Captured (Vampire King Book 2) (17 page)

For what?
he asked, still scowling at his
mother.

We need her to help us free the
Phinova dominas.

A
growl emitted from his chest.

Chapter
Twelve

I
approached Queen Regina until I was three feet from her. “You’re a wise woman.
How should we free the Phinova dominas from the dungeon?”

Careful
, Samuel warned inside my head.
My mother has been manipulating and playing
games for one hundred and fifty years.

“You
all will remain as my guests tonight.” She rang a bell that was on her throne’s
right arm. Two maids rushed in, draped in silver.

“Notify
my guards that my entertainers will be staying in my guest area. I want them to
perform for me during the daylight,” she announced. “Prepare three rooms.”

The
maids bowed and headed outside.

“Luck
is on your side.” The queen beamed. “The Quiet King took most of his army with
him. He’s planning a surprise attack on a territory full of mages.”

“And
he’s sent Royal Guards to hunt me,” I said.

“Exactly.
I heard they burned Freemont to the ground.” Queen Regina directed her
attention to Leeta. “I am glad to see you survived, dear Leeta. And without a
scratch?”

“Yes,
your majesty,” Leeta mumbled.

Leeta
didn’t seize the opportunity to tell the queen she was now a vampire. I
wondered why and if that was somehow for Samuel’s benefit.

“There
are only ten percent of the usual amount of Royal Guards on the castle
grounds,” the queen said. “Even less are around during the daylight. That would
be the best time to smuggle the dominas to a secret area. I have property in
the north that will serve as your kingdom, Samuel. I’ve been preparing it all your
life. It’s supplied with food and a human staff to serve you well.”

“I’m
sure you prepared for everything, Mother,” Samuel muttered.

How did she get the money or
ability to do that?

“Daylight?
It will burn Samuel and everybody else.” I shook my head. “Maybe we can leave
through the sewers.”

“The
King provided all day guards with heavy leather uniforms. I’ve heard they are
uncomfortable, but I’m certain these three can take the heat.” She centered on
Ian. “Is he also a vampire? I can’t tell through the mask.”

“I’m
a vampire,” Ian said.

“So
then we will need four uniforms,” she said.

“We’ll
need five.” I bit my lip.

“Why?”
Queen Regina’s eyes widened as if she were a child receiving a new present.
“Did you manage to sneak another vampire in without me knowing?”

Should we tell her that Leeta is
a vampire or lie?
I gazed at Samuel.

Being that Leeta has been spying
for her all this time, she’ll probably say it herself.
Samuel shrugged. “Leeta is the
fifth vampire.”

I
could hear the intake of breath and wasn’t sure if it was Leeta, the queen, or
both.

“E-excuse
me! What is this?” Queen Regina jumped up. “Are you really serious?”

The
queen rushed to Leeta, putting her fingers on her lips and wrenching her mouth
open. “Dear Ambi, you have fangs! And your eyes…I didn’t even realize! How? No,
this is not possible.”

Queen
Regina backed up, covering her chest. “I want answers, now! Immediately!”

No
one said anything. I think we were all waiting on Samuel to lead.

“Focus
on assisting us with the dominas’ release,” Samuel ordered. “Then we will meet
outside of the castle and discuss this further.”

“No!”
Queen Regina shrieked. “You will tell me this minute. Samuel, did you wield
this great power?”

She
froze for a few seconds. “I don’t understand. How did Leeta become a vampire?”

“Samuel
is right,” I said. “If you can help us with the dominas and keep us all safe,
then that would be a great display of your loyalty and trust.”

“I
put you two together.” She pointed to us.

“And
for that we are grateful.”

“You
don’t want to start our partnership on the wrong foot, son,” Queen Regina
yelled.

“I
never said I would be king or unite with you,” Samuel said. “I’m freeing these
women because that is what I do and I do it well.”

“Remember
that you’re in a castle surrounded by many guards who will crowd this room if I
scream,” she countered.

A
deep, bubbling laughter came out of Samuel’s chest as he stormed toward his
mother. His face was an inch from hers. His fangs expanded well beyond his
bottom lip.

“You
can scream and the room will fill with guards, but your blood will be down my
throat before the guards take out their swords,” Samuel roared. “And no one
will remember Queen Regina. You’ll be forgotten and replaced by tomorrow
night.”

“You
wouldn’t kill me,” Queen Regina insisted.

“I
will rip your throat out in seconds if you endanger my queen.” Samuel flashed a
fang-filled smile. “Shall we put this to a test?”

Her
bottom lip quivered. I moved toward them and placed my hand on the center of
his back. “Let’s stop all of this nonsense and get back to the plan, please.”

If she puts you in danger, I will
kill her
.
Samuel’s voice echoed in my head.

Yes, my king
. I rolled my eyes and he saw it.

You don’t believe I will do it
either?

No,
I thought
. You can’t hurt her or any other woman. It’s one of the many reasons
why I’m falling for you. But I think your mother doesn’t know it’s a bluff.

Samuel’s
fangs retracted as he edged back.

Queen
Regina’s focus went to me. “You have a lot of control over him, don’t you?”

“No.”
I blushed.

Samuel
chuckled to himself. “My queen has more control of me than you will ever have.”

Queen
Regina glared and within an instant straightened her face to a neutral,
unemotional look. “Well, she’s your first queen. The first one begins the
prince’s ripening into full maturity and will always have the King’s heart.”

She
sauntered back over to Leeta and touched the woman’s now unaged face. “The
Quiet King wasn’t always a treacherous mute. He was once a fair prince like
you, Samuel.”

“So,
you were around during those years?” I asked. Samuel had figured his mother was
just a child then and believed that she ingested lots of blood and potions
daily to live so long. Leeta and he had no idea how old she really was.

“Yes.
I was just a baby, but my mother served as a maid for the Quiet King’s family.
She told me that the King and his brother used to rule with one queen, one with
hair as red as Brie’s.” Queen Regina let her fingers travel over Leeta’s
cheeks. Leeta stayed still, unmoving as if she were afraid of Queen Regina.

“What
happened to the King, his brother, and the queen?” Ian’s voice sounded hoarse.

“There
are so many stories that have spread in this castle.” The Queen stepped away
from Leeta and sighed. “But the similar details are that a greedy vampire king
from the east lands invaded the castle. He tied the Quiet King up in rope that
had wooden spikes all over the rope. None of the castle guards helped. My
mother said the kingdom believed that he and his queen were abominations. You
know him and his brother shared her like a common blood whore. Therefore, the
greedy king had no trouble in seizing the castle and killing the queen right in
front of him. I’m not sure whatever happened to the brother. Some say he was
the Greedy King. Others claim he ran away.”

Ian
howled. The sound carried throughout the room. Samuel shoved me behind him as
if Ian were going to hurt me. Everyone’s faces snapped to Ian.

One
of the queen’s guards peeked his face inside. “Is this also a part of the
entertainment?”

“Yes.”
The Queen’s voice squeaked.

“What
happened after this eastern king killed the queen?” Ian moved over to the
queen.

“Who
are you?” She inched back.

“What
happened?” He lowered down until his nose was a few inches from hers.

“The
greedy vampire died by the hands of the Quiet King. You see, his queen’s death
and blinding fury had heightened his powers. He forced himself to use all of
his power in one burst as he tore out those wooden spikes from his body. And
when he freed himself, he killed the greedy vampire in such a horrific manner
that the Greedy King’s soldiers and his own guards feasted on his blood.”

“I’ve
heard enough,” Samuel said.

“Not
me.” I gripped Samuel’s hand. “Why did the Quiet King become mute?”

“Elders
say that all of the power he called in that burst ate away at his senses. His
sight, hearing, and vocal abilities burned away.” Queen Regina turned to me.

Ian’s
chest rose and fell as if he’d been running. He clenched and unclenched his
hands. The room thickened with power.

“Is
that why the Quiet King killed all of the surrounding kings?” I asked.

“Maybe.”
Queen Regina shrugged and stared at Ian. “Perhaps it was revenge, or he killed
them so that no one would invade Capitol City ever again. It’s even possible
that as the years passed by, he continued to conquer more land and simply
became drunk on the power.”

“He
never fell in love again?” Ian asked.

“Not
that I know of.” The queen spat out those words. “And I’ve been with him for a
hundred long and lonely years.”

“Queen
Regina.” Victoria cleared her throat. She avoided looking at Samuel or me. “We
should hurry with this plan soon.”

“How
did Leeta become a vampire?” the Queen asked Victoria.

Victoria
opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. Ian and Samuel both turned to her.

“Are
you sure you want to start this way with me?” The queen frowned.

“Why
would we reveal anything to you, fake queen?” Ian pushed out his fangs.

“Guards!”
the queen yelled.

One
guard scrambled in with swords in hand. Samuel charged for the guards. Ty and
Victoria jumped out of the way. Leeta screamed in horror and dashed up the wall
to the ceiling, flipped over the guard, and soared in the air. We all stared at
her in disbelief as she landed a foot in front of me. The guard twisted around
and advanced, stabbing the air in front of Samuel with his sword. A whooshing
sounded with each strike, and then the guard rushed to Samuel in a stream of
brown leather. Samuel knocked the sword out of the guard’s hand with a boom.
His claws sprouted. Queen Regina screamed. Ian snatched her back and covered
her mouth with his hand right as Samuel rammed his claws through the guard’s
neck. Blood sprayed and shot to the ceiling.

Samuel’s
claws further sliced through his flesh. More blood burst from the guard’s neck,
spraying Samuel’s face.

She
jerked back in horror and struggled to escape Ian’s arms. Ty and Victoria got
in front of the door. Ty held the knob as if making sure no one else entered.

“That’s
it, Samuel,” I said.

Samuel
glanced my way with blood dripping down his chin and shoved the guard’s body to
the ground. It smashed into the floor. The stench of death lingered in the air.
Blood pooled around it. No one said anything, not even Leeta, who now cowered
behind Samuel.

“Now
listen, fake queen.” Ian sneered, knocked the crown off her head, and seized
her by the throat. “You’re Samuel’s mother, so I don’t want to harm you, but
you’ll find out everything you want to know once we decide. Will there be any
more problems from you?”

Queen
Regina whimpered under his hand, but shook her head no. Ian released her.

“Fine.
Keep your secrets.” She cleared her throat. “The guest quarters should be
prepared by the maids. They can take you there.”

“I
will stay with you, just in case you feel like yelling for more guards.” Ian
yanked off his mask.

She
cringed back. “You look familiar. Who are you?”

“Enough
with the questions.” Ian faced Samuel. “What is the plan?”

Samuel
blew out a long breath and then turned to me. “Brie?”

“Queen
Regina has to make the map so that we can free the…Phinova dominas.” I’d almost
blurted out blood mages. “And I’m sure that Ian will make sure she gets us
leather uniforms and masks. For now, I think we should go to these guest rooms
and be prepared to travel to the dungeons at dawn.”

Chapter Thirteen