Dario's hands moved from my wrists down to my breasts. He started rubbing them roughly, exploring me against my will. I shuddered in disgust as his lips brushed against my nipples and he sucked them hungrily. His touch made me shudder with disgust as he trailed a finger along the curves of my hips, licking and biting his way up to my neck.

His warm breath sent shivers down my spine as he whispered into my ear. He promised pleasures beyond anything I had ever experienced – followed by threats of pain and humiliation if I refused his advances.

His strong grip on my body only tightened as he took off his pants. His massive black cock was hard with desire, pulsing with need; an intimidating sight that left me exposed and vulnerable underneath him. He smiled as he saw my reaction and bent down to insert two fingers inside of my vagina. He shoved them deeper with a devilish grin on his face as he noticed how wet I was. I gasped in both surprise and pleasure as his thrusts grew wilder and more intense. His strong hands grasped onto my hips as he drove his fingers deeper into me, furiously rubbing my G-spot, sweat dripping down both of our bodies. With each thrust, I felt myself closer to the edge, and I cursed him out loud. I could not allow him to make me cum, so I wiggled until his fingers were out of my vagina.

This only infuriated Dario. He called me a slut and tried to open my legs wider. In a desperate attempt to defend myself, I pressed my legs together with all my strength and refused to move. His intense gaze met mine as he thrusted his hips against me in an attempt to penetrate me with his huge cock. I could feel the blood rushing through my veins as adrenaline filled my body and I held him back, refusing to let him have his way.

In one swift movement I managed to kneel up and push him off of me. With one hand still grasping mine tightly he stumbled backwards but kept his gaze on me as if he wanted more; like a predator stalking its prey before pouncing again.

I stood up and faced him, indignation boiling inside of me. I wanted to show him that he could not overpower me and I wanted to make sure that he never tried to touch me again. The rage blinded me and, before I knew how it happened, my nails grew longer and hard like claws as my body trembled with anger. Without hesitating, I lunged at Dario with a loud screech and used my sharp nails to scratch his face in retaliation for the humiliation he caused me. He screamed in pain as they dug into his face, drawing blood.

The wounds on Dario's face quickly regenerated thanks to his vampire powers, but the shock of what had just happened remained on his expression. He looked at me with awe and a hint of fear in his eyes. I had managed to tap into a power I never knew I possessed and found myself standing there, transformed into something new and scary.

Dario, who had been so confident a few moments ago, was now backing away, cautious. Suddenly, he growled with rage. He lunged towards me, but I was ready for him this time. We both tumbled to the ground and we rolled around in a desperate struggle as I tried to keep him away from me. We fought for a long time until we both started to tire and Dario lost interest. He finally gave up and got off the ground, scowling at me as if I had insulted him. I could see the anger still burning in his eyes as he looked away from me and started putting on his pants. 

"You should be careful," Dario said coldly, glaring at me. "Queen Naran won't take kindly to your little display. When she's done with Viktor, he won't be able to protect you… or won't be interested in doing so." He paused for a moment and then continued, his voice becoming more threatening. "Honestly, the best thing he could do to save himself is to repudiate you. If he doesn't claim you, maybe he has a chance to save himself."

Then, he left the cell and closed the heavy iron door behind him with a loud clang that echoed through the room. I was left alone in shock, my mind racing with what Dario had said. I knew that Viktor wouldn't desert me - no matter what happened... Or would he? How well did I really know Viktor Volkov?

I looked around the murky cell and let myself fall on the filthy cot. Tears started streaming down my face as I cried in the darkness, feeling completely overwhelmed by what was happening. My mind was racing with so many thoughts and questions - would Viktor reject me to save himself like Dario said? Would they kill me tomorrow after the trial? How is Viktor now, what is he thinking…? Is Queen Naran hurting him or… is he enjoying a good time with her? They seemed very intimate… Like there was something between them. He didn't tell me anything about that!

I curled up into a ball on the bed and buried my face in my hands as sobs shook my body uncontrollably. I had been dragged through an emotional roller coaster and it was too much to bear. All I wanted was for this nightmare to be over and to be safe again. My heart felt like it would break into tiny pieces if I didn't find a way to fix this situation soon.

I spent the rest of the night in a state of desolation, my mind going in circles as I tried to think of ways to escape from this underground cell. But, no matter how hard I thought or what ideas I tried to come up with, nothing seemed possible. After all, the walls were made of thick stone and the iron door was so heavy it was impossible for me to move it on my own.

My tears refused to stop flowing as I lay on the cold cot. I was so scared for Viktor and for myself. I had been confident he wouldn't reject me - but Dario's words had planted a seed of doubt in my mind. I couldn't help imagining Queen Naran and Viktor together, sharing secrets and laughing without a care in the world. My mind ran wild with jealousy - was there something more about their relationship? Did Viktor love her? The thought made me so angry that I wanted to scream.

But instead, I continued to weep silently in the darkness, feeling completely helpless. Hours passed by and eventually my eyes got heavy with exhaustion and I drifted off into an uneasy sleep, filled with nightmares of Viktor's betrayal.

***

The next day, a hideous vampire guard woke me up horribly. He was tall and skinny with a wild hairline, bushy eyebrows, and huge ears, and looked like he'd been through a meat grinder. He was laughing as he threw a bucket of cold and dirty water at me. I shivered in shock and felt revolted by the smell that filled the cell. He continued to laugh with his colleague as they watched me squirm, amused by my reaction. The other guard pushed a pile of rags towards me, demanding that I get dressed immediately.

The guards then proceeded to drag me out of the cell, their hands tightly pressing against my wrists. We climbed up a flight of stairs in complete silence, until we reached a courtroom with a big wooden platform in the centre. A chill ran down my spine as I realised this was where the trial would take place.

As we stepped into the room, I gasped in awe as my eyes scanned my surroundings. The entire room was filled with intricate wood carvings and tapestries that portrayed vampire lore, and a huge chandelier hung from the ceiling. In the centre of the platform were nine chairs intricately carved out of dark wood, each occupied by one of the members of the Vampire Council. The Council members were all clad in luxurious robes and jewellery and adorned with ancient symbols. But most striking of all was Queen Naran who sat in the middle, reclined against a magnificent throne made of dark stone. She had a regal air to her that could barely be contained within her tall frame. Her hair shone like the night sky under the light of the torches, and her eyes glowed with a powerful intensity that made me tremble in fear and admiration at once. Every member had their eyes fixed on me as I approached, making me feel extremely exposed and vulnerable.

But my gaze was soon distracted by the figure of Dario standing at the side of the dais, his eyes full of malice. When he saw me, he gave me a nasty look that made me shudder. I knew right then and there that no matter what happened, I wanted to be as far away from him as possible. The memories of his attempted rape made my heart shrink.

My attention was then diverted to a podium in the centre of the room, and I noticed that Viktor was already tied up there. He looked like he had been through hell and back, but even with his battered state, he still appeared as handsome to no avail. His face was bruised and his lips cracked and dry. Despite his state, Viktor stood tall and proud, ignoring the ropes that bound him. I wanted to rush to Viktor, to place my lips on his, to kiss him, to wrap my arms around him and never let go.

The guards led me to the podium next to Viktor and left me there, my hands still tied. I tried to approach him, but the guards yanked me back as soon as I took a step towards him, warning me not to get any closer.

"Viktor!" I screamed.

To my surprise, Viktor simply stared ahead pretending not to have heard me. He didn't look at me directly but his mouth twitched slightly when he caught sight of me from the corner of his eye. It was then that it hit me... What if Dario was right? What if Viktor was about to betray me? My heart dropped and my stomach churned as the thought sank through my mind. I knew that if that were the case, I had no chance of surviving this trial, let alone escaping from it with Viktor. I felt a wave of panic course through me and my legs began trembling uncontrollably.

Queen Naran rose from her throne with a menacing air, her eyes blazing like molten lava as she spoke in a voice as sharp as daggers. "It's time," she hissed, slowly scanning each of us with a look that could paralyse a grown man. Her gaze finally rested on me and with a sneer so cold it could freeze fire, she growled: "Let the trial begin."