Awakened by the Vampire Prince 2(6)

“It’s not true.” She said, standing taller.

Her father took a deep breath. His eyes lifted to hers. “Please, Esral. Tell us who this male is so that we can plan the blossoming ceremony.” He swallowed hard. “I do believe you, but we need to fix this.” His lip quivered and he seemed to try to conceal it by taking his hand and covering his mouth with it. Her father sat like this for a long while and it broke her heart to see him so upset. “I’m sorry,” he finally said. “This is all my fault.”

“Oh, father.” A single tear fell and her voice shook badly.

Xavier cleared his throat. “The rumors are completely untrue and unfounded.” She could hear how angry he sounded. “It’s not right to rush the princess like this. There is a male, but I assure you that their interactions are honorable. It is only a matter of time before an announcement will be made. Please, as the vampire prince and appointed guardian of Princess Esral, I request that she be given more time.”

“Look at where time has gotten the princess,” Keto growled.

She had to bite down on her lip when she saw Keto pointedly glaring at her midsection. It seemed that her moron of a brother now actually believed that not only had her thorn been taken but that she was pregnant as well. What next? The problem was that she didn’t know what to say. There might not be a male anymore. She desperately needed to speak with Xavier. If what Cheri had said was true then Xavier may as well be dead to her. His trying to rut with Cheri was not something she could ever forget or move on from. Cheri, for one, would never allow it. The look the two shared as they entered the room was not the look of two strangers. Fear and confusion had her feeling light headed.

“Tell me who he is.” Keto growled and Esral couldn’t help but to whimper. She was at a complete loss of what to do. She wished that the wind would pick her up and carry her away.

Just then, the door opened and York entered. “Forgive me for the intrusion.” He bowed his head. “I have something that I would like to say.”

“Get out. This is a closed family meeting. I invited the vampire prince to represent your species. You are a lowly guard and your place is outside that door.”

“Come in, York.” Xavier growled, his eyes firmly on Keto. Her brother’s face reddened and he clenched his jaw. At first she was sure that he would attack either Xavier or York but then he stepped back in submission.

“Speak.” Xavier added, finally looking at York.

“It’s me. I am the male of which the princess speaks. I would like to hereby publicly claim Princess Esral. “

Esral felt her blood drain and for a second she thought that she might faint. When she regained her composure, she realized that her hands were twisted into the front of her robe. Her breathing was erratic, like she couldn’t get enough of it into her lungs.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times but she didn’t know what to say.

“Fucking finally,” Keto snarled. “It’s about time.”

Xavier snarled and she unwillingly looked at him. He was pissed, looking between York and Keto like he wanted to take both males down. Cheri giggled and danced. “Oh yay! We’re going to have a blossoming ceremony. I will stand at your side. I can’t wait.” She clapped her hands.

Her father fell back onto his pillows, heaving a contented sigh. “I will attend as well. I don’t care how but I will be there. I am happy for you, daughter.”

She didn’t know how she managed it but somehow she found herself smiling at him. Her life might be in complete shambles at the moment, but at least her father seemed happy.

“Let it be recorded that it will take place three days from today. You females”—Keto gestured to her and to Cheri—“have much to plan.”

Her father smiled. “You have given me something to work towards. Go now so that I may rest.”

Esral kissed her father’s brow and stood to leave. She noticed that Xavier was nowhere in sight. Her heart clenched painfully. It seemed that he had given up on them already. It seemed that Cheri had not been lying after all. Either way, it was too late now. Her father was happy, there was no going back.





Chapter 3




Xavier was in a state of shock. He actually felt numb for a while after leaving King Katar’s chambers. It didn’t take long for him to start feeling confusion and anger as well though. What the fuck was York thinking? Why had the male claimed her?

Xavier planned on doing his damndest to get that motherfucking elf prince to agree to a little more time and failing that, he planned on claiming the princess himself. She belonged at his side, not at York’s. This was a right, royal fuck up. How the hell was he going to fix this mess?