Page 85 of Heir

“I have no idea, but it’s typical for humans. You do know that my birth mother was human, right? I’m a hybrid.”

Fresh silence, and this time, tense as a warren full of rabbits with a fox scrabbling at the front door stretched between us.

“No,” she finally whispered. “I did not know you were a hybrid” Calliope’s tone was different now. Reserved and a lot less open and friendly.

Did I say something wrong? Was she like that demon I killed yesterday and racist against humans? Worry dripped down the back of my spine like a popsicle melting in the sun. “Callie, is there something wrong?” I asked, nervous as hell.

“It will happen every time you bleed. Once he gets a taste, it won’t decrease his appetite. I have to go. Good luck. It was nice to meet you.” Then the call disconnected.

I stared at the phone for a moment, my stomach spinning as my pulse picked up tempo in my temples and my mind raced. What did I just do?

Not even thinking about the fact that a horny and possessed Drak was out in my living room, I opened my bedroom door and stepped out. “Did you not tell King Howar that I’m hybrid?” I asked, directing my question to a wild-eyed Drak.

Zandren and Maxar pivoted to me, fear on their faces.

“Did you tell the Queen that you’re half human?” Zandren asked panic in his honey-brown eyes.

“Yeah. I thought the other royals knew. Wait, are they racist too?”

Zandren glanced at Maxar, then they both looked at Drak.

The vampire shook his head. “I haven’t told anyone. Not even the King.”

“So the other royals are racist?” I blurted out.

“We don’t know. But it’s best to be cautious,” Maxar said. “Why do you think Queen Calliope went weird after you told her you are half human?”

“She couldn’t believe that I bleed every month and asked if that was normal for demons. I told her I have no idea, but it’s normal for humans. Then she went quiet and tense, and she couldn’t wait to get off the phone with me.”

“Oh fuck,” Maxar breathed.

“You can’t tell anyone else,” Zandren said. “Nobody. This has never happened before and we don’t know how the Realm is going to react.” He went pink in the cheeks. “I have told my father, but I let it be known that if he told a soul, I’d kill him.”

My eyes bugged out. “You threatened to kill your father? To kill the King?”

He shrugged, then looked at me like I’d lost my damned mind. “You are my mate, Little One. Nobody else matters now. If anybody touches you, tries to hurt you, I will kill them.”

Maxar nodded. “Same here. Nobody else matters anymore, my Queen. You are all that matters to me now. You and any children we may have in the future.”

My jaw went slack. I glanced at Drak whose nostrils flared like a bull in the pen ready for the rodeo. His eyes remained fixed on mine, but he nodded in agreement with them.

A tremor of something very strange jangled through me. I knew that Delia and Gemma loved me. That they would jump in front of a train for me. And I would do the same for them.

But to have these men, these strangers, vow to kill for me, was oddly beautiful and only drew me to them more. Zandren threatened, and promised, to kill his own father.

“Isn’t there some kind of sedative we can give him?” I asked. “Maybe Mr. Fiddleman has one?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Zandren said. He glanced at Maxar. “Omaera and I will go visit the apothecary. You stay here with fangs, since your flame ropes are all that are keeping him from tearing us apart to get to Omaera.”

Maxar nodded, and Zandren and I headed for the front door.

Drak let out a grunt scream at a surprisingly low register. It also sounded like he was in pain.

I went back into the living room and stepped closer to him.

“Careful,” Maxar said. “His strength right now is insane. I’m not sure if my ropes will hold him if you get too close.”

“Are you in pain right now?” I asked Drak.

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