Duke Mortus

The cobbled stones hit the carriage's wooden wheels firmly. Black stallions reared their ugly heads as my coachman whipped them to hurry down the winding path. The road to the castle was filled with rough terrains. The previous King, Drago, did not care to maintain the roads to his castle because he did not want an audience at all. He was a bloody tyrant. My family hated him and everyone else in the parliament. They craved to rule the entire nation with an iron fist, take what they wanted, take on female vampires as concubines until he found his fresh new rose he saw in the Moon Kingdom some twenty-odd years ago.

Princess Sabrina was just a babe, lying in a crib, but when he looked into her eyes, he already knew he had to have her. It would strengthen both kingdoms, but not only that, the aura of this precious baby calmed his demon inside. No longer thirsting for blood and concubines, he calmed his ways just enough for the kingdom to thrive for twenty-odd years. King Drago lied to the King and Queen of the Moon Kingdom and said she was his mate and he would wait until she was older to claim her. Little did the idiot know that Queen Estar's ability to read the future would hinder that plan. They hid her in the Earth Realm, where she found her mate, Alpha Seth, the most fearsome werewolf to date. Now Drago is dead. By the hands of the Bergarian Realms Royal Court after Princess Sabrina, now known as Sadie, almost ripped him to shreds. Ironic, that your chosen beloved tried to kill you. Then again, did mine do just the same? I chuckled, leaning my arm out the carriage window. The fates have a cruel way of trying to punish for those changing the future.

The streets had become brighter since King Drago had passed and his half-sister Diana had taken the throne. Even King Drago's father was an idiot, sleeping with a witch coven leader just after the unfortunate death of his own beloved. The gods blessed that union and created the first born vampire witch hybrid. The gods must have planned for Diana's birth to continue the royal bloodline. Taking over as Drago's successor would be a difficult one. Ridding the parliament of the evil ones that followed Drago's lust for power was difficult for her, but she succeeded, surprisingly. Being more cunning and resourceful, I succeed in my endeavors of nominations to the new queen of several high-ranking vampires that wish to feed on human blood, but were silent about it. Barging in, demanding what you wanted would not work with this Queen. We had to do everything under the table. Not to mention most of those I had nominated saw that a half witch sat on a vampire throne was blasphemous. None of them took her seriously, and they certainly didn't respect her behind her back.

The carriage pulled up. Gardners were working, smiling. That I might add, happy to be doing something useful in the hazy sky. The carriage doors opened. Stepping out in the small stones with my freshly polished shoes, I straightened my black vest and turncoat, ready to enter the castle I had not laid eyes upon in centuries.

The large doors opened, several servants bowing towards me with the head butler of the house leading the way to the new Queen's study. I needed to ask permission for the help of finding Odessa. The fairies that had been sent out to find my soon-to-be beloved had not returned and my anxiousness was not faring well for the servants of my own household. Everyone was stiff, worried I would crack at any moment.

They should be scared. They let the one thing I had craved slip right through my fingers. Servants scared her enough, thinking her life was in danger, that I did not care for her at all and saw her as just another blood bag. My hands tightened, hearing the leather gloves rub against my palms.

"Her highness will see you now," the servant bowed, opening the large blackened doors. The study was filled with light, bright walls of creams, tans and golds adorned the room. Ancient books lined the shelves, small head busts of previous kings and queens lined the corners of the room. Fresh plants sat on either side of the desk with windows opened wide to a freshly created garden behind the castle.

Queen Diana had on a pair of spectacles, looking at the fine print of the paper. I cleared my throat, bowing low for respect. "Your Highness, it is a pleasure to finally meet you acquaintance," I poured my silk voice across her desk. Her red eyes glanced at me, her white hair tipping over her shoulders, covering the front of her purple satin dress. She looked at me with a stoic face of a queen, one to rule with fist just like her father's no doubt.

Taking off her spectacles, she sighed, pushing herself away from the desk. "It's a pleasure Duke. Why don't we have a seat where it is more comfortable?" Queen Diana moved us to a side parlor. A werewolf stood, holding out his hand, leading her to her seat. He kissed her hand as she sat down and he poured her a cup of tea. "Thank you, Nathan," her eyes sparkled at him, a pink tint flushed her face.

There was no mark on either of their shoulders. Could this be a male concubine of some kind?

"To answer your question," the Queen spoke, "he is my mate. We are just taking things at a slower pace."

"Ah, you have the gift of reading minds?" I smiled. Little did she know, I could hide most of my thoughts. I was older than her and had more control over the walls of my mind. Smirking to myself, this would be easier than I thought it would be, knowing such of a power.

"Depends how loud they are," the Queen glanced at me, her eyebrow raised, looking into my eyes. Putting up walls of what I wanted her to see versus not, her eyes visibly softened. "You are looking for a lost mate?"

"Yes," I clenched my fist. The thought of her still out there, a lone or in danger or being marked by someone else made me growl in my throat. What if she found her true mate? If she did and formed any sort of bond, may it be emotional or physical, may become deadly to her and to me. "Someone tried to gift her to me as a blood bag, but I knew she was mine," I lied smoothly. "There was a misunderstanding. My servants put her in the cells, treated badly and then escaped when I tried to explain things to her. She's a strong one, my Odessa. She managed to slit my throat." I pulled the high top collar, hiding my scar until. Soon I could tattoo around it. Diana's eyes widened.

"First of all, we do not do blood bags here, even with the wards down for humans to enter Bergarian," she looked at me pointedly. I shook my head, "Oh I know, Your Highness, I was going to have her returned to Earth at once. The person trying to pay off a debt has been disposed of." The Queen's eyes squinted, searching for a lie. I took my cup of tea, sipping it and crossing my legs. Out of all my little lies, that was the truth.

As soon as my mind was made up to make Odessa my beloved, Enoch hunted her down. She died a slow and painful death that I had yet to receive the details. A shame really, I would have loved to see her grovel for her life after selling her only daughter to vampires.

"I see," she spoke. Nathan growled lowly. Werewolves never liked vampires. I was surprised he was still around. Then again, she was only half vampire.

"So what is your purpose here then, Duke? Are you wanting me to send out my soldiers to look for your mate? Because that will not happen with the state our nation is in right now. Even with your loyalty of not following my late father, the funds are simply are not there."

"No, of course not. I would never ask you for such a thing. Not with you having our now prospering nation, now growing into new light. I was just asking for a small request, one that your friend, Princess Sadie, might help with?" I clasped my hands together, leaning on my thighs. "Since she was born wolfless, a human really, I wanted to see if she could help or pursued my beloved to come back to me if they hear of her whereabouts. I want her to understand what a mate or beloved is, so she would feel more comfortable and that I would never hurt her."

Again.

Queen Diana's eyes fluttered to Nathan, having a silent conversation with him. He nodded once, leaving the room. "I'll see what I can do, but I cannot ask her to go searching for your mate. Maybe her ability to calm her, see what mates really are, could help your situation. I do owe you my gratitude for showing your support throughout the recent changes in the monarchy."

My smile broadened. That's exactly what I wanted. "Yes, I would be most appreciative, your highness."

"On one condition, Duke Mortus." The Queen held up one finger as she pondered her words. "That you stop sending dark fairies into the mountains. A dragon was said to have ripped them to shreds because they stepped into the wrong territory. Even if they are Dark Fairies from Vamparia, King Orion of the Light Kingdom will step in if this gets out of hand. We do not need a war right now. We will fail. I'm sure you understand this."

"Of course, your Highness, I will call off the search in the mountains." I spoke sincerely, waving my hand.

Her smile lightened, putting her teacup back on the saucer. Nathan walked back in, kissing her on the lips. She stood to take his hand as he wrapped around her waist.

"Princess Sadie said it would be an honor for her to talk to her about you. In fact, Alpha Seth was planning on taking her on a tour of the pride lands and Eleven Territories. They will be sure to keep an eye out for her." My excitement had me grip my seat. If Alpha Seth was going, his nose was the strongest of all werewolves. He would be sure to find her if she was near.

"That's terrific!" Clapping my hands together, standing to shake Nathan's, I gave a toothy grin. "I would be most appreciative. If you both would grace us with your presence during our beloved ceremony once she's back." Diana immediately agreed, feeling that this was my true beloved that I was referring to. My demon inside me sated for just a while as we continued in my efforts to find her.

In the carriage, I had the driver stop at the pup that Enoch that was allegedly visiting the night of his disappearance. Enoch could be a lush. He had a problem with the bottle and even if he was my right hand, he could party too much. The bar was empty, since the sun was hiding in the clouds. Vampires walked the cobble stoned roads and entered shops for clothing, food and the sort. Waving the driver off, I walked in the footsteps of Enoch's travel back to the mansion. Enoch could sober quickly. The many drinking games we played held that to be true. Walking home would sober him up quickly and not get caught by me chastising him. With my hands in my pockets, I walked clear across town, the rag that Odessa used as a blanket, still sat in my pocket. Pulling it out, smelling her scent once more calmed me once again.

How did it take me three months to realize she was going to be mine? Was I that blind to see? Once the bond is created, my heart will beat for the first time and my obsession with her will grow even more. Odessa will also come to love me and we can worship each other. She will think of no one else but me, let me feed from her, pierce my skin as I will do to her, over and over.

She'll like that just the way I pierced her before, only now it will run through her like a mighty wave of orgasmic pleasure, and then she will inflict it onto me. I shivered walking up to the mansion. Imagining her sweet lips grazing my neck, I touched my scar absentmindedly, a smile forming weakly on my lips.

As I walked to the service entrance, I noticed dried blood on the stone wall. It could be easily missed if one was not looking for a darkened appearance, but I smell it. Bending down, I licked my finger to grab some of the flaking blood. Tasting it, I realized who it was immediately. Enoch.

Looking over the fence, around the corner, I could not find his body or traces of where he could have gone. Enoch does not bleed. He was a skilled fighter for my second hand.

Running my hands through my knotted hair, a little boy walks by with shoes too big for his feet. He clomped down the sidewalk, slapping harshly against the grain. The untied and of expensive quality of the leather had my head jerk in surprise. My nose flared. The faint smell of Enoch came from this small boy. "You!" I yelled. The boy in rags shivered, back hit flat against the wall.

"Where did you get those?" I marched up to him, my hand around his neck. The vampire child barely had his fangs. He could still be eating the raw meat of a cow instead of being sustained on just blood alone.

"W-what s-sir?" I pulled his neck, beating his head back into the bricked wall. "Those shoes, they are not yours," I hissed. He shook his head, grabbing and ripping at my skin. The cold rings on my fingers leaving prints on his neck. "T-they fell off of a man," he choked. Letting his neck go, I let him speak. "He was unconscious, he was dead," he rubbed his neck.

"Dead?" I growled. "Who killed him did you see?" The boy gulped, looking everywhere but my face.

"You dare lie to Duke Mortus?" He gasped, shaking his head again.

"A,... a big man, with a scar down his face. He had braids in h-his hair. He was only wearing stuff covering his decency." Standing up to full height, I thought of what kind of man who this would be.

"Did he speak?" The boy shook his head. "He had a big gash in his throat. I don't think he could if he wanted."

The gears turned in my head, rubbing my chin. I waved the boy off. He ran clumsily down the alleyway while I looked to the forest behind the mansion. If it is who I think, it would explain the dead fairies in the mountains. The way one fairy came back almost pissing himself from the size of a shifter dragon, warning him off his territory.

If it is who I think, he has my beloved captured. Enoch could have been close to finding out his identity. I will need to dig my fangs deeper into my search, maybe even request a visit to a certain Alpha.