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Lucien approached me, naked in his human form; tall body, tanned skin, his muscles shaped from years of running through these woods. His storming green eyes were still tinged yellow from the shift, his black hair swung around his shoulders, surrounding his sharp face.
I snarled as he approached. “Don’t look in her eyes.” It was more a desire to own her rather than protect Lucien that had me pulling her away from him.
One glance and I was already questioning my loyalty to my pack. No wonder men lost their minds as soon as they stood before a Scarlet Queen. She had yet to ascend, but she already held so much power, even when she was unconscious.
Setting her legs across my bent knee, I used my free hand to tear at her tight vest, ignoring my concern over her broken leg.
“Is it done already?” I asked as a piece of red fabric fell from her vest and fluttered down to the ground, though it was too small to cover her eyes. So, I reached for her cotton shirt instead.
I realised then that I had no idea how much time had passed since I took her in my arms. She had become my only focus, and the worry of that ate deep inside me.
“For now,” he said, kneeling before me. “I’ve hidden them in the brambles. Hopefully, the ghouls will be distracted by the humans. They should be busy for days.” He blew out a heavy breath, shaking his head as he rubbed the back of his neck.
The pain lashed us, fresh and raw between. We should have been more prepared. We expected an easy win, not that the slaughter would carry on to our side. We knew about the swords and spears, but the guns were a different matter.
I tore a long strip from the bottom of her shirt. My instincts told me the blindfold would not work, but I had to make sure she couldn’t use her powers to manipulate us - though my wolf had already decided we would serve her until our death.
I had to wonder if that was the reason the other wolves fell. But there were no vampires in that party but her, and both Nero and Suva had been taken by the guns.
I held the strip out to Lucien. “The tales are true. We must blind her.”
Lucien’s face flashed in amusement, his brows arching as his gaze danced over her body. I could tell he was thinking about how fragile she looked. But we had both seen her drive her sword through Suva’s neck. We couldn’t underestimate her.
I tore another strip while Lucien busied himself. I almost growled as he swept her hair from my body, smoothly running his fingers across her shining locks so he could tie the blindfold more tightly. I needed to hold her just to remain sane. Lucien was pack; we had shared everything since we were pups, but I wanted her for myself.
I handed him the second strip. He took it, tilting his head in confusion.
“Her wrists,” I supplied. “We can take care of her properly when we reach the cave. I don’t want to risk her touching us.” Or him. If Lucien fell to her power, we wouldn’t have the strength to fight it. And not when I was sure the moment I tasted her lips I would come undone.
His eyes ran over both of us. “Uh-huh. And the fact you’re touching her is…?” A knowing smile caught his lips.
“I am older and stronger than you.” I glared at him as his grin widened. Though he hated to be reminded of it, he still teased me at every opportunity about the hierarchy. We were equal as men, but I was the alpha. We kept ourselves in check. If Lucien ever went against me, it would be my wolf dominating his.
“Be quick,” I said, nodding at the blackening wound where she had pierced his muscle. “We must return before the silver spreads.” The poison crept down his arm, branching out through his veins across his chest. If it entered his heart or lungs, it could be fatal.
“What? This?” He chuckled as he looked down at his right arm. “I’m a big boy. Nothing I can’t handle.” Despite that, he took the strip and made quick work of binding her.
We both rose and took off at a run. I held the princess to my chest again, savouring the weight of her in my arms. Her soft hair brushed my hips once more, conjuring images of her clenching her fingers against my thighs as she swept down my body, her hair falling from her back to my legs as she took me deep in her mouth.
Lust shuddered through me. I knew Lucien caught it through the pack bond, though my scent also gave me away. I could not hide my desire from him.
She was strong. Too strong. A clenching in my gut told me we were making a mistake, even though her simple presence was the realest thing I had ever experienced.
We knew our revenge would come at a cost, but could we really afford the consequences of bringing her into our lives?
THREE
Valko
My hand only trembled once. I stilled it as I clutched the large key. No matter how excited my wolf was to see her, only calm rage and steady hate filled me.
The door swung open. I forced my heart to settle as orange light flooded the room and I laid eyes on her again.
It had been a day since Lucien and I had returned. I shackled her to the stone wall when she was still unconscious. The dungeons were ideal for a spoiled vampire princess, shut away from the luxuries she loved so much. They were an old relic from when ogres inhabited these caves, and they still contained the manacles they used to secure their human meals and stop them from escaping. Heavy iron sealed her wrists tightly behind her back. A thick chain bolted to the wall gave her just enough room to move.
She lifted her head as I entered, a wave of red hair tumbling down her chest, bright against her pale throat, but it matched her dirtied uniform. Drowned in the blood red of the Vermillion Knights, it was a sharp reminder of what she was, and what she had done to us.
“Oh? Which one are you?” she said.
