After our training, Sam and I walked back to the third prince's quarters. On the way, I glanced at him, who was walking right beside me.

"Husband," I called, and he raised a brow before casting me a look. "How long do I have to observe? I understand you must have a reason, but can you tell me what it is?"

"Even if I tell you, it will only confuse you, my wife."

I frowned and let out a shallow breath, shifting my eyes ahead. "Is that so?"

Sam's gaze lingered on me for a while before setting them forward. We walked through the hallway in silence until he cleared his throat and broke the ice.

"Don't be impatient, wife. I have a lot of things to teach you, but you need to have dominant control of your thoughts."

His voice was low, catching my attention. My brows furrowed as I unconsciously snuck a quick look at him.

"Are you saying this because I'm still inside the clutches of the power of sire?" I asked, and I exhaled. "The king guaranteed you that…"

I didn't get to finish when Sam abruptly cut me off. "Are you certain Stefan never used that on you throughout our stay in here?"

Silence befell us as I gazed down. I couldn't respond. There was one time I could remember, but that was months ago. I avoided all places where I could meet Stefan after that.

"Wife, although your situation with Stefan doesn't sit well with me, that's not the only reason I'm telling you to control your head," Sam uttered calmly as we came close to our chambers. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Hurt myself…? Why would I hurt myself?" I wondered with my brows furrowed.

"Hurting yourself doesn't mean you have to inflict physical pain on you." Sam shrugged nonchalantly, and we stopped upon reaching our bed chamber. He added, "there are more things that can be harmful than a sword, love."

I faced Sam squarely, my hand on the surface of the door. "Like?"

"The truth." He smiled, closed-lipped. "Go in. I have matters to attend to, so I will join you later."

He jerked his chin towards the door while he stared at me. Sam deliberately diverted the subject, and that only means I wouldn't get an answer to which truth he was talking about.

"Being kept in the dark is a very unpleasant feeling, Sam," I said as I pushed the door open. "I'll see you later."

Sam was left behind, standing outside the door. I could feel his gaze on my back until the door shut closed.

"The truth…" I let out a sigh, dragging my feet towards the divan, to where plopped my butt down. "… not knowing and knowing it both gives me pain, husband."

If he would just let me know of what was going on behind the peaceful surface of the palace, it would be much better. But it seemed that was too much to ask.

I tilted my head back, staring at the high-ceiling, and my eyelids felt heavy. I raised my arm and rested it on my forehead.

"I don't want to close my eyes," I muttered under my breath. "I will only go back to that nightmare… it's exhausting."

My eyes still slowly shut closed despite fighting the urge to sleep, and soon, I fell into another exhausting slumber.

********

Just like how previous dreams, it started with me squeezing myself through the crowd just to get pushed on the road and get saved by a stranger. It continued on until the time I was walking back to my shack and met that vampire.

"Blood… give me… blood…"

A shiver ran drown my spine as he inhaled heavily on my nape. My body shivered under his grip as sprout roots seemed to grow under my feet, stilling me on the ground.

"…blood."

My eyes snapped as I heard him gasp and the aura of his fangs prickled my skin. Adrenaline rush surged deep into my bones as I flailed my arms, struggling to break away from his grip. This seemed to take him by surprise as I escaped his clutches and lurched away from him.

My eyes fell on him, holding my hand closer to my chest. His skin was wrinkled and almost gaunt, and his chest moved in and out heavily, gnashing his teeth while staring at me.

"Monster…" I stammered with my lips trembling, taking a step back. "Go… away."

"Blood," He uttered through his gritted teeth and his drool dribbled down from the corner of his lips. "I need your…"

I didn't wait for him to finish whatever he wanted to say as I made a run for it. Was he really a vampire? All the vampires I've seen from afar looked ethereal, but this appeared as though he had crawled his way up from hell.

"Kyah!" I shrieked when he pounced on me from behind, causing me to stumble down, face first.

Everything happened so fast and I could barely remember how I desperately struggled while he was on top of me. After a long struggle, I ended up lying on my back. My hands forcing his jaw away from me.

"No!" I screeched. "I won't give you my blood!"

The vampire suddenly grabbed my wrist and pinned them on either side of me. He didn't waste a second as he bent over, sinking his fangs into my shoulder.

Pain.

"Ahh!" I shrieked and choked, writhing underneath him at the excruciating pain slicing through my flesh as if I was being bitten by a beast.

I kicked my feet, wiggled my hands, tiring myself, but nothing. All I could do was listen to his every large gulp, and each time, I felt hope slipping away from my hands.

'You can't die here, Lilou.' I told myself, 'you have to fight!'

Fight? How could I stay optimistic at this point? I stopped struggling, and he loosened his grip. He probably thought I wouldn't struggle anymore. Well, even if I did, what's the point?

'I will di…' my thoughts trailed off as cocked my head to the side, catching a glimpse of a hand-size tree branch just almost within my reach.

I gritted my teeth, enduring the pain as I carefully reached for it. My fingertip touched the branch, but I had to move just a tiny bit more so I can grab it, so I did. He was too busy sucking me dry, so he didn't notice my slight movements.

A faint bubble of hope resurfaced in my heart when I gripped the branch.

"I will... kill you!" I screamed and gritted my teeth, not thinking twice as I stabbed his ear with the branch.