Page 15 of Queen of Vampire Hearts

The vampires released a harsh exhale, and Lucien yanked out their still-beating hearts. He dropped them, and they rolled on the moist cement, making a gut-wrenching sound as they hit. The vampires’ eyes went dull before they collapsed to the ground. My stomach rolled, my eyes locked on the hearts, unable to look away.

Lucien turned away from the bodies, dark blood drenching his hands. Regeneration could regrow a heart, but it took days, and the rising sun would finish the vampires off before they healed. He spoke to his equally gorgeous, dark-skinned associate calmly, as if he hadn’t just ripped out the hearts of two vampires.

“Leave them for the sun. Let someone on the Witches Council know about their lost members and that justice was served to those responsible,” he said to the other man, who nodded and was already typing away on his phone.

Lucien held his hand out, and the other immortal passed by me swiftly, ruffling my hair slightly with his speed. He handed Lucien a snowy white handkerchief. Lucien took the offering and callously cleaned the dark blood from his fingers.

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to keep my breathing normal. I couldn’t pull my gaze from the two discarded hearts on the pavement, barely able to keep my gag reflex in check. Slowly, I edged toward the other end of the alley, my back plastered against the brick wall. I could still escape before he noticed me. I hit a trash bag with my foot, and I almost cursed out loud when his attention snapped to me.

“Don’t run,” he ordered, making my hackles go up in response. I bit off a reply, my eyes returning to the discarded hearts on the ground. If I disobeyed, would I be next?

Lucien’s feet shuffled, and I looked at him. The traces of a flush rose up his neck as our eyes locked. He took a stuttering step forward with his hands held out in supplication. He opened his mouth to speak, but in a moment of blurring speed, his companion’s arms wrapped around me from behind. My panic ratcheted up even higher, my breaths coming in shallow gasps.

“We will not hurt you,” he whispered in my ear, his creole accented voice soothing. Though he was trying to reassure me, I couldn’t stop glaring at the two vampires lying in the muck. My heart raced, my breath shallow. It was him or me, fight or flight. I was a witch. I had magic and was not helpless! It was time to focus and save myself because no one else would.

My mind scrambled for the spell, but the icy terror sliding down my spine made focusing nearly impossible. Lucien moved like a blur before I could launch the spell, his hand landing on his companion’s shoulder. He launched him away from me, his eyes flashing dark red in the dim lights from the Quarter.

“Never touch her!” Lucien’s voice was a guttural growl, his fangs bared.

I didn’t know what the fuck that was all about, but I didn’t wait to ask questions. Instead, I bolted out of the alley, shoving my way through the crowded street. Survival was all that mattered, and to do that, I had to get away from them. Some part of me was struggling to process the events of the last ten minutes. I needed focus to rift, but that was in short supply. My mind was a maze of chaotic, half-formed thoughts, nothing that would help me escape.

I ducked through another alleyway to cut through the Quarter, barely out of sight of a group of mortals. I let out a small yelp when a hand of iron caught my upper arm, yanking me back. Lucien pressed me against the brick wall, looming over me. The lines of his jaw looked as if they were cut from granite, and his eyes flashed red as he commanded, “Do not run from me!”

Blood-red eyes were a signature of the vampiric species. Their eyes would change when their emotions were high or when they were about to feed. My instincts were screaming at me, but still, I prayed he was not a vampire.

“Let me go!” I hissed, though I wanted to scream. There wasonetenet all immortals abided by,never risk exposure.Terrible, unspeakable things happened to immortals who risked exposure to the mortals.

“Never. I willneverlet you go,” he snarled. A moment of silence passed between us, and his expression shifted from the hard lines of fury to his brows furrowing in what looked likeconfusion.But that made little sense. Why was he confused? I was confused, not him! He’d just killed two people in front of me after declaring…

“Wait, did you say you’re their king? Are you a vampire?” I blurted out. Why did I care?Once I got away, he was going to be a distant memory, but I desperately wanted him to say no. The last vampire I trusted took everything from me. I would not be making the same mistake. In my experience, vampire equals betrayal.

He pulled his gaze from my throat. I met his eyes, watching as the color flickered between a dark, maddening red and bright enigmatic green. “I am Lucien Silvano, King of Vampires.”

King? King of Vampires?It took a moment for my brain to connect, but once I did, I struggled against his hold. He pressed hard against me, forcing my hips to connect with his. I bit my lip to keep from moaning as I felt how hard he was. I forced myself to stop wiggling when I realized the action only brought me closer to him.

“Let me go,” I said, my voice a tad too breathy. I wanted it to be firm and resolved, but it was impossible with him this close.

He trailed his thumb across my lower lip, and it took way more concentration than I expected not to nip his thumb with my teeth. “What’s your name?”

My mind went blank, and I felt dazed. “Serena,” I said, answering automatically.

My imagination was supplying the sound ofPhoebeon his lips, notSerena. I hadn’t gone by my real name in years, not since my sentencing, often discarding names and identities with each new city. It had become a habit to dig up the roots before they had time to grow, never allowing them to sink into the earth and bind me to one spot.

Rule No. 5: Abandon Everything at a Moment’s Notice.

He shook his head, leaning closer, the maddening scent of lemons and olive oil clouding even more of my mind. I arched away from the wall, pressing myself against him without conscious thought. My nipples hardened, and I squeezed my thighs together, trying to ease the ache between them.

“I don’t think so. Your true name,” he said, dragging his mouth along my throat. How could he tell I’d lied, but more importantly, why wasn’t he fucking me? Wait, what had he asked?

“Why?” I whispered, rather impressed that I could speak at all.

Lucien moved even closer, trapping me against the hard bricks. He slid his hands down over my curves to the hem of my sundress, dragging it up so he could grip my bare hips. I expected him to rip my underwear away, but he stopped. His fingers splayed against my skin, holding me tight. I was under his control. Every shift of my body was his to command.

Desire swept through me, my body instinctively submitting to his will. I murmured between heavy pants for air, “Phoebe.”

I didn’t know why I’d given him my real name, but it seemed imperative that he knew it.

“Phoebe,” he said, dragging out my name as if it was a drug.Oh, that’s why.The way he said it sent chills down my spine, putting my imagination to shame. “I’ve been searching for you since that night. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, about…” He trailed off as he struck like a viper, his fangs planting into my neck.

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