Chapter 34: Long Live The King!

Dolores wasn't sure if luck or the Goddess had saved her, but before Keylon could say one word to her, Adam had whisked him away as if they were childhood friends and not sworn enemies only a few months ago. She now clocked their every movement as discreetly as she knew how which apparently wasn't very good because Keylon had caught her vision thrice now.

The two stalked closer to where Dolores was seated and stuck up a conversation that Dolores could only assume she was meant to overhear.

"So as you can see, in the far western side of the Kreqin Kingdom, there is Guskar, now this is my brother Prince Bryan Razamas' territory. Which, from my understanding, is right next to the Vampire Kingdom Xoddessy, your Kingdom." Adam stated, sounded far less intelligent than Dolores assumed he meant to. "I would suggest leaving my wolves in Guskar alone, but I certainly won't mind if your... fellow beings want to taunt them a bit, as long as you agree with me on other matters of state."

Dolores closed her eyes, taking deep, calming breaths as she attempted to tune out her brother, the new Alpha Kings, to talk about politics with the Vampire Prince Keyon. Though the two seemed to be getting along, they made Dolores uncomfortable, not knowing whether they were honest or worse.

Picking up her goblet of wine, Dolores took a long sip hoping that the drink would settle her where her breathing did not. Pulling the glass from her lips, she snapped her tongue as the strange, not unpleasant flavor. Looking at the liquid, she saw the wine was not a deep red as she thought but dark green color.

Feeling an intense presence, she flicked her eyes up from her goblet to see Keylon watching her, an entertaining shimmer in his eye. Annoyed, she gave him a look that she hoped he read as drop dead and then finished the entirety of the wine.

At Keylon's delighted laugh, Adam sat beside Dolores, gesturing for the Vampire Prince to join him next to her. Keyon obliged, glancing over Dolores like she was a delish meal, which she supposed she very well could be. Looking anywhere but at Keylon, Dolores saw that Adam was watching her and the Vampire Prince, and a wicked smirk spread across his mouth. The sight turned Dolores blood cold, thinking of all the ways Adam could be scheming.

"As I was saying earlier, Prince Keylon." Adam drawled. "As the current Alpha King, the first thing I need to do is create heirs to my throne. and if you are still interested in keeping Peace between our two Kingdoms, I don't see why as long as you gift me beautiful females, we can't be friends."

Keylon's brow’s shot up his forehead as the new Alph King spoke. He opened his mouth to respond, but Dolores jumped from her chair, knocking it to the ground behind her. The pain of her past burned in her eyes and coated her words.

"Your majesty," Dolores inhaled, attempting to control her emotions. She couldn't sit here and let another unborn babe grow as she had to. "I don't think such...deeds will bring you the heirs or heiresses you so desperately crave for. Especially when you have taken the time to embarrass me tonight, your sister... the rogue."

"The Princess," Keylon's velvet voice started, emphasizing her title. "is correct, your majesty. I can absolutely give you some of my finest slaves as gifts, but when it comes to the manner of baring your offspring. Ha, I wouldn't even consider marrying one of my sisters with that attitude."

A sense of gratitude swept over Dolores as Keylon's words. She didn't understand the Vampire Prince. She could sense the darkness that rippled off him, but she also had seen him be kind and more of a male than anyone in her Royal family. He was an enigma, and she hated how much she wanted to learn more about this strange and, yes, enticing creature.

"What if I were to give you my sister in exchange?" Adam asked as if Dolores was a toy doll that he could give to any being he wanted.

Bile rose in Dolores's throat at her brother, her new Alpha King. So this was the reason he had dressed in this scandalous dress and made sure that she was the only Royal member aside from his mother that was here. To use me as a bargaining chip. A tool to reach his means with the Vampire Kingdom.

"I thank your majesty for the offer, but if I want a female such as your sister, I have my own means to win her," Keylon's tone was casual yet threatening all at once as he sipped his own goblet of wine.

Dolores marked the menacing smile that spread across the Vampire Prince's lips. A grin that was both beautiful and dangerous that lightning zapped down her spine.

*******

"In that case, I refuse to marry my sister to you, but..." Adam smiled a toothy vindictive grin. "If you send me a few of your grandest boats when Spring comes, I promise I will fill them with my own beautiful females. Perhaps then you will rethink giving me some of yours as well."

Keylon laughed into his goblet as he took another sip before agreeing. "You have yourself a deal."

The two males shook hands, and Adam gave Dolores a satisfied grin before leaving the table, Keylon on his heels. Dolores watched as they made their way to another group of noble males and females.

Not bothering to retrieve the chair she had knocked over, Dolores made her way out of the Palace to the courtyard and through the maze until she came to Jasper's Ivory Tower. She no longer cared if it wasn't safe to be anywhere but the Palace. She had to see him.

He had stayed in the Capital but had only resigned himself to his tower until after Adam was crowned. Now that Adam was the Alpha King, Jasper would join his people in the mountains where the Wizards and Witches resided.

Dolores ran up the twisting staircase to the highest room, Jaspers room. Not waiting to be introduced or even knock at his half opened the door, Dolores pushed past the entry, the hinges creaking her only announcement of her presents.

Jasper was lounging on his silver chair, his nose in a book. Lifting his eyes to hers, Dolores watched them spark to life when he saw who had interrupted him. Striding to him, Jasper tossed the novel to the floor, leaving the pages to spread out and bent.

Dolores didn't ask or wait for his permission; instead, she sat boldly on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her head in the dip between his shoulder and neck. He held wordlessly, and Dolores told him everything that had happened.

When she finished her recap of the day's events, Jasper burst into uncontrollable laughter, startling Dolores.

"How is anything that I have just said funny?" Dolores demanded, pulling back to show him just how confused his reaction made her.

"No, you are right none of what you have told me is funny." Jasper admitted. "The whole enslavery of females alone is tragic, but I laugh because that would never happen."

"What?! How can you be certain?"

"Ah, my sweet." Jasper lightly flicked the tip of her nose before bringing her to his chest again. "I knew the Kingdom of Krequin' snew Alpha King was a fool, especially without the counsel of any High Priest or Priestesses, but--"

Jasper chuckled again. The low rumble vibrated through Dolores, warming her to her core.

"I never thought he would be so incredibly stupid as well. You can not ship things on the frozen rivers that he knows, but he does not seem to know that as the Spring comes and the river melts, the tide rises." Jasper's voice turned prophetic, "And when the waters rise with the new sun, there shall be a great flood across the lands."

"A disaster," Dolores whispered.

"Yes." Jasper simply agreed. "But with this disaster, the lives of hundreds of females will be saved. I would suspect the Vampire Prince knew this."

Dolores pressed into Jasper, wanting to feel his warmth more, to breathe in his failure scent. He squeezed her tightly, resting his head on top of hers. Neither moved or said another word.

A variety of confusing feelings swarmed in the pit of Dolores's stomach. Angling her head so that she could look into his amber colored eyes, Dolores reached up and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"When must you leave again?" She asked, her voice barely audible. She didn't want to know the answer. She didn't want him to leave her alone again.

Jasper moved his hands to cup her face in his palms. Returning her soft kiss, he hovered his lips to hers. Brushing his thumbs along her cheekbone, he breathed:

"At dawn."