Chapter 24: Morning After

When Katerina awoke, she was aching in pain that seemed to stretch throughout her entire body. Whimpering softly, she attempted to push herself up from the laying position she was in.

"You should move slower." A deep, hoarse tone spoke from the corner of the room near the fireplace.

Ezra hadn't slept the entire night as the guilt had eaten him alive. Vampires are known to have heightened emotions and for a royal vampire, it was even worse. Half-breed vampires were notorious for having such a heightened bad attitude while pure bloods and royalty soared with all of their emotional levels increased. For Ezra, he wasn't consuming the Angelic plant to decrease his thirst for blood so he was channeling all of the irritation towards everyone else.

He replayed the events in his mind over and over again until she was awake this morning. There were so many things he wished he could have done differently, but it also angered him that he cared so much. There was never a moment in Ezra's years of living that he felt guilt or pity for someone that he had hurt because he mainly felt much joy out of his sadistic behavior.

His eyes were lowered and covered by his winter blonde hair as he stood from the chair. He was sure he would be able to look at her, but he was honestly disgusted with himself for the way he treated her.

Katerina snapped her eyes over to where he stood when she heard his voice. It sent a slithering chill down her spine and forced the bruises around her neck to ache more. She wasn't sure what he was going to do with her as the memories came flooding back from last night's events. She witnessed a side of him that she never wanted to see again.

What was she to do? Obey and cower away like a fearful puppy?

"It's hurts. I cannot help but to release sounds of pain." Her words sliced his feelings a bit more, knowing exactly that she was reminding him that he was the one who hurt her.

His lips quivered as he stepped towards the door. His sudden movements made Katerina winch and pull her own legs to her chest while sitting on the bed. She felt as if whatever she would say could end her life in a blink of an eye, but she couldn't help herself. She wasn't going to let herself allow this monster overpower her.

Ezra lifted the handle of the room door and ushered the maidens to enter. Two of them stood on either side of the one maiden rolling a cart into the bedroom. It was covered with a white linen cloth and a silver platter sat on the top tray. A dome covered the platter as the maid lifted the linen to pull out a crystal glass. She then reached for a silver pitcher that poured out a bright orange liquid.

Katerina could smell the delicious meal prepared under the dome cover, but she attempted to hide her hunger with a blank expression.

The maiden then pushed the cart over to the bedside that Katerina sat on. The eyes of the three maidens couldn't keep their stare off of Katerina as if she were some type of Goddess. In fact, they were just as surprised as Katerina was that she was being fed such a marvelous meal. The finest chef in the Kingdom of Caine cooked for the Royalty.

Once the maidens finished their job, Ezra motioned them to leave with just one glare and they hurried out of the room without hesitation.

"Eat." Ezra walked over to the tray, picking up the dome cover to reveal a delectable site of crepes topped with powdered sugar and glazed strawberries. A small cup of sweet maple syrup settled on the platter to go with the crepes. To the side of the small cakes were rolled up ground pieces of sausage which was probably the best smell that Katerina picked up on.

In the crystal glass, the maid had poured a thickened juice freshly squeezed from oranges. Ezra made sure that everything was fresh and prepared so that it was still warm for her to eat when she awoke.

Katerina lifted her eyes to look at him. Was this a test? She hadn't been treated fairly since the moment she was taken by the vicious vampires in Mobley. She thought that the food might of been poisoned and this Prince wanted to watch her suffer and choke until her death.

Many theories crossed her mind so Katerina stiffened her posture. She let her legs relax and swing over the side of the bed. She placed both of her hands on either side of her thighs to grip the edge of the mattress to say the coarse words,

"No."

Ezra finally decided to reveal his crimson eyes to her, penetrating her very soul. He was taken aback by her sudden act of courage to defy him and it annoyed him yet again.

With a sigh, he ran his fingers from the front to the back of his hair. "Katerina." he spoke with such a thickened accent that made her body shake.

"Eat." He repeated. "You will feel better."

Shaking her head, "How do I know it is not poisoned?" She questioned.

A chuckle rose from his throat and out his lips. His annoyance suddenly turning to amusement as he took one swift move.

Ezra had placed his hands just behind hers on the bed, towering over her now that the hair brushed against her forehead. He hunched over a little more to be closer to her.

Katerina quickly hitched her breath as she was not enjoying the moments he would immediately appear somewhere because of his supernatural abilities. Especially when it was to be closer to her.

"If I were to poison you" He targeted his gaze with hers. "I wouldn't have done it so obviously in a meal that you know you don't deserve." With a smirk, his muscles flexed in his forearms as he gripped the bed sheet sitting underneath her.

"Now eat." He commanded.

Katerina blinked her eyes at him, not flinching once as he attempted to startle her. He was right, though. If he wanted to poison her then he would do it in her regular meal given by the maids like yesterday. She would of happily ate that meal and then croaked over dead.

After another moment, she nodded.

Her response allowed him to remove himself from her proximity and step back. He lifted his hand towards the meal as an 'enjoy' motion.

She scooted closer to the edge of the bed and gulped in a quick air before picking up the utensils left for her to use. She slowly and carefully cut the pancakes to put into her mouth. A swirling taste of pleasure entered her very hungry stomach and she began to cut more pieces to shovel into her mouth.

Ezra watched her, a smiling forming on his lips to which Katerina hadn't noticed. She had finished the crepes quickly and moved on to the meat.

"Once you are finished, we need to get you fitted for a gown."

Katerina swallowed the piece of food she had in her mouth. She didn't know why she was to wear a gown, "What for?" She had reached up to glass of juice and took a small sip of it to clear her throat.

"There is a ball being held here in the Castle this evening. I cannot have my pet dressed in such ragged clothing." He gave her smudge look, "And since you so willingly destroyed the gown I gifted you yesterday. I'll have to get another one made for you."

Katerina looked at him as if she was sorry and he flashed her a fang filled smile.