Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}

Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}: Chapter 34

Every fibre in my body tingled and my shoulders were tensed, slightly hunched forwards. My heart was pounding away in my chest it was almost painful, but I was going to see him. I had to see him, and he had to see me. I wanted to see him one last time and then the war would really be over. I had to see the man who put millions of lives at risk.

Every step felt like the ground was moving against me like I'd run a marathon, and my breaths were slow and shallow. My body was telling me that I shouldn't go, but I knew in my mind that I had to.

He couldn't do anything to me, not now, not ever again. I knew that he knew that and so did everyone else. Anything he said, I didn't have to believe if I didn't want to, no matter how horrifying it was.

A guard punched in a long sequence of numbers into the number pad beside the door, it clicked and then opened. The soldier pushed the door open further, revealing even dimmer lighting, and Austin with his back towards the door, his head hanging low.

It looked more like an interrogation room if anything. The room was bare apart from a white table in the centre of the room and a chair on either side, one already occupied by Austin.

"Arianne, you came," he said, a hint of something I couldn't quite discern in his voice. Hope? Relief? Amusement, maybe? His head raised slightly, but he didn't turn to face me.

"This is the last time you'll see me, Austin," I said, taking the seat opposite him.

Like the soldier said, Austin was indeed bound at his wrists and ankles by metal chains that ran through the floor. He looked fine though, you would never have known a few days ago that he had a huge fight.

"If this truly is the last time we'll see each other, then call me Chace, for old times sake," he flashed me a smile that really did remind me of old times before any of this happened and we were in school together.

"I'd rather not," I responded flatly, choosing not to entertain him, or my memories. He wasn't the same person as back then.

"Ooh, she's heartless," he joked, feigning pain in his chest as his face scrunched up slightly. A face I once adored, and now could hardly bear to look at. "You know, at one point in my life, you were the greatest thing to happen to me, you were also the worst, but now..." he trailed off like he was in deep thought.

"I'm honoured."

He scoffed as he came back to reality, "I don't know whether or not I'm surprised that you came to see me."

"Don't be, I came down here for answers."

There was a brief silence between us, as Austin adjusted slightly in his seat, and his brow raised curiously at my brusque reply. I wasn't in the mood for his playing around and he needed to realise that as quickly as possible.

"Since this is the last time, so you say, allow me to speak freely. I don't care for your reaction, whether you believe it or not, or whether it changes your opinion. I just want you to hear a little of my side. It'll probably answer some of your questions anyway. I'm done, there's no way I'm getting out of here," his laugh was full of defeat, almost bitter.

I sighed, leant back in my chair and crossed my arms, watching the way his dark eyes followed me, like I was some kind of moving art exhibit. I felt his dark eyes trying to decipher my every emotion, and my body language. "Talk."

"When Alexander first kidnapped you, I went to your parents'  house for clues, and I smelled him everywhere. It was the same scent surrounding you when we hugged before you... 'went to Germany'. Eventually I had you tracked down, finding you in Nox Aterrima. Wasn't too hard with him brandishing you like some kind of-"