My Vampire Mate

Chapter 9: The Brothers

I scramble through the woods, my heart racing and my chest heaving. It's right behind me, I can feel it, hear it and practically taste it.

I keep on running but I hear it gaining on me. Leaves crunch under my feet and twigs snap under my weight. I can't let it catch me. I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't.

A root appears out of nowhere and I trip over it, my body rolling through mud, leaves and small sharp rocks. I gasp and roll over, staring at it'd bright yellow eyes. I scream and hear Xavier shout my name, but it's too late, because the beast digs it's sharp teeth into my stomach and I black out from the pain.

I gasp and shoot up from where I was lying on the sofa. I look around but Xavier is nowhere, maybe the King summoned him or he had to go to a meeting.

My eyes catch some movement out of the corner of my eye, and I turn my head to see Leonardo staring at me coldly.

"What's wrong? " He asks in a bored tone.

"Just a bad dream, nothing important." I say, my heart still hammering in my chest from the nightmare.

"What happened in it?" He asks coldly, walking silently towards ne like a predator would to his prey.

"I dont know, I think I died. Or at least I was attacked." I whimper. I've never had a dream like that before. It was so vivid, like it was real.

He glares at me and sneers. "You'd better hope that it doesn't come true, then."

"Why? It was just a dream!" I exclaim.

"Because dreams aren't only imaginary. They foreshadow, they're premonitions, especially in the supernatural world. Witches or faeries are especially good at creating dreams disguised as premonitions, or visions that they have seen. You don't want your dream to come true because you are going to be a Queen. Royals are the most possessive of their mates, without them, we die. Our lives are entwined with our mates, and it can never be unravelled. Only by death can it be broken. Losing our mates destroys us, and since you're human, it's only going to make Xavier's beast even more protective and possessive. Not to mention that the full moon is coming up soon."

I gape at him, "What do you mean? His beast? And what does the moon have to do with him?"

Leonardo grins at me coldly, "His beast is possessive of you now, imagine what he would be like times ten. Remember the man who in that meeting called you a wh*re? And Xavier killed him? With the full moon, he'd kill anyone who looked at you for too long."

I gulp. He would be crazy!

He sneers at me, " Losing you would destroy him. We can't live without our mates for long after we meet them, and because you are human, it's much easier for you to die. Say that we were at war, and Xavier started to worry about you - like all mates do. That would mean his concentration would be off and he could be killed easily. Or if you died, us Vampires only get one mate. If they die, that's it. So there would be no heirs for Xavier, and ne Queen to rule by him. It would be your fault." He hisses.

"Now, now Leonardo, that's not very kind. We must treat the future Queen with respect." A voice says by the door.