Chapter 18

Jezzebelle could not believe what she had just heard. The King just mowed over any possibility of her just having simple freedom. She now had to fight for it. She stood there like a deer caught in headlights, her mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for oxygen.

Her father noticed and started to growl, knowing full well he could not protect her from this. Even though he gave the King the right to watch over her, he still was not ready to let his baby go. Especially to a very old vampire with a nasty reputation of blowing his head all over the place. Not that he did not have the same problem but he learned to be patient with his daughters.

Lazarus tilted his head he saw that his eldest was thinking of something, her eye's held that certain color that told him she was thinking of a counter move. Belle in her mind was thinking of another way. Anything Head or Higher was scary. Most of all those in the Council were above five hundred years old. A thought then clicked in and she thought she had the better plan on getting out of this mess.

"I will accept only on this term, if I lose it will not be Head or Higher...." Lazarus had been moving back to his chair when his daughter had spoken out. He stopped knowing full well what was going to happen, it caused a dreadful knot in his stomach.

"I will only agree if it is a High Council Member or Higher!"

Turning slowly around, Lazarus looked at her shocked. Oh god she does not realized the King had set that trap and she fell fast! Zacharie who was a few seats down, clasped his hands together and smiled. The child had fallen straight into the trap that was set for her.

Zephyr smiled, showing a little bit of his fangs, his blue eyes electrified making them look a lot lighter. He was enjoying this. He did notice Lazarus was uneasy so he sent him reassurance. "Lazarus, I give you my promise. I will insure she is treated respectfully. I will never strike or get angry with her. I adore her more than anything in this world." Zephyr locked eyes with Jezzebelle and smirked some more.

"Deal."

She did not know why but her heart was racing. She did not know why she found this thrilling because the King never shows favor to anyone yet here he was flirting and offering deals to her. Almost made her wonder what was going on. Amelie and Gabrielle, who were children when made into vampires looked at each other, wondering what was going on. This was not like The King to just end up start flirting.

Cassius and Bryon cleared the matt, Cassius handed his practice stick to The King, smiling as he did it. Bryon pouted to Belle. "I was having fun. No fair." Zephyr gave him a scolding look. "Too bad either go sit in your chair or go stand by mine." Bryon scowled at him and went over to his throne and sat down which was more of a plop. He was grumbling something underneath his breath. Taking her practice stick she went to the middle of the matt, where Zephyr was standing. She felt a little confused and uneasy, she wanted to know why this was happening. It almost felt like The King was flirting with her almost.

Placing herself in front of him, she stood there and studied him. How the heck am I going to defeat him. He is just as powerful as dad. I hope I do not end up with broken bones. Sighing Lazarus got off his chair and walked to the matt. He looked from Zephyr then to his eldest. Holding up his hand, he then brought it down to give them the signal.

Zephyr rushed at a great speed that Belle almost did not see him. Using her second sense, she was able to dodge out of the way. Zeph had payed close attention to her all day that he knew what she was going to do. When she dodged his moves he then swiped at her making her practice stick leave her hand and fly off the matt. He then at a great speed, went behind her and locked her into his arms.

Oh so he wants to play dirty. She snickered in her mind and then proceeded to move her left ankle behind his and twisted her lower body. It caught Zeph by surprise as he went tumbling to the floor. When he hit with a thump, Belle climbed his upper part of his chest and their eyes were leveled. She had grabbed his practice stick, while on top of him. Her legs were locked underneath him, as she began to try to wrestle with him. Zephyr's eyes turned into a beautiful dark blue hue indicating he was liking this idea to the max. As she continued to try and get the King to release his practice stick, she realized that something was shifting between her legs. Oh my god. Please tell me that is not what I think that is. Her mind was so lost that she had forgotten about the challenge set forth against her. Jezzebelle could feel heat creeping up to her cheeks.

Zephyr was very much smiling up at her, his eyes darkened at a thought he never knew existed. Now your mine. Belle was so caught up with his mood change that she did not catch what he was going to do. He pushed upwards with his stick and he switched positions.

Flipping her to where she was now on the bottom and he was on the top. Belle's eyes got really wide because she could feel every outline of him. The friction between them was growing to the point they were both breathing hard. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and dove his nose into her neck.

"Do you concede Jezzebelle? Or must we continue this charade?"

He rubbed his thumb down her cheek. She jerked her face away, knowing she would not be able to defeat him at least not today. "Yeah I guess, I really do not have a choice. I just do not like being bullied into having to be forced into an arranged marriage. I do want some of my freedom. 

Snorting at her comment, rolled off of her. The moment he got to his feet he held out his hand to help her up. When she got up, she forced herself not to look down as she knew what her eyes would find. But curiosity always killed the cat, she ended with her eyes down. 

Oh boy, now that’s a first time I have ever seen him that way. The King was smiling for he knew exactly what she was looking at. "Eyes up please." She looked up at him and then the whispers started amongst the Council Members. Zephyr handed his practice stick to Cassius and started up the dais to his throne. Cassius and Bryon who got out of his chair looked at each other. Then without warning they smirked at each other and shot a glance at Belle. They both at the same time held up two thumbs up. Belle's face went blank as she stared at the Ancients. "I am going to kill those two!" Raja who had went back to his throne, burst out in laughter. He did it so loud that he disrupted a few others including his wife around him.

Lilabet shook her head and then slapped him behind his head. Zephyr's face was blank but his eye's held a mischief look like he was about to make her day a living hell.

"In two day's time, you will learn who you will be arranged to marry. You will go through with it otherwise it is High Treason. Do you understand me Ma Belle?"