He wasn't a normal vampire anymore. Whatever he was doing had changed him, and rules didn’t apply to him anymore.
I need to survive. For Cedar. For Aurelia. For Tate.
With one last glance at my brother, I walked up the steps, coming to stand next to the Castle king. Power radiated off him, and it took everything in me to stay there.
He wanted me to degrade myself. To show everyone he had a vampire at his beck and call. One of his sister’s, no less.
I have to do it.
I lowered myself to the floor.
He let out a small huff of a laugh, his hand coming to pat my head. I was keenly aware of how his fingers were sharp and elongated as he ran them across my face and head threateningly.
One of his claws nicked my face.
“Good dog.”
Aurelia
Iwasn’t quite sleeping. This was a sort of… lulled rest. The world around me felt soft and warm as my mother hugged me, my mind contentedly blank as she hummed her songs to me.
I never imagined this would happen. My mother, coming back to me. It didn’t feel real. None of it did.
“Aurelia,” my mother called sweetly. “It’s time.”
I sat up slowly to look at her. She met me with the sweetest smile and then turned to the gates of our cell. I followed her gaze and gasped.
Vampires were there, pulling at the doors.
The Castle family members.Four of them, slowly peeling the door open and holding out a hand to us.
They came. My people.I thought we were doomed when they all watched us get taken away, but for the first time that day, hope renewed in my chest.
“Vesper and Tate? Cedar?” I asked them in a quiet whisper as I carefully reached for my mother.
“Vesper and Tate are fine,” a woman said. “Cedar…”
“The witch hasn’t been seen, Princess,” a man spoke. “But we have to hurry. He’s distracted by the party, but we don’t know for how much longer. We need to get you out of here.”
I nodded and tried to bring my mother up with me, but she refused.
“Mother—”
“Come back for me,” she said quickly. “I am too weak to move at the pace you need me to.”
Panic rose in me. I couldn’t lose her. Not again. Not when I just got her back.
“Mother, you need to come. I have no idea what they will do to you if they find out?—”
“They will do nothing. I am too valuable to them.” She smiled and ran her hand down my cheek. “Go, my sweet child. And remember what I always told you.”
Stay fierce.
I nodded. It pained me to step away, especially so soon after I just got her back, but I forced myself to keep going.
“I promise to come back for you,” I vowed.
“I know you will. I always knew.”
