Book I: Near Death Experience (18+) ✔️

17.

Fredrik had brought me back to the site where the army had been set up within the forest far away from the town. I stepped off the carriage, leaving my bags inside the wooden box as Cassandra and Fredrik were headed to the docks. My eyes fell onto the two men who were called my beloveds, and I could feel their eyes fall along my body as the dressing was different from my old clothes.

I walked up to them both after I said goodbye to Fredrik and Cassandra, with a light smile gracing my cheeks. I jokingly bowed to them making them both chuckle as Xander grabbed my hand, bringing it up to his lips. He muttered looking into my eyes, "Hello darling," making my cheeks burn brightly. Knox had taken my other hand in his, kissing the top gently sending the sparks like Xanders down my arm as he whispered mischievously, "You are stunning my love."

I was blushing so much that I felt my cheeks getting hot, and my heart was pounding in my chest as they both pulled me along with them. I was so overwhelmed by their words that I could barely keep up with them, but I was still so happy to be in their presence. We walked in a comfortable silence, disregarding the circumstances of where we were headed. I was still too overwhelmed by their words and the attention they had given me to form coherent sentences. We trudged through the forest, the trees towering above us, and I felt a strange sense of peace at the moment.

As we walk towards the execution site I ask them calmly "When would you two have told me, that you are 'different'?"

"Not this early and definitely in a better setting than what had happened," Xander chuckled slightly however I could hear his tone darken at the mention of Daniel's action. I nodded as we walked together, one man on each side of me. I spoke quietly asking them both but was unable to look at them as I kept my head forward, "Would you have left me here?"

"Not a chance," Knox says with no doubt in his voice and his face clear of any emotion. My brows furrowed at his words as I asked in a confused tone, "If I said no?"

"We would never have left you. Do with that as you will," Xander's tone is firm and resolute, leaving no room for disagreement. They were emphatic in their convictions and their tone was unwavering. The words were stuck in my throat as I finally looked back and forth between them but they wouldn't look at me. I could feel a little pit in my stomach bubble in anxiety, as is a warning of their words but...

They had been nothing but kind to me, it felt as if something within their presence had flipped. I tried to push away the thoughts before asking meekly, "Is it always a human beloved? Like Cassandra?"

"No. Upirs are usually mated to other upirs, but it is not uncommon," Knox answers as he nods to the fuller display of guards in the forest as the amount had grown as we walked further into the forest. I could only guess we were getting closer to the prisoners. I took in his words before asking again, "And having two?"

"Rare. But not unheard of," Xander says as he looks down at me with a small gentle smile before looking back up. His face morphed back into a stone-cold one as he watched various guards walk around or stand at their posts.

"Are you both upset that I am human?" I ask quietly to them. I could hear them both chuckle lightly making me look at them surprised at the change of emotion from them. Xander says following a chuckle, "It was a surprise. But no. We could never be upset with that nor disappointed."

I could only nod and smile at his words, lighting my heart from the thought that I was a pitiful excuse of a beloved. I felt Knox's hand snake into my hand making me look up to him as he asked quietly, "Are you frightened of us? After knowing the truth."

Knox's question silenced me as I thought about if I was truly afraid of them being vampires. It was a strange thought, as they had been nothing but kind to me, and yet I could not shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. I was aware of the power they held, of the strength and speed they could wield, and I was suddenly aware that I was powerless in comparison. I looked between them, not wanting to answer, feeling a mix of emotions as I tried to reconcile my feelings of trust and safety with my fear of the unknown. I shook my head gently as I muttered quietly, "No."