called it. Now “it” was more like it.

He forces himself to calm down, knowing he’s about to lose his temper in a messy way, and sighs in resignation.

“Enough Jazma, please. I’m tired,” he breathes before chugging the rest of the whiskey down.

A hurt look crosses her face, and Volkari softens. “I’m sorry. It’s just some old war memories, reminding me of the past, and that things place, that’s all.” He lies easily; it isn’t that, but in order to protect her, he’ll pull that card. “I’m sorry I hurt you, my darling, but as you know, it’s difficult to talk about it sometimes…”

Jazma rubs his arm comfortingly, “I understand my love. What happened to you and Queen Lokon all those years ago is horrible. But, you have to remember that this human isn’t the same ones that attacked you and Marz’s mother.”

Volkari just gives her a half hearted smile.

“I’ll be joining you soon, go rest for now. I still have one more business to take of before bed.” The king urges, caressing his wife’s face. She smiles gently and leans into his palm.

“You don’t usually have meetings at this late hour.”

“Just a little meeting with our nephew for a moment, nothing too serious.”

“Hm, tell our nephew “hello” for me, and don’t stay too late.” Jazma presses a kiss against his cheek, he turns his head and meets her in a kiss. She touches his long, silky hair, tucking some behind his ears.

“I won’t. Good night my dear.” Volkari promises, a soft smile on his lips. They kiss one last time, and Volkari watches his wife’s flowing, glowing blonde tresses disappear into the night.

Once his wife is out of sight the smile drops and he stares at the bottom of empty glass.

“Guard?”

A guard from outside calls in, “yes your Greatness?”

“Bring me my nephew.”

“Yes your Greatness.”

OoooooooooooooooooO

In Marcels room, Marcel is chuckling about something, his arm draped around my shoulder. I held a small but nonetheless bright smile, and Yeke is joining in on the laughter. We had forgotten the original thing that caused us to laugh in the first place, caught up in each other’s laughter. Even Marcel had joined in with a long series of chuckles. That’s when we heard a knock on the door, stopping our laughter immediately.

“Your Greatness, King Volkari requests your presence immediately,” a voice calls. Marcel and Yeke stiffen; he meets my curious, wide eyes.

“Thank you, I’ll be there soon,” Marcel calls to the creature behind the door. When their footsteps quieten, he turns to Yeke and I seriously.

“Yeke, take Bunny to your room. Don’t let anyone, but me in; no one else,” Marcel asserts.

“What’s going on Marcel?” Yeke asks, stepping closer to me in worry.

“It may be nothing, but it could be also be something,” he answers mysteriously. He looks towards me, his face determined. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it.”

“I hope so,” Yeke replies.

Marcel is confident as he walks into the kings chambers, even if his suspicions are secretly high of his uncle. It’s quite the coincidence that after he started to hint to Bunny his feelings for her that his uncle would call another one of those meetings.

“Good evening uncle,” Marcel greets evenly as he enters his uncles throne room. His uncle is seated at a table, the room only lit by the candle on the table and the fire roaring in the fireplace. His uncle has a small glass of alcohol in his hand, which he takes a big drink out of before he addresses his nephew.

“Marcel, come sit down,” Volkari ushers calmly, Marcel complies with ease, sitting across the other vampire, curiosity buzzing. “I’m sorry for the late night call, but there’s something I must finally tell you as future ruler of Silvonya. Something I’ve not entrusted to anyone else.”

Marcels mentally perks up, but remains completely aloof on the outside, staring evenly at his uncle. “Does Jazma know?”

“No, you would be the first and only creature I’ve come clean to about this, and what about I’m about to tell you was before Jazma and I met. I need to tell you the truth. As you know, the world was told that the Crimson Wars started when a group of humans attacked the pixie Queen Lokon of Picaria and I during a peaceful meeting. Which then resulted in the g******e of humankind.”

“Yeah, we were always taught that in school,” Marcel nods. There was a lot more to that happened during the Wars, but that was the general gist they taught him.

“Well, that was just the story Queen Lokon and I told everyone. That wasn’t what actually happened.”

Marcel clenches his hands, thankfully, they were hidden under the table.

“What actually happened uncle?”

Volkari breathes a long sigh. “You have to understand that back then, most of humankind were a little skittish of other creatures, mostly because unlike other creatures like us vampires, the were-species, elementals, and even pixies, humans don’t have a special power or strength. Because of it, they stuck to their continent of Harmoana; never really intermixing with other countries or creatures. There were a few interesting humans that lived outside of Harmoana but for the most part humans were pretty seclusive.

“Much of Picaria weren’t settled by the humans uneasiness; I could care less either way as they never showed themselves to be anything but peaceful creatures. But Picaria didn’t like it, especially Queen Lokon. She didn’t like how they stuck to themselves or the giant size of Harmoana since Harmoana has a whole continent to itself. She thought they would become more of threat. Lokon wanted to strike first so she enlisted my help.

“Since Harmoana held peace treaties with every kingdom on Gaia *(2), the only way Lokon and I could stage an attack without retaliation is if it looked like the humans struck first. So after inviting the group of humans that ruled Harmoana to a peaceful meeting about our treaties, Queen Lokon and I attacked, and once the dust settled, well, it was two rulers word against one. Of course that lead to the Crimson Wars, and humankind being exterminated, but they weren’t much a loss anyways,” Volkari waves off nonchalantly, Marcel looks stoic but on the inside he’s shocked, disgusted, and mad.

That was the truth.

It hits him: Bunny.

Bunny might be in more trouble than he thought. He has to tread carefully.

“There’s another secret you should know,” Marcel almost raises his brows. Another one?

“During the Crimson Wars, Lokon and I took on the task of dealing with rare humans personally,” the king continues, Marcel holds back his fury. He has an idea what he meant by “dealing.” “The reason for that is because Queen Lokon and I discovered that rare humans do hold some kind of special power.” This time the young vampire lord cant help but widen his eyes this time.

Volkari gives him a strained, understanding smile.

“Yes, it’s the quite the new information, considering all that anyone knows is that humans were unremarkable creatures with no powers or abilities. During the wars, the non-rare humans were all pretty much caught quickly and swiftly, but a large number of rare humans deluded us. Their scent was no where to be found. We eventually found them, after capturing and interrogating an elemental they enlisted to help provide them with resources, and we were able to hunt them one by one after that.

“Lokon and I never could smell them, even in their death. There were a few non-rare humans we found with the rare humans and they too mysteriously had no scent. Any rare human we captured alive, were able to mysteriously kill themselves before we could get any information out of them. Lokon and I never discovered their secret. We did find something unusual on one; I still don’t know what it means but I’ve never quite seen something like it.”

“What was it?”

The king gets up slowly and walks toward a small chest near the throne. He pulls out a key from his cloak, and unlocks the door the lock. He pulls out a long, thin piece of a green crystal that was about the thickness and length of an adult finger. There are little rocks tied along the end of the crystal with golden wire. Marcel raises a brow.

“We believed they may have been drawing power through that, but as I’ve said, there is much unknown.”

Marcel takes a moment to let that new knowledge set in.

“Why are you suddenly telling me this?” Marcel questions..

Volkari softly chuckles. “You were always too smart.” He shakes his head gently. “I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to get attached to that human slave.”

“You think I’m attached to her?” Marcel chuckles. “Uncle, I think you’ve been drinking a little too-“

“Don’t lie to me Marcel, I saw you two dancing,” Volkari faces twists at his own words and Marcel stiffens. “You looked rather cosy with one another,” he sneers.

“I didn’t stay long, I saw enough to see that you’ve strayed from your loyalty. You’re supposed to be watching her! Not swindling her like you do with those other females.” He sneers.

Marcel doesn’t outwardly react, face aloof. “I am watching her uncle, I was just bored and had a little dance with her, that’s all,” he lies easily. He knows his uncle couldn’t have seen his small confession to her or else he wouldn’t be here at all; he would already be in the dungeon awaiting his execution.

“Prove it to me, prove your loyalty to me and Silvonya. Kill her and bring me a piece as proof of her death.” Volkari orders sternly. “I am trying to trust you Marcel, so I won’t stand watch, but you better you not fail me.”

Marcel fist tightens even more at the threat. He’s testing him.

Darn his uncle! He guess his plan is going to have to switch around some.

“Yes uncle,” he responds stoically, bowing his head.

He gets up from his chair, and leaves the throne room, heading directly towards Yekes room.