Page 47 of The Exiled Dragon

“To answer your question,” the Queen spoke, “he is my mate. We are just taking things at a slower pace.”

“Ah, you have the gift of reading minds?” I smiled. Little did she know, I could hide most of my thoughts. I was older than her and had more control over the walls of my mind. Smirking to myself, this would be easier than I thought it would be, knowing of such a power.

“Depends how loud they are.” The Queen glanced at me, her eyebrow raised, looking into my eyes. Putting up walls of what I wanted her to see versus not, her eyes visibly softened. “You are looking for a lost mate?”

“Yes.” I clenched my fist. The thought of her still out there, alone or in danger or being marked by someone else made me growl. What if she found her true mate? If she did and formed any sort of bond, whether emotional or physical, may become deadly to her and me. “Someone tried to gift her to me as a blood bag, but I knew she was mine,” I lied smoothly. “There was a misunderstanding. My servants put her in the cells, treated badly, and then escaped when I tried to explain things to her. She’s a strong one, my Odessa. She managed to slit my throat.” I pulled the high-top collar, hiding my scar until I could tattoo around it. Taliyah’s eyes widened.

“First, we do not do blood bags here, even with the wards down for humans to enter Bergarian.” She looked at me pointedly. I shook my head, “Oh, I know, Your Majesty, I was going to have her returned to Earth at once until I realized she was my mate. The person trying to pay off debt has been disposed of.” The Queen’s eyes squinted, searching for a lie. I took my cup of tea, sipping it and crossing my legs. Out of all my little lies, that was the truth.

As soon as my mind was made up to make Odessa my beloved, Enoch hunted her down. She died a slow and painful death that I had yet to receive the details of. A shame, really. I would have loved to see her grovel for her life after selling her only daughter to Vampires.

“I see,” she spoke. Jasper growled lowly. Werewolves never liked Vampires. I was surprised he was still around. Then again, she was only half Vampire.

“So what is your purpose here then, Duke? Do you want me to send my soldiers to look for your mate? Because that will not happen with the state our nation is in right now. Even with your loyalty of not following my late brother, the funds are simply not there.”

“No, of course not. I would never ask. Not with you having our now prospering nation growing into a new light. I was just asking for a small request that your friend, Princess Clara, might help with?” I clasped my hands together, leaning on my thighs. “Since she was born Wolfless, a human, really, I wanted to see if she could help or persuade my beloved to come back to me if they hear of her whereabouts. I want her to understand what a mate or beloved is, so she would feel more comfortable and that I would never hurt her.”

Again.

Queen Taliyah’s eyes fluttered to Jasper, having a silent conversation with him. He nodded once, leaving the room. “I’ll see what I can do, but I cannot ask her to go searching for your mate. Maybe her ability to calm her, and see what mates really are, could help your situation. I do owe you my gratitude for showing your support throughout the recent changes in the monarchy.”

“Yes, I would be most appreciative, your Majesty.” My smile broadened. That’s exactly what I wanted.

“On one condition, Duke Mortus.” The Queen held up one finger as she pondered her words. “That you stop sending Dark Fairies into the mountains. A Dragon was said to have ripped them to shreds because they stepped into the wrong territory. Even if they are Dark Fairies from Vermillion, King Osirus of the Light Kingdom will step in if this gets out of hand. We do not need war right now. We will fail. I’m sure you understand this.”

“Of course, your Highness, I will call off the search in the mountains,” I spoke sincerely, waving my hand.

Her smile lightened, putting her teacup back on the saucer. Jasper walked back in, kissing her on the lips. She stood to take his hand as he wrapped around her waist.

“Princess Clara said it would be an honor for her to talk to her about you. In fact, Alpha Kane planned to take her on a tour of the pride lands and Eleven Territories. They will be sure to keep an eye out for her.” My excitement had me grip my seat. If Alpha Kane was going, his nose was the strongest of all Werewolves. He would be sure to find her if she were near.

“That’s terrific!” I clapped my hands together, standing to shake Jasper’s, and gave a toothy grin. “I would be most appreciative if you both would grace us with your presence during our beloved ceremony once she’s back.” Diana immediately agreed, feeling that this was my true beloved that I was referring to. My demon inside me was sated for just a while as we continued in my efforts to find her.

In the carriage, I had the driver stop at the pub that Enoch was allegedly visiting the night of his disappearance. Enoch could be a lush. He had a problem with the bottle, and even if he was my right hand, he could party too much. The bar was empty since the sun was hiding in the clouds. Vampires walked the cobble-stoned roads and entered shops for clothing, food, and the sort. Waving the driver off, I walked in the footsteps of Enoch’s travel back to the mansion.

Enoch could sober quickly. The many drinking games we played held that to be true. Walking home would sober him up quickly and not get caught by me chastising him. With my hands in my pockets, I walked clear across town. The rag that Odessa used as a blanket still sat in my pocket. Pulling it out, smelling her scent once more calmed me once again.

How did it take me three months to realize she would be mine? Was I that blind to see? Once the bond is created, my heart will beat for the first time, and my obsession with her will grow even more. Odessa will also come to love me, and we can worship each other. She will think of no one else but me, let me feed on her, pierce my skin as I will do to her, over and over.

She’ll like it, just the way I pierced her before, only now it will run through her like a mighty wave of orgasmic pleasure, and then she will inflict it onto me. I shivered, walking up to the mansion. Imagining her sweet lips grazing my neck, I touched my scar absentmindedly, a weak smile on my lips.

Walking to the service entrance, I noticed dried blood on the stone wall. It could be easily missed if one was not looking for a darkened appearance, but I smelled it. Bending down, I licked my finger to grab some of the flaking blood. Tasting it, I realized who it was immediately. Enoch.

Looking over the fence, around the corner, I could not find his body or traces of where he could have gone. Enoch does not bleed. He was a skilled fighter for my second hand.

Running my hands through my knotted hair, a little boy walked by with shoes too big for his feet. He clomped down the sidewalk, slapping harshly against the grain. The untied and expensive leather quality had my head jerk in surprise. My nose flared. The faint smell of Enoch came from this small boy. “You!” I yelled. The boy in rags shivered, back hit flat against the wall.

“Where did you get those?” I marched up to him, my hand around his neck. The Vampire child barely had his fangs. He could still be eating the raw meat of a cow instead of being sustained on just blood alone.

“W-what, s-sir?” I pulled his neck, beating his head back into the bricked wall. “Those shoes, they are not yours,” I hissed. He shook his head, grabbing and ripping at my skin. The cold rings on my fingers left prints on his neck.

“T-they fell off of a man,” he choked. Letting his neck go, I let him speak. “He was unconscious; he was dead.” He rubbed his neck.

“Dead?” I growled. “Who killed him? Did you see?” The boy gulped, looking everywhere but my face.

“You dare lie to Duke Mortus?” He gasped, shaking his head again.

“A… a big man, with a scar down his face. He had braids in h-his hair. He was only wearing stuff covering his decency.” Standing up to full height, I thought of what kind of man this would be.

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