Sold: The Vampire's Slave to Princess (Eddited on Amazon)

Chapter 1 (Edited)

William:
She taps her fingers on the window pane as she looks out the window. I have been standing in the doorway for a while now. It is still so very weird. The human girl sighs and picks up the broom again. I pull back out the doorway. Meanwhile, she continues cleaning again. My sensitive ears catch the first sounds of birds chirping. I ought to walk in, dismiss her of her morning work, but then what? 'You told her you loved her' I remind myself. I bite my lip a little too hard. My mind begins recollecting the events from two days ago. 'She did say she loved you too' I remember. We haven't talked about that much. Rosella and I simply just came back to the castle, and I held her for a while. What was I to do? She walked in her home in her home village only to find her mother had left her. She was so shaken. I have hardly seen her cry, but she cried that day. She thanked me for considering letting her return, and then was quiet; occasionally, muttering things about her parents. Her mother left after she disappeared, but she didn't seem to wonder where her father was. I can only assume he leftbefore her disappearance. I didn't know. I couldn't have known. I suppose I could have asked. Maybe I should have done this or that. I don't know. I just know that I don't want to hurt her. I let out a sigh, a stupid habit I seem to have developed. Slowly I back away. I bump right into someone.
"Hmm," she wonders. I hold back a groan. My sister spins me around.
"Where are you going in lover boy?" she asks brightly. I glare down at her, and she stares back expectantly. Damn her silent feet in the early hours!
"Well?" she questions with a raise of her eyebrows. I raise my thumb to my two front teeth and bite my thumb at her. She frowns at this and shakes her head disapprovingly.
"You are so terrible brother dear," she comments, "Why is it you're always standing in the doorway, or in the corner where she won't notice you?" Violet hisses under her breath.
"I'm thinking," I explain short and straightforward.
"Well, quite thinking and go talk to her," Violet encourages poorly. I flinch half a second before she acts, but she manages to push me in the doorway.
"Violet," I snap under my breath as we fight with each other in the doorway. She shoves me forward before stepping back. My elbow knocks against the doorway. My sister smirks at me from the hallway.
"William?" Rosella calls. I inhale deeply, the scent of sweet smelling, bitter tasting blood reaches my nose.
"What are you up to, is Violet there?" she calls to me.
"Why would you think that?" I ask curiously. The corners of her lips curl up a little. I frown a little at her silence when she steps forward, putting less distance between us.
"You look a bit more irritated than usual," she admits with a half-smile.
"I'm not irritated, nor do I have an 'irritated' look," I disagree monotonously.
"Lighten up. Otherwise, you'll have that look permanently painted on your face," Rosella continues scolding me. My eyebrows raise at how she talks. Rosella speaks so freely around me, more than she used to.
"I don't have an irritated 'look,'" I continue to argue back.
"It would really be a shame if the look became permanent," Rosella blurts out. Her face goes red. I stare blankly at her. Then it hits me. I boldly step forward which makes her heart rate go up. I start to take a step back, rocking back on my heels. Am I scaring her?
"It would be quite a shame wouldn't it?" I inquire.
"Quite so," Rosella agrees, her eyes lock on mine. She reaches up and starts to play with her hair, brushing the tuffs of hairs sticking up down.
"Would it now?" I ask her again.
"Mmm, maybe not as much as you think," she suggests, averting her eyes a little.
"You think my face is attractive don't you now?" I suggest coyly. Rosella presses her lips into a thin line, and simply blinks innocently. I feel mischief rise up, and it makes the corners of my mouth twitch upwards.
"You do, admit it," I say to her.
"I don't have to admit anything," Rosella shoots back.
"You're being stubborn," I comment quickly m.
"Does an argument entertain you?" she wonders rhetorically.
"Hmm, depends on the person I'm debating with," I bluntly reply.
"Because you enjoy arguing and mischief, naughty vampire," Rosella shoots back, half laughing.
"Mischief and being naughty is what a troll does Rosella," I inform her bluntly.
"Then you're a troll-vampire," she says quickly.
"So you think I'm a mischievous, naughty troll-vampire?" I question her.
"Only the most," she says quickly, her voice rising.
"Pssh, well if you think I'm naughty, I could be really naughty," I blurt out just as fast when a sense of dread fills my guy. 'What the hell did I just say?' I question myself. Rosella smirks a little and then starts to laugh. Ever since I've become so attached to her, I feel like I'm losing my mind. Why did I say that? I probably look stupid. A small hand falls on my arm.
"Lighten up a little," she repeats herself. She wears something between an apologetic grin and a sarcastic smile. I move with inhuman speed making her gasp when I'm suddenly behind her and pull her close. Unlike me, Rosella is apparently living. Her cheeks blush such a pretty shade of pink. Her skin is warm. I love her warmness. She's so kind to me. Everything about her is warm.
"I hate you," I whisper in her ear. She puts her hand back in my arm.
"I hate you too," she coos. I start to pull her backwards, and I finally just pick her up. Her breath is caught as I fall back onto the sofa. There's a flowery scent on her skin that makes my senses perk up. She must have been in the garden earlier. There is a knock-knock coming from the doorway. I look up to see Violet in the doorway. The corners of my lips go up into a silent snarl as I bare my fangs. Rosella's eyes snap open, and she laughs a little.
"Quit, being so mean," she whispers softly.
"Your welcome William," Violet says before walking off. I glare at the back of her head. It's a wonder she can't feel the look I'm shooting at her. Honestly, she probably does, and she is probably ignoring me.
"What does she mean?" Rosella asks me.
"Nothing," I lie, thinking to when I almost backed out the room completely, and I bumped into her. I pick Rosella up.
"Come on, let's go somewhere," I suggest to her. She nods her head, and I zip out the door, across the yard, and I take a leap at the trees. Through the jump, Rosella tightens her grip on my shoulders. I hold her tight as my feet hit the top of an extensive tree branch.
"Are you scared?" I suggest with a cheeky smirk.
"Not of you," Rosella murmurs. I flash a smile and jump to another tree branch, to higher branches. I climb higher into the thickness of the branches sending a rain of green down below. I set Rosella down, and she takes a few cautious steps out on the branch as she takes the forests in. Rosella's eyes scan the trees, the forest floor. Our silent entrance hasn't disturbed anything. The wild world is awakening. Birds are calling, woodpeckers pecking, and the last of nocturnal hunters are beginning to retreat; that is, except for me. Out hear there's so much clarity, free openness. Even the breathless such as myself can feel it. Something snorts down below startling, and she takes a step backwards. I peer down below at a large brown mass of muscle and fat moving along the ground. Rosella steps back until her she's right next to me again.
"It wouldn't attack us, would it? I mean it could climb up her here, and-" she starts to ask, her knees shaking. I jump down to a lower branch not far away from it. It snorts, looks up at me, and starts to let out a barking moan at me. I feel my vision focus in on it, and the sound of its low thumping heart beat reaches my ear. I'm tempted to launch forward at it, but Rosella doesn't need to see that. I bare my fangs at it and hiss at it. The bear stares for a moment before scampering off. Rosella leans against my shoulder, my shoulders slump down a little, and my muscles loosen. She gazes across the forest taking it all in. My attention flickers back to the castle in the far off distance. It looks smaller from way out here. When I was younger, it used to look massive to me. I used to think it would take an eternity to run around the castle at times. How lonely that was? I pull Rosella a little closer.
"Are you alright?" I ask her.
"I'm all right, why wouldn't I be?" she assumes me. Rosella takes hold of my arm and lets out a sigh of contentment. I feel my body relax a little. I slowly let her go, and she walks across the long tree branch carefully. I watch her carefully. If she falls, I'll leap after her and catch her. Several tree branches snap, snaring my attention.
"William," I hear my name with a tone thick in urgency and panic. My head snaps in her direction.
"Rosella?" I call for her. My stomach twists at the silence. She is gone! What the hell just happened? I inhale deeply and find her scent is fading. I take off after the faint scent trail. My fangs cut the bottom of my lips. They won't withdraw either. I have to move faster. A small group ahead of my path jump down to the ground. I make a massive leap jumping over two branches at a time making them sway and creak noticeably. They look up just as I land on the branch above them. I spot Rosella with one if their cold, filthy hands over her mouth. An inhuman snarl tears from my throat, rushing and rumbling across the chords. I start to launch myself forward when a pair of arms grab both my own arms. They hold me back as I writhe around and hiss in fury.
"Let her go you incompetent fools!" I hiss at them, demanding obedience. There's two holding me, and four of them have Rosella. I feel a pit feeling in my stomach. Something between hunger and desperation.
"She's just a human," one of them says, provoking laughter among them. The man holds her with her back to him, trailing his fangs across her soft, frail neck. Her eyes go wide. I fall to my knees on the branch. My arms are pulled back further close to breaking point.
"This is an act of treachery to the kingdom," I give a low hiss.
"Yes, and so is bringing a human into the ranks of royalty," one of them snorts.
"Filth," he spits at her.
"She is mine," I blurt out another threatening hiss. They don't even look at me, they look at her. Tugging on her dress, trailing their fangs on her skin, and whispering soft hisses. How dare they take pleasure in torturing and scaring her? My body trembles. It scares me that I'm trembling. It's hard to believe that I have become so attached to her that I tremble when she is in danger.
"William," Rosella whispers. My chest feels like it's constricting when there's a popping sound from my right shoulder. It encourages them to pull more, and they laugh at this. Something else pops in my shoulder. The arm suddenly feels heavy and lose. I am suffocating inside, yet I don't need to breathe. I am dying inside, yet I am unharmed. It's tight, constricting, suffocating, and-. Flesh squelches, bright red blood sprays, and Rosella cries out. One of them has bitten her. I lurch forward but find myself unable to rush to her. The smell of sweet blood meets my nose. My neck arches towards the scent, and my head tilts to one side as I struggle. A roar escapes me. My chest burns inside as if someone had lit a fire inside. Release the monster. I tremble in my captor's arms. The laugh at Rosella. One of them spits at her. A bitter, acidic spell burns in my nose. They spat venom at her.
"Shit," the vampire the left breaths. Release. I am suddenly pulled back out of another frantic attempt to lunge forward. They pull me back further, but dangerously close to themselves. I do the opposite, and lurch towards one of the men holding me. I crane my neck to the left, and my fangs dig right into flesh. Release. His partner pulls me back in desperation. I twist my arm and spring out of their grasps. I fall and land on all fours on the tree branch. I leap down at Rosella's attackers, but they dodge with her. Release. The nearest one is behind me, so I whirl around as he pushes me back against a tree. The back of my head slams into the tree with a loud thud. Everything goes dark. A cry lifts into the air. A second later I realize the cry is from me. A pair of fangs dig into my shoulder, tearing into my skin and muscle. I reach up, and force his head back away from my shoulder. I blink for a second, and then I'm the one pulling his arms back. There's a sick cracking sound, and his arms drop limp. He yells something I can't understand. I close my eyes for a second. My body is moving, blind but acting. Someone next to me screams. I feel my lips twitch upwards. A bubbly feeling foams in my chest. My hands form fists. I fly left and right with vampiric speed. I close my eyes, but I am still moving. I drop his head aside. The other vampires stare with wide eyes, fangs poking out from their upper lips. My eyes trail the fang scratches along Rosella's arms as attackers flee. I charge after them. They jump into the trees and take a massive leap backwards. I come to a sliding halt when my chest is pushed up against a tree. I flail wildly. I pull my elbow back, and there's a loud cracking sound.
"Aw-my nose!" one yells in my ear. I whirl around on one, and I lunge at him. He catches my fist before I can strike him in the face. I body slam into him. We fall through the air, and I take him to the ground. His back slams into the dirt, but it doesn't faze him. He snaps his fangs at my hands. My hand shoots to his neck, finally keeping his hand down. I strike the neck with my fangs. I dart forward, my feet pounding against the ground with vampiric speed. My eyes lock on his buddy, starting to flee at the sight of his fellow down. I will not let the other attacker get away. I body slam into him. He begins to collapse to the ground, but I grab him by the neck. My fist hits his chest as we fall and my hand goes all the way to the ground. A gurgling sound escapes his mouth. Through clenched teeth, I snarl at him. I slam my fist into his chest again without any intention of stopping. A crackling, cracking, snapping fills the air. Birds fly away. I'm pulled backwards off of him, and a pair of fangs find my throat. Two more pairs of fangs pierce my flesh. They pin me down to the ground. Somewhere in the haze, my teeth find tissue. I stare into empty eyes. A second head falls. I'm pushed to the ground. I grab onto an ankle. His feet kick the air dangerously close to my face. I pull him to me and take a bite. Hot, fresh blood hits my tongue. A wave of excitement floods into me. The blood is hot, fresh, and bitter. This is fresh blood running through him, Rosella's. I snarl as I bite down harder. His cries escape into the woods, but there is no one to save him. Birds squawk loudly, lifting into the air.
"William," my name flickers in my ears. I pull away. I open my eyes again, though they were never actually closed.
The body I'd beaten and bitten has long since stopped moving. I look up and see her. She isn't severely injured, thank God. I'm covered in scrapes and the freshly drunken blood of vampires. It's a truly gruesome sight. I'm not sure if I should be proud or genuinely mortified. Pain flickers into my body. My wounds hurt. I hadn't noticed them, but I am noticing them now. I jump a little when Rosella moves towards me, snapping me out of my thoughts. All I can do is take her in my arms again and pull her close. She takes hold of my trembling arm.
"I'm sorry," she whispers softly into the silence.
"What do you have to be sorry for?" I whisper into her ear. My voice is soft and weak, but hearing myself talk means I'm awake again. My body shudders in her arms. 'I'm awake because of her' I note. 'She didn't need this though' I think about the scattered bodies. Torn, beaten, and now decapitated. How lovely a sight?
"I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry I made you do that," Rosella whispers. My eyes widen at her words. She's blaming herself?
"I-I need you," I blurt out quickly. I hold her tighter. The image of them, the other vampires threatening her burns in my head. Over her shoulder I stare at a body with a neck, I tore out. 'They could have-' a dark thought creeps into my mind. Rosella's body shakes a little in my arms. She sniffles, and I feel something wet roll down my shoulder she hides her face in. A feeling, emotion, bubbles and boils up within me. I realize something.
"Will they come back, surely there are more?" Rosella asks, her tiny voice so soft and gentle. I want to hear her voice forever. I pull her close. She's so warm in my arms. I can't help but laugh a little. My body trembles where I stand. This is such a rare feeling. To be quaking with something. What am I afraid of? I'm colder than ice, so then what do I shiver at?
"Let us head back?" I suggest softly. She nods her head against my chest, so I pick her up, and head back. I can't stop the shaking, though.