“Delicious,” she said, taking a long drink. “I need the boost. Father dearest wants me pulling an all-nighter at the office tonight. Learning the ropes and all that.”
I set down my mug, pushing it away from me slightly. My stomach churned. Maybe it was because it had been a while since we’d visited here. Maybe the milk was off. Either way, I had no desire to finish it.
“Have you worked on your book at all? Or did the flu keep you from it?”
Flu. That’s the excuse I’d given both her and my advisor those first weeks with Alek. So much had changed—like a lifetime had passed instead of mere weeks. Heat flushed my skin at the thought of Alek, my husband, my mate. Fire licked every inch of my body at the memories of his lips on my flesh, his hands on my thighs—
“Lyric?” Valor yanked me from my racing thoughts, and I blew out a breath. That had happened several times lately, my mind spinning from one thought to the next so fast I lost track of what was happening right in front of me.
“Sorry,” I said, my shoulders dropping. I hated keeping secrets from her. “No,” I said. “I haven’t been able to work on the book yet, but I’ve been researching like crazy. When I go to write it? It’s all going to be there. The sources I need, the information, the history.” A smile shaped my lips. Without Alek, I’d never discovered as much as I had.
Valor took another drink of her coffee. “That’s fantastic news,” she said. “I know you were having trouble finding credible and reliable information on the Skull and Bones society—”
“Actually,” I said, cutting her off. “I’ve switched gears a bit.”
Valor pursed her lips, and I leaned closer over the table. Excitement and anticipation flooded my veins, almost as thrilling as when Alek caught my gaze from across a crowded room. History and research were my ultimate jam and the new intel I’d dug up? It was rich.
“I’ve unearthed the dwellings of another secret society that has somehow nearly gone unnoticed throughout our history, despite having their fingers in literally everything of political significance since the revolution.”
Valor went very still for a few seconds before tilting her head. “Really? I thought Skull and Bones was your obsession.”
“It was, until I found this other society. I wouldn’t have ever even noticed if not for the rare texts Alek gave me access to. This group goes beyond Skull and Bones secrecy. I mean, like way, way beyond. They take ‘new world order’ to a whole new level. They plotted and positioned themselves with all the major players back when the nation was new. Had a whole ‘ultimate race’ vibe going on. Some may have even been linked to influencers today, but I haven’t gotten to dig into the leader’s ancestry yet. It’s like unraveling a spider web,” I said, chuckling as I shook my head. It would be so much fun relaying that history in novel form and hopefully getting it published someday. For history buffs like me, this stuff was gold.
“What are they called?”
“Were,” I corrected her. “Sons of Honor,” I said. “Unlike the Skull and Bones group and the Freemasons they aren’t operational anymore. It’s weird. The texts Alek loaned me just stop around seventy-five years ago. As if they removed themselves from the game.”
“Or someone else did,” Valor said, her eyes going distant for a moment before she blinked and arched a brow at me. “You keep mentioning this Alek…” She grinned, and I couldn’t help but mirror her. “And every time I’ve texted for specifics you vague-book the ef out of it.”
“I know,” I said, my heart racing. “That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to see you, beyond missing you like crazy.” I took a steadying breath. At least in this one thing, I could be honest. I’d just have to leave out all supernatural details. “I met someone. Like, totally, amazingly met someone. And it’s fast and crazy, but I love him. And we may have, sort of, gotten married.”
Valor’s jaw about hit the coffee table. “Wait, what?”
I nodded, unable to keep the happiness from shining on my face. Sure, there were questions and unknowns that still terrified me. Like what made me so different that the demons had thought they had some claim on me. Why I couldn’t be glamoured. What I would and could do to convince Alek to continue to live when I eventually withered away and died from old age. The thought of him choosing to leave the world when I did? It turned my stomach and cracked my heart at the same time. The idea of him not living at all was enough to curdle my blood. Luckily, I had time. Time to convince him to live. To love me while he could and then move on—
“Are you crazy?”
I reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “No—”
“People only get married that fast because—” Valor’s words died in her throat, her eyes widening at the ink on my wrist, the hand I’d squeezed her with. “They get pregnant,” she hurried to add. “You got a tattoo, too?”
“I’m not pregnant,” I said, and I honestly didn’t know the technicalities around vampire/human mating, or what incredibly rare meant. He’d said I wasn’t fertile, but not that I could never be fertile. And I’d never thought of having children, but having his babies? My mate’s? I couldn’t think of anything more wonderful, except maybe spending my forever with him. God, how my world had changed. Not only because of the supernatural creatures I’d learned about, but the love in my heart. So much of it. So much of it I never knew existed until him.
“And the tat?” she asked. “Should I be worried? Have you fallen into a modern-day-cult?” She forced a laugh, and I shook my head.
“You have nothing to worry about,” I assured her. “This tattoo was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
“An Alek thing,” she said.
“Well, yes,” I admitted. “I fell in love, Valor. I can’t explain it. But I’m happy. Like, seeing stars happy.”
Valor leaned back in her chair, arms folded over her chest. I know I must look crazy, sound crazy, but if she knew the whole truth? God, she’d likely have me committed. “I can’t believe I wasn’t invited to the wedding.”
I laughed, the tension in my chest easing. “It was fast,” I lied. It wasn’t like I could’ve invited her, a human, into a ballroom full of hungry vampires. I’m sure Alek would protect her, maybe even assign someone like Lachlan or Hawke to watch over her, but I wasn’t going to risk her life. Not now. Not ever. She meant too much to me. “If we ever renew our vows in the future, you’re going to be right by my side, I promise.” And I’m sure we could make that happen. A night wedding, with only the trusted Assassins, Avi, and Valor in attendance. Something solid slipped into my blood—Valor had been the first true friend I’d ever had. The only human I actually cared about. And Alek? He’d given me an entire family in the span of a few breaths. Expanding my world and my heart so much I thought I could shatter from all the love flying around in there.
“I won’t forget that,” she said, drawing me out of my thoughts. “More so, I want to meet your new…husband.”
I swallowed hard, but nodded. “Soon,” I said, hoping like hell I was telling the truth. There were so many new customs I had to learn, a whole new history to unravel in the traditions of vampire royalty so I could behave properly as their new…queen. God, that word still shook the very depths of my soul. How could I possibly rule a society of vampires when I wasn’t one of them? Who could possibly take anything I said seriously when I didn’t have the first clue about what it was like to be like them, live like them. Sure, I loved and was mated to one, but that didn’t mean I could claim I understood their experiences without fail.
One thing at a time.
First, take care of my human life. Valor, my thesis.
Second, learn everything I can to be the best queen I could be.
Third—
My stomach rumbled, so loud that Valor nearly choked on her coffee. “Hungry much?” She asked, her eyes trailing over my face. “You do look a little pale,” she said, then glanced toward the glass container displaying a variety of pastry treats. “Want me to grab you an éclair?”
Those were normally my favorite indulgence, but my stomach turned acidic at the thought. “No, thank you,” I said. “I’d rather have a meal.” A steak sounded perfect.
Valor nodded, pushing back from her chair. “I need to get cleaned up and head to the office, anyway.” She wrapped me in another hug, squeezing me so tight I nearly choked. “Please stay safe. And don’t take so long to see me again. Promise?”
She released me, and I laughed. “I’ll do my best,” I said, not wanting to promise something I couldn’t deliver on. I had no idea what my schedule would be like now…
Now that I was queen.
I shook my head, waving to Valor as she drove off in the cab she’d hailed.
Queen.
Such a foreign term, but one I was determined to wear as best as I possibly could.
After dinner.
“Can I get you another portion, Highness?” Serge asked from where he stood at my right. Avi sat across from me, her blue eyes wide, that perfect brow furrowed as she watched me slide my last bite of steak around the plate, using the meat to sop up all the bloody juices. I popped it in my mouth, practically moaning around the flavor.
“Could you?” I asked after I’d swallowed. I’d devoured the filet, but I was still starving. Maybe it was the new nocturnal schedule I’d shifted to, or the hours upon hours of wild, consuming, passionate sex I’d been having. It wasn’t like I had any experience outside Alek. Maybe new relationships always created this…hunger.
“Of course, my queen.” Serge bowed and disappeared from sight.
“What?” I asked Avi, who hadn’t stopped staring at me, a sense of dread in her eyes. She pulled out her phone, typed a fast text, then returned focus to me. “Avi?” I asked again, dread settling in my stomach.
Hawke’s sharp gaze shifted from his stoic, guarding position where he leaned against the wall on the other side of the room. He studied Avianna, something flickering behind his eyes as his gaze narrowed. “Princess?” His voice, so rarely heard in my presence, was like a blade. He pressed off the wall, as if to shake the words from Avi.
Heat licked up my spine seconds later, and a warm shiver danced over my skin. “Alek,” I said, practically purring at his sudden appearance. Hawke reclaimed his position, his gaze falling to a dagger he’d pulled from the sleeve of his leather jacket. “I thought you were with Lachlan—”
“You’re craving rare meat?” Alek sank to his knees before me, his hand on my cheek.
“Well, tonight, yes,” I said, tilting my head at the bizarreness of the question.
His eyes flashed to Avi’s for just a second. Then he looked up at me. “You said you were light-sensitive last week,” he said, more to himself than to me. “Has anything else been different?” he asked, and my heart started pounding against my chest. That old familiar instinct bristling like ice crystals along my skin. “Tastes, to be specific.”
“My favorite coffee drink tasted like spoiled milk when I saw Valor—”
“Oh, my,” Avi gasped. “Could it be possible, Alek?”
My breath caught in my lungs as I looked between the two. “What? What is it—”
“Fuck,” Hawke hissed with a voice like steel.
“Stay with Avianna,” Alek ordered, and Avi crossed her arms over her chest.
“I don’t need a babysitter—”
“I’m no babysitter,” Hawke cut her off, his eyes on her. He’d gone deathly still, that blade gleaming in his hand. Even Avi trembled at the sight of Alek’s most ruthless assassin, but her sapphire gaze remained hard and defiant as she glared at him.
“No arguments,” Alek snapped, and the two other vampires broke their death-glare-down.
A low growl rumbled from Alek’s chest, and I felt his anxiety like a blast of cold wind on the back of my neck. He gathered my hands in his, then tugged on me gently. I stood as he did, eyes locked on his. “What’s going on, Alek? Why is everyone freaking out about a steak?”
“Close your eyes,” he said, almost a whisper.
“Alek—”
“Trust me,” he said, his eyes pleading.
I closed my eyes, sinking into his warm embrace as he wrapped his arms around me. I clung to him as the ground shifted beneath our feet, that feeling of weightlessness caressing my body like floating in a warm pool. A second later, my feet touched solid ground.
“Your Highnesses,” a masculine yet calm voice said from my left.
I popped my eyes open, not at all able to hide the shock from my face. We were in a new room, one I had yet to see in the estate. And bowing to us was another gorgeous male vampire, dressed casually in a pair of black sweats and a white T-shirt. He looked like half the guys on campus, but his eyes? They seemed to possess a well of wisdom, ancient and deep.
“Julian,” Alek said, nodding slightly. A show of respect, I noted. This Julian was this historian Alek had spoken of before. I’d been dying to meet him—
“What can I do for you?” he asked, cutting into my thoughts.
Alek shifted me in his arms, holding me close to his side as if I might disappear any second. “She’s light-sensitive,” he said, and Julian’s eyes narrowed. “Tastes are shifting. She asked for two rare steaks this evening—”
“Ohmygod,” I cut him off. “Are you trying to imply that I’m pregnant?” Holy hell, were we about to pull a goddamn Twilight situation over here?
“No, of course, not,” Julian said calmly, soothing my nerves as he walked toward me. His eyes scanned every inch of my face, my body—not in a sexual way, Alek would’ve ripped him apart regardless of status—but in a studying way. He inhaled deeply, then blinked a few times before looking at Alek.
“It’s not possible, is it?” Alek asked, his voice sounding more vulnerable than I’d ever heard it.
“You know I believe anything is possible until proven otherwise.” Julian considered for a few long heartbeats. “I need a moment with my books,” he said, then whirled away faster than my eyes could follow.
A flare of appreciation for his slowness to answer before doing the proper research bloomed in my chest. But then it was replaced with that icy-cold dread. “Alek?” I looked up at him, my voice even, strong, damn-near demanding.
“You’re showing all the signs of a vampire coming into their power,” he finally admitted on a loosed breath.
The floor shifted beneath my feet.
“The cravings, the light-sensitivity. Pair that with the suspicions that you may already be a descendent of a bloodline we thought to be extinct?”
I swallowed hard, my heart slowing to an almost sloth’s pace.
“Transitioning?” I asked, trying to steady my breathing. “As in—”
“There aren’t many records on the Seer bloodlines,” Julian cut in, appearing before us with an ancient, dusty-looking book in his hand. The writing looked somewhat like hieroglyphics, all elegant lines, symbols, and pictures—all of which nearly faded from age. “But I’ve been studying everything I can since our new queen’s arrival,” he said, bowing again as he continued to flip through the pages. “It may be possible if she is indeed a Seer like we assume, that her drop of supernatural blood would allow the transition. How many times have you fed her?” He finally looked up from his book.
Alek looked like he’d turned to stone.
“Twice,” I answered for him. “My life was at stake each time,” I added in case Alek had broken some sacred law. I mean, sure, he was the king, but I had yet to learn how absolute that power was or not. There were four other supernatural kings or queens, and I didn’t know all the laws yet.
Julian nodded. “If history can be trusted,” he said, closing the book. “And I always believe it can. You will transition to vampire after a third feeding.” He slid his gaze to Alek’s. “The mating bond combined with the power in your blood and hers is what must be making this all possible.”
“Can her body survive the transition?” The question was quiet, almost a breath of words from Alek.
Cold trickled into my blood, but right alongside the terror?
Hope.
For a future. With Alek. Not a countdown to my ultimate demise, but an actual future. An eternity with him. A family.
“I can,” I said, looking up at Alek determinedly.
He shook his head. “I won’t risk it.”
My heart sank into my stomach. “You don’t want me forever?”
Julian cleared his throat. “I’m…” He pointed behind him. “Books. Research.” He disappeared.
“Of course, I want you forever,” Alek growled. “But your forever and mine can be the same when I choose to age with you. I will not risk your life now for the small chance that you might…change.”
I swallowed a mouthful of acid. “I’m stronger than you think.” I always had been. A survivor. I’d been on my own since my biological parents had thrown me away like garbage. And maybe this is why they did it. Maybe they knew my heritage, knew what I’d turn out to be. Knew I would see things in my sleep that would happen the next day, or get senses about people that couldn’t be trusted. Knew I’d be at home among some of the world’s most deadly creatures.
“I know you are, Lyric,” he said, smoothing his hands over my shoulders. His touch warmed every inch of me inside and out. But I wouldn’t be pawed at. “I won’t risk your life.”
“But it’s okay for me to take yours?” Tears welled at the backs of my eyes.
His lips parted, then shut.
“Exactly. It’s a bullshit double standard. I’m taking your life, Alek. You choosing to die with me is robbing you of an eternity. It makes me sick to think of you not living—”
“It’s the same for me!” he growled. “Don’t you see that? If the transition killed you…” his voice trailed off, his blue-gray gaze going lethal.
“It won’t!” I snapped back. “Alek, think about it. Our fates have been intertwined despite the odds. The rules. The laws. All of it. Julian said it himself, I’m from a bloodline you all thought to be extinct. Why would any of that happen if I wasn’t meant to survive the change?”
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