He growled in frustration, muttering curses under his breath, but knelt beside me to help.
Samara’s door opened, and she stepped out, dressed from head to toe in black. Her hair was braided down her back, and her nose was still red from being elbowed.
She was breathtaking as she glared down at us. “You’re lucky you didn’t kill him.” She crossed her arms over herchest, which pushed her breasts up. I forced myself to maintain eye contact.
“He bit me,” Amari growled through clenched teeth.
“It was well-deserved.” She grabbed the bag after I’d scooped in the last handful. “Your heart is made of stone. Just like your body.” With that, she went back into her room, slamming the door.
I stood, dusting off my hands on my pants. “You need to apologize.”
“I did nothing wrong.” Amari’s eyes sparked with indignation.
I laughed, running my fingers through my hair. “If you say so. I wouldn’t recommend staying on her bad side. She might seem like a princess, but she has claws.”
Amari narrowed his eyes. “You sound like you speak from experience.”
I turned and headed down the hall for the stairs, knowing he would follow. “We may have encountered each other a time or two when we were younger.”
“Encountered each other?” His voice gained an edge. “So, you fucked her?”
I reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs and turned to face him. His expression had darkened, disgust clear in the curl of his lip. He acted like he had never been with a woman before. I knew for a fact he had, since we had shared several.
“And if I say yes?” I stepped closer, plucking a shell fragment from his shirt. “Does that make you jealous?”
“Ofher? No.” He licked his lips, and his eyes darkened. “Have you tasted her?”
“In what sense?” A fair question that drew a rumble from deep in his chest.
He was growing impatient with me. I could see it in theway a line formed between his brows. “You know what I mean, Valentino.”
I shook my head and strode toward the council chambers.
I had never tasted her the way my vampire nature craved. Despite months of courtship, she had never consented. My fangs descended at the mere thought of sinking them into that perfect throat and into that rich vein beneath her delicate skin.
As we approached the door, I could tell we were the first to arrive by the lack of heartbeats behind the closed doors.
“Did you love her?” Amari’s question stopped me cold, my hand frozen on the door handle.
He gripped my shoulder, turning me to face him. His eyes searched mine when I didn’t immediately respond. “You loved her.” He released me and stepped back, a wall forming between us.
“Amari, don’t?—”
“Are you two going to stand there, or are you going to go in?” Samara approached, stopping short when she saw Amari’s expression. “Don’t let me interrupt your lovers’ quarrel.”
She disappeared down a side hallway. This entire situation was a disaster. My father should have warned me of her return instead of leaving me blindsided.
I pushed open the doors to the council room as Samara entered through a rear entrance. She strode to the table and took the seat at its head, propping her feet up and crossing them at the ankles. My dick reacted instantly to her casual display of authority, and Amari and I stared.
Nicolas brushed past us, deliberately bumping our shoulders as he went. He at least seemed to be whole after his near-death experience earlier.
I crossed the room, extending my hand. “I don’t believewe’ve been properly introduced. I’m Valentino. You can call me Val.”
He looked me over with undisguised contempt, ignoring my outstretched hand. I could have sworn he called me a bloodsucker under his breath.
Amari growled from behind me, and I gave him a warning look over my shoulder. I couldn’t blame Nicolas for his hostility.
Samara sighed heavily. “Nico, this is Val and Amari.” She removed her feet from the table and stood. “Can’t we all get along? You three are acting like children.”
