Lady Dhampir
Chapter 74

Rayan's cold lips had taken her by surprise. Milena didn't expect such a passionate, hot kiss from a cold-blooded man. Yet, the vampire Prince wasn't holding back. He was tasting every bit of her, not holding back, as if he was about to devour the young duchess. Milena felt it all the way down to her spine. She shivered. There was something unique about being kissed by someone with cold skin, yet so good at warming her up. Rayan's kiss had a slight taste of blood, and a hint of red wine that enthralled her. Milena closed her eyes, almost by reflex, enjoying this strange, f*******n kiss.

He shouldn't have been there. They shouldn't have been allowed to see each other, touch each other, and kiss. She should have pushed him away, as a Lady. Yet, she couldn't care less. Rayan was just a master at taking down all of the barriers she put up, shattering her resolve. Milena couldn't even put a name on her feelings for him. She knew her heart had always belonged to Ellias, or so she thought. Yet, Rayan was always there, in the corner of her mind. Like a dark shadow, lurking to replace his way in her thoughts. They were too similar. She couldn't think or talk to one brother without his spitting image, their other half coming up. It was like an endless dilemma.

Their kiss lasted a few seconds, but it was longer than she cared to admit. Milena tried to catch her breath, and most importantly, avoid Rayan's satisfied glance.

"I was expecting a slap at least, Lady de Crescent," he whispered.

"I can still do that if you insist."

Rayan chuckled and shook his head.

"I think I like your lips better than your hands."

Milena blushed uncontrollably. Sometimes, she really wished she was a full-fledged vampire, so her pink cheeks wouldn't betray her every time... No matter what, she was only a seventeen years old lady experiencing her first romantic interactions, and Rayan was good at playing with her emotions.

He leaned over, kissing her neck this time, making Milena shiver.

"You can't," she managed to say. "Alright."

The vampire prince got strangely obedient for once, and retreated a bit, though he wouldn't let go of her hand or leave the bed. He was still just as close, making Milena uneasy. She kept thinking about his words from earlier. Was he just playing with her, toying with her feelings? Milena never lost sight of the fact that Rayan was a smart politician and a devilish strategist. She couldn't be blinded by his actions. Her father's words were haunting her. She shouldn't follow her heart, but her mind. She needed to make the best decisions, not act rashly, and follow her feelings.

"....what did you mean?" She asked.

"About what?"

"When you said... You had made up your time long ago. The other time, too... You said something about knowing me before Ellias, but it's wrong, I met him first."

Rayan's red eyes got a bit tenser. He tilted his head slightly, exposing his horrendous scar to the moonlight from her window.

"You really don't remember, do you?"

"What are you talking about...?"

The Prince seemed to hesitate a moment, then shook his head.

"I will tell you if you become my wife, Lady de Crescent," he whispered, bringing her hand to his lips. "There are some secrets that are better shared as a couple..."

Milena blushed again. She was brutally reminded that in a few days' time only, she might become Rayan's legal wife. They would become even more intimate than those little stolen moments... She tried to think of something else before her cheeks betrayed her again. "You can't always keep secrets," she said. "Didn't you say you'd never lie to me?"

"Oh, I never promised that; I said I would never betray you, Lady De Crescent. However, if you like it, I can promise I'll never lie to you... after we're married."

"We are not engaged," she hissed. "Stop saying it as if it was a done deal!"

She hated that Rayan was this much in control of the situation. The revelation that he was the one pulling the strings behind her interactions with Rachael de Nova was already infuriating, as she felt it lowered her own merit in this. However, now, she couldn't help but wonder how much of her relationship to his brother he had overshadowed.

However, the vampire Prince did not even bother to answer her or refute her words. He seemed too satisfied to see Milena so flustered. He kept kissing her hand, gently, as the tension between them eased up a little. She feared she was getting too used to this. She understood all too well how Rayan thought, how cunning he was. She had always liked the pureness emitted by Ellias, until recently. Now, she truly realized the two Prince were politicians, like every noble around. They were pulling the strings they could, playing with their allies like two boys playing chess. The only difference was that Rayan was playing with fewer pawns, but more wits.

"Sometimes you scare me," she whispered.

"How so, my Duchess?"

"You once asked me what kind of King you'd be. I think I understand why people fear you. You're not popular, but you're smart. You can't be easily manipulated, corrupted, or bribed."

"Those awful sound like compliments to me," said Rayan with a snicker.

"I never said you'd make a bad King... But I do think you'll never win by popular vote."

Rayan chuckled and nodded slightly.

"Of course not. Not with this kind of face..."

"Why are you making it so easy for Ellias?" Protested Milena. "If it's a fully human couple against a half-vampire, half-dhampir one, your chances are becoming King will be even lower... People will talk." "What would they say?"

"I'm less popular than Philomenie, and you're less popular than Ellias. The Senate is half full of vampires, your father the King won't be able to appoint you, or the balance will be too much on the Vampires' side..."

"Don't you think there's a bit too much of a pattern?" Suddenly asked Rayan.

"What?"

"The Senate full of vampires. The Wendigos scaring the humans in the Capital, and the Saint, appearing by Lady De Winter's side at such a crucial moment..."

Milena stayed mute. She had noticed, too. It was as if someone was doing everything to put Ellias on the throne, ensuring the human Prince would be picked at any cost. However, who could it be? For the longest time, Milena had suspected the Queen, but most recently, her interactions with the Oracle seemed to say otherwise.... "Have you seen the Saint in action?" Milena asked.

"Some of my spies did. That creature is truly strange... It accomplished some miracles, but using a vampire's asset."

"What?"

"He made the victims drink his blood to heal them, or bite them," said the vampire prince. "Doesn't that sound a bit too familiar? Your hunch about the wendigos, the Saint, and the Oracle were probably right... Which makes me wonder why would my dearest mother play that game in the first place."

"You don't trust her Highness?" Asked Milena, surprised.

Rayan chuckled.

"I don't trust anyone, Lady de Crescent, and certainly not my mother."

"Queen Lyriana is a vampire, though. Shouldn't she support you as a vampire...?"

The vampire prince scoffed. The relationship between the Queen and her sons had always been blurry to Milena. She felt like both of them respected their mother deeply but had never seen any of the Royal Family members display any sign of affection towards each other. It was truly too confusing. Or could it be that, like the De Crescent, they just didn't show it in public? Rayan's attitude seemed to say otherwise.

"My mother is a complex woman, Milena. She was married off to my father when she was very young, and she was the only vampire left in the De Boreal family. She was chosen as the best candidate, not because of her family's influence, but on the contrary, because the De Boreal family was the only one capable to produce a vampire girl with the right age, background, and yet not too powerful. The De Crescent only had your father, Anton de Crescent, while the Family De Nova only had Rachael's father. All the other young duchesses at an age to marry my father King were all human. Otherwise, he would have to marry a countess, and this would have broken the balance between all of the noble families. It was a unique opportunity for my mother. She had grown up the only vampire of her family after her mother's death and was the youngest of five siblings. If it wasn't for my father, she probably would have inherited an even lower status, and been forgotten in some loveless marriage with a Count."

Milena reacted. The Broken balance... Why did those words felt so strangely familiar now? She hadn't expected to ever hear those from Rayan's mouth. Break the Balance and the Fence...

"People said the Oracle was the reason your mother was chosen..."

"I'm not sure which parts are rumors or not. They said he might have considered a young vampire countess if it wasn't for the Oracle, but I'm unsure what part of this is true. The only thing I'm certain of is that the Oracle has been with my mother for as long as I can remember, but she never let her close to use."

"Sometimes you scare me," she whispered.

"How so, my Duchess?"

"Not even to tell you your prophecies?"

"She never made any for Ellias and I. If she did, she never told us... If she did, that woman never told either us."

Milena frowned, lost deep in her thoughts. So, the Queen was still a possible culprit... Yet, why did it feel like she wasn't really the one pulling all the strings? Milena had never really like Queen Lyriana. That woman was even colder, more manipulative, and cunning than Rayan, and she could never predict her thoughts. She admired her for her work as a Queen, but she would never trust her.

"...So?"

Milena raised her head. Prince Rayan was staring at her with a smirk on. She was a bit confused about what he meant, but the vampire was quick to remind her.

"We haven't set the terms of our bet."

She had almost forgotten about that stupid bet... Milena glanced over Blanche. Her friend had put her head down on Milena's side. She was still glaring at Rayan, but she wasn't growling anymore, as Milena and the Prince had been discussing quietly. She was sure her friend probably hated her chatting for so long with the sneaky prince...

Milena was still torn. A part of her wasn't ready to give up on her relationship with Ellias. She tried to think as a politician, not a young woman lost in her feelings. She needed to make the best decisions for her family, for the House De Crescent. This bet was dangerous. If she married Ellias, chances were high she would become Queen. If she married Rayan, she would most surely become a Princess only, and if things took the worst turn, she might even become a widow...

"If I am right and Prince Ellias picks me as his bride, I'll win our bet. If you're right, and he picks someone else instead, you'll win," said Milena.

"What are we betting, now?" Said Rayan, amused.

It was obvious the Vampire Prince was enjoying this.

"How are you even going to determine?" Said Milena. "Who picks first?"

"They will ask us to put the names on a piece of paper, choosing the one candidate we will consider marrying. Only the King will be able to see it. If there is no conflict between our picks, he will announce it as valid, and then we get to ask for our Lady's hand in marriage." "That's it?" Said Milena, almost shocked.

"That's it," confirmed Rayan with a nod. "What, were you expecting me to have to fight my brother to get first pick? I don't think I'd lose, though."

Milena rolled her eyes. She had somewhat thought it would be some sort of ranking, but this way, it avoided any candidate being hurt. Each Prince picked one among the twelve... ten candidates left.

"Then, you are saying you will pick me no matter what, right?"

"Yes."

"What if you both have the same candidate, then?"

"Then, our father will announce the pick as impossible, and we will have to each pick a second choice. Then, our mother will determine who gets the first lady picked, and who has to get engaged to their second choice."

Milena was stunned once again. This was a really cold way to get engaged...

“So? Now that you know the details of the ceremony, Lady de Crescent, do you know what you want if you win?"

"Yes. If I'm right, both you and Ellias will pick me, and her Highness will have to decide, while Ellias and you pick a second choice. I want to determine who is your second choice," said Milena.

"Alright, that sounds fair. Who will be my unlucky second choice bride, then?"

"Prudence de Iris."

Rayan was speechless.

This was the only logical choice Milena chose. This way, if Ellias picked Philomenie as a second choice, the Queen would definitely rather have Milena marry Rayan instead of the young De Iris. She was certain to be at least Princess, as there was no way Rayan would marry the young De Clorence sister.

"...You do realize that means if there is a second round, you'll have to marry me, right? Isn't that against what you wanted, Lady De Crescent?"

"I can't decide who Prince Ellias will take as a second pick if he has too, but it will definitely be Philomenie," said Milena. "However, if I can choose yours, I should at least secure my spot."

She was sealing her own fate, but Milena had finally understood what her father meant. She had to make reasonable choices, not the one with her heart. Even if she had to concede becoming Ellias' fiancee, she would at least be a Princess, able to protect her family. That was one sacrifice she was willing to make.