Page 62 of The Dark War

“I can hear you,” he whispered dangerously in my ear. “We promised to keep our links open, and I know everything that goes through your head when you are near. Now, you listen here.” His angry whisper had me whimpering. Pushing me back on the bed, his claws reached around my neck, the pressure on my chest causing my arousal to fill the room.

It was insane to love it when he was like this. He had been so docile and calm the past few months as he tried to show his tender care, but something stirred inside us as we bit each other. We wanted something much more than the usual romance. We wanted it hot… heavy.

“You are weak, about to meet the Parliament of vampires handpicked by Mortus.” My eyes widened. “Shit.” I breathed.

“So you are going to fucking bite me to help heal yourself faster.” Jasper’s erection pushed against my thigh. My fangs lengthened, and my leg pushed harder into his cock. Now that I had a taste of what it was like to be mates, I wanted more.

Even after finding out about the major betrayal of one of our greatest funding nobles. Crazy bond.

“Jasper,” I warned. My hair rose from the bed.

“That’s it.” He growled. His hand pushed up my dress, flipping it over. Vampires were sexual creatures when it came to feeding off each other. It was intimate, full of trust as we prodded arteries, taking their blood essence. Neck feeding wasn’t to be taken lightly, and when combined with a sexual experience...

Magic.

Red eyes stared back at me, I’d miss the dark-colored browns that used to look at me, but these eyes were full of the bond. The unbreakable attachment we had toward each other. Jasper’s pants were already down, my body reacting to him as my magic pulled down my underwear. His lips hungrily attached to mine, weaving his tongue into my mouth.

Rough fingers prodded my opening, and he groaned, feeling the wetness between my folds. “We don’t have much time,” he mumbled into my lips.

“Just take me.” My voice was strained, leaning his head to the side. My fangs entered his neck as soon as he impaled me with his cock. We both strangled a cry, feeling him move inside my body. My hips adjusted, allowing him to dive deeper as I sucked his neck.

He yelled my name like a prayer, holding me tight until I retracted my fangs, feeling him come inside me. My fingers gripped his shoulders. The fabric that once covered his body was now ripped from my red claws.

Licking his neck, he buried his face into mine. Licking my neck, I urged him to suck, but he shook his head. It was dangerous for him to go too long without drinking, especially now with his blood lust. “Jasper, even if it is just a little.” He grunted, his eyes flashing red back to his wolf.

“If I’m going to drink, I’ll do it to the bastards sitting in that room.” He nodded to the far wall. “I’ll fucking destroy them.” Electric currents went through Jasper’s hair. Part of my magic had not seeped into him yet. It would take more time.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty, Your Highness.” Melinard’s strangled voice came from the door. “They are waiting patiently for your arrival.” Jasper looked down at me once, pushing his lips to me for a searing kiss.

“We do this together,” he whispered.

“Together,” I agreed.

The room that would be nothing short of a modern conference room stood with dimmed lightning. My seat at the table was a long walk with all the peering eyes that watched us sit in our seats. Glasses of water and snack food sat out on the table. None of it had been touched.

“I heard a disturbance a few days ago,” Dorian announced. “Soldiers invaded Duke Mortus’ home without warrant or reason why.” His eyes wandered to Jasper and back at me. Murmurs filled the chamber with twenty vampires.

“I had reason to believe humans were in immediate danger, so I called to send them in.” My voice came out stronger than I realized, giving me the boost of confidence I needed.

“And were they there? These humans?” Dorian chuckled, crossing his arms. “Because I didn’t see or smell anything.” Jasper slammed his fist on the table.

“You respect your queen.” He pointed. “Speaking condescendingly like that can get you in the stocks.” Dorian snubbed his nose at Jasper. The entire room found Jasper to be lower than low to try and steal a mate of another, but most of all because he was a werewolf. These vampires were old, older than me, and were stuck in their old ways.

In fact, all of these vampires were from a time when they preyed on human blood when they traveled outside of the realm. The normal dulled red eyes were now lit with fire. Undertones of bright red shifted through. My eyes narrowed, staring at Dorian. Using my magic blessed by Hecate, I reached inside him. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably as I felt the glamour spell on him.

My body pivoted, going down the line. All of the oldest vampires had a sheen of magic on all their faces. Duke Mortus had planned to ruin me from the start. My teeth ground together, the lights in the room dimming as the spark of magic flowed through me. They didn’t like me because I was part witch. They didn’t know that my mother was a coven leader, much more powerful than a mere witch.

Jasper stood from his seat, reading my thoughts. He knew my power. He felt it in bond now more than ever. His hand went to my back in comfort, but not to pull me back.

“Guards,” I boomed. The side of the room that held the traitors pushed their chairs back. “Arrest them for conspiring against the crown with the rogues and feeding forcefully from humans.” Protests and yells of curses rang across the table. The few loyal vampires on the right side of the table stood defensively, two jumping in front to protect me.

The room lost its light before it abruptly came to light again. The traitors disappeared. Lord Virion, one who had been recommended by Mortus, still stayed at his end of the table. He had a passive look as he looked down at the now empty table.

“I… had no idea.” He faked a shutter and rested his hand on his chair. “I understand if you need to arrest me.” He smirked. The vampires that stood in front of me climbed off the table. Lord Virion had no glamour spell on him, and I couldn’t detect a lie. My head tilted, reaching further into his mind only to find an empty cave of nothingness.

Jasper snarled. “I don’t like it,”he linked. “Usually, you see something.” It was true, either a thought about what they ate for breakfast, their hidden fears, or their emotion. This was literally nothing.

“We need to evacuate,” I linked Jasper. “And pray to Ares we have him on our side.” Lord Virion took the pad of his finger and traced the long mahogany table. He rubbed his thumb and finger together in distaste.

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