Yet on my fangs, I don’t wish my wolf or fae to mourn but to celebrate with me. Every moment that we spend together is precious.
The happiest and best moments of my life.
I may be the last vampire king but I am not thefreak, outcast, unloved kingany longer.
My heart and soul shall always fly with them, even if my body cannot.
“The hall’s walls are encrusted with diamonds. How much is just one of those worth?” Freya peeks through the high entrance door into Diamond Hall. The haunting melodies of reed pipes and harps spill from inside, along with tempting smells of rich, roasted meat, and blood wine. “They’re the size of my fist. They’re like stars. I mean, I’m not thinking of stealing one or anything.”
“You’re a magpie,” Dove mutters, wrapping his wing around her shoulder.
“Like you, you mean?” Freya’s eyes are wide. “The diamonds are beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you, my dear,” I reply, delighting in her involuntary blush and purr.
It thrills me to see my nest mates wearing the matching robes that I gave them.
They match my own robe in glittering obsidian black.
Even more thrilling are the diamonds that I wove through their hair and twin bat circlets set on their heads, which mark them out as my King and Queen. I placed them there with my own — bare — hands.
I believed both their thanks and kisses.
I didn’t understand the intense look from Dove, when I placed the crown on his head, nor the tears that glistened in his eyes.
Yet it hurts that theybelieve inmy earnestness.
They trust me.
I wish to give them my Crown, kingdom,the realms.
I am trying my best.
After all, I plan to die for them.
Yet all I truly want is tolivefor them.
When I stalk forward, Shadow and Devil prowl behind me. Their fur glistens under the torchlight in the corridor. I brushed it earlier for hours with lotus oil in honor of the shades, until it glowed.
I place my hand on Dove’s shoulder. “Diamond Hall was built by my grandparents on the blood of your race. Often those things that look the prettiest have the highest cost.”
Dove twirls to me; his expression is unreadable. “How’s that then, bat?”
“Fae prisoners were used, while shackled in iron, to mine for these diamonds, deeper and deeper into the dark. It was dangerous work, and many died. I can only apologize on behalf of my ancestors?—”
“Is that all you can do though?” Dove’s eyes gleam. “Couldn’t you tear down this ballroom? Return the diamonds to the fae? Oh, wait, they were conquered by the dragons, aye? So, couldn’tallyou have done been to join up with the fae against the bloody tyrant dragons and brought them down together?”
Shocked, I meet Dove’s blazing gaze.
Dressed in matching robes to mine, with a crown on his head, he looks every inch an Alpha king. I am proud of him standing next to my Omega.
Yet guilt curls in my stomach. It is not an emotion that I am used to.
How can I explain that I have never held the power in this realm? That I have never been in a position to make that kind of decision?
“Have you forgotten,” I remove my hand from his shoulder, stiffly, “that your King also murdered my mother?”
“Killed,” Dove corrects, “on the battlefield.”
