Page 75 of Wicked Bite
I fought back the emotions I would let go later. I needed time, on my own, to mourn the life I’d lost and the friend I would never see again. I couldn’t think of her right now. If I did, I would surely lose it. One thing at a time. I forced a small smile. “Thank you for that.”
His iPad pinged and his smile faltered for a second, then he forced it firmly back in place. “Well, I will have your order placed now and delivered to your chambers.”
“Umm, where am I going?”
Grayson rose to his feet. “In the castle. You’ll be staying in the suite next to mine.”
Heat rose to my face. “Okay.”
Martin hit a few more buttons. “Excellent. I’ll make all the arrangements.”
His iPad pinged once more, and this time he kept his smile firmly in place. “And on that note, the King has commanded your presences. He wishes to meet you, Piper.”
I’d never met any royalty before. Nerves gathered in the pit of my stomach. I grabbed the edge of my hospital gown and twirled it. The fabric tore as easily as if I tore a piece of paper. “Then, of course, I will be there. When would he like to see me?”
Martin looked up from his iPad and met my eye. “Right now.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
PIPER
The dress was too smooth, too airy, too expensive. I felt naked under it. Which I kind of was. There was only a small set of black panties to allow for some coverage, but everything else on me was out . . . all the way out. The dress was a light silky material that flowed around my body with each step I took. The V-cut stopped just above my belly button and exposed all the cleavage my curvy little body had to offer. The sleeves clung tight to my arms, and I let my hair flow free and wild down my back. Changing my clothes and looking in the mirror was an adventure. My skin was only slightly paler, my muscles were more well-defined, and I didn’t need an ounce of makeup. My lips turned to a cherry-red. My lashes were so thick I looked like I had black eyeliner on, and even my cheekbones looked high and sharper all on their own. No makeup for eternity. Being a vamp had its perks.
Grayson walked beside me with that smooth, confident glide he always had. He too had taken the time to change, though he was gone and back in seconds, never leaving my side. He wore a double-breasted black suit with a white button-down shirt under it. He’d forgone the tie and left his collar open, exposing that perfect smooth skin. Two little punctures marred the side of his neck, and a memory flashed in my mind of my teeth in him. I flushed with embarrassment.
“Did I do that?” I pointed to them.
“A small price to pay.” He pulled his collar up higher, hiding them. “A first for me.”
“So, I’m your first?”
“For a lot of things, actually.” He smirked.
I tried to play it cool as we took our time walking through the castle. But it was a freaking CASTLE. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d even see one of these up close and personal. “You said you were in private security, not a prince.”
“When one is trying to maintain a low profile, one tends to omit things to keep them simple. Though it wasn’t a lie. I am part of a small group of chosen warriors deemed worthy by fate to protect the Witch Queens of the world.”
I stopped walking and my voice rose. “Wait, there are real witches?”
He turned on his heel and moved in closer to me, catching my eye. “All the things you thought were only fairytales are true. The myths are true. The world as you know it is about to become a much bigger place. Are you ready for that, Piper?”
This both excited and terrified me at the same time. “I think so.”
He held his hand out toward me. “Then, shall we?”
I placed my hand in his and let him guide me down the hall. I’d never seen anything like The House of Shade. The castle itself was built from a cold dark stone that reminded me of slate. Thick wooden beams arched up the walls and met in carved pointes on the vaulted ceilings. Dim lights twinkled up and down the halls, giving that dark slate stone a warm, gothic feel. Pine garland wrapped around each of those beams and was decorated with winding red and gold ribbons. Christmas trees lined the halls and were adorned with sparkling ornaments.
Vampires milled in the halls like the castle was a social place to hang out. As we walked, they all stopped talking and stared at us. Suddenly, I was self-conscious of my dress. The others were dressed in a more traditional type of ball gown, complete with dress all the way to the floor, sleeves down to their wrists, and collars that cut across their breast the way they did in the history books in old England.
“Are you sure I’m dressed appropriately to meet the King?”
“You look lovely.” Grayson slid a group of onlookers a sideways glance and they looked away from us, falling back into their conversation. “The King will be gracious as always.”
“If you’re the Prince, doesn’t that make him your father?”
He pressed his lips into a hard line. “My father died. That wasn’t a lie. Titus is my uncle.”
“And this is the family business you were running from?” We paused outside a set of carved, wooden double doors.
