Rejected By My Mate, Chosen By Fate
Chapter 68

The Vampires approached us and as they did, it was clear from their clothes that they were royal guards. Kayden and I exchanged glances and we communicated with our eyes.

It was obvious from their expression that we were going to be punished and I couldn’t let that happen, I couldn’t let Kayden be captured and locked up with me or else, we would fail this mission even before it starts.

Kayden understood my plight and he knew what to do. His eyes told me that he was going to take to his heels any minute and I nodded a yes.

The Vampires were only a few meters away when Kayden bolted away while I stayed glued to the spot. It took a minute or two for the vampires to decipher the situation and understand what was going on.

“Go after him, don’t let him escape. When you do catch him, teach him a lesson before bringing him to the castle. Keep him alive, but only barely. I’ll personally enjoy torturing him.” One of the vampires shouted to two others who immediately went after Kayden.

My heart began beating wildly against my ribcage. How could they do something so brutal? He hadn’t even done anything wrong yet, he had only run away and how were we supposed to know that there was even curfew? Voithós is the only one responsible for this but I don’t have time to play the blame game. All I can think about right now is Kayden and his safety.

“Good luck Kayden, please be safe.” I mouthed soundlessly lest they pick up on the sound and start suspecting me too. I only hope Kayden can escape them somehow.

I sincerely hope that he won’t be caught or injured. Oh goddess Selene, please protect my dear Kayden.

You were the one who brought us here to do this task so you must protect us. Protect Kayden and keep him safe or I’ll lose all faith in you.

The thoughts barely leave my mind when the Vampire who is obviously the leader finally approaches me.

Though it’s night and quite hard to see with only the light of the moon, my eyes don’t fail to catch sight of his sharp features.

Eyes the color of amber and long eyelashes that accentuate his double eyelids, he has a straight nose at the angle of perfection, he has thick lips that almost seem too pink and he’s the color of milk. So the rumours are true, vampires are unrealistically beautiful.

“Are you done?” His sharp baritone cuts off my inspection. “Huh?” I questioned, confused. “Are you done checking me out?” He questioned, his expression grim and I looked down, trying to hide my face as a huge blush appeared on my cheeks against my will.

“If you’re done checking me out, you’re going to have to tell me what you and your friend who ran away are still doing out past curfew…….” He said and paused as if suddenly noticing something.

“You’re human.” He stated and I neither said nor thought anything due to the fear that if I speak within my mind like I casually do, he’ll read my mind and that would be detrimental.

Though it’ll be hard not to talk to myself, I’ll just have to adjust if I want to stay alive.

“Why are you out at this time? Who is your master? Were you trying to escape?” He questioned, shocking me.

That only means there are humans here but they are slaves to the Vampires and this makes me immediately remember Voithós’s words.

“Are you mute? Speak up!” He yelled at me and the next thing I received was a thunderous slap that sent me to the floor, leaving me dazed. I saw stars for a few minutes before my vision cleared. My cheek stung continuously and I realized that my l*p was busted when I tasted b***d. Are Vampires really this violent? How am I supposed to survive long enough to unite two forbidden lovers when I’m being treated like this for virtually nothing.

Hands suddenly wrap around me and lift me up as if I weighed nothing and my eyes met with his once more and I could see the danger that they held.

I’ve been so eager to speak all my life so why is it that now that I finally have the opportunity, I find it so difficult to speak up in their presence, even when it could save my life?

Speak up Evelyn, talk. I heard my mind yell at me.

“I’ll ask you for one last time, what are you doing out here at this time, human? You’d better tell me the truth or I’ll……..” He began threatening but I didn’t even let him finish before I spoke up, even managing to burst into tears due to fear.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you and I promise that I have no bad intentions. I’m lost and I didn’t know there was a curfew here. I’m so sorry, please don’t kill me.” I pleaded, the words the only thing managing to come to my mind in that instant. His expression didn’t soften and neither did his eyes show any remorse but he loosened his grip on me just a little bit and I knew that I definitely wasn’t out of the woods yet.

“So you’re saying you’re not from here?” He questioned but it sounded more like a statement but I still nodded anyway, fearing that I would stutter or say something I wasn’t supposed to and give myself away if I spoke.

“Do you know who we are?” He questioned, referring to himself and the two other Vampires behind him.

“No.” I said and shook my head. “You’d better hope you’re not lying to me, human, for your own sake or you’ll beg to be killed.” He threatened with a sneer, his fangs showing for the first time since his speech and it caused me to shiver.

It’s obvious, this is no dream or vision. This is reality, a petrifying reality. I’m trapped in the Vampire world with only a small chance of survival but no matter how little the chance of surviving is, I’ll take it and make sure that I live and finish this task no matter what. I must stay alive for Neveah, I have to take care of her.

“I’m not lying. My friend and I were kidnapped and brought here. We were trying to escape from our captor when we got lost. It’s late and the streets are dark, in our bid to escape, we got lost and found ourselves here.

We saw no one so we didn’t know there was any curfew. I don’t know who you are but I know that you must be very important and I want to apologise.

I am so sorry if we have offended you by coming here. Please forgive us and have mercy on us, please don’t harm my friend.

He’s like family to me and I don’t know what I’d do if anything were to happen to him. I’m sure he didn’t mean to disrespect you by running away, he must have just been very scared.” I pleaded like a child and I don’t know how on Earth I was able to pull it off but I sounded so convincing that I almost started to believe it myself.

Where and when did I learn to lie like that? I quickly dismissed the thought, not letting it settle for a second just in case this Vampire tried to read me.

“Ptff. Pitiful little creature.” He spat and stared at me disdainfully and my fists tightened beside me and my jaw clenched but I was quick enough to make sure that my anger wouldn’t display on my face. I looked down instead and bit on my l*p softly.

“We should just kill her, she doesn’t seem to be of any use. She’s an intruder, she doesn’t have any master and I don’t trust her, she could be a spy or else, why would her bosom ‘friend’ who she claims to care about so much just run off and abandon her just like a coward? I’m pretty sure that they’re spies and the guy was trying to escape after figuring out that we’d caught them.” One of the other two vampires behind him accused me and it took me all my self control not to glare at him.

I should really control my anger while here, I’m completely powerless and one single mistake, the smallest slip up could get me killed.

The leader’s expression remained blank as if thinking about what the other vampire had said and I instantly saw my chance to somehow get out of this.

He was still holding on to me but his grip was light and it would be very easy to slip out and take off but it’s obvious that doing that would simply be making a death wish as it would just prove that I was guilty and they’d easily capture and kill me, I took the other alternative instead.

I sashayed out of his grip and quickly lunged at his leg and held on to it tight. I broke into tears again. “Please sir, please don’t kill me. I’m so sorry for coming here but it really wasn’t my fault, I promise.

Please don’t kill me, if you spare my life, I promise that I’ll do anything you ask, anything at all.

I’ll do anything but just spare my life, please don’t kill me. I’m too young to die.” I pleaded, still clutching his leg in my hand.

“Let go of me, now.” He ordered but I didn’t let go. “Please don’t kill me, please.” I kept pleading.

“Sir Carter, should we get rid of her?” That annoying one asked. So that’s his name, Carter.

“No, let it be.” He said with a wave of the hand and bent down to my level. He forcefully grabbed my jaw and forced me to look him in the eye once more.

“I’ll have to admit, though pitiful, she is a pretty little thing and it’ll be a shame to kill her just like that.” He said and I released a sigh, happy that I was at least safe but his next line of words left me with mixed feelings.

“We won’t kill her, we’ll take her to his Majesty, only he will decide what to do with her. I wonder what her b***d will taste like.” Carter said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and a half smile and a shiver ran down my spine at his last words.

They’re taking me to the Vampire King, King Cassius Von Drago. The one who I’m supposed to help fall in love with his mate, Lucia. Had Voithós left me in this situation deliberately?

Had he done it just so I would be able to get to the palace as soon as possible?

Realizing that only he could have thought up something so twisted, I didn’t know if to thank or curse him.

It is true that being taken to the palace and meeting King Cassius would be a big leap in accomplishing my task but what is the guarantee that any of this will end well for me? If I hadn’t just handled the situation with care just a few minutes ago, I’m sure that I’d be dead by now.

“Please, please don’t kill me. Please spare my life.” I pleaded once more. “Shut up wench.” Carter ordered and pulled at my hair, reminding me all too well of Zephyr.

“In case you didn’t know, we’re vampires and we’re anything but merciful to human scum. We hold the power of life and death and if you do not behave like a good little pet, you’ll lose your life. Now you’ll quietly come with us and don’t make a fuss or I’ll have to teach you some manners before we reach the castle.” Carter said with a big grin and finally let go of my hair, patting it as if I’m a little kitten.

“Yes.” I answered, playing along. I only have to bear this humiliation for a little while longer, I’ll have to come up with a plan once I reach the castle. I’ll have to win King Cassius’s trust at all costs but how can I win the trust of a cold hearted Vampire king?

“Cuff her.” Carter ordered and just like the flash of light, I realized that my hands were cuffed to a long chain. I blinked repeatedly trying to understand how they could have done it. Fast was an understatement, they’re like the wind.

“Drag her along, we don’t have much time. It will be dawn soon and we have a lot to do.” Carter ordered and the mean vampire smirked as he held the chain of my handcuffs and dragged me along like an animal.

I bite on my bottom l*p once more, trying my best not to cry. This is all part of the test, no one said it was going to be easy but I agreed to it anyway so I have to bear all of this and do my best to emerge victorious. I have to preserve just like I did when I was in slavery in my pack. This is for a good cause.

I close my eyes briefly and take a deep breath as the mean Vampire pulls on my chains harder, causing them to rub violently against my skin and injure me but I say nothing, biting down on my tongue to hold my scream of pain.

This is nothing compared to what I’ve had to face, I can bear it but my heart cannot stop beating wildly and my mind cannot stop racing as I think of Kayden, I only hope he was able to escape and he’s safe now……….