Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

“No.”

I don’t ask him if it’s because of the room, I have a feeling it only works on witches, which is why she hasn’t used any of her powers. If a vampire can still bite, I’m sure Patrick can still shift.

“I’m so sorry, Patrick.”

He doesn’t reply. Instead, his head falls forward, and I’m helpless to do anything as he passes out.

I can’t remember the last time I felt this helpless. This entirely useless. But I feel it now as I sit and wait for Patrick to wake. It’s been hours. His soft breathing is the only thing that’s been keeping me sane. We’re both still tied to the chairs, and I can still smell myself and it’s becoming uncomfortable. The queen doesn’t seem to care. And why would she when I am not willing to give her what she wants?

But it isn’t hers to take.

“Talia.” Patrick says my name. His eyes open, and his head lifts. Deep brown eyes meet mine. “I’m okay… just takes me a little longer to heal when I can’t shift.”

“And are drained of blood,” I add.

He cracks a small smile. “I can live with only a small amount of blood.”

“But I can’t handle watching…”

“And that’s what she wants,” he says. “Don’t give it to her.”

The door to the room opens and in she walks, all by herself this time. The vampire who’s with her stays at the door. When I look at her hand, I see a bright shine. She walks behind Patrick as she places her hand on his shoulder. “Last time. Will you give me your power?”

“I literally can’t. What are you not understanding about that!” I yell at her.

“If you can take, you can give.” Anger is rooted in her voice now. “Last chance.”

I shake my head.

Patrick offers me a small smile before the unthinkable happens. She raises a knife in her hand and puts it to his throat. Then, in the slowest way possible, she cuts, and blood gushes from the wound, which he can’t reach to stop. It pours in rivulets down his front, and the whole time, a pretty red smile sits on her lips.

Evil.

“Next will be your sister.” She walks out without another word, dropping the knife on the ground.

I’m frozen in shock.

My eyes are open, but my mind isn’t wanting to catch up.

Patrick gargles on his own blood as it pours from his throat, and tears I didn’t even know I was crying blur my eyes.

“Clean him up and dispose of him,” I hear her say from outside.

The vampire enters the room as the queen leaves.

“Help him!” I scream at the vampire.

He ignores me as he unties Patrick from the chair. Patrick is unresponsive, completely still. No more sounds.

Did she just…

She did.

“I’ll kill you, bitch! I will tear your tongue from your fucking throat and then watch you choke on your own blood. You whore!” I don’t know if she hears me, but I thrash in my chair as Patrick is carried out of the room, his blood dripping all over the floor.

“I knew you had a mouth, but wow.” I turn my head to Bronik standing in the doorway.

My angry eyes burn into him as I seethe. “And you. Do not think I will let you go so easily. You… you I will happily kill as well.”

“It seems you can’t do a whole lot now, can you?” He smiles as he walks over to me and unties my arms, then tears the ropes from my feet. I’m confused at first as to why he is doing it, but I waste no time before I lunge at him. I manage to land one hit before he pulls me off and holds me up like a ragdoll by the back of my shirt. “Are you done yet?”

I spit in his face. “No.”

“And I was even going to feed you.” He shakes his head and looks down at the blood on the floor. “She said if you didn’t cooperate, to tie you back up and leave you on the floor in his blood.”

“Do it!” I scream at him, not wanting any pity from him. I try again to hit him, but fighting an angel is useless. I’m like a child with no magic, and I’m starved. He could best me easily. That’s not to say I wouldn’t give it my all, though, and I would die trying.

“She just captured your other sister.” I stop moving at his words, and he nods before he puts me down and pulls out a protein bar from his pocket. “Do you need to be tied down, or when I come back with a change of clothes and a washcloth, will you behave?”

“I’ll behave,” I say in a voice that I hope is somewhat believable.

“I don’t believe you, but until you prove me wrong…”

I take the bar from his hand, and he walks to the door and shuts it behind him. I count to ten, and when I think it’s clear, I run to the door on shaky legs and try to pull it open. It’s useless—it doesn’t even budge, but that won’t stop me. I slip in the blood, fall to the floor, and wonder what I’m going to do next.