Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}

Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}: Chapter 30

The inner city looked like it would've been a nice place to visit, something tourists could've enjoyed and people could go for a change of scenery. It's high-rise buildings consisting of mostly glass and steel reminded me of a sort of pocket-sized New York. The buildings here weren't quite as large and plentiful, but they contrasted against our Mediterranean-esque city, even more-so with the outer city which was in ruins. This place seemed almost untouched.

There was so much potential for Drecott to be something, even if growth would've been slow. But if he couldn't look after his own tiny island, what made Austin think he could look after Nox? What could be possibly gain from it now his own country had crumbled?

It all pissed me off the more I thought about it. Everything about him pissed me off and I couldn't wait to see what remained of his family's empire crumble like the rest of his country. Maybe I'd finally find some peace in life. It's the least I deserved after what his family had done to mine.

In the distance, Austin's castle could be seen brooding at the foot of the city through what almost seemed like a huge parting through the city. It watched, waiting, knowing what was going to happen. It knew about the impending chaos that was going to end everything once and for all. Austin's family really made sure they were the focus at all times, even amidst changing times and growing skylines.

"We should be fine in the inner city, but just in case we're recognised, we'll go through back alleys. I feel, even with half your face covered, Prince, they'll recognise you. It's not like that many people have purple eyes. We don't want Austin alarmed before we've even made it inside."

The sergeant signalled for us to follow him. He was right. That old man in the outer city recognised me even through the smoke. The inner-city was smoke-free and had much more people wandering the streets. Anyone of them could alert Austin, or attack us and create a scene. That would be the opposite of a stealth mission, despite the fact we were supposed to be hiding in plain sight as much as possible.

Sticking to the backs of buildings and to alleyways, we effortlessly found ourselves at the foot of the castle. I felt all the adrenaline that was surging through my body dissipate at the dungeon's entrance.

For a while, I knew we were close, the pungent smell I had grown somewhat accustomed to during my capture wasn't something to be so easily forgotten. It grew more and more concentrated as we neared the door, and the smell was going to knock my senses the second we stepped in.

Sergeant Bailey signalled for us to wait behind as he went to see if anyone was inside.

"It's empty," I said, just as he got near. My voice wavered slightly as he turned and cocked a thin brow at me. He wasn't so convinced, but I knew it was empty.

My voice didn't waver due to being unsure, or because I was fearful of what could happen. I was unsettled by what atrocities had already occurred in there. Although the therapist said my fear was rational, it was still weak. It was hard to conceal my emotions when it came to that place, no matter how long I'd been working on it.

Austin told me while I was in his dungeon that if no one was in there, he wouldn't be either since there was no need. He also, so graciously, informed me that I should feel honoured that he travelled from the far side of the castle to see me, of course, they were the last emotions I felt, especially after the torture that usually followed.

Sergeant Bailey's eyes narrowed slowly at me, before returning his attention to the door, and cautiously prying it open, trying to make as little sound as possible, to no avail. That door was ancient and in all my time there, I'd never once seen Austin use it.

The opening of the door resulted in a loss of smell once again as our lungs were filled with the all too familiar scent of old flesh, blood and despair. I finally realised how he managed to conceal himself from Cornelia when she tried to rescue me: she couldn't smell him.

I tried to keep my eyes glued to the floor, just so I didn't get a refresher of what happened down there, of what I or anyone else had to go through, when something glimmered under the pillory I so frequently spent my time in. I bent down for a closer inspection. It was a ring, my wedding ring. I didn't even know I had dropped it- I never checked. It was mostly coated with thick, crusty blood and dust, but it was fine for the most part. I stuffed it in my pocket and used that to channel my positive thoughts. That place was filled with nothing but memories I wanted forgotten.

"Dude, what the hell is this place? What kind of kinks does Austin have?" Jayden's hoarse whisper echoed around the room and he found himself in front of me, dangling a rope in my line of sight. He sounded both amused and concerned.

The smell on the rope was familiar. It belonged to her, the ginger girl, Cornelia. I smacked his hand away and snarled trying to fend off the memory of Austin beheading her in cold blood. I remembered how much pleasure he took in taken a life like that, and I remembered how he looked at me when he was done.

A firm hand was placed on my shoulders and Jayden lowered his head to make eye contact with me. "Don't think about hulking out on us now," he still had on his favourite shit-eating smirk, but I knew deep down, in that incredibly hollow heart of his that there was an ounce of worry for me.

I shrugged him off me, and although I hated to admit it, he was right. It would've been the worst time for me to lose myself and I didn't want it to come down to that, I didn't want Arianne to see and think any differently of me.

If what Austin told me was true, then the dungeons truly were on the far side of the castle, and this side wasn't really occupied.

The Sergeant ordered us to make a line along the wall beside the door while he breached. Then all the darkness was swept away by a blinding light.

Everything was confusing. What was happening? Images and smells became warped and my body struggled to make sense of everything. Why was it so bright?

"There's something powerful about the midday sun. It's height, it's brightness, it's warmth... and it's ability to stun those that come out of my dungeons, vampire or otherwise."

That voice.

That cocky voice with no fear or shame. Was it over? Did we lose before we even began?

It was silent after that, no one dared move for those few seconds of confusion.

I thought back to Arianne, my father, my sister, my friends and my people. We couldn't fail. I couldn't fail them all again. No matter what was happening, we'd get through it and win.

Austin was there, surrounded by a posse, and although I couldn't see them, I could smell them, and I knew they were armed.

"You thought I wouldn't know you came into my country, and into my house?" Austin's serious voice was followed by an out-of-character cackle, "hilarious. Come on out and don't be shy; don't act like we're strangers."

My sight slowly came back, and although blurry, I could make out the figures pointing guns in our direction as we cautiously edged out, just as Austin demanded.

There were 10 men dressed in black combat clothing behind Austin, who watched us like hawks. Their eyes were red and full of hunger- they mimicked Austin's own, but his had something else more powerful: hatred. I could feel it as he watched.

Behind, was the Maldivo's. They looked relieved for only a brief few moments as they saw us, but as I looked closer, they were petrified, both shaking. I caught wind of their whimpers and their heart rates were sky high.

They weren't a priority, and if it weren't for Arianne I wouldn't care what happened to them after they tried to steal from me. They weren't entirely innocent in this, but it seemed Austin had played them, and now they were paying the price.