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Blood boiled within as I turned and slammed him into the curved cement wall.
“I think I gave you an order and you still haven’t acknowledged it.”
“You’re … The new Black Prince.”
“Answer me,” I growled. “Are you going to leave my city or am I going to have to remove you myself?”
Niko’s eyes flashed to Marko’s. “This is your fault. You did this to us.”
Power exploded from my core, right into Niko. His limbs jerked while a muffled cry left him. “I believe I am the one talking to you. Not him. You speak of something you do not know. Your leader and my creator, Aetas, is not dead. He’s killing us off. He’s impersonating the king you attack.”
“Aetas is n-not dead?”
His teeth were chattering from my powers and I didn’t ignore the way that fed the vampire within. It made me stronger. More aware of who I was, and I loved it.
“No. He wants us to think he is, but he is very much still alive and soon the world will know. I need you to listen to me, though, Niko. You have to leave here.”
He struggled in my grasp and I flexed my jaw as I let him fall to the ground. Trembling was still shaking his body as he struggled to stand.
“Why do I have to leave? W-why can’t the humans? I will fight with you. W-we can kill them all now, and with your power radiating from here, they’ll stay away. The survivors will come back and we will be safe again.”
“I cannot stay. I must help the king overthrow Aetas. We will never be out of harm’s way until he is taken care of.”
“You can’t overthrow Aetas. It’s impossible. He’s Aetas!”
My throat vibrated with warning as I slammed my hand over Niko’s mouth. “Aetas will fall. It is not impossible. Do you not feel the power of the king? He and Aetas are bonded. They share the same blood. Marko will rule, Niko, and I will serve him. And you,” I added more pressure, leaning closer in to take in the scent of his blood. It had my fangs lowering, hungrily. “And you will serve me. Won’t you.”
It wasn’t a question, but an order.
His teeth clenched under my hold and he nodded, slowly.
“That’s what I thought. Now get out of here and head south. The vampires will be putting off energy. You’re the strongest of them all. I expect you to take care of them—protect them until I come for you. Is that understood?”
Again he nodded.
“Good,” I said, dropping my hand and stepping back. “And Niko …” The vampire stumbled away, watching me cautiously.
“Yes, Prince?”
“If you hurt any of them, or they are mistreated while you’re representing me, you will pay. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Prince.”
He took fast steps until the darkness swallowed him whole. I faced Marko and Tessa and couldn’t stop my grin from coming at theirs. I did it. I was finding myself, and I couldn’t help but like the person who was beginning to show. For the first time, I felt confidence. Meaning, in who I was inside. I’d always been a soldier and leader, and wasn’t this sort of the same thing? I was ruling, and I was in a war. The only difference was this time I had Tessa and Marko on my side.
Chapter 34
Marko
I knew the moment we appeared in the tunnels of New York’s underground that we were walking into a blood bath. Panic and mayhem were surging through the air and screams echoed along the cement walls. I’d only been here once, but the ruler in me pulled Hunter and Tessa straight toward the heart of the massive city where their members were. My speed was so fast that I could feel them struggling to keep up. Yet, I couldn’t slow. These were my people, and they needed help.
“Clear. Go, go, go!”
The loud yelling had my hands breaking loose from my mates. Beams from the flashlights broke through the darkness in all directions as the humans poured from a room ahead. Power burned, sizzling in the background as the killer in me took over. Bloodlust hit hard and my fangs and claws shot down in my need for revenge.
“Marko, wait.”
Tessa voice should have stopped me, but it had the opposite effect. I had to protect her. I had to make sure that a single human didn’t make it passed me. Hunter was there. I knew he would keep her safe, but as her mate—her husband and soulmate—it wasn’t in me to let that fall to chance.
