8 Chapter 7:

Dexter was always impatient one of the four most trusted vampires that worked beneath my father. It wasn't a surprise to see him split off from his little group of soldiers, I stood ready for a fight. My fingers just itched to grab the short sword at my side and stab it through his heart.

But it wouldn't be that easy.

Especially not with a master vampire as old as Dexter. He was turned around the time I was just a little girl. After heavy training and brainwashing, the man became a monster. And that very same monster worked for my father. A deadly guard dog for an equally very dangerous man.

"Vivian, my darling. It's been far too long," That sickly sweet voice of his held an endearment that just creeped me out.

This very man is the one my father had wanted to tie my soul with. Somehow, I'd managed to keep the mating ceremony at bay before being caught as a traitor against Valentino. Which meant I had no sort of bond with Dexter.

But the weirdo has always had a thing for me and it feels so... disturbing. Sure, the man is hot but it's a matter of self-respect. He's psychotic, honestly. And I've grown up surrounded by crazy beings, so I think I would know. Not to mention I've known him since I was a little girl, even when he had been sane the vampire would make questionable decisions.

Always so destructive and barbaric.

Instead of responding, I continued to stand casually away from him, letting both arms swing at my side in calm moves.

"I've been hoping we'd see each other again, a moment of fate, perhaps. Your father being the one that picked me and changed my life was a message. I was meant to meet you, Vivian," Ew.

I couldn't help but give him a look of distaste.

"Well we've met... multiple times, I've no wish to keep your company any longer. I was hoping after all this time away from me that you'd lose interest," I didn't bother even trying to seduce him. There was no way I wanted the attention that was already being given to him.

He'd stayed away from us at a far distance, waiting until the moment he sensed Cole's presence disappear.

"Oh, you will, my love. All I must do is break that spirit of yours, shouldn't be all that hard to do. I heard you went on a crazed spree, killing any vampire that got in your way... you don't have much else to do lose, not after Bastien," At the mention of the name I haven't heard in years, I nearly snapped. The rage that burst out of me was uncontrollable though as familiar energy that slept in my body slowly awakened. Its movement as it stretched out of my body was violent as I watched it swinging in the air.

Dexter looked around madly, only able to hear the wind howling from their swipes.

"You not knowing your place just disgusts me even more, leech! You keep his name out of your mouth! Never once did you have permission to think about my Bastien!" I hissed venom at him as I felt my eyes glowing, it took everything I had to keep myself in check.

Dexter took just one step forward only to learn that the wild wind whipping between us wasn't regular air. He narrowed those red eyes on me, taking a step back with a hiss as blood dripped from the fresh long cut on that pale cheek.

"Never had permission? Even though I've been your fiancee for thousands of years?! Is it because of him?! That beast that only looks like a man? That creature whose own people, at one point, tried to end the world? Our home?! Is that the man you've chosen to mate with?!" Wait, thousands of years? Fuck how long has it been since I've actually kept count of the era? Either way, there's no point in bringing up something that happened before the age of mankind.

A time that was more savage. Practically lawless.

Because during then, everyone at been at each other's throats.

Then his assumption caught my attention because it would've been spot on in the past. Anyone with the courage and strength to go against Valentino would've caught my eye. Though it's a rare occurrence to run into someone even capable of holding their own against him.

"Wait, Cole and me? Please, like that'll happen," I snorted with a roll of my eyes, keeping my eyes on every single movement he made.

That seemed to stop his thought process.

"Oh, so you're still available for a mating?" At that very moment... I wanted to barf.

Narrowing my eyes I shook my head, refusing to respond to him.

"That's fine... it just means I must break you until you submit," And then he jumped toward the side, red eyes shining in the night as he soundlessly managed to get closer.