AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ahead, I saw a set of double doors. Two guards in matching uniforms stood on either side. From their pallid coloring and their nearly blue lips, I could tell at once that they were vampires. I wondered how I’d even considered Justine one of them. She looked so alive compared to the creatures guarding the doors.
“Xander Vega for his audience with the queen,” Justine said.
The guards nodded and one of them moved toward the center of the doors, pushing them open for us. I tried not to roll my eyes at the overwhelming theatrics of all of it. If they were trying to intimidate me, it wasn’t working.
We stepped into a grand room. The floor was the same marble and the walls were adorned with gold and red wallpaper. At the rear of the room was a massive chair on a pedestal that resembled a throne.
I raised my eyebrows, surprised to see that the woman sitting on the chair, the queen, had taken her charade to such levels. She really fashioned herself a queen. I suppose the years of living while royalty ruled the land had rubbed off on her.
“Marcella,” I said, unwilling to pander to her title.
She narrowed her eyes as she rose from her seat. Her black and silver gown billowing out around her as she descended from the platform.
“You are a difficult man to hunt down, Mr. Vega,” she said.
“I don’t believe that’s true,” I said. “You nearly killed my mate a few days ago when you stole something that belonged to me.”
The queen’s hand slipped into the folds of her skirt and when she removed it, she was holding a gold chain. “You mean this?”
“That’s it,” I said. “And the item it contained.”
The queen threw the necklace toward me. “You can have this back. I’m sure your mate is missing it. Assuming she’s still alive?”
I caught the locket and instantly opened it, even though I knew the stone wouldn’t be there. It was empty. I looked up at Marcella. “Good start. Now give me the stone and I’ll be on my way without killing you.”
She grinned. “I don’t think the threats are necessary. Especially not after you hear what I have to offer you.”
“There’s nothing you could offer me that I’d accept other than the stone,” I said.
“I beg to differ.” She walked closer to me. “Give me ten minutes of your time and I think you’ll be seeing things my way.”
