Royal Pain (Rewritten)

Chapter 37

"She should leave," Izzy said glaring at Red with hatred.

"I promise we'll catch up soon."

She had abandoned her friends to return to her solitude. It was a sad form of ease she had grown accustom to.

"Deva wait." His soft voice was everything she wanted to hear. He used his vampire speed to catch up to her and make her halt.

"Dar," she cried, "just let me go."

"I'm sorry for her behavior."

She hated that he was the one to apologize.

"There is something I want to talk to you about," he dragged her into his spell.

She was defenseless when it came to him. "What is it?"

"I want to show you something. Follow me." He took her hand for security purposes and led her in the direction of the garage.

They approached a black Cadillac and she found herself asking, "Why this car?"

"It's bullet proof and pretty much vampire proof, the place I'm taking you isn't exactly safe."

She trusted him with her life. Darius would never lead her into harm's way unless it was necessary, unless there was no other choice. It must truly be important to him. Darius was hitting the roads at 110 mph.

When the car finally slowed down Deva was heartbroken at what she was seeing. It was an old poor beaten down neighborhood. Graffiti covered walls and abandoned and bordered up homes and buildings. A few people wandered the streets all dirty and homeless.

"Darius what is this?"

"We are in the west poor side of our kingdom." His mirrored reflection was just as lost and broken as his people's.

It had never occurred to her that the most powerful creatures could exactly be in poverty. The street people were thin, skeleton like and engraved with dark hollow eyes.

"They look hungry, thirsty." She stated.

"They are. It's hard for them to gather or find food."

"What do you mean?" She was held under the dark for too long. She wanted to know the condition of her kingdom.

"They have no accesses to the human world. Only vampires with royal blood can cross over through worlds. They have no way to get blood."

"Only if you bring them some."

Darius lowered his head in guilt. "Yes. Humans are transported over regularly but usually go to the highest bidder."

"I see. Your father serves the rich."

"He serves himself. Even with human reproduction it's not enough to sustain their lifestyle." He knew she needed to know. "The rich have an abundance of blood supply. They would rather kill their food than share."

"You only need a little blood to survive, right?"

He rejoiced in her understanding. "A pint a week."

"The problem seems so simple."

"Exactly." He grasped her hands tenderly. "Soon you are going to be queen. I wanted you to see what kind of kingdom this is and what needs to be changed."

The passion he had for his people only confirmed her opinion that he would have made a wonderful king.

Darius parked next to an old torn down warehouse. She didn't even bother to ask why. She knew his intentions were insightful and for her benefit. He led her into the debris of concrete, stone, and metal.