Chapter six

Ziaani's POV

I sat on the bed, hugging my knees to my chest, my mind racing with endless questions.

What the hell is going on? Who was that? Is she really a vampire? A Vampire Queen? Wait… vampires exist?! What the fuck?!

As I drowned in my thoughts, something caught my eye—a door, slightly ajar.

I hesitantly got up and moved toward it, pushing it open to reveal a bathroom. The space was grand, with a white vanity, twin sinks labeled Mr and Mrs., and a bathtub large enough to swim in.

A dress lay neatly folded on a small bench beside the sink.

Noticing how dirty and damp my clothes were, I decided to take a shower. The warm water was a welcome relief, washing away the grime and tension clinging to my skin. Once done, I slipped into the dress—surprisingly soft and comfortable—before heading back to the room.

The moment I stepped inside, the guard from earlier entered.

"The Queen is expecting you in the dining hall," she said, bowing slightly.

I frowned. Bowing? That same guard had looked at me like a meal earlier. Shouldn't she be trying to kill me?

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice her stepping closer.

"Hello?" she said, startling me.

I jumped back, my heart hammering in my chest.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Or to your Queen." I crossed my arms and looked away defiantly.

"Okay."

Before I could react, her arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me effortlessly.

"What the fuck?!" I yelled, kicking my feet. "Put me down!"

She ignored my protests, carrying me through the massive halls until we reached the dining room.

At the head of an enormous table sat the so-called Queen, elegantly sipping from a wine glass filled with something dark red.

"Nice of you to join us," she said smoothly.

I scowled. "Nice?! Join?! You kidnapped me! What do you mean?!" I shouted.

She didn't respond. She just took another slow sip from her glass.

"Sit down. Now."

She motioned to the chair in front of me, her tone calm but firm.

"No." I crossed my arms again.

She gave a small nod to the guard—who, without hesitation, grabbed me and placed me in the chair.

I let out a startled squeak.

A small chuckle escaped the Queen's lips. "You're a squeaky little thing, aren't you?" she teased.

"I—" I started to protest but cut myself off, groaning instead.

"Eat, Squeaky." She gestured to the extravagant spread before me—fruits, meats, pastries, everything.

My stomach growled in betrayal.

I hesitated, eyeing the food warily before finally picking up a piece of watermelon and taking a bite. It was delicious. Without thinking, I reached for another. And another. And another.

"Calm down, Squeaky. It's not going anywhere."

She chuckled again, watching me with amusement. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but I refused to look up.

"You're so cute when you're shy," she mused.

I finally looked up, only to meet her intense gaze.

"I'm not—" I started, but the words died in my throat.

"What?" She tilted her head slightly, waiting.

I swallowed hard. "I… I'm not squeaky."

"Oh, but you are," she smirked, lifting her glass. "You just squeaked again."

"That's because she scared me!" I protested, glaring at the guard.

"So, you do squeak when you're scared?"

"No! That's not what I—ugh, you know what? Let's just drop this convo."

She raised an eyebrow. "Convo?"

I sighed. "Conversation."

"Ah."

I took a deep breath. "Anyway, where am I? Who—or what—are you?"

She set her glass down. "You know, I don't like repeating myself, Squeaky. But fine. I'm Queen Nikita of Valtoria, ruler of the Valtorian people."

"People?" I scoffed. "You mean vampires."

She smirked. "What's the difference?"

I gaped at her. "There's a huge difference! Two minutes ago, I didn't even know vampires existed. And why was I attacked? Why was I thrown in a cage?! I hate this place!" I crossed my arms, feeling my frustration build. "I want to go home."

She sighed. "You need to ask one question at a time, Squeaky."

I shot her a glare, but she ignored it.

"One—yes, vampires exist. You're looking at one. A royal one, at that. Two—that was just a war that has been going on for centuries between vampires and werewolves. No big deal."

I choked on a piece of fruit. "Wait. Werewolves?! You mean they exist too?!"

She gave me an amused look. "Well, I exist. Why wouldn't they?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "Next thing you're gonna tell me, trolls can do magic."

She actually laughed. "No, that's ridiculous. Trolls can't do magic. Fairies are the ones with magic. Though, even they're limited in what they can do."

I gawked at her. "Wait, wait, wait, wait—trolls and fairies exist?!"

She casually handed me a napkin. "You need to stop choking on food. You'll die before I even get a chance to kill you."

My hands trembled as I wiped my mouth. "So, if everything I know about vampires is true… does that mean—"

A dark chuckle interrupted my thoughts.

"Relax, Squeaky. I'm not going to drain you dry. If that's what you're thinking."

I froze, staring at her with wide, fearful eyes.

I wasn't sure whether to feel relieved… or more terrified.