Something Sweet, Something Sinister; The War Begins (A Vampire Novel)

Chapter 13

As we drove back to the castle, I mulled over Pierce's words. The idea of acting even more submissive made my skin crawl, but I knew it was necessary for our safety. I glanced at Pierce, noticing the tension in his jaw as he stared out the window.

"How long do you think we'll need to keep this up?" I asked quietly.

Pierce turned to me, his eyes filled with a mix of determination and concern. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "But I promise you, I'm working on a plan to get us both out of this situation."

I nodded, trying to muster a smile. "I trust you."

As we approached the castle gates, Pierce's demeanor shifted. His posture straightened, and his expression became more guarded. I took the cue and lowered my eyes, trying to embody the role of a docile pet.

The limo pulled up to the castle entrance, and Alex quickly came around to open our door. Pierce exited first, then extended his hand to help me out. I kept my eyes downcast as we walked into the grand foyer, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Pierce," a sharp voice called out from the top of the grand staircase. I glanced up to see Cyrus approaching us, a smirk playing on his lips. "How was your little outing?"

I felt Pierce stiffen beside me, but his voice remained composed. "It went well. The doctor said she should start showing effects within a day or two."

Cyrus had his eyes fixed on me with predatory interest. His gaze raked over me, and I fought the urge to shrink away.

"I see."

He descended the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the open space. As he drew closer, I could feel the weight of his scrutiny intensify.

"Well, my dear," Cyrus purred, now standing directly in front of me. "I hope you start to feel... more comfortable in your new home."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "Yes, thank you, your majesty," I managed to whisper, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

Cyrus reached out, his cold fingers grazing my cheek. I flinched involuntarily, and I saw a flash of cruel amusement in his eyes.

"Brother," Pierce interjected, his voice tight. "Perhaps we should let her rest. It's been a long day."

Cyrus' hand lingered on my cheek for a moment longer before he withdrew it, his eyes never leaving my face. "Of course," he said smoothly. "We wouldn't want to overwhelm the poor thing, would we?"

I could feel the tension radiating off Pierce beside me. His jaw was clenched tight, but his voice remained calm as he replied, "No, we wouldn't. If you'll excuse us."

As we ascended, I could feel Cyrus' gaze burning into my back until we turned the corner and were out of sight.

Pierce ushered me quickly down the hallway towards his chambers. Once inside, he locked the door behind us and leaned against it, closing his eyes briefly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

I wanted to respond with confidence, to tell him that I was alright, and in fact, I was doing great. Unfortunately, training with Blake hadn't helped me escape the deepening fear that I had while being completely surrounded by vampires. I had trained to protect myself from them, and to even hunt and capture them, but never to live within one of their cities. There was no training for that.

I took a deep breath, attempting to still my nerves before meeting Pierce's gaze.

"I'm... I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "This is all so new to me."