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My heart fluttered. “It’s over.”
“No more curse?”
“Do you still want to kill me?”
He blinked those incredible eyes of his. “I want to kiss you.”
My skin tingled with joy. “Here?”
He scanned his surroundings, his forehead creasing. “Erm, can we get to dry land now, please?”
“Gladly.”
Incredibly, we returned to the surface without incident. Paris changed into a spare pair of clothes Medusa had left for him, and I called her to come and get us.
She collected us from the boat, taking us to a remote hotel close to the Regal Peaks mountain range in the Werewolf Domain. An establishment which catered to vampires and owned by a vampire called Rochelle—a friend of Vaughn’s with plenty of delightful benefits.
“Sorry it’s near those mountains, sugar,” Medusa said to Paris.
“It’s okay. It’s not like Aidan hasn’t tried to kill me all over the world.”
Now he could make death stick with the curse lifted.
Never.
The hotel had glossy black walls and plush pink carpets. The blinds were drawn across every tinted window, and the air smelled of pine. The vampires rescued from the tunnels were sleeping upstairs with Vaughn, and Declan was back in the Lost Valley addressing his pack. We’d lost Caer’s memory-restoring song, at least for now, to try and show them the truth about Aidan.
We’d need a new plan to get them on our side.
Paris’s parents sat by a fireplace, huddled together on a black leather sofa in the main lobby, Elio in a pink armchair beside them.
My thrall got to his feet, bowing. “Your Majesty.”
His eyes noted my arm linked with Paris’s, but he didn’t react.
“How are you feeling?” I asked him.
“Fine. Thank you, my king. And you?”
“I must feed you,” I said. “And Patti.” I sensed her upstairs.
Elio was bound to me for life. Only death would break our connection, which seemed unfair now, all these miles away from our life at the Hurlock Palace.
“Come, let me give you my blood,” I said.
He followed me into a room, Patti joining us moments later. I offered them both my wrists, piercing the skin open with my fangs. They drank their fill, the process formal and cold. A necessity. Feedings were usually grand, sensual affairs between myself and my thralls and my vampires. Writhing flesh and blood and kisses, nights of endless pleasure.
Those days were gone.
Patti left with a bow.
Elio wiped his mouth, staring at me.
Beautiful, loyal Elio. I couldn’t forgive him for trying to shoot Medusa and Paris yet, but I also couldn’t hate him. After all, he was mine to care for.
“I’m sorry for stealing your heart,” I told him. “I know how painful unrequited love can be.”
He shook his head. “Paris is… I’m… I don’t know what to say. Forgive me, Majesty.”
