Page 87 of Blood So Brutal

I scoffed and shook my head. Of course, I was nervous. I was getting married against my will tomorrow, and I was supposed to use that union to give the evil archangel power over the entire vampyre species.

Nervous was just the beginning.

"More like terrified," I admitted. "I spent my entire life learning to kill, learning to protect myself. But this? This political mess is out of my skill range. I don't know how to navigate this."

Wolf sauntered into the bathroom, coming to stand behind me as I stared at my reflection and tried desperately to recognize the person before me.

"Once this is over, we begin our path to freedom, okay? Once tomorrow is behind us, we can finally breathe."

"You seem sure about that."

"That's because I am." He stood close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body, but he didn't touch me. He just hovered so close that the smell of pine and maple trees filled the bathroom.

My ability to scent him seemed to grow stronger and stronger now that I awakened my vampyre senses. Aside from a heightened sense of smell, I was faster. Stronger. My magic grew more and more powerful and it was getting easier to control. I also had yet to set the entire castle on fire, which wouldn't exactly be an awful outcome, but still.

I was actuallyproudof myself, although I was still learning to process the fact that I spent my entire life killing vampyres, only to learn I was one of them.

I didn't want to be a monster. I didn't want to be those vile, blood-sucking creatures I heard about in tales from Lord.

I just wanted...I just wantedpeace.

"I keep thinking about Lord. I keep thinking about why he sent me here, about what he really wants from me."

Wolf went still. "How do you know he wanted anything from you at all? What if he thought he was sending you here because you deserved to be one of the elite?"

My chest tightened. "That would be unlike him."

"He raised you, didn't he? He's practically your father. Why wouldn't he want you to get out of the slums of Midgrave?"

I dropped my head, finally looking away from the reflection I didn't recognize. "He wanted me to be strong and fierce so Icould survive with him. In Midgrave. If he wanted me to leave, he would have just told me."

Wolf considered these words. "It's okay to miss him. It's okay to miss your entire life in Midgrave, actually."

"I do miss it." Hells, the words stumbled out of my mouth before I could even think. "I miss Lord. I miss the damn bakery every morning. I miss..." My throat closed up. "I miss all of it."

Wolf leaned in closer, forcing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up straight.

"I miss having freedom."

"Did you ever really have freedom, Huntress?" His breath hit my bare neck when he spoke. "You were living in the shadows, never knowing who you really were."

"It was better than this, than being forced to live in this castle withhim."

Wolf's eyes darkened. "I'm going to make this up to you. I swear it on my life, you'll be the happiest damn vampyre in all of Vaehatis very, very soon."

I tried to smile, but my face felt stiff.Happiness.The thought seemed so foreign. Unfair, even. Why would I, of all people, deserve to feel happiness? Why would I get the chance to live a free, peaceful life?

No, things like that didn't happen to me.

I had a destiny. I had a fate.I was the damn blood queen.

But when Wolf placed his hand on my shoulder, I forgot about all of that for one second.

I leaned in.

"I never thought I would get married," I said aloud. "But if it's required of me, I guess I’m not entirely angry it's with you."

His smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Music to my fucking ears, Huntress."

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