Page 35 of House of Royals

Nine Born vampires.

One me.

Trinity gives a strong sniff, and when I look at her, she’s staring hungrily at me with glowing eyes. “She’s got a scratch on her left ankle,” she says. “You smell damn delicious.”

“Trinity!” Lillian barks, a look of horror on her face. “Alivia is royalty, not a midnight snack.”

“She may be a princess, but right now she smells like a human blood bag.” A threatening smile curls on Trinity’s face. She may be a teenager, but she is also a blood-crazed vampire.

“Do you need to leave?” Jasmine asks, cold and calm. Trinity’s eyes jump to hers, and the glow dies from her eyes.

Trinity looks down at the ground and doesn’t say another word.

“We are sorry for all the secrecy that’s been going on,” Jasmine says. She’s annoyed at the behavior of one of her subjects, but she takes back control. “We’ve been eager to talk with you since we heard of the attack and Henry’s death. Our species can be a little overzealous at times.”

“And that’s why you sent two Bitten to my house to drag me here?” The words snap out of me before I can think about them.

There’s a collective intake of breath. But no one kills me instantly for speaking harsher than I should have.

Jasmine gives a slightly ticked off chuckle. “We don’t often just pick up the phone and invite people over for afternoon tea.”

“Well, give that a try next time.” I try to sound light, like I’m comfortable enough to make a joke. Lillian and Samuel offer a smile. Cameron snickers like it was the most hilarious thing ever.

“I will keep that in mind,” Jasmine says.

My heart is beating faster and faster, and I hate that they can all probably hear it racing. They can probably smell the sweat on my palms. See my chest rising and falling just a bit too fast. I can pretend I’m brave and unafraid all I like, but they know the truth.

“How much do you know about the King and how a Born House works?” she moves on. Teddy nudges her hand and she pets his head absentmindedly.

“I know the King had two loyal grandsons and he gave them everything,” I recount. “He gave them leadership of the world. Their direct descendants rule different areas.”

“Good,” Jasmine says. “Ian Ward didn’t fill your head entirely with half-truths. And you know that your father, Henry, was a Royal Born who abandoned us.”

I swallow hard. We’re getting to the meat of my fear. I nod.

“You don’t need to be so scared, love,” she says with a smile, but the glimmer in her eyes says she’s got me exactly where she wants me. “I promise you no harm will come to you while you are in my House.”

HerHouse.

Let her keep it.

“I don’t want to take anything from you,” I blurt out. “I’m not a vampire, and I don’t exactly feel like a princess, so I’d like to just keep living my life as normal.”

Markov chuckles and shakes his head at my ignorance. Micah stares death at me. He hates me, I can feel it; and he knows nothing about me. Nothing, yet he knows as much about me as I do, I suppose.

“That’s good to hear,” Jasmine says, her voice once again sweet. “Because I do love this House and don’t want to lose it. But we do need you.”

“You know what will happen if we claim her and take her public,” Micah hisses. “The King will come as soon as we do.”

“And why are you so afraid, Micah?” Jasmine cuts back. “Are you afraid you won’t survive his visit?”

“It is not me I worry over,” he says, his voice dropping as everyone looks at him. “But you know how the King loves his games.”

“He does, indeed,” Markov agrees in that low voice. Even his eyes are drawn inward and dark.

“I have ruled a shamed House for fifteen years,” Jasmine says. Her voice is calm and low. She is fire and ice. Calm and collected one moment, exploding with vengeance the next. There’s a reason she rules this House. “I have born the shame of abandonment long enough. I will take the risk of the King’s games to gain our respect.”

“What does it matter if you have a Royal?” I ask. Because truly, I don’t understand that part yet.

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