The King And Queen's Anger

Esther

I watch as the car drives off, a strange feeling of emptiness creeping up on me. I sink into the rock on the Carnegie beach, the breeze fanning my face.

I tilt my head up to stare at the large, cold and lonely castle I call home perched on top of the mountain.

‘Jane, please come to the beach, and bring me something to wear,’ I send Jane a telepathy.

‘I’m on it,’ she responds and within two minutes, she appears in front of me holding a coat.

“Esther, what happened?” Jane, my sister, asks, looking concerned. “Your request to bring something to wear surprised me. Are you cold?” She asks sarcastically.

“I'm very cold,” I fake a shiver, prompting both of us to both laugh. "Thank you for bringing it anyway," I put on the coat.

"Whose T-shirt is that? Where were you? Charles was worried sick about you.”

“That asshole! You know he was faking it. I decided to go for a drive and I found myself at a werewolf territory.”

I tell her everything from the moment Charles gave me my 'meal' to the moment I met the werewolves and when I finish the part about Dominic, her jaw is on the floor.

“You are crying.”

“I am?” I sniffle. I dab my cheeks with my index fingers, and I find them wet. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone. I'm crazy, right?”

“But you know how dangerous he is. He killed too many vampires. Whatever he injected you with was probably supposed to kill you. You know that, and if he kills you, it's over for vampires. You are our only hope.”

“I know,” I sigh.

Jane eyes me suspiciously.

"Don't look at me like that, Jane. I know my duty."

“You need to do this, Esther. Do it for your family, and perhaps you will also get back to your parents’ good books. Eternity is a very long time for you to be fighting your parents and all other species, and nothing good is ever going to come out of this. And if by some miracle you two fall in love, think about the consequences...”

“I know!” I interject. "I will kill him, okay? I just need to find a way to kill him. Like I said, the silver didn’t weaken him.”

“Probably because he’s a Lycan. I guess you can talk to Uncle about that.”

“What do I say? I had sex with our biggest threat and enemy.”

She chuckles. “No, leave that detail out. You are going to be fine." She brushes my arm. "You’ll forget about him, just think about your duty. Right now, you are probably sad because of the good sex.”

I nod, my heart disagreeing wholeheartedly.

"Esther?" Her eyes widen. "No! I know that look."

"What if he is my mate?"

"There’s no way! You know that vampires don't have mates."

"Lycans have mates. I might be his mate."

"It has never happened before, it will never happen." She protests.

"I was just teasing you. You should’ve seen your face." I manage to force a laughter, and she laughs too.

"Really?" My mother's voice chimes in. How did we not smell her scent or hear her movements?

"Mother?" I chuckle nervously. "How long have you been here?"

"We have been worried sick about you while you were out there opening your legs for a Lycan?" She says with a grimace. "Seriously, Esther, how many times do you want to destroy our kingdom? If you put us in danger again, I'm not bailing you out this time."

"I..." I falter, not knowing what to say.

"You are getting married tomorrow, for Christ's sake. Get it together. It was just sex, okay? You two can never be together!"

I nod. "I'm trying to make up for what I did all those years ago. I promise."

"Really? How are you trying to make up?" She glares at me.

"By doing my duty and marrying Charles. I know my duty, mother. Dominic was just..."

"Don't! Don't ever mention that name," she holds her hand up. "You know your duty, yet it slips your mind whenever it suits you. You selfish girl!"

"I'm sorry that I'm your daughter," my voice is a little shaky. "I know how you wish Jane was your biological daughter instead of me."

"That's not true, Esther." Jane puts her arm around me.

"It is true. I'm the worst. Mom didn't marry for love, and you didn’t marry for love. You have good heads on your shoulders and more sense than me. My love is what turned us into vampires."

"You should stop blaming yourself, Esther, it's been more than 300 years. It's not okay." Jane's attention shifts to my mother. "Aunt, please tell her how much you love her. You two used to be close when you were human. Does she have to carry this guilt for eternity?"

"Are you two done?" My mother purses her lips. "Your father is waiting for you, and he is not happy."

'Were we really close?' I ask Jane telepathically as we walk to the castle.

'No one could ever separate you two.'

'I wish I still had my human memories,' I tear trickles down my cheek.

'You are going to be fine,' she gives me a comforting smile before walking away. Leaving me to my parents.

"How could you do this?" My father roars as soon as the doors open. "Your fiancé is worried about you, we were all worried about you. And you said you'd be here in 20 minutes. Where were you?"

"I went for a run," I try to sound unbothered, but I'm terrified of my father.

"We sent you to the Du Pont Forest to bond with your fiancé and to get to know the coven, but you decided to disappear. If you didn't show up for your wedding for tomorrow, I would've disowned you."

I know.

“You were out when you were supposed to be with your fiancé. Are you insane? Tell him you are okay, he has been looking for you. The poor soul sounded so heartbroken.”

“Father, you are exaggerating, don't I deserve some freedom? I wasn't in prison at the Du Pont Forest.”

“See? We have failed!” He gazes at the queen.

“Esther, just keep quiet.” My mom purses her lips. “You shouldn’t have done this on the night before your wedding!”

“I thought you were going to humiliate me again.” My dad shakes his head walking around the throne room.

“You shouldn’t forget that we are in this mess because of you and your recklessness. But guess what, we are still doing this for you. We chose Charles as a husband for you to rule all of the vampire kingdoms.”

“Your father is right, we are doing this for you. You seem to forget that Charles is from the family of the first vampires." My mother points out.

“How could I forget?” I mumble and regret it the moment I see my father's eyes go wild.

“Will you please stop being so stubborn? Just do as you are told, for once.” The king growls.

“Of course, your Highnesses.” I nod.

“Are you mocking us?” He clenches his jaw.

"Lets go, my love." She tugs her arm in his. "You know Esther. Let's just let her have this moment to herself while she thinks about the wedding."

"I will drag you to that altar if I have to," my father grumbles as they walk out.