Page 108 of Plug and Tame

Nathaniel tilted his head to one side with a nonchalant smile, his tone soft and ominous. “You’ve received all manner of chocolates and roses, dearest. I have played your games, and now, my patience has run thin. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Either way, we both know you will become my wife.”

A dangerous silence filled the room.

Kira stared at the ground. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but she stayed silent, pretending she was no more significant than the furniture around her.

Finally, Gloria spoke. “You may be ‘Prince’ Nathaniel, but you are in far more need of me than I am of you. We both know the Crown needs my family’s connections to secure your tenuous claim to the throne. Your father certainly knows it, given he killed my mother to get to where he is.”

The melodic quality of her voice was gone, and she all but spat her next words. “Your father remains unchallenged because he is everything a vampire should be. But there are many who doubt your claim—after all, my mother and father were the true rulers. Pure-blooded vampires of royal blood. Without me, you risk revolt.” A cruel smile appeared on her lips as she added, “And assassination.”

Nathaniel bowed his head in acknowledgement. “It is true. And furthermore, if I may add, we both know there is no small number of vampires who believe that you, dearest Gloria, should succeed my father instead of me. Which does make me question the value in keeping you alive.”

Kira baulked at his threat, as did Gloria, who suddenly looked scared.

“You wouldn’t,” she breathed.

“Have you never considered that?” Nathaniel asked. “After all this time, did you not realise that failing to marry me would render your existence intolerable to my father?”

Gloria’s face grew paler as Nathaniel studied his fingers as if inspecting them for dirt.

He glanced up, his gaze hard with the icy shards of a heart long broken. “Or did you just assume, as you do with everything, that I was a toy you could play with indefinitely?”

The air felt dense, and Kira could scarcely breathe. She was shaken by the regret and disappointment behind Nathaniel’s words. His emotions radiated off him, hinting at a past history with Gloria that Kira could only guess at.

“Your father expects you to marry me,” Gloria said without emotion.

Nathaniel shook his head. “My father can hardly expect me to marry you if you are dead, can he? And what do you think would happen then?” He advanced on Gloria, who scrambled away to the other side of the bed. He seized the end of her long dress so she couldn’t get away. “Once you are dead, do you really think he would deny me the crown then? He has no other heirs, and your loyalist supporters will have no alternative than to support me.”

He cocked his head at Gloria, who was trying to back away, blinking up at him in horror as he kept a hold of her skirts. Sadness pooled in Nathaniel’s eyes. “Oh, Gloria. I am sure not a day has gone by in your life where you did not play through every scenario in your head. But did you truly not realise you were playing chess with a stalemated king? You have no moves left to make. Your only option is, and always has been, to marry me. Only then can my father be sure that you pose no threat to his legacy.”

Gloria was petrified, too stunned to scream as Nathaniel dragged her closer by the hem of her dress.

“The lure of your family’s connections is the only reason my father kept you alive. But my offer stands, as it always has. Accept my proposal. Marry me. I swear I will never lay a finger on you. And,” he continued, his eyes drifting shut for the briefest of moments as if the words he planned to say pained him, “I swear I will make sure my father never touches you again.”

Gloria fearful expression vanished, but rather than warm to his words, her eyebrows pinched together in fury. It was the only warning sign before she leapt at Nathaniel, striking his throat.

He reeled back, clutching his throat.

“I don’t want your protection, Nathaniel! You could not protect me then, and you cannot protect me now. Your promises mean nothing!”

Nathaniel recovered in time to block her kick, grabbing her foot and swinging her violently to the ground.

Gloria screamed as she rolled away, her dress ripping as Nathaniel stomped on the hem with his foot. She was back on her feet in an instant, leaping at Nathaniel with sharp jabs, chops, and strikes to his jaw with the heel of her palm. He was stronger, but Gloria was faster, more agile, and her fury might have given Kira a run for her money.

Kira had never seen vampires fight before, but she was stunned by the speed with which they attacked each other. She leapt to her feet, watching uselessly as she tried to track their quick motions.

Nathaniel nearly overpowered Gloria several times, but she always slipped away at the last instant.

Suddenly, the vampiress delivered a spinning heel kick that caught Nathaniel’s jaw with a smack, sending him stumbling backwards.

Gloria advanced with quick steps, hand slicing through the air in a deadly strike.

Nathaniel side-stepped, caught her by the throat, and slammed her against the wall. Gloria clawed at his hand. Her legs kicked as she struggled, but he held her there, breathing heavily as he stared, waiting.

“Kira.” Nathaniel growled her name, his gaze still fixed on Gloria as he hissed with the effort of keeping her pinned.

Kira tensed as she realised Nathaniel was waiting for her. This is why he’d needed her to come here tonight. He could not fight Gloria alone.

Nor could he resolve this peacefully. Gloria would not marry him willingly, nor out of fear. Which only left two options: killing her or forcing her to marry him.