Just at midnight, Lor awakened to her waist wrapped in someone’s powerful grasp. She looked back with eyes traveling along the man’s muscular biceps. Without question, her body melted in the man’s comforting touch.

When his chest pressed against her spine, she arched it, turning her cheek to catch his lips as if she already knew he’d kiss her. Then, the most startling thing occurred. The bedroom window shattered, stealing both of their attention. The man’s identity remained unknown, but that no longer was a concern.

Daggers of glass flew with points aiming in their direction. She let out a scream when only their edges, to an astonishing degree, sliced across her flesh. Deepening Lor’s horror, a monstrous beast emerged from the window, leaping to the floor. It prowled beside the bed at first. With an ever-changing shift, it stood to its towering depths, taking the man by his neck, flinging him against the concrete wall.

Fear consumed Lor, forcing rounded eyes that lingered on the monster’s patchy flesh. She was his next target. It lurked through the draping of the canopy, eyes engaged, giving her time to take in its fullness.

Wolf like in its physique, with a matted mane, his drawn out fangs caught the moonlight, drool stringing from them. They were so large, she could see her reflection in their yellowish curves. The beast could accidentally be mistaken for a minx, but its face was far too hideous, height overbearingly tall. The monster’s flea nipped ears sprawled, one up, the other dangling to the side. They only shifted forward when they sensed movement.

What she knew for certain, this beast was dangerous. She veered to the floor, eyes full of tears from seeing the motionless man laid out. As she squinted, just enough to make out who he was, she gasped, confused on how it could be, Prince Nel?The sight caused her heart to break in such a way that losing him seemed to matter. When her sadness turned to rage, she felt her flesh rip, fur slice through her pores as she screamed out in agony. What’s happening to me? Just as fast, the monster jumped in through the canopy and crawled over her legs, running its saturated nose along them. With its mouth widened, she waited for it to devour her.

Then she woke up with a winded gasp, realizing it was only a nightmare, oddly including the prince of Ustoria. She found herself repulsed by the idea of him holding her in his grasp like they were some sort of lovers. Deemed out of line in its context, she almost blamed him for the morbid display. But the thought of him could not compete with the irritating foot shuffles of her maids. She scoffed as their heels that clacked hastily across floor. They seemed to be in a rush to prepare her morning. Breakfast was always served bright and early.

“Princess?” said Kira. The twelve-year-old maid took the initiative to carry over Lor’s folded omelet packed with ham and cheeses, already immune to her morning attitude. “I have breakfast.”

Lor’s face remained under her blanket, voice strained and muffled. “Just leave it!”

Naomi butted in, swiping the food tray from Kira’s hands. With a light slam, she placed it on a food cart, then waved the girl away.

Kira tottered into the washroom where a bath was drawn for the princess.

With her patience thin, Naomi plunged both knuckles at her hips and said, “The king requires your presence in an hour. It’s time to get up.” She rushed to Lor’s bedside, peeling the blanket below her waist. “There is a council meeting about your betrothal.”

“There will be no betrothal. I’m not marrying that foul beast.”

“Regardless, it is my job to make sure you eat, dress, and attend the meeting.”

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“I don’t wish to go.” As Lor yanked the blanket back over her face, Naomi ripped it away, sending it to the floor. Lor’s jaw dropped, astonished she’d ever be so bold. There was definitely something off about her maid’s mood. Naomi was usually a bouncy person whose smile never missed a beat, even in spite of Lor’s overbearing personality.

Naomi took her chances to explain herself before Lor chewed her out about her silk duvet laid out on the floor.

“Princess, please! Your father has been very anal about things lately and he’s convinced I told you about the marriage. Still blames me for the spectacle last night. He threatened to fire me if things awry today. For a change, can you do as your told?”

Lor’s scolding eyes softened with pity. She took a moment to empathize. “I’m sorry about my father. You needn’t go to him anymore for anything else.”

She palmed her maid’s hand, clasping it softly, in an effort to reset the mood. Still, Naomi had no idea the stress she was under. “I’m overwhelmed myself, by everything. Terrified that I might not be able to talk Father out of marrying me off to the enemy. Maybe I’ll just run away.”

Her mind channeled Prince Nel and his god-forbidden, handsome face. Their encounter left her with an uncomfortable impression on him. She despised that he did not mind her space when he intruded her bedroom. Her physical responses did not make things any better. But still, he was intrusive in every way, so much that he played a role in her nightmares.

Her eyes locked to the edge of the bed as she pondered on the things he said, the way he stared into her eyes, the very things that triggered her body. With brows furrowed, she scoffed at the very idea of it, vowing it would never happen again. She was so wrapped up in thought, she didn’t realize Naomi rambling on.

“And you’re right, I can’t imagine the stress you’re under. Still, running away isn’t the answer.” Naomi’s face lit up with an idea. “Why don’t you use that strong voice of yours to speak against the marriage at the meeting? There must be another way to form peace.”

Lor took a deep breath. “Perhaps, you’re right. I’m certain the Council of Ten will be in agreement with me. I know they oppose father’s plan.” Her body shifted forward as her brows shot up. “Maybe I can get them to back me or even sway him to call off this peace treaty.”

“It’s not such a bad thing to end our quarrel with them. The vampire family seemed on board with things before they left last night.”

“I hope you’re not serious. We can never trust vampires after all they’ve done.”

Dom met Lor at the entrance to escort her to the meeting hall. In the nearby town of Ractun, it stood in the center as the only isolated building, surrounded by roadways, markets and row homes.

He ushered her to their transport, keeping his distance, remaining tight-lipped.

She perceived the silence as discretion for their relationship with the expansion of soldiers. As he warned her, they grew in number since the vampire’s arrival.

When they approached the carriage, he helped her inside. The interior held a fancy essence, enveloped in rosy valor. Curtains hung from the windows for privacy. They also had shudders. She sat down and Dom sat on the opposite side, not for a second looking her way. He still hadn’t spoken, clearly upset about how things transpired last night.

“Dom, are you okay?” said Lor. Just when she stood up to sit with him, the carriage took off, throwing her back down. Even that didn’t get a reaction out of him when she checked for a vengeful chortle. “So you’re just gonna ignore me?”

He hunched forward, elbows to knees, and narrowed his gaze as if he were thinking. “I hate how you are some times. The way you threw me out of your room like I don’t have feelings too.”

“That’s why you’re acting this way? You know I care for you.”

“Funny way of showing it.”

“I was wrong, I know. I just needed time to absorb what you told me, be alone.”

“I understand, Loretta, but that was a perfect time to discuss what this means for us. We’re lucky if nobody hears us now.”

“Nothing changes! I’m not marrying him. I have a plan.”

“I want to believe that, but your father and the vampires already agreed. It took everything in me not to storm out of that meeting. When I came to you last night, I only hoped to create an escape plan for us.”

“You want to run away together?”

“I will not see the woman I love marry a blood sucking beast. So yes, I already have it planned.”

“If things don’t go in my favor today, I’ll consider it. No point in running away if my father calls this off.” By this point, Lor couldn’t count the amount of times she told him what he wanted to hear.

Then again, it’s not like fleeing hadn’t already been a thought, but to run away with a man who clearly loved her more than she could reciprocate did not seem like the brightest idea. Start a new life with a soldier?I might as well become a commoner.

“I don’t see no other way around this, but sure.” Dom had this defeated look in his eyes as if he’d already lost Lor. His gaze froze to the floor, both hand clasped in his lap. She could tell words of many wanted to spill out as his lips pinched and parted. He stayed silent the remaining ride.

As the carriage strolled the bumpy road, the princess leaned back, deep in thought. Would things turn out in her favor or was her fate sealed?