#28: The Vampire Hostage

Luan's P.O.V****

"Luan! Luan! Listen to me!", The Queen, Diane, started screaming as she chased behind me.

"What is it, Sister?", I asked. Though I know what she is going to question me about, I had no intention nor patience to answer and explain in detail of everything that had occurred within the last one year.

"What is that vampire saying? Is it true? Tell me!", She shrieked at me, as we were finally in the main meeting hall of the Queen.

"Which part exactly?", I asked.

"The part where she mentioned the engagement of Leo Silas and her. But wasn't it you who were taking the appearance of Leo? So...", She said, her voice trailing off the course as she progressed from each word. As though what she spoke seemed like a fantasy or just an imagination.

"Yes, It is true, Leo Silas is engaged to Amber Mae.", I replied, while emphasizing on the 'is'.

"What? But that.. that would mean for you to be engaged! You do know that wolves and elves are similar in matrimonial concept!", She screamed loud enough to deafen my ears.

"Yes, I do know. But I do not understand your agony and distress over that fact sis.", I replied.

"But, I had already fixed your marriage with General Selena, and since it's just an engagement we can probably annul the engagement with you marrying General Selena. I can arrange it to be within two months! She is a really good girl and...", She began saying. but I cut her off and said,

"I marked her as mine already, she has my magic flowing in her too.", I revealed it. The very thing I wanted to keep as a secret.

"You marked her?", She stared at me with bewilderment.

"Yes, by marking her only, I could dispel the magic of the elf which let her to be transformed into a human and forget what all happened when she was a vampire. In order to get info, I .. um.. had to. Now that I've done it I can only...", I said.

"You can only marry her! And considering the time, I am sure you can't even try to hurt her! Its only a matter of time before you can't bear the separation of each other!", She screamed out the very facts I was afraid to face.

"Yes.. I know, I can't hurt her, I will miss her, I even do want to stay with her, but at the end of the day, these are all stupid connections of magic, not love. I can never give my heart to a cold blooded murderer. So, there is nothing to worry about. Okay sis? You just worry about yourself and brother. If me being with a vampire all my life is a punishment, So be it. As long as I get my revenge... anything is fine.", I said.

She said nothing and came closer to me, and cried on my shoulder. I know for a fact that she is truly worried for me, she calmed down after a while and looked me in the eyes, and smiled, her smile filled with joy and care. She reached over to ruffle my hair and let her. She finally spoke,

"Its okay, I can stop my worries, I can hide my feelings, but the fact that you will suffer agonizes me. To be with your enemy, is not an easy thing. But I will not stop, I will keep trying to find a way to annul this engagement or marking. If it was a marriage, it would be hard to break, but since its just an engagement. I will free you! I can only do so much. If only I could help you in any other way...", She said on..

"It's okay! All long as you're comfortable you can do anything, but just don't be depressed that you can't find anything. It's okay! Your presence is what motivates us.", I replied and wiped off her tear off her face.

"Fine, I believe you. Keep trust in your sister. Come let's go..", She said as we went out of the main meeting hall to be met with Amber.

As my sister's, The Queen's eyes locked with those of Amber's she started scowling. I guess it is hard to be friendly that fast eh? I looked at Amber and she was pretty much immersed in thought unlike before.

"Greetings, Queen and Duke", She said as she bowed and went away.

Somehow, I felt a pang of anger that she called me with my title, and not my name. But that thought was brushed away when a messenger of king called me to meet the King.

I walked the Queen to her room and went immediately to talk to Titan, As I entered the room, I noticed Titan sitting in his chair looking slightly anxious and a bit angry also.

"What happened brother?", I asked as I took a chair and sat opposite of him.

"What did your sister say about the engagement between you both? and what about the marking?", He asked.

"It's okay, Sister is determined to find a way to break it, but she is calm about it for now.", I replied.

"Hmm, Good. Our spies in the Vampire capital have suddenly gone silent. I suspect someone might have discovered them." He said.

"Who do you suspect brother? Should I go investigate?", I suggested.

"No, I know for a fact that they aren't dead, considering their life candles haven't blown out, I think it's a trap, but as to who might have planned it is a mystery, it could be anyone, or even the vampires. I am starting to think we might have triggered a huge war.", he said, his expression darkening.

"Let's wait till tomorrow, if there is no word, I will personally go and bring them back. I will even take Amber with me, she might serve as a leverage.", I said.

"Yes, Okay. ", Titan said as he smiled weakly.

I came out and began searching for Amber, I asked all the guards and each pointed in different directions, after what seemed like an hour of searching I found her staring at the portraits of my family.

It was a large picture of me, Luna, all our siblings, Father and Mother. All of us dressed in our best outfit, regal and perfect. The smiles on my brothers and sisters looked so precious, but I had failed to protect them.

As I kept staring at it, my heart ached with an overwhelming sense of guilt. I got a vivid flashback of the scene, all blood..

"...Duke?...Duke? Luan! Hey! Luan the wolf! ",

I snapped back to reality and looked at Amber, I realized I spaced out.

"Yes?", I replied

"Are you alright, Duke?", She asked.

"Luan.", I said.

"What?", She asked.

"Call me Luan, Hearing you say duke disgusts me as though you are a subject of mine.", I replied. I don't know why I was even making such a lie, such a stupid excuse, I just wanted to be called by name, I guess its the marking effect.

"Alright Du- Luan.", She corrected herself very fast.

"So, What are you looking at?", I asked.

"This painting, Is it the Royal Oberons?", She asked.

"You shouldn't refer to them as Royal Oberons, Just Royals or The Oberons is enough.", I said.

"Oh, Okay. Is this you?", She asked pointing at me.

"Yes, How did you know?", I asked.

"Only you are scowling. Others all are smiling.", She said calmly.

"I was a bit upset, I smiled but the painter made a mistake.", I said.

"Oh, You are cute though.", She said. Maybe it was the marking which was messing with my heart and head, but I do know that sentence of hers made me feel elated and shy.

"Uh.. Okay.", I turned away.

"Your sister, is she? She looks very pretty.. Where is she? I mean where are all your family?", She asked.

"What? Are you joking?", I asked, all the butterflies disappeared in a second. Was she mocking me? The great deed which her father did, and people sang songs about murder of my family, how could she not know? She might be kidding.

"Nope, I first assumed, both your parents were old and passed away, and a few of your brothers and sisters in the frequent wars. But what about the babies? The other younger ones?", She asked, her eyes showed that her question was an honest one.

But I was going crazy inside. One part of me wanted to kill her on the spot and say it was your father who did this to all my family, the other wanted to torture her, make her witness her family being massacred as I did and kill her. But what I did was entirely different and changed the topic.

"Tomorrow we have to go to the capital of Vampires.", I said.

"Why? Am I being released?", She asked.

"No, If possible you will be used as leverage to release our spies caught by the Vampires.", I said.

"Oh... I see. I know, that's probably the best use for me... But, please can I know where is Jade? I mean I want to talk to him. I kind of miss him, a lot.", I said.

"Oh.. I.. um.. I think I can let you meet him..", I said.

"Is he here?", She asked.

"No, But we can visit the Elf Kingdom on the way.", I said.

"What about we even visit Leo Silas on the way?", She asked with pleading eyes.

"Why?", I found myself asking as to why she wanted to meet the elf, she only stayed with for not more than a week?

"Didn't I already say? He is my fiancee.", She stated.

"So? Aren't Vampires not chained by monogamy. You can marry or get betrothed to another.", i said.

"I don't care about monogamy or whatever, but it is just that Leo is one of the few people who... loved me.", She said.

"All right.. whatever. I can't promise it as we need to move fast. Prepare yourself and pack all your stuff.", I said.

"I have another question.", She asked.

"What? I haven't got all day to hang around with you.", I said with clear annoyance in my voice.

"Why am I not hurt by silver? are they not good quality?", She asked as she touched the silver frame of the painting.

"Maybe it's cause you gave up your identity... I think.", I said another lame excuse, but I had to, there was no way I would ever tell her that I marked her.

"Hmm.. Is the one in the prison tower your sister?", She asked.

"Let's leave at dawn, I suppose this is the end of questions.", I said, pretending to have not heard the question and left.

I packed all my stuff, and even extra blood just in case Amber forgets hers. But when did she even go see Luna? That question remained hovering in my brain. I just got everything ready, and went to see Luna. She was still sleeping. Her face calm as ever. I sat down beside her..

"Luna.. There are a lot of things I want to tell you... So.. Just wake up.. Please?", My voice croaked as I said please.

But I know that she won't. At least not yet. But one day, I will see her healthy and smiling.

"Luna, I am kinda going on a mission, with a hostage, whom I marked for some mission purposes, but I have a feeling this mission is not as small and easy as it seems, something just keeps me cautious as though I am at the edge of the world..", I said and held her hand.

"I wish you would hold my hand and say it is going to be fine. But it's okay, just hang on, I will find a way for you to be healthy and smiling once again.", Saying so I kissed her forehead and opened the door to step outside when I saw General Selena frozen.

"Um.. General Selena? What are you doing here?", I asked.

"You marked the Vampire?", She asked with her voice eerily calm.

"I.. I had to.", I said, I don't know why, she kind of scared me.

"I see.", She said and she ran away from here as fast as lightning. I didn't quite understand what exactly happened. But I have other matters to attend to. The next day was going to be troublesome. I am sure, what I do tomorrow, will affect the whole mirror world....