A Violent Love - Werewolf/Vampire

Chapter 22 - No good

Arabella's POV

I settled into bed with a heavy heart, my mind was in a mess. Was it my fault? Had I given him mixed signals? I always thought of Benjamin as a dear friend, it never occured to mer that he might think anything more of it. Especially considering the amount of female attention he gets on a daily basis. 

Nathaniel slept beside me, putting an arm over me protectively. I know he was not yet asleep, his breathing was different when he was. I had my back turned to him, but I could feel his eyes on me. I felt him scoot closer, until his chest was pressed against my back. I always thought that the skin of vampires would feel icy cold, but Nathaniel was warm, he felt almost human. 

I stared at the darkness until I let sleep overcome me.

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I woke up just at the break of morning, this was around the time Nathaniel would leave to attend to his duties. But this time, he didn't. I lay there waiting, if he didn't leave yet, the knock from Xavier would come. And sure enough, it did.

"My King, the advisors are waiting in the oval for your arrival." Xavier said respectfully. 

"Give me a minute. You may leave to join the rest first." Nathaniel replied.

I felt Nathaniel get up from the bed, I hear his foorsteps rounding the bed, finally coming over to my side of the mattress. He rests his hand on my forehead, brushing away the strands of hair that have fallen on my face. I wonder if it is a dream. 

I open my eyes, and sure enough he is sitting before me. His handsome features illuminated by the soft light of morning. "Wake up Ara" He almost whispers, pressing a small kiss on my cheek.

I look at him, confused. We haven't spoken in days, why is he acting like this all of a sudden?

"There is something I want to show you," he explains. 

"What?"

"The truth."

He takes my hand and holds it tight in his, as if he was afraid I would run from him. Slowly he guides me through the castle, I recognise pieces of this path. After a couple of turns, a few staircases and many long dark corridors, we reached two large oak doors. Nathaniel pushed the doors open easily, gesturing me to go in. 

I was greeted by curious stares from a group of vampires. But they swiftly changed the direction of their gaze towards the floor the moment Nathaniel stepped in. From the way they were dressed I could tell they were important people, only high ranking officials and royals were allowed to don anything gold or red in colour. Almost all of them had either one of these colours sewn proudly on their attire, it had become a symbol of power.

The room was large, but with few elaborate decorations unlike most rooms in the castle. It looked very ordinary, aside from a large oval table in the middle of the room. The oval table looked old, but strong. There were beautiful and intricate engravings on the sides of the table, which was glossed over with wax. 

The vampires sitting around the table immediately stood up, bowing to Nathaniel as he walked towards the table..I turned to look at Nathaniel, seemingly oblivious to the amount of respect or fear that was commanded of him. 

"Thank you for your patience," Nathaniel says, and the vampires around the table recover their original standing position. They all look at Nathaniel with a recognizable expression of pure admiration and respect. I wonder if Nathaniel had gotten too used to this look to care.

There is an empty seat at the head of the table, assumably for Nathaniel. Xavier brings a chair and places it beside the empty one. 

Nathaniel pulls the chair out for me, and settles me into it before settling into the other chair himself. I can tell that the other vampires are curious as to why I am present, but they know better than to ask.