Chapter 28 - Recovering

The first rays of sunshine fell into my room, and I saw a silhouette standing in front of the window. After what happened the day before, I shrank near the head of the bed, under the blankets. My blind eyes took a long time to show the image of the King, lying on the window. When he realized that I was awake, he said:

- What happened yesterday? - His voice came out almost as a whisper as he walked towards the bed.
- I stumbled down the stairs. I think it was a stupid accident. I spoke, trying to justify my absence at dinner.
- My daughter, we'll have to come back to go ahead with your wedding preparations. The princess is better now. You didn't do it on purpose, did you?
"Your Majesty knows that I would never hurt myself to avoid... or just postpone the wedding, which is already in your plans to take place, regardless of my will.
- I think you're right. - He spoke as he got up and walked towards the door. Oliver releases you to travel, and we'll leave.
After the king left, my servant came in with a breakfast tray. She told me that the prince sent the message that he'd be back in the afternoon, and he would come to see me with the doctor. Again, I ate very little. The pain in the ribs still prevented me from moving completely. With Ane's help, I took a long bath. The hot water looked like a painkiller on the hematomas and cuts.
Soon after, I changed the dress I slept into a softer nightgown. Again, with the help of Ane, who also restored the curatives and cleaned the cuts, I was frightened.
"How did Your Highness get so many wounded falling from the stairs?" she spoke, slowly unburdening my hair and passing ointment on the cuts on the head.
- Ane, because of a little distraction, I got unbalanced, and these stairs are huge. I tried to hold on, but I couldn't.
I went back to bed and went to bed. I needed to sleep. During the night, it was impossible to sleep due to the pain and the terrible scenes of violence. I finally fell asleep, but asked my servant to stay in the room with me. She sat in a chair next to the window and took a book to read, which helped me sleep. Although Ane could not protect me from Claus's anger, she would at least bring me the assurance that she would yell for help.
When I woke up, I realized that it was night, I got up from the bed in a leap to realize that Ane had come out of the room. I was alone. Standing up so fast, forgetting my broken ribs, made me breathe. I held onto a chair to avoid falling. I heard a knock on the door.
Phillip came in, accompanied by Dr. Oliver, making a joke when I realized I was standing.
- Your Highness is standing? - I could hear the ironic tone in your question.
The doctor, in turn, pointed to the bed while asking:
- Can I examine you, Your Highness?
I sauntered and went back to bed. I lay down slowly, still feeling a lot of pain. As he put his hand on the bed, one of the cuts in his arm bled again. I was able to observe Phillip's closed fists and his nasals dilating, almost as if he could smell the blood at a distance. He spent some time with Dr. Oliver examining every injury and hematoma. He then said that I needed to keep the rest, turned to the door, asked for permission, and went out.
The prince seems tense about something.
He approached the bed, took my wounded arm with his hands, and said:
- Maybe because that damn guy wanted to take something from me that belongs to me.
- What are you doing? - I said, trying to get my arm back, unsuccessfully, because vampires had to be so strong!
- I'm gonna change these bandages.
- Isn't the blood making you crazy?
Your blood always makes me crazy, more than any other human. You're mine. - He cleaned the cut and wrapped it in clean bandages, but licked the fingertips that were dirty with blood, and when he did, he closed his eyes, as if licking his dirty fingers of sweets.
- That's scary. - I said it when he let go of my arm, and I hid it under the blankets.
- By the taste of your blood, I know you're still mortal. I would hunt Claus like an animal if he had turned you into one of us.
- Is there anything else you can find out from my blood?
- Yeah, I know how much pain you're feeling and a little of your fear. Don't get up. Try to rest as much as you can. He spoke low, in an orderly tone. I know that you felt a severe shortness of breath minutes before we entered here. Your ribs are broken. You need rest. 

I'll clean myself up and come back with your dinner.

- You don't have to, just send Ane.
- No, my princess. - he spoke, loosening the sleeves of his shirt and the button on his necklace. - Today I will spend the night watching you, like yesterday.
I lay down on my pillow. And I waited. He returned as promised with dinner, which I couldn't eat much of. And then he sat in the chair next to the window, and I fell asleep with his soothing presence there. 

Chapter 27 - The consequences

I woke up in my bed with my head burning in pain. There was a lot of blood on my dress. I was alone in my room. Ane came in a few moments later, followed by Phillip. He kindly asked my servant to leave us alone and closed the door.
- I entered your room after hearing a loud noise and found you on the floor. - He spoke anxiously.
- I don't want to talk. My head hurts.
- You're not okay. Who attacked you? He asked while holding me so I didn't fall.- I'm going to call your servant to help you clean yourself. All that blood on your dress, is it yours? That could scare the King.
- Call Ane, get out of here! Enough! - I spoke without realizing that the tears were running down my face.
He went out, and soon after, Ane came in, and helped me change the ruined dress for a clean one and cleaned my face. I put on a scarf to cover the hand marks on my neck.
After that, I tried to brush my hair, but it was completely ungrated. My head was still hurting, but I needed to come down for dinner. I asked Ane to tell the King that I was feeling sick and preferred to eat in my room. She shrugged her head and left the room. I sat down on the head of the bed, waiting for Ane, but Phillip came into the room with a tray and two plates.
- I came to have dinner with Your Highness -  he said, getting in the room and closing the door behind him.
- I don't want to talk. My head still hurts. - I said
- But I need to know what happened. Because Claus disappeared. I was looking for him when I heard the scary noise of things falling from your room. He spoke, passing his hand on my cheek.
- Claus tried to kill me! - I spoke low, thinking he wouldn't listen, but he jumped out of bed.
He started walking from side to side in the room.
- He tried to kill me, the blood on my dress was his too. I stuck a scissor in his hand, so he let go of my neck. Then he threw me against the wall... the noise you heard was when I fell to the ground. Shortly before he saw you opening the door, he lifted me up, pulled my hair, and threw me against another wall. He would've done it if you hadn't come to the room. I think if he threw me against another wall, I'd be dead. He said that even if I asked for help from you, you wouldn't believe me.
- I have to agree that I didn't like the idea of you going after him in Paris, but I would never fail to answer a request for help from my princess. I don't know why you didn't yell. Why didn't you call me?
He made me believe that you wouldn't come, that you didn't trust me anymore.
- Claus is insane and perverse, he knew that the moment I heard your call, I would kill him - he spoke, lifting up my chin so I could look into his eyes - You're mine! I'll protect you from anyone.
- My head still hurts. - I said, putting my hand on my head
- Can I see it? - Phillip asked, walking towards me. He let my hair down and ran his fingers through my hair - You're with a cut, that bastard! - I could see him passing his tongue on his lips; it could be because of the blood on the wound. I'm going to ask our doctor to come to see you now. I'll be back. - He ran out and came back as fast as he had come out.
Phillip asked Ane to stay inside the room while the kingdom doctor was examining me. Before leaving, the doctor called the prince back.

- Your Highness, has the princess fallen from the stairs? - The doctor asked curiously, with a worried look.
- Yes, she had a little accident on the stairs - Phillip preferred to keep the real motive secret.
- She has a broken rib, not very serious, but she will have to rest for a few days. There is a cut in her arm that I already put a curative on, and needs to be changed tomorrow, and two cuts on the head. I left this medicine to pass in the cuts tomorrow. She can't walk; I recommend not going down the stairs. You'll need help from your servant for a bath, but only tomorrow.
I could see Phillip's fist shut and his jaw shut. He sparked hatred in his eyes.
- Thank you, Dr. - He said in a low voice, between his teeth.
As soon as the doctor left, the prince asked Ane to go out and not talk to the King, if he asked, just say that she stumbled on the castle's stairs.
Alone again, Phillip approached the bed:
- Today I'm gonna watch you through the night and tomorrow, too. I can't risk Claus coming back to finish what he started.
A frost passed through my body, and I sat in bed, scared of the possibility of Claus returning.
- Lay down, honey, he's not coming back. If he comes back, I'll be here to kill him. I lay down, but I couldn't fall asleep. I've been reviewing the scenes of Claus' aggression in my mind. My body hurts a lot. I slept, but I woke up several times...

Chapter 25 - Revelations

Sitting in the library, with Phillip's eyes judging me for what I did, I thought I'd run out, but I couldn't. I tried to think of a way out:

- Why did you let me know about Claus Deidrich? When I was here, you were sick. What did you want me to do? Just watching your death? What would have been the purpose of letting me and the King come? - I said everything as if it were stuck in the bottom of my throat.

Phillip walked away from my armchair and turned around like he was thinking about the best answer. But he didn't have time.
- You induced me to go after Claus. It seemed like you wanted me to look for him so he could save you. - I spit that end as I got up and walked towards the door.
He took my hand and went out the door with me, going down the stairs and out the front door to the garden. 
I had not noticed that it was still day, and I was terrified, for the prince was even shaken by the clarity...
- What? How is that possible? Your Highness told me that the sun was mortal... I began to shake with my heart firing.
- There are some things my lovely, sweet fiancé still doesn't know. Well, let's start with the most important ones. I may have let you seek my cure, but I would never do it consciously. I thought Claus hated me and could have killed you. So nothing else will be hidden from you. I'm out in the sun because many years ago, I made an agreement with a witch to throw that spell on my kingdom, so I could enjoy the gardens next to you in the summer.
- That's why every time I cross your boundaries, I get sick? It's a spell.
- I didn't know you felt that way. - He asked, holding my wrists so I could stand in front of him.
- It feels like I had eaten something that gave me a stomachache, the last time I came to vomit. - I spoke without wanting to look directly at Phillip's face, I looked at the floor...
He put one of his hands under my chin, raising my head so I could look into his eyes.
- After the wedding, you won't have to cross the borders, and you won't have any more problems with the spell. Can you tell me what happened in Paris? Was the price of my cure just a kiss? I don't trust Claus, I can't believe he would be pleased with just one kiss... - he spoke in a slightly tougher voice.
- I don't know what he told you, but for me, he just asked for a kiss. He didn't even give me time to run, so as soon as he said what had to be done, he grabbed me and didn't give me time for anything... - I spoke, looking at the floor again.
Phillip let me go, walked a few steps away, and shouted:
- Damn bastard!
- But I would've kissed him a hundred times if this were the price for your cure! - I spoke, returning to enter the castle, ran up the stairs to my room, and felt the tears running down my face as I closed the door behind me.

Chapter 26 - The Confrontation

I entered the room where I was settled in Phillip's palace. I locked the door. I threw my body into the bed, looked at the ceiling, and let my mind wander. I didn't know if I'd be bothered by someone. Maybe not. I was tired.

I was able to observe every detail of the room. It was scary. It was decorated for me. The walls were clear; there was a drawer with a fine fabric that allowed the lighting to pass through it. The window in this room was much larger than the others.

All the fabrics in the room, sheets, mattresses, and blankets, were delicate and in soft colors. It looked like the person who decorated this room was in my room in my father's castle. I went to the huge windows and saw Phillip still sitting in the garden, enjoying the sunset.

I decided to go into the bathroom and shower before dinner. I went into the bathtub and I ended up asleep. I dreamed of images of the events of the last few days. I woke up and got out of the bathtub. I walked into the room to get dressed. After finishing, as I was arranging my hair in front of the mirror, I noticed a bull behind me.

I got up in a panic and quickly identified Claus coming out of the shadows:

- How dare you come in here without my permission? After trying to put Phillip against me? Get out of her, or I'll yell for help.

- If you scream, you'll be dead before anyone arrives, - he spoke, coming up to me quickly, like a blur, and covering my mouth. "I'm going to take my hand off, but you're going to talk low with me!"

- What do you want from me? Aren't you satisfied? - I spoke in almost a whisper.

- Your Highness has not understood my intentions, so I will be very clear: I want to avenge Phillip for taking me in his presence.

I still don't know if I'm gonna kill you or take you to me. What does the princess prefer? Don't try to react, I can kill you in seconds, and you mortals don't know how to hurt us. The only creature that could protect you is away from this room and doesn't trust you so much anymore.
- he said, holding my neck.

- I won't die without fighting, - I said, taking a scissor and holding it in his hand, which caused him to let me go, but I couldn't run because he quickly grabbed me and threw me against a wall. I fell on the floor, next to the commodity, dropping the things that were on it to the floor.

The noise could have caught someone's attention, I thought. But he was already coming back to me, grabbing my hair to put me on my feet. I tried to let go by hitting him, but it was useless. I saw Phillip crossing the door, almost in a fog. I disappeared when my head hit the floor after Claus threw me across the room.

Chapter 24 - The Reprimand

I was awakened the next morning by my server, with a lot of headache and strong dizziness. I disguised myself as bad and asked where Claus and Phillip were. She said she didn’t know where they were. I got up, changed my clothes, and followed the hallway to Phillip’s room, which was empty.

I went back to my room and asked Ane where the King was, and she said he was waiting for me for breakfast in the dining room. I hurried my step and went down the stairs towards the dining room. Where I met my father, Claus, and Phillip, having breakfast and talking lively.

To my surprise, Claus had presented himself as a doctor. My father would never know what happened. I would never know that I went to Paris to find a vampire to save my vampire fiancé’s life. Ignorance was a blessing.

With everything I’ve been through, my nightmares have always been with me, from the first night the prince entered our kingdom. But I preferred nightmares, as long as he was with me. The three of them looked directly at me when I crossed the door and sat next to my father.

My stomach wasn’t good yet, so I ended up eating only the fruits. Although the king would judge me by his gaze. When we finished coffee, my father asked for permission from the prince and his guest, because he needed to talk to me.

- Can we talk? - He gently stretched out his hand so that I could grab her and go with him.

I stand up asking for permission. The king and I went to the library. Where the king began his speech:

- Your fiancé was sick, and you, a 17-year-old girl, thought it a good idea to go shopping in Paris?

- Dad, I went to Paris, because when I spoke to Phillip, he told me that he was sick and the marriage was going to take a while, that I could take care of other details for the wedding, because he would be postponed. - I made the worst excuse I could, but maybe it worked.

He walked through the black leather chairs, reaching for the one where I was sitting. He bowed toward me and said:

- You don’t travel without my permission, and you can’t. Even with your servant. I need you to tell me if you understand. From today, you will be inside the castle's gates and, until the wedding, will be watched by two soldiers.

- I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m not going to disobey you.- I almost cried.

- Great. After you get married, the rules will be Phillip’s, but until then, you obey your king. Even if your fiancé allowed it, I didn’t let it. - You may come in!- replied the king, watching Phillip at the door.

Phillip walked through the door and asked my father if he could talk to me. My heart shot. I think it would be a lot worse now.

- I will leave you two alone. - said the king, coming out and closing the door behind him, as I tried to get up from the armchair where I was, without success, for Phillip bowed toward me:

- You went to Paris and brought Claus? How did you do that? He would never come. What did you say? Or what did he ask you in exchange for saving my life? - He fired with a nervous air and an almost whispering voice.

I tried to breathe, but the air didn’t come:

- I thought you could die.

- I’m alive, but Claus’s blood has a price, and he hates me, said you’ve already paid the price. - He spoke closer to my face; I could feel his frozen breath near my face.

- Did he say what he did?

- He told me about his price, a kiss from my sweet, young, beautiful bride. Did you kiss him?

- He kissed me, and I didn’t even have time to answer. And I’d kiss him other times if it were to save you.

He took my chin and raised my head so that I could look into his eyes:

- You can’t put your life at risk. Claus is dangerous, and if he killed you, I wouldn't be able to stay alive.

Chapter 23 - The Cure

I went up to the room where I was previously staying. Meanwhile, Phillip's servant took Claus to the prince's room. I ended up seeing him enter the room. Although I was curious to understand the curse, I heard Phillip's yelling, and I could listen to Claus's almost silent steps, and decided to enter my room.

I entered the room but was still inquisitive and ran to the hallway. I reached the door of Phillip's bedroom, and I heard a part of Claus's conversation with Philip, which was more bullshit than answering.

I could see when Claus pulled a little dough out of his pocket and cut off his wrist, which immediately started bleeding. He put his wrist on Phillip's open mouth so he could drink his blood. The scene wrapped my stomach and I fell on my knees, knocking on the bedroom door.

Claus quickly turned to look right in my direction., I couldn't stand and practically vomited, while he spoke with a serious and gentle voice:
How did Your Highness realize that Phillip was close to death?

I lifted up my head to face his eyes and replied:
- I didn't know vampires could die. That's how you turned him into a vampire?

While Phillip was drinking the blood, Claus continued speaking, as if he had not had a thirsty vampire sucking his wrist.
- No, first I drank all his blood, then I did that.

I got up in a panic, with an injection of adrenaline, and I ran out to my room, locked the door, and decided to take a hot shower and maybe try to erase the scenes from my mind.

I lay in bed, looking around in that beautiful room, which seemed made for me. Slowly, the sleep came, and I slept deeply. A dream like I didn't have a long time ago. I had good dreams and other scary dreams. 

Chapter 22 - Coming back

On the way to the harbor, Anna remained silent. In Claus's huge mansion, she had been separated from me. Claus' servant put her in another room while I was talking to him. But I don't know if the servant said something to her that made her astonished, but there was a frozen silence:

- What happened, Anna? Did something happen to you while I was talking to Claus?

She continued with her head down, but I could see a tear flowing from her eyes:

Your Highness, Claus's servant, Eduard, cast some spell while I was with him.

- How? - I asked nervously.

- He asked me why a princess like you needed a maid to accompany her on this trip. He said that only very young princesses need the constant company of a groom. I tried not to answer, but I ended up telling him his age and details about his majesty that I would never tell anyone, I'm sorry... - she bowed her head to her arm. - By that time, Claus already had absolutely all the information about me.

The port of Nantes seemed dark at that time of night. But Claus was waiting at the wheelchair door as soon as we stopped. His servant helped carry the luggage, and he, Ie, and Ane continued towards a ship that seemed ready to sail.

Claus explained that vampires could not travel like humans, and his servant would not, so he would need to pass me some guidance on his journey. He then ordered his servant to install us in our cabin and said goodbye by handing me a red rose and a ticket, asking me to open it only when the ship disembarked from the port.

Arriving in the cabin, I sat next to Ane, who was still trembling at our conversation in the wagon. But I held her hands and calmed her.

- It's gonna be all right.

I heard the buzzing of the ship, and I noticed its slight swinging, which indicated that we were already sailing. I opened the note, still with the rose in my hand, and began to read:

My sweet Princess,

Since you already know who I am, we don't need any further explanations. Vampires travel long distances in their coffins, and mine was dispatched by my servant and is in the basements of this ship.

As long as I'm in my coffin, neither I nor the mortals on the ship are in danger.

However, so that I stay locked up, and we don't have an enormous number of passengers and crew killed. Go down to the basement, put the rose on my coffin, it'll keep me trapped in it and also prevent me from accidentally exposing myself to the sun.

Thank you.

Claus Deidrich

As soon as I finished reading the ticket, I left the cabin with the rose in my hands, followed by my Haya. Frightened by the image that quickly emerged in my mind of the corridors of the ship full of bodies.

I went down the stairs to the basement, and I was able to locate the coffin properly placed between the other boxes. I put the rose on the lid so that it didn't fall or get out of position. Throughout the journey, I went down a few times to check if she was staying in the right position.

The rest of the time, inside the ship, I slept. All the events of the last few days seemed to have drained my strength, and I needed to be fine for when Phillip recovered.

After two weeks, the ship landed. It was a rainy night, and frighteningly, a carriage was already waiting for us in the harbour. One servant put our bags in the wagon, while another entered the ship. After a few minutes, those who entered the ship left the ship, accompanied by Claus, who walked patiently towards us.

Again, the feeling of terror passed through my spine. Claus still had a smile; this time, he seemed scarier than the other times. We boarded the cart and headed to Phillip's castle. As we crossed the kingdom's borders, I was struck by the nauseous feeling once, blood began to flow from my nose.

Claus removed the curtain from the chariot and whispered, "Interestingly, there's something strange in the air, some kind of magic.

When the chariot stopped at the entrance to the castle, I was still weak from the trouble, and Claus pulled me out of the carriage, carrying me in his lap. We entered the castle, and he put me on the floor before the King.

- I spoke in a more cheerful air.

- Your Highness, rest! - My father spoke in a rigid tone.

Chapter 20 - Visiting Paris

I left the room with a fixed idea. I needed to try to save him. The marriage would be postponed because he was too weak. I slept comfortably in my room in his castle, but I woke up early, before the King. I needed a good excuse to go to Paris. He had to find Claus and the answers that Phillip needed to improve.

I took it to get documents in Phillip's office, I needed some address, some idea where to find Claus. I found letters. Perfect. I could hear Phillip passing orders to his servant, and I was afraid he would try to stop me. Did he know about my plans? Think he has an idea after our conversation the night before.

With Ane's help, I left early, carrying as little baggage as possible. I left a note for my father telling me that I would need to solve something about the stitching, and I would take advantage of the fact that the groom was sick for it. My father would believe; he would never think I had more dangerous plans.

My aunt and I pretended to be just two nobles on our way to Paris for shopping. We boarded a ship in the harbor without anyone suspecting I was royal. The trip was long and very tiring, I spent much of it nauseous and sleeping.

I was going through an adventure, but Ane thought I'd be punished for my madness. However, I assured her that I needed to help my fiancé. We arrived at the port of Nantes on a sunny morning. After a chariot journey through Rennes and other small villages, we arrived at our destination.

Ane and I were looking for a hostel to stay for a few days. I needed to find Claus, so I put our luggage in our room, rested for a while, changed clothes, and went on my quest.

The sun was setting at the time when Ane and I went out looking for Claus Deidrich. We finally got to know almost all of Paris, and we gathered a lot of information about Claus. It was very late when we decided to return to our lodging.

We had dinner at a restaurant near Ane and I talked about our findings:

- Your Highness needs to explain to me what the purpose of pursuing the story of this Claus Deidrich is? I'm worried.

Ane, that's a long story, but all you need to know is that Claus knows how to cure Prince Phillip. When it's ready, I'll tell you the details, but you need to trust me now.

- Right. Let's start with what that lady told us at the harbor. Apparently, Mr. Claus is an assiduous attendant of the Opera but is always away from the other spectators in the chamber.

- Then we have what that staff member of the theatre told me. - I spoke while I was making small notes in a little notebook that he brought with me. Claus is always accompanied by a boy, who, although apparently the same age as him, calls him son.

- There is also what has been said by the staff of the theater's box office, the two always stay in the same chamber, and leave the opera accompanied by some rich girl from the high society, but apparently they are furtive encounters and the relationships last not more than a week.

- We need to look over the cabin in front of his cabin and make us understand. I need Phillip's cure, and only he can give me that information.

The next morning, shortly after ten o'clock, we went out to the theater ticket office and booked the camel. And then I went to a stall store and bought a beautiful, satin red dress. It was the most exhausting day, as we spent much of it getting ready for the opera. We entered the theatre and sat in our chamber, but the chamber was empty.

Tension and fear passed through my spine. What if he didn't show up? What if Phillip didn't survive? I tried to keep my breathing regular. The stage lit up, and the audience's lights went out. After fifteen minutes of agonizing, I finally noticed a frighteningly beautiful figure in the chamber in front. Ane whispered in front of such beauty. Black hair, green eyes, and white skin. It looked like every trait of his was drawn.

I began to try to attract his attention by changing gazes and suddenly realized that I had succeeded, as he replied to me with a malicious smile on his face. Although she was a princess, I had never seen an opera and really liked what I watched. 

Chapter 21 - Meeting Claus

After more than an hour, the opera ended, and the theater's lights finally turned on. I looked at the chamber in front, but it was empty. "Droga," I thought to myself. Ane and I headed to the exit, and we were already going down the stairs when I felt a hand holding my elbow:

- Can we go somewhere to talk? - Claus asked as I turned to see who had touched me.

Before I could answer, Anna anticipated:

- Yes, we can.

A chill and fear passed through my body. It was done. I found Claus. I needed Phillip's cure, quick. He then pointed to a beautiful chariot with beautiful black curls standing in front of us:

- Can you accompany me in my carriage?

The journey was relatively short, and soon we stopped in front of a huge mansion, probably his residence. Following us in, I could notice the same funeral decoration as Philip's castle. Candles and a fireplace lit a huge room with black leather sofas. The curtains completely covered the windows, preventing any external lighting. I sat on one of the sofas, while Claus went to a shopkeeper to serve some drinks. Sitting next to me with a cup in his hand, he began:

- What's your name, beautiful young lady? You're not from Paris, are you?

- You must be Claus, right? - I'd rather not say my name... - I replied, trying to get away from him.

- What did you come here to do? "What do you know about me?" he asked, holding my arm angrily. "I know I'm probably risking my life, but I came to Paris after you, Mr. Claus Deidrich.

- What do you know about me? Risk your life? I'm curious. - he spoke, loosening me and putting the cup on the table after emptying it in a single drink.

- I know a lot about you.
He held me back, now in his wrists, with a superhuman force.

- What do you know about me?

- I know you're a vampire.
But did you come after me knowing that I could crush you like an insect, or drink the last drop of your blood in seconds?

- Because only you can answer a question that can save the life of an old friend. What do you think?

- Then you should meet Phillip. Do you want me to answer the question in his letter? He was drinking blood the wrong way. How do you know him? Why would a beautiful young woman like you risk the life of a vampire?

- Yeah, I need that answer. But I will unfortunately not be able to answer your questions. I'm afraid of you, but if you kill me, Phillip will hunt you like an animal and kill you...

- So you must be the princess who populated Phillip's dreams. You're valuable to him, aren't you?

- What are you going to do, Claus? Will he kill me, or will he give me the answer that can cure Phillip?

He quickly appeared in front of me, preventing me from leaving.

- I have to think. You're so beautiful - he spoke by taking a piece of my hair and wrapping it around his finger, I could feel his cold breath near my face. - So brave. Ah, it must be the princess he was calling while he was sleeping. I think I'll give you the answer you're looking for, but I'm gonna want something in return.

Damn, I didn't expect to have to negotiate with a vampire, but I needed to save Phillip.

- What do you want?

- Just a kiss in exchange for your prince's cure. I've never kissed a princess so beautiful. I wanted to know the taste of those lips. 

- If you give me the cure, you'll get your pay. - I said after I took a deep breath

- He needs my blood. - He answered. - Now my payment. - he spoke, wrapping me in his arms.

Before I realized he was already touching his cold lips on mine. He then turned away, but kept his hands around my waist:

- Come on, I have to pack my bags, I need to save my boy.

- How? I didn't understand.

- We're leaving today, sweetheart. - Before Phillip got weaker. - He spoke with a smile.

I tried to recover the air.

- We're boarding today? How will that be possible?

- I'll fix it, my sweet girl. The carriage will take you and your companion to pick up your luggage, and we will meet at the port. Today! We need to be quick.