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“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.
