Chapter Two-Hundred-and-Sixty-Three
**3rd Person POV**
Lady Lowell thought it was a rather strange question. However, she did not need to think it over much.
“No,” and with that response she left the room.
Hours later when Lady Lowell came to check on her husband out of mere courtesy, she saw that his wound had been gutted out as though someone had stabbed him repeatedly with a knife on the same spot. It was a very ugly sight that she almost threw up when she saw it.
****
Rosaline watched the vampire on the bed before her with wary eyes. She had given him the blood he had demanded and she watched as he sucked rather hungrily on the small deer she had brought into his room. She'd had to sneak the deer in because the vampires here were rather civilised even in the way they consumed blood. They did not like live feed roaming their houses but instead, their cook served them fresh blood in their glasses at every meal. When they wanted to allow their natural instincts to prevail, they went to the fields to hunt themselves.
Rosaline rather liked that principle. It caused things to be less messy and naturally gave the servants less work to do.
She watched Ashton drop the dry deer on the ground and burp loudly. Unfortunately, Rosaline could tell that that was not a burp of satisfaction. She knew that it meant that he was ready for another meal usually in the form of something else. He needed a woman but Rosaline was not sure how she was going to satisfy that particular need. She smiled sheepishly as she reached forward to pick up the now dried-up deer. Ashton had really spared no blood.
As she leaned forward, however, she was gr*ped by Ashton. A wave of shock passed through her body. Ashton had never attempted to do such a thing to her before. It was a first and she was beyond surprised. It was not uncommon for Ashton to try such with his maids but she was different. She had never been interested in the slightest in taking up space on his bed.
She grabbed the deer from the floor and moved away quickly from Ashton.
“The next time I see you, I want to see your corpse,” said Ashton in a venom-filled voice.
“Prince?” she quipped, not quite believing what he had just said.
“Prince Harlin is still alive, is he not? And now you refuse to make yourself useful here. You're not better if you are dead,” it was a threat but Rosaline did not say a word. She knew however that she was never going to sleep with Ashton. She had seen the women he took to his bed and what happened to them afterwards. She was not interested in being another one of his victims. She would rather die.
“Have a good rest, Your Highness,” she said once she sensed that Ashton had exhausted himself talking her down.
“You are not to appear within my sight except if you are dead, I believe I have made myself very clear,” said Ashton again. Invariably, he was telling her that she still had a chance to change her mind if she wanted to hop into his bed.
“Goodnight,” she bowed her head as she walked backwards towards the door.
Ashton scoffed. He could not believe that anyone would prefer death to sleeping with him. It was the greatest insult he had ever received. He stood up from his bed suddenly with the intention of grabbing Rosaline. However, Rosaline's flight response had already kicked in and she was out of the room before he could get to her.
She ran without looking back or looking towards where she was going. She should have sensed that it was bad news when she had been the only female company to follow Ashton down here. She ran with all her might and the only thing that stopped her from running further was because she had colluded with someone. Due to the speed at which she had been running, the hit had been very sudden and very painful for herself and the person she had hit.
She was convinced that she had hit Ashton. She was convinced that he had somehow managed to chase after her and was now standing in front of her. She resolved that she was not going to beg him. If he wanted to end her life today then so be it. She would not be the first slave to meet a wrongful death and she was sure she was not going to be the last.
“Who isn't watching where they're going now?” quipped Nathan. Rosaline looked up, she was very surprised to see him and pleasantly so.
She cleared her throat and said, “Sorry.”
Then she looked back to check if Ashton had followed her but they were the only ones that stood in the corridor. She breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it wasn't too late then. If she could find a way to escape the palace then all would be well. She would be gone forever from Ashton's life and with any luck he would not hunt her down.
“You were running away from something, are you alright?” asked Nathan, it was hard not to be worried.
“Of course, I'm perfectly fine,” she said quickly. Nathan nodded his head to acknowledge her answer and then began to walk away. He had been holding a tray of drugs for Prince Harlin but the vampiress had hit him and so the tray and its contents were now on the floor.
“I will help you,” Rosaline offered, feeling guilty about the errand he would have to run again.
“You cannot. What's to say you do not poison my master, huh?” Nathan had no iota of trust in Rosaline.
“Maybe I have something that would make the prince rise up at once,” said Rosaline with a casual shrug.
“There is nothing you can say that would…”
“I know where Lady Irvette is.”
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