Chapter 249
~ NYSSA
The smell of blood remained thick in the air, and no one came in to clean the stains from where the maid was killed.
Guilt gnawed at my insides and my stomach twisted the more I stared at that pool. She tried to warn me and I didn’t listen. I didn’t even know her name, and she was dead… because of me.
“Did you enjoy your drive here?” the king asked. “I heard there was a little hiccup along the way p>
I didn’t respond. I barely paid him any heed.
Instead I stared at the table in front of us and the plates that were still covered in silver dishes. I had no idea what was under and a part of me was worried that it would be something like raw flesh.
“It is rude to ignore your host,” he continued. “I am trying to make this dinner as peaceful as possible but you don’t seem to p>
“What do you want from me?” I asked finally, turning to him. “What is your end goal in all of this? Is your plan to kill every single maid you have here to prove a point? To kill me p>
His brows furrowed incredulously. “Why on earth would I kill you? You are arguably the most important person I have here. You are more useful to me alive than dead. Surely you should know that p>
“Then what do you want p>
He didn’t respond. He held my gaze for a long minute before sliding a knife across the table. It stopped mere inches away from my plate and my hands twitched to grab it.
“What game are you playing?” I asked but he merely shrugged and leaned back into his chair.
“No game, I promise,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “The knife is yours. You can do with it as you see fit. Kill me, or kill yourself p>
It was then I decided that the vampire king was fucking insane.
His eyes seemed to glitter maniacally as I reached for the knife. My fingers wrapped around the cold leather handle and I marveled at just how light it felt in my hands. It would have been so easy to leap across the table and kill him, but to what end?
He would defend himself, and I knew for certain the knife would not touch him before I was tackled to the ground. It also didn’t help that my feet were still bund together. I’d probably stumble over my own legs.
With a sigh, I leaned forward, and sliced through the bindings on my legs.
I wiggled my toes once they were free, relishing in the feeling of finally being able to move on my own then placed the knife back onto the table.
The king’s lips split into a wide grin. “Good choice. I see you’re learning. Now, we can have dinner. Allister p>
My eyes widened in shock as Allister stepped out of the shadows wearing a black getup similar to that of his father.
His expression was blank and stony as he made his way over to the table and sat directly opposite me, his hands folded in front of him.
“Now, we can all sit and eat dinner as a family,” the king said with a smile. “Are you not happy about this p>
Neither Allister nor I spoke as he lifted the silver dish.
I was left pleasantly shocked when I found steak under it—cooked steak to be precise. Sure, it was cooked rare, but I was shocked that they even bothered to cook it at all.
“We’re not savages, you know?” the King said through a mouthful of food. “You should eat. We don’t want your food getting cold p>
I glanced at the silver dish then back at him. There was no cloth on the table I could use to hold the silver and he had to know after so many years of keeping werewolf slaves that I couldn’t touch it.
“Oh, for fucks sake,” Allister grumbled, lifting my dish for me.
I wasn’t sure whether to thank him or not so I just sat there, staring at the food laid out in front of me. My stomach grumbled with hunger, but I couldn’t bring myself to take a bite. I wasn’t sure if it was poisoned or not, and I knew better than to trust someone as fucking insane as the vampire king.
“Is there something wrong with the food?” the king asked once he noticed I hadn’t moved.
“I’m not hungry,” I said simply, leaning back into my chair with my hands crossed over my chest.
Everyone stilled.
Even Allister who sat opposite me froze with his fork in his hands. He glanced at me discreetly out of the corner of his eye and his expression was wary. He shook his head subtly, as if trying to tell me to take back what I said, but I forced my eyes away from him and focused on the king who was yet to move.
“Not hungry?” the king asked, his voice sounding distant. “It is rude to refuse food p>
“Did you expect that I would be so quick to accept food from the man who is keeping me prisoner? It could be drugged or worse. I’m not eating shit that you put in front of p>
He was on his feet before I could finish my sentence and I felt a sharp tug as my hair was pulled back harshly.
A groan of pain escaped my lips as the king ripped of a piece of steak with his bare hands and shoved it into my mouth.
I choked and gasped, but he would not let up. He shoved his fingers deeper into my mouth, forcing the food as far back as it would go.
I clawed at his hands, but he it seemed to be of no use, and that was when I saw it—the knife from earlier. My fingers found purchase around the handle and I plunged it into his hand.