So sorry about the wait on this update. I had a lot going on so this had to wait. Thank you all for your patience. I hope you enjoy : )

Chapter 26

I felt the chill drift thru the room as his words sank in. If he died, I died as well.

How could this have happened?

I struggled in his grip as I tried to pull away, but his grip was painfully firm.

"That's not true!" I yelled. "You whipped me and you weren't harmed!"

I saw Jaiden's eyes darken even more at my words but all I heard was Vlad's dark laugh in my ear.

"That is because you are not as nearly as strong as I am. I can block any bit of pain from you whenever I want. The only thing I cannot stop is death itself."

He turned his attention back to the crowd.

"So what will you do… kill me AND her and loose this… 'salvation' you all have been waiting for? Or will you finally give in to what is eventually going to happen?"

The men froze and some looked around, obviously clueless on what they should do.

I still struggled.

"Don't worry about me! Get him!" I yelled at them but they remained motionless.

I felt tears come to my eyes as I watched the defeat slowly enter their eyes.

"Please…" I whimpered.

The men slowly lost their fighting stances and seemed to slump their shoulders in defeat. What was left of Vlad's men stood and smiled in victory.

"No…" I whispered as the men slowly began to drop to their knees.

I could feel Vlad smile in victory and felt him begin to stroke my hair.

"And so we begin our reign as King and Queen, my love." He whispered in my ear.

"No!"

I watched the men all slowly bow down in front of us.

"NO!" I screamed.

Something happened then that I never would have imagined. A power I never knew before suddenly flowed thru me. Hot and painful, yet I didn't scream. I embraced it. I cast Vlad away from me with the flick of my hand.

"Don't you dare touch me." I said to him.

Even my voice sounded different. Deeper yet lighter.

The men all suddenly stood yet backed away, looking afraid of me for the first time.

All but Jaiden.

His eyes looked brighter. Hopeful.

My eyes softened for a moment when I saw him.

"I love you" I mouthed to him, and then turned back to Vlad, ready to do what I had to.

He was on his knees, slightly confused for a moment, and then his eyes went wide as he took me in. He seemed speechless for the first time.

"Do not dare lay your filthy hands on me." I commanded. It felt as though my power was speaking and not me.

And for the first time I was glad to not have control over myself.

He snarled and stood.

"Your hands are just as filthy as mine, my queen."

"Not like yours. You are dirtied with the blood of thousands of innocent people who died for nothing but your own gain. You were born to be a king, yet you soiled the title for your own disgusted world. You are not worthy to sit on a throne."

He snarled.

"And you think yourself worthy to be a queen? A woman who wasn't even born a vampire! A woman who not that long ago was nothing but a pathetic human?"

I stood taller and I swear he seemed to shrink back.

"I was born a human… but died and was re-born to this form. My power has always been asleep inside of me, waiting." I half turned to the crowd, addressing them now as well.

"I am ready to step up as I was born to do. And if you are willing to accept me, I will not let my people down."

Vlad's laughter was cruel as it rang thru the room. I looked back to him.

"You think you were made to follow? A little girl with no power! No knowledge! I was made to be king! My blood is pure! I AM THE ONE WHO WILL RULE!"

I stood tall and faced him head on, looking into his red eyes as his own dark power rose in him.

"No. You will not."

Then it burst. My power overflowed from my body just as his did. I felt it for a moment, and I almost screamed at the contact. But I held my ground. I couldn't see anything but my own white light for several moments. I closed my eyes and let it happen.

After a moment, when I felt the darkness of his power subside, I opened my eyes and saw him on the ground.

I slowly walked towards him and took him in. He lay on the floor, arms stretched out. He looked petrified and couldn't move. His eyes held fear for what must have been the first time in centuries.

"I hope you enjoy this feeling of helplessness. That is the feeling you have given thousands of innocent people for hundreds of years. But no more. With my power, I have taken away your own darkness and sealed it within myself. You have no power."

His face snarled at me as he struggled to move.

"You… c-cannot kill me…" He fought to say.

"No… I cannot. But I don't have to. In your veins is the pure blood of vampires. You cannot die by lack of blood or age, however. So I have no choice but to imprison you."

His eyes went wide. "N-no!"

I gave him a soft smile. "Yes. To destroy you will mean I destroy myself. I will not leave my people to darkness as you have. I will do what you could have done. And I will do this while you are imprisoned. Hidden so no one will be harmed by you again."

Another blast of my power, and his eyes closed. I knew he wouldn't stay that way for long, but it would be long enough to do what needed to be done.

I turned to the crowd of men. All of them seemed to look at me with awe and wonder. I wondered what I looked like with this kind of power emanating from me.

Jaiden stepped forward, the only one not afraid.

"My Queen." He said about to drop down to his knees, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. I suddenly felt light-headed. Darkness was closing in on me.

I leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.

When I was done, he nodded.

"Yes, my Queen."

"Hurry." I said gently, and then darkness came over me.

…..

CLIFFHANGER! More to come soon with reviews : )