Page 108 of Pretty Little Prey
Luna held her head high as she glanced around the table at some of the most dangerous predator shifters to exist. Freaking fire-breathing dragons.Don’t care anymore. “I believe your people—which include prey shifters by the way—deserve a queen like me. One who will care, whowillprotect them. As you all have failed to do.”
The dining table was silent. Daxton’s parents stared at her with no emotion on their faces. Well, maybe shock.
Beside her, Daxton held her hand so tightly in his that if she had not been a vampire, it might have hurt. Instead, it granted her strength.
He gazed down at her, his eyes blazing with pride and adoration. “Neeuck,” he whispered.Queen.
Everyone looked to his father, who sat ramrod straight in the tall chair. He flicked his gaze over Luna, examining her face like he would analyze a map while discussing battle strategy. “My son just recently became king when I stepped down.”
His words seemed to be a threat. As if what he really meant was,I could take the throne from my son if you endanger it.
But his father’s head tilted as he stared at her. She refused to lower her chin, break eye contact, or shiver under the intensity of his power. Then, he said, “I give your union my blessing.”
Luna, unaware just how immersed she got herself in this new world, felt her face break out into a wide grin. Daxton’s expression mirrored hers as he squeezed her hand.
Daxton’s father added, “As long as she is reverted back into a light shifter.”
She stiffened but reminded herself to relax. It was a slap to the face that her species—what she was—meant more thanwhoshe was.But, I want to be a prey again, remember?
At the same time, she had not known she wanted the position of queen or any power whatsoever, but now she looked forward to not only being able to live but also evoke change for prey shifters like her. One of her best friends growing up had been a rodent shifter.I wonder if she lives? I want to ensure she thrives.
Luna squeezed Daxton’s hand back as she let the idea—of marrying this intense and beautiful man and becoming queen of predator shifters—wash over her and settle.
My life starts now.
She wanted it. She wanted this. She wanted the dragon.
Bastille will hate me for it. Would Kobe? Sly and Nikolai? What if she saw them at the wedding ceremony?
Daxton’s father warned, “Understand that our people have hated vampires for a millennium. We—they view them as parasites. They might never accept one as their queen. If you remain one for long, there will be an uprising.”
Luna crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. “Then, those witches need to start returning our calls, don’t they?”
Chapter 42
“Ow!” Luna cried out as the manicurist chopped off a large portion of her overgrown fingernails, trimming them.
Luna tried to calm herself, but it was overwhelming with all the people huddled around her. Two manicurists, a makeup stylist, a hairdresser, a wedding gown designer who kept wrapping measuring tape around various parts of her body as she was “groomed” for the announcement of her engagement to the king.
Daxton had retired to his throne room to make preparations and left her to this crew for her “preparations” for the party.
“Ow,” she complained again when the hairdresser tugged especially hard at her silky silver-white hair.
The hairdresser smirked and shrugged at her pain.Maybe all Light Ones really do despise vampires.
“Be gentle with her,” Conrad instructed from his spot in the corner of the room. He stood and watched her get bombarded with hairspray, makeup, and nail polish.
“Why aren’t you with Daxton?” Luna asked. “Doesn’t seem like this would be very important for you to do.”
“I have watched over the prince—the king—for many years. Now, the king treasures your safety over his own,” he replied, his expression cool and unfeeling. Indifferent. “Thus, I am the only one he trusts to watch over you.”
“You think I could be in danger?” she asked before cursing at the way the makeup artist jabbed at her eye with mascara. “Hey!”
“Leech,” the woman mouthed, and Luna’s jaw fell.
Conrad said, “We are hopeful that the faction of witches will attend the gathering tonight. With them here, they could perform the spell and reverse your vampirism.”
“Goodie, goodie,” Luna replied.
