The Curse Of A Stranger's Gift 20 Her Parents

Zheira's eyes bulged. "W—what are you talking about? You said I'll meet them after you see my improvement."

Vladimir looked down. "I'm sorry!"

"I don't understand, Vladimir." She shook her head. "Did you lie all along?" Her brows knotted as angry lines mottled her cheeks.

"I'm sorry!" he whispered. His tongue seemed to be glued in his mouth.

She wiped the tears trailing past her cheeks. "I hate you!" Heat rushed to her head. She wants to explode. "I trusted you, but you used my parents to tie me with your words. I thought you're different. You're nothing but a lying sc.u.mbag." She walked away from him. If there's something she hates, it's when she's being lied to. Those words of fabrication were nothing but a bait to lure the fools. Sadly, she's stupid enough to let herself be a victim.

Her footsteps were heavy, accompanying the weight in her heart. A scurrying behind made her look back only to see Vladimir, his knees were on the ground. His cheeks were wet with tears. "Please, Zheira! Forgive me!" He grabbed her hands, pleading for her mercy. The moment their skin touched, sparks crawled between them. It danced in their body, making it hard for them to remove their hands from each other. It didn't take long before the sparks slithered to the castle's walls, coating it with gold bricks.

Vladimir's face shrank. Those prominent jaws were replaced by an immature complexion. His cloak vanished, replaced by a black suit. Meanwhile, dark strands grew from Zheira's golden hair, and it was shortened until it barely reaches her neck. Her nightdress whipped in the air, changing into what seemed to be a pink c.o.c.ktail dress.

"Brother?" the girl asked, "Why are you on the ground?" She was wearing a small gold crown that twinkled at the chandelier above them.

He smiled awkwardly and pat his slacks. "Alic... uhm. It was nothing, my princess. Just one of the trends these days." He stood, diverting his gaze while brus.h.i.+ng his nape.

A cute smile curved Alic's pale lips. She looked up at him, "You're lying." Her small arms crossed. "Fine! I'll just think you're being dumb again." She held her head high before pa.s.sing him.

His laughter echoed in the hallway. "You're smart! You know that right?" He grabbed her arms and linked it to his wrist.

Alic grinned. "I know."

"And arrogant, if I may add," Vladimir teased.

Her cute concave eyes narrowed. "I'm not arrogant."

"Fine! Let's just say you're being humble."

Both of them end up laughing with the nonsensical things they're talking about. This was twenty years ago. A year before Vladimir turned eighteen.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Alic asked after a while.

"In the hall," he simply said, "father wants to see us."

Alic's brow raised with the way he said the word father. "You're still angry at him, do you?"

Breathing heavily, he murmured, "Let's stop talking about that. My blood literally boils whenever I hear his name."

"You're being hard to him." She entwined their hands. "You know he's only doing it to cure me."

Vladimir knelt and pinched her shoulders. "There are things you wouldn't be able to understand, Alic. Those strange liquids he's injecting in your body might endanger you. I don't know but it looked to me as if he's treating as a subject, not his child."

She cupped his cheeks. "You overthink too much, brother! That's just based on your speculation. Unless we are sure about something, we are not allowed to make any conclusion."

Ruffling her hair, he whispered, "You know for a child, you sounded mature."

"Trust me! I don't understand that, too."

A door from behind them opened. Eleanor was silhouetted by the lights on her back. She's wearing a floral dress that matches her brunette hair; it was tied in a bun. "There you are," she squeaks. Her smile was stretching her face. "Your father has been looking for both of you."

Alic's frowned. She moved closer to her brother before whispering to his ears. "I'll leave you two alone, brother. Your girlfriend is always jealous whenever I'm around. Bye!"

"Hey! She's not my girlfriend!" he yelled. Alic giggled while moving away from them as much as possible.

Eleanor laughed. "Your sister is funny."

Vladimir's face was blank when he faced her. "I think you've served your purpose. Go back to your puppeteer he might need your pitiful service." He crossed his arms.

"How dare you!" Her smile vanished. "You're so rude. No wonder why you haven't got any friends. Hmph!" She swayed the hem of her dress and stomped away from him.

He shook his head. "Ignorance is equivalent to death. I hope you know that, Eleanor," he whispered, knowing that she'll hear him.

She stopped by the doorway. "I'd rather be ignorant than a fool who thinks he knows everything. I know my place, Vlad. You should, too. After all, you're our mighty prince." She bowed slightly before leaving him behind.

His hands were in his pocket as he followed their trail. The hall has its floors carpeted neatly while the posts in the corner, were wrapped by blue cloths. Maids line-up beside the posts, wearing their usual blue s.h.i.+rt and pants.

The king was sitting on a gold chair in the center. Beside him was Alic who's waving at anyone she could see. There was another chair on his right, which he a.s.sumed to be his. Although, he couldn't afford to be near his father, he swallowed his pride and sat beside him.

"What took you so long?" He was smiling as he scrutinizes the crowd, but his fist was clenched.

"I'm here and that's the only thing that matters. Who are we waiting for, anyway? A cult of ancestral vampires or another group of humans ready to be your food?" Vladimir taps his fingers on the hand-rest of the chair.

"You shut your stupid mouth, you fool!" he whispered, barely moving his chapped lips.

Vladimir was about to retaliate when he heard it. Hundreds of fast heartbeat. He could taste the fast pump of their blood. 'So, foods have been the only thing they're waiting,' he thought.

Humans parade in the center. They were lined perfectly while the maids clapped them over. Three Elite guards were on their back, pus.h.i.+ng whoever stops. Vladimir gulped when he noticed the human's shaking body. They were silently screaming for help.

"Don't pity them, son!" The king pats his hand. "They're our source of energy."

He looked up at him. "Is that really their purpose?"

"Exactly, my son! They're made to be our food. Nothing more."

When Vladimir wants to argue more, Alic b.u.t.t in. "That's not a human, right?" Her voice was higher than usual as she pointed a lady. Despite the fear crippling in her circle, she was still serene. So calm for her own good. Vladimir didn't know if she's aware of the ordeal she subjects herself into or if she's just ignorant, but he knew one thing: she's so beautiful that it's inappropriate for her to be branded as lowly mortals.

Her oceanic expressive eyes were twinkling while her fair skin was flawless. She's wearing a casual dress that was hugging her curves. Her blonde hair waved as the wind tossed around the room.

A longing sigh issued from the king's throat. "Zayne. She accepted my invitation. How lovely!"

"You know her?" Alic and Vladimir asked at the same time.

The king chuckled. "Of course. She was once my lover. I must say, she's a really nice bed-warmer. The way my lips played with her perfect body. How I missed those days!"

Vladimir squinted. "You've mated with mortals? I thought you despised them?"

"Don't be an idiot! She's a vampire of course—"

"But why do I hear her heartbeat? And in case you missed it, I could also feel her blood."

"Yeah!" Alic seconded. "Plus, her eyes weren't red."

"It was before," the king said while giving them a steamy glare. They're not giving him time to explain. "She betrayed the clan and turned herself a mortal. Tch. Such a perfect maiden wasted to a pathetic man." His eyes landed on the man standing beside Zayne. He's wearing a blue suit that was too big for his skinny figure. His head was almost bald as his hair kept falling.

"It's true, then. A vampire can become a mortal." A ray of hope blasted in Vladimir's direction.

"Don't even think about it." The king looked at him and Alic. "You'll die in my hands even before you could become one."

Vladimir wasn't listening. He's way too busy planning how he'll acquire the information he needs. A cute smile curved his lips. No one would be a better source than someone who experienced it first-hand. He looked at Zayne and was taken aback to see her staring at him. His insides started turning upside down when she winked. He swallowed what seemed like a lump in his throat. His father was right. She's really beautiful. The thought of being her lover crossed his mind, but he shook it off by thinking how strange it would be.

His father's ex-girlfriend would be his girlfriend. He s.h.i.+vered. Such an absurd idea.