The witch turned to address the vampire elders. “In the case of Cassara Drake’s murder, the Magical Creature Council finds no wrongdoing in the actions of Luka Drake, and will not be pursuing this matter further.”
I sagged in relief as the witch tipped her head to the council and then turned, stepping toward me.
Lowering her voice, she whispered. “I saw what you did in the breeder encampment.”
I froze.
Crap.Here to absolve Luka of one crime, was she about to commit me for another?
“Well done,” she murmured.
Surprise ran through me as she grinned and turned on her heel to leave.
Okay … that chick wasnotwhat I expected.
Luka stepped over to me and kissed the top of my hand. “Wait for me outside?”
I nodded.
He was about to ask the elders’ permission to marry a human. Obviously he would want to do so privately. Well, technically I was an Ithaki fey-human, but I might as well be human.
I walked away from him and crossed the room in long strides, stepping out of the double doors as the two guards closed them. I didn’t want to be tempted to eavesdrop, so I walked all the way down the hallway and out into the courtyard, where I sat on a stone bench.
It was beautiful in this garden. The white jasmine grew up the stone wall, encompassing the garden, and when the wind passed by, it brought the fragrance from the petals to my nose.
“We can marry.”Luka’s voice made me jump. “I will keep my title, and you will be honored as queen and my wife … under one condition.” His words thrummed excitement through me.
That was a fast verdict.
“Anything,” I told him, standing and throwing my arms around his neck, grinning ear to ear.
The absolute look of dread on his face made the smile slip from my mouth.
“What is it?” My voice shook.
“I … have to change you into a vampire.”
I gasped, stumbling away from him as his statement shook my very core.
No. Not that. I couldn’t do that.
“I’m sorry, Luka, I…”
He nodded. “I would never ask you to.”
Relief rushed through me.
“Not to mention, it would kill you, as I would no longer be your feeder,” I reminded him.
Luka chewed the inside of his lip. “Actually, the elders have assured me that this is the only way to break the bond. In the instance you become a vampire, we are both absolved from the bond and can feed from whomever we want.”
“How can they know that?” I was shocked; guilt gnawed at me. I could marry him, let him keep his crown,andbreak our very inconvenient bond?
“They have records of a few past cases of bonding,” was all he said. His face was so devoid of emotion, I couldn’t read him.
“What happens if you marry me now? As I am,” I asked.
“They’ll give me a month to remain as king.”
