New Chapter for Highest Tier (May 2021)
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Vampire King Apollyon
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"I want to talk to my wife while we watch the sunrise, bathing in the moonlight while we gaze at the stars as we sleep out in the open or strolling with her in the forest, watching the leaves change color." Apollyon told her as he dropped his hand and returned his gaze to his mother.
"How romantic!~" Wearing a forced smile, Empress Ourania chirped as she clapped her hands twice in approval but then she broke eye contact and glanced down, smoothing down the skirts of her gown.
Her body language didn't match her expression at all, but he didn't allow that to affect him.
"We enjoy each other's company. I treat her like it was the last day I will ever see her again." Apollyon said fondly, his lips curving upward.
Hearing a soft whimper, Apollyon looked at Luna again and found her shedding tears.
The last line must have got her.
Her eyes were bloodshot as she fought back tears.
Empress Ourania might not understand the real reason why Luna cried, but Apollyon prayed every day that it wouldn't be the last day.
"That's great!" Apollyon could sense the sarcastic tone from a mile away as she crossed her arms over her chest, her lips a white slash as she gave them a wry smile.
They weren't stupid!
Grinding his teeth, Apollyon brows knitted into a scowl.
Was there something wrong with telling his mother how much he loved Luna?
Did they have to ruin their parade?
If she was a good mother, she should be happy for them!
Was it that hard not to spread negativity when they first met each other after a long time?
Shouldn't she try to be more supportive or show a bit of enthusiasm for Luna, who was now her daughter-in-law?
Princess Ourania was going to be a grandmother soon.
No, she wouldn't be a grandmother if Apollyon wouldn't tell her in the first place.
He clenched his jaw.
From this situation alone, Princess Ourania hadn't changed as she told them.
She was still an irresponsible mother in his eyes.
Her conduct towards Luna and with them as a couple bred in more suspicion.
She couldn't fake goodwill and neither could Apollyon.
His mother will not have the right to know that his wife was expecting a baby soon.
Of course, she would do something about it to ruin that.
From that point on, he would reinforce his earlier schemes to keep everything shallow with her.
His mother could pose as a danger to his wife if she found out that Luna was pregnant.
If she was determined to behave like a child, then he should annoy his mother all the more!
"Time stopped when I'm with her." Flashing his wife a sincere smile, Apollyon brushed it with the back of her hand as it rolled down from the corner of her eyes. "Worry was a veil which slipped away whenever I am with my Empress, and I cherished every moment.
Anxious, Empress Ourania felt shortness in her breath as if she was running, hurried, and rushed.
Apollyon could see a visible dark green vein pulsing on her forehead.
He could hear her heartbeat racing with anger, making her more reactive to triggers.
He saw how his mother war with herself to keep her focus calm and clear while she switched into an unreadable mask instead of her fixed smile.
Apollyon asked despite knowing the answer. "Are you alright, Princess Ourania?"
Chest heaving, Apollyon's mother shook her head as if she was trying to get rid of our words ringing in her mind.
"Enough!" Muscles turning rigid, Princess Ourania made her voice louder. "You are making me feel like I don't know what love is all about."
"We aren't making you feel that you haven't felt love before, Princess Ourania." She shifted in her seat. "I'm sorry. Perhaps, I talked too much."
"Don't apologize, wife." Apollyon held her hand. "It's not your fault that she couldn't handle her insecurities and blame on other people, instead."
"Apollyon!"
"I don't understand why it's making you angry, Princess Ourania." Apollyon growled.
"I'm not angry, alright?" Princes Ourania shot back but then she lowered her voice.
She did that every time she felt like she was blowing a fuse. "I just don't like to listen to things like this. It sounded all fake to me."
"Our love wasn't a perfect fairy tale and we told you the truth." Luna said softly."We understand that you have been burned by the mating bond—-"
Princess Ourania cut her off as she glared at his wife, "Not all people can experience what we have."
Noisy breathing. "The two of you might think you are special, huh?" Jutting her chin, she demanded, "Do you think you were rightfully chosen by the gods and the goddesses?"
"We make do of what was given to us." Luna said, "Because we know that we have the power to make a better future from our current situation."
She let out an evil chuckle.
"History usually repeated itself. Empress Luna. Maybe you are just ashamed to admit that you were just forced to marry the Vampire King. Why are you leaving this information out when it was the most obvious thing?" She added with arrogance, so sure of herself. "All their Empresses do including me.All the royal wives suffered in the hands of their husbands. Some of Apollyon's ancestral bloodline in his father's side' hands were tainted with blood because they killed their women. You don't have to put on this performance of an ecstatic couple. Just stop lying."
"I'm not lying!"
"Like I said, you don't have to tell me anything about the two of you."
"You must not have experienced it then, Princess." Apollyon gave her a half-shrug.
"Not with your father." Ourania replied, "He was a bastard and I was wondering why you aren't."
"Are you alright with the existence of the Consortium, Empress?" Empress Ourania's eyes were wide as she asked Luna with mock concern, "Apollyon would never give those harlots like King Gwythyr, I take it."
"There is no consortium." Luna replied, "Apollyon abolished them after we were wedded."