My Vampire Mate

Chapter 7

"I'm fine, Ruby, really." I tried to convince my lady-in-waiting that I was alright for the umpteenth time today. After breakfast when I had been sweating like a pig and suffering terrible stomach pain, she had never left my side unless she was leaving for medicine. 

Little does she know that nothing could help me. I had suffered through it all night, and I accepted that I'd suffer even more until I reject Drew. 

If I ever thought that the thought of marrying Nathan brought me pain, I wasn't feeling anything in comparison to the pain I felt when I thought about rejecting my mate. 

I keep telling myself that it will be better once I do it, but I feel like I'm fooling myself. 

Why was the 'mate bond' doing this to me? I didn’t ask for a mate. I'm human! How is a vampire thing affecting me? 

I couldn’t take it. I needed to go investigate and learn how to break this bond, but Ruby wont leave my side and she was making it difficult. I even tried to order her to leave, but she pulled the big guns. She left and got permission from my parents to dismiss my order to be left alone because I'm 'ill'. If they even knew. 

I knew she was a  caring person, but she needed to know that leaving me alone would make my ‘recovery’ come faster. 

"You know I cannot leave you until you are well, Princess Amber. The king and queen's orders." 

I groaned inwardly as I plopped down on my bed. I felt like a damn cat going into heat. My skin was covered in a layer of sweat, and even after five showers it only got worse. 

Ruby placed another cold rag to my forehead and I wanted to bark at her and tell her I didn’t have a fever, but I knew it would do no good. 

Maybe they'll start thinking that I'm delusional. 

It made me wonder if Drew was feeling the same thing I was. Did he remember what happened last night? I sure hoped not. 

I didn’t need this rejection to be harder than it should. The very thought of rejection caused another surge of pain to break through my stomach, and my body stiffened as I waited for it to pass over. 

"You poor thing," Ruby mumbled after seeing the discomfort on my face, as she brought the cold orange juice to my lips. I turned my head away. 

"I don’t want orange juice," I said in a low voice, feeling as if I'd cry any minute. I've known Drew for less than a week, and he has almost made me cry two times already. 

I hate that vampire. 

"What do you want then?" Ruby asked with a look that said she'd do anything to make me feel better. 

This sparked an idea in my head that I’m pretty sure could buy me enough time to get what I needed. 

I thought of something that might not be in the palace. Then it hit me.