Page 40 of Cruel Vampire King

“I’ve never heard of any coup attempts.”

Luken grinned, exposing his fangs. “Of course you haven’t. I take great pride in keeping such things from public notice.”

“I see,” I murmured.

“In any case, I believe that the elves that came after your team in the forest a few days ago were sent by my half-brother. Though I had him incarcerated, he escaped last year. My informants tell me that he’s plotting a comeback.” Luken’s eyes darkened. “He must have learned about you somehow and sent those mercenaries after you. They weren’t the only ones. I lost a few people taking out the others before they could get to you and your team.”

I searched his expression, keeping quiet. Was he telling me that it was his brother, not him, that killed my family? But that had been four years ago, while his brother was still locked up.

“And how would he have known, if he was jailed and you only saw me the once?” I demanded.

Luken sighed. “I have enemies in my court. If any of them preferred him over me for king, is it really that difficult to think that they would have told him? He had help escaping, after all.”

“What does this have to do with me?” I asked, switching gears. “I asked you why you keep bringing me away. What does your brother have to do with it?”

“Because I want you, Elara.”

“So you’re trying to frighten me into going with you?” I demanded.

He stood and waded closer to me. “I don’t want you to die, Elara. I want you by my side. I’m telling you this because it’s not just the monsters in that wood that endanger your life. You’re a volunteer in the Blood Trials. If you claim coercion, I can intervene. Pull you out.”

“You saw what I told the others,” I said flatly. “You know what I want. Is this you taking me up on that offer, then?”

He reached me, looming over me like some sort of giant. I didn’t want to expose myself to him, but I also didn’t want to stay low and vulnerable like this. I straightened, the water sluicing off my body. His gaze dropped, roving over my figure.

“I’m giving you my offer, Elara. I can get you out. The girl is going to die. Let her die,” he said, his voice lowering.

And if I asked for Darcie’s freedom, he’d say the same thing. The thought sent a stab of pain through my chest. I circled him, putting his back to the edge of the pool. Why did all of this have to be so damn confusing? Why did I keep losing sight of what he truly was? He was probably lying about his brother, just as he had Marissa put doubt into my mind.

He killed my family. He might as well have the knife to Thessa’s throat, too. He might as well be the one tying Darcie to the Gods’ alter.

Pressure started to build in my chest. I sucked in a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his eyes. I arranged my expression to soften, as though I believed him. Behind him, the weapons he’d left by the pool glinted temptingly. It was a mistake to act rashly, but after what he’d done to me… if my only choices were death or stand by his side, then what was rash about choosing his death with mine?

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Elara?” he searched my gaze, moving closer. “She can’t be saved.”

“The nuns said that about me, when I was laying in their hospital, dying.” I gestured to my scars.

His mouth pinched. “That’s a much different circumstance. The Gods are not to be trifled with.”

“Are you saying that the Gods care what happens to Thessa?”

“Yes. Who do you think decided she’d be part of the Trials in the first place?” His brows furrowed together.

What? I hesitated, torn for a moment. But then I pushed it away. He was lying. Trying to distract me from his crimes by pinning them on the gods. I smiled at him anyway, letting my stance soften. “Show me, then. Show me that I can put my trust in you.”

His eyes glowed brighter as his smile widened. My heart fluttered as he came closer to me. His arm slid around my waist, pulling me closer, though he angled our bodies so that our hips were slightly offset. He leaned in close, touching his nose to mine a moment before pressing his lips to mine. I nearly forgotmy purpose as the softness of his mouth enveloped me. He was warm from the hot springs. I put my arms around him, careful to keep my back bent at an angle to avoid crushing my breasts against him.

I leaned into him, urging him backward. His hands moved slowly over my wet skin, gentle and searching, as I walked us both toward the edge of the pool. My stomach knotted. When he broke from my mouth to kiss the sensitive skin of my throat, I gasped.

“Don’t,” I blurted.

“I’m not going to drink from you,” he promised. He brushed my hair from my face. “I know it’s going to take time. I’m showing that you can trust me, Elara. No drinking. You can set the pace for tonight.”

The knot in my stomach grew tighter. I kissed him again, hungrily, putting all my emotion into him. We reached the pool's edge, and he leaned back against the rock, reaching for my hips.

I let one of my hands drop from his shoulder to the rock, then trailed to the dagger he’d left behind.

He broke the kiss, starting to turn. I didn’t give him a chance as I plunged the knife into his back.

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