Chapter 80
Her breathing sputtered and stopped as the panic overtook her. How could anyone find this funny? She watched Mamie’s body move, stilted and jerky, like a crude imitation of the sharp, near unnatural movements of a vampire. The other two women turned and stood beside the vampires who turned them.
“Mamie? Mamie, can you hear me?” Her body didn’t move, remaining still and unaffected by her cries. “Mamie!”
“She can’t hear you,” the voice said, laughing. “Her body is there but that’s all.”
Daphne’s jaw trembled as she looked toward the laughter.
“Who are you?” Daphne asked. “How dare you laugh!”
His laughter grew louder and slowly, the burning red of his eye cut through the darkness. He walked closer, coming out of the shadows. Daphne froze, shocked at the sight of the man. His face was familiar like an older slightly different version of Owen with a scar through one side of his face around the eyepatch on his face. She gasped. This had to be Osborn. The resemblance between him, Owen, Arthur, and Dean was undeniable. A bit of anger went through her at the thought of him still being alive. While Tom was so keen on getting rid of her and getting Arthur on the throne, he and whoever had searched the palace years ago had neglected to ensure the reason for the kingdom’s downfall was dead!
Arthur had been right about Owen. Had he suspected that Osborne might be alive as well? She understood how the vampires now seemed so powerful if the werewolf kingdom’s forces were all so complacent to not even imagine the chance that Osborn was still alive.
It made her wonder if it wasn’t just complacency but relief. It was much easier to do as they pleased without the Royal family around. The thought made her sick.
She couldn't breathe, trapped between panic and fury. Despair and regret warred in her heart. Why didn't she just escape with Arthur when she had the chance? She should have just packed up and worked on convincing Mamie and Blade to come with them. They would all be living happily somewhere far away from the werewolf kingdom.
Mamie would still be alive.
She shuddered. How would she ever face Blade?
“So you're the queen? It's Daphne I've heard so much about.”
“Why are you doing this? Wasn't what you did to the werewolf kingdom after the war enough?” Daphne sniffed, trying to speak clearly. “Why do all of this?”
Osborne laughed, “How cute. You think that would satisfy me. You know nothing of revenge.”
Daphne shook her head, “They didn’t–”
“Is there a child of the Royal family still alive?” Osborn asked with a sneer. Owen tensed just slightly and tightened his grip on her a little bit. “Does the werewolf kingdom still exist? Do they still feel safe?”
Daphne met Osborn’s gaze as it grew cold, losing all mirth, “Yes, so no. It wasn’t enough.”
It won’t ever be enough. She could almost hear the sentiment in his words.
Regret filled her heart. This man was insane. She didn’t know how far his plans went, but she could almost hear the sound of war and blood running like rivers through the streets.
If he succeeded in tearing down the werewolf kingdom and killing Arthur, who was next?
“You're insane.”
He laughed, “Thank you. I work hard at it.”
She looked at John, “Why would you trust him? He’s a traitor. He’s trying to kill his own family! How could you trust a man like that?”
John frowned, “What are you talking about? How do you know him?”
Daphne gasped. Did he not know?
“He led the werewolf forces at the end of the war. He’s the reason your entire battalion is dead! How could you trust your enemy?”
John looked at Osborn, “What is she talking about?”
Osborn shrugged, “Once, I was a general. Now, I’m a terrorist. Rage can do a lot for a person, don’t you think?”
John eyed him, “Rage?”
“Rage,” Osborn said. “Regret. Envy… Fury that you will never have the throne you crave? Regret for following rules set out long before you were born? Envy for those who have nothing blocking their path? Isn’t that what this is about?”
John’s gaze turned hard as Osborn smirked. It was so easy to manipulate someone with more ambition than brains or courage. How would John ever be a king when he was so easily led? Dean, at least, had been a king willing and able to sacrifice anything for the good of the kingdom.
Fury stirred in his heart and he let it pass through him and return to the depths of his mind. It wasn’t conducive to his plan to lose control now, so he wouldn’t. Right now, he had to get John focused on a way to make Daphne comply with the plan. The ambush would be made better with more pawns, but nothing would move forward if John started thinking too much.
“She’s the only thing in the way of the throne you deserve, and she’s the key to destroying the werewolf kingdom before it can rebuild. You have her here and plenty of time… You stand on the edge of kingship.”
Daphne’s heart lurched as she watched John’s eyes change. It was a bit horrifying to watch Osborn pull John around by his desires with such ease. It wasn’t magic, she was sure. It was just using John’s weaknesses and desires against him. She was wrong.
Osborn wasn’t insane. He just had no regard for morality and she wasn’t sure if that was worse. John was so self-involved he didn’t even realize that Osborn was manipulating him. She didn’t know what Osborn’s goal was, but she had to stop him.
“He's bound to betray you!” Daphne said. “Why else would he kill the king of the werewolf kingdom if not to become king?”
“I have no desire for the throne of a vampire,” Osborn said with a negligent shrug. “I just want the werewolf kingdom destroyed. Whatever you do with the land after that’s happened doesn’t concern me.”
Daphne blinked, shocked at his words. He had to be lying, yet there was nothing in his expression that suggested he was. Did he really not care or was that just part of the issue? Why had Owen been so determined to kill Arthur and become king if he hadn’t learned such a thing from Osborn?
She didn’t know what else to think, but the thought of John becoming king of anything made her sick.
“And I didn’t kill the last king, Arthur’s father, to become king,” he smirked. “I settled a score.”
“You killed Arthur’s father?” John asked, smirking.
Osborn shrugged.
Daphne swallowed. What score could he be talking about? Arthur would know, but she had never heard Tom’s version of Osborn’s rebellion.
She turned away from the thought and glanced at Mamie’s body standing beside the vampire who killed her. The head was cocked at an odd angle and the eyes didn’t blink.
She couldn’t believe a man who would laugh and help orchestrate turning anyone into little more than a puppet.
“What to do with you?” John asked.
“Nicole will find me,” she said. “I left her a note. If I’m not back within a few days, she’ll know.”
John sucked on his teeth. He wasn’t sure if he could believe her, but he couldn’t chance her telling the truth and Nicole coming after him.
“She’s right, even if she isn’t telling the truth,” John let out a deep breath. “Her escort can be excused, but Nicole won’t be satisfied with just saying she went missing…”
Osborn hummed, “She’ll talk if you send her back.”
John nodded.
“Don’t vampires have magic?” Osborn asked, “Make her forget…”
Daphne’s heart lurched as Osborn gave her a sly smirk.
“Make her forget this and Arthur. That will solve all your problems, won’t it?” He turned with a hum, “Spin some tale about her trauma to the rest of the court. General Steward may have power over them, but she’s only one person.”
“... does werewolf marriage involve an exchange of blood?”
Daphne’s eyes widened and her breathing picked up.
Osborn turned to look at John who seemed thoughtful. He didn’t think he’d ever seen the man think so hard. It was almost amusing.
“No: a bite, sex, maybe even marriage.” Owen smirked, “Werewolves are a little more visceral than vampires that way.”
John’s lips twitched and a vicious glint filled his eyes, “Good… I think I have a solution to this problem.”
He approached, taking Daphne’s chin between his fingers and looking into her eyes.
“It’ll be a great educational moment for you,” John said. “A proper vampire wedding requires a blood bond.”
Daphne glared at him, “I will never marry you, John.”
“You won’t have a choice,” John said, grinning. “You won’t even remember saying those words to me, but I will… and I’ll be sure to take my time avenging this affront.”
He turned and nodded, “Bring her back to the manor. We have to move quickly.”
