Page 46 of Clash of Kingdoms

He stared back, waiting for me to say something.

I had a lot to say, but I was afraid to say it.

“I’m going to shower.” He turned away to head to the bathroom.

“Larisa told me Kingsnake used to feed from her. She told me how it felt, that it brought them close together?—”

“What the fuck did I say?” He turned back to me, his stare livid. “I warned you what would happen if you brought this up again?—”

“Well, I’m calling your bluff?—”

“I will never feed from you.” He got in my face, moving across the room in just a couple quick steps. He backed me up into the wall, right against the window, his hand on my throat like I was his enemy. “Do you understand? Beg. Plead. Do your worst. I will never change my damn mind.” He didn’t yell, but his tone was like claws scratching the side of my cheek. He forced my face away, his lips right against my cheek. “Ever.” He released me and stormed off, stepping into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. The lock clicked to make sure I wouldn’t follow him.

NINE

AURELIAS

“I can’t feel emotions, and I can still tell you’re pissed off.” Kingsnake sat in the armchair across from me. The chambers I shared with Harlow were one large room, with a sitting area at the end of the bed, but Kingsnake had an entire separate sitting room. He stared at me, a glass of scotch in his hand, Fang draped over the wooden beams of the four-poster bed, his eyes closed like he was asleep but he hung on every word we spoke.

“She asked me again.”

“Asked you what?”

“To feed from her.” Larisa was in the next room taking a shower, not privy to this conversation. I trusted her to keep my secrets, but I knew she liked Harlow…and so did Fang. “She has no idea what she’s asking me.”

“Then you should explain it to her.”

I gave him a look so cold I felt the frost.

“She would stop asking. All I’m saying…”

I would never tell her. I would never tell anyone that story as long as I lived. “No.”

“What if I told her?—”

“Fuck you, Kingsnake.”

He raised both hands in surrender and slowly lowered them. “I apologize.”

I stared at the bottle between us, ready to take it and drink straight from the top. “I guess your wife decided to tell her how it felt to be bitten by you…that it deepened your connection and led you to falling in love.”

“Did you want Larisa to lie?”

“I wanted her to keep her mouth shut.”

Kingsnake’s anger immediately prickled. “Talk to me how you want—but not my wife. This warning is the only one you’ll receive.”

I didn’t apologize, but I did feel somewhat bad for insulting the only person in the family I actually liked.

“Aurelias.” My brother turned serious. “You need to tell Harlow the truth. Because if she finds out some other way…” He shook his head. “The damage could be irreparable.”

“I can’t protect her on animal blood. I can’t protect her family and her kingdom on a poor substitute. I do it for her.”

“Then you need to tell her that.”

I inhaled a slow breath and let it seep out. “I know how she’ll react.”

“Then you definitely need to tell her.”

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