Flashback **

"I didn't expect you to run away like that," Blood Devil smirked at he saw Vladimir near the boundaries of the Vampire Kingdom.

It appeared like Vladimir had found out that Sera was his mate and he wanted her. Blood Devil thought it was better to dispose him off. Vladimir had never shown any skills like Sera. The warlock was nothing more than a puppet for him to play his role.

But Blood Devil knew that after knowing about his mate, Vladimir would not sit quiet. He would try to get her back at every cost. Besides, Vladimir carried some secrets of Vampire Kingdom that only a king should have knowledge of. No matter how Blood Devil looked at it, Vladimir was a mere hindrance in his path.

Also, the way Blood Devil had left in the search of Vladimir, everyone in the Vampire Kingdom must already be thinking that Vladimir had done something wrong. He will just make up a story and tell them that Vladimir tried to betray him.

If he gave Vladimir a painful death, the vampires in the kingdom will fear their king. No one will stand against him, especially not when he would name Sera as his queen. He was going to have Sera at every cost. Killing Vladimir would work to his advantage in that case too. Sera will have no mate to turn to.

"I'm going to rescue Sera from your clutches," Vladimir growled. His green orbs brightened as he glared at Blood Devil.

"What are you saying Vladimir? Have you forgotten, you handed her over to me?"

Vladimir clenched his hands at that. Blood Devil smirked knowing he had hit a nerve. Before Vladimir could perceive any movement, Blood Devil had already launched himself on Vladimir and threw him against a tree.

Vladimir's body hit the tree with a force that shook it. He could feel pain exploding from his back as his backbone broke and he fell down with a thud. Dried leaves crunched under his fingers as the broken bones healed again. But he was lifted of the ground and pinned to the tree by Blood Devil's hand.

"You know what, I will kill you now. I will break every single bone of your body."

Blood Devil shoved Vladimir down and twisted his arm backwards. The crack of bones breaking made Blood Devil smirk. Vladimir bit back the scream that threatened to be released. When his arm was released, he was unable to move it. Rolling over, he managed to somehow let the arm heal but before he could even move, his knee was bent in an odd angle as Blood Devil forced his foot down on the joint. Yet not a cry came out of Vladimir's lips.

"And then I will show your corpse to Sera,"

Vladimir's body froze as he heard Sera's name from Blood Devil's lips. Her face popped in his eyes and that kiss... his lips still tingled.

Blood Devil leaned forward. "And then I will make her mine." He whispered in Vladimir's ear. Those words made his eyes widen. The idea of Sera and Blood Devil together made his stomach churn.

"I will have her in everyway possible. She will be mine. She will bear my children - the strongest race."

Vladimir squirmed under Blood Devil, his eyes swirling with different colors. He was trying to control his anger that was leaking out.

"Se-Sera would n-never do that," Vladimir choked out.

Blood Devil laughed sardonically at that. "It doesn't matter what she wants. What matters is what I want. And I get what I want."

"You-"

"If she doesn't accept willingly then I will not wait for her. I'm not her mate or anything. She will be a children breeder. And I may use her for my own fun too. You will not be there to see it. You will not be there to save her."

Vladimir's blood boiled. He felt a sudden surge of energy within him. Blood Devil could also feel it. Something had changed inside Vladimir. His bones were back to their position within a second and he was standing on his feet. His eyes had turned brightest of green as he lunged at Blood Devil who didn't get any time to react as a knife was plunged into his gut.

The knife won't have affected him, if it was not laced with something. Blood Devil's eyes widened as he could feel his body slowly paralysing. He fell on the ground with a thud. Unable to move, he could only stare at Vladimir who looked deadly.

Vladimir's hand covered Blood Devil's face and the Vampire felt the muscles of his face moving. He knew what was happening. The Royal Blood's face changed too. Blood Devil knew what Vladimir was doing. He was taking his form. The ability of the Royal Blood he had always felt useful was suddenly so disadvantageous to him. He knew for sure what Vladimir was going to do and he was lifted off the ground and flung over the Royal Blood's shoulder.

Blood Devil tried to move. But he was completely powerless. Something was wrong with the knife. It had to be. Why couldn't move at all. His whole body had become useless.

When they reached the castle, Blood Devil was put in the dungeons. As he lay on the ground, he could only curse mentally.

He had never thought of Vladimir as a threat because he was always so calm and obedient. In reality, he should have been the most wary of that warlock.

Vladimir had completely turned tables on him.

The door of the dungeon opened. Blood Devil laid still on the cold floor as Vladimir closed the door behind him. The room was extremely dark so Blood Devil couldn't see but he could clearly hear Vladimir's voice as he spoke.

"I don't know where to start but I think I should start with your failure first. I've spent years searching of this serum that could render even the most powerful vampire motionless." Vladimir spoke in a calm voice.

"I have hated you for a long time. At first I was grateful to you. But then I realised that you were just a monster. You only ever used me for your selfish purposes and created havoc in the supernatural world.

"Maybe, as a royal blood, it was in my blood to get angered by your ways of disrupting the balance in supernatural world. But let me tell you... I was planning to take over your throne since past decade.

"And yes, I knew I was a royal blood. It didn't take me long to realise. Just like Sera. And I lied to you too. I pretended that I was by your side. I pretended that I was under your debt. But the truth is, I don't owe you anything. Not to a devil like you.

"I had thought that I would carry out this plan a couple of years later. But now that I have a mate and she is in danger, I can no longer wait. You will just watch as I will sit over your throne against your wishes. I will become the ruler of the Vampire Kingdom. I will give them a better king than you.

"If you ever take Sera's name from your filthy mouth again then I will cut your tongue and sew your lips. And as for Sera, she will kill you one day. Believe me, I will make her kill you. She will be my queen and your dreams will be burnt into ashes."

Blood Devil didn't know how much time he spent in the dungeon. He didn't know anything about day or night. His body was completely useless and with that face, he could never get out of dungeon freely.

He was not fed. The only person who ever visited him was Vladimir. His condition wasn't improving at all. That way, he might just rot in the dungeon.

He had thought that everything was over for him until one day, his hands started moving. Rest of his body was still immobile.

Maybe the effects of that serum were wearing down.

Something more unexpected happened that day.

A vampire, who was not Vladimir entered the dungeon.

"Blood Devil?" Celia said in a small timid voice.

"Celia?" Blood Devil's scratching voice came. He was surprised that he could talk. After being mute for a ling time, he didn't hadn't expected he could speak.

The serum's effects were really wearing down.

"Blood Devil?" She said in a stronger voice as she moved around inside the dark room. Her foot hit Blood Devil's leg and she fell over him. He let out a curse at her clumsiness.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. He tried to keep his voice calm. It was only Celia. He wondered how did she get there and if she was of any use to him.

"Blood Devil? Is that really you?" She sobbed on his chest. He scrunched up his face but refrained from doing anything rude.

"Yes, it's me." Even though Blood Devil and Vladimir could change each other's form, they could speak in whatever voice they wanted to. Blood Devil used his original voice as Celia had a business with him. He was glad the room was dark. If she saw his face, she won't submit to him easily. No scratch that. It would still be easy. She would submit to anyone if it benefited her.

"How did you get here?" He asked.

"Vlad-Vladimir has taken your form. And he p-plans to k-kill me. I-I overheard his c-conversation with guards. He was tell-telling them to k-k-kill me." She cried as she clutched his shirt tightly.

"I-I know he has taken your place. I-I've felt it in past too. He can do that too. And h-he is so c-cold to me. He doesn't even touch me even if I'm naked. He only looks at Sera. Now he wants t-to kill me. He w-will make S-Sera his queen. He will execute you too. He is planning to execute you in a week."

Blood Devil stiffened at her words. So Vladimir was going to execute him, in front of his own kingdom. Blood Devil's blood boiled at those words. He won't allow it.

Blood Devil knew what Celia wanted. Vladimir must have forgotten that Celia knew him intimately. Of course she would suspect something. It was natural for her to search him to save herself.

Blood Devil put his arms around Celia.

"Don't worry. I won't let him kill you. We will make out of this place and I will make you my queen." Blood Devil fed her lies. "You just need to do as I say."

He was going to make a perfect plan and kill Vladimir.

But Vladimir was already one step ahead of him.

Flashback ends **

"Hmm," Sera hummed. "So you were not as dumb as I thought you were." She murmured sitting on the throne of the king. Vladimir was leaning against the side of the chair. He was still in Blood Devil's form.

Sera was wearing both his long black cape and crown. She looked like a true queen. As she listened to Vladimir's story, she was almost impressed.

"Why did you include Celia in this mess? You could have simply executed him." She didn't say the name but he knew she was talking about Blood Devil.

"She knew Blood Devil personally if you get what I mean. One day she might have suspected that something was different. Also she might have been envious of you and posed a danger. She was a lose end. It was better to get rid of her."

"Then why not kill her personally? Why did you make her a part of Blood Devil's plan?"

"Because I wanted you to kill him. No matter what he said or did, I knew he wanted you not only for his plans but he wanted you for you. As your mate I could not allow that."

Sera was surprised by his words. But she didn't believe for a moment the Blood Devil had any interest in her except for my royal blood abilities. Right?

But Vladimir was acting all possessive now. It irked her.

"Not allowed that? Weren't you the one who handed me over to him?" She said those cutting words calmly. The main reason why she started hating this man. Because he betrayed her.

Vladimir sighed. "At that time I was planning to use you for my own purpose." He spoke honestly making her scoff. "I didn't believe you were my mate. But when you kissed me I couldn't deny it. All my plans burnt down to ashes after that. I wanted to wait for a month or two before killing Blood Devil and still I didn't know if I would be successful. But after I realized that you were my mate, I had to speed up my plan and make sure it was successful."

"Are you saying that you did it for me?"

He became silent and turned to look down at her. They stared at each other's eyes.

"I went out if the castle knowing Blood Devil would surely kill me if I failed because I wanted to keep you safe. I was failing but when he said that he would do that to you," his green orbs swirled with different shades in anger, "I wanted to break every single bone on his body. I-"

"I understand." She interrupted before he got even angrier remembering that.

Silence fell upon them. She thought about everything he had said. He was not that grateful to Blood Devil. He didn't betray his mate. He wanted to protect her. But still she couldn't come to trust him.

It's better if I leave this place. She thought

"When did you realize that it was me?" Vladimir asked her breaking the silence.

"When did you realise that I had realised?" She fired a question instead.

Vladimir smirked. He turned around and placed his arm on backrest of throne while he lowered his face in front of hers. She refused to look at him.

"A question for a question? But I want the answer first." With his other hand, Vladimir tucked few strands of hair behind her hair. His hand caressed her cheek. His eyes observed her emotionless face as she looked away from him.

"In the dungeon. I knew it was you. After talking with you, I realized it was you and not Blood Devil."

"That didn't take you long. So saw me and minutes after you realized that it was me."

"Yes," her answer came in a monotone.

"And how did you notice it was me?" His face grew even closer as he moved her face so they were looking at each other.

"Was it the way my presence affected you?" He whispered. His hand left her face and gently trained downwards. "Or was it the way your heartbeat increased around me?" His index finger was above her chest. Her heart was thudding under his fingertip. He smirked.

She pushed him away and stood up.

"You are being too touchy all of sudden." She grumbled. Her heart was still beating irregularly.

"I've always wanted to touch you but refrained myself." He spoke and then hugged her from behind. "Now that I'm free, I'm not going to hold back anymore."

"I'm tired." She suddenly announced escaping from his arms and removed his cape and crown. She placed them in the throne gently.

"Then go and take rest. I have a matter to settle first." He told her. She didn't even look at him twice as she left but she could feel his eyes on her. Her heart was still beating too fast.

**

Sera was leaning against the window frame as she stared at the moon. It was so serene.

The night sky reminded her of the night when she had left the pack. At that time she had taken some essentials and ran away from the mate she had thought would be her everything. But in the end she only got betrayed by him. She was unwanted back then. But that's how her life had been.

What if I run away again? She thought looking down. It won't hurt if she jumped down. She could easily escape the place in the dark of night.

"Don't even think about it." A voice spoke behind her.

She was surprised to see Vladimir in Blood Devil's form standing in her room.

"I didn't even sense you arrival." She said in disappointment. For a supernatural creature, it was not usual to be that careless.

"That's because you don't see me as a threat." Due to the shadows that fell on his face, she couldn't see his face. But she was able to sense his smirk as if she could hear it in his voice.

She didn't say anything to that but instead asked another question. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it normal for mates to share a room?"

"What?"

"We are going to live in same bedroom."

"The hell you're talking about?!" She was exasperated.

He crossed the room in the blink of an eye and stood in front of her. His hands were in the window sill at the either side of her. His face was levelled to hers. The moonlight streaming from the window made him look extremely handsome, just like the day she was turned into a vampire.

"I won't want you to escape this place. I need you to be by my side."

Sera's heart did a somersault inside her chest. Her heartbeat increased. Hearing those words from her mate - it was like a first experience.

"I-I'm not going anywhere." Her voice lowered as she said that.

"But still I need to be with you. I want to look at your beautiful face. I want to see my reflection in your eyes. I want to hold you in my arms. I want to feel your warmth all the time. Even that doesn't sound satisfactory enough to me." He murmured. His eyes were passionate and intense on her. She froze at her place.

He lowered his forehead to her shoulder and breathed in her scent. "I need you so so much. You have no idea." He gripped the window sill tightly with his fingers that they cracked under his hold.

"Sera, so don't leave me. Don't even think of leaving me. Because I will never let you go."

She didn't say anything. Her whole body was buzzing. She tried to speak but no words came out of her mouth. She had no idea what to say.

Sure she had always wanted to be loved by her mate. But then she got Daniel and her dreams were broken. After she said some very hurtful words to him very easily.

But now, she doesn't know what to say. She felt elated at his words but at the same time it was awkward since she had no words to say.

"Are you going to live as Blood Devil for the rest of your life?" She asked him finally. It was the only thing that came into her mind. In future, was he going to live as Blood Devil?

His body vibrated slightly as he chuckled. He lifted at her and stared into her eyes.

"I will live as you want me to live." She averted her gaze from him. He was being so lovey-dovey all of sudden. She was not used to it. Seriously, what type of mate had she got? She didn't know. But she was happy.

"It will be convenient to stay as Blood Devil for now or you will have things to explain to the people of this kingdom." She tried to change the topic. She was waiting for him to remove his arms.

"But I think you should stop calling me Blood Devil all the time." He spoke. "It's mouthful. You should give me another name."

She was surprised at those words. He wanted her to give him a name.

Before she could feel anything, she felt warm lips pressing against hers. It was a quick kiss that left her shocked.

He smiled at her for the first time. Her mouth was open in surprise.

"I like that we are talking about future here. Let's think together."

Maybe I can try to know more about Vladimir. Is this the point when the story of my life becomes peaceful? Is this the point when I finally start looking into the future with someone by my side?

Future, huh? I guess it is the first time for me.

She looked at Vladimir's bright green eyes one more time. Is it real?