Chapter 1 - A Primal Feeling
Adella:
Raahvis is still dragging me along after him as I try with all my might to claw at him and pull my wrist free from his grasp.
To no avail.
He’s strong, I’ll give him that!
But I’m not planning on allowing this ritual to take place.
I refuse to be bonded with King Mortus for the rest of eternity.
The other vampires here in the ballroom part when they see us coming, some looking a little concerned that I’m being dragged along like this, since I am their Queen.
“Let go of me!” I command Raahvis, but he ignores my words and marches me up to the front of the pillar where Mortus is standing there waiting for my arrival.
I glare at Mortus in anger for not first telling me about this so-called ritual until now.
Why was he hiding it from me?
Because he knew I’d object, that’s why!
And he’d be exactly right.
“Thanks Raahvis, I’ll take it from here.” Mortus announces, reaching out and grabbing onto both of my wrists.
“Hey!” I announce angrily.
It’s only now that I notice the two chains, each connected to shackles at the base of the podium and my heart is filled with dread.
‘Are they for me?’
Mortus grabs one of the chains and begins shackling my wrist with it.
“What are you doing?” I demand fearfully.
Ignoring me, he then repeats the task with my opposite hand until I’m shackled to the ground, unable to make a run for it anymore.
He pulls me in closer so that we’re almost touching chest to chest and I stare up into his glowing ruby eyes.
“What’s with the shackles? Just what do you think you’re doing?” I demand from him angrily.
He sighs before speaking.
“If I had told you, would you have gone through with it willingly?” he questions.
“Of course not!” I declare.
“See? That’s why we’re using the shackles.” he points out, lifting both his brows high upon his forehead.
“So, you still think this is ok? Including me in some blood ritual thing against my will.” I point out.
“And in front of the entire vampire race? Isn’t that a little condescending, not to mention outright rude?”
“What are you so afraid of, dearest?” he questions me.
“This ritual will bond us together, stronger than ever, allowing us a gift that no other vampires possess. Don’t you want that additional power and superiority?”
I frown in response.
“Of course not!” I declare.
“I just want things to go back to how they used to be. I want to go home-”
He pulls me in even closer now, so that he’s breathing into my hair splayed out over my shoulder.
“-Your place is here with me now, remember?” he warns.
“The woman you used to be is gone. You are the Queen of vampires and must always remember to act like it. Even if you do not love me, we must keep up appearances for the sake of our kind. Is that understood?”
I swallow nervously.
“But must that include this blood ritual?” I ask.
“I’m afraid so.” Mortus proclaims.
“Although, if you’re worried it might be painful, don’t. I will ensure that you feel no pain whatsoever.”
‘That’s not what I’m worried about at all…’
‘But telling him the real reason would only spark his anger even further.’
‘Especially in front of so many of his kind.’
“Now, gather around. The Royal Blood Ritual is about to begin.” Mortus proclaimed to everyone surrounding us.
‘I’m afraid.’
‘I don’t want to do this.’
‘I don’t want to be connected to Mortus in such a personal way.’
‘But how do I escape from this, and would that even be possible?’
‘And more importantly, had I seen Zain before here at the ball, or was I simply seeing things?’
Countless problems are swimming throughout my head as I try to think of a way to fix at least one of them.
I need to think and focus on this Blood Ritual thing first.
And I’m running out of time.
With these shackles holding onto both my wrists, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, so I try to think of something that I could perhaps say to convince him otherwise.
“Mortus, about this ritual thing, does it really need to happen? I mean, we both know one another pretty well and I think we’ve both formed a connection so far. Maybe with time it might even become something more-”
“-Believe me, this is far easier.” he intercepts me, causing me to let out a huff.
‘Now I’ll try a threat.’ I think to myself.
“If you do this to me, I’ll never care a single thing about you. I won’t listen to anything you have to say, and I’ll never obey you.” I explain.
“I’ll hate you for the rest of our immortal lives together.”
Mortus smirks.
“Nice try, my dear. You already hate me.” he reminds me.
‘Crap, he’s got me there.’ I think to myself.
I’ve got nothing more to defend myself with.
“Please, don’t do this to me.” I am resorted to begging.
“I cannot be bonded with someone I have no feelings for. Please, you can’t do it, it’s wrong.”
“Enough!” he proclaims, stunning me as everyone in the room gathers around us, ready for the ritual to take place.
“It’s time.”
‘I’m outraged.’
‘I’m at a loss for words…’
‘How dare he!’
I won’t just sit by and allow this to happen to me.
If that’s what Mortus thinks I’ll do, he’s got another thing coming!
He looks me dead in the eye as he gives his next command, “You will remain silent until I tell you to speak. You will not move an inch, is that understood?”
I want to punch him in his smug face, but for some reason I am entranced to do as he has just told me to and I nod my head, obeying him.
‘How is he doing this to me?’ I wonder.
‘Is he using some special vampire power to force me to obey him?’
I can feel my entire body abuzz as I remain in place, obedient to his command, totally and utterly against my will.
They bring forth a red velvet pillow and on top of it rests a sharpened dagger.
My eyes widen at the sight of it as I whimper to myself.
‘What’s that for?’ I wonder, unable to ask.
The servant carrying the pillow brings it up to where Mortus is standing and kneels down respectfully as Mortus takes the dagger from it.
‘Holy shit!’
‘I’m not liking this…’
‘I can’t move or protest against this and he has a dagger held in front of me!’
Swallowing nervously, I look to Mortus who smiles at me.
“You're worried, I can see. But I told you, there will be no pain, my love.” he announces softly as he closes the space between us and stands right in front of me.
My eyes continue to flick down towards the dagger and then back up at him as my entire body remains fixed in place due to whatever spell he’s cast over me.
I’m scared.
But then he does something that confuses the hell out of me…
He lifts the dagger up along with his hand palm facing up and then rests the dagger’s blade down over his open palm.
My eyes lock onto it as he then bravely slices the dagger’s blade across his own skin, opening his palm up and causing blood to come oozing out of the freshly made wound.
My brows furrow with concern and confusion as he does this willingly to himself.
‘What is he doing?’ I wonder.
He then moves in closer towards me, approaching me with his blood covered hand out in front of himself, as if offered to me.
“Drink, my love.” he commands of me.
‘No, no, no… I can’t!’ I think to myself.
‘I must resist no matter how hard it is!’
Suddenly a part of me takes over; a part which is totally new to me and animalistic.
It wants to drink from his open wound.
It actually wants me to do as he has commanded.
‘Is this the spell cast over me, or something else from deep, down inside?’
I shake my head to try and rid myself of the feeling but it lingers, eating away at me as if I had no other choice.
“Please, no.” I somehow manage to spit out.
‘I can speak again!’ I realise thankfully.
‘How did that happen?’
Mortus too appears somewhat shocked by the fact that I can talk as his facial expression changes to confusion.
“I said, drink!” he commands me, this time with a far sterner tone to his voice.
Suddenly I’m able to move as well and I pull back against the shackles, desperate to free myself from them as Mortus continues to try and close the gap between us.
“Drink, Adella.” he repeats.
“Do it now.”
“I won’t!” I proclaim defiantly.
I tug against the chains, trying hard to pull free from them but they’re anchored down too well.
‘How did I manage to free myself from his entrancement spell?’ I wonder.
‘And can I somehow manage to escape before it's too late?’
