The Vampire King's Possession
Chapter 332. A Cruel Ultimatum

"Is that what you think this is?" He asked, his tone deeper. He sounded angry or shocked or both, but Mauve wasn’t sure which.

"At this point, I can’t tell the difference, Jael."

Jael winced and Mauve bit her lips, she wanted to take her words back but this was getting out of hand faster than she wanted it to.

"Didn’t you say you wouldn’t leave?" He asked, sounding like a lost child.

"Yes, but don’t make it sound like I would never visit Greenham, I’ll just be gone for a couple of weeks at most."

"Even though it’s dangerous and there’s a very high chance you’ll get attacked by a paler."

Mauve flinched as a memory of when she had been attacked flashed across her mind. She could clearly remember the pain.

He didn’t have to bring this up just because he didn’t want her to leave. Danag assured her they could get her out without incident.

Was he being overprotective or was he just overly lying? She wished she could ask him directly but it would reveal the fact that she has gone around asking questions.

"Remember what you had to go through that time, I’ll prefer not to have a repeat of that," he added.

Mauve bit her lips, was she making a ridiculous demand? Was it too much to ask to go see her hometown? He didn’t have to bring up what happened so casually just to convince her not to go.

"Is it really that dangerous or you don’t want me to leave?" She asked.

Jael squinted his eyes and she could see that she had struck a nerve. "What about you?" He suddenly burst out.

"Why are you so desperate to go back all of a sudden? You hardly even talk about your family and you get one letter in almost seven months and you’re willing to drop everything and leave."

Mauve closed her eyes at his words. To be honest she didn’t really have a reason why she was adamant about this. The only reason she could think of was his stubbornness in the situation.

She couldn’t help but think that if he didn’t even consider what she wanted, their relationship would always remain like this, where he had the upper hand and all she could do was follow behind his dictations like she has always done.

If it wasn’t her father’s, it was her vampire husband. She has never been able to decide something on her own. Not once. Her decisions were often influenced.

"Is there anything wrong with that?" Mauve asked and Jael shrank. "He is my father, I haven’t seen him in a while. Is it wrong to ask to go visit?"

She didn’t care to see her father, well not really. A huge part of her was angry that he didn’t remember her until now, however, a small part of her couldn’t help but be happy that he remembered her at all.

She never would have dreamt that she would receive such an invite. She thought she was abandoned and as much as she didn’t want to humor him, she also wanted to see what this was about.

Also, six months was a long time to be away considering she has lived in the castle most of her life but more importantly, she wanted to see Vae.

The maid has followed her all the way here and she has not heard a word from her since she left, not even after she wrote a letter. She wanted to see if Vae was doing fine and if she was married.

They weren’t good enough reasons to want to go back but they weren’t bad reasons not to. Her father was still her father and since Jael didn’t know of her circumstances it would be weird to refuse his request.

"I guess not," he said, sounding dejected. "He is your father."

Mauve let out a sigh, was this light at the end of the dark tunnel? Was Jael going to give in to reason?

"Yes, he is and he has asked that I pay him a visit, I have to respect his wishes."

"I understand," Jael said and looked at her with an intense gaze. "You can leave but you can’t return."

"What?" Mauve yelled, her voice echoing in the small room. What just happened? What was this absurd turn? Did she zone out at some point and miss something? Was this a joke?

"Is this a joke, Jael?" She asked, feeling pain in her jaw and temples. Ah, yes, the signal that she was holding back her tears.

"No, humans have never been able to function properly amongst vampires. You’d always want to go back. So if you leave, it would be best if you didn’t return."

What was this bullshit explanation? Was he giving her an ultimatum? If she wanted to leave, she was not allowed to return. It just proved that she was nothing more than a prisoner.

"Best for who? Are you tired of me? Is this your way of trying to rid yourself of me?"

"Mauve, I am not the one desperately trying to leave. I am sure I have said in every way that I’d rather have you here." Jael said nonchalantly. His face no longer showed any emotion and he was staring at her blankly.

"I am not desperately trying to leave, I just want to visit. I will be back before you know it."

"You can leave, Mauve. You’re just not allowed to return."

"Why?" She asked, closing her palm tightly.

She could feel her nails dig into her palm, it hurt like crazy but she could feel it over the pain in her chest.

He said she was his and just like that he was willing to toss her aside like she was nothing because she wasn’t bending to his wants.

"Like I said, it’s best for you."

"No, it’s not!" She screamed. "It’s unfair and a little cruel."

"I would say it’s fair enough," he replied.

"It’s not!" But Mauve could see her words fall right off his face. She had prayed this side of him would never be directed at her.

What should she do? Was he messing with her to see what she would pick? Would it be best to go with what he wanted? Was she truly powerless in this situation?

The pain in her chest was spreading to her stomach and throat, it was hard to speak. She had been mistaken about the kind of relationship they had.

He only liked her for as long as he suited him. How could he chase her off with such a straight face? She could tell that no matter what she picked, he wouldn’t be saddened.

If she decided to go, he would let her go easy peasy. Mauve winced, the thought of never seeing him again tore at her heart.

She loved this selfish vampire with a nasty personality. Mauve wanted to run and wrap her hands around him to tell him she was sorry.

Her father surely wasn’t worth the fight between them but this wasn’t the life she wanted. She wanted someone who cared about her feelings and wants.

At this point, he was no different from her father but at least her father’s actions hurt less.

"What would it be? As you can see I am tired of discussing this topic. What’s your decision? If you decide to leave, you can leave as early as tomorrow night. I’ll tell Erick to get everything you might need for the journey and yeah, write a letter to your father. If you decide to drop this, we can end this conversation and go for the second meal together."

Mauve blinked at Jael’s words, she could feel her entire world crumbling around her and he just sat there unbothered as if he had asked her to choose what she would like to have for lunch.

She had been warned but she didn’t listen. If she chose to stay, who is to say another worse situation wouldn’t arise? If she left, she knew she couldn’t survive not seeing him ever again.

"What say you, Mauve? I don’t have all day. If you’re going to give a response, I’d prefer to get it now."

"I don’t want to leave if it means I won’t get to see you again and at the same time I don’t want to stay if I can’t leave."

Jael blinked, "That’s not a response."

"I know. You never do anything I want," she whispered.

"That’s not true, I do all that you want."

"Only if it aligns with your wishes. Wouldn’t you say this was a little cruel?" She asked, her voice cracking a little. "How could you ask me that? Do I mean that little to you?"

"As I said, it’s best if you..."

"I heard you the first time," she interrupted, her chest swelling. "Since that’s how you want it, I have also made my decision."