Chapter 33: + Possessed +
The Vampire King
Sensing imminent danger, a dagger whizzed past, narrowly missing his ear by a mere hair's breadth. With swift reflexes, he twisted his head and executed a graceful roll, evading the blade's path.
Whirling around to confront his attacker, the Vampire King extended a powerful arm in pursuit. But instead of grasping his quarry, he seized only the empty air. The High Priestess, agile and fleet-footed, darted ahead and dove headfirst into a shimmering pool.
Without hesitation, the Vampire King followed, plunging into the water. His hands swept through the depths, and when they finally caught the silken fabric of her dress, he pulled the defiant woman to the surface.
Locking eyes with him, the High Priestess' gaze was filled with fiery pride. "Release me," she demanded.
He observed her closely, a trace of amusement in his deep blue eyes. "And risk another assassination attempt by you? What else might a High Priestess armed with magic and daggers be capable of?"
Undeterred by his towering presence, she shot back, "Who are you?"
A single, intrigued eyebrow arched upwards on his face. Drawing her closer with an almost gentle yet sinister grip, a sardonic half-smile played on his lips. "Do you truly not recognize me?"
She responded with a steely defiance, her chin raised high. "It's of no consequence, stranger." He found himself bemused, marveling at her audacity in the face of the Vampire Realm's most powerful ruler. Did she genuinely not recognize him, or was she feigning ignorance like so many before her had tried?
Could she have truly forgotten their shared past, their charged encounter during the Blood Moon Banquet?
Unyielding, her voice rang clear. "A threat is always a threat."
His disbelief evident, the Vampire King echoed, "What did you say?"
Fury raged within him, turning his frown into a scathing scowl. How could she perceive him as a threat when she, of all people, was his High Priestess?
"Not important," she retorted, her lips curling into a defiant smile. He found it perplexing that her audacity was so appealing to him. "You'll be dead soon enough."
Throughout his reign as the Vampire King, he had never encountered a woman daring enough to threaten him. They all feared the other side of him— the ominous Blood Beast.
He was captivated by her sparkling emerald eyes that held an indomitable spirit. Such beauty. Such strength. If she continued to be this defiant, she might prove to be a worthy distraction from his longstanding ennui. He had found a new intrigue, a challenge to his monotonous existence.
Yet, he would have to be careful. As beguiling as she was, she remained the High Priestess of the Vampire Realm—the one destined to liberate him from the curse of the Blood Beast.
Their gazes locked, the Vampire King whispered, "High Priestess..."
Her eyes narrowed, suspicion evident in their depths. "You recognize me?"
He replied, slightly taken aback, "How could I not?"
The gleam of Hecate's dagger became evident in her grip. How did she have another weapon when he'd only just narrowly escaped the trajectory of the first? Could she conjure weapons at will?
Before she could act, the Vampire King seized her delicate wrist, twisting it cruelly. She retaliated, her nails slashing across his shoulder and upper arm, forcing the dagger from her grasp. It plummeted into the water with a muted splash.
Her intentions were crystal clear— she genuinely intended to end him.
Her audacious words ignited a fiery wrath within him, yet there was an unexpected twist of amusement tugging at the edges of his usually impassive heart.
The pressure of his hands intensified as he leaned close, whispering ominously, "You'll rue this moment."
Without warning, he thrust her head beneath the water, not with the intent to end her life, but to make her feel the weight of her insolence. He released her momentarily, only to watch as she gasped and spluttered before pushing her under again.
Her piercing screams, laden with both fury and desperation, threatened to rouse the entire Vampire Realm. As he continued his torment, he began to discern a shift in her desperation. The hands once intent on choking him were now clinging to him in a plea for mercy. The once defiant High Priestess appeared increasingly fragile in his grasp, her vitality waning.
A disconcerting realization dawned upon the Vampire King: how effortless it was for him to subdue such a formidable being, one who was meant to be his salvation. The haunting image of the fierce-eyed High Priestess, defeated and vulnerable, etched itself into his mind.
A sudden, involuntary admission escaped his lips, "She awakens a hunger within me." Immediately, he chastised himself, struggling with the macabre thoughts taking root within him. His hands trembled, a physical manifestation of the inner turmoil he felt.
The ever-present darkness, the seductive whisper of the Blood Beast, began to seep into his consciousness, urging him towards more sinister desires. As the beast's influence threatened to overwhelm him, he transformed, claws sharpening and eyes darkening.
In a final act of restraint, he propelled the High Priestess away, ensuring her safety from the monster he was rapidly becoming.
The unpredictable and malevolent nature of the Blood Beast terrified him; he couldn't predict what it might do upon seeing the High Priestess. He had no desire to witness her demise. He'd believed their interactions to be just a harmless game, but could the influence of the Blood Beast have been subverting his actions without his realization?
Suddenly, the High Priestess's weakened form vanished beneath the water's surface. An anguished scream tore from the Vampire King's throat, echoing ominously through the night. As if summoned by his despair, a brilliant flash illuminated the area.
The Blood Beast yanked the High Priestess from the depths. The juxtaposition of his fury and her vulnerability ignited an unwanted fire within him, an inappropriate hunger. A guttural moan spilled from his lips.
'Consume her.'
Inhaling deeply, her fragrance enveloped him, reminiscent of pristine lilies, stoking his desire further. However, wrestling with his urges, he released her, retreating into the shadows of the forest in an attempt to quell the tempest raging within him.
'Give in.'
Yet, drawn back to her like a moth to a flame, the Blood Beast returned to her side. They moved unsteadily together across the clearing. Every fiber of his being felt aflame, an insatiable itch clawing at his very soul. Agony coursed through his spine, radiating to every muscle. His skin was slick with sweat, his teeth clattered, and his eyes clamped shut as he convulsed violently on the earthy ground.
No, he mustn't.
But despite his inner turmoil, he found himself looming over the High Priestess, pinning her down. His legs flanked her petite waist, his posture exuding an overpowering aura of dominance and intent.
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