CHAPTER THREE
1486 Words
Ziaani's POV
I sat on the bed, hugging my knees to my chest, my mind racing with endless questions.
What the hell is going on? Who was that? Is she really a vampire? A Vampire Queen? Wait… vampires exist?! What the f**k?!
As I drowned in my thoughts, something caught my eye—a door, slightly ajar.
I hesitantly got up and moved toward it, pushing it open to reveal a bathroom. The space was grand, with a white vanity, twin sinks labeled Mr and Mrs., and a bathtub large enough to swim in.
A dress lay neatly folded on a small bench beside the sink.
Noticing how dirty and damp my clothes were, I decided to take a shower. The warm water was a welcome relief, washing away the grime and tension clinging to my skin. Once done, I slipped into the dress—surprisingly soft and comfortable—before heading back to the room.
The moment I stepped inside, the guard from earlier entered.
“The Queen is expecting you in the dining hall,” she said, bowing slightly.
I frowned. Bowing? That same guard had looked at me like a meal earlier. Shouldn’t she be trying to kill me?
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice her stepping closer.
“Hello?” she said, startling me.
I jumped back, my heart hammering in my chest.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. Or to your Queen." I crossed my arms and looked away defiantly.
“Okay.”
Before I could react, her arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me effortlessly.
"What the f**k?!" I yelled, kicking my feet. "Put me down!"
She ignored my protests, carrying me through the massive halls until we reached the dining room.
At the head of an enormous table sat the so-called Queen, elegantly sipping from a wine glass filled with something dark red.
"Nice of you to join us," she said smoothly.
I scowled. “Nice?! Join?! You kidn*pped me! What do you mean?!” I shouted.
She didn’t respond. She just took another slow sip from her glass.
“Sit down. Now.”
She motioned to the chair in front of me, her tone calm but firm.
"No." I crossed my arms again.
She gave a small nod to the guard—who, without hesitation, grabbed me and placed me in the chair.
I let out a startled squeak.
A small chuckle escaped the Queen’s lips. "You're a squeaky little thing, aren't you?" she teased.
"I—" I started to protest but cut myself off, groaning instead.
“Eat, Squeaky.” She gestured to the extravagant spread before me—fruits, meats, pastries, everything.
My stomach growled in betrayal.
I hesitated, eyeing the food warily before finally picking up a piece of watermelon and taking a bite. It was delicious. Without thinking, I reached for another. And another. And another.
"Calm down, Squeaky. It's not going anywhere."
She chuckled again, watching me with amusement. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but I refused to look up.
"You're so cute when you're shy," she mused.
I finally looked up, only to meet her intense gaze.
"I'm not—" I started, but the words died in my throat.
“What?” She tilted her head slightly, waiting.
I swallowed hard. “I… I’m not squeaky.”
"Oh, but you are," she smirked, lifting her glass. “You just squeaked again.”
"That’s because she scared me!" I protested, glaring at the guard.
"So, you do squeak when you're scared?"
"No! That’s not what I—ugh, you know what? Let’s just drop this convo."
She raised an eyebrow. "Convo?"
I sighed. "Conversation."
"Ah."
I took a deep breath. “Anyway, where am I? Who—or what—are you?”
She set her glass down. “You know, I don’t like repeating myself, Squeaky. But fine. I’m Queen Nikita of Valtoria, ruler of the Valtorian people.”
“People?” I scoffed. “You mean vampires.”
She smirked. "What's the difference?"
I gaped at her. "There's a huge difference! Two minutes ago, I didn’t even know vampires existed. And why was I attacked? Why was I thrown in a cage?! I hate this place!" I crossed my arms, feeling my frustration build. "I want to go home."
She sighed. “You need to ask one question at a time, Squeaky.”
I shot her a glare, but she ignored it.
"One—yes, vampires exist. You’re looking at one. A royal one, at that. Two—that was just a war that has been going on for centuries between vampires and werewolves. No big deal."
I choked on a piece of fruit. “Wait. Werewolves?! You mean they exist too?!”
She gave me an amused look. "Well, I exist. Why wouldn't they?"
I shook my head in disbelief. "Next thing you're gonna tell me, trolls can do magic."
She actually laughed. "No, that’s ridiculous. Trolls can’t do magic. Fairies are the ones with magic. Though, even they’re limited in what they can do."
I gawked at her. "Wait, wait, wait, wait—trolls and fairies exist?!"
She casually handed me a napkin. “You need to stop choking on food. You’ll die before I even get a chance to kill you.”
My hands trembled as I wiped my mouth. “So, if everything I know about vampires is true… does that mean—”
A dark chuckle interrupted my thoughts.
“Relax, Squeaky. I’m not going to drain you dry. If that’s what you’re thinking.”
I froze, staring at her with wide, fearful eyes.
I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved… or more terrified.
Ziaani's POV
I was back in the same bedroom as before, and this time, I was sure the main door was locked—I couldn’t get out. Her words echoed in my head: "Drain you dry."
Was she really going to—?
A small noise interrupted my thoughts, something soft, like a bird. I looked around and spotted a tiny bird perched on the windowsill, tapping its beak against the glass. I hesitated for a moment before opening the window. The bird flew in and landed on the bed.
I expected it to flutter away when I reached out, but it didn't. It just sat there, completely still. Curious, I picked it up gently, running my fingers along its feathers. Then something unexpected happened—it purred.
A bird can purr? I did not see that one coming—
Before I could finish my thought, the bird began to shift. Its delicate frame elongated, wings retracting, body expanding, until it transformed into a sleek black cat right in my lap.
“What the—?” I stammered as the cat purred, rubbing against me.
“I see you’ve met Proteus.”
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around. My breath caught when I saw her—the Queen. She was smiling, and my heart did an odd little flutter.
“What?” I asked, still trying to process everything.
“Proteus,” she repeated, stroking the cat’s fur.
The name sounded familiar. “Proteus,” I echoed, frowning in thought.
“You might’ve heard about them,” she said casually. “Proteus was a sea god—an ancient being who could change into any shape at will. Often took the form of different animals.”
Realization dawned. “Oh, right! I remember now—I learned about him in history class.”
The Queen raised an eyebrow. “History?”
“It’s a—” I started to explain but stopped when I saw the way she was looking at me.
“I know what history is,” she said, amused. “I just didn’t think humans actually studied magical creatures.”
She moved closer and, without me realizing it, sat down beside me on the bed. I kept talking, too distracted to notice—until suddenly, I did. The moment I realized she was right next to me, I panicked and fell off the bed with a startled yelp.
The Queen chuckled, watching me from above. She extended a hand to help me up, but I flinched, instinctively expecting pain.
She smirked. “Relax, squeaky. I wouldn’t hurt you.” A pause. “Well… not yet.”
She let out another soft chuckle before turning and leaving the room. I stayed there on the floor for a moment, heart still racing. When I finally got up, I saw that Proteus was still curled up on the bed, sound asleep.
Without thinking, I climbed back onto the bed and curled up beside him. His warmth was comforting, and despite the fear and sadness weighing on my chest, exhaustion won.
As I drifted off, one thought stayed with me—would I ever see my father again? Then instantly I passed out.
- Writer
