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It was only a couple hours until guests started arriving. Ella stood next to Blake on the grand staircase, feeling her stomach turn every time a person arrived and bowed in front of them, turning away and going to their table.
They weren’t getting married or anything. This was just a celebration. A ball where Blake could dance with Ella and let her know that he loved her.
After all the speeches and drinks, Ella left the ball room during dinner, feeling something off about this whole situation. She knew she wasn’t dreaming, but something was going to happen... She felt her insides stirring at the thought.
When she took the hidden staircase up to the left tower, she stood on the stone balcony, staring off into the city lights.
Her heart was pounding, blood roaring through her ears. What was happening to her?
Taking a deep breath, she exhaled, attempting to calm her fear.
She was safe... She was safe... She just needed repeat the words until her anxiety believed them...
Ella breathed out a sigh, staring off into the distance again. Her blue dress waved in the quiet wind along with the strands of hair that framed her face.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. That was fast... Blake was here already? She just got here...
“You’re a fast walker,” she joked, staring off into the distance.
No response.
That’s when her brows drew together. “Blake?” She turned to the figure, squinting her eyes to study him.
Brown hair... amber eyes... pale white skin...
Ella’s breath caught.
No... no. This couldn’t be happening... How did they invite him? How?
The boy cocked his head to the side, smiling creepily. “Aww, look at little Ella, all alone on the balcony, just waiting for me.”
“How did you get here, Mack?” she demanded, trying to keep her voice from wavering.
He started circling around her like a cat watching it’s prey. “I wasn’t invited, if that’s what you’re asking.” And his smile deepened. “You were a very good first time, Ella. I kind of want to do it again.”
She almost choked as she backed up, trying to avoid him. “If you touch me again, I will scream.”
“Who’s going to hear you?” He laughed. “You’re all alone, all by yourself. The party’s downstairs, a ways away. So, my little pet,” his eyes darkened with desire, “no one will hear you when I make you scream.”
And he launched to her, throwing her to the ground as her lungs collapsed with the impact. Ella gasped, kicking at him but he straddled her legs and pinned her wrists with one hand.
“Look at you,” he mocked, his eyes burning her skin with rage. “All dressed up.”
“Get off me!” Ella screamed, wiggling from under him.
“Shhh...” he cooed, making nausea well up her throat. “They paid me a whole lot for this, so try to make this good for me, huh?”
“Blake!” Ella screamed. “Blake! Help! Help me! Please!”
“He can’t hear you,” Mack mocked.
“Who paid you?” she snarled, trying to buy time.
“You’re stepmother,” he responded, reaching down for the bottom of her dress. “Twenty thousand bucks, Ella. Just so I can have you again.”
“Get. Off. Me. Now,” she growled.
“Nah.” She tried to dodge him when he darted his tongue out and licked a tear that escaped her eye.
All the sudden, she felt something sharp press against her navel. “No.” She knew it was a dagger by the feeling of the metal. “Please, don’t. Please.”
It started sinking into her, the metal burning her skin as she screamed in a high-pitch.
Mack covered her mouth. “Shhh... Stop screaming.”
The dagger sent waves of agony through her as she tried to get out from under him, crying and screaming, though it was muffled through his hand.
“Sorry, baby,” he chuckled, “but I got paid for this, and once you’re weak,” his eyes darkened more, “I can have you without you resisting.”
Tears burned down her cheeks as she felt the blood stream down her stomach, the pain choking her as she struggled to breathe.
Someone... she thought, please... help...
“Get the hell off her, you bastard.”
Blake.
Tears burned her vision as she struggled to breathe through Mack’s hand. And her navel burned with agony, scorching her skin.
But even though Blake was standing there, Mack didn’t move.
“Let me guess,” he leaned down. “You’re her boyfriend? That’s okay, I’m sure he can watch, hmm?”
Help... Ella begged in her mind, please...
“I SAID GET OFF HER!”
All the sudden, a force slammed against her and Mack, throwing him off her as he slammed against the wooden posts, gasping. Ella’s hair blew with the wind and she turned her head, seeing Blake’s eyes glow red as he stared at Mack, burning with rage and hatred.
His fingers bent slightly and Mack crashed through the wood, falling off the balcony.
Ella heard him screaming as he fell, but she couldn’t feel fear or any type of satisfaction with her head spinning and the agony burning her stomach like she caught fire.
“Blake...” Ella coughed, reaching her hand out as the other clutched her stomach.
He looked down at her, his eyes burning red with anger, and he launched into a sprint, getting down onto his knees beside her.
“Oh, baby. Oh, God....” She saw tears brimming in his flaming gaze. “I’m so sorry... I’m so sorry....” And he lifted her, holding her to his chest as she breathed heavily, pressing her bloody hand to his cheek.
“Blake... I tried to fight him... I really did....”
“I know,” he breathed. “I know, Sweetheart.”
He grasped her hand that clutched her wound, slightly tugging. “Let go, baby, please... I need to heal it....”
“It hurts... I won’t be able to stay awake if you heal it, Blake... Please... you have to understand that I need to... make sure I stay safe....”
“No,” Blake breathed, prying her hand away.
“Blake!” Ella cried.
“I won’t let you do this to yourself, so let me heal it.”
“Please... I don’t want to live anymore...” she sobbed. “Please... I’m hurting... the pain... You have no idea how much everything hurts....”
“Then let me save you,” he breathed, bending down to press his lips to hers while his hand hovered over her wound, heating it up with magic.
Ella gasped as the wound closed, knitting itself back together.
“I know you’re in pain,” Blake said. “I know you’re hurting... but I can’t let you go... I can’t... So... I’m going to save you... Until you’re free of all pain....”
Ella’s eyelids lowered, exhaustion overwhelming her. “Blake...” she whispered, “I love you....” And her lashes fluttered closed, her breath soft against his chest as she slept.
*****
THE WORDS ECHOED THROUGH Blake’s mind as he carried Ella to the front gates.
Blake! Help!
I love you...
Please... I don’t want to live anymore...
Tears stung his eyes as he made it to the guards.
Mack was dead on the ground below the balcony. Blake expected him to be. That was over a two hundred foot drop. Ivy and Olivia had their fate coming to them. They were going to die. Horrible. Deaths.
The guards looked down wide-eyed at Ella, her blood stained dress that was ripped below the thighs. Blake guessed Mack was ripping it to get to her. Oh... that bastard...
“Prince Blake,” the one on the right said. “Do you need us to call the nurse?”
“Open the gates,” Blake ordered sternly.
“But... Prince—”
“Open. Them.”
The guards looked at each other, then they pushed open the doors, watching Blake as he entered the main lobby, eyes glowing red with anger.
All the chatter stopped the moment everyone saw him holding Ella in his arms, the blood on her blue dress, the red staining his cheek where she held her hand.
Merra stared down at them in horror from the landing of the stairs.
All that Blake heard was the taps of his shoes as he walked across the room, to the steps and made it up them.
“Blake...” Merra whispered, but he ignored her, going one step above and looked down at the crowd, holding sleeping Ella in his arms.
“I know you’re in here,” he growled, searching the room with his blood red eyes. “Ivy. You ordered him to kill her, didn’t you?”
A laugh echoed through the entire entryway, and Blake locked gazes with a tall brown-haired girl, golden eyes hard with cruelty.
“So she’s dead?” Olivia said. “It’s about time. She deserved it.”
Blake didn’t respond, he stared into Olivia’s eyes that glowed with amusement.
“So it was you,” he noticed, keeping his tone calm.
Every guest stared at Olivia in horror. Merra, though sent her an angry glare. “Guards,” she ordered, “take this bitch away.”
“Ah—ah,” she giggled, pulling out a dagger. “I wanted to marry the Prince, but he chose her over me. So... I decided to take her away, and now all that’s left is me. Prince Blake,” Olivia jumped onto the first stair, “will you marry me now that poor little Ella is gone? I can take care of myself, and I can meet your every need.” She leaned in closer, licking her lips. “Every need,” she repeated a little slower.
Blake heard Ella whispering something, a chant, but he couldn’t tell what she was doing...
“Maybe,” he said, smiling.
“Blake,” Merra growled in disbelief.
Ella’s whispering grew louder, though Olivia didn’t seem to notice.
“Maybe I’ll marry you, but every girl has to be out of the way, Olivia.”
“I can do that.” And she turned to the crowd. “Who wants to diiiie?”
“Blake,” Ella whispered, “put me down.”
“No”.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she argued.
“Then hurt me. I want to feel pain.”
“Blake...”
“Do it, Ella. I know what you’re planning and I want you to get it over with, my love.”
She was silent for a bit. “Mors Maledictio,” Ella whispered.
Olivia doubled over, gasping as if she was stabbed in the gut. All the guests stared at her with confusion in their eyes.
“Blake,” Merra whispered, “what are you doing?”
“It’s not me,” he let out through a chuckle.
“Then who—” She looked down to Ella. “Oh... smart....”
Olivia turned to him, eyes wide as blood dripped from her nose. “What are you doing?”
Blake tilted his head to the side, smirking. “Nothing.”
She pressed her hands to her navel, coughing. Blake felt a great happiness overcome him with her pain. And Olivia collapsed to the ground, blood dripping down her chin from her mouth as she looked up to Blake, eyes wide with betrayal.
“It never should’ve been her,” she breathed out, tears filling her eyes. “It should’ve been me....” And she fell limp onto the ground, golden eyes shaded over as all life left her.
Very faintly, Blake felt Ella shaking through his burning skin. As he stared down at Olivia, he held onto Ella tighter, turning away as he headed up the stairs.
“Blake...” Merra whispered, clearly seeing his eyes shine dark red.
When he walked down the halls of the castle, he felt Ella twisting in his grip.
“Stop, please, Ella,” he murmured.
“Put me down...” she begged, trying to push him away but he just held on tighter. “Put me down!”
“Sweetheart,” he said again, “stop, please.”
Ella pounded on his chest with her fists, tears boiling in her blue eyes. “Let me go! Let go!”
“Ella,” Blake warned softly, “I know I healed you, but that doesn’t mean you’re okay to walk yet, Sweetheart.”
“I don’t care!” A sob escaped her throat as she pounded harder, though he didn’t even wince. “Let me go!” she stared crying. “Please, Prince Blake, please!”
“It’s okay,” he gently said, reading her memories of earlier that night. “I know you’re scared, baby. I know.”
He knew a lot of things that happened actually. He knew that person who was on top of Ella hurt her. He knew he stabbed her, as well as what he was planning. He was going to assault her... AGAIN. As if one traumatizing event isn’t enough for this poor girl.
Ella’s cries grew louder, tears escaping her eyes like they couldn’t be stopped. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I never should’ve left! I’m so sorry!”
Blake let her legs down but pulled her up so he could carry her while she held onto him.
“It’s not your fault, Sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear. “It never was and never will be.”
“Please...” Ella sobbed into his neck, “I wanted to die... You should’ve let me die....”
“No,” he said sternly. “I will never let you go. Ever.”
“I KILLED SOMEONE!” she cried. “I KILLED MY OWN SISTER!”
“She almost killed you, Princess,” Blake responded. “If you didn’t kill her, I would’ve.” Gently, he pressed a kiss to her neck. “We both have blood on our hands, baby. It’s not just you.”
Ella dug her head into his neck, her thoughts repeating the recent events over... and over again...
Jesus, Blake thought. How can I make her feel better?
How the hell could he? She was shaking... hurting... crying... And he could feel her waves of guilt and disgust as his own... Turning her stomach, paralyzing her lungs... God... she felt horrible...
Blake then entered his room, rubbing her back gently as she wept into his shoulder, clearly suicidal... “Come on, Sweetheart,” he soothed. “Let’s get you cleaned up. And then I’ll give you a nice bath... And I’ll dress you in the most comfiest clothes....”
“Blake,” Ella said quietly, voice cracking, “I don’t want that....”
“You don’t want to feel better,” he corrected in the same tone. “You know I can read you, Sweetheart.”
“Please... I want to feel this way...” she said as Blake entered the bathroom. “You should too... I... betrayed you... I let another guy on top of me... Aren’t you angry?”
“Hell, yeah, I’m angry,” Blake growled, making her tense. “But I’m not mad at you, baby. I’m angry at him.”
“You should be mad at me—”
“Why?” Blake questioned harshly, dropping her onto the toilet. Ella stared up at him, her blue eyes wide as they reflected his red ones. “Did you ask him to get on top of you? Did you ask him to rip your dress?” he indicated to her skirt. “Did you ask him to stab you, huh? Did YOU ask him to say those things to you?”
“No...” Ella whispered, avoiding eye contact.
“Don’t look away from me,” Blake stated.
She stared back at him, her eyes glistening with tears at his harsh tone.
He let out a long sigh, kneeling down to her level. “Sweetheart, I need you to listen to me, okay? None of this is your fault. Being abused? Not your fault. Being assaulted? Not your fault. This pain you’re feeling?” Blake tipped her chin, lightly pressing his lips to hers. “Not your fault either, my love.”
“How can you be so sure...?” Ella wondered.
Finally... she was starting to believe him...
“Because, Princess,” Blake explained, “I know you... And I love you for who you are... I know that you feed the ducks. I know that you help citizens across the street. One time,” he said, his red eyes fading to their normal green, “I was walking down the street, and I saw a five year old child fall off his bicycle. You were still young then... maybe twelve... And Ivy and Olivia were with you. They told you to go steal some glass slippers, but you ran away from them... and you cradled that child like he was your own... When you got home... you took a horrible beating... And I cried when I watched it.”
“You... cried...?” Ella said softly. “For me...?”
“Yes, my love.” Blake said gently. “I was going to barge in there and take you away... but my father forbid me....”
“King Julius?”
“Yes,” he responded. “He was a good man... but... sadly... he passed a couple years ago....”
“Then... you lied?” Tears built in her eyes. “When you first saw me... you said you talked to your father... That you were going to stop this mess....”
Blake only smiled. “No, I did not lie. We’ve been planning an attack for years. I grew angry, waiting.”
“Years?”
He nodded. “I was assigned to watch over you, make sure nothing was wrong... but I wasn’t allowed to act....”
“Why weren’t you...?”
“It would get you killed,” he responded. “I had to get you to come with me because I knew they were planning something....” He dropped his voice below a whisper. “But... I didn’t expect their plan to have a man assault you and put you in a trafficking ring....”
“What made you fall in love with me...?” Ella asked quietly.
“That story,” Blake explained. “About the child that fell off the bike.”
Ella nodded, remembering.
“It’s that sweet, kind, caring part of you that I fell for...” he admitted with a smile. “Oh... I’ve loved you for years... and I couldn’t watch the torture you were put through.” He chuckled, a lighthearted memory glowing through the darkness of his mind. “Do you remember when you were in school?”
Ella nodded. “Yes.”
“You were bullied,” Blake explained. “You remember that?”
Her brows drew together. “Yes....”
“Well... after around... fourth grade,” he said, a grin splitting his face, “do you remember the bullies being beaten up? Gauze on their faces? Really bad rashes from a wedgie?”
Ella let out a giggle. “That was you?”
“You know it.” And they let out a laugh together.
“I was... kind of concerned about that,” Ella said, a little lightness back in her eyes. “I didn’t tell my dad... I thought it was some random school mate... but I guess it was you then, huh?” She tilted her head to the side, blue eyes glowing for the first time. “My guardian Angel?” Then she added as a joke, “That apparently gives wedgies?”
They laughed again, Blake loving the smile that lit her eyes.
“Hey,” he joked, “they hurt my Princess, and I taught them to think before they hurt her again.” Then his smile faded. “But... I swear I didn’t know about Mack... If I did... he would be dead....”
“I know,” Ella said, still smiling. “I’d expect nothing less of my Angel.”
Blake brushed his hand across the wound on her navel, but she didn’t flinch away from his touch. She just looked down at his hand, then back at him, tilting her head to the side like a cute puppy.
“Do you mind if I look at it?” Blake asked gently. “I... just feel the need to see it....”
Ella lowered the straps of her dress, pushing it down to her waist.
Blake’s eyes drifted from her face, to her stomach, and they drooped in sadness. “Sweetheart... you should’ve told me that it wasn’t fully healed....”
The wound was still open, blood dripping out of the opening down to her waist as it got pooled in her skirt.
“I honestly didn’t feel the pain,” Ella said as she ran her fingers through his black waves.
“It doesn’t hurt...?” He looked up at her in confusion.
“With all my emotional pain...” she said, then shook her head, indicating, no.
“Can I touch it?” he wondered.
“Just...” she murmured, clearly hesitating, “just try not to hurt me, please.”
“I won’t,” he promised with a smile.
Ella’s eyes widened as he leaned in closer, pressing his lips onto the open wound. “Blake...” she said, her heart pounding as she got scared. “Please... no... umm....”
“It’s okay,” he looked back up at her, blood staining his lips red like a rose. Warmth from his magic consumed her stomach as the wound started sealing completely closed. “It... just works better...” he said, chuckling. “Don’t worry,” he added at her concerned look. “I’m not going to touch you without your permission. I know that after tonight, you’re not going to be in the mood for a while.”
“Doesn’t that...” she looked down at his hand that set on her leg, “make you... upset?”
Blake let out a pft noise. “You think,” he said, chuckling, “that you almost getting raped... again... is going to make me angry when you’re not in the mood?”
She nodded, the disbelief almost making him laugh.
“Princess,” Blake said gently, “I can assure you, Sweetheart, that I am not like other guys, okay? I won’t force you, and I understand, okay?”
Ella couldn’t help but ask. “Why are you so different?”
“Everyone goes through different things, and become different people, Ella,” he explained, outlining the scar on her navel. “Just look at you and Olivia. You and Ivy. Olivia and her sister Ava.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling again. Then she reached over, trying to wipe the blood away from his mouth but he backed away, grinning. “Come on,” she chuckled. “You don’t want to have my gross blood on your mouth, do you?”
He stuck his tongue out, taunting her like a child. “Maybe I like it.”
“You like the taste of my blood?” She tried to keep herself from smiling.
“Mayyyybe.”
“What are you, a vampire?”
“If I am... then can I bite you?” He bit his teeth together multiple times, making her giggle.
She gasped when he pulled her into a hug, gnawing at her neck gently as she kept on laughing. “Mmm... tasty....”
“Blake!” Ella choked through her giggles. “Ahh! Stop! Ahh! It tickles!”
He let let go, tucking a strand of hair away from her face as her blue eyes glistened in happiness. “I made you laugh,” he joked.
“Yes, you did.” She nuzzled her face in his hand.
“Can I wash the blood off now?” He kept his hand where it was.
“Only if you stay...” she whispered. “Please, stay?”
He let out a choked laugh, as if disbelieving her. And her smile faded as her brows drew together. “Are you kidding me? After today? Of course I’ll stay!”
She smiled again, relief filling her eyes.
“What do you take me for, an idiot?” Then he added, “Don’t answer that.”
He started walking his fingers up her sides, making her laugh more as he tickled her. “You think I’m going to leave you alone again? Well... I can spell it out for you....”
He pulled her down, making her collapse on top of him, but after a gasp, she wrapped her arms around him like she was afraid to let go. “N. E. V. E. R,” he said, pulling her head to his chest.
“I almost lost you...” he whispered in her ear. “I almost lost the only person I love... I’ll never let that happen again... Never... I promise....”
“I love you...” she breathed.
“I love you more,” he joked.
“I love you most,” she let out through a giggle.
“Aww... that’s sweet.” He let his hand run down her hair. “But I love you more than anything....”
She was silent after that.
“Can I give you a bath?” Blake wondered. “Make you feel better?”
“You already succeeded in that,” Ella stated, her tone quiet but... happy.
“Well... can I still give you a bath?”
“Okay,” she said, “but—”
“I won’t try anything,” he promised again. “Not without your permission, okay?”
“I’m sorry...” Ella murmured. “Even after you saved me... I still have trouble trusting you....”
“Trust takes time,” he gently said. “But all I need to know is that you love me, that’s all.”
“I hope you’re not actually a vampire,” she added, making him smile. “I mean... there’s a lot of romances about that kind of stuff... I kind of get freaked out by it....”
“No... not a vampire...” he said gently. “Buuuuut...” he added, “I am kind of a demon... I’m eviiiiiiil.” And he tickled her again.
“Ahh!” Ella wiggled in his grip, laughing. “Blake! Stop it! Ahh!”
He stopped, chuckled, and kissed her neck. “You’re safe now, baby. You know that, right?”
“I know,” she murmured.
“You remember those glass shoes?” he wondered out of nowhere.
“Yes...” she said suspiciously. “Why?”
“Do you want them...?”
“Blake... I can’t ask you to buy—”
“I already did,” he said. “Do you want them?”
“But... why—”
“Yes or no?” He chuckled.
“Were they... the blue ones...?”
“Your favorite color,” he stated.
“Were you going to give them to someone else?”
He burst out laughing. “God! Ella! Who would I buy them for? My cat?”
“Your mom,” she explained.
“Mmm... no...” he said. “They’re for you, Sweetheart.”
“When did you buy them?”
He let out an annoyed but joking sigh. “Answer the question first. Yes... or... no...?”
She nodded. “Yes....”
“Hahaha!” He started kissing her neck, ticking her sides with his hands. “I got you to say yeeees!” he taunted as she burst out laughing. “You said yeeeees!”
“I said yes!” she choked, tears falling from her eyes with joy. “Okay! I said it! Please, stop tickling me!”
Blake let his hands gently rub her back as her body relaxed into him.
Gently, he pulled the pins out of her tussled hair, letting the waves fall down to her waist as she held onto him. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”
“Thank you. I never said it before, but that really means a lot....”
“You’re welcome, my love,” he said back, running his fingers through the strands. “But I really mean it. I’m not just saying it.”
It seemed as if she held on tighter. “I know... And I really appreciate that....”
“Of course.” And he lifted her, carrying her over to the sink.
After setting her on the counter, he grabbed a rag off the marble and ran it under some warm water.
Ella let her head lean on his shoulder as he gently scrubbed all the dried blood off her stomach and hands, and as he pushed her away so he could put his robe on her once more, he saw her eyes closed. She was so exhausted that she fell asleep. But who wouldn’t fall asleep after something like this?
After pulling her arms through the sleeves and carrying Ella out to his room, he saw Merra standing at the doorway, smiling happily.
“After all that’s happened,” she said, “you got her to laugh.”
Blake couldn’t help but feel his mother’s happiness creep into him, making his lips curl as well. “I know,” he stated. “And nothing has ever made me happier.”