The thick air of the dance floor got to me after a while. And as much as I loved spinning around and landing in Caius' arms each time, it was decided between the two of us that we would take a break after about the thirtieth song.
I needed air; fresh air and apparently Caius needed a break from bumping into the 'commoners' on the dance floor. I, of course, rolled my eyes at his use of language but I'd learned in my time with him you couldn't change a stubborn man.
You could only love him, and maybe give him a small love tap before darting off and laughing, which is what I did.
I made my way outside the castle before Caius could kill me for hitting him, and made sure he wasn't behind me as I walked to my destination.
The fresh, warm summer air felt good in my lungs as I made my way to the bench where we had our first kiss. Smiling slightly, I sat down and watched the shining lights of the castle with a sigh.
Tonight has truly felt a like a dream so far. And sometimes, I couldn't believe that this is what my life was now.
First, I had been born into war. And then, I was born again as Queen of the vampire world and mate to Caius.
It was like a fairytale to have all of those people holding their breathes just to see me. To have them call me Queen, and respect me as such.
I didn't know if I would ever get used to it.
But right now, I figured I could at least enjoy it.
I hummed know content as my hand reached up to touch the golden crown on my head. After a few more moments outside, I figured that it was best to head back in and torture Caius some more on the dance floor.
As I thought this, I giggled to myself but as I began to stand up, I suddenly stopped as I heard a voice come from the shadows.
"And what exactly is Your Highness doing out here, all alone in the dark?" Came a familiar voice.
I spun around to see Atul emerging from the darkness. He hopped down from the pillars behind the bushes, exposing himself and the large grin on his sun-kissed face.
Upon seeing that it was just him, I relaxed my body and smiled at him.
"I only needed some air, My Lord," I told him, watching as he stepped closer.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but as he revealed himself in the moonlight, something seemed...different about the way he carried himself.
The Atul I was used to seeing usually pranced around like a drunk, human man. Always with a woman hanging off of his arm and smirking at another across the room.
But the way he was standing now seemed somber. Like he was here on some sort of business.
And subconsciously, I stepped back a few paces.
"Is it everything you hoped for and more?" He questioned, stopping right by the bench. When I only cocked an eyebrow at him, he clarified: "The ball, I mean. Does my father's celebration for you meet your standards?"
"I've never had a ball thrown for me before," I confessed as I continued stepping back, "But the one here tonight is wonderful. I've had quite the time dancing already."
"I saw," Atul laughed lightly and then a silence casted over us.
I gave him an awkward look and then stared over my shoulder at the castle in the distance. Bright golden lights called me back. I didn't know the time, but I figured Caius would be waiting either way.
"I should probably get going," I told Atul, fully prepared to turn tail and leave. But it seemed he had other plans as he flashed right in front of me.
I gasped at his sudden appearance but didn't have much time process it before he was cradling my face, holding me in place with his other arm.
My eyes widened at his grip, trying to yank away but with no avail.
"Atul!" I furiously looked at him, my teeth gritting in confusion, anger, and slight fear. Why was he doing this? What happened to the man I met not even days ago? "Let me go!"
"Such a prize," He whispered, ignoring my demands. I struggled some more as his fingers traced my face. "Caius will be most disappointed when I take his treasure away from him. But I suppose..."
He trailed off and my eyes went as wide as saucers.
"I suppose it'll be worth. When he looks at your lifeless body and knows how we felt when he killed my my father," He finished.
I stopped struggling for a minute as my breath caught in my throat. My body froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up at his words.
His father, he said.
The father that nearly destroyed vampires.
The father that massacred countless humans.
The father the Volturi had destroyed right in front of him and his siblings.
But-
"I thought Lord Khan was your father," I said fearfully, wincing at the harsh grip Atul had my wrist.
He scoffed. "My uncle will never compare to what your mate took from us that day," He spat. And then suddenly, his grip on my arm was forgotten as he moved it to my throat instead.
I cried out and brought up my own hands to claw at his. But it was no use; I was no match for a full vampire. His strength outnumbered mine by a tenfold, holding my neck tightly and crushing the necklace I had on.
I heard the golden chain fall to the ground with a 'clink!' and gasped for breath as Atul's eyes met my own.
"I can't wait to see the look on his face when I crush your neck," Atul growled.
I closed my eyes so that I wouldn't have to see the burning hatred in them. If I was going to die, then the last thing I wanted to remember was the face of my mate, and the faces of my family.
Not the vengeance in his eyes or the satisfaction he got from killing me.
But, as it turned out, fate had other plans for me.
I gasped for breath once again as Atul's grip suddenly loosened, a blur of red flying into him and releasing me from his hands.
Air filled my lungs and had never tasted so sweet as I bent over and gathered my breath. Through teary, bloodshot eyes, I managed to make out the face of my savior and the sight was bittersweet.
Prionka growled at her brother as she held him by the neck, cracks appearing in his marble skin moments before she threw him to the ground. The sounds was like thunder and echoed through the summer air, making my head throb even more.
"What do you think you're doing?!" She hissed at Atul, her red dress like a shield in front of me.
My throat was on fire and my lungs were still screaming from the lack of oxygen, but somehow I managed to stand on wobbly legs and Prionka pushed me behind her. The crown on my head still laid in tact, if nothing else.
"She is your Queen, Atul! You cannot harm her like that!"
"Her mate killed our father!" Atul spat back at her, eyes shining with betrayal. "And yet here you stand- protecting her like the crown on her head truly means anything!"
"It does!" Prionka hissed. As I coughed, feeling a little woozy but managing to piece myself back together, she turned to me with worry casted over her features. "Nadine-!"
I had never heard or seen her look so scared.
"You have to get away! Don't go back to the castle; go to the gardens and I'll send Caius after you!" She told me.
Atul growled at her words. Gasping, I nodded through my pain and quickly ran as fast as I could. I didn't dare look back, but I could hear the sounds of them fighting until the moment I entered the gardens.
My mind was in a panic but I ran up the steps and hid behind a pillar as my breath caught up with me. Sobbing quietly, I pressed a finger to my neck and flinched at the pain that came after.
Caius, where are you? I hope Prionka told you I'm in the gardens I told him using my gift, now that I was close enough. I only hoped that Prionka had made it to him after all.
The images of Atul hurting her were unbearable to think about, and I tried to block it out.
But now, my mind was practically all over the place and I couldn't help but think about that and many other things as I waited for Caius. Luckily though, I didn't have to wait long.
"Nadine!"
I saw him before I heard saw him, my mind distracted, and he heard me before he saw me.
Almost immediately, I left my place behind the pillar and ran to him, tears gathering in my eyes as I threw myself into his arms.
The fear that I felt subsided as he wrapped his around me and allowed me to sob into his shoulder, worry lacing his voice.
"Nadine, my love, what happened?" He asked with concern, "I heard you calling for me. What-?"
"It's Atul, Caius!" I quickly told him with a scratchy voice, another sob leaving my chest. "I was by the fountains when he attacked me! Prionka fended him off and she said...she said she would tell you to meet me in the gardens," I explained.
Caius' eyes hardened, a fury like no other covering his face. He quickly pushed me behind him and scanned the night sky in front of us.
"Where did he go?" He asked venomously, keeping a tight grip on my arm. I winced at the pressure.
"I-I don't know," I stammered out. In the moonlight, I couldn't see or hear anything to indicate where he might be. But I could feel the pressure from Caius' hand, crying out until I could no longer stand it.
"Ow! Caius, let me go!"
I yanked my arm from him and stared at him in horror as I cradled it. Bruises from Atul and now him were beginning to form, my heart growing heavy.
Caius had never hurt me before.
"My love, are you alright?" He asked, dropping his anger and rushing to my side. He tried to grab my arm but I held it from him, staring at him with an indespicable gaze.
Caius also never called me 'My Love.' Never in English, and always in Italian.
I scooted back from him as fear flooded my veins once again. "You hurt me," I told him, my voice quivering. I looked up at him and my stomach churned as Caius stood up and grinned wickedly.
"Good," He whispered, before an indescribable pain exploded in my face.
I cried out as the back of his hand made contact and nearly knocked me to the ground at the force. Caius laughed as I backed away, dread filling me as the sound faded into a more familiar one.
"You didn't really think I'd kill my own brother for you, did you?" Prionka smirked as she came to stand above me, the mask that she wore now fading.
Where my mate once was stood was now taken by the woman who had pretend to help me. Through my blurred vision, the hatred in her eyes was the only thing I could see clearly.
"Surely you didn't think you were that special, My Queen."
She said words with utter venom laced with her voice. I had never heard her speak with such a tone, and my heart broke at the realization that I been tricked into my own grave.
"Prionka," My voice cracked as I stared at her. Though we had started off on the wrong foot, I truly thought we might have become friends. But I saw now that was never her intentions from the moment we met. "Please, don't do this. I didn't-"
"You didn't what?" She cut me off, glaring. "Kill my father? Is that what you were going to say?"
I nodded wordlessly. She scoffed.
"Of course I know that you idiot," She rolled her eyes. I flinched as she came in front of me, fire burning in her eyes. "I know you didn't kill him. Everyone knows you didn't kill him. But seeing the look on the man who did's face when I kill you, will be more satisfying than any revenge I could ever imagine."
"I-I don't-" I backed away from her until my back hit the wall and I had nowhere else to go. I sucked in a breath. "I don't understand. Why did you save me from your brother if you were just going to kill me either way?! Why put on this whole act just to get me here?!"
Prionka pursed her lips and looked around the erethral garden we were in. Even in the moonlight, its beauty could be seen. She sighed. "Because this," She gestured to the scenery behind me, "Is where my father was killed. And now, it'll be the place Caius remembers forever. It'll be place he'll remember seeing your dead body, just like I remembered seeing my father's."
I gasped as her hand came up to clasp my throat, wanting to finish me off just like her brother was going to.
I watched, but I had learned from the first time and dodged before she could even reach me. And then, with a spark in my stomach and panic in my veins, I jumped off of the garden balcony and ran to the other side.
Prionka growled from behind me but I didn't even bother to look back, knowing she was going to chase me either way.
Instead, I focused on running as fast I could and started screaming in my mind for someone- anyone, to come find me.
Caius.
Aro.
Marcus.
Jane.
Alec.
Felix.
Demetri.
I called them all and ran for my life, at least until Prionka finally caught up to me.
I grunted as she tackled me in the middle of the courtyard, my vision going black once again as she struck me across the face.
But unlike the first time, I didn't cower and wait for her hands to wrap around my neck. No, instead I decided that if I was going to die, I was at least going to fight first.
With a growl, I grabbed Prionka by the collar of her dress, throwing her off of me and quickly standing up. When she came for me yet again, I dodged and managed strike her across the face, breathing heavily as she stopped momentarily to fix the cracks that had appeared.
My hands stung, and the taste of my own blood pooled in my mouth. But as I watched her stand there, my hands reaching up to touch the crown still intact on my head, a fire grew in my belly. And the determination to live overcame any fear I may have felt initially.
Prionka's face glowered at me as I stared at her, spitting out the blood in my mouth. And wordlessly, she ran towards me again.
I wasn't fast enough this time and suffered as she threw me against a nearby pillar. The ancient stone cracked under my weight, but luckily I didn't go down with it as it crumbled to the ground.
I took another swing at her and had the pleasure of seeing the same cracks appear once again. She growled.
By now, our fight had began to draw attention. And it wasn't long before I could see flashes of gold and red all running towards us.
I looked at Prionka one last time, knowing she only had a few seconds before she met the same fate she attempted to condemn me to. And as she moved towards me, I didn't get out of the way this time.
Instead, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and allowed my mind to only send a single thought towards her.
"Stop."