The Tattooed Vampire

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Four

~Callum's POV~

"What do you mean by "she"?" King Jackson asks me. I squint at him. Why the hell does he care about who I am talking about right now?! She's dying! I make a move to leave his presence and go out to search Basia but he grabs my arm and pulls be back. "You would not be able to feel anyone else's pain unless... Callum, you would have told me if you had a mate, correct?" His eyes darken a shade, as if he already knows the answer and it angers him.

I grit my teeth, angry with myself just as much as I am with Jackson for keeping me away from my mate. If she is killing herself, there is no reason why I am no already at her aid. "I must see her." I snarl. His eyes widen slightly.

"I have no recollection of you ever mating." He arches his eyebrows, confused. "Why did you not tell me, we would have set up a celebration." Okay, seriously? If he keeps me here, the only thing he will be setting up is a funeral. Whether it will be his or Basia's, I am not sure... If he keeps this up, it will be both of theirs. 

I keep silent, waiting for him to grant me permission to get back. "If you have a mate, I cannot keep you here with me. But you knew this... so why did you keep her existence from me, Callum?" He asks. I gulp, biting my bottom lip. Jackson is not known as a dumb man. He is incredibly intelligent. I knew it wouldn't be long until he found out about Basia. 

"To protect her." I grumble. He tilts his head again. 

"From me?" I growl softly, hating the fact that my old friend was a threat to my mate. That I know he will go after he after I tell him the reason. "Why?" He asks, his voice deep in demand, leaving no room for argument. 

"My father changed her without your consent." I confess. Jackson seems to think about it for a second before his eyes shine with understanding. 

"So she's a disgraced vampire..." He mutters. I snarl loudly and shove his grip off of me. "You know the rules, Callum!" He roars. 

"I do not want to hurt you, Jackson, but if you threaten my mate, I will not hesitate to kill you, friend or not. Royalty or not." I growl. He watches me, slight fear and submission crossing his features. He knows my stretch and exactly what I am capable of. I can over throw him anytime I want. Why haven't I? Because I don't want the survival and well-being of a whole kingdom on my back. But if it saves my mate, I will do so.

"Just walk away, Callum. Go to your mate, no harm will come to her." Another thing I was not so found of with Jackson is his false tongue. He will lie relentlessly in order to gain what it is he wants. But the fact that he is granting me the opportunity to go to my mate, I turn and dash away. 

If he comes for her, he will have to face the wrath of me and my clan. They have been loyal to me for as long as I could remember and they would stick with me, even against the King and his men. 

I push away the thoughts of a horrible battle and keep my mind set on getting home to my mate. She is in grave danger and I will do whatever it is I can to make sure she doesn't die by her own hand. 

Basia's POV

I plunge the dagger toward my heart, expecting the sharp pain that was delivered to slice through my heart and end my life. But I am surprised when I feel it pierce inches below it. I moan in agony as I look up to see a torn Mackenzie. Her hand is also on the dagger and I realize it is her reason that I missed. She redirected the stake to miss my heart. 

She yanks the wood out and throws it across my room as if it's poison before she slaps me. "Are you crazy!?" She screams loudly. I glare up at one of my best friends.