Part 27

I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "Come in."

The door opened, and Lyn came into view with worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"The King summoned you. "Get ready quickly." She said in a hurried tone, which made my mood drop. I was expecting it in my mind, but I didn't expect to meet him so soon. Either way, it's good. I thought.

"Kristen, are you okay?" She asked, placing her arms on my shoulder. I nodded.

I went in the shower and did my morning routine quickly before choosing an outfit to wear. I thought about wearing jeans and a shirt, but Lyn chose a white gown instead and insisted on wearing it. I didn't feel like arguing with her, so I paired it with a stud earring and a silver bracelet, left my hair loose, and wore black heels to complement the dress. The ruby pendant had a glow to it, so I decided not to tuck it under my dress. I pulled the pendant out, and it hung on my chest bone looking vibrant. I looked elegant and confident.

I followed Lyn along with a few guards and reached the king's office. I didn't trust the king, and I would rather be anywhere but here. I felt panic rise inside me, and the guards outside the door looked at me in surprise. They expected to see a scared, trembling girl with fear in her eyes, but here I am, standing confidently, looking them in their eyes, and smiling. A weird feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, making it churn in fear, but I masked it with a fake smile.

Lyn looked at me, surprised at my confidence. The guards opened the door before we could enter, and the guard stopped Lyn.

Every fiber of my body was telling me to not go inside, but still, I don't have a choice. I have to be a little courageous and handle the situation well. I walked past them and stepped inside the room. The room was large, with a big study table stacked with documents, books, and a laptop. The room was nearly empty. One side of the room has a shelf, just like the library, stacked with books, and the other side has a coffee table with a few sofas around. I was getting panic attacks being alone in the room; the King is not here yet. I looked around the room, observing the objects, and walked to the window and opened it to get some fresh air. I can die here from anxiety and suffocation. I took a few deep breaths to calm my nerves.

Ever since I stepped into this castle, I disliked the king. The way he looks at me makes me feel uneasy. His intimidating eyes were the ones I feared the most. I heard footsteps outside the door, and I took hold of my wandering thoughts and focused on the sound. The doors opened, and there he was.

He looked a bit different after our last meeting. He wore a black suit and looked more handsome than William. I thought.

He just stood at the door and looked at me. He took in my outfit before his eyes stopped at the pendant hanging on my chest. His eyes lingered there for a few seconds before meeting my eyes.

He smiled and walked in further. "Hello, Kristen." He spoke softly, looking at my face with an evil smile. I held my breath in close proximity. I could tell something was off by his expression. "Are you okay?" He seemed a bit concerned now. His expressions change every second, which I couldn't understand.

"Yes," I said in a steady voice, meeting his eyes and not getting intimidated by him. Maybe that's what he expected from me. He looked taken aback.

"You look so much like her." He said and took a strand of my hair and tucked it behind my ear. His touch made my skin crawl and made me take a step back.

"Take a seat." He said and walked to the sofa. I silently followed him and sat opposite him. I don't know what came over me, but my attitude was really on another level today.

"I heard about last night's incident, and I must say I am impressed by the way you fought off the vampires." He said, taking a sip of what looked like blood from his glass. I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat.

"Thanks," I muttered. My heart began to pound, and I felt incredibly nervous.

"I missed the show, but from what I heard, you used your powers and burned a dozen of them with a single gesture. "Am I right?" He asked, looking at me proudly.

"I guess," I said and looked into his red, piercing eyes. I couldn't bring myself to use words to describe why my whole body seemed to be buzzing. Was it a chill or simply some anxious feeling?

"You are a very bold girl. Just the way I expected you to be, and I hope you are ready to fight by my side." He said, his eyes never leaving mine. Panic and fear exploded in my heart at the same time as I struggled to get the words out. I cleared my throat, trying to break some of the thick tension. "I don't know what you are expecting from me, but whatever it is, your majesty, I don't think I am ready for any kind of fight. My voice faltered as I glanced up at his piercing red eyes. "You will be fine until you are by my side." He said calmly.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked him, finally mustering up the courage to voice my thoughts.

"Yes," he said and smiled like he knew what I was going to ask.

"Why did you make the vampires attack me twice?" "Is it to help me awaken my powers or to simply kill me?" I finally asked.

He laughed in his deep voice. "What made you think I was behind all of these?"

"Because I know how powerful you are, and you clearly warned everyone at the ball that I was not to be attacked, yet it happened not once but twice, and this time they even attacked William. "I don't think such an attack can happen in your castle without your permission." My eyes seemed to change color with my anger, and he noticed it. His eyes seemed to turn darker as he spoke.

"You never fail to amaze me, love." You are not just beautiful, but smart too." He said tilting his head slightly.

Something about his demeanor changed and made me nervous. He stood and walked toward the window with the glass of blood in his hand.

"I know you have a lot of questions, which I will gladly answer. Yes, I planned the attack not to kill you but to help you know your powers. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done that in your mortal world without much effort. You are valuable to me and my kingdom, and I will cherish you and keep you safe by my side." He said and came closer to me, which made me shiver.

He took the pendant in his hand and smiled. "You look so much like her." He said again, but now I understood he was referring to his late wife. His next words made my blood run cold.

"You belong with me." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder and pulling me against his chest, hugging me tightly and taking a whiff of my neck. My eyes became wide in shock at the sudden gesture. He was hugging me forcefully.

I tried to free myself from his hold, but he was too strong. "You even smell like her." He said and growled.

I called for my power and threw him to the farthest corner of the room. Now my eyes were glowing brightly with anger, and I could feel the powers clutching my heart and covering every cell in my body. When the powers come to me, I feel like I am a different person who is totally opposite to my character. How dare he? I clutch my hands to control the power.

His glare was furious, and within a blink of an eye, he was in front of me and grabbed a fistful of my hair, his other arm holding me still against him as his teeth pressed against the top of my neck. I didn't even have time to fully process what just happened. All I knew was that he was going to bite me. I let out a sharp scream as I first felt the sting of his fangs against my neck. He sucked hard and gulped down my blood in hunger. I cried out in pain. My powers did not seem to be working. I willed and called for my powers, but it felt like the vampire bite was dominating my magic, and once again I became powerless. After what felt like forever, he released me, and I fell to the floor clutching my neck. The blood flew down my arm from the open wound.

"And that, dear," He leaned down a bit, lifting my chin up with his finger, "Is what you get for disrespecting me." He said and his eyes started to change color from black to red, it looked like he was losing control. My body shook in fear.

"Please..." was all that came out, "please don't," I begged, knowing well that it wasn't going to work. He took a step closer until there was only an inch's gap between us.

"Your blood smells wonderful," he said, wiping the bead of blood from my forehead with his finger and licking it. He got hold of my arm and pulled me closer as he spoke.

"I was wondering why I shouldn't keep you for myself." He said, and my stomach turned even more. He laughed, looking at my shocked expression. "Relax, dear." He spoke slowly.

"All you have to do is give yourself to me." I have never tasted anything better. "Your blood is exhilarating and makes me want to take more." He said moving his lips closer to my neck. His hand trailed along my waist. A hum of pleasure radiated from him before he stopped.

"Now I know why William wants you even though you are not his mate." His words stung me like someone kicked me in the gut. I shoved his chest with all my strength and ran towards the door. I tried to open the lock desperately, but it didn't budge a bit. He laughed like a maniac. So this was his plan all along—to awaken my power and claim me. The king walked toward me in slow, steady steps, like a predator walking toward its prey. His eyes stared down at me.

"P-Please don't hurt me." I cried. He grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground. He climbed on top of me as I tried to fight back.

"I can claim you as mine right now, and I will see who dares to stop me." He said as his hand squeezed the curve of my hips and his lips brushed against my neck.

"Please let me go," I said with a quivering lip as he grabbed my shoulders and picked me up, then slammed me back down, making me hit my head on the wooden floor. I groan with the exploding pain in my back. He smiled wickedly.

"I am your king, and you will do whatever I please, understood!" He spat loudly.

I struggled to get away from his iron grip but failed in every attempt.

Just then the double doors opened, and I heard a familiar voice.

"What the hell! "Get away from her." William screamed and pushed his father away from me.

I sobbed loudly, and I could feel that my face was covered with tears. I clutched his shirt and hid my face in it.

"What the hell were you trying to do with her?" "She is mine." William roared in anger and lunged at his father. The king caught him easily by his neck and threw him across the room like a rag doll. He was much stronger than William.

"Do you want her even though you have a mate out there?" The king asked, looking at his son, who struggled to get up on his feet.

"Yes, I don't care about this so-called mate." I like Kristen, and I will make her mine at any cost."

"Even though you can't love her?" He asked.

"Yes." He screamed in rage. William's eyes were red now.

My heart was pounding in my throat as I stood there, trying to make sense of his words. So he has a mate out there, yet he wants me. I heard from Lyn that every supernatural creature has mates and they cannot fall in love with another person. So, that means William knows he has a mate, yet he wants me. Why?

"Now you know, love," the king said, looking at me. "He just wants you to be by his side, just the way I want you to be. He doesn't love you, he just wants you." He said and laughed.

William's eyes looked at me with horror as the truth was out in the air. A look of betrayal was clear on my face. I know William likes me, but I never could have imagined that he wanted to own me. William took long strides and reached for my face before my hand struck his cheek with a hard slap. The piercing pain in my neck suddenly started to increase. I bit my lip to hide the pain.

"Is that true?" I asked him. My heart dropped at his silence. I opened the door and ran to my room.

I ran past John, who looked shocked at my bloody appearance. "Kristen," he called out and caught my hand, making me stop. "Leave me alone," I said and tried to free myself from him. It was easy for me to handle those vampires who attacked me the other day, but why is it hard to fight against the one I know?

"Kristen, look at me." What happened?" He asked, placing a hand on my chin and lifting it to make me look at him. I cried harder when my eyes met his. His eyes showed genuine concern and were also filled with anger when he saw the bite mark on my neck and the blood flowing down my chest.

"Who did this to you?" His voice was filled with anger, and his eyes turned blood red.

I just cried and hugged him tightly. "I don't want to be here." "Please take me somewhere." I said and cried hard. He bit his palm and drew out his blood to heal the wound; I moved away from it before he could place it on my wound. "Kristen, you are losing a lot of blood. "This will heal the wound." He said and took a step, but I refused. When he saw William approaching us, he pushed me behind him. I hid behind him, clutching his shirt.

"John, leave." "I want to talk to her." He spoke in a deadly tone, which I didn't recognize. It made me fear him for some reason.

John stood his ground. "William, I do not know what happened, but I think you should leave her alone," John said calmly.

William tried to get past him, but John held his arm and stopped him before he got me.

"William, if you want her to listen to you, let her calm down first." Whatever happened made her terrified, and don't forget what happens when she gets angry." John warned him about my powers.

William took a step back from us and glared at John. "I will see you later, Kristen." He said and walked away furiously.

"Are you okay?" John asked in a concerned voice.

"Yes," I replied, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Let's go." He said, took my hand in his, and walked with me to my room in silence. I knew from his posture that he was trying hard to suppress his anger, and it really made me happy to know that John cares for me genuinely and stood against his friend to save me.

"Take some rest and, if possible, use your power, and never let anyone apart from me and Lyn inside your room." It will give you some time to think, and do not worry; I am here and I will place some guards to watch over you." He said it with a tight smile.

I sighed. "There is no need for guards." I can protect myself, and I really appreciate your help. Thanks, John." I replied and smiled sadly. The thoughts of what happened moments ago overwhelmed me, and I must speak to Linda soon before the King makes his next move to harm me and William cannot be trusted anymore. Everything he did and said are all lies, and for him, I am nothing more than a pet who he can keep by his side just because he wants me. The thought alone brought a new set of rage inside me, and I tried hard not to show my emotions to John. I cannot drag him into this mess any longer.

I stepped inside the room after John left and locked it with a spell. My legs swayed after losing a lot of blood. Slowly, with the support of the furniture, I moved to the washroom, and when I checked myself in the mirror, I was shocked to find two puncture marks on my neck. That bastard. I said out loud. My eyes started to glow in fury, and the wounds started to close up, leaving the skin flawless. I stripped off the blood stained clothes and washed myself before changing into a nightdress. I climbed onto my bed but sleep never came. I got a feeling of something bad was going to happen, I could sense it and now I am way too familiar with these signs because of my powers. I braced myself for what the day is yet to bring.