“We would give up everything for you,” I said immediately.
I didn’t even need to speak to my brothers to know they felt the same.
Z nibbled on her lower lip as she considered my words, but I knew she wouldn't give me an answer. Not yet. She would need time to digest this information and weigh the pros and cons.
“We can talk about this later.” She stealthily jumped off my lap and stretched her muscles.
The movement pulled up the hem of her shirt, revealing a sliver of a toned stomach. My cock instantly hardened, as it always did around her, and my head spun.
“I want to eat something before the meeting. I’m craving something…chocolatey. No, spicy. Hmmm…what if I take a piece of chocolate and dip it in hot sauce?”
“You’re weird,” I pointed out.
She simply grinned at me.
“But…I can think of something else we could do right now.”
“And what’s that?” She cocked her hip to the side.
In answer, I tugged her back down to me, and she came with a laugh.
Then I showed her exactly how this vampire worshipped his queen.
FORTY-NINE
Z
The meeting with the council members had not gone well.
I wasn’t even sure if I could classify it as a meeting. A screaming match would be a better description. Everyone wanted something—most of which we couldn’t guarantee.
The vampires were worried about their blood source, the genies wondered how they would create deals, the mages feared their lazy existences would implode, and so on. No matter what my mates and I promised, we couldn’t come to an agreement. We left the room hours later, with the promise to reconvene tomorrow morning.
Tonight, we had kings to kill.
The execution was set for one minute before midnight. It would be a small affair, consisting of us, the council, and the kings’ families—including their many wives and lovers.
At first, I worried that the various queens would cause an issue, but my mates assured me that the majority of them didn’t want the throne or the power it involved. The ones who didwouldn’t dare make a move against us, especially with the kings out of the way.
When I finally entered my bedroom, I feared my brain would explode in every direction. A splitting migraine had erupted behind my eyes shortly after the meeting commenced and had refused to let up.
Atta had stopped me in the hall to ask a question about our troops, and the majority of my mates had continued on to my room. Only Ryland stayed with me, a silent shadow at my side.
The lights were off in my room, which took me by surprise.
Where were the others?
Soft lips feathered against my neck, and I instinctively rolled my head to the side with a moan.
“You had a long day,” Ryland murmured, his lips tickling my skin.
I snorted before I could stop myself. “I had a long life.”
And wasn’t that the fucking truth.
“That you have.” He deposited another kiss to my flesh, this one directly beneath my ear. “But hopefully things will start calming down.”
“Before or after we execute the kings, claim seven kingdoms, and go to war with my sister?”