Come To Me

RoyalPain

*Sage*

I sat silently waiting for Pop to start speaking as he looked at me softly.

He was seated in his chair behind his desk with his hands folded in front of him.

I would be freaking out at what I witnessed earlier had it not been for him. He raised me to have an open mind and to know that all things were possible.

Never wear your emotions outside of your heart. No matter how shocking the discovery, always be ready to face it.

Pops' words rang in my mind as I schooled my face to one of neutrality, the way he taught me.

He smiled apologetically before he began to speak.

"This is not the way things were meant to go, Love. I wanted to take you to my home and introduce you to this life gently. The way your mother would've wanted me to."

I looked at him in confusion.

"You're home?" I asked softly.

"Yes, my home. Well, at least, where my kingdom is now. It's in the country of Cyprus near the capital of Nicosia."

"You're kingdom?.."

I have so many questions.

"Yes, love. My kingdom. I am not just a vampire. I am the King of all vampires. Although, I have not actively sat on the throne in over a hundred years, my title remains the same."

He paused to give me time to digest the information.

"Why aren't you active.... in the kingdom?"

I was curious about a few things but I figured this might be one of the harder questions to answer. I'll save the easy ones for later.

"I had grown very lonely throughout the years and so I went to search for my Beloved. I had no desire to marry one of those lifeless nobles who threw themselves at me in hopes of becoming queen. I left my brother in charge in my absence. I had hoped it would mature him over time, but I see that it has not been long enough."

His fist clenched momentarily before he took a deep breath and relaxed his posture again.

I blushed slightly at the mention of the man who just made me see stars in the kitchen.... who also now had a broken neck....

"Will he be ok?"

I couldn't help the quiet concern in my voice as I searched my father's eyes.

"Yes, for now. Which is something else we must discuss."

His eyes hardened as they bore into me.

"You are in danger and we must leave immediately."

"What do you mean by danger?"

He shifted his eyes away uncomfortably before he cleared his throat and brought his eyes back to mine.

Whatever he wanted to say obviously made him a little upset, but I could tell he was trying to keep his emotions in check.

"When you told Marcellus 'yes' in the midst of your..... passion"

My face became even more flushed as he continued.

"You agreed to become his Beloved. That is not something a vampire takes lightly. It wasn't just a loving nickname that I gave your mother. A Beloved is a lifelong mate and they mean everything to us. Once we become one with our Beloved, nothing and no one else matters. They become our reason for existing."

He paused, and the look in his eyes told me he was thinking of my mother, his Beloved.

"Our devotion to our Beloved is unmatched. We will do anything for them. Especially, kill for them. Without question. Without reason. Without Remorse. "

My eyes widened at his statement.

"I see you are starting to see the severity of the matter."

This was a mistake! I didn't know what he was or what he was asking me in that moment.

"But I wasn't even aware of what he wanted from me. That's not fair. I didn't agree to any of that. He.... He..."

I was beginning to panic as I became a stammering mess.

"This I know, love. Which is why his existence almost came to an end today. He is lucky he did not finish the process."

Pop was livid and his eyes told me as much.

It was very rare for him to show so much anger so I felt so much remorse right now.

A thought occurred to me at my father's words.

"What is the process?...."

He took a deep breath as if bearing himself down before he spoke again.

"You must be..... intimate with one another.... fully. And he must give you his mark. His....bite mark on your neck."

My breath caught in my throat as I realised how close he came to making me his...

"Seeing as his scent was able to be washed away from you, I take it you're innocence is still intact.... Which actually infuriates me more since that means he fully intended to turn you without your knowledge or permission."

He snarled and his eyes began to glow blood red instead of their usual grey color.

"Pop Pop.....your eyes... they're..."

I couldn't help but look in wonder at his eyes before he shut them firmly.

"I'm fine..... It's just my royal blood calling for justice. That's the nice way to put it."

He chuckled darkly and his shoulders relaxed as he opened his eyes again to reveal their normal color.

"How come I've never seen them like that?"

"Because my brother is the only one talented enough to push my buttons. He quite literally a royal pain in my ass."

I gave a small smile at his attempt at humor.

"It is a little strange to see the inventor and master of self-control lose his temper. I didn't even know you could get angry."

He let out a hearty laugh at my remark.

"Trust me when I say that there is no one alive or dead who wants to be a recipient of my anger. It is something I keep tucked away to prevent a massacre."

He smirked and I got the impression that he wasn't being sarcastic at all.

"So, you all can choose who you want to be your Beloved?"

It was a question that nagged me.

"It isn't as uncommon nowadays. There is actually one destined for us, but some don't like to wait that long anymore since it could take hundreds of years and sometimes longer to find your destined Beloved. Since we live so long, well we are immortal until someone comes along and decides you aren't anymore."

He shrugged his shoulders as if that sentence made sense to me.

"Was mom..-"

"She was my destined...."

I looked down at my hands and gnawed on my bottom lip before I looked up at him.

He looked at me curiously with an eyebrow raised in question.

"You wish to ask me something... You know that you need only to speak your mind, Sage."

I sighed.

"Do you regret it?...meeting your Beloved and losing her in such a short time? Do you sometimes wish that you had never met her at all?"

My voice came out in a whisper.

His expression became one of understanding when he gazed into my eyes.

"If I only had one day with your mother in all of my existence....It would have been more than what I was ever worthy of. I consider myself the most blessed man of all to have experienced a love as pure and nostalgic as the love she has freely given me."

There was so much passion in his voice and it resonated in my soul. His words made me believe that she was the only one who could produce a love like that. Especially since I had been one of the lucky ones on the receiving end of it.

My eyes began to mist and my vision became blurred.

"I miss her so much..."

I blinked and before a tear could fall, Pop disappeared from his chair and suddenly appeared in front of me. I jumped slightly in surprise as he lifted me from my seat and wrapped his arms around me.

"I know, little flower. I miss her too..."

I relaxed in his arms and let the tears flow freely as he kissed the top of my head.

After a few moments of silence, I pulled back and he used his thumbs to wipe my tears and kiss my forehead. When he pulled back again he looked me in the eyes with intensity.

"You are my pride and joy, Sage. My heir. The last thread keeping me tethered to this world. I love you with everything that I am and I promise to keep you safe. I promised my Beloved that no hurt, harm, or danger would come your way as long as I am alive. I intend to keep my vow."

I nodded in assurance before I grinned.

"So exactly how old are you, Pop Pop?"

He rolled his eyes before throwing an arm around and pulling me to the door.

"Let's get out of here, little flower. I'll answer all your questions on the jet. We have a lot of stops to make and there is much more that you need to know. We've barely scratched the surface."

I huffed and continued walking by his side.

"I'm sure I'm in for one heck of a flight."

His laughter reverberated throughout the halls as we made our way to the front door.

I saw that Marcellus's body was no longer on the kitchen floor as we walked by.

I wonder what Pop did with him.....but then again...I think I'd rather not know.