Chapter 32: To Kill a Pureblood Part II

Exasperation antagonized Ezra's emotions as he continued to stare with brightened crimson eyes at Alessandro in silence. Torn between ending him immediately or torturing him in the dungeon. It was an irrevocably difficult decision, disgusted by the mere thought of his hands on Katerina. Shameless swine.

To think that this worthless definition of a Pureblood vampire was on the brink of contaminating her with his befoul of a bite. A bite only Ezra should take when he pleases.

Alessandro scrambled under his grasp, clawing at the hands that held him captive. Ezra dismissed all pain and focused on the pain he'd cause this man.

"Le-let me go y-you!" Alessandro can manage to withstand a throat grip, but the strength of a royal is much more compared to other vampires. The air was thinning and blood began to reduce oxygenation, sending him into a spiraling unconsciousness.

When Ezra lunged at Alessandro before, Katerina's body fell limp from shock. Ezra held her up against his left side with one arm and Alessandro against the wall with the other. Her body experienced uncontrollable shakes, flooded with adrenaline.

"How dare you come into my castle and dirty up the place." Ezra spoke through gritted teeth, debating still on what he was going to do with him.

"That's enough, Ezra." Elisabeta strolled through the broken doorway, lifting her ball gown as she did. The orchestra was no longer playing and the silence grew louder. The destruction of the door was so thunderous that the guests and Ezra's family members awaited outside the room, eager for a theatrical spectacle.

Elisabeta now placed her hand on the arm of Ezra and gracefully forced it to release from Alessandro. "I said that's enough." She repeated.

"Away with you." Ezra snarled.

"It's alright everyone." Elisabeta motioned for two men to carry Alessandro out of the room. She turned to the crowd, shifted her gown a bit and smiled.

"Duke Alessandro of Mobley will be okay. Please," she lifted her hands towards the ballroom. "Let's continue the ball outside in the garden shall we?"

Elisabeta guided the crowd to the outdoor corridor, "I think our wonderful Duke Alessandro arranged for a firework display."

As the crowd moved in a wave-like motion, disappearing from the hallway, Ezra's mother glared at her son.

Ezra slowly lifted Katerina up into his arms, cupping his right arm underneath her knees and the other around her back. Katerina melted her weight into his chest, overcome with sudden relief.

Elisabeta narrowed her eyes, surprised by his actions. "She's causing trouble within this kingdom."

Ezra moved past her, dismissing her concerns with silence.

"I expect you take care of it." She breathed out, hardening her tone.

Ezra stopped for a moment, glancing down at Katerina. He watched her lips quiver as her chest rose and fell with breathing. Her heart beat returned to normal. Ezra let a small sigh escape his lips before he turned around to deal with his mother.

"I will take care of it. Alessandro is not going to live until tomorrow." Ezra felt a bubbling stream of rage, tightening his grip on Katerina.

Elisabeta shook her head. "No such thing will be done. You will apologize at once. Alessandro is a noble man and would never do such things." Disappointment and worry riddled her face, afraid her son would take her mistress away.

Ezra let out a chuckle, "Alessandro is a vulture. He has no moral values. How dare he touch someone's property without permission."

"I'm sure your pet provoked hi-" His mother was cut off by the intensified glow of Ezra's eyes. Silence filled the room when Victoria, his sister, came to fetch her mother.

"The fireworks are about to begin and Alessandro has come to. The guests are asking for you, mother." Victoria glanced over at Ezra then to Katerina. Her expression turned to confusion, but Elisabeta took her arm and they both left.

Ezra returned to his room and placed Katerina on the bed. She wasn't unconscious, but her eyes stayed shut in fear of opening them. Ezra sat at her feet, allowing her to come to on her own as he removed the heeled shoes she was wearing. The lining at the bottom of the dress was tattered and frayed from the friction of dragging it against the floor.

He then stood up and went to the fireplace to replace pieces of wood and start a new one. It lit up quickly, roaring with crackles and pops. Ezra stared at it, mesmerized by the color and strength of fire. He was usually filled with that same rage until he met Katerina. The human who was supposed to be a pet. A pet that vampires feed on almost immediately after purchase. A pet that submits to the dominancy of their owner. The simplicity of a vampire-pet relationship was clear, but somehow now more complex than Ezra realized with this girl.

She's nothing to me, Ezra thought. Attempting to shake the feeling of guilt for leaving her alone. Most vampires share their pets with others as a way to prove they have the best one, but he felt disgusted at the thought of anyone laying a finger on his. He would simply remove the extremities to where that vampire could never touch anything again.

Stop it, he thought once more.

Katerina stirred, compelling Ezra to turn his attention to her. He found his feet instinctively stepping towards her then lowering the top half of his body over her. His right hand was placed at the edge of the bed near the nest of ginger curls. He eyed her face, noticing a thin line of broken skin along her cheek bone.

Ezra gulped his anger, imagining the force Alessandro took to make that blemish on her. He reached over with his left hand to gently wipe away the already dried blood it left behind.

"You foolish flower." He whispered, fanning her lips with his breath. His eyes followed a trailed to them, immediately experiencing an emotion of fluster. He wanted to..

Simultaneously, fireworks whistled into the sky that lit up the room from the open balcony. The curtains were pulled across for privacy, but the resound following the whistle made Katerina jump. Ezra inhumanly appeared back to the fireplace area.

Her eyes opened slowly, revealing their glistening hazel color. When she realized where she was, she sat up. She succumbed to relief and let out a loud sigh.