I Kidnapped a Vampire

8 - The Way

The engine purred beneath us as we left the city, winding through the countryside that seemed to stretch into nothingness. The night had swallowed the skyline behind us, leaving only the silence of the road and the soft hum of the car as my sole companion. Beside me, Arius was still and composed, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. It was an unspoken war between us—his resistance against my control, and my steady grip on his leash.

The landscape grew darker, the streetlights becoming sparser, and the world around us more isolated. The city, its pulse, its lights, was disappearing, replaced by the sprawling emptiness of Arius's world. We were heading to a place I had only dreamed of—a dark fortress that belonged to Arius's mother, the Queen. It was where my brother was, bound to her will as a thrall, his human existence erased by her power. That thought gnawed at me.

But I wasn't here to mourn. I wasn't here to wallow in loss or cling to the hope of a past that no longer existed. My focus remained clear: enthrall Arius and use his power to undo the Queen's hold. The fact that I was drawn to him, that every stolen glance between us lit something dangerous in me, was just an intriguing side effect of the plan.

"Arius," I said, breaking the silence. "You've been awfully quiet since we left."

His jaw tensed slightly, and after a moment, he responded, his voice as smooth as ever. "It's not every day I take someone like you to meet my mother."

I leaned back into my seat, studying his profile, the sharp line of his jaw, the dark hair that fell carelessly across his forehead. He was beautiful, in a way that was almost too perfect. I wondered if that was part of what had made him such a threat all these years. A seducer with too much power.

"And what am I exactly, Arius?" I asked, my tone teasing as I let the question hang between us.

He glanced over at me, his eyes lingering for a moment before turning back to the road. "You're dangerous."

I laughed softly. "Dangerous? You flatter me. But it's not flattery I'm after."

"You should be more careful with your words, Lina," he warned, though his voice was low, almost like a purr. "We're heading into dangerous territory. My mother... she doesn't take well to surprises."

"Good thing I'm not here to surprise her," I said, letting a sly smile appear on the edge of my lips. "I'm here to take back what's mine."

He didn't respond, but I could see the way his fingers gripped the steering wheel just a little tighter. For all his power, he was still under my control, and he hated it. But I reveled in it. Arius wasn't just the key to dismantling the Queen's hold over my brother; he was my way into this world, a tool I would use for as long as it served me. And if the attraction between us muddied those waters, I was more than willing to wade through the darkness.

I shifted in my seat, the leather cool against my bare legs, my dress riding up just enough to catch Arius's eye. He glanced over at me, his gray eyes flashing with something primal. I could feel the heat between us, the unspoken tension that was always there. I leaned toward him, my hand grazing his arm as I whispered, "Are you going to tell me what's really on your mind, or are we just going to keep playing this game?"

Arius chuckled darkly, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "You think you can play me, don't you?"

I met his gaze, my eyes narrowing. "I don't need to play you, Arius. I already have you."

His expression changed, just for a moment—something raw and dangerous flashed in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came. He smirked, leaning back into his seat. "We'll see how long that lasts, little Lina."

We drove in silence for a while longer, the road winding deeper into the wilderness. I could feel the weight of the night pressing in, the air growing heavier the closer we got to the Queen's court. This was Arius's home, his true world, and soon, it would be mine too.

The thought thrilled me. The power that pulsed through his veins would soon be at my command, and through him, I would gain access to everything that had once been stolen from me.

Eventually, the car slowed as we approached a long, tree-lined road that stretched toward an estate. The trees loomed like sentinels, their branches reaching out as if to pull us into the heart of the darkness. At the end of the road, I could see it—the Queen's manor. It was massive, sprawling across the landscape like a sleeping beast. Its stone walls were draped in ivy, and the windows glowed faintly with the warm light of candles.

We pulled to a stop, and Arius stepped out, coming around to open my door. His hand extended toward me, and for a brief moment, I hesitated. Not because I didn't trust him—trust was irrelevant—but because I knew this was a turning point. The moment we stepped inside that manor, everything would change.

I took his hand, stepping out of the car, and he led me up the stone steps toward the grand entrance. The air was cool and thick with the scent of rain-soaked earth and something darker, something ancient. As we approached, the doors swung open, and we were greeted by a man dressed in formal attire, his face expressionless as he bowed slightly to Arius.

"The Queen is expecting you," the man said, his voice as flat as his gaze.

Arius nodded, his hand resting on the small of my back as he guided me inside. The foyer was grand and dimly lit, the chandeliers casting long shadows across the polished marble floor. The walls were lined with portraits of what I could only assume were Arius's ancestors, their faces cold and stern, watching over us as we entered their domain.

We were led through a series of hallways, each one more opulent than the last, until finally, we arrived at a set of double doors. The man opened them for us, revealing a grand sitting room draped in velvet and gold. And there, seated in a high-backed chair, was the Queen herself.

Her presence was overwhelming, regal in a way that made everything else in the room seem insignificant. Her hair was a cascade of silver, her eyes sharp and calculating as they settled on me. She didn't rise to greet us, but there was no need—her authority was palpable.

"Arius," she said, her voice smooth and cool. "You've brought a guest."

My attention wavered between the imposing figure of the Queen and the darker corners of the room.

This was it. The woman who had claimed my brother. Soon, I would see just how far her power extended—and just how far I was willing to go to tear it down.