Impassioned |Book 1|

Chapter 26

Grayson sat back on the hard marble floor, cradling Grace in his arms as she continued to drink. He felt himself growing weak, which he had expected, since the amount of blood needed for the transformation to happen was about a quarter of his own. He was a pure blood, so he wouldn't grow as weak as a regular vampire would when turning someone. But still, he didn't like not being at his full strength with Graham and the rest of the traitors surrounding him. He glanced up, his face remaining emotionless, watching as Graham smirked down at him and his mate. He would kill that bastard, he swore to himself. He would make sure that Graham would get the true death from him.

Once Grace had drank enough, Grayson pulled his wrist from her lips, the wound beginning to quickly heal as he cradled her head against his chest. There was a specific way the royals had to change someone, which was different to the rest of the vampires. With a normal changing, once the blood was exchanged, the neck of the person would be broken, ending their mortal life. Their creators blood would reanimate them, waking up their immortality. The royals, having evolved their immortality, opposed to having it cast upon them, had a different way of doing it.

Latin was the original language spoken by the Original 5. It was an ancient language, which only few knew. The words were on Grayson's tongue, having been taught them since when he was a small boy. He stared down at Grace, whose eyes were slowly beginning to close. He cradled her to him, his lips hovering over her ear, the words pouring out his lips fluently. "Do tibi partem mei, ut habeas donum immortalitatis. Vita mortalis tua non erit amplius; dormies, et cum evigilaveris, iidem erimus."
("I give you a part of me, that you may have my gift of immortality. Your mortal life will be no more; sleep, and when you awaken, we will be the same.")

Grace could barely hear him, but she knew it was him. She would recognize his voice anywhere, no matter how light and airy her body felt as she slipped from consciousness. Grayson bent his head down, pressing his lips to her forehead, his eyes screwing shut, not knowing if it would be the last time he would feel her body against his, or his lips against her skin. "I love you, Sweetheart." he whispered in her ear, not sure if she had even heard him.

Graham rolled his eyes, gesturing to the three men who had originally grabbed Grayson. They stepped up, Graham taking Grace into his arms, while the three men grabbed a defeated Grayson. He didn't fight back, knowing it was useless and might cost him his life. He had to stay alive, somehow, because he knew Grace would need him. Sebastian looked like he could kill Graham, his fangs out and hisses falling from his lips. "Why, Brother? The girl, nor my son, have done anything to you." he demanded, his face a mixture of anger and disappointment.

Graham glanced at him, his look indifferent, seemingly not bothered by his older brother's words. "I am Graham King, not some...advisor to your son. I deserve better, Sebastian. I always have been the calculated one, while you got by life intimidating people with your age and size. This realm needs a leader, someone who will let the people be what they are. You let him," he said, pointing to Grayson, who stared back at him. "change the way we live, how we feed. I'm tired of it, Brother. I am a vampire, a superior being, and I refuse to drink stale blood from a blood bag, when there is an entire realm filled with prey."

Blaine narrowed his jaw at the man's words, gritting out, "My kind nearly destroyed your kind years ago when you lived by those standards. Try it again, and we'll rise back up. You won't win, you Fanged Motherfucker."

Graham smirked at Blaine, standing up, readjusting an unconscious Grace in his arms. "Your enthusiasm is commendable, Hunter. But you seem to forget, you're the only one left. And you won't be leaving this realm anytime soon." he said, his voice dark and full of promise.

Blaine glared back, spitting in his direction, not letting his words get to him. Graham scoffed, looking at the traitors standing around him, holding his enemies. "Take them to the cells." he ordered, glancing at Grayson. "Put him in my favorite one. I have plans for him and the girl once she awakens." he paused, giving Grayson a funny look. "I'll require the key to my quarters, also."

Grayson glared at him, letting one of the vampires grab the key from his pocket, before the three of them drug him away, along with the rest of his friends and family. Graham looked out at the nobles who were left standing in the room, their eyes wide and not knowing what to do. "As your new king, I order you all to go home, and spread the word that Grayson King has been dethroned!" he yelled, smiling happily as the nobles quickly obeyed him. He sneered down at Grace, before leaving the throne room, and heading to the top floor of palace. He fished the key from his pocket, unlocking the door, carrying Grace into the large master bedroom. He laid her on the bed, not as gently as Grayson would have, but he still didn't throw her like he wanted to.

Graham didn't like Grace, not by any means. He didn't find anything about her attractive. Not her fiery attitude, her compassion for others, nothing. She was simply a way for him to have children and strengthen his nonexistent line, and definitely not be his Queen. If Graham was being honest, the human irked him more than anything. He couldn't stand how easily she stood up to him, and knew that once she awakened, that would probably be a problem he would have to address. For the time being, she was quiet, so he quickly set to rearranging the quarters, having his own things brought in to replace his insufferable nephews. It didn't take long, not with the help of the other 4 vampires he had ordered to clear the quarters. Grace would be waking up the following morning, and Graham couldn't wait to see the look on her puny face as she realized what was happening.

Down in the cells, Grayson was a mess. He was in his own cell, but Sebastian, Preston, and Blaine were in the cell to his left, while the twins and Roger were to his right. Diane and Emma had been taken to another floor, locked up in rooms, opposed to the cells. Grayson was pacing, his hands pulling at his hair, growls and hisses rumbling and screeching from his chest.

"Son," called Sebastian, his deep voice calm and full of fatherly comfort. "You need to calm yourself. Save your energy and prepare for morning, you know what is going to happen."

Grayson didn't listen, continuing his pacing around the dark, cement cell. Preston sighed, resting his arms against the bars in front of him. "Gray, calm down, Bro. Dad's right, you've got a rough morning ahead of you. You can't help her if you're losing your shit, Man." he called out, hoping he could calm his adoptive brother even a little.

"You tell me to calm down," Grayson hissed. "but your mate is here! He isn't stuck upstairs with that Fucker!" he yelled, slamming his hands against the bars, rattling them, but not doing much damage.

"Yeah," Preston shot back, keeping his voice calm. "you're right, Man. My mate is here, two cells down from me. You don't think I'm freaking out? I know what happens down here, and I'm fucking terrified for Roger's life. But losing my shit isn't gonna help him." he countered, angling his head towards Grayson's cell.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." called Roger, who was sitting against the wall opposite of the bars. "Look, I don't know you too well, Grayson. But I know my Gracey. She's stronger than you think, she's gonna be okay. That Little Dick Fucker is gonna use you against her, so I know it's hard, but you need to listen to your daddy and brother. You can't break down."

Grayson tensed his jaw, his hands tightening around the bars of his cell. He looked down, screwing his eyes shut. He knew they were right, but fuck, it was so hard. He felt tears brim his eyes, and though he tried to stop it, a stray tear fell past his tightly shut eyelid. "Father," he mumbled, his voice broken. "what do I do?"

Sebastian sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know, Son. I'm so sorry, I know I usually have the answers. But this time, I really don't know."

"Well," said Roger, his voice as cheery as he could make it. "I do have an answer. We're gonna sit here, rack our fucking brains, until we come up with something. And while doing that, we're gonna keep our shit together, right?" he called out.

Nobody answered, but a sense of peace seemed to fall over everyone. They would be okay, Grace would be okay. They just had to figure out what to do.