Cole's POV:
"Senator Knight, do you think the satanic cult is related to the missing hearts case and the recent murders?" Miss Rowland asked the senator.
Mrs. Knight was standing far behind, wearing dark sunglasses, so I couldn't see her eyes. Her hair colour is completely different with Elena Ragnhild. She has just finished taking interview and photoshoot with her husband, Mayor Roth and his wife. Senator Knight came as political support for Mayor Roth who intends to run for his second term of mayoral election in June.
But I have a gut feeling that she was the woman who met me that night.
Her height, skin, facial feature, and voice couldn't be wrong. She didn't appear on many formal occasions, but when she did, she would steal the attention with her graceful look and style. Sarah Frumos had been living in Europe for years before coming back here and marrying newly elected Senator Benjamin Knight only six months after he lost his wife over a tragic ski fall at Aspen. Senator Knight has been left with three young kids, so his second rush marriage didn't spark anything but good publication.
"Detective Cole, the lady would like to meet you. Please follow me," suddenly one of security personnel that has been always with her asked me.
I nodded, waiting for anticipation.
She probably has noticed me.
The man led me out of the press conference room to a garden walkway before turning sharp to enter an opened black sedan parking on the mansion's driveway with turning on engine. I got in the backseat of the car and the security closed the door. After waiting for about three minutes, the door was opened and she got in the backseat with me. The car was leaving the Gracie Mansion soon after she got inside.
She smells vanilla.
The same scent as Elena Ragnhild I met.
She removed her sunglasses and stared at me with her green eyes, "May I help you, Detective Cole?" she calmly asked.
I politely nodded, "Thank you for meeting me in private, Mrs. Knight. I didn't think that you would meet me," I smiled, " Not after our last meeting," I added, trying to remind her.
She raised her eyebrow, "You didn't tell Dylan that you're going to see me," she said.
It's not like I don't trust him, but I just couldn't tell him without legit proof.
Hey, I made out with your aunt.
It wouldn't work that way, plus she's high profile one.
"Look, Edward. May I call you so?" she asked me and I nodded, "Why don't you just do your current task and leave me alone? I like you and I certainly hate to see you... getting hurt," she lightly touched my hand and smirked.
Is that a threat?
"Mrs. Knight, now that you have no intention to beat around the bush, may I ask you why did you meet me as Miss Ragnhild and what's your relation with her?" I asked.
"Do you still take your herbal supplement, Edward?" she asked, looking at her long blood red nails.
How did she know? Did Dylan tell her?
"Would you please answer to my questions, Mrs. Knight?" I asked impatiently.
"I'll tell you what," she smirked and leaned forward, "I'll tell you everything you want to know if you let me fuck you," she whispered in my ear.
I instantly reached for my gun, reminding myself that I'm armed and lethal.
Nicholas's POV:
"Mother, he's been planning to steal my mate the whole time!" I put the initial pendant I gave her for Christmas gift on the table and gave threatening stare to my sister.
How could I miss this?
He sent nearly all of his most important guards flying his jets to various destinations at the same time with the disappearance. Peter also found out that there were several unidentified private jets at nearby airports. As almost all of the guests used their private jets to get here as well, I didn't look into the information more carefully.
As long as they weren't linked to the dog.
"Do not bring me up, Brother! If I knew, I would stop him for sure," she stared back at me, smirking.
Because she wouldn't let his favourite brother get into trouble.
<You little witch> I couldn't stand her mocking at me, "But you're going to help him covering his trace and his accomplices," I told her as she was about to leave to Canada soon after my brother has gone, even when mother, the queen, is still around, "Mother, he has committed a crime and humiliated our family," I turned to mother.
"You just introduced him, not claiming her yet, so he didn't do any crime," Adriana cut me off.
I fisted my hands, "Are we not related, Adriana?" I coldly asked her.
She went too far defending him.
Mother raised her hand, "My children, stop. Adriana, have a sympathy for your brother," she looked at my sister, "And Alexander is still your brother," she turned at me.
The hell not.
<My son, if you can get what you want, his title and the future throne. Can't you just let him?> she asked.
So, she knew.
<Mother, I will not let her go. Even if... he tainted her, she is still mine. I will not let her go. I will burn and destroy everything he has if it can get my mate back> I told.
<But she could be his mate too> she suddenly surprised me.
Although I shouldn't be.
Kimberly's POV:
I opened my eyes, feeling a little disoriented as I was laying down on the bed with an ultra-fluffy fur blanket in ivory.
Wasn't I talking with Aunt Veronika?
"Nic?" I tried to sit and realized that I have no clothes on.
I quickly pulled the blanket up to cover my body while the panic attack has started kicking in.
"Nicholas!" I called him out, realizing that I was sitting on the bed in an unfamiliar bedroom.
What's happening? Where am I? How could I get here from the ball?
"Kimberly," he answered right from the bedside.
"Nic..." I stopped after recognizing his appearance.
Alexander?
I just stared at him, recalling to my alcohol intake.
"Alex?" I asked.
Okay, I was dreaming.
The dream was feeling so real as my heart beats faster. I moved away a little when he sat on the bed.
"How's your head?" he softly asked.
I touched my head, feeling confused, then shook my head.
"Why are you here?" I asked, trying to cover the whole body with the blanket.
Didn't he ignore me the whole night?
He smirked, "Would you please drink your tea and get dressed first?" he pointed to an opened door across us, leading to another room that looks like a walking closet, "I will answer all of your questions after," he calmly continued.
If this is my dream, the clothes and tea are not the issue. I looked around the room, noticing that the curtains were all opened, revealing scenic view of a snowy mountain with its foothills melt into the coastline. Then I turned back at him, examining his boyish facial features, the bright green eyes, jawline, upper-lip mole, and the lips.
I miss him.
A sadness and anger slid into my mind.
"I miss you, but I also hate you, Alex. Why can't you just leave me alone?" I covered my face, feeling despair.
Please wake me up.
Suddenly he hugged me. His cold hands wrapped around my shoulders.
"You're not dreaming, Kimberly," he softly told.
I tried to remember the last memory at the ball and I didn't have any except I was just talking with Aunt Veronika when Nicholas left me.
Did I drink something?
I remembered drinking a glass of wine and ate mini black forest cake just before Nicholas left me with Aunt Veronika.
Was I being drugged?
I pushed away his body, but he didn't budge a bit, so I hugged him instead.
"Alex, if this is not a dream, then why am I here with you? Where's Nicholas?" I asked him again.
I yawned, feeling sleepy.
What a strange dream.
Alexander released his hug and gently pushed me down by the bed.
"I can't sleep yet. The makeup..." I couldn't finish my line, realizing that if this is just a dream, no need to worry about the makeup, then.
Alex is here, just like old days.
I smiled and was drifted away.
øøøøø
I opened my eyes and let my grogginess gradually subdue.
I'm still in the same room!
I pinched the back of my hand and when I could feel it, I instantly sat up. I was wearing unfamiliar cloth, a brown drape skirt knitted midi dress, hugging my body like a glove. I looked around and found him, sitting on an arm chair next to the bed. I could feel my heart has started pounding faster. He wore a dark brown suit with a layered turtleneck sweater, looking gorgeously pale.
"Alex?" I hoarsely asked.
He smirked and came closer with a tea cup.
What's going on?
"How could I be here?" I hoarsely asked.
He put the warm cup on my hands and stared at me lovingly, "Please have your tea," he gently asked.
I shook my head, but I took a sip of it while staring into his green eyes. The warm tea quickly eased my sore throat, so I ended up drinking it all. He took my empty white ceramic cup and put it on the bedside table.
"Kimberly, you're at Rishiri island in Hokkaido, Japan. I took you from the ball five hours ago and brought you here, with me," he told while holding my hands with his cold hands.
I quickly pulled my hands and hid them under the fluffy fur blanket, then held the blanket as if it could protect me against him.
"You kidnapped me?" I stuttered.
From the ball. From his own twin brother!
"Nicholas, where is he?" I asked again.
He turned away his face from me and looked at the window.
It's obviously noon here.
"I don't know. He could be anywhere now, looking for you," he turned his face again, "Kimberly, I won't hurt you," he tried to hold me, but I dodged him and got off the bed.
"Don't come any closer!" I couldn't help but shouting at him.
We're in different continent for five hours and I didn't remember anything about leaving the castle.
How's that even possible?
The time difference must be over five hours here.
"We're eight hours ahead," he told.
Wait, what? Does he read my mind?
<Yes> he replied so clearly in my head, even his lips were sealed off.
"How..." I moved backward, feeling scared.
In a single blink, suddenly he grabbed by my hands and led me back to the bed even when I tried to resist him, but my body wouldn't listen to me anymore.
"Please. Who... what are you?" I whispered powerlessly when we sat on the bed side by side.
He bent to kiss my forehead and released his hands slowly. I couldn't stop staring at him.
His kiss felt so genuine.
I closed my eyes and when I opened, I caught him staring at my lips, so I shyly bit my lower lip.
"Please stay calm. I will explain everything," he stood up and walked by the windows without looking at me.
His sudden mood change reminded me of previous encounters when he obviously ignored me.
I thought he hates me.
Alexander turned around and gave me the sweetest smile I've never seen before. I tried to breathe slowly to calm myself and tried to focus on the snowy background behind him instead.
"Kimberly, I'm not human," he stated.
But he physically looks like human.
When he showed me his fangs, I jumped off the bed and tried to run. Suddenly he hugged me from behind.
"Please stay calm. I will never hurt you," he whispered.
My body was shaking as he led me back to bed.
"What are you?" I whispered in fear.
He didn't let go off me and wrapped around his hands over my shoulders.
"We're vampires," he said.
We? I mean his whole family and bodyguards?
I tried to remove his hands, "Are you for real?" I asked, looking into his eyes.
He nodded.
"So, I didn't imagine. I did see you at ER. Didn't we?" I covered my mouth.
He nodded again.
"And was it you, the red eyed shadow in my bedroom?" I asked, trying to suppress the fear inside.
His nod brought me shiver down my spine.
"Did you kill those people and attempt to murder Dylan?" I asked again.
The corner of his lips twitched, "Kimberly, if I wanted to kill him, he's dead by now. No, I didn't kill those humans with my own hands, but I'm fully responsible for the incident," he coldly replied.
Those humans? Incident? That's a mass murder!
"You're responsible? You bet you are!" I got angry as the way he said it as if humans are beneath him.
"Kimberly, I'm sorry about all of this, but I didn't mean to hurt you especially," he said.
"How could you do this to me, Alex? What about Nicholas?" I asked hoarsely.
"I'm sorry, Kimberly. I intended to disguise myself as one of the body, to see how far the damage my guards made, also to get me to the morgue to switch the body as soon as possible, but then I saw you and everything has changed ever since," he uttered, rewinding that night in my mind.
"Are you going to kill me?" I asked.
"What? No. I'm in love with you, Kimberly," he quickly replied.
"I... but you're a murderer," I stuttered, "You must have killed and hurt people," I accused, trying to calm myself, but I failed.
He loves me! Wait, he can read my mind.
I could feel my cheeks were flustered as I began to recall what I was thinking each time we met.
Oh, God.
I closed my eyes.
"I did it to keep my kind unrevealed, but Nicholas who was sharing special bond to my heart must has been felt it so he came to see you and told my father about you for his interest," he explained.
Special bond?
"He could feel what I feel, but only the intense ones," he responded to my question.
"Can you really read my mind?" I asked.
He nodded, "Yes, but not all of us can. Only ones with pureblood,"
"So you could breed? How many of you?" I asked, imagining that I've been living with undead.
He smirked, "We're not undead, Kimberly. We're immortal and much difficult to kill," he corrected me.
"So, how old are you?" I asked.
"I'm going to be five hundred eighty eight. My parents, they're over two millennia and my grandparents, The First, have been living for over six millennia," he explained.
He's so old!
"But we stopped aging after the age of twenty seven," he added.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"Do you drink human blood?" I asked to clarify.
He nodded, "Yes," he answered.
Have he ever bit me?
"Have you ever killed humans?" I whispered.
He nodded again without hesitate, "Yes."
Oh, God.
"Then why am I here with you if you won't hurt me?" I asked again.
He sighed heavily and held my hands, "Kimberly, I left you in Italy because Nicholas told my parents that you're his mate, that you belong to him, and I already made a lifetime bond with Madeline almost fifty seven years ago, so I had to let you go for your safety," he utter.
The regret in his eyes felt so genuine.
"I never thought that I would fall in love with someone, especially a human, and as the one who bears responsibility to succeed the throne after my father, I was expected to have a partner, so my father got me Madeline," he explained.
"So, you're a prince of vampire kingdom," I concluded.
I would probably laugh this off as it sounded so silly, but somehow I couldn't even smile as he couldn't lie about this.
"And so Nicholas approached you," he stated.
"Is he going to turn me to become one of you?" I held my breath.
He nodded, "Yes, but it's a consensual act. You cannot be vampire if you don't want to, even if the ritual has been done properly. So, he needs to convince you somehow," he told.
I awkwardly chuckled, "I will never be a vampire. I will not be a murderer. How can he assume me to agree such horrible request?"
"Kimberly, you can be vampire without drinking human blood. I've developed artificial blood and although the taste still sucks, but it works now," he responded.
I looked into his eyes. I could see that he could probably feel offended of what I said earlier.
But c'mon? Me as vampire?
"So, what are we doing here? Why did you kidnap me from him after practically leaving me with him?" I asked, feeling slightly disappointed as they treated me like trophy.
"Because he's not worthy of you and will hurt you eventually," he replied.
"Alex! Nicholas has been so good to me. He's kind, gentle, attentive, and friendly to anyone," I scolded him for defaming his twin.
Unlike you, Nicholas never lied.
"He's the opposite of what you just said. Believe me, Kimberly. I'm his brother," he gave me disappointed look.
"Well, I don't believe in you!" I quickly responded, "You said, you love me, yet you let me be with someone else who you said a bad person, but then you tried to take me away from him. Are you really siblings? I can't believe that you would go this low," I continued.
"Kimberly, he betrayed you," he told.
"Do you have any proof?" I asked.
"And you still love me," his line got me angry, feeling exposed.
"I don't love you," I lied.
"Yes, you do," he smirked confidently and tried to hug me, but I dodged him.
"Don't come any closer! You're a monster! Even if I loved you, I must have loved the Alexander I thought I knew, not you!" I jumped off the bed and went to the corner of the room.
Alexander heavily sighed and gave me sad face. I bit my lower lip and felt an instant regret of what I just said. I noticed that I tore the lower part of my tight dress when I was jumping off the bed.
"I love you, Kimberly. I never stop loving you. I would sacrifice my life for you, if that will make you happy," he said.
I was left speechless and began to cry. I leaned wobbly against the wall.
What's happened with me?
When I was about to fall, Alexander caught me into his arms and hugged me tight.
<I'm sorry for ruining your life, Kimberly. I'm really sorry> he said.
I just didn't know how to react and keep crying because of him and my feeling, also because the whole situation didn't make any sense to me.
How could I love a vampire? A creature that is meant to hurt humans?
øøøøø
"So, you can go anywhere you want, but is it as far as you want too?" I asked after savouring a bowl of yaki shoyu ramen.
Alexander nodded.
"What's your other... vampire powers except from mind reading and teleport?" I curiously asked.
"I would rather not talk about it," he replied.
"Please," I insisted.
"Invisibility," he replied shortly.
"You mean, you can render yourself unseen? Even under infrared sensor and radar?" I asked.
He nodded, "Yes, if I move carefully," he replied.
So, he's really not a human.
I took a glass of water and drank it, then stared at him.
"Do they have the same powers?" I asked again.
He shook his head, "No, only ones related to The First have the powers, but we all have almost different kind of," he answered.
"Nicholas, what powers do he have?" I asked.
"Shapeshifting, power mimicry," he replied.
"You mean, he can shift into animal or another person?" I asked.
He nodded.
Have he ever used it against me?
"Can he read my mind also?" I curiously asked, recalling that I've been thinking about his brother a lot during with him.
As Alexander nodded, I covered my mouth.
Oh, God.
"But it means, he has outstanding patience," I whispered myself.
"Or just a good clown," Alexander mocked.
"Alex, what has really happened with you two?" I curiously asked, knowing that the tension must be triggered by serious cause, not simply rivalry.
"He did something unforgivable when we were younger," he replied, avoiding my stare.
I sighed, "I got it, you didn't want to talk about it," then I saw a slightly darker patchy pigmentation around his jaw, "That! Does Nicholas have it too?"
He shook his head, "Aside from the mole, I have this weird darkened skin appeared when I'm tired."
Oh, God.
"So, you're the one whom I kissed when we're at Sequoia! Weren't you?" I shook my head.
He nodded.
So, he's a stalker.
"How many times did you two use your powers on me?" I stared at him, demanding an honest answer.
"Countless," he replied.
I tried to hold my anger.
"Alex, that's not fair. That's against human rights..." I tried to find more reasons.
"I'm not human even though I look like one," he smirked.
Did he see me naked? Well, he did under my consent once.
øøøøø
The paleness.
I finally have my answer.
His cold green eyes.
And I thought he's just a Romanian count of a noble family. Still, he made sacrifice to be with me.
But can I do the same?
I shook my head in disbelief. I looked at my bare fingers.
Am I still engaged with Nicholas?
Alexander informed me that my family have been sent to a safe place. They couldn't resist the temptation of going to tropical island like Bali, especially during the winter season.
But what about others? My friends, working colleagues, patients, everyone? Dylan?
I sighed.
If I chose him, none of this wouldn't happen.
<Or it could be worse. How could a mere human defeated him? You shouldn't blame yourself. The fault is mine. I shouldn't be selfishly want you at first> Alexander suddenly interfered my mind.
"Alex, you're invading my mind. I told you to mute mine, didn't we agree?" I looked around but he's nowhere to be seen.
I asked some time alone to think, so he left.
But he could be sitting next to me!
I took a coach pillow and began to ridiculously shake the pillow off over empty spaces to make sure that he's not sitting on it. I stopped after doing it over the bed and went to the glass windows.
It's so peaceful here.
The opposite of what might be happening at the ball.
How would Nicholas and everyone feel seeing my gown or even my undies scattered on the floor?
Alexander explained that he couldn't manage to keep my clothes on because he just learned to transport alive human and the distance apparently gave me side effects such as temporarily disorientation and sleepiness. He said the effect might be gone immediately if he gave me his blood which he admitted, he did once. He refused to tell me when but I think it's when I fell on the floor after seeing red eyed shadow in the corner of my room. When he also admitted that he bit me before, I pinched him hard only to realize that what I did affect nothing on him. At least, now I know that I wasn't delusional about the bite marks.
And how do I feel about him?
I obviously couldn't stop thinking about him. It would be a lie if I don't love him.
But do I love him enough to leave my life for him? I probably would. But I don't want to be one of them.
As I was feeling a little tension in the back of my head, presumably because of the stress, I decided to have an onsen bath as the bedroom is connected to an open-air bath.
Alexander's POV:
I hugged her tight.
Kimberly is in my arms.
I couldn't describe the feeling as her sadness and confusion flooded my mind too. When her cries stopped, I removed my hug and swept away his tears with my handkerchief, then carried her in my arms back to the bed. She didn't resist and started to think the possibility of our relationship. We're just lying in silence. She hid her face against my chest. Her warm breath gave me shiver.
<Kimberly, I'll be back in a second> I told her.
She needs to eat.
But surprisingly, she wrapped around her hands around my waist.
"Don't go. Please let me think about the whole thing first," she said hoarsely.
After a few minutes silence, she finally spoke, "Alex, how did you take me here?"
"We teleported," I informed.
Kimberly removed his hands and moved away so that we're in face to face position.
"How?" her eyebrow raised.
I held her hands and teleported to the living room. She screamed she fell, but I caught her body and carried her in my arms.
"Alex!" she glared at me in disbelief.
I put her down and led her to sit on the ivory sleeper coach behind us.
"Alex," she mentioned my name again, soothing my ears.
I held her hands and kissed them, "You're not afraid anymore?"
She slowly shook her head, "What will happen to you now?" she asked, realizing my situation.
I smiled, "Thank you for worrying me, but I think you really need to eat something first before the talk," I suggested and intended to order her something to the house keeping staff, "What do you want to eat?" I asked her first.
She finally gave me a warm smile.
øøøøø
"Over one million vampires?" she winched, realizing the number was way too high, "Are there any other supernatural beings?
"Yes, the witches and werewolves, but they're no longer exist now, except one person, Vladimir Botkin aka Vladimir Kirillovich, your friend," I told.
She gasped, "Vlad? But how did you know him? Is he alive?"
I nodded.
"Is he a werewolf? I thought I was dreaming when I saw a shadow of huge dog or wolf when we're in Paris," I shook my head in disbelief, "But he never hurt me, Alex. Why did he leave me?" she mumbled in confusion.
Probably because he had feeling over my Kimberly.
"You shouldn't trust him," I told.
"So, I have to trust you, vampire, over him?" she stared at me, obviously annoyed.
I nodded, "I request you to trust me, not as what I am, but me as Alexander you know. Don't trust others, even my siblings."
Adriana would love to kill her for causing stir in the family.
She sighed, "Alex, what will happen to you or to us? When will we be back?"
The most important questions.
"Kimberly, I will be punished for causing a shame to the House of Mircea. I will lose my title to my brother and everything, except you, if you decided to be with me," I simplified the situation, although it could get worse.
"How could you make own decision after all of what I've been through with Nicholas, and now you're here trying to burden me? How would I feel about it? And what kind of life were you trying to offer me? You're still married with Madeline, even if I don't know what kind of marriage you have," she ranted over her mind exactly.
She's right. I have no rights to burden her, but she needs to know the situation.
"Kimberly, the reason why I took you, not only because my wants, but because my brother has made dangerous scheme to unveil the existence of our kind," I informed.
"But the existence of your kind is needed to be exposed," she harshly spoke.
"Kimberly, you need to understand that we've been playing low for the sake of humans too. You know the nature of humans when they feel threatened, they will aggressively hunt us, while most of us have been expecting that to be happened, so they will have excuse to rule humans. So, what will happen next? We're just too powerful to be stopped," I explained.
"Then you shouldn't give up your title. You should stop him instead of kidnapping me!" she stared at me, accusing me to be a coward, hiding while the world has started falling apart.
"Kimberly, your safety is my priority. That's the reason you're here. And don't worry, I have my plan to fix the situation," I told her.
Will the plan even work?
Kimberly shouldn't know that the world means nothing for me, but if it means everything to her, then I will try to save it.
For her.
"You won't tell me?" her beautiful light blue eyes stared into my mine.
øøøøø
She wore black bikini and dipped her body into the hot spring. I could see that she instantly enjoyed her bath. Seeing her, closing her eyes while sitting in the hot water and few snowflakes were falling down on her head, soothed me inside.
She's my snow fairy.
Unlike my brother, I have less confidence about convincing her to be turned into vampire, simply because she's too attached with her human's life.
Or she's just not so into me.
Suddenly she opened her beautiful eyes and met mine. I thought she was about to complain seeing me standing at the loggia above the hot spring, yet she just stared at me.
She invited me in.
Before she changed her mind, I quickly teleported to jump in with her.
"Alex, this is extremely relaxing," she softly moaned.
"Good," I gave her a hug from behind and she didn't refuse, letting me to wrap my hands around her shoulders.
"I don't want to regret of not telling my true feeling. Although you're probably still married with Madeline as I'm still engaged with Nicholas, I love you, Alexander," she said, surprising me as I didn't expect her to come forward about her feeling.
Forbidden feeling, she thought.
"But," she turned around and put one hand against my chest and another on my jaw, "I don't wanna be one of you," she cried, feeling guilty not to be able sacrificing her life like I do, <If I choose your way, I will be pro-death over my own race> she said, knowing that I would hear her.
"Don't cry, my Love," I wiped off her fallen tears and bent to kiss her, <Inima mea îţi aparţine, etern al tău>
She didn't return my kiss at first, but when I held her waist, she opened her mouth, letting me to explore hers. I pulled her to sit on my lap and she began to return my kiss for few seconds before breaking it off, then stepped away.
"You..." she was running out of words and blushing red, then swam away.
I tried to calm myself so that the hardness below could be overcome. I looked up and closed my eyes, listening to her mind.
I regret for her agony caused, but never once for meeting her.