Vampire Princess

Chapter 8

I'm being jostled awake roughly, after what feels like only seconds later but that isn't possible. The sky is bright and blue with the golden sun high above me. Wait, this isn't the room. The curtains were drawn when I fell asleep. Where am I?

I hold myself completely still listening for any clues to tell me where I am and what happened. I'm not tied up but I can't see much more than the sky through the heavily tinted windows. 

After a few moments of tense silence I detect the telltale hum of an engine. It's so quiet that if it wasn't for my enhanced senses I would swear that I wasn't moving at all. 

All I smell is leather and my own scent on the seats. No trace of anyone else ever having been in here.

Okay, don't panic. Panic will just make you act irrationally. Breathe, Windsor. You can do this. All you need is to figure out where you are and who took you. After that it shouldn't be too hard to escape. You're a royal vampire, stay calm. 

I slowly suck in slow breaths and take a closer look at my surroundings. I'm in the back of the car and there's a blacked out glass separating me from the driver’s seat. I'm lying stretched out on the seat not restrained at all. I smile thinly. Whoever captured me is either really stupid, really confident or doesn't know who he's dealing with. 

Sitting up I can see more out the window. I'm definitely in a car moving fast. We are flying down the road, past trees, more trees and oh joy… even more trees, but as far as I can tell, we haven't passed a single house or any other sign of civilization. Not even birds fly above us. We're in complete isolation. 

I lean forward and push the glass separating the back seat from the driver. Nothing. No movement at all. I put all of my weight against it but still nothing. 

Solid. The thing won’t move an inch no matter how hard I push against it.

I guess they're not so stupid after all. I lean back and slam my hand down with as much force as I can muster but pull back quickly, cradling my hand, with a whimper of pain. 

Ow. There's no way I can break that. Suddenly, I'm slammed backwards as the car makes a sharp left turn and pulls to a stop. 

Where are we? Why are we stopping? I can see nothing but trees outside the windows. No buildings or even animals are around. 

I remain perfectly still listening hard for any signs of life. There,someone is walking towards the car,actually, several people. One of them seems unwilling. They are dragging their feet but is getting pulled along by the others. 

The door is suddenly wrenched open and a person is thrown inside. I catch a glimpse of a tall, dark haired man wearing sunglasses before he slams the door behind the person. How cliché,  a tall,  dark stranger. 

It's definitely a boy,or a really masculine girl with short hair and muscles. He groans softly and lifts his head. Yeah, definitely a boy. 

He looks about my age, maybe a bit older. His dark eyes are slits as he scans his surroundings critically. This is a dangerous person, my mind screams. Get away from him. Now! His raven hair falls in his eyes covering them yet he doesn't brush it away. 

The cold, calculating gaze lands on me. I meet his stare unflinchingly. Years of dealing with court politics and drama taught me to mask any fear I have. I know his type from experience. He's the scheming, untrustworthy politician that you need to keep a wary eye on. He's like a snake. Not too dangerous unless you turn your back. 

He doesn't stop staring, staring right at me like he's trying to see into my mind. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to stare?" I ask harshly. 

The corners of his mouth lift into a smirk. "Forgive me, princess." He says it mockingly. It's like he wants to goad me into making the first move, always a fatal mistake. 

"You know who I am?" I question coolly. I refuse to take the bait. I plan on getting as much information from him as I can and then devising a way to use it against him. As far as I'm concerned he is an enemy until he does something to prove otherwise. 

"Your reputation precedes you," he says with the smirk still firmly in place. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness."

"I'm sure," I reply cooly. "And might I ask whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I, m'lady, am Michael Hale, a loyal subject." That name. There's something about it that sets off warming bells in my head. I can't quite remember what it is that's dangerous though... Oh. Yes, that's it. 

Damien Hale. 

The leader of the Garde du Nuit,the one who wants me dead. The one who ordered the attack in which Chloe nearly died. Damien Hale, whose son, Michael Hale, is sitting right next to me. 

This is not good. 

Wait, he was dragged in here against his will. He's not free. Why? I was kidnapped but apparently so was he. 

The question is, by who? It's clearly not the work of the Garde because their heir is sitting uncomfortably close to me. If not them, who? 

Who else would do this? Is there another clan that wants both the Royals and the Garde destroyed? Who would be powerful enough to breach the security of both our clans and get away with captives?

Another, more terrifying thought struck me. What if we were taken by humans? 

Mortals captured and killed creatures like vampires out of pure fear. They tortured supernatural beings because they could never hope to understand their power. Humans destroyed those they feared. 

Is that going to be my fate? Killed by mortal vampire hunters? I wouldn't be the first. Over the centuries vampires have been captured and killed by humans,especially during the Witch trials. Those were accidents but still a harsh blow to the clan. 

We are not easy to kill but there are ways. Fire is one of them. Silver is only effective against a young vampires, like me, an elder would be incapacitated and occasionally mistaken for dead by humans but once the silver is removed they would heal. Holy objects, like crucifixes, had no effect whatsoever. Most vampires are religious, especially those born in the Tudor period. 

Starvation can kill us though it is painfully slow, speaking of which, I have not fed in days. My throat burned at the thought. Human food is satisfying but not necessary. I need blood, soon. 

I glance back at Michael and find him eyeing me, clearly waiting for a reply. 

I clear my throat uncomfortably shifting away from him. "It is lovely to make your acquaintance, Michael Hale," I say stiffly not offering my hand. 

"The pleasure is all mine," his voice is rough and low. No doubt he has the power of compulsion. Each vampire has a talent. Compulsion is fairly common place but it is very rare to have the ability to compel a vampire. 

He really is very handsome, no denying that. In different circumstances I could see myself falling for him. He really does look like a prince. Rugged from hard won battles and cunning as a snake,befitting of a princess. 

What am I thinking? I shake myself mentally. Why am I attracted to every man I see? Curse vampires and their good looks. I don't even know why all of them are so pretty, probably something about being attractive towards their prey. 

"If we are quite finished with the pleasantries, perhaps we can get down to business," he says. "First, we figure out where we are and who exactly we're dealing with. It's not either of our clans that much is clear,perhaps another clan vying for power? Second, we need a plan to escape. As much as I loathe to admit this, we need each other. At least until we escape."

"Truce?" I say offering my hand reluctantly. I hate to say it, but he's right. We don't have a chance on our own. If it’s another clan then we'd be outnumbered and easily overpowered. If its humans we'd be outnumbered at least ten to one. No, we need each other. At least for the time being. 

"Truce," he agreed shaking my hand firmly. I still don't trust him.