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“They are, but the thing you have to know is that they’ll side with whoever they believe will help them rise to more importance. Marcellus has offered them something. The question is what? And can he even deliver on whatever it is?”
“You’re the Crown, not him. Why wouldn’t they come to you? It would seem to me that they’d get further by siding with you.”
He shrugs. “They’re scared, Marina. We might be monsters to humans, but our lives depend on their blood. Whoever convinces them that they place our race’s needs above all else wins.” He grates his teeth and I wince at the sound. “Marcellus needs to be stopped in all ways, Marina. Our kind has lived among humans for centuries mostly undetected. His plans would not only out us, but kill off our own supply, yet he can’t see that. He’s dangerous.”
“Then that’s what you need to tell them. They need to know that his plan is shortsighted. Humans as blood slaves might work for a time, but the more new and thirsty vampires that Marcellus creates, the more out of control things will get.”
“Noted,” he grins, pulling me toward him and sealing his lips to mine.
I pull back. Not that I don’t want to get lost in Julian, but I want to know everything. I need to be mentally prepared for all possibilities. I can’t have another situation like Law’s party.
“Julian,” I say, looking into his eyes. “What if they don’t agree? What is the worst that can happen?”
It’s as though a shield comes down over his eyes, blocking me out and hiding whatever truths he doesn’t want me to see.
“Please don’t do that. Please don’t shut me out. Not this time,” I plead with him, hoping he’ll trust that I’m strong enough to weather any storm right beside him.
“It’s unlikely that anything would happen in my home, but they would likely stage a coup and work with my brother to bring me down and place him in power.”
That’s better news than I thought. I truly didn’t know what to expect. From what I’ve seen, those that side with Marcellus are anything but merciful.
“I’m sorry you even have to say, ‘Not this time.’ I’m so sorry for all the lies and half-truths.”
“I won’t lie and say it hasn’t been tough, Julian. When you wouldn’t talk to me about your conversation with Madame Shante, I started questioning everything.”
“I know,” he says, looking to the ceiling.
“If you’d only told me what was about to happen, I could’ve been more prepared,” I say, with a bit more anger than I intended. “Maybe I could’ve saved Stacey,” I finish, feeling bitter at the mention of my friend.
Julian sits up straight, grabbing me by the shoulders. “Marina, what Shante shared with me had nothing to do with that night. Well, maybe in parts, but it was a much larger vision. It absolutely had nothing to do with Stacey’s death or that party in particular. I’m sorry if you’ve felt this way the whole time.”
Something about his words gives me pause. He’d been so off the rest of that day—on edge even. Whatever she told him had affected him greatly. For all my bravado a moment ago, I’m now questioning how much more I can actually handle. I said we are in this together and that means good times and bad. I can’t cherry-pick. So I push down the fear and ask.
“Tell me what she said.”
He grabs his hair by the roots and pulls. “This isn’t something I want you to worry about, Marina. Let me decode her message.”
I remain quiet—stoic. I won’t back down.
He groans. “She confirmed what we already expected. You are my familiar and the legends are true.”
“And?” I press, knowing full well there is much more to it.
“Some things are best unknown, Marina. Nothing good can come from me telling you. Can you just trust me?”
“No, Julian. If this relationship between us is going to work, there can’t be any more secrets.”
He runs both hands down his face, looking worn out. “She said there will come a time when one of us will die.”
I gasp. “Die?” I ask, grabbing at my throat and trying hard to stave off the anxiety attack looming.
He grabs my arms, pulling me toward him. “Listen to me,” he commands. “I won’t allow anything to happen to you. I’ll die before anyone ever touches you, Marina.”
“I won’t let you,” I say, tears of dread streaming down my cheeks.
My love for Julian is so intense that if he died, I believe my heart would break and I’d follow him into the afterlife. The mere thought of a life without him is one I can’t fathom. One I don’t want. Our story is not one that will end with the hero giving his life. Together we’ll find a way around this. Our love will prevail.
“Did she say anything more?” I ask, hoping for some clue of how to change this fate.
