Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
It was creepy as hell.
The moss and moisture of the marshlands squelched beneath my boots, and I grimaced at the sound.
It smelled awful too, one that made my nose tingle and my eyes water.
Death, it smelled like death.
“The humans really come here?” I asked.
Mom shook her head, “No. We usually meet the vampires. I don’t think I could convince them to come here,” she shuddered.
I nodded in agreement.
The castle on its own was a dark beauty that had a seductive kind of lure about it, but the marshlands stole that all away.
Especially the bats. I could hear them squawking and squealing nearby, watching us. It was unnerving, but I was guessing that was the point.
The back of the castle was lined by forest, and I knew that was where Kai and I had escaped. It had a slight hill, and I remember us rolling on it once we had jumped.
I shuddered at the memory and clutched Brax tighter.
We made it to the bridge where two vampires met us, their eyes glowing red.
They both held a flaming torch with a red flame.
Both had slicked-back hair with pale skin.
They were dressed in black clothes: a three-piece outfit with a waistcoat of black swirling patterns, a gray shirt, and black breeches.
“Please shift before entering,” the left one said.
Galen and Brax hesitated.
The right one spoke, “Lucien apologizes for the request, but the vampires feel safer without the wolves in their home and around their young in their strongest form,” he explained.
Brax sighed and nodded at Galen.
They both shifted.
I hurried to give Brax his clothing out of my satchel as my mother did the same for Galen.
They dressed and the two guards allowed us to cross the bridge.
Lucien met us at the strong black door that opened up on our arrival.
It was a grated door with solid black bars crisscrossing and made a clanking sound as it rose.
“It is a surprise to see you in these parts, friends. We do have some things to discuss, I assume?” he said.
I nodded, “Our links have broken down, we couldn’t communicate with you,” I explained.
He nodded, “I came to this realization. Come, let’s talk inside,” he said, then led us through a gray stone courtyard.
There was a huge stone gargoyle on either side of the next entrance and I swore I saw it move.
The middle of the courtyard had a fountain that poured black water through it.
“The water is black?” I questioned Lucien.
“Is it? Or is it because it is dark?” He raised a brow with a smile.
I didn’t know.
Vampires stood at each pillar around the courtyard and eyed us as we went through the main doors of the castle.
It was a huge black door with ornate iron detailing.
It was all dark and all beautiful.
I hadn’t taken notice when I was a hostage but I took it all in now.
“The castle is beautiful,” I said.
“Well, thank you for thinking so after what happened to you here. I appreciate what that takes,” he smiled.
Brax squeezed my hand but his eyes didn’t meet mine. He kept walking with a clenched jaw, his eyes on every vamp that watched us.
And there were a lot.
They seemed to loiter through the castle everywhere.
“Don’t mind them, they won’t hurt you. I’m afraid they are just hungry. It has been a longer time than usual since we have had our volunteers, but I assume that is what you are here to discuss,” Lucien said, leading us over a blood-red carpet runner in the dark halls.
“We have had trouble getting free of the rogues. They plague every trip we try to make. Our humans are not safe to make the journey and we couldn’t inform you since the links aren’t working. I am sorry, Lucien. We have every intention of giving you our volunteers, we don’t mean to withhold,” Mom said quickly.
Lucien waved her off, smiling as he led us through double doors into a large room with a rich fireplace.
It took up a good section of the far wall and had two couches in front of it facing each other.
A chessboard sat on the small table between the couches with a tea set.
A desk took up the corner of the room and tapestries lined the walls.
Torches burned on the walls and lit up the room, the warmth seeping in as Lucien indicated for us to sit.
“I assure you, I am not worried about your ability to keep your word, Miss Pearl. I have your blood oath and if I was concerned, you would not have made it this far into the castle,” he smiled, pouring some tea.
My mother beamed and picked up her cup.
She gave it a subtle sniff before letting it near her lips, Galen too.
He sipped first then nodded and we all sat to have some.
Lucien sighed and stoked the fire with his poker before turning to us.
“How can we help then? Our young thrive on the donated blood and we do not wish for that to stop. They need it to control the urges better than before. We also do not want the rogues winning this. They are unfaithful and it is something my kind cannot condone,” Lucien explained, picking up his own cup of tea.
His was red and I didn’t dare ask what was in it. Based on the metallic smell, I already knew.
“That’s why we are here. We have an idea but we need the vampires,” I said.
“What do you need us to do?” He asked.
“To set up a protection detail for the humans. We have no links so we don’t know when they are in trouble. And we also need to be protecting the city and our wolves. Which means the humans are vulnerable and are going missing.”
Mom put her cup down, “Every time we have our humans out of the underground tunnels, we are attacked. Our livestock have just been massacred. Our livelihood has been taken bit by bit.”
“We can help with protection,” he nodded, thinking as he walked over to his desk.
He ruffled for some pieces of paper then came back over with one and handed it to us. I grabbed it and my mom leaned over to see.
“Names?” I asked.
He nodded, “This is a list of the young that receive the blood you volunteer. If we are to protect the humans, we will need more blood. For the ones protecting,” he admitted warily.
“But the bloodlust?” I asked.
Lucien shook his head, “I have control enough for us. It won’t give you trouble,” he said then emptied his cup, “We will have vampires guarding the human village but if we are to be a match for the rogues, they will need the aid of blood,”
he explained.
“But Evelyn and her warriors–“
Lucien shook his head, “They are different. You can thank Silas for that. But they will be staying to protect the vampire territory.”
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?