Blake, The Vampire King

"Is it true, dad?"

Blake glared at his companions, his true friends. How could they go behind his back like that? Sure, Ana had the right to know about her mother's condition, but he wanted to be the one to break the news to her.

"Are you going to become king?"

He released a deep sigh of short-lived relief. "How do you know that?"

"Josh came to the academy as an alumnus," was her sole explanation.

She didn't sound too excited to become the king's daughter. If anything were to happen to Maria, it would be a very brief experience. He didn't know how long he could remain sane mate-less.

Don't think about that, he admonished himself. You will save Maria. There's no alternative.

You should be thinking of the many ways which can allow you to kill that backstabbing warlock.

"It's a very real possibility," he told her truthfully.

"What are the odds though? I heard grandpa is bedridden."

"It's a nine out of ten possibility, sweetie."

He heard her suck in a shocked breath.

"I'm coming to fetch you," he told her calmly.

"Can't I stay at the vampire academy some more?"

She liked her freedom way too much, it seemed. But she was to be the king's daughter... and now that her classmates knew of that, the environment would become as toxic as the palace. He would rather have her by his side than away from him, all things considered.

Besides, her mother needed her.

"Your mom lost her memory. You need to be here," he told her without preamble.

"You're joking, dad. Right?"

"I'm afraid I'm not."

"How could that happen?" she choked on a sob.

"Long story short? A warlock did it."

"I'm going to start packing now."

He didn't have the heart to tell her that her mother only had one week to remember, and only told her instead, "I'll come in an hour." "Sure."

"I hope you'll both be decent when I do," he forced himself to tease his daughter.

It took a few seconds for her to understand, and when she did she started yelling, "Ace, you stupid leech..."

And then the line went dead.

Did she really believe a goody-two-shoes like Ace would take the plunge and complete the mating process without getting his permission first? His daughter sure was naïve. Blake wanted to preserve her innocence. But he wasn't sure he could for much longer. He was after all about to wage war on the witch community.

*********

"Is it true?" He heard the soft voice ask through the phone as soon as he picked the call.

"Define it." Blake wasn't exactly in the mood for playing around.

He had already brought the gang to the palace. Only remained Ana and Ace.

Jasmine sucked in a deep breath and said in the same breath, "Karl told me everything. I know what that Carrywell did."

"What is your question then, Jasmine?" He demanded in an irritated tone. "Time is precious to me at the moment as you already know."

"Will you wage war on the witches if..." She was neither cruel nor brave enough to finish her sentence.

"If it comes to that," he couldn't bring himself to say it otherwise. "I will."

For the second time, she sucked in a deep breath, and then she told him in a whisper, "Can I ask you not to kill my mate should it happen?" I'm not sure I'll be sane enough to spare anyone, he thought sarcastically.

Nevertheless he agreed, "I'll try to hold back."

"Instead of you having to come for me, I can come to you," she offered.

"I'm not exactly in a trusting mood of the witches these last few days," he admitted, a sardonic smirk stretching his lips.

"I could stay in the cellars or dungeon or whatever it is you call it. You won't even have to deal with me."

"Are you eager to die, little witch?" He teased.

"I don't want my mate and sons to watch as you kill me," she said matter-of-factly, already accepting her impending death it would seem. "Must you assume I'm going to fail to make my mate fall in love with me again?" He growled out the words despite his best efforts to remain calm. "It's a possibility," she let out meekly.

Yes, it was a possibility, one he didn't want to think about. And thus he avoided the subject and told her instead, "I'll go for the Carrywell punk first."

He knew that just the mere decision to kill a warlock might bring an end to the era of peace that had been brought thanks to The Devil's Pact. But there was no alternative.

"I understand."

"If that is all, little witch. I must go."

"Sorry I took so much of your time."

The way she said it made him bristle and he hung up without further ado.

His most trusted friend and oldest vampire, Andreas, looked at him with sympathetic eyes, and said resolutely, "You know we will come to war with you." Blake's eyes focused on the wall behind his friend and he nodded curtly. "Isn't that the reason why I brought you ultimately?"

"I'm pretty damn sure all the nobles will aid you should it come to it."

"Yeah," Blake scoffed. "Aren't they all eager to annihilate the witches?" "True that," Andreas shrugged.