The Bastard Prince

5 Face to face with her mate.

For Bella lunch seemed to take forever. She couldn’t stand the looks that Marian was giving her, or the unwanted attention Phillip was giving her.

When the duke suggested a walk around the property, she breathed a sigh of relief, because at least she could escape and ask her brother to escort her.

She shot to her feet already walking to her brother who was offering his arm to Marian. She took it even though Bella could tell that she wanted to refuse.

Bella took her brother’s other arm, smiling at Marian.

They all walked to the door, but Phillip blocked their way.

“Oh, how lucky, having these two women on your arm, Prince Killengly,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Oh, I’ll walk with you, you poor thing,” Marian said already taking his arm. Bella breathed a sigh of relief as they walked towards the door.

“He seems to be fixated on you,” Dominic whispered to Bella.

“Yeah. He is a strange one. He gives me some strange vibes,” Bella whispered as they walked behind Phillip and Marian.

She didn’t even know what it was. But her instinct warned her against him. Men didn’t just become obsessed with her for no reason.

Prince Phillip was definitely acting strange.

“Don’t mind him. Focus on your mate,” Dominic said.

“I have to find him first,” Bella said looking towards the stables. She had to go ask around there, who the rider was who rescued her.

They walked, following the duke to the edge of the property, where a small stream flowed and disappeared into the forest.  Phillip and Marian continued on into the forest as Marian seemed to drag him away. They seem to be getting along splendidly.

Bella turned to look at the stables again – Phillip had shouted for him to go there. And since she hasn’t seen him in the house, she guessed he must still be there.

Was he prince Phillip’s servant? Or what… she couldn’t wait to find out.

She yearned to see him again…to feel the warmth of his body against hers. That brief moment on his horse left her yearning. Her very heart was pining to go to him, and it was starting to ache.

 Dominic noticed.

“Go,” he whispered to her, and then turned to the duke engaging him in some conversation that Bella didn’t hear as she was too focused on finding her mate.

She ran back to the stables. But then stopped short as she realized that she didn’t know what she was going to say in order to find him.

She touched the back of her neck suddenly nervous.

It’s not every day that one meets her mate. She felt the pressure of not messing this up. Her heart hammered in her chest as she walked to the wooden door of the stables. The smell of horses and waste hit her first, and she almost turned back, but she knew she had to find him. And connect with him somehow.

But what was she going to say to him…

Bella took a deep breath hoping that fate will play its part, because she couldn’t give her a mate and not make it work.  

Before she could enter the stables, the stables master came out. He looked at her with surprise on his face.

“Oh my princess… this is not the place for a lady like you. Were you looking to ride?” he asked maneuvering her that she remained outside the stables. Bella tried to look inside, hoping to catch a glimpse anything of her mate.

But she didn’t even know what he looked like.

Oh damn… it suddenly hit her. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as irrational fear gripped her.

No. She breathed in his scent. She can find his scent. But the smell of the horses was overwhelming.

“I don’t want a ride. I wanted to thank the rider who helped me. Is he here?” Bella asked thankful of her quick thinking. “I want to thank him properly. I didn’t get the chance earlier.”

“Oh yes, sorry he took his horse out for a ride. He said he’ll act up if he didn’t get his exercise,” the stable master said already turning away. “I’ll tell him you stopped by once he comes back.”

Bella clenched her teeth as the need to ask where he rode to filled her. But she didn’t want her interest in him to be known. Not until she made him understand what he was to her.

Impatience swirled inside her. She didn’t have time…not to play hide and seek like this.   

Fuck…she wanted her mate.

Why was this so hard?

“Please do tell him,” she said with a polite smile as the stable master turned to bow at her. She turned and left the stables retracing her steps as she followed her brother and the others all the way to the stream. But they were gone.

She looked around her wondering where they could have gone to. She followed the small path that she saw Phillip and Marian take.

She didn’t walk for long when she heard male voices a distance away. She got closer thinking of her brother and the duke. They had been together when she walked away.

Bella suddenly came to a stop when she heard her name being mentioned. And the voices didn’t belong to either her brother or the duke, but to Phillip and she had to assume his brothers, because she hasn’t heard them speak yet.

Bella hid behind a tree, and listened to them talk about her. Not that she expected them to say anything that made sense. Phillip seemed to have his mind on one thing and one thing only.

“Father won’t be pleased with you. You know you’re supposed to woe the Marinne girl from her fiancé and not the other one,” one said.

“Yeah, what are you playing at Phillip?” the other asked.

Prince Phillip laughed. “She is sweet, isn’t she?”

“Granted she is beautiful. But father won’t allow you to make her your queen.”

“Who said I want to make her my queen. She is a woman. She is good enough for other things too,” Phillip said irritably.

“Good. You had me worried there for a minute,” one brother said laughing. They sounded like they were moving away.

Bella shock her head. She didn’t know what she had expected. Of course Phillip thought he could have someone like her.

He would have better luck with Marian. She seemed to want him. He didn’t even have to woe her or anything.

It was a wonder he hasn’t proposed yet.

Now that she has found her mate. There was no need for Dominic to marry Marian. Phillip can have her.

It would seem that things were finally working out for the best. The duke won’t be as disappointed when Dominic breaks the engagement, because there will be another prince to replace him.

With that in mind Bella took a step back, and another until she could safely turn around walking back to towards the house.

 But as she turned around she slammed into something hard, and strong arms came around her keeping her steady.

“Don’t fall,” he said softly. His voice washed over her like a light spring rain.

Bella whimpered as his scent hit her. It floored her senses all spicy, masculine and heady. She leaned her head on his shoulder suddenly feeling dizzy at his closeness.

Its him…her mate.

She held on to him. Her nails sank into the fabric of his shirt.

Oh God…Bella moaned as her body thrummed with need, and a craving she has never experienced before.

She is a hybrid vampire. She shouldn’t crave blood. Not like this. She wasn’t controlled by the thirst. But standing here, in his arms like this…his warm flesh a few inches from her mouth she craved his blood.

She wanted to sink her suddenly itchy fangs into his flesh. Another hungry moan ripped out of her.  And she found herself grazing her lips over the pulse point in his neck…shit she couldn’t help herself.

The man froze against her, waking her up from her thirst addled brain.

Shit…it’s not supposed to be like this. Now, he’ll run if he knew she was a vampire. No one here knew that.

They all thought that they were human.

Bella pushed away from him. She blinked her eyes, hoping and praying that her eyes were their normal brown, and not the ungodly red that marked the hunger.   

“Sorry,” she said finally looking at her mate. Her breath caught as she stared at the most handsome man she’s ever seen in her life. She took an involuntary step towards him. But she knew she wouldn’t stop there if she got anywhere near him.

He felt so good against him. And she wanted to feel more of him.

“Its…” he cleared his throat pulling on the shirt that hung loosely over his brought shoulders, and hard chest. He had the sleeves folded up to his arms and the ends untagged from his pants that fit him to perfection. And the long riding boots…wow…

Bella blinked again as the hunger thrummed through her body again.

Shit…she needed to go… even though her heart told her not to. She couldn’t afford for him to reject her. She had to work on her control before she came near him again.

Bella turned and ran…

But then came to a stop when she found her brother patting a magnificent horse by the stream.

“Did you find him?” Dominic asked staring at her quizzically.

 Bella nodded. But she wasn’t sure if she could wait to form a bond before the thirst took over.

She needed time with him.

But she didn’t have time.

How was she going to do this?