Page 24 of Princess
“My brother Nicu is the Commander of the Dark Shadows. As the eldest, his responsibility is to protect the vampire nation. If my father dies or steps down as king, then Nicu will be king. Once Nicu is king, then he can appoint someone in charge of the Dark Shadows,”shesaid.
“How is it that humans do not know that vampires exist?” he asked, trailing his hand down her back, making it hard for her toconcentrate.
“Very few humans know of vampires. Humans aren’t ready to know of the supernatural world. It would cause a worldwide panic and probably startawar.”
“Humans aresmart—”
“It has been tried before,” she cut him off. “And without much success. A very long time ago, around the eleventh century, vampires made their presence known. It caused massive chaos. Vampires were hunted down much like what the witches went through. Many lives were lost, so we have remained hidden from the human worldsince.”
“So what about thenecromancers?”
“If you are sure the guy was dead and he walked out of that building that can only be the work of necromancers. They have the power to awaken the dead to do their bidding. We have totellNicu.”
“A vampire princess,” he said looking down at her, trailing his fingers downherarm.
“Yes, I am,” she groaned. “My brothers are not going to behappy.”
“Why? What do they have to do with what’s between youandme?”
“My brothers and father would prefer for me to be with a vampire and not a human,” she said looking down, slightly ashamed. “They feel that a human is not strong enough to protect me. They can be a littleoverbearing.”
“What do you think?” His eyes were serious as he waited for heranswer.
“I do not want to leave you. As long as you want me around, I will be with you,” she said softly running her hands through his hair. She was certain that he was her Fated Mate and she was not going anywhere as long as hewantedher.
Their eyes connected and she could feel the pull to mate with him, to bind herself to him. She knew that if he left her, it would be the death of her. Being human, he wouldn’t understand the magnitude of what was happening between them. She would not force it on him. She needed to speak with her mother; she would know what Nadirashoulddo.
There was a banging at the front door. Cooper cursed rolling off the bed, jumping into his discarded sweatpants. The banging started upagain.
“Who the hell is that?” Cooper asked, while grabbing his gun from the nightstand. He walked out of the bedroom. The sound of wood cracking could be heard from the living room. Shouting and curses filled the air. She scurried off the bed, wrapping herself in the bed sheet before running down the hallway. She came to an abrupt stop at the entranceway to thelivingroom.
“Stop!” she screamed, causing everyone in the room topause.
Cooper had Teague pinned to the wall with his gun under Teague’s chin. Toma was behind Cooper with a dagger to histhroat
“Nadira!” Teague growled looking at her, his fangs descended as he turned his attention back to Cooper. She straightened up to her full height, gripping the sheet eventighter.
“Get off him!” shedemanded.
“What the hell have you done, Nadira?” Toma asked eyeballing hersheet.
“Do you really want details?” She raised an eyebrow. Both her brothers looked at her with their mouths open. She was not sure what had gotten into her. Sauciness usually was not herforte.
“I can only imagine, not that I want to,” Toma said, tightening his grip onCooper’sneck.
“Sa mergem de colegul meu,” she said softly in their native language. Toma looked to her sharply.Let go ofmymate.
“Esti sigur?” Toma asked.Are you sure?She nodded her head. He glanced to Teague before turning back to her. “Ai luat sângele lui?”Have you taken hisblood?
“Nu,” she responded.No. “Please let him go,” she switched to English. Toma backed away from Cooper, who in turn backed away from Teague. Cooper walked over to her, standing in front of her. She reached up to touch his face. “Areyouokay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He looked over his shoulder at her brothers. “Brothers?” he asked, turning backtoher.
“Yes,” she answered, moving to stand in front of him. Both of her brothers’ faces were filled with hostility towardsCooper.
“You need to come home, Nadira,”Teaguesaid.
“I know,” she nodded. “He comeswithus.”
“No,” Toma snapped, his eyes locked on Cooper. “He’s safer awayfromyou.”
“He needs to talk to Nicu. He has information to share,” she said. Cooper wrapped his arms around her from behind, eliciting glares from both brothers. She automatically leaned back into his warmembrace.
“What type of information?” Toma asked, crossing his arms across hischest.
“The necromancers. They are raisingthedead.”
