Page 151 of Forsaking All Others

She’s beautiful, there’s no doubt about that, and fearless. She has a good sense of humour, probably one that matches mine best out of all the competitors, and a strong sense of honour. She’d make any royal vampire a fitting wife and a good mother for his potential heirs. She may be a wife in name only if I end up with her, but that’s what she wants too. I’m not promising her anything. She’s going into this with eyes wide open. Apart from one thing I haven’t yet discussed that I need to get out into the open before the family visit.

“What is it?” She asks sleepily, her eyes still closed.

“Pardon?”

“I can sense your tension.”

She opens knowing eyes and yawns as she sits up, and I shake my head.

‘How does she do that?’

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s nothing wrong,” I shrug, “it’ll be dawn soon, and you’ll need to leave. There’s something I wanted to tell you before we attend the family meeting.”

“Are they going to try to eat me?” She smirks.

“No,” I roll my eyes. “My father is quite civilised. I can’t say the same for my mother, but she’s human, so you don’t need to fear consumption from her direction.”

I return her smile, despite my serious train of thought.

“Well then, spit it out.”

Her eyes sparkle with mischief, and I grin at her terminology. This Cat, relaxed and spirited, is one I’ve only glimpsed on rare occasions. One I enjoy very much.

“I want you to understand the reception we’re heading into,” I shrug, my thoughts sobering me. “My parents are very old-fashioned…”

“I should think so, they’ve been alive for centuries.”

“It’s more than that. They, like most traditional vampire/human partnerships, are just that, a partnership to garner children, nothing more. They’re not particularly warm parents, or individuals for that matter.”

“Sounds like we have more in common than we thought,” She shrugs. “I didn’t expect hugs and kisses…”

“They don’t believe in love between humans and vampires,” I mutter, “and my past decisions and way of life don’t fit with how they consider a responsible heir should behave.”

“So…they probably think that you going on this show is great news.”

“Yes,” I sigh. “They believe I’m finally toeing the line and intend to settle down and give them grandchildren in a normal vampire marriage.”

“Ah,” she nods slowly. “And you’d prefer if I didn’t disabuse them of that notion?”

“Exactly,” I look her in the eye. “We, you and I, have an arrangement. Thorun, too, understands the lie of the land. There’s no need for my parents to be privy to any of that.”

“So, you’d like me to pretend I can’t wait to start spitting out baby Jags.”

“However you want to play it is up to you. I’ll pretend genuine interest in their opinions as to which woman they prefer as my wife, and cool indifference to both you and Thorun.”

“Why not just be honest?”

“Cat, please,” I sigh. “I just don’t want any more shit with my parents. Trust me, honesty is not the best policy. I’ve spent centuries living away from them, barely visiting, and they’ll need to welcome my future bride into the fold because that’s where she’ll reside.”

“In their castle? With them?”

“Yes.”

“And you?” She frowns. “Where will you reside?”

“That’s not important,” I give her a pointed look. “Is it?”