Cahira

Chapter 27 - Nadine

She places me in the floor and grabs the stake stuck in my waist. I place my hand over hers. She shakes her head, refusing to remove her hand. Her intense gaze tells me I need to give up from it. Innocent. I roll my eyes and free her hand. She takes the stake moving her lips without making sound to form the words: thank you.

I nod. Let's do it. Quickly. She opens the doors and I am welcomed to the Throne Room where there's more vampires than I can count. Pale faces and some wearing clothes of other centuries, making the room in front of me seems surreal. Millions of eyes are fixed on me. Some are red, some of normal colours. But when they saw me, hisses and growls echo through the room, followed by whispers.

Katherine makes me walk in direction of the throne where just now I notice Dominic, wearing clothes very similar to the ones of his and Danton's memories. His face is blank, his golden eyes emotionless analyzing me, a crown lying in his head.

When I'm close enough he reaches out his hand to me. I accept it and he pulls me in his direction, making the final part of the path slightly short.

"I present you my girlfriend, Kiara McAllister." Dominic says loudly but there's no emotion in his voice.

"Girlfriend? Are you kidding us?" A female vampire with short pink hair that contrasts a lot with the dress that seems to be from the seventh century asks.

Dominic says nothing but a new wave of whisperes followed by wide glares of surprise towards me grows between the vampires. I look up at Dominic, impassable as before. And then at Katherine who makes a thin smile before returns to the usual indifference. Telepathy! Dominic said he has it too, he probably used it.

"Centuries before I and Danton we're both your Kings. Now the things are different and you need to choose a side. You need to choose a King. All I am asking is an opportunity." He embraces me, my body against his, preventing me from see his face while he continues. "An opportunity to show you what I can do. But it's your choice. If you want my Brother you're free to go."

He turns me to the vampires so they can see me again, confirm their first impression. I am the killer of his mother and I don't remember anything.

Katherine takes a step forwards and kneel, bowing her head, and swearing her loyalty. She chose Dominic. And then this happens, the vampires start moving, some getting out, some doing as Katherine. Minutes later a big part are on their knees, the rest disappeared and just one vampire stands still. The vampire with pink hair and the dress from seventh century.

"Nadine?" Dominic asks. Nadine as in Lady Nadine, the vampire from Dominic and Danton's memories?

"I was with His Majesty, King Danton, before I come here. He said he loves me." She says as if it was an explanation, a reason good enough. Her voice is filled with an innocent happiness while her face shows all the adoration and love she feels towards Danton. She's blind by love. Dominic will not convince her.

"Danton loves no one, Nadine." Dominic answers but his grip in my forearms tells me he also knows he'll loose.

The vampire, Nadine, shakes her head. "He does love me. And I love him. I'm with him, Dominic."

"How can you be so stupid, Nadine?" Katherine's angry voice echoes in the room. "He doesn't love you, he is using you."

"You don't understand." She says, her eyes watering." You can't understand, slave's lover." Even I know it was a mistake. Katherine's roar of fury confirms it when she jumps in her direction and throws her against a wall, keeping her against it by her neck.

"Repeat what you said! I dare you!" Nadine's body shakes in fear.

"Katherine, leave her and come here." Dominic's calm but powerful voice orders. Katherine ignores him. "Now!"