Katherine sank down into one of the hard, chairs by the table, wrapping her arms around herself tightly. She had felt shaky and incredibly small before Lord Nicholas.
He wasn't like anyone she had ever met. He felt more than a human. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. The strange coldness she felt when he was near and the way he had just appeared and disappeared wasn't normal.
And this place, he had called the Crimson keep. Katherine didn't think it felt like anywhere on Earth. The walls were made of cold stones that stretched high up.
She buried her face in her hands, trying to block it all out. She wanted her room, she wanted her mom's hug. She wanted to hear Alex's annoying jokes. Those were the only thing that felt real to her.
A soft sound made her jump. Her head snapped up, her heart hammering against her ribs.
He was back.
Lord Nicholas stood near the door again, just inside the room. He hadn't made a sound entering this time, not even the click of the knob.
Katherine scrambled to her feet, backing away until her legs hit the edge of the heavy table trying to get away from him.
He glided towards her again, that unnervingly smooth movement that made him seem like he wasn't quite touching the floor. He stopped a few feet away, close enough that she could feel that strange coldness radiating from him again.
"You look scared, little bird," Nicholas said, his voice that same low tone that sounded both beautiful and terrifying. "That's good. You should be. But don't worry, your fear will pass."
"What do you want from me?" Katherine whispered, clutching the edge of the table behind her for support. Her legs felt shaky .
Nicholas looked at her intently. "I've told you.You belong here with me."
"Why?" she pleaded, shaking her head. "Why me? I'm nobody! I'm just a normal girl. Take me back! Please, just take me home!"
A quick look crossed his face. "You're not nobody," he said firmly. "You were chosen."
"Chosen for what?" she asked, confused and scared.
He stepped closer but she couldn't move back. He smelled like frost and earth, looked pale against his dark clothes, and felt powerful.
"You're meant to be my bride," Nicholas said softly, making her shiver.
Katherine stared, trying to understand. But it all felt crazy.
"Bride?" she whispered. "You're insane! I don't know you! You kidnapped me! People don't just decide that!"
"I'm not just people," Nicholas said, a hint of amusement in his serious eyes. "This isn't just my idea. It's fate. It been written long ago."
"That's impossible," Katherine stammered. "That's not real."
"Oh, it is very real, little bird ," Nicholas assured her softly. He leaned closer still, close enough that she could feel the coolness of his breath stir the hair near her temple. "Look around you. Does this place seem like the world you come from? Does I seem like someone from your world?"
Katherine couldn't answer any of his questions but deep down she knew he was right.
"You said you're Lord Nicholas," she said, trying to understand. "Lord of what?
A faint smile curved his lips. "This keep is a small piece of what I rule," he explained, taking a step closer. "I am Nicholas , the Shadow King and Ruler of Valeria."
"Valeria?" she whispered.
"The Shadow Realm," he said, his eyes glowing softly in the dim light. "A secret kingdom that lives in the dark, full of the creatures your kind fears. The ones you tell stories about to scare children. Vampires."
His word hung in the air like a cold breath. Katherine felt lightheaded. She knew vampires weren't real, they were just made-up monsters from movies and books.
But as she looked at Nicholas, his pale skin and blood red eyed, told her something different.
"You… you're a…" She couldn't finish the word.
Nicholas didn't confirm or deny it . He just looked at her, like he was giving her time to understand. He didn't need to speak, his silence said it all.
He was the king of vampires. And he had taken her, a normal human girl to be his bride.
It was too much. Her mind felt like it was splitting in two. Tears rushed to her eyes, hot and fast, blurring everything.
"No," she gasped, shaking her head hard. "No, no, no! This isn't real! This is a nightmare!"
"It's very real, Katherine," Nicholas said. His voice was softer now, but still had a possessive tone.
Hearing her name from his lips made fear rise in her chest again. "How did he know my name?" Katherine thought.
He reached out slowly, like he was about to touch her face.
Katherine flinched back hard, "Don't touch me!" She cried out
Nicholas hand stopped in the air. His eyes went dark, and to her surprise he lowered his hand. He just stared at her with a calming expression.
"You're fighting it now," he said softly, his voice low and smooth, sending a strange shiver through her. "You don't want to believe it. But you can't run from it. You belong to me, Katherine. You were meant to stand with me, here in Valeria ."
"I will never be yours," she spat out, trying to sound brave, even though her voice shook. "I don't care about destiny. I want to go home!"
Nicholas watched her with a calm expression."You'll learn to accept it," he said softly, his eyes moving over her one last time. "One day, you'll understand."
And then he turned away, the cage like door opened and closed without a sound. But Lord Nicholas hadn't left, he just stood there watching her.