The Vampire's Bride

Chapter 9

Iris woke with a gasp, her heart a pounding drum in her chest. A strangled cry left her lips as she recalled the night's events. Again she felt Tobias' hands tracing her body, caressing her as he chuckled and whispered threats into her ear. She felt his fingers sinking into her. She saw his head hit the floor and blood splatter the ground.

The girl clutched her arms as her gaze flew around the room. She was not in her chambers, but in a room filled with books. Book after book, on every surface possible. The covers she was under were black, contrary to her own red blankets. It seemed that everything in the room was backwards, slightly shifted to left or right. No, these weren't her rooms at all.

She looked at her hands, seeing them shaking and coated in blood. Iris found her nightgown to be stained in blood as well. The white fabric was clumpy and stiff where dark red touched it. Was it hers, or Tobias'? 

Iris jumped as the couch creaked.

She watched as Jason sat up, his dark hair ruffled from sleep. He looked over at her and stood slowly. Iris moved from the bed and ran to him, beginning to cry. She sobbed as he wrapped his warm arms around her. Sniffles and sobs burst from her as she clung to the crown prince. Jason murmured softly to her, picking her up and sitting on the bed with her in his lap. Iris let out shaky breaths as he stroked her golden hair, looking up into his sympathetic eyes.

"He's dead. He's dead and he will never touch you again," Jason told her. His hand ran along her cheek softly, brushing tears from her silver eyes.

"D- do they know if he... if he acted on his own?" Iris asked. "If Xavier did this..."

"No, no. Tobias had to have acted on his own, he's tried this in the past before," he said quietly. Jason's eyes flashed with pain. "Last time he succeeded."

Iris sniffled quietly and stared at her hands. They were clean now. Had the blood ever been there in the first place?

"Iris, I want you to... stay in this room from now on. So no one tries anything like this again," Jason softly requested. 

"Are these your chambers?" she asked.

"Yes."

Iris glanced around again, looking closer at everything. It was clean under the books, and smelled pleasant. What did she expect it to smell of? 

She glanced at the nightgown again and gently pulled it from her skin, trying to look at the wounds on her neck and collar bone. She was taken aback as her eyes slid over the smooth skin, unmarred and pale as it had always been. Iris found herself straightening in shock.

"What is it?" Jason asked her. 

"Tobias... He bit me, but... there are no wounds," she explained. The crown prince took her hand gently and frowned.

"Our next step should be finding out what exactly you are. You said Xavier knew your mother?" he asked.

"Yes, but I doubt he would tell us anything," Iris said. Jason nodded slowly and kissed her cheek. She turned to him and watched him smile gently.

"Have you ever been riding?" he asked. Iris nodded in response, curious. "Let's go out today. Somewhere where we can speak in private."

"This isn't private?" she teased, making him chuckle.

"Well, I'd very much like another outdoor meal with you. And perhaps we can test more of your powers," Jason said. She nodded again and smiled.

"I'll get dressed in my own chambers."

"I'll meet you at the stables."

Iris walked from the room and slipped into her own, closing the secret door behind her.