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“You’re back now, though, and my love will keep you here. You’ll never want to leave me again.”
“No,” I whispered, placing one last kiss. “This is my home now. With you.”
“Look at me. Look me in the eyes and tell me that.”
I hesitated as my intuition told me not to. But if I were to deny him, he’d get angry. I couldn’t allow that yet. Slowly, I angled my head back and nearly gasped at what I saw. The brown color of his eyes were lighter, almost golden as he stared down so full of desperation. And his features … they were different.
“This is my home,” I choked out. “I choose you. I want us to be happy together.”
“Tell me you love me as you look at me. Right here,” he said, pointing back to his eyes.
“I … love you.”
Never before had I felt so uncomfortable saying those three words, but Aetas wasn’t himself, or Marko. The realization of what he was becoming left me unbalanced. Shocked to the core. This vampire before me, he was new. Almost a mix of them both. It was as though Aetas’ mind had warped the two together. He truly in his mind was a version of Marko, now. I saw a slightly thinner nose, smaller, yet still full lips. And those eyes. My stare kept getting sucked into their depths. They were so entrancing. So mesmerizing to look into.
“I love you,” I repeated through a fog. “I love you.”
Time slowed as I felt my mind stall. Love. Love. God, it was so nice to be looking into his eyes. So … calming. Love. He did love me. I could see it.
“Yes, you do. You love me so much that you didn’t even know the extent until you returned. That Marko you were with, he wasn’t who you truly love, and you saw that while you were away, didn’t you? That’s why you so easily let me bring you back.”
“Yes,” I breathed out.
“And Hunter, you hate him more than ever. He killed you, but I gave you life. Remember? You even loved me, then, when I taught you how to use your powers. You love me so much that you never want to see them again. You hate them, just as I do. They tried to break us apart, but what we hold is so much stronger than they are.”
“You’re right.”
Lips crushed into mine and my lids lowered heavily through the tingling in my mind.
“I love you. I do.”
“Again,” he growled, pinning me to my back. “Here. Keep looking into my eyes. Keep telling me so I can feel it.”
“I love you.”
Power radiated from above me as the golden color almost seemed to come to life in his intense stare. It was suffocating, and yet addicting. And I couldn’t turn away. I suddenly didn’t want to.
“You’ve been surging. You’re surging,” I repeated from nowhere.
Marko froze at my words, his eyes going wide as something seemed to dawn on him.
“Yes … I don’t know how I missed it. Don’t think about that now, though. Keep looking at me. Keep loving me.”
“I am.”
A big smile burst onto his face. “I got you. Fuck, I finally got you.” He moaned, lowering his body to mine. “Now I can go through with my plan. Now we can start our reign.”
Where I expected him to kiss me again, he didn’t. All he did was grin and gaze into my very soul as minutes went by. And I didn’t care. The silence and connection left me in a blissful peace. I was floating and happy for the first time in as long as I could remember. There was no worries. No burdens or fears when I was taken over by the void within him.
“Such a beautifully broken mind you have, my queen. I see into you clearer than I’ve ever seen into anyone. Your thoughts, your dreams, your secrets, they’re mine now. You’ve been misled by our enemy, but our new connection changes things. You love me, and I forgive you for your hatred and deception. But none of that matters. You have shown me what I need to know. Together, we will fix this.”
His words didn’t make sense. All I knew was his love for me, and my need to return it.
“You wish to shower and meet with my members. I will give you what you want. But not for the reasons you had hoped for. I’ve erased those from your memory. I’ve erased it all. Now you will go to lead them. You will show your support for your king, and you will kill anyone who tries to turn you against me. Your loyalty is to the one you love. And you do love me, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
The grin faded as he rose and pulled me to my knees to face him. The hold on each side of my head was light and gentle as he continued. “You will lead the plan of attack on Austin’s underground city. We will kill all those who try to rise against me. They are traitors and we can’t tolerate their rebellion. As laws go, we as leaders can’t kill royalty without reason. This imposter, Marko, this unknown stranger who is impersonating me will not be harmed until he admits to his true identity. He and his accomplice, The Black Prince, will be brought in and put in lockdown for their crimes. We can keep them there until we decide a better course of action. Perhaps we will let the doctor, Nelson, live down there with them for his crimes. And you will stay far away from the mate and former best friend who wants nothing more than to kill you. Yes. This will work.”
