"What do you mean it taste different?" She asked feigning surprise.
"I'm not sure but your blood taste so good and it's almost as if–" he started walking towards her and Anastasia thought he was going to draw more blood from her but he touched the pendant necklace.
"What is this?" He questioned.
"It's a gift from my mother," she answered.
"I have to go now. I will be back by evening for my food," he said, turning around and he left.
Anastasia walked back to the room and she sat down on the sofa. Did he see her as his food?
That's how he sees me, she thought. He only brought her here to suck her dry until she's dead. She was nothing more than food to him. He didn't care about the death of his father then why don't he let her go?
Her thoughts drifted back to her mother and she didn't know when she burst into tears. She began to cry silently hoping her death wouldn't be as painful as she thought.
Meanwhile as Cassius drove through the carriage to the court house, his mind recalled back to the time when his father was still alive.
Cassius angrily walked into the room, his brows furrowed with his jaw clenched.
"Father we need to talk," Cassius said as he walked into his father's room. He met him with two blonde haired women running their hands across his chest.
"How disrespectful of you to walk into my room without knocking," Darius frowned.
Cassius brows furrowed as his eyes scanned the naked women surrounding his father.
"Leave!" He ordered and the women fled away.
He walked towards the sofa and sat down, his gaze centered on his father.
"What is it?" Darius asked.
"I heard that you are considering crowning someone from the court house as heir to the throne," Cassius said, his voice firm. He clenched his hand into a tight fist.
"Ah yes," Darius nodded. "You see, I want what's best for this Kingdom. I want someone who is experienced to rule this Kingdom and you my son is not really experienced."
"What do you mean?" Cassius frowned, his eyes darting around the room.
"Lucas already found someone he plans to marry. The Kingdom would not lack a Queen and he would produce an heir soon," Darius said.
Cassius anger flared up. "You are doing this because I refuse to marry the woman you chose for me? You know very well that I'm not interested in getting married to that woman. I would get a wife soon."
"Soon?" Darius scoffed. "Is it until I grow so old and die here before you get married and give me grandchildren?"
"Father I am the right heir to the throne," Cassius said with command. "I have the royal blood flowing through my veins. Lucas does not have any of it."
"We need to put the Kingdom before family," Darius said. "Lucas would undergo rituals and he would drink my blood to become the next King."
"Father you know how experienced I am in ruling the Kingdom. You can't just bring any random stranger as the heir to the throne," Cassius challenged.
"Lucas isn't just any stranger. I watched him grow since birth," Darius said.
"You want him as the next King because you are having secret affairs with his mother," Cassius stood up raging.
Darius face darkened. "How dare you speak rudely of me? I am the King of Blackwood Kingdom and I would decide who's best for the throne."
"Now leave," he ordered.
Cassius knew how dangerous his father is but he didn't care. He wouldn't back down so easily.
"I won't let you crown him as the next King father," Cassius said as he walked out of the room.
He blinked several times before turning his head to see the carriage door opened. He stepped down and walked inside the courthouse to the room where all the Elders were gathered.
At his presence, everyone stood up and bowed their heads. Cassius scanned the people in the room and when his gaze landed on Lucas, he frowned deeply. He walked to the high table and sat down.
"Your highness," one of the Elders stood up.
"Speak," he said without sparing the man a glance.
"It is about the tragedy that happened at the palace yesterday," he responded. "The people are furious that you interrupted the execution."
"So?" Cassius tilted his head. "I have every right to stop the execution."
"No you don't!" Lucas stood up angrily. "Father was killed by the traitor yesterday and you dared to stop the execution."
"Don't you call him father again because he isn't your father," Cassius snapped before turning his gaze to the people.
"We need to plan for the King's burial," he said.
"It is the law of this Kingdom that we crown the next King before burying the late one," another Elder spoke up.
"We need an heir to the throne," another said.
"I am the rightful King to that throne and I will be crowned on the day of coronation," Cassius said.
"Not when you are unmarried," another said.
"You see!" Lucas yelled. "This is the reason father doesn't want him as an heir. You all know I am a married man and crowning me as the next heir is the rightful decision."
"But my father didn't name you as the next King," Cassius snapped. "He died two days before the naming ceremony."
"That is because you killed him," Lucas said grounding his teeth. "You killed the King to become the heir."
"Everyone know who killed the King," Cassius said.
"It is because you sent her to kill him and you stopped the execution," Lucas said. "Bring her here for questions."
With his anger boiling over, Cassius stood up. "This meeting is dismissed."
Without uttering another word, he walked out of the court room, leaving the people murmuring and whispering amongst themselves