by Jen L. Grey
Not bothering to acknowledge him, Rose placed her hands on the gaping wound and closed her eyes, mumbling more words that I couldn't understand.
Smoke began to coil in between her fingers, but the smell of burnt flesh was missing. She continued to chant in some unknown language, and after a few minutes, the smoke began to dissipate.
Do you think it's working? Mason linked with me as we both watched.
I'm not sure, but I'm hoping it does. Otherwise, why would she come here with a house full of shifters around her? She'd have to know that we could attack her if she didn't follow through or if we didn't like the outcome. There had to be some level of trust there.
You're right. Mason took a deep breath. It just isn’t natural for our two kinds to work together.
That I can agree with. Even though Mason had only met the witch one time, he understood the supernatural world.
After a few more moments, she lifted her hands from Cecelia's neck. "It's done."
My eyes darted to her throat, and the huge slash that had been there was now barely a scar. "Oh, thank God."
Matteo reached out his hand, barely touching the scar, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Thank you." Tearing his eyes from his pack member’s face he glanced at the witch. "I wasn't sure if it'd work."
"Not every witch can do that, but the more powerful ones can." She pointed at me. "Luckily, she knows me."
"All right." Kassie clapped her hands and pointed to the elevator. "It's time for your happy ass to head back home."
"What? I can’t stay in the city for a few days?" Rose pouted as she glanced my way.
"Do you really want to stay here with a house full of shifters?" I arched an eyebrow. Witches kept to their own, so I was surprised she was hinting at an invitation.
"Fine, you're right." Rose huffed and wiped the blood on her black pants.
As crazy as it seemed, the blood appeared to vanish into thin air. This confirmed what I had always suspected. She wore a glamour.
"Why don't you see if Alec can come today?" I glanced at Mason. "The plane is already heading in that direction."
"What? Alec is coming?" Ella smiled, but it quickly turned to a frown. "How come?"
"He just wanted to visit, and yeah, I'll call him." Mason nodded his head. "It does make sense."
Mason moved to the foyer to call his friend as Kassie waved the witch on. "Let's head out now. Mona already went to get the car."
"Until we see each other again." Rose smiled and bowed her head at me just enough for me to see the movement as she followed Kassie out of the room.
When they were out of hearing distance, I noticed Matteo had another tear streaming down his face. "Thank you for your sacrifice."
"What?" I hadn't done anything to deserve that. “It’s only a few drops of Mason’s blood.”
"Both you and the Royal Mate were willing to offer your own blood to help her." His focus returned to Cecelia. "That is one of the biggest payments a royal can give."
"What? How come?" I suddenly felt a heaviness sitting on my chest.
"You don't know?" His gaze landed back on me with what I could only understand as fear.
"Know what?" Maybe I was over analyzing this. "Giving her my blood to kill vampires?"
"No, your blood doesn't kill them." He tilted his head and then glanced in the direction Rose had just left.
"Yes, wolves’ blood kills vampires." This was common knowledge. He was an alpha and should know this.
"My Queen, that is true. Luckily, since Mason isn’t of royal blood, his blood was less risky, but she could still use it for bad instead of good." He took a deep breath and paused. "But your blood is so much more powerful. It’s a well-guarded secret, so it makes sense that you wouldn’t know since your father died before he could tell you."
"But I'm a wolf." Nothing was making sense. What had my daddy failed to tell me?
"A royal wolf. Your blood is different than the rest of ours. That's why you have auburn fur." He bit his bottom lip and swallowed hard. "Royal blood is like a drug to them. They get our strength, endurance, our faster healing abilities, and ultimately, an addiction."
Then how did the vampires get my blood? The vampire prince was obviously desperate for more. It couldn't be from Rose because I hadn’t told the witch that I was a royal. At least, not until a few weeks ago. Not only that, but she seemed not to know since she willingly took Mason’s blood instead of mine. She couldn’t know the secret either then. But I had to figure this out before he attacked someone else.
Chapter Ten
Kisses along my neck woke me. I almost closed my eyes and went back to sleep until his hand cupped my breast. Suddenly, I wasn’t as sleepy anymore.
What are you doing? I turned toward Mason, and his eyes took on a deeper green.
If you don’t know, I’m not doing a very good job. He leaned over and kissed my lips, begging for entrance to my mouth.
All too willingly, I let him in, and our tongues tangled, making my body begin to heat. Your friend should be here any minute.
I don’t give a damn. He rolled me on top of him and rubbed against me. My body arched into his, and the friction was already building.
In a matter of seconds, we were both naked, and he climbed on top of me, thrusting inside. I just need to feel you. His words were even growly in my head.
Time slipped away as the two of us connected in a way that I had never understood until him. Every touch was better than the last, and each time we connected, I felt more complete.
Far too soon, our needs were quenched, and I was back in his arms, feeling content and satisfied.
My phone buzzed beside me on the nightstand. “Kassie and Mona left to get Alec a little while ago. I’m assuming they’re on their way back.”
He groaned as I slipped out of his arms and checked the message. “Yup, Kassie said they’re pulling into the garage.”
“Then I guess we better behave.” He climbed out of bed, and I ogled all of his muscles as he put his clothes back on. “Keep looking at me like that, and we won’t be leaving this room.”
I was tempted to see if he’d follow through, but I forced myself to get dressed. His friend was here. It’d only be right that we were there to greet him.
Just as we were making our way down the stairs, the elevator doors slid open, and Alec stepped into the foyer.
"Holy shit." His charcoal eyes took in the large rounded staircases and the marble floors that led to the hallway. "For some reason, I wasn't expecting this."
"It takes some getting used to." I smiled at him.
"I'm up for the challenge." He ran his hands through his chestnut hair and grinned. "Should I bow to you now or something?" He arched an eyebrow at Mason.
"Why would this time be different than all the others?" The corner of Mason's mouth twitched on the side.
"Alec." Ella ran down the hallway and launched herself into his arms. "I'm so glad you're here."
Now I was confused. She was so ecstatic to see him even though she and Louis had been spending a lot of time together lately. It wasn't any of my business, but I just didn't want her to get her heart broken. "Hey, do you mind if I go back in there with Matteo?" I didn't want to be an ass and not visit with his friend, but it was important for me to make sure Cecelia was okay.
"Of course not." He leaned over and kissed my lips. "Let me get him settled, and we'll come right back down. I want to spend some time with them too.”
I nodded my head and turned, heading back into the den with Matteo and Louis. Even though I knew there wasn't a change, I couldn't help but ask. "She's not miraculously up?"
"Nope, still the same." Louis glanced down the hallway where I had just come from. "Who's that?"
"One of their fellow pack members." The stench of spoiled entitlement hit me, alerting everyone that the prince was jealous. "He's Mason's best friend."
"Oh ... She seems close to him." His eyes darted back in their direction.
"Well, they
are from the same pack, and he's Mason's best friend." I felt like a broken record. I wanted to scream, “Of course they’re close.” Although he was a prince and the son of my ally, I couldn't be a complete ass ... could I?
A small moan escaped Cecelia.
Matteo was on his feet instantly and hovering over her. "Hey ... you're safe now." He patted her head like he would if she was in wolf form.
Her eyes hadn't even fluttered, but she turned toward us. I realized that her heartbeat was growing stronger.
"Thank God." Matteo dropped his hand, but his forehead was still lined with worry. "I hope that she continues to improve. Her happy spirit made our pack so much stronger. I wouldn’t know what we would’ve done if we lost her."
Me neither. "Why don't we get a room ready for you? You didn’t get any sleep last night."
"That's what I was just coming in to say." Mona pointed at me. "You've been through the wringer, and you need to get more rest."
"Do you often let your guards tell you what to do?" Matteo tilted his head.
"Hell yes, she does." Kassie entered the room with dark circles under her eyes.
Mona laughed. "Really? Is that what you choose to believe?"
"You're right." Kassie frowned and pointed at me. "It was a lot easier when you were eight."
"I bet it was." Louis even chuckled. "She seems to be headstrong, but not in the same way as my father."
Great, now they were all focusing on me. "These two ladies have special privileges." I closed the distance to my guardians and pulled them into a big hug. "They went above and beyond to take care of me ever since I was a child."
"And we'd do it again in a heartbeat." Mona smiled and pulled back, patting me on the cheek. "You better make sure you’re well-rested. Alec was already talking about all the stuff he wanted to do on the ride here."
"He was worse than a girl," Kassie muttered and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I'd rather be killing vampires than deal with that ever again."
Kassie cracked me up sometimes, but they were right. Even though I had gotten some rest, I was still tired. "Fine." I took a step back and gestured toward Matteo. "Do either of you mind finding Tommy or anyone else who is up and around to help get Matteo situated in a room? I’ll stay down here with Cecelia since I’ve had a little sleep.”
"Of course." Mona stifled a yawn and focused on Matteo. “There is a room down here if you'd like to follow me.”
"No, I want to stay here." He pointed to the couch Mason and I had been sitting on. "I can sleep there. It won't be a problem."
I was sure he was expecting me to argue, but I understood. "Okay."
A small grin spread across his face. "You're full of surprises."
I wasn't quite sure whether that was an insult or a compliment. "Let me go grab you some blankets and a pillow at least." I couldn't leave him without something to help him get comfortable.
"Okay." He nodded his head. "That would be nice."
"You go be with Mason and Alec." Mona pointed at me. "I'll grab him some stuff."
"I have a better idea." The three of them were tired, and Louis was acting jealous. He could earn his keep and use a distraction. "You two are worn out too. Louis, do you mind?"
"What?" Louis's mouth almost hit the floor. "You want me to get his bedding?"
"It's fine." Matteo waved at Louis. "I'm fine with what is here."
"No." Louis stood and furrowed his brows. "I can do it. Uh ...” He glanced around like a deer caught in headlights. "Uh ... I'll be right back." He slowly walked off like he was hoping someone would help him.
It might do him good to scramble a little. "Thanks, Louis. It means a lot."
Kassie smashed her lips together, trying to hold back a smile.
"Uh, yeah." Louis walked out the door, heading to the stairs.
I had to give him credit. Most of the bedrooms were upstairs. For some reason, this made me like him a little more.
"Are you going to leave him hanging like that?" Mona shook her head and laughed.
"Hey, it builds character." The one good thing about being away from the royal life is that I understood what it was like to rely on myself. Louis had never had to do that. "I'll go help him in a second."
"No, you stay put." Mona chuckled, heading out the door. "I'll go help our little lost prince, and then we're all getting some rest."
"You're horrible." Kassie finally broke out in laughter. "But I agree. He could learn some survival skills."
"So, this is royal life?" Matteo smirked as he glanced from me to Kassie. "I never expected anything like this."
"It is now." Life had been hard, but I was beginning to understand that was okay. "I've only been a royal again for a little over a month."
"It's strange." He narrowed his eyes and tapped his pointer finger against his chin. "You think of yourself as only being a royal since you moved back to New York, but in my mind, you've always been one, ever since you were born."
"Well, if that's the case, royalty now includes washing dishes at a trendy bar, budgeting money for college, and occasionally driving a car that might be older than me."
His golden eyes turned brown. "You have gone through a lot."
Even though I didn't think his words were meant to hurt me, they did. Did he think I was some spoiled rich kid who had been hiding away from my responsibilities? "No, that part is what most people live through. Even though we did it to stay under my uncle’s radar since I was thought to be dead, I grew up understanding the normal daily struggles. I’m hoping that it helps in some way." Maybe I came off sounding snotty, but at this point, I didn't give a damn.
Footsteps shuffled into the foyer, heading in our direction. Louis's head popped into the den. "I hope this is okay." He entered the room with a pillow and some thin sheets.
Well, color me impressed.
"That's perfect." Matteo grabbed the items from him and placed them on the couch. "I appreciate everything that you've done for us tonight."
I took the few short steps between us and touched his arm. "Of course. This is my duty, and I'm honored to do it."
He bowed his head in deference. "Very well. Good night, My Queen."
"Goodnight. Let me know if you or Cecelia need anything." I didn't want him thinking he couldn't wake me.
I couldn't hold my yawn back. "Thank you for getting that, Louis. I'll see you all in a few short hours." It was almost ten-thirty in the morning so it wasn’t like they were going to get to rest for long.
Not waiting for a response, I headed to the stairs. As I walked past Ella's room, I heard Mason chuckle.
"As long as you're happy, man. That's all that matters." Alec's tone was deep and filled with sincerity.
The door was open, and I glanced inside the room. Ella was digging through his stuff, which, for some reason, didn't surprise me.
"She's been the missing piece all along." Mason punched his friend in the arm. "I've never been so happy."
"I love her. Don't get me wrong, but damn ... We need to go on a vacation or something. She's gotta be the strongest person I know, dealing with her past and now all this other shit." Ella pulled out a bag of fudge. "Ah-ha. You were holding out on me."
"Oh, shut it." Alec reached to grab the bag out of her hands. "Mom made these for me."
"It says my name right here." She held the bag up and pointed at the black ink that spelled her name.
Why are you just staying out there? Mason's eyes landed on me, and he motioned for me to join them.
I don't want to interrupt your time with him. It was kind of nice watching them. The three of them were close, and it was obvious. I'll head to the bedroom, and you come when you're ready.
Mason shook his head and walked over to me. He took my hand and tugged me into his arms. "Now this feels complete."
"Ugh ... are they always this cheesy?" Alec opened the bag of fudge and popped one in his mouth with his eyes trained on us.
"You think this is bad?" She snatched the bag away from h
im and growled a warning. "You haven't seen anything yet."
"Aw, baby, they want a show." Mason winked at me.
"We should give them the best one yet." I twisted my hands in his hair and pressed my lips to his.
"Okay, now I see what you're saying."
I pulled away and winked at him. "I'm sorry, but I'm exhausted." I tried to focus on Alec. "I'm heading to bed for a short nap, but I'm glad you were able to come on such short notice."
"It wasn't a problem at all, and taking a private airplane was cool as hell." Alec snapped and pointed at me. "Thanks for letting me come."
"Come on." Mason leaned over and picked me up in his arms.
"Shit. Put me down." I hated being carried like a princess, and he knew it.
"Nope." He nodded his head at Alec. "Goodnight, man. I'll see you in a few hours."
"Uh ... what about me?" Ella popped another piece of fudge into her mouth and chewed with her mouth open.
"Learn some manners." He strode to the door and headed straight to our room. My head fit right against his chest, and his strong heartbeat and his earthy scent relaxed me. Before he got to our room, I had already passed out.
A few hours later, I crawled out of our bed, feeling like I had got my ass kicked last night. In all fairness, I kind of did. How could I have not known about my blood being so different from my pack members’?
I tiptoed out of the room, trying not to disturb Mason. He hadn't slept well either, but at least he was resting now. After a few hours of hard sleep, I couldn't drift off again.
Grabbing some jeans and a shirt out of the closet, I quickly changed and ran a brush through my hair, ready to go check on the girl. Her heartbeat had begun getting stronger last night, so I was hoping for some better news today. Matteo hadn't alerted anyone that she’d taken a bad turn overnight, which I was glad for.
As I entered the den, I was surprised to find both couches empty. Did something happen to both of them?
The sound of a fork scraping a plate grated in my ears. I hurried into the kitchen to find both Matteo and Cecelia sitting at the table, eating some scrambled eggs and bacon.