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.”