Red as Blood

by Anna Santos

  RED

  AS

  BLOOD

  FAIRYTALES WITH A BITE,

  Book 2

  ANNA SANTOS

  Copyright © 2019 ANNA SANTOS

  All rights reserved.

  Inquiries about additional permissions should be directed to: authorannasantos@gmail.com

  Cover by Vanesa Garkova

  Characters’ Illustration at the end: Fariza Dzatalin

  Edited by May Freighter

  Proofread by Alyssa Breck

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.

  Synopsis

  Queen Marlena needs her stepdaughter gone if she intends to rule the Meadows Kingdom without anyone else influencing the King’s mind. Therefore, she convinces her husband that it’s time for Princess Snow to get married.

  A ball is arranged, and Snow is forced to choose a husband among the human, fae, vampire, and werewolf princes. The future looks grim for the princess.

  The vampire prince of the White Cloud Kingdom has no wish of marrying a human princess for political leverage. Arriving late at the ball, Dorian encounters a fascinating young lady who seems to be in distress. When their eyes meet, their fate is sealed.

  The last thing Queen Marlena wants is for her stepdaughter to find happiness and immortality with a handsome vampire prince. If she can’t make Snow’s life miserable, she’d rather have her dead.

  Will Snow be strong enough to fight the black magic and save her father and her kingdom from the evil queen?

  Books in this series

  Hunting the Beast—Book 1

  Red as Blood—Book 2

  Coming soon:

  Crystal Mask—Book 3

  Find more about this world:

  https://www.annasantosauthor.com/fairytaleswithabite

  PROLOGUE

  The Meadows Kingdom was once ruled by a mighty king and wise queen. Both ensured everyone was treated fairly. People visited from afar, and they had many allies. But there was one thing that eluded them—a child of their own. The king wanted someone to carry on the family line, and the queen just wanted a child to love. As more miscarriages took place, the pair became desperate. Word spread that the royals were cursed. Enemies smelled blood in the water. A kingdom without an heir was a weak one, attacks would come.

  One snow-filled night, the queen walked into the woods. She had heard stories of magic that could help but needed to be in a sacred place. Having faith in the universe and forgetting her pride, she fell on her knees and looked at the skies, begging for a child. A whisper in the wind said all magic had a price. She offered to pay it herself. Weeks later, she was pregnant, and celebration rang throughout the kingdom.

  The birth was hard. Their best healers couldn’t stop most of the bleeding, worried that both the queen and child might die. In the end, a pale baby girl was born. The crying queen kissed the child’s head and named her Snow. Requesting weakly for her husband, he came. She told him that their kingdom would be safe, but he had to promise not to remarry for personal gain. He agreed, and the queen was gone.

  The king spent five years without a queen. But his daughter always asked of her mother and wanted one. The king decided that marrying for his daughter’s sake had to be selfless. He held a ball, calling for the finest ladies. Looking for a suitable wife, he noticed several take a liking to his daughter, who watched from the balcony. Except one—Lady Marlena never paid Snow an ounce of attention yet showered him with affection and praise. Little did he know that she was a witch and had her dark intentions for seizing the throne. As the night wore on, he started thinking more of himself. How he needed a companion that was his best match. In the end, he chose Lady Marlena and took the path of selfishness. The repercussions of such a decision would ripple forth.

  The queen grew to be powerful and cunning. Gaining control of the king, she was able to spread her power and usurp land and influence on a whim. No one who protested escaped consequences. Her lover, the Black Wolf, kept visitors out of the Meadows Forest and culled enemies to her reign. Snow was growing into a beautiful young lady during this time. But the queen had her sights on obtaining the twin Sacred Mirror. One that could see the past and the future. Her current one only stated how beautiful she was. With the other, she could put the final touches on her plan to conquer all of the Fayland Continent.

  Chapter ONE

  Queen Marlena walked into her private chambers and closed the door. After years of pretending to care about that naive king and his annoying daughter, she wasn’t closer to her ultimate goal—becoming the rightful queen of the Meadows Kingdom and extending her power to the other kingdoms in the Fayland Continent.

  Marlena knew she was meant to rule, and nothing would stand in the way. Fayland was hers for the taking. All she needed was to find the Fate Mirror and unleash ultimate power. The one in her possession helped amplify her enough to win one kingdom and spread influence to others, but the second could see into the past and future. That, along with more magic, would allow her to see all the moves of her enemies and be unstoppable on all sides once she guided her army into battle.

  Recalling how Sir Tristan came close to stealing the Fate Mirror made her teeth grind. The Black Wolf had gotten cocky and reckless. His pride and negligence were the cause of his misfortune. He should have killed the White Wolf when he had the chance. He should have killed the White Wolf’s mate instead of imprisoning her. Belle had managed to get back to the hidden kingdom, and the Black Wolf was killed before bringing back the mirror to her. She had to increase security and convince the king, once again, that the werewolves living in the Black Forest were dangerous and needed to be stopped.

  To come so close to have the Fate Mirror only to lose everything had been nerve-wracking. Thankfully, fate was on her side, and she had the time to think of another plan to steal the powerful magical item before the Coven of Witches lost their patience and came after her.

  Her secret room had been fortified with new magical seals and a sturdier door. The key around her neck was the only thing that could open the door to where she kept the Truth Mirror. The mirror was still bound to bid her will and tell her what she wanted to know. Her own magic skills were getting stronger with the number of new spells and different techniques that she had been gathering for decades. Her magic and beauty had been paramount to getting her into the Meadows Kingdom and finding her way to the throne. Now that the king was old, and the princess was a thorn in her side, Marlena had to find a way of get rid of that spoiled child. Especially, because she had been unable to bear a child to secure the crown. If she had a boy, she could use him as a puppet and get rid of the king. Alas, her many attempts failed, and she had to find another way to have everybody respect her and acknowledge her as their queen.

  “Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest human of them all?” the queen asked, staring into the glass that started to shimmer and shift. A face that resembled melted glass appeared with a wide mouth and empty eyes as its form began to shift.

  “You are the fairest, Queen Marlena, yet your stepdaughter also grows in beauty more so than most humans to date,” the mirror’s voice boomed across the room. A snide edge didn’t help make the response any easier to swallow.

  “I am not the one who created this form that you have to keep. If there was a way to have you by my side, I would attempt it and bring you beyond this room,” the Queen said.

  “We both know that’s a lie. Please tell me, what troubles you?” the mirror countered.

  The queen glared but decided it was better to have a mouthy companion than no one. “Since
you are the Truth Mirror, I’m sure you already know.”

  “Yes, milady. You live a hard life.”

  “Are you still mocking me?”

  “No. From your perspective, you’re a victim and deserve the best from life. You’ve grown tired of the king, even if once you believed you loved him, and he was all that you wished for.”

  With a sigh, Marlena sat in an armchair and rested her head back, her eyes closed. “Yes. I was a fool. I can see now that there’s more to life than the love of a man.”

  “Yet, despite not being able to give him a new child, he still loves you.”

  “Without the help of a love potion,” she bragged.

  “You worry about the princess, don’t you?”

  “He loves her. Probably more than he loves me.”

  “Yes,” the mirror confirmed. “Parents often would give everything for the happiness of their children.”

  “She’s a spoiled brat who has lived sheltered all of her life. He’ll find her a nice husband, and she’ll get the crown once her father dies. I have to do something before that happens.”

  “What are you planning to do?”

  The queen opened her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “It’s been a while since I came to this kingdom. I’ve been stopping aging, but people will start to wonder why my beauty doesn’t fade with time. I need to get rid of the king and his child.”

  “Why don’t you marry the princess off?”

  The queen snapped her head at the mirror. “What good would that do? It would only delay the inevitable and secure a noble ready to support the princess once the king died. Not only that, the little wench will have kids, and I’ll be the last one eligible to claim the crown.”

  “A supernatural prince will reduce her chances of surviving. Those kingdoms are dangerous and filled with cunning creatures who, much like you, wouldn’t blink at the thought of killing someone in their way.”

  The queen got up and paced around the room. “A vampire or an elf. I’m sure a few kings have spare children that they need to marry off to secure a deal with our kingdom. After all, the Meadows Kingdom is rich and has a great army. The king has been raising taxes and gathering a big fortune under my direction. Our knights are valorous and win championships when sent to the tournaments. We have good weather, and our cider is well-known around the supernatural kingdoms.”

  “Yes. Your kingdom is wealthy and prosperous.”

  “A supernatural prince that doesn’t care about the brat and will make her life miserable. Snow lacks in beauty and wits. All she cares about is riding her horse and daydreaming about the knights in her romance books. The poor thing isn’t prepared for the real world. Her father shelters her too much and didn’t secure a husband for her after her birth.”

  “If you get rid of her, you’ll have more time to manipulate the king,” the mirror added. “He loves his daughter and many of his decisions are based on their conversations. You’re not the only one who advises him.”

  “I know. His heart is too big. We’d be richer and feared if he followed all of my suggestions. He’s happy with the size of his kingdom. He has no ambition.” She flopped in the armchair and breathed deeply. “I need a new husband. Someone young and powerful. One that can give me a child.”

  “You have a new lover. The captain of the guard is under your spell and does your bidding.”

  “He’s a pathetic fool. Tristan might have been an idiot, but he knew how to follow orders. Most of the time. This new captain believes he can be my equal, and I’ll make him my king once the time comes to get rid of Quinton.”

  “Nothing that you can’t deal with once you no longer need him,” the mirror declared.

  “True. He’s a bug that I can squash with a snap of my fingers.”

  “The princess is almost eighteen. You should send her away.”

  The queen got up and flipped her black hair over her shoulders. “I’ll think about it. Now, it’s night, and the king awaits me in the dining hall.”

  With that said, she exited her secret room and locked the door behind her.

  That evening, the king met Marlena in her regular chamber. She had instructed him to let her know in advance that he was coming through one of the young pages. The page was a male whom she cursed mute, so he couldn’t relate anything he saw, including her meetings with the captain. In the past, she had to tiptoe with her lovers to keep the king unaware. With the increase of her magic, it was easier to do as she pleased and enjoy as many lovers as she wanted without that fool of a king around.

  “My dear wife, it has been a wonderful day.” The king walked up all smiles and rosy cheeks. “I spent time with our daughter, Snow, and she’s a great rider. To think the previous queen missed seeing her grow into such a fine young lady. I’m glad you are here to help shepherd her on the path of womanhood and be my companion in life.”

  The queen could barely keep from gagging. The only place she wanted Snow to go was straight off a cliff into the abyss. Why she was unable to have an heir was beyond her. At least then, she could off that child with limited fanfare. Especially, if the baby had been a boy. Alas, no amount of magic could reverse the miscarriages, and the latest loss was a huge blow.

  Faking a tired voice, she mumbled from the bed, “I am still weak from the last miscarriage, my king. Thank you for the visit but talking is beyond me right now. Please understand that I wish you and Snow all that you deserve.”

  The king took her hand. “Of course, I was being selfish.”

  He had been a faithful lover over the years. If that was something she cared about. Still, she knew that if she wasn’t the prettiest woman in the kingdom, he’d never have looked her way.

  “Thank you.” She forced a smile.

  “You’re as beautiful as the first time I saw you. I’m the envy of the continent,” he said, kissing her hand. “I’ve missed our nights together.”

  “I’ve missed them, too. You know how much I love you, Quinton.” She removed her hand from his grip and fluttered her eyelashes. “You’re the best husband a woman could ask for.”

  His lips curled up, and Marlena watched the gray beard and the wrinkles around his eyes and forehead. He had been a handsome man. Too bad he couldn’t hold youth like she did. Every gray hair and wrinkle turned her stomach. She deserved a younger and stronger man to be by her side. Someone the kingdom would see as a worthy successor once she finally had things set.

  The second mirror was her only shot at ruling everything one day. Having a child to mold seemed out of the question as time passed by. There was something eerie with that kingdom that even her magic couldn’t fix. All the miscarriages had something unnatural about them. Even when she took lovers, the children she birthed died. Once, she smuggled a baby from outside the gates, and the child died hours after being placed in a crib. She had to accept that Snow was the only true heir and, therefore, had to be sent far away or be killed.

  “I know you’re tired but remember that Snow is celebrating her eighteen springs in a week. Many royals will come to the party. I’ve been receiving letters from other kings and nobles, asking when I’ll choose a betrothed for the future queen,” the king shared. “I’m thinking that we should throw a grand ball with admirers and suitors from afar when that time comes. Whoever gets her hand will add allies and power to our kingdom when we unite. Of course, that’s way off. Our dear Snow has no need to leave us yet with a husband. She’s so young and innocent. I want to enjoy her company for a little longer.”

  The queen smiled, remembering the mirror’s suggestion. “Quinton, my dear, I know you want to protect Snow, but she’s a woman already, and it’s high time to find a husband for her. There have been some rumors, and even your daughter confided in me,” she lied.

  King Quinton’s eyebrows rose. “Really? I haven’t heard anything. Snow always talks to me.”

  “There is a nurturing side only a woman can give,” the queen went on. “Snow never lied to you but that doesn’t mean the girl doesn’t
worry. Her father is aging and not bringing forth a suitor. Imagine if you were to die, and I had to handle everything. I know I’m her stepmother, but she would want a birth parent around for the union of a lifetime.”

  “I don’t know. Snow is such a free spirit. She might see this as being tied down.”.

  “Only because she can sense your doubt. I know that Snow’s ready for this next chapter.” Marlena patted his hand. “Perhaps, you are the one unable to let her become a woman.”

  The king looked deep in thought. “Are you sure about this, Marlena? I would trust you with my life, but Snow is our daughter, and we have to make sure she doesn’t feel discarded.”

  The queen struggled not to scream. She couldn’t believe her husband was being so difficult. Snow was a grownup woman, and they could visit each other. It wasn’t like marriage was sending the girl to another dimension. “Think of her future as queen. I haven’t been able to give you another child.”

  “You know that…”

  The queen raised her hand for him to let her speak. “If Snow marries, she’ll give us grandkids, and the rumors will stop.”

  “Grandkids…” the king mumbled.

  The queen grinned. “Babies bring happiness to a family. Snow will have a husband to take care of her. I’m thinking that a husband from afar will benefit her. She’ll learn new customs and see other realities. Our continent has a lot more to offer than our green pastures and orchards.”

  “Yes. Snow hasn’t left our kingdom. The increase in attacks worries me too much.”

  “We can’t show fear. With Snow being the future queen, we can forge bigger alliances with stronger kingdoms who have princes in need of a wife. With a huge party, and the invitation of several royal families, we’ll be showing our allies how powerful and wealthy we are.”