Book 1|40. Promises

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Pic above is General Raed.

Chapter dedicated to IsmayOryon. Thanks so much for reading and voting! You are the best!

Chapter 40 – Promises – Raine's POV

Every inch of my chest was sore. But at the same time, I had never felt better. I felt like I was floating on air. No longer did I have to endure the torture of being Vladimir's pet.

No longer was I sentenced to die!

I watched Armand pace as he barked out orders. It was so strange to think of him as my father. In all honesty, he still scared the crap out of me. He looked over to where Cage was holding me on the floor and said quietly, "Take her to get cleaned up and then return. We have much to discuss."

Cage nodded hard and stood to his feet, with me still nestled tightly against his chest. When we reached his suite, he walked straight into the bathroom and began to carefully undress me. When we were both naked, he stepped into the shower and closed the door behind us.

I was surprised at how quiet he was, the lines in his face tense and unyielding.

As he methodically cleaned the dried blood from my body, I reached my fingertips up to touch his face and whispered, "What's wrong?"

He looked conflicted, like he was trying to decide whether or not to tell me. Anxiety rolled through me. After another moment, he finally said gently, "What happened with Vlad?"

I looked at him questioningly. He hadn't answered my question. Maybe his troublesome demeanor was the outcome of his anger toward Vlad, but I suspected there was more to it than that.

When I began to concentrate so that I could formulate an answer to his question, all of the horrible memories of what Vlad had done to me in that cell, rushed in. I gasped, trying to catch my breath as a sob broke through my lips.

Immediately, his arms were around me. He held me close to his chest and murmured, "Shhh Dulce...It's okay. He will never hurt you again. Just tell me what happened."

"He...He told me that Armand had given me to him as his pet. He planned to...Keep me chained up so that I couldn't kill myself while he broke me. He was getting off on the idea of me fighting him while he fucked me...Who does that?!" my voice broke and tears ran down my cheeks. I couldn't continue.

He kissed the top of my hair and stroked my back comfortingly. "Easy... Just relax...Take your time." He waited for a few moments and then continued, "I know there is more...Did he touch you?"

I could tell he was trying to maintain his calm, but his anger broke through on the word 'touch'.

I didn't want to tell him.

Part of me was ashamed that I had let it happen. Another part of me worried about making him angrier. I didn't want him to have to see the memory in his head like I did. I buried my face in his chest and shook my head silently.

He held me even tighter and whispered softly, "No matter what happened, it will not change how I feel about you. You can't keep that pain bottled up, because if you do, somehow, someway it will explode. Let me in. Let me share it with you."

I worked on controlling my breathing. Finally, I said, barely above a whisper, "He fondled my breast. I tried to push him off, but he pinned both of my hand above my head and reached under my dress." Again, I had to pause, unable to go on.

Fury vibrated through Cage's body, but still he kept his voice soft as he asked, "Did he touch you there?"

I nodded against his chest.

"Did he cause you pain?" his voice was like steel.

"No...He wanted me to willingly open my legs for him, promising me pleasure. I refused and told him I would never want him. It made him angry. So he decided to discipline me by making good on his earlier threat..." I shuddered hard at the memory.

"Fuck!" he cursed angrily.

"No! He didn't get that far, but only because Keiran arrived and confronted him. If he hadn't..." Sobs took over my body again at the thought of what would have surely happened if Kieran had not shown up when he did.

Some of the tension released from Cage's body when he understood Vladimir had not been successful in getting what he wanted. He said through clenched teeth, "I killed him. I removed his head from his body, and wish I could do it a hundred more times for everything he has put you through."

I nodded again. I think I knew that. I had barely maintained consciousness after Vladimir staked me and hadn't seen Cage kill him, but assumed it to be true.

"Turn around and let me get your back," he said gently, changing the subject.

I turned.

He inhaled sharply and began to run his fingers along the small of my back. Panic crashed over me. I asked sharply, "What is it?!"

"I don't know. It looks like another family crest, but one I have never seen before. In the center, there is a tiger," he said in awe. I knew he was thinking about his term of endearment for me, Tigru. The coincidence did seem a little startling.

"Along with the tiger, there are wings, water and other features I can't quite identify."

I tried unsuccessfully to twist around to see it.

"When we get out, I'll take a picture of it," he murmured, still tracing the design with his fingertips.

"What do you think it means?"

He just shook his head. "You are unique...It could mean anything."

..........

I stood in the expansive closet, deciding what to wear. It would be my first high council meeting; at least one where I wasn't concerned about dying. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around all of the changes.

Cage noticed my distraction and murmured, "Come, love, we need to get going."

I was surprised at the sadness in his tone, but disregarded it a moment later. He likely felt the same aching tired that I did. It had been a long couple of days for both of us. I pulled on a pair of jeans and said, "Do you think Armand will try to find my mother?"

"Without a doubt," he replied simply.

"But if Felaern doesn't know where she is, how could Armand possibly find her? Given my inheritance, she probably has plenty of wealth to successfully hide." I bit my lip. She hadn't wanted to be found before now. Felaern said she missed me, but the truth was, she had never tried to make contact with me. Maybe I was okay with that. Maybe I wasn't. Right now, I just didn't know how I felt about anything.

Cage considered my question. "Most likely he will reach out to the nation of Isolde. She was held in high regard as that was her bloodline. However, they are a secretive and loyal nation. They will not betray her trust."

"And if that doesn't work?"

His expression was tight as he answered, "A much riskier option would be locating your grandfather."

"My grandfather?!" I looked at him in shock. Only a few days ago, I was an orphan. And now, all of the sudden, I seemed to have family coming out of the woodwork.

"Every Immortal is born of the human mother and vampire father. Your grandfather is a reclusive, dangerous vampire, who lives in isolation and swears allegiance to no one, least of all Armand."

I shivered at his description. Maybe I didn't need to meet all of my family members.

..........

Cage held my hand as we walked to the Council meeting, but let go when we entered, placing his palm on the small of my back instead, guiding me forward. For the first time, I sat in attendance on the plush orange couches. Cage sat on my left. Armand sat on the couch to my right, with the three Council members across from us.

There was a new council member. I was surprised to find that Vladimir's position had been replaced so quickly. The new member was intimidating to say the least. He had deep sable brown skin. His broad muscular chest was bare and inked with several tattoos along his washboard abs and running down his arms. He wore black army style pants and combat boots. I was not surprised at his military title, when Armand introduced him, "Raine, this is General Raed. He has taken Vladimir's position on the Council. General, this is my daughter, Princess Raine."

I was startled to hear Armand refer to me as both his daughter and a princess, but I refocused quickly as I stared at the new member. Gen. Raed was handsome with a completely shaven head, pronounced facial features, an angular chin and straight nose. His gaze was calculated and piercing, as he examined me with nearly black eyes. I didn't look away. I had no plans to show weakness now. After our momentary visual standoff, he nodded in acknowledgment. I did the same.

The other two Council members I had met previously, Roman and Felix flanked either side of him. Queen Ileana was noticeably absent. I feared what her punishment would be for allowing Vladimir to attempt his assassination of Armand.

Armand quickly got down to business.

I just never expected his next sentence.

"You cannot be joined with Micage."

I gasped loudly, completely not understanding what the problem was. I was not the daughter of a hunter...I was a princess, his daughter, nonetheless!

I snapped my head toward Cage.

And then my heart broke.

Because his face told me nothing, yet everything I needed to know – he had already accepted defeat. He had known when we were at his suite! I just didn't know why.

"What?!" I rasped, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears.

"Because you have already been promised to another," Armand answered calmly.

"How the fuck can I be promised to anyone, when you didn't even know I existed a few hours ago?!" I demanded hysterically.

Felix reached for a leather bound book. He opened it to a bookmarked page and handed it to me, while Armand explained, "Every first natural-born child has been appointed to mate with specific royalty. These are ancient and irrefutable agreements. They cannot be broken. To do so, would be an act of war.

I stared at him in shock, my brain refusing to understand his words. He continued, "As such, you will travel to the kingdom of Quinn in the morning to meet his son, Prince Alaric, your future husband. Gen. Raed and Talia will accompany you. Gen. Raed will act in the roles of protector for your personal safety, and enforcer to ensure the union is realized."

"Talia is a natural-born vampire and well-versed in royal protocol. She will train you. She has also acted as an ambassador to the nation of Quinn, so is well acquainted with the members of their ruling monarchy."

"At the conclusion of your four-week stay, Prince Alaric will return with you here for a grand ball in your honor. At that time, he will ask for my permission to join with you and a date will be set to consummate the union."

This couldn't be happening!

I couldn't believe Cage just sat silently while our future was ripped to shreds! And then I remembered, more than anything else, Cage was noble. He did not shrink away from the duties expected of him. Therefore, even though it crushed him, he would never support the avoidance of my royal obligation.

A tear broke through the barrier of my eyelashes and rolled down my cheek. For just the briefest of seconds, I thought Armand flinched when he saw my pain, but then it was gone. Maybe I just imagined it.

"You are dismissed. Talia is waiting. Your training will begin now. Come to my quarters thirty minutes before you leave in the morning, so that I may speak with you," his voice was absolute, leaving no room for disagreement.

I stood numbly and walked out the door, without glancing at Cage. It would have been too painful to see his face...

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As mentioned and experienced in the last few chapters, this story has a lot of unexpected twists and turns, so hold on because it is going to be quite a ride.  lol.

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