“You said you have information about Jo?”
He reached out and grabbed my hand. “Yes, and for right now, she’s alive, and Ariana has sworn to me she’ll be fine. There is something I want to discuss with you. Can you give me that?”
Everyone was all chatty Kathy all of a sudden. “I’m listening.” I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he tried to find his words. This Camden I wasn’t used to. The unsure Camden. I reached up to brush some stray hair off his forehead. “Just tell me.”
He sighed. “You need to go through a ceremony with Ariana and me.”
I raised my eyebrows. “What kind of ceremony?”
“I know that you are powerful, and the more different kinds of supernaturals you come across will make you stronger. However, if a Degenerate was to catch you unaware, all they would have to do is kill you. You are not immortal.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
He let out a sigh. “It’s a marriage vow.”
I jerked my hands from his. “What?”
“There was a reason Celia wanted to be my wife, other than me being a powerful king and my wealth. It was because she wanted to be immortal as well. Whoever I marry, our spirits become as one. She will be as hard to kill as I am. The same goes for Jamison and whoever his mate is. You can still be killed, but it makes their job harder.”
“You have tried to keep me at arm’s length since the moment I met you because of your past, and now you are willing to go one above and talk about marriage?” I made a motion with my hands, waving at him then myself. “Are you on crack? Let me guess, Ariana told you to do this, so now you’re willing to take the bullet; in this case, it comes in the form of taking a vow to me just because she said so?”
“Actually, no. Ariana told me about your friend, Jo, and how she intentionally got kidnapped, but she did not suggest us taking a vow. What she did say to me left me almost broken.”
Livid? No, I was pissed. “Why the turnabout, Camden?” Part of me didn’t even want to have this conversation. He’d had his chance. He’d missed the opportunity for happiness. But the other part of me needed to understand fully. “And why broken?”
“When you left, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.” His hair was a mess, and his clothes were rumpled. Did he not sleep last night? “After the first hour of your absence, I realized you’d already snared me. While you were gone, all I could think about was, were you safe? Fed? Happy? I can’t live the rest of my life without you.” He got down on his knees in front of me and grabbed both of my hands.
“I drove you away with my reluctance to let go of the past. The thought of losing you for good almost broke me. Never seeing your radiant smile or hearing your laughter again. The way you smell like vanilla and home or hearing my name roll off your tongue. I can’t lose you. Sadie, you’re my mate, but more than that, I want you to be my mate because the thought of not having you in my life is unbearable. I choose you, and I want you to choose me more than anything.”
My heart swelled with love. Just as I was about to give him my answer, his cell phone rang. He gave me a quick apology before answering it.
If he was frustrated with his quick phone conversation, he didn’t show it. As soon as he hung up, he said, “That was the vampire. He wanted to know what Ogres eat. Before I could answer, he screamed ‘No! Not that. Put it down.’ We should probably go and check on them.”
“I agree.”
He stood up while never releasing my hand. “You don’t know why Jo went with the demons, do you?”
“No, but she was acting a little strange after we were woken up by Ariana’s midnight visit.”
His eyes that reminded me of a sea green ocean pierced mine. “She told me about that. Ariana also said we wouldn’t have to wait long before we have the information we need to get your friend back. Celia is many things, but stupid isn’t one of them. Even if I didn’t want to admit how much you meant to me, I’m sure she knew. She can kill two birds with one stone if they kill you. They are going to demand your life for Jo’s. The only way for them to win this battle is for you to be dead.”
“I held my ground at Merek’s estate. What were the odds again? And yet, I’m still alive.”
“True, but you weren’t fighting a band of the Demon King’s finest either.” He stood and helped me to my feet. “This is his second attempt to get you, but he will never have you. Let’s go downstairs and see if word has come yet.”
Before we got onto the elevator, he pulled me in for a kiss that was anything but gentle, but had the same effect on me as his tender kisses. He pushed a strand of white-blonde hair behind my ear. “I’m yours, Sadie Grey, and I’ll tell you that every single day until you realize that you’re mine, too.”
I stepped from the elevator to go search for our group of misfit friends with my stomach in knots. All during the high school years, I’d avoided any excessive emotions when it came to boys, and now I was a rollercoaster of feelings when it came to Camden. He had my stomach going from loop to loop to free falling. I had a feeling my heart was going along for the ride, too.
Chapter Thirty
We found everyone in the living room. Kong sat on the Oriental rug in the middle of everyone. Lil rested on his shoulder. Stephan was reading a book on the opposite couch, where he ignored Carmen. She was equally ignoring him as she picked at her nail polish, sitting on the armrest of a wingback chair facing an unlit fireplace. I smiled as Lil flew over to me, talking ninety miles per hour like it had been months since I’d seen her instead of twenty-four hours. After cupping her fondly in my hand, I sat on the couch closest to Kong. I looked around to the people that I thought of as friends. I told them of my best friend and how she was missing, and then I told them what Carmen had shared with me. Celia was alive and married to another king. One who planned our death.
Stephan mumbled, “Get in line.”
Ariana glided into the living room. Her eyes glazed over. Camden jumped up to help her sit in the other wingback chair. “Has it been a long night, noni?”
I smiled at the nickname. I could picture Ariana as many things, but noni? Nope. Not happening.
She sighed when she finally sat. “So long. So many things are coming through the lines these days. Your brother is on his own adventure. He will lose something but gain something.” She gave a pointed look to the vampire who was still pretending to read. “And of course, I see a stubborn vampire who has trust issues. Then there is Jo.”
“What have you seen?” I asked.
“They said you are to meet them tomorrow at midnight, alone in one of Savannah’s famous graveyards. They said they would release your friend as soon as you arrive and after they make sure you have not brought reinforcements.”
My hands started to shake. I was scared for Jo and me. This sounded like a trap. I would go through with it, even if there were no way for me to win. I couldn’t leave Jo hanging.
The coward in me was relieved when Camden said, “They have midnight carriage tours in the downtown district, where they tell visitors all kinds of haunting stories. Fortunately for us, the tour goes right by the graveyard. I’m going to be guiding the tour tomorrow with a few allies dressed up as tourists. If you can stay alive long enough to free your friend, then we will come in and rescue you.”
“Tourists?” Stephan turned a page in his book. “Yay! I’ve always wanted to wear a fanny pack.”
“I’ll do my best to stay alive,” I said.
“Please do.” Camden looked at each one of us. “Kong will have to stay here because we can’t hide him.”
Kong said, “I go.”
Camden shook his head. “Sorry, bud. It could harm Sadie if you did, but we could use you here. I’ll be leaving Ariana here by herself. Do you think you could stay and protect her?”
Kong’s chest puffed out. “Yes. Ariana friend.”
Ariana surprised me by getting up from her chair and kissing Kong on top of his head. “And you are mine.”
“Do you t
hink you could mask our scent?” Camden asked, and Ariana gave him a nod. “Thank you. That will help us from being detected.”
“We’re leaving in eight hours,” Camden said. “Everyone prepare, however you need to.” He held out his hand to me. “Come. I want to show you something before we leave.”
I followed behind Camden as we left the house and took a path to the backyard. When the stonework ran out, we kept going. I didn’t question where our destination was as we entered the forest. He held branches for me as I walked through the trees, helping me to step over fallen logs. Who said chivalry was dead?
The wildlife, including the crickets, became eerily quiet. Maybe they sensed Camden, a more significant predator than themselves invading their territory. The foliage started to open a little right before we stepped into a big clearing. I followed him through the dandelions and down a small hill. What awaited us took my breath away. There was a cascading waterfall dropping into a lagoon. Shiny rocks jutted out all around the bank, signifying the shallow areas. It was completely magnificent.
We hopped from stone to stone until we reached a dry, flat rock in the middle of the lagoon.
“Sit with me a minute?” Camden asked.
“I would love to.”
“I thought my little mermaid would enjoy this. You are the first person other than family that I have ever brought here. It’s wonderful here and instead of sitting and worrying for the next few hours about your friend, I thought this would help take your mind off things.”
“And you believe Ariana when she said that Jo will be fine?”
“Absolutely.”
We stretched out our legs side by side and sat in companionable silence, just watching the beautiful nature around us. I had no clue what tonight would bring, but I would forever hold this moment close to my heart.
“I’m sorry.” He didn’t look at me as he said those words, and at first, I thought I misunderstood. “The things I feel for you can’t be measured. I think of you when you’re right beside me and when you left, I couldn’t think of anything but you returning. I was going to give you one more day before I went to get you. It’s not fair of me to say we can’t see where this thing between us goes when I can’t let you leave me, so I’m sorry. Sorry that I have been giving you mixed signals.”
I tried to tuck an unruly curl behind his ear but it bounced back. “I get it. I understand why you would be hesitant to travel a path you think would lead you down the same road as your father.”
“It’s more than that,” he said, as he picked up a small pebble, skipping it over the water. “I have lost uncles, cousins, and friends all because my father couldn’t hold onto the key. So many people tried to step in and protect my brother and me from the Degenerates, and they all ended up dying. If my father would have finished raising his children and protected the key like he had vowed to do, I wouldn’t feel like this. Like this second chance of saving the world rests squarely on my shoulders.”
“You shouldn’t feel that way, though.”
He brought my knuckles to his lips and gave them a light kiss. “But I do, and yet the whole world can go to hell if I can’t have you by my side. I am asking two promises from you. The first is that after this is all said and done and we rescue your friend, you will come back here. Give me a month to win you over.”
I thought about his words. I honestly didn’t want to be any place other than here with him. The day away from him made me miserable. I was actually ready to be his mate, but I found myself asking, “What’s the second promise?”
“After the first month, if I haven’t won you over, you will give me a second and a third. Until I get it right.”
I burst out laughing. “You know what? I think I can make that promise. In fact I think I can do you one better Camden Grant. I want to go all in.”
I swear he stopped breathing. “You mean… you mean that you want to be my mate?”
I gave him a shy nod. “More than anything.”
He was talking so fast that I almost couldn’t understand him. His words spilled out of him in an excited rush. “Since you’re not a werewolf, our mating bond will be a little different. For us to become one, we have to vow to except each other as mates, mix blood, and the werewolf in me has to bite you right here.” His finger lightly trailed above my shoulder blade. “It’s the way we mark our mates. Are you ready?”
I held up a hand. “Wait. You want to do this right now?”
“There is no reason not to. Not if you’re sure—”
Was there a reason not to become his mate? I couldn’t imagine life without him and as hard as he had tried to push me away, he was unsuccessful. He needed me just as much as I needed him.
“Tell me what we need to do.”
His grin was megawatt bright. “We’ll say our vows, we mix our blood, and I’ll mark you. Our bond will grow stronger, and I can show you every day here forward how much I love you.”
“Let’s swap some blood then.”
He laughed with joy before he stood up, bringing me with him. He pulled out a small knife from his back pocket. He made a cut on his palm before passing me the blade. I looked at the blood glistening on his hand and gathered my courage. Wincing a little, I made a similar cut.
He clasped my hand in his, mixing our blood. He said, “Sadie Grey, I vow to be your mate now and forever.” After he gave me an encouraging nod, I repeated the words back to him.
I could feel my hand healing from whatever powers he was using. As soon as he released my hand, he grabbed the bottom of my T-shirt. “Arms up, love. I’ve got to remove this before the next part.”
I obeyed him. Then I said, “Wait a minute. You couldn’t just pull my shirt to the side?”
He dropped my shirt beside us on the rock we stood on. “Sorry, I didn’t think of that.”
Yeah, right. His gaze dropped, and he stared at me for so long that I became self-conscious. I started to cover myself, but he let out a growl. “Don’t ever hide from me, Sadie Grey. You are beautiful.”
I watched in fascination as he morphed in front of my eyes. His features became sharper, and his body elongated and widened. In whatever form he donned, he was so incredibly handsome. Definitely swoon-worthy. He twirled me around, pulling my back into his massive chest. He draped all of my hair over my left shoulder before nuzzling the right side of my neck. I rested the back of my head onto his chest as I closed my eyes and tried not to moan. This was definitely more interesting than reciting vows.
“I’m going to mark you now.” His hands rubbed circles on my stomach. His five o’clock shadow tickled my sensitive skin as he tilted my head farther away from my shoulder. Sliding my bra strap down my arm, he left a trail of kisses from my neck down to the place he was about to mark. “Usually, this is done when mating, but this will have to work for now.”
There was a slight pain before complete bliss as his teeth sunk into my shoulder. His grip on me tightened as my shoulder heated. After a few moments, he gave me several more kisses over the skin he just marked.
“It’s done now. All other werewolves will recognize you as my mate and know that you are mine.”
“And you are mine.”
“I have been since day one.”
He pulled me in for a kiss that ended way too soon for my liking.
“I can’t,” he said almost breathlessly. “Not after just marking you. Everything in me wants to mate with you.” He turned his back. His fist was clenched, and he was taking deep breaths. He was trying to calm the beast inside of him, and it looked as if he was struggling.
“Maybe I want you to mate with me.”
Another growl. “No. You need a couple of hours of rest before we go find your friend.”
I fumbled with my shirt as I quickly tried to put it back on. I had a friend who needed me to come and rescue her, even if she did plan her own kidnapping, and here I was lusting after a man so hard my eyes were crossing.
I announced when I had my shirt back on. He gave me a
nod before he swept me up into his arms and carried me back over the stones. I thought he would put me back down once we got to the bank, but he held me all the way back to his home. I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat while I let the exotic smell of him wash over me.
He put me down when we reached the paved stones making up the pathway back to his house. We entered through the side door leading to the kitchen. Ariana was there, waiting on us. She was half sitting on a barstool. I knew she was delighted with what just took place without her saying a word.
A single tear strolled down her cheek as her crinkled face lit up with a gigantic grin. “I came to see you both off before I go lay down for a bit.” She hugged me before she embraced Camden.
“You have been so tired here recently. I worry about you.”
She sighed heavily. “There is just so much information coming through it’s almost impossible to keep track of all of it. I worry about the vampire. I could save his mate but if I did, she wouldn’t be his mate, now would she?” She obviously didn’t expect us to answer. “And that Vampire Queen! I’ve always hated her. Could I send someone to take that crown from her? Of course, I could, but then poor Stephan would never be who he is meant to be. There is your brother—”
“Jamison is fine, isn’t he?”
“Would I let anything happen to him?” I swear she rolled her eyes. “But he’s blunt when he shouldn’t be and hides things when he should be honest. It will cost him his mate, if he’s not careful.”
“His mate?” Camden asked.
“Yes, do try and keep up. And Death, he stalks his prey like she’s an adversary, when she could be his biggest ally, but try telling him that. The Undertaker thinks he knows all because he is all.” The lines in her face deepened as she glanced at me. It was like she forgot I was there for a second. “Oh, and Austin—did you know that I knew your brother?” She didn’t wait for me to answer. “He has gone silent on me. Very frustrating. Especially when I promised him you wouldn’t be mad because you are one of the most logical of the bunch.”
The Werewolf Queen Page 19