Page 79 of Fated to the Vampire Prince
“I am not a man of many words, and I’ve lived a solitary life, so I don’t often need to explain myself. But I’ll try.” He squinted, like the next thing he wanted to say was distasteful or painful. “I asked you to keep this bloodstone hidden because it is unlawful to take your mate as your sanguine partner. If anyone realizes who you are to me and what I’ve done, it would upend our lives. Marius might kill me, or he might force me to move to the capital with you. Either way, the more people know, the less choices we have. Does that make sense?”
I nodded, my head spinning with this information. If I really wanted him dead, all I’d have to do is expose his lies. Itwas that simple, and, at the same time, that complicated. “That’s why you offered to let Marius kill you.”
“Yes. Exactly. I thought death might be an easier choice than the truth.” He paused, and I realized I wasn’t breathing. “I know you don’t want to stay with me forever. I’ve already inflicted enough pain in your life, and I refuse to cause more by forcing you into this mate bond. I’m trying my best to give you space because you deserve to live the life you want. I promise, when your contract is up, I’ll ensure you and your sister are well cared for.”
The force of his pledge shook something loose inside of me. I couldn’t help but wonder how much fate had led me to him. A woman, who was rarely allowed outside the confines of her family home, sent out on a mission to become his sanguine partner, with a magickal choker around her neck, spellbinding her to the task.
Again, I wondered how much Mama had known. Was our mate bond the reason why I was born without magick?
“Claire,” he said, my name so sweet on his lips, “you will always be myeverything.”
No, that couldn’t be possible. I wasn’t anyone’sanything. I was Claire.Magickless. Useless. Good for nothing but dangling in front of a vampire like bait. The shame was back, and this time, it was hot in my throat. My inclination was to disbelieve him, because how could I be his everything, but I could feel the hurt and the anger and the powerful need to protect me at all costs, emanating off him in waves.
And… there was something else there, too. Another emotion. Something I’d never felt before. A strong emotion that made me feel warm and tingly and… safe. I was feeling all these things from him, and we didn’t even have our bond open. We were speaking plainly. What did that mean? I wasn’t sure what to say or do.
“I wasn’t exaggerating when I told you that I’d kill a room full of people in cold blood if I believed they’d hurt you or wronged you.”
“Bastien, I don’t know what to say.”
He touched my cheek. The barest brush of his knuckles. He would do anything for me, anything,except be with me.
“Does this adequately answer your questions?”
Tears pressed into my eyes. There was so much I wanted to say, but I was unable to speak through the knot in my throat. I nodded, holding his hand to my cheek. The tenderness in his eyes nearly broke me all over again.
“Now that I’ve answered your questions, there’s something else I want to discuss.”
I swallowed back the emotion threatening to overwhelm me. “Last night I learned of a disturbing attack—one that had been plaguing me for half a day. To be honest, it was one of the reasons I didn’t come back to you. I’d been trying to figure out how to handle the situation.”
This time, I cupped his cheek, holding him. “Tell me what happened.”
He grabbed my wrist and turned his face into my palm, kissing it. A thrill raced up my arm at the feel of his lips. “I know you don’t care for Dark Witches, but a coven under my protection, the Kemps of Devonelle, were attacked. Their matriarch is dead.”
The Kemps were the worst of the worst, as far as Mama was concerned. I’d eavesdropped on enough meetings to know killing Temperance Kemp was a high priority. Once, I would’ve celebrated this news, but now, all I could feel was a strange sense of loss. “Who was responsible for the attack?” I asked. “Do you know?”
“I know you grew up at Nightfall, so I’m sure you’ve heard of this coven. The Prideaux.”
My head spun, and pressure sat in my chest. Mama had come this far north and attacked the Kemps? Maybe the strange feeling of dread I’d had about Sera had nothing to do with werewolves, and had everything to do with this attack. What if she was hurt? What if…
“I know this is shocking news. Especially when you grew up revering this coven, but… perhaps now you can see that not everything is just light and dark.” He paused, then added, “I need to pay my respects at the funeral ritual tonight, but I can’t bring you with me. I said I wouldn’t force Dark Witches on you again until you were ready, and I meant it.”
He was choosing me and my safety over carrying out the responsibilities of his role as the Duke of Roselyn? Disbelief circled my features. It was hard to believe someone would choose me over their responsibilities, especially when that person was a vampire. A creature who I’d been taught was ruthless. But… who were the ruthless ones now? Bastien was right. I was starting to see that the lines separating good and evil were blurring.
I wanted to tell him to go without me. I would be fine alone. But the part of me that was still my mother’s daughter and beholden to the spell cast on my choker bade me to give another answer—one that would place me in a position to find the location of another demonic relic.
The girl in me hoped I would see Sera there. Even if just a glimpse from the shadows. A wink from behind the trees. I’d feel better knowing she was safe. “I’ll come with you.”
“Are you sure? These funeral rituals are dark, and the magick used could be… off-putting.”
“Bastien, I know I’m safe with you.”
Chapter 36
Ensorceler
CLAIRE
We spent the remainder of the day in the greenhouse, clearing out garden beds. I enjoyed the peace that came with Bastien’s quiet nature. I was accustomed to being alone, and so was he—but together, even in silence, I found I wasn’t lonely.
