All Chapters of Bloodbound: A Consort For The Vampire: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

122 Chapters

~Five Years After.~

Caius' POV How long does it take before an appearance becomes obsolete? Whether beautiful, ghastly, or somewhere in between, there comes a time when the brain becomes accustomed to an appearance. With humans, a quality appearance is an indispensable asset, when circumstances allow for such a thing to be prioritized. The image of ‘perfection’ continues to evolve over centuries, aligning to whatever ideals are spoon-fed by the socialite influencers of their time. People strive to attain it, to modify their appearance to either ‘fit’ the mold of beauty, or to make a statement to defy it entirely. It is why I believe humans are bizarrely obsessed with mirrors. In their defense, whether through time, disease, or self-imposed modifications, a copious amount of change occurs in a single lifespan. Each day their appearance changes slightly, and over time, drastically. For an immortal, however, we become desensitized to our own appearance. It never changes. I do not remember the la

~You Want A Vampire King?~

A collection of clouds looms overhead, blanketing the sky in a morose canvas of gray. Moisture builds within them. They bloat and distend from the pressure, slumping closer to earth with a windy sigh of defeat. The air is thick with heat and holds its breath in anticipation of the storms to come. Lightening flickers like a pulse of the sky. Each beat grows in strength, stretching its fingers closer, closer. The moment before a thunderstorm holds the promise for change. There’s electricity in the air, and it’s as if Fate itself is ready for a change. “Mr. Consulate is looking for you, Mr. Secondary.” I still at the familiar voice. After years of being cooped up in this fortress, I believed I would earn the right to privacy. However, time doesn’t seem to play a factor. The intruder takes his place beside me, leaving the proper distance between us to respect the differences in our species and subsequent, societal ranking. “When it’s just us,” I say quietly. “Please address me by

~I Hate The Demon Like Being.~

Kieran's POV Klaus’ gaze follows the winding path of cobblestone, squinting as it disappears behind the blockade of lush foliage. Most would choose something a bit more practical to separate themselves from the world - cement walls, bricks, or even a mote, perhaps. Mr. Consulate was purposeful in his selection of protection, though. It needed to have the appearance of seclusion without separation. We couldn’t appear to be shutting out the rest of the world, after all. Besides, creating a wall of armor implies we have something to fear. Something or someone to be protected from. All of these silent messages share a single commonality - vulnerability in the form of weakness. And that, I have learned, is a particular quality Mr. Consulate undoubtedly abhors. No, he will never admit he needs protection; however, he has no qualms in advocating for my protection. Everything is attributed on my behalf, everything from the excessive number of guards, the remote location, and even my

~I Am Coming Kieran.~

Caius' POV Bonnie steps over the threshold, minding the ends of her skirt as she walks across the uneven floorboards. The same golden bracelet fashioned by Secondaries in the market dangles from her wrist, hugging her slender bones just enough to keep from slipping off. Bella and Beau exchange a look. Surprise, maybe. Despite Bella's initial greeting, it would seem they were not expecting Bonnie, but someone else entirely. She is a risk to them, after all. They have put themselves into a precarious situation. Being under the same roof as a well-known Secondary and a rotting vampire does not bode well to reassure something as fragile as mortality. “I trust you had smooth travels?” Bella asks, but there is a cautious apprehension in her tenor. She wants to understand the cause of Bonnie’s presence here. However, ever the composed hostess, she gestures Bonnie towards the living room and Beau stands, silently offering up his seat should that be her preference. H

~Who Did This To You?~

Kieran’s POV Golden banners line the entrance of the three-story mansion. A dazzling red cloth is stitched into their borders, and they shimmer beneath the sunlight. They cave to the pressure of the wind, curling and rolling like a fabric frame.“I haven’t seen the red color before,” I note aloud.Klaus follows my gaze. “Nor I. It’s not likely Mr. Consulate will take kindly to the deviation.”“You think he’ll view it as a sign of disrespect?”Klaus hoists our luggage from the vehicle, but his eyes never stray from the beautiful, taunting ribbons of peril. Their movements give the illusion of slender fingers, beckoning us closer before sliding around our torsos like a snake to its prey.“The original Secondary fortress was lit with torches,” Klaus muses quietly. “No sunlight. Only flames. It’s rumored that Mr. Consulate chose gold as his royal color to signify the Secondaries once again uniting with daylight. To walk amongst humankind beneath the sun. The red color makes it look like

~ A Hooded Figure In The Crowd.~

Kieran’s POV Mr. Consulate adjusts his vest, sweeping his fingers along the thick material embroidered in swirling patterns of gold. A Secondary bracelet dangles from his wrist, shimmering and flickering its dazzling shades of silver as he fusses over his appearance.“This is a big day for us, Kieran,” he says, eyeing me in the mirror. “Being able to announce and celebrate our union with our entire kingdom.”His pointed features cast shadows beneath his dark hair and sharp, light eyes. I imagine there are a great number who appreciate his appearance. Regal, handsome, and confident.I spare a glance to my own reflection from behind him. A slender stature and pale face stare back at me, illuminated beneath the dim lighting. Their masculine features remain unresponsive to Mr. consulate’s excitement, save for the slight tensing of a pronounced jawline.I blink and run a hand through the thick strands of hair that have been styled to the side. My tunic and vest match Mr. Consulate’s.

~Kill Them All.~

Kieran’s POV My mind continues to drift. It’s as if each of my thoughts are splinters of wood floating across the ocean’s surface, each of them being pulled to the heavy current that begins and ends with the hooded man. I pick apart the vivid memory, memorizing each of his features as best I can. Even with my immortal abilities, I know I’m not immune to the fragility of a moment captured in the mind’s eye. As time evolves, memories twist and contort, shaping themselves to suit the needs of the minds they serve.I want to preserve this one as best I can to preserve him as best I can.Mr. Consulate leads us through the small market, delivering on the promise he made at the conclusion of his speech. Hope bled from the eyes of Secondaries and Humans alike as he spoke of peace and a new world. A better world. They believe this is an honor to have his presence in a place where they create and maintain their livelihoods. I see this stroll for what it really is, an opportunity to indu

~We Have A Problem.~

Caius’ POV Beau nibbles at the keratin of his fingernail. He bites off a sliver and spits it to the side. The nail particulate embeds itself into the muddy floor beneath our feet. It is a grotesque process as his nervous gaze twitches to cover all possible angles. The trees, the brush, the road. A cloud of angst follows his movements, a shadow of emotion to mirror his every step.“It shouldn’t be taking this long,” he mutters. “We should have heard something by now.”Bella’s features pinch with worry. Rather than pace with her human counterpart, she remains at my side.“Lady Mary walked us through the plan,” she soothes, using Bonnie’s code name. “This was the only portion she couldn’t pin-point with a specific time. She didn’t know how long it would take for Mr. Secondary…”“Kieran,” I correct icily.Beau flashes me a warning glare. Perhaps the only thing worse than hearing Kieran’s title alongside Caspian’s is seeing him alongside Mr. Consulate.“Kieran,” Bella corrects with a gu

~The Hooded Man.~

In the speck of time that follows the vampire’s command, the world blurs. Within me, the withering ribbons of humanity shudder, curling in on themselves to make way for an unfamiliar, heavy darkness. It seeps through my being, blotting out my consciousness like overzealous ink to parchment. Whether it’s the threat in and of itself, or the threat to the safety of Klaus and myself, it triggers the half me which Mr. Consulate refers to as ‘the demon.’ I become a monster. There’s no anger. No fury. There’s no emotion. It’s merely a primal instinct to fight the threat. To win and conquer. I lower to my haunches, hissing and mentally capturing the movements of our enemies. The Secondary guards raise their weapons, poised for attack. Klaus lets out a labored breath beside me. Despite years of training, he is the weaker species. No amount of training could equip him for this type of battlefield. A battlefield where the enemy is a species I was told was extinct. Klaus attempts to mo

~They Meet Finally~

Caius’ POV Raymond kicks his muddied boots onto Bella’s coffee table. The movement snags the table runner, and one of her intricate, homemade baubles tumbles to the floor. I catch it just before it shatters, gently securing it against my palm. Bella loosens a breath when I hand the ornament back to her. “Thank you,” she sighs softly. “This is a family heirloom, you know. Passed down generation after generation. It’s one of the only things I packed for sentimental value when the vampires attacked our town.” She opens her palm to show me. It’s a purple trinket, delicately painted with flecks of silver and gold. She tilts it from side to side, and the colors transform. Names shimmer beneath the surface of purple glass, only visible when the light hits it just right. “My mom had it made for us,” she explains. “It has the names of each member of my family. Me, my two brothers, my mom, and my dad. At the time we teased her for it. Why get such a thing made? We all knew our names.” H

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