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No. I would not think such things. If I killed Aetas, the main members would rise against me. I’d be charged and sentenced to death. But if he hurt Marko, did I have a choice?
“Resist,” I repeated. “Go to the room and I will meet you there. Do not argue with me and obey your Mistress. Obey your leader.”
Marko’s lids lowered and he exposed his fangs for only seconds before the roar followed. Nearly black eyes turned darker as he flexed his jaw and pointed. “Do not order me to do that.”
“I just did. Go.”
The panic only worsened in his stare. Marko slammed against the wall once more before he took a step back. At the gesture of my head, he distanced himself even more, but he didn’t leave. He stood, hovering, appearing light on his feet as he paced back and forth. He was ready to spring forward. Ready to attack once the wall fell.
“Get your ass in the room, Marko!” My loud yell tore his eyes from Hunter, to come back to me, but they didn’t stay. He wasn’t listening. The fact that he wasn’t internally forced to obey told me just how close our powers were equal to each other. Moments like this, where he peaked in his protectiveness … he only grew in strength.
I switched over to French as I tried to get his attention. “You once told me there was nothing you wouldn’t do for me. That the only reason your heart beat was because of me. Do you remember that?”
In jerky movements, Marko’s stare returned.
“You also took vows. You swore your alliance to me. Do you withdraw from your statement? Am I no longer your ruler?”
“Ma minette, you speak of what I can’t control.” His tone was almost unrecognizable. “I cannot leave you here. It is impossible for me to act on. Order, or not, you are my mate—my concubine. That—” A pained expression drew in his features. “That son of a bitch took something that was mine. He hurt you, again! I felt it! He goes too far and he has to pay. He has to learn right now that you are off limits to him. He has to learn from me.” The last came out so loud that the floor shook with his anger. The long pointed tips of his fangs were cutting into his lip and he did nothing to wipe away the blood that was trailing down his chin.
A scream broke through the shield, so loud that it made my hands fly to my ears. I spun, just in time to see Hunter crumble to his knees. A haunting expression clouded his stare as he looked up at Aetas, but it faded just as fast. He sprung, lunging toward our leader with his claws extended. My vampire instinct had me thrusting my body forward and grasping his wrist just as Aetas latched to his face and twisted his neck, breaking it. The action and thud of the body sent my hand flying to my stomach from the instant nausea.
“He has so much to learn.” Silence. “I offer my most sincere apologies.” Aetas turned to face both me and Marko. “I thought he was more stable than he is. I was wrong. I ask that you please forgive my misjudgment. You won’t have to worry about it again.”
Marko was still seething. Still appearing threatening as he began to walk closer. “Let her out. Let her out right now!”
The shield rippled and Marko stalked forward, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling my back to fit against his chest as he held on.
“Master Delacroix, I know what happened was—”
“You don’t know,” Marko exploded. “You don’t know because you’ve never bonded. You’ve never loved anyone but yourself.” His hand lifted and Marko pointed at Hunter’s lifeless body. “By your law, I have every right to kill him. I could finish this right now.”
Aetas glanced at me and his jaw clenched.
“I do not want him to die.”
“That’s not how it works,” Marko said, holding me tighter. “His life is mine. He dies if I say.”
“Yes…But surely there is something you want more than revenge? You know how we play this game.”
The thudding in Marko’s chest was so powerful that my own instantly matched it. Thoughts pushed in and I could feel peace edging within, calming the swift beats. Hunter—dead. My vampire took pleasure at the revenge that would come.
Aetas glanced down at Hunter. “Perhaps you’d like to spare him in exchange for something more, something very important to you? Maybe a chance to be ruler of this city again?”
I gasped, glaring at Aetas. “Marko would never—”
“Not good enough.” Marko said, cutting me off. “What he has done cannot be forgiven for something so petty. Give me what I am owed. Give it to me and I will let him live.”
“W-what?” My face turned up to Marko and I couldn’t stop my lips from separating in shock. Vampires were beginning to crowd in, and I wasn’t the only one noticing. Aetas scanned the room before he turned back to Marko.
“You want to be one of my members.” There was a coldness in Aetas tone. A disgust he couldn’t hide no matter how hard he tried.
“Never,” Marko spat. “I want rank. Higher than your creation will ever have. Everyone knows Hunter will only ever be a prince. The Black King and Queen locked their titles in, even after death. They can’t be touched. I want to be a king of my own line. I deserve it. You’re aware of how powerful I am. You can grant me the status. You can make it official right now, in front of this entire city. I will take nothing less. King or death for Hunter. Your choice.”
Aetas stare cut over to me and I could almost hear his silent words of, I told you so. Pain shot through my chest and I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. Marko was choosing to be royalty, rather than ending the life of the man who had tried to kill me? Betrayal had never sliced so deep.
Nearly silent steps brought Aetas closer. His gaze bore into me and I couldn’t stop the stinging burn of my eyes while I glared up at him. There was no emotion present that I could detect. Not until his lids drifted down the slightest amount and slowly rose to Marko.
“You want to be a king? So be it. The night of your guests’ arrival there will be a coronation. It’ll be what your dreams are made of.” He lowered his voice as his top lip pulled back to expose his fangs. “It’ll be a night you’ll never forget.”
