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That did little to help me feel better. How many were still out on the streets, unprotected? And my worry wasn’t solely for them. Every one of my people who struggled gave me cause for concern.
As I was fed, fucked, and coerced into mating, they suffered. What I’d allowed to go on was terrible, goddamn shameful. I’d become so complacent.I’d become weak-willed, the last thing a queen should ever be because it made us easier to kill.
I had a niggling suspicion that that’s exactly what Reyes wanted.
When I badgered and pestered, I always wound up with his cock inside me. Had I majorly overlooked his main tactic of evasion?
Was keeping me mute some part of a grander scheme? After all, what king wouldn’t want an obedient queen, one who shut her mouth unless it was to swallow his come or stroke his ego and eagerly spread her legs? That would leave Reyes free to do as he pleased with the power he’d stolen.
Or perhaps this was something else entirely. The day prior, he’d claimed to no longer have my heart, but when had I ever given it?
I was missing something vitally important.
Reyes was hiding something. I had every intention of figuring out what the hell was going on. Things could not go back to how they were before.
Reyes stopped mid-sentence at his end of the table and slowly turned his head to look at me, no doubt sensing my rapid changes in emotion.
I diverted my gaze from him and belatedly noticed the two near-identical men sitting on either side of him. I reached for my glass of lemon water, brow furrowing in confusion as I let my eyes shift from one to the other.
It was clear they were triplets. What I didn’t understand was why Reyes had never once mentioned them. Then again, I’d never even seen him eat until tonight. Everything from their bronze skin, dark hair, and build were the same.
One had eyes of marigold and looked much friendlier than his kin. The other was indifferent. His eyes were amber, and the right side of his face was scarred.
Having a single Reyes was bad enough. Three all together? Gods help us all.
I looked back to the girls, gently worrying my lower lip as it dawned on me what it was about my best friend that was different. “Which one was it?”
“The one that looks the nicest, but is probably the most fucked up,” Scarlett muttered.
So the one with marigold eyes, then. I glanced down at my plate of gorgeously presented food, appetite completely gone.
“This isn’t on you, so don’t you dare go down that path. You can’t control everything.”
Her reassurance didn’t detract from the guilt I felt. I took a sip of my lemon water, wondering what else was going to go wrong. “And outside of this?”
“I’ve heard things about things,” Scarlett replied, forcing an upbeat tone.
“You always do,” I retorted in the same manner.
It was important to choose words carefully. Those with heightened senses would be listening to our conversation.
“There’s a room with a—”
“What are your plans for that one?” a rotund vampire asked suddenly, gesturing towards Jacinda.
“She already has a claim on her.”
Reyes answered him but aimed his devious smirk at me. On the one hand, I was relieved the greasy bastard would be getting nowhere near Jacinda. On the other, what did that smirk mean?
“Well what of you, Cassimere? You don’t usually do cheeky.”
Him speaking so freely and not addressing the sovereign by their titles let me know that they were well acquainted.
“I appreciate the concern, but believe me, it’s being handled,” Cassimere replied.
A smug smile followed his answer, eliciting a glare from Scarlett. The entire table laughed lightly at the exchange.
I stared at Reyes, letting my displeasure shine through. Joking or not, this was not a topic that should ever be discussed with guests or residents of court.
The conversation continued to flow, but my mind was in a million other places. I remained in my reverie up until the atmosphere of the room dramatically shifted.
I was absentmindedly reaching for my freshly refilled water when it happened. From my peripheral, I witnessed one vampire bite into the dinner guest beside them.
From there, things spiraled.
Succubi and incubi began pairing up with other supes, and a different kind of feast began. Jacinda, Scarlett and I sat stock-still, clear shock written across our faces as well as a few of the newly arrived demis.
My stomach coiled as the audible sound of fangs going into flesh and bodies coming together replaced all other sounds in the room.
Second away from fleeing the scene as fast as possible, Reyes appeared at my side, ever calm and collected.
“Come.” He held out a hand, and I graciously accepted, letting him help me from my chair.
He traced his thumb over my skin as we walked away from the table.
