Killing Softly ✞ (gxg)

22 | bathtub

The Queen's heels clicked against the marble steps as she ascended the staircase with a slightly worried Lily following right behind her.

"So, did that go smoothly?" the girl timidly asked as she held the end of her dress up to keep it away from her feet that were desperately trying to keep up with the vampire who possessed long legs and superhuman speed. She still had not gotten used to those stairs.

"Smoother than it could have gone," Rose spoke, her head arched slightly upwards as she ruminated everything she possibly could—both of the Dukes at the guillotine, what her royals might truly have been thinking, what the commoners will say when the Dukes and Duchesses go back to their villages and spread the word. Everything swirled in her mind, her brain occasionally plucking one out of the mary-go-round to chew on it a little longer.

Not feeling satisfied with the rather curt answer, Lily pressed, "So, you think they all agree?"

Rose pouted her lips, trying to focus on the girl's question instead of the millions she was asking herself. "Some do. Others are hesitant to go along with me, but after seeing what happened to the Duke of Katsbury and the Duke of Gainesville, I think they will play along just fine."

Lily chewed her lip and felt her stomach turn as she imagined the guillotine, probably hidden away somewhere in the deep dungeons of the castle, its blade hungrily slicing down the middle of its frame and chomping right into a vampire's neck, their head bouncing off their body. It caused her to remember the sight of Jasmine's severed head, which was one of the most gruesome things she had ever experienced.

"But with their armies protecting their own lands, and with more soldiers added to mine, I feel confident that we will win this battle."

Lily watched Rose walk in front of her, admiring the way her dress fit tightly on her body and highlighted her slender, feminine form. Her golden crown resting atop her pinned-back chestnut hair led to her chiseled jawline that still retained its femininity even while being muscular and strong. She was literally perfect, a goddess walking right before her.

As they ascended the staircase, Lily wondered what war will be like. She had witnessed the vampires completely conquer 7 billion humans in a span of less than two days, so she figured this war would happen even faster. She couldn't imagine vampires being as hesitant and slow as humans, having a little battle here and a little battle there, surrendering and forfeiting and making it drag on for years. Vampires were too hasty, too impatient, and literally faster than humans. War would come upon them fast and go fast, as well. She liked that idea better, anyways, because she would despise the anxiety that would come with having to wait so long for it all to be over.

What would be even worse was waiting to know if Rose would survive it or not. Lily of course had faith in her and confidence in her. She had seen for herself that Rose was incredibly clever and physically superior over every other vampire, but she was worried nonetheless.

She remembered the sight of Rose on that surgical table after having been shot with silver, slowly dying, her skin turning into paper, her body deflating as her superhuman strength left her. She remembered the dreaded feeling inside of her then, and that was before she had learned that she was her mate. Now, after they had become so much closer in such a short span of time, thinking about anything bad happening to Rose made her want to die right along with her.

How would one even go about living without their mate? She assumed it would be something she could never recover from, if she didn't die from heartbreak first. As she and Rose stepped onto the third floor and began walking down the corridor, side-by-side, Lily couldn't tear her eyes away from her. She couldn't get enough of her—her flawless skin, beautifully shaded cat-eyes, her plump lips that were painted dark red. She was the epitome of everything beautiful in the world, the pinnacle of perfection at every angle and curvature of her being. The way she walked, talked, and breathed made Lily's heart flutter and twist and crumple up just from the shock it received at the sight of her beauty and majesty. It made her chest swell and her stomach flip, all her nerve endings pulsing and setting on fire.