Page 23 of Darkest Heart

The sound of her swallowing thickly told me everything. She blinked several times, her next breathing whooshing to the back of her throat. “I’ll come tonight, but not because you told me to. I need this.”

“Good girl,” I praised, releasing my hold. She rolled her expressive, blue eyes, then looked up at the paintings. Her gaze passed each one, a scowl building. The wrinkle between her brows deepened when she stopped on Vaneria. I cleared my throat, and her eyes flicked to mine. “You don’t like them either?” I questioned, realizing I’d never asked her about her beliefs.

She shrugged. “Everyone just worships them even though they don’t do anything.”

“Well, not Salenia,” I added, smirking at her painting. “She was too much of a rebel.”

Gwen flicked her blonde waves over her shoulder. “From what I’ve read, her creating the underworld had little to do with rebellion.”

“Vengeance then,” I added with a shrug. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. We only see one when we die.” I cast my gaze onto their portraits, the thought of death looming over me. Even immortals must die.

She licked her lips, dragging my attention back to them. “Well then,” she said. “I’d think it would make sense to curry favor with her and not the others if we’re going there, anyway. Most in the city do, but of course, here, traditions must be upheld.” She fixed her gaze back on the painting. “Perhaps that’s why my mother insisted her portrait be hung along with the others.”

I laughed. “We both know none of them can hear our prayers, let alone do anything about them. It’s pointless, and all a show. If Sargon doesn’t praise the gods, then his place on the throne is questioned. After all, it is the gods who put him there.”

“You know how I feel about him.” She placed a hand on her hip, twirling on her heel to face me. “Speaking of, have you heard any news about them? Have they found our princess?”

I scoffed a laugh. “Since when did you care about Seraphina?”

“I don’t,” she admitted, and touched the side of her cheek. “I’m just curious how long this will continue. Kalon will have to step down once his brother returns.” She stepped a pace closer, her siren gaze all-consuming. “If he returns.” She dragged a nail down my chest, sending shockwaves into the apex of my torso.

I lowered my voice, unable to look away from her. “He’s being…dealt with.”

“How?”

Everything about her lured me in. Her smell, the way she looked at me. Just her presence was a distraction. I hated it. But loved being in it. “You’re not doing this again.” I broke eye contact and stepped away. “I don’t trust you, or your games.”

“Really, Niall? I thought we’d moved past that.”

I grabbed her by the back of her neck, jolting her closer. “I will never,” I promised, my breath hot against her ear, “ever trust you again.” I thought back to the Blood Brothers, and how she dismantled it before. She’d played me like a violin, getting me to divulge all our secrets before we fell. “But you can always try to earn it back.” I glanced at her cleavage, animalistic desire building in my core.

She entwined her fingers with mine, rolling her curves against me. “I wouldn’t betray you again.”

“Liar,” I breathed.

“Oh, admit it,” she whispered, smirking. “You’d be bored if you could trust me.”

I let go of her with a shove, shaking my head. She always did get under my skin, in the best and worst ways. I changed the topic. Being distracted wasn’t something I could afford right now. “Where is that mother of yours?”

She jerked her head in the direction of the foyer, and I turned away, speeding to the adjoining foyer under the spiraling staircases. I pushed away the thought of Gwen, which was easier the further away from her I got.

The cold air hit me as the arched doors were opened, and the drawbridge lowered. More mortals had come now that the word had begun to spread; vampires could be made. The secret was out and there was nothing those fucking mortal royal assholes could do about it. Their subjects knew, the word spread from kingdom to kingdom, luring the dying and needy to us.

Warmness filled me as I watched the buses packed with them drive through, the only sign that there was a more modern world outside of the one we lived in. Sanmorte was castles, blood dens, auctions, and seedy bars, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The technology they used. It only meant more power for them. We needed to modernize our armies. Sargon had kept us in the dark ages, putting as at a disadvantage. The mortals could fight back now, and we had to bow down to them. Soon those days would be gone. They had no power. We were the superior race.

The thought of them, like the King of Asland, making demands to us, sent a rage so deep it pierced through every sense. Because of him, I was engaged to their princess, just because we’d turned her. Well, now the secret was out, how anyone could be turned, the deal could be terminated. It was just one of the many perks of possibly evoking a war against us with the mortal kingdoms. Getting out of this fucking engagement.

I refocused my attention on finding Velda, who was nowhere to be seen. Probably Gwen leading me off in the wrong direction, or Velda had already left. Either way, I needed to meet with her. She’d been tasked in helping me arrange the tournament, and as much as I hated the bitch, she was good at strategizing.

“Niall,” Adrian shouted from the staircase, and I climbed my gaze to him. He jumped down, smiling widely as he brushed down his suit upon landing. “Where have you been? I know you’re a prince now and all that.” He strode to me, hands in pockets, as he looked at the crown. “But your mortal girl escaped twice, and I’m honestly another try from snapping her neck from that attitude.”

“What else did she do?”

“I went in there to give her water. You know, keeping her alive so she can be fed on and the ungrateful bitch punched me in the fucking nose.” He pointed to his unblemished nose, and I laughed.

“Seriously, brother?” He questioned. “She’s a nightmare. Just kill that one. We have plenty more.” He spread his arms out, moving to the open doors. “They are coming to us, just as Kalon predicted.”

“I’ll deal with Elizabeth.”

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