Page 82 of Crimson Born

“Well there is for me. I want to be part of a solution—not a war. I’m not a soldier, Kannon. Neither is Reece.”

A strange expression passed over his face. “You’re wrong about that. Abigail... Reece took the vows tonight.”

It felt like a sledgehammer had struck me in the chest. “What? How could he do that? He promised me he’d wait.”

His lilac eyes clouded, the thick blond brows knitting over them. “Imogen summoned him to a private audience before the ceremony.”

“What did she say to him? You’re the captain of her guard—you must know what’s going on.”

“I’m afraid not, squirt. He’d indicated to me earlier in the night he might not take the vows, said something about second thoughts. But then he met with Imogen. When the ceremony started, there he was, front and center.”

Someone else was supposed to have been front and center at that ceremony tonight—me. Imogen had wanted me to be there and turn a human with a single bite, thereby proving my queen potential and living up to my heritage as her daughter and heir.

Had my absence put Reece in the spotlight, ruining his chances of escape?

“Wait. Did he... did Imogen make him turn someone tonight?”

If she’d forced him to bite a human at the ceremony and he’d succeeded in turning him with a single bite, then she’d consider Reece a true son, her heir.

She’d never let him leave.

Kannon shook his head no, and I let out the breath I’d been holding.

“Then it’snottoo late. He can still come with me.”

His voice sounded harder than I’d ever heard it. “No, Abigail. He’s Bloodbound now. The vows are for eternity. Imogen will kill him if he breaks them—or order me to do it. I’ll have no choice but to follow her order.”

“You wouldn’t. Kannon, you... you couldn’t. He’s your friend.”

Turning away from his apologetic face and telling silence, I marched toward the throne room with digging strides, angrier than I’d ever been in my life.

Imogen had done this on purpose. To prove something.

She had stolen Reece’s freedom to punish me for wanting my own.

What’s more, by forcing him to take the Bloodbound vows, she’d ensured Reece would never take a mate.

He’d never be with any woman other than her—whenever she felt like dallying with him—for at least the next several thousand years.

She’d stolenhimfrommein a crude display of her sovereign rule and absolute power.

Well, she wasn’t the only strong woman in the vampire world. Sadie was just as powerful in her own way, and I’d made up my mind—thatwas the kind of strength I wanted to embody someday.

With an eternal lifespan in front of me, maybe someday I would.

For tonight, I had to find a way to pry Reece from Imogen’s clutches and get him away from here before it really was too late.

When I reached the throne room, two of her personal Bloodbound stepped together in front of the doors to block my entry.

Imogen’s voice came from inside, clear as day and hard as a diamond. “Let her through.”

The guards stepped aside and opened the doors.

The instant she saw me, my “mother’s” red lips split in a smile of satisfaction and triumph. She was glad I was back, but not because she’d been concerned about my safety.

She wanted me toseeher victory.

Reece kneeled beside her throne, stone-faced even as she ran her long-taloned fingers through his hair and over his shoulder in a possessive and lascivious caress.

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