Damien stepped out of the carriage with ease. Turning back, he stretched his hand toward Bella, who held it as she came down from the carriage.
Her eyes took in her surroundings—the tall castle, the neatly trimmed flowers around it, the nice pathway, and the beautiful water fountain. Everything screamed luxury. Compared to the palace back in her kingdom, this one looked far more luxurious and intimidating; every part of it seemed thick with history.
The guards around bowed their heads swiftly in greeting, drawing Bella's attention as she walked fast toward Damien. Her eyes landed on a silver-haired woman in an elegant green dress. From the color of her eyes Bella could tell she was a vampire. Just a few feet behind her stood a tall, lanky vampire dressed in a three-piece suit, his expression so serious Bella instantly knew that look was permanent.
"Damien," the woman called out quite intimately, her pace quickening as she approached. Now closer, Bella could see her features clearly—she had quite the ethereal beauty.
Walking forward, she pecked him on both cheeks, a bright smile on her face, while Damien's lips tightened slightly in a smile.
"How was your journey?" she asked, glancing around him. Her eyes stopped on Bella, then shifted back to Damien in confusion. Seeing the question in her eyes, he replied,
"The journey was quite beautiful, Vivian. I even got a souvenir." He looked at Bella. "They were kind enough to give me a cute fish."
Bella frowned slightly at his words, not at all liking the fact that he referred to her as a souvenir. This slight expression didn't escape Vivian.
Turning to Bella with an equally sweet smile—one that made her appear graceful, only it didn't reach her eyes—Vivian scanned Bella from head to toe. Every part of her looked noble, which displeased Vivian even more. The girl could pass as one of the prettiest she had seen, which made Vivian's danger alarms go off. She had patiently waited for her betrothed to return, only for him to show up with a pretty, innocent-looking girl.
Bella shrank under her scrutinizing gaze, her hands clutching her fur jacket while she tried to look unaffected. Growing up in a hostile environment, she could easily tell when someone hated her, even when it was hidden behind a smile. But she hadn't offended this lady… had she?
Seeing how close she was to Damien, Bella assumed she was royalty, so she bowed stiffly.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
This made Lady Vivian chuckle—pleased, not awkwardly. Bella could tell she had used the wrong title.
"It's still Lady Vivian… for now," she said, smiling while pride shone in her eyes. She turned to Damien, whose eyes were on Bella. He clearly knew Bella had done that on purpose. Maybe she wasn't entirely clueless after all.
"I got everything ready for your stay," Lady Vivian said as she began following Damien inside the castle, with Bella trailing behind them. Vivian chatted happily, while Damien replied with an occasional hum. Bella's ears listened intently to their conversation.
"I've found a suitable candidate to replace your night feeder," Lady Vivian announced, making Damien stop abruptly.
"Oh? Did you?" he drawled, turning to look at Bella behind them. "Seems like I've bothered you."
"Oh no, it's not a problem. It's my duty, after all," she said quickly.
"Hm." Damien hummed in agreement. "You see, Princess Bella has quite proposed to fill up that space, right?" he asked, looking at her. Lady Vivian's expression turned shocked. If she had sensed Bella as a threat before, she definitely did now.
Bella felt the hairs on her body rise. Something in her gut told her this pure-blooded vampire was plotting something to entertain himself.
"Yes…" Bella responded weakly, wishing she was anywhere else. Lady Vivian's look confirmed her suspicion.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider this. Choosing a feeder requires a lot of process. It's not something just anyone can decide. It concerns your safety and the kingdom's stability. Moreover, we can't be sure if she was assigned to poison you for the benefit of her own kingdom."
Bella's eyes widened at the hidden accusation. If she had a choice, she wouldn't make herself a host to a parasite. Why were they talking like it was a privilege to be chosen? And did she just say process?
Bella looked at Damien, who had a smile in his eyes as though he hadn't heard anything his concerned wife-to-be said.
"Princess Bella," Damien said almost playfully, "I hope you weren't sent to get me killed?"
"No, Your Majesty. I would never dare," Bella said, imitating every meek gesture she had ever seen in her life.
"Good. Because if so, you would be killed for treason, and your entire family would be wiped off the surface of the earth."
Bella shivered at this threat. Her entire family? Her heart pounded at the thought of her mother's and Lumi's safety.
"So you better be careful while serving me," he added, his tone warning her to be cautious.
"Damien," Lady Vivian said worriedly, "she will have to go through the blood-screening process. I don't doubt your judgment, but I'm worried about your safety after what happened last time." She turned to the butler, whom Bella had forgotten was even there. "Right, Niles?"
"Your Majesty, I strongly agree with Lady Vivian. It concerns your safety," the man said stiffly.
"Hm. Niles, you agreeing with Lady Vivian seems quite weird. Don't tell me you two became friends while I was away," Damien grumbled mischievously. "Fine. Since you're all worried, let her blood be examined. If found unworthy, then dispose of her."
Lady Vivian nodded eagerly. She turned to Bella with a smirk, as though to tell her she was at her mercy now.
"I will make sure to see if she is fit to be a feeder," she said.
Bella looked at Damien with a pleading expression, which he simply ignored.
"Let me show you to your room," Lady Vivian offered, easily taking over the butler's job. Bella stiffly followed her, all the while pleading with Damien with her eyes.
"Your Majesty seems to have found quite an entertaining game," the butler mused at his master at his master's newly found interest.
"Life is too long for a vampire to get bored, Niles. Don't be jealous—I still find you and Vivian quite entertaining."
The butler frowned in irritation at the mention of the lady's name.
"I wonder when she will be gone. She seems to like my job far too much," he complained.
"How boring," Damien scoffed playfully. "I am beginning to worry about you being a loner. Who rejects a beautiful and helpful companion?"
Niles rolled his eyes at his master. "i would choose my job over her a million times, moreover she's not here for me Your Majesty should worry more about your prey you left in a hunter's trap." He bowed before leaving to attend to his duties.
"How ungrateful," Damien mumbled as he watched his butler disappear. "Speaking of prey—I wonder if that little fish will survive salty water," he thought, his eyes glowing with dangerous interest.
Home sweet home, time to clean out dirt. Damien said walking to his room.