“You and Liv can start planning that. I’ll get Ruby and be back by tomorrow.” Rage rose up inside of me. How dare Maz do this? How dare she be such a two-faced liar? “If she wants to lure me out, then she’s going to get her wish. I’ll rip her head from her shoulders with my bare hands!” I screamed.
Liv suddenly swam into view, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Okay, Rambo. Just breathe. We’ll figure it all out, but you can’t go storming off with no plan.”
I realized then that I’d bent the metal chair back I’d been leaning on. People were staring. Damn new vampire hormones.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
“You’re not going anywhere without me.” Luka’s voice came from behind me and I turned. The whole room had fallen into a hushed silence as they stared at the king of the vampires.
“Fair enough,” I told my hubby-to-be.
He approached Vasquez, who stiffened, and then Luka looked around the room. “How are the accommodations?”
“Fine. Thank you,” Vaz answered.
Luka nodded curtly and peered around at the fearful hunters and the small crowd of orphan children and teens. “You have nothing to fear from any of my people. They have strict instructions to leave you alone or lose their life!” Luka told them. “You can stay as long as you need.”
A few people muttered their thanks, but I could see their wary glances. They were without their leader, without their home, and in the hands of who they perceived as the enemy.
They needed Ruby.
“I’ve gotta bring Ruby back,” I declared. “And while I’m at it, I might as well kill Maz.”
Luka nodded. “I understand your anger, my love, but what if we tried a diplomatic solution first?”
I hated that he was babying me and my new emotions, but it was probably wise. I still felt slightly unhinged, like a bomb that could go off at any moment.
“Like what?” I growled.
“Like I, as the king of the vampires, promise not to attack the new fey breeder encampment they are most likely setting up if Maz gives us Ruby.”
My mouth popped open. “You can’t do that to those women, and what if it’s not a new camp? It was just two women.”
I knew everyone hated the Ithaki, but it wasn’t fair that they just be left behind to become sex slaves and breeders.
Luka grinned, and holy hell it made my knees weak. “I didn’t say I would honor it, Aspen. But it would buy us time.”
Liv whistled low. “Promise not to attack and then attack. Sounds like the recipe for war.”
Luka shrugged. “I have a responsibility as leader to set an example to all supernatural creatures. Sitting back while they kidnap, rape, and enslave women is not something I will be known for.”
If I still had ovaries, they would be bursting right now.
“I love you,” I blurted out, still unable to rein in my thoughts and feelings.
Luka grinned, pulling me toward him for a kiss as Vaz and Liv turned their heads to give us privacy.
After pressing my lips to his, I pulled back and I asked him to make the call and try to do the trade deal for Ruby.
He nodded. “You need to see your mother. She and Maple are worried sick.”
Oh crap.
I’d grown up my entire life without a family. I wasn’t used to having people rely on me. “I will, right after this.”
He nodded. “I’ll let you know what Maz says about the trade deal.”
With a final kiss, he walked away and I spun to see Vasquez watching me.
