Page 13 of Clash of Kingdoms

If I weren’t so happy to see him, I’d run off in disgust.

Mother broke apart, her hands cupping his cheeks. “What about Ian?”

Father looked behind him. “Hurry your ass up.”

“My leg got stuck in the strap.” Uncle Ian climbed down and landed beside my father.

Mother rushed to him next and gave him a hard hug.

Uncle Ian patted her on the back and quickly moved away. “Where’s my baby?”

Aunt Avice ran straight into him, hitting him so hard he stumbled back slightly. Her lips were locked on his, and they had a greater kissing session than my parents just had.

Father moved to me next, his eyes set on me with that subtle look of adoration.

“Father.” I ran into his chest and felt the hard impact of his solid armor, but I didn’t care.

His strong arms enveloped me, and he kissed me on the forehead like he always did. “I’m home, sweetheart.”

Lila embraced her father next, and the two held each other the longest.

“We have much to discuss,” Father said in the glow of the guard’s torchlight. “Let’s head to the castle.”

Aurelias grabbed his family members, and they stood near the window. Kingsnake had Fang wrapped around his shoulders, as if the snake wanted to watch the proceedings as well.

The room had a table, but there were too many people for everyone to sit, and it seemed like all of us were too anxious to sit down anyway. Grandmother said nothing as she stood there, like all she could think about was her son walking into the room and seeing him with her own eyes.

Mother’s shoulders weren’t as stiff, but she was still plagued by stress.

My father had gone to his chambers first, eager to remove the heavy armor he’d worn for days since he’d left.

When Uncle Ian entered the room, he had Aunt Avice at his side, her hand grasped in his. His armor was gone, and now his uniform was visible, the muscles of his arms stretching the fabric. He stilled for a moment to look at the vampires who accompanied Aurelias, their appearances distinctive because of their paleness, their slitted eyes, and their unusual armor.

Grandmother went to Ian, squeezing him tightly before he even realized she was there. Aunt Avice was forced to let go as his mother embraced him like a child rather than a man. She rested her face on his chest and stood there for a while.

Uncle Ian let her hold him, his chin resting on her head.

She finally pulled away and gave him a gentle pat on the cheek.

When my father entered the room, the energy changed completely. It became charged with authority, a tension stronger than a taut rope keeping a galleon secured to the shore. The heavy armor was gone, replaced by a simple shirt and trousers, like he welcomed the cold rather than shied away from it.

The first thing he did was embrace Grandmother, the person who loved him the way he loved me. But then he looked at the vampires who stood beside Aurelias. His stare was a sea of stone, but his energy was subtly hostile. There had been very few times in my life when my father had been genuinely mad at me—and it was always terrifying.

Aurelias spoke. “King Rolfe, this is my family.” He turned to the brother in red. “Kingsnake, King of Vampires and Lord of Darkness, and his wife, Larisa, Queen of Vampires and Lady of Darkness.”

Kingsnake gave a slight bow. So did Larisa.

Fang gave an angry hiss.

“And Fang,” Aurelias said quickly, casting an annoyed stare in the snake’s direction. “A companion of ours.” He turned to his other brother. “And this is Cobra, King of the Cobra Vampires, and his wife Clara, Queen of the Cobra Vampires.”

They also gave him subtle bows.

My father stared for a moment. “Your land has multiple kings?”

“Different factions, I would say,” Aurelias said. “Because we are all different vampires.”

“You look the same to me.”

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