Page 183 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

“Come to me.” Willem snapped his fingers.

“I’m not—” The words died in my throat as my mother took a lurching, defiant step forward. “Mom?”

Her eyes closed as she took another step and then another, blindly walking to him like she was on a lead.

“Hasn’t your mother ever told you why she was so against you taking a vampire as a mate, taking him to bed?” Willem released a high cruel laugh. “Your mother knew what would happen to you. She knew that you would be tethered—just like she was.”

That was why she hated vampires, why she’d refused to give Julian a chance. She’d fallen victim to one before, and she’d known what would happen if I, too, lost my virginity to one.

“No.” It slipped from my mouth, and I found myself moving toward her. I would stop this. I couldn’t let her go to him. Not while he held that blood-soaked dagger. I reached for her arm, and Willem clucked his tongue.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You remember what happened when Julian tried to resist his tether.”

“I’d rather die fighting you than die at your hands,” she seethed.

“Why die at all?” He shrugged his shoulders. “As long as Thea plays along, there is no need for further bloodshed.”

“Is that why you killed Zina? Because she wouldn’t go along with it?” I shook my head.

“Naturally.”

“And Mariana?” I asked through gritted teeth. “She would have done anything you wanted.”

His mouth curled into a smile. “And she did. But I had no use for her and no interest in an ambitious woman sitting at my side.”

My mother reached him, and he wrapped a hand around her throat but didn’t squeeze. A gentle threat to remind us that we were at his mercy. With his strength, he could snap her neck like a twig. I was still learning how to summon my magic. Even if I could call it forth easily, I was no match for his vampire reflexes.

I didn’t dare move another inch. “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to give up your throne.”

It was such a simple request that for a minute all I could do was stare. I didn’t want the throne, didn’t want the politics or the power. I’d told Julian as much. While my crown offered me some protection, it also painted a target on my back. I could easily give it up. I could hand it over and be done with the whole mess.

But it wasn’t that easy because Willem did want the power—had already done terrible things to claim it. I had no doubt he would do even worse if he tapped the power of the Rio Oscuro.

“I can release them from the spell when it is accomplished.” He dangled the promise like bait. “You can have your mate back, go off and have your family, and be done with this business. I know you never wanted the throne.”

And that was precisely why the throne had chosen me. Because I didn’t want it.

I lifted my chin so I was staring directly into his black eyes. “What makes you think you can claim the throne? It chooses.”

Those dark eyes rolled. “A lovely fairytale. I’m sure you believe you were chosen. Why wouldn’t you? Mariana had a vision, after all. Convenient, no?”

My eyes flicked to her lifeless body. Had it all been a ploy? But if it was...

“And lucky for you, she did, because you were dead. Your mate was dead. The throne gave your life back.”

“It... chose me.” But my tongue tripped in my mouth.

“Do you want to know the truth?” He peered at me, his eyes assessing something only he could see. “Le Regine, the thrones, the curse—all of this was an attempt to control magic and dictate who had access to it. As a Queen you are bound to the throne. You serve it. The throne was simply a well that was tapped and the myth of the three Queens was created to serve one purpose: to limit magic. Anyone can control this resource. The thrones are simply a conduit controlled by vampires—a way to keep other creatures from having access to the Rio’s magic.”

“Then why do you need me?” I demanded.

“Because your bond with the throne can only be broken in one of two ways. You can either voluntarily relinquish the crown...or you can die.” He tipped his head toward the bodies. “Zina would never have given up her power.”

“And you think I will?”

He smirked. “I think you don’t want to watch your mother die.”

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