King Luciver slamd his palm down on the carved stone table. "Sobody explain to ," he growled, his fangs elongating just slightly with rage, "why there are things happening outside my kingdom and I am the last to know!"
"Tell how an entire rogue vampire army waltzes into werewolf territory, slaughters Alpha King Magnus Sinclair—the princess’s own father—and not a single one of you knew? How?!"
The council remained silent, eyes downcast. Even the usual sharp-tongued nobles, who were often eager to outwit each other in debate, now seed like chastened children before a furious parent.
"Commander of the army!" he barked, and a tall, broad-shouldered vampire stepped out from the arc of guards near the door.
The commander bowed deeply. "Your highness, with due respect, I do not believe this threat originated from within Blood City. The movents are erratic. These weren’t trained soldiers."
Gabriel stepped forward. "Where is the princess? I would like to offer my condolences."
"Keep your condolences to yourself, Gabriel." The vampire king turned slowly to face his younger brother. "I told you to stay away from the princess."
Gabriel lifted his chin and gave an exaggerated bow. "Of course, your highness. Though I must admit..." He stood upright again, "It’s quite suspicious, don’t you think? The princess and the prince are not in Blood City. With the madness going on out there, shouldn’t they be safe inside our walls? Are you hiding sothing?"
Luciver’s hands curled into fists at his sides. The nerve. The sheer audacity.
"You truly have no sha, Gabriel," he hissed. "You’d pick this very mont to poke holes in my leadership? Or is it that your thirst for power can’t even be quenched by the stench of war?"
"If you are not capable," Gabriel said coolly, "then soone capable should take the throne. It’s not obsession, dear brother. It’s necessity. Blood City can’t afford to be ruled by sentint."
Luciver chuckled darkly, a sound without mirth. "Of course, Gabriel. The heartless solution. That’s always been your specialty."
"I told you vampires marked only by true bloods are to be Blood City citizens. You wouldn’t listen. Wherever this attack ca from, I assure you it wasn’t by any of the true blood offsprings."
Luciver turned away from his brother and addressed the rest of the court. "I want this event investigated. Thoroughly. I want nas, I want motives, I want locations. I want feedback in forty-eight hours. If there’s a conspiracy under my nose, it ends now."
Luciver stord out of the council chamber.
*****
Damien sat, legs stretched out before him, arms folded tightly, as if bracing himself for another blow.
Morvakar entered with his usual dramatic flourish, muttering.
"What’s with the secrecy, Morvakar?" Damien asked. He glanced toward the wooden ceiling, as if it might fall in on him at any mont. "Luna already knows I’m dying. You told her yourself, didn’t you?"
"Yes, yes I did." Morvakar moved toward a table cluttered with vials and maps. "And she asked to save you. To find a way."
"Of course. She just doesn’t want to carry the bla for my death," Damien muttered bitterly, leaning back against the cracked wall of the attic.
Morvakar groaned, dragging a dusty chair toward himself with an unnecessary amount of force, the legs screeching. "You are an idiot."
Damien blinked. "Well, that’s rich."
Morvakar ignored him. "Have you stopped to consider that she is an innocent in all of this? You’re too, I suppose, but you are Luciver’s son. Luna? She had nothing to do with any of this ss."
Damien arched a brow. "Are you... feeling guilty, Morvakar?"
"? No!" The sorcerer recoiled. "My point is—you are an idiot. So insecure. You’d rather cling to the idea that she pities you than admit she might just love you."
Damien rolled his eyes. "That’s not insecurity. That’s experience."
"Because the next part of what I have to say will probably break your brain."
The prince sat up, frowning. "Did you find a way?"
"Yes, I did." Morvakar stood. "I went back and reviewed the process used to create Luna’s bond with you. Your connection to her is artificial—powerful, yes, but ultimately forged. Magic woven by a brilliant sorcerer. ."
Damien crossed his arms. "Don’t flatter yourself."
"I’m not," Morvakar said dryly. "But listen carefully. Marking her sealed your fate because it locked that artificial bond into place. But if—and it’s a very specific if—you were to find your true mate and mark her, the pure bond from that union would counteract the poison in your system. Essentially... it resets you."
Damien was quiet for a mont. Still. Then—
He laughed.
He burst into laughter, wheezing as he waved a hand.
"Oh, this is rich," Damien said between chuckles. "Absolutely perfect. Let get this straight. I’ve lived three centuries—three whole centuries—hoping for one thing. One thing. That I’d find my mate. Soone who would look at and see . Not the throne, not the title."
Morvakar folded his arms and leaned against the beam, waiting for the storm of laughter to pass.
"As rare as it was for Trueblood vampires," Damien continued, "I always believed she was out there. And then I find Luna. And it feels like destiny, you know? Like the stars lined up for for once. I thought my search was over."
"And now," Damien said, tilting his head up to look at Morvakar, "you’re telling there’s another true mate out there. Sowhere. Soone who could save my life. And I just have to find her, after all of this?"
Morvakar exhaled slowly, watching him. "It’s the only way I’ve found that might work."
Damien groaned and sank deeper into the chair, covering his face. "So I either betray the only woman I’ve ever truly loved... or die."
"Yes." Morvakar answered.
"Well then, fuck it! I’d rather die. Because that woman down there may drive zrazy, may piss off every second, she is all that I want. Beyond the so called artificial bond, I want Luna."
(Its another week. Lets do this people! One more thing, If i am going to get paid for this book this month, I need at least 500 more coins. So any and all gifts will be appreciated. Thank you.)
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