To His Hell and Back

Soldbyherfather,BellashortforArabella,wasforcedtolivealifeasaslavethatwouldentertaintheguestsofthecastle.Thejobofslavesweremerelytobehumiliatedandtohaveasfeastoncetheybecameaboringcreaturetowardtheguests.Arabellawithherfierceattitudehadonlycausedmoretroublethangood,althoughthathelpedherfrombeingfeastedbythevampiresuntilherbodydriedup,thevampiresalsoenjoyinharmingher,toyingwithher,hopingtoseethatonedayshewouldbreak.Howevershehadcaughtthewrongattentionbythosecrimsongaze,eventuallybeingthetoyoftheoneandonlyMadCrownPrinceofVersailles.EventuallythisinterestonlycausehertobemoretangledbythetwistedandthornybattlefortheThrone.WilleventuallyBellaconcedeandaccepttheMadcrownprince?Orwillshefinallysucceedinrunningawayfromhisgrasp.Whyher?*excerpt*Arabellafeltherwristsstungastheshacklearoundherwristjingledfromthesuddenpull.Shethenmetwiththeicyredeyesthatbrooddownuponherappearance,drinkingintoeveryinchofherfigureasifhewasstudyingher,eventohowthosebreathsescapedherlips.“Ithoughtwehadbondedoverthedayswehavespenttogether,Bella,”hesang,hisbrightscarleteyesbetrayingthesingingtonehehadusedasithadgrownsodarkandfilledwithanger.“YetyouleftsoquicklyassoonasIopenedthecastlegate.”Bellagrittedherteeth,hereyesglaringathimasshedefiantlyshookhishandoffherface,“Icanremindyouifyouhaveforgottenit,YourMajesty,Iamkepthereagainstmywish.”Cassius'smilefadedashestaredather.Thesuddenpin-dropsilencefilledhernerveswithtensionasshefoundhissmilelessfacethemostterrifyingsight.Shehadalwaysknownhisfearsomesidehowever,itfeltscariertonight.Bellatriedtoendurehowloudherhearthadracedagainstherchest,gatheringherbreathstogethereventhoughitremainedshallowinhispresence.“Socold,”hemuttered,histonetryingtoteaseher,butshecouldseetherawangercrossinghiseyes.“Youcannotrunfromme.Notafterwhatwe'vedone.Notafterwhatyoupromised.”Herheartfaltered.Shewasn'tsupposedtostayinthiscastle;sheknewthattheroyalpalacewasfilledwiththosevampiremonsterswhowouldkillfortheirdesire,simplytohavefun.Sheknewsheshouldnevergiveherhearttoanyofthesemonsters,andshehadoncebelievedshewouldnever.ButthatwasuntilCassiuscame.Shehadmadethatpromisebecauseherhearthadbetrayedher,andshewishedthatshehadneverutteredthatpromise.Promisesshehadmadetohimonthecalloflove.Yetdeepwithinher,apartofherstillcraveforhim.“You'renotthefirstoneIhavebrokenmypromiseswith,”shegrittedherteethandlookedupathim,“Ibrokemypromisethewayyoubrokeyoursfirst,isn'titfair?”“Fair?Thenwaseverythingalie,Arabella?”hemurmured,hishandscuppingherface,forcinghertomeethiseyes.“Youwereminethemomentyouenteredmycastle.Andyouwillbemineuntiltheveryend.”Shegulpedashiseyesshoneunderneaththemoonlight,hisgazeunforgivingoverher,exposinghiswildhunger.Herbreathcaught,herpulsequickening.“Ahumanandavampireshouldhaveneverstayedtogether.Theywereallright.”“Idon'tcare,”hespokethroughhisclenchedjaw.“You'regoingtoremainherebymysideforever.”