The Vampires Mate (editing)

Ch. 56

Kierra's POV

    "I can't give what I don't have. And please, let's keep walking." She motions me forward, but I refuse to move.

    "No, and there has to be something else. Please?!" I don't want to go to hell. I don't know anyone that does. I'm assuming it's all fire and brimstone. Burning souls damned for eternity and all. Doesn't sound like my cup of tea.

    "Your time is almost up here. Remember that if you don't try to go there on your own, the universe will balance itself and force you to go." She is resigned now, more sure of the choice I have to make.

    "Yeah, well, I don't have to like it. How do I get there?" I might as well hear her out.

   "You must go down." She looked in the distance and I felt a tug on me. I was waking up. No! I always felt like time went by too fast here. Maybe it does.

    "Love you, mom!" I say as she smiles sadly and waves goodbye before I'm pulled back to my consciousness.

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Damian's POV

    I woke Kierra up, she was shaking a bit in her sleep. When she came too she groggily looked up at me.

    "Morning, you ok?" I ask as I rub her back.

    "No. I have to go to hell." she turned away from me and I froze. What?

    It took a while for her to explain everything to me. I didn't believe it when she first told me. Why would her mother tell her daughter to go to hell?

   "Damian, she hasn't been wrong yet. I think I do need to go." She stopped pacing the floor and looked at me. It stung to hear that.

    "So you do believe I'm not your mate." I looked into her eyes. They grew wide and then dimmed with sadness.

    "I love you, that's not going to change. But I don't know about this mate thing. I never loved someone deeply before you. How can I compare it to something I've never had anything to compare it to?" She had a point.

   "I understand, and I'll be here to help." I pause and look out the window. "So what can I do to help you get to hell." I look back. I would help her any way I could.

    "Not sure. Maybe some space to think, a quiet area." She figgited.

    "Done, you can stay in the room today. We need to have a good cover though, come here." I held out a hand and she came forward to take it. I pulled her into my lap and she squeaked.

    "Please trust me," I whisper and pull some of her hair away from her neck. I feel her stiffen so I kiss her gently. I rub her arms and nuzzle against her warm skin.

    She loosens up and I sink my teeth in her neck slowly. There is no nice way to bite someone, but there is a way to make it easier for the person being fed.

    She groans and tries to pull away but I don't let her. I take 3 big gulps and retract my fangs. Licking the wound the holes will still be there but I need to make the bleeding stop.

    "Why did you do that?" She asks with hurt in her voice.

    "To protect you and give you the space you need. I can let you stay here to recover from my urge that grew too strong to contain. It might be a few days before you can be seen." I smile at her as she cocks her head.

    "So I'm a shut-in now?" She shakes her head.

    "Pets are shut-ins." I wink at her and lift her off my lap.

    "Ha, ha..." she rolls her eyes and moves to my side.

    "It's a good situation, a common one at that." I stand and grab some things to head out. "I'll send food up at noon." I hug her quickly and go out the door.

    In the hall I let my appearance sag a little. The underworld... Does Kierra have to go there?! I didn't have a good feeling about it, but I also knew I couldn't stop her from going either.

    The meeting hall was filled by the time I got there. I took my place and did my best to listen to my court advisors on a riot breaking out in one of the lesser provinces but my mind kept wandering back to Kierra.

    How could I protect her from a place like a hell? What destiny could ever come from it? Will she be the same when she comes back? All these questions and a few more clouded my head.

    "Damian!" I hear a voice snap out of it. Arelene was to my right. "Your Majesty, the counsel needs your vote on the reprimanding of the uprising province.

    "Make an example of them. Send in the VF guards and make sure not to hurt anyone who isn't part of the riots. The ones that are threatening need to be injected with wolfsbane." I give my judgment and the council went to town debating on its effectiveness.

    I knew it would pass anyway, it was a reasonable solution. The VF guards were the most elite soldiers in the Vampire army. Standing for Vampire Force.

    "The council has agreed to the King's tactics and will now proceed with the plans," Arelene announced for everyone to hear.

    The rest of the day was similar to that, I went and heard the concerns of my people, looked over treaties with other kingdoms, and studied rivals.

    All I wanted to do was go back and be with Kierra though. I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing her soon.