Page 51 of Queen Takes Queen
My mouth hung open for a moment. “I’m not feeding on anyone but my Blood.Period.”
“But if she wants to swear to you, and you accept, you must taste her blood. She’ll offer formal throat toyou.”
I swallowed hard, trying to settle my stomach. It felt like Nevarre’s raven crashed around deep in my stomach with all his friends. Deep down, I knew that I’d have to feed on her. I just hadn’t pictured exactly how that would work in my head. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be a few swallows, like when I’d given Gina some of my blood to bind her to me as my humanservant.
“Before her entire court,” Mehen added, not so helpfully, because I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Rik growled at him. “What? It’s an honor that her court must witness. They need to see their queen on her knees before you. Her throat bared to you. How you take her will determine how they view you going forward. If you’re timid, they’ll assume you’re weak. If you treat her badly or roughly, they may be angry, but many of them will be afraid to cross you for fear of what you’d do to them. It’s a chance for you to teach them a lesson, without touching anyone but theirqueen.”
Guillaume grunted. “We Aima like to read significance into every little touch orgesture.”
“Which is why I’m so fucking scared I’m going to make amistake.”
“You’re incapable of making a mistake,” Rik said firmly, giving my shoulders a good squeeze. He gave each Blood a firm glare for good measure. “Stay true to yourself and act as your heart directs you, and all will be well. Your goddess walks in you. She won’t allow you to make anymistakes.”
We rode in silence for a few minutes and suddenly, I felt my first queen’s nearness. Or rather, hernest.
The air resonated, humming with energy. As we drove closer, the ringing echoed in my ears, making my fangs ache. It wasn’t unpleasant—but I had the sense that she could make it hurt very much if she wanted to. The car slowed and finally stopped. The air quivered with so much energy I knew exactly where the blood circlelay.
“We must walk into the nest,” Gina said. “Let’s see who she sent to greet us and bring us through. That’ll tell us a lot about how this meeting willgo.”
With the car still running, someone approached and opened the car door on my right. Rik sent quick orders through the bond.:Mehen, then Guillaume, Nevarre, Daire, Ezra, Xin, stay visible. Don’t give them a reason to doubt our intentions. Form lines on either side of the road. We’ll walk to the boundary with our queeninside.:
Mehen met my gaze, his emerald eyes flashing with excitement. “Will you free my beast? In case I need to fly youout?”
:He makes a good point,:Rik admitted.:If you’re under attack, I’d rather you not have to stop and worry about freeing his dragon. I want him to shift and get you out as quickly aspossible.:
I pulled back the shining leash of magic from Leviathan’s neck and Mehen shivered, his dragon bulging outward a moment with a shadow of wings and gleaming claws, before settling down into his body. “Don’t kill anyone. Unless, you know, we haveto.”
He inclined his head with a sardonic wink as he climbed out of the car. “I’ll do my best. But no promises if the bear pisses meoff.”
One by one, the rest of my Blood stepped out of the car. Gina gave my hand one last squeeze. “It’s going to be fine. We’re with you every step of theway.”
Then it was just Rik and me left in the car. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “I’ll never allow anyone to harmyou.”
“I know.” I took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then slowly released it. “I’m not worried about me. I’m afraid I’ll offend someone, and we’ll be trappedinside.”
He turned my hand over, his thumb rubbing gentle circles against my palm, where he pressed a kiss and closed my fingers over it. “Offend them. It won’t matter. You’re the fucking queen of Isador, and they won’t lay a finger on you. But I know you too well to fear that you’ll offend anyone, my queen. All will bewell.”
“Promise?”
He winked at me and slid out of the seat toward the door. “You know it. Wait for me to offer you my hand before you getout.”
I pictured him being all mean, bad alpha, glaring at all the people who might be standing around waiting for me to get out of the car. It made my mouth quirk and my nerves settled a little. His hand came down outside the door, and I slipped my fingers into his, sliding toward thedoor.
Warm air wafted over my face as I stood. I glanced up at the sky first, afraid to see how many people were watching. It wasn’t dark yet, but the sun was slipping below the horizon with a glorious explosion of color. I didn’t see the moon, but one large, bright star winked at me in thesky.
Rik tucked my hand beneath his arm, his fingers firm and confident on mine. His biceps bulged beneath my hand, his rock troll hovering beneath his skin. Ready to defend me at a moment’s notice. Gina gave me an encouraging smile and then turned, leading us down a white-graveled driveway. Stone pillars framed a wide iron gate that opened into the property. As we neared the blood circle, my scalp crawled, my nerves humming with tension. I couldn’t see the boundary with my eyes, but fine hairs rose on my arms, quivering like an electric fence was powering up, ready to zapme.
Mehen and Guillaume stood on either side of the pillar, just inside the low stone wall. That must be the very edge. On the other side of the gate, a small group of people waited for us, but I could sense many more on either side, deeper into the property. My heart pounded as Gina paused in front of the gate. She fucking curtsied, and a sudden surge of panic rolled through me. We didn’t cover curtsies or bowsor—
:Because my queen fucking bows to no one.:Rik growled.:Not even theTriune.:
“Welcome, House Isador,” a woman said, her low, sweet voice carrying through the night. She was shorter than me with bombshell curves, dressed in a sparkly pink gown that hugged her body. Another woman stood beside her, tall and slender in a white gown. “I’m Mayte Zaniyah, and I welcome you to my nest. Please, be at rest in Valle deZaniyah.”
The queen herself, welcoming us? That seemed unlikely to me, especially for older Aima well used to playing court politics. I glanced at Gina, and her eyes flashed wide with surprise too, her bond shimmering with excitement. She took it as an extreme honor. “Thank you, Your Majesty. We were honored to receive your invitation. I’m consiliarius, GinaIsador.”
Mayte inclined her head slightly, a smile curving her lips. “Please, no formality among friends. This is my consiliarius,Bianca.”
“Mayte. Bianca.” Gina inclined her head to both of them, and then turned to me, inclining her head even more. “May I introduce my queen, SharaIsador.”
