Prince Darrius

Chapter 39

We manage to escape... 

...after Xavier kills three guards and two innocent bystanders that happen to witness us running through the hotel towards a ground level exit.  

"I don't understand why those two onlookers had to be killed," I hiss quietly to Xavier, who just scoffs as we turn one last corner and head towards an emergency exit of the hotel.  

We stop by the exit and Xavier pulls his hood over his face, down low. He also puts on a pair of black leather gloves, covering every inch of skin. 

"The sun," he growls back at me, like he thinks I'm stupid.  

"I realised what you were doing," I snap back, fed up with him already. I tighten my hand on the gun, "What now? Where are you taking me?" I ask as he reaches to pull the exit door open. 

"I'm taking you back to the vampire palace," he grabs my arm when I hesitate to follow him and he drags me outside, pulling me over to the nearest manhole in the side alley way we just exited out onto.  

"What about Darrius?" I ask, yanking out of his grip, "We need to save him." 

Xavier chuckles in response and puts his hand on the small of my back when I try and put distance between us. He keeps his head lowered, out of the sun. 

"Sweetheart," he growls back to me in an amused tone, "You're not going to be saving Darrius. You're going back to safety." We reach the manhole and he lifts the lid with ease, "Down you go." 

I'm about to give in, not bothering with arguing with him when I remember... 

"My parents!" I gasp, taking a step away from the manhole I make a quick decision and point the gun at Xavier's middle, "You have to help me save them."  

"You think I'll help you while you're pointing a gun at me?" he asks. All I can see is his lips, and they are pulled back into a smirk.  

"You either help me get my parents out of wherever Greg Humphrey is keeping them or I shoot you if you try to force me down that manhole. Greg said he'd hurt my parents if I didn't do what he said," I explain. 

"Do what?" Xavier asks. 

"He... he wants me to publicly execute Darrius. Today. I have to somehow save Darrius and my parents." 

Xavier, who is still holding the manhole lid, throws it to the side and sighs impatiently.  

"I don't know where your parents are," he says, exasperated. 

"That's why you have to help me find them," I slowly lower the gun, he seems to be willing to talk to me now at least. 

"He'll hurt you if you try to escape?" Xavier rumbles, annoyed. After a moments silence he says, "Try to shoot me."  

"Um, what did you just ask me to do?" I keep the gun lowered now, worried for this vampires sanity. 

"Try to shoot me," he says, "If you can't escape, then there is only one choice left to protect your parents." 

"And what is that? Killing you?" I snap back, confused. 

"I said try, sweetheart," Xavier cocks his head to the side, a smile lighting his face up under the lowered hood, "We are going to make this look like an abduction. Scream a little too, it should help."  

"Who's watching?" I ask. 

"Whoever is in the hotel rooms above us," he said, "I fried all the cameras on this building, we need live witnesses. Hurry up, try and shoot me." There is such mockery in his tone, he really thinks I'm not fast enough to kill him.  

Beyond annoyed but seeing how he has a point, I raise the gun and pull the trigger.  

Boom!  

I jump as the bullet hits the wall and Xavier disappears in a flash of speed.  

I only have a moment to blink before he is behind me, he grabs my wrist, twists it, until I cry out and drop the gun and then he spins me around and throws me over his shoulder.  

"Scream," He hisses, as an unnecessary reminder and when I hesitate he slaps me on the ass.  

"Don't touch me!" I yell, real anger shining through, he was so infuriating. Then, knowing I have to do it to save my parents, I start to shriek as loudly as I can, "Help me! Somebody help me! Help!!!" 

I look up to the balconies above us and I see one or two faces peering over the balcony.  

"Heelllllppp!!!!!!" I scream one last time as Xavier gets down into the manhole, me on his shoulder. He climbs down fast.  

When we reach the bottom he starts to run.  

"Put me down! I can run myself!" I struggle and he keeps one arm tight around the back of my thighs. 

"I'm not going to deal with you trying to run off and save Darrius. Now shut up, I need to get you to safety."  

"Hurry up then!" I yell back.  

Because once I was safe again, I needed to save the people I loved most in the world.