"Prince Dominic is going to come to the party today," says my mother, while faffing at my hair, trying to curl them so my face looks a bit more mature. I look into the mirror where I can see my mom's nervous expression. She wants everything to go properly. If it goes nicely, he will choose me and it would be an honour to marry a Prince.

"Don't talk much, dear. Let him do the talking. Answer his questions truthfully but do not disclose your father's wealth. Or he might ask more dowry than we can afford," instructs my mom while straightening the plaits in my dress.

"Yes, mother," I whisper, trying not to pout at her words. Prince Dominic is nothing like that.

They don't know that I gave myself to Prince Dominic. They don't even know that Prince Dominic is going to ask for my hand tonight.

That's why they are trying their best to make Prince Dominic choose me. But I don't say anything. I want to look my best. Always. For my appearance will reflect on my husband and I always want to bring pride to him.

Husband.

The word sends butterflies swirling inside my stomach. It's like my dream come true. I had been crushing on prince Dominic since high school. And now that I have graduated, I can't believe that the first suitor who visited our home is him.

He even asked for my parents' blessing. Tonight, he might give the ring of engagement. I raise my hand, allowing my fingers to play in front of my eyes. They won't be bare for long. Soon!

"There. All done. You look just like a princess." My mother drops a kiss on my cheek and I smile at her, my heart bubbling, ready to burst from my chest.

"Thank you, mother."

I am all ready and primed for my Prince's arrival.

But he didn't come.

The entire function where my parents are busy protecting me from wandering eyes and questions, I have wistfully waited for Prince Dominic's arrival.

But he doesn't come.

Feeling dejected I request my parents wishing to retire early. They frown at my words but reluctantly allow me to return home.

Walking into my home, I feel dejected. But that's not what makes my feet stop in their tracks.

Something is not right. Call it an instinct but the fear that lodges in my throat at the negativity flowing in the house makes my hackles rise.

I am backtracking, and am almost out of the house when my back hits something. I gasp in terror as I turn. The scream erupts and I am sure that the neighbours have heard it. I hope someone comes here to save me from this... this monster.

Staring into dark red eyes, I look at him. He doesn't look human. No.

He has fangs and blood-red eyes. His face is marble-like, white and glistening and his lips are red. His hair is combed back but they are pitch black. I take in all those features at a glance but I am stuck when I look into his eyes.

They are malicious. Glistening with lust. But not the sexual kind. No, it looks like blood lust.

"Beautiful, aren't you?" he murmurs and fear slithers down my spine, making me feel cold all of a sudden. The weight of my fear settles on my shoulders.

"Get out of my house!"

My voice wavers but I don't even have the time to regret it because the monster gets into my space, his hands settling on my shoulders and pressing.

"Pretending to be brave?" he laughs on my face, his cold breath fanning over my cheeks and I stifle another shiver. I lean back, away from his hold but his strength overpowers me and I am pushed into his chest. His heart beats steadily against my own thundering heart.

"Let me go," I scream into his ears, making him wince. He lets go of me only to slap me in the face. My cheek burns because of the force of the slap giving him the upper hand over me.

"You bitch!" he roars in my face, his cold breath fanning over my cheeks.

He shakes me by my shoulders and my neck almost dislodges from my spine at the force of his jerk.

Feeling dizzy, I am unable to gauge what's going on around me when I feel a sharp pinprick at my neck. Pain like sharp needles prick at my skin and my vision blurs because of it.

I hear screams in the background only to realize later that it is me screaming. I bang my fists on his shoulders, my legs flailing in an attempt to free myself from his hold.

A moment later but it feels like an hour when I finally realize that my blood is being sucked out of my veins. I can feel him slurping at my neck and the sound makes me gag.

The horror dawns on me that this person... monster is drinking my blood and I begin punching at his shoulders with renewed force. However, my limbs do not cooperate. My mind feels sluggish while my movements become uncoordinated. It is too late when I realize that this person is sucking me dry, my veins now almost empty.

My lungs wheeze and I find it difficult to suck in air, while black dots dance in front of my eyes. I am no longer screaming, just lying limply in the monster's arms as he laughs cruelly at me.

Waiting for my death. My only regret; was that I couldn't belong to Prince Dominic wholly.

~~~~

Blinded by the memories bursting through my mind, I dodge Wulfric's attack and slap him in the face, making sure to rake my nails across his skin. Black blood oozes out of his skin, threatening to maar my skin but I side-step through it, avoiding his blood.

Wulfric's one confession has brought back so many memories. One after one they rushed into my mind, all the while Wulfric continued to attack me, trying to force himself on me. however, this time I am much stronger than before, being able to shriek his attempts with my fire.

I was Dominic's mate, before. The first mate that Dominic is trying to avenge was me. And I am a reincarnation of Dominic's mate's soul. My existence is meant to complete this cycle!

To avenge my death in the previous life. I am actually the only mate Dominic ever had. Just in a different body but the same soul.

The realization strikes me hard, leaving me shell-shocked but I am not given a chance to recover as Wulfric's ready to pounce on me, waiting to unleash his evil bloodlust on me.

However, this time if he drinks my blood, he wouldn't just satisfy his physical hunger but also go high on my supernatural blood, making him go feral in his frenzied bloodlust.

That might be doom for all of us around here.

Dodging Wulfric's attacks and pretending to be unaffected by his verbal assault is taking away my precious energy. Feeling drained, I stop to take a breath but Wulfric immediately cuts into the opening, lashing at me with his blackened magic. It stinks and it's a reminder to me that he's Alcina's mate; thus, able to utilize her magical powers as well.

I am not sure how one achieves such a feat but if it's possible then I sure want to have Dominic's ability to speed up my attacks.

My Goddess! I have a mate. And a genuine one. I am not an anomaly. The realization finally sets in and it gives me a burst of energy to attack Wulfric. It's time to end this game.

Screams rise from around us but I ignore them. Being distracted would be my last mistake considering Wulfric's vigilante attacks.

With efficient strikes, I aim to disarm Wulfric. Not stopping to even breathe for a minute, I fire at him, cornering him against the wall where I pin him against it. The wall has small chains embedded into it. Clearly, the intention was to create a torture chamber and I intend to use it completely.

Lifting the chains, I wince at the feel of Lead Silver in them. Will it work on a vampire/ witch hybrid?

Wanting to assuage my curiosity, I test the chain's strength by pulling the end that's hanging from the wall. The other end that's embedded in the wall, stays put which boosts my confidence and I start binding Wulfric's wrist into the chains.

As soon as I put his wrist in the chain's cuff holder, Wulfric roars, his pain evident in that scream. Oddly, I relish in his screams.

My need to make him scream and yell in pain as I hurt him, overrides my sense of sanity. Within minutes, I tie him up and watch in fascination as his wrists rub against the metal making him shout out some very foul words.

Unable to control myself, I slap him; nearly wincing myself when I hear the crack of his head banging against the wall. I am very much excited to kill Wulfric I realize as I open my mind and poke into Wulfric's. Attacking his neurons, I hamper some of his brain functions, making it difficult for him to use his psychic abilities to hurt me.

"Alas! The mighty vampire has fallen," I chuckle, my voice like a song flowing over Wulfric's skin making goose bumps arise on it. I can hear each and every thought of the cruel vampire who's now shaking in front of me.

"Let me go," he whispers, his voice rough from all the growling he did during our duel. After Alcina escaped, he took over to exhaust me with his speed and mind games.

But I was prepared this time. I do not know who trained me, Fenris taught me to fight physically but the tactics that I used today, but I am not sure where I learnt it. I do not even remember fighting with my magic to the extent I fought today.

I am perhaps truly blessed, to have this chance to avenge myself. Maybe the Lord is with me on this one.

"No, no! How can I let you go? I am not even done with you yet," I whisper, allowing my voice to glide around me. It's magic. It's me.

"Nikita, isn't it," he says, finally after gazing at me for a few seconds. "You are truly an exceptional witch. A good witch. I agree I wronged you. I was blinded by lust. Let me prove myself and we could rule together."

I frown as his words fall on my ears. His thoughts are garbled. I cannot make out clearly what his exact intention is and it makes my hackles rise. However, his gaze holds mine steady. A few more seconds pass and his intense red gaze makes me nervous.

It's nerve-racking and it almost too late before I realize his trick.

The bastard's hypnotizing me.

His slight smirk is the only indication of his motive and that fast, I blink my eyes. He's stronger than my magic!

"You fucking bastard!"

I do not recognise my voice when I curse and suddenly everything happens very fast.

One moment I am in front of Wulfric's submissive form and the next, I am attacking Wulfric, drawing blood with my nails as I aim for his jugular.

"No!"

The scream doesn't stop me and I proceed to cut at Wulfric's neck, drawing blood and making him go limp. I am so engrossed in the sight of Wulfric's body slowly losing its consciousness that I do not realize when Alcina makes her appearance behind me.

Only Anya's screams remind me of hers and the witch's presence.

I am so engrossed in beheading Wulfric. It's cruel but it will put an end to my nightmares and sleepless nights. All my fears will be released if I make sure that he won't come back for me.

"Stop! Stop!"

But I don't. I am so bloody happy that Wulfric's finally dead, that I don't want to let go of his bloody neck. I almost weep in joy at the sight of Wulfric's dead body in front of me.

Finally!

Xavier's dead!

Xanthos is dead!

Kestrel is dead!

And now, Wulfric is finally dead!

I have avenged myself! The purpose of my life is over.

"No!!!"

Just as that thought glazes over in my mind, I am brought back to reality when I am pushed off of Wulfric's lifeless form. Alcina hunches over the dead vampire, trying to place his head on his body that's hanging limply against the chains but I have made sure that it won't reattach. It can't. I've literally chomped off his veins, destroying any chance of resurrection.

I am numb from joy or from shock at the sight of my blood-coated fingers, I don't know but the next moment Alcina's rage-filled body starts vibrating.

I am only a second too late to protect myself but someone saves me.

Someone, who?

And then I see him. Dominic!

"No!" This time it's me who's screaming when Alcina's black ooze of magic wraps Dominic up in its clutches. It surrounds him and I am the one only screaming, my brain refusing to do anything else.

"Why? You killed my mate. It's only fair that I kill yours," she screams and then proceeds to squeeze Dominic.

All my energy seems to have left me as I watch Dominic being crushed under Alcina's magic.

"But he's not her mate. She's dead," screams Anya, trying to make Alcina back off. I only now take note of her presence. Does she know Dominic? The thought strikes me but before I can delve deeper into it, Alcina goes to shrug off Anya's hold. That's when Dominic acts.

Just as Alcina goes to push Anya away, the black ooze of magic around Dominic dissipates and then Dominic makes it look very easy as he simply runs away from the mist.

I can feel his own magic working as he mentally attacks Alcina, amplifying her already fried nerve endings, and making her feel exhausted and sad.

"Thanks, sister," mutters Dominic, making Alcina whip her head toward Dominic's new position.

Sister?

Like a fool, I am watching as Dominic runs around me, effectively dodging Alcina's magic. He runs so fast, like lightning, that Alcina is unable to judge where he's running off to and in return, she ends up circling her own black magic around herself.

"You bloody-"

"I am a bloodsucker. You are not really cursing me," mutters Dominic as he shrugs off the remaining haze of black good off his clothes. He stands in front of me, looking all fine and healthy. He seems happy as if being revived.

Alcina screams in return, the entire castle shaking under her screams. I close my ears, the action gaining Dominic's attention. I almost pause in my action but then cover my ears when Alcina keeps screaming.

Dominic seems unaffected by that and starts marching toward me. I want to back off, but my legs seem rooted on the spot.

"You did very well," he whispers when he reaches me. He's just a breath away from me but this time I don't feel the coldness of his body. This time it's something different.

This time I remember. I knew him before and I know that he means more to me. A second chance!

"Yes, I did it. I..."

But I am unable to complete my sentence because the next moment Dominic's lips descend over me, pressing and licking at my own lips.

He's... he's kissing me!

The realization makes me gasp and he takes it as an invitation, gliding his tongue inside my mouth, exploring me and coaxing my own tongue to play with him. The feelings bursting through my body are exceptional and I do not miss his hands.

They have pulled me closer to his body. His own engulfing my mine under his arms, as he almost imprints himself on me.

Forgetting about everything around us, I kiss him back, letting him guide me and recalling how I kissed him in those old memories. I am not sure whose memories they are. I still can't believe the reincarnation theory. But I use those memories nonetheless.

He moans, and then groans, squeezing me, almost to the extent of suffocating me. His fangs descend as my own hands, blood and all, crawl up his shoulders, and then wrap around his neck.

"You, my mate, would be the death of me," are the only words before I find myself giving into the urge of closing my eyes. 

~~~~~~

A very late update, I agree! I apologise for that. 

Hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter. Please vote and comment your views!!!

Hoping to upload a new chapter soon. 

Thank you for your patience and support, dear readers!!