All Chapters of RISEN: THE LYCAN PRINCESS: Chapter 201 - Chapter 210

Angelo Maddox and I were led to the servant quarters to wait for Zane. Maddox immediately asked for the restroom, as an opportunity to check the area around. While I kept the servants engaged and distracted, he might be able to scurry away and make some recon. I was surprised to see how the vampire servants were treated. The conditions were not ideal for any supernatural being, and the vampire servants were these frail creatures being abused by those in charge. I was surprised that King Sergei would let others abuse people in such a way.“Would you want a glass of water?” A frail female vampire asked.“Yes, please, you can point the way, and I can't help myself,” I said, and she looked at me as if I had explained rocket science.“Sire, I am here to serve… that is my punishment,” she said, lowering her gaze.“Punishment? Isn't this a job?” I asked, and she shook her head.&n

Zane The meeting was revealing to say the least. On the surface, the vampire realm appears to be a well-oiled, functioning machine; beneath the surface, it is a tyranny, one that must be stopped if we don't want the people to rebel against the crown. The meeting ended an hour too late, meaning I arrived home quite late. I opened the door and, as quietly as possible, slipped into our apartment. Asteria was already sleeping, cuddled on her side of the bed, holding my pillow. I knew this whole thing would be something we should get used to, but seeing her like that, frail and clinging to anything that would close the distance between us. I quickly changed into sweats and slipped into bed, cuddling her into me. “Zane?” she sighed in her sleep.“Yeah, sorry I am late,” I whispered in her ear, and she sighed. I kissed her temple, and I saw how she released the pillow and relaxed. 

Maddox Zane sent me with Vladimir, and I followed. I needed to see how this realm is holding on, because honestly, I can't figure out how Sergie has kept all of this shit running. He is a bastard who has a harem, one who is making his mate suffer, and then I see people around lazily walking, eating, chatting comfortably… This has to do with someone doing something, and I have the slight idea that Vladimir will be the one revealing that secret. “Come on, Maddox,” he said, and I nodded. He walked down the stairs and out of the castle.“Where are we going?” I asked, and he took a deep breath.“We are going to the training grounds,” he said,“Great, I love good training sessions,” I smirked, and he chuckled.“Well, yeah, but our military is getting old, and the new vampires are refusing to engage…” he said, and I raised my eyebrows. 

Zane We finally made our way back to Centra City. We decided to take the portal straight into the barracks; it was our safest choice without Angelo around, and it was convenient due to the meeting Maddox asked me to have with everyone. When he said to everyone, I thought he meant Matei and his close circle of friends, but he shook his head. “No, we need the other guys too…” He was so serious that I nodded and complied with his request. “Maddox, you are scaring the shit out of me,” I sighed, because he was so serious. He was not the guy I had met years before in the lab, and he was not the usual high-spirited goofball I was used to dealing with. Maddox was an assistant coach of a junior league team. He has the energy levels of the five-year-old he coaches, but tonight he looked older, grounded; it was as if this trip to the Vampire realm made him age almost fifteen years in a finger snap.

Maddox We left the vampire realm, all three of us with a distinctive unease.“Are we going to talk about this?” I looked at Stephan and Cadmus,“No, not here at least,” Stephan said, and I nodded. We were already in the barracks, and if we couldn't discuss things here, then where? “Shall we call Zane?” I asked, and they shook their heads. I was confused. They wanted to keep Zane in the dark about this? “Why not?” I asked, and Stephan locked his eyes with mine.“Because… I am a fucking demon tracker… and I need to regroup and think about why all of this is happening,” Stephan's eyes glowed, and I took a step back. He was on edge, and whatever his demon perceived was serious. “Alright, no Zane, but I need to fucking know. He is my br