 
# Tempting Raven

## (Curse of the Vampire Queen, #1)

## Jessica Sorensen
Tempting Raven

Jessica Sorensen

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2017 by Jessica Sorensen

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

No part of this book can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without the permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer who may quote short excerpts in a review.

Any trademarks, service marks, product names or names featured are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if we use one of these terms.

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ISBN: 978-1979707671

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For information: jessicasorensen.com

Cover Design by MaeIDesign

  Created with Vellum

# Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

About the Author

Also by Jessica Sorensen

# 1

While sitting in a room, surrounded by powerful vampires, do you ever get the feeling that you're completely out of place? That at any moment one of them would drink your blood? That at any moment one of them _will_ drink your blood? And there's not a damn thing you can do about it because you're not a powerful vampire. You're just a plain, old—well, maybe not old since I'm only eighteen—average vampire, which basically means I'm an eighteen-year-old girl with slightly above average pale skin, super pointy teeth, and a thirst for blood.

That's never happened to you before? Huh, strange. Then again, maybe you don't live in Mystic Willow Bay, a town that's resident to practically every paranormal creature, from vampires to demons to werewolves.

If you don't, consider yourself lucky. Not that you don't live in a weird-ass magical town, but because you're not just an average vampire born into a family of very powerful, very successful vampires.

Take my father for instance. He's head of the Mystic Willow Bay Vampire Council, and helps run and keep order in the vampire kingdom. He's also more powerful and more ancient than most of the vampires in town—a few hundred years old, at least—but looks about thirty due to vampires' sluggish aging process that starts when we reach our twenties. Until then, we age normally. At least, we do if we're born a vampire. If we're changed into one, that's another story altogether. But those species of vampires are a rare occurrence.

My mom isn't as old as my father, but she has more power zipping through her veins. She also owns one of the snazziest blood clubs in the entire town. Any vampire who's any vampire goes there to let loose, feasting on blood and partying. Or, if you're wealthy enough, you get the luxury of drinking Vampire Emperor or Empresses' blood straight from the vein. And their blood not only carries a lot of power, but gives the taster a drop of their power temporarily.

My mom's club is the only place in town that offers such a luxury, since most emperors and empresses don't let average vampires taste their precious blood. How does she manage to get them to do it? She's an empress herself and has all sorts of connections. So is my older sister, Nadine. Or, she will be in a few short weeks, on her twentieth birthday. At least, according to the Eternal Reading she got on her nineteenth birthday, something every vampire is required to get.

An Eternal Reading is basically a fortune telling to see if you're going to be a badass emperor or empress vampire who harbors a lot of power and fights to keep order amongst the vampires. Nadine was stoked when her reading revealed there was a good chance she'd become an empress. I, however, didn't share her squealing enthusiasm. Not out of jealousy, but because the last thing Nadine needs is an extra ego boost, something she proves every time she opens her mouth.

"I wasn't planning on going out tonight," she announces as she checks her reflection in a compact mirror. "But I look too amazing for the whole town not to get the privilege of seeing me. Imagine how pretty I'll look when I become an empress. Or, if I end up being the queen."

Me, my mom, my dad, and her are sitting at the table, eating our dinner and sipping on blood, listening to Nadine ramble on about how amazing she is, which is basically an every night occurrence. Nadine has this belief that she'll become the next vampire queen, not just an empress, even though her reading didn't reveal she would. But, I guess she has a dreamer side and hopes she'll somehow get chosen, anyway.

Becoming queen means she'd be the most powerful vampire in all the world. Same goes for the vampire king. Although, from what I've heard, the queen is supposed to be more powerful than the king. Her main job is to rule over all the vampires and help keep order amongst our kind, which we desperately need right now with all the riots, rebellions, and chaos consuming our town.

The problem is, a king and queen aren't voted into office. They're chosen by Fate through an Eternal Reading. Apparently, Fate has been a bit lazy because we haven't had a queen or king in over a century. Because of that, the vampire population has gone way, way down due to the growing number of murders.

Yes, we definitely need a queen. But not Nadine.

I cringe at the idea of how awful life would be if she did become queen. Talk about mad chaos in the streets.

_Stop thinking about it. There's no way it will happen. She didn't get told that in her reading._

Shoving my worried thoughts aside, I cut into my bland chicken and take a bite. The blandness means my mom has been dabbling in blood tasting recently and her taste buds have gotten a little wonky.

"God, I'm so gorgeous," Nadine continues to prattle on as she smacks her lips, making a stupid duck face. "Imagine how gorgeous I'm going to be after I turn into an empress. I'll probably blind the entire town with my beauty."

"Which means you'd probably have to move." I pop a piece of chicken into my mouth and smile when she stares at me in confusion. "Since no one in the town would want to go blind, they'd more than likely kick you out. I guess that's the price you pay for being so gorgeous."

I'm all jokes and sarcasm. The truth is, my sister is pretty with her long, blonde hair, curves, and day sky-blue eyes. She's what most vampires consider the ideal vampire in terms of looks. Her vanity, however, taints her beauty. Well, I think so. Not everyone shares my feeling, and Nadine is very popular.

She snaps the compact mirror shut and sneers at me. "You're just jealous because you're an ugly beast."

"Nadine," my father warns, looking up from his phone for the first time since we sat down for dinner as he prepares for tonight's council meeting.

Nadine gives my dad an innocent look. "I'm sorry, Daddy, but she started it."

My dad looks at me and sighs. "Raven, please be nice to your sister. Your witty sarcasm is a little too much for her." He makes an over-the-head gesture.

I bite back a smile and nod. My sister may be the beauty of the family, but I've always been my dad's favorite.

Nadine being Nadine doesn't catch on to my dad's underlying meaning and shoots me a smirk. "Ha! I won this one. _Again_."

"If you say so," I mumble then pop another piece of chicken into my mouth, fighting back a gag.

I love my mom and love that she still cooks for us, even though we're old enough to take care of ourselves, but this meat tastes like the chicken's ass. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I still continue choking down bites.

"What's wrong?" my mom asks me. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"I'm fine," I lie, stuffing another slice of chicken into my mouth.

My mom only scrutinizes me more. "You're not fine. You look a little sick and pale, and your lips are redder than normal... You've looked this way for about a week now, but you seem worse tonight."

Okay, that has nothing to do with the chicken.

"It's not a big deal," I tell her. "I've just been feeling a little tired lately, probably because I haven't been sleeping well."

She frowns. "Why haven't you been sleeping well?"

I shrug. "Every time I close my eyes, I feel wired. Then I end up feeling tired all night. Yet, when sunrise comes, I can't go to sleep. It's a vicious, contradicting cycle. Plus, I feel cold all the time, like I have an ice fever."

She places her palm to my forehead. "You do feel a little cold, but not enough to have an ice fever." She lowers her hand, a pucker forming at her brow. "How long has this been going on?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Like, maybe a week or two."

Her and my father exchange a concerned look that happens so quickly the human eye would never catch it.

"What's going on?" My gaze dances back and forth between the two of them. "You're acting squirrely. Did you overdo it on the top shelf blood or something?"

My mom shakes her head as she scoops up a spoonful of mashed potatoes. "We're just thinking about how your nineteenth birthday is coming up in less than a week and how you'll be getting your reading. We don't want you sick for it."

"Yeah, I know." My lack of enthusiasm shows through my deflated tone.

Why the deflation? Well, for starters, I, in no way, shape, or vampire fang, believe I'm going to be told I possibly carry empress power in my veins, and for several reasons. One being that most empresses are blonde-haired beauties like my mom and Nadine. Also, future empresses typically show signs of above average power at a very early age, either with super speed, super hearing, or some other extraordinary rare gift. Since I'm a raven-haired vampire who couldn't use her super speed until the age of twelve, I arrived at the conclusion a long time ago that my reading isn't going to reveal anything miraculous hiding inside me. I'll simply be told that I'll carry out my life as a normal vampire. And that's okay. At least I have a family who loves me. Well, my father and mother do. Nadine never has, something she's proven time and time again.

For as long as I can remember, her and her two close friends, Rhyland and Kingsley Midnitegale—vampire twins who aren't identical—have been torturing me. And they still do. Or, well, they did up until a little over a year ago, when they left to go to emperor's training.

Yep, Ryland and Kingsley are almost officially emperors. They've also been my next-door neighbors for a very long time—my hot next-door neighbors. But that's a completely different problem for another time.

The real problem is Rhyland and Kingsley are straight up cocky douchebags, something that's been proven during many incidents. Take for instance the time they locked me in the attic so I wouldn't, as Nadine put it, "ruin my glamorous party with your freaky pastiness." They also once stole some of my underwear and hung them up all over the school, which double sucked because it was back when I was still clueless about sexy underwear and was sporting granny panties.

Around the age of seventeen, I started buying cute, boy-cut panties, though. Not that it matters, since only I have ever seen my underwear. Still, wearing them makes me feel like I have a cute butt, so yeah, there's that...

Anyway, those are just two incidents on a very long list of times Rhyland, Kingsley, and Nadine tried to break me. There are many more, and I'm sure many more to come.

My mom sighs, drawing me out of my thoughts. "Raven, stop frowning. Getting your reading is supposed to be a good thing. Most vampires are excited to find out what they're going to become."

"But I already know what I'm going to become," I point out. "It's what I've been since the day I was born—plain and ordinary Raven."

"At least you know you're a loser." Nadine smirks then lifts her goblet of blood to her lips.

"She's not a loser." Mom gives Nadine a harsh glare. "Don't ever say that to your sister again."

"Sorry, Mommy." Nadine gives our mom a fake smile. "I really didn't mean it. I was just messing around."

Mom huffs out an exasperated breath—a breath that's only taken instinctively and not necessary—like she's so over this.

That makes two of us.

Fortunately, for the sake of mine and my mom's sanity, Nadine gets up from the table and goes upstairs to her bedroom. Moments later, a pop song starts playing from her stereo.

"When is she moving out again?" my dad jokes. Well, mostly jokes. I think, deep down, a part of him is ready for Nadine to leave the lair.

"She'll leave in a couple of months for her training," Mom replies, filling up her goblet with more blood. "Well, that is, if the empress power does manifest on her birthday."

"If? I thought her reading said she'd become one," I say, then down the glass of blood in front of me. The wonderful metallic taste makes me feel sparkly inside, like I'm glowing.

_That's some good quality shit right there._

"No, her reading said she _probably_ would." My mom reclines in her chair. "But until her birthday, we won't know for sure." She dismisses the conversation with a flick of her wrist. "Enough talk about your sister. I want _you_ to promise you won't assume anything yet about your future, okay?"

"Why?" I dab the blood from my lips with a napkin. "It's not like I don't know what I am." When her lips start to part in a protest, I hold up my hand. "I know you hope I'll be read that I'm going to become an empress, but I really don't believe that's going to happen. I don't show any of the signs. And I don't want you to get your hopes up only for them to get staked."

"Just because you don't show any of the signs, doesn't mean it won't happen," my dad intervenes, getting up to clear the table. "Your grandmother was one of the most powerful empresses there ever was, and she had the same black raven hair and eyes as you. And her powers developed slowly." He gathers the dirty plates in his hand. "In fact, you're pretty much the spitting image of her when she was around your age."

"That's not true," I say. "I've seen photos of Grandma, and she's gorgeous. Like, vampire star gorgeous."

"Oh, Raven." My mom tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, something she's done since I was a little vampire. "When are you going to start seeing yourself how everyone sees you?"

It takes every ounce of my vampire strength not to snort a laugh. I want to point out that I see myself exactly how everyone does—everyone except my parents—but I don't want to sit at the table for the rest of the night, listening to them attempt to convince me otherwise. Not after all the work I put into accepting who I am and being okay with it. It took a while, but I'm getting there. And I've been happy lately. I want to hold on to that happiness. Savor it.

So, instead I say, "I'll try." Then I push up from the table and rise to my feet. "I'm going to go take a nap."

My mom frowns as she glances at the clock. "It's six o'clock on a Friday night." Which is wake up time for vampires. Although, some can be quite the little day owls. My family definitely isn't, though. "Aren't you going out with Effie?"

"Not tonight," I say through a yawn. "She's going out on a date."

My mom trades another indecipherable look with my dad that drives me mad. Mad, I tell you! Before I can get drilled with any more questions, though, I move for the doorway.

"If you do go out, make sure to be careful," my mom calls out. "And keep your phone on you."

I pause in the doorway and glance over my shoulder. "You seem edgy. Are things really getting that bad around here?"

"Things are getting bad everywhere. Too many of our kind have decided that the law doesn't apply to them. And the emperors and empresses are having a hard time keeping order anymore... There's so many unnecessary deaths. And then there's the rebellion going on." She exchanges yet another secretive, worried look with my dad. "We need more structure and reign or else." She dazes off for a moment. "What we need is a king and queen."

"Yeah, probably," I agree. Disorder has been taking over the land. Rebellion groups are growing, wreaking chaos everywhere, seeking God knows what end game. "If I go out, I'll make sure to take my phone with me and be super careful," I assure her.

She smiles stiffly. Then, for the fourth time, her and my father trade another secretive look. That's when I realize what they're doing—communicating with their eyes, a gift they discovered they both possessed after they married. My aunt told me the gift manifests between two vampires who are truly in love and meant to be together—who are soulmates. Not too many vampire couples possess the gift, which doesn't bode well for the theory that every vampire has a soulmate. Still, I'd like to believe in the idea that there's someone out there who's perfect for me, who will bring out the best in me, who will push me to be better, who will be my shoulder to cry on and vice versa, and who will get into a bantering argument with me when I'm bored.

What? I'm a weirdo, okay? And I like to banter sometimes.

Leaving the kitchen, I drag my tired ass upstairs, but slam to a halt when I hear shrieking coming from Nadine's room. At first, I think she's done something stupid, like stab herself in the eye with her eyeliner again. Then she comes bouncing out of her room with a huge-ass smile on her face.

Lovely. She's not shrieking because she's hurt. She's shrieking because she's happy. And a happy Nadine is never a good thing.

"I'm so excited." She hops up and down, clapping her hands and blocking my route.

My dad appears at the top of the stairway behind me, looking absolutely befuddled. "What the heck's going on?"

"Rhyland and Kingsley are coming home early." She continues to bounce and shriek like a clown who inhaled too much helium. "They'll be here in a few hours!"

A low buzzing sensation starts humming inside my veins. At first, I figure it's from my anger. But I think my veins are actually buzzing underneath my pale skin.

_Damn, that blood Mom served tonight must've been really,_ really _good quality shit._

"Well, that's just fucking lovely." I didn't even mean to say the words aloud, but my irritation gets the best of me.

"What's a matter, Raven?" Nadine sneers. "Are you afraid of Rhyland and Kingsley?"

"Nope." I internally sigh. I'd really been enjoying the last year away from them. Sure, I still had to put up with Nadine, but without her evil sidekicks—and the brains of their evil operation, something I found out once Rhyland and Kingsley left—she's been fairly easy to deal with. And now that comfortableness will be stolen away the moment Rhyland and Kingsley walk through the door.

"Why are they coming back early?" my father asks, shifting his weight. "Did they get kicked out of the training program?"

Nadine glares at him. "No, that's not why. And it's pretty rude for you to just assume that."

I struggle to keep a smile from rising on my face. My dad really is awesome, even if it's unintentional.

"I didn't mean that rudely," my dad stresses. "You know I like Rhyland and Kingsley. I just hadn't heard anything about them coming back early, so it seems a bit strange."

Sadly, my dad's telling the truth, too, about liking Rhyland and Kingsley. But he doesn't know about all the shit Nadine, Rhyland, and Kingsley have put me through over the years. Same with my mom. And telling them about it would be too complicated since my dad's BFFs with Kingsley and Rhyland's dad, and my mom is besties with their mom.

"They graduated early." Nadine flips her hair off her shoulder and proudly grins like she's the one who graduated early. "They just found out yesterday, and they want to surprise their parents, so don't blab it to anyone. They also said they have some news they needed to tell everyone. Some big thing is going on in the emperor and empress world. I think Mom already knows what that is because she's an empress. But Rhy and Kings said they couldn't tell me over the phone because I'm not an empress yet. And the news hasn't been given the go-ahead to be released to the public." She frowns. Or, more like pouts. "God, I can't wait until I become one. I hate being out of the gossip loop."

" _If_ you become one," my dad mumbles almost absentmindedly.

I arch my brows at him in question, but he only offers me the same forced smile my mom did in the kitchen, leaving me to wonder if they're both blood drunk or something.

"That's not very nice, Daddy." Nadine blasts him with a dirty look.

"Sorry," he apologizes. "I just don't want you getting too excited until it actually happens."

"You're such a vampire downer." She grimaces, while my dad simply shrugs then wanders off down the hallway, seeming distracted.

_Strange. I wonder what's going on._

The moment he disappears into his room, Nadine shoots a wicked grin in my direction. "Soon, all will be right in the world again. Say goodbye to the year break you had, because hell is about to return."

As anger simmers inside my chest, the buzzing sensation amplifies, slithering under my skin and rushing to my brain, giving me a blood buzz brain freeze.

_Whoa, head rush._

I give Nadine a smile that completely throws her off, which is kind of the point. Let her be confused.

What she doesn't realize is she won't have as easy of a time making me miserable, even with Kingsley and Rhyland here. I'm not the girl I used to be when we were in high school. I'm in my first year of college and am excelling at a lot of my classes, which has been a huge boost of confidence for me. I also made friends with Effie and Anders, so I'm not completely alone anymore.

I've also grown up. I'm not that scared little girl who wanted people to like her and invite her to parties. I've accepted what life is and who I'll be. That I'm Raven, the vampire with raven black hair and eyes, skin as pale as snow, and legs that are longer than a lot of guys but move surprisingly slow—well, in vampire terms, anyway. And I'm becoming okay with that.

Still smiling like I'm a badass vampire goddess, I swing past my sister, go into my bedroom, and flop down onto my bed.

The buzzing under my skin continues to electrically crackle. I've never had a blood buzz before, but I've heard rumors of vampires getting them when they drink too much powerful blood. What I don't understand is why my mom served such powerful blood at dinner. It's not her normal vampire MO. And no one else seems to be struggling with a power surge. Then again, their bodies are probably used to intense power, unlike mine.

The longer the buzzing goes on, the more exhaustion blankets over me. So weird. Extra power should mean extra energy, right?

But the moment my eyelids lower, I fall asleep, sinking into nightmares I thought long forgotten.

# 2

_N adine is having a party tonight and has invited the entire senior high school class. I'm more than stoked to be invited. And surprised as hell._

_To say I was shocked when an invite had flown out of my ceiling and smacked me in the forehead, arriving via magical mail, was definitely an understatement. I never got invited to parties; didn't have any friends. When I saw my sister had invited me, my shock doubled. And my worry. But, after talking to her, she assured me she was just trying to make up for all the times she'd been mean to me, calling it a "peace offering." Part of me was still apprehensive, but I wanted to go._

_So, after spending the day going through my closet, trying to figure out what to wear, I decide to put on a simple, dark blue dress that contrasted well with my raven black hair and eyes. I'd been told that my legs were too long and gangly to wear a dress—by Nadine—but that was back in my freshman year. I'd filled out a little since then. Well, at least I thought so._

_After braiding my hair, putting on some lip gloss, and slipping on a pair of clunky boots—I don't own any heels—I grab the invitation and hurry up to the attic where the party was taking place._

_The attic is a fairly spacious room that my dad uses as his vampire cave/office. He rarely let Nadine and I go up there, but since him and my mom are gone on a vacation, I guess Nadine decided to break the rules. I'm okay with that. I'm just glad to be invited to the party._

_As I wind up the spiral staircase that leads to the attic, I smooth my hands down the front of my dress, feeling nervous and restless. I'm worried that Nadine's friends, particularly Rhyland and Kinsley, won't want me there and will treat me like they always do—like a diseased bat. But Nadine assured me that they'd be nice, and if they weren't, she'd make them. She even blood swore on it, which is a big deal in the vampire world. Breaking a blood oath is basically like shattering a relationship. It's something you just don't do to family or close friends._

_When I reach the top of the stairs and step into the attic, I start to grow a little bit worried. No drinks are laid out. No blood kegs are set up. Not a single person is in sight._

_"Maybe I'm early," I mumble to myself._

_Just then, I hear a giggle, followed by a door slamming._

_I whirl around, panic rushing through me as I note the door is now shut. I rush over and try the doorknob, hoping maybe the wind blew it shut. When the door opens, relief washes through me._

It was just the wind.

_A beat later, I hear music flowing from downstairs, causing puzzlement to web through me._ Did I read the invitation wrong? Is the party downstairs?

_I step forward to go check and,_ smack _, I walk straight into an invisible wall._

_I trip back, rubbing my forehead._

_"What the hell?" I grumble, staring at the doorway._

_The only way to put up an invisible wall is to have a witch put up a protection charm. But no one in our house hangs out with witches. Well, except for Rhyland. He has a couple of female admirers—his words, not mine—who are witches. That means he may have asked one of them to charm the doorway..._

_Reality sinks in. This was a trap. Another one of my sister and her friends' setups. The invite was a lie. The blood oath was a lie._

_As if sensing my thoughts, Rhyland, Kingsley, and Nadine materialize in the middle of the stairway. Kingsley has his arm draped around Nadine, something he does a lot, though they've never dated. Although, rumor around school is they fool around whenever they get bored with whoever they are currently dating._

_Nadine is wearing her infamous sneer while Kingsley smirks and Rhyland looks bored. That's normal for him and doesn't mean he didn't play a part in this trap. He did. He always does. And I know he was the one who got the witch to put the charm up._

Fucking asshole.

_"I can't believe you fell for it." Nadine grins like an evil... well, vampire. "I really thought you'd have gotten a bit smarter by now. Guess I was wrong."_

_"Lucky for us, she's still stupid." Kingsley's grin matches Nadine's._

_Rhyland remains silent as he studies me with a blank expression, as if he isn't thinking about anything. Although, his head is tilted to the side, so something must be going on upstairs in that pretty head of his, right?_

_"Why?" I manage to get out evenly. The worst thing I could do right now is cry._

_Nadine's smirk magnifies as she slips out from underneath Kingsley's arm. "Aw, you want to know why you're not invited to my party?" She pouts out her lip. "That's so cute."_

_Kingsley coughs in his hand. "Definitely not cute."_

_Rhyland almost smiles. Well, either that or he has a twitchy mouth, which I guess he sort of does sometimes._

_"I guess I could tell you why," Nadine continues. "I mean, it's the least I can do since you're going to be trapped up here all weekend." She sounds anything but sincere. "I locked you up here because I don't want you ruining my glamorous party with your freaky pastiness. I mean, I know we're vampires, but you're seriously one step away from being a ghost."_

_I roll my eyes, pretending to be more unbothered than I really am. "A ghost? That's the best you can come up with. Wow, you must be going soft on me."_

_Her lips twitch in annoyance, but she quickly shakes the irritation off and plasters on a smile. "Have fun being up here all alone, listening to everyone else have fun without you. Then again, you should be used to it by now." She turns to leave, tracing her fingers along Rhyland's chest. "Thanks for getting that witch to put the charm up, gorgeous. You're right; it was a way better idea than mine."_

_He nods and then his gaze collides with mine._

_A spark zaps through me, hot and scorching. I don't know what it is. Maybe stray magic from the invisible wall charm. Or perhaps Rhyland was blessed with a rare power. I don't really care, and apparently, he doesn't either as he backs away down the stairs._

_He feels nothing._

_He doesn't care that I am locked up._

_That I am hurting._

_Why would he? He never cared before, so why start now?_

_What really puts confusion swirling in my brain is that I care. I care that he doesn't care. Such a stupid thing to do. I need to get over it._

_With one final emotionless stare, Rhyland yanks his eyes off me and descends down the stairs._

_I decide I hate the three of them in that moment. A hatred that grows over the years and blossoms into sheer and utter loathing._

# 3

After hearing that Kingsley and Rhyland would be here tonight, I was hoping I'd snooze for at least twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, vampires aren't much for sleeping, and I wake up an hour later, dripping in sweat with the worst headache ever. I'd be totally bummed out, except Effie sends me a message almost the instant I open my eyes.

**Effie: Yo, yo, yo, yo, Sleeping Beauty, get your ass out of bed!**

I smile as I sit up, wiping the sweat from my forehead and noting that the buzzing is still present in my body. Strange. I thought it would've worn off by now.

Making a mental note to ask my mom about it, I type back a message to Effie.

**Me: How'd you know I was sleeping? Are you stalking me again?**

**Effie: Whatever. I so only stalked you once, and that was to find out where on earth you took off to after school every day, because I knew you were lying to me.**

**Me: Yeah, I know. I still feel bad about that. I just hate telling people that my mom owns Liquid Red & Blood Magic. People usually get all weird and try to use me to get in.**

**Effie: Except for me.**

**Me: That's because you're awesome.**

**Effie: Sure am, but I'm kind of worried you might change your mind after what I'm about to ask you.**

**Me: What's up? You didn't kill one of the council's bats again, did you? Because my dad's been super suspicious since the last time one turned up dead, and I had to lie and say it wasn't you.**

**Effie: No, I didn't. And FYI, the last time was totally accidental. How was I supposed to know it'd fly into the window after I shut it?**

**Me: They do that sometimes, especially when they're high off blood.**

**Effie: I know that now. But can I just say that the council has serious attachment issues to their bats. I swear, it's like they think they're children or something.**

**Me: Nah. They're just pets.**

**Effie: Pets they love a little too much, if you ask me. I've even seen them talking to them. And one time I saw one wearing a little purple dress and bow. Seriously, it's like those people who dress up their dogs.**

I chuckle.

**Me: Yeah, I know it's pretty weird... But, if you didn't kill a bat, then what favor do you need?**

**Effie: I need to get into your mom's club tonight.**

I try not to worry over whether she's using me. I've been friends with Effie for almost a year and she's done nothing but be super nice to me and has never asked me for anything.

Before I can answer, another text pings through.

**Effie: Before you start to worry, I want you to know that the only reason I want to go is because I think Austin is cheating on me. And supposedly, at least according to a little gossiping bat, he's supposed to be at your mom's club with his skanky lover.**

**Me: Oh, my God! I'm so sorry, Effie. What an asshat.**

**Effie: No worries. It's not like I'm in love with Austin. But he has potential, and I don't want to throw all that potential away until I know for sure.**

**Me: Wait? Who's the little gossiping bat that told you this?**

**Effie: Well, that's the weird part. I got an anonymous letter, via magical mail. It said I needed to go to Liquid Red & Blood Magic tonight because Austin was going to be there with another girl.**

**Me: And you don't know who sent the letter?**

**Effie: Nope. I tried to find out, but you know how hard it is to track magical mail.**

**Me: True... It seems weird, though.**

**Effie: I'm honestly kind of wondering if the skanky lover sent it. Maybe she wants Austin all to herself, but he won't break up with me. So, she figures if I find out, I'll dump his cheating ass. Which I totally will.**

**Me: Well, I'm here for you, whatever you need. Even if it's going to my mom's club. Honestly, I kind of want to get out of the house, anyway.**

**Effie: Fuck. What happened?**

**Me: Kingsley and Rhyland are coming home early. They're supposed to be here tonight.**

**Effie: What the shit? Did they get kicked out of the training program or something?**

**Me: Nope. Graduated early.**

**Effie: Yeah right. Probably because they cheated.**

**Me: Can you do that in the program?**

**Effie: I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past Kingsley and Rhyland to find a way. They used to cheat off my tests all the time back when we were kind of friends.**

Yep, once upon a time, Effie used to be popular, until around senior year when, according to her, she stopped giving a shit about what other vampires thought. She said it was too tiring and she didn't like the person she'd become. So, she chopped off her blonde hair, dyed it purple, and pierced her lip, nose, and brow. She looked—and still does—like a badass vampire punk goddess.

When she first gave herself the makeover, Nadine and her friends tormented her. That's kind of how we became friends—by bonding over how we were both bullied.

Luckily, for the sake of our friendship ever developing, Effie never treated me like shit during her pre-rebellion popularity years. It was actually pretty easy to become friends with her. We have a lot in common, from our choice in clothes and rock music to our quirky weirdness. I asked her once how she was ever friends with Nadine, Kingsley, and Rhyland, and she told me she had no idea.

**Me: Well, according to Nadine, they graduated early, which means their big heads are probably going to be even more inflated.**

**Effie: Maybe they'll be so big they won't be able to fit through the door, and then you won't have to see them.**

**Me: Aw, don't get my hopes up.**

**Effie: You never know.**

**Me: Yeah, I know, but I really doubt it. That's okay. I won't be here to see them because I'll be with my BFF, hanging out at my mom's club.**

At least for the night I'll be gone. Unfortunately, I can't run away forever.

**Effie: Thanks, Raven. You're seriously the best BFF ever. I totally owe you big time.**

**Me: Well, if that's the case, you can let me borrow those killer boots you just bought.**

**Effie: Deal. See you in about an hour?**

**Me: Sounds good.**

**Effie: And, it's cool if Anders comes, too, right?**

**Me: Do you even need to ask?**

Besides Effie, Anders is my favorite person. On top of the fact that he didn't go to the same high school as Effie and I, which means he didn't see me at my most pathetic, he's also the funniest, sassiest, most caring, best dressed vampire I've ever met.

**Effie: Awesome. See you in a bit! Peace out, vamp bitch.**

**Me: Peace out, vamp weirdo.**

By the time I get off the phone, I have a smile on my face. But that smile falters when I hear the rumbling of a car engine from outside.

I get up from the bed and glance out the window at the two-story, Victorian home next door. Moonlight trickles down from the night sky, revealing the sleek, black SUVs lining the driveway. Holy vampire mobster mafia.

I squint to get a better look at the inside of the vehicles, and my confusion doubles. Several vampires fill up the front and backseats, ranging from late teens to late twenties, both male and female. None of them appear to be Rhyland and Kingsley.

Why are there so many there? And why are they all driving the same damn vehicles?

_Does it really matter? All that matters is you're gone before they get here._

I turn from the window, shoving thoughts of Rhyland, Kingsley, and the buzzing in my body far, far away into the back of my mind. I head for my closet to find something to wear that will work well with my mom's club's dress code. I have a lot of choices since most of my outfits fit well with the edgy, gothic requirement.

Back in the day, I would've hated finding something to wear that'd get me passed the front door of the club. I was clueless back then about what sort of style fit me best, and I spent a lot of time wearing trendy, designer clothes that didn't fit my personality or my taste. I was too desperate to fit in. Pathetically desperate.

That was high school Raven. College Raven figured out she loved edgy, gothic clothes.

After sifting through my clothes, I settle on a black, off-the-shoulder, velvet top that reaches the top of my navel. I top the outfit off with a high waist, short, black skirt; fishnet stockings; platform shoes; and a velvet choker. I trim my eyes with some kohl eyeliner, and dab on some lip-gloss. I'm a minimalist when it comes to makeup.

I decide to leave my hair down, but use a bit of Witches Hair Color Magic that Effie shoplifted from a Wicca supply store to make the bottom of the strands a pale blue. By the time I'm finished, an hour has passed.

Effie should be here any minute.

I exit my room, feeling pretty damn good. But my mood drizzles at the sound of voices coming from the living room. Voices belonging to complete vampire asshateries.

I freeze right before the stairway opens into the foyer and the living room. Fuckety shit, how am I supposed to get out of the house without them noticing me?

If they open their mouths, my night will be ruined. And they will open their sharp, fangy mouths. They always do.

"Oh, my God, I'm so glad you guys are home!" Nadine squeals in delight. "The last year's been so boring without you guys."

"I wish I could say the same." Arrogance mixed with amusement rings in Kingsley's tone. "But training was awesome. The most fun I've had in a long time."

"Even more fun than hanging out with me?" Nadine teases. But her tone deflates when Kingsley doesn't answer right away. "What the hell, Kings? Why are you acting like a jerk? And you look so weird... What happened to you?"

"What?" Kingsley asks. "You want me to lie to you?"

I hear a _smack_ , and then Kinsley mumbles, "Ow... That wasn't very fucking nice, Nadine."

"I'm not trying to be nice," Nadine huffs. "I'm trying to be an asshole, just like you."

Kingsley sighs. "I'm not being an asshole. I'm just... Rhyland, a little help here please?"

"Kings is right," Rhyland says in his infamously bored tone. "Training was better than hanging around in Mystic Willow Bay. But it doesn't even matter. Nothing about this conversation matters—it never has. It's always been completely pointless, and honestly, it's getting really boring. Plus, I have bigger problems to worry about than if you're upset."

"Fuck you, Rhy," my sister spats. "You're such an arrogant prick."

"You didn't used to mind that I was," he drones on, sounding even more bored. "In fact, you thrived on it."

"What the hell is your problem?" she snaps. "You guys are acting like you're not even happy to see me."

"Maybe we're not," Kingsley says, then sighs. "Look, Nadine, we're sorry, but things have changed— _we've_ changed. Everything's changed, and we don't have to be the guys we were anymore. Our commitment is... gone... for now." He gives a long pause. Then something in his voice shifts, tightens. "You'll understand a little bit more when we talk to everyone."

What in the crazy bats is he talking about? What commitment?

"The only thing that's changed is that you let your emperor title go to your stupid, fat head," Nadine bites out. "Just wait. When I become an empress, I'm going to return the favor, times ten."

"We'll deal with it _if_ it happens," Kingsley says with a hint of skepticism.

Huh. So, I guess he and my dad are on the same page.

I smash my lips together, stifling a laugh, as Nadine throws a full tizzy tantrum, cursing and smashing who knows what.

My reaction might be wrong. Deep down, I know Kingsley and Rhyland are being assholes to her and having been on the receiving end of it, I should be more compassionate. But I'm having a difficult time trying to feel empathy for the girl who, only hours ago, grinned at me as she announced that my life was returning to hell.

As Nadine continues to throw a temper tantrum, I deliberate the best way to leave the house while minimizing the risk of my night getting ruined. More than likely, my dad has a protection shield up for the night, so climbing out a window is only going to result in an alarm going off. Then my dad will have to come home from his council meeting early to shut it off, and then he'll end up in a pissy mood. Still, dealing with my pissed off dad might be better than dealing with Kingsley, Rhyland, and Nadine's shit. Especially with the mood Nadine's in.

I'm about to turn around, sneak back upstairs to my bedroom, and climb out the window when an incoming messages buzzes through my phone.

**Effie: We're parked outside! Hurry your cute butt up!**

**Me: Hold on. I have to climb out the window.**

**Effie: What the shit? Why? And why the hell is there, like, half a dozen SUVs next door?**

**Me: Not sure about the SUVs. They just showed up a while ago. And I'm climbing out the window because asshat one and asshat two are in the living room with queen asshat, and I don't want to deal with them right now.**

**Effie: Don't you dare climb out that window.**

**Me: I'm sorry. I know I said I'd be braver, but saying and acting are two different things. I thought I could do it, but now that they're here... I'm such a scaredy bat.**

**Effie: Hang on. Two kickass and very well dressed vampires are on their way to save the night.**

**Me: You really don't need to come in here and save me. I can just go out the window.**

**Effie: No way. You're not going to let those fuck-holes bully you anymore.**

Before I can respond, the doorbell rings. Or, well, a wicked laugh echoes throughout the house, thanks to the creepy, laughing doorbell my mom recently installed. She may have thought she was being funny when she put it in, but right now, I feel like the damn thing is mocking me.

Moments later, I hear the front door creak open.

"Why the hell are _you_ here?" Nadine snaps, furiously confused.

Her confusion is understandable. While my parents know I'm friends with Effie, I rarely bring her to the house since Effie can't stand Nadine. Plus, Effie has her own place that she shares with Anders where we can hang out in a Nadine-free environment.

"Nice to see you, too, old friend." Sarcasm drips from Effie's tone. "I see you haven't outgrown your wannabe Barbie phase."

"You're just jealous of my gorgeous looks," Nadine quips smugly.

Effie snorts a laugh. "Oh, my God, do you really believe the shit that comes out of your mouth? Or do your lips just move while your brain tunes out?"

"Maybe it's all the bleach she puts in her hair," Anders chimes in, amusement ringing in his tone. "I hear it fries brain cells if it's used too much."

"My hair is naturally blonde," Nadine says with a sassy attitude.

"If you say so," Anders replies wickedly.

"How dare you talk to me that way!" Nadine screeches. "You don't even know me."

"But I've heard a lot about you," Anders says. Nadine must smile, because he adds, "That's not a compliment, blondie."

Nadine growls something incoherent before she singsongs, "Kings and Rhy-Rhy, a little help here."

I roll my eyes. I hate it when she calls him Rhy-Rhy. It sounds so childish. Then again, Rhyland and her act pretty childish sometimes, so I guess the name is sort of fitting.

I blow out an uneven breath, realizing that, if I don't quit being a big, old scaredy bat, Effie and Anders are going to have to deal with Nadine, Kingsley, and Rhyland. And that isn't fair to them.

Summoning a deep breath, I step the rest of the way down the stairs. But the second I step foot into the foyer, I nearly run back upstairs with my tail between my legs, because all five of their gazes shift to me and an alarming silence grasps the air.

Vampires of all vampires, I hate being the center of attention, especially when over half the attention is negative.

Still, I keep my chin held high, refusing to cower, though I feel like I'm going to yack out all that blood I drank at dinner.

_You can do this, Raven. One foot in front of the other._

Obeying my thoughts grows more complicated the longer Rhyland and Kingsley stare at me, though I refuse to meet their gazes. Or, well, at least I try to, but my eyes get the best of me and stray in their direction.

They don't look the same as when they left, other than they're still tall and lean. Kingsley's brown hair used to be much longer, but now it's cropped close to his skull. He has a sleeve of shaded tattoos on both arms and is dressed in a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with black jeans, and clunky boots. He used to be a polo shirt and slacks sort of guy, so this is a one-eighty in the looks department. The look fits him better, though, as if this is who he's been all along.

Rhyland looks a little bit more like himself, dressed in all black with clunky boots and leather bands on his wrists. Unlike before, he now has a piercing in his brow and bottom lip, the edge of a tattoo peeks out of the collar of his shirt, and his blond hair that was once short now reaches his chin.

When my eyes finally meet Rhyland's, I become painfully aware that one more thing is different about him. The unemotional, detached look he always wore has now altered into an intense smolder. And all that intensity is focused on me at the moment. And while most females would swoon themselves to death from the look, me...

I crinkle my nose. Sure, Rhyland and Kingsley are hot... until they open their mouths.

Rhyland gives me a funny, curiously amused look that puzzles me deeply. Why is he looking at me like that? Where's the cold, I-don't-give-a-shit expression he normally wears whenever he looks at me? And why am I getting the strangest sense of déjà vu?

I don't know how long I would've stood there stupidly staring at him like a spazz if the buzzing didn't suddenly hum to life in a current of strong voltage.

Snapping out of my trance, I tear my gaze off Rhyland and step toward the doorway, more than ready to get this night on the road.

"Where are _you_ going?" Nadine asks with her hands on her hips.

"Out," I reply.

"Since when do you go out?" She purposefully eyes me over. "And since when do you dress like _that_?"

Effie mouths, " _Put her in her place._ "

"Like what?" I play dumb, but I'm nervous, an old habit I'm discovering is difficult to kick.

"Like..." Nadine grins. "Like a vampy skank."

"Well, clearly I'm going to a place where I can be a vampy skank, then," I quip. "But FYI, we usually prefer the term 'sexual-driven vampires.' Skank just sounds way too skanky."

_Holy hell, did I just say sexual-driven in front of everyone?_

As my cheeks flood with warmth—yes, despite our frosty body temperatures, vampires can blush—I hurry toward the door to get the hell out of the spotlight before my luck runs out and Kingsley and Rhyland intervene. I'm surprised they haven't already. In fact, they've been awfully quiet.

_Like the calm before a storm._

"Did you hear that, Rhy?" Kingsley asks in a teasing tone.

_Dammit! So close._

"Hear what?" Rhyland replies amusedly.

"They're going to some place where sex-driven vampires hang out," Kingsley says. "Maybe we should go with them. You know how much I love anything that has to do with sex."

"Sounds like a fan-fucking-tastic plan to me," Rhyland plays along, the humor in his tone foreign and unsettling. "What do you think, Raven? You got room for two more in the car? I promise we'll be on our best behavior."

I don't know what they're up to, but I'm positive nothing good.

An urge overcomes me then, either from the lingering magic in my hair dye or that nagging buzzing under my skin. Or maybe from the confidence I gained over the last year. Whatever the reason, I find myself turning around.

"Sorry, but the car doesn't have enough room for your big, overly inflated heads." I whirl around before I can see their expressions and usher Effie and Anders out the door.

Two steps forward, a set of fingers wrap around my upper arm. Even through the sleeve of my velvet top, the contact is scorching and sets off the buzzing nips under my flesh like soft fangy nips.

Confused beyond imaginable, I twist around to see who grabbed me. Then my confusion and worry multiplies.

Rhyland is holding my arm, with an alarmingly panicked desperation possessing his face.

"Maybe you shouldn't go out tonight," he says in a low, almost frenzied tone.

My insides quiver in panic, in fury, and in something else. Something I can't quite connect a word to. I don't know what he's doing, if he's threatening me or what, but his hand on my arm is making me wildly nervous.

I swallow hard, glancing at the doorway and willing Effie and Anders to come back inside. But they're nowhere in sight.

"Please let go of my arm," I say in the steadiest voice I can muster.

Rhyland only tightens his grip, seeming in pain. "Raven..."

The sound of my name slipping off his tongue causes a storm to thunder inside my chest. I'm not sure if Rhyland or Kingsley have ever called me by my real name. I've always been Nadine's annoying younger sister.

"Let go of me." I attempt to jerk back my arm, but his grip only constricts, not in a painful way, but in an overwhelmingly intense way.

Nadine grins at Rhyland. "And there he is." She beams happily.

Rhyland doesn't even so much as glance in her direction, his gaze boring into me as he grinds his teeth. "I can't let this happen again—"

"Rhy." Kingsley places a firm hand on his shoulder. "Let her go for tonight. We need to take care of a few other things first, anyway. You know this."

Nervous adrenaline courses through my veins. Rhyland, Kingsley, and Nadine may have teased and tormented me before, but never has Rhyland gotten in my face like this.

Maybe becoming an emperor has changed him. Maybe the extra power and ego boost really did mess with his head.

Kingsley's words replay in my head.

_Let her go for tonight? We need to take care of a few other things first, anyway?_

"Are you threatening me?"

"We're not threatening you." Confliction swirls in Rhyland's eyes. He still doesn't release my arm.

"Then. Let. Me. Go." I cringe at the tremble in my voice.

Rhyland's gaze travels from his hand on my arm to Kingsley, who stares him down hard. " _Not yet,_ " __ he mouths. " _Not until it's time_."

I shiver from the warning, causing Rhyland's gaze to snap back to me. He stares at me for a pummeling heartbeat or two longer, then reluctantly peels his hand off my arm, slowly lifting his fingers one by one.

An exhale rushes from my lips, and Nadine busts up in laughter.

"You look like you're about to piss your pants right now." The delight in her eyes makes my blood boil.

"Go to hell." It's such a stupid attempt to regain some of my confidence back, but I'm too shaken up to come up with a clever comeback. Too shaken up to think clearly. So shaken up I'm kind of scared. And I hate that I am.

Always afraid.

Not wanting to give them the pleasure of witnessing me freaking out, I spin around, dash out the door, and hurry down the stairs and to the front lawn where Effie and Anders are waiting for me.

"What the hell took you so long?" Effie hisses as I approach her.

I wonder how much she saw and heard. When we get in the car, I'll have to ask her.

"Let's just get the hell away from here." I stride across the dewy grass and toward the car, noting the black SUVs still parked next door.

She trades a concerned glance with Anders, and then she follows me.

The three of us hop into her car, and then she revs up the engine. I tell myself not to look back at my house, to just let it go, yet the compulsion to do so consumes every inch of me. I end up giving in and peeking through the window, and my pulse instantly quickens.

Rhyland is standing in the doorway, watching the car with his arms crossed and a calculating look on his face. In the background, Kingsley is heatedly talking to Nadine. She keeps shaking her head then her gaze drifts to Effie's car and fury flares in her eyes.

I swallow hard, unsure what's going on, but knowing it can't be a good thing.

I keep my eyes on the house until Effie peels away from the curb. Then I turn away, but not before Rhyland uncrosses his arms and stares down at his hand. His hand that, only minutes ago, was gripping my arm.

I place my hand over the spot where he gripped me. Beneath the fabric of my shirt, my skin feels... well, sparkly and tickly and familiar.

_Strange._

Lowering my hand, I roll up my sleeve and inspect the skin. For the craziest moment, I swear the veins under my skin move, like ribbons twirling in iridescent water. But when I blink, my skin is normal again.

I resist a gulp as I roll down my sleeve, my insides raveling tightly with my nerves. All of this—the scorching heat his grip brought and the brief illusion of my veins moving underneath my skin—seems like magic.

Witches magic.

And the last time Rhyland had a witch use magic on me, I ended up looking evil in the eye and tasting the scent of death.

# 4

I remember the day I realized just how dangerously cruel Rhyland could be. It was in the middle of my junior year, and it had been snowing all day. The entire town was a giant snow globe of glittery frost and Wonderland magic. I'd always loved snow days and had been in an upbeat mood after I walked to school that evening with the snow crunching under my boots. I didn't use my super speed, wanting to savor the crisp winter's air and the snowflakes tumbling from the minty green sky. Unfortunately, my lollygagging resulted in me being late.

By the time I arrived at school, the hallways were empty, the students and teachers already tucked away in their classrooms.

Worried I'd get marked absent, I hauled ass to my locker to put my backpack away and gathered my books, pausing as voices hissed from around the corner of the hallway.

"It's going to happen today whether you like it or not." The growling voice belonged to a male, but I couldn't place a face to it.

"It's too soon," someone replied. "It's going to end in a disaster."

No, not someone. Rhyland.

I grabbed my books, ready to get out of there before he came around the corner and spotted me alone.

"It's not my call to make," the growling voice snapped. "I just wanted to give you a heads-up so you'd be prepared to do what you're supposed to. This needs to be done, Rhy. If it isn't, then we'll never know."

"And what happens if she gets killed?" Rhyland bit out. "Then what will we do?"

My blood turned as cold as the icicles trimming the rain gutters outside of the school. _Killed?_

I started to turn to bolt, but then they materialized around the corner. Rhyland spotted me first and stopped dead in his tracks, anger flicking in his eyes.

_He said killed. Who could get killed?_

I should've ran. The day would've gone so much better if I had. But I panicked and froze.

The guy with Rhyland slowed to a stop, too. He was about twenty years old, too old to be a student at school and too young to be a teacher. He was wearing a jacket with a silver and purple crown emblem—the emperor emblem.

What was Rhyland doing with an emperor? Better yet, why was an emperor hanging out at the school?

The emperor's expression was a mixture of uneasiness and curiosity as he assessed me with his head tilted to the side, strands of dark hair hanging in his red eyes. Red eyes meant power. A lot of fucking power.

"Raven?" red eyes asked curiously.

I shifted my weight, stepping back and keeping my lips sealed. First rule of surviving in the vampire world: never give a stranger your name. How he knew my name was a frightening mystery in itself.

_He said killed._

A smile spread across the stranger's face. "You've grown up since the last time I saw you."

"I..." Confused, I looked to Rhyland. A stupid move, something I realize the moment I did it.

A predator smirk rose on Rhyland's face. "What's the matter? You look nervous."

I wasn't nervous. I was freaking out. I knew I couldn't show it. Knew if I lost my composure, whatever was about to happen would be ten times worse.

The emperor held up his hand. "You don't need to be afraid, sweetheart. I won't bother you."

A silent _yet_ lingered at the end of his sentence.

I held my breath as he passed by, his shoulder grazing mine. When he was gone, I released it, only to realize Rhyland was still standing there, watching me like a vampire ready to bite. So yeah, basically watching me like his normal self.

"Did you hear what we were talking about?" His head was slanted to the side as he studied me.

I swiftly shook my head. "No."

"Liar." The words poured off his tongue like bitter, outdated blood.

"I'm not lying," I lied.

He stepped toward me. "Then why are you shaking?"

I stepped back. "Because you're here."

"You're afraid of me." It wasn't question.

"Do you blame me?" I dared another step back, my back slamming into an invisible wall, which had become a growing occurrence with him ever since the night he helped Nadine lock me up in the attic. I didn't know how he was doing it, how he was getting a witch to put up so many charms for him, but I wished she'd stop.

"No, I don't." He wet his lips with his tongue, showing me his fangs were out.

I gulp, knowing if he wanted to, he could sink those fangs into my neck and drain me dry. I wasn't strong enough to fight him off, and I was too slow to outrun him. I was always sort of good at hiding, but I'd have to get past the invisible wall to even attempt to hide.

"I didn't hear anything important," I tried again. Which was sort of true. I mean, I didn't hear who could be killed. Just a _she_.

He deliberately eliminated the space between us in three measured strides. If he wanted to, he could've reached me in the throb of a pulse. But he was toying with me, dragging out the fear and letting it build.

When he reached me, he stroked my cheek with his fingertip.

I flinched. He flinched, too, but then a crooked and warped smile curled at his lips.

"You should be scared. This world is a scary place," he whispered. Then he snagged hold of my arm and towed me to my locker. "Open it," he demanded.

I shook my head.

He sighed. "Open. It. Now. Or. Else." He didn't embellish on the _else_ ; his firm tone was enough to frighten me into opening my locker.

Then he pushed me in, not roughly, but fear still webbed through me.

I opened my mouth to scream, when a wave of sleepiness overcame me.

_Damn bastard put a sleepy spell on me._

My eyelids grew heavy.

_I'm sorry._ The words rang in my head from somewhere.

_Sorry for what...?_ That was the last thought I had before darkness gulped me up.

When I woke up, I was squished inside my locker, my legs ached, and my brain felt foggy, remnants of the sleeping spell. How he was getting ahold of all this witch magic was beyond me. I wished I could find out and put a stop to it.

"Hello?" I called out.

No one answered.

I tried again. "I need help."

Nothing but eerie silence.

I banged on the locker, threw my weight against it, yet the metal wouldn't cave. I felt so weak. So stupid. So pathetic.

I don't know how long I stayed trapped in my locker, but eventually, the door opened on its own. I stumbled out into the empty hallway, relieved to see the light of day glinting through the windows.

Then I saw a path of black slime paving the marble floor from the entrance doors, down the hallway, and stopping at my locker, and my relief went _poof_. Demon slime. How? Demons weren't supposed to be able to get into the school.

My muscles stiffened as my gaze glided around the hallway, searching for signs of a demon.

Not a single monster was in sight.

Then my gaze landed on my locker, where large, jagged teeth marks covered the exterior of the door.

A violent wave of fear rushed through me, and I ran out of the school.

Come to find out, a demon had attacked the school. No one seemed to know how it got through the charms, but luckily, no one was killed and the demon strangely disappeared.

I couldn't shake the feeling that the demon had been after me. The trail of slime had stopped in front of my locker. The demon had smashed into it.

And I had a feeling Rhyland played a part in it. Mostly because of the conversation I overheard with the stranger. They sounded like they were up to something that would lead to someone getting hurt—the mysterious she.

I hated to think it, but I wondered if the _she_ was me. Whether they were playing a practical joke or not, I still don't know to this night. All I know is that Rhyland forced me in a locker on the same day a demon got into the school, and it would be strange if that was merely coincidental.

I decide then that Rhyland can be truly evil when he wants to be, and the more time I spent away from him, the better.

# 5

During the drive to Liquid Red & Blood Magic, I give Effie and Anders a rundown of how I overheard Rhyland and Kingsley being rude to Nadine. Then I tell them about how Rhyland grabbed me. By the time I'm finished, Effie is livid.

"Those assholes. I seriously can't stand them." She grips the living nightlights out of the steering wheel, the metallic black rings on each of her fingers glinting in the moonlight. "One day, I swear to God, I'm gonna..."

"Gonna what?" Anders asks from the passenger seat, cocking his brow. "I hate to be the one to ruin your evil plot fun, but Rhyland and Kingsley are _emperors_. And all we are is three normal, albeit weird and extremely awesome vampires. In terms of power, we can't do much to them. Plus, there are laws and unless you want to be considered part of the rebellion, you don't break the laws." When Effie shoots him a warning look, he offers me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Raven. That's probably not what you wanted to hear right now."

"You don't need to apologize for telling the truth." I slump back in the seat. "I just wish we were stronger. Or, at least had an emperor or empress on our side."

"Unfortunately, that'd require being friends with one of them," Anders says, fiddling with a gauge in his ear. "And that doesn't sound like very much fun."

"They're not all bad," I tell him. "My mom's one of them."

"Fuck, I forgot about that." He frowns. "I'm sorry. _Again_."

"Stop apologizing for silly things," I say. "Besides, most empresses and emperors aren't like my mom. They're big-headed and arrogant like Rhyland and Kingsley, so what you said is sort of right."

Effie tucks a strand of her chin-length purple hair behind her ear while checking her reflection in the mirror on the visor. "I still think it's a little weird that Kingsley and Rhyland were being mean to Nadine. They've always been nice to her, at least from what I've seen."

"I know," I agree. "She's had them wrapped around her little finger since we were young vampires."

Anders' face contorts with disgust. "But she seems so vile."

"She is vile," I tell him. "But so are Kingsley and Rhyland."

"They're like three peas in a juicy blood pod," Effie says as she steers the car into the back parking lot of the club.

The spacious area is crammed with cars and people dressed in various edgy, dress code appropriate outfits. Music is booming from inside the three-story, glittering midnight blue building, vibrating through the air. Glowing stars and swirling ribbons of violet and silver float above, a mirage painted by magic.

"God, this place is gorgeous," Effie remarks in awe as she parks the car. Then she shuts off the engine and twist in her seat, glancing between Anders and me. "You know what I think? That we should say to hell with Kingsley, Rhyland, Nadine, and their evil games, down one of these little suckers"—she holds up a plastic bag full of small glass vials that she retrieves from the console—"march into that club, and dance until every single goddamn part of our bodies ache. Until we're delirious on fun and dancing and laughing and living our goddamn lives without worrying about anyone else."

"What about Austin?" Anders questions with a crook of his brow.

Effie shrugs. "I'll deal with that cheating bastard when the time comes. Right now, my BFF is in desperate need of a forgetful night."

I scoot forward in the seat and rest my arms on the console. "A _forgetful_ night?"

"Yeah, a night so fun you can barely remember it." She grins at me as she opens the bag of vials. "Trust me, it's a rite of passage everyone needs to experience at least once." She plucks out a vial.

Inside the glass, a silvery black liquid shimmers in the starlight filtering through the windows. I've never seen anything like it before and don't immediately take it.

"What is it?" I ask warily.

"A blood boost." She urges me to take the vial.

"What kind of a blood boost?" Because I've taken a couple of blood boosts before, usually when I'm tired and need an extra energy jolt. But with how excited she looks right now, I have a feeling the vial in her hand isn't an ordinary blood boost.

"A boost of... emperor blood," she answers with reluctance.

My eyes pop wide. "How the hell did you get ahold of emperor's blood?"

She lifts a shoulder, shrugging. "I know some people who know some people. It's not really that strange if you have the right connections."

I cast a glance at Ander, wondering what he thinks about all this. He shrugs, seeming a little perplexed, but not as wary as me.

"Don't worry; I've done this a couple of times before." She presses the vial into my palm. "You'll have a blast, I swear." She hands a vial to Anders then takes one for herself. "Besides, if we were rich and wealthy, we'd be upstairs in your mom's club drinking this from the vein."

"I'm sure she'd let us go up if we asked." I pull a face at my own statement. I act like I want to drink emperor's blood, which I don't. Well, I sort of do.

Okay, truthfully, I've always been a tiny bit curious what that sort of power tastes like. But after what happened when I left the house, I feel like I've been around emperors too much for one night.

I shake my head at myself. _Look at how you're already letting them affect you? A night ago, you would've been into this. You need to let it go, and not let them ruin your night, your week, your life._

Effie's face bursts with excitement. "Are you being serious? You could really get us up there?"

"I've never asked her before, but I know she's let Nadine a couple of times, so I'm sure she'd say yes." I flick a glance in the direction of the very long line wrapping around the building. "Although, it might take a while with how busy it is tonight."

"You don't seem like you want to," Effie observes. "Maybe we shouldn't."

"No, it's fine. I was just thinking about dipshit emperors one and two. I'm not going to anymore." I wrap my fingers around the vial and shake off my sullen mood. "Let's make this an awesome forgetful night."

Effie's lips spread into a grin. "There's my awesome best friend. I thought she was going to be sad all night."

"I'm fine," I promise her. "I just let them get to me. Now I'm over it."

She eyes me over with a hint of skepticism. "Are you sure?"

I nod. "Positive."

"All right, then." She unscrews the lid off the vial. "I say we take these bad boys, go inside, and dance until we can get upstairs and get the live thing. Then we'll dance until our feet can't remember how."

"It's a good thing we don't have classes tomorrow." Anders pops the lid off his vial. "Not that I don't mind missing a class or two."

Effie grins at him then looks at me. "You in, Rave?"

I nod, though I'm nervous. I mean, I've gotten blood drunk a couple of times, and my body is still humming from the blood buzz from earlier. Now I'm about to drink emperor's blood— _powerful_ blood.

I shiver, not necessary in a bad way, and untwist the cap off the vial.

Effie clears her throat and raises her vial in the air. "I'd like to make a toast to Raven, who's the best BFF I could ever ask for. Before you came along, I spent way too many hours listening to Anders yammer about all the hot ass and perfect tits he saw in a day, and how hard he got every time that stupid bathtub mat commercial came on." She puts her hand to the side of her mouth and leans toward me, stage whispering, "I think he might have a thing for bathmats."

Anders stares at her, unimpressed. "It was the woman in the commercial that was turning me on. Not the bathmat."

"If you say so." She grins when he scowls at her. "What? You did stare awfully hard every time that bathmat showed up on the screen."

Anders just shakes his head.

Effie flashes him a grin then turns serious again. Well, as serious as she ever is.

"Anyway," she says, looking at me. "My point is that while I love Anders, I love that you're part of my life and that you don't have a thing for bathmats."

"Oh, my God, you're insane." Without waiting for her to finish, Anders tips his head back and throws back the blood boost.

"Fine, ruin my toast." Effie playfully glares at Anders, then she clinks her vial with mine and downs the emperor's blood in one long gulp.

They both look at me, waiting.

"Well, here goes nothing." Letting out an anxious breath, I put the vial to my lips and tip my head back. The warm liquid spills down my throat and passed my lungs, settling in my stomach. As I lower the vial from my lips, I hold my breath and wait for something dazzling and magical to happen.

And wait.

And wait.

"Does anyone feel anything yet?" I set the empty vial down on the backseat.

Effie shrugs. "No... But I heard it takes a minute to kick in."

We wait a minute. Still nothing.

Effie begins to frown while Anders mutters something about getting duds.

"Maybe we should go inside while we're waiting for it to kick in," I suggest.

We all agree and hop out of the car, surpassing the long line and walking straight up to the entrance. I nearly do a double-take at the presence of ten bouncers lined up in front of the entrance. Normally, only two are stationed at the front doors.

Hawk, the main bouncer who's in his early twenties and is all muscles and intricate tattoos, greets me with a welcoming, fangy smile as I approach the velvet rope. "Well, well, look who decided to finally come check out her mom's club."

"I've been down here before," I remind him. "Just not at night. I'm not really much of a night person."

"Raven, you're a vampire, which by definition means you're a creature of the night," he teases, wrapping his fingers around the rope. "Or, did you forget?"

I smack the heel of my hand against my forehead. "Man, I completely forgot. Thanks for reminding me. I was really starting to get worried about these fangs that keep slipping out of my gums and my uncontrollable desire for blood."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "For the record, I didn't mean night person, as in, simply a night person. I mean the night crowd." He gestures at the people in line. "The party time crowd."

"Party time crowd?" I arch a brow at him, smiling. "You're making my mom's club sound like a place where vampires go to throw their offspring birthday parties."

His lips quirk. "Fine. Keep teasing me. At least I got you to smile." He lifts the rope up to let me through.

"These guys are with me." I gesture at Effie and Anders, who are both giving me goofy grins.

Great, did their blood boost kick in? Because mine still feels dormant.

" _What?_ " __ I mouth. They both just giggle in response.

I shake my head and turn back toward Hawk just in time to see his gaze jerk upward. I glance down at the ground, wondering what he was looking at, but I can't see anything except pavement.

Hawk clears his throat and motions for us to come through. "Does your mom know you're here?" he asks as I start to step by him.

I stop beside him and shake my head while Effie and Anders bounce past me. "I'll tell her. I need to talk to her, anyway." My gaze strays to the extra bouncers. "So, what's up with all the extra security?"

"Too many rebellions going on these days." He heaves a sigh. "Last week, we had three fights break out within one night. They tore up the club and injured at least ten vampires. Your mom hired extra security, hoping it'll scare all the vampires' fangs back into their mouths. But I don't know... I worry things are only going to get worse until we can find a way to get some more orders and laws in motion." He pauses, considering something with uncertainty. "I heard a rumor that supposedly, maybe, possibly, Fate proclaimed a king the other day."

My jaw nearly smacks the ground. "Seriously?"

He wavers. "Well, that's what I heard. But I heard the story from a friend of a friend who heard it from their friend who wasn't supposed to tell anyone, so I'm not sure how much truth there is to it."

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Still, it'd be good if it were true, right?"

"I agree. I don't think we've ever needed a king more than we do right now."

As if to prove a point, a fight breaks out across the street. Growls fill the air and blood splatters across the pavement as bites and punches are thrown.

Hawk sighs heavily. "We need a queen, too. Maybe even more so than a king. That's kind of why I'm not sure if the story I heard is accurate. Normally, a queen is chosen first."

"Maybe she's already been chosen. Maybe your friend of a friend of friend or whatever," I say and he smiles, shaking his head, "didn't hear that part of the story."

"Well, that, or the council is keeping it secret." He eyeballs the fight across the street, his fingers drifting toward the gun in his shoulder holster.

The gun doesn't carry normal bullets, but wooden ones sealed with demon venom powerful enough to knock a vampire out for days.

"Why would they keep it a secret?" I inch forward as one of the other bouncers storms by me and strides toward the brawl.

Hawk tenses as the fight moves across the street toward us. "A lot of reasons, but mainly because her powers won't manifest for a couple of weeks after she's been announced queen, which puts her in a vulnerable position to be assassinated. So, to protect her, they might keep it a secret until she gains her powers and can protect herself."

My eyes widen. "Why would anyone want to kill her?"

"Because she has enough power to put a stop to everything—the madness, the chaos, the murders." He gives an insinuating look at the fight going on, which has gained momentum with at least ten people joining in. Blood is beginning to pool the night-kissed streets and the metallic scent strangles the chilly air. "And not everyone wants that to happen."

I watch the fight grow more violent, bones snapping and blood spilling everywhere. The sad part is, at least one of them will probably die. And for what? Because some vampires want to throw their fists around and prove they're tough?

Right as I'm about to turn away, a male vampire amid the fighting mob snaps his head up. He sniffs the air, and then his red eyes lock on me. I've seen him before. It's the emperor who was with Rhyland the day the demon attacked the school. He looks different, though. His red eyes are filled with untamed hunger, as if he hasn't eaten in ages or has drank too much powerful blood and now lives in a blood frenzy all the time.

* * *

As he stares at me, unmoving in the mayhem, his lips curl upward, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. I want to look away, but I can't get my gaze to budge, as if my eyes are bound in some magical trance.

I only blink my gaze away when Hawk nudges me forward.

"Go inside before things get worse." He has his gun out. "You should be safe in there."

Nodding, I hurry for the doors as a blood-curdling scream shatters the air.

I start to look over my shoulder to see if the emperor is still there, even though I know I probably shouldn't, but right then, the blood boost kicks in.

# 6

Turns out Effie and Anders blood boost kicked in, too, and by the time I find them in the club, we're all too far gone to have a normal conversation. Instead of talking, we dance. We dance until our feet hurt. Until we can't think. Until we've forgotten.

Hours later, I'm standing at the bar, my skin is damp with sweat, and my veins are silent of any buzzing. Anders is next to me, flirting with a curvy redhead and Effie is shamelessly flashing her cleavage as she attempts to convince the bartender to give her free drinks. So far, Austin has been a no-show, but the night is still young with the undead, a motto I'm trying to live by tonight.

I'm having fun. So much fun I can barely think about anything as I stare at the dance floor where magical stars float around in circles, casting a faint silvery glow across the couples and groups of vampires grinding against each other. A sultry song booms from the speakers and the stars seem to dance with the rhythm, twisting and turning and spinning like little dancing pixies.

_So pretty._

_Everything's been so pretty tonight._

_And fun._

_At least on the inside of the club._

_Outside, only madness exists. And strangers with red, hungry eyes. Sexy next-door neighbors who have greedy, grabby hands..._

_No, I'm not going to think about that yet. I want to keep having fun._

_I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun._

_Maybe never._

I sigh contently as I recline against the tinted glass countertop behind me, thoughts of red eyes and arm grabs fading away into the back coffin of my mind.

"You know who she is, right?" Effie asks the bartender while giving my shoulder a pat. I'd be startled, but my body feels too numb. Contently numb. "She's your boss's daughter, which means we get free drinks."

I peer over my shoulder at the bartender. "It's true, you know."

He eyes me over with doubt. "How do I know that for sure? You could be lying."

I shrug. "I'm not, though."

The bartender shakes his head, muttering something about dumb teenagers, then walks away to serve another customer.

Effie sighs, turning around and leaning against the counter beside me. She takes one look at me and giggles. "You're so out of it right now."

I bob my head. "I feel like I really am."

"Which is weird." Her brows furrow. "You should feel jacked up. I know I do. But you look... well, dopey."

Anders joins the conversation, bouncing on his toes, fangs out, eyes glazed over with the blood high. "I feel like I need to run across a forest right now just to burn off all this extra energy."

"Me, too," Effie agrees, restlessly thrumming her fingers against the sides of her legs.

"I feel like I want to go to sleep." I let out a slow yawn.

Effie gapes at me. "You want to _sleep_ right now? Seriously?"

I give a lazy shrug. "Kind of."

She frowns, squinting at my eyes. "Did you feel anything at all tonight? Maybe you got a dud."

"No, I definitely feel something," I tell her. "But mine is more of a content high, like my body feels right for the first time, and my brain's so... happy."

"I hope..." She chews on her thumbnail. "I hope it wasn't, like, laced with something."

"Like what?" It seems like I should be worried, too, but I'm not.

"Like magic or a curse or something." She keeps gnawing her fingernail.

I shrug. "Maybe my body just reacts differently to emperors' blood."

"Maybe." She studies me until she grows too wiggly. Then her eyes wander to the dance floor. "I feel like I need to dance."

"Me, too," Anders agrees, raking his fingers through his short, blond hair "I have too much energy."

"Then go dance." I shoo them toward the dance floor. "Have fun. Be merry."

"Are you sure?" she asks. "I don't know if I should leave you alone when you look so out of it."

"I'm fine," I promise her then take a seat on the barstool behind me, as if that somehow proves a point. "Go have some forgetful fun. I'll be right here, forgetting in this chair."

She sighs then snatches Anders' hand. "We'll be back after one song." She hauls him with her as she pushes her way across the dance floor.

I face the bar and stare at the mirror hanging on the wall behind the counter. While I feel sleepy and content, my reflection looks alive, my cheeks hued with pink, my eyes buzzing with energy, my pupils huge.

"Admiring your reflection? That seems more like a Nadine thing than a Raven thing, if you ask me."

I tense as Kingsley plops down in the stool beside mine and his reflection appears in the mirror. I start to automatically stiffen, but the contentment that's taken over my body for the last couple of hours quickly smothers out any rigidness.

"Why are you here?" I say the first sentence that pops into my mind, looking at his reflection, not him.

A deliberate smile curves across his face. "For the same reason you are."

"How do you know why I'm here?"

"Because there's only one reason anyone comes here—to drink, to dance, to let out their sexual tension."

"It's an awfully big assumption to think that everyone here has the same agenda. That everyone here is the same."

His teeth sink into his bottom lip as he bites back his smile. "What can I say? My _big, overly inflated head_ likes to make big assumptions," he throws back the words I said to him and Rhyland earlier tonight.

"Yeah, it does." I rotate around in the stool with every intention of getting up and going to the dance floor. But he places a hand on my leg, stopping me.

"Don't go running off just yet. I need to talk to you."

I stare down at his hand, my lip twitching with annoyance. "You know, this is the third time tonight someone has touched me without my permission, and honestly, I'm getting really tired of it." I fling his hand off my leg and glare at him.

He starts to smile, seeming a bit confused, but then his lips sink downward. "Wait? Third time? Who's been touching you?" He sounds pissed, which is completely annoying.

I roll my eyes. "Your brother, you, and this creepy dude who tried to grind up against me on the dance floor."

_Wait? Why am I telling him this?_

_Why am I even still here at all?_

I start to get up, and again, he puts a hand on my leg.

I move to fling it off, but he captures my hand. Something explodes inside me, a cloud of angry, ready to storm, lightning bolts of rage.

"Let go of me." I try to wiggle my hand from his grip.

Surprisingly, he lets me go, but keeps his hand on my leg.

"Look, I'm not trying to do whatever it is you think I'm going to do." He slants toward me and lowers his voice. "I came down here to tell you that you need to come upstairs. And it's probably a good thing since creepy dudes are touching you. They shouldn't be doing that. At all. No one should be touching you, except..." A strange seriousness look masks his face as he trails off.

"Except what?" I press. I don't even know why. Why I'm curious about anything he's doing. But I am

He shrugs. "Nothing."

"Fine. Don't tell me." Again, I try to stand up, but he won't let me go. I huff a frustrated breath. "I thought you came here to drink, to dance, to let out your sexual tension, not keep me trapped at the bar."

He wrestles back a smile. "You're a feisty little thing when you're drunk, aren't you? That's new."

"I'm not drunk."

He squints at my eyes. "You sure look like it."

I give an indifferent shrug. "Well, I'm not."

He assesses me. "No, you're on something," he accuses. "And that's definitely new."

"So what?" I say with my chin held high, portraying more confidence than I've had sober. "At least half the people in this place are on something."

"Yeah, but..." He pauses, his mouth sinking into a frown. "What did you take?"

"Why would I ever tell you?" I jump to my feet, moving faster than I ever have before. So fast, in fact, I nearly trip over my feet and face plant it on the floor. Thankfully, I manage to catch my balance at the very last second and square my shoulders. "Now, if you'll excuse me, you're ruining my buzz." I stride toward the dance floor.

"Raven, you really need to...Goddammit, this is a frustrating new detail to the..." Music swallows up his voice as I slip into the throng.

Music surrounds me, pulsating through me, as I weave between sweat-soaked bodies and lustful hands. I put my hands up and sway my body to the rhythm, that wonderful contentment settling over me again.

I feel like I could do anything. I feel more free than I ever have. Normally, I don't like being alone in a crowd, but right now, I feel confident. _Powerful_. Powerful enough to dance by myself. Dance like I own the room.

So, I do. I dance song after song, standing in the center of the crowd, rocking my hips and twirling in circles. Eventually, two guys start dancing with me, wedging me between their bodies. They're attractive, blond with blue eyes, one more muscular, the other lean. I feel like I should be freaking out—or at least questioning why these gorgeous beings would even want to dance with me—but I can't find that emotion in me. All I can find is that contentment purring inside me, whispering that I'm powerful, that I'm strong, that I'm wanted.

I dance with the guys for at least five songs, feeling more confident by the second. Eventually, I become confident enough to put my hands on them and run my fingers up and down their chests. One of them groans while the other nips his fangs at my neck, about to bite into my vein. I open my mouth to tell him he's going to be severely disappointed with the lack of power in my blood, but a voice whispers inside my mind, telling me I'm wrong. That I am powerful. So, instead I wind my arm around the back of his neck and pull him closer.

He groans, his fangs grazing my skin, teasing my flesh. A moan works up my throat, but the noise gets caught on my tongue as the buzzing briefly flickers through my veins. I jolt, startled from the sensation I thought had gone away.

"Don't worry, gorgeous; I'll go easy on you," the guy whispers against my neck as he slips his arms around my waist.

I nod as the buzzing continues to flicker on and off like a light switch. My mind begins to spin with haziness like the magical stars above my head. I'm dizzy. Confused. Lost.

_What's happening to me?_

I debate whether to walk away or lean back and let the sexy vamp give me my first bite ever. Clearly something's wrong with me. I should try to find out, right?

"Relax," the guy purrs, his fangs roaming along the arch of my neck, not rough enough to break the skin, but close. So, so close.

I start to lean into him, ready to experience getting bitten for the first time in my entire life, but at the last second a foul, icky feeling stirs inside the pit of my stomach.

_Don't do it._

Vomit burns at the back of my throat and I start to move away when suddenly his fangs are no longer touching my neck. Neither is his body pressed against mine. Then the guy in front of me staggers back, his eyes huge as he stares at something over my shoulder.

I start to twist around to see what's spooked him, when someone grabs me by the waist and throws me over their shoulder. My lips part, a scream working up my throat—

"I tried to do this the easy way. I really did," Kingsley says as he shoves through the crowd. "But since you insisted on being a pain in the ass, drastic measures are now being taken."

My head spins as blood rushes to my brain. "Put me down, you asshole." I smack my hand against his back. "I'm probably flashing everyone."

"Yeah, so? I'm sure it's not that bad of a view," he teases.

I swat him again.

"You know, you used to be a lot nicer." He adjusts my weight on his shoulder. "I'm not sure if this is really you or if you're just too high on whatever it is you took." He pauses, as if waiting for me to tell him, I keep my lips fused. "Fine, don't tell me. I'm going to find out in a few minutes, anyway."

I roll my eyes. Then puzzlement cracks inside me as he starts up the winding stairway

"Wait... You're taking me upstairs?"

"Yep." He sounds so smug.

I reach back and check to make sure my skirt's covering my butt. "Why?

"Because your mom and dad are up there and need to talk to you."

I scratch my head, which turns out to be an awkward thing to do while you're hanging upside-down. "Why didn't they just come down and get me?"

"Because they're"—he gives a short pause—"dealing with a situation."

What is with all these vague answers?

"What sort of situation?"

"You'll find out soon. Just like I'll find out soon what you're on." When he reaches the top of the stairs, he starts down a hallway lit up by gothic metal lanterns, and moonlight trickling through the glass window roof.

"Why? Because you think my mom and dad are going to make me? FYI, they won't care." I know my words are true, too. How could my mom care that I drank emperors' blood when I know she would've let me go upstairs and drink some straight from the vein?

"We'll see," he says with that stupid smugness I grew up hating.

I smack him on the back again, just because I can.

He chuckles, and then mumbles, "Man, he's going to have his hands full."

I literally have no clue who the _he_ is that he's referring to. Or maybe this is all just a dream? Perhaps I'm passed out in the car from the blood boost and none of this is really happening.

I feel awake, though. Awake for the first time.

_Man, I'm such a weirdo. How do I come up with this shit?_

I continue to question if I'm dreaming until Kingsley reaches the end of the hallway and enters my mom's office. Then the dream theory becomes a hell of a lot easier to believe.

I blink and blink again at the upside-down image of my parents, Nadine, Kingsley's parents, Rhyland, and at least half a dozen strangers filling up my mom's spacious office.

"Whoa, this is a trippy dream," are the first words that leave my lips.

My mom promptly frowns. "What's wrong with her?"

Kingsley sighs. "I think she's on something."

"Tattletale," I hiss. Then I prop my hand against his back, lift my head, and brush my hair out of my face to get a better look at the scene.

Almost everyone is looking at me worriedly, except for Rhyland, who's staring down at his clenched fists, and his mom is staring at him with extreme concern. Well, and Nadine, who's glowering at me. That seems normal, though. Maybe the only thing normal about this entire situation.

My gaze shifts to my mom. "This is a dream, right?"

My mom shakes her head, appearing more on edge than I've seen her. "No, honey, it isn't. This is very real."

I rub my eyes, not fully trusting her. "Are you sure? Because this is really weird, and weird usually equals a dream."

"Okay, now I'm really curious what kind of dreams you have," Kingsley says with amusement.

I lift my hand to swat him again.

"Don't even think about it," Kingsley warns with a trace of laughter in his tone.

I pause, then lower my hand. Not because I'm scared, but my mom looks so upset.

"This isn't a dream, Raven," my mom clarifies again, then sighs. "Kingsley, you can put her down now."

"Are you sure?" Kingsley asks. "With how bratty she's acting, I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to run."

I pinch his back hard.

Shaking his head, he sets me down on the ground then steps back with his hands in front of him. "She's all yours," he tells my mom then positions himself in front of the doorway like he's some freakin' tough-ass bouncer.

I give him a dirty look, and he grins.

Shaking my head, I look back at my mom. My phone is vibrating wildly from inside my pocket, probably with messages from Effie and Anders, wondering what the hell is going on. I'm right there with them, equally as confused.

"So, if this isn't a dream, then what's going on?" I ask. "And why are all these vampires here?"

"To keep you safe." A breath eases from my lips as my mom takes my hands in hers. "Raven, honey, before I try to explain to you what's going on, I need you to tell me what you took tonight."

I glance around the room, hyperaware that everyone is watching me. And while that contentment still exists inside my veins from the blood boost, I'm starting to feel a bit of apprehension stirring deep inside my chest.

"Um... Can I take a rain check on telling you?" I ask with a hopeful smile.

"Oh, my God, this is so fucking ridiculous," Nadine mumbles, shaking her head. "Her over me. _Her_."

"Nadine," my mom warns. "You were warned."

Sighing tiredly, my dad stands up from the leather sofa he's been sitting on and moves beside me. "Raven, whatever you say—whatever you took—no one's going to be upset with you."

"I know that," I say. "You guys would be hypocrites if you were."

The crease between my mom's brows gradually vanishes. "Oh, God... please tell me you didn't... didn't drink emperor's blood."

A deep, throaty growl reverberates around the room.

_What the shit?_

"There's no way you can get upset with me," I tell her quietly. "Not when you've let Nadine do it."

My dad lets out a string of curses while another growl rumbles across the room.

_What the hell is that?_

"I'm not upset... I'm just..." My mom presses her fingers to the brim of her nose and shakes her head. "Whose blood did you drink?"

"I don't kn—"

The words die on my lips as Rhyland jumps to his feet and chucks the coffee table against the wall, shattering the metal structure into a thousand pieces that rain into the air. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he growls, a vein bulging in his neck. "This isn't how this is supposed to go. She just has to keep fucking with me, doesn't she?"

"Temper tantrum much?" I slap my hand over my mouth as soon as the words leave my lips. Kingsley was right; I am feisty when I'm riding a blood high.

Mr. Midnitegale gets to his feet and places a steady hand on Rhyland's shoulder. "Son, relax. Everything's going to be fine. We just have to wait for the blood to work out of her system. That's all. Nothing's changed."

Rhyland's fierce gaze locks on mine, his eyes burning with... well, I'm not quite sure, but it makes me step back.

I glance at my mom, her face a mixture of worry and terror. Then I glance at my dad, who is rubbing his hand across his forehead. Finally, my gaze falls to the black hardwood floors, covered in fragments of what used to be the coffee table.

"What's going on?" I whisper, no longer feeling very confident.

My mom swallows hard. "There's been a recent development... Well, development might be the wrong word." Her throat bobs again. "I guess there's no easy way to say this other than to just say it." She clutches my hand. "Earlier this week... the lead empress requested that every empress and emperor go to the Eternal Reading room... that the Eternal Readers had requested that everyone receive an unexpected reading."

"Is that normal?" I wonder aloud.

She nods, her gaze flicking toward Rhyland, a movement I find odd. "It happens occasionally, but usually it's to weed out some of the more unfit emperors and empresses who aren't doing their job properly. This time it was for a different reason." Her fingers tremble against my hand. "It was to announce a king."

My lips part in shock. "Holy shit, Hawk's friend of a friend of a friend was right."

"Who's Hawk?" Rhyland bites out, his body trembling with rage as he inches toward me.

His dad throws out his arm, holding him back. "Easy. You're too amped up right now to get that close to her. You need to calm down first. You should know better."

As my confusion soars through the roof, I find myself longing for the blood boost to return to my body, longing for that contentment again.

Ignoring Rhyland's question, I ask my mom, "So, who is he?"

She lets out a deafening breath, and then her gaze shifts to the left.

Right at Rhyland.

I cringe. Fuckety fuck of all vampires, he has the power to punish me now? He has so much _power_. Arrogant, coldhearted, lock-me-in-a-locker-and-try-to-kill-me-with-a-demon Rhyland has more power than almost any vampire in the world.

"I know what you're thinking, but it's not like that," Rhyland says, his fiery gaze carrying mine, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I promise I won't ever hurt you." Passion blazes from his eyes, a passion that shouldn't be shown toward an enemy.

I literally have no damn clue what the hell he's talking about, but something is going on. More than just Rhyland becoming king.

My gaze glides around the room at all the vampires staring at me, watching me with troubled expressions. Even Nadine looks a bit tense.

Something's not adding up. Why drag me up here to tell me Rhyland is king? We're not friends, so what's the big deal? Why not just tell me when I got home? And without the vampire mafia around. They look like the same mafia that was hanging out in his driveway earlier. Are they here to protect Rhyland?

Suddenly, all those SUVs parked next door make sense. The vampires inside are probably Rhyland's bodyguards.

"Raven." My mom's gentle tone draws my attention away from the strangers crowding the room. "There's more I need to tell you."

I swallow down a shaky breath, feeling a heightened shift in the air, as if my senses have turned up to full volume.

Giving my hand a gentle squeeze, my mom guides me over toward where Rhyland is standing. She gives Rhyland a small, encouraging nod. He returns the nod and sits down on a red leather sofa, releasing a shaky exhale. My mom then takes a seat, too, and pulls me down with her, positioning me between the two of them and leaving me very little room.

Warning flags start popping up, and I instinctively lean closer to my mom.

Rhyland sucks in an uneven inhale, as if battling to keep his temper under control. I remember how he grabbed my arm right before I left the house for the club. While his grip wasn't rough, it was intense enough to startle me. With how intense he looks right now...

I lean even closer to my mom.

"Raven, honey, you need to calm down a bit." My mom offers me a small, tense smile.

I peer around the room and frown. "It'd be much easier to do that if everyone wasn't standing there, staring at me like I'm a one fanged vampire at a freakshow."

Nodding understandingly, my mom then turns to a taller man with the greenest eyes I've ever seen. "Clear everyone out for a minute, will you? Let this be a family thing."

The man steps forward with wariness written all over his face. "I don't think that's such a good idea right now. Not with what's going on in the streets—"

My mom raises her hand, silencing him. "That wasn't a request, Cam."

He—Cam—presses his lips together and nods. Then he strides for the door. Everyone except for my family and Rhyland's files after him.

Once the room is cleared out, Kingsley takes a seat, and my dad walks over and closes the door.

"Thank God," my dad mumbles. "It was getting way too stuffy in here."

"Yes, it was," Mr. Midnitegale agrees, slumping down into a leather chair. "I know they mean well and that they're here to protect, but I'm already starting to get a blood ache from them being around, and it hasn't even been a day yet."

"Everything's going to be okay." His wife takes a seat beside him and places her hand over his. Then she offers me a tiny smile. "Raven, you look lovely tonight."

"Thanks?" I say more as a question because the statement feels strangely out of place right now.

She gives me an anxious smile in return, a nervous edge creeping into her features.

_Nervous, nervous, nervous. Everyone is so nervous._

I settle my gaze on my mom. "Will you please just tell me what's going on? Everyone's acting like the apocalypse is about to happen, and I'm starting to get really worried because I don't have my apocalypse emergency kit with me."

"It's not something bad," my mom attempts to reassure me. "What we need to tell you... it's not... bad... It's just going to be hard for you to hear." Her grip on my hand tightens. "Earlier tonight, before dinner, I was informed that an unexpected reading was told during Rhyland's reading of him becoming king. During his reading, a queen's name was announced. I wasn't told who she was yet. Just that she'd been announced. But when Rhyland—the king—showed up at our house tonight, I—all of us—were informed of who she was."

I frown. "Well, that doesn't seem very fair. Shouldn't the reading be told to the queen, and not passed along through a message? I mean, she's going to be the more powerful one. If anyone should get told directly from Fate, it should be her."

My mom's lips quirk with mild amusement. "Unfortunately, that's not always how it works. But I do agree with you."

Rhyland blows out a deafening exhale. "So do I."

The sound of his voice has me leaning even closer to my mom. "So, who's the unlucky girl?"

"Hey," Rhyland protests, though a smile threatens to turn upward on his lips. "I take that as an insult."

"Good. That's how I meant it." I roll my tongue in my mouth to stop from saying anything else that might piss the king off. Although, it takes a hell of a lot of effort.

Instead of getting upset, though, amusement glitters in his eyes.

"Well, it really sucks that _you_ see it like that."

And just like that, reality is no longer smacking me across the face. It's crushing me into the ground, into thousands of pieces, like the coffee table scattered across the floor.

"Wait a minute... It's not... I'm not." I shake my head in denial. "Nope. There's no way."

My mom holds on to me for dear life. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you are. You're the queen."

# 7

The words replay in my mind like a scratched record.

_You're the queen._

_You're the queen._

_You're the queen._

The words make no sense. None of this does.

"Are you sure it's not a mistake?" My voice cracks. "Maybe the reading meant another Raven Olliviord."

My mom is still grasping my hand. "Honey, Fate, the readings, they don't make mistakes. Not with this."

"But you told me earlier tonight that Nadine might not become an empress, even though the reading told her so." I'm panicking and latching on to any excuse, any alternative that will get me out of this situation.

A sneer twists at Nadine's lips and she opens her mouth to say who knows what, but my dad shoots her a don't-even-think-about-it look. Strangely, for once, Nadine listens.

"No, I said that the reading said she'd _probably_ become an empress." My mom's tone is soft and cautious, like she's talking to a spooked bat. "It never said she definitely would, so we won't know for sure until training invites get sent out. But this..." She stares up at the glass ceiling, at the stars, as if cursing the heavens. I question if I'm not the only one upset about this. "There are no maybes with this." When she looks at me, her eyes are watery. "You are the queen. The first queen in over a century."

Tears sting my eyes. Sure, I sometimes dreamed of becoming an empress, but the queen...? The title is so important, so powerful.

"But I'm not even powerful. In fact, I'm below average. How can I be queen?"

She squeezes my hand. "You'll get your powers... eventually. And it makes sense why your powers haven't manifested yet. They were waiting for the reading, for Fate to announce it was time. It's why you've been so tired and cold lately—your body is starting to change. Your father and I were getting a little worried when you told us... And I had just learned a queen had been chosen." She shakes her head. "Looking back, with how you've been acting lately, I should've known it was time. But you're so young—younger than all the rest of the previous queens—so I was hoping I was wrong."

Panic seizes me by the throat, and I desperately struggle to find a way—an excuse—that this isn't true. "But I haven't even gotten my Eternal Reading yet."

"You still will on your birthday," my mom promises. "Just be warned that it will confirm you're queen."

I latch on to the word _probably_ , even though I doubt she meant it that way, hoping upon hoping that maybe Fate will retract my royal title. I feel like a coward for thinking it, but I know I'm not strong enough to rule over and protect the entire vampire population from crazy rebellions and fights, like the one that just happened outside the club. Not when I can barely super speed without face planting.

"What am I supposed to do until my Eternal Reading, then?" I ask, staring down at my hands.

"You'll start training and learning about what is required to become queen." Her voice is tight. "And you'll have to be under constant surveillance until your powers manifest, which will take some time. Until then, you won't have the power to protect yourself yet, which will leave you very vulnerable."

A frown touches my lips as I look up at her. "From vampires who are going to try to assassinate me?"

Her eyes slightly widen. "Why would you automatically think that?"

I shrug. "Hawk told me something like that a little earlier."

"Who's this Hawk?" Rhyland asks, inching closer to me. "You keep mentioning him, but I've never heard you mention him before."

He's been so quiet I almost forgot he was there. I almost wish I could've completely forgotten. Forget not only about me being a queen, but that Rhyland is the king. From the little bit that I understand, the king and queen work together, meaning that, if Fate decides to permanently ink me with the queen title, I'll be working with Rhyland until the day my body withers to ash.

_Lovely. Just lovely. And what happens when he tries to lock me in a locker again and lets a demon loose? How can I ever trust him?_

_I can't._

"Hawk's a bouncer at the club," I explain without looking at him. "We were talking about the king and queen earlier."

He scoots closer to me, his leg pressing against mine. "Which one?"

I lift my gaze to him then nearly shrink back from the iciness in his eyes. He's pissed off? Why?

I inch toward my mom, while Rhyland immediately steals the space right back.

"Which bouncer were you talking to?" His eyes are like ice.

I shrug. "One of the ones out front... Why the hell does it even matter?"

He clenches his hands into fists. "It matters because I'm going to—"

"Rhyland," my mom warns, but her lips threaten to turn upward. "Despite your condition, I won't let you off the hook if you kill my favorite bouncer."

I glance at her, wondering if she's joking. "What condition?"

My mom trades a troubled glance with my father, then with Mr. and Mrs. Midnitegale. My mind races with all sorts of terrible ideas of what could possibly be going on with Rhyland. Rhyland, who I'm supposed to work with. Forever.

"Mom, please tell me what's going on," I practically beg.

Her eyes are overflowing with worry as she looks back at me. "Unlike the queen, the king gets his powers the moment he gets the reading. It's what's known as The Rushing. And The Rushing is so powerful that the king can struggle to keep his newfound powers under control. With time, he'll learn, but the first couple of weeks can be a little"—she pulls a wary face—"intense. And if he's not careful, he can end up making stupid, irrational decisions." She shoots Rhyland a harsh glance.

"So, Rhyland's acting like a jacked up, bloodthirsty vampire because he's struggling with his powers?" I tense when Rhyland growls again. Then I relax, remembering that I'm queen—well, maybe—and that there's a chance he can't do anything to me.

Kingsley chokes on a laugh. "This is always so much fun to watch. She hates him so much, and he l..." His words fade as his mom gets up and smacks him upside the head. "Ow, what the hell?"

"Watch what you say," she warns, wagging a finger at him. "This isn't your secret to tell."

"Another secret," I groan at the amount of drama being dumped on me. "I don't think I can take much more."

"Just be strong and hang in there, okay?" my mom says. "You're tough, Raven. If anyone can handle this, it's you."

Nadine lets out a bitter laugh. "No, if anyone can handle this, it's me. It should've been me."

"No, it shouldn't have," Rhyland states, his dark gaze boring into her. "You're too arrogant, which would make for an awful queen."

Nadine's eyes narrow to slits. "Fuck you, Rhyland. Just because you're king, doesn't mean—"

"Yes, it does." Rhyland's cold tone sends eerie warmth across my chilled skin. "It means a lot more than you think. A lot more than you'll ever realize."

"So, you're going to just what"—she folds her arms, glaring at him—"throw our friendship away now that you're royalty?"

"I was never friends with you to begin with; you just didn't know. No one did. No one knew anything about what was really going on, except for a handful of us," he mumbles so quietly I can barely hear him.

I glance around, curious if anyone else knows what he's talking about, but no one else appears to have heard him at all. I did, though. I heard him loud and clear. And his statement only makes my puzzlement crack even more.

What is he talking about? He was never friends with her? Sure as hell fooled me.

Raising his voice, Rhyland says, "We have bigger problems to worry about right now than whether you and I are still friends, Nadine." He twists to face me, the iciness in his eyes melting like thawing blood. "Whose blood did you drink tonight?"

I stare at him with what I hope is a neutral expression. "That's not any of your business."

His lips twitch, either from amusement or irritation. "It's completely and one hundred percent my business. I'm king."

I resist an eye roll. "Well, I'm queen, so technically, I have more power than you, which means, if I don't want to tell you something, I don't really have to."

His fangs briefly descend from his gums, but he hastily smashes his lips together. After taking a measured breath, he leans in so closely I can feel the chill of his breath. "You're not more powerful than me _yet_."

"Is that a threat?" I ask in a low, shaky tone as all the hate I've ever felt for him threatens to explode.

He quickly shakes his head. "No, not at all." A crease forms at his brow. "I already promised you that I wouldn't hurt you." His throat muscles work as he swallows hard, and his eyes soften in a way I've never seen before. "And if I ever do one thing right in my life, it'll be that."

The passionate look on his face throws me off balance. For some reason, it makes fear lash through my veins. _What is he up to? He must be up to something._

"Too bad you didn't make that promise a decade ago," I bite, refusing to cower. Still, I'm nervous. I can't help feeling that way.

For years, Rhyland has tormented and tricked me, and I can't help wondering if perhaps this nice guy thing he's pulling is just another trick. I might be wrong. Maybe him being king means he has to be nice to me. I'm not about to let my guard down, though.

"You have no idea what's been going on over the last decade," he grits out, his body stiffening. "What I've been do... What you..." He gulps, looking away, but not before I detect a flash of pain in his eyes.

The look makes me pause. Almost makes me ask him what he means. Almost makes me soften toward him.

Then he opens his mouth and ruins it.

"And FYI, no matter what happened over the last decade, it's my business to know whose blood you drank." That I-don't-give-a-shit-about-anything smile rises on his lips. "Just like it's my business to make sure you never drink anyone else's blood again."

"So, you want me to die?" I ask. "It doesn't even matter if you do. King or not, you don't control me."

He studies me blankly, although his eyes flicker with a drop of intensity. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Yep, I must be stupid," I snap with a shake of my head.

His smile starts to plummet. "That's not what I—"

"Why does this even matter?" I cut him off, holding up my hand, then turn to my mom. "So, I took a little blood boost. Who cares? It didn't even do much, except make me feel content. Which, according to the rumor in the crypt, that's not how I was supposed to feel."

My mom chews on her thumbnail, something I haven't seen her do since word first started spreading about the rebellions. "Well, that's not how a normal vampire should feel, but for you—the queen—that's a normal reaction, unless you drink the right kind of blood."

"The right kind of blood? Wait... Do I have to start drinking a different kind of blood now?" I wince, hoping to all hungry vampires that I don't have to start drinking, like, pig's blood or something similarly disgusting.

Her gaze flits to Rhyland then back to me. "From now on, after the blood boost clears from your system, you'll have to start drinking the king's blood straight from the vein. If you don't, you'll never get your powers, which means you won't be strong enough to save our vampire world from self-destruction. And the world needs you, Raven—we need you—to restore order before everyone winds up dead."

Blood roars in my eardrums.

_No, this can't be happening!_

_This can't..._

_Drinking his blood...? Drinking any vampire's blood straight from the vein is too..._

_It's too intimate. Too sexy._

_I don't want that with Rhyland!_

How can this be happening? After spending years friendless, practically all alone and missing out on almost every fun high school experience, I finally start living life, start being able to dance with guys and having them try to give me my first experience of a bite, and now I'm being told that will never happen? That Rhyland gets that.

Tears sting my eyes. I shake my head, refusing to look anyone in the eye. "No, I won't do it." I scoot to the edge of the sofa, debating all the ways I can bolt out of the room. I don't know where I'll go or what I'll do. Only that I need to escape. To think. To do something other than be in this room.

Trapped. I feel so trapped.

My mom clutches my hand, either in desperation or because she senses I'm about to run. "Raven, you have to. If you don't... you'll never be able to become queen."

"I don't want to be queen," I whisper, my body trembling.

"I know you might not want to," she says softly. "But you were chosen for it, which means you were meant for it."

"All because some stupid Eternal Readers said I am," I bite out. "If they knew me, knew how useless I am, they would've picked someone else."

"You know that's not how it works," my mom says. "The Eternal Readers only pass along the messages from Fate. And Fate knows what it's doing, knows that the rebellions are getting too powerful, and that pretty soon, they'll be the ones in charge, ruling over us."

I hear what she's saying—I really do—but a rage so potent is roaring inside my chest.

My veins warm with power, sending adrenaline coursing through me and giving me the courage to jump to my feet. "Well, screw Fate. It made the wrong decision and needs to pick someone better."

My fangs slip from my gums, and in one swift heartbeat, I shove my dad out of the way and bolt out the door.

I've never moved that fast in my life before. My heart sinks, knowing what that most likely means.

_I really am queen._

The revelation sends more fear pouring through me.

I turn to run down the hallway, but the vampire mafia are now standing near the staircase, blocking my exit route.

Cam, who seems to be the main vamp in charge, notices me before anyone else does. He doesn't look very surprised to see me, as if he expected me to run.

"Raven." He approaches me cautiously, moving for a gun in his shoulder holster. I wonder if he'll shoot me or if the move is only threatening. "Take it easy. It's not safe for you to go anywhere alone right now."

_Will it ever be again?_

I step back toward my mom's office, unsure of where to go, but knowing I have to go somewhere else besides here where the walls feel like they're closing in.

"I knew you were going to be a pain in the ass," Kingsley's arrogant laced voice sails from over my shoulder. "You always are."

_Trapped._

_I'm trapped._

Panic soars through my body as a female vampire from the vampire mafia, along with a male, move beside Cam. Then the three of them start toward me.

_No, I can't be trapped yet. I just can't._

_Find a way out._

I glance up and down the hallway, then my eyes dart to the ceiling. The ceiling made of glass. And a couple of those windows just happen to be open.

_Jackpot._

_Can I make it?_

Sucking in a huge breath, I don't give myself time to think. I spring on my toes and push up, sailing for the window.

I sail up...

And up...

And up...

I leap out of the window and land gracefully on the roof.

_Holy jumping vampires, I can't believe I made it._

They said my powers hadn't even kicked in yet, either, so just how powerful will I become?

_Powerful enough to rid the world of evil, murderous vampires._

Guilt crushes my chest.

_Maybe running is the wrong thing to do._

When my gaze travels back down, Rhyland is standing in the midst of vampires, preparing to jump through the window after me. And he's smirking. Fucking smirking.

The guilt inside me shatters into a thousand raging pieces.

I don't think anymore.

I jump off the roof.

If I thought my queen powers had unexpectedly surfaced, vampire, oh vampire, was I wrong. Because, when I land from the three-story fall, I roll my ankle and fall face first into the ground, right near the line of vampires still waiting to get into the club. Some gasp. Some laugh. Some snicker and point. It's like high school all over again.

_Graceful, Raven, real graceful._

_So much for being a badass queen._

Forcing myself to shake off the embarrassing fall, I stumble to my feet and run like hell away from the club.

Away from my family.

Away from the king.

Away from my fate.

# 8

Don't hate me just yet. While I did take off running away from my future, I feel guilty about my decision. And eventually, I'll return to my fate, or whatever you want to call this curse looming over me. First, I need a timeout to think, to breathe, to process everything that's happening. That my future, which felt like it had finally just started, is no longer mine.

I'll admit that I'm the afraid, frightened little vampire I spent years being. I don't want to be her again, but she's a ghost, hanging out inside my body, reminding me that I still get scared. That I'm terrified right now.

As if I can outrun the fear, I continue sprinting down the sidewalk until I end up near some boarded-up stores and shops lining the eviler side of Mystic Willow Bay. The air is quiet except for faint screams echoing from nearby. From demons doing something sinister probably.

I slow to a stop, trying not to panic. Out of all the places to run, I came here. What was I thinking?

A rational voice whispers in my ear, _You weren't thinking; that's the problem._

That voice. That stupid, obnoxious voice.

I grit my teeth. _How did you get into my head?_

_It's a secret,_ Rhyland whispers, his playful tone like fangs on metal.

_Well, leave me alone._

_Not until you tell me where you are._

_Never._

_Raven, just tell me._ His gentle tone only irks me more.

How the heck did he get inside my head? The only vampire that should be able to do that is my soulmate, and Rhyland sure as hell isn't that. If anything, he's my anti-soulmate.

Maybe it's a weird king-queen gift or something.

_Raven?_ Rhyland's voice fills my head again. _I need to know where you are. It's too dangerous for you to be alone right now._

_Not any more dangerous than being around you, I'm sure._

_What's that supposed to mean?_

_Like you don't know._

He doesn't respond, and I latch on to the silence, walking down the sidewalk. I keep my pace quick, trying to ignore the feeling that I'm being watched. Every store in the area is boarded up, giving anyone the opportunity to watch me without me being able to see them.

Rhyland is right. I shouldn't be alone right now.

I fish my phone out of my pocket to call someone to come pick me up. I've missed ten calls from Effie, three from Anders, and a countless number of texts. The last one I received was from Effie, with a simple: **Where the heck are you!!! I'm getting worried!!!**

I tap my fingers against buttons as I reply.

**Me: Something crazy happened and I had to bail from the club. Can you come pick me up?**

Her response is almost immediate.

**Effie: Of course. Where are you? And seriously, what happened?**

**Me: I'm downtown near all those fields and warehouses. As for what happened... it's a long story.**

**Effie: Why the hell are you out there? Do you know how dangerous it is at night over there?**

**Me: Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to come here. It just sort of happened.**

The screen abruptly lights up with an incoming call from Effie.

"Hey," I answer as I powerwalk toward the direction of the main part of town. "Are you heading to come get me?"

"Yep, Anders and I are heading your way right now," she says. "Anders is driving, though, so I can talk to you and give you my complete attention, because I figure you're going to need it."

She's right, but...

"How do you figure that?"

"Because the last time I saw you, Kingsley was storming up the stairs of the club with you over his shoulder."

I frown. "You saw that?"

"Hell yeah, I did. Everyone did. And I tried to run after you to see why that asshat was practically vampire-napping you, but these huge-ass dudes came up and blocked the stairway and wouldn't let me up there. I started freaking out, making a huge scene, and then that Hawk guy came and threw me out of the club. What a freakin' jerk. He flirts with you, but then has the audacity to throw out your BFF?"

I snort a laugh. "Hawk wasn't flirting with me."

Now she's the one to snort a laugh. "Oh, my ditzy vampires, Rave. I love you to death, but sometimes you can be so clueless."

I replay the conversation Hawk and I had.

"We were just talking."

"Yeah, while he looked at you like you were some sort of velvet blood cake dessert he wanted to devour."

"That's not how he was looking at me!" My cheeks stupidly warm.

"He so was."

I grimace, unsure how I feel about the idea of one of my mother's workers looking at me like I'm some yummy cake. I mean, I haven't ever thought of him in that kind of way. Although, now that I think about it, I guess he is pretty good-looking. And funny. And he makes me smile every time I see him...

A thought sucker punches me from out of nowhere.

If I'm only ever supposed to drink the king's—Rhyland's—blood, then how am I ever supposed to be in a relationship with anyone? How is any guy going to be okay with that? They won't be, unless I can find a very understanding vampire. Even if I did, drinking from each other's veins is an important step when a vampire makes a commitment to a relationship, and I'll never be able to do that.

"Well, even if he was flirting with me, it doesn't matter." Tears burn in my eyes as the brutal truth opens in front of me. "I'll never get to be with a guy ever."

"What are you talking about?" Effie asks. "Of course you will. You have so many options, Rave. You just can't see it."

She doesn't get what I'm saying. I open my mouth to explain it to her, to explain that I'm the queen, when fingers wrap around my wrist and jerk me back. The phone slips from my hands and crashes against the ground.

"Well, well, well," a male voice purrs in my ear. "What do we have here? Fresh meat for me to taste." A nose presses against my neck. "Tell me, sweetheart, what're you doing all alone in a place like this?"

The way _sweetheart_ purrs from his tongue sounds so familiar. When he steps around in front of me, into the moonlight, I realize why.

The vampire with the red eyes.

The vampire who was part of the fight that happened in front of my mom's club.

The vampire who was at the school the day the demon attacked.

And he's not alone. At least ten other vampires slink from the shadows of the surrounding buildings and surround me.

Trap me.

And all of them look hungry.

Ready to devour.

# 9

As I stand there, watching them circle me, licking their lips and nipping their fangs, I wonder what will happen if they drink my blood. That part of being queen was never explained to me.

While my initial instinct is to cower, I remind myself that I am the queen. That I am strong. I just wish I could feel that strength.

"Stay away," I warn, cringing at the tremble in my voice.

A tall, female vampire with long, black hair walks up. "Aw, look at her trying to be brave. It's adorable."

Red eyes steps up beside her and studies me with his head tilted to the side, just like he did in the hallway years ago. Does he recognize me? Because he hasn't acted like it yet.

"It's definitely adorable. She's adorable." The way he says it isn't flattering.

"I'm not adorable. And if you try to hurt me, you're going to pay." I'm all fake confidence as I struggle over what to do.

Either I can attack and hope my queen powers kick in completely. Though, according to everyone, that won't happen yet. Or I can try to find a way to distract them and run.

Figuring my best bet is to run, I rack my brain for a distraction. But red eyes distracts me as he ambles toward me.

"So, Raven, I've gotta say, I'm very surprised to see you again." He stuffs his hands into the back pockets of his blood-stained jeans.

I force down the lump wedged in my throat. "You remember me?"

"Of course I remember you." He steals another bit of the space between us. "The girl who I was told was dead."

I blink in shock. " _What_?"

His lips twist into a smirk. "He never told you?"

I dare another step back, instantly slamming to a stop as a shorter, male vampire with bright green hair takes a nip at me. "Who never told me what?"

His grin broadens, his sharp fangs glinting in the silver moonlight. "I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't tell you just yet; drag the anticipation out for a while until you're ready to beg." He whisks forward, getting in my face before I can even take my next blink. "I know he'd like to make you beg for a lot of things... But maybe I'll take that chance away from him."

"Who's he?" I ask as I start to step back.

"Someone I thought wouldn't be stupid enough to let you wander around here alone. Or maybe you just ran off." The way he looks at me, as if all my secrets are carved across my skin, makes me shudder.

With a pleased grin on his face, he darts his hand out, his thin but surprisingly strong fingers wrapping around my throat. "Now, no more talking. Not until I get to taste your blood and see if you're the one."

My heart plummets to my stomach as he lifts me up until my feet no longer touch the ground. _The one?_ Does he know I might be the queen? If so, why is he trying to hurt me?

"But you're an emperor. You took a vow never to hurt an innocent vampire." I gasp as his fingers constrict.

Panic flares through me as my ability to breathe is ripped away. Sure, he can't kill me by strangulation, but not being able to breathe is painful for a vampire. And, if he grips my neck tightly enough to snap the bones, it'll take me months to heal.

"I stopped caring about that vow the day they kicked me out," he growls in my face. "The day he stabbed me in the back." He leans back, only to dip his lips toward my neck. "Fuck, you smell good. Innocent. Pure." He lifts his head to glance at me. "Have you ever been bitten before?"

"Leave... me... alone," I growl out through my ragged breathing.

His sinister grin makes my stomach clench. "Yeah, you're definitely a virgin biter." He wets his blood-stained lips with his tongue and then lowers his head to my neck again. "Don't worry; I'll be gentle."

_No! Not like this!_

I let out a roaring scream that echoes through the night as I swing my leg forward, the tip of my shoe colliding with his manly parts. He cries out in pain, his hand slipping from my neck.

I drop to the ground hard, but quickly stumble to my feet, preparing to run. But the other vampires close in on me, growling, their eyes glowing yellow...

I blink. Then blink again.

Since when do vampires' eyes glow yellow? That's usually a demon or werewolf trait. But I can sense their blood is connected to mine and their sharp fangs mark them as vampires, so they must be vampires...

Aren't they?

"There's nowhere to run." Red eyes moves up behind me. "The rebellion is coming whether you run or not." He grabs me by the back of my neck and jerks me back lightning quick, his fangs grazing my skin enough that a drop of blood trickles out. He tenses, sniffing me. "You're different..."

_Does he know?_

He tightens his fingers around my neck, his palm scorching my skin, burning my flesh, sending blinding pain through my body. I don't know what's happening, but I refuse to back down.

I ball my hands into fists and start to lift my foot to knee him in the balls again when a shadowy figure zips by me at an alarming speed, even in vampire terms. A cry pierces against the silence of the night as three vampires vanish from the circle around me.

"What the...?" red eyes whispers from behind me. His grip loosens, the blazing pain extinguishing from my body.

Seizing the distraction, I whirl around and kick him between the legs. I repeat the movement again, and then go in for a third kick, when he catches my foot.

"Nice try," he growls, kinking my leg into an awkward angle.

The sounds of bones snapping shatter the darkness as pain splinters up my leg.

Red eyes laughs darkly, leaning over me as I fall to the ground. "Think you could get away from me? News flash: I always get what I want. And now that I know what I want..." He opens his mouth, fangs out, ready to plunge into my flesh...

The shadowy figure zooms out of nowhere and knocks him to the concrete.

I blink and the figure gradually comes into focus. Then I blink again, more out of shock of the male vampire standing in front of me.

Rhyland is the shadowy figure? Rhyland can move that swiftly?

Rhyland crouches down and pins red eyes to the ground, his fingers wrapped around his throat. "You have no right to put your filthy hands on her."

Red eyes lets out a choking laugh. "I see nothing's changed. Still trying to protect everyone."

Rhyland leans in toward red eyes, his low tone deathly chilling. "Not trying. _Doing_." He reaches into his jacket, retrieves a gun, and aims the barrel at red eyes' forehead. "Ever tasted demon's venom, Gabe?"

Seeing the two of them together brings back the memory of when I overheard them in the hallway. They were plotting something then, but now they act like immortal enemies. Then again, red eyes, who I now know is Gabe, said he was kicked out from the emperors' circle, so maybe that's why.

Gabe's chuckle drips with venom. "You know I haven't." He lifts his head until the barrel is pressed against his forehead. "But there's one thing I know that you don't."

Rhyland cocks the gun, his lips curling into a grin. "I might not now, but after a little torturing, I'm sure I will. And we both know how much you hate torture."

Gabe's grin reflects Rhyland's. "Yes, but there's one small, minor problem in your plan. You have to catch me to torture me." His grin magnifies before he vanishes into the darkness, leaving nothing but dust in his place.

I snap out of my trance, and my gaze darts to the other vampires, only to find them gone and Cam and his mafia vampires now shadowing the sidewalks and field around me.

"What were you thinking, running off like that?" Cam hisses as he strides toward me. "Are you crazy?"

"I panicked, okay?" I cup my hand around my neck where Gabe choked me, the muscles aching. I also can't put any weight on my leg that snapped. Dammit, he broke the bone, I think, which will take at least a couple of days to heal.

"Well, your panicking almost got you killed." Cam stops in front of me, clutching a gun. "And your stupid mistake almost cost you—cost all of us."

"I'm sorry." I don't know what else to say. I feel awful. At the same time, I felt so trapped when I decided to run off.

I still feel trapped.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it." He stuffs his gun in his shoulder holster. "Not when the entire vampire population is riding on you not being stupid. This is our last chance."

My lips part to tell him to go to hell, that yeah, I made a mistake, but calling me stupid isn't going to help, but Rhyland beats me to the punch.

"Cam." Rhyland's voice rings with authority as he gracefully moves up beside me, his arm brushing mine. "I'm going to give you a second to step back and think about who you're talking to. This will be your one and only chance. If you do it again, you will be punished."

Cam slowly blinks, the fury that was raging war in his eyes vanishing. "I'm sorry, my king." He bows to both Rhyland then me before backing away.

The rest of the vampire mafia turn around and face the streets and fields opposite us, but don't make any move to step away.

"What the heck's up with the bowing?" I mumble as Cam walks farther down the sidewalk, muttering incoherently to himself.

"You're the queen, and I'm the king," Rhyland says as if that explains everything.

"We haven't been crowned officially yet," I stress without looking at him, trying to put all my weight on my good leg. "And I'm still holding on to the hope that the Eternal Reading will announce a mistake on my part."

"There wasn't a mistake." His voice conveys confidence.

I turn and meet his gaze. "You don't know that for sure."

"Yes, I do. And you want to know why?" He winks at me. "Because I know everything." He gives me a cocky smile, and I wince. The smile evaporates into confusion mixed with a droplet of frustration. "Why did you just wince when I smiled at you?"

I shrug, biting my bottom lip. "Because every other time you smiled at me like that I ended up either trapped in an attic or a locker or a closet. Or you grabbed me when I was walking out of my house."

He dips his head toward me, his deep tone reverberating across my skin. "I didn't want you leaving the house for this very reason. But you wouldn't listen."

"Of course I didn't." I refuse to step back, though I desperately want to. But I don't want to appear afraid. Plus, the move will only bring more pain to my broken leg. "Maybe if you would've explained it to me, I would've..." I trail off as his brows rise and he gives an insinuating glance at the dilapidated stores, shops, and houses around us. "Okay, you know what? Maybe I still would've ran away. I'm sorry, okay? I know it was a stupid move, but I was—still am—freaking out."

I sit down as my leg throbs with pain and my head begins to pulsate. Great. I'm getting a blood headache, probably because I'm hungry. And, according to everyone, the only blood I can drink is Rhyland's. Rhyland who has, up until today, never done anything other than torture me. Who locked me in that locker. Who was talking to Gabe that day...

"How did that Gabe guy turn into dust? Did you stake him?"

"No," Rhyland replies tightly, staring down at me with his brows furrowed.

I squint up at him. "Then what happened to him?"

Rhyland shifts his weight, tensely massaging the back of his neck. "Gabe has a gift..."

"What sort of gift?"

"A gift he shouldn't have."

"What do you mean?"

Rhyland glances around the area, then offers me his hand. "I'll explain more, but not here"—his gaze flicks to the field—"where anyone can hear us."

I don't want to take his hand, nor do I want to go with him, but I don't really have a choice. Not after what happened. Not when I can't get to my feet without help. So, I place my hand in his and let him pull me to my feet. Then I jerk my hand away and limp forward, trying not to wince from the aching pain in my leg.

Rhyland walks beside me, staring at my leg. "What happened?"

I shrug. "I think that Gabe dude broke my leg." I touch a hand to my neck. "He tried to choke me, too, and his hand burned my skin."

Rhyland stops me by putting a hand on my shoulder, his widened, panicked eyes assessing my neck. "He burnt your neck?"

I nod. "Yeah, it was weird."

He grinds his teeth. "God-fucking-dammit. I hate that fucking bastard."

"When did that happen?" I ask dryly. "Because, the last time I saw him, he was with you, and you guys seemed..." I waver, trying to figure out the right word. "Conspiratorial."

He swallows hard. "That wasn't what you think."

"You don't even know what I think."

"Yes, I do." His gaze welds with mine. "Because it's what I wanted you to think it was."

"So, you're saying that you really didn't shove me into my locker in hopes that the demon you let loose in the school would kill me?"

"No."

That's all he says. No offered explanation of the truth. No what he and Gabe were conspiring that night. No why he shoved me in the locker at all.

Ready to leave, I step forward, when he captures my arm. "You shouldn't be walking around on that leg while it's hurt," he whispers. "Let me carry you."

It takes all my willpower not to laugh. "No thanks."

"Raven, I..." He struggles for words. "Please, just let me carry you. It's my job as king not to let you be in pain. And to take care of you."

"Well, it's my job as queen to take care of myself." I wiggle my arm from his grip.

"That's not true." He walks beside me, warily watching me struggle as I limp toward the black SUVs parked on the street, which I'm assuming belong to the vampire mafia surrounding us. "It's my job to take care of you. In fact, it's the rules."

"Well, if that's really true, then I know the first thing I'm going to do once I officially become queen." I stop at the curb to catch my breath.

"And what's that?" He sounds partially amused with a bleeding drop of wariness.

I smile sweetly at him. "Change the rule to the queen being able to take care of herself. She shouldn't have to rely on someone to do that for her."

His lips twitch in amusement. "You can do that, but you're still going to need help. No one can take on that job without help."

"Yeah, so? Maybe I'll put in a request to find my own help." I lift my chin and give him a sassy smile, despite the pain in my leg. "Maybe I'll eliminate the role of the king altogether."

"Hate to break it to you, but that can't happen." He reaches out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Rules or not, you and I are stuck with each other forever."

My mood splatters like spilled blood. Great. Just what every vampire wants to hear from their sworn enemy—the words _stuck_ and _forever_ in the same sentence.

Sighing, I turn away from him and face the street. "Which car am I riding in?"

He points to the largest SUV. "Climb into the back of that one."

"Okay." I pause as I notice almost every mafia vampire is watching us. "So, what's the deal with all these vampires? Are they, like, your bodyguards or something?"

"They're _our_ guards. They're all emperors and empresses, and you can trust them with your life."

"But there's so many."

"That's because your life is very important. The most important, probably." He studies me, his eyes searching mine. "You'll also have a few personal guards as well, but we'll get to all of that tomorrow."

I shift more of my weight to my uninjured leg. "You make it sound like you're the boss."

"I'm not," he replies without missing a beat. "But since I've been through training, I do know more about this than you. And we're going to be so close that everyone figured I could be the one to teach you what I know. You know, guide you into becoming queen."

_Close. We're going to be close. How close?_

"Who's everyone?"

"The emperors and empresses, the society... Fate." He cups my cheek and his thumb skims my cheekbone.

As my eyelashes start to flutter, I lean away from his touch. _I refuse to let my body react to him that way just because we're king and queen._

"Fate?"

He reluctantly nods as his hand falls to his side. "I was told a few other things during my Eternal Reading that was just between Fate and me. Things I'm supposed to eventually tell you."

I open my mouth to ask more questions, but he places his finger against my lips.

"Let's not have this conversation here, okay?" He waits for me to nod before lifting his finger from my lips.

I silently limp across the street. He walks beside me, watching me struggle with his hands fisted at his sides. I can tell he's fighting the need to pick me up and carry me, but he thankfully doesn't, doing what I asked for maybe the first time in my life.

I just wish I could trust him. With everything that's happened, though, I don't think I can. Too much painful history hovers between us. Plus, I have a feeling he's keeping stuff from me. I need to find out what.

# 10

After I hop into the backseat of the SUV, I send Effie a text while Rhyland wanders off somewhere.

**Me: No need to come get me. I've already been picked up.**

She replies with an endless amount of questions. Unsure what I can tell her, I reply that I'll call her tomorrow and try to explain everything. I hate that I might have to lie to her. Maybe if I talk to my mom, I can get the go-ahead to tell Effie the truth. Doubtful, since everyone is making such a big deal about no one finding out I'm the queen until my powers manifest.

A few minutes later, Rhyland returns to the SUV and scoots onto the seat beside me. He rolls up a window that divides the front part of the car from the back and I feel the vehicle drive forward.

"Where are we going?" I rest back in the seat. "I'm hoping home."

"We are," he mutters quietly, rolling up his sleeve. "We need to fix your leg and get rid of the burns on your skin." Once he gets his sleeves rolled up, he reaches for my neck. When I stiffen, he freezes. "Relax, I'm just looking at the burns."

"Oh." I try to hold still as his fingertips brush along my collarbone.

His touch is surprisingly warm, like gooey blood cookies fresh from the oven, and I have the strangest compulsion to moan. I bite down on my lip, stifling the noise.

What in the dark underworld is wrong with me? Since when do I react that way toward Rhyland?

"How did he even burn me?" My eyelids lower as I sink into a content state. "Gabe, I mean."

"Like I said, he has a gift." He sketches his finger along the base of my neck, the coldness of his breath dusting along my skin. "He's what some call a Fire Vampire because he possesses the fire magic of dragons."

My eyes pop open and my breath catches in my throat, partly over what he said and partly because he's closer than I expected. Right there, leaning over me, his lips mere inches from mine.

I press back against the seat, attempting to put space between us. "I didn't realize vampires could possess dragon magic."

He wets his lips with his tongue as he studies my neck. "They can't. Not without help."

My pulse quickens the longer he stares at my neck. "I'm not sure what you mean."

He moves his fingers up to my racing pulse, and then his tongue slips out of his lips again. "It means, someone made him that way."

"Like, created him?"

"Sort of." He drags his gaze off my neck and focuses on my eyes, but keeps his fingers pressed to my pulse. "I don't know how much you know about the rebellions, but what a lot of the public doesn't know is that it's not just normal vampires trying to raid the streets and overthrow the council. The leader of the rebellion has made reconstructed vampires that are stronger with a hell of a lot of power. Magical power that's been stolen from other creatures."

I gulp down an anxious breath. "Like Gabe's fire dragon power?"

He nods. "He wasn't always like that. The first time you met him, he wasn't."

"But he was an emperor." It's not a question, but he nods, anyway.

"He was. By then, the council had become suspicious of where his loyalties lay. They thought he might be secretly working for the rebellion."

"Who is the leader of the rebellion?"

His fingers twitch. "No one knows for sure."

I have a feeling he's lying, but don't know why. Then again, this is Rhyland...

"If Gabe's so terrible then why were you with him that day at the school?"

Another twitch of his fingers, an indication that he's lying, I think.

"I was trying to find out what he was up to," he says.

"You were working undercover?" I ask. "How? That's an emperor's job and you hadn't even gotten your Eternal Reading yet."

He sucks on his lip ring, deliberating something. "I can't really get into that right now, but you need to understand that not everything you've seen over the years was real. That's very important."

"So, you're saying you really didn't shove me into the locker the day the demon got loose?" I question with an arched brow.

"No, that's not what I'm saying," he grimaces with a frown.

"Then what are you saying?" My tone comes out less clipped than I wanted. "Other than you can't tell me much of anything."

"I will when I can," he assures me. "What I can tell you is that there are a ton of vampires like Gabe who are not only trying to overthrow the council and most of the vampire population, but are going to try to come after you. And if they find out who you are before you get all of your powers and break the..." His throat bobs as he traces his finger along my collarbone before returning his fingertips to my hammering pulse. "But don't worry; there are a ton of vampires, including me, who are going to make sure that doesn't happen."

"They might already know what I am," I say quietly. "Gabe said something about me being different."

He shakes his head. "He doesn't know yet. If he did, he would've put up a hell of a fight to try to kill you. Not just vanish into ash." His lips thin into a firm line. "If he sensed something was different with you, he'll definitely be back." When I start to frown, he smirks. "Don't worry. Despite your self-proclaimed rule that the queen is supposed to take care of herself, you will be protected."

I roll my eyes, but relief douses over me. "I'm glad I'll be protected, but I also want to be able to protect myself in case something like what happened tonight happens again."

"It won't happen again, because you won't be running off alone again." A fire smolders in his eyes. As rapidly as the flame ignited, it fizzles into smoke. "But I like the idea of you being able to protect yourself, so you can start training with me every day if you want to." The corners of his lips quirk. "I'll have to go easy on you until your full powers manifest."

"And I'll make sure I return the favor once they do," I quip with a smirk.

He smirks back, but his smile falters. "I do have some bad news about the burn Gabe gave you... It's not curable with vampire's blood. But drinking vampire blood will keep it from spreading."

"How do I get rid of it completely?"

"With dragon's fire."

"You cure a dragon fire burn with dragon's fire? That doesn't make any sense."

"Everything in life rarely does."

"Are you sure you're not lying to me and trying to get me to take something that'll make it worse?" I question. "Are you maybe trying to get rid of me?"

His jaw ticks. "I already promised you I won't ever hurt you." He rests his fingers against my sprinting pulse again. "I want to take care of you..." His gaze briefly drops to where his fingers are, and then zeroes in on my lips. "I want to help you heal until we can get ahold of some dragon fire... And I want to heal your leg, too." He seems enthralled by my mouth.

My heart rate pulsates and I know he can feel it against his fingertips.

"Don't I just wait a few days for my leg to heal?"

He won't stop staring at my mouth. "No, you drink blood."

"Okay..." What he's fully saying clicks, and my body goes rigid. "No. No way."

His nostrils flare. "You have to. My blood is the only thing you can drink from now on if you ever want to get your powers." He shakes out his shoulders, attempting to relax. "Plus, it'll heal you a hell of a lot faster than normal blood."

I shake my head. "I'd rather just let my leg heal the old fashion way."

"It's not just your leg that needs healing." He grazes his fingertip along the burn marks on my neck. "If you don't drink enough blood soon, these burns will start spreading."

"Can't you just give me the dragon's fire now?"

"It's not that easy to get. Dragons are rare these days. It's going to take some time."

"Then how are you even going to get some at all?"

"The black magic market," he explains. "But it'll probably take a few days."

"Oh." I frown, realizing what must happen if I don't want to turn into one giant dragon's burn. _Suck it up, Raven. You're tough. You're strong. You can do this._ "I'm not going to drink from your vein."

The muscle in his jaw spasms. "If you don't, you won't heal as fast, and you'll have to drink blood more frequently to keep the burns under control."

I shrug. "That's fine with me."

He places his hands on the seat behind me, trapping me between his arms. "You know, eventually, you're going to have to. Your powers won't ever reach their full potential if you don't."

"Eventually, I will." The words taste bitter on my tongue. "But I'm not ready to yet."

He nibbles on his lip ring, studying me intensely. "Have you ever drunk from the vein before?"

_Oh, my vampires, are we really having this conversation right now?_

I fight to keep a blush from spreading to my cheeks. "Have you?" I'm pretty sure I know the answer. Rhyland is way too popular and gorgeous to have not bitten and been bit. Probably many, many times.

He sinks his teeth into his lip, fighting back a grin. "I asked you first."

I carry his gaze as warmth trickles across my cheeks. "And I asked you second. Plus, I'm the queen."

"And I'm the king." He waits for me to give in, but I smash my lips together. He shakes his head, a smile touching his lips. "So stubborn." He bends his arms and leans in closer to me, lowering his voice to a husky whisper. "Fine, I'll go first. Yes, I've drank blood from the vein."

So, I was right.

I feel the slightest bit of disappointment, a reaction I can't and don't even want to explain.

"Was it with my sister?" I ask.

His eyes pop wide. "Are you fucking joking?"

"What? You guys were close, and you practically did, and would, do anything for her."

His smile dissipates as he shakes his head, sending strands of hair into his eyes. "First off, let's get one thing straight. You may have thought I did anything your sister asked, but you don't know the full story."

"And there you go being cryptic again," I say. "I'm starting to wonder if you're just saying that to cover up the ugly truth."

He ignores me. "And second, I have never, _ever_ drank from Nadine's vein. I've only done it from an empress a few times at your mom's club. And it was because I needed some extra power."

"Okay." I pretend not to care, and I don't. I think...

"And thirdly..." he continues, his lips quirking.

"Oh, great, there's another one," I interrupt with a dramatic groan.

He bites back a smile. "And thirdly, just so you know, no vampire has ever drunk from my vein. You get to be the first."

"Lucky me." My tone oozes with sarcasm.

He grins, teeth showing and all. "Now it's your turn."

"No way. I never agreed to that."

He rolls his tongue in his mouth, either irritated or amused with me. My bet is the first. "I just poured my heart and soul out to you, and you're not going to return the favor?"

I resist an eye roll. "Don't be overdramatic. You didn't pour your heart and soul out." I heave an exasperated breath as he continues to stare me down, not firmly, but like a sad, little lilywolf tiger, which FYI, are the most adorable pets ever. Part tiger, part wolf, and part lily faerie, they carry magical powers. I've always wanted one but only faeries can have them. "Fine, I'll tell you. Just stop looking at me like I just kicked your lilywolf tiger." I chew on my bottom lip. For the love of blood, I can't believe I'm about to tell him this. Him of all people. "I haven't ever drunk from the vein, and no one's ever drank from mine. There. Are you happy?"

He nods. "Very happy."

"Why? What's the big deal? So I haven't sunk my teeth into a vein and no one's ever touched my vein. In reality, I should be super depressed because, according to you and my mom, that'll never happen now."

"We never said it wouldn't happen." His voice lacks emotion, but his eyes are a whole different story, carrying almost too much hunger.

"No, but you said I could only drink your blood, so when it happens, it won't be by choice. And no one will ever drink from my vein."

He eyeballs my lips again. "Yes, they will... eventually." He pushes away, sits back down in the seat, and pulls a knife from out of his pocket, growing quiet and leaving me to wonder what he meant.

I straighten in the seat as he flips open the knife. "What're you doing?"

"Lay your head on my lap," he instructs as he aligns the tip of the knife to his forearm.

"Um, no thanks," I tell him. "I'm cool right where I am, far, far away from your lap and other things near your lap."

He stares at me with his teeth sunk deeply into his bottom lip. "I need you to put your head on my lap so you can catch the blood when it drips out of my arm."

"Oh." My cheeks flood with warmth as I lie down on the seat and tentatively rest my head onto his lap.

He gazes down at me, sucking on his lip ring.

"What?" I rub my hand across my forehead. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No, you're fine. I just..." He rips his attention off me and drags the tip of the knife down his forearm, making a small incision. Then, keeping the bleeding wound facing upward, he moves his arm above my mouth. "Ready?"

_No. Not at all._

Not wanting the burn to spread, I nod.

His Adam's apple bobs up and down, then he rotates his arm downward and puts the bleeding wound right above my lips. Blood begins to trickle down like raindrops, and I open my mouth, ready to drink and get this over with.

Nothing could have prepared me for what happens next.

I mean, I've drunk blood before, but never like this, so close to being fresh from the vein.

_So... powerful._

That's what I realize the moment the first droplet of his blood kisses the tip of my tongue. Rhyland is powerful. Very powerful, in a way my body can barely understand. In a way my body craves.

Something snaps inside me, and I suddenly go from reluctantly drinking his blood to grabbing his arm and devouring every delicious drop that spills from his forearm. Groans fumble from my lips as I greedily drink, the buzzing in my veins pumping to life again. Power. The buzzing is power. My power. Rhyland's power. Vampire power.

Eventually, all self-control leaves my mind and body, and my fangs descend. I pull back only to prepare to sink my fangs into his vein, ready to drink until I black out from a blood high, but Rhyland cups the back of my neck, stopping me.

"Easy," he whispers hoarsely, soothingly stroking the back of my neck with his fingertips.

I take a ragged breath as I dazedly gaze up at him, struggling to calm down. "I'm sorry," I whisper, horrified. _I was about to attack him. Drink from his vein._

He carries my gaze, hunger and pain emitting from his eyes. "It's okay. I just don't want you to let the frenzy take over and do something you'll end up regretting. I want you to want it when it happens."

I nod, licking some blood off my lips as the frenzy fades from my mind. "Thank you."

He nods, moving his hand away from the back of my neck. I return my head to his lap while his fingers drift to the bottom of my throat, lightly tracing a path along my skin.

"Are they gone?" I ask breathlessly.

He nods. "For now."

Fear creeps up inside me, but whatever sort of magic his blood holds erases the feeling almost instantly. Instead of sitting up, I remain lying in his lap. The dizzy, hazy, temporary euphoria takes over my body and mind again. My leg feels better; the bones healed. And I feel strangely content, like I'm exactly where I want to be, which is weird since I'm with Rhyland.

_I could get used to this._

_I really could._

I start to smile at the thought when the vehicle rolls to a stop and Rhyland utters softly, "We're home."

I sit up and wipe more blood from my lip, expecting to see us parked in the driveway of either his or my two-story childhood home. Nope. All I see is miles and miles of forest enclosing the biggest castle I've ever laid eyes on.

# 11

I blink at the lofty trees, the endless number of fields, and the three-story stone castle towering toward the starry sky. "Where are we?"

Rhyland reaches for the door handle. "I already told you... Home." He jumps out before I can ask more questions.

Gritting my teeth, I dig my phone from my pocket, calling my mom to tell her I'm okay and to ask her why the hell I'm parked in front of a castle that Rhyland is saying is my home.

"Hey, honey." She sounds calmer than I thought she would.

"You're not worried?" I ask, since the last time she saw me, I'd ran off.

"No. I know you're okay," she replies. "Rhyland texted me a while ago and told me what happened and that he found you. I'm just glad he got there before Gabe figured out what you are. You need to be more careful, honey."

"I know. I just panicked." I eyeball the castle, trying to rein back the panic wanting to consume me. "By chance, did Rhyland mention he was planning on vampire-napping me and taking me to some creepy castle out in the middle of nowhere?"

A beat of silence ticks by before she whispers, "That's your new home."

Hearing the words from her makes reality sink in deep.

" _Why_?" I whisper. "I don't want to live here."

"You don't have a choice, honey," she says apologetically. "That castle was designed to protect the king and queen. The walls and land are protected with thousands of years of magic that will offer you protection no other place can. And you need to be protected, Raven. Until your powers manifest, you're in a fragile state. And even after you gain your powers, you'll still need protection while you rule."

Her words strike me hard in the chest. _I'm never getting out of this. I'm always going to be in danger. I'm always going to have to follow the rules._

"What happens if my Eternal Reading reveals that me being the queen was just a mistake?" I whisper in a desperate plea. "Shouldn't I wait to find that out before I start moving into a castle?" _A freaking castle._ I can't even wrap my head around it.

"I know you want to believe the Eternal Reading is going to erase your fate, but it's not going to happen." A pause. "And even if it did, you still need to stay in the castle. You'll be safe there."

I want to beg her not to make me stay here. Beg like a little vampire. But I know it won't do any good. My mom will always put my safety first, and if she thinks this castle is safe...

_I'm trapped here._

"Will I be able to leave?" I ask, bottling down my fear the best I can.

She doesn't respond right away. "With your guards, you might be able to. It has to be a planned leave, though, so we can all prepare and make sure the area is safe."

"Will you come visit me? And Dad, too?" I don't bother to ask about Nadine. She's the last person I want to see.

"I'll be there first thing in the evening," she promises. "In fact, I'm the empress who's been chosen to oversee your training and teach you about the history of the queen and what is required of her."

A small—emphasis on the small—drop of relief rolls over me. "I'm glad it's you."

"Me, too," she says. "Now, go get some sleep. I'll be there very early tomorrow night."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you, for handling this so well. When I was informed you were the queen, I was so worried you weren't going to... handle the news very well."

"Well, I did run away."

"Yeah, but that's to be expected, and you're definitely not the first queen to react that way."

I lower my feet to the ground and hop out of the car. "That's good to hear. Makes me feel a little less crazy."

"You're not crazy. Your fate... it's a lot to take in." She gives a lengthy pause. "Is Rhyland with you right now?"

My gaze roams to the front of the car where Rhyland is standing with his hands stuffed into his back pockets, his eyes trained on the forest. "Yeah."

"Good. I want you to stay close to him, okay? And if anything strange happens—anything at all—you go to him. You trust only him."

"What do you think's going to happen?"

"Just promise me you will, okay?" she pleads.

"Okay." I study Rhyland, wondering why my mom trusts him so much. Because he's king?

As if sensing me staring at him, he glances over his shoulder. When our eyes lock, my pulse accelerates as I remember way too clearly how wonderful and powerful his blood tasted.

Quietly clearing my throat, I turn around and stare at the field behind us. A few of the other SUVs are parked across a flattened area, but not a single road is in sight. How we got here is a mystery. My guess is magic. But whose magic?

I think of all the times I speculated that Rhyland had used witch's magic on me, and how he told me that some of the members of the rebellion have been reconstructed with certain magical gifts stolen from other creatures. What if he has the power of a witch? What if he's been reconstructed?

A shudder quivers through me.

"How do you know for sure I can trust Rhyland?" I whisper, hoping he can't hear me.

"Because he's the king," my mom replies simply. My heart sinks at her reasoning until she adds, "And because... Because he cares about you more than you know."

I want to argue with her, but I don't see the point. No matter what I say or do, I'll still be here. I'll still be the queen. Rhyland will still be king.

That doesn't mean I completely trust him.

After talking to my mom for a couple more minutes, we say goodbye and hang up. Then I linger at the back of the vehicle for a few more minutes before finally growing the courage to turn around and face my fate.

Rhyland is already waiting for me with his hand stretched out. "Ready?"

I nod, but I don't take his hand. "I guess as ready as I'll ever be."

He stares at me for a beat or two then lowers his hand disappointedly. "Come on then; let's go inside. It's getting early, anyway."

I nod, following him across the grassy field and heading toward the castle with a group of guards behind us, ready to throw down their lives if someone tries to attack me.

With every step I take, I move further away from my past and closer to my future.

Closer to my fate.

A deadly, dangerous fate.

# 12

I don't get a tour of the castle that night. Instead, Rhyland shows me the queen's chambers—apparently, he's been here before—telling me he'll give me a tour early tomorrow night when I wake up. Then he walks away without saying another word.

I don't bother looking around the room before I climb into bed, and the moment my body hits the mattress, sleep pulls me under. Right before I succumb to exhaustion, I swear I feel the soft brush of lips against my forehead, but it easily could've been my imagination. Or a ghost.

_I t's my fifteenth birthday, and I'm hiding out in my room from my family. Well, not so much my family, but from Nadine and her friends. She invited them to my party without permission, although I think my mom was relieved just to have some people show up. I think she may be starting to realize that her youngest daughter has no friends._

_Music is filtering through the house from downstairs, the lyrics swirling and mixing with laughter. Everyone is so happy. Everyone but me._

_I wish I could be happy, but the moment I step foot downstairs, either Nadine, Rhyland, or Kingsley will rip that happiness from me._

_I flop back onto my bed, wishing I was someplace else. Wishing I was someone else. Wishing I didn't think that way. Wishing I could be happy just being me._

Knock. Knock. Knock.

_"Come in," I call out, figuring it's my mom._

_When the door opens, though, my mom isn't standing in the doorway. Rhyland is._

_I sit up, my guard going up. "What do you want?" I loathe the nervous edge in my tone, but I can't help it._

_His lips pull into a lazy smile as he enters my room, his gaze skimming the posters on my wall. "I wanted to come say hi."_

_"Hi," I mumble, watching his every movement, waiting for him to strike._

_His eyes settle on me, and that lazy grins shifts into a full-blown grin. "Happy birthday, by the way."_

_"Thanks." I brace myself for the punch line that hasn't come._

_Yet._

_He takes a seat on my bed, sitting so close the sides of our legs touch. "You don't seem that happy."_

_"I'm happy enough," I lie, inching away from him._

_He eyeballs the distance between us and steals it right back. "You know, I can tell when you're lying."_

_"No, you can't."_ Can he? _He does have a lot of witches cast spells and charms for him. Maybe he had them put a mind reading spell on him._

_"Yes, I can," he states matter-of-factly. "I always can."_

_I force down a shaky breath trying to flee my throat. "How?"_

_He winks at me. "It's a secret."_

_My nerves get the best of me and I shudder._

_A crease forms between his brows. "You're afraid of me?"_

_"I'm not afraid."_ Liar _. "I'm just nervous about why you're here in my room."_

_A ghost of a smile graces his lips. "To wish you a happy birthday." He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth, a contemplative look crossing his face. "And to give you your birthday present." He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and retrieves a small black box with a red ribbon wrapped around it. "Happy birthday."_

_I don't take the present. "What's in it?"_

_He restrains a smile. "Open it and find out."_

_I don't want to. For all I know, when I open the box, a cloud of magic will_ poof _into my face and I'll be cursed with bat-pox or something. But the longer I stare at the box, the more my curiosity gets the best of me._

_I slowly untie the ribbon, knowing whatever happens next is my own damn fault. The moment I open the box, confusion sets in._

_"What is this?" I ask, peering up at Rhyland._ Is this some sort of joke?

_Inside the box isn't a curse, but the most beautiful choker I've ever seen._

_He smiles amusedly. "What it looks like." He picks up the choker and holds it up in front of me. The moonlight glistening through the window reflects against the crimson rose trimmed by swirls of black, thorny metal._

_"It's beautiful," I say, realizing my stupid mistake a second later._

_I just gave him the upper hand._

_I hold my breath, waiting for him to laugh in my face and tell me the choker isn't for me, but all he does is lower the choker with a sigh._

_"I wish I could let you keep it," he says quietly. "But if anyone saw you wearing it, I'd get in trouble. I can only give it to you for tonight."_

_I try my best to mask my disappointment. "Why will you get into trouble?"_

_He shrugs, seeming sad, which is strange. Rhyland usually seems so... empty._

_"Because I will." His gaze elevates to mine. "But I might not get into trouble if I give it to you and you just don't wear it."_

_"Maybe you should just give it to someone who can wear it," I suggest, unsure what's going on._

_"I don't want to give it to someone else." He raises his hand with the choker dangling from his fingers. "Maybe you can keep it somewhere until it's safe for you to wear it."_

_I still don't know if this is a trick, but I really want the choker. Not just to have it, but I like the idea of getting a present from someone who isn't my parents._

_"I could keep it in my jewelry box." I point at a silver box on my dresser. "It has a charm on it so only I can open it."_

_He tracks my gaze, wavers, then nods. "Okay."_

_Smiling, I reach for the choker, but he moves his hand right before my fingers brush the velvet strap._

I knew it. This was a trick. I'm so stupid.

_"I want something in return," he whispers._

_I eye the door, wondering if I should just run before this blows up in my face._

_He hooks a finger under my chin and forces me to look at him. "It's not a bad thing. I hope not, anyway. What I want..." His gaze drops to my lips. "I want to kiss you."_

_"What?" I whisper in disgusted shock._

_He chuckles. "Well, I was hoping for a little less disgust, but I guess I sort of deserve it." His eyes flick to my lips again. "You don't have to, if you don't want to." His gaze meets mine again, he pauses, and then suddenly he's leaning in._

_Slowly, slowly, slowly, his lips inch toward mine._

_I tense, wanting to flee, wanting to do the smart thing and run away from whatever disaster is waiting for me when—and if—our lips touch. But I've never been kissed before, and I want to know what it feels like to connect with someone like that. To connect with someone at all._

_So, I remain frozen as he moves in for the kiss. He takes his time, his gaze shifting back and forth between my lips and eyes. Back and forth, back and forth, until his lips finally brush mine._

_He doesn't deepen the kiss, remaining completely still. I almost pull back, but then his lips start moving carefully, gently, softly. I still don't move. Barely breathe. Waiting for... Well, I'm not really sure. I'm so confused. Lost. Worried. Then his tongue parts my lips and slips inside my mouth, and all thoughts and worries leave my mind._

_He tastes like warm magic, sparkling moonlight, and blood frosting. It's a strange, wonderfully delicious combination that I want to taste more of. But as quickly as the kiss started, he's pulling away._

_His eyes are glazed over, and his chest rises and crashes with his ragged breathing. "I'm sorry," he whispers. Without looking at me, he gets up and sets the choker down on my dresser. Then he walks toward the doorway._

_"Sorry for what...?" I trail off as he slips out the door, taking the memory right along with him._

My eyes pop open as I drift away from the dream... the memory... Well, I'm not really sure what just happened. Whether I was dreaming or not. I mean, I was asleep, so a dream seems like the better answer, but the images... Rhyland's lips against mine... Him giving me the choker... It felt so real. Realer than some of my real-life memories.

I stare up at the black glittery ceiling that belongs to my new bedroom—the queen's chambers—with my fingers touching my lips as I replay the kiss repeatedly.

I've never kissed a guy before, so I don't know what a kiss feels like. But that kiss in my dream... it was more wonderful than I ever could've imagined.

_He tasted like warm magic, sparkling moonlight, and blood frosting. I wonder if that's what he really tastes like. I wonder if his kisses taste like his blood._

I press my fingers to the brim of my nose. What is wrong with me? I'm seriously losing my damn mind if I'm dreaming about kissing Rhyland. I shouldn't feel that way toward him, not when he's treated me like shit for years.

_Get a grip over yourself, Raven._

_What happens if Rhyland finds out what you're thinking about? What if his voice was in your head last night?_

I lie in bed until I've cleared my mind of warm, sparkling, frosting tasting kisses. Although, if I'm truly being honest with myself, I can still taste him on my lips when I climb out of bed.

I do my best to ignore my own stupidity and throw open the curtains, letting the fading sunlight cascade into my room. Then I turn around, assessing the room that is now my chambers.

A black rose trimmed dresser and armoire matches the massive four-poster bed I slept in last night. The purple velvet blanket that covers the bed contrasts well with the charcoal black walls and glittery ceiling. Black and white tiles checkerboard the floor, and thorny, metal vines and glistening lavender diamonds form a chandelier that filters shimmering light across the fireplace and a few sets of chairs. To my right, a massive bookshelf stretches across the wall and merges with a doorway that opens into the biggest closet I've ever laid eyes on.

"This room is seriously badass," I say to myself. Then I quickly realize the badass room holds none of my belongings.

Sighing, I dig my phone out of my pocket to text my mom.

**Me: Have you by chance left the house yet?**

**Mom: Nope. Just getting ready to, though. Why? What do you need?**

**Me: Can you bring some of my stuff?**

**Mom: Was already planning on it.**

**Me: You're the best mom ever.**

**Mom: I'm glad you think so.**

I smile and head toward a closed door near the closet, wondering if it's the bathroom. As I'm passing by the armoire, I notice a metal stand perched on top, made for hanging up pieces of jewelry. Like chokers.

I don't know why I do it. Sheer curiosity, perhaps? Or sheer insanity. Whatever the reason, I send my mom another text.

**Me: Can you bring my jewelry box from off the dresser?**

**Mom: Sure.**

I'm not sure what I expect to find. I haven't even looked in the jewelry box for ages since I'm not much of a jewelry girl. But a tiny part of me is curious if I'll find that choker Rhyland gave me in my dreams. A crazy part of me, of course, but a part I'm going to tolerate the insanity for now. I can't shake the feeling that the dream was so much more than just a dream. So much realer.

I just wish I knew why.

# 13

By the time I'm done washing my face, a dull tingling sensation has formed on my neck. I use the mirror to get a good look at the skin and wince.

Rhyland warned me that if I didn't drink his blood straight from the vein that the burns would return quicker. I just didn't expect them to reappear so quickly. Not only that, but last night, when I'd first been burned, I didn't check out the full damage. Now, in the light, I can see how grotesque the injury is, my skin flaking and singed like embers at the bottom of a fire pit.

"I look like I'm turning into a dragon." I crinkle my nose as I lightly sketch my fingertip across the charred wound. When a chunk flakes off, I nearly throw up. "And, on that note, I think it's time to go drink some blood." I exit the bathroom and cross the room to leave, but the door swings open before I ever reach it.

No one walks in, though.

"I told you to knock first." Kingsley's voice drifts through the doorway.

"And I told you I don't need your assistance, yet here you are," a light, male voice quips.

"I'm here for her. Not you," Kingsley says. "You may be part of the royal circle, but I still don't trust you. I don't trust anyone except for my brother and the queen."

"Well, that seems like a sad way to live," the voice replies. "Kind of depressing, actually."

"It's the only way I can live without risking the king and queen's lives," Kingsley states in a low tone that carries a silent threat. "I'll do anything to make sure they stay alive, even if it means following around annoying assistants to the queen."

"Assistant?" I accidentally say aloud.

A blood drop of silence trickles by, and then Kingsley and a male vampire I've never seen before appear in the doorway. He looks around his mid-twenties, although it's sometimes hard to tell with vampires, and has black hair shaved shorter on the sides and longer on the top, the tips of the strands glinting silver. His outfit screams stylish; black jeans tucked into clunky boots, a black shirt, and a silver tie, topped off with a vest laced with chains. His startling icy-blue eyes are framed with kohl eyeliner and thick lashes, and his lips are stained blue.

Kingsley is sporting the gothic look he rocked last night, dressed head to toe in black with a studded belt and unlaced boots. Tattoos peek out from the sleeves of his shirt, and a few thick band rings ornament his knuckles. Again, he looks like the opposite of the Kingsley I grew up with.

Kingsley crooks his brow at me. "Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?"

"You're the ones who opened the door then stood out in the hallway and talked loudly," I point out. "It's not my fault I overheard."

His lips tug into a smirk. "Sure, it's not. Just like it's not your fault I spent all day trying to track down Gabe."

"I never said that wasn't my fault." I feel sort of bad, considering he has dark circles under his eyes and his skin is paler than normal. He's probably been up all day. "And I feel bad for running off."

"Good." He moves past the stranger and steps into my room. "Don't ever do it again."

"I wasn't planning on it," I say. "Although, I'm pretty sure I don't have to take orders from you."

His lips twitch. "No, you don't."

Okay, so maybe being queen won't be entirely awful.

To make the situation even more bizarre, Kingsley lowers his head and gets down on one knee. "From now on, I swear to protect you with my life. I promise to make sure no harm comes to you. I take a vow of silence that all your secrets will remain your secrets. I will give my blood to protect yours."

I gape at him. "What're you doing?"

He continues to ramble on nonsense with his head bowed.

"He's initiating himself into his new job title," the stranger says with a curious smile gracing his face as he studies me from the doorway.

I glance down at Kingsley, babbling about blood spilled and death sacrifices, and then back at the stranger. "What's his new job title?"

He straightens and ambles into the room. "Your sworn Blood Protector." He must read the confusion on my face because he adds, "Every queen has a clusterfuck of bodyguards that will throw down their lives to protect her, but she also has one guard—the Blood Protector—who not only guards her life, but guards her secrets. He does anything to protect her, will be there when she needs him, and lives and breathes for her."

My gaze drops to Kingsley, who is down on one knee in front of me. "And mine is Kingsley?"

The stranger nods. "The king appointed him at dusk." He strolls around the room, tracing his finger along the top of the dresser. "The words he's quoting right now are part of a spell that will bind him to that oath forever. If he breaks the oath, he dies."

I blink. "Well, that... sucks. For him, anyway."

The stranger glances up at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Only if he breaks the oath."

"Yeah, I guess so." I pause. "Who are you?"

His eyes light up as he claps his hands together. "I'm Dexlarelle. Dex for short. I'm your stylist."

I stare at him stupidly. "You're my what?"

"Stylist," he repeats in amusement. "By the shocked look on your face, I'm guessing you didn't know the queen has one of those, either."

"I don't know much about the queen," I admit. "Which might make me the worst queen ever."

"Or the best."

"Why's that?"

"Because it means you can give us a fresh start, and we're in definite need of one of those." He approaches the bookshelf, skims his fingers along a row of titles, and selects a thick book that looks more ancient than the vampire species. "This will tell you a lot about the queen's history." He hands me the book, and then whisks to the end of the shelf. Tapping on the side with the palm of his hand, a small compartment glides out from the wood paneling, revealing a file of worn leather notebooks. "And these are the last queen's journals if you want to learn about being a queen on a more personal level."

"How did you know they were in there?"

He plucks up one of the notebooks and gives it to me. "I was the stylist for the queen before you."

"Wow, that makes you ol—" I bite down on my tongue to stop my mishap. Vampires hate being called old.

"Very smart on the knowledge of what it takes to be the queen," he finishes for me with laughter in his eyes. "Lucky for you, that's just what you need."

I run my hand along the engraved cover of the notebook. "These are the last queen's journals? Like, her private thoughts?"

He nods, the sparkle in his eyes dulling. "I'm not sure what exactly is in there, but I'd recommend reading it and thinking about all the ways not to do what she did."

"Was she not a very good queen?"

"That all depends on who you ask."

"I'm asking you."

"Well, then I'll tell you—and only because you requested—that she wasn't that terrible of a queen. She just made a few bad decisions and mistakes that may have led to a century break from Fate declaring another queen."

"What sort of mistakes?"

"She refused to admit that she was in love with the king when she was, which led to the destruction of our royalty system."

My breath hitches in my throat as my blood runs warm. "Is the queen supposed to fall in love with the king?"

"She is." He pulls a whoopsie face. "By the look on your face, I'm guessing you didn't know that. And if I had to guess, some people were probably keeping that secret from you on purpose, to avoid you freaking out."

"No one told me... I don't..." I have no words. No words at all. Only walls closing in.

_Trapped, trapped, trapped!_

"I'm sure it won't be that bad." He attempts to offer me a reassuring smile. "Your Rhyland already seems like a fine king, and he's only just begun."

"He also tormented me for decades and may have perhaps tried to get me killed by a demon once," I say flatly. "I've hated him since I was a young vampire."

"Hate seems like a strong word," Kingsley's voice floats over my shoulder, startling me so badly I nearly drop the books I'm holding.

"No, hate seems like the perfect word." I face him. "Are you done with your weird little chant?"

He fights back a smile. "You mean my oath?"

"You say oath. I say chant." I set the books down on the table. "It's all the same, if you ask me."

He steps in front of me, his voice deepening an octave. "Except one is just words and another is a promise to lay down my life for you."

I hoist myself onto the table and sit with my legs dangling over the edge. "That seems like a pretty crazy thing to do for a girl you dislike equally as much as she dislikes you."

"Yep, I must be completely insane." He rolls his eyes. "You really don't have a clue. But, I guess that was the point." He plops down into a chair near the fireplace and kicks his feet up onto the coffee table. "Wake me up when you're done."

"Done with what?" I ask.

He just tips his head back and shuts his eyes.

"Done with getting ready." Dex appears in front of me with his head tilted to the side.

"Are you really going to style me?" I ask, fidgeting with a leather bracelet on my wrist.

He nods, running his fingers through strands of my hair. "And I think you're going to be my favorite queen to dress yet."

"Why's that?"

"Other than you're gorgeous, you're also different from the blonde-haired, blue-eyed queens who came before you." He crosses his arms with his head slanted to the side. "And those eyes... I've never seen that color before. They're beautiful."

"My grandma had the same color eyes."

"I bet she was almost as beautiful as you, then." He says it as if stating a simple fact, like how the stars shine every night.

All this beautiful talk is making me uncomfortable, and he more than notices.

"You're not used to being called beautiful, are you?" he questions.

I shake my head. "Only by my parents, but that doesn't really count."

He drums a finger against his bottom lip. "I have a feeling a lot of people feel the same way. They're just too afraid to tell you."

"And I have a feeling you might be delusional."

"That I may be, but I never say a truth I don't fully believe myself." He winds around the table and throws open the armoire.

Inside are lavish necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and even a crown spun with metallic stars and lavender.

I hop off the table and move up beside him. "Who does all this belong to?"

He begins sorting through the necklaces. "It belongs to the castle, which means, while you're queen, all of it belongs to you."

Without looking up at me, he snaps his fingers, and the dresser drawers shoot open, revealing stacks of clothing inside. Another snap of his finger, and the racks in the closet become lined with shirts, skirts, and dresses, while the shelves with shoes, hats, and bags.

"How did you do that?" I whisper in shock.

"I didn't. The castle did." He selects a red velvet choker and twists around to face me. "It's enchanted. Ask the right way, and it'll give you almost anything your heart truly desires."

"And what if I asked it not to make me queen?" I mumble, taking the choker as he hands it to me.

"Unfortunately, almost nothing can change that." He whisks toward the closet as he singsongs, "Only Fate itself."

I trudge after him, feeling as though a huge ogre is sitting on my chest. All these rules that bind me to the king—to Rhyland—I don't think I can do it. But I might not have a choice, unless I want to let the rebellion destroy the vampire world, or until I can somehow talk directly to Fate and plead with it to pick someone better. As far as I know, that's not possible.

Or is it? Because, so far, I feel like I hardly know anything about my world.

"Fate can change who the queen is?" I ask, stepping into the closet.

Dex nods as he sifts through dresses. "But don't get too excited. It's only happened once that I've heard of, and the story could easily be a legend."

I lean against the doorjamb. "Is it even possible to talk to Fate? I mean, it talks to the Eternal Readers, right?"

"No one really knows if the Eternal Readers speak directly to Fate, or if they communicate with another form." He yanks a lacy black dress off a hanger.

"But they do communicate with it or else there wouldn't be eternal readings."

He holds the dress up in front of me. "If they didn't, then our entire history would be structured by lies."

"True." I thrum my fingers against the sides of my legs. "If I tracked down an Eternal Reader and asked them to speak to Fate for me, would they?"

He glances up at me as he pulls a leather jacket off the hanger. "I'm not sure... Why do you ask?"

I straighten and shrug. "I just want to know why it picked me as queen." Lie. I want to try to convince Fate that I'm not right for the job, but I'll keep that little secret to myself.

He eyes me over with heavy suspicion. "Well, I'm not sure if you can. And it'd be in your best interest to stay away from the Eternal Readers. They can be very tricky and manipulative when they're not on duty." He turns back toward the clothes, then pauses. "Promise me you won't go looking for them. It's too dangerous."

"I won't." The words aren't entirely a lie. I have no plans on going to look for the Eternal Readers. How could I when I'm not allowed to leave the castle without a bodyguard?

But my Eternal Reading is in less than a week, which will give me the perfect opportunity to plead my case.

# 14

A handful of minutes later, my mom messages me that she got called into a meeting and won't be over until early tomorrow evening. Effie messages me, as well, begging for deets. Since I still don't know what I can tell her, I reply that I'll explain everything when I can.

I hate myself a little bit for not telling her the truth. Hate being secretive with the only vampire, besides Anders, who ever went out of their way to make friends with me. But my self-hating thoughts quickly get distracted as I begin to get ready for dinner.

Apparently, having a stylist means overdressing for every occasion.

After putting waves in my hair and tracing my eyes with kohl liner, Dex tells me to put on the outfit he selected: a black, silky, lace trimmed dress; a leather jacket; knee-high tights; and velvet platforms for me to wear to dinner. To add to the look, he laces a silk choker around my neck and weaves a halo of silvery black bleeding stars and raveling vines through my hair to form a crown, telling me I'll get to wear the real one soon.

Fake crown or not, I still resemble a princess. Or a queen. Which is the point, Dex said, when I tried to argue that I was too dressed up.

"You're the vampire queen," he stated. "And you look like it. Now go to dinner and make sure to drink enough blood to get rid of that dragon burn on your neck."

And that was that. He ushered me out the door with Kingsley following at my heels.

"Where am I supposed to be going?" I call over my shoulder as I stroll down the wide hallway illuminated by iron lanterns.

Charmed mirrors decorate the crimson walls and reveal my reflection. If I were in an ordinary world, I wouldn't be able to see myself. Lucky, I've never been to the ordinary world, only heard rumors of it, but it sounds like a dreadfully boring place.

"Just keep walking. I'll let you know when you get there." Kingsley's texting on his phone with his head down, matching my steps perfectly, as if he's wholly in sync with me.

I slow down my pace to see if he will and smile when he does. To test my theory further, I weave left than right. When I peer over my shoulder, my grin magnifies as Kingsley traces my route. I'm not even sure he's aware he's mimicking me, which makes this even more hilarious.

"Are you blood drunk this evening?" he asks without looking up. "Or do you just find yourself amusing?"

"The latter." I jump left then right and snicker when he bounces like a hopping sprite after me.

"Mother of all annoying vampires, will you knock that off?" He bounces to a stop beside me and tears his gaze off his phone. "I'm not a puppet."

"It sort of seems like you are." I do a little dance and bust up laughing when he mirrors my jig.

Once I let him stop, he gives me an unimpressed look. "Will you please knock that off? I need to send a message and you're distracting me."

"Oh, fine, but only because you said please." I start up the hallway again with him at my side. "Why are you mimicking me, anyway?"

"It's an aftereffect of taking the oath," he explains as he punches buttons on his phone. "It'll wear off in a couple of days."

I tap my fingers together, very evil villain-ish. "So, I have two whole days to torture you?"

He shifts uneasily. "Yeah, but you don't need to torture me."

"But I could." Maybe it makes me twisted, but I'm enjoying his discomfort. All those years he went out of his way to make me miserable, and now I can make him do anything.

"You can't make me do everything," he explains, as if reading my thoughts. "Especially anything that will bring harm to you or me."

"I wasn't planning on doing anything harmful," I say, slightly offended. "I'm not that mean."

He tucks his phone into his pocket, fixing his undivided attention on me. "No, you're not. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way."

"Is the oath making you apologize to me?"

"No, I just want—need—to apologize... for a lot of things." He doesn't elaborate on what those things are, just motions for me to get a move on. "Now, hurry up. Dinner is waiting and you have guests."

I tense. "What guests?"

"The fey king and queen."

Shock ripples through me as I force my feet to move forward. "My first day here and I'm supposed to have dinner with the fey king and queen?" I absentmindedly touch the makeshift crown on my head. "No wonder Dex had me dress up."

"It's tradition for the queen to dress up for dinner," Kingsley says as we stop in front of a set of wooden doors. "He'll probably try to dress you up every time you leave the room. And even probably when you go to bed."

My mood splatters across the tile floor. "So, I have to dress like this for bed?"

He chuckles, his gaze skimming up and down my body. Then he scratches the side of his eye. "Probably not the dress, but something like what you have on underneath it."

Warmth rushes to my cheeks, but I hold my chin high. "He may try, but it's not going to happen. I am queen, after all, so I change the rules."

"Of course, my queen." He bows to me, and I snort a laugh. He chuckles, standing upright. "I'm glad you find my respect amusing."

"I really, really do," I say. "Still, I think you should probably stop doing that."

"Bowing?" he asks, and I nod. "It's part of my job description."

"Well... I'm abolishing you from doing it."

"Abolishing, huh? Sounds pretty official."

"That's because it is. Now, no more bowing, at least to me." I reach for the door handle, but pause. "Wait? Why am I even having dinner with the fey king and queen? And, on day one here, for that matter? And when I know practically nothing about being queen?"

"It's not a business meeting." His fingers fold around the door handle. "Just a meet and greet."

"How... casual." I chew nervously on my fingernail. I've never been good with meeting new people. "Will there be others there?"

He lifts a shoulder, shrugging. "Rhyland, me, a couple of other guards and, of course, the fey guards."

I scratch at the burns on my neck. "That sounds like a lot of guards."

Kingsley stares at my neck, a frown forming on his lips. "You should've drunk some of Rhyland's blood already to hide those."

"I was planning on doing it at dinner." I brush a few pieces of flaky skin off my neck. "I didn't realize we had company. Is it going to be a problem?"

"I think it might be best if you don't show up for the first time to meet the fey king and queen with a dragon fire burn on your neck, especially when dragons are so rare. It'll make you seem suspicious." He holds up a finger. "Wait out here for a second." He cracks open the door and slips inside the room.

I free a trapped breath I wasn't aware I was holding. Never in a hundred centuries would I have thought I'd be in this position, where I'm chatting with Kingsley, laughing and joking, while heading to have dinner with the fey king and queen... and Rhyland.

_How is this my life now? How do I just forgive them so easily after everything that's occurred between us?_

_Well, if you can get the Eternal Readers to speak to Fate for you, you may not have to—_

The door opens back up, giving me not much of an opportunity to analyze my plan.

"Hey." Rhyland slips into the hallway and closes the door, greeting me with a small smile. A small smile that throws me off, like everything else that's happened this evening.

I wonder how long it will take me to get used to this new life, to get used to him being nice to me. And Kingsley, too. And how much of their niceness comes from the fact that I'm queen. Would they have ever been nice to me if Fate hadn't given me a crown of stars on my head?

"Hey," I reply, remaining informal, despite our overdressed status. And we're both overdressed to match.

Like me, Rhyland is decked out in all black, from his boots, to his jeans, to the button-down shirt and vest. A studded belt loops his waist, and leather bands embellished with coiling steel decorate his wrists. He also has on a red tie that matches my choker, along with a crown of bleeding stars and metallic vines.

The only main difference is his crown is perched on his chin-length blond hair while mine weaves around my long raven black locks.

"We match," I state the obvious, loathing that we do, that we go together so well.

Except for the hair.

That announces our differences, and anyone who knows anything about the vampire world will be able to tell. Tell that he was made to be king, while I was not. Even Dex said so. Although, he didn't use those exact words. Just stated that I'm the first queen in a long time to have raven black hair and eyes.

"Yes, we do." Rhyland scans me from head to toe, and then he sinks his teeth into his lip. "You look beautiful."

I suppress a laugh. "Um, thanks."

"I mean it," he insists. "You're beautiful, Raven, whether you think so or not."

"And did you think I was beautiful all those times you helped Nadine lock me in the attic?" I sink my fang into my tongue. _This isn't the time to start a fight, Raven._

He stares out the window where shadowy figures belonging to the guards shadow the fields. "You being beautiful had nothing to do with that."

"Then, what did it have to do with?" I observe him, the way he squirms, the way he won't look me directly in the eye. _He's uneasy about something_.

He gives a stiff shrug. "A lot of things."

"There you go being vague again." I huff out a breath. "How do you ever expect this to work between us if you won't even answer simple questions?"

"They're not simple questions," he mutters then squares his shoulders. "But you're right; I do need to work on answering your questions."

I perk up the slightest bit. "So, you'll explain some things to me?"

His gaze skates to mine, and he nods. "After we have dinner. I don't want to talk about anything important with the fey in the castle. Their hearing is impeccable."

"Can I ask one small question? It's something that's been bugging me."

"I guess so."

I pick at my midnight blue nail polish. "When you were talking to me in my mind last night... Can you do that all the time? Read my thoughts, I mean?"

He remains silent for several heartbeats. "It's not really that I read your mind, so much as I can communicate with you."

"My parents can do something similar, but only because they're soulmates."

"They're lucky, then."

"Why can we do it?"

He gives a one shoulder shrug. "I think it's a protective mechanism between the king and queen. Last night, when I first did it, it was because you put yourself in danger. The connection faded once you were safe, probably because our link is still so new and fragile."

"Our king and queen link?" I ask, and he nods. "You can't read my mind right now?"

He shakes his head, but he grins impishly. "Your worry makes me really wonder what you're thinking about."

"Toenails and warts," I say with a straight face.

He chuckles, his eyes crinkling around the corners. "Sounds like you're pretty morbid, if you ask me."

"I totally am. Hope that makes you want to stay out of my head from now on."

He's all smiles and sparkling crowns in the lantern light. If I didn't hate him so much, and if I wasn't so shy, I'd tell him he's beautiful.

His laughter fades when I scrape off a piece of singed skin from my neck.

Frowning, he begins unbuttoning the sleeve of his shirt. "We need to feed you before you go in there."

"That's what Kingsley said." I thrum my fingers against the sides of my legs, a question burning at the tip of my fangs. "If I'm only supposed to drink your blood, then how do you feed?"

He shrugs. "Like I always have—by the bottle."

"And yet you have your powers?" I pout. "That doesn't seem very fair. That I have to drink your blood to get my powers, but you can drink any vampire's blood you want and still be powerful."

He rubs his lips together, hesitating. "If you told me not to drink any other vampire's blood ever again—only yours—I'd obey."

"I don't want to force you to do anything... That's not the kind of queen I want to be."

"You wouldn't be forcing me." He looks me dead in the eye, as if waiting for... Well, I'm not sure. For me to tell him not to drink any other vampire's blood again. For me to divulge that I want him to drink only my blood. If that's what he's waiting for, he'll be waiting until his veins run dry and he withers into ashes, because I will never ask Rhyland to drink from me.

Why does he act like he wants me to declare that I want him to?

_It must be a king and queen thing. Perhaps his new title draws him to me._

I clear my throat. "Still, all drinking aside, it seems extremely unfair that you just get your powers without working for it."

"You call drinking my blood work?" Amusement glitters in his eyes.

"The hardest form of work I've ever known." I bite back a grin.

He shakes his head, tugging on a strand of my hair. "Such a tease."

"Oh, I'm not teasing."

"No. You're just flirting."

My lips part in shock. "I am not." _Am I? God, I hope I'm not, but I'm not much of a flirt, so I wouldn't know._

"You are, too." The smug grin on his face makes me want to smack him.

My damn cheeks glow with warmth again. "Whatever. My point is: you get your powers so easily. It's kind of not fair."

"I have my powers first so I can protect you while yours grow." He sticks his hand into his pocket. "If I didn't, there'd be no one who could completely protect you with their heart and soul."

Heart and soul seems a bit dramatic, if you ask me... and sort of poetic.

"That's not true. There's a whole mafia army standing outside." I gesture at the fields outside the window, at the figures of bodyguards wandering around. "Plus, I have Kingsley."

His jaw muscle spasms. "That may be true, but when it all comes down to it, I'm the one who can protect you the most." He withdraws his hand from his pocket and laces his fingers through mine, startling me. "They may protect you with their lives"—he nods his head at the window—"and so will Kingsley, but I'm the only one who has enough power right now to protect you from the evilest dangers lurking in our world. And those evils will come looking for you." His sucks in a breath and whispers, "They always do."

I can feel his pulse thrashing against my fingertips, his nervousness violently coursing through me. "They'll always come after me?"

His fingers constrict around mine as he dazes off, pain radiating from his features. Then he blinks, and the pain evaporates. "After the queen. Evil always comes after the queen. And that's why you have so many bodyguards. And Kingsley... and me. We're here... to save you."

He's hiding something, but am I that surprised? This is Rhyland, my tormentor. Not the love of my life.

I want to unlace my fingers from his and walk away—stay away from him—but an unfamiliar, possessive instinct consumes me, and I latch on tighter to his hand. "Why did you choose Kingsley to be my Blood Protector?"

He caresses the back of my hand with his thumb. "Because I trust him more than I trust anyone."

"But, I don't." I resist a frown as he gives my hand a squeeze and then untangles his fingers from mine. "And since he's supposed to be protecting me, shouldn't I trust him?"

"You can trust him, I promise." He brings his forearm to his lips. "In fact, you should only trust him and me from now on."

"That's what my mom said. Or, well, she said just to trust you. She never mentioned Kingsley."

His smile is all glinting fangs. "Your mom's a smart vampire if she told you to trust me."

The sight of his fangs makes my own fangs achingly pulsate, making a grand appearance. "I used to think so, too, but now I'm questioning if she's lost some of her marbles." I run my tongue along my teeth, silently urging my fangs to stay put.

"You're amusing, Raven. I think that'll come in very helpful while you rule." He dips his head and etches his fang along his forearm, splitting open the flesh. Blood pools out from his skin, and my fangs slice downward as his scent floods my nostrils.

When he lifts his head and spots my fangs poking out from my lips, his eyes flare and his lips part. "Do you want to drink it from the vein—"

I promptly shake my head. "No." My fangs tremble in disagreement, but I force them back into my gums.

I won't give in. Not yet. Not until I know for sure that I'm the queen and that I must.

Seeming hurt, he reaches toward me with his good arm and gently circles his fingers around my wrist. With a soft tug, he guides me toward him and turns me sideways with my shoulder pressing against his chest. Then he wraps an arm around my back.

"Lean back," he whispers.

Taking a deep and completely unnecessary breath, I slant back against his arm. He supports my weight and allows me to tip my head back before positioning his bleeding arm above my mouth. My lips eagerly part as he angles his arm to the side, allowing blood to drizzle into my mouth.

The taste of potent magic and power instantly bursts across my tastebuds as I devour the potency, devour the taste of him, lapping up drop after drop.

He watches me in wonder, in hunger, as if watching me feed on his blood is the most fascinating thing he's ever laid eyes on.

"God, you're so beautiful," he murmurs. Or, I think he murmurs, anyway. "I forgot how beautiful this is to watch."

Honestly, I could've heard him incorrectly. A mad frenzy is roaring so loudly in my mind I can scarcely hear anything except the need to feed. My fangs snap back out as I lift my head, ready to plunge into his veins. Like last night, he stops me, moving his arm away and helping me stand upright.

"I'm sorry," I breathe profusely. "I don't know why I don't have any self-control."

"You're fine." He gives the wound time to heal, then tugs down his sleeve. "It's a normal reaction."

"It is?"

"With some vampires, it is."

"Not all of them?"

He shakes his head as he buttons his sleeve.

I wipe my lips with the back of my hand. "Is it because we're king and queen?"

Tension winds in his shoulders. "Maybe. I don't know for sure."

"What else could it be?" For some insane reason, last night's dream, memory—whatever it was—unexpectedly pops into my mind. I tasted a bit of the frenzy then, too, not for Rhyland's blood, but to keep my lips sealed to his.

He shrugs, his hand falling to his side. "A lot of things."

Always so evasive.

_But he's giving you answers later, so relax._

I try my hardest to listen to my thoughts and chill the fuck out. "Whatever it is, it makes me worry about what's going to happen if I ever do drink straight from your vein."

A fiery, foreign emotion blazes in his eyes. "I'm not worried at all."

My heart pumps faster in my chest. "Well, you should be. You're the one I'm going to drink dry if I can't control myself."

He presses back a grin. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"I hope so." I turn for the door, when he captures my elbow.

"Hold on." He extends his hand toward my lips, and I flinch. So does he. "You have some blood on your lips, and while the fey king and queen know what we are, I don't want to frighten them."

"Oh."

I stay still as he touches my lips, swiping softly to clean up the blood.

As he pulls his hand away, the intoxicating scent of his blood ravenously overpowers my senses. Under the control of my hunger, I slant forward and lick the blood off his finger.

His fangs tremble out from his parted lips, and a warmth rushes to my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I sputter. "I don't know why I did that."

"You're fine." He takes a measured breath before slipping his fangs away and offering me his elbow. "Ready?" His calming shift in attitude gives me whiplash, but I loop my arm through his, anyway.

"Yep, let's go meet and greet with the fey king and queen."

Yep, never thought those words would ever pass my lips.

Guess there's a first time for everything.

"And Raven," he whispers under his breath as he steers me through the doorway. "The fey king and queen need to believe that we've Proclaimed already."

"Proclaimed?" I whisper as the door bangs shut behind us.

"That we're in love, our powers completely intertwined," he whispers. "So, please play the part with me." With those final words, he leads me farther into the room, in full view of the fey king and queen.

And I'm left with the irking feeling he purposefully waited until the very last second to tell me so I'd have no choice but to play along and not ask questions.

# 15

Rhyland and I walk down the narrow, but lengthy room toward a table covered in silver plates and jeweled goblets. The fey bodyguards are lined up against the left wall and the vampires on the other. Half the room is dark, dreary, and moonlit, while the other half is rainbows, giggles, and blinding sunshine.

When we walk past the vampire bodyguards, they bow; all except Kingsley, who winks at me.

"What was that about?" Rhyland whispers in my ear.

I shrug. Or, well, sort of shrug and kind of shiver from the tickle of his breath against my neck. "I told him not to bow to me anymore. It's too weird."

"You should get used to it, especially when we have the crowning ceremony and are sworn in." His lips brush my ear as he speaks. "Everyone will be bowing to you, then."

_If I make it to the ceremony._

"I'd rather they didn't now," I reply quietly. "All the attention makes me nervous."

"I know. And I'm sorry." He doesn't say for what, simply grazing his lips against my earlobe in the most delicate kiss. Then he leans away, leads me to the head of the table where the fey king and queen are seated on the other side, and releases his hold on my arm to pull out a chair for me.

"Such a gentleman," I joke under my breath.

He throws me a grin as he sits down in the chair beside me, and then tangles our fingers together right there on top of the table, in plain sight for the fey king and queen to see.

_We're putting on a show. Why?_

"So, this is the new vampire queen?" The fey queen props her elbow on the table and rests her chin on her balled-up fist, her shimmering silver eyes drinking me in in a way that makes me want to squirm.

The king eyes me over as well, as he sips from his goblet, and I fight back the urge to duck underneath the table and hide.

"I am," I tell the queen. "And you must be the fey queen?"

She nods with a cocky smile. "I am."

I mirror her grin, but we're like starry nights and golden sunshine trying to mix together. Where I'm dressed in black lace and leather and a bleeding star crown, her dress is spun together with shimmering gold silk and vibrant teal jewels that match the flowery wreath woven through her silky blonde hair. Same goes for the kings; Rhyland's studded black attire and blood red tie is the exact opposite of the king's crisp white shirt and golden crown.

"Please, call me Faraelee." The fey queen stretches her ring-bedazzled hand across the table toward me.

I take her hand. "I'm Raven." I get the strangest sense of déjà vu as she smiles at me. I don't know why, though, since I've only ever met one faerie in the existence of my life and it wasn't her.

"Raven. That's a fitting name," the king remarks as Faraelee and I move our hands away from each other. "Your hair and your eyes look just like raven feathers."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot." I work to conceal the disdain in my tone.

"Personally, I think it's gorgeous." Rhyland brushes a strand of my hair out of my eyes and tucks it safely behind my ear. "Then again, everything about her is gorgeous."

I reach for my goblet to take a drink, mostly to busy myself from rolling my eyes. "Well, that's probably a good thing since you're stuck with me." My tone flitters with surprising lightness.

"You say stuck. I say lucked out," Rhyland teases, sweeping my hair away from my shoulder.

"We'll see if you're saying that in twenty years." I take a sip of my drink, hoping my nerves aren't showing. So far, things are going smoothly. In fact, I'm surprised how easy playing the role of queen is.

_As if I was made for it._

I start to crinkle my nose at the thought when the sunny, warm liquid drink that is definitely not blood spills down my throat.

"What is that?" I cough, patting my chest.

A smile graces Faraelee's purple tinged lips as she reaches for a goblet in front of her. "Faerie wine, straight from our kingdom. It's considered the best in all the land."

"Oh." I don't know what to do.

From what I understand, faerie wine can be tremendously potent and can make even the saddest vampires giggly. Not wanting to offend them, I take another drink. And another.

Did I also mention it's very addicting?

The fey king and queen join in, drinking with me, while Rhyland watches me down half the glass with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Easy," he teases in a low, husky tone. "Wouldn't want to have to carry you back to bed."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that," I say sweetly, licking some wine off my lips.

"Or maybe you do want that?" His gaze bores into mine as he gently cups the back of my neck.

"Maybe I do." What in the lusty vampires am I saying?

He chuckles, softly massaging the back of my neck as he dips his lips to my ear. "Easy on the wine. I mostly trust the fey, but I still don't want you drunk and vulnerable while they're here." He starts to move away, then pauses. "When they leave, though, and it's just you and me, you're more than welcome to get drunk and vulnerable, if you want."

"And what would you do if I did?" I'm pretty sure I've drunk too much already since the fey king and queen can't even hear us, which makes our flirting only for our benefit.

He releases a deafening exhale. "Nothing."

I start to lean away, irritated and feeling like an idiot. _What was I thinking flirting with the enemy?_

His fingers tighten on the back of my neck, trapping me where I am. "I wouldn't do anything because you'd be drunk and vulnerable, and anything I did would be taking advantage of you. When we get to that place in our lives, I want you to be sober."

I steady my breathing before I speak. " _When_? That's a pretty bold statement. Can you see the future or something?"

His fingers stiffen on my neck. "No," he chokes out. Then he's moving away from me and reaching for his goblet. "I'd like to make a toast." He raises his goblet. "To the fey king and queen, who have more than held up to their reputation. Thank you for dining with us." His tone is tight, his demeanor stiff.

He clinks glasses with the fey king and queen, and then with mine, not making eye contact with me.

"Yes, to us." A sly smile spreads across Faraelee's face. "And of course to the _new_ vampire king and queen. You make such a lovely couple. And how quickly you've fallen in love and Proclaimed. Some might say a little too quickly, though."

Rhyland carries her gaze. "True love usually happens quickly and without cause."

"Some may say that," the queen replies. "But not everyone agrees with it. I sure don't. I'm surprised you do, all things considering."

The two of them stare each other down in a challenge, leaving me confused. The fey king appears quite the opposite, though, looking utterly bored.

Their behavior only gets weirder the longer we dine. While Rhyland does continue to flirt and tease me, his remarks and touches are more forced. And the queen acts oddly giddy.

An hour later, the fey bodyguards are lining up out in front of the castle to see their king and queen off.

Rhyland and I walk the faerie-winged royalty to the door, stiffly holding hands, Rhyland stuck in a daze. Our bodyguards trail at our heels.

When we step outside beneath the starry sky, Faraelee turns to Rhyland. "Would you like that gift you requested now?" Her sparkling gaze briefly flicks to me. "Or, shall I leave it with one of your guards so you can give it to her later."

Rhyland blinks out of his daze. "What?"

"The gift you requested." She smirks at him. "For your queen."

"Oh, right." Some of the stiffness loosens from Rhyland's muscles. "Now will be fine. I'd like to give it to her tonight."

Still smirking, the queen whisks off toward the forest with a few of her guards following, her golden dress swishing across the painted charcoal dirt behind her.

I turn and gape at Rhyland, my jaw hanging to my knees. "You got me a present?"

He reaches over and lines his fingers under my chin, guiding my parted lips closed. "Consider it an early birthday present."

"But you've never given me a birthday present before." I observe his reaction carefully, watching for a sign that perhaps he has. That perhaps the dream that whisked into my sleep last night was a memory.

He simply shrugs and grins. "There's a first time for everything, right?"

"I guess so." I frown. I don't even know why. Maybe because the entire night has been so strange. "Is there something going on between you and the fey queen?"

"Why would you think that?" he asks.

"Because there seemed to be some tension between you two."

"I just have some issues with the fey. That's all."

Again, he's acting evasive.

Silence dances in the air as he stares silently at the forest until Faraelee emerges from the trees with my present. Then all my worries briefly sail away to the moon.

"You got me a baby lilywolf tiger?" I sound like a stupid, gushing vampire, but I don't give a shit.

"Yes, I did. You're not excited, are you?" he teases with a crook of his brow.

"I'm more than excited." I bounce up and down, clapping my hands together. "I've always wanted one."

"I know."

I stop bouncing. "How?"

He winks at me. "What fun would it be if I told you how I know the secret way to your heart?"

I blink. _How can this be the Rhyland I grew up with?_

_Maybe a shapeshifter took over his life?_

His smile fades as he whispers, "Tell me what you're thinking."

My brow arches. "You can't hear my thoughts right now?"

"No. I haven't since Gabe attacked you..." He shuts his eyes, shakes his head, and clears his throat before his eyelids lift open again. "But yeah, I can't hear your thoughts."

I chew on my bottom lip. "I'm thinking that maybe you're not really Rhyland. The one I grew up with, anyway."

"Then what am I?" he half-jokes, half-worries.

I shrug. "Maybe a shapeshifter?"

A beat of silence willows by, and then he busts up laughing.

"You think I'm a shapeshifter?" He howls with laughter, hunching over.

I pinch his arm. "Yes, now stop laughing at me. I don't like being laughed at or made fun of."

He straightens, smashing his lips together. "I'm sorry." He traces a delicate path down my cheek with his fingertip, and my eyelashes annoyingly flutter. "I didn't mean to laugh, and I wasn't making fun of you. It's just that... you're so adorable and I couldn't help it."

"I'm not adorable—"

The queen reaches us and steps under the lanterns burning across the porch, giving me a better look at my new pet.

With blue-ish black fur, cat-shaped ears, a wolf's snout, and tiny silver pixie wings sprouting from its back, it's seriously the most adorable lilywolf tiger I've ever seen.

"It's so pretty." I reach out and stroke its soft fur. "Its fur is kind of the same color as my hair."

"I know. Your king requested it." She hands me the lilywolf tiger. "And it's a girl."

I hold the lilywolf in my arms, and she peers up at me with her silver eyes. "You're the cutest thing I've ever seen. Maybe that's what I'll call you—Cutie."

Her chest rumbles as she lets out a squeaky roar.

I giggle. "Okay, you're still cute, but I'll think of a better name." I pause. "How about Aeribella." Aeribella, after a town located in the Land of Moonlight. I haven't ever been there before, but I've often wondered about the land hidden in the moonlight where, as legend has it, the most powerful creatures—from fey, to witches, to vampires—live together, creating the light of the moon.

"After the Land of Moonlight?" the queen asks with her head cocked.

I nod. "I've never been there before, but I've heard it's a lovely place. Sometimes I even dream about it."

"You do?" Rhyland's brows dip.

I nod again, petting the lilywolf tiger. "I'm not sure if I'm seeing it correctly, since there are no photos of the moonlight kingdom."

"That's because it's forbidden to take photos or paint portraits of the sacred land," Faraelee explains. "Unless your blood is of moonlight descent, but that's a rarity these days."

I glance up at her, my brows pulling together. "Since when?"

"Since for decades now," she says. "Too many wars over power and leadership have resulted in too many deaths. It's also ruining the land."

"That's tragic," I say. "I heard it was supposed to be the most beautiful place that ever existed."

"It was once," Rhyland mutters, almost as an afterthought. "Until the magic made everyone go insane."

"You've been there?" the queen inquires with intrigue.

He promptly shakes his head. "No, but I've heard others speak of it and how the lands are getting tainted."

Faraelee taps her fingers against her side, her fingernails clinking against the gems on her dress. "I wonder if any of these others you heard talk have ever been to the land. Or if they just like to gossip. I've always wanted to go there, but have never found anyone who can get me in."

"More than likely, they're just passing along rumors." Rhyland's tone is neutral, his tone flat. He's obviously bothered by Faraelee's inquiry, but why?

"Anyway, thank you for allowing me to have a lilywolf tiger," Rhyland says to Faraelee in a curt tone. "I know it's against the rules, so I appreciate the favor."

"Anything for the vampire king and queen." She smirks. "Although, I think it deserves a kiss."

At first, I think she means Rhyland should give her a kiss, but then I notice she's looking at me.

"You want me to kiss you?" I ask in surprise.

She laughs, throwing her head back. "Faeries, no. No offense, I'm just not into vampires. On a romantic level, anyway." She collects herself. "I was actually thinking you should give your king a kiss for giving you such a wonderful gift." She gives Rhyland a strange look I can't decipher.

"Oh." Heat combust across my cheeks as I glance at Rhyland, hoping he doesn't agree with the queen.

But then I remember what he said about pretending we're Proclaimed, so I lean forward and give him a quick peck on the lips. When I start to pull away, he slips his arm around my waist, pressing me closer, his lips quivering against mine.

"I can't even..." His breath falters against my mouth as his hand quivers against my back. "I don't know..." He presses his mouth to mine again, his tongue parting my lips as he kisses me slowly but deeply, as if every single second our lips remain fused matters.

I try not to think about how this is my first kiss and how I should find a way to pull away. But then he tilts my head back to deepen the kiss, and I'm suddenly kissing him back.

Our tongues tangle, our body chills mixing together and frostbiting my skin. The sensation is wonderful, just like the kiss I experienced in my dreams. No, even better than that.

_Perfect. Powerful. Shattering._

Rhyland jerks back, breaking the kiss, blinking dazedly until his eyes come back into focus.

" _I'm sorry,_ " __ he mouths before turning back to the now frowning fey queen.

I blink from the haze spinning through my body. _Sorry for what?_

"I guess I was wrong." Faraelee gathers the front of her dress in her hands and starts down the path toward where the king is waiting near a massive willow tree. "I had a lovely time tonight." When she arrives in front of the king, she glances over her shoulder. "And Rhyland, I'll be collecting my favor soon." She waggles her fingers as she hikes farther into the night.

I wait until she exits our land through the willow tree, then I glance up at Rhyland. "You offered her a favor?"

Rhyland stuffs his hands into his back pockets and shrugs. "In exchange for the lilywolf tiger. It's not that big of a deal."

"That all depends on what the favor is."

"It hasn't been decided yet."

"That sounds like a dangerous bargain to make with a fey queen. I mean, she's nice, but the fey are known for trickery."

Rhyland lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "That's for me to worry about."

"All for a pet?"

His gaze flicks to mine. "Just a pet, huh? Haven't you been dreaming about getting one since you were seven years old?"

"Yeah, but how do you know that?"

He runs his fingers along the lilywolf tiger's back. "I remember you talking about it."

"That's strange, because I don't remember us being around each other very much. And when I was around you, I barely talked, too afraid you'd make fun of everything I said."

"They're also very protective creatures," he continues, ignoring me. "Especially toward their owners."

"Yeah, I've heard that too." I scratch behind the lilywolf tiger's ear, listening to her purr. "You told me you were going to start telling me more things once the fey king and queen left."

He sighs, pinching the brim of his nose. "I know I did."

"So, maybe you can start by telling me why you seem to know more about me than it feels like you should." _And why you kissed me like that._

_And why I kissed him back like that._

He removes his fingers from his nose, his eyes locking with mine. "I don't know what to tell—"

"Oh, my stupid bats, will you let me go?" my mom's voice cuts through the night. "I'm her mother, for vampire's sake. And your boss."

A smile breaks across my face as I whirl toward the voice.

My mom is standing near the bottom of the path, waving her finger at Cam while spouting curses. "You better let me through, or else I'm going to—"

"Mom!" I shout, more than happy to see her.

Her gaze snaps to me and her brows pinch when she notices the furball in my arms. "What in Mystic Willow Bay is that?"

"It's a lilywolf tiger," I say, glancing toward Rhyland. "He gave it to me..." I trail off. Rhyland is nowhere to be seen.

_That sneaky vampire thinks he can sneak away from telling me the truth! No, I won't let him off the hook so easily._

After an exchange of a few foul words, Cam steps aside and allows my mom through the gate of guards fencing the castle.

"I'm sorry, but you told me to protect her at all cost," Cam apologizes as my mom brushes past him.

She shoots him a dirty look. "Protect her from everyone but me from now on." She steps forward, then stops. "And Rhyland."

"Man, Rhyland's got her wrapped around his little finger." I grimace as my mom hikes across the field that's glistening red from the glow of at least a hundred blood fireflies.

"Who does?" my mom asks as she stops in front of me.

"I... No one. Never mind." I plaster a smile on my face. "I'm so glad you're here. You just missed the meeting of the fey king and queen."

She momentarily tenses. "I've met them before." She pets Aeribella. "A long time ago. And I must say, you must've impressed her if she gave you a lilywolf tiger."

"Actually, Rhyland gave her a favor in exchange for one."

"Really?" She appears impressed.

"Yeah, he said they're good protectors." I shrug. "And that I've always wanted one. How he knew that is beyond me."

The starry sky waterfalls light across my mom's smile. "I think he might like you," she says.

I roll my eyes. "He doesn't like me. He's just trying to win me over so this whole king and queen thing will work out."

My mom sighs. "Oh, Raven, you have no idea."

"No, I don't," I tell her. "I have no idea about anything anymore, and no one seems to want to tell me stuff."

Another sigh, and then she loops her arm through mine and starts up the stairway. "Come on; let's go inside, and then we can talk more."

I hope by talk she means explain to me why everyone acts like they're keeping secrets from me.

Almost the instant we step foot inside the doors and into the lit-up castle, I open my mouth to bombard her with questions. But I don't get a single word out as her face pales and her eyes widen, her gaze falling to my neck.

"What happened?" she whispers in horror.

I peer down to find that the dragon's fire burn has returned in full form, the skin molting away, charred flesh fluttering to the ground like dying snowfall. "You didn't hear what happened with Gabe?"

"No, I heard. I just didn't realize..." She hurries down the hallway without finishing.

I rush after her. "Mom, what's going on?"

She continues powerwalking. "Did Rhyland see those burns?"

"Yeah." I struggle to keep up with her empress super speed. "He said he was going to find some dragon's fire on the black market. That it would cure it."

"He must not realize..." She quickens her strides, zipping down the hallway and breezing through a set of open doors.

I dash after her, arriving several star rises later, and find her standing in front of a colossal fireplace, talking heatedly with Rhyland. Neither of them notice me enter, and following a strange instinct, I duck behind a bookshelf to listen.

"And you didn't think to take her to a vampire witch and get an exact diagnosis?" The crackling fire casts light across her hardened features.

"I figured it was too dangerous." Rhyland stabs the fire with an iron stick. "And I know what Gabe is, so I didn't think my diagnosis was incorrect."

"How very arrogant of you," she hisses. "Always thinking you know everything. It's part of the reason we're here."

He turns to her, his face a shadow against the orange spark of the fire. "I don't think I know everything. I just didn't know what to do." He stabs the fire again with the iron stick. "We're in new territory... What happened on the street with Gabe... that's never happened before."

My mom's face turns even paler. "I know."

The cackling of the fire fills up the silence that stretches between them.

"What do you think that means?" Rhyland whispers, gripping the iron stick.

"I don't know." Firelight reflects in my mom's wide eyes.

"What're you doing?" Kingsley asks from right behind me.

I let out a scream that would put wild Banshees to shame, and Aeribella lets out a high-pitched roar.

I whirl around. "Fuck, you scared me." I pet Aeribella to try to calm her down.

His brow rises. "Yeah, I got that." His gaze wanders over my shoulder then centers back on me. "Why're you so jumpy?"

Before I can answer, my mom rounds the side of the bookshelf. "Raven, honey, what're you doing?"

"Looking for you," I lie. "You ran off and it took me forever to find you."

Kingsley gives me a look, and I wonder if he knows I've been eavesdropping. Probably. But he won't tell them. I'll make him my puppet if he does.

"Why did you run off?" I ask. "What's going on?"

Just then, Rhyland rounds the corner of the bookshelf. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, his sleeves rolled up, everything about him screaming I-don't-give-a-shit-about-anything.

_And there's the old, emotionless Rhyland I've grown up with._

"I misdiagnosed your injury." Rhyland stares at my neck.

I lightly pick at the shedding flesh. "So, it's not a dragon fire burn?"

"No, it is." He takes off his crown, sets it down on a table, and rakes his fingers through his hair. "It's just a specific kind of dragon's fire burn. And by specific, I mean, really rare. As in, one of a kind." He shakes his head. "Gabe must be learning new tricks."

"New tricks meant to lure the queen out of the castle," my mom agrees with a nod. "Which more than likely means he suspects she's the queen."

Undiluted fear pummels through me. "He does?"

Rhyland nods, gripping the bookshelf and breathing in and out. "Which means the rest of the rebellion probably does too. Which is going to make it even more dangerous when she has to leave the castle."

I rock Aeribella as she begins to whine. "Why do I need to leave the castle?"

He takes a few deep breaths before looking at me. "Because the only way to get the cure for your burn is to track down a dragon living in the Land of Moonlight. And the only way for us to go there is for you to come with us."

"Why?" I whisper.

Strangely, I swear I know the answer before he utters it.

"Because you have Moonlight blood inside you."

# 16

"Since when?" I feel as though I should feel more shocked.

_Why does it feel like I know this already?_

"Since the day you were born." My mom acts like I might shatter. "It comes from your dad's side."

"Maybe he should go there with you," I suggest, though I want to go.

My mom smiles sadly. "I wish that were a possibility, but your father was banished a long time ago."

"For what?" I wonder.

She hesitates. "It's probably better if he tells you."

_I have moonlight blood in me. The most powerful magic runs through my veins. The most powerful magic that can drive a vampire insane._

I shudder at the thought. I've heard rumors of the moonlight descendant losing their minds against the forceful magic flowing in their bodies. I'd be more nervous, except...

"How is this possible?" I ask. "First, I'm supposed to be the queen, who's the most powerful vampire there is. And now I'm supposed to have moonlight blood in me."

"I don't know why you're confused," Rhyland says. "The two go together well."

"Yeah, but I'm not powerful," I remind him. "Not even a little bit."

He brushes his knuckles across my cheek. "You'll get there. You're better than you think." His eyes stray to my mouth, as if remembering the kiss.

His gaze is so intense I have to look away.

I focus on my mom. "Why have you never told me this?"

My mom hugs her arms around herself. "I was waiting for the right time to tell you."

"And now seemed like the best time?" I ask, and she shrugs. "What else have you not told me?"

"Probably a lot of things, but most mothers can say that." She presses her fingertips to her temple. "I'm getting a blood headache. I need a drink."

"I think we all need a drink," Rhyland says, looking at me. Or, my neck, anyway. "You definitely need one."

"Yeah, probably." My lack of enthusiasm doesn't go unnoticed.

Kingsley chuckles while my mom sighs exhaustedly.

"Such a handful," Kingsley remarks, resting his elbow against the shelf.

I toss a scowl in his direction before looking at Rhyland. "So, I have to go to the Land of Moonlight to fix this?" I gesture at my neck.

Rhyland nods. "And we should leave as soon as possible."

"We probably can't go for a few days or so." My mom fishes her phone out of her pocket. "I need to call in a few favors to some witches first and then we'll go from there."

I smooth my hand along Aeribella's head as she begins to stir. "Since when do we associate with witches?"

My mom casts an edgy glance at Rhyland then looks back at me. "Since we need some extra protection spells. It's going to take a lot of magic to make sure you're protected while in the Land of Moonlight."

I crook a brow at Rhyland. "Maybe you can ask your little witch friend who helps you cast all of those spells."

He scratches his neck. "Yeah, maybe." He lowers his hand to his side and straightens his stance. "Come on; let's get you fed while your mom makes some calls."

He doesn't give me a chance to protest, snagging ahold of my hand as he strides out of the room.

"Why do we need to leave the room for you to feed me?" I ask as he guides me down the hallway toward my chambers. Or, well, I'm fairly positive that's where we're going.

_I really need to take a tour._

He glances at me curiously from the corner of his eye. "Do you want to do it in front of everyone?"

Since my fangs twitch simply thinking about the taste of his blood... "Probably not."

He grins as if I just handed over the key to my heart. "Well then, you have your answer."

"I guess I do." Wanting to regain the upper hand, I pick up my pace and hurry down the hallway, being the one to lead him.

He chuckles, letting me take the lead.

Thankfully, I find my chambers without too many wrong turns.

"My stuff is here," I say as we enter the room I slept in last night. The curtains are open, and outside the window, the night sky is dusted with glimmers of silvers, pale purples, and sun-kissed golds.

"Your mom must have had some of the guards bring it inside." Rhyland walks around my room, taking everything in.

As he passes by my silver jewelry box, he stops and fiddles with the latch. "What's in here?"

"Just some old jewelry. Honestly, I haven't looked in it for ages." But my fingers long to open it up now to see if the choker is inside.

_Wait until he leaves._

I set Aeribella down on the bed and move in front of Rhyland, drawing his attention off the jewelry box. "So, are you going to feed me?"

His eyes darken. "You seem eager?"

I shrug. "Just eager to get these burns tamed down."

His eyebrow cocks. "Is that the only reason?"

"Yep." _Liar._

Sucking his lip ring between his teeth, he rolls up his sleeve with his gaze glued to mine, his fangs materializing from his lips. Then he lowers his mouth to his forearm to split the flesh open. His scent instantaneously floods the air. Before I can even process what I'm doing, I lean in, seal my lips to the open wound, and suck in a mouthful of his warm, intoxicating blood.

"Raven..." he groans, threading his fingers through my hair and urging me closer.

I suck in another shallow breath and somehow manage to keep my fangs tucked in so I'm not directly drinking from his vein. I worry how much longer my self-control will last, how much longer I'll be able to not give in to my queen title, to him. To his blood.

_He tastes so good..._

My eyes slip shut as he begins to steer us somewhere.

A suck of blood later, my legs bump against the side of my bed. With a gentle nudge, I fall back onto the mattress, and his arm breaks free from my greedy lip grip.

I open my mouth to beg for more, but he's already climbing onto the bed with me and lining his body over mine. Then he lowers his arm to my mouth and closes his eyes as I seal my lips to his cool skin. My legs wrap around his waist and he presses down against me, groaning.

"God, you're killing me, Raven," he moans hoarsely in my ear.

I grind my hips against his in response while I drink and drink and drink, drinking myself into a magical frenzy, my head spinning... Or maybe it's the room. I start to lose control, my fangs snapping out—

He jerks back, panting, his eyelids fluttering open. "Easy," he whispers.

I bob my head up and down, exhaustedly content, feeling more than blood high.

Trailing his finger along my cheekbone, he places the softest kiss to my lips. "Sleep," he whispers.

"I don't want to..." Sleepiness encompasses me and drags me under, pulling me away from reality.

I capture a little piece before I pass out entirely. A little truth. A little revelation.

_He put another sleep spell on me..._

# 17

"W _hat're you doing?" Rhyland asks as he steps into my chambers._

_He's wearing a button-down shirt, dark pants, and boots with buckles on them. And I'm lounging in bed, wearing a silky midnight blue dress with a notebook opened in front of me, a feather pen in my hand._

_I shrug. "Writing down my thoughts."_

_He eyeballs the notebook. "What sorts of thoughts?"_

_"The ones in my head," I tease with a smirk._

_He rolls his eyes. "Such a smartass."_

_"Don't pretend like you don't enjoy it." I dunk the tip of the pen in a vial of ink. "What're you up to today?"_

_He slants against the doorway with his arms crossed. "I was thinking that I might start training you today."_

_I perk up for the first time since I arrived at the castle. "I thought you said I had to wait until my powers manifested before I did that."_

_"I did." He nibbles on his lip, mulling something over. "But I think it might be time to change things up a bit. Maybe take a new path."_

_"I'm not sure what you mean." I hop off the bed. "But I'm definitely up for training."_

_He smiles, but the happiness doesn't reach his eyes. "Do you want to feed first to build up your strength?"_

_I crinkle my nose. "I don't know... The last time I almost lost control."_

_He rubs his lips together, deciding. "You know, you could always just let go."_

_I shake my head. There's no way I'm going to feed from his vein until I must. Not after he spent years making me miserable._

_Hurt flashes in his eyes. "Okay. But eventually, you'll have to."_

_"Eventually." Unless I can convince Fate that I wasn't meant to be queen._

_Sighing, he straightens. "Get dressed in some comfortable clothes and meet me in the main chambers."_

_I smile and nod, waiting until he shuts the door before letting my calm mask drop. Then I rush back to the bed, scoop up my notebook, and hurry toward the bookshelf. Patting my hand against the side, a secret compartment I had Dex install drops open._

_"Hopefully, he'll show you these when the time is right," I whisper to myself as I stuff the notebook in the middle of several other notebooks, all of them blank but one. "Maybe you can put the pieces together better than I can." Then I close the compartment and move for the closet to get changed, preparing to meet my fate..._

My eyelids pop open, and I suck in a gasping breath, dizziness swirling through my head. Blinking several times and rubbing my eyes, I clear the cloudiness the sleep spell instilled in me and drag my ass over to the table where I left the notebook Dex gave me.

My fingers tremble for unknown reasons as I open it to the first page and read the words scrawled in my handwriting:

_Hopefully, this is Raven reading this. If not, you're probably going to get upset. Consider yourself warned._

_Raven, if this is you, I'm going to get straight to the point. Your story always starts the same. You're born, you grow up being tormented by Rhyland and Kingsley, then you and Rhyland get chosen as king and queen and everything changes._

_Everyone you thought you cared about is playing you. Your parents, Rhyland, Kingsley. They all know what's going on and they all pretend they don't, but I think they might be silenced by magic that forbids them to speak of the curse._

_If you have friends, though, you can probably trust them—they aren't part of this since you rarely have them. But everyone else probably is. Trust no one; otherwise, you'll never figure out the end game to this vicious cycle that goes around and around._

_You're probably wondering what I mean by cycle. You probably wonder it every time you read this._

_I know what you're thinking. That you haven't read this before, but you have. Many, many times. Just like you've lived this cursed life many, many times. You're stuck in a loop, forced to live the same life over and over again. Although, occasionally, the cards change or get messed up. But all the players are always the same, your mom, Rhyland, Kingsley, and the fey queen are the biggest players. The fey queen is probably the worst. In fact, I have my suspicions she caused the curse to begin with. I just haven't figured out why she cursed you._

_But what I do know is trust no one. Not until you figure out what's going on, what the point of this all is, why you're under this spell, cursed to live the same tragic life over and over again._

_They'll try to tell you that you're in danger because of the rebellion, but the rebellion has nothing to do with this. In fact, the rebellion only exists because of this, growing bigger and more powerful every time you die. It's all part of the curse. A curse only you can break. You just need to figure out how._

_And make sure to document all the secrets you find in this notebook. That way, you have an easier time figuring out the puzzle next time._

_Hopefully, this is the last time you have to read this._

I flip to the next page.

_Tonight, Rhyland kissed me underneath the moonlight after giving me a fire seer falcon for a pet. I was excited to get the fire seer falcon, but secretly had been wishing to have a lilywolf tiger for a pet. He also gave me this beautiful choker with a rose pendant that I'm pretty sure he's given me before..._

"What the hell is this?" My mind tumbles with confusion as I try to piece together what's going on.

I wrote this journal.

I wrote in this journal many times.

I've been in this castle many times. Been the queen...

_I'm cursed..._

_Everyone is lying to me..._

Pieces of sharp and broken memories flicker through my mind, but I can't connect all the shapes and colors, as if I'm under a blocking spell. Maybe I am. A single, faded memory brinks through the barrier, though. One of Rhyland giving me the choker on my birthday. Just like he did in my dream.

No, not a dream. A memory. From this life?

I open my jewelry box, and my heart cracks. The velvet choker with the rose pendant is lying inside.

"It really happened." I rub my hand across the pendant, and then return to the notebook.

I fan through the pages, stopping toward the end.

_If you don't figure this out soon, you're going to die all over again. You'll die on the day you're crowned, after the party. Don't doubt me on this one. It's the one thing Fate never changes. And I know Rhyland knows the answers to some of this. He's the key to all of this. But either he won't—or can't—tell you. Whatever the reason, you need to figure out a way around it. Figure out how to break him like he's done to you over and over again. Do whatever it takes to get to the truth._

I sink down into a chair as my legs give out on me and glance at my bed. Rhyland put a sleep spell on me right before I passed out. Why? And where is he getting the magic from? Who is Rhyland?

Who am I?

Bits of answers break through the wall, but they only create a jumbled mess of thoughts, just like the ink staining the notebook pages. But I vow to myself to make sense of it. To figure out what's going on.

I won't die this time around. I'll survive to the end. I just need to find out how.

# About the Author

Jessica Sorensen is a _New York Times_ and _USA Today_ bestselling author who lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

# Also by Jessica Sorensen

**Other books by Jessica Sorensen:**

* * *

**Curse of the Vampire Queen:**

Tempting Raven

Untitled (coming July)

* * *

**Unraveling You Series:**

Unraveling You

Raveling You

Awakening You

Inspiring You

Fated by Darkness

Untitled (coming soon)

* * *

**Unexpected Series:**

The Unexpected Way of Falling

Untitled (coming soon)

* * *

**Bad Boy Rebels:**

Discovering Zhara: Kissing Benton

Discovering Zhara: Meeting The Bad Boy Rebels

Discovering Zhara: Going Undercover

Discovering Zhara: Bad Girl Training

Discovering Alexis: A Wildly Crazy Day

Discovering Zhara: Sweet Lies & Kisses

Discovering Alexis: Truths & Lies

Discovering Zhara: Whispered Promises & The Truth (coming soon)

Discovering Alexis (Title to be decided) (coming soon)

* * *

**Shadow Cove Series:**

What Lies in the Darkness

What Lies in the Dark (coming soon)

* * *

**Mystic Willow Bay Witches Series:**

The Secret Life of a Witch

Broken Magic

Stolen Kisses

One Wild, Crazy, Zombie Night

Untitled (coming soon)

* * *

**Cursed Superheroes:**

Cursed

Maddening

Undead

Untitled (coming soon)

* * *

**Standalones:**

The Forgotten Girl

The Illusion of Annabella

Confessions of a Kleptomaniac

Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl

* * *

**Broken City Series:**

Nameless

Forsaken

Oblivion

Forbidden (coming soon)

* * *

**Guardian Academy Series:**

Entranced

Entangled

Enchanted

Entice (coming soon)

* * *

**Sunnyvale Series:**

The Year I Became Isabella Anders

The Year of Falling in Love

The Year of Second Chances

* * *

**The Coincidence Series:**

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

The Redemption of Callie and Kayden

The Destiny of Violet and Luke

The Probability of Violet and Luke

The Certainty of Violet and Luke

The Resolution of Callie and Kayden

Seth & Greyson

* * *

**The Secret Series:**

The Prelude of Ella and Micha

The Secret of Ella and Micha

The Forever of Ella and Micha

The Temptation of Lila and Ethan

The Ever After of Ella and Micha

Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always

Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always

* * *

**The Shattered Promises Series:**

Shattered Promises

Fractured Souls

Unbroken

Broken Visions

Scattered Ashes

* * *

**Breaking Nova Series:**

Breaking Nova

Saving Quinton

Delilah: The Making of Red

Nova and Quinton: No Regrets

Tristan: Finding Hope

Wreck Me

Ruin Me

* * *

**The Fallen Star Series:**

The Fallen Star

The Underworld

The Vision

The Promise

* * *

**The Fallen Souls Series (spin-off from The Fallen Star):**

The Lost Soul

The Evanescence

* * *

**The Darkness Falls Series:**

Darkness Falls

Darkness Breaks

Darkness Fades

* * *

**The Death Collectors Series (NA and YA):**

Ember X and Ember

Cinder X and Cinder

Spark X and Spark

* * *

**Unbeautiful Series:**

Unbeautiful

Untamed
