I thought that in front of these people, he would never show any sign of affection—as if doing so would make him vulnerable or an easy target for manipulation. I was pleasantly surprised, and thankful, that I was wrong. The gentle caresses and heated embrace were a tether keeping me centered and grounded in the midst of chaotic energy and unfamiliar faces.
He mentioned that fated mates could sense each other’s emotions, so I was betting he could sense my distress. He knew something was wrong, but we couldn’t disappear now that we were in the lion’s den.
There’s no hiding from this life, now.
He made the rest of the introductions, but the board members' names and faces all melted into one big blur the rest of the night. I couldn't shake Andrei's harsh words from my mind, leaving me unable to properly focus.
The anxiety rising in my chest was like a wild animal, desperate to be freed. It clawed at my stomach, trying to escape, and it hissed a million possible disasters in my mind. No matter how much I tried to break free of it, the beast was chained to me, refusing to leave. I knew I had to learn how to manage the feelings and accept them as part of my life, despite knowing they didn't reflect the truth of my soul.
Bile churned, and acid crept up my throat, searing it until I silently gagged as I nodded absentmindedly at the Pawn Drake introduced me to. I had no idea what the man was saying to me as I wrestled with myself to not look over his shoulder at the clear view I had of Andrei and Jeoffrey.
It took everything within me to not go over to his father and call on Devorare before slicing her cleanly through his neck. Every laugh he gave sounded like nails on a chalkboard, grating and sharp. I swore I could feel my ears bleeding at the heinous sound.
Jeoffrey was seemingly the most jovial of the entire board, but the more I watched him, it became clear that he had his talons hooked in deep to everyone here. Silvyn laughed at his side next to the other Rook, whose name I thought was Tania.
Taking a deep breath, I pictured all of my churning anxiety and fear flowing from the dark well at the center of my stomach. Slowly, it pooled into a throbbing black ball, as if it was a live entity. Staring daggers into the back of Jeoffrey’s head, I imagined the ball exiting my body and shooting at him.
He could have back all the shit he’d stirred within me. A small smirk curved my lips upward as I pictured the ball morphing into a large middle finger before it seeped into him.
I wouldn’t let him sink his claws into me with the mind games he was playing. That was the only way he could attempt to take me down, and I needed to hold strong in the belief that my gut was right. He was a piece of shit, and I just had to figure out how to prove that to the blinded board members who hung onto his every word.
As soon as my eyes met his, a sinister smirk spread across his face. I glared at him, unflinching and resolute, my jaw clenched, and my hands balled into fists. He seemed to sense the danger emanating from me, and his expression shifted. His Adam’s apple bobbed as if he struggled to swallow, the smirk locking into a tight, forced smile that looked as though it could shatter any second.
My lips curled into a snarl as I let my fangs lengthen. His piercing eyes burned with a promise of violence, as if he was trying to make me cower and look away—but I was born to hunt monsters. I wouldn't let him see any fear.
I wasunafraid to show him I knew what lurked beneath his mask. He thought he was the biggest, baddest creature here, but I knew otherwise, and I would make sure he learned that fact the hard way.
The nightof my family's death, of my own transformation, I thought I was all alone in the world. But I was wrong. As my strength grew, so did my determination to avenge those I'd lost. Jeoffrey and any other vampires on his side wouldn’t take away what I'd found...A spark of friendship, of love, of hope.
No one would take anything else from me.
I could no longer hide from the truth or wallow in self-pity. Fate had brought me here, and now it was time to take control of my destiny.
I still had a bone to pick with Fate for the actions she took to get me to this point in my life, but I wouldn’t use it as a crutch anymore.
Drake's strong arms pulled me close, making me let go of the violent thoughts of beheading his Knight I had been entertaining. His lips moved against my temple as he spoke, the warmth of his breath sending a shiver down my spine. “Darling, I can sense your distress, and I'm barely keeping myself in check from the urge to rip out the throats of anyone in this room who’s making you feel this way. Let's get out of here now that you’ve met everyone, shall we?”
He looked down at me with a gaze that felt like it was boring into my soul. His presence loomed over me, and I was overcome with a mix of fear and exhilaration. I answered his question with a silent nod, and he took my hand in his, leading me away from the jostling crowd.
My brows furrowed together at his words finally filtering through to my mind, though.Shit,I’d met everyone on the board already? Time really had gotten away from me.
I’d done my best to not stare at Andrei all night, not wanting people to see my lingering gaze and possibly placing more unwanted attention on him, but I was growing weak. I wanted to catch his eye, desperately wanting to see a flicker of the man I’d come to love in his gaze. I wanted the reassurance that he would be okay once he left this party.
The only thing Iwasfearful of was the emotional and physical pain that he would be forced to endure by his father’s hand the longer he was stuck with him. Could I help heal him, or would that be a journey he needed to take alone once I ensured Jeoffrey was gone for good? Could we fix this chasm between us after that? Was I capable of forgetting the vile words he’d spat at me, even if I forgave him?
I needed to make peace with the fact that I wasn’t going to get any of those answers right now. It fucking hurt but wallowing in it wouldn’t fix anything. Actions would.
“Whatever it is, Alina, you can trust in me to help fix it,” Drake whispered before pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead. My toes curled, and I could feel my core heating. This man was like catnip for my soul.
I’d have thought anyone completely mad if they had told meDraculawould be the one to lend me strength and kindness in a moment of need. Yet here he was, being everything I needed without me even uttering those needs to him.
My faith in him was new and precarious still, and I’d be a liar if I didn’t say the change in Andrei wasn’t rattling me enough to question all of my mates.
As Drake gently guided me back toward the entrance to the castle, I noticed the subtle nod he gave to Lo who stood with another woman I faintly remembered might be named Heather. Drake had introduced me to her last. What I knew for certain was that her grey-blue eyes had radiated a kindness toward me that felt genuine during our introduction.
The jester who announced us upon our entrance quickly reappeared with his small trumpet in hand. “Are you leaving, your majesties?”
For a short second, my eyes widened in confusion, and I looked over my shoulder for who he was speaking to until I recalled that he had announced me as the Queen of Sanguis tonight. Being addressed as that would take time, and I wasn’t certain I’d ever feel like I was worthy of being anyone’s queen, but for now, I’d play the game as necessary.
