The Dark Prince

Chapter One

I sucked in a breath through my teeth and nodded. It was probably the latter. We sat in silence for a another few minutes. Neither of us knowing what to say to the other. When the silence became unbearable, I finally caved.

"There was an attack," I stated.

Rowan looked at me for a few moments before slowly nodding, waiting for me to go on. "My mother threw me a going away ball, and vampires crashed it. They hurt people. They," I paused, choking on the next word. "Killed people. Just to get me. To kidnap me for their king.

"My people died, Rowan. My friends died. And for what? To protect me? What a joke. I should have died instead," I stated, revealing the thought I have been thinking ever since Selene's throat was slit.

Rowan tensed then, his eyes going dark. Still, he didn't say anything, knowing I was not finished.

"And the worst part is, I knew it would happen. I knew that our security was lacking, knew it was just a matter of time before the vampires were to break in. They already attacked me once, and yet that didn't convince me that they wanted me? I even heard," I paused in that moment, as realization dawned on me. The conversation I heard. The one Cameron convinced me was nothing.

A tear dripped down my chin, falling onto my hand. I startled a bit. I had no idea that I was crying. "I even heard a conversation that basically proved that something was going to go down, and yet I did nothing. I was naive. I was stupid. And it cost me everything. I don't deserve to be queen. I don't deserve to live. I dont deserve any-" I choked on a sob, my body shaking, cutting off my words.

Rowan was there, his arms wrapped around me. I cuddled into his chest, the sobs flowing freely now. My whole body shook, as the numbness started to subside and feeling started to fall through. The feeling was worse.

"Shh," Rowan murmured in my ear. "Everything is going to be okay. It's not your fault."

He kept repeating things in my ear, but I barely heard them over my harsh sobs. Nothing will make me feel better, anyways. I know it was my fault. All of the signs were there. Yet I was so absorbed in the fae society that I started to become as naive as them. As "safe" as them. I thought that we were untouchable. What a joke.

I let Rowan rock me back and forth as I cried myself out. As much as I don't want to admit it, his presence really helped. There is something about him that comforts me in a way that no one else can. 

He held me and rocked me back and forth long after the sobs subsided. He didn't let go even when the depression finally lifted for the time being, and I could think a little straighter. I allowed him to hold me, knowing it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart all over again. I stared at his arm as it laid around my stomach, entranced by the thumb rubbing comforting circles on my hand.

That's when I noticed something... unusual. The tattoo I swore I saw the first day I met him, but that dissapeared when I saw him again, was back. Instead of on his right shoulder, however, it is coiled around his forearm. I know for a fact that it had not been there this whole time. I looked at it closely, realizing it was a very intricate snake.

I reached up, entranced. I let my finger graze against the tattoo, startling at the slightly raised skin that coated it. It felt almost like the coat of an actual snake. Rowan shivered under my touch, but I barely noticed. I ran my finger slowly across it, following the tattoo as it coiled around his arm. Then, slowly, I felt it move. I jolted, removing my hand from the tattoo as it began to slither up his arm.

I jumped out of Rowan's arms, pointing at where the tattoo once lay on his skin. "What the hell is that?"

Rowan tilted his head thoughtfully in my direction instead of answering. My pulse raced the longer he refused to answer. What the hell is happening? His tattoo literally just moved across his arm. Last time I checked, they don't just do that!