"Because what's worse than knowing you want something, besides knowing you can never have it?"
- James Patterson

Prince Jaxon's P.O.V.

I walked backward, staring at her face to commit its expression to my memory. I had never felt such a strong pull toward another being in over four centuries. Even before I knew her, when she was captured and broken by the ways of the Academy, I felt the urge to protect her. The fact that it had blossomed into full-blown love was unfathomable. Yet, this is where I found myself. I was graced by the acceptance and unrelenting force of her loving gaze directed at me.

I would do anything for her.

With reluctance, I turned on my heel and dashed for the manor. I didn't want to waste any time I was afforded to spend with her, but I had to admit I was starting to feel a little hungry. My thirst was sated by a blood giver just a week ago, and while it began to grow noticeably, I did not need another drink.

My mother's system for quenching our needs was revolutionary. It was a long cry from the days of old she spoke of when our kind had to hide and take what they could while being hunted in a world that would burn them in the daylight. Now, there is no death and mutual respect from both sides. We only take as much as we need.

As opposed to other vampire factions, most were small and irrelevant and wanted to keep humans as cattle. Nothing more than a source of food and an animal to have power over. Lord Cathcart wanted to bring those ways back and take it even further. It was revolting, and with that thought, I slammed the doors open with more force than I intended.

A few startled heads turned my way but quickly returned to their own business once they saw it was me. Being the Prince, I had a reputation that Madelyn was slowly chipping away. Ever serious, the stoic Prince is always observing but never interacting. I found it odd that I didn't want to be like that with my people anymore. I let the doors shut behind me, more gently this time.

The dining hall was the best place in the manor. Something we shared in common. Food may not be our only source of nutrition, but that didn't make it taste any less delicious. Evan was a master in his craft.

Being as fast as I could without calling attention to my haste, I grabbed a plate and loaded it up with two of each food I could fit, making sure to grab extra of the lemon pudding. Madelyn loved lemon, and I recalled her telling me about the first time she had something lemon-flavored, filling her stomach past its capacity.

I chuckled a little. Thinking of Madelyn was the most joyous feeling. It was a welcome change. My thoughts revolved around the possible future of being a leader and helping my mother in any way she needed me. Now, they were filled with light and a brighter outlook on possibilities. How would she feel about being a Queen?

I frowned at the thought, not wanting to get too far ahead. Something like that would overwhelm her even more than she already was. I covered the food with a bowl to prevent any spilling and was on my way back to her, where I belonged.

But she was gone.

There was no sign of her. For a split second, I thought she was playing a joke. Perhaps trying to hide in the tree line to surprise me. But her scent mingled with others. Someone else was here with her. I dropped the plate of food in a panic. The moment the food scattered across the ground, I heard it.

Screams.

Without hesitation, I ran back to the manor, only to find our doors wide open. Enemies were ghosting inside, breaking through the protection barrier like it wasn't even there. I witnessed it fail and completely dissipate, allowing even more to swarm my home—my people.

I ran inside and through the halls with as much urgency as possible, noticing how vast the horde of enemies was. Outnumbered and caught by surprise, many of our people were falling. I grabbed a bloodied sword from the ground and slashed my way as I ran, not stopping to see the damage that was being left behind. I needed to find my mother, my guard, and my Madelyn. While searching, I could only make sure my people were protected as much as I could.

I made it into the main foyer. The staircases were drenched in gore and bodies when I noticed him. Lord Denallsh, standing in my home with my woman wrapped around his arm. Only she wasn't. She couldn't have been. Blood cascaded down her body, her expression vacant of any emotion other than sickening affection directed at her enemy. He got to her.

My mother appeared at my side at the exact moment I saw them. With a curt nod of understanding, we both started to fight toward the stairs. Many guards were by our side, trying to protect their grounds and save their families.

"I'll take Madelyn. I promise I will be as careful as I can be." Mother said, her gaze locked on Maddie with worry. I've been training with her, and I know how strong she is.

"Be aware of yourself too, Mom. She's fast and strong." I warned, stalking my way to Denallsh, who had a smug grin.

His eyes connected with mine, and he crawled his fingers over Madelyn in a slow show. Anger flooded my senses; I wanted nothing more than to destroy him into a million little pieces.

I knew he was goading me; if I went after him, that was what he wanted. I couldn't deny my protective instincts. Fighting was in my blood and bones to save everything I'd been working so hard to obtain. I wasn't sure how he got his hold on Madelyn, but I knew I would end it. One way or another.

Madelyn stepped away from Denallsh and descended the stairs as I started to climb. I wanted to grab her and run, but I couldn't leave my mother and our people to handle this battle alone. I wanted more than anything to grab her by her porcelain arm and beg her to come back to me. She barely acknowledged my presence as she walked past me, her eyes trained on my mother. Pain spread through my chest, but I couldn't let it show.

Denallsh was watching my every move, the smirk not once leaving his face. He had planned this so impressively there was no way that he was working by himself. Just as we had spies in his ranks, somehow, he got to one of our own. Who?

I was left with no time to think. I stood face to face with the man who wanted to take everything from me. The beast who took my father from me. My rage knew no bounds as I raised the stolen sword, ready for attack.

"You've certainly grown, dear boy." Denallsh cooed as he raised his weapon, the shimmer glinting red to signal it was poisoned.

"Why don't you find out just how much?" I snarled, my voice barely understandable through the growl of anger.

His grin widened. Then, he lunged. The clanging of metal on metal was loud over the chaos beneath us. On my best day, I could have taken him quickly. His form was sloppy, the sign of a royal coddled by his trainers. However, he knew I was distracted, and his moves kept me in line with Madelyn, who was using all her prowess in her conflict with my mother. I couldn't keep my full attention on the man before me. I blocked his blows but couldn't land any of my own.

Even while covered in the blood of my people and attacking her Queen, Madelyn was full of grace. Her hair dripped with ichor, and she was overpowering my mother, who wasn't as trained in combat, too busy being protected by her King and doing her duty to her people. I parried another blow from Denallsh, who grew irritated with my intervention.

It happened in an instant. Madelyn had my mother pinned against the staircase's banister, and she was about to end it all. That was all the diversion needed to catch me off guard. I was too invested in a fight, not my own, to notice my opponent raise his sword again. Even worse, when I watched my mother flip Madelyn over the railing, she fell from an impressive height. My breathing froze.

Then, I was in a hold. My sword flung from my hand far out of reach, and my shoulders twisted behind my back in a way that was entirely painful. I had no chance to counter as his weapon was laid victorious against my neck.

"You will cease immediately, or I will end him right here!" Denallsh called to my mother, her own fight stopping the instant a blade was held to my throat. I had lost. We are going to lose.

I couldn't maneuver around the sword as its poison seeped into my skin, slowly burning. Mother's look of defeat broke my heart. How could I have failed so spectacularly? I couldn't bring myself to regret the reason my attention was divided; however, my worry for Madelyn was still pulsing through me like waves.

"Queen Rothschild. I demand you call off your forces. Stand down and gather in the great hall. We will end this." The blonde-haired monster called to my mother, his grip on my arms threatening my shoulder sockets. I hissed in pain.

She raised her hands in a show of acceptance. All eyes were on us, ranging from shock and horror to disappointment. Their Queen was giving up. Should she have denied his request and sacrificed me?

"I will do as you wish, Lord Denallsh. Let my son go." Helen pleaded.

"Release my significant leverage? I think not." He sneered and then directed his attention to Madelyn. I tried to struggle against him, but the blade cut deeper into my neck. "Darling, be a dear and incapacitate her, please?"

"Of course, my love," Madelyn responded, her voice off-key. Although she sounded hollow, the words still ripped through my heart, more painful than any poison.

I watched, helpless, as Maddie forced my mother's arms behind her back, much like mine. She winced in pain but held her head high. Denallsh looked at them both, his crimson eyes radiating victory. He knew he had won after centuries of fighting, and he could see his plans all coming to fruition.

"All Rothschild residents, you have been defeated. I implore you to lay down your weapons and live. Oppose me, and suffer." His voice bounded through the crowd. A clatter of weapons being disarmed filled the air, and any hope I had for a miracle disappeared.

He ordered his people to herd the masses into the large ballroom, the halls' blood strikingly contrasting the meretriciously clean and untouched walls. The poison was reaching farther into my system, burning my chest now. Breathing was a struggle, but I didn't dare show any more weakness than I already was facing.

I tried to get Madelyn's attention, to break her from the spell he held over her, but she refused to make eye contact with me. Instead, she kept her sights forward, marching my mother past her people in a show of failure.

Denallsh roughly forced me to follow, my legs aching with the desire to object. I couldn't. I needed to keep Madelyn in my view. He led me to the front of the crowd, all gathered at the bottom of the small platform where my family sat on special occasions. The people were battered and bleeding, having fought hard for their territory. It wasn't enough. My only hope now was that maybe Denallsh would let them all live. He still needed members to rule.

"I have your QueenQueen. I have your Prince. Your other Prince has been captured and locked in your own cells. Your Princess is being followed at this very moment. The Rothschild rule is over. Long live Cathcart." Denallsh boasted at the crowd, the mummers of disbelief and fear weaving through their voices. He grew angry at the noise, the sword gaining another centimeter in my skin. "Quiet!"

"You will denounce your alliance with them. You will kneel before me as your King." His smile made no doubt that the era he reigns will be full of blood and death. No one will be safe.

The people hesitated, unsure of what to do, until the first person knelt. The rest followed, casting looks of sorrow at myself and my mother. I didn't blame them. I had no anger left to feel betrayed. Lord Denallsh laughed, a soul-shivering bellow of madness.

He bent to my head to whisper in my ear, his breath sending chills down my spine. I refused to give him the satisfaction of my terror. "Any last words, Prince Jaxon Rothschild?"

Last words? I had so many. I wanted to curse his name to the sky. I tried to spit on his face and scream at my people to fight once more. I tried to beg for my mother's life. But the sight of Madelyn, what could have been if we lived in a time of peace, stole all of that from me.

Instead, I drank in her face and imagined her reddened cheeks again, smiling at something I had said. A lone tear slid down my cheek. When I spoke, it was only to her.

"Madelyn, I know you must be behind his puppet strings somewhere. I know you're fighting your hardest to come back to us. I'm sorry it ended up this way." I pleaded to her empty eyes, the glare on her face, not hers. Death was not something I had feared, but with so much to live for, I found myself wanting more time. I would not get it. I poured every bit of adoration for her in my last words. "I love you, Madelyn."

The Lord's grip found its way to my hair and tightened, pulling my head back farther than it should have naturally. My neck strained against the force. Closing my eyes and replaying the happiest moments I had with my love, though short, was enough to make the fear lessen.

"I did what you asked! Please, no!" I heard my mother scream, her voice broken by sobs.

The pain was quick, and then there was nothing. 

Please don't be upset with me! This was planned since the very beginning of the book. Did you see this coming? What do you think will happen next? Do they have any chance of winning now? Stay tuned to find out next time!

Only 3 more chapters left!

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