The Vampyre's Princess

|| PART V ||

Warren stared at Willow and took a step forward. He paced nervously. He had no other choice. He couldn't wait any longer. He approached her bedside and knelt down. He took her hand, careful not to wake her.

"Please know, that I would do anything in my power to make you happy, to feel loved..." Warren whispered. "I know we've only just met but when I saw your eyes, it was like I saw an old friend almost..." he said, then sighed. "This sounds like the ramblings of some madman..." he said. "I-I would carry you across the deserts, swim across oceans for you... When you are at your lowest, I will pick you up and..." he trailed off. "This is stupid..." he admitted. Warren took a breath and closed his eyes. "I promise to always be a devoted husband to you Ravenna" he whispered. "Bone from my bone... Flesh from my flesh..." he said, staring at her wrist. "I am yours and you are mine... I will honour you in your strength and assist you in your weakness..." he stated. "Until the end of time...", he sunk his fangs into her wrist.

It was like nothing he had ever tasted. Sweet and subtle. Willow winced only for Warren to quickly pull away. He stumbled backwards and laughed. The high it gave him was like no other. He fell into the wall and slid to the floor. A doped-up grin formed on his face.

"Warren?" she asked quietly. She looked over at him to see him still smiling and laughing to himself. She pulled herself out of bed and helped Warren onto the bed. Warren lay back and stared at the ceiling. Willow looked down at her wrist. It was a clean bite, not a drop of blood wasted. Willow turned to see Warren sitting up, staring at her with a dopey smile on his face.

"Can I see them?" he asked.

"S-See what...?" Willow asked.

"Your wings... I only saw a glance of them..." he said. "May I see them?" he asked eagerly.

Willow raised a brow at him.

"Please..." he asked.

Willow picked up a pillow and turned her back to him. She took off her sweater and set it aside. Hugging the pillow to cover her chest. Warren stared at the tattoo on her back in awe. Only to watch the iridescent black wings come to life and spring out of her back. He watched in amazement as they fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. Willow set her feet back down on the floor. Warren admired the still wings only to realize the edges of her wings were frayed.

"Who neglected you? Fae wings only start to die when...", "They got like that shortly after I had been banished from my court" she said.

"Why were you banished?" Warren asked.

Willow turned around and blew fae dust in his face. Like a puff of stardust had been blown into his face. He sniffled and sneezed, falling back into the bed and laughing at himself.

She hoped blowing fae dust in his face would throw him off guard. Make him think of something else. Warren sat up just as Willow had slipped her sweater back on.

"Why were you banished from the Midnight Court anyways?" He asked again.

"I betrayed the King..." she admitted.

"What did you do?" Warren asked.

"I refused to pick up a blade and fight for the King... I didn't want any more bloodshed..." she said.

"You were banished because you wanted the war to stop?" Warren asked.

"Yes..." she sighed.

"That sounds like something I heard once... Some legend about King Rowan banishing his own daughter... Because she knew the war was tearing the Midnight Court apart and...", he stopped for a moment. "The Princess feared she would lose her father after Queen Ardot had been assassinated..." Warren uttered.