8__Queen of Steaks

“Still think you’re only half?”

Kamilla looked up from staring at her hands to see a smirk spread across Viktor’s annoyingly handsome face.

Before she could respond, he walked off to see to Sasha’s state.

She hadn’t just done that, had she? Kamilla looked down at her hands again, turning them over for all-round inspection.
With a shake of her head, she looked at Sasha who was gingerly picking herself off the floor. Had Sasha flown back on her own as a show before Viktor?
Kamilla bit her lip, wanting to go with that easy explanation, but knowing that the truth was different.

“What the hell was that for?!” Sasha snapped, marching over to Kamilla in fury.

Kamilla didn’t flinch, but looked away. “Uhm… sorry. Didn’t know I could… I didn’t mean to do that.”

Sasha scoffed and crossed her arms, glancing at Viktor, who stood watching Kamilla with eyes gleaming with interest. “What? You didn’t mean to do that? What are you, a four-year-old? What kind of Onyx Vampire cannot control—”

Kamilla’s head rose with a snarl. “I said sorry! And I’ll thank you to never call me that again.”

Sasha looked baffled. “Call you what? A four-year-old? Or a Vampire?”

Kamilla scowled. Before she could respond, Viktor appeared at her side, there before she even realized he’d moved from the other side of the room.

“This sure is a great way to spend your first night back in the kingdom,” he said flatly to Sasha who shrugged back. “Since you’re here, I might as well introduce you.” He glanced at Kamilla. “Sasha, this is Kamilla. My chosen betrothed.”

Kamilla studied Sasha and judging by the tight look on her face, she could tell she was flipping out inside.

“We’ve already… taken care of the introductions,” said Sasha. Kamilla smiled, trying and failing to keep the satisfaction out of her expression. Hah! Viktor had told her to her face who his betrothed was.
“Right.” Viktor sounded uninterested. “We need to talk. Do me a favor and leave the room.”
It took Kamilla a few seconds to realize that he was talking to her. She gaped at him in poorly hidden shock.
Viktor looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. “You’re wasting time, Kamilla.”

She crossed her arms and regarded him with distaste. “You know, Charming would never treat a lady this way.”
Not waiting to see his reaction, Kamilla turned on her heel and strode out the doors, leaving them wide open. Sasha could close them behind her.

She walked on down the hallway, huffing and puffing her cheeks out. What kind of King had such poor manners? It was past midnight and she was exhausted for crying out loud! To think that she’d wasted her precious, escape-needed energy to challenge Sasha for him. Never again! She could bet Sasha was currently grinning like a jackal at her embarrassment.

Slowly, her feet stopped moving and Kamilla stood with hands on hips. She frowned at a painting of the midnight moon on the wall. What was it with her? Why was she angry? What miserable reason could she possibly have for wanting Viktor to acknowledge and show her off in front of Sasha?
Was she really losing her mind? She looked down at her hands. Maybe she was just becoming less and less of a human.
Kamilla shuddered and shook her head.

Air. She needed air.

Kamilla didn’t know where she was going, but she walked on anyway. She came across many open space living rooms lit up by lamps glowing gold. The house was like a castle, but not quite. It had a mansion, palace feel to it as well. Kamilla was enchanted by its beauty. She explored every room and path she found and came to a row of rooms after climbing several staircases.
She was amazed to find that each room downstairs, although unoccupied, was fully, luxuriously furnished.
However, these rooms were different. Kamilla walked quietly through the wide corridor. This level was dark and dusty, as if nobody ever came up here. It was cold too, although the windows were closed. Every room she walked into had been empty and cold, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Kamilla wondered vaguely if any ghosts lived there. Probably not. They were a kind that carefully avoided Vampires, she’d heard.

She came to the last door, but found it locked. She frowned up at it.

“Who are you?!”

Kamilla shrieked, turning around in fright. Cornered against the door, she looked at the tall man who’d appeared out of nowhere. He stared down at her with slanted light-brown eyes. His hair was cut in a charming cap style, curling down his forehead.

Kamilla blinked. “Uhm… hello.”

The man said nothing, but his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Kamilla eyed him as well. “Are you human too? Well…” She sighed. “Not ‘too’ since I’m really not that human anymore.” He said nothing and she straightened, eyeing him curiously. It didn’t occur to her that she was high up in the towers, with a man she didn’t know. “Are you a Vampire?” she asked.
The man’s mouth twitched then, the corners lifting in a vague smile before he became stone-faced again.
“I asked you first,” he said. His voice was a deep, soothing rasp. “Who are you?”

She put a hand to her chest. “Me? I’m Kamilla. I’m currently a hostage in this castle-mansion-palace place and I’m trying to escape.” She inched forward with conspiracy in her eyes. “Wanna help?”

The man’s eyes lit up and in the next second Kamilla was startled to see him down on a knee.
“Kamilla!” he said in a strong voice. “My Queen, forgive me. I did not recognize you! I will accept any punishment that—”
“Oh, cut it out!”
He lifted his head to see her looking down at him with mild irritation.

“Get up,” said Kamilla, waving her hands up. When he stood, she crossed her arms. “Look here, I don’t need any of the fancy Vampire royalty stuff, okay? It’s… weird.”
He looked baffled. “But you’re the Queen…”
Kamilla groaned. “Okay, fine.” She sighed. He wasn’t going to be any help. Well, if he could give her anything, then… She smiled at him. “What’s your name?”
“Demetrius, my Queen.”
Ah, this was Demetrius? Kamilla nodded. “As the Queen, it’s your duty to feed me, right? Take me to the kitchen, I’m starving.”
********
Kamilla smacked her lips together, setting her glass of orange juice onto the counter. She’d been delighted to find a whole range of jeans in her closet. Thank goodness. Dresses were perfect for balls, but when it came to escaping a kingdom of Vampires, they were a little inhibiting. It was good to know that she had escape-ready clothes.

She pulled up the sleeves of her warm, black jumper. “Pass me the knife, Demetrius.”

The knife was trembling when it sat in her hand and Kamilla looked at Demetrius in interest.
He was paler than a ghost.
“Oh, calm down, for hell’s sake!” she said. “Why would anybody kill you for allowing me to cook my own food?”
“You don’t understand, Kamilla. If Viktor hears about this, he’ll hang me from Witcher’s!”

Kamilla lifted her chin. “Don’t be scared! I’ll protect you.” She didn’t know how she’d do that because the minute Viktor bared his fangs, she’d be shivering from fear herself. But to stand there in an open plan kitchen, wearing jeans, cooking yummy steak, and speaking to the most human-like person around was too nice for Kamilla to leave.

She was about to slice the raw steak when Kamilla’s chest tightened and it felt like baby bats had flooded her stomach. She held her breath when her heart kicked up speed. He was near, Kamilla felt him.
A second before she could escape, he appeared, his aura darker and more dangerous than the devil’s soul.
Viktor appeared in the doorway of the living room that could be seen from the kitchen. When his eyes landed on Kamilla’s, he walked in slowly making his way to her.
Sasha was behind him, Kamilla saw. Her fingers tightened around the knife.

“What’s this supposed to be?” Viktor asked the question quietly, dangerously. Sasha peaked at her from around Viktor’s shoulder, a mocking brow raised.

Kamilla glanced at Demetrius to see that he couldn’t even look at Viktor.
She scoffed. What a wuss.

She twirled her long ponytail around her fingers and looked at Viktor. “As you can see, I’m cooking. And Demetrius here is helping me. He’s such a gentleman.”

At her bright smile, Viktor clenched his jaw.
“Oh? He’s the Charming you mentioned?”

Kamilla’s smile faltered. What was this? Did Viktor not know who Charming was?
Was he unaware of Charming’s existence inside himself? He was playing with her, wasn’t he? Well, then.

Eyeing Viktor, she smiled and nodded. “Yup, he’s the one.”