IT’S BEEN A WEEK SINCE I’ve married Mirella. I can’t be happier. She’s all I’ve ever dreamed of and more. My wife is still adapting to her new life and world. Meanwhile, I’m working with my new family to keep Mirella safe and my kingdom and ships protected from the Vampire King.

Tonight, I’m hosting another ball at my castle. Mirella’s family is coming and so is the Vampire King and his entourage.

My servants walk around the ballroom with trays of drinks and food. My important guests chat and laugh, oblivious to my anxiety. There are several ways that the meeting with the Vampire King could go wrong. Yet, I need to know why he’s doing this and what we did to provoke the attacks.

My attention piques when my wife enters the ballroom with her sister, Dana. Dana has been crucial in arranging this meeting. King Tritan will escort the Vampire King to my lands and guarantee his safety.

Mirella glides to my side, wearing a beautiful sky-blue tulle dress that hugs her delicious curves. Her long hair is styled into a braid and she’s wearing a crown on her head. The music stops, people bow in awe, and I stride to her.

“You look ravishing, my queen,” I mumble as I grab and kiss her hand. “You look beautiful too, Princess Dana. Thank you for joining us.”

Dana smiles and entwines her hands. She’s wearing a pink dress and her hair is decorated with pearls and small starfish. The mermaid is a beauty, but I only have eyes for my wife.

The noise resumes around us, and the servants approach to offer food to Mirella and Dana. They refuse, and I accompany them to the throne. My wife will sit next to me on my right, and Dana will sit next to the queen.

Once we sit and look at our guests, my wife’s hand falls on mine. “Dana is nervous.”

I look at the mermaid princess. “Why?”

“She has a crush on the Vampire King.” Mirella giggles.

“I do not,” Dana protests.

“She went to visit him in his kingdom, threatened him with a dagger against his throat, and menaced to wage war against his kind if he ever sent anyone else to hurt me.”

“I would do it all over again for you, Mirella. Be more appreciative of what I did.”

Mirella loses her smile and turns to her sister. “You were reckless and could have gotten yourself killed. I appreciate that you want to protect me, but I don’t want anyone dying because of it.”

Dana folded her arms. “He’s here to talk to Duncan, isn’t he? So, I must have done something right.”

Mirella leans closer to her sister. “Are you going to invite him to dance?”

“Why would I do that?”

“You found him attractive and haven’t stop talking about him since you got here.”

Dana rolls her eyes. “He’s a vampire. They drink blood.” She sneers at the word blood. Sitting straight in her seat, she adds, “I’m not asking him to dance with me. He can do that himself if he’s interested.”

“We have a lot to discuss today. I doubt he came here to dance and mingle with us,” I interrupt their conversation.

“I’m glad you’ve accepted Daddy’s help in mediating this reunion. Father won’t let anything happen to you if the vampire’s intentions aren’t honorable,” Mirella says.

My heartbeat accelerates with the sweetness in her voice and her concern for my well-being.

“Where’s Leonard?” Dana peruses the ballroom.

Mirella angles her body in her direction. “I thought you didn’t like how much he flirted with you and everybody’s else.”

“I don’t, but he’ll be useful for what I have in mind.”

“Leonard is in charge of the security detail that’s escorting the Vampire King and his men to the castle. He must be arriving soon,” I inform them. “I’ll have to leave once they get here. We’re having a private conversation in the royal library. Once it’s over, I’ll return to dance with you, my love.” I gaze into Mirella’s eyes and smile.

“I’ll be here with Dana.”

I lean closer and brush her cheek with a finger. “Please eat something. You need to make an effort. I don’t want you weak.”

“Why isn’t she eating?” Dana questions with a worried expression.

“Everything is different from what we eat underwater,” Mirella explains. “I don’t know how things taste and what I like. I have a weak stomach.”

“I’ll make sure she eats tonight,” Dana says, looking at me. “But, you need to take better care of her. She lost her tail to be with you. The least you can do is teach her the ways of your world.”

“It’s been a week, Dana. Duncan is busy, and he takes care of me. He’s a wonderful husband and king.”

Dana lowers her voice. “Soon enough, you’ll have children. You need to be healthy to endure the pregnancy and the birth. I want to be an aunt, but I also want to have a living and breathing sister who takes care of her children. So don’t force me to come here every day to make sure you eat and drink plenty of fluids.”

I squeeze Mirella’s hand. “Once this conversation with the Vampire King is over, I’ll take some time to be with Mirella and teach her about my culture and gastronomy.” I look at her. “I would be an empty vessel without a soul if anything happened to you, my love.”

Mirella averts her gaze with a sigh. “Everything is different here and people look at me as if I don’t belong. I feel like I don’t. I’m an outsider who married their king. I have no friends here. No one to talk about what’s happening besides Duncan.” She looks at me. “I love you. I don’t regret marrying you, but you have your duties, and I don’t know how to entertain the other noble women who come to the castle to socialize. They speak about lands that I’ve never heard of, they talk about foods that I’ve never tasted, and they only care about their clothes, makeup, and hairstyles.”

My heart sinks.

“Did you know that Mirella is an amazing singer?” Dana’s voice casts a light in the gloominess that washed over me.

“I didn’t.”

“She’s also an amazing dancer and treasure seeker. The whales loved her. She used to rub their bellies and help clean their teeth. You should teach her how to ride a horse. Give her books to read about your culture. I’m sure that she’s able to read your language.”

I nod. “I’ll delegate more tasks to Leonard, so I have more free time to spend with my queen.”

“I’ll come by more often to spend time with those awful women who make you feel uncomfortable,” Dana says to her sister.

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

“No burden, my love. I don’t want you to feel like an outcast in our kingdom.” I kiss her hand.

A knight wearing his combat armor enters the ballroom and paces in our direction.

Bowing, he informs, “The kings are waiting for you in the royal library.”

Standing up, I alert my wife, “This might take a while. Enjoy yourself with your sister. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

***

MY MEN AND THE VAMPIRE King’s entourage of six armed guards are outside the door of the royal library. The animosity seems to be in check, but vampires and wolves never got along.

Once I enter my library, I’m greeted by a serious Vampire King with pale skin, pale blue eyes, tall, slim, and wearing a velvet black suit and hooded cap with gold details embroidered around the neckline.

My father-in-law is looking at the bookshelves while the Vampire King looks like a statue, facing the exit.

I offer him my hand. “Greetings, I’m the King of the Lycans, and you must be Lord Lazarus, King of the Vampires.”

“I don’t shake the hands of my enemies,” the vampire voices.

My jaw tenses. “I don’t normally shake hands with vampires who try to harm my wife, but I’m trying to be polite and give you the benefit of the doubt. I was under the impression that we were here to engage in a conversation and find out why you are attacking my ships.”

“You are either a fool or a liar if you don’t know why.”

I clench my teeth.

“Let’s all sit down and stop throwing accusations and insults at one another.” King Tritan steps in and puts his hand on my back, motioning me to take a seat at my desk.

The Vampire King is the last to sit down on a chair across from me and next to King Tritan.

King Tritan takes the lead. “As I’ve said, King Duncan has no idea why you are attacking his ships. This wasn’t my concern until you decided to kidnap my daughter. Duncan is under my protection now. He claims that he hasn’t done anything to your kind, he hasn’t entered your borders, and he seems an honorable and reasonable king. So, why are you attacking his ships?”

I fold my hands on the desk and wait for Lord Lazarus’ explanation.

The king moves in his seat and looks at Tritan. “As I’ve told you when I went to visit you in your kingdom, I have no feud with your kind. My men were reckless and didn’t know the new queen was a mermaid. Still, your daughter trespassed and threatened to start a war if we harmed her sister. I can respect that.”

He looks at me, and I endure his cold gaze with morbid curiosity. I can barely hear his heartbeat. His skin has no pigmentation, his hair is black and long, and I have no idea of what age he is. He looks young, but the hardness in his gaze disagrees with my assessment.

I question again, “Why are you attacking us? For supplies? Do you want to conquer my island and extend your territory?”

“My kingdom has been prospering away from the humans and your kind. We have no wish to leave the safety of the veil that conceals my island from the rest of the world.”

“Then why?”

He raises his hand in a clear sign that he wants to continue to speak without any interruption. “Your kind has been entering my territory and trading without permission.”

“That can’t be. I would know. I don’t need to trade with your kingdom. I have no record of that happening. What would we trade for?”

“Diamonds. One of your sailors gave you away. He’s a Lycan. He works for one of the houses under your control. I have been turning a blind eye to the trading, but then my sister disappeared. Taken by one of you. The only reason I ordered the kidnapping of your wife was so I would have something to trade with you. I want my sister back. That is all. I’ll leave you alone if she’s safe and unharmed. But I won’t back off if she has been killed or sold to slavery.”

I let his words sink in as I think about everything that has been happening for the last few weeks. “When did your sister disappear?”

“Three months ago.”

“What were they trading the diamonds for?”

“Wine and colorful fabrics. Davina loves to sew and embroider. For a year, she went to the market each week and brought something new. She was curious and wanted to see the outside world. They must have tricked her. She escaped her guards and no one else saw her after the Lycan merchant ship was gone.”

“Have you thought about the possibility that she might have run away?” I ask as my fingers turn white.

“I did. Davina is gullible. Still, vampire blood is an expensive commodity in certain markets. It can cure several diseases.”

“The Lycan houses under my protection aren’t free to trade with who they want. They need to inform me and pay the taxes. If there was a Lycan house trading with your kind, it was without my consent. Still, we don’t approve of slavery and the kidnapping of females. I’m not going to let this pass or ignore your claims. Your sister is gone, and someone has been trading without my permission. I have an idea of who that might be since they have been showing signs of wealth that is unparalleled to anything they’ve shown before.” I got up. “If this family has put the rest of us at risk because of greed, I’ll put an end to this tonight.”

The Vampire King rose with a surprised expression.

King Tritan rose as well. “Does this family know about the reunion with the Vampire King?”

“It has been spoken about to the other families.”

“Then, they might be escaping and taking the princess with them if they were holding her captive here.”

“You are right,” I mumble while pacing to the door. I swing it open. “Leonard, is Sir Julian attending the party?”

“His ships were in the port. His men were storing supplies and merchandise. I haven’t been to the ballroom, so I can’t say if he’s there or not.”

“Send men to the port and stop his ships from leaving. He should be put into custody on sight. We have reason to believe that he has committed an unspeakable crime and needs to be questioned.”

Leonard’s face becomes pale. “Yes, my king.”

“My men can help with the search, they are fast,” the Vampire King proposes. He walks beside me as I move to the ballroom.

“Your men don’t know my island like my men do. I’ll go after him if he tries to escape. You have my word. We’ll find your sister.”

I push back the heavy doors, and everybody at the party stops. Gasps of shock and horror echo inside the room as the noble guests understand that there’s a vampire beside me. It’s been ages since one has set foot on my island.

I have no time for pleasantries. “Sir Julien. Is he here? Has anyone seen him?”

Searching the crowd, I spot Lady Janice, his sister. I head in her direction and the crowd splits in two.

We grew up together. Janice and Julien are more than just acquaintances and loyal subjects of a royal Lycan family under my care. “Where’s your brother, Janice?”

“He is indisposed.” Janice looks terrified as she stares from me to the Vampire King. “He said that I should stay home... What’s going on?”

“Is this his sister? Does he care for her?” The Vampire King grabs the girl’s arm.

Janice shrieks and pulls away. “What’s going on? Why are the vampires here?”

Before I could reason with Lord Lazarus to let the lady go, Dana grabs his hand and removes it from Janice’s arm. “She’s innocent. You are not going to use a helpless woman to get to her brother. If he cared enough for her, he wouldn’t let her come here knowing she would be in danger.”

The Vampire King’s gaze softens with Dana’s intervention. “They have my sister.”

“And we’ll get her back, but you need to punish the ones that are guilty and leave the innocents alone,” Dana reasons.

“My sister is innocent, too. At least, she was until this monster took her from her only family,” he argues.

“My brother isn’t a monster!” Janice protests. “If you are talking about the girl who’s sick, they are in love. He didn’t kidnap her. He said she wanted to escape her family. But she’s sick, and he’s trying to find medicine to cure her.”

Everybody turns their heads to look at Janice. I close my eyes and rub my forehead as my queen takes my hand in hers and leans against my arm.

When I look at Janice, she’s blinking fast. “Is she a vampire? Is that why she’s so white and can’t go out in the sun?”

“Well, this explains a lot,” Dana mumbles as she folds her arms and glares at the Vampire King. “She was so scared to tell you that she was in love with a Lycan that she ran away.”

Lord Lazarus seems too baffled to argue with the sassy mermaid princess.

Leonard sprints into the ballroom. “We better hurry up. Sir Julian’s ship is leaving the port. He has the fastest ship in our fleet. We’ll never catch it if he’s on the run.”

“If he’s in the sea, he’s going nowhere,” Dana says as she grabs the Vampire King by the arm and drags him out of the ballroom. “Let’s get you your sister, you big bully. But you’ll listen to what she has to say and won’t kill her lover.”

“Daddy, aren’t you going to help?” Mirella asks her father who is watching everything with an amused grin on his face. I wonder what he knows that we don’t know.

“Your sister can handle this. I’ll just stay here and keep you company.”

Several of my guests follow behind Dana and the Vampire King, including Janice. I need to leave with Leonard who is waiting for my order, but first, I need to make sure that Mirella is safe.

“Stay here with your father. I’m going to make sure that they don’t harm Sir Julian and that I understand what’s going on. If this is just a misunderstanding and the princess and Julian are in love, I’m sure that the animosity between our two kingdoms will stop.”

Mirella grabs my arm before I can leave. “And Julien and the vampire princess, what will happen to them?”

“I’ll see what I can do to convince the Vampire King to let them stay together. Julien is my friend. I wish he’d come to me with his problem instead of kidnapping the princess...”

“I would run away to be with you too,” she mumbles, hugging me.

I caress her head and hug her back.

“Love makes everybody do stupid things. You should remind Lord Lazarus of that,” the Sea King says.

I bow slightly to the Sea King, kiss my wife on the lips, and rush out of the ballroom with Leonard following behind.