Page 67 of Queen of Vampire Hearts

“That’s what I was coming to tell you.” Erik swallowed hard, trying to force the words out. “I found out more about the mystical bounties last night.”

I felt a flash of guilt at hearing that. While Erik was gathering research on how to get us out of this, I was lost in a haze of desire with Phoebe.

The wolf looked haggard. His blonde hair was oily and falling all over his face.When was the last time he showered?“The longer we’re in the bounty’s presence, the more it’s going to force us to complete it.”

Force me to turn Phoebe over to the witches, the people who had already tried to kill her?Never. Then I realized I clutched the cuffs harder in my hands, the silver metal clanking softly. I felt sick that I might have just become the greatest threat Phoebe had known.

“Are you saying that I am a danger to Phoebe the more time I spend with her?”

We couldn’t have gotten past everything else for this to tear us apart. Some part of me, the cowardly part, was happy that she forced my mind to a screeching halt last night. If I confessed the truth, she might have left.

Even now, with the bounty forcing my actions, I couldn’t tell her. Her trust in me was still fragile, and if I even hinted at the truth, she would leave. She would see another vampire who betrayed her. She would hate me and leave forever.

“I don’t know,” Erik muttered, his face bleak. The three scars on his face were even paler with strain.

Historically, neither of us had failed to discover and capture or kill our target. I felt my stomach roll at the thought. How many had been like Phoebe?How many had been wrongfully accused?I ran a hand through my hair. What had I done? The quest for escape from the constant monotony of immortality might force me to lose the one thing I felt like I would die without.

She finally trusted me, and I might betray her because of someparchment? I couldn’t stomach the thought. There had to be a way out.

“Tell me there is a way out of this,” I pleaded, my voice cracking in desperation. “I can’t lose her.”

I was in love with her and on the cusp of losing her. Fuck you, Fate. I didn’t bother hiding my emotions from Erik, even though the sight made the wolf wince in sympathy. “I’m going to petition the Witches Council to release us from the bounty. We’ll tell them she’s dead or something, anything to get us both out of it. Give me three days. I’ll be back in time for the coronation.”

With those instructions, Erik sped off. He left me standing alone in the halls of Întuneric with my terror at the thought of losing Phoebe choking me. I glared down at the hated cuffs still clutched in my hand.

This force thought to dictate to me?Me?!My fury rose, muting my despair. I stormed out of the castle, marching down to the location where I’d plunged from the mountain to save my mate.I was ten-thousand years old! A piece of parchment would not control me! I was stronger than any compulsion.

I pulled my arm back and threw the cuffs as far as possible, hurling them toward some point in the distance. A glimmer of hope flickered inside me as they sailed away, but it disappeared when the moon caught the silver, and they began their descent into the valley.

Unable to control my limbs, I sped into the valley below, locating the cuffs. I regained control once they were back in my hands.

No.

I tossed them again, farther this time, and the compulsion forced me to go after them again. I was mystically compelled to hold on to them.

No, no.

I desperately repeated the process, hoping that if I tossed them far enough, I wouldn’t have to retrieve them. I wanted to return to Phoebe cuddled in our bed and make love to her again. On the fourth try, I fell to my knees, pocketing the cuffs in despair.

I clung to Erik’s words. Maybe the wolf could get us out of this. I could be on guard for three days, three days to spend with Phoebe, three days to pray to every dark god for a way out of this.

With the hateful cuffs clutched in my fist, I trudged the miles back to Întuneric. My repeated disposals of them made the distance great. My head hung as I slowly made my way back to the castle. The wolf was ruthless, and he knew what was at stake.

The dark stone of Întuneric stood out against the rising sun, making the structure even more foreboding. Since Phoebe had been in residence, the halls had echoed with laughter and joy, no longer cold and empty. I viewed the castle as a home instead of just somewhere I slept, and I might lose it all.

It was just three days. I could do three days. I wouldn’t sleep until Erik returned, being on guard against any possible compulsion moments. There was no choice. I had to do this.

XXXIII

The Realm of Mortals.

Întuneric Castel, Romania.

“You...abomination,” a broken voice cracks, making my head swivel back to look at the survivors. One of them had come awake during my inspection of what remained of my execution.

My eyes connect with Silas Cren’s black ones, and the hatred living there makes me physically recoil. Abomination?

I STRETCHED LANGUIDLY AS THEmorning sun shined through our window, highlighting the empty bed next to me. For a moment, I felt a flash of panic, but I could still smell him. His scent covered the sheets, and I curled into his pillow to get more. Goddess, preserve me. When had I become so pathetic?Oh right, that had happened just about the time I met the vampire king who made me orgasm to the point of blacking out. Yeah, I’m kind of drawing imaginary hearts with our initials in my mind.Whatever.

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