Camilla’s POV

What in the seventh wonder of the universe was happening? I had fallen from the frying pan into the fire, and I was burning to a crisp.

There was no way I would ever make a deal with the Lord of the Vampire Court. The person who turned me into a vampire and ruined my life.

He was watching me with the eyes of a predator, his eyes searching for any signs of hesitation on my face.

I swallowed dryly. Why would he want me to follow him? What would the deal entail? Would I end up as his blood bag? His feeding source?

Would he take me to the Crystal Glass Court, the highest vampire court where he ruled? Whatever deal he was speaking of, I was sure it had to be a terrible one.

“I can see that you prefer the idea of going to jail. Perhaps I was mistaken." He said in a dry tone, then turned on his heels.

Mr. Sanders immediately shot to his feet and grabbed my neck. My eyes widened in surprise.

“You bitch. First you steal from me and then you try to ruin this opportunity for me too? Call him back or I'll strangle you on the spot." His eyes were red, and the vein on his forehead was bulging.

I gasped and choked for air that wouldn't come, and my muscles were going slack.

Carlos was soon disappearing down the hallway, and I wondered if he would turn to intervene on my behalf. Now I really needed his intervention.

Mr. Sanders tightened his grip on my neck, and because I didn't want to die, despite how much I hated the life I was living, I whispered a weak okay.

He let me go, and I landed on the floor like a sack of oats.

“I say yes to your deal!" I sounded like a mouse, but it was all I could manage.

Fortunately, Carlos heard me. He stopped suddenly in his tracks, and turned.

His gaze was both cold and hot at the same time.

“Get her, and get rid of him." He ordered his escorts.

In a flash, two of his escorts appeared by my side and one turned my neck to inject me with something.

I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out, because I was already losing consciousness.

When next I opened my eyes, it was in a dark room. I rubbed my neck and winced. Whatever I had been injected with, it was something strong. The spot still throbbed.

I shut my eyes and tried to recollect myself. I looked around, forcing my sharp vampire sight to study the room.

A sharp wave of terror came over me when I noticed the portrait of Carlos Rain hanging on the wall.

I swung my legs down, heading for the door. I needed to get out of the room. Wherever this place was, I needed to find my way out of it.

As soon as I got to the door, it burst open and I ran into a hard, solid wall of muscle. The impact stole the air from my lungs and I gasped.

A strong hand was already wrapping around my middle, steadying me and plastering me to his body even harder.

Carlos!

He was looking down at me with an unreadable expression. He smelled of rain and pines and sandalwood. For a moment, we only stared at each other.

Then he hardened his jaw and let me go. I nearly lost my balance again and I cursed under my breath.

“You were trying to run away, weren't you?” He asked in a steeled tone.

I scoffed. "I apologize for obeying survival instincts."

"Now that I know you're awake and strong enough to run away, the court's matron will be here to attend to you.” He didn't spare me a second glance as he turned his back on me and left.

Now, I couldn't even run away even if I wanted to. He'd said the court's matron. That meant…I was in the Crystal Glass Court! The highest vampire court.

I didn't even have the time to process that fact, because an unsmiling woman appeared in the hallway and was walking towards me.

She eyed me up and down when she reached me and thinned her lips.

“I can't imagine why his majesty would want you to participate in the Maiden Selection.” She muttered this with disgust, her nose wrinkling to show her distaste.

"Maiden Selection? What's that?” I asked her confusedly, stepping away from the door so she wouldn't knock me out of the way with her broad shoulders as she passed.

She turned to me and sniffed the air for a few seconds.

"You're not Bloodborn, yet he wants you to participate in the Maiden Selection tonight." She threw the word Bloodborn at me as if it was a heinous crime to have not been born a vampire.

"What is happening tonight? Why am I in this room?”

She rolled her eyes. "His Majesty seems to be interested in you, Bloodturned, but I don't care about you at all. Stop asking childish questions and shut that door!” She yelled at me.

I went to shut the door, then leaned against it. I was confused and out of my element.

What was this nonsense talk about the Maiden Selection tonight and what did it have to do with me?

I was a Bloodturned vampire who had never stepped foot in a vampire court. I didn't know their traditions or understand their lifestyle because I hated to admit I was just like them.

Plus, I was an abomination. Bloodturned weren't respected in the courts, and they were at the bottom of the chain.

“The Maiden Selection is when the King of the court picks his bride, and you are joining the queue tonight. Now, save my time and do as I say.” Right after she issued the stern order, she forced me into the bath and turned me into something I only read about in fantasy books.

I looked like a goddess. My hair had been pulled up in a tight braid, but curly strands were left to drop down the sides of my face.

The gown I was wearing had to be the finest material I had ever worn, with a plunging neckline and a corset material that threatened to snap my ribs.

The matron leaned down to whisper in my ear.

“He will never pick you, Bloodturned. We don't let abominations like you in our court." She gave me a crooked smile in the mirror.

I said nothing. I didn't even want him to pick me. I had spent years running away from that night. I wasn't very excited about ending up as the bride of the vampire who turned me.

The matron grabbed me by my elbow and jerked me to my feet. Vampires had unnatural strength, and I wasn't surprised when she pulled me to my feet with just one jerk.

“I will lead you to the court, but know this; you must not look twice at him. If you bat your eyelids at him, I'll find you after and deal with you." Though her threat sounded scary, it sounded like a good plan.

I had no intention of batting my eyelids at him.

The Crystal Glass Court looked exactly like its name. It looked like it would crack the moment I stepped my foot on the first stair that led to its entrance.

Sparkling glass walls, sparkling glass tiles, glass tables, glass chairs. How could there be a place right under my nose in New York like this?

I held my breath at the sight of Carlos sitting on a gleaming massive, glass throne. He was wearing a strange attire I had never seen before.

It didn't look like what a CEO of Rain Empire would wear, but it made him look even more royal and intimidating.

There was a long queue of maidens dressed in even more daring dresses than mine.

Heads turned my way, and immediately whispers and murmurs filled the court. The matron pushed me to the end of the line.

The other maidens eyed me warily, but I didn't mind. I tried to ignore Carlos' hot gaze on me, even though I was at the end of the queue.

A stout man with pale white face marched forward and went to climb the dais that led to Carlos' throne.

“Now, His Royal Majesty will make his selection." He declared in a loud voice with outstretched arms.

I rolled my eyes. His Royal Broodiness would pick some pretty, perfect Bloodborn vampire maiden and I would go back to the room and plot my escape.

Without looking at the other ladies, Carlos rose from his chair, and in that deep, sensual voice of his, spoke the words that I knew would damn me.

“I have made my choice," He began. I began to chew my nails, and I saw a vampire lady dressed in red frown at me.

“My choice is the maiden at the end of the line." Carlos announced.