Page 37 of Queen Takes Blood
Daire’s tail stiffened, fur prickling down his long, gangly spine. He got it. Hopefully he could explain court politics shit to his queen.
But I couldn’t fucking think. Not with her so close. The blood circle shimmered in front of me, mocking me. Forcing me to keep my distance. Would she be more willing to consider me if I went to my knees? Nah. She didn’t fucking know me enough to realize I didn’t do that shit willingly.
But I would for her.
As good as she smelled…
I’d fucking beg on my belly and lick her blood from the ground. From the horse’s hooves and legs if need be.
Shit. She’d dripped blood all down her other Blood’s side, and she swayed, leaning on Rik’s massive shoulder to keep upright.
“I’m too late,” I let out a disgusted grunt. Should’ve ran my ass up that last mountain rather than trudge along sweating and huffing. “She already hurt you.”
“You came to warn me?”
I nodded, but my conscience insisted I add, “And Daire.” He was the real reason I’d come, but if I kept his queen alive, then hopefully she’d protect him as well. “He ought to know.”
“You want me to believe that Keisha Skye didn’t send you.”
“Nope.”
Rik let out a rumble that sounded like a crashing avalanche. “Don’t ever fucking lie to her, Ezra. Your queen could command you back to New York City with a thought.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that one. “You think so? First of all, she’s stretched too far to use one drop of her blood to force me to do anything against my will. I’ve always been strong in that regard. Second of all, she’s got bigger fish to fry than an obstinate, unruly sib with the penchant for roaming. Besides, few in her court would ever feed me. I’ve probably got less of her sib blood in me than those two.”
She blew out a weary sigh that wrung my crusty, cold heart. “Did you ever feed from Keisha Skye directly?”
“Fuck, no. The males who feed from her throat die quickly. You know the truth of that better than anyone, Rik.”
He narrowed a hard gaze on me, somehow pumping himself up even bigger. “Things are different in the Isador court.”
“I should goddamn hope so.”
Growling, he lowered his head and turned on full alpha glare. “You won’t be leaving this nest on a whim and wandering around the countryside causing problems.”
“Who says so?” I couldn’t help but smart back, though his words made my chest ache with hope. He wouldn’t be trying to boss me around if she really didn’t want me as Blood.
“Me.”
He stared at me levelly. Other than his size and stare, he didn’t pull any other alpha shit on me. He didn’t attack. A lot of alphas would’ve ripped my fucking head off as soon as I gave one out-of-pocket response. I had to consider Daire too. He loved the shit out of this fucking alpha. That counted more than anything else.
She gasped in pain and our staring contest abruptly ended. Rik tore open his wrist and pressed the wound to her mouth, but a terrible feeling gouged me straight in the gut. They’d been fighting some serious shit already. Enough that she was still bleeding, weak, and in pain. I knew him well enough to know he would have already fed her. Daire too.
Yet it wasn’t enough.
Plus the fucking trees were weirding me out. The branches rubbed together, whispering something that I could almost understand. Danger. Some bad shit was heading here. Not tomorrow. Now.
Her name echoed through my head like a gong. Shara Isador fucking needed me.
And I’m fucking locked outside this goddamned nest.
Letting out a roar, I pressed against the blood circle, pounding my fists against it even though I knew there was nothing I could do to get inside. “Let me in! Daire, you little bastard! Get that furry ass over here and bring me through! She needs me!”
Finally he sauntered over and clamped his jaws down on my fucking arm. I didn’t bitch one word because he took me straight to her.
Well, to her alpha. Rik stared at me evenly, fierce eyes glowing like a forge. He didn’t need to threaten me with words. I got it. If I ever failed her, he’d crack me in half over his thigh and toss me aside like a fucking piece of garbage.
He was alpha enough to do it.
