1#Awakened by the Vampire Prince (Rosebud) (3 page)

“I
don’t want to be with a male who clearly doesn’t want me. If what you say is
true and he does want me, then he dishonors me and I can’t accept that either.”
Esral kept eye contact with the daunting male. Brant was wrong about Xavier
wanting her. He treated her like an annoying, little sister. When he looked at
her, it was either with disinterest or anger. There was no in-between.

“That’s
just it, Esral, he does want you. Very badly. I know my brother.” Brant ran a
hand through his hair.

“What
does it matter? I’m leaving for Pulamor and he is staying here.” Her voice
shook, she would miss the male. It irritated her but it was true.

Brant
shook his head. “What I’m telling you is true. Even though your brother, Prince
Keto, hates us, I will send my brother after you once he has had sufficient
time to think things through.”

“I
don’t understand.” Then it dawned on her. “You set this up so that what…?” She
looked down at the ground trying to puzzle it together.

“I
want my brother to get it into his thick skull that you are the female for him
and if some time away from you will do the trick then so be it.”

“It’s
not going to help,” she whispered.

“Oh
yes it will. I was a little upset when you specifically asked for York. I was
afraid that you had in fact developed feelings for another male, but then I
realized that you said it to make Xavier jealous.”

“No
I didn’t.” She gasped.

Brant
shrugged. “It doesn’t matter whether you meant to do it or not, it worked.” The
king actually smiled. It was the most predatory, most feral look she had ever
seen.

Esral
had to work to stand her ground. “He takes his duty very seriously.”

“Duty.”
Brant snorted. “Call it what you will. I will send him to Pulamor…your elven
castle, within the next few days.” The male laughed. “By then he will be
frothing at the fucking mouth”—he cleared his throat—“my apologies.” Brant
inclined his head. “I have one bit of advice, princess.”

By
all that was green she couldn’t wait to hear what that was.

The
vampire king’s dark eyes held hers, they narrowed just a fraction and for a
moment it felt like he was looking right into her soul.

“If
he is still too pig headed to go after what he wants…namely you…make sure that
you help him to get the message.”

She
felt her brow crease and even shook her head. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Brant
sighed. “You have already shown interest in that male, York. Make him think
that you mean it.”

“How
do I make him think I mean it? I’m not sure what you want from me.”

Brant
sighed more loudly. “So damned innocent. I’m not sure whether Xavier is lucky
or really fucking unlucky where you are concerned.” He paused and leaned onto
the boardroom table. “Make Xavier think that you want York. Laugh at the male’s
jokes. Touch him casually on the arm. Bat your eyelashes at him. I don’t know”—Brant
shrugged—“show York your tits for blood’s sake. Do whatever it takes to…”

Esral
gasped, not actually believing what she was hearing.

Brant
laughed. “Okay, you don’t have to go quite so far as that but you get the
picture. Make Xavier jealous to the point where he can’t deny his feelings for
you anymore.”

“I’m
going back home to be with my father not to make males jealous and fight over
me.”

Brant
looked really concerned as he sat across from her. “Your father is holding out.
I hope that my healers can help him. The good news is that he’s not worsening.
Your brother is bad news Esral. If he takes the throne, the relationship
between our species will be shot to hell.”

Brant
was right. For some reason or another, her brother hated the vampires. Keto
specifically hated Zane although why exactly he had never divulged. The vampire
kings were justified in their concern.

“It
is imperative that we secure a union between our species…just in case.”

Her
lip wobbled so she bit down on it until she gained sufficient control. “I’m
going home to be with my father. As far as I’m concerned, Xavier can stay here.
I’m not interested in playing games.” She sprang to her feet and left the room
even though Brant called after her.

Defective.

It
was like the word had been painted on her forehead for all to see. Esral had
hoped that because she was the princess, she would escape the worst of the
reproach but she had been mistaken. Her people had stopped to stare, to all out
gape was perhaps a more apt description. They shook their heads and whispered
behind their hands as she passed. Even though she caught the odd word here and
there, she couldn’t really hear what they were saying. But she could piece it
together and she could definitely guess the rest.

They
had decided that she must be defective. Vampire males were known to have strong
sexual appetites and even they didn’t want her.
Defective
, she’d heard
it whispered countless times. It felt like thick strands of ivy were winding
their way around her heart. The slow and steady squeeze made her head spin.

As
soon as her bedroom door closed, she flung herself onto her bed and buried her
head into her pillows. Hopefully no one would hear her weep.

One
quick cry and she would have to pull herself together and put on a brave face
for her father. It would hurt him greatly to see her like this. An ever louder
sob escaped as guilt flooded her for allowing herself to wallow in self pity
like this when he lay sick…possibly even dying.

After
a sharp rap, the door opened and someone entered. Esral wiped her face on the
pillow and sucked in her grief. She had forgotten how little privacy she had in
Pulamor.

She
turned, pulling herself upright.
Great!
Her day couldn’t get much
better. Cheri stood at the foot of her bed, hands on her hips. A smirk on her
pretty face. The server was breathtakingly beautiful with her hair that looked
like it had been spun from pure gold and lips that had been dipped in the
finest red wine. For a low born female, she had the pointiest ears Esral had
ever seen.

The
female walked around the place like she owned it. Just because Keto had chosen
Cheri to warm his bed didn’t mean that she was the next queen for blooming
sakes. Or at least Esral seriously hoped that would never happen. The female
was poison of the deadliest kind.

“Are
you crying because you couldn’t seduce a vampire male?” Cheri laughed. It
sounded wicked and taunting. “I heard vampires rut anything and you couldn’t
even convince any of them to break your thorn or”—she gasped dramatically
throwing a hand over her face—“let me guess, you let one of them rut you and
they decided you weren’t worth taking as a mate?”

Esral
was good at schooling her emotions but for some reason this female could get
under her skin. She wished her brother would see what an evil witch she was.

Her
face must have belied how upset she was feeling because Cheri clapped her
hands. “I knew it. I’m right and don’t you even try and deny it. One rut with you
and the poor vampire turned and ran.” She shook her head, looking disgusted.
Then her facial expression changed and the female actually looked sorry for
her.

Esral
clenched her teeth to try and get herself under control. The last thing she
needed was to attack Cheri and to be branded as mentally unfit as well.

“You’re
defective but don’t worry, you will always have a place here at Pulamor.”

Esral
jumped to her feet. She took in a deep breath, locking her hands behind her
back to prevent herself from lashing out at the idiot female. “I’m not
defective. And, not that it’s any of your business, but I still have my thorn
and since when did you have a say over anything that happens here at Pulamor?”

Her
face turned all smug. “Your brother still needs to make the announcement but I
am to be queen.”

Esral
felt her brow crease. “What nonsense. What utter blooming nonsense. Where would
you get an idiot idea like that?”

“I
have moved in with Keto. I no longer work as a server.”

For
the first time, Esral noticed how fine the silk was that Cheri wore. How she
wasn’t wearing yellow as was customary for serving females.

“Just
because you warm Keto’s bed doesn’t mean anything. Many of the highborn males
keep…helpers until they are mated.” She tried to keep the distaste from her
voice. “Some of those helpers even live with them, but it isn’t lasting.”

“Well.”
Cheri licked her lips. Her sky blue eyes sparkled.

How
could someone so beautiful possess such a black heart? Like a lump of wet,
coal. Incapable of warmth or feeling. Esral had to suppress a shiver.

“I
guess I have you to thank, Esral. Some of the lores have changed. Highborns are
permitted to choose their own mates now. We are doing away with arranged
matings altogether. Since Keto broke my thorn, we are permitted to mate. It is
a terrible time with your father’s illness at the moment”—she tried to feign
sadness but Esral could see right through the act—“but once King Katar is…better,
I will be announced as queen.”

“Future
queen.” Esral said a little too harshly, feeling the blood drain from her body.

Cheri
gestured with her hands. “You know what I mean. Like I was saying, you will
always have a place here and if you behave…” she gave Esral a sly smile. “I
won’t make you perform any keep duties.” Her smile widened even more.

If
Cheri had her way, Esral would be on her hands and knees scrubbing floors,
waiting on the female hand and foot. Defective females were either sent to live
alone in the forest or they were expected to earn their keep regardless of
their stature. Unmated females or females incapable of bearing children were
considered burdens. Defective, useless, not worth the dirt beneath their feet.

For
whatever reason, Cheri had always hated Esral. The female pretended to be her
friend when in public but Esral could see the truth reflected in her eyes. At
times, Cheri could be downright nasty. Yet she always managed to spin things
like she was only trying to help. Their relationship had only worsened when
Esral had tried to tell her brother the truth about the female that he took to
his bed. Why Keto insisted on taking Cheri’s word over hers was beyond her. She
didn’t understand the hold this female had on him.

Cheri
chuckled, bringing her back from her thoughts. “You can help me raise the royal
heirs. I’ve never been very good with children. I need my beauty sleep and all
that.”

Esral
had forgotten the stigma. How had she allowed herself to forget? Her poor
father was probably sick because of her. The worry had made him weak and
susceptible. The elven people, her people, saw her as defective. It will have
brought shame and ridicule to the royal tree. Esral had wrongly assumed that
old traditions and beliefs would change overnight because a few lores had been
altered. How terribly wrong she had been.

It
wouldn’t help to dwell on it, she squared her shoulders. Somehow she would find
a way to salvage this. She would try and get to know the male, York, a bit
better. Maybe she could find it in herself to feel something for him. Hopefully
in doing so, she would be able to get Xavier out of her mind for good as well.

****

The
next day

Her
father’s face lit up as she entered the room. Thankfully he had been asleep
yesterday when she had arrived to visit with him. Esral had been shocked at how
much weight he had lost. Although she had expected it, nothing had prepared her
for it. He had lost all of his muscle. His cheeks were gaunt. Skin hung from
his face. His hair and beard were a shock of white threaded with grey. His skin
was ashen with dark smudges under his eyes.

“Come
in.” He said, making her snap out of her reverie. Her father pulled himself up
so that he could lean against the pillows behind him. He was out of breath by
the time he made it up.

Esral
realized with a start that she was holding onto the door. “Good morning,
father.” She said as she made her way to him. Sitting on the chair next to his
bed, she smiled warmly. “How are you today?”

He
smiled, his eyes watery but alert. “I am alive, daughter.”

Her
heart clenched but she held back her emotion and smiled instead. “Your color
has improved.” She put her hand in his, looking down at his skin.

“It
is because you are here. Thank you for the tonic.”

She
nodded. “I made it especially for you. Please take some every day like I told
you.”

“I
will be sure to. You are so much like your mother. Esme would have come down on
me like a ton of wild oaks for not listening to the healers. I would be on at
least half a dozen tonics by now. She would’ve even cut me an extra piece of
liver every day just to be sure.” His eyes glazed over as he thought of his
late wife, her mother.

“You
miss her, father,” Esral whispered. “I miss her too.” She added, wishing her
dear mother were here. Esral smiled just thinking about how she would have
taken over. Esme would’ve given her fantastic advice on how to deal with her other
problems, and her father would never have become so ill in the first place.

Esral
still to this day lingered on how she couldn’t believe that such a shocking
accident could’ve happened. A stray silver tipped arrow had lodged into her
mother’s heart. The pain at her untimely death was still hard to swallow.

Her
father nodded, clasping her hand tighter. “I miss her so much that I am ashamed
to say that there is a part of me that longs to leave this world just so that I
can join her.”

Esral
gasped. “Don’t say things like that father. You are going to get well again.
Your people need you. I need you.” She felt her eyes well with unshed tears but
blinked them away.

Katar
chuckled softly. “I miss your mother, but I assure you that I will continue to
fight this illness. I will not let it take me.” He turned serious as frown
lines marred his forehead. “I can see that you are doing well, Esral, but you
are troubled. Are you not happy staying with the vampires?”

Putting
on the bravest smile that she could muster, Esral tilted her chin. “I am very
happy. I have settled in nicely. The vampires have been very welcoming. I’ve
even made some friends.” She thought of Tanya, Charlotte and unfortunately, an
image of Xavier rose in her mind. He was so handsome. Of course, he was also
scowling, crease lines on his forehead. His big, muscular body was tense. His
eyes were a dark gunmetal grey even though she knew that they could lean more
towards the silver when he smiled, which was rare.

She
mentally shook herself, noticing that her father was looking at her strangely.
“I would’ve thought that you would have been mated by now. Are the males not to
your liking? I changed the lores so that you and all other highborns could
choose. Yet you remain unmated.”

A
picture of a smug looking Cheri entered her mind unbidden and much to her
irritation. “I am grateful for all you have done, father.” She managed to get
the words out. “These things take time.”

Her
father smiled. “When you meet him, you will know it. When I first saw Esme, my
heart did a summersault in my chest. I knew instantly that she was the only one
for me. I was lucky that she was the female that my parents had chosen for me
as well.” He chuckled, his eyes staring at the far wall in deep thought. “She
made me work to win her affections. It didn’t matter that she was promised as
my mate. For the longest time I believed that she really didn’t want me. It was
only later that she told me how excited she was when she first met me.” He
shook his head. “I could never tell what she was thinking. Oh how she kept me
on my pointed toes. It was one of the many things that I loved about her.”

Esral
smiled, she nodded her head. Her parents had been in love. Deeply, madly,
truly. It was something she fiercely wanted for herself. Thoughts of Xavier
swirled around in her head again. Not York or any of the other males she had
met, but the one male that didn’t want her.

Heavy
sorrow caused her father’s eyes to darken and his shoulders to slump. “I wish
that I had never sent you to the vampire kings. I acted in haste. You are not truly
happy, daughter, I can see it. I’m sorry.” He whispered the last, looking older
and gaunter all of a sudden. “I’m so very sorry. I only hope that you can
forgive me.”

Esral
couldn’t help but to gasp softly as she squeezed his frail hand. “Don’t be
silly, father. Please don’t say such things.” It killed her to see her father
like this. To watch him suffer, and on top of that to worry over her. The thing
was, she couldn’t return back to her own people. None of the males would have
her now that she was seen as defective. Her only hope was to find a vampire
mate. She took a deep breath. “There is someone.” Much to her irritation, she
thought of Xavier yet again with his thick black hair and silver grey eyes.
Tall and muscular but without being too brawny. She loved the inky drawings on
his skin. Was fascinated by them. Swirling patterns that drew her eyes whenever
he was near.

Esral
shook her head and tried to focus on something else, someone else. York. So
tall that he was imposing. Stacked like an oak tree on steroids. The male was
good looking in a rough kind of way. Many of the elven females at Pulamor eyed
him like he was the juiciest piece of fruit. Like they wanted to eat him up. She
only saw a genuinely sweet male when she looked at him though. Someone she
could call a friend. Maybe in time it could evolve into something deeper. A
nagging voice told her that it was wishful thinking. She had to remain
optimistic in times like this though, so she forced herself to smile. “You
would really like him. We are dating.” She blurted the last feeling shame well
inside her for the lie. What harm could it do? She planned on spending some
time with the male so it wouldn’t be such a great lie.