MATED TO THE VAMPIRE KING SON Chapter 62

Damien's Pov

I saw Elara and Freda approaching the throne room where I was talking with Lady Daphne. I quickly asked Lady Daphne to excuse me before she caught sight of my mate. I had no intention of making Freda known to any…outsider.

Immediately after Lady Daphne left, Elara and Freda came into the scenery. Surprisingly, Elara's cloak hood was not worn, which was was unusual for her. As a witch, she enjoyed the eerie presence she was accompanied by, but seeing her face softened me. Has Freda impressed her?

The two reached me and the previous smile Elara was wearing faded. "King Damien," she said with a stern tone. "You can have your queen back, today's training is over."

"How did she do?" My brows arched toward Freda whose smile never left. "Did she give you a hard time?"

"Not at all. She is learning and putting into practice what I've taught her."

"That's a good remark compared to the previous lesson. " My gaze is fixed on Freda. I was especially delighted she was enjoying this moment. The last time we fought about Elara was intense and I never wanted that to happen again.

"I will take my leave now," Elara said after watching me and Freda stare at each other for a long time.

"I would love that" I responded as she walked out of the throne room. "I would like to have a private time with my Queen" I walked up to Freda and held her hand. "Walk with me," I said.

Several moments of silence dwelt between us till we reached the garden. "I never knew such a beautiful place existed in the castle," Freda said.

The guilt of locking her up in my chamber overwhelmed me again. Was she trying to guilt-trip me?

"All parts of the castle are beautiful. Lots of hard work over the years created this masterpiece." Elara's face glowed with a hint of sunlight. My body could tolerate warm light, but I knew if I stayed too long outside the garden, I might get some burns.

I altered the air in the garden, shifting focus to the scent of the flowers that increased with my powers. She inhaled the fragrance and spun around like a toddler.

"It feels good to breathe another air different from the chamber," she said. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You didn't give Elara a hard time. You've proved to take your training seriously. This is a compensation."

She chuckled. "For as long as I cooperate with your demands, you slowly release me?"

"Something like that." I gritted my teeth. "Safe to say, you're building your trust around me."

She rolled her eyes and sat on the pavement in the garden. "Elara said I would shed my blood on coronation" Her face looked terrified. "Do I have to?"

"Of course" I frowned. "Vampires love blood. Moreover, you don't make a valid oath without a shed of blood"

"So you're going to sword me?"

"Not me. Whoever is leading the protocols. And it's not a sword, what is Elara teaching you? It's just a small knife" I demonstrated with my hand, bringing out my wrist. "After your blood is shed, I'll heal it"

She sighed like I had just taken a heavy burden from her. "Heal?" She muttered. "Us wolves heal too. If I had my wolf, this would have been easier. What other powers do you have?"

"I cannot list them all. I find new ones from time to time. Still on the discovery, but the ones I've had over the years are healing powers, strength, extended life span, enhanced senses, telepathy…"

"Telepathy?" Her eyes shot up. "You can read minds?"

"Yes. Other vampire's minds…only if they kept me. Well, they would. As their king, one order would open their thoughts."

"So you can not read my mind?" She asked.

I paused as I watched her intently. I could, if I had claimed her as mine and she was one of us, but for the moment, I couldn't and maybe that made me have such little trust in her. Maybe it was one of the reasons I kept her locked till I could claim her.

"I cannot read your mind" I replied to her. She exhaled properly. "Does that bother you or excite you?" I was upset at her reaction.

"I...no, it doesn't excite me. I just…I have been thinking about some things lately, I feel embarrassed if you have heard all that"

"What have you been thinking about?"

"You" her eyes fixed on me. "Damien. It's just dirty thoughts."

"Dirty…I never knew you could think dirty."

She flushed her cheeks. "I can't help it sometimes when you're close to me"

A small blush crept across my lips. "You feel it too? The mate bond?" I asked her.

"Erhm." She muttered. How long would it take her to believe that this was truly our mate bond? Vampire to a human wolf. This connection was real. "Maybe I would feel it so well when I get my wolf. My wolf being dormant doesn't help the situation. My best friend Kara once told me that I would recognize my mate the instant I see him because my wolf would say the word mate"

"You're a late bloomer. Eighteen is still an appropriate age to be woofless. Give it a few more years."

"Is there a need? Isn't it preferable to just move my life to the human path? That way, I would have nothing to worry about wolves"

"Humans are far away from us. Very different too. I could never wish to have a life like them. Powerless, they die like a chicken."

"They have freedom," she muttered. "Are you okay?" She gasped when she turned to me, her eyes glued to the skin of my arm. "You're burning." She exclaimed. The sun had scorched.

"I said I would burn for you, Freda. I meant it." Her face squeezed and her brows raised.

"Don't be ridiculous!" She exclaimed, pushing me toward the castle. I wanted to stop her, and wanted to ask her if we could walk instead. A King d

oes not get pushed this way. But somehow, a part of me enjoyed her playful side.