CHAPTER 128: AMBUSHED
The crisp air ran through my skin cooling me off from the weight that I had once carried. That was where I needed to be outside under the sky.
The cobblestone streets of the palace grounds blurred beneath my feet; the night air ran free at my tear-streaked cheeks. My mind was a mess of thoughts and emotions, the hurt had gradually reduced to a dull ache in my chest.
I stood at an angle watching the gate until a guard standing by the gate passed by. Even if we were not on good terms, I knew what Kieran was capable of and what he was up against, and letting her step out of the palace without proper supervision and approval from him, was not top on that list. As soon as the coast becomes clear, I sneak my way out of the gate into the dark street. At first, I ran, so fast as my leg could carry me to avoid the guards catching up to me just in case, they had seen me. But when I stopped and looked back, there was no one. For the first time in a while, I felt free again.
I didn’t feel the eyes that watched me through the window blinders or hear whispers about a certain queen. It was just me against the world. But then, after a few miles ahead the crisp air that once served as a cooling mechanism from the fight nibbled my skin. I had been so furious that the thought of carrying a coat along somehow escaped my mind. I knew that eventually, I would need to turn back and return to Kieran but not as soon as I had thought. I felt weird as I got to a part of the road. Most of the street lights had suddenly gone off I could see the smoke from my breath. If nothing killed me out here, the cold certainly will. I turned sharply to the ruffles I heard beside me and then a mouse ran out. But something still felt wrong. I turned around but could find no one. I hadn’t been out much so I didn’t know how often the streets were empty. But I knew in my gut that something wasn’t right. I had faced the direction from which I had come from, it was time to go back.
I didn’t run, but only walked, faster than my legs could carry. As I turned towards my side, I could have sworn that I had seen a figure walking in my direction. But I didn’t stop to check. Just then, it dawned on me about the curfew and other protective measure that Kieran had put in place to protect the people but my stubbornness and anger had pushed me out in the dark. Probably in the midst of the enemies and I was being followed.
This isn’t good.
My breath hitched h as I tried to keep it rubbing my palms against my skin. This wasn’t what I had bargained for when I sneaked out of the palace. I just wanted a moment of peace and now all I good get were goose bumps filling my arms. As soon as I got to a corner just close to the palace gate, I slammed into a solid wall of muscle. Stumbling back, I looked up to find myself surrounded by black figures in the shadows. I couldn’t quite pick a face as their faces were covered in darkness.
I heard a chuckle behind my ear and jumped tracing my steps backward.
“We finally found you. All alone in the dark. Just the way we wanted.”
Had someone planned this?
I was there in the right place at the right time waiting to be devoured. I turned to find them closer now. The familiar red eyes and fangs all covered up in their dark coats. It was clear to me why the cold was intense now.
These weren’t soldiers, these weren’t Kieran’s men. These… these were vampires.
My heart pounded they closed in on me.
“Please don’t hurt me,” tears fell down my chin.
But instead, they laughed and grunted.
“All-powerful and mighty chosen one, now so helpless. I warned Kieran to hand you over to me but he wouldn’t listen.”
“You… are the King,” I stammered.NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.
“Nice to meet you too. I have waited a thousand years for this,” he snorted.
The anger, and the hurt that once filled my mind all evaporated, replaced by a bone-deep terror that threatened to consume me whole.
At that moment, between the fading echoes of my argument with Kieran and the terrifying reality before me, I knew I had made a terrible mistake.
I felt the terror in my veins. My mind screamed at me to run, but my feet were rooted to the spot. One of the vampires lunged, the King perhaps, his movements were a blur of unnatural speed. That that point, I felt the surge of adrenaline through me, snapping me out of my paralysis.
Just immediately, I dodged the sharp claws that swiped at my face, the strong stench of decay entering my nostrils which gave me a nauseating feeling. Everything happened so fast not giving me enough time to think. Panic slowly clawed to the edges of my mind, but I forced it down. I needed to fight. I had to or I would die. Every inch of me felt desperate to get free from those creatures.
I snatched a loose stone from the ground and swung it towards the vampire that came close with all my might, it hit the vampire’s jaw making a loud crack sound. He stumbled back making a loud snarl that ripped from his throat. But before I could do something else to help myself, another vampire attacked from the side.
This one was faster, stronger. He grabbed my arm, his grip was so firm that it nearly ripped off my flesh. I groaned as the pain lanced through me when his long nails dug into my flesh. I kicked out, hitting his shin with a strong crunch. He roared in pain, loosening his hold on my arm for a bit. But that was only the beginning.
I ripped my arm free and brought my knee up, slamming it into his groin. He doubled over, gasping for breath. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed the dagger strapped to my thigh and plunged it into his back. Constant training with Kieran had taught me that.
He grunted as he crumpled to the ground, but then, he rose again, taking the dagger off his back and dumping it on the floor. As he faced me, his face held much determination to end me that he had earlier been. I felt the chills down my spine as I realized that it was only the beginning. Even if I managed to take down maybe one or two there were more vampires too many.
“Is that all that you’ve got?” The King asked.
“I’m sorry, I just want to go back to the palace.”
“What are you doing out here in the first place?”
“Thinking about it right now, I don’t even know what I am doing out here. I’m so sorry if I caused you any harm,” I turned to the vampire that I had earlier stabbed.
“It seems you don’t understand what is going on here.”
Of course, I did understand but playing dumb sometimes always worked and I hoped so much that it would work this time. The look on the faces of the vampires is always said. Whatever they had come out to do, they were certain that they were going to get it done before anyone realized.
“Please,” I could hear the quiver in my voice. At that point, I wished so much to be swallowed into the earth. Anywhere else was a better place than where I stood.