6. VARS 3

Nikolai

During the Gladiator Competition, Javier had talked it all out with his brother. We are expecting a full report after the meeting.

We went to the Council Room and then after everyone finally arrived, we began the discussions.

The good thing was that Vasilik might be a shitty person but he knew how to handle his finances well. It was only because of that, that Mozog was a debt free country.

But that did not mean that no body else owed us money.

After Orlando went through the preliminaries, he gave everyone a detailed summary about the last year's economic conditions of each Kingdom and the balance of payment of each Kingdom after net exports and imports. Then we came to the settlement of debts. Kingdom Poziarne owed us and Kingdom Krajini owed Kingdom Ovzdusia.

Voda Kingdom's loans weren't repayable for another year so King Josias was in the clear for this year.

"Queen Zakyra, took a loan from me of one million on 12% interest for one year. Which would add up to 1.12 million dollars but it's been six months and you haven't repaid me. You now owe me 1.18 million and an extra 10% for the six months you haven't repaid my money, which totals up to 1.28 million dollars." I narrowed my gaze down at her. "When will I have my money back?"

"I have 1.12 million dollars that I will transfer to your bank account in ten working days. I will need more time for 1.6 hundred thousand dollars." She pressed her lips.

"How much more time?" I asked.

"Two months time." She said after some deliberation.

"I will take an interest of fifteen percent per month on 1.6 hundred thousand dollars for two months. So you will have to pay me a total of two hundred and eight thousand at the end of two months." I told her.

"I can offer you one hundred and six thousand plus anything else you want." She offered and her voice turned sultry. She pushed her breasts up and batted her eye lashes.

Did she think that it was attractive?

I felt Ava's anger.

"Two hundred and eight thousand dollars." Ava bit. "And then 5% extra for each extra day it takes for you to repay the loan."

Queen Zakyra's eyes widened before they slid to me. She gave me an innocent look.

"You heard her." I told her. "Make notes." I told Dimitri who was keeping tabs of our dealings.

"Yes, Alpha." He replied and typed everything on his laptop.

"King Xillian, you may present your case." Orlando motioned him to go ahead.

"About one year and three months ago, I had granted a loan to King Ciro of three million dollars at fifteen percent interest for one year which totals to 3.450 million dollars. Not only has he not repaid the money, he has taken extra three months in addition to the pre-decided one year time frame."

"As I had mentioned last night, I had set up a crowd funding and since the money isn't back yet, the people are restless and outraged to the limit of wanting to attack Kingdom Prajini. The people refuse to grant Kingdom Prajini more time. I can't do much if they take it upon themselves to attack Kingdom Prajini." King Xillian looked least bothered. In fact, he looked amused. He looked amused that the people of his Kingdom were attacking the people of another nation.

"King Ciro?" Orlando prompted.

"Two months before my time period was about to get over, I had asked King Xillian for an extension of another six months. After deliberating for over a month and a half, he refused my proposal. I gave him another proposal that I would give him gold, diamond and other precious metals that I offered to him which values upto 2 million. And I would pay the rest of the money in cash, which he again refused. He just informed me that once the one year time-period or fifteen days are up and I don't have his money, he will double the interest." King Ciro stated.

"Why didn't you sell the metals that you have?" Ava asked.

"Not a lot of people are willing to buy jewellery which amounts to two million. And even if I directly approached the retail shops, it would take a lot of time to sell and for me to actually get the money." King Ciro replied.

"Have you tried selling in the human market?" She's smart. The population of supernaturals is less and 2 million is a lot of money for them.

But there are billions of humans and 2 million is nothing in the human world.

"We do not trade with humans." The blockhead had the balls to look offended.

"Back to what I was saying," King Xillian interjected. "Since you have been unable to repay my loan, I hold the right to take a repayment in my favoured mode."

"You will lease out two major ports of your Kingdom to me for five years each. Fifty females from your Kingdom under the age of one fifty years will be transferred to my Kingdom and throw in a hundred slaves with them." Xillian demanded. "And last but not the least," he smirked, "your daughter for one year."

"No." King Ciro stood up, furious as the demands.

Hell, I would be pissed too. And I felt Ava's burning anger once again.

But he was stupid to take a loan from Xillian.

"It is clearly stated in the contract that you signed that any mode of payment is acceptable." Xillian said. "Show him the contract." He snapped at one of his men who jumped to his feet and hurried to show him the signed contract.

"I might consider the ports but I do not agree to the females or my daughter." King Ciro said furiously. "Mode of payment means goods, not lives."

Only goddess knows what he would do to those poor souls.

"Is that stated in the contract?" King Xillian smirked.

King Ciro lowered his head while Orlando sat on this throne, looking atas if nothing wrong was happening.

"Bring her to me." King Xillian snapped his fingers and two of his guards walked down the room and caught a girl and dragged her forward. She was young, way too young. Most probably a teenager.

"No!" She screamed. "Mother! Father!" She was thrashing and crying but the guards kept a firm hold on her.

"Stop this!" Queen Rhapsody snarled and stood up from her throne. "She is my daughter and will not be treated like this." She glared at Orlando.

"I cannot intervene in this matter, Queen Rhapsody. A deal is a deal." He replied in a formal tone.

"She will be a Queen one day." Queen Rhapsody focused her glare on King Xillian. "You do not want to make an enemy out of us."

"Oh, but I do." King Xillian smirked and started unbuckling his pants.

"Stop." Ava's voice rang out strong and everyone paused.

"King Xillian, supernaturals might be called monsters but that does mean you do everything in your power to prove them right."

Fuck. I wanted to laugh at everyone's shocked expressions and bulging eyes.

"All of us are smart, civilised people. Button up your pants." King Xillian's face turned red at that and instinctively, he buttoned his pants.

I heard snickers across the room.

"Please take your seat." She said and surprisingly, he quietly took his seat.

"Thank you." Not once did she say anything that would warrant his anger or a war on our hands. She also handled the situation with gentle but firm words.

Goddamn this woman.

Mine. She was all mine. I wanted to take her right here, right now.

"Release her." She ordered the guards but they held on to her and kept their focus on their King— King Xillian.

"I will not repeat myself again." Her eyes flickered to blue and then back to brown. "Release her before I take measures you won't like."

Slowly and unsurely, the guards released her.

"Now go back to your positions." She snapped and the guards jumped before they took their place on the either sides of King Xillian.

"What is your name?" Ava asked the girl, her voice gentle.

"Nazia, Queen Avalyn." She whispered, wiping her tears.

"Please take your seat, Nazia." Ava gave her a smile.

Nodding, Nazia took her seat.

"You may take your seat back too, Queen Rhapsody." Her voice turned hard.

Once everyone was back in their places, Ava focused her attention on King Xillian. "I will pay you a total of four million dollars in compensation the loan you granted to Kingdom Prajini. It will overcompensate for the extra three months too."

"You will?" I asked her, surprised.

"Yes." She replied.

"The money should come from Kingdom Prajini, as stated in the contract." King Raoul narrowed his eyes at Ava.

"I will wire the money to you right now, King Ciro, if you agree to my terms and conditions—which I will lay down later, and then you can give it to King Xillian." Ava looked at King Ciro.

"That is not fair!"

"I was not talking to you." Ava shot King Xillian a glare. "This matter is unrelated to you. You will get your money from King Ciro."

King Xillian hissed but remained quiet.

"What are your terms and conditions?" He asked Ava.

"You are not in the position to ask me anything right now, King Ciro. Consider it my kindness that I am even offering you this." Ava told him sharply.

He gritted his teeth and nodded. "I agree."

"Dimitri, call the bank and wire the amount from my personal account to his bank account." She ordered.

Swiftly, Dimitri plucked out his cellphone and called the bank and wired the amount.

A phone pinged and King Ciro took his phone out. A breath of relief left him.

He made another phone call and then King Xillian phone pinged.

"Did you get your money?" Ava asked King Xillian.

"Yes." He sulked.

"Good." She said and then sat back on the throne besides me.

Orlando stood up from stood throne. "With this, I officially declare the Vampire Annual Royal meeting adjourned."

~~~~~~~

"Tessa, can you ask someone to fix us breakfast?" Ava said as soon as we entered the living quarters.

It was already morning so all the vampires will be staying another day and leave at night. 

"Yes, Mistress." She replied and and disappeared down the hall.

And then Ava turned to me, her eyes slightly wide and innocent. "Now before you get mad—"

I slammed her against the wall and kissed her lips hungrily. I've been waiting to do this for a while now. I can never get enough of her. Everyday I think I've got her figured out, she pulls another trick up her sleeve that drives me crazy— crazy for her.

"Why will I be mad?" I released her, my eyes fixated on her pouty lips. I want to kiss her again.

"Because—because I made King Xillian angry? I gave away 4 million dollars?" By the end of that sentence, I my lips were on her again and I was kissing the crap out of her.

"Stop eating Avalyn. The breakfast is on the table." Dimitri entered.

Ava tried to push me but I cupped her cheek and kissed her harder. Her protest died away soon.

She moaned into my mouth.

I opened my eyes and saw Ava's smiling eyes. "What?"

"I love you." I whispered with a smile of my own.

"I'm going to puke my not even consumed yet breakfast." Javier muttered as he walked past us and Ava jumped away from me.

"Cock-blocker." I muttered.

"Nikolai!" Ava reprimanded and blushed bright red.

Javier's laughter echoed in the living room.

I pinched her butt playfully. "I'm not mad you, Moya Lyubov. I'm fucking proud of you."

"Really?" She looked excited.

"Of course," we both walked into the dining room. "The way you handled that asshole was amazing. Gentle but firm, insulting but indirectly." I grinned.

"Well he is a vile man. And I could never let something like that happen." Ava replied.

"King Xillian has always been that way." Vladimir said. "This is not the first time."

"This isn't the first time?" Ava looked shocked.

"No. When people want large amount of money and they have no option, they turn to him. And he gives them a ridiculously small amount of time to repay the huge loan. It doesn't help that he asks for a higher rate of interest than the market too." Vladimir explained further.

"Then why do people ask him for the money? Aren't they better off without it?" She questioned further.

"Individuals, yes." Vladimir nodded. "But countries need money to run. Just because your revenues are less for a particular year, it doesn't mean your expenditures are less too. You need to import the goods your people demand. Especially the basic ones. This creates a deficit and Kingdoms usually go in debt if they do not have enough savings. Then they take loans from King Xillian. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"King Ciro seems like a decent King, why would he do this though?"

"Prajini is the Earth Kingdom which means they are blessed with good soil. Their main occupation is farming and mining. But the rains weren't good last year so the crops went bad. They lost a major chunk of revenue right there. To earn more money, they increased the mining activities. But that also requires more man power and machinery which meant spending more money—money that they didn't have. It was sheer back luck." Vladimir said.

"If they are Earth Kingdom, wouldn't it mean they will have oil too? They would have oil wells wouldn't they? And oil has a huge demand and it will earn them a lot of money." Ava looked confused. She's very smart. Prajini must have a lot of oil.

"The use of cars in our world is a lot less than the human world and thats why prices are low here too. And just like he told you earlier, he does not do business with humans." Rhazien replied, rolling his eyes. "Stupid if you ask me."

"True." I replied. "Prajini can easily be the richest Kingdom right now if he runs it properly." I would have made billions already if that land was mine.

A smile formed on Ava's face. "I know exactly what to ask King Ciro now." And then she looked at Vladimir. "Schedule a meeting with him in the evening. I'm going to set up a little business of my own."

"Business huh?" I was curious as to what she would do.

"Yes. I've leaned from only the greatest." She winked at me.

I grinned.

Avalyn

"You have visitors, Mistress. The guard said that your slave is here." Tessa whispered in my ear and I nodded, getting up. I was done eating my breakfast anyways.

Nik, who was busy talking to Jester looked at me in question. "It's Eliyah. I'll meet you in our bedroom later." I pecked his cheek.

"I'll come." He immediately began to stand up.

"I'll be fine, Mi Amour. Continue your breakfast." I patted his shoulder, gave him a last smile and walked out with Tessa on my heels.

The first thing I saw when we reached our living quarters was a seven by four feet cage on wheels, inside which, Eliyah stood. He was wearing torn black jeans and was glaring at the guard and the Lady besides him.

"Good morning, Queen Avalyn," the guard and the Lady bowed.

"Rise." I said and both of them stood straight.

"Lady Adira, Queen Avalyn," the female extended her dainty hand with unnaturally long nails, "pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," I said with a formal smile. She was short with long brown hair, green eyes with heavy makeup around it and a dark blue lip. She was wearing a dark green dress with a plunging neckline. For some reason, I associated her with a snake.

"This is Slave Eliyah. As per the conditions of the auction, he belongs to you for the entire day." The guard said formally. "You will be required make the payment right now, Queen Avalyn. Seventy five thousand to me and seventy five thousand to Lady Adira."

"Tessa, can you please go get my cheque book?" I asked.

"Yes, Mistress." She nodded and then left.

I looked at Eliyah. His hands were gripping the rods and his large figure was a little hunched as he leaned down, trying to loom over us and express dominion. I knew from one glance that he was a big man. With no fat and muscles in all the right places. His dark shoulder length hair covered half his face that shielded him from my eyes.

I stepped forward and the sound of my heels gained his attention. He had deep, cerulean blue eyes, straight nose and full lips with a razor cut jaw. The moment his furious blue eyes landed on me, I knew he was angry the world and more than that, he is angry at himself.

And the scowl on his face shifted to a taunting smirk, "the moment this gate opens, I'm going to kill you." His voice was filled with a promise.

"You step out of line and I'll see to it that your feet won't step out of your cage for a very long time," Lady Adira gave him a saccharine sweet smile.

I pressed my lips together before I say something I'd regret.

And then she turned to look at me with a smile, "you have my consent to punish him if he does anything to displease you. Let it not be said that Lady Adira disappointed a Queen in any way," she said with a superficial, airy laugh.

"Of course," I nodded, going along. Then Tessa came out with my cheque book. I wrote down two cheques— one in Lady Amira's name and one for the Vampire High Council, which I seriously doubt will be used for 'God Sol's Temple' and gave it to them.

The guard had opened the cage and Eliyah shot out but Lady Adira yanked at his leash, choking him. He turned around, glared at her and then tried to attack her.

She pulled out a whip I hadn't noticed earlier and laid a harsh lash on his chest.

Eliyah grunted and then let out a scream when La—I shouldn't even call her a Lady anymore, began laying multiple strikes on him, reprimanding all the while, "I told you," whip! "step out of line and," whip! "you'll be punished!" Whip! "But you never listen!" Whip! "She's a fucking Queen." Whip! "Have some respect." Whip! "If you try this again I'll have you butchered." Whip! "Don—"

"Stop!" I said in horror after I unfroze.

What the hell just happened?

Eliyah was lying on the floor, trying to appear as small as he could and trying to get away from the inevitable assault. My breathing was harsh.

"Forgive me, Queen Avalyn—" Lady Adira started, "I know he's behaving like a wild animal. He's not normally like this but after the Gladiator Competiti—"

"Shut up!" I shrieked. Her eyes widened, like she couldn't imagine in her wildest dreams that I would ever say that to her.

"What is the matter?" Nik was besides me the next second. He was caressing our bond, trying to calm me down but I was past that point.

"Let me deal with this," I told my mate before glaring at Adira. "How much for him?" I asked her, motioning towards Eliyah who was still lying on the ground.

Her face shifted, all the kiss ass-ness gone. "He is not for sale."

"Name your price!" I gritted.

"My slave is a very valuable asset for me. His blood type is rare— it's something you werewolves won't understand," she sneered, "he's a great fuck and he wins all Gladiator Competitions. His value is immeasurable."

'Don't argue with her too much. The enforcer here will report everything back to Orlando. It'll be...problematic.' The way Nik said, I understood.

I nodded stiffly. "Get out. You'll have him after midnight."

Sneering one last time, she left.

The guard—enforcer, bowed, "I'll be back at midnight to pick him up, Queen Avalyn. Have a good day," and then he left.

Nikolai snapped his finger and one of our guards stepped forwards and picked Eliyah up. "Take him to the spare bedroom upstairs." The guard nodded and left.

"I want him Nikolai," I said.

"I'll figure something out." He nodded and kissed my forehead. "Give me some time."

"Thanks," I nodded and then went upstairs, after the guard.

I saw the guard put Eliyah on the bed.

"Thank you." I smiled.

He lowered his head. "My pleasure, Queen Avalyn." And then he left.

I sat on the bed besides Eliyah and began healing him. He had lash marks all over his torso—front and back. Some were deep and some were very deep. And all of the wounds were bleeding. Eliyah's face was scrunched up in pain but he didn't make any sound. He has strength inside of him. And for some reason, I feel responsible for him. It wasn't just because I bid for him and this incident. I felt that way when I saw him yesterday too.

Slowly, one by one, I had healed all his wounds. A minute later, his eyes fluttered open and landed on me.

"Thank goddess, you're okay. I was so worried." I let out a relived breath. "I'm so sorry this happened. I should have stopped her earlier, I did not expect that at all. I didn't know she could be that cruel. But I've healed all your wounds. I know that it doesn't compensate for everything but I hope it makes you feel better. If anything is hurting, you can let me kn—"

"Do you always speak this much?" He interrupted me.

My mouth snapped shut. I guess I had been rambling. He looked the other way, towards the balcony. And in his gaze, I saw sadness and longing. And again, my heart went out for him.

"Today is your free day, Eliyah." I said softly. "You can do anything you want, until you don't hurt anybody. You can sleep how much ever you want, you can eat whatever and how much ever you want. Although, I suggest you don't go out of our quarters, it won't be safe. But if you really want to, I can ask someone to go with you or if you don't like that, I can come with you."

His eyes snapped to mine and quickly filled with tears.

I began removing his collar. He didn't move, just kept staring at me in disbelief. "I'm saying the truth. It's not a trick or a game." I said gently.

He kept staring at me but didn't say anything. "I've had a long night, I'm going to go sleep for sometime. You can do as you like and if you need anything, you can ask anyone here." With a last smile and a pat on his arm, I left him alone.