The Royal Alpha

Chapter 60: The Vampire Prince

SIERRA

"Let me introduce myself first then, Princess Sierra. I am Dominic Creighton, your mate's, Fenris Vlček's only long-lost vampire friend."

"What?"

"Don't be surprised, Princess. I am sure you have heard about different supernatural species' existence?" he asks.

"Yes, I have heard but what would be your feud with Xavier? Why is a vampire imprisoned here?" I ask unable to keep the confusion out of my voice.

"It is a long story, one I will tell you some other time. I came here a long time ago but have roamed these lands and under my rule, werewolves and vampires have always existed in harmony. But it looks like Xavier doesn't want to live in harmony, neither does he want to let other species live freely. He plans on conquering Recrania under his rule and then to move onto the other countries," he whispers but I hear him. It is only now that I realise that his accent is slightly different from that of mine or anyone in Recrania.

"And for that, he is capturing or killing every species' ruler or Alpha, right?" I ask.

"Yes, little one. He does plan to do that. He killed your mate's parents but Fenris has evaded his hunt for decades," he says.

"Oh, no! That's horrible," I recall my mate's pale and still face and clutch my throat feeling choked up at the overwhelming emotion.

"Yes, it is," he concedes. I calm down a little and open my mouth to ask him the next question but the door to my cell opens. I quickly scoot a little to the other side, trying very hard to keep my heart from racing but fail when I see Xanthos enter the cell.

No, Goddess! Please, not him.

"I've brought food, come on," he says and then from behind him, a man enters the cell with his eyes on the floor and places a plate piled up with what looks like meat in front of me. The food doesn't look fresh. It's dry and I don't want it anywhere near me, I decide from the stale smell wafting from it.

"Eat. Now!" he shouts and I startle. I am forced to eat that not at all good food with Xanthos keeping watch on me. After a few minutes, I have managed to finish only a quarter of the plate's food but can't manage more than this. I desperately try to keep the food down.

"I am done," I whisper pushing the plate away from me but Xanthos is on me in a second, pushing the plate in my hands again before taking a piece of meat and feeding it to me. I shake my head but he growls loudly making me jump and then holding my jaw open with one hand, he force-feeds me with the other. I feel tears burn behind my eyelids because of the pain that Xanthos's touch brings me and with the way I am forced to swallow the dry meat through my already sore throat. I desperately need water but am not allowed to speak. Every time I open my mouth to ask for water, he pushes a morsel of that awful meat in my mouth.

After some time, he pauses and then looks at the half-finished plate and grunts. NO! I'll puke if I take one more bite. Perhaps he sees my green face and doesn't push for more food. I let out a sigh of relief and then ask for water or rather plead.

"Oh no, my darling. The only liquid that you are going to drink is... well, nothing," he laughs, evilly looking at my grief-stricken face. Out of nowhere he then takes out a syringe and tests it a little in front of my eyes.

"What's that?" I ask, alert now and scared about his intentions. I hope it isn't a drug.

"It is just something that will make you forget about your not-so-brave mate. I think it'll be easier for you to accept me then, won't it? I know you want me as well," he croons and I wince as the meaning of his words settle in my mind.