Prince of Vampires, page 2
“Wow. That’s just like Hocus Pocus,” I realized.
“Huh?” Ty cocked a blonde eyebrow at me, the confusion obvious in his eyes.
“Oh. I, uh, guess you’ve never seen the movie before.” I probably should have figured as much. He lived in the ocean. How would he have been able to watch TV?
“No, I haven’t,” he replied, shaking his head. “Anyway, Kara and Rosie were being selfish. They just killed another human recently, so they’re good for another year. But the reason they wanted to eat you so bad is because it really would have enhanced their looks. You know, since you’re so pretty.”
Funny. It was the first time anyone had ever wanted to use me for my looks before. Everyone back home had always seen me as just a Plain Jane, the type of person who you didn’t give a second glance to. For some crazy reason, these girls thought I was so pretty they wanted to kill me and eat me.
“Now, enough questions,” Ty said. “Let’s get you to shore.”
ONCE TY HAD PULLED the wooden board onto the beach, I climbed off of it. My knees dug into the sand and my flip-flops and dress both ended up being soaked by the water.
As I pulled myself off the ground and brushed the sand off my knees, I turned to Ty. “Thank you. You just saved my life.”
“There’s no need to thank me, love,” he replied with a smile. “It was my pleasure.”
Scanning the beach, I couldn’t help but notice it was completely bare. There was no sign of people anywhere: no umbrellas, no one taking a stroll, no yoga classes. Then again, with the way the sky looked, who would have been crazy enough to be out on the beach? It looked like it was going to storm or something.
But there weren’t even any houses or buildings lining the beach for what looked like miles.
I turned back to Ty. “What’s going on with the sky? Why is it so red?”
“I’m not sure that I’d be the best one to explain that to you. But I’ll tell you where you can find out. Go up there and take that path,” he said, pointing to the sand dune. “You’re going to follow it for about half a mile until you reach a forest. Enter the forest and keep going until you see a sign that says Stark. Go there. You’ll find someone there who can explain everything to you about where you are... and how to get back home.”
“Thank you. But I’m confused about something,” I said with a frown.
“What is it, love?”
“How do you know what’s up there when you’re a merman?” I asked. “You’ve never actually been up there yourself... have you?”
“Oh, but I have. There’s actually something pretty cool about us mermaids. One night out of the month, when the moon reaches its fullest peak, our fin disappears and we grow legs. We get to use them for a full twenty-four hours.” Ty grinned and then began to move back deeper into the water. “Till we meet again, beautiful.”
“Bye.” I tried to force a smile, even though I knew it was weak. The truth was that I was sad to see him go. So far, he was the only one in this place who had kept me safe. Journeying through the rest of it alone... well, the idea scared me.
As I trudged across the sand, I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure what I was going to find once I reached where I was supposed to go. All I could do was hope that Ty was right and it would lead me to answers.
Chapter 3
Lila
I KNEW TY HAD SAID it was only a half-mile walk to the forest, but it felt like it’d taken me forever, probably because of how hot it was. The sky wasn’t a good indication of the weather; the sun might not have been shining and it may have looked like a storm was brewing, but it was still brutally hot. Actually, hot was an understatement. It was quite possibly the most intense heat I’d ever felt before. My saltwater-soaked flip-flops and dress had dried almost instantly.
Finally, I came across a heavily wooded area.
As I stepped into the woods, a strange feeling began to take over. The trees seemed so tall and the forest seemed so dark, but that wasn’t all that was weird. I realized I didn’t hear any movements in the woods the way I normally did back home. No squirrels or chipmunks rustling in the leaves, no birds chirping or woodpeckers pecking. It was eerily silent, which only made me wonder one thing.
Why weren’t there any animals in the forest?
Because danger is lurking here.
I tried to push the thought to the back of my mind as I continued my way deeper into the woods. I knew I was probably only being paranoid, just like anyone would have been after the way my morning had gone.
I assumed it was morning, at least. The sky gave me no indication as to what time it may have been, but I doubted I’d been sleeping on that board in the middle of the ocean all day.
The forest ahead of me seemed endless. I wondered how much further it would be until I reached where I was supposed to go.
When I finally reached the end of the forest, I saw the wooden sign. The letters were carved in a swirly font. Stark.
There was a gate, which had been left open. As I walked through it, I took a deep breath. I’d already come across mermaids who wanted to kill me. I was almost afraid to find out what was waiting for me beyond the gate.
I walked down a stone path that led to a huge building with stone walls. There were two towers on either side of the main building. The closer I got to it, the more I couldn’t help but think it looked like a castle. Once I had almost reached it, I noticed a blonde woman walking toward me. Relief was written all over her face.
“There you are,” she said. “You’re late. Prince Sebastian was expecting you to arrive half an hour ago.”
“The... prince?” I asked with wide eyes. Apparently I had been right about it being a castle. I wasn’t sure which part was more surprising: that wherever I was had a prince or that he’d been expecting me.
On second thought, crazier things had already happened that morning. I’d woken up in the middle of the ocean and then two mermaids had tried to eat me. Was it all that far-fetched that a prince wanted to see me, for some reason?
“Yes,” the woman replied exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. “And unless you want to trigger that well known temper of his, if you haven’t already, I highly suggest you go inside. He’s been waiting for you in his office.”
“Where is his office, exactly?” I asked.
“Upstairs and the first door to your left.”
“Thank you.” I walked up the front steps to the castle and pulled open the front door.
The massive staircase, which was cloaked in red carpet, loomed in front of me. It was the type of staircase I’d always imagined a celebrity to have in their home.
I followed the stairs to the landing and then took a deep breath. I wondered if I looked okay. I doubted I did, considering the way I’d spent my day so far: being dragged to shore and then hiking through the forest in brutally hot weather.
On the bright side, at least I’d somehow ended up in the black dress I was wearing. I didn’t think the shorts and tank top I’d fallen into the river with would have been an appropriate outfit to meet a prince in.
Once I reached the door that the woman had told me was Prince Sebastian’s office, I knocked and waited. There was no answer, but the door had been left open on a crack. I peered inside.
The room was empty.
Unsure of what to do, I entered the room and glanced around. The back wall was lined with windows that overlooked the backyard. There was a desk in front of them and, beyond that, a sitting area that had a loveseat and a few armchairs.
I sat down in one of the armchairs, which faced the wall, away from the door. As I crossed one leg over the other, I heard a deep voice speak from behind me.
“Ah, there you are, Princess Aless—” He trailed off and then came to stand before me. When his eyes, which were a shade of blue so startling it made my heart stop, fell on mine, he frowned. “You’re not Princess Alessandra.”
“I’m afraid not.” I paused and then added apologetically, “I’m sorry to disappoint you.”
As he stared into my eyes, I drank him in. He looked like he was about the same age as me, and he was breathtakingly gorgeous. Those blue eyes stood out against his fair skin and jet-black hair. His features were sharp and defined, and he had a five o’clock shadow. He was tall, and I could tell he was ripped even through the navy blue suit jacket he was wearing. He looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ magazine.
“Who are you? And what are you doing in my office uninvited?” There was an almost accusing tone in his voice.
“I’m sorry. I was told by a woman outside that you were expecting me,” I explained.
“What woman?” He frowned.
“I didn’t catch her name. A blonde woman?” I shrugged.
He shook his head, clearly frustrated. “You can never trust new workers to do their jobs properly. If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself.”
I bit my lip, feeling sort of guilty. I hoped I hadn’t gotten the woman into any sort of trouble. The last thing I wanted to do was get her fired.
“Anyway, there must have been some sort of mix-up. I didn’t mean to come in here uninvited and...” I trailed off, suddenly feeling foolish over the whole thing. Of course the prince hadn’t been expecting me. Why would he have been? I was no one special. I wasn’t a princess. “I should really go.”
I began to rise to my feet when he took a step closer to me, blocking me from leaving. “You’re not going anywhere.” His eyes locked on mine. “Sit down.”
I didn’t like being told what to do, so naturally I wanted to protest, but I knew better. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he wasn’t messing around. That wasn’t even to mention the warning that woman had already given me about his temper. Since I didn’t want to see it reach its full potential, I sat back down.
“Tell me your name,” Sebastian commanded.
“It’s Lila,” I replied quietly.
His lips formed a flat line and his eyes held mine. “Lila what?”
I swallowed hard, nervous under his gaze. “DeHaven.”
He stared at me for a moment longer and then let out a little laugh. “No, it’s not.”
“Um, yes... it is.”
Sebastian shook his head. “I know what you’re trying to do. You’ve escaped from your owner. Since your odds of survival in this kingdom are slim, considering how dangerous the forest is, you figured that if you pretended to be Lila, I’d let you into the palace. You must have overheard your owner talking about her. It’s not the first time an escaped slave has tried to pull this on me.” He leaned in closer to me and whispered, “I don’t like slaves who lie, so why don’t we try this again. What’s your name?”
I just stared back at him blankly, unable to make sense of anything he’d just said. Slave? Owner?
“I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, nor do I have a reason to lie to you about my name. It’s Lila DeHaven.”
He grabbed my chin and tilted my head, studying my face. “You know, normally if a girl won’t tell me the truth, I kill her right here. Several girls have died in this very chair, just for claiming they were Lila DeHaven. You, however...” he murmured. “There’s something different about you, but I can’t seem to put my finger on what it is. You just don’t seem like the rest of them. And that’s not even to mention how heavenly you smell.” Leaning in closer to me, he inhaled deeply, causing me to shrink back against my chair. He murmured, “I’m not quite sure what to do with you.”
Releasing my chin, he walked over to the window and glanced outside. He stared out at the crimson sky for a few moments before turning back to me.
His eyes locked on mine, but he didn’t say anything as he made his way to the door. “Guards!”
Two tall, muscular men who were dressed in black and looked just like Dwayne Johnson’s body doubles walked into the room, stern looks on their faces.
“Yes, Your Highness?” one of them asked.
“Please take this girl to the Chambers.”
“What’s ‘the Chambers’?” I asked, confused.
Prince Sebastian’s eyes met mine, and a smile touched his lips. “It’s what we call our dungeon, sweetheart. It’s where you’ll be spending some time.”
The guards walked over to me and, pulling me to my feet, handcuffed my wrists behind my back.
“I-I don’t understand.” My voice cracked as I struggled to speak, shooting pleading glances in the prince’s direction. “Why are you doing this to me? Why are you putting me in the dungeon?”
But before he could answer, the guards had already dragged me out of the room.
THE CHAMBERS WERE EXACTLY what I expected them to be. It was dark, creepy, and cold. All the walls, including the floor, were made of stone. Heavy iron bars separated me from the outside world.
The worst part about it all was that they made me strip. I had been forced to remove my dress and panties, right in front of the guards. They’d given me a skimpy red silk nightgown to wear, but I still felt completely naked.
My cell had a mattress on the floor that I could sit on, which I did. I’d had no choice but to sit. They’d put shackles on my feet and I was still handcuffed, so it was difficult to move around.
I just couldn’t understand what was going on. It wasn’t like I’d done anything besides tell Prince Sebastian my name, so why had he decided to make me a prisoner?
There was only one theory that came to mind, which was that they somehow had me confused with another Lila DeHaven. Still, that didn’t explain his talk about slaves and owners.
I slumped back against the wall, trying to make sense of it all, but I had no idea. All I did know was that I wanted to go home, back to Pennsylvania, back to my friends and Sean, but I feared I would never see any of them again. There was a thought that just kept rising to the surface of my mind.
If Prince Sebastian really had killed those other girls just for claiming to be me, who was to say I wouldn’t be next?
Chapter 4
Sebastian
IN MY THREE HUNDRED years of life, I’d never seen a girl as stunning as her. With that long, chocolate brown hair, sun-kissed skin, and those emerald green eyes that seemed to just bore right into mine, it was surprising she didn’t have that arrogant way about her. That was what drew me to her immediately. It was almost as though she didn’t even know how beautiful she was.
I was certain that was what set her apart from all of the others who came before her, all of the others who had claimed to be her. All of the others who were now dead.
It happened once every year or so: a human slave managed to escape from the vampire who owned her, and after knowing there was no way to rough it in the woods even if she wanted to, she tried to weasel her way into the palace. Most of them figured that if they had to be a slave, they might as well have been my slave. It was a well-known fact that I treated my slaves better than most vampires in our kingdom did. Most of them figured that if they claimed to be Lila DeHaven, I wouldn’t turn them away, that I would treat them as if they were my queen.
But that’s where they were wrong. I handpicked all of my slaves. If I wanted them when they were brought to our kingdom, I would have had them from day one. But the part about their little scheme that bothered me the most was that they didn’t understand they were wasting everyone’s time by claiming to be Lila DeHaven when they weren’t. That’s why I always taught those humans a lesson... a deadly lesson.
But not this time.
I didn’t know if it was the girl’s beauty that made me spare her life. Had she simply been too beautiful—too stunning, physically, and too humble—for me to kill her?
I didn’t know. What I did know was that if she had been any other girl, I would have devoured her right there. But for some reason, I hadn’t been able to bring myself to do that. Not yet, at least.
It was probably crazy, but I found myself questioning her true identity. I needed to find out who she really was.
If it turned out that her name actually was Lila DeHaven, then I would have no choice but to spare her. The vampire world as we knew it relied on it. But if she wasn’t Lila DeHaven—and I knew there was a strong likelihood that she wasn’t, since they never were—I would teach her a lesson, too.
I would drink every last drop of her blood. But not until after I had my way with her first.
“I’m sorry I’m so late, Your Highness,” a sultry voice said from behind me, interrupting my thoughts.
I glanced over my shoulder to find Alessandra standing in the doorway. Her long dark hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders. She was wearing a red dress that dipped low, showing off her perfect cleavage. The dress fell just below her thighs, leaving little to the imagination.
She was gorgeous—the most attractive vampire I’d ever met, by far—but her looks paled in comparison to the gorgeous girl who was now locked inside my dungeon.
I narrowed my eyes at Alessandra as she entered the room. “I don’t appreciate your lateness.”
“At least allow me to explain,” she insisted, tossing her hair over one shoulder seductively, but I shook my head.
“The reasons behind your lateness are insignificant. Whatever the case, you should have made alternate arrangements to ensure you would be here on time. You are the one who requested to meet with me today, are you not?”
“Well, yes, but—” she began to protest, but I cut her off.
“No but’s, Alessandra. You know lateness isn’t something I’m able to tolerate. As you already know, patience is not one of my virtues.” Then just to be an asshole, I added, “I was going to offer you the finest blood our kingdom has to offer, but I’m not sure how deserving you are of it now.”
As I spoke the words, I knew they were no longer true. I may not have tasted her yet, but based on her decadent scent alone, I was positive the girl in the Chambers had much higher quality blood than the slave who today’s drink had come from.
