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I stopped screaming because it was pointless. Sia ignored my screams and dug into lunch like the other members of the royal family. He just sat there and ate, like I wasn't getting my blood drained. Ruarc seems to be the only one that cared because he hasn't stopped looking at me. And this makes his wives look at me with pure hatred.

Hanos releases me but still Sia doesn't look at me. I take a shaky step toward the wall, leaning against it. I press a hand to the gaping wound in my neck. Fuck, he cut deep. Dizziness washes over me, but I fight it. If I pass out, I'm never going to learn how to pack a punch, and I will be presumed weak before these ice beings.

The Vampire King licks his lips before, smacking them.

"Not bad, but it's still a no".

And that's when Sia looks at me. The purple in his eyes is gone and his face is devoid of any emotion.

"If your answer was going to be negative, you shouldn't have had a fucking taste", Sia spat.

So all that drama was just to taste? The hell?

"It's too late, isn't it? Don't you want to know why I said no?", Hanos asks him.

"No..I.."

I butt in. "Yes", I cough out weakly. Why isn't he feeling my pain? Why isn't he bleeding like I am? I thought...I thought we had a connection. Why can't I see it now? Is it because I'm now human? "I want to know", I add quietly.

"That's a sensible woman you've got there Naisa! She wants to know why I rejected her!", he thunders with a laugh.

I particularly don't see what's funny about any of this. My vision is a bit blurry and I have to blink a few times to stay awake. 

"Well I'll tell you! I rejected your redhead because she...she tastes human".

I'm fucked. Not only do I feel horrible, but now these people know the secret that I tried to keep hidden.

Avetha gasped. "Surely the human blood you had before has affected your taste buds? She's a wolf. Or do you intend to say that we have been misinformed?"

"I speak the truth Avetha", Hanos snapped. "She tastes human but she certainly doesn't smell like it".

"She has shifted before uncle", Dolan said, mouth full. "So what exactly are you saying?"

"The lass could have lost her wolf", the vampire king muttered.

"From omega to human. Interesting", Dogara comments, sipping slowly at her wine. I hope she doesn't think that the assassins she sent after me killed my wolf.

"Does that mean we can kill her?", Eleanor asks. "She can no longer defend herself. Plus, her kind of people shouldn't know we exist"

I'm close to crying. All this is Sia's fault. If he had just let me go when I wanted to, it wouldn't have come to this. I won't have been around for Hanos to bite me, and Dogara wouldn't have tried to murder me.

"I doubt Sia would just let us kill her. We can just sell her off or make her suffer for deceiving us all", Elvis suggests.

Why is Sia not saying anything? Does he not realize that it's me, the woman he shares a blood bond with they're discussing?

"We could just kill her. A quick stab in the heart. It always works for them humans", Eoff replies, making me wonder just how many deaths he is responsible for.

"No", Ruarc mutters.

"Did you say something son?", Avetha asks, her pointed ears perking. I roll my eyes, swearing when my head starts to pound.

Just a little more. I need a little more.

"Yes I did, Nobody's killing her".

"Unbelievable!", Dogara shouts. My head pounds harder. If she doesn't watch it, I'll throw my knife at her face. "Has she charmed you too? First it was Massa, then Sia, now you?"

"She lives mother for if she dies, a part of me dies", Ruarc said loudly.

Avetha and Hanos turned to him surprised. "You're mated to the human? Why are we just knowing this now?", they ask in unison, it's creepy.

"Maybe if you just asked questions before sinking your fangs into her, you would have known!", Ruarc yelled, rising angrily from his seat. 

And then, I gave up. I hit the ground with a thud, and the last thing I see before blacking out is a knife.

It was bloody.

....

"You need to send her back Sia before things do get out of hand", Ruarc muttered as he glanced in Crinka's direction. She was sleeping soundly, just as she had done yesterday. He had almost thought her dead when she didn't wake up but he calmed a bit when she started breathing again.

"Ruarc's right brother. She can't stay here no more. It's too dangerous", Massa chirped in. 

"It's not", Sia countered. "If we keep her safe, she would be fine".

"Don't be ridiculous Sia. Can't you see that every attempt to keep her safe has backfired? Huh!", Massa yelled. 

"And who is to blame for that? If Ruarc hadn't raped her when he did, our cover wouldn't have been blown!", Sia defended.

Ruarc glared hotly at his brother. "Hey! Don't pin this on me! Our cover was going to be blown anyways".

"Send her back Sia before she dies", Massa pleas. If he hadn't reprimanded his uncle when he did, Crinka would have served as his dinner. 

"She can't die", Sia said. "Not when she has my blood pumping in her veins".

"Sia, a blood bond she might have survived but would she be able to survive the dangers that lurk in the palace? My wives hate her, concubines too, and every other person except us. Send her back, and be quick about it".

"And what about the blood bond? It won't permit us to be away from each other".

It did permit, but Sia couldn't bear for Crinka to be away from him, because it would only make her closer to Ruarc, and every other person that admired her. She was his, and his alone, and he wanted it to remain that way.

"It will be just for a little while until you figure out how to get rid of the blood bond", Ruarc said.

"A while? It could take years because blood bonds can't be broken Ruarc. You know this. Everyone knows this!".

"She doesn't", Ruarc whispered. "She has to leave".

"Ruarc is right. She can't stay here", Massa growled. "She's too weak, too fragile, too humane".

"We could train her", Sia suggested. "Make her stronger".

"If we do that, she would only be stronger than an average human", Massa said. "Let her go man. If you love her, let her go".

"I don't love Crinka, so she's staying".

"The hell she is!". Ruarc yelled. "Look here Sia. I don't want her to leave either but I have to let her go, we've go to let her go because it's the only way she can be safe! She needs too leave. It's about time she returned to her people", Ruarc said.

"They'd kill her on sight. You forget she's a rogue", Sia argued.

"Then don't send her back. Give her some cash that'll last for a lifetime. I don't know..just make her leave the palace."

"What about the bomzees? What if they come after her?"

"Humans don't interest the bomzees Sia. Let her go!"

Sia sighed, sitting down beside Crinka. Her wounds were healing nicely, thanks to the herbs Pharix had gotten her. "Fine", he breathed, heart heavy. "I'll..I'll tell her of our decision but no one should fault me if she refuses to leave".

"You'll just have to force her", Massa muttered wearily.

"I'll try but I'm not promising anything. Now if you will excuse me, I have a certain Icelander to thank".

Rising from where he sat, he exited Massa's room in search of Pharix.