Chapter 66
The vampire lightly scraped his needle-like fangs along the flesh of my neck, snarling as he punctured the skin. I gasped, my eyes widening as he began to forcefully take the blood from my veins. The anguished pain began seeping through my entire body as my head lolled to the side, unable to bare its own weight.
My hands tightened on the creature’s shirt as he adjusted his grip on my slender waist, his movements filled with desperation and longing. I slammed my hand against his chest weakly, whimpering as my vision blurred; Athos taking more than he should. My frame sagged against the towering mass of the immortal lord, each agonising gulp of my blood he stole killing me, draining away my life. The immortal creature snarled viciously, my fearful gasps increasing with each passing second. I felt Athos freeze suddenly, the dining room door flying from its hinges as my unseen saviour barrelled into the room. I whimpered when the immortal lord slowly retracted his fangs, lifting his head to glare at the unseen figure by the door. My vision blurred once more as my head collapsed against Athos’ chest, his deadly grip holding me in place as he growled, seeming to challenge whoever stood only inches away.
“Athos! Put the princess down!” Mortem’s voice bulleted towards my fragile ears, a strange sigh of relief racing through my mind.
“Why sovereign lord? Do you fear I would kill the girl? Or is it that you want to reserve her fine tasting blood for only your consumption?” Athos snarled deeply, tightening his arms around my waist as I blinked rapidly, forcing my mind to stay alert.
I cried when the immortal creature spun me around in his arms, savagely lifting my chin as he turned to glare at Mortem, using me as his leverage. Tears slipped from my eyes as I watched the immortal king’s lifeless vessels shift towards me, his scowl deepening. - Did the immortal creature believe I had caused this? Somehow think that I was responsible for my own suffering? -
“If you release her, I will spare your lives; both of them.” The vampire king reasoned, taking threatening step towards Athos.
Alexander growled, storming towards Mortem as he spoke; his tone predatory and almost animalistic. “We will not be so generous or forgiving towards you, my lord.”
The tyrant king sighed, lowering his eyes for a moment before speaking; slowly lifting his head. “Then neither shall I.”
I screamed when Alexander rushed the immortal ruler, savagely tackling him into the ground; a deafening thud assaulting my ears. I watched with wide eyes as Mortem snarled in return, brutally smashing his fist into the immortal’s nose, gaining the upper hand. The vicious and unmerciful king launched his attacker into a nearby wall, his inhuman strength allowing him to move as only a blur; my mortal eyes unable to follow as they once again lunged at one another.
Athos tightened his grip around my waist as he watched, able to follow each and every assault with his immortal vision. I gasped when Mortem emerged from the deadly blur, his face littered with Alexander’s blood, my terror only rising as he turned towards me; an insatiable bloodlust that I would never understand radiating from his lifeless eyes. The tyrant king smiled manically, a look that reminded me only of what it must be like to face the devil in human form, his razor-like fangs coated in a rich burgundy liquid. My eyes shifted towards his hands, widening as they locked onto what he grasped so desperately, moments later allowing it to plummet to the ground; a soft thud slithering towards my ears. Mortem had ripped Alexander’s un-dead heart from his chest, flinging it onto the ground as if it had meant nothing.
The vampire king laughed menacingly, turning to stare down at the vampire lord’s corpse as he tilted his head, examining the body. An eerie silence stretched through the room, my heart thumping recklessly against my ribcage as I watched my one fear kneel beside his fallen foe, carefully removing each one of his limbs with a thundering crack. I snapped my head away from the bloodthirsty scenes before me, unable to look upon either of the creatures any longer; my stomach churning in response.
“Do you wish to suffer the same fate, Athos?” Mortem questioned, tearing a large chunk of flesh from the fallen vampire’s arm with his needle-like fangs, distastefully spitting it onto the ground.
Athos unravelled his hand from around my waist, ferociously propelling me into the ground as he took a step back; as if to show his newly found submission. I whimpered, crawling to the side as the tyrant king’s eyes drifted towards me, his animalistic snarl intensifying. The vampire lord quickly wiped my blood from his lips, moving to kneel before Mortem as he cowered; much like that of a frightened mortal. Clearly wishing to avoid the same fate that fell upon Alexander.
“Forgive me, my sovereign.” He uttered his tone low and respectful.
I watched in dumbfounded shock as the immortal being begged for his life, his actions reminding me of my own. Though I knew the vampire king did not abide by such mannerisms, nor offer mercy towards anyone that betrayed his wishes. I shuffled back into the wall, weakly tugging my legs towards my chest as I panted. The savage pain that followed being forcefully drained by an immortal lingering as my eyes flickered slightly, barely able to keep themselves open. I groaned tiredly, fighting against the urge to slip into a deep slumber. Fearful that once I did, I may not awaken the same.