Inject Me Sweetly / Dusk Until Dawn

:Inject Me Sweetly: Chapter Five, Part Two [A Vampire Romance]

Vincent glared at his father. "I wouldn't know, father. I'm not going to be King."

Solomon frowned. "Even if you're not the heir, you still need to know how to rule."

"I don't want to be King either, so I'm fine," Vincent snapped. "Sebastian has it handled."

I peered at Vincent from around the King curiously. It didn't occur to me that Vincent or Sebastian could be the heir to the... kingdom, or whatever vampires had. Wasn't Vincent at least the tiniest bit upset he wouldn't become King? A grimace crossed my face. What was I thinking? I didn't care how Vincent felt. What I cared about was whether or not I was going home.

Joel coughed, breaking the silence. "Your Majesty, if you would be so kind as to excuse me. The human has to eat at some point."

My head snapped to Joel. Food? When was the last time I'd eaten? For the first time, I was aware of just how hungry I felt. The empty feeling in my stomach felt uncomfortable now.

"You may go," Solomon responded, shooing Joel with his hands. "Pull out some dried fruit for our anemic friend as well."

Finally allowing myself to push away from the wall, I tried to relax my stance. Solomon didn't seem like the person who would hurt me. "Er, Your Majesty..." The words felt awkward coming off my tongue.

"Call me Solomon," he responded with a polite smile. "I am not your King."

I suddenly felt extremely shy. "A-about me going home... Is there any possible way that I can go home sooner?"

His expression fell quickly. "Emily..."

"I know you have a court system and all, but while that's all fine and dandy my parents are probably worried sick!" I babbled, giving him a desperate look. "I can't wait a week! I need to go home now!"

Solomon pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, but we can't allow you to go home-"

"But-"

"However," he continued forcefully, cutting me off, "there is something we can do about your parents. You'll have to consent to it though first."

Ignoring the anger that was beginning to boil in me, I gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"Memory altercation."

The words hung heavy in the air. Vincent drifted off towards the fireplace, looking extremely bored. I stared at Solomon blankly. Memory altercation? "What does that mean?" I finally inquired.

"Sebastian can go to your house and alter your parents minds so that they think you're at your Aunt's house for the week."

My eyebrows furrowed together. "My aunts live in California..."

"It stops them from worrying, doesn't it? I hate to make you choose something, but it's either that or having them worry about you for a week straight. They could think you were kidnapped, or murdered. And then when you come back there will be questions and police investigations and-"

I held up my hand. "No, I get it..."

Solomon frowned. "I'm sorry you were pulled into this mess... Vincent-"

"It's not my fault," Vincent growled at the same time I said, "It's not his fault."

He glanced at me in surprise, his eyes widening the fraction of an inch. I stared back at him for a moment before abruptly looking away, turning back to the King. His eyes searched mine for a moment while I stayed silent.

I knew I didn't have a choice. If I had to stay here, I had to stay here. There was no point in making my parents worry unnecessarily. But if they could alter their minds so that they think I'm with my aunt, couldn't they also change them so they didn't know they had a daughter? What if the courts decided it was best just to kill me? Or force me to become one of... I shuddered at the thought.