The Alpha King and the Vampire Princess

Chapter 8

The transition from the warm water of my pool to the freezing water of Anhara was drastic.I felt a thousand needles prick me all over again as my body adjusted to the ice cold temperature. Besides me I saw Atrix swimming to the surface. I tried to follow him when someone tugged at my ankles and pushed me back deeper into the water.

I looked down to see a vampire guard, his eyes flashing red as he tugged my body. I struck a well aimed a kick to his chin and his hold loosened enough for me to wiggle out of his grasp but before I could swim further, another pair of hands started dragging me back down. I counted 4 vampires as they struggled to drag me back to the hole that we  had just climbed out of. I tried to wiggle but they didn't relent until I was at the mouth of the hole once again, the broken marble poking a hole in my left thigh as they dragged me near it.

Atrix I cried in my head and as if by magic, he appeared next to me. He grabbed the necks of two of  vampires who were struggling with me and crushed their windpipes while two  other crept up behind him, their fangs out and eyes glowing red. I watched as with lightening speed, he  reached behind his head and tore their hearts out of their chests.

The water around us was red with blood and it was becoming hard to see. We both swam up towards the surface where I saw the floating bodies of the other vampires, some headless and others missing organs as they floated lifelessly.

"We need to go to the shore, the others won't be far behind" I told Atrix pointing towards the shore almost a mile away. Nodding Atrix extended his arms and began to swim while I swam behind him. Within a few minutes, we were both on the shore, panting. I stood up as I regained my strength. My chemise stuck to my skin and I felt Atrix's  heated gaze sweep across my body.

"Stop! " I heard a scream as more  vampires swam towards us.

"Run!" I told Atrix and we both bolted into the forest with a small army chasing us. The dark forests were stretched around 500 miles and beyond that to the east was the realm of the witches.  We both pushed through as silver tipped arrows and daggers whooshed past us. one of them dug itself into my leg and I stumbled momentarily.

Atrix turned around and quickly grabbed my arm, hoisting me effortlessly on his back.  I bent down to pull the arrow out from my leg and tightened my hold around his neck. The vampires were gaining on us, I heard them getting close by. The wolves were stronger but their body mass made them slower than the much leaner vampires. I gasped as I realized that we were almost surrounded. From my peripheral vision, I could see the vampires split up as they blocked us from either side.

Then suddenly, the vampires started bursting into flames. It started from their legs and continued all the way up to their torsos until the entire forest echoed with their cries of pain. Within a few minutes, the clamor died down with only the lingering smell of burning flesh in the air. Atrix paused, as there was nothing for us to run from. He sniffed the air 

"Theres no more" he announced and bent down as I climbed down from his back. The instant my feet touched the ground, I felt fire of the worst kind consume me s my flesh sizzled. I screamed as Atrix hurriedly scooped me in his arms. The fire died down the moment my feet got off the ground.

"Witches" I muttered through gritted teeth "They must have  put enchantments around the forest to keep it safe from vampires"

"Well lucky for you miss, you already have a ride" Atrix smiled at me boyishly as he continued on with me in his arms.

I smiled back as I laid my head on his bare chest, listening to his heart. His body radiated heat and the scent of warm earth and I leaned further into him until my nose was buried in the crook of his neck. I inhaled deeply, feeling relaxed. The soft sounds of the forest combined with the rhythmic pounding of Atrix's feet was making my eyes very heavy and before I knw it, I had fallen asleep.

I woke up to a a slight movement behind my head. It was nightfall and I was seated in Atrix's lap. He had one arm wrapped around me while he prodded at a small fire pit with a stick with the other.

I blinked a few times to clear the sleep from my eyes and Atrix looked down at me, smiling widely. 

"Welcome back princess" he said as he bent down to place a kiss on my lips.

I stretched in his lap, lengthening my back to relieve some pressure.

"How far along are we?" I asked him.

"About 100 miles in " Atrix told me while he prodded at the fire again.  "If we continue at this pace, we can get to the witches in 3 days. I wish it was sooner,  but my human body needs rest"

Just then, I heard a sound in the bushes around me. Both of us stilled. No forest animal would be foolish enough to come anywhere near a pure wolf and a vampire.

Atrix stood up with me in his lap and sniffed the air.

"It's your father" he said as my heart dropped.

 "W-what?" I managed to squeak, just as the tall figure of my father emerged from the trees. He looked sinister, the fire casting dancing shadows on his face making him look like the devil itself as his red eyes shone in the dark.

"It can't be " I breathed as I saw him gliding over the ground.

"Elora" he called out to me with a tight smile on his face that betrayed his anger.

"How are you walking on the ground?" I asked him, not believing my eyes. Atrix put me down on a huge rock making sure no part of me touched the ground. He stood in front of me, proud and straight.

"Your fight is with me." he spoke directly to my father without a hint of fear in his voice. " Elora only did what she did because of my bite. It compelled her to go against her kind. Spare her and do whatever you wish with me" he said as he opened his arms.

"No atrix what are you saying!" I yelled as I tugged on his arm. H e turned to look at me with his sad eyes "It's ok Elora,  it's over" he said as moisture dripped  from his eyes.

"Watching you die in front of her eyes will be punishment enough" my father said as he threw a wide silver blade with lightening speed.

The next moment, Atrix's arm in my hand went limp. There was a wet sloshy sound as his head slipped from his neck and his body fell down with a thud soon after.

I screamed until I  the vessels within my heart burst, and then I screamed some more