Cold. So cold. I shivered, Medusa’s face appearing above me, blurry, melting away like a freshly painted canvas left out in the rain.
Aidan.
Man, he got me good.
Everything went dark.
A screaming, terrifying dark.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
SILVANUS
“It can’t be me,” Vaughn protested.
I knew he would say that.
We sat together on a bench at the cusp of a steep slope directly above Hurlock Town’s gates. High tide swallowed the causeway connecting the island to the mainland, the dark water churning rather angrily above it.
Mortal speed boats patrolled the area, the lights of a checkpoint flashing at the other end of the causeway.
At least my people would be relatively safe in my absence.
“It has to be you,” I responded to my friend. “There is no one else I trust in this world other than Medusa, and she’s not a vampire.”
He ran a hand over his face. “Ruling in your stead is fine, but to name me heir? I’m not worthy ofthatresponsibility.”
I admired his modesty, which wasn’t as rare in Vaughn as others would believe. His bed-hopping and cocky bravado had given him a reputation for being a bit of a heartbreaker with one thing on his mind.
They couldn’t be more wrong.
“You’ve proven yourself worthy so many times over the years,” I said.
He sighed, his eyes downcast. “Layla shouldn’t have died. She’d be so much better than me.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s true.” He scraped his boot on the ground. “As much as she got on my wick, she would’ve made a great queen.”
“On your what?”
“She got on my wick. It means she annoyed me.” He shrugged. “Heard a new thrall say it a few days go about their uncle or something.”
Speaking of newly made creatures, a new vampire life knocked on my inner doors. Its fate rested with my decision to allow it into the world.
Another soul, another chain of obligation.
Still, I allowed the new life to begin, welcoming it into the Heart of All.
The more vampires, the better.
“I’d rather you remain king forever,” Vaughn said.
“But I might not be. And I couldn’t spend the afterlife with the rest of you, knowing I’d doomed you all to follow me into death.”
“Majesty, I?—”
“Please, Vaughn.” I didn’t need to ask him. I could make it happen any time I wanted. But I loved him dearly and I didn’t want to force his hand.
