Crimson Night

Chapter Twenty-Four

Charles led me away from the conference room, into one of the private wings of the Castle where people rarely went.

“We’re moving it up.” He said, breaking the silence.

“Moving what up?”

“Crimson Night, the wolves have positioned themselves so we only have a few more major packs to move to the center, the smaller packs are insignificant to us.”

“To when?” I asked slightly panicked. I was not ready to confront Grayson, not yet and definitely not while I was on the side of the vampires.

“Two days, with Anninka wanting her daughter back and the Princes becoming impatient and wanting the wolves gone, I really have no choice.”

“But so soon?”

“Lana, we need these wolves gone!” Charles snapped. “I'm sorry, but the most of the Princes seem to think that you are with the wolves, they think that you are secretly siding with them.”

“I'm not.”

“There's also a rumor going around.” I froze, my chest becoming cold because I knew exactly what this rumor was. “About you and the Head Alpha.” Charles’ lips were pressed in a line and he did not look happy. “Lana, are you just stringing me along? There are rumors about you and Cain, about you and a werewolf. I was under the impression that you were focused on me, and yes I have been very patient but I am losing those patients, Lana. I want commitment.” Where had this come from?

“Where did this come from, Charles?”

“Lana…I just want you to myself, I don't want to share you with anyone else and I don't think it is fair if I have to. I am the king, I need a steady queen or else I will not be able to rule, not while I am chasing after you. Do you care for this wolf, or Cain?” I froze, I did not want to lie to him but I also did not want to admit the truth. That as the moment I realized how horrible I was, I was playing with three men’s hearts and I was not even considering how they felt in the situation. I had been playing them all like toys, without even realizing what I was doing. “Lana?” He asked.

“I can't…I can't answer that.” I told him truthfully, or maybe I was lying, because I could answer him, it would just hurt him way too much.

“Damn it, Lana!” Charles looked pissed off, and he rarely lost his temper because out of all the men I cared for, he was the most even-tempered. “Was it so hard to love me, to care for me? Why was it so hard to resist the wolf? I understand Cain, he has been in your mind for over two years, but the wolf?”

“You know how vampires have blood mates? Well, the wolves have soul mates and—”

“Please, don't, don't say it.” Charles said, looking away from me. “I have a meeting to get back to, you do whatever you want, Lana.”

“I'm sorry.” I told him, not really sure what I was supposed to say at this moment. How do you apologize for loving not one, but two other men?

“I am too.” He turned and left. Here I had thought that we were going to have a light conversation, not one about the men I was in love with. What was even worse was the fact that Charles was ever like that, not with me. As I thought about it, I realized he had been distancing himself from me lately, how long had he been waiting to have this conversation and where did he hear about Grayson from? When I realized the only person who would tell him, I had to stop myself from grinding my teeth. I wanted nothing better than to hunt her down and give her a piece of my mind, but I knew better than to start a fight with the Queen, especially since she and I were on outs anyways.

I wanted to warn Grayson, which was completely irrational but I wanted to do it nonetheless.

Angelina’s POV

It was my turn to be the obedient child, something that I was never good at but was willing to do as long as it meant Lana’s death. I was standing on a hill, surveying the vampires that were below me. They were quiet boring, complaining about their lack of blood and their annoyance with the wolves, really you would think that they would have better things to think about.

“Anything yet?” The b***h—er, I mean wolf---asked, I believe her name was Izzy or something like that. She was Liam’s mate, which was a shame, the vampire born was so attractive and to have his looks wasted on a she-wolf really was a shame.

“Well, if you would shut up I might be able to focus and get something worth while, and you know you should really stop complaining to Liam about his feelings for Lana when you can't even get over your feelings for your Alpha.” I said, smirking. She growled at me and stepped forward. “Go ahead, make a move at me. I will mess with your mind so bad that you won't even remember your name, so go ahead and try me.” The wolf hesitated, and fear crossed her eyes.

“You're a real b***h, you know that?”

“That’s rich, seeing as you literally are a bitch.” I laughed. “Now, let me focus so I can get something important.” I ignored whatever else the wolf had to say and focused on the vampires. I could hear through one’s mind that he had just gotten of the phone with one of the Princes. Crimson Night had been moved up, and they were attacking tomorrow night. Hopefully that would be enough information to offer to Grayson so that Maya would be able to carry out her end of the deal.

The true reason I went to Maya was because neither of us could read her, which meant no one knew when Maya would attack and she would have a clear advantage over Lana, especially when I would be controlling Lana’s mental powers. Sure, she was stronger than I was, but with her focus on Maya, I would be able to take advantage of her situation.

The world would be better without Lana, and I was sure that after she was gone, everyone would be much happier. Moreover, I would become the strongest vampire born.

Lana’s POV

I spent most of the rest of the day in my room, trying to figure out what I really wanted. Did I want to commit only to Charles? Or did I care too much for the other two? I was beyond annoyed with myself, for not being able to choose which man I wanted. I should have counted Grayson out, I should have said that Cain was taken by Elysia, but I couldn’t.

Even as I slept, the situation haunted my dreams, constantly throwing each man at me.

When I awake the next day, I was exhausted. I hadn’t gotten much sleep, at least not a lot of peaceful sleep and I just wanted to talk to anyone. Maybe I could talk about my problems with Charles, make him see how hard it was for me and maybe then, he would understand why I couldn’t chose so easily. So I begun searching the castle for Charles, but I found no one.

I saw one of the slaves walking, but as soon as she saw me, she tried to bolt the other way.

“Freeze.” I ordered. I walked up to her. “Where is everyone?”

“I can not tell you.” She said, not looking me in the eyes.

“I don't need you to speak it.” I said, going into her mind. What I found there enraged me. Charles had never planned to attack on the day he told me, it was today. “You are free.” I told her. I went straight to my room. If Charles wanted to be like this, then I would play.

I couldn’t believe that he lied to me! After he was demanding me to be his, he lied to me! He didn't trust me, that’s why. If I were his mate, wouldn’t he trust me? I trusted him, I didn't doubt the information he gave me because if I had I would have looked into his mind to find out the truth. I should have done that.

I changed into the vampire’s war uniform, a black outfit made out of special material and I slipped on sturdy boots. I took the first car I found in the garage, knowing it would only take me part way and took off at high speed. I should have expected it, they always lied to me. The vampires have always lied to me, and the wolves weren’t much better and the humans were the worst of them. Maybe Elysia had it right, sticking with whatever she was. At least she hadn’t lied to me, and she seemed like a good person. But so had the others, until they showed their true skin.

I wasn’t sure why Charles lying to me affected me this way, maybe it was because I cared for him so much and I thought that he would be the only person who wouldn’t lie to me. Whatever, it didn't matter because I was going to be apart of this battle no matter what anyone else thought. I just wasn’t sure who I was going to fight for.

I knew I was close when the roads became dirt, I also knew that I had chosen the wrong car because Cayman Porsche was not meant for off roading. I ditched the car and took into the woods. I was debating on going to the wolf pack or the vampires. Then I remember Angelina was with the wolves, and I was not going to deal with her. I stretched my powers out, to search for Charles. It had taken me three hours to get to the camp, and I was hoping that it was not too late, that Crimson Night hadn’t happened.

When I walked onto the camp, there was a hushed sound.

“Where is he?” I demanded to the vampires who were all gawking at me.

“In his tent.” A small vampire answered. I stormed past them and flung open the door to his ‘tent’, it shouldn’t have even been called a tent because it was nothing compared to the thing that humans used to go camping with. “What. The. f**k?!” I screamed at him, interrupting whatever meeting he was holding.

“Hello to you too.” He said, crossing his arms.

“Why?! I thought you would be the only person who wouldn’t lie to me, yet you did! How could you do that to me, Charles?!”

“I didn't want you here and I knew if you knew you would be here.”

“Is that all? Or did you not trust me enough? Did you finally let my grandmother’s accusations convince you that I was working for the wolves?”

“No, Lana—”

“Do not lie to me again! I can hear it, loud and clear from your mind!” I said, clenching my fists. “You were the one person, the one person, Charles!” I huffed. “Maybe I should go run off to the wolves, so then they have two mind readers!”

“Lana, you know you wouldn’t do that. I am sorry for lying, but I just couldn’t risk it.”

“You couldn’t risk trusting me? What an excellent blood mate you are!”

“Lana, I have responsibilities! I have to be King!”

“And if I were your Queen? Would you treat me the same way?”

“No, of course not!”

“Oh, so it is only because I haven't told you that I want to be your Queen, so your trust is conditional? Well, screw you and your trust.” I left, but not before I froze Charles in his place, just so he knew that I didn't want him to follow me.

If Charles was going to be like that, I was going to go to the wolves. Sure, I was being a b***h but I couldn’t help it, not after Charles doing that because it hurt, it hurt more than when Cain betrayed me because Charles was always supposed to be the good one, my knight in shining armor. Well, not anymore.