You Are The Prize

His crimson eyes stared at me and for a second I had the delusion that he wanted me as his prize. But when I noticed Damon stiffening behind me, it did not stay as a dream anymore but turned into a nightmare.

"We are a prosperous empire.'' I was relieved that my mother took his attention back, but his lingering gaze left me unnerved. "If you give us the chance to rule, we will share half of our wealth with you and assist you in your future wars." The last line left me horrified and amused him.

I could not imagine my men fighting against one of our own for these monsters.

"Your men are weak and your wealth is nothing in comparison to what we hold. As a five hundred year old man, I do not feel tempted by things children play with."

She paused, her face grim as she turned to look at me.

I cleared my throat. Hiding the fear beneath my calm smile, i asked,

"What else do you have in mind?" his gaze tilted to me and the same shivering feeling returned, "we are here to negotiate, so we can discuss your terms. We prefer peace but we are not afraid of war." I was reminded as politely as I could when I felt my mother's hands on my thighs.

She pinched me to control me but I did not care. The pain only made me more alert. My eyes narrowed at the demon who smiled.

Vampires, they were made by feeding blood and this one.. Had come from hell.

Legend says that one day, a demon ran away from hell. He killed the first person he found on earth and drank its blood to strengthen himself.

Since then, he was living on earth as a vampire and had converted many to create an army and now.. He wanted to snatch the earth from humans. 

The room filled with tension when he did not reply.

The door was knocked again and surprised us when Damon's father, the general of our army opened the door.

"Many nobles are here to attend the meeting, your majesty." his eyes settled at my mother's face.

"We need a few minutes. Can you handle it?" he paused. His gaze lingering at the vampire king then at his son who nodded back.

"I will try my best, your majesty." he closed the door again and this time Carlisle did not waste time.

"If I have to work with humans. I need one of them to rule with me." holding my breath, I met his eyes.

It must be a mistake, he might be asking for a counsellor.

"We…"

"I want to marry your princess to ensure the peace stays on both sides." Like an invisible dagger piercing through my heart, I forgot to breathe that moment.

He stood up when I heard Damon taking out his sword. But before he could lunge on the monster, Carl held him by his throat and raised him high enough that he struggle but did not die.

"A loyal knight or a protective lover?" his eyes narrowed at my face as he licked his lips. "No matter who he is… it will hardly take me thirty seconds to kill him and this would be a war princess. Is that what you want?" his tilted head has a taunting smirk when horror filled his face.

"You are threatening me." I glared and took out my dagger. I did not run to him like Damon but threw it on his heart. 

A vain attempt since he was a fast living being. He knew how to run with the flash of lightning but to my surprise and relief, he stood there rooted. Holding Damon with his throat, he kept his gaze fixed on me as the dagger pierced his heart.

"This could be the start of the war." his lips were twisted into a wicked smile as blood stained his clothes. "Your men are going to die and he.." he looked at Damon "would be the first." 

Before I knew it, I ran to him and held his arm.

"Why are you doing this? We can offer you gold, gems, we can offer you our position as long as you let our men live." I shook his hand when he laughed.

But he let Damon go. His face had turned ashen and he coughed hard and took as many breaths as he could. When he tried to stand up again, I shook my head.

"I only need you as my wife. It is either our marriage or the war that would start and destroy everything that you love." I felt furious but I knew he was more than capable of doing it.

He had already proven it.

"Why me?" I glared at him again, "you can have any woman that you want. I am sure there are female vampires too." 

"Manevra!" my mother called, but her words did not register in my mind as i glared at the enemy.

He took out the dagger from his chest. Licked the blood off the sharp blade by his tongue while holding my gaze.

His eyes were dark and soulful pulling my soul out of my body.

"There are many vampires, yes. But they are too docile. And as far as it is about you, I can turn you if you want to be one.'' He presented me with the clean dagger and all I wanted to do was to stab him again but I already knew the result.

When I stared at his chest, there was no wound. No mark. And if there was no blood on his clothes, I would have believed it was my imagination.

He expanded his hands while staring at my every action with the eyes of a predator when I gulped.

"Evra!" It was Damon who called me desperately when I placed my hands on his extended palm and his lithe fingers wrapped around it.

"General, you can open the doors now."