***PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU LIKED IT!***

Chapter 18 - The Lost Vampyr also posted on Radish today! Check it out. There's a new character guys.

Guys, meet Gideon. <3



Ooh la la. Hahaha. Head over to Radish and read advanced chapters! Thanks to everyone who's been buying chapters. <3





CHAPTER 15 – STICKS AND STONES

Castle Xanthe City of Aphelion, Wolfen Territory The Realm of Xathos

"Stop!" Ailara shouted.

Dimitrios, in his wolf form, leapt over her and started circling Vicenzo. His teeth were bared and he snarled when Vicenzo took a step backwards. Ailara traced and stood before her fellow Vampyr with her hands outstretched.

"I will not allow you to hurt him!"

In response, Dimitrios growled again. Dimitrios leapt to the left and Ailara traced again. It took a lot of effort for her and her head started to pound. Her limbs also felt heavy and tired.

She cannot save every Vampyr from the cruelty of the Wolfen but she was determined to save this one. She kept her head up and the angle of her chin showed defiance. Dimitrios' golden eyes burned with fury.

Suddenly, there was a black mist and when it cleared, Dimitrios was in his human form again and one of his hands was wrapped around Ailara's neck.

"You dare defy me?!" he roared.

Ailara gave him her blankest stare. "If you are going to kill him, you'd have to go through me."

There was anoter blood-piercing roar and then Dimitrios let go of her.

"Take this Vampyr and lock him up in the dungeon," he ordered. Two warriors hauled Vicenzo to his feet and dragged him away. "Everyone, out!" Dimitrios shouted to his warriors. They all left the room like wolves running with their tails between their legs.

"Princess, don't do this! Don't fight him!" Vicenzo called out. Dimitrios looked as though he wanted to run after the Vampyr and kill him again.

One moment, Dimitrios was standing in his Wolfen form. In the next heartbeat, he was leapt over the black mist that shrouded a Wolfen when they changed. Another blink of an eye and he jumped high with and swiped at Vicenzo with his razor-sharp claws.

Again, Ailara traced and landed in front of Vicenzo the same time that Dimitrios attacked. Instead of Dimitrios' claws raking Vicenzo's skin, it slashed a wide gash at Ailara's arm and it started to bleed freely.

She closed her eyes as pain assailed her. Dimitrios' landed near the door and his wolf let out a low whimper. Black mist surrounded him again and he was back in his human form.

"Princess! I'm so sorry!" Vicenzo shouted.

Dimitrios roared again and run towards Ailara. Ailara was surprised for when Dimitrios inspected her wound, his hands were gentle. It was a stark contrast to his anger.

"Let me give you my blood so you can heal," Vicenzo offered.

"Never. She takes from no one but me! Guards, take him away! Now!"

"I'll be fine, Vicenzo," Ailara answered calmly as her long-lost Vampyr friend was dragged away. Her soft voice penetrated Dimitrios' anger. He started rolling up the sleeves of his robe. Then, he presented her his wrist.

"I will not take your blood," she told him.

"You need it to heal."

"It will heal on its own but slower. I'll welcome that pain rather than drink your blood."

"Don't be stubborn! Just take it!" he ordered.

Ailara shook her head. Dimitrios ripped a sleeve from his robe and then used the cloth to tie it around her wound to stem the bleeding.

"You want to be in pain? Fine, then," he spat.

Ailara chose not to reply. Her eyes showed the pain she felt and Dimitrios' inner wolf clawed at him to ease her and relieve her of the pain.

"If you are thinking of taking another's blood, then forget it. You shall only drink from me!"

Ailara only sighed.

When will this torture end?

"How dare you defy me in front of my men? You forget who you are, Vampyr!" Dimitrios snarled after being silent for a few minutes.

Ailara didn't respond and it increased his anger by another notch.

"You dare touch him. And then you defend him against me! You spill your blood for him!" he shouted. His voice and the anger shown in his entire stance made Ailara flinch but she held her ground. Dimitrios took another step closer and he was surprised when she stood her ground and didn't back away.

Lesser men would have cowered in the face of his rage.

"I did not forget who I am and what I am here. I am a Vampyr – your prisoner —and I was just defending my fellow Vampyr against your kind's cruelty," she told him in a calm tone. But Dimitrios could smell her fear and see it in her eyes.

"My kind? Cruelty?" he spat. "Did I not save you from dying? Did I not give you shelter and also shared my blood?!"

Ailara raised her chin. "That was not an act of kindness on your part, Dimitrios. It was you wanting to know the secrets I keep. It was you trampling on the sacredness of a mate bond for a Vampyr for your own selfish purposes!" Dimitrios opened his mouth but Ailara kept on speaking. "And what happens then when you know my secrets? You'll kill me! Just like you did for most of my kind!" she screamed.

"You killed my mother and betrayed the alliance!" he retorted.

Ailara laughed and the sound grated at his nerves. "So we're back to that, huh?" Ailara said sarcastically.

"Yes. Because this is where it comes full circle. These questions will be asked over and over until I get an answer!"

Ailara sighed and shook her head. "I wish I could tell you! Don't you understand that? I would have given everything I own just so I could tell you and go free!"

"Who said I will let you have your freedom?" Dimitrios spat.

Ailara lifted her chin in defiance once more. "Death would be freedom for me, Dimitrios."

He gripped her arms and shook her. "Why can't you tell me?"

"I literally can't!" Ailara took a deep breath. She was bound by Heilen's magic not to spill all the secrets she knew. "I am bound to Heilen and even if I wanted to tell you, I can't!"

Dimitrios looked at her as if she just started spouting nonsense.

"Fine, then. You want to see why? You want to see me suffer? Alright. I will show you."

Ailara took a deep breath. Dimitrios could see her eyes filling with tears even before she started speaking. Then, she opened her lips and said, "Dimitrios, the night your mother died, I was under Heilen's—"

Then, she suddenly stopped and grabbed her throat. Her mouth was open and her eyes bulged as though some invisible being was strangling her. He could hear her trying to breathe but it was as if her lungs seized.

Protect her! Dimitrios' inner wolf screamed at him. Once more, his wolf was roused with seeing Ailara come to harm—yet another sign that his wolf was recognizing her as its mate. It should not be the case.

Protect!

The cry came louder this time. Ailara clawed at her neck. The action caused strain on her arm and the wound Dimitrios tied earlier started to bleed again. Then suddenly, whatever seized her stopped and she slumped. She almost fell to the floor but Dimitrios caught her in his arms.

It took a few minutes for her to regain her breath. Then, through tear-filled eyes, she looked up at the Wolfen King. "I cannot tell you what you seek. So you might as well kill me now," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

"How is this possible?" he asked her.

"Heilen bound me to him."

Dimitrios felt like the rug was pulled from under his feet and he was falling freely down an endless chasm. He knew that for a bond to take place, blood must be accepted for a period of time.

Ailara betrayed him several years ago and she's been with Heilen ever since. The thought drove a spike into his heart.

Was this the reason why she did not want to accept his blood and his bond? His wolf howled at the thought. On the other hand, the man in him got angry at the betrayal. She was his wife. They were mated in the eyes of the gods. She was supposed to be a queen, his mate, his equal. And she chose Heilen?

This was betrayal at its finest.

"So... all this time... you've been Heilen's whore?" he spat.

Ailara gasped and then slapped him. It was so hard that it made his ears ring. But he believed she deserved those words... and more.

"Don't presume to judge me, Dimitrios. You know nothing," she told him in a dead tone. Then, she wrenched herself from his arms and walked away. The double doors slammed shut with a loud thud after her exit.

☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾

2 days later...

Ailara removed the bandage on her arm and winced when the soiled bandage pulled at her wound. It was a deep gash and even though two days have passed and it should already be healed, it still looked fresh.

That was because for two days now, she refused to accept Dimitrios' blood and any other blood for that matter. She was weak and her wound hurt like hell but she didn't want to accept anything from Dimitrios after he called her Heilen's whore.

"You do not know everything I've been through," she whispered to herself as she recalled all those night of torture under Heilen's hands. She also recalled the people she killed under Heilen's command.

Dimitrios was her mate and he was supposed to protect her. That was how it worked right?

If yes, then she definitely got the short end of the stick.

"All those years... you didn't even for a second think that maybe all of what happened was not my fault. You killed my people instead and looked for me so you could kill me. But you didn't look hard enough, Dimitrios," Ailara whispered once more.

Here she was, talking to herself. And this was because Dimitrios did not allow anyone to visit her. Even the maids who helped her dress were dismissed. Guards usually checked in on her but Dimitrios never showed his face... even once.

Suddenly, the doors opened and the two maids entered.

"My lady," they said as they bowed to her. The true address to her was supposed to be 'Princess' or 'Your Highness' but Ailara let it pass. She was considered an enemy of Dimitrios' people and she was a prisoner here. Apart from that, she was princess of what exactly?

The proud kingdom of the Vampyr was reduced to ruins; its citizens scattered everywhere to seek hide from both the Wolfen and the Cerran.

"Yes?" Ailara answered.

"The King summons you. We have to prepare you quickly," Lisa told her. More servants entered and placed a tub in the middle of the room. It was promptly filled with steaming water.

"Why has he summoned me?" Ailara asked.

The two maids shook their heads. "We don't know, milady. He just asked us to prepare you and bring you to the entrance of the castle once the sun sets."

Ailara wanted to ask more questions but then a bucket of water was poured over her head. Also, the maids scrubbed her from head to toe. They also cleaned and dressed her wound.

Then, she was made to wear a gown which was as dark as night and a thick travelling cloak over it.

"Are we going somewhere?"

"The King did not say, my lady," Lisa answered. She was ushered out of the room and down the narrow, winding corridors of the Wolfen keep. Five guards followed her. She expected to be brought to the throne room but she was brought outside the castle.

The chilly night air hit her face and she couldn't help but smile and tilt her face upwards to the moon. "My lady, we must hurry. We can't keep the king waiting," Keira told her. They walked faster.

The two maids led her near the stables and even from a distance, she saw Dimitrios. He wore black breeches and also a black tunic. He was talking to several of his warriors. Near them, several horses were saddled and ready.

The moment she arrived, Dimitrios turned to face her.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Dimitrios raised his hand and the warriors beside him mounted their horses. Without another word, Dimitrios picked her up by her waist and swung her over the horse. Ailara almost fell but she was able to regain her balance.

"I've not ridden for a long time," she pointed out.

"You won't be riding alone," he answered. Then, he jumped and sat behind her. Before she could protest, his hands were on either side of her as he took hold of the reins. Dimitrios flicked the reins and the horse galloped.

Ailara watched as Dimitrios raised his hand once more as a signal and the portcullis was raised and the thick doors to the Wolfen castle was opened. A bridge was lowered and then Dimitrios leaned forward and the horse started to run.

Dimitrios was in the lead and his warriors followed. Ailara thought there was only going to be a few who will ride but when the horses started to run, there were so many that the ground shook.

She craned her head back and watched as Dimitrios' vast army rode behind their King.

The wind whipped across Ailara's face and the chill of the night set in her bones. But she's never been this free in a long, long time and so she revelled in it.

"Where are we going?" she repeated the question.

"To Bering," he answered.

"So you choose to heed Vicenzo's warning now?"

At the mention of the other Vampyr's name, she felt Dimitrios' body stiffen.

"The village of Bering has already been attacked. It was razed to the ground and its citizens killed."

Ailara gasped. "I'm so sorry."

Dimitrios was silent for a long time. And for a while, Ailara just enjoyed being out of her prison and experiencing the outside world for the first time in a long, long time.

"So I assume we're going to Bering?" she asked to break the silence.

"Yes."

"Why are you taking me with you?" she asked.

"Your friend is also here and he will lead us to this army he mentioned. You are here because he still recognizes you as his princess. You will be the safeguard to make him cooperate," Dimitrios replied coolly.

Ailara craned her neck and looked him directly in the eyes. "So you're using me again?"

Dimitrios shrugged.

"Heilen used you for more than half a century and you allowed him to. So why is it that when I, your mate, do the same you complain?" he spat.

Ailara felt like slapping him again but their position on top of a horse made it difficult for her.

"And you're here because you need my blood and you can't be away from me for long," Dimitrios added.

"I don't need your blood," Ailara retorted.

"You will take it anyway. I will make you drink from me. Only me."

"So you can bond me to you and use me as you see fit?"

Dimitrios smiled smugly. "Yes. Exactly like Heilen did."



******************************

Also, if you're reading The Billion-Dollar Knight, I put the chapters back on Wattpad. I also updated on Radish this week! You know the drill, advanced chapters in there. Haha.

And The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract is COMPLETED and FREE on Radish! <3