LIRA: Book I

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: Revelations

A Crazed vampire dragged Sevastian's body into the clearing while the newly arrived vampire locked Lira's arm behind her back, forcing her to move forward.

"Look what I found, Alexander, it's that girl," her captor said, addressing to the figure on the rock. "This just made our life easier." He shoved Lira to the ground, forced her to kneel and bound her wrists behind her back. "We were planning to capture you later this evening. But since you made yourself so readily available for us..." He left the words hanging with a sneer.

Nicholas turned his head towards her. He showed a surprised look but immediately schooled his expression, returning to his impassive façade.

"What a surprise!" the one called Alexander said. "It's the prince's girlfriend joining us for the party." He stood from the boulder, jumped off the rock gracefully landed on the ground. He sauntered towards Lira and pinched her chin up. "Don't you recognize me?"

Lira frowned. The thin but sinister pale face of this vampire called Alexander seemed very familiar to her. Where had she seen this vampire before? She tried to dig deeper into her thoughts until she found her answer and her eyes suddenly went wide with alarm.

"I see you do recognize me. If it weren't for that pesky slayer and that prince of yours, you would have ended as my blood slave."

"Where is the other one? Aren't there supposed to be three of you?" she asked buying for time as her mind ran frantically, calculating what possible moves could be done to gain both hers and Nicholas' freedom.

"Don't remind me of Francis. He was too much a coward. He bolted at the thought of capturing the prince." Alexander answered, sounding disgusted. "He just can't comprehend the glorious task of fulfilling one's duty for the good of the vampire kingdom."

"Good for the vampire kingdom? You just imprisoned your prince! How's your king going to take that?" She needed him to talk more. She needed to know what their real plans were. If she lived through this present ordeal, the information would be very vital to the slayers.

The other vampire slapped Lira's face hard, causing her to spit blood out of her mouth. "You impertinent little piece of garbage! Address your betters properly! He is the Marquise from the House of—"

"That's enough Vincent. No need to smear that lovely skin of hers," Alexander said, but his face showed he very much enjoyed Lira's agony. He then turned to face Nicholas and smirked. "Did I just witness the prince flinched when his little girlfriend got hurt? Or I must have mistaken it. Do you want me to have her beaten just so you will speak up?"

"She is nothing to me. I wouldn't even have her if she comes begging at my feet," Nicholas hissed, eyeing Alexander levelly.

Lira snapped her head at Nicholas, shocked by his statement. Her heart bled upon hearing those words coming from someone she loved.

Alexander gave another hollow laugh. "How touching. If you think I'd let her go just because she means nothing to you, better think again." Alexander looked as if he really meant it, and it made Lira's heart raced. Nicholas did not care about her, Sevastian was knocked out cold, and although her mind was calling out all possible help around her, her fear obscured and confused her mind for her to channel her plea to the forest and use her abilities and powers to defend herself.

"Why are you doing this? What is it that you want?" Lira found herself asking a moment later.

"Why, to extract my vengeance of course. You see, after the humiliation this spiteful prince bestowed upon us, I began plotting his demise. He even waved his royal hand and made a royal decree never to touch her little mortal human the night after we attacked you. I am no prince; however, I am from a noble family. And yet this prince looked at everyone else beneath his royal feet. So when they approached me and convinced me I am far more suited as a Marquise than my father was, I killed him, my father."