Chapter 3

• Simone and Leah waited patiently to be seated at last. They weren’t in a rush to dine with their kidnappers.
• Leah softly whispered to Simone and just then, one of the vampire princes stopped her with his toxic eyes.
• “What did you say?” His aggressive approach frightened them both.
• Leah swallowed hard and knew she'd regret what was going to come out of her mouth.
• “Nothing.”
• His eyes grew impatient and irritated. “There is a punishment for lying.”
• “Is there a punishment for abduction?” Simone couldn't stop her tongue even if she wanted to.
• Lucien took a very intimidating step towards her, towering over her with authority. “Not for Royals.”
• “Ahh yes, that’s right, all you have is a birthright. You probably couldn't survive without it.”
• His jaw tightened in anger. “I suggest you show some respect before I teach you some.”
• “Respect is earned. Even dogs know that.” Simone said, trying to walk to the table, but the prince grabbed her arm. His stern grip caused her to wince in pain.
• He was furious; that much was obvious. It could be seen through his heated gaze and pulsing veins.
• “I think a quick lesson is in order.”
• “What's the point? I'd never use it, anyway.”
• Before she could even grasp it, Lucien’s hand flew across her face. The hard strike made her fall to her knees, and the sting of her cheek was throbbing.
• “Well, we can cross Prince Charming off your resume. And so much for no harm will come to us.”
• “You will learn how to speak to royalty one way or another,” Lucien replied. Yet even with the stern look on his face, it was as if he regretted the action of hitting a woman.
• “Will you beat it in me?”
• Simone watched as his eyes softened. Deep within them, she could see what looked like pity.
• “It's time to eat.” Darius chimed in, pulling them both back into the presence of the crowded room.
• Simone sat next to Leah at the very end of the table and the furthest from the princes. She wiped her mouth and groaned when she touched the cut on her lip. She licked her lips and tasted blood.
• Great, just what she needed: a fat lip because of some jerk wad prince with a temper.
• Wine was served continuously. There was never an empty glass. Simone had a grueling suspicion it was a method to unwind and ease the girls. She took advantage of the free relaxation, but it wasn't enough to drown out the nightmare she seemed to be stuck in, though.
• The princes began to ask the girl's random questions and then also explain a few rules.
• “You are free to go about the castle, even the gardens. There are vampire guards stationed everywhere. There is no point in trying to escape. So, try to stay out of trouble. We promise no harm will come to you if you respect these simple rules.”
• Darius flashed the girls a brilliant and irresistible smile.
• “We will be spending time with each one of you to get to know you all personally. We promise to make this adventurous stay worth your while,” Damien said with a seductive smile playing on his lips.
• The girls had no hope of resisting the three devilishly handsome charming princes, especially under the spell of intoxication. They were defenseless and more vulnerable to any seductive and entrancing thing the princes offered them.
• Trust and comfort were sure to follow.
• The girls were cleverly led into the arms of their captors. Simone couldn't be positive if each one of them was bewitched, but she had no doubt that in time they would be. Deeper and deeper they dove into the night, and with that, the princes grew more in charm.
• Simone, who had drunk more alcohol than most should in a night, had a small buzz. Her tolerance level had grown incredibly in her recent years. Instead of listening to the chatter around the table, Simone wondered if her family had figured out she was missing.
• Deep in thought, Simone hardly heard the loud throat clearing from the person trying to grab her attention. Leah had to nudge her shoulder to pull her out of her trance and back into the real world that she was so desperately trying to escape.
• Thankfully, Damien didn't look upset. Instead, he was staring at her adoringly.
• “So, love, care to tell us where your mind was wondering to?”
• “It should be obvious.” He frowned, and she continued to rant in her distress. “Our families will realize we are missing. How long do you expect to keep us here? We didn't sign up for this.”
• “It will take some adjusting to, but I promise it's not as bad as you think it is.”
• Simone shook her head, pissed off and annoyed. “Not as bad as I think. You've got to be kidding me. I don't care how gorgeous and charming you princes think you are. I want to go home.”
• “Well, that's not going to happen any time soon.” Lucien obviously felt the need to butt in.
• “How long do you think this wine will keep these girls at bay before they too start rebelling?”
• “Simone,” Damien spoken her name with such care she had to turn and look at him. He was offering a peace. “When this is all over, the possibility of seeing your family again won't be terribly unimaginable.”
• She saw the truth in his eyes and that silenced her. For now that is.
• Darius took it upon himself to be the guided entertainment. He accommodated to the girls, and Simone quickly picked up on his attentive vibe.
• “If you ladies will join us on the terrace, it is a lovely night tonight, and it should be enjoyed.”
• It took a few seconds for the girls to grasp their footing, but luckily, none fell on their way to the doors. Simone tried to stand back and book it for the other exit. But someone unfortunately stopped her attempt by grabbing her arm.
• “Where do you think you are going?” His low, velvet voice was raspy and aggressive.
• “I might not be a vampire, but I also bite.”
• She knew exactly his type. He wanted a challenge; a woman to talk back to him and try to put him in his place. He needed an equal.
• “I need to use the restroom. Care to watch?” She was trying to be smart, but was a little afraid he might take her offer.
• He released her, and she could tell it irritated him to do so. She resumed walking towards the doors with her heart thumping with adrenaline. There was a man dressed in a suit standing just outside.
• “Excuse me, can you point me towards the kitchen."?
• He smiled warmly and said, “I'll personally show you where it is, my lady.”
• “Thank you.”
• The tall butler led her down the hall to the left, where they entered through a white door. The kitchen was impressively large and modern. Simone heard the footsteps of the butler fade away, and she made her way to the man in the middle of all the cookware.
• “Ciao.” He greeted her kindly.
• “Ciao,” she smiled.
• He was a middle-aged man with a stained apron covering his faintly large belly, but he was definitely a lot like a father figure of sorts.
• “What can I do for you, Bella?” He asked her in a very thick Italian accent.
• “I am in need of a drink. Do you have anything stronger than wine you can spare?”
• He grinned and raised a curious brow. “Is there any particular reason for this drink?”
• “I don't know if you can tell, but I was struck by one of the vampire princes.” She wanted to add in the asshole, but wasn't sure how fond the chef was with the princes.
• “Your cheek is red.” He quickly grew remorseful.
• “And still throbbing.”
• “I know exactly what you need.” The Italian man started to pour a dark liquor into a cup for her.
• She graciously took it and said her thanks before making her way back out. Would the princes even notice her absence? Technically, Lucien was the only one to have seen her leave.
• Could she make a run for it?
• Was there a phone nearby?
• Yet if the princes were telling the truth, what good would a phone call be in a different world?
• She was more than certain Sprint didn't cover this kind of service. With no efforts and disappointment haunting her, Luna headed back to the dining area.
• The night sky was already fading to pink and orange by the time she reached the terrace. Luna soaked in the beautiful view as she took a sip of her drink. It was strong, strong. The Italian knew how to drink. Good thing she liked her drinks strong, or else she would have spit it back out as soon as it hit her mouth.
• Simone heard giggles and found the girls crowded around the princes. They didn't have a care in the world, but it was better that way. That was the whole point of the wine, wasn't it? It was a sneaky distraction, blinding them to their new reality.
• She took another gulp and savored the burn as it went down like lava down her throat. She loved the feeling. Furthermore, she welcomed it and embraced it, knowing it would dull any pain she felt; both physically and emotionally.
• As she turned back to the view of the gardens, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She wanted to avoid turning to see who it was.
• “You leave for the restrooms and return with brandy in hand.”
• His voice was low and slick. She assumed it was Lucien, since he was the only one who knew where she was supposed to be going.
• “It's to help with the pain.” She took another long sip, savoring the burn and hoping it will help fade him from sight. “Either you purposely struck me too hard, or you don’t know your strength.”
• “It has been a while since I've been around humans.”
• Was that almost an apology?
• “How long exactly?”
• If she couldn't fight it, then maybe she should give in to this ridiculous vampire fantasy. Perhaps it was a dream, and she was going to wake up soon.
• She was humoring herself; wondering how far her imagination would take her. “This personal? A decade or two. Here, humans are mostly food. It is rare if they ever get turned into a vampire.”
• “Well, a group of love struck/desperate women should cure that right up,” she shook her head.
• He was in for one hell of a rollercoaster ride with this group of ladies. He had no idea what he'd gotten himself into. Barely knowing any of the women, yet she knew what they were thinking and what they wanted from the three god-like princes.
• He smirked at her statement, finding it rather amusing.
• Without any more words, Simone began strolling down the stone stairs to the garden. The further they got, the more complex the castle became. The castle, or rather palace, was literally built inside a mountain.
• It was a stunning view, like something out of a fantasy novel she once read in her teen years.
• “The elevation of the mountain gives us an advantage from enemies. The gardens stretch out for a mile and descend into a vast mass of trees. The other side is connected to a waterfall with a magnificent view of our kingdom.”
• She couldn't wait to see it for herself. “Do you have many enemies?”
• “At the moment, we have world peace.”
• “Well, isn't that delightful?” Who would have guessed vampires were the ones who could achieve world peace?
• They continued walking side by side.
• “How old are you?”
• “For humans, isn't it considered rude to ask that question?”
• “Yes, but you're not human,” she stated.
• “Let's just say I'm over 500 years old.”
• “Wow.” It was remarkable how incredibly preserved they were. She wouldn't have given the princes a day over 25 if she didn't know any better.
• “Like I said, you'll get used to it.”
• “I don't think so.” She didn't want to believe it.
• He stared deeply into her eyes, wondering what she was thinking.
• “I think the only reason I haven't freaked out already is that this feels like a dream. That and I've also read too many Twilight/vampire books in my day.”
• He laughed again, and Simone couldn't help but smirk. “You're laughing, but that's probably also the reason the other girls are not scared of you. They want their Edward, too.”
• Lucien stopped laughing and gazed into her big golden eyes. He didn't have to cover his emotions. He wanted her to see him for who he was. Not only that, but he wanted all the girls to see his true self.
• “Don't worry Lucien, I know you're not all cute and cuddly, like Edward. You definitely have a dark side. But I'm afraid it's too dark.”
• His lips curled at her honesty. “You don't have to worry, baby doll. I won't unleash my dark side on you again. That is, unless you want me to.”
• Simone stumbled back. She didn't know how to react or answer back to his last comment. So, instead, she tried to change the subject. “Don't call me baby doll.”
• “I'm a prince. I can call you whatever I want.”
• “Are you one of those royal pain princes?”
• “Baby, you have no idea.”
• Simone closed her eyes. This new world and the mysterious people in it were far more than her brain could take in for one day. It had to be a dream. Any minute, she expected to wake up in her bed and reminisce about her awful nightmare.
• The nine girls were eventually ushered back into their rooms. They were told to be ready in the morning to have a meeting with the princes, discussing their first challenge, which was also the next day. Simone made it to the bed only to crash on top without any thought left to care about.
• She hugged the pillow tight and prayed her worst nightmare was just that; a nightmare. As she pulled the covers over her body, she wished her dream wasn't so physical next time because her face was still hurting.