He bends to one knee, strikes his chest, and says, “It would be my honor, My Queen, to serve at your side. Thank you.”
I turn back toward Claus. “See how easy that was? That was something you could never do.”
“You’ve made your point. Just kill me and get it over with,” he says, defeated.
“Oh, Claus, darling, you misunderstand. I’m not going to kill you.”
“You’re not?”
“Oh goodness no. Your blood is too delicious. You will remain alive to feed me whenever I want it. You will live in the dungeon, and you will be fed, but just enough to keep you alive. Your life from this day forward will be nothing but a living donor to your queen.”
He looks over at Evangeline. “And what about her?”
“Oh, sadly, she will not share the same future as you. She is here so you can watch her die.”
“Then be done with it and go!” he demands.
“Claus, may I remind you that you are not in a position to make demands. Those days are over. I am just waiting for Evangeline’s cage. Once it arrives and she is secured there, I will go and leave you—for the time being—until I am hungry again.”
“Cage? But I thought you were going to give her the true death?”
“I am. Unlike you, she will not be fed. And you, my dearest Claus, will eventually watch her die before your eyes.”
Just then, two men bring in another silver cage. They set it next to Claus’s, leaving about six feet between them.
“Thank you. Can you gentlemen secure the girl inside the cage, please?”
“Yes, My Queen,” one of them replies. I wait until Evangeline is secured before I turn and leave the chamber without another word. Kai follows.
Once we are in the elevator standing side by side, I turn to face him and address him again. “Kai, I meant everything I said down there. None of that was for show.”
“I am humbled and honored, My Queen.” I take a step toward him, our bodies almost touching. There is no denying the physical attraction we share, and I am looking forward to exploring it in great depth in the future.
I brush a lock of hair from his face. “And while we are on the subject, please no more formalities. We are friends first, and hopefully in time, we can be more. I respect you like no other, and there is definitely a place in my heart for you.” I lean up and kiss him. “It’s just right now, I am not sure what it is.”
He smiles. “I can accept that. I am a patient vampire. Serena. I will wait my entire existence for you.”
I wrap my arms around him. “I don’t know if you’ll have to do that or what the future holds for us, but we’re gonna have a lot of fun figuring it out.” I giggle, and he hugs me back.
He releases me just as the doors to the elevator open. We stand there for a second or two, then step out of the elevator.
“We have one more obstacle.”
“We do?” he asks curiously.
“Tomorrow, we face the Tribunal. I can only be queen if they deem me fit.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot about them.” He stops walking and faces me. “You got this. Nobody is more fit than you. It’s your birthright.”
“I know. I’m confident all will be well, but you never know what lies Claus may have told them. But I’m ready.”
“May I accompany you?”
I smile. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
