VAMPIRE KING : The lost trophy wife

The scar on my wrist burned at midnight. I pressed my hand over it and told myself it was nothing, it's Just old nerves, it's ust the rain, it's Just five years of bad dreams that had no right to follow me anymore. I was Lila Gray now not Lysandra Vane. Not the bride of the Vampire King. "It's just an old wound" I whispered. The rain hammered the windows and thunder rumbles loudly, loud enough to scare me. I didn't flinch. Tonight was pitch black but refused to let a little weather scare me. I refused to let anything scare me anymore. I was about going upstairs. then the ticking clock stopped suddenly. I stopped too. At the bottom of the stairs. I turned around slowly. Infact everything in the room just stopped like it was alive before and now it's all dead. Something is off. I told myself I didn't move at all. Even the rain outside seemed quieter now, like the whole world had taken a breath and decided not to let it go. Don't panic, I told myself. Maybe it's something else, maybe It's an earthquake, maybe it's a storm coming ahead, or maybe it's… I sniffed. Wait…what's that stench? The light flickered. Once. Twice. Then they turned red. Blood red. What's happening? It washed over my bookshelves, my counter, my hands. Everything looked like they were panicking. I run ,i reached under the counter I know something is coming and it's dangerous. I found my silver blade that i sharpened every morning though I had never used it. But now I think I do. A thud. The sound came from outside. The bell above my door did not chime. But the door swang open There he is. I didn't see him at first but his shadow Then I saw the boots, black leather. Scuffed with something dark. Then the coat. Long, black, dripping wet. Then his face. It was… Julian? Julian. My husband. The Vampire King. He looked exactly like he did two years ago. Same golden eyes burning in the red light like two small suns. He hadn't aged a bit. He never would. The walks in like he knew I was here. "Lysandra." He called my real name .I winced looking at him directly. I couldn't answer, my throat had tightened up. How…how did he find me? Hiding from him was never easy. He stepped inside. The shadows followed him. Water dripped from his coat, but it wasn't rain. It was something else and It smelled like iron. This eyes met mine. A soft smile appeared on his lips. Like he had found his lost treasure or something. "There you are…you think you can hide forever?” I knew I couldn't hide for too long but I thought I had time…enough time. You always find me. That's what I hate about you. “You know I always find you. " he said. His voice was slow and deep, The kind of voice that never needed to raised. Everyone learned to listen or they died. "Did you think I wouldn't find you this time?" I found my voice. It came out smaller than I wanted. What is it with this man. "You should have just pretended like it wasn't easy." My voice shakes. I cursed. "I can't do that. Lysandra." His eyes moved over me. “ Don't call me that …I changed my name” “And your hair..” he sniffs me “ but not your blood”. He looked satisfied. My blood. That was how he found me, he is a vampire of course he'd know my scent, He followed the smell of me like a wolf tracking a wounded deer. "You can't be here," I said. I grip the silver blade in my hand tighter. I didn't move. I didn't dare. "This is my territory. The Council…" "The Council can fuck." He took another step. The shadows grew longer. "I am not here as a king. I am here as a husband who has been waiting too long for his wife to come home." I laughed. Does he mean that? "Husband? You bought me at an auction. You married me in a room full of strangers…You are not my husband, You just bit me and called it a ceremony." Something crossed his face. Pain? Regret? Gone before I could name it. "You stabbed me" he said quietly. "On our anniversary night…Do you remember that?" I remembered. I remembered shock in his eyes that day, the black blood pouring over my hands like I was a murderer, I remembered running down the hall Barefooted with turned wedding dress. Bleeding from the bite on my wrist. I wasn't even looking back. "I remember. I regret not aiming for your neck instead" I said brutally. He almost smiled. Almost. "That's my girl." I pulled the blade from under the counter. Ready for what's coming. "Don't come any closer." He looked at the knife like it was a toy. "You know that can't kill me right?" "I know…but it'll hurt." "What's the point." He took another step, Then another "I've searched everywhere for you,Lysandra, I tore down cities, l killed kings, I bled for the right to stand here in this ridiculous little shop while you threaten me with a knife you're holding wrong." I looked down at my grip. He was right. My thumb was over the handle thingie. Shit. I adjusted my hold but not breaking eye contact. His smile broke through. He wants to laugh. "There she is," he breathed. "The woman who stabbed me, The woman who ran, The woman who has haunted every niIght of my immortal existence." He reached the counter as His fingers touched the wood. "I am not here to hurt you." "Then why are you here?" "Because the curse is killing me." I stared at him. What? He stared back. And for the first time, I noticed what I should have seen the moment he walked in.