Page 25 of Taming His Vampire Mate
“First off, we need to double-check Daniel’s work. No offense to him, I’m sure he’s competent or whatever, but we’d feel way better about it if we had some of our best witches and warlocks investigating these interplanar fissures.”
Ethan nodded in agreement. Then he added, “Also, we should send a team in to investigate Rookwood.”
“No team will be required for that,” I said flatly. “I will go alone.”
“Thierry, no,” Nathaniel said sharply, staring at me. “If what the wolves have said is true, one vampire alone would be in terrible danger. Even you.”
His concern was touching, but I already knew it wasn’t bleeds or interdimensional creatures that had wiped out Rookwood. I wasn’t spooked by the scary bedtime stories the wolves were peddling.
“A team will attract too much attention,” I said, keeping my tone even. Lying to them wasn’t ideal, but it was necessary. After all, I was sparing innocent lives. “One person can slip in and out, determine the cause, and report back. Then we can send a team once we know what we’re dealing with.”
“You’re right,” Nathaniel said, frowning—then his gaze slid to Jeremy, a speculative look in his eyes. “But a pair is much safer and still won’t draw the attention of a full team. The wolf will go with you.”
“No,” I said, fresh horror flooding me. “Not a chance in hell.”
“I concur with Nathaniel,” Tatiana said, giving him a nod of approval. Then she turned her icy gaze on me, a hint of mockery in her smile. “Naturally, you’ll need someone present who understands what this phenomenon looks like, if you hope to rule it out.”
I stared back at her, fuming.
I could tell them about Godric, which would make Jeremy unnecessary—but that meant explaining exactly how lethal hewas. Then Nathaniel would never let me go alone. He’d send a team, and Godric would kill them all just to get to me. I wouldn’t be able to protect them.
No doubt Godric already knew I was coming. If I didn’t go to him, he would come to me sooner or later. And I wouldn’t see him until it was too late.
At least with Jeremy, I could be reasonably certain the wolf would bolt the moment things got dangerous. Based on everything I knew, he’d want to save his own skin first and foremost.
“Despite his shortcomings, Jeremy is the strongest wolf in his pack,” Nathaniel said firmly. Then he leveled a hard look at the wolf in question. “And if you want allies, this is the price. Go with Thierry. Show us you’ve changed and are willing to help, and we’ll help you in turn when the bleeds begin.”
“I’m sorry,” the dark-haired wolf balked. “You are not sending our alpha on some half-cocked mission to go get himself killed.”
“Reed,” Jeremy said quietly, cutting him off before turning back to Nathaniel. He met the vampire king’s gaze and held it. “If this is what’s required of me, then I’ll do it.” He glanced back at Reed. “And if I’m killed, you’ll be next in line to be alpha. The pack’s future won’t be in jeopardy.”
With Jeremy’s agreement, I knew there was no point in arguing.
My only other option—besides explaining about Godric—was revealing what Jeremy and I were to each other. And that might make Nathaniel even more likely to force us together. He’d always been a hopeless romantic, and he’d be gunning for us to fall in love.
I’d sooner take my chances with Godric.
So instead of arguing and losing the last shred of dignity I possessed, I rose from the table and walked out without another word.
CHAPTER EIGHT || JEREMY
“What, pray tell, do you think you’re doing?” The vampire—who the king had called Thierry—demanded when I followed him out of the council chambers and into the courtyard. He rounded on me, pale blue eyes narrowing, his lips twisting into a sneer. Then, without waiting for an answer, he added, “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll turn around, go back inside, and stay the hell away from me.”
I blinked at him, caught off guard by the sheer vitriol. “If we’re working together, we ought to—”
“No. We don’t need to do anything at all. Because there is no ‘we.’” He threw air quotes around the word. “And there will never be a ‘we.’”
“There sure as shit was a ‘we’ the night we met,” I shot back, anger and confusion flaring.
He darted forward, grabbed me by the neck, and lifted me clean off my feet. Smaller and slighter or not, his grip was like iron, and he showed zero signs of effort at holding a fully grown man.
“Don’t believe for even a moment that I won’t snap your neck if you so much as think about touching me again.”
His grip tightened. Black spots speckled my vision. I tried to breathe and couldn’t. My lungs burned.
Still, the wolf in me didn’t feel a flicker of fear.
Foolish creature.
