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I will forever regret the pain I caused him by taking Rosalie’s life, but I will always treasure what came after.
Alaric places a quick kiss to my lips then a second one, slow and lingering. He pulls away far too soon for my liking. I half-growl at the distance between us, eliciting a dark, throaty laugh from him.
“Look,” he whispers, motioning to the space I loathe.
Shadows dance between us. I watch the dark tendrils swirling toward me then back to him like a beating heart.
“You’re doing that,” he says. “You’re pulling me—my power—to you.”
I lift a hand and run my fingers through the smoky wisps. Straightening my fingers, I let go. The power fades as if it were never there, then I relax back into the pillow of his arm. Surrounded by the warmth of his embrace, my eyes close.
Halfway to sleep, I hear him murmur, “A single moment with you is worth far more than a thousand years with anyone else.”
My heart flutters like there’s a swarm of butterflies in my chest as it did in anticipation of the first time he kissed me. Alaric runs his hands down my ribs to my hips, his fingers flexing. My eyes snap open, and I want nothing more than to feel every inch of his skin against mine.
“You will get used to it,” he says with a lopsided grin. There is joy and sorrow in his expression. “Oath binding is rare. It makes us vulnerable to have that unfettered connection with another. Humans will experience things with an intensity similar to a vampire.” I must have made a noise because Alaric laughs softly and kisses to my temple. “There is nothing to worry about, my dear Clara. Your emotions will even out as you learn to temper them, and your strength will increase to half that of a vampire.”
I will my racing heart to slow, wondering if he can feel it. This is not something we ever discussed or planned. It was a rash decision, but the right one, and I will never regret it for a moment.
Elizabeth might crown him consort, but now, regardless of what happens to me, she will never control him again. A dark corner of my heart revels with a spark of satisfaction and spite, bringing a curl to my lips.
“There is more, but I will have my fun as you discover it.”
I shiver at the promise of finding exactly how we are bound together and how it differs from the mark.
Alaric lifts his head and glances out the window. “Dawn will be here in a few hours.”
The smile falls from his handsome face, our happiness dampened by the reality brought by the ever-looming sunrise.
“What do we do now?” I ask. As much as I would love to remain in this blissful bubble, reality will come for us whether we are ready or not. “Elizabeth will figure out the truth during the coronation when she tries to oath bind you.”
“We will leave tonight,” he says after a long moment.
Crawling out of bed, an uncertain silence fills the air as we quickly dress for the upcoming day.
Alaric straightens his collar then runs his fingers through his hair.
I gaze at the outside world, glaring at the impending dawn. Licking my lips, I start to what he’s planning, and stop when I realize it doesn’t matter. But there is something that does.
“What about the others?” I ask.
“The others?”
I pick up my boots and sit on the edge of the bed. “Cassius, Della, and Lawrence. They risked their lives to help me… I’m worried Elizabeth will kill them after we leave.”
Alaric kneels before me, taking my hands in his. “She won’t. Before the Red Hunt, Lawrence came with news that you would be alone last night. While you were away, Elizabeth compelled me to kill you on sight, so she was more than happy to send me with him. Della is of Lawrence’s line and cannot act against him.”
“Elizabeth has been threatening to kill Cassius if he doesn’t keep me under control. He saved my life… I can’t let her—”
“If you left on your own, she would kill him to serve as an example to others. But with me, she will only blame you for breaking the compulsion. Cassius and I have always been rivals, and she knows that, he is the last vampire she would ever suspect. They will all be fine.” Alaric releases my hands and stands.
“You’re sure?” I bite the inside of my cheek.
“I promise. If she went after one, she would have to go after all three. And that would only make the entire court believe they can defy her.”
His reassurance eases my heart. Pulling my boots up, I stand, jutting my chin out. “What can I do to help get us ready?”
“Pack a light bag. Keep it to things that cannot be easily replaced. We can buy anything else when we stop.”
