Dahlia slips her cool fingers through mine and drags me, running and shoving people out of the way, out the door.
“Penelope!”Mother screams, but Dahlia’s grip is akin to steel clamps, and all I can do is look back at her and try not to join in the screaming.
Chapter5
Dahlia
My siblings stare at me from across the carriage, all of their noses scrunched up like I fell in a cesspit instead of having magician viscera on me.I need a shower.
Honestly, don’t even know what possessed me to talk to Penelope in the first place.I should have shaken her hand and pretended I didn’t remember her.
Maybe it was delusional loyalty to Octavia to make sure the ‘political tensions’ are eased by the end of the trip.
Alright fine, it was definitely to wind Penelope up.When I saw her image on the sheet Octavia handed out, I couldn’t believe it.It took me a second to place her face.It was those piercing blue eyes that sold it.The way she stared at me from across the Whisper Club.Grinding up against me, kissing me like the only thing she dreamt of was fucking me.She wanted a piece of me, and then she left.Too chicken shit to come and take it.Well, now I understand why.Can you imagine if she—a magician princess—were caught fucking a vampire?Now that would screw the political tensions.
But I have a feeling Penelope is doing an excellent job of that as it is.New Imperium might not realise it, but they have a deviant princess in their midst, and she has been a bad, bad girl.
At least now I understand why I found her in the Whisper Club staring at Roman being drunk to death.
One little secret, one little escape.But it could cause untold damage.I press my lips together, knowing I have to be better than that.Mother of Blood, being nice is tiring.Octavia owes me, and I won’t let her forget it.My generosity only goes so far.
I stare out the window as we’re taken across the city to the palace.My mind flits back to our entrance this evening and the fallout after that guard exploded.
Penelope trembling outside the bar.
My hand gripping her hip, pulling her into my arms until she stopped shivering.“You’re okay.You’re okay.”
She gave it the big balls when she first met me, but then when the shit hit the fan, she crumpled into my arms.
I shift in my carriage seat, trying to convince myself I didn’t enjoy taking care of her.
But I did.Gods damned damsels in distress.Brings out my masc complex.Gotta take care of my girl.Not that she’s mine.I don’t even want her.I’d take any magician pussy—yeah,that’s it.It’s just about sampling a different delicacy while I’m here.
Queen Calandra came storming out of the bar, glancing between me and Penelope.I released the princess and handed her to the queen, who could tell she was still very shaken.
“Thank you,” she said before a swarm of royal bodyguards smashed into me.
“Stop!”Calandra bellowed.She pushed through the group of guards and held a hand down to me.“She was helping Penelope.Where are your manners?”Her cheeks turned pink.“Where’s your carriage, Dahlia?”
I pointed to the street corner.
“Go, please.Gather your family and come to the palace.It’s important we welcome you properly.This is not how I wanted the evening to go, but we must deal with this.”
“I understand,” I say as Octavia, Xavier and Red trickle out of the bar, Gabriel slacking behind as usual.
We left the magicians to clean up and took the long route to New Imperium’s palace.
The carriage travels down the palace’s long and winding driveway.Even from a distance, the building is predictably grand.But what did I expect, we’re heading towards a royal castle.The road is tree lined, filled with leaves and budding flowers I can make out even in the darkness.Which reminds me, the magicians are wild over that flower thing they use here.What was it called?Sanoto?Sany?Sanatio?Something like that.They use it as a healing medicine.I think it works a lot like our natural vampire healing — pretty universal save a beheading or fatal stake to the heart.
Octavia sits rigid in her seat, no doubt pissed about what happened and paranoid about whether we will be blamed.
Xavier is lolling like he’s stoned on one side of her.I’m not sure whether that’s boredom or he’s actually stoned.Both are equally viable.Red glances between all of us; her shoulders are tight, she feels the tension as much as I do.And it is so thick, I could drink it like an O+ breakfast shake.
Wish I’d drunk another girl before we left Sangui City.
“What the hell happened in there tonight?”Octavia says, breaking the silence.
“Someone had a bone to pick with that princess, I imagine.She had a handprint on her cheek when I walked in,” I say.
