Page 50 of Princess of Thorns and Ruin

Get out. Get out now.

“Stay here until I return.” Flying out of the room, I concentrate on the task at hand.

Jude is already posted outside, and my loyal sidekick throws me an alarmed look. “I came as soon as I heard.”

“I’ll brief the king. Don’t let her out of here, and no one but her first-blood should be allowed in there until I return.” I rub my face down, not even trying to hide my turmoil—or my erection.

“You okay, man?” Jude asks with a hint of a smile.

I wasn’t kidding when I said that violence makes vampires horny, the current circumstances offering me plausible deniability.

“Yeah,” I croak.

He nods, and I hurry off toward the king’s office. I trust Jude with my life. He’s a true friend and my best underling. If someone at court wants the princess dead, I know I can trust him with her life, too.

* * *

By the time I arrive, Jasper, Garret, and Peter Chastain are already inside, surrounding the king. If our late king Ludovic had one quality, it was his disregard for other peoples’ opinion. Now that our new king is a push-over, the political cockroaches click closer and closer.

They stop talking as I enter, and Victor hurries over to me. “Beaumont. I trust my sister is safe?”

“She is, your highness,” I salute my superiors with a stiff spine, crossing my fingers that they’re not going to glance down at my crotch.

The king strokes his goatee and turns to Jasper. “Who let the demon in?”

“A blood slave admitted that she was approached by him to masquerade as a couple looking for a fun, bloody night,” Jasper says, his ego bursting. “We secured the castle and escorted the visitors to the dungeons. Everyone but us and the royal guard has been confined to their rooms for now. We’ll interrogate them one by one.”

“Your son—” Garrett starts.

Peter cuts him off. “My son used the approved channels to provide for his blood slaves. Shouldn’t we interview the castle’s Bringer first? He’s the one in charge of the human visitors.”

Garrett’s eyes dim the way they do when he’s beyond annoyed but doesn’t want anyone to know. “André is a loyal, devoted employee.”

My ears perk up, and my brain starts to catch up with the events of the night and all the unanswered questions that carried over from the plane ride. “André Delamaison? That old crow is older than all of us combined, loyal to a fault, and he sure as hell didn’t step out of line.”

Victor pats my shoulder in a patronizing manner. “Alec… I think it’ll be best if Jasper handles the investigation. I need you on a plane to Brazil in the morning. Bright and early.”

“Brazil?” The word kills what was left of my erection.

Victor walks around his desk to sit in his chair. “Yes. Adele didn’t appreciate her brother’s stunt at the coronation, and rumors have it that the princess forgot herself in his presence tonight. She needs to join her fiancé as soon as possible.”

I link my hands in front of me to keep myself from curling my fists. “All newborns lust for blood.”

“It’s not the blood that bugs me, it’s her strong fascination for the pleasure bite. Her first-blood is a man, and we all know where that road leads. If rumors were to reach Pereira that she’s not a maiden anymore, he might withdraw his proposal.”

“That’s bull—” I clear my throat, realizing my mistake as the king’s gaze snaps up from his papers.

Victor wants the princess to exist on a different plane than us, a different time, even. The whole court holds her up to standards that should no longer exist, and they justify this travesty by calling it tradition.

Jasper stifles a giddy snicker with the back of his hand, and an awkward silence falls over the office.

“Excuse my brother’s language, your grace.” Garrett straightens his cufflinks, his Master of War uniform on full display. “He’s still a bit hot from the attack. Aren’t you, Alec?”

Bile rises to my mouth at how fake and servile he sounds, but I force myself to nod in agreement.

“A strong alliance with the Pereiras assures the princess’ safety and the well-being of the kingdom. It’s a win-win,” Jasper adds in a blatant attempt to pacify the king even more. “Once the princess is married, she won’t be in such danger anymore.”

The way he said it…as though it’s a known fact.

---