Court of Darkness

1. The beginning of a shit show

It would've been completely silent if it hadn't been for the sound of metal scraping stone.

"I am here master, as requested". The girl said. She sounded obedient but her appearance said otherwise. She was dressed in a black bodysuit that didn't leave much to imagination when it came to her slim body. A long-sleeved loose falling shirt was tossed over it to make it look more casual. Her skin was extremely pale and long white hair fell on her back and her shoulders.  There was blood on the corner of her mouth and there was fire in her red eyes. She had been through hell and she would make sure that her master would experience the same. A long time ago he had called her an extended part of him. She would make sure that the body would feel that the extended part had suffered.

"You look like shit and you're ruining my beautiful tiles." The man on the throne said. His red eyes looked down on her. He was tall and muscular yet slim, although his height wasn't that obvious because he was sitting down. His hair was dark, just like his soul.

"That's because I feel like shit. I went through hell and back so I could report this to you." The girl said with a huff. "They know that you're still alive."

"Those rats know what?!" The man said, sounding furious. The human resistance tried to dethrone Alexander, ever since they had found out that their king was a vampire. A few months ago there had been an attack on him. A human had managed to drive a stake through the his chest but it had narrowly missed his heart. Nicki had came up with the idea to hold a memorial for Alexander to create the illusion that he was dead and that an unknown vampire had replaced him.

"They didn't hear it from me, in case you were wondering. Someone else told them that. There's a snitch in our midst, like I've warned you. But... someone was too proud to act on it." Another huff from Alexander. Nicki rolled with her eyes. He could be such a child sometimes.

"You're just paranoid. I've been careful to whom I've showed my face. I know who I can and cannot trust. My ass!" She said on a mocking tone. "And look how much that trust was worth. They're coming for you. They want your head and they wanted it yesterday."

Alexander moved on his throne. Almost as if he would get up and pace around, which was nothing like him. Another sign that he was furious. It made her wonder. Did he distrust her as well? She saw a muscle in his cheek twitch. Oh. He was really furious. She wanted to grin of amusement but kept a neutral expression instead.

"Lift up your sword and put it away, for fuck sake. You're ruining my tiles. It's worse enough that your blood is dripping on them but I don't want unnecessary scratches. They're harder to remove!"

Seriously? She was bleeding, the fact that he was alive and well was now thrown on the streets and he was worried about his damn tiles?! With a sigh she put her sword in its sheath. "Happy now, my lord?" She asked and even added a mocking bow.

Oh damn. He was in front of her in the blink of an eye and was already holding her throat in his left hand. Her feet came off the floor. Her master had gotten rid of their height difference by holding her on his eye height. Oop-

"Shut. It. If you want to stay alive."

This time she was the one smirking. "I would put me down if I were you." She said with a hoarse voice. It was difficult to speak if someone was squeezing your throat. "Can't you sense it?"

He put her down, as she had expected. Silence. He was trying to sense what she was talking about. He then took a few steps back and looked at her in disbelief.

"No... this can't be..."

An amused sparkle was present in her eyes as she saw the shock on his face. "Been there done that. Remember that night when we were drunk? Yeah, I couldn't believe it either. But you made me feel like shit afterwards." She took a few steps towards him.

"I would behave if I were you. There's something on the line now and this time it's not your ego." Finally. She was the one in control now, although she had never planned it like this. They were both in deep shit now.

"So when you went on that mission and got delayed..."

She grinned, her canines visible and nodded. "I was sick because of you. You've made me sick. At first I didn't realise it. It's extremely rare for us, after all." She took his hand. She almost touched it in a loving manner. She slowly placed it on her belly which was no longer flat. It had only happened a few weeks ago but any change was very noticeable for their kind. Her clothes had hidden it but her stomach had already started swelling. She was speaking the truth. He had sired a child and sent her in the battlefield the day after. What a sick joke was this for the both of them.

Alexander immediately dropped his hand once he came in contact with her belly and scowled.

"Get rid of it." he said on a cold tone.

"Didn't you want an heir?" Nicki gave him a sweet smile and even dared to blink innocently at him.

"I said get. Rid. Of. It." He sounded angry and commanding this time.

She clicked with her tongue. "Not even a please, Alexander? You disappoint me." She walked past him and sat down on his throne. She crossed her legs and looked smug at him.

"What would the court say if they knew that you wanted to get rid of your own offspring? On the other hand... what would they say if they know that you've slept with me in the first place? I mean, you outrank me as my master. Everyone knows that I've served you since the day I was turned, after all."

Ah, there it was again. The muscle in his cheek twitched. It was surprising that he hadn't forced her to get off his throne yet. That meant that Alexander was fighting with himself. He loved that damn throne more than anything else.

"It can't be... the great Alexander is speechless." Nicki proudly placed both hands on her stomach. "Checkmate, my dear."

The king spat on the tiles. The proud Alexander spat on his beloved tiles. "I'm not your dear." He growled, showing her his canines. "NOW GET OFF MY DAMN THRONE BEFORE I BEHEAD YOU!"

She calmly rose from his throne and walked past him, putting her hand on his shoulder before whispering in his ear. "No need to yell. Someone might overhear you. They might wonder what made you so angry and discover our little growing secret."

She left him alone in the throne room, knowing that this situation would drive Alexander crazy. She shut the door and heard a muffled bang. That had probably been a table. It was obvious that he didn't like it that she had something over him.