The Vampire’s Human / Book One ✔️
Chapter Five: The Nice Brother

One thing that made her stick out more to the rest of the girls, excluding her weight, was the fact that Mackenzie was so physically fit that her weight made no logical sense. She could walk and run for hours, and only needed short breaks before she was off again. She was the fittest human on the island and nobody could beat her until now.

Her calf muscles ached, her stomach felt like it was trying to eat itself and her head spun so often that she kept replaceing herself leaning against the walls for support. Granted this was her own fault, if she hadn’t been so stubborn, she wouldn’t be feeling so fatigued and hungry but alas she had to be stubborn and pig-headed against her own body.

Mack groaned, pushing herself off of the wall she had been leaning against before she started walking again. The castle wasn’t visually large from the outside and that was the biggest issue for her. Knowing that Zack knew this castle from the inside out pissed her off, that smirk he gave and the way his eyes sparkled at the thought of her getting lost made her want to turn back around and replace a knight statue with a sword so she could shove it down his smug throat.

She refused to let him win, she refused to give into his plans and she refused to be the queen of the vampires. She didn’t want this, she didn’t want to replace her mate. She just wanted an excuse to leave that island and now that she was off it, she wanted her freedom. Mack had made plans to live off the land, replace a river somewhere and build a house just for her. It would have been paradise but alas, her mate was a prince, soon to be king.

It was just her luck as always.

Getting fed up with all the walking she stopped and decided to open the first door her eyes landed on. The door was a little tight from lack of use but she was still able to open it to be greeted by books. Her mind instantly thought of Marley as her sister used to read every book she could replace.

Mack remembers stealing books for Marley that were filled with war and adventure. That girl loved to be in her own head, she loved to be free and know how to fight with the men and that was the biggest reason why Mack loved Marley so much. Marley was not like most women, she was braver, stronger, witter, and most of all, she was Marley.

Mack could feel tears build up around her eyes as she tried to wipe them away as fast as possible but she was already caught. Her eyes landed on a handkerchief as she smiled and thanked the person before she looked up at him.

He was handsome, she had to give him that. He had light brown eyes, almost golden and light brown, messy hair. His height was a little shorter than Zack’s however he still towered over her and there was something about him that gave him power despite the nerdy-ish look he had and the books currently in his hands. “Do I-”

“Know me?” He finished for her with a chuckle and a wide, friendly grin. “No, but I am the younger brother of your mate.”

“Oh.” She mumbled, wiping her eyes before giving his offering back. “Thank you, for this. I didn’t mean to start crying.”

He rolled his eyes as he stuffed the cloth into his pocket. “Don’t be silly, nobody means to cry on purpose. Now come, I want to know why you were crying besides the obvious.”

Mack frowned, following him to the middle of the library where there were chairs and tables. He placed his books down and sat, offering the chair in front of him that she took before she spoke. “Obvious reasons?”

He nodded. “After the shift, most people changed if you hadn’t noticed.” She nodded. People had changed, some nice people turned cruel while some cruel people turned nice. Others flipped and started killing while some grew into dark quiet demeanours. She didn’t understand what was going on but it had been two months since the shift and she figured it was now their new normal. “Zachariah was one of the unlucky people. He was nicer, and gentler to an extent but he came back different. I remember my brother before he left and he wasn’t this angry and confused.”

She almost laughed at the poor boy. “Uh, I don’t think he got affected.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He has changed because I have made him that way.” She grinned with pride. “The bastard marked me so aggressively that I passed out. I woke up on his ship and smashed a plate over his head which started his attitude. Maybe if he hadn’t marked and kidnapped me from my own home, this whole thing would be different.”

The man’s face deadpanned. His lips pulled into a line of disappointment. “I didn’t know this. All he has said was that you refuse to give up your name.”

She scoffed. “That is because he never asked! What did he expect? For me to give it up to him as if he hadn’t just taken me against my will?!”

His eyes suddenly brightened, a devilish grin spreading on his face. “What is your name? I want to know it before he does so I can taunt him with it but not actually tell him.”

Mack matched his look. “It is Mackenzie but everyone calls me Mack. I know a little about the royal vampire family so I am assuming you are Lucas?”

He nodded, extending his hand out to shake hers which she happily accepted. “Well, it is nice to meet you, Mack. I do have to ask, how long has it been since you last ate because the sound of your stomach growling makes me think my brother made you starve.”

She shook her head, removing her hand from his before she tucked her hands under the table. “I might have been stubborn and refused to eat this last week.”

Lucas’s eyes widened, a slight growl coming out of his chest as he stood and glared a hole into her head. “He seriously- no, I won’t kill him yet.” Lucas sighed. “Let me take you to the dining room, I will get the cooks to make you something and we can continue talking before you die on me.”

She smiled and stood with him. “That would be lovely.”