I awoke with a throbbing pain in my chest. I just plunged a knife into my chest! What has gotten into my mind? Then, I looked at what I am wearing.

Someone changed my clothes.

A black flowing dress and a gauze covering my wound. Someone must have treated me after my stunt. What surprised me the most was my vervain ring, placed on my hand.

Surely if some vampire has seen it, it would have been destroyed and burnt yet it's still with me.

How foolish was I to think that by trying to kill myself, Dimitrius would let me go? Of course, not. Here I am, laying down on a bed, staring at the ceiling while pondering on my thoughts. Who's room was this? It's immensely big for just one person.

I wasn't as unwise as you think. Dying would be my last option, I knew that I was going to survive that stab, you see, the vervain ring I wore was a protection ring as well. A death by a dagger won't be one of the reasons of my possible demise.

Just a part of me thought that when Dimitrius sees me as a lifeless body, he would throw me somewhere else, out of this disgusting kingdom but then, I thought wrong.

Now, I have to think of other ways to get myself out of here and I wish Dimitrius knows that I'll never run out of ways. I would rather die trying than life under his control. After all, I'm a queen.

My wondering got disturbed when a knock sounded from the door. I didn't know these bloodsucking deceased creatures have manners.

A man with dark brown features entered, he was tall and good-looking but not enough to make my eyes gaze over his beautiful body. He slowly walked towards me, looking at me sternly.

"I have been dying to meet you," he said in a serious tone. I just looked away and smirked, "You're dead already."

"Hello to you too, Felicity Lowell. Let me remind you, Hayden, your escort."

He held out his hand, introducing himself but I didn't return his gesture. The last thing I want is to get my hands dirty from all the blood he had contact with.

"Why are you here?" I questioned irritatedly. "King Dimitrius wanted me to take you to him," he answered.

Just as I thought that he would leave me in peace, I was once again, wrong.

"And if I don't come with you?"

"Then, I'll force you. Believe me, you won't like it," he warned. I believe him, if there's anything he could do, it would be a compulsion.

"Fine, I'll come but tell me what he wants," I demanded but he didn't take it seriously.

"I don't take orders from you. Now, come with me or I'll make you." Before he took another step closer to me, I stood from the bed and walked towards the door.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" He mocked. If I had a stick with me right now, I would have stabbed him straight in his heart.

"I supposed not."

Hayden led the way, walking me to a hallway then we reached a door which was surrounded by two lines of vampires.

Everyone looked at me directly without even blinking. Suddenly, a voice from behind spoke, "I'll take her from here, Hayden." Her voice was familiar. I turned around and faced Katherine.

"Be my guest," Hayden said before leaving me to be with Katherine. How could she? I helped her countless times when my brother caused her pain yet she repaid that by deceiving me. I trusted her and she broke it.

"I know you hate me, Felicity but take my advice and don't do anything you're going to regret," she whispered in my ear.

"No, Katherine, I don't hate you. I'm hurt by what you've done," I answered back and added, "And because of that, I loathe you."

If for a second her eyes were filled with compassion, now, she looked at me with a deathly stare which I reciprocated.

The doors were open and there I saw, Dimitrius and other vampires. He was standing next to three bloody people, and even with one quick glance, I knew who they were.

I ran towards them but it didn't get me far when a tall figure stood in front of me. "Dimitrius, let them go! They're my family!" I shouted.

"Not so fast, Felicity. Your family deserves this," he huskily whispered in my ear. If this would be his way of torturing me, I know for a fact that it would break me, heart, mind, and soul.

He stepped on the side and I took that as an opportunity to go to my parents and my brother. Blood poured from their necks, meaning that they were bitten mercilessly.

Their hands were tied on the poles while their legs stood weakly. I stood in front of them but none of them uttered a word. Not caring if I would get blood on me, I caressed my mother's cheeks.

"Mom, I'll get us out of here, I promise," I whispered.

Her eyes blinked a few times and focused on mine. Her expression was blank, not giving a single emotion. My brother and father on either her sides looked at me having the same emotionless stare.

All of them just stayed mute until my mother murmured, "I'm sorry for what my family has done." Her tears were flowing from her eyes and that was the first time I've seen my mother cry.

I looked at her with confusion. "Mom, what are you talking about?" I said but she didn't speak. My eyes turned to Jonathan and my father, searching for answers until my father spoke,

"Who are you?"

His words came as a punch to my heart. Instantly, I knew what Dimitrius has done. I stepped back, covering my mouth with my hands because of the shock that surged through my whole body.

The only hope I had left was my family and the vampires took them away.

"How could you?" I growled while looking at Dimitrius with rage.

"How does it feel having your family taken away from you?" He contemplated. It pains to know that he stole my family's memories of me, of us as a whole.

Seeing them, crying in pain, suffering in agony, it's painful enough but knowing that they have forgotten about me was far more than agonizing.

"You didn't take them away, you stole their memories," I vociferated. He just smirked at me and said, "That's the fun and painful part, isn't it?"

I couldn't think of anything else to say. If he wanted revenge so badly, why doesn't he just kill us all? Why leave me here, watching as my loved ones suffer a far worse fate.

"Why are you doing this, Dimitrius?"

"I'm returning the favor of how your humans treated my kind," Dimitrius angrily said but I still don't get why I'm not getting the same treatment as my family does.

"Then why am I here?" I questioned.

He walked closer to me and in a second, his hand grabbed my neck, pushing me against the wall, blocking my passageway for air. I was trying to get out of his hold but I was helpless.

In a matter of seconds, I started to feel light-headed. The loss of oxygen was slowly making me unconscious and I heard a whisper of his voice.

"If I had a choice, I would have let you go."

He released me and I dropped to the ground, gasping for air. His hand was strong, strong enough that it would surely give my neck a bruise.

What choice did he talk about? Why would a king have no other choice? Maybe there's a way to find out or another way to get out. Either one, I will never stop trying for my family, and for myself.

• • • • •

Thank you so much for 940 reads! I never expected my story to be read my so many people and right now, my heart's beating in joy. Anyways, here's chapter nine in Felicity's point of view. I hope you liked it! Don't forget to vote, comment, and share.

1.) Did you like this chapter? If yes, why? If no, how can I improve it?

2.) How did you react when Felicity's family got their memories compelled?

3.) What do you think of Dominic and Katherine's interaction with Felicity?

4.) What choice was Dimitrius talking about? What would you say about his chokehold on Felicity?

5.) Will there be a way to out for Queen Felicity? Why do you think she's being kept by King Dimitrius?

*If you're confused and you don't remember much of the characters, I'd be more than happy to upload the list of people in this story, just tell me in the comments section!*

See you on the next update!