Page 88 of Wolf Queen Ruin
“You walked away from being a fae prince?But why?”
“I had no interest in Summer Court politics.”He shifted slightly, his gaze focusing on some distant point beyond our small camp.“I left, and because of that, my fae magic was gone.I was dying.For a vampire as old as Elliot, choosing to make a progeny is a profound commitment.He could have simply used me and discarded me, as many would have.Instead, he taught me to survive without sacrificing what remained of my soul—a lesson many vampires never learn.”
“So it’s gratitude,” I said.
“In part.But also…” He shook his head, struggling with articulation.“Elliot represents the last connection to who I was before.Without him, I’m not certain who remains.Not a fae prince.Not even a fae.An orphan without a home.”
The admission felt like a precious, fragile thing, a glimpse behind his composed façade.His quest wasn’t just about saving his maker; it was about preserving his own sense of identity.
We sat in companionable silence for several minutes, the soft blue glow of Damien’s lantern casting gentle shadows across our impromptu camp.The night jungle created its own symphony around us—insects chirping, distant howls, the occasional rustle of nocturnal creatures.
“So what happens now?”I asked, meaning it broadly, but also specifically about what had changed between us.
“If he’s not dead, Marcel or his mercs will be seeking the remaining fragments,” Damien said.“But we continue as planned.The second piece is in the Paris catacombs, which is vampire territory.My connections there should facilitate access.”
The hesitation in his voice caught my attention.“By connections, you mean…?”
A flash of deep discomfort crossed his features before he masked it.“Vivienne.Her family has controlled the catacombs for centuries.Her cooperation would be advantageous.”
My skin prickled with heat.I pulled away, creating space between us.
“I see,” I said, aiming for casual but missing by a mile.
“Vivienne will help us,” he said, his eyes finding mine in the darkness.“She’s quite practical about such matters.”
“Right, because vampires are all about practicality when one is fake engaged to a mortal enemy,” I replied skeptically.“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to help us.”
“Our engagement rings would disagree that our engagement is fake.”Damien’s jaw tightened.“And you’re not giving Vivienne enough credit.”
“Oh, I’m giving her plenty.”I hauled myself to my feet and stalked away, needing space to think.
What did he know about Vivienne anyway?More importantly, how did he know it?Had they been a couple at one point?I didn’t want to know.The idea made me sick and even more exhausted than I already was.Which was stupid because of course he’d had other lovers.Who wouldn’t after living for centuries?Damien was no monk.
He was the embodiment of velvet darkness and forbidden whispers.
Yet the prickling heat over my skin grew teeth.
Without any approaching sounds, his arms suddenly wrapped around my front.His lips skimmed up the column of my neck, making me shiver.
“I can hear you thinking from all the way over there, Luna,” he said, his voice low near my ear.“Look at me.”
I turned, prepared to maintain my indignation, but the raw honesty in his eyes snagged my next few breaths.
“What happened between us was not a mistake,” he said firmly.“And it’s not something I take lightly.”
“Just because we fucked doesn’t mean I have any claim over you,” I said.
Logically, I knew this, but believing it was something else entirely.My heart tended to latch on until it shattered into irreparable pieces.
“Doesn’t it?”His hand came up to cup my face, his thumb tracing my lower lip.“We’ve shared rings.We’ve shared blood.We’ve shared bodies.In vampire and fae terms, those are not casual acts.”
The intensity in his gaze stuttered my pulse.“And in wolf terms, I’m making too big of a deal about it.”
A small, almost sad smile touched his lips.“You can feel however you feel.There’s no shame in that.”
Yes, there was.I’d been hurt before.I couldn’t bear to go through that again, but here we were, locked in an embrace in the middle of a jungle that was steadily unraveling my resolve to stay away from all men for all eternity, amen.Especially when said man pressed open-mouthed kisses to the back of my neck while one hand crept up my shirt and the other crept down inside my pants.
“I feel…” Lost.Balancing on a precipice of pain.
