The Vampire Vigilante
Chapter 5

I sat curled up into King Donavan’s arms for a while before he picked me up and began carrying me back to the castle. He walked quickly through the forest before we made it to the meadow. I had quit crying about 10 minutes earlier, so I glanced up at him to see that his jaw was rigid. His eyes looked straight ahead as he slowed down his pace a bit.

I could tell from his expression that he was pissed about something. Was it me?

Once we reached the castle he went around to the back and jumped over the wall with ease. We landed on the ground with a slight thud. He then carried me through a back door to the castle and down the right hallway.

It was cold and damp down here. More than likely it was what you would call the basement of the castle. Once we made it to the end of the hallway, we went up a flight of stairs that had a wooden door at the top. King Donovan got a key from his pocket and unlocked it. He then closed and locked it behind us before taking a left down another hallway. When we came to the opening of the ballroom, he took me up the stairs and to my bedroom.

He opened the door and slowly walked to the bed. He laid me down on the bed and sat next to me. “I’m so sorry if I upset you. That was never my intention.”

I looked up at him slowly and turned up the corner of my mouth to try and get half of a smile out. “It’s okay, I don’t really know what happened.” I looked down at the sheets and began fiddling with them. “I just was so angry and hurt. I never got the chance to really get a hold on my emotions from everything that happened with my parents, so I guess it was just my way of getting it out of my system.” He nodded, and slowly stood up to walk toward the door.

“Why did you follow me?” I asked. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head to the side to peek at me. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.” He then walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

What the hell is this man doing?

He wanted information from me but he was suddenly being nice and acting like he cared. I still didn’t trust him 100%, but from what just happened he does care about my well-being at least.

But after everything that has happened to me I know how people can work; they can play nice to get what they really want and then throw you to the curb.

I rolled over in the bed and noticed that my eyelids were becoming extremely heavy, so I decided to take my dress off and threw it on the floor. I pulled the covers up to my nose and let out a sigh before I drifted off into a deep sleep.

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping as they sat on the ledge of my balcony. The sunlight was beaming in, making the chandelier in the room sparkle. I rolled onto my back and stretched a long, hard stretch. I sat up in bed and inhaled, taking in the smell of something delicious cooking somewhere in the castle. I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and pull my hair into a messy bun before throwing on a t-shirt and some yoga pants.

I opened the door and looked down the hallway to see Maya was not out there waiting on me, thankfully. A few moments of being alone would be nice, for a change. I walked down the hall and into the ballroom where several people were walking around with clipboards. It looked like they were mapping out where things would go along the walls and ceilings. I shrugged my shoulders and kept following my nose.

I went into the kitchen to see a few chefs running around stirring pots, shaking skillets, and getting ingredients from all over. I stood there just watching as they moved so quickly but gracefully. None of them ever ran into each other no matter how close they got.

Finally, one of them turned around and spotted me. It was like he sent a message to the rest of the chefs without speaking because then they all stopped and looked at me.

“Good morning, ma’am!” the first one exclaimed, “Is there something we can get you? A coffee? Bagels?” I smiled and nodded. “A coffee and bagel would be wonderful, thank you.”

“I’m afraid you missed the breakfast buffet,” the middle chef said as he grabbed a blueberry bagel from a covered bowl, “But we will not let you go hungry. Cream or sugar?” He began fixing some large machine as he placed a small coffee cup under a spout.

“Um, both please,” I answered, trying to remember what my parents had in their coffee. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever drank the stuff. He then smiled and turned the machine on as dark coffee dripped into the cup. He took a silver cream pitcher and poured a few teaspoons into the cup, followed by a teaspoon of sugar. He had placed the bagel in the toaster for a few seconds, then sprinkled something white on top. He placed it on a small platter and then handed both the bagel and coffee to me. “I hope you enjoy. Please let us know if there is anything else we can get for you.”

“Thank you so much,” I replied, smiling. I then walked out of the kitchen and back into the ballroom. I decided I wanted to go to the flower gardens, so I tried to think of where an exit would be close to it.

I walked through the ballroom as all eyes stared at me. I smiled, trying to avoid talking to anyone as I hurried up the stairs and out of the doors I had went through the night before. I stopped once I was outside, looking at the front lawn.

The steps in front of me were made of stone, much like the ones in the rest of the castle. There was a circular driveway wrapping around a very large fountain in the middle. It was grey stone, and had 5 tiers to it. It was surrounded by rose bushes with some spotlights around it. I then walked to the right where I thought the flower garden might be, and sure enough on the other side of the castle there it was.

Oh my heavens it smells amazing here.

I began to walk through the endless rows of different lilies, followed by dandelions and tulips. I finally found a bench under a small canopy in the back corner next to what happens to me my favorite flowers: chrysanthemums.

I sat down and took a bite of the bagel. These chefs could definitely cook; I could stay here forever if it just meant eating all of the food. I took a small sip of coffee and nearly spit it out when I tasted it.

Is everything here laced with blood, or is it just me?

But this time was different; the taste didn't knock me off my feet in ecstacy. It was more of a warm embrace, a comfort to me. I finished my bagel in a few more bites and sat back, relaxing and drinking my coffee. I sat like that for a few minutes until I heard some laughter and grunting coming from the back of the castle.

My curiosity was peaked; I had not seen anyone in the castle besides the nurse, Maya, chefs, waiters, and King Donovan. I creeped slowly around the flower garden to see a large area for that seemed like a training ground. There were several dummies spread out around, with some tied off square areas that seemed like fighting arenas. There were several men standing around, laughing and shoving each other. There were two in a square fighting, some kicking and hitting dummies, and some women scattered about as well. They were all extremely fit and barely wearing any clothes.

It is warm out today.

About that time I noticed in one of the fighting areas was King Donovan.

Holy mother of hell, he is dripping in sexual desire.

He was fighting against another man and winning. He was shirtless, exposing his abs and chest. With every motion he made the muscles around his shoulder blades flexed along with his arms. He had sweat dripping from his forehead and beaded on his arms and shoulders. I thought about what it would feel like to have all of that under my hands; tracing his every inch with my fingernails. He had on some thin athletic shorts, and I couldn't help myself but to look at what might be under them.

Jesus fucking christ.

With every movement he made fighting, I could see the bulge hitting the front of his shorts. My mouth instantly went dry and I had to blink to stop staring. I backed up back around the edge of the castle and took a few long breaths.

I had never had this feeling before in my life; my heart was pounding, head was spinning, and my underwear was drenched. I instantly walked back over to the bench where I had left my coffee and took a huge gulp. I then took my plate and empty coffee cup inside and back to the kitchen where it was now silent. There was a large sink against the far right wall so I just set my dishes in it.

I was just about to walk out of the kitchen when I ran smack into King Donovan, still in the same attire as a few minutes ago.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Oh," I stuttered, "S-so sorry. I didn't see you there." He had a towel around his shoulders and rubbed it on his neck a few times before smiling down at me. "No worries, we are just coming in for a drink." I then looked around him to see everyone behind him that I had just seen in the training area.

"Let me get out of your way," I mumbled, shuffling around him and walking down the hall to the ballroom. I looked at the floor the whole time to avoid eye contact with everyone, but I could feel them staring at my back.

I went up the stairs and straight to my room. I practically slammed the door behind me, panting. That man was delicious, and I was throbbing from the need to have a piece of him. I went to the balcony and pulled the curtains closed tight, then I went and made sure the door was locked. I grabbed the remote to the TV and turned it on after plopping down in the bed. I flipped through the channels until I found Law and Order playing. I had watched it many times with my mother, so I figured it would be something to drown my mind out.

But I couldn't stop thinking about him. His rock hard abs, his pecks dripping with sweat, his muscles flexing and relaxing with exertion, and of course that bulge in his shorts.

God, he is so enticing.

I had never touched myself before, but the thought of him made me unable to hold back. I slipped my yoga pants off and placed a hand inside my underwear that was already drenched from just the thought of him. I began rubbing a circle on my sensitive spot while imagining him on top of me. The vision in my mind changed from seeing him leaning over me to his sweat dripping from his hair onto my face while he plunged into me. I couldn't take another minute of it, so I inserted a finger inside.

Oh, yes.

He began to go harder and harder in my mind, so I did the same with my hand. I moaned with pleasure, rocking my hips to the thrusts I was feeling.

More...please...more.

I moaned again, only louder this time. I slapped a hand across my mouth to keep myself from yelling out in pleasure. About that time in my head he was reaching his climax, and I did the same. I fell backwards into my bed with a thud, not even realizing I had my legs almost completely in the air. I moved my hand from my mouth to my chest to feel that my heartbeat was racing. Sweat was beaded up on my forehead and my legs were quivering from my release.

What the hell was this man doing to me?

I woke up to the sound of the Law and Order theme song playing. I glanced up at the clock and realized I had slept through another meal: lunch. The clock showed 2:13. I stretched my arms out towards the ceiling and let out a long sigh. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and slipped my pants back on. I then went to the bathroom and washed off my face and changed my underwear. I fixed my hair again and decided to go back downstairs and find a snack.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" Maya exclaimed as I came through my bedroom door. Jeez, did this girl stand around my room all day?

"I woke up earlier," I replied, "I just fell back asleep watching TV. I guess I was more tired than I thought." She giggled, afterwards taking my arm in hers and heading us for the stairs. "Let's get you something to eat." We went down through the ballroom, which still had people running around, and then into the kitchen.

"What is going on in that room?" I asked, pointing towards the ballroom. Maya was rummaging through the fridge while I peeked out of the doorway to the ballroom. There were several men carrying long boxes and setting them in the middle of the room.

"Oh, I'm glad you asked!" she exclaimed, "It's our annual Midnight Ball."

"Midnight Ball?" I asked as Maya pulled some charcuterie boards out of the large fridge.

"Yeah," she answered, "We hold it every year for all of the Kings and Queens to come and celebrate the new blood moon. It will be in about 3 weeks."

"They sure are getting everything ready early," I replied, grabbing a cracker from the box of Wheat Thins that Maya had gotten from the pantry.

"King Donovan is very peticular about everything," Maya said, rolling her eyes, "He's a perfectionist. So he makes sure that all of the contracted workers, decorators, organizers, and everything are right on schedule or ahead of schedule getting it ready. It's always grand; everyone comes from all over to attend. It's a big deal.

"We always have to be on best behavior and wear all kinds of different hats for different jobs because, to be honest, there aren't enough workers here in the castle to do everything he wants for the ball. I'm always exhausted by the end of the night and sleep for a whole day after!"

Okay, so I have to be out of here in 3 weeks.

"You said everyone comes?" I asked, stopping my chewing for a moment.

"Yeah," she answered, putting her cracker with cheese down, "Malachi will be here I'm afraid." I nodded my head and walked over to the fridge. "Is there anything in here that doesn't have blood in it?"

"Of course!" Maya answered, skipping over to the fridge, "There is some coke in the back of the fridge. You...just...gotta...dig." She yanked a coke that was stuck to the back behind a large bowl of something and handed it to me, smiling. "There you go!" I cracked the top open and took a huge drink.

Ah, heaven.

My parents did not allow me to have anything like this growing up, but I would sneak one with my father on the late nights he was working. He always spoiled me just a little.

"Do you like to read?" Maya asked, drinking some water. I nodded. "I love to read. I was thinking about digging into some of the books in my room this afternoon."

"Oh no," she replied, smiling, "We have a huge library upstairs. Here, let me take you there." She put the charcuterie board back in the fridge and the crackers back in the pantry. We took our drinks and went into the ballroom. I looked around to see that workers were hanging light purple, sheer decorations along the ceilings and windows. Greenery was being brought in as well, along with several candles and extra lighting.

We went up the right side of the staircase and then to the right down the hallway. At the end of the hallway was a spiral metal staircase leading all the way up into the top of the castle. Once we climbed those stairs we were at a red door.

"King Donovan loves to read," she said, getting out a key and unlocking the door, "And he knows I do as well so he made me a key. I'll get you one made as well as soon as I get into town tomorrow afternoon on a laundry run." Once she opened the doors, I was overwhelmed with the smell of old books. There were books on all walls with a little reading nook in the far right corner. In the nook was a chair with some pillows and blankets. There were windows above the chair that overlooked the meadow on the side of the castle.

"Oh Maya," I breathed, "This is wonderful. Thank you so much." She smiled at me. "I had to find you something to do while everyone else was busy. I'll leave you to it; the door will be cracked. Just lock it behind you when you get finished." She then left, and I stared in wonder at all of the different books lined along the walls.

I picked a French love novel to begin reading. I went to the reading corner and opened the windows to let some fresh air before I wrapped myself in a blanket and became immersed in the words.

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