The Kings Daughter

Sixteen

Aghony

Sometimes I really hate myself. Tonight is one of them. I was told I needed to feed. Of course my mind went right to Lyric, because I wanted to feed from her. But out of respect for Wrath and Lyric, I chose to feed from a chosen. I never expected for Lyric to come into my room. I never expected to see the hurt look on her face. I never want to see that look again. It kills me knowing that I cant fix this for her. It kills me that I cant make her understand. She isn't answering her door when I knock. I don't know her cell number, I could ask VIshous for it, but he is still mad at me. I don't know what else to do. I mean I want to make this right for her, but tomorrow I am supposed to offer a Rythe to both Quinn and Vishous.

I sit on my bed with my head in my hands. What did I do? Why did she come in here? I didn't hear her knock. I didn't hear the door open, I was too busy enjoying what the chosen was doing in my lap, as I fed from her wrist. She had been grinding on me, thinking that the hard on that I sported was for her. It wasn't, it was for Lyric. It was there because I was pretending that it was Lyric that I fed from. It wasn't for her. I was for Lyric. I wished it was Lyric the whole time. I even regretted not going to Lyric to feed, because I made her promise me that if she needed to feed, it would be from me.

A knock sounds at my door, I use my vampire powers to open the door without looking up. I don't look to see who it is, but I know it isn't one of the Brothers. I know it isn't a warrior. Its a female. But without looking I cant tell who. I hear them walk into the room and close the doors.

"If Lyric hadn't gone into her change so suddenly, Wrath would have chosen you." I hear Beth say.

I snap my head up to look at her. "What?"

"It's true. I asked him after her change. He said he would have chosen you because you are loyal and wouldn't have hurt Lyric." She says.

"I see." is all I say.

So now I feel worse. Wrath would have chosen me to service her through her change. I did anyways. He chose me because I wouldn't hurt her. Well, I hurt her tonight. Not intentionally, but still, I hurt her.

"Look, I know about what happened right after her change. I know that she smelled your bonding scent in the air. I know that you ran from her. I know that she has waited and waited to see you or talk to you. She has waited for you to acknowledge her. Night after night, you walk past her like she doesn't matter. Night after night, she is crushed when you don't talk to her or go to her." Beth tells me.

I sigh. "Did she tell you about that?"

"How else would I know? Look, Aghony, I told Wrath about how she smelled your scent in the air."

I snap my eyes to hers. "What? What were you thinking? He is probably looking for a way to punish me worse than this Rythe that I have to give tomorrow night."

How could Beth have told Wrath. What he must think of me. He must want me dead. I wouldn't blame him. I wouldn't blame him if he did want me dead. I wouldn't blame him if he took part in tomorrow nights Rythe. I wouldn't at all. Because then I know that I deserved it. If Wrath finds out that I hurt Lyric, even if on accident, he will surely want me dead after that.

"He isn't looking for a way to punish you. In fact, he asked Lyric if there was any guy here who caught her eye." Beth tells me.

"What did she say?" I ask.

"She gave him your name. Wrath said that you were a male of worth and he would approve of your mating, if it came to that."

Why am I just hearing about this? Why is Beth telling me all of this? I am so confused right now.

"Aghony, I have watched you grow up and become the warrior you are today. But I just have to ask this. Why on earth would you call a chosen when you know you are bonded, even if not fully, to Lyric?"

"Because I thought Wrath would never allow us to be together. Because I thought I was protecting her. Because I didn't want to get her hopes up for something happening if we couldn't be together. Because I so desperately wished that it was her I was feeding from." I say. "I pictured her when I was at the wrist of the chosen. It was her that occupied my mind."

"She was shocked and hurt at the sight of that chosen in your lap. And because I am her step-mother, I need to ask this. Did you sleep with that chosen?"

I shake my head. "I stopped feeding as soon as I realized it was Lyric standing there. I put a stop to what the chosen was doing to me. I wanted to go after her, but you know how it is after a feeding. I couldn't walk properly yet, and when I could, she didn't answer my knocks and I couldn't call her because I don't have her cell number."

Beth just looks at me. "I suggest that you visit her tomorrow. I suggest that you explain what you were doing with that chosen. I expect not to see you until your Rythe that evening. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Beth."

"Good, go shower, you smell of that chosen."