Page 35 of The Royal Engagement

I sit down on the bed as she shuts the door behind her.

Did that conversation seriously just happen? I feel like I’m dreaming.

Things aren’t supposed to work out for me. I’m a hybrid—I don’t fit in with succubi and I don’t belong to the vampires. Yet, here I am, existing in happiness. I didn’t realize Icouldbe this happy.

I’m not sleepy yet, so I intend to read a book until I fall asleep, but a knock on my door interrupts me before I get a paragraph in. I slip off the bed and make my way to the door.

“Damek.” I tilt my head to the side as I study him, wondering what he’s doing at my door.

He puts a finger up to his lips and then motions for me to follow him. I slip on a pair of shoes and then follow him through the house and out the back door. The sun is up so being outside feels strange. I haven’t been up during daylight hours for many months.

Damek leads me toward the beach where waves are crashing onto shore. It’s still too early for others to be up, but I do spot the elderly dragon shifter couple next door. They’re both drinking coffee on their back deck. I try to imagine the future and wonder if Damek and I will be doing something like that when we’re older.

“It’s so pretty here,” I say, breaking the silence.

“I heard what my mom said,” Damek says softly.

My lips turn up in the corners. “I get what you were saying about her now. She is very sweet and nice.”

He squeezes my fingers. “I’m happy to hear you say that. I know she was unkind to you when you first met and has never been warm to you. To hear that you’ve forgiven her means a lot to me.”

I shrug.

“It’s not shrug worthy,” he objects.

“Maybe.” I shrug again. “But I guess I get her point of view. She wanted to make sure you weren’t forced into a marriage you didn’t want. She would’ve run me away herself before she allowed that to happen. Besides, there is no way I could’ve stayed angry with her. She’s a good mom. And you saw how my family was—I don’t want that. I hate the fighting and bickering. I don’t want to be miserable.”

He grins at me. “Still, thank you, Maddie.”

I am not sure what to say to that, so I focus my attention on the water. The sky is starting to brighten up.

“You only come here once a year?” I ask, after a moment of silence.

“We come at least once a year, but most of the time we come more often,” Damek answers. “It’s nice to get away from politics and court life. Here, my dad isn’t king and I’m not his heir. We’re just a normal vampire family on vacation.”

I can see how much his title and position weigh on him. I put my head on his shoulder. “You’re not alone anymore. I’ll be by your side to help you in any way that I can. I know that my title will only be in name only, as your consort, but I still want to help you however I can.”

Damek slips his arm around me. “Thank you. That means more to me than you know. Besides, you will have more of a role than my mom does. Since she’s my dad’s second wife, shedoesn’t get a say in the court. She’s barely even recognized as a queen.”

My heart goes out to her. “That must be difficult.”

“It is.” He nods. “My parents can’t even form a mate bond.”

I sit up straighter at that. “Really?”

He frowns. “My dad’s mate bond to my birth mother is broken, but since it was broken, he wasn’t able to form one with my mom. I think it’s part of the reason she wanted to run you off. Even though I told her how I felt about you, she thought I was just saying it to make her feel better.”

How he feels about me…

I want to ask him to elaborate, but I don’t want to push him. I just figured out that I’m in love with Damek, but what if he’s not there yet?

No, I won’t ask him to share. Not yet anyway.

“Do succubi and incubi have mate bonds?” Damek asks.

“Yes. I think that’s part of the reason that succubi are so picky with who they marry.” I relax further into Damek’s side, happy with my choice to marry him.

If I had stayed home, with my family, I’m not sure that I would’ve ever married. I never could’ve found somebody as great as Damek.

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