Page 158 of Queen of the Crimson Throne

“Me too,” Luka agreed. “Is there any way you can test it?”

“Let me see your drink.” I passed her my glass as she pricked her finger, letting a drop of blood fall into mine and Luka’s glasses along with her own.

The blood dissipated into Luce’s glass, turning the sparkling wine a light blush color. In mine and Luka’s glass, the drop of blood maintained its shape and floated perfectly in the center of our glasses.

“Holy Shit,” Luka murmured.

“What’s going on?” Declan’s voice came from behind us. We turned to find Nico and Kara following behind him.

“Someone tried to poison Lennox and Luka,” Luce said.

“Not so loud Luce,” I scolded.

“What?” She crossed her arms. “Someone tried to commit treason, everyone should know.”

“What did you say?” Arlo’s voice came from across the table. “What’s this about treason?”

“Someone has tried to poison the High Queen and King.” Declan’s voice was pure steel as he addressed the entire room.

Shock rolled across the room as people looked at one another. “No one leaves this room until they are dismissed,” Declan continued as the murmurs grew.

“Whoever did this will pay.” Luka’s voice rang across the room. “We?—”

I ducked, covering my head as the glass windows shattered. Screams broke out around the room as a roar accompanied the shattering glass. I stood up, brushing the pieces of shattered glass from my hair. In front of the broken window, a creature stood from its crouch. The monster looked around the room, its red eyes aglow. Blood dripped from its fangs and claws.

Of all the times for a Dhampir to appear, in the middle of our wedding celebrations was an awful inconvenient time.

Three more Dhampirs bounded through the broken window into the room.

“Astria’s tits,” Nico swore as he reached for his sword at his side. “Bad day not to bring my ax.” Nico took off towards the monster, sword in hand. Declan was already out ahead of him, his sword swinging towards the creatures. Roars echoed in thebackground in unison with the screams of our wedding guests as the Dhampirs ripped into partygoers.

“Please tell me this is some kind of surprise wedding activity,” I murmured more to myself than anyone.

“I don’t think so, Sweetheart.” Luka’s hand closed around the sword at his side.

“Someone give me a sword,” my voice rang out over the chaos. The daggers sheathed under my gown were less than ideal for this fight. I thought a sword was a necessary wedding accessory butno—I had to leave Minerva in my chamber. Several people scrambled around me, offering me swords. I took the first one I saw and broke into the fray, Luka at my side. Glass crunched under our feet as we ran towards the window as two more beasts appeared through the hole. Black blood rained across my dress as my borrowed sword pierced the Dhampir’s chest. Its screech pierced my ears as I withdrew my sword. The Dhampir swiped out with its arm, the sound of tearing fabric reached my ears as its claws tore at my dress.

“I liked this dress,” I grit out as I thrust my blade into the Dhampir again. It let out one last gasp before crumpling to a pile on the floor.

I turned, spying Luka as he removed his sword from a Dhampir’s chest, blood sprayed from the wound, but still, the creature stood. Several other guests had jumped into the fray, the sounds of fighting echoed in the room as we all worked to fight off the beasts.

Screams echoed off the walls, I turned finding a Dhampir ripping into a guest, its irregularly long fangs piercing into the guest’s shoulder as it gripped them tightly in its claws. I ran toward the Dhampir; it was oblivious to my arrival as it spat flesh on the marble floor before going back in for a second bite.

The guest’s form was limp in the Dhampir’s grasp as I sent out a wave of magic, freezing the ground beneath the Dhampir. Its feet slipped out from under its mutated form, the now deadbody of its victim falling to the ground beside it. Before the Dhampir could attempt to stand I rammed my sword through its chest.

The room around me fell silent as the last beast fell, but screams still echoed in my ears.

I panted as I turned and surveyed the room. Massive forms, soaked with black blood, lay in a pile at our feet. People were huddled under the tables, some peeking out over the top to see what was going on. Broken glass was scattered across the floor, littered across the limp bodies of several guests. Black and red blood was splattered on the marble floors and across the tables, staining the white tablecloths with death.

This was not at all how I imagined our wedding would go.

Panic seized my chest as memories of last fall flashed to the forefront of my mind.

My city in ruins after the attack.

Bodies crushed under the rubble.

Again.It was happening again.

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