Chapter 73

“please.” I begged, “make it stop.”

He smiled barbarically, his form towering over me. “I could make it stop, should you promise to obey me.”

I screamed out in fear and pain, the agony increasing as the immortal king spoke. My entire form now burned, it was as though I was on fire, my every muscle pleading with me to agree, to make it stop. “I promise!” I cried, but the agony only increased, my throat burning from my own screams. “please make it stop! I’ll obey! I promise, Please!”

Mortem knelt beside me, his tone cruel and harsh; “You will obey my every command, should you defy me in anyway, I will make the pain unbearable. Do you understand?”

I nodded, unable to bare it any longer, I was distraught and fearful; knowing deep down that I would never be free again. I would never be the person I was, nor would I ever be able to re-join my people as their heir to the throne. I had transitioned into something else, something that even mother nature shunned. I was a creature of darkness, a being that didn’t deserve to exist. My life now controlled solely by the one being that I hated above all others. The creature that stole away my life, tossing it aside as though it meant nothing.

The pain stopped as suddenly as it had started, my entire body sagging into the floor, strained and exhausted whilst Mortem laughed, clearly pleased that he had forced me into submission. Tears slid from my eyes as I openly sobbed, unable to handle the after shock of everything that had occurred over the last months.

The vampire king ran his hand through my hair, tucking the loose strands behind my ear. “Don’t fret princess, now that you are one of us, I will in fact be lenient with you. You will have more freedom to roam around the castle. So long as you don’t leave the grounds and wonder into the city.”

I looked up at my maker, confused by his sudden change of attitude, why was he suddenly less hostile? What had done that warranted his kindness? I had thought that Mortem hated me, that he wanted me dead as he had my entire family. My head snapped towards the door as it opened, my heightened senses informing me that it was Maric my new guardian that the king had chosen, along with the remaining members of the vampire council.

Maric entered first, his eyes scanning the room as he searched for what remained of Athos and Alexander, though there wasn’t much left to find, Mortem ensuring that when he ripped them apart; scattering the pieces. I moved to balance on my knees, a lingering pain still remaining in my chest as Maric's eyes dropped towards the lifeless form of Derrick, his eyebrows raising in a questioning motion. He slowly turned towards me, tilting his head to the side as he tasted the air, knowing instantly that I was no longer human.

“majesty, What have you done?!” One of the council members shouted in shocked-horror, his crystal blue eyes wide.

Maric shook his head, clearly disappointed that such a thing had happened. “He has turned a child Nathaniel.”

The creature whose name I had just learned shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing. “Our highest law forbids it!”

Mortem scowled as the other members of the council flooded into the room, each one protesting against what he has done as I remained silent next to the king. Knowing that now would not be a good time to speak, his anger bubbling to dangerous heights. I lowered my eyes towards the ground, forcing back the tears of sorrow that threatened to fall, refusing to cry in front of the enemy.

“I had no choice, Athos and Alexander had drained her to within an inch of life. If I had not turned her, we would have lost our most important weapon.” The tyrant king argued, displeased that his men would disagree with his actions.

“You must destroy her, you know the risks of turning someone that is not of age.” Another council member piped up, taking a threatening step towards me as he spoke.

Mortem jumped to his feet, moving to block the council member from my view. “I will do no such thing. She is my creation, and I will harm her in no such way.”

I tilted my head to the side, unable to stop my curiosity and panic, though I remained crouched on the ground, unsure whether I would be able to stand. “What risks?” I asked after a moment of silence.

“As the king should know, turning someone who had no yet reached maturity can cause great problems for the clan. Therefore we must destroy you.” Nathaniel explained, though it was vague, my mind still awaiting answers.

“I don’t understand.” I whispered, turning to glance up at the being that had turned me into this monster. What problems would turning me cause?

I knew that I would have heightened bloodlust and anger, that I wouldn’t be able to control the thirst, but I thought that was common for those that had newly transitioned. I didn’t understand what they meant, but I wasn’t sure that I disagreed with them either, I never asked to be turned, I never wanted to become one of them. Perhaps death might be my only option, the only freedom I will ever know.

“Sometimes when a child is turned, they become overwhelmed with bloodlust, unable to learn how to control it, no matter how much training and time is given. One mood swing can destroy entire cities as the obsession for blood takes over.” Mortem said bitterly as he turned to look down at me, seemingly disgusted by what he was telling me.

“That is why we must destroy you child, we cannot risk the aftermath of not doing so.” Another council member said, his flowing black hair knotted.

Three of the council members stepped forward, each one cracking their knuckles, preparing to kill me. I backed away on the ground, fearful that Mortem would be unable to stop them all, that I would die all over again. I didn’t want the life of a vampire, but I also didn’t want to die... would I really be unable to stop the bloodlust? Is that what caused me to kill Derrick? Would I be like that forever? I thought that I would want this, that I wouldn’t mind dying if that meant I would be free, but watching them approach me shattered that belief. I wanted to live, even if that meant I had to do so as one of them.

“Sanctus is not like other humans, we know this!” Maric protested, moving to stand beside the king, blocking me from the reach of the other vampires.

“I would not have turned her if I thought she would lose her mind to the cravings.” The vile king spoke in a way that I hadn’t heard before, confidence radiating from his tone. “We can use her against our enemies, perhaps even take our own home back in time. Isn’t that what we are striving for?”

“We will find another way to get our home back, we do not need an uncontrollable child in our ranks! Now move aside.” Said the vampire with black hair, his red eyes burning with hatred for his sovereign.

“I am warning you, I will not allow you to destroy my ward. Come any closer and you will all die and I will build a new council. One that will follow commands.” Mortem growled barbarically, his eyes showing no mercy for the beings that stood before him.

I wandered briefly if he had been waiting for an excuse to kill them, if he had had enough of their disobedience and protests. It seemed as though all they did was scrutinise his every move, leaving no room for the king to make any decision without one of them protesting against it. I slowly rose to my feet, feeling my curse coursing through me as I took a step forward, allowing the black smog to seep from my fingers, choosing to aid my maker instead of agreeing with than others. I didn’t want to die, even if that meant living as a creature I despised.

The council members took a step back in fear, they had all heard of my curse and what it could do, each one knowing that I could kill them with a flick of my wrist. I smiled, feeling stronger than I ever had before, the power that coursed through my veins a welcoming warmth to my icy skin. My head swelled with loyalty towards the barbaric king, I didn’t know why, but I had to protect him at any cost. Even if that meant sacrificing myself.