Page 84 of The Crownless King
She buried her face in his neck and released a shuddering breath. He set her on her feet and stepped back.
“You handled that shit, my queen?” he questioned, his gaze wandering to the house behind her.
She straightened her shirt, understanding that her mate was claiming her for all of her family to see. “I took care of it, love. We shouldn’t have any other problems from them.”
Levi’s eyes narrowed, spotting the fear she knew was on her family’s faces. A sinister smile tilted his lips. The men behind him slapped their fists to their chest in a salute to her. The loud sound reached to her family, some of them gasping in shock. Amaya nodded her head in thanks, pride squaring her shoulders. The approval of their coven flowed down her bond with Levi. There were times where she questioned whether she would be strong enough to lead beside Levi, but feeling the faith and trust from the vampires under King gave her confidence.
Levi gripped her hand and walked her over to the SUV she and Bronx had driven. Before helping her in, he turned to face her family.
He pointed to Amaya. “That one is mine. Lay another finger on her and I’ll wipe all this shit off the map and make sure there ain’t nothing left to rebuild on.”
Turning his back on them, Levi guided her into the back seat of the SUV. He buckled her in and cupped her cheek.
“You sure you’re good?” he asked softly.
She nodded, tracing his face with her hand. Gods, she loved this man. Levi walked around the back of the truck and entered the other side, helping Tracy inside before joining them in the back seat. Amaya unbuckled and switched places with her cousin, cuddling into Levi’s side. The front doors opened and Sebastian and Bronx got in.
Bronx floored it away from the Chawi compound and Amaya knew it would be her last time visiting there. Hergrandfather would never forgive her and she couldn’t find it in her to care.
Chapter thirty-one
Levi rubbed his tired eyes and adjusted the bow tie at his throat in irritation. It had been a month since Amaya’s showdown with her family and it seemed the Buru presence in Black Hollow had increased. His Bayi were battling damn near every night to clear the city. His men were tired…hell he was tired. The kind of tired that came, not from the actual battle, but rather the number of them. The strength of his coven was growing, making it easier to dispatch the Buru vampires, but they were stretched thin as the borders in multiple towns were breached.
On the bright side, he had more than enough proof that the border mages weren’t doing their jobs. Now he just had to show it was deliberate.
He suspected that the Buru were getting through the borders to distract Levi from making his moves against the Collective. He hadn’t attended a meeting with them in two months, and until he got an answer about who poisoned him, he would continue to miss them. Tonight, at the governor’s ball, he would show his face and let them know despite the pressure they called themselves applying, he was still standing.
So far, there had been no further attacks to his mate, but he couldn’t rely on that. Amaya had thrown herself head first into honing her magic, pushing past the boundaries and restrictions she’d been taught around using her chaos power. She was much stronger because of it. The more she learned, the less he worried for her when she was out of his sight. That wasn’t to say this odd silence from the Collective didn’t have him on edge.
He needed leverage with the group, and his plan tonight was to secure that.
He would step out with his mate to make sure everyone knew that she was his queen and nothing would change that. He’d make them all bend the knee, if necessary, all to keep his mating with Amaya. Levi had no intention of hiding it from a single soul. As a safety precaution, he was rolling with six of his enforcers. He smiled at the spectacle he knew his men would make in their tuxedos and balaclavas.
‘Coming down, baby.’Amaya slid into his mind, her warm presence halting his fidgeting.
He turned to watch her descent down the stairs, his heart thumping in his chest. Pride swelled within him. His mate was fucking phenomenal and it had nothing to do with the way she filled out the gown she wore. Everything about Amaya, from her attitude to the power she wielded, made him fall head over heels for her.
The blood red gown she wore sparkled as she walked, the mermaid skirt sweeping the floor as she picked her way carefully down the stairs. Lucas rushed to her side and helped her down. The corset top hugged her breasts and pushed them up in a way that made his mouth water.
“How do I look?” she asked him softly as she reached his side.
“Amazing,” he whispered, kissing her ear. “Ain’t another bitch touching you.”
Her smile was radiant. “Shall we, then?”
Levi escorted her outside and his men bowed their heads as she passed. He helped her into the car and entered behindher. They left the compound three SUVs deep. Soft R&B filled the truck as they rode and Amaya laid her head on his shoulder, her thumb rubbing along the back of his hand. More than likely, she felt his tension, and while her soothing touch helped, his mind was already on the confrontation that was sure to come.
By the time they reached the governor’s mansion, he’d quelled any nervousness he had, ready for whatever the night held. He got out of the truck first, helping his mate down. The guard at the front entrance looked like he wanted to say something about the number of men Levi brought with him.
Bas growled. “Back the fuck up.”
The male moved to the side and allowed them entrance. The ballroom was full, the power in the room displayed just as gaudily as the gold and black decorations that dotted the place.
“Fancy,” Amaya muttered, grabbing wine from a passing waiter.
“Aht,” Levi fussed, taking the glass from her. “Don’t drink shit out of here.”
His mate pouted for a second. “I forgot just that fast. I’m a terrible sidekick.”
