Alec's P•O•V

My chambers in the west wing of the castle had always been my hiding place. All throughout my life, I spent hours up here with nothing but the peaceful silence and distance from my kingdom and responsibility. To say I enjoyed it here was an understatement, and I couldn't think of a more relaxing place to bring Raven.

She should be coming soon. The clock on the wall read 11:54.

I sighed and waited patiently, sitting on the edge of the bed with the traditional attire for an heir's mating on my shoulder blades. Supposedly, this was fit for a "delayed turning" as my mother had told me.

A collar made of hard black leather encircled my throat with chains draping over my biceps, chest, and back. Whoever came up with the tradition must have an acquired fashion taste, I must say.

I listened close for the sound of Raven's soft footsteps coming up the stairwell down the hall, or even a faint breath, but I didn't. Instead I heard a gust of wind coming up the stairwell and then the clatter of high heels rushing down the hall.

"Alec! Alec!" Piper yelled as if I couldn't already hear her. Soon enough, my sister burst through the door.

I shot up from the bed and stood. On her face was an expression of fright and she looked distraught.

"What's wrong? Where's -" I asked, about to question her on where Raven was, but Piper cut me off.

"It's Raven." She breathed, looking at me woefully.

I didn't stop to ask any questions. I was in the hall outside of Raven's room within seconds, the chains around my chest clashing against my skin.

Her door was open as I was faced with my grandmother, my parents, and more than a few guards. They all went silent as I stood in the doorway of my Soulmate's room.

"Alec..." Mother murmured. In her hand was a note.

"Where is she?" I asked, entering her room and feeling the cool night air hit me. I turned my head and saw the balcony doors wide open and the wind blowing through them. My mother opened her mouth then closed it, not knowing what to say.

"Where is Raven?!" I snapped, approaching the guards. My loud voice boomed in their faces, causing them to flinch.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off suddenly, making the metal chains shake. I turned to see my mother looking up at me pitifully.

She didn't say anything, just handed me the note sullenly. I ripped it out of her hand, unintentionally harsh.

I wanted her. Now I have her.

~ DM

♱

Raven's P•O•V

My head throbbed like I had drank a whole bottle of tequila the night before. The side of my face was insatiably cold from the cement floor underneath it. Where was I?

As I forced my eyes open, two dress shoes faced me sideways. I gasped and sat quickly, hauling my body up as I could not move my arms since they were bound behind my back. I huffed and glared up at a distorted DeMalo.

Candles illuminated the whole stone room. The glow set an every feeling over the place that resembled a cave.

He squatted down in front of me like he had earlier that night in my closet. I growled at him, trying to force out the string of curse words I wanted to spill on to him, but nothing came out.

He laughed menacingly.

"You never knew when to shut that pretty little mouth of yours, did you?" DeMalo stated, smirking that sick smirk I had grown to loathe.

I pressed my lips into a hard line and glared at him underneath my eyelashes. If only looks could kill...

"Don't worry Love," DeMalo ran his ice cold fingers down my jawline, making me flinch away. "Soon enough, I'll have Akantha remove the silencer spell I had her put on you. If, and only if, you behave."

I furrowed my brow at his offer. Akantha... Why was that name so familiar?

Behind him appeared the ghastly figure of Zachariah's Mistress. Akantha. How could I have forgotten her and those deadly eyes. Although this time something was different. Instead of her eyes being a blood red that made her blend in as one of the other Vampires, her irises were a deep violet.

I sucked in a harsh gasp, the air almost trapping in my throat. Her white hair plated around her face, her shoulders adorned with crow feathers. I gulped.

Around her neck was a ruby necklace that resembled the old color of her eyes. I couldn't help but notice the huge rock as it gleamed against her pale collarbone.

Why was she here? Why did she look like that? I thought she was a Vampire... I thought to myself, confusion and shock flooding in me.

Was she the one that helped DeMalo escape and kill Mariana...?

"I believe you two have already met. Akantha and I have been waiting far too long for your extraction." DeMalo remarked, his eyes bright red as they fixated on me.

Akantha stood behind him, inspecting her fingertips flaming purple. I shuddered backwards. She looked up and smirked.

"Never seen a vrăjitoare before?" Akantha asked curiously, almost like she was surprised.

I looked at her in fearful confusion. She rolled her eyes at me and dropped her hand to her side.

"Akantha here is a Witch." DeMalo and turned his head to look at her. I breathed hard. First Vampires, now Witches? What else was there in Romania?

I looked between both of them. What the hell did they want with me?

Almost like DeMalo could read my mind, he answered,

"Although Akantha and I have spent two years formulating this plan, it was only recently that we realized we'd need you."

"We both know you just wanted her to yourself." Akantha remarked, making DeMalo glare at her. He shook his head and ignored her, looking back to me and continued.

"You are Alec's weakness. I realized that the moment my brother met you. With Alec weak, stealing his throne from underneath his nose will be as easy as stealing candy from a child. And with my new found crown, he will be forced to turn you over to be mine. Then I can have everything I've always wanted. You and the Crown." He gave a devious look.

"With Fangs over here being King, the witches will take part in the hierarchy of the Vampires and together we could be the strongest supernatural kingdom of all eternity." Akantha added. I raised my right eyebrow at her. Could she hear how stupid that sounded, or was it just me?

Akantha's eyes flared at me, making my own widen as she approached me. She grabbed my throat and pulled me to my feet. Her hand was merely gripping my throat, not choking, but still threatening.

"Listen up sweetheart, and listen good. Valuable or not, I can still hear every little thing going in that dull Mortal mind of yours, and I will gladly torture you in ways you never knew were possible-" She seethed in my face, her eyes compelling me paralyzed. I could feel my throat tighten in fear, causing me to swallow hard before DeMalo yanked me away from her.

"Stand down Akantha. Raven is off limits." He growled at her, sounding scarily possessive of me.

"You weren't saying that when you had me freeze her from the inside out." Akantha retorted, but stopped there.

"Remember what I hold against you vrăjitoare." DeMalo warned her. I didn't know what he meant by this vague threat.

Something in Akantha's eyes shone for a split second. Something that looked like fear...

Her and I locked eyes before she looked back to DeMalo.

"We may be allies DeMalo, but overstep and I will remind you of just how much power I have over you." She threatened and walked away, leaving me with the man I knew as my own torment.

❤❤❤