Lilah was overjoyed as her mind raced with sadistic torture in the pretense of trickery. When Bella saw the glint in her red eyes, she knew that this lady would even want to use this chance to kill her.
One of the ladies beside Lilah smiled as dark as her hair. Liking her fangs in a sweet delight for violence, she suggested, "Perhaps she could demonstrate how well her fragile body responds to pain. A little prick of a needle, or perhaps the smallest nick from a blade, to see how delicately she bleeds."
"What a wonderful idea! Such a pet chosen by His Highness, surely it won't be a mere trick that she could perform," Lady Clarissa echoed urgently. " Why don't we have her hold an apple on her head while we take turns using darts? Coincidentally I remember Princess Marissa had quite the collection of darts made up from silver to gold."
"Princess Marissa would be extremely delighted when she sees her darts being put to good use. She might also enjoy and join us for sport!"
Instinctively, Bella held her forehead, feeling the pain that could happen if these vampiresses did threw darts at her head.
She still couldn't comprehend their cruelty and why they were so malicious and violent.
Though their appearance mimicked humans, their cruelty betrayed them. They were monsters cloaked in beauty, feeding on blood and thriving on pain. Their voices were as sweet as poisoned honey, hiding their monstrous cruelty. Even the smell of their sickly sweet perfumes cannot conceal the irony of their bloody scent that filled the drawing room.
Panic seized her as her eyes darted to Cassius. He cradled his goblet, lips curved in a smile too dark to be called amused. His hair fell in careless waves, framing a face alight with wicked delight- lost in some terrible thought.
Was this- her real punishment?! To entertain the ladies?
Realizing she was walking on the thin edge of a wood plank and was going to drown in the sea, fear overtook her. But what annoyed her more was the fact that there was only one man who could protect her now.
Catching a glimpse at Cassius, she could see his eyes glinting, his smile sweet but dark as he was waiting for something- for her to say the magic word.
She didn't want to bow down to this vampire- she didn't want to play by his game or his rules. If she could, she would have stabbed him with the nearby fork and run away. But how long would it take before she was soon dragged back into his hands and then what, killed?
Though dying didn't seem like a bad alternative seeing what cruelty lies in these vampires, whenever she closed her eyes she could still think of her sister's sadness, her worries, and the fact that her sister would be weeping to her death. She couldn't bear leaving her sister alone in this Hell.
If this man is really the Hell in the castle, at least she could still endure him.
Though ashamed, angry, and humiliated, Bella held tighter to Cassius's shoes, her words were pleading but he could see her eyes that were still red from the anger and shame which further caused him immense enjoyment.
She turned her pleading eyes to him and whispered, "You said you will protect me." Seeing him move his eyes lazily toward her before tipping his chin as if he was crouching to listen to his adorable puppy's whines, Bella became more fearful that was actually entertaining the idea of throwing heavy items on her, using her as a target for darts, or even worse tell her to walk on sharp broken shards of glass.
Her stomach twisted as his gaze bore into her. She clenched her fists, the urge to resist warring with the weight of survival. But another voice whispered louder: Stay alive. For her sister. For a chance to escape. She gritted her teeth, hating herself for the words she was about to say and do.
Her hands held to the edges of his polished boots. "You said so. You promised."
Cassius licked the trace of blood on the corner of his lips. He descended his head, leaning toward her, and chuckled, "So you do realize that in this place I am the only one who can help you."
It was funny to see how she wanted to survive but didn't want to ask him for help. And since she didn't want to plead for his help she chose to remind him of his promise- A trick to protect her pride.
But Cassius was willing to look away as he could see this was the first time Bella had reached out to him.
Meanwhile, Bella clenched her fists. It's true. Though he had killed someone in front of her, he never really harmed her and by far he's the safest person that could offer her any protection while she traversed in this vampires filled court. She could stay with him- long enough before escaping from his grasp.
What matters the most is to stay alive for now.
"I... know that," she whispered, defeated by the thought that she was really powerless. She wanted to escape but she couldn't possibly die here before escaping! "You say you care about your pet, so you have to take care of me. I- I don't like pain!" she shut her eyes and hoped for the best only to feel disappointed hearing him who had laughed aloud.
Cassius's laughter echoed in the room and almost instantly, all the ladies in the room froze on the spot. Their expression turned pale as they looked at each other, gesturing as if one of them knew the reason for the Crown Prince's laughter. His laughter causes an unnatural chill in the room, and the vampiress all instinctively recoil, revealing their true fear of him.
While it might be true his smile and laugh are the most charming parts of him, Cassius' laughter is always followed by a scent of blood- worse, death.
But this time he didn't seem interested in the sword that gleamed beside his chair. He simply nudged his hand on Arabella's eyes, staring at her round eyes. He could see that despite her begging for help her spirit was still unbend. That's how she's supposed to be. She couldn't have her spirit broken yet unless he started it.
Arabella had charmed him with her defiance, it was something that he found quite interesting as he had never seen someone whose eyes were blazing so alive for survival.
Today, he didn't only bring her here to punish her. He had decided since it seemed she didn't know how lucky she was for being picked as his pet, he was going to show her today that his protection was a blessing and she would have an easier time accepting him as her owner rather than squirming and glaring at him.
Though that glare and sarcasm also play a part in his interest in her.
Her clever head seemed to quickly understand it and that made him quite pleased. It was indeed so adorable to see her begging for his help yet something still annoys him.
"You say I promised to protect you. But tell me, birdie, are you worth protecting? Show me why I should care."
Bella looked down on the floor as she didn't want to glare at him and offend him more, "I will entertain you further. Killing me now means no one to perform your entertainment."
"Fascinating. You're telling me that you're worth for me to protect is it not?" His voice cut through the muted room. He grinned as he patted her head, rounding his hand around the back of her head.
"Didn't you choose me yourself?" Bella twisted his words, "You must have chosen me because you see that I'm worth your time."
"Shh, there's no need to fret," he lulled, his tone honeyed with false comfort. "As long as you amuse me, I'll ensure no one touches you. Haven't I already proven that? Last night, when they thought they could harm you—who stood between you and them?"
His fingers traced a path along her skin, his touch featherlight as he trailed down to her neck. "And if anyone dares to hurt you again," his hand tightened slightly, his thumb brushing the vulnerable line of her throat, "well... this," he whispered, drawing a circle around her neck with chilling precision, "would tumble to the floor, wouldn't it? Round and round, for all to see. An entertainment for me and a safety for you, fair?"
Bella felt the suffocation that wrapped around her safety. She hated how his power shackled her, even as it kept her alive— a twisted blessing and curse. Her nails dug into her palms, a silent reminder of the fire she refused to let him extinguish. For now, she would endure— but the day would come when the predator would fall into his prey's trap.
Cassius placed the goblet down and leaned on the chair, crossing his fingers and clasping them before placing it on his knees.
Looking at the ladies who were pulling their best smile as if they had been the most angelic creature, he says, "How lovely is your interest to my pet indeed. My birdie can charm everyone simply by standing. So much so that it annoys me a little. She won't be doing any tricks for you when she hasn't done one for me either. But today, I have planned on punishing her for her mistake which you could watch as well."
Sharing a look to one another, Lady Lilah and Lady Clarissa wondered what mistake Arabella made that acquired her a punishment. But their eyes glinted with mischief as they could see this was the perfect chance to kill Bella for good.
"Rise, birdie. It's time I remind you what happens to those who forget their place," ordered Cassius as he rose from the chair, the remaining ladies in the room standing and immediately following steps behind him as though they were doves.
Arabella felt heaviness on the bottom of her soles. Her bottom and legs were sore from the coldness as winter and snow were about to come around the corner but she couldn't do anything other than to follow Cassius as she had learned what happened to people who don't.
She bit her lip, clinging to his promise, knowing too well not to trust a vampire's word.