Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}

Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}: Chapter 22

I'd almost forgotten how idyllic Nox Aterrima was when it wasn't shrouded by dark, thick smoke. It was a 45-minute drive to Medina's tailor shop, which I hadn't visited since before my wedding, so there was plenty of time to capture in how the clouds sat high in the sky and trees danced in the light breeze. The area her shop was located didn't look damaged at all, I was relieved, glad she was unharmed. She'd been extremely nice to me and I'd have felt terrible if she, like many other people, had been caught up in all of this when she was innocent.

The second Medina heard the door open, she was over to us- well, over to Alexander- in the blink of an eye. She pulled him into a hug and started cooing and stroking his hair. She was beaming as she took a step back from him and took in his appearance.

"My boy, I'm so glad you're back and okay, when the King told me the news I could scarcely contain myself. If that brute from Drecott dared not return you, he would've had hell to deal with! It looks like they took good care of you wherever you're staying at, yes?"

When I caught sight of Alexander, he was blushing, with a bashful expression. He looked so adorable, I almost wanted to coo over him too!

"They're doing a great job, thank you for asking, and thank you for your concern. I'm thrilled to see you and your business are okay too," he answered formally.

Medina shoved him playfully, "look at how much you've grown and matured! Your mother would be so pleased!"

Alex nodded.

Medina then turned to the rest of us, "you all look great and well too! I'm glad. Are you all holding up well too? Considering the circumstances?" She didn't actually give us time to respond and continued to speak, "when I got the call that you would be coming to get some clothes fitted for the interview I was over-joyed. I'm so delighted to see you all again."

She was still as bubbly as ever and seemed to occupy a special spot for Alexander, which I hadn't witnessed before. It was so endearing to see. I'd never seen him so bashful and so red before. They were closer than I initially thought.

We had to get re-fitted because of changes in our weight. We'd all definitely lost some, despite the food at the base supposedly being a balance of all the necessary nutrients. Alexander, of course, had lost weight due to Austin probably starving him. Regardless, Medina was going to make our clothes for the interview, so we needed to be fitted anyway.

"Hm, we'll go for..." she'd lined us up and stood back with her hand on her chin and narrowed her eyes, analysing us, "contemporary, yet formal. You're all young, and we don't want to put people on edge with you all dressed like you have bad news. This will be easy! I already have some clothes in the back. I'll tailor them to your needs. But I want all of you in black shoes, girls, black pumps, and gold jewellery. That's all I request, I'll handle everything else."

We said our quick goodbyes and it was on to the next shops for shoes and accessories, then we were done and we'd have to go back.

After buying shoes and accessories, which was a lot quicker and a lot more boring than I would've liked.

"Let's get some food," Jayden suggested as he started up the engine. "Real food, not that crap back in that prison in the hills."

"I, for one, agree. The food in that place has less flavour than cardboard," followed Alexander.

"You've barely been there!" Leandra shot back.

"Doesn't cancel the fact that the food tastes like dirt."

I smiled, silently agreeing, and missing these petty arguments we repeatedly used to have.

Charlotte eventually gave in, since we still had a couple of hours left before we had to go back. She and Leandra were adamant we all ate something that would definitely fill us up, and that it couldn't be fast food. Masashi No Shinden was completely off-limits as that was pretty close to the coast and we weren't allowed to go that far out.

"Hey, what was that small restaurant you took me to one time, Leandra?" Enquired Jayden.

Leandra perked up beside me, "the Jamaican one? Yes!" She turned to me, "you're Jamaican too, aren't you Arianne?"

"Jamaican and Nigerian."

Leandra was quick to replace Jayden as the driver and took us to the Jamaican restaurant they spoke of.

I hadn't actually had a lot of Jamaican food in my life because my parents never actually cooked for me. I sometimes bought it when I went out, and I liked it. It was the same with Nigerian food, but I could never remember the names.

It was a swift 30-minute drive, and I felt ten times safer with Leandra behind the wheel- in fact, I felt safer with anyone besides Jayden driving.

*

The food was delicious and very much needed. It was a change from the usual Japanese food we ate when we, rarely, dined out.

Things were really beginning to feel back to normal between us again.

"We have to hurry home now, it's been almost 4 and a half hours and Alexander needs his-"

"I know!" Alexander snapped at Charlotte again.

Alex must've caught sight of my concerned look because he was pulling me in for a cuddle as I sat beside him in the car. He felt cold again, even though the weather outside was nice.

As the drive progressed, I felt Alex's grip around me grow tighter and tighter until I almost couldn't take it anymore; he was crushing me. I glanced up at him after slowly manage to wiggle myself to the side, only to see that his eyes were now red like they were in the hospital.

"Alexander?" I whispered cautiously, in case he was back to how he was in the hospital... when he tried to bite me.

My neck was right there, available for the taking and I wouldn't even be able to fight him off me. Well, my whole body was there so that was even worse. What could anyone else do to stop him? It would be too late.

His crimson eyes darted down and locked onto my own and almost immediately, a frown quickly formed on his face. His left eye twitched a couple of times before he blinked furiously, and his eyes were back to normal. His deathly grip also loosened. The frown he was wearing was swiftly replaced by confusion for a few seconds, and then guilt.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

He took his arm from around me, presumably no longer wanting me to cuddle me so he couldn't hurt me again. So I rested my head on his lap instead, and his whole body tensed up. From the corner of my eye, I could see his hands raised up in a rather defensive way probably because he probably didn't know what to do with them. He slowly placed one on my shoulder and his body loosened up once again.

I didn't want him to be scared to be near me, no matter what it was going on with him right now. This was Austin's fault, and he wasn't going to win this.

The second the elevator doors opened at the base, Alexander disappeared almost instantly.

"Give him an hour, and he'll be back to his old self in no time," said Charlotte with a slightly assuring pat on the shoulder.

Alexander didn't come to my room that night. But it wasn't like I wasn't going to see him again tomorrow in the car on the way to our interview.

The alarm actually went off that morning, which led me to believe that either Iyeong or General Cory Phaeus had it turned off. There wasn't a sole thing that went down in this place that they didn't know about. It was Alexander's first night out of the hospital so maybe they wanted to allow him to rest a little.

I had to wear the same clothes I wore the previous day because we again, we couldn't all go out in the clothes they were provided here in case we were detected by the public. We had to 'keep up appearances no matter what'. I didn't mind wearing the same outfit consecutively, Henrietta, on the other hand, was fuming according to Leandra.

Again, we weren't all in the same cars, in case something happened. Instead, I was sharing with Leandra and Leyton. I hadn't even seen Alexander before we left.

At the interview location, a vast house in the hills away from all the fighting and danger, we got ready for our TV interview. Medina was on site ready to make any alterations if need be, and everyone was there. The women would get dressed in one room while the men were in another.

I came out wearing black tailored trousers and a light blue blouse, along with the shoes and accessories we bought yesterday. Everyone was in similar clothing with very pastel-like clothing. I guess this was what Medina had in mind when she said she didn't want to place people on edge by the way we were dressed. It was semi-casual and I liked it.

On the way out, just by the door, were two gold tiaras: one for me and one Henrietta. I'd only worn a tiara twice since I'd arrived, that would make it the third. That may also have been why Medina wanted us in gold jewellery. However, it seemed a little... odd, considering the way we were dressed.

"Medina, I'm not complaining, but why are we wearing tiaras for an interview?" Henrietta had asked the question before I could, taking the one closest to her and putting it on.

"For a bold statement of power that says: we're here and are in control. It'll be reassuring to the people," Medina answered, her yellow eyes shone. I guess it was a statement that reassured her too.

She handed me my tiara to put on then we were off to the interview room. The men were already in there, stood to the side behind the cameras. The King had on his crown and Alexander had on a coronet (if I remembered correctly).

There were eight chairs lined up alongside each other in front of the sea cameras and a special one at the end for Kurt.

The man from the previous interview we did, Kurt, approached me and bowed. He said some friendly words and assuring us not to be nervous, the questions won't be difficult. His grey eyes were so piercing that they didn't do much for reassurance. It wasn't his fault, of course.

We were all gathered up and informed of which seats to be sat in, how the cameras worked and how the interview will happen. It would be a group interview first, and then smaller groups.

Alexander smiled, "I haven't done one of these in a while. You look nervous."

Nervous wasn't even the word to begin to describe how I felt about this. Interviews were always so sudden, I never even got the chance to prepare myself mentally.

"I am."

"Don't worry, remember: persuade the audience you're confident, even if you're not."

I remembered him telling me that before. It was easy enough for him to say, I didn't think I'd ever get used to being interviewed when so many people can see.

He chuckled and clasped my hand, "it'll be fine."

There was something off about all of him today, considering yesterday's odd behaviour and him practically avoiding me until now. Why was he so happy without warning? What happened? And his eyes... They were a much deeper purple than usual, they looked fake, like contact lenses.

"5 minutes!" I overheard a voice from somewhere in the set call out.

Alexander steered me over to my chair and then sat in his own, everyone else soon followed and finally Kurt came and sat down too.