Vampire's Bride

#10 The Fire

"There are always three bodies, and at least one of them is sucked dry," Vladimir replied.

Hedwig immediately checked. Vladimir was right. One of the bodies had no blood left. The sorcery always involved three people forming a triangle. The symbol for fire, as one of the four classical elements in alchemy, is a triangle. Vladimir must have used his vampiric abilities to know that one body was without blood. No one would think of checking something like that on a burnt body. But the younger prince was not only clever but also diligent, Hedwig thought. He looked at him in admiration for the first time.

"You are right! Why didn't I think of that?" Hedwig wondered. He used some spells to be conclusive about it. Indeed, one of the bodies was sucked dry, but the other two had no sign of a transformation. They were still human. It meant they were failing at sorcery as of now.

"They are still novices. There is a long way before they can achieve what they are after. But that doesn't mean things might not change overnight. We still have a chance to stop it before it leads to chaos. No one wants to relive the past when wendigos and ogres run wild," Hedwig implied.

That was a cruel time. It seemed like all life would come to a cease. If not for Adrian's heroism, probably all species would have already ceased to exist. He looked at both the princes, wondering if that time came would any of the princes could hold the batten and lead the war. If not, will it pave the path for a new hero to rise? And it will be more difficult this time. After the last war, not many druids survived. And now it was only him. Also, with the winter becoming colder and colder every year, the lifespan and health of people have decreased significantly. How many can participate in the war if it takes place? So, it was wise to stop the enemy now than push this matter for later.

"Take the bodies to the mortuary. Seal this place and look everywhere one more time for any left-out evidence. If anyone finds anything or anybody suspicious, report it immediately." Damien ordered. No one was sure what to look after. But they bowed to the prince.

Damien stayed with Hedwig to learn more about the wendigo and ogre situation in the past. He was the only one surviving from those times. So his knowledge would come in handy.

Unlike Damien, Vladimir strolled around the place one more time. When convinced that there was no more evidence, he decided to leave, much to Hedwig and Damien's disapproval.

Vladimir was a prince. It was expected of him to overlook the investigation. Or at least have the decency to inform the elders, Damien and Hedwig, before leaving out of courtesy.

"Let's go!" Vladimir ordered Feya, who was standing in one corner, overwhelmed by the information.

Feya looked at Hedwig and Damien, surprised to hear that the younger prince was already ready to leave when everyone was working or inspecting. They did not look too surprised, but they did not hide the disappointment on their faces.

"Shouldn't you stay a little longer, your highness?" Feya hesitated.

"What? Why? Do you want to look around too? Maybe out of plain curiosity?" Vladimir smirked.

Feya widened her eyes. Was it really possible for her to look around? Wouldn't it be suspicious? Should she say yes? It was a lucrative offer.

She looked around to see what others thought of Vladimir's offer. Most of them were looking at them in dismay. A few scoffed. And the remaining thought it was a joke. Prince Damien and Hedwig didn't even bother. They knew Vladimir was a troublemaker.

Feya sighed. Agreeing to that would bring unwanted attention to her. Her identity might get questioned. It was better to play dumb for now.

"No, your highness. I wouldn't want to interfere in matters that I don't understand. I won't be of any help. I am afraid I will be a nuisance." Feya refused.

All that time, Feya stood there patiently because she didn't think she could meddle with the investigation. But it was another thing to deny that offer. She badly wanted to check the bodies and the astral dust. How unlucky of her! She was so close and yet so far away.

Vladimir was a little disappointed. He had expected her to be a little more adventurous. But she was playing safe. Was it because of her hidden identity? That has to be the reason. His disappointment quickly faded away. He took it as a challenge to make her reveal her identity. The night was still young. And he was a vampire!

"Then, let's leave. I am drowsy." Vladimir chuckled.

Damien shook his head, scoffing. Who was Vladimir telling that lie? Everybody here knows he is always up to some mischief in the night.

But Feya, being new to Vladimir's twisted personality, simply nodded her head, following his lead. When Vladimir took a turn opposite the palace, she frowned. The younger prince was not easy to decipher.

"Isn't the route to the palace the other way round, your highness?" Feya asked after some hesitation. They were walking through random streets, or that was what she thought.

Vladimir smirked, stopping on his path. He turned to face her. But when he saw Feya was distracted since she was looking around, he spoke nothing to warn her. She didn't see him stopping. She slammed against his chest. "Ouch!"

"You should look ahead," Vladimir snickered. "You have made it a habit to hit against me. Or is it your way of flirting with the younger prince?"

Feya looked up, rubbing her head. What was he talking about? He must have lost his head because of sorcery. She scoffed, walking past him. But Vladimir grabbed her hands, pulling her towards him. Before she could make a sound, he covered her mouth. He dragged her with him to hide behind a large tree. He put his fingers on Feya's lips, hinting at her to keep quiet. Then he pointed towards the road for her to see something. She rolled her eyes but shifted her gaze to the road, following the direction of his finger.

A few men dressed in hideous clothes and swords hanging against their hips were on their way somewhere. They tried to be as discreet as possible. Being a vampire meant Vladimir had sharper hearing abilities. He must have caught up with the meager noise they made.

Feya shifted her gaze towards Vladimir, a bit curious and more suspicious. She wanted to know where these men were heading secretly. But she was more apprehensive about understanding how she ended up being Vladimir's sidekick. Why was he getting her involved instead of getting rid of her?

When Vladimir was sure that the men were far enough, his eyes shifted towards Feya. But she was already looking at her. His vampire eyes could see the intensity of her stare at him, making a wave through his heart. She was no ordinary woman.

They didn't have to stay like that. But Vladimir used the opportunity to stay like that for a while. Feya was getting impatient, trying to break free. So Vladimir pushed his body against her to stop her from protesting. He hushed her, pretending that they were still at some risk. She had to believe him. When she stopped struggling, she felt his body plastered against her.

Feya felt a very strange feeling usher through her. It was like all the blood rushed to her face, making it red. It was a good thing the veil covered her face. Otherwise, maybe the vampire prince would have noticed her blushing. She couldn't see anyone far away. But her druid's eyes had adjusted enough for her to see Vladimir. Irrespective of what people said about the younger prince, he was attractive.

Vladimir had a sharp nose, a perfect pair of eyes, and full lips. Feya found it impossible to shift her eyes from his face despite having a strange pull towards him. His square jaws gave him an edge over most men. At least that's what Feya thought. He wasn't in any way inferior to his older brother. He was as handsome and attractive as Damien, if not more.

But there was a rawness attached to everything. Vladimir's sun-kissed skin suited him better. If he had pale, flawless skin like Damien, he wouldn't have looked attractive enough. His flat chest, muscled body, perfect abs, and strong biceps spoke the volume of his manliness. He must have spent more time in the field, making Feya curious about his expeditions.

Feya felt a tingle. For the first time since she came to the palace, she felt drawn to the younger prince, her heart pounding against her chest. She knew it wasn't right. She was not here to get involved with any of the princes or palace affairs. But at that moment, when they were so close, and she knew Vladimir could hear her thumping heartbeats, she had little to no control over herself.

Vladimir was having a little fun in the beginning. He simply wanted to see her reaction or maybe irritate her a little so that she revealed her face and identity to stop him from getting closer. But when his eyes met her intense gaze, he felt a flutter in his heart. For the first time, he felt what it was like to have butterflies. He never thought it was a man's thing, but here he was.

When he felt her heartbeat rise, he swallowed hard. He didn't care who was underneath that veil. But he was very attracted to that woman. Like a lot!

Vladimir wanted to see her face. He didn't want to lose the opportunity to know her identity. He shouldn't miss this chance and repent later. He knew he wouldn't be able to deal with it later if he didn't find her true identity. He removed his hand from Feya's mouth, fixated on removing her veil next.

Vladimir was about to remove Feya's veil when she pushed him away, putting some space between them, and gasping for air. She sighed. She wasn't sure what he was about to do, but it was too intense for her to handle. The veil, his hands, and that moment made her feel too hot. Why was she feeling so strange? All night he had been really testing her. So what was it that she had felt a moment ago? Was it the hormones? Was it already that time of the month? It has to be. Otherwise, why would she react that way?

Vladimir ran his hands through his hair. What was that overwhelming feeling? He looked at Feya. He was sure he wanted to know more about this woman. Ingrid, or Feya, or whoever she was, he had never felt that way about anyone except her. Not only did he think she was fascinating, complex, and reckless like him, but his body also responded to her in ways he had never thought were possible.

Feya, on the other hand, tried to regain her composure. She reminded herself of her motto. She had no time to deal with love games.

"I must return to the palace," Feya said. She didn't want to wait for Vladimir to say something first.

Vladimir looked at her desperately, unable to think of anything to stop her. He wished some miracle would happen to make her stop. And as if the almighty answered his prayers, a knife hit the tree trunk, startling them both.

Vladimir and Feya looked around. But there was no one. Whoever it was, they had aimed from far and had already run away. The person must have taken the opportunity to make his move when they were engrossed with each other a few moments ago.

Vladimir checked the knife. It was an ordinary knife. But there was a note attached to it. He took it out for them to read.

"I know your secret." The note read. The person threatening had purposefully left bloodstains as a symbol of warning.

Vladimir wondered if someone had caught up with him. He speculated about who it could be. There were so many enemies and yet no one. He wasn't a very favorable person, after all.

He turned to see Feya's reaction, worried she might have felt terrified, only to get confused. Despite the overdressing and veil, he could tell she was worried. She was breathing heavily. Her eyes had widened in shock, and her body had stiffened.

Vladimir looked at the letter again. Was it a threat to her? Why?

"Who are you?" Vladimir asked. This time he was determined to find her identity without playing games. It was not just about his attraction anymore.