Chapter 31: I Refuse

The world seemed to spin slowly around Dolores, the music and voices becoming muted as she pulled apart what was just told to her. Marriage? To a Prince of the Vampire clan? Her blood turned to ice. She wished for the ground to open beneath her, swallowing her whole. Anything to get out of marrying anyone but her mate.

Dolores became rooted to the spot, unable to speak as the world started to return to normal and the males around her voices flooded her ears.

"What did the vampire say?" Dolores heard one male demand.

"Our King wouldn't agree to such a thing." She heard another state.

Just as Dolores's hopes began to rise at the young noble male's proclamations, they shattered when a trumpet sounded, announcing the Alpha King Zachary, her father. The ballroom went quiet as the King stood on a high platform at the end of the room. Looking down at his guests, the King gave his subjects a weak smile.

Clearing his throat, King Zachary bellowed across the room: "My dear Kerqins, tonight, as you know, we celebrate my daughter the Princess Dolores's New Moon Ceremony." The King abruptly coughed before continuing on. "As I have already mentioned earlier, it is a pleasure to have such a beautiful daughter. So beautiful that I have invited Prince Keylon here tonight in the hopes of bringing peace between Kreqin and Xoddesy."

"The Crown Prince was the one that promised me a wife, mind you." Keylon's velvet voice slid down Dolores's spine like a droplet of ice, sending a shiver of fear skate along her veins.

Stepping closer behind her, Keylon left no room between them. Dolores's breath hitched, and she caught the scent of death and darkness. Keylon chuckled softly, the sound sending a mixed feeling of lust and hatred through her.

Turning out and away from him, Dolores zigzagged through the now murmuring crowd. The King's speech had ended, and every werewolf wanted to know what he meant by bringing peace between Kreqin and Xoddesy. Only Dolores already knew how the Alpha King and apparently the Crown Prince, Adam, planned to bring peace between the two kingdoms. Through her.

By marrying her off to the vampire Prince currently following her through the ballroom. Dolores looked back for the third time to see that Keylon was still following her, and he seemed to enjoy the chase.

Deciding enough was enough, Dolores spun on her heel, catching him off guard. An amused gin spread across his face as Dolores glared at Keylon, her arms crossed and her feet in a fighting stance.

"Ha, haha. I do love that spark in your eye Princess." He jabbed and a crease formed between Dolores's eyebrows. "I see, so you aren't going to argue with me yet. Too bad," Keylon picked at an invisible speck of dust on his thin red tie. "I would wager we would have some fun."

Dolores bit into her lower lip and saw Keyon sight mark the movement.

"I wouldn't do that so freely, Princess. Someone may get the wrong idea." Keylon purred, a sound Dolores felt in her toes. "Anyways," His tone turned casual, a schoolboy smirk on his lips. "Why don't you and I try and spend this lovely night together?"

Looking around the room, Dolores searched for an escape or someone to save her from this situation. The only person at the Palace was her mother, Diana, and she had retired to her quarters well over an hour ago. Closing her eyes in defeat, she uncrossed her arms and took Keylon's outstretched one. Linking her arms with his, Dolores and the vampire Prince made their way to the enormous elongated table.

Fellow werewolves started, quietly muttering to each other as Keylon brought Dolores to a seat next to his own nobles, ones that must have traveled with him. Dolores smiled slightly, dipping her head in greeting as she sat down in the seat Keyon had presented her with. Arranging himself next to the Palace host announced the evening's performances.

A variety of performances played while the guests ate and talked amongst themselves. Dolores pushed the food around her plate, keeping her eyes on the performers. She desperately tried not to think of the looming presents that was sitting next to her and staring intensely at her.

When the wolven ballet dancers left the stage, Dolores clapped her hands quickly in order to avoid Keylon, who had been about to grab her hand. All at once, the room darkened as veiled belly dancers came onto the platform. The crowd went silent as they began to move to the tantalizing music.

Dolores looked up and down the vast dining table and saw that every male was hypnotized by the erotic movement of the dancer's hips. Suddenly male dancers joined the females, displaying a controlling roll over the females. Dolores curled her lip in disgust at the disrespect of the female gender.

"Have my dancer upset you, Princess?" Keylon whispered in her ear, his cool breath sending small bumps to spread across her skin. "Understandable, I would bet a high price that you offer a more...appealing dance than they do."

Dolores faced him, her eyes locking with his. She glared at him while his eyes filled with excitement. Neither one moved. They stared at each other, daring the other to move, to yield. Dolores was only keenly aware that their lips were only a breath apart.

Their battle of will was interrupted when the loud applause filled the space, accompanied by yowls from multiple young males. Dolores quickly turned her head as the light brightened but not before she caught sight of Keylon's devilish grin with a visible fang.

Rising from his chair, the vampire Princes offered his hand to Dolores, bending at the waist. She looked at him questionably and then heard that the orchestra had begun to place the Walz. Glancing around the room, she shall fellow guests commence in dance at the center of the ballroom.

"I'm not a very good dancer, my Prince. I fear I will injure you." Dolores politely said.

"Injury me then." Keylon's velvet voice hummed.

Dolores couldn't help the huffed laugh that escaped her, and the sound had Keylon forgetting his manners once more and grabbing her hand from the table, pulling Dolores to her feet in front of him.

"Though I believe it will be difficult for you, but, follow my lead, Princess." Keylon teased, dragging her to the center of the dance floor.

Dolores placed her right hand on his shoulder, then put her left in his opened one. His other hand wrapped around her hip before pulling Dolores flush against him. Her eyes widened at his boldness, and he chuckled as he began to lead her through the steps.

Keylon glided Dolores across the room, spinning her and dipping her until she felt happiness begin to bubble inside her. The realization that she was having fun sent a rush of guilt through her entire body. Just as she was about to pull away and come up with some excuse, the Walz ended.

Curtsying to Keylon, Dolores turned and started for the exit of the ballroom when a loud, seductive voice filled the place.

"I, Keylon Ross, the Prince of the Vampire Kingdom Xoddesy, sincerely ask your majesty, the Alpha King of Kingdom Kerqin, for the Princess Dolores's hand in marriage."

Dolores whirled back in time to see Keylon bow deeply to her father, the Alpha King. The crowd parted and silent, all eyes on her now waiting for her response. Fury filled her blood, and she bit the inside of her cheek as she stocked towards the Prince of the Vampire Kingdom Xoddesy.

"I reject your proposal." She declared.

"Dolores!" Her father, Alpha King Zachary, boomed, his tone full of disappointment.

Dolores ignored him. Even though she had listened to the lessons, King Zachary had forced her to attend. Dolores didn't care if her rejection of marriage was unacceptable as a member of the Royal family. Though she could admit that she should have at least been polite and rejected him in private, what was done was done.

Dolores's chest heaved as the crowd gaped at her, not daring to speak. Keylon looked more aroused than angry, one of his brows lifted in amusement. His enjoyment gave Dolores the fire to talk again.

"I cannot marry because I already have someone I love, and I shall not marry anyone other than my mate."

"Dolores?" Alpha King Zachary growled, coming to stand between her and Keylon in three long strides. "Stop embarrassing the Razamas family in front of everyone and yourself, for that matter."

Dolores glared at her father, stepping around him. Pulling the side of her skirts up, she unsheathed the dagger at her thigh, pointing the blade at Keylon. Within an instant, the Palace guards, along with Keylon's vampire bodyguards, surrounded her.

Counting the armed males around her, Dolores turned the dagger unto herself, pushing the blade into her throat till she felt a small warm trickle of blood slid down her neck. Looking at the Alpha King, she contorted her expression to one of disdain.

Her father growled, opening his mouth to speak, but Dolores heard Keylon's velvet voice instead.

"That is enough." His voice was full of demanding darkness. Dolores flicked her eyes to his, and she saw immense loathing radiating from the vampire Prince. "I do not approve of forcing someone to as others wish." He said in a ground trembling calmness. "You cease this very moment."

Dolores lowered her dagger, surprise painted on her face. Never had she thought the person to save her from this night would be him. The guards parted, returning to their posts as Keylon closed the distance between them. Dipping his head in a gesture of goodbye, Dolores mirrored him in return.

Locking eyes with her one last time for the night, that schoolboy smirk filled his mouth. Dolores froze as he reached his thumb to the small cut she had made along her throat, whipping the blood. His scarlet eyes gleamed as he sucked the blood from his thumb, adding, "You will belong to me in the end."

Rooted to the spot, Dolores only heard Keylon and his vampire court leave the ballroom. Abruptly the Alpha King grabbed her arm, bruising her flesh instantly.

"Dolores," The Alpha King Zachary roared, "You will stay in the Confinement Tower tonight, and soon you will be sent to Edgewroth. So that you can learn and become a proper female in your new home."

Without another word, Dolores was dragged out of the ending birthday celebration and tossed into a cold, dark room with only moonlight shining through the skylight. She laid down on the lumpy cot inhaling deeply to try and calm herself. She didn’t know what had come over her. All she knew was that there was no way she would be with anyone but her mate and the thought of her not being with Jasper…well Dolores would rather die than be with anyone else. Overwhelmed, she let herself cry until she passed out from exhaustion.

Hours later, Dolores stirred from sleep at the sound of poetic music dancing through the wind. Listening closer, she realized the sound was a lullaby, one she had heard before. Dolores opened her eyes. Her pupils tried to adjust to the darkness when a familiar figure emerged in front of her.

"Jasper!" She practically screamed

"Shhh…" He hushed, placing a long finger over her mouth.