The Vampire Kings Slave Mate

Chapter 41: Nikolai “And what will the council say when they hear the King has been hiding a phoenix underneath their very eyes?” Alpha Ash askedgivinga look of glee, thinking he had backedinto a corner.

| wanted nothing more than to plunge my hands into the werewolf’s chest and crush his heart, but right now in front of witness all | could do was grit my teeth. One day, very soon | would kill Alpha Ash. Not only for his act of treason towards the crown, but also because of all the pain and sorrow he had caused Mary up until now. | would make sure to prolong his death and make him feel every agonizing moment he had made Mary endure.

| felt Mary's body tense in my hold, | wasn't sure if it was because Alpha Ash was threateningor because she wanted to know what a phoenix was. | cringed inwardly, | wanted to celebrate her becoming Queen today. | wanted to lavish every part of her body, | wanted to bring her to new heights and have her cry my nin the throes of passion. But there was something else more important that | needed to do first. Something that would more than likely kill the mood. | wasn’t sure how Mary would react to hearing the twins story, but it was an important part of who she was and who she’d become.

“You can go ahead and sprout your nonsense to the council. They'll just realize that what | have been telling them for years is the truth. Alpha Ash really has lost his mind. It has been centuries since the last phoenix lived.

No one will believe you.” | growled, my eyes flashing red at the werewolf as my vampiric side tried to take hold.

He snorted at me, but didn’t say anything else as | passed.

“Nikolai, what was that about?” Mary asked once we left the gardens and | set her down.

“We can’t discuss it right now Mot Aparolehabt.” | replied, seeing the hurt look on her face | added on, “But | promise | will tell you later.” Mary smiled up at me, a look of understanding showing in her eyes, “So what now?” She asked.

“Now,” | grinned at her wiggling my eyebrows, “I will take you to my room and devour you until you're screaming my name.” Her face flushed red and | could see the desire in her eyes. She was going to be severely disappointed when we made it back to the room and realized | intended to talk to her first, much to my own disappointment. | grabbed Mary around the waist and hoisted her over my shoulder once more, wanting...no... needing to be closer to her.

It was like the Elder had said during the ceremony, our souls had merged together as one, Mary wasand | was Mary, we were joined as one. We both needed each other to survive, and for the first tin a long time, leaning on someone else didn’t seem nearly as terrifying, imaging a future with my person didn’t seem so agonizing. | was looking forward to running around the castle playing hide and seek with our children, I could imagine a little girl with curly fiery red locks like her mommy and bright cerulean eyes like her daddy and a little boy with jet black hair and green eyes, the perfect combination of the both of us. | wanted this future and so many others with her.

My entire body tensed as | thought about how Ash and his werewolves and the witches were trying to stop those futures from coming true. | knew in that moment that there was a war coming, a battle between the supernaturals and it wasn’t one that | could stop. King Nikolai and his cronies needed to die, Befana, Baba Yaga, and Circe needed to die. Without them in it, the world would soon beca more peaceful place. One where everyone was united and the groups weren't segregated. Once the wolves had new leadership and the witches weren't afraid of the three hags cursing them, it would be easier forto change laws without causing a revolt.

My first change would be to end slavery. Blood slaves would exist no more, the slave trade would be demolished.

Vampires would only be able to od that was willingly given. No species would be treated different than the other. It was my hope that with Mary by my side, that the humans would be able to trust the law changes and to lean on the kingdom for support in transitioning with these changes.

“Nikolai, what's wrong?” Mary asked, running her hands through my hair.

“Nothing, Moa koposeba My Queen. | was just thinking about the future.” | replied.

“You seem distracted.” Mary stated as | opened the door to my chambers and walked us inside, carrying her over the threshold before setting her down in front of me.

“What is it Nikolai?” Mary asked cupping my cheek in her hand a look of concern on her face, “Is it what happened with our blood during the ceremony? | was hoping it was normal, but then everyone started gasping and you were staring at it intensely and...Oh.” She was babbling on, she often did that when she was anxious and | wanted to remove all the stress from her life, | leaned down and pulled her into my arms, before bringing my lips down to hers and kissing her tenderly.

“I love you Mary.” | whispered as | pulled my mouth from hers gazing down upon her tenderly.

“I love you too Nikolai, but you're really starting to worry me, what happened to my big mean vampire?” She smiled atjokingly.

“He met a fierce pig headed red haired female, who turned him into a big soft teddy bear.” | replied as | walked to the bed taking a seat and pulling her between my legs.

“Well I guess | can’t complain to much then. At least your aren’t a wolf.” She shudders jokingly.

We laugh together for a few minutes, just enjoying this moment of peace between the two of us before Mary breaks the silence, “So what happened with our blood during the ceremony?” “It confirmed a suspicion that the twins had.” | reply.

“The twins, like Draq and Dru? What suspicion did they have and what did it have to do with our ceremony?” Mary asked.

“It had nothing to do with our ceremony but everything to do with you.” And then | told Mary the tale that Draq and Dru had relayed tothis morning, about how she had met the twin seers when she was just a child herself and how Dru had brought her family back to life because a spirit guide had told him to do so.

“So my family’s death, it was always written in the stores, they just survived longer than what was originally planned.” Mary responded, sadness in her eyes.

“Either way, they should not have died Mary, and | will punish all those that had anything to do with their demise. | promise you.” | promised her, | wanted to wrap her in my arms and take all of her grief away, but | knew that she needed tto process this information and that grief is an important step in the healing process.

“Why did | survive that night?” Mary asked, “Why didn’t the house collapsing killtoo?” “Draq thinks you did die. He thinks you, yourself are a phoenix or that you have a phoenix spirit inside of you, he thinks that you were revived which is the reason the wolves didn’t find you during the massacre and how the twins were able to find you afterwards. If the wolves had heard you crying they would've either killed you or taken you with them, children go for a high price in the slave trade as they're still quick learners.” Mary grimaced at my mentioning of children blood slaves and for a moment it looked like she was going to hurl, but she took a deep breath before continuing, “And how did our ceremony prove that | am a phoenix?” “It proved that you at least have the spirit of a phoenix inside of you. When our blood mixed together it should have mixed throughly, and then when thrown at us, it should have coated us both with blood allowing our bodies to seek nourishment from our essence combining as one. But instead it performed a dance of sorts as you saw.

The reason our blood didn’t unite as one is because | am my father’s son and you hold the spirit of the Phoenix that he slayed.” “And it was determined that | have the spirit of said phoenix because the fire that was intertwined with my blood?” Mary asked one of her eyebrows shooting upward.

“You're very observant My Queen.” | smiled at her, even though the situation wasn’t that of a joking matter at all. Mary's life was in grave danger, especially if the council believed Ash.

“And what Ash said about informing the council, Phoenixes fought for the humans, so that makesyour enemy?” Mary asked worry now coating her beautiful features.

“You could never be my enemy Mary, you're my Queen and my mate. And if people are against you because you share blood with a Phoenix, then they're againstand my crown as well. Relax for once in your life Mor Aparoyehhb, you finally have people watching your back, you aren’t alone anymore.” | whispered into Mary's ear as | pulled her into my lap, holding her body tightly against mine.