Page 25 of Vows Forged in Blood

What the fuck am I supposed to do now? Leave her to sleep on a table all night? Track down her Keeper to handle the situation? That seems more trouble than it’s worth, knowing damn well that she’s off with Malcom.At least one of us will enjoy this evening with company, I think sourly. Even the thought of summoning a companion for the night makes me feel sick. So, I’m apparently doomed to be celibate for the rest of my fucking life. I pinch the bridge of my nose, forcing the annoyance away, focusing on one problem at a time. And right now, my problem is that Dahlia is asleep on a fucking table and I can’t leave her here all night.

I sigh and steel myself before I hook one arm beneath her knees, the other across her back, and lift her easily from the table. Gods, it’s as if she’s made of feathers, perhaps even air.So damned fragile, so easily breakable. I clench my jaw, remembering how close I’d come earlier to doing something reprehensible, something that could have killed her so fucking easily.

She doesn’t wake, but stirs a bit, turning to lean her cheek against my chest. I freeze for a heartbeat, not daring to move or breathe or think. The feeling of her in my arms, of her leaning into me so trustingly, it’s nearly too much, but not nearly enough at the same time.

“Fuck me,” I grate quietly. Why are the gods punishing me so? I’ve given my entire life to protecting others, to keeping the continent safe from those monsters, and this is how I’m repaid? With a mate I can never touch or claim? To be so close to her and yet never close enough, always having to keep myself away. It’s fucking bullshit.

I move swiftly down the hall to her bed chamber. I settle her atop the mattress and quickly unlace and remove her boots. I refuse to let myself eventhinkabout removing anything else andinstead maneuver her beneath the thick blankets fully clothed. I’m just pulling away when her hand brushes mine.

“Alaric,” she whispers. The word hits me just as hard now as it had earlier.

“Yes, Keeva?” I say, voice low and embarrassingly rough.

She doesn’t answer, just gives a small “mmm” and sighs contentedly, a soft smile playing on her lips. Still asleep, I realize. Is she dreaming of me?

It. Doesn’t. Fucking. Matter.I step away and quickly retreat to my wing.

Retreat.

The High Fucking General of the vampiric army, the most feared warlord in all of history,retreatedfrom a drunk human muttering in her sleep. I slam my door shut so hard the wood creaks and the hinges shake. I lean against it heavily, rubbing the heels of my hands against my eyes.

“I am good and fucked,” I whisper to no one.

Chapter 14

DAHLIA

Iwake with my head heavy and throbbing, and mouth parched after a long night in the cups. I groan and stumble to my bathing chamber to splash water on my face and clean my teeth. Snippets from the night before flash behind my eyes: stories and laughter around the fire, Alaric walking me back to the cabin, having an almost normal conversation…running my hand up his chest as I leaned forward…

“Shite,” I whisper, putting my head in my hands beside my water basin. He hadn’t seemed angry, exactly, but he’d moved away in a hurry. I’m so embarrassed. He must think I’m so foolish, the stupid human thinking she could kiss a prince. But…he hadn’t looked repulsed by the idea in the moment…had he? I rub my temples. I can’t be sure. My memories are fuzzy to be honest. I hope he isn’t angry with me, though. I hope he just pretends it never happened and we can go back to being…whatever we are. I’m honestly not sure. He’d left almost as soon as we’d arrived after the Choosing, and had been gone almost a month, so I’m not really sure how our relationship is supposed to work with him back at the camp.

I wander to my dining room and find Takara perched in a chair, the table covered in plates and serving dishes and my mouth waters as my stomach gives an obscenely loud grumble.

“Hungry are we?”

“Starved,” I admit. Takara watches in almost fascination as I devour my breakfast of eggs, cheese, fruit, and bacon, taking more than enough for three grown men.

“So, how was your evening?” I ask over the rim of my glass of winterberry juice. Takara grins a fangy grin.

“It was lovely. As was this morning—three times.” She tucks her hair behind her ear, practically preening. I huff out a laugh, unable to stop myself. I wonder about a vampire’s stamina, but then flashes of Alaric immediately fill my mind. His lips so close to mine, the spicy, woodsy scent of him cocooning me like a warm blanket, the air thick and heavy around us with the promise of something dangerous and exhilarating. I shake myself and force my ridiculous thoughts into line. I’m sure I’m misremembering, just wishful thinking and ale-fueled fantasies getting jumbled in my head.

“And how was your night?” she asks.

“Not as…fulfilling as yours,” I say pointedly, making Takara snort, “but it was wonderful. I enjoyed being around the soldiers, drinking and laughing. It reminded me of being home, of spending nights in the square or in the pub.” I take another bite of my eggs. “Do you think all of those stories about Alaric are true?”

Takara looks thoughtful. “I know how men like to embellish things…but Alaric is the High General for a reason.” She shrugs.

I try to imagine all of the things I’d heard the night before, the battles and the brutality and the heroics. I can see it all clearly, can see Alaric riding headlong into danger all in the name of saving and protecting others. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be truly happy here, in this life that was forced upon me that willnever be a full life, but I can admit that I’m coming to respect Alaric far more than I could have imagined, and that makes being here far more bearable. I may not find happiness, but I can find contentment, I think, and that might be enough.

“I thought today we might visit the village.”

“Village?” I perk up at that, despite my aching head.

The village isn’t large,but I wouldn’t care if it only consisted of a tavern and an inn and maybe a bakery. Living at the camp isn’t nearly as bad as I’d originally imagined it would be, but it still feels nice to be away from it all for a bit. Though there are other humans in the camp, squires and laundrywomen and the like, I’ve only caught glimpses of them here and there. Every time I try to approach, they scatter like birds, almost as if they’re afraid to be seen speaking to me. But being in the village, surrounded by people who are just doing normal things that don’t involve blood and fighting and preparing for war, feels like being home again, like the camp is just some strange dream.

Word quickly spreads of who and what I am, and I’m soon being waited on hand and foot at each shop. I know it’s just the way of things, but I wish no one knew. I wish I could have just spent the day being a normal girl, shopping and eating sweets, wandering the streets and enjoying the very human world around me.

I suppose even if Takara hadn’t made it known that I was the High General’s Consort, my vampiric guards would have given it away. It’s the full group of them since we’re outside the walls of the camp, and they’re impossible to miss. They’re completely different here than they are, all amusement and laughter gone from them. They’re all stoic and alert, as if just waiting for athreat from every shadowy alleyway, every rooftop, every wagon that rolls past.

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