Rise of the Queen
Chapter 43

"Anybody here?" Alexa shouted but her voice was only returned by the empty cave. "Where the heck am I?" She frowned as she looked around. Just then the sides of her eyes caught the sight of a woman, she then heard her voice, the same woman in the red cloak, "Welcome!"

Alexa kept her guard up, "You..." She narrowed her eyes at her.

"How are you feeling Alex?" The woman asked her. "what does that mean?" Alexa frowned.

Suddenly she felt a burning sensation throughout her body, "What the hell did you do to me?" She shouted, her mouth went dry and she felt the intense thirst, "What..." She trailed off as she began to wheeze, her eyes went blurry as she fell on the ground.

When she opened her eyes she saw the ceiling, she abruptly got up and looked around and noticed Reagan next to her, Just a dream," She heaved a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived as she felt her body burning up again, her eyes went blurry and the thirst it was killing her, she could hear the thumping sound, turning her head her eyes landed on Reagan, the thumping sound of his heartbeat pounded in her ear, "yes Alex, kill him and quench your thirst," The woman spoke in her mind.

Alexa's eyes glowed red and she was about to attack him when she stopped, No! She closed her eyes, "You're thirsty Alex, you need blood and your prey is right in front of you, do not hesitate, just kill him!" The voice spoke again. "Just shut up!" She yelled back and the voice was shunned.

She looked at Reagan but it came back again, her mouth went dry, she gulped as she tried to control herself, "no, Alex, don't," she shook her head. She clenched her fist and dug her nails into her palm but she was losing it, she then got off the bed and ran out.

In the middle of the night, Reagan opened his eyes because of a noise, he panicked when he didn't see Alex with him, "Alex?" He ran out searching for her. He relaxed when he could sense her presence, he slowly followed the path and at the end of it, he saw Alex, he heaved a sigh of relief when he reached close to her he then noticed the corpse of an animal next to her, she slowly raised her head and whispered in a trembling voice, "I did it again," Tears fell from her eyes. He squatted down in front of her, pulling her into a hug, he comforted her.

The next day,

"So you felt an intense thirst?" Kevin asked her, she nodded, "it was as if my whole body was on fire and then..." She trailed off, "Okay, then all you have to do is quench your thirst," Kevin suggested.

Alexa narrowed her eyes at him, "Why are you looking at me like that? After all this, you're still going to deny your identity? You can't do that Alex, just accept the fact that you're a Vampire, that would ease all our lives," He told her. "You need to have your fill so that you don't go on a rampage," He added, "and it's not that you're killing anyone, they lent you on their own and you're just borrowing it," He took out the packets of blood from his pocket and poured them into a glass, "here, have it in a go," He offered her the glass.

Normally she would have lost her senses by the smell of the blood but this time her stomach churned and she rushed to the nearest bathroom and vomited. The next day,

"Come on, Alex, try a sip and you'll feel good," Kevin came to her with the glass of blood in his hand, "It's fresh you know," he added.

"That's real blood you've got there Kevin, don't talk as if you've picked the fresh fruits and made that!" She retorted.

"Oh come on, this is way too precious than any other fruit," He told her, "You don't even know how difficult it is to get your hands on these," He shook his head.

Alexa's eyes changed to red and she slowly walked to him, Kevin smiled at her, "now, now," He offered her the glass, she took the glass and gulped it down but her thirst wasn't quenched, she needed more, she wanted more, "Alex?" Kevin tilted his head to the side, she slowly raised her head, her eyes now glowed red and her fangs descended, "More..." she whispered.

"oh-oh," Kevin frowned, he thought now she would go for his head but instead she turned her heels and ran to the bathroom and vomited again. She writhed in pain as her mind was torn between her vampire instincts and her human conscience, even if she couldn't deny her identity, she couldn't accept the fact that she'll have to feed on blood to survive.

"NO! NO! NO!" She shouted as she threw things away.

Lia and Regan rushed to them, "What's wrong?" She looked at Kevin.

"This is going to be tough," He clicked his tongue.

"Alex," Reagan called out to her and was about to take a step forward when she detached the washbasin and threw it towards their side, which crashed right on their feet, "Don't come near me!" She yelled.

Just then the sound reached her ear, 'pat' 'pat' the sound of the blood dropping on the ground, her head snapped in the direction, she gulped as she noticed Lia's bleeding hand. Alexa instantly shut her eyes to avoid the sight but the sound of the dripping blood kept on calling her when she opened her eyes, it had changed again and her fangs descended, Regan and Kevin shielded Lia, but Lia pushed them away, "Are you mad?" Kevin glared at her. "It's okay, I trust you, Alex," She looked at her best friend.

Tears blurred her vision, she tried to shook off the desire for the blood but she couldn't, "Don't," Alexa shook her head, "please, don't," She dropped on the ground, she was barely holding on, she had been trying her best to control herself but she couldn't as she instantly stood up in front of Lia growling at her, she then held on the sides of the door with all her might, it was beginning to give away, it started separating from the wall and before it could fall on them, they moved away, "Get her away!" She screamed.

Kevin grabbed Lia's wrist and took her away from there, "You should go too, I want to be alone," Alexa's voice choked as she turned her back to Reagan, she ran to her room and locked herself inside.

***

"She's conflicted," Lia spoke first breaking the silence. "Of course she is, you can't expect her to accept everything so easily, she's lived as a normal human, you can't expect her to drink the blood like she's drinking fruit juice," She scolded Kevin. "I know!" He yelled, "But excuse me, who the hell do you think you are to expose yourself to danger like that?" He glared at her, "What if she attacked you then?"

"But she didn't right?" Lia retorted.

"Who am I trying to talk to?" He rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me, you're-"

"Stop it!" Reagan intervened.

"But-"

"Kevin is right, Lia, don't do anything stupid again," He warned her, "I appreciate your trust in her but don't repeat this again, Alexa wouldn't like it either," His gaze softened as he explained, "You'll end up hurting her more," He added. "Anyway, you guys should leave, I'll stay with her."

Lia was about to protest but sighed in defeat and went away, Kevin shifted his gaze at Reagan, "If she keeps denying everything like this, she'll end up hurting herself," He warned him, "You know that happens quite often, even I had gone through the same phase, try to feed her again I've left some packets behind if nothing works then... only you'll be able to help her, the blood of her mate, she won't be able to reject."

Saying this Kevin too went away, Reagan heaved a deep sigh and went inside the house, he stared at the door, he then turned around and leaned against the wall and slid down, resting his head behind he closed his eyes.

He woke up startled by the noise, getting up on his feet he knocked on the door, "Alex?" He called out to her, he heard the crashing noise again, "Alex, please, open the door," he knocked again.

When he didn't hear anything, he broke in, "Alex?" His eyes scanned the room, all the things were thrown on the ground and Alexa was hiding in the corner.

He walked to her and sat down next to her, she slowly raised her face and looked at him, "I can never be normal, isn't it?" She asked, "Oh wait, as Kevin said, this is my normal," She scoffed as tears filled her eyes.

"I swear I tried, I didn't want to give up, I didn't want to be like this, I know everyone needs me, I know it all but I just feel like I'm not cut for it, everything's slipping through my hand, how will I save anyone when I can't even..." She sobbed, "Are you disappointed in me?" She asked.

He shook his head and pulled her in his arms, "I'm sorry," She cried hugging him, "I tried, I don't want to give up but I just can't seem to accept this," She sobbed. His eyes then landed on the glass piece and he noticed the blood on the ground, "Alex," his voice shook, he broke the hug and cupped her face, "you?" He looked at her with questioning eyes, she raised her hand and cut her wrist right in front of him, "Alex!" He shouted. She whimpered, "It heals on its own," she muttered and in an instant, the wound closed up.

"Are you disappointed in me?" Her eyes questioned him, "I'm sorry, I couldn't be strong, I'm sorry I gave up, I tried to hold up but everything's slipping away, I'm sorry," She sobbed.

He hugged her, "No, I am sorry, I'm sorry for leaving you alone, I'm sorry," He held her tighter, he regretted leaving her alone, he shouldn't have, he should've been with her when she needed him the most.

Suddenly he was pushed away, "I'm sorry, please leave me alone," She whispered. "I am not leaving you alone," he shook his head, "Not when you need me," He added.

"Why don't you understand?" She glared at him with her red eyes, "I'm not sure that I won't attack you next, I'm barely holding on, please leave," She yelled at him.

"I promised that I'd make sure you won't harm anyone not even yourself and I'm not leaving you alone," he made himself loud and clear.

"Harm? You just saw it didn't you? I can't harm myself even if I want to and don't worry, I won't do it again, it's useless anyway, and besides there's nothing you can help me with anyway, there's nothing you can do about me," she shook her head, "So just leave me alone."

"No, there's something only I can do," he shook his head and closed the distance between them, he cupped her face and slowly leaned in for a kiss, she closed her eyes, the tears traced down her cheeks, her eyes snapped open and she pushed him away, "YOU!" She glared at him wiping her lips that were stained with his blood, "How could you!"

"There's only one option left, have my blood," he suggested.

"I can't! I won't!" She yelled.

"Don't be so stubborn," he tried to come closer but she crawled back, "Stay away!" She shouted, the taste of his blood had triggered the monster inside her, she feared if he came any closer, she'd lose her mind.

"I'm not offering myself as a sacrifice, I'm just lending you my blood," He repeated Kevin's words.

"You're doing exactly that, offering yourself as a sacrifice! Don't trust me so much, I don't have the confidence, I'm afraid I'll not be able to keep it," She shook her head, "Get out of here!"

"Fine, but I can ask you to trust me right?" He inched closer, she crawled back until her back hit the wall, "I promise you, you won't hurt me, I won't let you," He closed in and placed his hands on the wall, trapping her in between, "You trust me, don't you?" He asked.

She slowly nodded, "then have my blood, I'll keep both of us safe," he smiled at her as he rested his chin on her shoulder, he urged her to drink his blood.

"I..." he voice trembled, "it's okay," He placed his hand on her head and guided her, the smell of his blood tickled her nose, her eyes glowed dark red, nibbling on his soft skin, she pierced her fangs on the nape of his neck.