Steven POV :

It was a shock to me to know that Nika has been planning on bringing my family and I down.

But Erica, Erica saved my family regardless what have done and said to her. She might be a human but she has conscience, she knows when to keep humanity and vampirism aside and do the right thing.

Deep down I regret my actions, I've deeply made her suffer. If I knew she came to my castle by chance to save my family and I, I wouldn't have treated her the way I did.

I'm such a fool, what am I going to do to gain her forgiveness knowing quite well she still wants me dead. Because deeply I don't understand.

You want me dead, Nika was a weapon for such and she exposed her. I truly don't understand Erica at all.

The only way to make her forgive me is to say sorry and show her I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

Right now I was in a room with Erica. She was laying on the bed unconscious. And I kept wondering what she drank or ate to make her cough out blood. It was out of the ordinary.

Deeply it pains me to see her like this. This sudden feeling unwrapped itself when she went out of her way to save my little family.

My hope is to see her okay, at least she's breathing that's enough for me to know that she'll be fine. Then came a knock at the door.

"Come in." I ordered and then stepped in the family doctor.

"It's quite unexpected to know you're caring for a human." He told me with a smug smile.

"Doctor do you want to loose your beating heart?" I asked him sternly not liking his resent spoke words.

The smile on his face dropped. "No Sire." He replied.

"Then do your fucking work and don't tell me what the fuck you're observing." I told him sternly and moved my gaze back to Erica.

"Yes Sire. I did some test on her to see that she drank a poisoned water."

"That isn't possible, the water given to her at the donjon wasn't poisoned at all." I told him.

"Your majesty enemies will always have their ways."

"But if she drank poison why wasn't it effective after 45 minutes?"

"The maker of such substance produced it that way." He told me.

To summarize everything. The person making poisons in my castle was Nika but Erica will never drink anything from her so just how?

"What can be done to get her back and healthy?"

"She need rest. Her blood cells was almost damaged. She needs to eat. I mean eat very good food and her diet should be supported with vitamins and minerals." He told me.

I kept staring at him for a minute.  "How do you know all this concerning a human."

"Sire I've got nieces and nephews who are humans." He told me with clear mind.
"I'll be on my way now," he said and left the room closing the door behind him.

I shifted my attention back on Erica. "Erica I'll take good care of you. I'll try to pay you back for all you've done. So please wake up," I said caressing her right hand in guilt.

Her right hand was so delicate and soft. And when I say soft. It was so so soft. I'm wondering how soft her body would feel in my arm. I stood up to stare at her closely. She was a beauty in sight, no man can resist such beauty not even I.

The first time I laid my eyes on her, I kept thinking how a human could be this beautiful. I removed a strand of her red flawlessly hair from her face and placed it behind her ears. I could now see her pretty face perfectly.

I badly wanted to see those blue brown piercing orbs of hers which were closed.
Those eyes of hers which intimidates me. She has long and natural eye lashes every women seeks. Small and straight nose and then her pick cupid plump lips I've craved to kiss the first time I laid my eyes on her.

Her lips were so kissable and suckable. I'll definitely kiss her if not now it must be later. Her lips are mine for the tasting, sucking and bitting. Gradually my fingers started to caress her cheeks, she might act all so strong but looking at her she's still human, she's prone to danger no matter how she defends herself.

Suddenly her eyes went wide open as I quickly stopped touching her.

"Gosh where am I?" She asked placing her right hand on her head, I could see she was feeling very dizzy.

"In the royal castle clinic room." I told her with a smile to see she has awoken. Unsuddend joy danced in my heart.

I don't understand why I'm smiling. I haven't smiled like this before, I haven't smiled this sincere all my life.

She quickly sat up placing her back on the bed board. As I took my sit beside her bed.

"Heavens, I feel sick. What did I drink?" She questioned shaking her head.

"The doctor said you drank a poisoned water."

"You've got to be kidding?" She asked now staring at me with widened eyes.

"I'm not."

"Did you assign a doctor for my case?" She asked perplexed.

"Yes, any problem?" I asked with a smile. I felt good she has shown me another expression other than a frown and a scary scowl.

She shook her head. "I thought you wanted me dead. Because this was the best time to do so. Don't forget I want you dead." She told me rigidly.

I stood up staring at her with a guilty face. "Erica. I'm deeply sorry, for all I've done to you, I deeply beg for your forgiveness. I'll seriously find out a way to make it up to you. I'm such a fool to treat you in such a mannerless way. I'm sincerely grateful for all you've done for my family and I. Please Erica I can keep begging and beggin, cause truly sorry." I pleaded as I quickly took her right hands in mine.

She kept staring at me not moved with my apology. And right then she laughed. Seriously, I was scared of her action and with what she'll say.

"You're wasting your time Sire. No matter what you'll do or say won't make me forgive you, not now not ever. So let go of me and stay away from me." She told me rudely snatching her hand away from mine and pushed me by my shoulder.

She dropped her feet back on the floor and was about to stand.

"Erica you need to rest." I told her softly standing up from where I sat.

"Oh please, I'm not a weakling for heavens sake." She answered and stood up only for her to sit back down on the bed.

"Erica be careful." I told her in fear of her being unconscious once again.

"Like you care."

"I do care," I said firmly.

"Please don't. I was only dizzy." She told me stubbornly.

Then I quickly cupped her face with both hands.

"Erica what if I prove to you I could be good? What if I prove to you that I can change for good? Would you change your mind of wanting to kill me? Would you forgive me and give me a chance to prove it to you." I requested from her.

She tried to remove my hands from her face but couldn't. I just kept staring at her brown eyes getting lost in them.

"You're only wasting you time." She told me emotionlessly.

"And I won't go down without trying at least."

"Try you luck." She replied.

"Appreciated. Let me peck your lips to show my appreciation." I told her staring at her lips and back at her eyes as she stares at me with anxiety.

"Don't you dare." She warned.

"Erica relax It's just a peck, a quick one at that. I just wanna taste your lips." I persuaded as I brought my lips closely to hers.

"Nooo, don't, I said don't." She kept saying but my mind kept saying " Kiss her, kiss her, don't you wanna taste her."

"Brother what are you doing." A voice came making me snap my head towards the door to see Emma staring at us in  confusion.

I removed my hands away from Erica's face and stood up right clearing my throat.

"I was just checking if Erica here, was fine. She dropped on the bed when she stood up. Isn't that true Erica?" I questioned her hoping she'll play along.

She rolled her eyes staring at Emma. "Yes." She answered plainly now getting up this time and stood steady.

"I thought you were arguing with Erica," Emma said walking towards Erica and held her right hand.
"I'm happy you're alive, I was going to loose it If you died." Emma spoke honestly.

"Don't worry, I ain't going anywhere." Erica told Emma patting her head.

"Brother, you see. I told you that Erica Is so nice." Emma told me proving her point to me.

"Indeed so true. From now on I'll listen to everything you say." I assured Emma as she smiled warmly.

"Alright, I've got things to do," Erica said leaving the room.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

I was done with kingdom work and it was evening already. I arranged the papers and went in search of Erica.

When I sighted her, I saw myself smiling for no reason. She sat on the grass resting her back on the castle pillar.

I quietly sat down beside her resting my head on her shoulder. All of the sudden I just want to be close to her. Drinking her sweet sweet blood did something to me and if I've got the chance to take a sip of it I'll definitely do it.

She stared at me in shock shaking her shoulder, wanting me to get off it but I gladly didn't.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked with that sweet voice of hers.

"Enjoying the night sky with you."

"Since when?"

"Since today. I've been thinking about your wellbeing. I want you to eat well. Please."

"Like you care?" She asked nonchalantly scoffing in the process.

"I've always cared but didn't wanna emphasize on it."

"Why?"

"Because of my subjects and councils." I told her honestly.

"Nice. I was wiped 50 times just to please them, Insulted just to please them. Slept outside just to please them."

"Yes I did so because I don't want you dead. I didn't want to kill you even though I was pressurize to do so."

"Just why?" She asked perplexed as I smiled enjoying such expression. I want to see more and different types of her face expression.

"Because a part of me can't. I just didn't want you dead even though you angered me most of the time. I like your guts." I told her with a smirk.

"Alright..." She answered being confused.

I quickly picked a liking to this face expression too.

"You look cute when you're confused, when you're perplexed and when you're angry." I blurted out without thinking.

"Get up." She told me sternly not being comfortable with my resent compliment.

And her reply got me chuckling. I felt happy doing so. This woman is something.

Making me feel different, always making feel strange.

"No, but in my condition."

"Isn't there any day you don't have a condition?" She asked as I could see her roll her eyes which made me smile brightly.

I won't lie, I feel very comfortable being close to her.

"You will have to choose between this two choices. Move into a room close to mine or move in with Linda and Rosa." I told her.

She'll definitely move in with the girls.

"None."

Her reply got me sitting up right and staring at her shock.

"You can't say that."

"Thanks for your hospitality. I'm a slave so I'm more comfortable laying outside as you declared." She told me mindlessly. Is she always this difficult or I made her this way towards me.

"Then I cancel my declaration."

"You must be joking."

"I'm not." I replied getting up on my feet "Guards." I called out as Christian and Greg came running. "Go tell Linda and Rosa that Erica is joining them." I told him and walked off.

I'll look for away to make you sleep in a room close to mine. It's just patience.
I'll do anything, I mean anything to make you forgive me but I'll take it slow and steady.

I'll get what I want, slow and steady wins the race.

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Wow. Steven took a new character.

He always wanted to be close to Erica but his big obstruction was Nika.

Who's happy that Nika is out of the picture? 😌

♍hey what Zodiac sigh is that?