The Vampire King's Rose

CHAPTER IV ½: How Could You Say Those

IV ½ | How Could You Say Those

The moment Jimin touched the Black Witch's proffered hand, the first thing he saw was the image of King Taehyung's consort and true mate, King Seokjin.

He might not have met him personally before becoming a vampire and joining the King's liege, but every one of them knew of his face as there were huge portraits of him hanging on the walls in every room of the castle. Everyone knew and felt how the Vampire King truly loved his mate a little too late... and how regret was eating the King alive in despair every passing day and night. Delving inside the witch's mind, the paintings did not even give justice to the ethereal beauty of His Grace in person. He was about to tell the King, but the witch directly spoke to him through their thoughts.

Don't tell the King.

To not tell the King is a crime, Jimin replied inwardly.

If you tell the King, you will never see your mate, the witch scoffed at him mentally.

Mate? Jimin barely bristled, baffled.

Your immortally bonded mate.

Then, images after images of a man with the deadliest smirk flooded his mind.

A veiny hand raking through his shock of dark, wavy locks. Maroon doe eyes -- as if he held the galaxy in those orbs -- staring back at him. His cute giggles, and the distinctive mole below his lower lip as he bit into a cookie His Grace had given him while painting on his canvas. The tiniest dimple when he pursed his lips. The way his nose scrunched. The fierce look in his eyes as he protected King Seokjin from a rude bystander. The aura of happiness as he was running to the beach, another vampire following behind him while His Grace and another buff vampire just smiled at them, shaking their heads.

My mate is the heir?!

Yes? No?

What's his name?

Jungkook.

Tell me everything.

I will wait for you tomorrow then.

What will I tell the King?

The other truth -- that it wasn't me who is creating these newborn vampires.

Done.

Jimin almost wanted to cry.

He thought he would be alone forever.

▰▰▰

"Mate..." Jimin muttered aloud, but his heart seemed to ache, as if he was being rejected the instant they met.

"Sungmo! I need your help! It's Appa!" Jungkook cried for help. Jimin watched as the King slowly approached him, whispering "my son", but Jungkook sneered and shied away from his father. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!"

"Jungkook..." the King called out, emotions laced in his voice. "Danielle! Let my son go!"

The electric cords instantly disappeared, freeing Jungkook's hands.

The Black Witch immediately ran towards Jungkook, hugging him and holding him while he held her hands tight. "What's going on, hm? Are Jin and Eunwoo okay?! Namjoon?!?"

"What the fuck is going on?!?" King Taehyung growled upon hearing his mate's name. "Please, tell me!"

Jimin tried to move closer towards them, but even before he could, Jungkook looked at him coldly. He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry. If you think I will mate you just because we are immortally bonded, then you are gravely mistaken. I have my Appa and his mate as proof that even immortal bonds cannot give you true love just because you are fated together. How can I love you and mate you? I don't know you. You don't know me. We are just fooling ourselves."

Jimin's heart slowly broke -- how callous could his true mate be to him?

Jungkook was indeed Taehyung's son.

𝑬𝑵𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹
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The Vampire King's Rose. © JT Starr, 2023.