It's dark already and the three vampires have become more energetic. They have been offering their help to the other warriors a lot. Although every time they did, warriors will squeal at their proximity.
Tomorrow is our last day on this island. We are just finishing things up before we leave. They plan to make this place a Pitchford station, but since the plan is not yet final, Princess Kissa's barrier around the island will do for now.
I grunt when I hear Princess Kissa moaning and screaming again. I cover my ears. She should stop being a screamer every time she is in her climax. For the goddess's sake, does she not get ashamed of it?! I've heard from Harbin the etiquettes of being a Princess, and this is not one of them! And damn that Theo! How dare he make her feel so good?!
'Because you don't want to be in his bed anymore,' my mind answers.
I shake my head at the frustrating thought. Thankfully, Inanna is approaching. As I spend more time with the vampires, I discover that they have a distinct presence from humans.
She sits beside me and comments, "Seems like your mate is making another woman very happy. Shouldn't you be the one with him instead?"
I sigh. "We're not good right now."
"As promised by the Blood God, vampires will have mates, too. He said that it's hard to control the need to be with our mates. In that case, I think, you have some impressive control," she praises.
I shift my attention to her. Her eyes are still disconcerting.
"You are looking at me," she comments.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
She grins. "I guess beauty is in the eyes of the beholder."
My smile disappears when Kissa screams Theo's name again. I grimace and I wanted so much to enter their tent and tell them to stop, even if I know that I have no right.
"If you are jealous, why not move further away from this place if you don't want to hear them?"
"Then I will have to move for miles so I won't hear her."
I glance at her. She looks like a human minus her eyes, but her presence is different. I think that I will sense her even before I see her. I wonder if it's the same feeling they give off to humans.
"With your presence, sometimes I forget that you are previously a human, too. As long as I don't see you."
She smiles. "I'm not different. I sometimes forget that I was a human too. It's just different. I am tenfold, or more, stronger. My senses are more acute. And with this added gift or curse, sometimes I forget how it felt to become a human."
I glance at her. There is blood on her shirt. "You've drunk from?" I ask, changing the topic.
"Oh," she says. She wipes her shirt, but it did nothing. "We hunted earlier for animal blood. It's not as satisfying, but it will do. Besides, like Gezer's lover, I don't want to feed on humans too. I could have died if not for Ninus. He force-fed me."
"Ninus is?"
"My younger brother."
"He's huge for a younger brother."
"He is. He got all the big genes," she jests.
She pauses, and all we did is stare at the sea in front of us. If only it is a little hotter, and if I am sitting with another werewolf, then I could have bet I am back in the hunting park.
"So, what's the plan?" she asks. "Are we going to be imprisoned once we arrive in Pitchford?"
"No. I am hoping they will assign you as night shift warriors."
"And?" she presses on. "The worries of others are valid. We are creatures of the dark. We might lose it, since we are pretty new to this power."
"You don't have to worry about it. Most of the Pitchford generals can take you down. Besides, we will be in an alliance. The King likes to share knowledge with you. They also plan to write a journal about it. So, if the Moon Goddess comes to take me, I will be prepared for it."
"Prepared to fight?"
"Honestly, I don't know. Fighting against it is the default reaction and, of course, I want to stay here. But… it is the Moon Goddess. Werewolves are loyal to her, so if I will be face to face with her, I don't know what I will do."
"You've been in the same position, right? They said the war between humans and werewolves happened because the Moon Goddess wants to walk this plane?"
"Yes, but I don't have any memories of that. I don't know what I was thinking back then."
She leans back and looks at the night sky as if she can perceive them. "Like Gezer, I also think that we are better off with you," she admits. "If you are an ancient Vessel, we can both help each other."


*****************
I wake up the next day with the sun already high. Even though I am the only one in the tent, I still feel tired and need more sleep. I exit the tent and stretch. Everyone is preparing to leave. Even the three vampires are working in the most shaded area of the island.
"Kaiya, we need to talk."
I whirl toward the voice and see Theo sitting on the ground on my right. "What is it?" I ask.
"Now that you regained your memory, maybe we can patch things up between us?"
"Some of my memories," I correct him.
And besides, patch things up? He wants me to forgive him? My forehead creases. Right now, I am unsure if I should forgive him or not. I know the motivations behind some of his actions. I can even understand some of them. And yet, it still scares me.
"The vow that we made are non-binding, especially now that I saw and understood what a real vow is."
It's true. The vows that I made with the vampires differ greatly from the vows I made with him. Still, I travel my eyes around. I need breakfast, or lunch, I'm not sure what time is it now. And so, I walk away, but he catches my arms.
"Kaiya, please. You need to talk to me."
I turn towards him and glance at the hands that are around my arm.
"What are you doing here, my King? If you need something from me, all you need is to utter a command."
"Kaiya…" He reaches for my face, but I pull away from his touch. "I might have withdrawn some information from you, but you are the same, too. You withdrew details from me before, too. You remember a part of your memories now. You know what happened between us. We already made two non-binding vows to be together."
"And fight our fate and the gods?"
"If only they will try to take us apart. That's what we promised to each other."
After a night of sleep, I remember that I have a soft spot for him before. I made it nonbinding because I don't want him to be bound by a vow that he might not want in the future.
On the other hand, the vow we uttered, while we were on a ship going to Pitchford, is done because I don't know better. I said the vow because I am attracted to him and because he is my mate.
"A more binding vow. I want that with you."
"No," I answer. "Why would you want that kind of vow, anyway? Do you want us to be imprisoned with each other?"
"For me, it's not imprisonment. I want to be entwined with you for as long as I live."
"Have you asked if it's the same with me?"
"Why won't it be? You sinned, I sinned. I forgave you and I am asking for your forgiveness."
"I can't be with you when you are with other women."
"That is why we are going to fight against that, right? We need to be freed, so there's no need for me to be King, no need for me to have other women."
"And yet, you make Princess Kissa so happy every night," I blurt out.
He blinks at that and I regret what I said, especially when I see understanding passes his features. "You are jealous," he mutters. "You are finally jealous!" he exclaims.
"I am not!" I deny.
He forces a kiss on my forehead and says, "She will be pregnant soon. You don't have to worry. Just tell me and I will all be yours now. The harem is flourishing and Kissa, I'm sure, will be pregnant soon, and then, there's only the two of us-"
I walk away from him. It's annoying, especially at the budding hope in my chest, as if all the pain in the past didn't happen!
"Kaiya!" he calls in a happier tone.
"I haven't forgiven you!"
"But soon, right?" he asks, catching my hand.
I snatch my hand from him. "Forgive you for what sin? There's a lot so I don't know which one anymore!"
"It's the same with me, Kaiya. I lost track of all the times you fooled me before. But I discover I will always forgive you. Same as you will for me, too."
I grimace. "I think I'd like to sleep again."
"That's fine. Maybe you will remember more. And then you will understand that you and I belong to each other."
"Just call me when we are going to leave!" I snap at him.