Sacrifice

by Anna Santos

  “It could.” She batted her eyelashes at him, feeling the heat spread to her cheeks. “You could find someone to love that would never betray you.”

  “Who would love someone that has nothing left and is locked up here?”

  Olivia bit her lower lip and gulped.

  Alaric moved his face closer to hers. “Your father would never let me leave. I’ll die here.”

  “I could…”

  “Yes?”

  She shook her head. “Let’s read.” She smiled. “Do you want me to read for you?”

  “My favorite part of being here is when you show up to keep me company. But you need to be careful. We don’t want to upset your father. He might hurt you.” His fingertips feathered her cheek and his eyes locked with hers. “I don’t want him to hurt you.”

  “Dad would never hurt me,” Olivia assured. “He loves me and even if Mistress…”

  Alaric arched an eyebrow. “Mistress?”

  “Once I’m a vampire like him, he will let me go see the world.”

  Alaric tilted his head to the right. “How long has he been telling you that? How long have you been living here?”

  “Too many years to count.” She sighed. “I’m also a prisoner.”

  “If I were free, I would show you the world. Paris, Milan, New York, where would you like to go?”

  Giggling, Olivia stepped back and covered her mouth with the book. “Are you serious?”

  “Of course. I’m wealthy. They might have imprisoned me here, but I still have a lot of friends outside these walls, and I have money saved that my wife doesn’t know where it is. We could live like kings and queens.”

  Olivia’s eyebrows arched, and she lowered the book to her chest. “Father says that you are dangerous. He doesn’t want me here. You need to behave if you expect me to convince him to let me come here more often with his authorization. He won’t if he believes that you can hurt me. He doesn’t see you like I do.”

  “I just hurt them because they hurt me. I’m not a monster, but you’d put up a fight too if you were being held against your will.”

  “I understand, but Father is loyal to the people who put you here.”

  His voice came out husky. “Who are you loyal to, Olivia?”

  Gulping, Olivia blushed harder. Looking at the book in her hands, she showed it to him. “You can keep this with you. I can’t stay here for long. Father is growing suspicious, and he might go to my bedroom to see if I’m sleeping. I’ll try to come back tomorrow. Okay?”

  Alaric grabbed the book and smiled. “Of course, sweet angel. I’ll be here eagerly waiting for your next visit.”

  Olivia giggled and left.

  ***

  Olivia recoiled further against the wall while her father shouted in front of her.

  “I warned you never to go down there! I warned you, Olivia!” He turned around and kicked a few supplies he had brought in with him.

  “I just took him his lunch. You were taking too long to arrive from the mainland,” she spoke with a crying voice. “You don’t need to be so upset.”

  “What if something happened to you?” he asked, glaring back at her. “What if he killed you?”

  “He wouldn’t! Plus, I can take care of myself. I just left him his food and came back up.”

  “I heard you giggle. You spoke to him,” he accused.

  “He just said that my food tasted better than yours. That’s all.”

  He narrowed his eyes and leaned his face closer to hers. “Are you telling me the truth?”

  She nodded. “I’ve warned me that he can be dangerous. I’m no fool, dad.”

  “You should have waited for me to return or call Sam. Where the hell is Sam?”

  Olivia shrugged.

  “How did you know where the key was?”

  “I-I saw you hide it.”

  He clenched his jaw and stepped back. “I need to find a new place. You are too curious for your own good.”

  Olivia grabbed his arms and stopped him from leaving. “Daddy, please. I didn’t want to disobey you. I just didn’t want Mistress to be mad at us. You said it yourself that he can’t get sick. Maybe a woman’s touch makes him less … mad at us. I know that you don’t like to bring him food. I can do that for you.”

  “Why?”

  “I have nothing better to do here. I would be one more task. Something to give me responsibility.”

  He kept his mouth shut with pondering eyes.

  “I’ll be eighteen in two days. You need to stop treating me like a child. If I’m going to be a vampire, I need to know what’s going on with the family’s business.”

  Robert groaned. “We are being paid to keep him here. That’s all you need to know.”

  “Then I can help. I already cook and clean. We are the only two humans here.”

  Her father’s mouth twisted. “Don’t be mistaken, child. That’s not a human. He’s just cursed, and his powers are gone for a few more months. Once they return…” He closed his mouth shut and groaned again.

  “What do you mean?” Olivia tried to lock eyes with her father, but he was much taller and stronger.

  Pushing her back, he warned, “I have more supplies to bring here. We’ll talk once I’m calmer.”

  “Does that mean that I can go downstairs to take his food?” Olivia tried to conceal her excitement, but her lips were stretched in a smile, and she was glad her father was giving her the cold treatment by not looking at her.

  “With one dire condition, I might let you take his meals from time to time.”

  “What’s the condition?” She grabbed his arms and looked at him with an eager expression.

  Robert looked down with a hard stare. “You can’t go into the cell. Never. You can’t speak to him even if he tries to make conversation.”

  “That’s more than one condition.”

  “True. But you’ll have to follow my orders, or I’ll be extremely disappointed at you.”

  “Daddy!”

  “You’ll just have the key to the steel door, not to his cell. Once you come back up, you’ll lock it.”

  She nodded. “Thank you, thank you!”

  “He’s not a pet, Olivia,” her father scowled.

  “I know.” Grinning, she looked at the floor. “Did you bring a present for me? What are we doing on my birthday? Do you remember what you promised me?”

  Robert rubbed his beard. “We can’t go to the city. I have a few duties to do here, but you can make a cake, and we’ll party with Sam.”

  Olivia’s excitement ended with his words. “What?”

  His hands grabbed her arms. “I bought you new books and even a tablet like you wanted.”

  She pushed him back, but he didn’t move. “You’re a liar. You are always going back on your promises. I wanted to celebrate my last day as a human and eat a hamburger and candy. You promised me!”

  “You are still too young to be turned. I was a fool when I agreed with that.”

  “What!” she put her hands on her hips. “I hate you! I hate you!”

  Tears prickled her eyes, and she dashed out of the kitchen. Her feet guided her to her bedroom where she fell on the bed, sobbing.

  ***

  The door that led to the dungeons opened, and Alaric relaxed his back against the wall with folded arms. It was dark, and Robert should be descending with his dinner.

  The previous weeks, he had been playing nice and pretending that he had accepted his condition of being a prisoner. His eyes raised up, and he walked forward when instead of Robert, Olivia showed up with his tray of food.

  “What’s wrong? Why are your eyes swallowed? Did he hit you because of finding you here? I heard the screams and got worried.”

  “He didn’t hit me, but it was as if he did,” Olivia grumbled.

  Frowning, Alaric came closer. “What did he do to you, sweet angel? Why are you bringing me food? Does he know you are here?”

  She nodded. “He knows.” Lowering her voice, she added, “I c
an’t talk to you now, but I’ll be back here later in the night.”

  He smiled. “I can’t wait.”

  She smiled back at him and gave him the tray.

  Alaric looked at the paper plate with a plastic fork on the side. It smelled good, and Olivia’s food was better than the one Robert was giving him in the beginning.

  “I put something sweet,” she added with a whisper.

  Turning her back on him, she disappeared up the stairs and left Alaric to his silent and cold cell.

  ***

  That night, Olivia returned with a flashlight and a stool. Alaric assumed that she was going to read to him or ask him to read to her like always. Still, there was something different about her when she sat down and stuck the flashlight in the hole she had found in the wall.

  Alaric moved closer to the cell door and sat on the cold floor. “What are you going to read to me tonight?”

  “Father bought me new books for my birthday.”

  Her voice was flat, and she didn’t look at him.

  He touched her hand. “When is your birthday? It’s today?”

  She shook her head. “In two days. We were supposed to go to the city and have fun. Now, he’s saying that he can’t.”

  “That’s not nice of him.”

  She sniffed. “I’ll have to bake my own cake again and spend the day with Sam and Dad. It’s my birthday. I’ll be eighteen. I should have a special day.”

  “You should. It’s an important date.”

  Tears fell down her cheeks. “He doesn’t care about what I want. We live here in this rathole, and I have to do everything he wants.”

  “Don’t cry, sweet angel.” Alaric’s fingers smashed her tears against her cheek. “You are too pretty to cry, little one.”

  She looked at him. “You are the only person that understands me.”

  “Your father demands too much of you. You should be living your life, going to college, and having other friends. Books are good, but you need to experience life too.”

  “Were your parents like mine?”

  He shook his head. “I was born in a different period, but my mother was the most loving person and my father, though strict, he let us do what we wanted. Even when I misbehaved, he always protected me.”

  “Are they still alive?”

  “They…” Alaric blinked as he thought about Jessica. “Father is. I’m not so sure about my mother.”

  “What did you mean with being born in a different period? Father said that you aren’t human, and you are cursed. I wanted to ask him more, but I didn’t want to seem curious.”

  “It’s a long story, Olivia.” He sighed and touched her hand. “You feel cold. You should have brought a blanket. It’s chilly downstairs.”

  “I have time to listen to your story.”

  He stared back at her eyes and knew that he had to tell her something. She was too curious. Plus, it was an excellent opportunity to make her feel sorry for him.

  “What do you know about vampires?”

  “That they exist, they drink blood, but the sun doesn’t kill them.”

  “Yes. But do you know that there are original vampires?”

  Olivia nodded. “Father talked about them.”

  “Your mistress, my wife, is a pureblood vampire just like me.”

  Olivia blinked several times, and he let her process his words.

  “My father was a king in Europe. It has been several centuries since I was born. My family moved to America a few centuries ago. But they were evil and didn’t like humans like I did. I had to run from the killing and hide. They have been chasing me. My father changed. He likes to have human slaves and kill whoever disobeys him.”

  “That’s terrible!”

  “He even has werewolves under his command. I managed to create an army to fight him, but my wife betrayed me with another vampire that I trusted. My best friend and commander of my troops. They couldn’t kill me because of my curse.”

  “Why did you become human then?”

  “My wife is pregnant from someone else. Her lover. Vampire females become weak when they are pregnant. Just like mortals. My curse bonds me to her, and I don’t have any of my powers until the child is born.”

  For a few moments, Olivia stared at Alaric with widened eyes.

  “Are you okay?”

  “You are a vampire prince. A true vampire prince,” she gasped.

  He nodded. “Yes, but it’s not a big deal.”

  “Your wife and your family are monsters. They are the true monsters!”

  Alaric nodded. “I’m a victim in all this. If I could get out of here, when I have my powers back, I can seek justice and punish the ones who harmed me.”

  “We should explain to Father. He could be on your side if he knew.”

  Alaric shook his head and secured his hands to her arms. “No. He won’t believe me. It’s my words against the people he trusts and pays him to keep me here. He’s under the impression that I’m a monster. Someone must have told lies about me.”

  “It’s unfair!”

  “Don’t worry.” He placed his hands on her and squeezed. “I have you now. I’m no longer alone. Maybe I was meant to end here to meet you.” Smiling, he brought her hands against his lips. “You are precious, Olivia. I wish I could give you the birthday party of your dreams, but if you come here after your party, I’ll give you a gift. Okay?”

  She nodded and smiled.

  Chapter Five

  Olivia’s birthday was anything but exciting. Her father and Sam ended up drunk and going out to catch fresh air. Olivia knew what they were going to do. She was no fool. Sam and her father were lovers. Even if Sam was bisexual and often had fun with her when she was bored and curious about man’s anatomy. Of course, her father had no idea that his lover was also teaching his daughter a few tricks. Sam’s could be dumb, but he had a huge cock. She had watched her dad and him fuck. Now that she had Alaric, her wild sexual fantasies had become more and more frequent. She didn’t have to pretend while reading a book, she had the perfect face for the heroes of her stories.

  While Sam and her dad were having fun in Sam’s bedroom in the other house on the island. Olivia could visit Alaric in the dungeons without interruptions. He had said he had a gift to give her for her birthday. The way things had progressed between them, she hoped that his romantic stares and luscious touches weren’t the product of her imagination.

  With cake on a plate and a bottle of wine, she descended the stairs and turned on the dim light. Alaric showed from the corner of his cell in different clothes that she had seen him before when she brought him dinner. The space smelled of lavender soap—the one she brought him from her own bathroom.

  “Father and Sam are outside, and we have the place for ourselves,” Olivia joked, showing him the bottle. “I thought we could have some fun too.”

  “Wine. That’s a great idea. What is that, cake?”

  Olivia nodded. “I made it myself.”

  “It must be great then. You are an amazing cook.”

  She giggled and gave him the plate.

  Smirking, Alaric took the plate and put it aside on the small table inside his cell.

  Olivia removed the cork from the bottle and drank. “I’m not old enough to be drinking yet, but I don’t care. It’s my birthday, and I’m stuck here.”

  Alaric grabbed the bottle from her hand. “You are old enough to do a lot of things.”

  She smirked and crushed her body against the bars of the cell door. “You said you had a gift for me. What is it?”

  He drank from the bottle before setting it next to the plate. “Are you sure you want it?”

  “Of course. You are the only person that I want a gift tonight.”

  “You look good. Are those new clothes?” He roamed his eyes down her figure.

  She leaned back and fixed the collar of her shirt that showed her cleavage. “Do you like it? I dressed these for you.”

  “You look beautiful and mature.”r />
  He moved closer from where he was.

  Olivia grabbed her hands to the bars. “I wish I had the key to open this door so I could join you inside.”

  “I wish you had it too because it would be easier for me to do what I’m about to do.”

  “What are you going to do?” she teased.

  Alaric stopped in front of her, and she felt her body got hotter with the closeness. He was handsome and sexy. Not just that, he was a real vampire prince.

  “Do you like me, Olivia?”

  “Maybe,” she replied. Her hands touched his chest, and she smirked. “Do you like me, Alaric?”

  “I do.”

  Her heart skyrocketed with his answer and her breasts hurt with the attraction she felt for him.

  “It’s my birthday, what are you going to give me?”

  Alaric reached out and found her hips, settling his hands in a commanding grip, he pushed her closer.

  “Don’t be scared. I’m going to give you your gift,” he whispered in a husky tone.

  Gulping, Olivia closed her eyes and angled her head to meet the soft pair of lips that tucked gently in between hers. Heat exploded in her stomach and made her legs trembled. She couldn’t believe that he was kissing her. It was her best fantasies coming true. Before she could gasp for air, his right hand slipped from her waist up to her neck and kept her head in place as their lips locked together passionately.

  When she thought that the floor couldn’t stop spinning with the searing kiss, his left hand cupped her breast and rubbed it. Her legs trembled, and her chest burned with desire. She moaned inside his mouth and dug her fingers in his hard rock chest.

  Circling her tongue with his, she panted when his two hands played with her breasts.

  “You feel great,” he mumbled against her lips. His mouth trailed kisses down her neck and pushed against her cleavage. “These are soft. Are you enjoying this, Olivia?”

  “Yes.” Her hands mussed his soft hair, and she felt her pussy clench with need. “Your lips are so tender.”

  “I want to touch you all over,” he said, undoing the buttons in her shirt. “Do you want me to keep touching you?”

  “Yes!”