"Drew..." I warned lowly. "Don’t you dare--"
My speech was cut off when I saw him dash for the door, but it wasn’t as fast as he moved last night. I smirked, remembering that the chives was still in his system.
"Shit, I'm weak," he cursed softly.
"Yes and I will shoot you again if you go after Nathan," I warned, meaning every word. I might not be able to kill him, but I'll surely shoot him again if he goes after my friend.
He peered at me in both annoyance and desperation. "But he wants you." He gritted through his teeth. I walked further into my room and stopped a few feet away from him as I pointed an accusing finger at him.
"Weren’t you the one who specifically said you didn’t want me?" I put emphasis on the 'didn’t', because I was sure that not even ten minutes ago, he was going on about how I trapped him blah blah blah. "Isn’t this supposed to be what you want? If I'm with Nathan then you can be free or whatever."
I still didn’t a hundred percent believe his mate crap, but he told me that before last night, his intentions were to stay away from me 'until I die or marry'. So what's his deal?
I'm just hoping Nathan still wants to marry me, because I'm really not in the mood for another ball, or even worse, getting to know a new suitor.
"It doesn’t work like that Amber."
"Oh then enlighten me!" I snapped, growing real frustrated with his crap. It's never 'like that', yet he doesn’t 'want me'. What the hell does he want from me then?
"It's a primal thing. And now that you've initiated physical contact with me, even if I don’t want to, It'll be impossible to stay away from you. I told you this."
"How do I undo it then?" I huffed. I just wanted to be done with him.
I hate him. I hate him because he has weakened me and I can't find it within myself to kill him. If there's a way I can erase last night from existence and forget this distasteful experience, then I'll do it in the blink of an eye.
Drew's eyes seemed detached for a while, which only told me that there actually was a way. But then his face grew stern, and his jaws clenched, and I could see that he wasn’t going to tell me even if I demanded it. But why? He obviously isn’t too pleased either that I've 'touched him', so why wouldn’t he want to tell me?
"There is no way," he muttered in a deep, detached tone. "There is no way to undo a mate bond."
I narrowed my eyes in slits as I took another step towards him. "There is a way. You just wont tell me."
"Don’t go to him, Amber, or I will have no choice but to kill him," he said, avoiding my statement. "Is that really the type of blood you would want to have on your hands?"
I laughed humorlessly before looking at him in disbelief. "Is this some reverse psychology shit? You will not kill him or else..."
"Or else what?" he challenged. By this point, I was right in his face peering at him.
"Nathan has been my friend for years. If you touch a hair on his head, I don’t care what type of 'bond' we have. I. Will. End. You," I gritted out slowly, but loud enough so that he could hear. "Trust me, the level of adrenaline and anger I'll have will outweigh whatever barrier you've set in my mind so that I can’t kill you."
And with that, I spun on my heels and made for the bathroom again.
I stopped when I didn’t hear him saying anything, and I took this as the perfect opportunity to add more to my threat. "And I promise to make it slow and painful. Whatever bond you think we have won't be enough to save you. Now get the hell out of my room."
I felt on cloud nine as I stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Luckily, my room was on the far side of the castle away from other rooms. So no one would think I was going crazy.
I let the cold water wash away my anger as it trickled from my head and down my shoulders. If the Duke was really downstairs, that meant Ruby would be up any minute requesting my presence for breakfast.
I couldn’t help but wonder. Did Drew's 'compulsion' work? Nathan is here, isn’t he? So that meant it probably didn’t.
But then images of a zombie looking Nathan walking past me flashed in my mind, and I knew it was real.
What exactly did Drew tell him? To forget me? Or to go home?
Drew.
I had no idea what he was doing to me, but ever since I met him he has invaded my every thought.
Images of his facial expression when I threatened him moments ago flashed in my head. He believed me.
Good. That was good.
So, why did I feel guilty?
That damn vampire. I will figure out what he did to me, and when I do, he's as good as dead.
With my mind made up, I stepped from my shower and grabbed a towel, furiously drying the water from my hair.
With my robe tightly pulled around my waist, I sat in front of my mirror and proceeded to straighten my hair. Luckily for me and my sanity, my mother only saw it fit to doll me up when we were having a big event. If I had to sit through hours of her pampering and discriminative talks every time I had to get ready for a day, I'd probably die from mental exhaustion.
Ruby, my personal maid, was appointed to do these things for me, but I don’t always bother her. I'm an adult, after all.
Feeling utterly satisfied with my appearance, I applied a little mascara and lip gloss and peered at the door that led back to my bedroom. Was he still in there? He better not be.
But when I entered, the spot where I left him was empty. I tried to suppress the disappointment that grew in my chest when I scanned the rest of the room and found it empty too. And finally, my bracelet gem was as dull as my life.
No vampire was near.
Sighing, I decided to wear a blue chiffon halter dress that fell a few centimeters above my knees, and paired it with my white wedge heels. I preferred trousers and comfortable shoes, but there were only a few days when I could get past my mother without being criticized about my attire.
'A princess must always wear a dress, Amber', she would say after pulling me aside. Sometimes I want to tell her that this is the 21st century and my clothes were always modest, but a small voice in my head always told me that I shouldn’t make things difficult.
Today especially, knowing that the duke is here, I couldn’t dare wear pants.
Still, I felt satisfied and grateful enough that at least I won't have to be bound by corsets and terribly long dresses everyday.
As if right on time, a knock sounded at my door and Ruby stepped inside, looking like her jovial pleasant self.
"Good morning Princess Amber. You look beautiful today," Ruby said, her hands folded in front of her neatly and a brilliant smile on her face.
I count help but return it. Ruby's energy was always contagious. She was the only human being that I considered a friend.
"Thank you. So do you." I smiled as I took one glance at myself.
"Since you are already ready, the duke would like to have a word with you. I've arranged for you two to have breakfast separately, if that’s okay?"
"That is perfect, Ruby. Thank you. I'll be down in a bit."
She nodded once before offering a little bow before leaving again. I searched frantically through my sheets for my phone, sighing in delight when it finally emerged. I felt bad for whoever will make my bed.
A small white paper caught my attention on my nightstand where I had my dagger, and as I picked it up, I noticed that it was a note from a handwriting I didn’t recognize.
'I will leave you alone,' it read. And that was it. No signature, no alternative massage, just plain and simple.
I already knew it was from him but before I could allow myself to feel, I crumbled it and threw it in my dust bin
He will leave me alone? Good. Great actually! I've been telling him that all morning!
So, why did I feel a tug in my chest?
***
I almost tripped on what seemed like air as I entered the dining room. Nathan's back was turned as he stared through the window, past the town and towards the beautiful coast.
His frame whipped around when he heard me and for a second I thought his eyes would look detached like they did last night, but I was met with green radiant ones instead. I relaxed greatly as his familiar smile greeted me. What had I been so worried about?
"You look as beautiful as ever, my princess," he greeted as he gently kissed my knuckles. His princess? Does this mean that he remembers?
"And you look as charming as ever." I returned, and I seemed to take him by surprise with that.
Nonetheless, he smiled brightly and pulled the chair for me to sit. It was just the two of us in the grand dining room, and the doubled doors that led to the balcony were wide open, yet I felt hot.
Nerves, I decided. How do I explain what happened last night?
"I trust you must be wondering what happened last night," he said as he sat, and I raised a questioning eyebrow. He met my gaze with sad apology swimming in his eyes, and I didn’t understand why.
"What do you mean?" I decided to ask just to see how much he remembered. He laughed nervously but never dropped my gaze.
"I suppose I owe you an apology, my princess. I cannot comprehend how I slept all evening and missed your ball."
Wait what?
"For some reason, everyone, even Queen Livia tells me that I was in attendance..." he trailed as he gazed away. "I cannot remember."
A lump rose in my throat and I felt tongue tied. I couldn’t tell him that he was compelled by a jealous vampire that claims he has some primal bond with me. I'd surely sound crazy.
"The queen said I left because I was sick," he mumbled with his eyebrows knitted together deep in thought. "Maybe that is the reason I cannot remember."
He shook his head as if clearing his thoughts before looking back at me. "What I'm saying is, I would regret ever losing the chance to show my interest in having you as my wife. So as soon as I arose this morning, I knew I just had to come see you. That is, if any other interested suitors haven’t won your hand last night already?"
My heart almost broke at the sad look on his face when he said that, and I felt relieved that he still wanted me as his wife. I knew my mother would've insisted I choose a groom soon, so I was lucky that the duke still desired my hand.
"Of course, Your Grace." I held his hand across the table, trying to give him my warmest smile, or what I hoped looked warm. "I don’t assume you remember our conversation last night, but I'd love to be your wife," I said, but at my words I felt my stomach suddenly plummet in pain, causing me to clench it.
"Are you okay?" Nathan's worried voice interrupted my thoughts, and I simply nodded as the pain subsided. What the hell was that?
"I'm fine." I forced a smile, hoping that this doesn’t have anything to do with Drew. "But as I was saying, I'd be honored to accept your proposal." I felt the pain again, but this time it was far less painful and didn’t move me.
Definitely Drew.
Nonetheless, my annoyance for the vampire was short lived as Nathan beamed at me.
"Really? You'll be my wife?"
"I've known you forever, Nathan. I'd be foolish to accept anyone but you." I just hope I grow romantic feelings for you soon, I should've added, but I didn’t dare.
This is my duty as the Princess of Consok. It was something I was bound to do even if I didn’t choose Nathan. So why would I torture myself by marrying a stranger?
In what seemed like a flash, Nathan was out of his chair and hugging me like there was no purpose of breath. I wasn't a hugger, but I awkwardly patted his back to show my approval.
"You will not regret this, my princess. I will make you happy," he mumbled as Ruby entered with our breakfast.
I sure do hope so Nathan. Because every passing second after I accepted the proposal, I strangely felt sadder, with my mind on a certain vampire.