Her cold, beating heart

Chapter 5: Mate - but for how long?

***A/N*****
We'll have some different POV's this chapter and the next.

Things are starting to escalate.

Happy reading.

Until next time, your author, AJ

****CHAPTER****

Queen Rosalind's POV

As I make my way to the cells, I can feel my body and mind calming, my eyes returning to their natural colour instead of blazing red. I take a breath, the tightness in my chest dissipating.

As I round the corner to the cells, I'm suddenly struck by a feeling of dread, fear, and pain, actual pain in my heart. I stumble slightly on the ground but recover quickly as I make my way to Esme's cell. What the hell is going on?

“My queen, where is she?” Esme asks, searching behind me for Eden, I assume. 

“Your little girlfriend isn't here. I'm afraid, commander. I dropped her off at Lucians' room. We both know she won't be the same after that.” I say, smiling. She thought she could take my property, my play things? No, that'll teach her. Although something is happening inside me, those feelings of dread and despair returning. Is that regret?

As I look at Esme, I can see the fear in her eyes. It somehow hurts to see it. She tried to claim what was mine! she doesn't get my sympathy. 

“No, Ros. What, what have you done? She'll never forgive you. She'll never accept you. What have you done?” I can hear the tremble in her voice. This confuses me. Never forgive me? Why would I care? She's just a human.

……..

“You do know, I know you know. Rosalind, she's your mate. You know this. You need to get her befo”

“ENOUGH” I shout. “She is not my mate. She is nothing but a blood bag. She is not my mate. A human? A human mate? No, it's a mistake, there is no such things as human mates. It's a trick of some sort by her," I fume. "Vampires can only have vampire mates, you know this.” 

Esme slumps to the floor, looking up at me with pity. Her words are soft, quiet, like it pains her to say it. “You know what I say is true. Your eyes, they glow gold. I know you've seen it. She can't make that happen. She's your mate. . .was your mate. I guess it doesn't matter now. Can you feel it? I can.” She looks up at me at this, locking her eyes with mine, I'm sure she can see the shock on my face, I'm doing nothing to hide it. It can't be, she knows it, I know it. It just can't be.

“You know that as commander and your personal protector that I am bound to protect your mate.” She looks away from me as if it hurts to look at me now. “I felt it straight away, you know. As soon as you knew in your throne room, on that very first day, I knew."

My eyes widen at her confession. She feels it, too? But it can't be. That can only happen if she is my mate, but she can't be.

"The connection for me is getting weaker. I can only imagine what it feels like for you. I hope you know what you've done. There's no turning back after this. She'll never forgive you. . . . . You'll die, Ros.” 

Is that what this is? The pain? The dread and sorrow? The fear? The hopes of death. Am I feeling her emotions? Am I feeling our bond fracture? 

I don't know what to do, I can't have a human mate. No one has ever had one before. I'm a queen, my mate must be strong. But these feelings, my eyes. I can’t deny it any longer. “What have I done?” I whisper out. “She is my mate, I can feel it, I can feel it all.”

“Go, go now.” Esme shouts, standing up. “You need to save her.”

I run, I run faster than I have ever run in my life. It's been too long, I left her there at least 30 minutes ago. The things you can do in 30 minutes. I feel my stomach drop at the thought. What have I done?