Cynthia's POV
I winced in pain as the warm water cascaded down my back, my limbs trembling and my body sore. Five days in jail had been a nightmare, the worst experience of my life. Bitterness and resentment filled my soul towards Robert and his family. What had I done to deserve such harsh treatment? Tears threatened to spill from my burning eyes, but I fought to keep them at bay. Zander, like Robert and his daughter, seemed to revel in my suffering. Couldn't he have spoken up for me, shown that I was innocent? It felt like everyone was against me, finding pleasure in my misery..
After finishing my bath, I took a towel from the stand and wrapped it around my body. I then walked to the closet and picked out short jeans, a black shirt, and sneakers, placing them on the bed. Next, I went to the dresser and grabbed some body lotion, letting the towel fall in front of my body. As I applied lotion to my skin, which was covered in bruises, I looked in the mirror and saw my mother's reflection staring back at me, causing my eyes to widen in shock.
"Mom!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with disbelief. How was she inside the mirror? For the past five days, I hadn't had any nightmares or weird dreams about her, so why was she appearing now when I wasn't in trouble?
"Cynthia, I told you to run away a long time ago, but you didn't listen to me. Your life is in great danger," my mom said, still inside the mirror. But what danger was she talking about? I had just spent five days in jail, what could be more dangerous than that?
"I'm frustrated, Mom," I said. "When those women were beating me up, you didn't help me. What could be more dangerous than that? Now that I'm back, why are you saying that I'm in danger? What kind of dark joke is this?"
I knew I was out of danger now. Zander was a demon or something, but I knew he wasn't going to kill me. If he wanted to kill me, he would have done it already.
"Zander can't kill you now because you're bound by blood. If he kills you, he'll die, and if anyone kills Zander, you'll die too. But that's not why I'm here. I'm giving you this necklace." My mom handed me a beautiful gold necklace with a snake head pendant.
"This necklace will protect you from all the danger you'll face in the future. Make sure to wear it all the time and make sure no harm comes to Zander, because your life depends on his. You must avoid death, because if you die, it'll be a disaster." My mom disappeared until I couldn't see her anymore.
My mom always talks in riddles, expecting me to understand what she means. What danger was she talking about? And what did she mean by saying Zander and I were bound by blood? It's all so confusing, and I don't want to strain my brain trying to figure it out.
I put the necklace around my neck and proceeded to get dressed. As I was busy combing my hair, the door to my room was pushed open and Zander's wife entered the room, her eyes filled with hostility as she glared at me. I stared back at her.
"You know," she started, her voice hardened ruthlessly. I rolled my eyes. If she thought she was going to bully me again, she had it coming. I'm sick and tired of being bullied. "I've spent almost 50 years as Zander's girlfriend. I was always there for him when he needed me, I supported him whenever he needed my support. And now, he married you and he doesn't want anything to do with me because of you. He doesn't even touch me. He spent the whole five days acting like a madman because you weren't here. He went as far as paying 50 million for your bail today. Why? What do you have that I don't have that makes him crazy about you in these few days he met you? He was supposed to marry me, not you."
I blinked rapidly, a mix of confusion surging through me. So Zander was actually not married, but if he was supposed to marry her, why did he marry me instead of killing me that night? And why did he pay so much money for my bail? What was going on in his mind?
"What are you thinking about? I asked you a question, bitch," Nancy asked again, snapping me out of my daze. I shrugged and tried to hide my confusion.
"Maybe he realized that you were nothing more than a sex toy that he used to satisfy his sexual desires, and I deserve to be his wife. Who knows? Maybe I'm better than you in many ways because I don't spread my legs for him like you do," I said, flashing her a cold smirk. She glared at me, her eyes bloodshot, and I knew in less than a second she was going to attack me. But I stood there, staring at her with a daring smirk. I couldn't care less if she hit me.
She flashed a cold smile unexpectedly, and I couldn't help but let out a scoff. It was a good thing that she had learned to control her anger.
"Unfortunately, you won't be alive for long. The kings and queens of the underworld will never accept you as Zander's wife, and you will be killed. Then, I will get married to Zander," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
That's why my mother had warned me about the danger I was in. At least if I die, I won't die alone.
"Well, I guess I should say rest in peace to my soul in advance. You're also welcome to wish my soul a peaceful rest before I die, don't you think? Zander's future bride?" I asked, staring at her with a contemptuous smirk.
"May your soul never rest in peace in hell," she retorted, and I let out a cold laugh.
"I'll save a place for you in hell, sister's wife. We're starting on the wrong foot here, so I hope in hell, we can become good friends. What do you say?" I asked with a mocking smile. She scoffed and walked away.
I let out a sigh of relief, as death is my biggest fear, and I was glad that I wasn't going to die anytime soon. I'm sure Zander will do everything in his power to protect his own life, which also means protecting mine. It's good news for me today. However, I don't understand why my life is in danger, and my mom won't tell me anything about it. So, it's better not to think about it.
Today, I don't feel like facing Zander, so I decided to sit on the couch. I wish there was a way to put Robert Davis behind bars. He has made my life a living hell for long enough, and I can't bear it anymore. It's not my fault that I'm his daughter, nor is it my fault that he made me. But I'm no one to fight with him, and the only choice I have is to let him get away with his crimes. I wish I had the power to punish all my enemies, but unfortunately, I'm powerless, and I can't fight people like Robert Davis and his family.
The door to the room swung open, and I turned to see Zander entering. Nancy's words echoed in my mind. I was convinced that he had ulterior motives for all his actions, using me for his own gain. He was a selfish man who always had an agenda.
"Cynthia, we need to talk. " Zander stated, his voice devoid of emotion. He sat opposite me on the couch.
"I have no interest in talking to you. Please leave me alone," I replied calmly, not bothering to look at him.
"Cynthia, I'm not in the mood for your attitude. This is important," Zander insisted in the same detached tone.
"Zander, I already told you I don't want to talk to you. Just go away and leave me be. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now," I said firmly, meeting his gaze. He gritted his teeth in frustration, but I remained unfazed.
I got up from the couch and headed to the bathroom. After a few minutes, I heard the door close, indicating that Zander had left. I sighed and opened the door, only to find that Zander was no longer on the couch. As I was about to walk back to the couch, Zander suddenly appeared in front of me. He gently lifted me onto the hairdresser , his touch sending a shiver down my spine as he parted my legs . Standing between my legs, he looked deeply into my eyes. I couldn't help but notice how incredibly handsome he was, like a god among men. His dark, mysterious eyes held a wealth of emotions that I couldn't quite decipher. My heart raced as I gazed into his intense gaze, feeling like it might burst with the intensity of my emotions.
"Z-Zander, what are you doing?" I stammered, trying to avert my gaze from his, but I couldn't. It was as if some unseen force was pulling me into looking into his eyes without looking away.
"What? Is your heart racing because you're close to a man for the first time? Or are you falling for me by chance?" His deep, sensual voice sent a ripple of awareness through me. He was too close, so close that I couldn't describe how I was feeling at that moment.
"Even if you were the last man on earth, I wouldn't fall for you, not even by mistake," I said softly. But who was I kidding? This man was dangerously handsome and attractive, and no sane woman could resist him, including me.
"We'll see about that," Zander said, his eyes lazily gazing into mine. "Let's stop with the small talk. I want to talk to you about something important."
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked, trying to sound unaffected by his closeness.
"Who are you?" Zander asked, his tone deep and husky.
"I'm sure you know everything about me. I don't see why you're asking!" I replied. Zander placed his hand on my bare thigh and started drawing circles, his eyes locked with mine. His nearness was overwhelming, and I was losing all my senses as his long fingers continued to draw circles on my thigh.
"I hope you are what I think you are because if not, both of us are going to die. So, I hope you are a human," Zander said with a serious tone. Although I knew he was serious, I surprisingly wasn't scared this time. Maybe it was because I knew my mom was protecting me, or maybe it was because I was willing to die with him.
"Can you move away from me now?" I tried hard to control my feelings. I felt like any girl in my shoes would feel the same way when a hot guy is around.
"Get ready, tomorrow we are going to visit my family at the palace. You must convince everyone that you are a human, or else both of us are going to die. You should also learn to control your sharp tongue because it might get us in trouble, understand?" Zander said, his tone filled with authority. I nodded without saying anything.
"Good girl." Zander said, gazing into my eyes. For a second, I saw something flickering in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared as it had appeared. It was hard to understand this man. Sometimes he acted like he wanted to kill me and the next second he was standing between my legs, looking at me like he was going to kiss me at any moment.
Zander stepped away from me, and I felt disappointed as I looked into his eyes. However, I couldn't understand why I felt that way. He and I couldn't stand each other, so what was I expecting him to do? Kiss me?
As I watched him make his way to the door, I couldn't help but ask, "Why did you pay so much money for my bail? You could have let me rot in jail, and your secret would have been safe. You could have gotten rid of me."
Zander flashed me a smirk, "This is not about keeping my secret safe anymore."He said with a knowing look on his face.
Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"
Zander replied, "What do you think?" I looked at him in disbelief. Was I supposed to guess what he meant?
"Come downstairs. Your breakfast is ready," Zander said before disappearing.
~~~~~
The day had finally come - I was about to go to Zander's family home. My heart was pounding with fear as I gazed at my reflection in the mirror. I wore a long black dress that sparkled with shiny glitters. It hugged my body perfectly, and I paired it with matching heels and earrings. I put on light makeup and made sure to wear the necklace my mom had given me, hiding it so that no one would see it.
I knew I would be surrounded by vampires, witches, and other mythical creatures I didn't even know existed. They would all be staring at me like I was some kind of meal, and that thought made my stomach churn.
"Are you ready?" I quickly turned around when I heard Zander's voice coming from the entrance. He looked handsome in his black suit and black shirt with two undone buttons, making him even more attractive. I reminded myself that I hated him, and that was the end of it.
"I'm ready. "I said shortly. Zander approached me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. My heart raced at his proximity, but I tried to push the feeling away. In the blink of an eye, darkness swirled around us, and the room began to fade. Suddenly, we found ourselves standing outside an immense mansion, surrounded by a crowd of people. I could sense they were vampires.
Zander held my hand tightly as all eyes turned to us. "Today, King Zander will not be granted entry until we confirm that your wife is not a serpent. If she truly is, we will execute her on the spot," one man declared sternly.
I looked at Zander with bewilderment. How could they accuse me of being a serpent? I knew deep down that I had nothing in common with those creatures.
"Do you have any evidence to back your claim? How dare you all accuse my wife?" Zander retorted, his voice icy and resolute.
"We will soon find out," another man replied ominously. A group of foreboding figures, dressed in black with long white hair and black paint adorning their bodies, approached me and forcefully took hold of my hand. Fear gripped me tightly, and my heart pounded with terror.
"Zander, please help me. I'm so frightened," I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes. Zander stood motionless, offering no assistance. The men pushed me inside a circle drawn in black. Instantly, the weather changed, shifting from day to night, and thunder rumbled in the darkened sky. The entire atmosphere became pitch black, and the men in black began to encircle me, playing haunting tunes on flutes. The rain poured down, drenching me completely. Tears streamed down my face as the unsettling melody grew louder with each passing moment.
As the flute played, my body started to burn. The sound seemed to ignite every inch of my skin. I don't understand why this happens to me, but every time I hear the flute, my body starts to burn. The pain intensified when they threw a silver chain at me. I couldn't help but scream and cry.
The flute continued to play without pause while the rain fell down. The silver chain kept burning my skin, and they even poured something on me that made the pain even worse. I couldn't comprehend why they thought I was a serpent, and why these things were affecting me so much.
I begged Zander to stop them, but he just stood there. The moon's light shone down on me, and my body burned even more. The flute's sound mixed with the burning heat of the moon caused tears to stream down my face. I didn't understand why these things were happening to me. I knew that I wasn't a serpent.
I covered my ears tightly with my hands, desperate to block out the overwhelming noise. But instead of finding relief, the pain in my head seemed to intensify. It felt like daggers stabbing at my eardrums, making me cry out in agony. Tears streamed down my face, and I reached for the necklace hanging around my neck. As soon as my fingers touched the pendant, a strange warmth spread throughout my body, easing away the pain. Miraculously, the rain ceased, and the darkness of the storm gave way to the brightness of sunlight.
"She's not a serpent!" one of the men playing the flute suddenly proclaimed, shocking everyone present. Gasps filled the air as the truth of my innocence came to light.
"Are you all satisfied now? After subjecting my wife to such harassment?" Zander's voice rang out, cold and filled with anger. The tears in my eyes flowed even more freely as I looked at him, hurt that he had allowed me to be treated this way.
"If she's not a serpent, then she must join us as one of our own. A human cannot be the queen of the Carlisean Kingdom. Your wife must become a vampire, like us, and fulfil all the rituals and duties of a queen. If she cannot embrace our ways, then we have no choice but to get rid of her, now that she knows of our existence," the man wearing the crown declared with an air of authority. In that moment, fear gripped my heart, and I mustered the strength to rise from the ground and run to Zander.
"Please, take me away from here. I don't want to become a vampire," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. Every fibre of my being screamed against the thought of it. I couldn't bear the idea of losing my humanity.
"As members of the council, we have decided that King Zander has one week to make a decision. If his wife does not willingly embrace our vampire ways, she will die. King Zander understands our allegiance to the great King Zakaria, and the consequences we face if we defy him. We cannot risk our lives for the sake of a mere human girl. So, my king, you have one week to choose," another man chimed in, his words adding to my growing panic.
My lips quivered, and my entire body trembled with fear. I couldn't bear the thought of dying, nor could I fathom becoming a vampire against my will. They had no right to decide my fate like this.
"King Zander, before you make your decision, remember the immense danger you will face if you choose to go against our great king. We will disown you and leave you to face his wrath alone. As the royal family, we will not be able to offer you any assistance," warned the man with a crown, his words sending a chill running down my spine.
Zander took my hand and we vanished from the scary place. When we appeared inside his mansion, I couldn't hold back my tears. It was all his fault; if he hadn't kidnapped me that night, none of this would have happened. Now, my life was in danger, as all the vampires had targeted me. I should have listened to my mother and found a way to escape, but now it was too late. My leg was stuck inside a bottle and I couldn't free myself.
"Zander, I'd rather die now than be turned into a vampire. I can't drink people's blood; I can't become a monster," I cried, feeling sick to my stomach.
"If you don't want to become a vampire, then be prepared to die. I can't let my son's life be in danger because of you," Zander's mother replied, mother walked into the room with Nancy.
"I refuse to become a vampire, even if it means I have to die. That's my final decision," I said and ran up to my room, still crying. This felt like a nightmare that I wished would end soon before I lost my mind.
As I reached my room and tried to close the door, Zander blocked me with his leg.
"Leave me alone. You've ruined my life for good," I yelled and pushed him away.
"Cynthia, you have no choice but to become a vampire. I can't let you die because your death will mean my own death, and I'm not ready to die," Zander said, his voice devoid of emotion.
I slammed the door shut, tears streaming down my face. How could he be so selfish? He was the reason behind all of this, and now he expected me to become a monster to save his own life.