Page 66 of Queen of Vampire Hearts

“Only slightly.” He inhaled deeply. “Cherry blossoms tied with a splash of citrus.” He dug his nose into my hair, breathing in more of my scent. My lips stretched into a goofy smile.

I almost wished I had enhanced senses so I could experience it. With magic, I could make it happen, but it would constantly wear down my energy. My daily power level would reside at an eight rather than ten. Plus, not all immortals smelled as good as Lucien. I nuzzled my nose against his neck, only able to smell his familiar scent of lemons and olive oil. “You still smell the same to me.” I pouted at him. “How are all your old conquests going to know you’re off the market?”

His lips twitched, his hand twirling a lock of my hair. “How could they not? I think my glaring,jealousqueen at my side would be an excellent hint.”

“Oh, and I’m theonly onewith jealousy issues?” I pinched him, eliciting another laugh from him. I’d seen the way he wanted to tear apart Malcolm.

Lucien chuckled again, the sound warming me. He didn’t do enough of that. “That boy would be wise to vacate this realm as soon as possible.” Though his tone was teasing, I could feel the tension in his body and knew some part of him wasn’t joking. He’d spared him for me. I’d asked, and he had complied.

I frowned and traced a pattern across his chest, hoping to calm him. “It doesn’t make any sense. Why have Malcolm steal the grimoires? Why frame me?”

He tangled my hair through his fingers. His body was tight with anger, and his voice dangerously low when he said, “They wanted an excuse to kill you.”

“But why go through the trial? Why not just kill me?” I questioned, my brain struggling to figure it out. Why had my parents felt the need to hide me? Was it because there was something more to it? Why bring up resurrection? How did they even know about that? I never even told Malcolm. “I feel like I’m only seeing half a picture. It’s infuriating.”

He cupped my chin, forcing my eyes up to his. “I won’t let them touch you,” His eyes shimmered with sincerity, but there was a flash of something unidentifiable there, disappearing before I could analyze it. “If they strike at you, they make an enemy of me.”

If even half the stories in that book were true, Lucien was a formidable enemy. I kissed his bare chest and snuggled closer, though I was still lost in thought. They didn’t know I could create rifts.So why me?

“They won’t give up. I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt protecting me.”

“Phoebe...” He dragged my name out.

“I know you’re this legendary king that’s fought every war since the dawn of time.” I hushed him when he opened his mouth to protest. “But this is theWitches Council. They would come at you in a way you’d never expect.”A way I would never expect.My stomach rolled at the thought. “What if they killed my parents?”

He pulled me closer. “We’ll figure everything out. Together we can do anything.”

His confidence was so factual, so reassuring, that it actually helped ease some of my worries. Whatcouldn’twe do together?

Tired of the worry and the constant circling of my thoughts, I shifted until I straddled him, teasing myself along his hardening shaft. Maybe I wasn’t as exhausted as I thought. Lucien’s eyes flashed red, and he threw me off him and onto my front. With rough, urgent hands, he positioned me on my knees with my face pressed into the pillow. Impatiently, he fed his cock into me, sliding in easily. I bit the pillow beneath me as a loud moan ripped from my throat.

He forced my arms back, gripping my wrists and pinning me in place as he pounded frantically inside me. “I’ll never get enough of this pussy,” he moaned, rotating his hips to enter me more deeply. I screamed at the sensation, unable to do anything but take it and submit to him. He bellowed as he started to come. “You are mine!”

I screamed as a violent orgasm tore through me, but he didn’t stop. He seemed desperate for something. “You belong to me! Never will I be parted from you!”

His thrusts slowed, my body still gripping at his cock as aftershocks of pleasure rippled through me. He moaned as he slowly withdrew, pulling me back into his arms, both of us panting.

As I drifted off, I swore I heard him whisper, “Don’t leave me.”

XXXII

The Realm of Mortals.

Întuneric Castel, Romania.

WHEN PHOEBE DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP,exhausted, I finally comprehended what happened. I claimed my mate. Phoebe was mine. My chest bowed with pride over satisfying my young queen so thoroughly. I knew she would feel me tomorrow. Soon, I’d show her the delights of bondage and obedience.

Phoebe’s soft hair tangled around my fingers as I gently fisted it. Her face was still flushed from her orgasm, her body languid and relaxed against me. My hand paused on her hair, my entire body tensing. I meant to speak with her, but I’d lost my mind. My own words rang in my ears.Together, we can do anything.

My stomach knotted with fear. I had to figure a way out of the bounty. There must be someone who did so over the years, though I struggled to recall any stories I might have heard about it. Exhaustion settled in, and I sighed, letting my eyes drift closed with Phoebe cuddled against me.

I could only have been asleep for a couple of hours when a chill shot down my spine. The sensation was so unlike the warm, curvy witch I fell asleep next to that it dragged my eyelids open despite the force trying to hold them closed. I was standing half-naked, hovering next to the bed.Did I sleepwalk?I’d definitely never done that before.

I glanced down and realized I was standing over Phoebe. A feeling of warmth spread through me, especially when her modified scent hit me. I reached forward to brush a lock from her face, my stomach dropping at the sight of the cuffs I held in my hands.

I leapt back, hitting the wall, clearing the entire room in a single move. Where the hell had they come from? I dropped the silver bracelets as if they burned, the sound of them landing muted on the Aubusson rug. When had I retrieved them from the side of the mountain? I pulled my leg back to kick them across the room but stopped myself. If Phoebe woke up and saw me standing in the bedroom with the cuffs in my hands, she might run. I couldn’t risk it. I snatched the hated metal off the floor and flew from the bedroom, almost colliding with Erik. He looked rather dazed, his eyes bloodshot.

“We have a problem.” My voice cracked as panic suffocated me. I held the cuffs up for Erik to see. The wolf paled at the sight. “I do not remember retrieving these.”

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