REJECTING THE VAMPIRE PRINCE

ELEANOR'S POV

Words were not enough to describe the grandeur and elegance of the Nightshade Clan's castle.

As the superior species, it wasn't uncommon for vampires to have mansions and large properties, but this was another story entirely.

The high arches that were supported by well designed columns and the bright lights that winked at visitors mysteriously did more to intimidate me than to draw any of the awed gasps that the other girls couldn't seem to stop making.

I saw this mansion as nothing less than a well-furnished prison.

That these people, these so-called royals, had the nerve to make showing up at their stupid ball obligatory for every young woman who gets chosen was unbelievable.

I shouldn't have been here at this time but this Trojans forced me here. On weekends like this I would be hanging out with my friends, partying and going wild.

My brother Aaron had been furious when I received the summons. It had taken the combined efforts of my mother, my father, and myself to keep him from doing something that would ultimately get him killed.

I stumbled on the last step as I went up the spiral staircase, but I was spared the humiliation of falling by a steadying hand on my arm.

"I'd watch my step if I were you. It's a long way down."

I looked in the direction the voice came from, hazel meeting frosty blue as I tried to stare this stranger down.

Everything from the loosely pulled tie around his neck to the Valentino suit that fit his body a little too well carried the stench of arrogance and wealth. He was the type of guy my mom always warned me about.

"Thank you," I said stiffly, already beginning to walk away. The dark-haired man reached out and grabbed me again.

Wow, he is seriously pushing his luck.

"I don't believe we've met before. I'm Jaxon," he said smoothly.

"Eleanor," I snapped, yanking my arm out of his unwelcome grip.

God, why can't these guys ever take a hint? They think that if they wear expensive suits and Rolex watches, then they immediately own any girl.

Although judging by the little fan club of bumbling bimbos not too far from us, I'd say he's not just any rich boy.

A smirk tugged at his lips, and he took his time looking me up and down. He took a few steps towards me until he was standing so close that I could smell his cologne. I narrowed my eyes at him as I hurried to restore the distance between us.

"You do not know who I am, do you?"

"Damn it, I must've missed the lesson at school about guys who can't take a hint. I'm sure anyone of those girls aced that class though," I snarled with an obviously fake smile, nodding at the ever-growing group of girls behind him.

"Are you being serious right now? Is that the way you speak to your prince?" He teased.

I took a huge step back. Prince Jaxon. It finally clicked. The adoring fangirls, the accent, the wealth, the exceptional good looks-it all made sense now.

One of the most powerful vampires in the Nightshade Clan, not to mention the most infamous, was standing right in front of me. My stomach muscles contracted into a small, painful ball.

Jaxon's amused gaze rested on me expectantly. Goddamn, those eyes though.

I cleared my throat and walked away from the notorious prince, my head buzzing. I felt heavy with the weight of hundreds of eyes upon me.

A feeling of disappointment coursed through my veins almost painfully.

What has this world come to? People treating a murderer- a monster- like a god.

They worship and admire him as though he'd ever done anything for them besides murder their loved ones and steal all the things that rightfully belonged to them. Not me.

I wasn't comfortable being here, and the very thought of identifying myself with this type of person was not right.

He might have had all the wealth, prestige and power, but he had zero morals.

This awful prick was just trying to build up his harem, and I was his first catch.

I wasn't having any of it. I wanted to leave, but there was no place to run, not even a single place to hide. It seemed as if I was placed under constant surveillance.

I can't stand these vampires who find themselves attracted by the lure of a free brunch buffet on some ditzy blonde's neck.

And after that they must sleep in complete darkness or go to graveyards to rise again when the sun sets.

"How long are we going to be kept hostage?" I asked a random girl standing by.

"We'll have to wait until the Vampire princes choose their brides from among us."

"Then what happens to those who don't make the cut, they'll have to leave, right?"

"Nope. They usually do not return home, the might even disappear forever."

I had to ponder on what she said, I was so scared at this at this point that I no longer wanted to live anymore I just wanted to die off in other avoid getting mixed up with these horrible creatures.

From what I heard the courtship rituals are performed throughout the day and night but spawning typically takes place at night.

Looking around into the darkness I heard the faint sound of a strange voice calling out my name.

AVA'S POV

The gates of the castle opened to welcome me as I stepped into the formidable palace.

I could only picture a grandeur that only the Nightshade Clan would ever be capable of owning.

Paintings hung about the walls on every side, and I couldn't seem to pull my gaze away from them.

Their ghastliness and morbid nature only made them more alluring, which seemed to be the case for most things around here.

The uneasy feeling in my stomach persisted, so I gladly accepted the server's offer; a glass of red wine.

It occurred to me that these tall walls of stone that held up the castle mirrored the ones that surrounded these royals' hearts.

How lonely it must be to be living in a cold world that you fill with weapons and all things violent, never knowing the true meaning of happiness or love.

So lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice the young woman in front of me until her velvety hair was in my mouth.

"Umph!"

She whipped around to look at me, and I was a little awestruck by her beauty. She had olive skin the likes of which I could never achieve, aristocratic features that were framed by dark waves, and eyes the color of honey edged with a deep forest-green.

It took me a second to realize that those eyes were staring directly at me.

"Oh! Forgive me, I wasn't looking in front of me," I stuttered nervously as she continued to give me a thunderous glare.

"Obviously," she sneered. I recoiled slightly at her harsh tone. Her glare was very intimidating. But then the harshness faded and was replaced by a bright smile that lit up the whole room.

"No need to look so frightened. I was just messing with you," she laughed lightly. I sighed with relief.

"I'm Eleanor Moreno," she introduced herself whilst extending her hand towards me. I shook it eagerly.

"Ava Griffin," I reciprocated the gesture with a happy grin.

My first friend! I guess Dad was right; maybe coming here tonight would do some good. I had never been the social type, and most girls in town ignored my presence, anyway. The only friend I ever had was the goldfish my dad got me when I was six.

A mop of blond hair behind Eleanor caught my attention, and I froze when the vampire started approaching us. There were some telltale signs that came with vampires, aside from the fangs, obviously.

They're astonishing good looks for one, as well as the natural aura of power and dominance that oozes out of them. The crowd seemed to recognize his presence and parted slightly to allow him easy passage.

He was walking in our direction with such purpose that one might think he was going to save a life.

Eleanor's face became a mask of indifference as she followed my line of sight. He was a few feet away from us, and I dipped into a curtsy quickly, surprised when Eleanor didn't do the same and shook her head at me instead. Is she suicidal? It's common knowledge that you must curtsy to any vampire you come across.

"I'll see you later, Ava," was all she said before gliding away, leaving me alone with the man-the vampire.

I kept my eyes averted and my head down, not knowing how to proceed. He stared after her curiously for a moment. Fear and anxiety coursed through my veins as potential scenarios with this vampire ran through my head. I bit my lip.

"Would you give me the honor of granting me this dance?"

The way he asked made it seem like I had a choice in the matter, but I knew better than that.

Vampires always get what they want, to hell with the consequences. So, I did what any sane person would do. I smiled and nodded, still staring at the ground.

Long, slim fingers cupped my chin and tilted my head back to meet his face with a gentle but firm pressure. I fell into the fathomless eyes that were a thousand hues of blue with a touch of green radiating within them.

"There's no need to be afraid of me. Relax," he said calmly. My mind felt instantly at ease. All previous worries and fears were forgotten, and I was suddenly relaxed.

"There's no need to be afraid," I repeated automatically. The mischievous fellow smiled widely, revealing his dimples.

"Shall we?"

He offered his hand to me with a playful flourish as the blues music played and couples made their way to the dance floor eagerly.

The vampire and I stood at a respectful distance from each other. He had one of his hands on my waist and the other in my right hand, leaving my left hand to find its way to his shoulder.

He was rather tall, so I had to crane my neck to look up at him from my meager height of 5 '5.

"So," he began cheerfully, "does the pretty lady have a name?"

"Indeed, she does, but whether you are deserving of such valuable knowledge is yet to be determined," I responded.

He chuckled, turning his head to the side and allowing me a clear view of his impressive jawline.

"Well, perhaps you'll be more comfortable sharing after I have introduced myself." He twirled me around twice before he continued.

"I'm Axel Reeves."

My eyes widened to the size of saucers. He was a prince; arguably one of the most powerful men in the world. The Reeves family was the founding family of the Nightshade clan and held in very high esteem amongst all the other vampire clans.

He watched my reaction carefully.

There was a small part of me that was screaming to get away from this dangerous man, but it couldn't seem to break through the numbing calmness I was feeling. So, instead of running away, I returned the gesture.

"Ava Griffin," I said softly.

"Ava. Is that short for 'Avery' or something?"

"No, it's just Ava."

"Well, just Ava," he stated, lowering me into a dip and laughing when I squealed, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The song ended, and we, along with all the other couples on the floor, stepped away from each other. The men bowed, the women curtsied, and then most went their separate ways. Prince Axel, however, seemed to have other plans.

Before I had even taken a step off the dance floor, he clamped a hand on my wrist gently and began steering me out with a grin.

AVA'S POV

"Hey, what the hell are you..."

Immediately he raised a hand to my lips and forced me to keep quiet.

We walked through the crowd with ease; they all moved aside and bowed their heads in respect. As soon as we were out of the ballroom and in a less crowded hallway, he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Close your eyes," he mumbled, his gaze roaming the hallway as he ducked his head every few seconds.

"Why?" I asked with furrowed brows.

"Just trust me."

I gave him a stern look. There was still a nagging voice in the back of my head telling me; screaming at me not to trust him, not to go with him, but I was too relaxed to bother thinking about why. My eyelids fell shut. Axel's grip tightened, and there was a gust of wind. Then it was quiet.

The music that had once been so loud that my eardrums felt like they were about to burst was now faint and soft. It wasn't stuffy anymore with the smell of alcohol all around me. I opened my eyes and felt my lips part in surprise.

We were standing on a balcony that overlooked the lake. Even in the dark, it was a sight to behold.

The surface of the lake reflected the stars in the sky, as well as the lights from the mansion, making it a shining wonder.

Despite the glowing surface, it still had a certain depth to it that made it even more beautiful.

"Wow," I breathed.

"Wow," Axel mimicked, but something about the way he said it made me think we weren't talking about the same thing.

I felt my face heat, and I was thankful for the dim lighting. It was so quiet, so peaceful. The chirping of the crickets was much better than the obnoxious chatter of everyone inside. Parties are really not my thing.

"Why did you bring me here?" I spoke quietly, not wanting to sound confrontational.

He didn't respond for a bit, so I turned to look at him. In the moonlight his features were soft, almost angelic. The gold of his hair, the paleness of his skin, and the brightness of his eyes made him look so innocent.

"You seemed like you could use a minute away from all of that," the prince said finally, dimples on display. I hummed in response.

"So, how did we get here? One minute we were in that hallway and the next..."

"I brought you," he said simply.

"But....." I was interrupted when the door flew open with a loud bang, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.

"Jaxon..." Axel said exasperatedly, looking over my shoulder. When I turned around, my jaw dropped. Well, figuratively dropped.

The man standing at the door was easily the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes upon, but also the most intimidating.

With his curly black hair, icy blue eyes, and impressive figure, he seemed perfect. The only flaw on his face was his irritated scowl as he pulled a cigarette between his lips.

"Dad is mad at me again," he muttered to Axel, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Jax, I thought you promised you'd behave tonight. What the hell did you do this time?" The blond responded with a frown. Jaxon walked closer to Axel and rolled his eyes.

"Let's just say it involves me and a certain lady from the Bloodworth Clan. I'll spare you the details, brother," he sneered, blowing smoke in Axel's face. Brother?

"Jaxon...you know how much this ball means to mother. She wanted us to............."

But Jaxon wasn't listening. His eyes had travelled to me amid his brother's speaking, and I noticed his gaze roam my body from top to bottom. I felt myself flush deeply.

"And who might this beauty be?" He reached for my hand and lifted it to his lips in a chaste kiss.

Axel glared at him.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to please two princes in one night, wouldn't you, angel? Few girls get that honor."

I snatched my hand away from him in disgust and pushed past him, ignoring Axel calling my name.

This was becoming more unbearable. I definitely do not understand how I got into this unholy union with this awful guy. I felt that this was just plain wrong; something was not adding up.

In being captured and taken down here, I was tricked into visiting this mansion.

Everything inside me fought against it, but an external force kept pulling me towards an attraction.

I felt I had lost it at this point and there was no going back for me.