No One Touch

It was like a devil's temptation.

There was an old tale about a woman who was tempted to open a treasure box by a devil who had possessed a lamb, promising that she would receive all kinds of happiness if she opened the treasure box by singing to it. But what happened to that woman? In the end, she was eaten by the treasure and was kept there forever in the darkness.

The lamb and this vampire in front of her were similar in a sense. They were both meek looking, they were charming, and that caused you to lower your guard on their presence. The words coming from his mouth didn't sound too threatening even though it does sound blood thirsty. Yet only those with good eyes could tell that there was no kindness in the vampire's face. Though he was much less aggressive than other vampires who seemed to only see her as a livestock.

A knock then came into the room before Bella could answer his offer.

"Come in," ordered the man who then released his grasp from her chin. He walked toward the door lazily with his arms crossed. He eyed the knights who were gathered in front of his room, "What?" His tone was authoritative to those who listened, causing the knights to bow their heads downward.

"Pardon us for ruining your night! There had been a commotion on the lower floor regarding an incident where a slave had attacked Minister Rueben in his office. To ensure your security, we are here to search for the slave that had run away, your Highness," said the knight and the vampire turned his crimson eyes back at her.

He lifted his chin, "What do you say?" His question was taunted back at her, not the knights, leaving her on edge as she knew if she refused he wouldn't hesitate to throw her out like a sack of radishes.

Bella gulped, her throat felt so parched that felt so painful as if she had been forced to swallow a handful of sand. She was left with the devil's offer. First to entertain him or to be killed. She recalled the fear of death haunting her when Rueben had tightened his grasp to choke the life out of her. Her body shuddered but it went even colder when she remembered how those cold fingers wrapped around her thighs, making her want to hurl.

"I'll..." she closed her eyes as she spoke in haste, "I'll entertain you."

The vampire was chuckling. Each tone of his chuckle bounced one upon the other. He then shifted his gaze to the knights, "Minister Rueben wasn't attacked by this slave."

The knights stared at him as if they had been smacked on the head. They were puzzled, staring at the Crown Prince in confusion. He pointed to the slave that was on his bed. The Mad Crown Prince who was always known to be ill in the head had pointed his hand to the bed where a female slave was now lying on it.

"She wasn't the one who attacked Rueben, do you hear me?" Cassius snapped his finger at the four knights who had gathered outside his door and were still thunderstruck by Cassius's demand. "Now birdie," he then called her, curling his fingers toward her, "Come over."

Bella felt a sense of threat as he was telling her to make her way in front of those knights. But she couldn't refuse him as she had agreed to entertain him, becoming his new "birdie" as he had called her.

She came close to his side, standing behind him as she squeezed her dirty dress, "Tell everyone else that this one is mine. My birdie."

The knight though fearful and in distress expressed his concern to him, saying, "But your highness... Minister Rueben will be greatly displeased."

Bella saw the mirth and smile on the vampire's face immediately dispersed. She felt her back sweat as she prayed for the knight's life as she could see his gaze dipping into a murderous glint. He said ominously, "You're telling me that someone beneath me dares to feel displeased toward me?"

The knight's face turned pallid. They had forgotten where their respect should have been laid as Minister Rueben was greatly favored by the reigning Queen Morgana, and whenever he was upset he would have the last say to control the throne. It wasn't because they dared to run above Cassius's head but the Mad Crown Prince was almost unbothered to anything that was happening around him that this was the very first time he had gone against Minister Rueben.

"I'm your reigning prince," Cassius reminded me, his smile appeared again albeit it was alarming even to Bella. "Tell him that this birdie is mine and warn him of what would happen to anyone who had dared to touch what's mine. Remind him of the Queen's palace."

The silence was deafening. Bella realized that the man in front of her was someone who held a big power in this castle. His caste was above the rest and although he seemed apathetic to his surroundings, he was a figure that they knew they should fear. Bella didn't know what he had done to the Queen's palace and she didn't want to know. She only knew that she had either hit a jackpot or she had even dug her grave further down the ground.

"Leave," then demanded Cassius. The knights walked away in a hurry as Magnus shut the door away. He then shifted his gaze toward her, "I never had a human around me. I don't know what I should do with you."

Anything but feeding, hitting, or violating her, thought Bella in her head.

"You can go back to your cell," Cassius waved his hand as he went to the couch, lying down on it with his legs crossed one over the other.

"Back to... the cell?" She asked carefully toward him. Doesn't that mean he's sending her back to her death?

"You're forgetting something birdie, I own you doesn't mean that I will have you sleep in my room. This is the royal's palace," reminded Cassius who was now closing his eyes, "I am the one you should entertain. Think about ways to entertain me and perhaps you be bestowed with a grand prize."

She didn't know what she should do but being with the other humans was better than being alone with a vampire.

"But..." she drawled as she carefully looked at him, "You promise that you wouldn't let that vampire... hurt me."

"I didn't promise, it's our agreement. It will become a promise once you have entertain me and for now you haven't," he said with a shrug but he opened his eyes to meet her green eyes that had narrowed. When he looked back, she darted her eyes away out of fear that he saw the glare she held out of annoyance. "But people here know what would happen to them when they touch what I have declared to be mine. Rest easy, he won't dare to touch you."

Though deep down Bella wondered if Rueben would really touch her, could she blame him?

She didn't have much to say anymore as the vampire in front of her had made up his mind. All she knew was that she had gotten away with harming Rueben and could save her neck from being slit or punctured by those thick fangs that would draw her blood dry. She shuddered at the thought and before the vampire would be displeased, she tucked herself out of his room, closing the luxurious door that was lined with gold. As she closed the door, her eyes gazed at the vampire who was now sleeping through the gaps.

Why was he feared? Why was he different? He didn't save her out of good will but for his entertainment. But was that really all?