The Vampire King’s Captive

MARIA

“Hello?” Maria called out in a loud voice. “Is someone there?”

She’d wanted to wait for another day before carrying out her plan, but she’d had it. She was hungry and angry and so fucking frustrated, she could barely sit still for another second.

She wanted to get out of here and she wanted to get out of here now.

“Hello!” She shouted when nobody appeared still.

Then, as if angry with her shouting, the door flew open and and the guard poked his head in, an annoyed look on his face. “What?” He barked.

“I need your help.”

“With what?” He barked again and Maria wished she could have her powers back even if just for a second so that she would render him speechless. Literally.

She gingerly cradled her left arm. “I fell from the bench while I was sleeping and I think I might have dislocated it.” She lied. “Could you please help me pop it back into place?”

The brown-haired, crusty-faced, miserable piece-of-shit stared at her as if she’d asked him to crawl to her on his knees. “I’m not going to help you with that.” He pointed at the wall in her cell. “Move over to the wall and get it done yourself.”

Anger boiled in the pits of her stomach like larva and she barely held herself back from hauling all the curse words she knew at him.

Gritting her teeth to hold back the words, she forced a tremor into her voice and said, “Please.”

He glared at her for a full minute, still standing by the door, half in and half out. He grunted then stepped into the space, shoving his sword into the sheath at his hips. “This better be your last fucking request for the day or I swear, I’m not going to give you your meal tomorrow.” He threatened, making his way over to her cell slowly. “Gonna eat it right on top of mine. Not like those meals ever really satisfy me, anyway.”

She’d experienced severe hunger and now she knew that it was far worse than a lot of torture techniques, and yet this fool had the audacity to threaten her with taking her food?

He was a fool. And it would make killing him all the easier. She would do it with a clear conscience.

She rose up from the bench, her hand tight around the wood and she hoped the material of her gown kept it hidden. She walked over to the bars as he drew closer to it, and suddenly, he halted, his eyes darting around and widen.

“What was that?”

“What was what?”

Why was he just standing there?

He was so close. All she needed was for him to take two more steps and she’d be able to attack.

Why the hell did he decide to stop walking now?

“That noise.” He clipped out. “Didn’t you hear it?”

Now that she took note, she did hear something. It sounded like a man groaning in what had to be pain, then another groan cut his short and now, it was two men groaning.

It was disturbing. But she didn’t give a fuck. All she wanted was for him to come closer to her so that she could strike.

The keys swung off his hips as he walked, clinking with every step he took and it drew her eyes, making her crazed with the need to grab him and get it.

“I don’t care about the bloody noise, just get over here and help me!” She snapped in frustration, and that was apparently the worst thing to do because his eyes snapped to hers and anger clouded them.

“Fucking selfish bitch,” he spat, already turning around. “That’s exactly why you’re locked in there. And why you’ll remain in there.”

Tears filled her eyes as yet again, her chances of escape slipped right out of her grasp. She barely held the tears in check as they threatened to fall.

Frustrated, she turned around and stormed over to the bench, dropping down on it.

The guard walked out and closed the door behind him as the sounds grew louder and this time, she was positive she heard the clang of swords amidst the groans and grunts.

There was a fight going on out there, and from the sounds of it, a bloody one.

“Are you there?”

Maria perked up at the sound of the soft voice, at the same time she felt a wave of sadness hit her.

“Yes.”

“There’s obviously something going on out there and there’s a huge chance we might get caught in it.” She said softly. “If at all we do, and we don’t see each other again after today, I’d love to know your name.”

The tears Maria had been trying to hold back broke free, and one slid down her cheek, quickly followed by another.

She knew that she was making a mistake. She knew that there was no coming back from this. But she was willing to risk it. She liked the girl too much to keep holding back the truth from her.

“Maria,” she choked.

There was a smile in the girl’s voice when she said, “I love your name. I’m Iris.”

She didn’t place the connection.

More tears fell down Maria’s and she fought back a sob so that Iris wouldn’t hear. “I love your name too, Iris.”

There was a silence where the both of them just absorbed the moment, with Maria struggling to stem her tears.

Suddenly, something hit the door and then fell to the ground with a thud.

Maria’s heart quickened as she braced herself for what was to come. If she died now, at least she would know it was not at the hands of Ariti.

Then the door was wrenched open and a big man stepped through.

Her breath caught.

He had hair as dark as night, and an expression so ruthless, no one would dare cross him. Anger marred the handsome lines of his face and his lips pressed down in an unimpressed line.

“Vampire?” She gasped at the same time Iris screamed, “Brother?”