The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe) by VJ Dunraven Read Free Book Online

do with her.
    “Lady Elizabeth?” Richard inched closer and o ffered his arm again. His face was pleasant and persuasive, and she could tell—they wanted her to leave. She cast a worried glance at her mom who gave her an encouraging nod.
    Reluctantly, Elizabeth took Richard's arm and let him accompany her out of the room.
    Elizabeth walked with Richard along the hallway leading back to the front foyer. She would rather stay than go with him alone. Like the men in the chambers, he made her feel uneasy. His weird-looking eyes reminded her that he was a Vampire—which meant he was dangerous and she was unsafe.
    “Is anything the matter?” Richard asked as he led her to the entrance hall. “You seem troubled.”
    “Oh, no, I'm okay.” Elizabeth avoided his gaze.
    “I hope so. I'm beginning to su spect you don't think so highly of me.”
    “It's not that—.”
    “It is a typical human reaction,” he insinuated with a sideways glance. “Fear.”
    “But I'm not afrai—.”
    “Yes, you are,” he interjected. “Except you're not human—, you're one of us.”
    Elizabeth felt her cheeks burn. He was right. She was one of them and she hated it. She feared her own kind.
    “I must apologize.” Richard paused in the middle of the main foyer. “I didn't mean to embarrass you.”
    “It's okay.” Elizabeth concealed her unease and met his gaze. “I deserved it. I was acting like an id iot.”
    “Rest assured. We're not the evil creatures portrayed in human movies.” He guided her towards the life-sized sculpture of an Archangel standing over the devil's corpse impaled in his magnificent sword. “Do you know who this is?”
    “Saint Michael.” Elizabeth d irected her attention to the monument that dominated the lobby.
    “We call him Prince Mikhail,” Richard studied the angel warrior, “Commander of the Omni's army, who defeated the forces of evil to save the citizens of the s acred land. He is symbolic to the doctrine of Darian Hall that we abide in: To Uphold the Greater Good .”
    Elizabeth grew skeptical. She couldn't believe Vampires adhered to such an idealistic principle.
    “Inconceivable, isn't it?” Richard ushered her to the front doors. “But it's true. We are the protectors, not the adversary.”
    “No way.” Elizabeth gave him a disparaging look. “Vampires are pred ators!”
    “Predators?” Richard threw his head back with a hearty laugh. “I see that your notion about our race date back to the Stone Age. We are far different from Va mpires.” He ushered her towards the brightly illuminated gardens.
    “What do you mean?” she asked, a nnoyed with his not-so-subtle implication that she was ignorant.
    “Pardon me.” He inclined his head in apology. “I didn't mean to be rude. I just haven't heard that word in a long time. But the answer to your question is also a question,” he said in a thought-provoking tone.
    “If we truly are predators—, potent murderers to be exact, then why does humankind still exist? Don't you think we would have eradicated them all by now and ruled the world? After all, we are more powerful than they are.” He halted briefly by a magnificent fountain adorned with frolicking mermaids. “We're extremely dangerous and deadly. Even you don't feel safe.”
    Elizabeth was taken aback. He perceived her thoughts so often it u nnerved her. Nevertheless, she hid her anxiety lest she be branded an ignoramus again, and that—, she could not take. She wasn't on the debate team for nothing.
    “Exactly my point,” she tilted her chin defiantly. “I just don't see how it is possible for a violent race like ours to become protectors.”
    “I daresay it is.” Richard directed her to the other side of the garden where another building stood.
    “I'm waiting to hear how,” Elizabeth challenged, wishing she could wipe the smirk off his face.
    “Immortality and Destiny.” Richard stopped hal fway to the great structure with an elliptical shape. “The gift of eternal