♔
"That's it, you are my tree. Let me claim you as mine."
♔
"I-It's...okay Diana...it's just a few...b-burns...you'll be completely f-fine.." I sniffed to myself while backing into wall all alone in an empty hallway, as my whole body was aching from the hot tea flames, and I was too scared to see what impact it might have printed on myself.
"T-This...is the last thing...I n-needed today...what did I do wrong?" I cried softly, already on the verge of tears, as it was already difficult for me to form words with my stuttering voice, and I broke down while sitting on the floor with my stained dress.
"I...t-tried to be g-good, w-why does everyone h-hate me here? T-This is something beyond humans and v-vampires.." I broke out loud, blowing some cool air onto my palms to numb them, as I could already see some blisters forming on my skin, making me inwardly panic.
This is seriously not needed! I still have a party to plan!
"N-No no no, this c-can't be happening. H-How will I use my hands?" I choked while eyeing the redness continuing to emerge, at least thanking Jesus for the dress I was wearing to prevent any further burn on my body.
"M-Make it g-go away...please..." I pleaded into the broken atmosphere, as the only thing that could be heard was my hitching breaths and trembling teeth jarring together.
The burns left me alone in a cold breeze, as the chilly air hugged my skin to torture it more, making it impossible for me to heal with no equipment or medicine to aid me.
At least my body won't have blisters, but my uncovered hands are a complete gone case.
"H-How was it not hot for them? I-It's like l-lava to me.." I whimpered, banging my head onto the wall behind me while feeling my fiery tears coat my face with stained waterfalls.
I failed to be strong, I failed miserably. The moment my scream echoed in the whole building, I knew I was damaged.
I couldn't bare the pain, it was too much for my human self. I've tried as much as possible to stay away from the heat and fire all my life, and this is how the universe back bites at me for some sin I've done.
What the heck did I do in the first place!? I was polite to him! I WAS POLITE TO ALL OF THEM EVEN AFTER THE THINGS THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT ME!
THEY SHOULD BE LUCKY I DIDN'T CUT THEIR GENITALS AND SHOVE THEM DOWN THEIR THROAT TO MAKE IT RETURN TO IT'S ORIGINAL PLACE—
No no, come on Diana, don't rage. Breathe.
I finally hugged myself to ease the aches, calming down my shaking body gradually second after second, as gulping in my saliva became a task because of evident block on my throat, and my eyelids were tired.
I could barely move, as I couldn't thank myself enough for wearing thick clothing today because of the never ending snow, almost immediately regretting to not wear gloves.
Darn it, why didn't I wear my gloves?
"Hello there pwettyyy lady, whatchaaa going aaalll alone in here?" I heard a slurry voice speak from the end of the corridor, making me flinch in my spot with fear, as my eyes widened to see a drunk vampire limping my way with a scary grin on his face.
A grin in his face.
That's a terrifying sight.
I didn't say anything, as I attempted to get up and just run to a safe spot with people around me, wanting to be alone at all costs with no conversation with anyone.
"Hey! Did I tell you to leave human?" He growled while standing right in front of me after using his teleportation skills to reach me, and grabbing me with his filthy hands, making me whimper as his vampire strength punctured my own.
"Y-You smell so good, I think I might have a taste of your...beautiful neck." He giggled, making me widen my eyes as I realised on what he was implying.
"D-Don't touch me! Let me go you blood sucker!" I hissed while trashing in his hold, as he held my waist in a disgusting way and pinned me to the wall with so much force, hurting me to the brim.
"Shut up you bitch!" He yelled, making me turn small against him, as his breath reeked strong alcohol and he licked his lips.
This can't be happening!
"GET OFF OF ME PLEASE!" I pleaded while pushing him away, as his fangs started to grow tremendously, making me panic even more.
I did everything I could. I tried to punch, slap, kick, jump, yank, scratch, everything.
Yet nothing worked.
"Stay still, I'll make it pleasurable as much as possible doll, be a good girl and don't struggle." He chuckled into my ear before setting his slimy lips onto my neck, making scream as this was without any consent as my mind was on full alert mode.
"HELP—" I tried to shout at the top of my lungs, but then he covered my mouth to muffle my voice, and pinned both my wrists above me head.
"Oh yes I've wanted this for so long." He groaned while grinding his lower region on mine.
OH MY GOD MAKE THIS STOP—
"You heard the lady."
Immediately everything happened way too quickly, as the man flew away from me and into the next wall with so much power, that he almost broke a window to pieces, making me flinch and cover my mouth in surprise.
My mark instantly tingled on my neck, sending shivers down my spine, as I saw a familiar figure grab the man by the collar with ease.
How the hell is he doing that!?
I never knew he was this strong..
"Come on man, we could've shared her bloo—"
"Shut up. No one hurts my sister." Elliot growled while snapping his neck with his bare palm, making me scream again as the man fell down as limp as possible because of Ellie's release.
The man's eyes were opened as his body laid there lifeless and dead, with his fists unclenching and fangs still out, setting a horrible memory into my brain from the sight, that I never want to witness in someone else ever again.
My brother immediately turned around with worried eyes and rushed to me with open arms, kneeling down to hold my shaking figure on the ground, as my burning skin made contact with his cold coat, while I jumped in his embrace openly with no remorse and hugged him like it was the last thing on earth.
I needed a hug so bad.
"I'm so sorry Di, it's okay, it's okay. Shh, I'm here now, nothing will come near you when I'm here, you're fine." He cooed profusely into my ear while rubbing my unaffected back, hissing quietly to himself as I sobbed into his chest.
"H-He.."
"Hey, don't speak. It's okay, I'm here. No one will hurt you anymore. Thank God the King called me on time." He breathed into my hair, instantly making me feel better with his hold and the mentioning of my mate.
"I-It burns.." I croaked out, as he picked me up like a piggy back ride with ease and started walking down the empty hallways, with me seeing the dead man on the ground in horror before tapping the back of his head hesitantly.
"Y-You just k-killed someone.."
"He deserved it, forget him. Focus on yourself now." He deadpanned in a new voice which I've never heard, which made shivers run down my spine realising how different he sounded now.
What happened to him?
"H-How did you..since w-when were you this..."
"I've always been." He whispered to himself.
"W-What? I couldn't hear you.."
"Nothing, let's get you patched up." He whispered while kissing my cheek by turning his face around to plant his lips, as I sobbed into his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his neck, while he made me jump to adjust my thighs around his torso, and continued to walk.
The burns in my front were still very stingy, as my warm palms made contact with his neck, making him groan softly, so I decided to retract them.
"It's okay Di, you can rest. Your burns will heal in no time." He stated firmly, as I rested my chin on his wide figure, closing my eyes to just sleep now, as I couldn't find any energy left inside me.
I just...am done.
♔
"P-Please have mercy your majesty...it was an accident." He croaked out desperately after being hung on the wall with a single strong gripped fist around his fragile neck, greeted by the actual real form of the King of the dead, with the crimson red shimmering against the chandelier candles.
"You dared to harm her when she was innocent." Lazarus growled, or more like the beast inside him mocked playfully after looking over his shoulder to see the trembling soldiers kneeling on the floor with their weapons thrown into a corner, making him smirk.
"I-I am sorry my lord, I-I wasn't thinking.." The guard who impulsively threw the lava like liquid on his poor mate implored while trying to release the utmost powerful grip of his ruler, making Lazarus and the beast take equal control as he laughed a cynical roar, making everyone go pale.
"You weren't thinking you say? If only someone made me acknowledge what you and your friends do on a daily basis, not just to your own Queen, but to the other servants too," Lazarus growled as his fangs emerged from his gums, making the soldier widen his eyes as his feet were lifted off the ground dangerously.
"P-Please don't, I'm really sorry your majesty. Please don't...kill me.."The guard started to beg, as Lazarus tiled his head to one side to make his thick hair fall over his forehead, before licking his lips.
"If Bane wasn't enough to cross me, you ruined your loyalty towards my family by touching the most important thing to me in the world with no remorse, and also the person who'll be a hundred times more important than a scum fucker like you," Lazarus spat while throwing his figure from the wall and onto the floor, cracking the surface underneath him as his bones broke with the knuckles breaking, causing him to scream in agony.
"You think I wouldn't know how you talked to her? To someone who's mine? Spoke to her in a degrading way that no woman deserves? Are you trying to prove the humans right while being correct when it comes to us by actually being monsters to your own Queen?" Lazarus chuckled while clenching his pale fists before grazing his bottom lip with the tips of his fangs, as everyone froze while he started to walk forwards casually.
"You don't deserve the mercy," Lazarus snickered while stomping the soldier's foot with his boot, unleashing his own inner demon that he never wishes to reveal to his lover, stamping on the hand hard, earning a whimper and a cough of blood from the suffering soldier.
"You don't deserve the title," He continued while wrenching his heel on his wrist, breaking his veins one by one before his red eyes looked down at the leaching soul with absolute hate towards misogynistic derogatory.
"And yet you know what? If my Diana was right here, right now, I know the first thing she would do, do you wanna know what that is?" He taunted while leaving his prominent footprint on the remaining part of his arm, making the soldier loose his circulation completely as he was almost dead.
"She would naively protect each and every single one of you bastards, like how she's been doing that since the beginning, and to think I'm your creator is itself making me hate myself for making monsters everyday when I can't protect my biggest treasure myself because of her will to earn everyone's trust and staying away from me, and this is what you do to her?" He accused while lacing disappointment at his subjects, as they started to cry in the realisation after digesting his words.
"I am no King that hurts his own people, I am not that monster that she would be paired with and fall for, I am not that demon. But at the same time, get it into your fucking thick heads that she is not like her, and she will never be like her, she's more worthy of the respect than all of us combined, and to keep you in my castle I itself is exacerbating my capacity of self control," Lazarus threatened while finally lifting his foot to end the torture on the punctured arm, making the soldier cry a sigh of the aftermath.
"But guess what? You have forced me to be that demon, death is not a mercy that any of you deserve, that would be too easy," He laughed while displaying his poisonous fangs in display for everyone to watch, as he saw Lucien in the background, leaning on the wall with his wand ready and relaxed hands in his pockets, already ready to clean up the mess that was about to be made.
"Now I don't even want to waste my precious energy on imbeciles like you, my Diana wouldn't want that. But honestly? I'm thirsty right now." Lazarus finished before swiping the necks of every single soldier in less than ten seconds with his vampire speed and strength, creating a massacre in the castle walls as the Vampire King avenged his Queen once and for all with his one single bite.
"Guess he really is the Lord of Hell." Lucien shrugged while flicking his wand to create a protective shield around himself to prevent any blood to stick to his attire, letting the monster play with his victims as the dangerous beast was unleashed without anything to bind him together.
After all, he is the demon you should be afraid of while looking under your bed.
♔
"How much time will it take?" I heard a masculine voice speak, as I groaned and turned towards the other side for no disturbance to meet my ears.
"She'll be okay in one day. With the help of vampire blood, her wounds will be gone straight away. Only her hands are mostly affected, other than that, her body is just red. We've given some ice to reduce the blisters, don't let her go near any warm surfaces." Another voice spoke, as I clutched the blanket closer to me.
"Thank you." The masculine voice spoke again, followed by a set of distant footsteps, and the person sighed beside me.
"I know you're awake sis, get up." Elliot chuckled softly, making me roll my eyes before I got up slowly and rested on a pillow on the headrest.
I was in the my own bunker room, but this time I was on the ground bed.
"That sleep was nice." I commented while fluffing my blanket.
I immediately spotted Elliot holding my favourite piece of cloth in the world, and he smirked at me before throwing it in my direction, and I clutched onto Zari's coat with all my heart, still being able to take in his scent.
Ah, heaven.
"Don't give me that look." I pouted.
"How can I not? My baby sister has a man in her life now. She's got a new protector." He fake cried while wiping fake tears, making me huff.
"Haha very funny, I have two protectors. The more the merrier. Either way, you're still supposed to serve me, you peasant," I muttered sarcastically, as he ruffled my hair way too much and coughed.
"Why are you here? Where's nana? Shouldn't you be with her? You can't leave her alone." I grumbled while fixing my hair.
"She's fine in the house, I made sure mom will take care of her. And your mate brought me in, so I'll be staying here for a few days to check on you on his behalf. I know he can't see or talk with you because of the stupid deal you accepted, and I'm the only man he trusts when it comes to his lovely Queen." He explained, while narrowing his eyes at me.
"Does that mean I get to have boxing matches with you every night like always?" My eyes twinkled by retrospecting the good old days, making him smile at the thought of our childhood sessions of fighting.
"Not at all, not with you in this condition. What possible excuse do you have for not eating at all for the past few days?" He growled at me angrily, as I sucked in my lips and looked away.
Oh no, he knows.
Great.
"Me? Not eating? No way! You know I love food the most, I eat like an elephant..." I trailed off while not meeting his eyes, immediately cursing under my breath because of him finding out.
"Why are you lying to me? I can read you really well Di." He crossed his arms, demanding for an answer, while I looked at him innocently.
"Please, it's not like you don't lie to me." I huffed.
"There's a difference, I actually don't."
"As if. You're lying right now."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yessss."
"No."
"Okay that's enough. Stop glaring at me and give me a hug." I whined, stretching my arms out to my 26 year old brother, as he rolled his eyes and pulled me into his arms for cuddling as he sat on the bed.
"You're such a pain." He scowled.
"You love me." I chirped.
"I actually don't."
"Ouch. I know you do, don't be cold with me like you are with everyone. I'm your baby sister. I should be an exception." I whined.
"That doesn't change anything, you're not special. And you're not a baby, you're 21."
"Okay then, I'll just go make myself bleed in front of the whole castle so that everyone can have a bite from me—"
"Okay shut up, that's not happening." He said protectively.
"See? Do you love me now?" I smirked.
"No." He deadpanned.
"Okay then, I love me." I giggled.
"Then why are you not treating yourself properly? You are not a vampire Diana, you need food to survive. Starving for two days can literally make you collapse and faint, and your stomach will hate you." He lectured.
"Okay grandpa, no scolding me please. I'm ill." I fake cried.
"You know, these tears won't work on me, it won't work on the King either. He's very upset about this." He face-palmed.
"He knows!?" I shrieked.
"Of course he does sis, he knows everything that's going on here. And he wants nothing more than to just drag you out of here and take you with him in a room to prison you so you won't get hurt." He shrugged.
I will ignore that.
"D-Does that mean he knows about the burns..?"
"Crystal clear. All those guards who harassed you were arrested and taken to prison. Caesar reported all of them along with Amber and David,"
"WHA—"
"And you don't have any authority on this matter. We know how you are like, that's why Lazarus specifically mentioned that you can't protect them." He smirked.
"I feel so nice now." I deadpanned.
"You should, they will get what they deserve." He finished, before starting to take all my hair and beginning to tie it into a braid like he did since we were kids.
"I don't have a hair tie—"
"I do. Having a sister all your life creates habits for you." He huffed while taking out a black band from his wrist, making me giggle.
I stayed quiet for the next few minutes, hugging the coat closer to me, as he began to jerk his legs, making me bounce on his lap.
What a tradition.
"Ellie?"
"Hmm?"
"How is...he?" I asked hesitantly.
"The King?" He replied, as I nodded softly. He took a sharp intake of air into his system and pursed his lips at my question, making me sigh sadly.
"He's not good Di, he's seriously not good," He muttered softly, making me stare at the buttons of his coat while fidgeting with them.
"He's super cranky and super moody. He's angry all the time, he won't even talk to anyone personally, and it's even worse when these things are happening to you. It's somehow unfortunate that he won't show any mercy on the people who disrespected you, and the whole royal family is torn apart." He muttered angrily, tugging my hair a bit more tighter than usual, making me wince.
I really hope he isn't punishing them.
"I...miss him." I whispered, making him sigh and kiss my head after finishing my braid.
"I know you do, he misses you more. And I can't believe I'm siding with a person like him in this, but your decision was stupid."
"With a person like him?"
"He's literally going to have intimacy with my sister. Mate or not, you're...too innocent. I don't like it." He grumbled.
"Awww, you know right that he will stick his—"
"I'm not here to discuss your interco—"
"DIANA!" I heard a voice book from upstairs, so loud that it made our ears wince and look at each other in horror.
What the hell?
All the vampires outside in the cavern hallways stared at my cell in question, as I quickly got up and folded his coat to keep it properly, seeing Elliot quietly follow behind me to follow the commotion.
And it was a very annoying female voice.
I have had enough of people who hate me today, I need ice cream.
I was practically running up to the stick houses, as Elliot scolded me the whole way for not slowing down and possibly hurting myself, and I rolled my eyes.
It was already nightfall, and the torches were lit up with the local guards on patrol, and I saw her and her minions stomp towards me, with Dahlia and her family following them quietly from behind.
"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!? Since when was the theme made to be a darn ocean!?" Loli hissed at me with her hands in her hips, and I looked down, still remembering I am a servant.
"My lady—"
"THE PREPARATIONS ARE PATHETIC! Everything looks horrible and so blue! I'm not having my party in the ballroom, your organization is beyond terrible," She growled, trying to offend me.
Poor spoiled child.
"It's nothing that I wanted! I wanted a cardboard of me in the front of the entrance with rich gold and dresses! And some diamond plated glasses! THIS IS THE WORST PARTY PREPARATION I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Okay then.
"You've failed your task. I want the ballroom cleaned first thing in the morning, and make sure to make your imbecile servant friends prepare a normal chic party in the garden yards at the back. I want none of the ornaments or decorations from your hell hole. Got it?" She snarled.
"Understood." I gritted through clenched teeth, as she turned around to stomp back to the castle with her fake friends, and I sighed as soon as she was out of my sight.
"I can't believe you had to withstand her standards for the past few days." Elliot blinked his eyes dramatically, as Dahlia, Oliver and Philip looked at me with poor sorrow in their eyes.
"I-I'm really sorry guys, it was my mistake." I groaned while face-palming, and they growled at me.
"Are you kidding!? The ballroom looks amazing! Like purely beautiful! I don't know what crawled up her butt and died." Oliver hissed, making all of us chuckle.
"How are you?" Dahlia whispered while standing near me.
"All better, thanks to this cold person." I punched Elliot in the arm, and he ruffled my hair again.
I hate it when he does that.
"I'm glad, you should rest." Philip added.
"I can't, I have to prepare tomorrow's party before evening arrives. It's going to be so hectic. And I even have to clean the whole ballroom." I whined.
"Who says? We are not doing that," Elliot announces while wrapping his arm around my shoulder.
"You can prepare the party in the gardens, while we have a party of our own in the ballroom. We are not letting your plan go to waste."
♔