Alexander POV; River was leading the way to the main quarter on the first floor with the help of my men's directions. She walked with her head high and a stable heart rate which was interesting considering that she was a prisoner surrounded by at least ten strangers. Her curly hair covered all the way down her back. Jeans suited her well and framed her lower body hugging her curves. A few steps from the dining table, she stumbled on the edge of the carpet. Without thinking, I grabbed her arm pulling her to me which prevented her from falling. She smashed into my chest and my manhood which embarrassed me because I couldn't control my 'excitement'. My body reacted to her closeness and the bond. Just to make it worse, she pulled herself away from me slowly and I could swear she did it deliberately if I didn't know she hated me. She maybe did not notice what her bum smashed into, I thought. Yet she let me know that she knew where her bum hit when she glanced down at my crotch before sh

Alexander POV;Raphael and some of his vampires walked through the driveway surrounded by my men. Raphael and his vamps were our allies. They may have acted like friends sometimes, but I see them only as allies. He was an ancient vampire, at least five hundred years old. Vampires were immortal. Their power increases the older they get. They became faster and stronger with age, but their bloodlust increased as well. They were banned to walk the earth under the sunlight unless they had sunlight items such as necklaces or rings made by witches to protect them from sunlight. The reason for their curse was feeding on human blood. Raphael made a deal with my great-grandfather to be his ally in exchange for a piece of the country. The deal was made to prevent a potential war between our kinds. Raphael's vampires controlled the western area, making up approximately ten percent of our land. By controlling this land, he also controls our western borders. We live in symbiosis, but vampires and

River POV;Just minutes before midnight, I awoke to complete darkness but the shining digits and hands of the wall clock. My head was foggy, but I recognized the bed, the smell, and the warmth of the room. I was back in my cell-of-bedroom. Back as a prisoner. Throughout my life, I had never felt so helpless and lonely.I remember when my mother died, I felt that my world would end but the thought of not giving up honoring my mother kept me going. The feeling I felt being back in this bed against my will was nothing like that. Though, it was much uglier. I felt like I just let myself down, failed to protect myself, failed to honor my mother, and live the life she wanted for me. For the first time, I felt regret. Regret not listening to my sister, she really wanted to keep me safe and protected but I never wanted safe. Safe was boring. I had to be adventurous and stuck my nose in every adrenaline-kicking experience. I regret helping Antonio because if I didn’t, I would be safe with my

Alexander POV;"You may go on a tour if you want," I told River when I noticed her scanning the castle from upside as we walked down to the house. "But take Tino with you," I added."Who is Tino?" she asked. "Antonio, it's his nickname," I explained, and she nodded. He offered to be her personal guard, not because she needed a guard or anything but because we wanted to keep an eye on her. "No I don't want to," she replied in an unconvincing tone. "you said something about evidence yesterday. I am still waiting," River impatiently said while walking through the front door. I felt Robert's presence by the sound waves and was still worried about her seeing him. "If you change your mind on the tour, call my name, I will hear you wherever you are in the house. Looks like you are on your own for a while, I will go check the evidence you asked for,""No Alex, not a chance. You are not locking me down in this room again. You take me with you or else..." "Chill with the threats, baby girl A

River POV;Alexander was right. I did feel what I saw was the truth. An answer I had been waiting for but definitely not what I wished for. When Amanda started her spell, I felt like I was pulled away from reality into some kind of loop, couldn't find a way in or out, and life spun around me. Yet I felt safe somehow, it was like going to sleep after a rough day, the feeling of losing control into comfort. Suddenly, I was thrown to a foreign place, snow covering everywhere, yet I felt warm. The sky above me cracked open and blood flooded the whole place coloring the snow to red, yet blood didn't touch me. I looked above me to see an old man who I mysteriously knew was my father. The blood flooding where I was standing was coming from his hands. I tried to call him out, but he didn't respond. I begged him to stop, the feeling of discomfort increasing inside of me. I cried and sobbed begging him to stop, said ‘dad, please stop’ but he didn't hear me. The blood flooding everywhere next