Page 21 of A Story of Mates and Temptation

He leans back in his seat. “I met a vampyre man called Griffin, who is high up in the cities. He is deeply in love with a fae woman called Helen, and he has built a secret army of vampyres to protect her every move. I believe they are mates; their bond is strong, and there are so many like them. I’ve been building the rebellion with them for over one hundred years.” He looks at King Ziven directly. “You have my information, my rebellion army, and my life if needed, but I have conditions.”

“You don’t get to ask anything other than your life,” King Ziven growls at him. Shadows prick the walls and make the candles flicker.

King Daegan waves a hand. “I will listen to those conditions. You don’t come across as someone unreasonable.”

Story leans into King Ziven. “I knew a kind vampyre too—remember my first master I told you about? He would have fought for us, and I think we need to give some of them a chance, Ziv.”

Niko carries on. “I have an younger sister and she’s too kind for this world, and she feeds on animals too. Her name is Caelina. She must be left alive when this war is over.” He clears his throat and looks at me. “And Catherine is given a formal place in the Sun Dynasty and a portion of land for her to live peacefully in when the war is over.”

King Daegan smiles and nods. “Catherine has proved herself continually since the Decidere, and I do not have a court yet. I will begin one today with you both, with titles of protectors of the king, and when the war is over, you can choose your own land and homes to rule a district under my command. As for your sister, I will not touch her.” My cheeks are burning. This is really happening.

“Neither will I,” King Ziven finally adds, his eyes on Story.

She kisses his cheek and looks at me. “Congratulations!” I almost grin, but the pressure of all their eyes makes me pause slightly. I take Niko’s hand under the table and squeeze.

“Now that is over, how much do you know about these cities?” King Daegan waves his hand, and in the middle of the table,protected by magic, is a map of our world with statues and markings for cites.

“Everything.” Niko grins. “I can tell you exactly where the weapons are held, where the soldiers will be stationed, and how to win.” The next few hours go quickly as Niko, King Daegan and King Ziven make adjustments to their war plan and to the city.

Only when it’s somewhat darker outside and a bell rings, does Story stand up and come over. She hugs me tightly. “That’s dinner. I have so much to tell you, and I get to introduce you to my mother.”

My eyes widen. “Your mother?”

Her smile is radiant. She is literally glowing and looks so happy. I’m about to ask about my parents when another voice stops me. “Catherine, you understand he’s a vampyre who will need to be watched continuously under someone’s guard?” I nearly jump at King Ziven, who steps around me to Story.

“Let me guard him,” I ask of the Moon king. “He’s my mate and I know he’s not an enemy.”

He crosses his arms and looks between us as Niko comes to my side from the table. King Daegan has wordlessly left, leaving the door wedged open. “Fine.”

I pull my bag off my back and tug out the box before handing it to Story. She looks reluctant to take it, so King Ziven does instead and tucks it under his arm. She looks paler somehow as she smiles my way. “Thank you for protecting it.”

“I’ll be glad to not have it near,” I admit, my eyes dragging to the box, to the hum of something held within. “It’s…” There aren’twords to explain the feeling from the box, and I don’t try either. I clear my throat. “I need to know if my parents are alive.”

“They are.” Story’s smile is as wide as mine. “I’ll show you to a spare hut, and then I’ll go get them for you. They might be coming this way if they heard, but since your mother is a healer, she might be busy with the children. We don’t have many healers.”

Relief nearly makes me collapse, and I lean into Niko, who seems to just know. Story and King Ziven show us to a small hut. It’s got two single beds in a room with a fireplace. “There aren’t many available, so you will need to share, I’m afraid.” Story winks at me. “Have fun. I’m so glad you’re alive, best friend.” I hug her one more time before she goes, leaving me alone with Niko in what feels like a very small box of a room. I open the only other door and find a tiny toilet in the ground but no shower.

Niko is sitting on one of the beds, tugging off his boots when I come back.

“How are you going to feed?”

He looks up. “I’ll find a way out of the caves and?—”

No. He can’t risk himself by going out there. “If you can bite me on my wrist and feed off me occasionally to keep yourself alive, you won’t break any rules because I’m agreeing to it.”

I know he is shocked silent when he barely moves. His look is instant and it sends shivers all across my body, building at my very core. “As much as I want to sink my teeth and other parts of me into your beautiful body, I won’t bite you. I’ll survive for a while, then I’ll figure out a way to get out.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s too risky for you to be leaving for food. You haven’t fed and hunted in days. I know that because we’ve been together all that time.” I hand him my wrist and step between his open legs. His eyes seem darker somehow as he looks up at me. “I’m stubborn and determined to keep you alive. I know you don’t want to hurt me, but this is my choice.”

“Catherine, are you sure?” I nod and he surprises me by gently kissing my wrist first before sinking his teeth in. Surprisingly, it doesn’t hurt that much. I hold on to his other arm as he feeds from me, his hand snaking around my back, holding me to him. It’s surprisingly intimate as he feeds, and I like it. Slowly, he pulls his teeth away and brushes his thumb across the marks. Our eyes lock, like they have so many times before. “You taste like…you taste like home.” I should hate seeing the blood on his lips, but a part of me likes it, likes knowing it’s me that is keeping him alive. Becoming a part of him. “Keep looking like that, Catherine, and I’m going to kiss you because you’re ravishingly stunning in every single way.”

My heart pounds at the compliment, at the way I feel how much he means it. He pulls me to him and slams his lips onto mine. There’s a metallic taste in my blood for a second, mixed in with how he tastes, and deities above, I love every second of him.

I don’t stop him, not as he carries me to the other bed, not as he marks me as his in every way that a mate can. The world could burn, and it wouldn’t matter to us. We’d burn forever as one.

Chapter Eleven

Page Eleven. Please…please understand my fire-touched babe.

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