Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 99529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
What am I becoming?
I looked at Leeta.
Horror covered her face as she continued to hold Camille.
I leaned that way, straining to hear her heart.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
I turned my view back onto the shaking guards. Tonight an odd sensation washed over me. In my heart, I believed that these guards were mine.
Never did that happen before. Usually when I saw guards, I only yearned to kill them.
But tonight, I expected them to bow and fall to their knees, knowing I was to rule them.
I snarled at them.
They all went tense.
That dark voice left me. “You all will either fight with me as my men or die tonight as the Quiet King’s guards.”
A few exchanged glances. Surely, they had no idea who I was or even more what I was.
They will soon know.
A surge of power quaked within me. My feet ached, but I didn’t know why. It felt like my toes were melting. I took a step forward and howled.
What is wrong with me? What is happening?
One guard whimpered on my left.
I must look like a monster to them. . .so be it.
I glared. “Those are your choices—my men or the Quiet King. Pick a side tonight. There are no other options!”
Shuffling ensued as many dropped to their knees and bowed.
And then a heavy pounding entered my mind.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
I snapped my view back to Leeta.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Camille’s heart!
It beat with power and life.
My queen. I didn’t lose her. Now. . .I will live too.
I studied Camille’s chest. It went up and down, telling me she was breathing just fine. But I still couldn’t hear her thoughts.
Leeta pulled a second vial out and began pouring it down Camille’s mouth.
“Keep my queen alive and you won’t die tonight, Leeta.” I turned back to the guards.
They all knelt before me with shivering heads facing the ground. All of them waited for my next order. Even Victoria and Ty had bent their knees along with the guards.
But none of them could be trusted.
They were supposed to follow my father and immediately turned on him to follow my mother.
And Ty and Victoria. . .my supposed friends for decades. . .they yearned for freedom just like my mother and sister did. They probably were willing to do anything to get out of those sewars and live a life with no more hiding.
Yet, all I yearn for is my queen.
The pounding of Camille’s heart sped up to a deeper booming that echoed in my mind.
Yes. Never again will my queen come close to dying. I’ll get stronger and stronger if I need too.
With that, I let my head fall back and loudly roared. My claws hoped to rip out hearts and my fangs dripped with a craving for revenge.
More power surged in my veins.
I can feel it.
I roared some more, shaking the castle’s foundation.
Come to me.
I roared again and it seemed to echo through the land, as if warning all of my enemies of the powerful vengeance I could unleash.
Do you hear me, father? Even you should fear me.
Everyone dropped lower to the floor as if they weren’t sure if bowing on their knees was enough. Some lay on their stomachs.
Yes.
My heart swelled with pride.
Bow to your king.
The thought should have surprised me, but I no longer recognized myself.
Did all vampire princes go through this wicked metamorphosis? This need to not only protect their queen at all costs, but make everyone serve them.
And more important, could this audacious need be calmed?
I doubted it.
Now I understood even more why the Quiet King had made sure to kill them.
For already, I scanned this castle and believed it was mine. I knew it deep in my heart.
In fact, I couldn’t imagine anything on this planet not being mine. And if anyone thought otherwise, I would battle them for it. I would rip out their hearts and pierce the beating organs with my fangs.
I roared.
Hot power soared through me.
My feet burned like they were on fire.
What?
An unbearable agony ripped through my feet. Then, the bones of my toes broke apart. My boots ripped away, exposing my bulging and bubbling feet.
Dear Ambi. What is. . .
I gazed down.
What is this? Not more. . .changes. . .
The flesh on my feet tore open. Solid black hooves as big as my feet pushed out. I rose four inches into the air as the hooves grew. The pain was excruciating.
No.
I howled in agony.
I’m becoming a monster.
My fangs erupted from my gums like knives. This time they grew longer than ever before.
Many raised their heads back. Horror covered their faces. Others gasped.
What do I. . .look like?
I sniffed. The air was thick with fear and anxiety.
Then. . .so be it.
I prowled over to Ty and Victoria and smelled wine radiating from them. They must’ve had to get drunk to follow through on their orders. I hoped they weren’t too drunk to feel the pain that I would surely give them. They’d pushed me to be their king and tonight they and everyone else would see what happens when a king becomes angry.