GABRIELLA'S POV
Catrina gazes out the wide window, her voice wistful. "I wish I was out there, so they can see me in this beautiful dress." Her eyes are fixed on the three distant figures of the vampire kings heading towards the entrance of the main palace.
All I feel is bitterness. I have no desire to see them, not after their cruel rejection. My heart is broken, but I know that real pain will come soon when they will transfer the mate bond to Catrina. I still haven't figured out how to tell Catrina that I am their mate, not her. That it's my blood that I submitted to the palace, not hers. It seems pointless to keep it a secret since she will find out soon enough. I'll have to negotiate with her to keep my position as her servant after the mate bond is transferred.
Catrina sighs, still watching the kings. "They look so tall and toned, like gods. All I want is to be known as their queen."
"And soon you will be," Adria tells her. "All you have to do is pass the two remaining tests."
She doesn't have what it takes to pass those tests, but I do. Maybe now is the right time to speak up.
"I need to tell you something important, my lady," I say in the most respectful tone I can muster.
Catrina barely glances my way. "If it's not about the kings or anything that can help me win their admiration, it can wait. I'm focusing on that right now."
"It actually is about the kings," I reply
and she finally turns to look at me, so does Adria and Freya.
She now raises an eyebrow, her interest piqued despite her earlier dismissal.
"What do you know about the kings?"
I take a deep breath, "The kings... they're not your mates. They are my mates."
Laughter erupts from all three of them.
"Oh, please! Did nobody tell this one that vampires don't mate with humans?" Adria chuckles, shaking her head.
"She is the dumbest thing I have ever met. I only kept her because my mother paid her little," Catrina says.
So she wasn't going to keep me? She already has two more servants paid by the palace. She thinks she doesn't need me.
"It is not just the mate bond. I have the special blood as well," I reveal.
Their laughter immediately dies down as their expressions shift from amusement to curiosity. Catrina crosses her arms.
"What are you talking about, human?" she asks her voice edged with skepticism.
"When the king's men were collecting blood samples for tests, I fell while delivering your blood. It all spilled out. I replaced it with mine." I explain, my heart racing.
Silence falls over the room as my words sink in. Catrina's eyes widen in disbelief, and Adria and Freya exchange glances.
"You're saying…?" Catrina begins, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm saying you're not the vessel," I say softly but firmly. "I am."
"What?!" everyone exclaims at once, disbelief evident in their faces.
"You poured my precious blood?" Catrina's eyes glow with rage and her upper lip curls up, her teeth elongating into fags.
A sharp knock interrupts, which I'm imensly thankful for. The door creaks open and a servant carrying a tray laden with breakfast walks in. Catrina quickly retracts her fangs but shoots me a death glare.
"Forgive the intrusion, my lady. I have brought you breakfast," the servant says, setting the tray down on the table. "I have also been ordered to inform you that Lady Calypso will be here in an hour to collect you for your next test."
The servant leaves without waiting for Catrina's reply.
"You are not the vessel, her highness passed the second test, she is the vessel," Adria insists as soon as the servant is out of sight.
"She did not. I was the one who shouted the order at the last minute, and the beast obeyed," I argue, causing their mouths to drop in disbelief.
"It's true. I heard her shout just before the beast submitted," Freya tells.
"That cannot be. A human cannot be mated to the most powerful vampire kings!" Catrina screams. "Such a mate bond would be a disgrace to them!" She adds, repeating the same words that the vampire kings said to me.
Being mated to me is a disgrace. It hurts but it's true.
"I came here to be their wife and now you have the nerve to claim you're their mate!" She fumes, her anger making her nostrils flare.
"You don't need to worry, they already rejected me," I reply calmly.
She scoffs and starts pacing around the room. I expected her to be enraged even though I have done nothing wrong. If she were their mate they would have delightfully accepted her.
"She has just said they rejected her, my Lady. So the mate bond doesn't matter anyway. It's not like the kings would want a mate like her." Adria points out.
Catrina stops and nods in agreement. "Very right! No vampire king would want a human." She laughs mockingly.
"But what about the blood? You can't pass the tests without it!" Freya points.
Catrina's eyes widen again. " I should kill you!" She snarls and I tremble.
"I will help you pass the remaining tests and become the wife of the kings." I offer quickly. "I have the required blood so I am offering you a deal. I will help you pass all the other tests and in turn you will keep me as one of your personal servants even after you become the queen."
She seems to consider my offer so I speak quickly. "The kings still believe you are the vessel. They plan to have a ritual performed to transfer the mate bond to you once you complete the tests." I explain.
A thrilled smile appear on her face. "It's me they want," she says with a triumphant smile.
"Lady Calypso will be here any moment to take you to your next test, and you'll need me," I remind her.
She mulls over my offer for a short moment. "When I become queen I will of course have you as my servant . But you better help me pass all tests from now on or you won't even be alive." She declares. I nod.
I will help her become the wife of my selfish mates, and once she is queen she will allow me to keep my Job. They won't have the blood they wanted, but who is to blame? They made the decision to reject me.