Prince Darrius

Chapter 48

Christian, the alpha male werewolf, grabs rope from his second in command – Ruby. Her name suited her, especially for the fact she had beautiful golden red hair, like Maximus’, only longer, all the way down to her waist.

I try to move away but it’s pointless, Christian ties up both of my wrists in front of me before tying rope around my middle and around a tree trunk behind me.

“Please,” I beg to Ruby, “If you let me go, I can speak on behalf of you to the vampires and try and accomplish a truce.”

“We do not want a truce with vampires,” Ruby says in a silky smooth voice, watching Christian finish tying off the rope around the tree in the middle of the woods.

Wolves howling surrounded me in all directions, spreading across at least a square kilometre around my location. At least a hundred of them roamed.

Darrius would be in so much danger if he came to rescue me.

Either I had to escape – impossible… or I had to hope Darrius didn’t rescue me tonight, maybe he would be sensible enough to wait for another night, when the werewolves were not as strong.

“Why not?” I ask Ruby, pleading her with my eyes, “You, you and Christian, your clearly mates. You should understand that Darrius means so much to me –”

“Firstly,” Christian growls dangerously, pissed off, clearly I hit a nerve with him, “Ruby is not my mate!” I register that Ruby is taken aback by this comment for a split second but quickly regains her cool composure, “Secondly, I don’t care about your feelings towards a heartless, ruthless, dangerous vampire who I despise.”

He turns from me, to face Ruby.  

Christian is wearing a black leather jacket, and blue ripped jeans. Ruby has her hands on her hips and is wearing black leather pants and a black leather jacket.

I always secretly thought how nice black leather pants looked on Darrius and Maximus. Seeing them on Ruby reminded me just how attractive they looked on the right females too.

“Did you contact the Vampire Palace?” Christian asks Ruby, mirroring her stance, hands on his hips.

“Of course I did,” She says in that insanely silky smooth voice. It was sexy as hell, even for me to hear, and I could tell it affected Christian. I saw a twitch in the side of his cheek. She affected him a lot more than he wanted to admit. It was obvious and I had only seen them interact for a couple of minutes when she had appeared out of the woods in wolf form, her clothes and rope in her wolf’s mouth. She had transformed into her naked human form right in front of me and Christian. I tried not to look while I saw Christian look away, while occasionally taking peeking glances at her as she put on her clothes.

“You should scout the near perimeter,” Christian orders, waving his hand dismissively.

She takes a moment staring him down before replying.

“I’m second in command,” she reminds him, “I stay here with the girl.”

“You will not…” Christian cuts in, his growl deepened, “…defy my orders, now scout the perimeter!” His tone is harsh and final.

With disrespectful grace, she walks past him, barging into his shoulder, before disappearing into the forest.

When she is gone, Christian looks angrily from where she disappeared into the forest back to me.

“What?” he snaps out, annoyed that I’m staring at him.

“Nothing,” I squeak out. I wish I had the strength of Ruby, her composure and steady voice. She was a challenge for Christian, an alpha. I, on the other hand was scared shitless. I was scared for my own safety and my friend’s. They’d all come looking for me, and they would all be put in danger.

I watch Christian take a phone out of his front pocket.

“Time to call your prince to remind him your with us,” he says mockingly. I furrow my eyebrows, Ruby said she called the palace. Christian obviously wanted to add some fire to the situation. He is about put in the number when his phone starts ringing instead. With a newly found smile, he sees the caller ID, then shows me the screen, it says Darrius.

No!

Christian answers, putting the phone on loud speaker, “Prince Darrius.”

“Where is she?” I jerk at how loud and vicious Darrius’ voice is through the phone. He is absolutely furious.

“She’s with me,” Christian answers without hesitation, “I want a simple trade. Her life for yours. If you don’t comply and come alone, I’ll kill any and all vampires that dare enter my territory.”

“Darrius, don’t come!” I yell, and Christian suddenly takes a step towards me and covers my mouth with his hand.

“Jennifer!” Darrius calls out my name.

“Oh, one more thing,” Christian butts in, “If you don’t come quickly, she’ll have many bruises on her by the time you get here,” Christian removes his hand from my mouth and places his hand around my neck instead, “It  would be even easier to just snap her small, precious neck.” I can’t help it, I whimper loudly as his hand slightly tightens around my throat.

“Don’t touch her –” Darrius is cut off by Christian in an instant.

“She’s in Evergreen Forest, get here, pronto. You have one hour before I start hurting her,” Christian hangs up and removes his hand from my neck. I have tears in my eyes and I’ve started to shake.

“W-Why did you tell him you’d swap my life for his?” I ask, “You know he won’t come alone.”

Christian pushes his phone into his front pocket.

“Exactly, Jennifer. Like I said, many vampires will die tonight,” Christian replies, calmer now after the phone call.

I look away into the forest, not wanting him to see just how watery my eyes were becoming.

I didn’t want to admit it…

…but he was right.

Tonight would end in violence and death.