I held Felicity's hands as we both entered the dining hall. Everyone recognized her as the new queen. My heart leaped as I waited for everyone's gaze to turn on me.

Did the curse really break?

A long time ago, no one accepted me as the king. They all bowed down because they feared me, they served me because they believed that being on my bad side would make them good as dead.

But none of them were true.

Never did I kill without reasons. Committing horrendous acts such as rape was something I have not and will never do. The stories of me, abducting children and training them into slavery, none of them were right yet my vampires believed them.

Just like that, the love I long wanted from them vanished. Cruel and heartless, that was what they called me ever since I stepped in my throne.

Although, I never tried to change what they believed in. It was my only way of training my vampires to obey my every command until we all defeat Dominic and be able to spit on his grave.

Now that I have accomplished that, I don't have the purpose of being 'merciless' to fulfill. All I want is to feel the compassion between me and my vampires. For them to see the real Dimitrius.

And even if the curse never breaks and the tainted dreams that Seraphina has planted into every one of them, I am willing to show the person behind this frightening and feared face because one day, I know that Felicity and I will bear a child and that heir of mine, I want him to feel the love that I have been robbed.

By Felicity's side, I hope that they will all see the side of me that they have always known as a myth. Even if Katherine, Mary, and the other people that know me well have tried to convince those who trembled by the sound of my name that I am nothing but kind, still, the curse was strong enough for them to never see through me.

Not even when I cried and roared when my sister died, my ever loving, Rosaleen.

"Dimitrius, " Felicity called out, making me snap out of my deep thoughts. "Let's eat, " she whispered.

I nodded my head and took a seat on my usual place while Hayden moved for Felicity to be able to sit next to me. Still, no one uttered a word.

Silently, everyone ate while Felicity and I just talked about random things like the places she would want to visit with me. It felt so calming to hear her dreams and goals which all included the both of us.

Every second that passes by, I fall deeper in love with Felicity.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked while examining my face with evident worry in her eyes. "I can feel it too, you know, you just seem distant, " she said.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just full, " I hesitantly answered and she seemed to have none of it.

"You can tell me anything, Dimitrius. Is this about the curse?" Her whisper didn't do much because every vampire heard her words. Their heads turned toward us and I waited for anyone to speak.

Moments later, the dense silence broke when I heard Katherine ask, "What curse?" I touched her shoulder to tell her that it was nothing but as soon as I felt her skin, her eyes turned red.

"Katherine!" Hayden said in surprise as he tried to pull my arm from Katherine's. It didn't work and she stayed there, frozen with her blood eyes staring into mine.

"Dimitrius, you have to let go, " Felicity spoke but I couldn't get my arms away from my sister.

Then, I felt a strong presence of magic that eventually let us pull away from each other. I looked to where it came from and my whole soul burned with agonizing fire.

Before I could utter a word, Katherine dropped to the floor with words she was mumbling yet I could not understand. I leaned in closer to hear her and she whispered, "The curse is broken, brother."

After helping her to Hayden's arms, I looked back to find my mate being held by her throat. Instantly, my body ran towards her but an invisible barrier stopped me.

"Let go of her!"

A malicious laugh sounded in the room. My vampires didn't move nor did they speak. All of them seemed to be under a spell, the spell that cursed my own life.

"Do you miss me, Dimitrius? I must say, I think I'm prettier than your mate."

Her fingers gripped Felicity's neck tighter and I took every ounce of my strength to break the barrier.

"No, Dimitrius, this is not how it's going to work, " she laughed.

"How did you get out, Seraphina?" I questioned with venom.

"Oh, it's really simple, Dimitrius. You see, you think your witches figured it all out? After I make every vampire believe that you're cruel and heartless, you can just break it by mating with Felicity? Well, that part missed something. You weren't supposed to mark Felicity, it was supposed to be me!"

I laughed at her pathetic anger. Seraphina's playing with fire, I will give her hell.

"You don't even deserve to breathe the air that I breathe, tell me, who helped you out of your rotten life?"

She griped Felicity's neck tighter and I glanced at her mouthing two simple words, "Hold on." She nodded her head and I returned my attention to Seraphina.

"Careful with your words, Dimitrius, it might cause a life."

I growled angrily at her words, my fists were clenching, my fangs were showing. All I knew was that my beast was at the edge. I asked, "What do you want?"

"I'm glad you asked that, Dimitrius. Well, three things actually. One, kill this excuse of a human being. Two, mark me and turn me into one of your kind. Three, make me your queen. You know you love me as much as I am obsessed with you."

Spending centuries in a cell strained the life out of Seraphina. Before, she didn't have to make anyone do what she wants because she could just easily use seduction but now, she seems to be dying without that magic and that is why she wants to be turned into one of us.

"And if I don't do it?"

"Every vampire in this room will die. You don't have much if a choice Dimitrius, look at them, look at your sister, the only family you have. Don't you know? You may have broken the curse and everyone forgot about your ruthless image but it turned your touch to a lethal venom. Just one touch and poof! Death."

My head snapped towards Katherine's direction to see her with a paled face look and still laying down in Hayden's arms yet none of them were moving, they were all under Seraphina's control.

"Heal her!" I screamed. Felicity was struggling out of her grip and trying to claw on her arms but it was of no use when Seraphina landed a punch on her face. "Stop, Seraphina! Take your anger out on me, you coward!"

She dropped Felicity on the ground and after a loud thud, I heard one thing that I never wanted to hear. Felicity let out an agonizing cry while she gasped for air.

Then, she grabbed Felicity's hair and slammed her down onto the ground. I could not do anything because of the barrier that was holding us apart. Felicity locked eye contact with me before she was thrown off by Seraphina, her blood dripping from her nose.

"One choice, Dimitrius. Save her and everyone dies. Kill her and everyone lives. Your time is ticking, " Seraphina said while kicking Felicity on her stomach.

I didn't have to choose. Vampires or my mate, they were both my life and if it came to choosing one of them, I would rather die. So I didn't think twice before saying,

"Kill me instead."

Felicity looked at me with tears brimmed in her eyes. She barely let out the words she wanted to say. "Don't, I love you." Somehow, that gave me hope. Our love told me that Seraphina wouldn't be the one to end our fates.

If Felicity defeated Dominic.

I can defeat Seraphina.

"That's not how this works, Dimitrius. Death would be too easy for you after you made me suffer for centuries! Killing Felicity, your vampires, that would be my own revenge, " she spat.

I glanced one last time at Felicity and told her, "I love you too." Then, I growled,

"Break this barrier and I will give you what you want."

Seraphina looked at me with questioning eyes. "Stop fooling me, Dimitrius, you're not going to kill Felicity, I am not stupid, " she laughed.

"If it's to save my kind and my sister, I have no other choice, " I said in a low voice. Slowly, I felt the barrier being lifted and I took unsteady steps towards Felicity.

She looked at me with fear in her eyes. "Go ahead, Dimitrius. Kill her and let's start a new life together, " Seraphina spoke.

"No, Dimitrius, don't, please, " Felicity begged while she scooted further away from me while I stepped towards her. "This is fun to watch, " Seraphina happily said.

"I'm sorry, Felicity."

I looked straight into her eyes and didn't find any tears. She looked so empty like her soul has been taken away. Breathing in, I held her bruised neck in my hands, preparing myself to drain her out of blood.

"Please, I still want to live, " she begged.

Closing my eyes, I let the beast in me control me. I couldn't let myself hear another word from Felicity or else, I wouldn't be able to do what I have to do.

Then, I sank my fangs into her neck and instead of drinking her blood until she dies, I went inside her mind and told her a message,

"You won't die, Felicity. Not even death would take you away from me. As soon as I pull out, act weak and I will do the rest. I love you with all my life."

• • • • •

Hey everyone! Sorry for a late update but I would like to thank everyone for helping this book reach 88.7K views, you never fail to surprise me. Anyways, here's a chapter that's meant to leave you in mixed emotions and if it did, don't forget to vote, comment, and share!

1.) Did you like this chapter?

2.) Anything to say to Seraphina?

3.) Will Seraphina die?

4.) Will Katherine die?

See you in the next update!