Everyone had arrived for the party from all the nearby towns and villages. Aerilyn was apprehensive in how the other vampires would greet her and how she was suppose to behave. Nilsa had helped her get ready and gave her a confidence boost.

Solenne knocked on Aerilyn's door and wrapped her head around taking a sneak peek.

Aerilyn had her back to the vampire but that didn't matter, she could tell how beautiful she was, her brown luscious hair was to the side and wavy as she checked to make sure she looked okay.

Solenne stood at the door, leaning against it, waiting for her.

Aerilyn was wearing a strapless yellow sun kissed dress that accentuated her assets. She spun around realising Solenne was stood in the doorway watching her.

She lifted her eyebrows and smiled at the vampire Queen, suddenly feeling small.

Solenne licked her lips. "Wow" she breathed.

Aerilyn turned red. "You put the God's to shame with your mortal beauty" Aerilyn laughed.

"Is that some kind of back handed compliment?" She supposed, still in the same spot. Solenne stalked her and moved closer.

Solenne stood in front of Aerilyn closely, savouring the moment, inhaling her scent, all without touching her. "Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time"

Aerilyn leaned closer, looking at Solenne's lips, they were close but they were being careful with each other. "You do have eternity" She pointed out in a low hushed tone. Aerilyn understood that Solenne was implying that she was the most beautiful thing in this world, but that it was fleeting and temporary. Whilst Aerilyn told her that she her beauty will last for eternity.

Solenne lightly kissed her cheek. "What if you could have eternity, would you want it?" She was fishing.

Aerilyn thought about it, she could have mulled it over and over. "It all means nothing without the ones I love" she clarified.

Solenne took a step back and nodded, she wanted to frown but she held her emotions back.

This time Aerilyn looked Solenne up and down, she was wearing a long flowing green dress, it wasn't overtly revealing but it was in other ways and Aerilyn wanted to see what was underneath for the first time. The plunge neckline was what enticed her in the most, Solenne's collar bones were showing and it was the most skin she had seen on the Queen, her muscular build was obvious but she was also very feminine when she wanted to be.

Dominant, but feminine.

"Shall we" Solenne held the door for them to leave and make their way downstairs. Aerilyn followed Solenne like a lost puppy.

The doors to the grand hall opened and Solenne held Aerilyn's hand as they walked in, everyone stopped to look at them, never having seen her with a human before. They immediately bowed showing their respect to her as she made her way over to her seat, she was never interested in a throne but she did sit at the head of the table as always, Solenne pulled out a chair for Aerilyn.

The other vampires couldn't believe it, some murmured but mostly they kept quiet.

Guests were still pouring in, there was Luanna and Richard, Prince Matheus and his friends, Prince Louis and her uncle Ras had turned up. What she wasn't expecting to see so soon was Tessa stood next to her uncle, this only meant one thing.

It wasn't good.

Solenne carried on looking around the room, not letting her eyes linger on them for too long, she wouldn't let them get to her, but she had to be careful how she was with Aerilyn in front of them all.

She knew things would have to change, rules would have to be re-written.

Aerilyn also looked around the room, not really knowing anyone, there were a lot of large tables, it was a large room, a lot of the vampires had pets with them, some looked in good condition and some were not so fortunate.

It was then she spotted Nilsa walking in with Eli, she breathed a sigh of relief that he had come, next to them was Evelyn and her mate, he was tall with very dark hair, wearing a suit. They smiled as they all made eye contact and came to sit on the Queen's table.

Solenne was still stood up along with everyone else, they couldn't sit until she allowed them too. "Good evening everyone, welcome, I am pleased to see you all here, let the festivities commence, do sit" she spoke strongly. The servants walked in with trays and trays full of blood for the vampires that opted to drink it, there was food every where for the vampires who wished to eat an endless supply.

Aerilyn knew they would have to wait until the vampires had finished eating to be able to eat but she wasn't sure how Eli would react to this as she sat looking at him, luckily Evelyn was next to him and Nilsa was on the other side and he seemed to be coping just fine as she flashed his sister a smile.

Aerilyn felt Solenne squeeze her thigh, she wasn't sure why but she wasn't permitted to look at her either to find out. She did not have to wait long as Solenne stood up to grab a plate of food before handing it to Aerilyn, she wasn't going to make her wait until they had eaten to be able to eat. "Please feed the humans, there is no need to wait, there is enough food for everyone"so that was what she was nervous about.

Solenne felt her uncle glaring at her, he hated humans and he certainly would never have them as equals. Everyone else was fine about it and happily gave their pets food. She sat back down and began to eat herself, "well that was nice of you, have you become soft?" Luanna laughed.

"I think she is getting back to her old self" Richard commented.

Solenne plated up some food for herself too, she was glowing and it was all over her face. "I am doing what I should have done a long time ago"

"You don't say" Luanna smirked.

Solenne noticed how quiet Aerilyn was being and so she leant into her "What's wrong little one?" she pulled her chin up making her meet her eyes, causing Aerilyn to gulp.

Solenne could see the confliction in Aerilyn's eyes, she had almost forgot what happened the last time she held a party, she cursed herself, Aerilyn was unsure how to behave, she needed to communicate what was okay for her to do. "it's okay, you are allowed to look at me and talk, nothing will harm you here, I want you to enjoy yourself okay" she reassured her.

"did you let the others eat because of me?" Aerilyn wondered.

Solenne eyed Aerilyn. "So what if I did"

Aerilyn blushed. "thank you" that was all she needed to say.

"We heard what happened today, will you be calling a meeting with the new alpha?" Prince Matheus asked.

"that would be the best way to know what we are up against" Richard responded.

"This is a celebration leave the politics for another day" Luanna was annoyed, she knocked her mates shoulder.

Solenne was too, having to think about what was on tomorrow's agenda but as they all looked to her she could not help but respond. "you are correct, I will be inviting the alpha here for dinner"

Aerilyn was shocked and scared, that would mean werewolves would be in the castle, she carried on eating her dinner trying to not let it bother her.

"Calm pet, i can hear your heart beating rapidly, they will not be near you" Solenne rubbed Aerilyn's thigh.

They all moved into the ballroom to dance. Aeriyln stayed close to Solenne even though she was talking to other nobles.

"Uncle" Solenne acknowledged as he approached with Tessa next to him.

"I see you have given your pet far too many privileges, I'm disappointed" he huffed.

Solenne rolled her eyes.

Eli cut in "May I have a dance with my sister?" He asked.

"You may" Solenne pulled away and walked to the side of the room but carried on watching them both.

Aerilyn danced with her brother, "are you okay Lyn?" He asked. She just nodded her head, she was trying to watch what was going on with Solenne especially seeing Tessa stood so close to her.

She watched as Tessa stroked Solenne's arm, she abruptly pulled her arm out of Tessa's grip, Solenne knew that Aerilyn was watching them, she made eye contact knowingly.

"You don't seem present Lyn" Eli spoke again, trying to break her out of her trance.

"I'm fine, really" she smiled back at him. She was becoming tense as they danced.

Solenne was being grilled by her uncle about General Talc, he had told her she needed to wipe them all out and she dismissed him and told him to stay out of and that she would handle it.

As she was saying bye to them, Tessa leant in and kissed her on the corner of her mouth, taking Solenne by surprise, Aerilyn was fuming. It bothered her more than she wanted to admit. If she was a vampire she would have wanted to kill Tessa for doing that, but she wasn't she was very mortal.

"I'm going back to my room, I'm tired" she spoke.

"I'll walk you" Eli offered.

She held her hand up to him. "If it's all the same I need some space, I'll see you in the morning for breakfast" he just nodded as she walked away.

Aerilyn was on her way back to her room thinking about how the night had gone, she was disappointed, but then maybe she had too many expectations in the first place, Solenne should be with her own kind rather than a human, she was just a pet. It was a far fetched idea that the Queen of Vampires would be with a human.

Aerilyn was grabbed by someone, she was sure they were a vampire. "Stop moving" they gritted their teeth. She knew who it was as she struggled against them. Rey grabbed Aerilyn with another guard and held her down. "Oh how I was so patient waiting for this day" he elongated his fangs and his eyes turned red.

Aerilyn's eyes went wide as she panicked, flailing around but it was no use. "Scream and I'll kill your brother, your friend and everyone you think fondly of" Rey shoved her against the wall.

The other guard held her wrist out to Rey making her be still. "Hurry up" he told Rey. Rey quickly sunk his fangs into her and drunk from her. The other guard watched on and inspected Aerilyn, her head began to droop to the side giving him a view of her neck. The guard knew something was off, he pulls her hair back from behind her neck and sniffs her, "you idiot, you have just ended our lives, the Queen has marked her" he realised.

He pointed to the mark on her neck. Rey's eyes go wide but he can't stop himself from drinking. The other guard shoves Rey off as Aerilyn cries silently. "Remember what I said and do not speak of this to anyone" Rey shoves her.

"The Queen will know straight away, her senses are like no other" the other guard spoke as he panicked.

They left Aerilyn on the ground alone, she some how managed to get up even though she was very dizzy and the room was spinning. She went to the one place she now felt safe, Solenne's room. She opened the door slightly trying to be quiet but what shocked her was that Solenne was on the bed with Tessa in a very compromising position. Aerilyn stumbled backwards, how could she do that to her.

Aerilyn went back to her room and made a decision there and then.

She was leaving.

She changed her clothes and put something long sleeved on to cover her bite. Eli appeared in the doorway "You finally changed your mind?" He noticed her packing.

She was silently crying but was still able to nod. "Let me help you, let's get out of here" she didn't need to take much with her, she was use to going without.

Aerilyn and Eli proceeded to make their way down the steps when they bumped into Solenne who acted like she hadn't just been with Tessa on the bed, the vampire Queen immediately noticed what was up. "What's going on?" She asked Aerilyn.

"Save it for someone who cares" Aerilyn brushed past her.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Solenne tried to grab her.

"I saw you, and Tessa in your room, I'm not a toy so if you aren't going to force me to stay and collar me again, I'm leaving" Aerilyn ripped away from Solenne in force.

"I don't understand, I haven't spoken to Tessa" Solenne frowned as though confused as she racked her mind.

"Your a good actress but you won't fool me" Aerilyn and Eli were at the front door now and the others had arrived but they stayed silent.

Eli wrapped his arm around Lyn protectively to keep her away from Solenne. "You've done enough damage, you said she was free and we are leaving for good" he spat her. They said goodbye to Evelyn, they knew she would be safe there.

Solenne begged this time "Please Aerilyn, don't go, it's not what it seems"

"You vampires make me sick with your lies" Aerilyn's heart pained with that, she was so hurt by what she saw, she felt betrayed.

Aerilyn didn't look back as she left the castle, if she had she would have seen Solenne crying.

"Did anyone else smell that?" Luanna asked.

"Her blood" Nilsa replied. They were both thinking the same thing.

It was like a light went off "someone has drank from her" they both said in unison.

Solenne who was crying very quickly turned into a storm you didn't want to face. Rey walked into the room by accident, he was actually trying to leave when he ran into them all.

Aerilyn and Eli were gone.

Solenne tried to regain her senses but her most animalistic senses took over as she sniffed the air. Rey realised his time was up as his eyes went wide.

Solenne in a flash had grabbed him by his throat. "You drank from her" he cowered and whimpered but she didn't care.

"Tell me what you did" her alpha tone coursed through him, he could do nothing but obey.

"I admit it, okay, I drank from her, I couldn't control myself" before he could finish his sentence, she ripped his heart out. Her eyes turned black as she mourned Aerilyn.

Next was Tessa.

Luanna noticed what was happening "please Solenne, you need to think rationally come back to us" Luanna tried to get the Queen to listen but she was gone.

Solenne was sure Tessa had something to do with it, she had not even spoken to her after what had happened at the party.

Ras walked in with Prince Louis and Tessa, Solenne growled at them, they were startled by what she looked like. Louis noticed Rey on the floor "no no no, he was my best friend how could you" he went to his friend who lay dead on the floor.

"He drank from my mate" she snarled. Solenne walked up to Tessa "what did you do, you sick bitch? I'm going to torture you in every way possible for what you have done" She grabbed her by her throat too.

Ras stepped in, he was the only match to Solenne, no one else stood a chance. "Stop now, she is with me and under my protection" he knew his niece was not thinking straight.

"I didn't know she was your mate, if I had I wouldn't have been so forward with you. I would never want to hurt your mate" Tessa tried to calm her down, she knew how long she had waited for her mate and what she had gone through growing up.

"Mate? I knew it, she will be killed once they all find out" Ras spoke thinking he knew the truth.

"Leave" her voice boomed through the castle as they all scurried out.

Solenne stepped back, as much as she wanted to challenge him and kill them all, she wasn't at her strongest. "Guards, make sure Aerilyn has safe passage through the woods" she ordered them, before she retreated back to her room to calm down.

Meanwhile, Eli and Aerilyn had made it to the woods safely, Aerilyn couldn't believe that Solenne actually allowed her to leave but what was worse is that she couldn't believe she fell for the vampires, it's like they brainwashed her.

Solenne knew she couldn't go and bring her back straight away, it wasn't that simple and she didn't have proof that it was all false. Aerilyn would just refuse to come back with her.

Eli had asked this so many times tonight "You okay Lyn?"

Aerilyn drudged on, she had to get away as far as possible "Yeah, I just can't believe I started to care about her"

Eli hated seeing his sister like it but he knew it was for the best, she would do no good being around that vampire. "You'll get through it, it will be okay, you'll see. We'll be a family again"

"How far is the resistance?" She asked.

"It's just over the ridge of the mountains, it's less than a days walk" they had to keep moving in the dark otherwise they would be sitting ducks.

"We will be there by sunrise" he assured her again.

Solenne stood on the balcony, contemplating everything. Why would Aerilyn think she was with Tessa in bed? Why would Rey think it was okay to drink from her?

She knew what had happened for she had figured it out very quickly.

But she had to be smart about it, she went and grabbed her sword immediately for protection and summoned Nilsa.

Nilsa was the only one she could trust for definite.

Nilsa arrived and walked in cautiously. "It's okay Nilsa" Solenne assured her. "You're the only one I can trust"

"What happened?" Nilsa asked.

"They were all in on it, they tricked Aerilyn into seeing something that wasn't there to separate us and make her hate me. Her brother was in on it to" Nilsa was gobsmacked.

"you need to make a meeting with the wolves and find out who her aunt is, then speak to the mole, they might have information, get the mole to meet us in the woods away from everyone" Nilsa advised her.

Solenne was glad to have found a friend in Nilsa, she placed her hand on the guards shoulder. "i'm trusting you with this, send word to the wolves, set up a meeting for tomorrow and send another guard to get the message to the mole" Nilsa nodded her head and left the room to set it up straight away.

The rest of the night Solenne looked out from her balcony wondering where Aerilyn was, she missed her already and gaping hole in her soul had been blown open and she wasn't sure if she would ever recover.