Chapter 31 #2
“Why should he do anything for nobody vampires, right? I have known Relius since he was a child. I understand him well. One of his favorite parroted sayings from his brother was: The cost is too high to save everyone. There is always a choice about who to save and who to sacrifice. I always thought it was foolish because I had no choice. I never did. But now…”
My heart aches. “Whatever you need, I’m here now. Sorry that I took so long to visit.”
“My dear, it looks less like you are visiting, and more like you were locked in with me to be feasted upon. What in the name of the Shadow Devils are you wearing?”
“Oh, this little number?” I glance at my Guild robes with a grimace. I do, however, affectionately pat the bronze daggers that I have sheathed at my waist. “I don’t normally wear black, but maybe I should, because my eyes and silver hair look bloody dramatic.”
“You look like the God of Death.”
“No need for insults. Although, as always, I am god-like.” I sigh. “I’m training as an apprentice in the Guild of Assassins.”
Lanlin draws back from me, suddenly wary. “I see.”
“Nay, you don’t.” I push away from Lanlin to kneel up in front of him. I face away from the cell just in case anyone is spying. I don’t trust Wraith. Then I lean up to whisper into his ear. “This was the wedding gift that I requested from Aurelius. It’s part of my scheme to rescue you.”
Lanlin stares back at me in shock. “Fool.”
“To be honest, I expected you to be more grateful than that. Maybe even to promise me as many honey and date bat cakes as I can eat in reward.”
Lanlin’s clawed hand shoots out at an uncanny speed, hooking me by the scruff of my neck.
I yelp.
“I can promise you,” he snarls, low and rumbling, “eternal vinegar rather than wine if you take such a risk again.”
I scrunch up my nose. “Nasty curse. Do you kiss our Omega with that mouth?”
“I also kiss her pussy with it.” He sinks his claws into my skin, and I wince.
“I’m reckless. It’s one of my charms. Haven’t you worked that out yet?”
Lanlin lets me go with a shove. “You truly came for me.”
I quirk my brow. “I made a deal with you. An Unseelie always keeps their deals. Also, Freya and I…” My cheeks pink. “Well, you’re ours now. We’ll always come for you. Take that any way you like.”
Lanlin flushes too. “Yours? But didn’t you just marry Aurelius? Isn’t he yours?”
“Can’t we all belong to each other? The Golden Threads, the bastard puppet strings that bind us, decided that three enemies would share the same Omega wolf shifter.
But we three Alphas were already bound in our own ways, weren’t we?
Things were never going to be simple between us.
That idiot dragon doesn’t know what he wants.
He was raised to doubt himself. For years, you’ve been his best friend and worst enemy, tangled together.
He could have let you burn but he broke free from his uncle and ruined the Imperial Games to protect you. ”
“I would have slaughtered everyone to protect him,” Lanlin declares fiercely. “I would have torn apart the realms.”
I roll my eyes.
When will these two understand how similar they are? I hope that I get to see how powerful they will become if they unite.
Their murder sprees will be a thing of bloody legend.
I grin, viciously. “I don’t doubt it, darkness. By the holy fae, do you even realize that Aurelius publicly proposed to you?”
Flustered, Lanlin pushes himself to his feet. “Shameless.”
I smirk, leaping to my feet.
I reach up to my neck, shivering with pleasure as I stroke the bite on my neck. I am filled with renewed energy, as if my magic has been recharged, now that the initial sluggishness from being fed on is fading.
I swagger to the front of the cell. “In dragon talk, by sheltering you with his wings, Aurelius was claiming you. Wow, that’s shameless. And in front of all those people.”
I’m enjoying this.
Lanlin stalks after me. He backs me against the bars of the cell.
My pulse races.
“Problem?” I lean casually against the cold bars, shivering with anticipation.
Lanlin lowers his face close enough to me that I can make out his sharp canines and glowing eyes.
My instincts scream predator, but my soul screams my King.
“You’re the shameless one.” Lanlin catches my lower lip, worrying at it until it bleeds and then lapping at the blood. My wings thwap against the bars. “But I didn’t once doubt that Freya or you would be scheming to save me.”
“Not once?”
Lap, lap, lap.
I moan. “Despite knowing who we are?”
“You’re my nestmates.”
My heart hurts.
Lanlin is devoted in a way that terrifies even me as a fae.
Earnest. Trusting.
He has already destroyed himself for Freya and me once. Sometimes, those who you have played against and beaten are the easiest to fool because they never believe that you’ll play the same trick twice.
Except, this time, I’m being more honest with Lanlin than I am with most people.
He knows that I am blind and dying.
And soon, he’ll know that I’m rescuing my fallen kingdom.
Aurelius and I have never been on the same side. At least, not how he thought we were with him being the dominant Alpha in charge with me licking his boots at his feet, grateful for every time that he saved me like the white knight.
I’m not the damsel.
I’m the villain.