Kael stood at the door, listening to Ballister tell the girl about the world they now live in. He couldn't deny that he was intrigued to see a human who didn't even know about his existence. It made him wonder about the life she'd led until now. What was it like, living in ignorance of the shadows? Even for her own father to send her to death's gate without warning her of the dangers?
Though humans had always been driven by greed and selfishness, prioritizing their own interests above all else, what he didn't expect was a father willingly sending his own flesh and blood into a world she was completely unprepared for.
Kael recalled the moment he held her in his arms earlier when she passed out. He was struck by her fragile and delicate nature. Her skin was as tender as that of a child who had never seen the sun, and besides the peculiar scent of her blood, he perceived a subtle fragrance of rosewater and orange blossom; a sweet aroma that lingered on the girl.
"Hmmm," Kael hummed, "Fascinating creature." He was somewhere between intrigue and relief that he had spared the life of a girl who had no idea of her impending doom. Her behavior now made sense to him. Kael couldn't wait to see her turn around and take flight after listening to Ballister. If she chose to leave, he would let her go, for she was innocent. Kael thought to himself, his wrath, however, would be reserved for the human king, the spineless coward called father.
"It would have been a shame to kill someone who knows nothing about my elegance and greatness," Kael said, a hint of amusement in his voice. With a small smirk, he nodded and walked away.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Jacquelyn's eyes narrowed as she took a few steps back from Ballister, her gaze filled with suspicion. She couldn't believe that her first friend; the one person she had trusted after leaving the castle also thrived on human blood.
"I won't harm you, trust me," Ballister tried to explain, seeing that the girl was now scared of him. "See? I have been nothing but nice to you." The young boy raised his hand, trying to show that he was a good person, though he had tried to drink her blood once, but that wasn't his fault, Ballister thought to himself.
Jacquelyn nodded. "I know, Ballister. You've been nice because you're not hungry yet. But can you honestly say you feed on anything other than human blood?"
Ballister shifted uncomfortably, rubbing his neck as he struggled to find a response. "Um..."
"Exactly. You can't! And you want me to trust you. You can't even deny it. And yet, you expect me to trust you?" The girl sighed before she continued, "I might not know much about vampires, but I know how I turn into a monster when I'm hungry." Jacquelyn shook her head, her eyes filled with disappointment. She really thought she had found a friend.
"I am sorry, Ballister, but I can't trust you... Do you even trust yourself?"
The young boy pressed his lips together. As much as he hated to accept it, the human girl was right. He didn't trust himself if there was blood in front of him. His control level wasn't the same as his master's, but that wouldn't be because he had malicious intent or wanted to harm the girl. It was just his nature.
"I don't always feed on human blood," Ballister said matter-of-factly. "Sometimes I prefer fresh animal blood." He sounded almost defensive, not liking that Jacquelyn's friendly demeanor had turned to fear due to his nature. As he packed up the vellum and cleared the table, he added, "You're right, though. My kind does prey on humans. So, it's wise to be scared. If you still wish to leave, I'll ensure your safe return to the palace."
"Animal blood!" Jacquelyn exclaimed, snapping her fingers. "That's it! Animal blood!"
Ballister furrowed his brows. "That's what?"
"The solution to everything!" Jacquelyn declared, her eyes shining with excitement. "We don't need human blood for you or my husband. From now on, you'll only take animal blood!"
Ballister's eyebrows shot up as he took a step back. He was tempted to touch her temples, wondering if she was running a fever. In his experience, humans often hallucinated when ill, and that seemed the only explanation for her outlandish suggestion. Feeding a pureblooded vampire like Kael animal blood? The girl was finally looking to court death.
Ballister's eyes widened in surprise. "After everything I just told you... you're not planning to leave, run, or escape?" he asked. That was the typical human response he had anticipated.
Jacquelyn nodded merely adjusting her shirt to cover her shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips. "Run to where? Why should I escape? It's better here. I get to see people... or rather, vampires. And I've had more fun since arriving at this castle than I can recall having in my entire life. So, no, I'm not leaving."
"Dark heavens above!" Ballister exclaimed, stunned. In all his years, he had never encountered someone who would willingly choose life in a castle with vampires over being a princess. Who wouldn't want to be a princess?! Ballister thought. He would gladly trade places with her and live as a princess, just to escape Kael, even if it was for a minute.
"We're going hunting, Ballister. Tonight, you'll serve your master a different meal. Prepare everything while I find my shoe." She ignored the worry etched on the boy's face, leaving him to scream and drag his head internally.
As she walked away, Jacquelyn's mind reeled with everything Ballister had told her. The truth was, she was terrified down to her knees. She wanted to run as fast as her legs could carry her until her feet felt like they were touching her head. But where could she go? Home? Back to her gilded cage? At this point, she wasn't even sure if those people were truly her family. A father who had imprisoned her, calling her cursed, only to send her to a strange and unfamiliar world... Jacquelyn shuddered at the thought. She couldn't help but wonder what her fate would have been if she had tried to kill the vampire king and failed. And then there was Griselda, who had deceived and lied to her about everything.
The truth was, the people she had just met were kinder and more genuine than anyone from her own family. They hadn't lied to her or patronized her, despite her ignorance. Jacquelyn realized that if the man she was now married to was indeed the vampire king, then she was in the safest place possible. All she had to do was be a dutiful wife and avoid provoking his wrath. She was willing to work hard to make this marriage work, to prove herself as a worthy partner to the vampire king.
Jacquelyn fastened her shoe, securing it tightly around her leg. She whispered to herself, "No matter what anyone says, I'm going to make this work. I'll stay here and live as the vampire king's bride."