[Chapter {16}]

Callum's POV

The walk to the Queens sanctuary was awkward and nerve-racking. Greg and Claire tried to start up conversations but I ignored them. They were just looking pieces of information they could use against me and I wasn't going to give them any of that.

They kept asking questions like, 'why are you back at the clan', or 'why does the Queen want to see you' and let me tell you their inquisitiveness was beginning to bug me so I told them to shut the hell up. It's not like they cared anyway.

Once we arrived in front of a chamber I distinctly remembered as the Queen's, they stopped. I let my eyes roam the place, it had definitely changed since the last time I saw it, which was to get banished from my own clan.

The chamber or palace as she likes to call it had undergone major renovation and so now it looked like some over furnished city mansion instead of the normal traditional building it was before. My guess is that this is her way of telling the world that she's the Queen, not that she needed anymore advertisement, her aura was already enough for you to acknowledge her royalty.

Greg knocked on the door and it was opened by one of the Queen's many guards, which she absolutely didn't need. She could take down anyone she wanted to, this made me question my readiness to be in her presence.

I had no plan or whatsoever and I'm sure the Queen could take me down with just a lift of her finger. The only thing that kept me from freaking out was the knowledge that I was doing all this for Nathan. Hell knows I'll do anything to protect my wolf boy.

As soon as we got to the part of the chamber with a very high ceiling that was curved low, Greg and Claire let go of me and pushed me roughly into the  room that had nothing but a fringed curtain to serve as a division from the other room. There was no door or anything, I guess you can't take the tradition out of a four thousand plus vampire. She had lived through enough generation to have a sense of fashion that came off as odd.

I was guided by the Queen's guard to her really high and extra large decorative chair she titled a throne. But the strange thing was that she wasn't on it, and despite that fact, the guards still left me to stand in front of the fucking throne like a moron.

I had to remind myself a dozen times that I was doing all this for Nathan, he was the only reason I wasn't already bolting out of the damn chamber.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when a felt a particularly strong presence approach me and I had no doubt it was the Queen. But how was that possible, I felt her before I smelt her and that's not a very vampire like feature.

We vampires smell before we feel. We can detect a human a mile away because of their blood and we can detect us vampires because of our scent. The only people we can't detect from far are other supernatural creatures and that's where our sense of touch comes to play. We feel the presence of other supernatural creatures but sometimes we feel their presence too late to be able to avoid impending danger.

Just then my instincts kicked in and without much thought I swiftly turned around only to see myself catching the Queen's hand which she had directed to my neck. One pierce from those her long and poisonous nail could have me out like flash, if I was a human, I could have even met my death.

She didn't seem phased at me catching her hand and just released herself taking a step back from me.

"I see your powers are kicking in," she stated circling me making me feel very much like her prey.

"Ehm, I have no idea what you're talking about," I said and she raised an eyebrow at me. Funny thing is I was telling the truth, I really have no idea what the heck she's going on about.

"Your eighteenth birthday is a week from now so your powers are kicking in," she explained and I couldn't help but curl into myself. I didn't know whether to be creeped out by her knowledge of my birth date or scared of whatever upcoming powers she was yammering about.

"How the heck did you know that date," I whisper yelled but she just gave me a dry laugh.

I settled for being creeped out since that was the obvious option.

"So your mother didn't tell, that's sad, I guess I'll be the one to break it to you," she drawled checking her nails nonchalantly.

I raised an eyebrow at her, showing her that she had my attention and do she carried on.

"Your mother is a witch, did you know that."

"Hey, leave my mother out of this, you have no right to insult her, do you hear me," I rushed out getting furious and defensive. Just because she's the Queen doesn't mean she has the right to talk shit about my mom.

"Oh you think that was an insult. Ha, you crack me up little, Callum," she said giving me a flat look which countered her earlier statement about me cracking her up, just saying.

"Listen here child, I'm not here for games, your mother is a witch, an actual witch," she snarled laying emphasis on the word witch. It was really disturbing seeing a woman who looked nothing older than twenty five call me child. Sometimes vampires ability to age much slower could be really creepy.

"So your saying that my mom is a witch," I asked disbelieving although somewhere deep within me I didn't have any trouble believing her. My mom was always practicing spells that looked too much for a vampire. I've seen a couple of spell books around the house but I just usually ignored them.

"And why do you expect me to believe you," I asked cautiously but she just rolled her eyes at me.

"I already know you believe me. I'm an advanced vampire so I can tell by your feelings," she explained answering the question I had on the tip of my tongue.

"I thought your mother would have trained and prepared you for this day, I guess she really is an idiot," the Queen hummed seeming to have forgotten that I was in the room too.

"Okay so that one was an insult, I'll not let it slide the next time you talk trash about my mother," I warn not caring if she was the Queen or not. She could shove her stupid title up her ass because no one talked bad about my mother, not with everything I've been through.

The Queen looked startled at the prospect of me challenging her but decided to let it slide.

"The reason I called for you is because I want your power," she bluntly stated making me cringe and take a step away from her.

"You want what," I exclaimed unsure if I heard correctly.

"Your power," she repeats confusing me further.

"Why would you want my power, and even if I agree to give it to you —not that I will— how will it even be possible," I asked feeling my head get clogged up at the incredulity of the situation.

"I have a medium that can do that, all you have to do is give me your consent."

"Sorry to burst your bubble Queen but the only power I have is the one that comes with being a vampire and last time I checked, you already had those and much more," I reminded her feeling that she had forgotten that there was a reason she was Queen.

"They really didn't tell you anything did they," she questioned looking at me with something that resembled pity.

"What are you talking about," I asked cautiously beginning to dread what she had to say.

"Well think of this way Callum. You're a vampire, your mother is part witch, your dad was human and you're mated to a werewolf. It's an interesting combination that gave rise to power, power you wouldn't be able to control, Callum."

I let the Queen's word sink in trying to decide whether I should believe her or call her out for bullshitting me.

"If I'm as powerful as you say, how come I've never experienced any of this power," I pointed smugly but she once again rolled her eyes at me.

"You'll be eighteen in two days so don't get ahead of yourself," she said and I have to admit, I forgot my birthday was coming up.

Back when my mom and I weren't banished from the clan, I usually only celebrated my birthday witth my mom, Vanessa and my mom's sister. It was really uncomfortable for someone order than them to know my birthday.

"This powers I had no idea that I possessed, what if I tell you I don't want to you to have it. I mean, they are mine, it'll suck if I never get to use them," I reasoned although my gut was telling me she already knew that getting me to give her my powers wouldn't be easy.

"You know, I had a fair idea you would say that, so I came prepared," she said with a smile, the first smile she has worn ever since I stepped into her sanctuary. A smile that made me want to heave, a smile that made my stomach drop, a smile that promised painful things.

"What do you mean," I asked hesitantly a slight quiver in my voice. Judging from her smile turned smirk, she knew she had me where she wanted. I was scared of whatever proposal it is she had in stall.

"You see I have a very good bargain that I'm sure if I show you, will make you utterly convinced. It'll even go as far as pushing power to the back of your mind," she taunted watching my fear heighten, Nathan's face crossed my mind and I began to shake my head frantically.

"Stop taunting me, what is your bargain," I asked suddenly feeling drained.

"You're a smart boy," she said with a grin before clapping her hands twice.

There were shuffling noises before someone was being hurled into the room.

There were heavy silver chains caging the person and from what I could see from below the person had been tortured thoroughly.

My heart, body and soul recognized the person without even meeting their face but my mind refused to accept that it was him.

I finally gathered the courage to look up and almost passed out from what I saw.

"Nathan,"

******

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Ignore the typos please.

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