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“It wasn’t anyone’s fault, Marina. We were all fighting other vampires,” Law cuts in.
“Just tell me what happened,” Marina shouts, jumping to her feet.
“Shannon was bitten.” Saying the words out loud doesn’t have the effect I hoped it would, as I watch Marina’s expression change from confusion to horror.
She gasps. “You told me she was alive.”
“She isn’t dead,” Law offers.
“What did you do?” she sobs, firing her question like a bullet, straight at me.
I go to her, grabbing her hands in mine and forcing her to hear me out.
“I didn’t see it happen, Marina. By the time I realized what was happening, Marcellus was already conducting the change.”
“Marcellus,” she moans, hands coming to her mouth. Her face turns a sickly shade of green. “I’m going to be sick.” She runs to a wastebasket and falls to her knees, just in time to empty the contents of her stomach into it.
I try to comfort her, but her hand comes behind her pushing me away. “Go,” she orders. “Just... go away.”
My eyes meet Law’s, and he nods his head toward the door. “You have a meeting you need to be in, Julian. I’ll take care of her.”
I don’t want to go. It feels wrong to leave her, but she doesn’t want me here, and Law’s correct. I can’t miss my chance to appeal to Count Dupré. As much as I want to comfort Marina and tell her everything’s going to be all right, I can’t. It’s not even a promise I can keep at this time. If I want to make things better, I need to do my duties as Crown.
Without another word, I go, leaving my heart in the room behind me.
* * *
“What do you mean he’s not here?” I grit through my teeth. “The plan was to meet this afternoon.”
Addy sighs, peering at me apologetically. It only manages to make me angrier.
“Julian, you know my father. He abides by nobody’s schedule but his own.”
“I’m the goddamn Crown,Adèle.”She flinches, having rarely been on the receiving side of my anger, but I can’t bring myself to apologize. “Things are bad, Addy. It’s not just humans that need worry. If Marcellus gets his war, we could all die.”
She gulps. “Marcellus has really fallen that far? But why, Julian? Why is he hell-bent on all of this destruction? You were close once.”
I sit down roughly into the high-backed chair, exhaling. “I believe it has something to do with the familiar legend.” She frowns.
“Familiar legend? I’m not aware of such a thing.”
A part of me wants to divulge it all to my closest friend, but another part of me feels I should keep it close for Marina’s safety more than my own. If the legend got out to more vampires, it could tip the scales in Marcellus’s favor. Too much power in any one sovereign is not something the whole of our race would be comfortable with. Especially not knowing all of the details. Just how much power could this bond create? Could I become something different if the full effects took root? Even I don’t have these answers.
“Julian. You can trust me,”Adèlesays, as though reading my mind.
If there’s one thing I don’t doubt, it’s her loyalty to me. She’s more than earned my trust over the years, and the thought of unloading my burdens onto someone who won’t judge me too harshly is too tough to resist. So I tell her everything that I know.
“Let me recap,” she says in a clipped tone. “Drinking from Marina makes your powers intensify?” I nod in confirmation. “When was the last time you drank her blood, Julian?”
I grunt. “It’s been awhile.”
“What’s wrong with you?” she says, voice pitching. “You need to show the Council how strong you are, and if she’s the key, use her, damn it.”
“She means more to me than that, Addy,” I growl, and her eyes widen. “Her safety, along with every other human’s, is the very reason I called this damn meeting.”
“Calm down. I didn’t mean to imply she didn’t mean more. It’s quite obvious you’re in love with her, Julian.” Addy comes around the table, taking a seat next to me, placing her hand on top of mine. “She loves you too, and she’s your own human power source. Allow her to help you.”
“You sound like Law,” I grate, hating that she’s unintentionally siding with him.
