Blood what? My thoughts frizzled. Completely.
“We haven’t had a lot of time to talk lately,” Rage sighed. “After you went with your grandfather to High Mage Island, some of my guards were attacked by blood mages, what you would call vampires. It turns out Kalama is one of them. Surlama was too.”
My jaw dropped, and suddenly, all I could see was the mental image of Justice’s shredded chest. “All that blood…” Wait… “Surlama was a blood mage? You mean, she wanted all that blood because she …fedoff of it?”
I shivered at the thought of Surlama drinkingmyblood.
Rage perched on the edge of the bed and nodded. “Apparently, they integrated into mage society near Dark Row. They were living under our noses for years.”
“What happened with Justice? It’s the middle of the day. I thought vampires only came out when it’s dark?” I breathed, my mind reeling. Because why couldn’t we have vampire problems too? On top of everything else? And what self-respecting vampire attacked in broad daylight?
“There’s a lot of rumors about blood mages, but they’re definitely not limited by the sun. Unfortunately.” Rage rubbed the back of his neck, dropping his chin to his chest as agony marred his face. “I sent Justice to lead a team and explore the area I thought they might be in—and he stumbled across a blood mage den…” He blew out a long, slow breath. “It was like sending him into the jaws of hell. Nai, there were dozens of them.Dozens.”
Dozens!
I winced. “Where? Here on Shifter Island?”
He shook his head. “No. North of Dark Row. We’ve been helping the lower mages organize themselves on the mainland while the fat-cat high mages sit in their castles.” Rage’s expression hardened. “And what are they doing? Nothing.”
I frowned. “That makes no sense.”
“And yet, the mages have been occupying way too much of my time—and it almost cost Justice his life.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I rushed to say. “I didn’t even know blood mages existed two minutes ago, much less how powerful they are. Declan did a crappy job of preparing you for this.” Shaking my head, I tried to make a mental note to ask Gramps why the high mages deferred the lower mage problems to the wolves.
Raising my gaze, it caught on Rage’s washboard abs.
Those were very nice.
Reaching out, I tucked my fingers into his waistband and pulled him toward me.
Rage caught my hand and moaned. “Nai.”
“Hey,” I said, tugging him closer. “Justice is fine. All’s well that ends well, right?”
He nodded. “Speaking of ending well…” He brought my hand to his lips. “I don’t like this arrangement. I miss you all day. Ten minutes isn’t nearly enough. You’re my mate. My wife. My queen. I want you here … with me.” He growled.
Need and desire surged up within me, and I yanked Rage’s hand, pulling him down on top of me.
Perfect.
“If I’m your queen, does this mean I get a crown?” I breathed huskily into his ear.
Pulling back, he braced himself on his arms and looked down at me, his lips pulling up into a cocky grin. His gaze trailed down my face to my mouth, and then he captured my lips in a toe-curling kiss. He lowered his body until his weight settled on top of me, and I moaned when I felt his hardness line up with my center. There were so many running jokes about newly mated couples constantly wanting to have sex. I thought it was a joke.
It’s not.
I wanted him. Now, later, tomorrow,always.I reached down to pull my t-shirt over my head when a knock at the door made me flinch.
“Go away!” Rage and I both said at the same time.
“Nope.” Reyna’s clipped voice called through the thick oak door, and I cringed. She must’ve asked someone to open the portal door for her. Pounding her fist on the wood, she continued, “Not going to happen, Nai. Get out here, now.”
Crap.
Reyna wouldn’t come here unless it was serious.
“Rain check?” I asked Rage, wincing.
